The conversion of this run down property by interior designer Sarah Rossiter and her husband, Ed, a professional project manager, saw them win Reader’s Choice in the Real Homes Transformation Awards. They spent 18 months looking for their conversion project, eventually discovering a 1920s bungalow that had been converted into two flats with a warren of poky rooms.
Now the ground floor is a large open space with new blue kitchen, dining area and living room. The polished concrete floor and absence of skirting boards or architraves gives it a stripped back, contemporary look. Its eco-credentials are high, with solar panels on the roof that power the house and their electric car.
Project Notes
The owners: Sarah Rossiter, an interior designer, lives here with her husband Ed, a project manager, and their red and white border collie, Fraggle
The property: A three-bedroom semi-detached chalet bungalow, built in 1924, in Brighton
Total project cost: £300,000
After they converted it, the space felt more open and a lot more contemporary. The polished plaster that stretches able the fireplace and across the ceiling has concealed lighting. Sofas, Camerich. Coffee table and cushions, Rockett St George. Rug, Ikea. Fire, Stovax
The deep blue kitchen, from Windmill Kitchens, is warmed up with wooden worktops from Sapele
The bespoke industrial-style chandelier, from Chantelle Lighting, is a real feature, and creates a contrast with the Danish 1940s table and chairs, from Retrospective Interiors. Painting, Paul Keaton
The stairs are one of Sarah’s favourite parts of the house, as the rigging-style bannisters were influenced by her love of sailing. Staircase, Iron Designs
Old floorboards have been reused as feature cladding on the wall of the snug. Rug, Rockett St George. Cushions, Etsy. Side table, Dwell. Walls painted in Maritim 236, Mylands
The Smoke bed from Loaf is the focal point in the main bedroom. Cushions, from Goa. Mirrors, Rockett St George. Bedside tables, Swoon Editions. Walls painted in Museum 151, Mylands
Sarah and Ed went for a bold look in their bathroom. The geometric tiles above the vanity unit are from Marrakech Designs. For a similar shower, screen and tiles, try B&Q
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Alison is Assistant Editor on Real Homes magazine. She previously worked on national newspapers, in later years as a film critic and has also written on property, fashion and lifestyle. Having recently purchased a Victorian property in severe need of some updating, much of her time is spent solving the usual issues renovators encounter.
