By choosing neutral basics, Michelle Purcell has created a home she can update to suit her ever-changing style – her latest includes DIY panelling and colour-pop accessories
Feature Lisa Moses Photography Caroline Mardon
CHIC & COLOURFUL MAKEOVER
My story
‘This house has seen a lot of changes in the 20 years since we bought it. Initially, it needed so much work that we decided to wait until we got it to a liveable state before moving in, as Lewis was just a baby. The biggest job was extending the tiny galley kitchen to create a large, open-plan kitchen-diner but, as we couldn’t initially afford a proper roof, we put a polycarbonate roof on until – four years later – we’d saved enough to finish the job properly.
The loft was already boarded, so we installed stairs at the same time as the kitchen roof, eventually extending the space by adding a dormer and large en-suite to create a luxurious main bedroom. As our family has grown, the rooms have evolved, both in use and decor. We recently gave the kitchen a stylish makeover, installing new cabinets that I painted black and pink. My home always had pops of colour, but over the years I’ve used a more neutral, gentle scheme, also adding panelling, brick slips, and plenty of artwork.
I love to save money so, with the help of family, we’ve done most of the work ourselves. Looking back and seeing how far we’ve come helps me appreciate all the hard work that’s gone into creating our home. Hopefully, we won’t need to change it for a while now, though I do have plans to update the bathroom and colour-drench our bedroom, so who knows!’
Kitchen
‘When we extended the galley kitchen we installed the cheapest cabinets that we liked and could afford. After a few years, we repl
