Real home: a contemporary renovation of an Edwardian terrace

published 4 January 2019

Looking for inspiration to take on your own renovation of an Edwardian terrace? Or simply intrigued to see what's possible? Find inspiration with this gorgeous, contemporary renovation in Brighton.

For years, Peter and Sebastien admired this student house directly behind their flat in Brighton. They watched a new neighbour move in and add a loft extension, making them love it even more. As luck would have it, the property soon appeared on the market as a half-finished renovation, which the couple just couldn’t resist.

Find out how they did it, then browse more of our real home transformations. Read our guide on renovating a house, too, for more guidance.

Project Notes

The owners: Peter Boorman, a health promotion practitioner, lives here with his partner Sebastien Laboret, a casino inspector, and their three cats Jackie, Joan and Cilla

The property: A four-bedroom Edwardian terraced house in Brighton

Total project cost: £36,800

exterior — *From the back of the house, you can see where the loft extension and the conservatory both open out on a sunny aspect, making he most of the indoor outdoor link*

They updated the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, added a conservatory to embrace the stunning views, and renovated a basement bedroom. To fund the project, they made the most of their location by renting out rooms, and transformed the space, one room at a time. They’ve now opened up their home as a bed and breakfast, allowing more people to appreciate their beautiful, artisan-style home.

white_kitchen_diner — *A wooden shelf was added at the end of the kitchen to make a small breakfast bar, complete with vintage-style bar stools from* *Elm Home & Garden. The ceiling rose set is from* *William & Watson*

'At Number34 we’ve created an individual and homely interior, using locally sourced materials which have been recycled and reworked to give a new purpose. We love to find new uses for unloved vintage items which give our home character and warmth.'

dark_kitchen_diner — To save as much space as possible, the kitchen layout was kept simple with a run of units along one wall. The existing oven, sink and taps were salvaged and installed in the new space, while new unit doors were made by *Hudson Carpentry. Peter found the table on Gumtree but didn’t like the varnished finish, so he left it in the garden for the winter so it would get a weathered look. The patterned floor tiles are from* *Tons of Tiles* *and the dining chairs are from Gumtree*

'We share Number34 with our three cats Jackie, Joan & Cilla and the Queen features throughout. We’ve combined our love of interior design with our other passions – Her Majesty, food, massage and felines!'

navy_master_bedroom — *Tucked in the converted attic, the master bedroom is split into two levels to create definition between the sleeping and seating areas. The bedside tables are from Gumtree, the sofa is from* *Made.com, and the wardrobes are from* *Ikea*

'The produce we provide for breakfast, dinner and cocktails are mostly homemade, and locally sourced. We are trained chefs and massage therapists with a lifetime’s experience of the hospitality industry.'

bathroom with dark and white walls and plant

'The house and garden benefits from being split level, which creates a range of different spaces for guests, so they have privacy or the option to share a space if they wish to meet other guests.'

garden_room — *The beautiful wooden summerhouse benefits from its own outdoor seating area. For a similar summerhouse, try* *Waltons*

'To enhance the guest experience, we also offer evening fine dining, cocktails & pintxos parties and Her Majesty’s high tea served in the garden. All homemade with love.'

wooden_bunk_beds — *Inside the summer house, the compact space is decorated with wooden shelving, wooden panelling, matching furniture, and bunk beds for guests*

'We rent our five rooms separately or the whole house for up to 10 people. Number34 is great for group bookings who want the whole package of breakfast, dinner and cocktails or a massage before bed. We’re located close to the centre of Brighton on the main bus routes or 20 minutes walk. There is also free on-street parking available.

For more information, check out their Facebook and Instagram pages or head to Number34Brighton.com.'

More renovations advice and ideas:

Maxine is a freelance interior stylist and writer. She can be found blogging on her site We Love Home, where she covers the latest trends and her own projects in her Victorian terrace in Brighton where she lives with her dog Teddy.