We spent years creating this eclectic look

MODERN VINTAGE MAKEOVER

My story

Having lived in the centre of Sheffield, it was time to move somewhere quieter with a garden. After viewing around 30 properties without finding one we liked, we almost gave up. However, this house caught our eye as it’s on the edge of the countryside, and it has character. It was love at first sight.

Although we didn’t think the house needed much work, Paul later touched the living room ceiling and his finger went straight through, which prompted us to change the bathroom above. Before we knew it, we ended up getting most of the house replastered, and started replacing windows, flooring and radiators. Since then, we’ve really enjoyed putting our stamp on the place with an eclectic, rustic style, and since joining Instagram my confidence in interior design has grown and grown. We’ve learnt how to make a space feel really cosy and cocooning with warm palettes, colour-drenching and even painting a terracotta ceiling. Upcycled furniture has also given our home character. Unless we’ve got no use for a piece, I tend to strip it back and repaint it, which can give me inspiration for the rest of the room too.

We’ve recently bought an old stone gamekeeper’s cottage in the Scottish Highlands – we always thought we’d retire there but during lockdown we realised I could work remotely. I’ll definitely be taking what I’ve learned here with me to our next home.

Welcome to my home

A BIT ABOUT ME

I’m Gareth Young, 36, a knowledge exchange and impact fellow at University of Sheffield, and I live with my partner Paul Greaves, 42, a lecturer at Stirling University.

WHERE I LIVE

Our home is a three-bedroom, semidetached Edwardian house in Dronfield, Derbyshire, which we bought in November 2016. You can follow my journey@gareth_at_keeperscottage on Instagram.

WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE

The house was decorated beautifully, so we didn’t need to do anything st