'We have a love of FRENCH STYLE'

Undaunted by a complete refurb, Djimbi rejigged her home's layout and added a mix of eclectic finds to create a place that's full of personality

- LISA FAZZAN

Huseyin and I had already enjoyed doing a complete renovation in our last house and were itching for a new project,' says Djimbi. 'We wanted somewhere a bit bigger, with a guest bedroom and office space as I work from home and, as our daughters were getting older, we really needed more space. We've always preferred period properties and I loved the symmetry of this house and the way the rooms flow around the circular layout of the ground floor.

However, it was a huge undertaking as the house hadn't been touched for 40 years so everything needed replacing, including the kitchen and bathroom. It also needed rewiring, replastering and new flooring throughout before I could even think about the decor - and, added to all of that, we also had a six-month-old baby! We didn't want to inherit anyone else's taste though, so we took the plunge and went for it.

Redesign begins

We began by ripping up all the smelly floral carpets and removing the yellow wallpaper, as well as having the Artex ceilings and walls replastered. Then the renovation began in earnest. The main bedroom had an en suite that led onto a balcony overlooking a golf course, which didn't quite make sense as it felt like we were on show, so we decided to rejig the layout. We enclosed the balcony and converted it into a large bathroom, adding a flat roof and high windows for much-needed privacy; then the old en suite became a dressing room leading to the bedroom. This created a much better flow, giving us the luxury of a large, opulent space.