With meticulous planning and a lot of hard graft, first-time buyers Alex and Zara Robinson can be proud of the bold new look they’ve given their home
Feature Karen Wilson Photos Katie Lee
We , ve become a renovating
MY STORY
When we were expecting our first daughter, we were living in a friend’s spare bedroom and planning to go travelling. On our return, we rented a tiny two-bedroom terrace, but we really needed more space and wanted to buy our own place. At the top of our list was having an en suite, a utility room and garden. This house ticked all the boxes. It isn’t old, but it still has character, and we love the area. I couldn’t wait to transform the house, which was beige and bland.
It took six months for the sale to go through. We were worried about getting a mortgage as we’re both self-employed. However, we decided to stay positive and started buying everything from sinks and furniture to tiles and wallpaper. When we got the keys in August 2021, we could just crack on and did loads in the first month.
Knocking down the wall between the kitchen and dining room was the biggest job. Most rooms were taken back to brick and re-plastered before adding new flooring, skirting boards and fitted wardrobes. Now my husband can do the tiling, plastering and plumbing, while I come up with designs. We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short space of time. The house’s value has increased already, but more importantly we’ve created a cosy, colourful and happy family home.
Style idea Lay splashback tiles in a vertical formation for a contemporary look
Welcome TO MY HOME
A BIT ABOUT ME
I’m Zara Robinson, 26, and I have my own floristry business, @floral_and_lace_. I live with my husband, Alex, 31, a tattoo artist, and our children, Bobby, three and Honey, 10 months. See more of our home on Instagram @the.mental.temple.
WHERE I LIVE
Our home is a three-bedroom detached house that was built in the late 1990s in Hessle, Hull. We’ve lived here since September 2021.
WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE
The house hadn’t been touched in years and there were magnolia walls everywhere. In particular, the tiny kitchen needed a complete overhaul.
HOW I MADE IT MY OWN
Knocking through the kitchen and dining room was definitely the biggest game changer of all. We’ve changed all the flooring,
