Thanks to her keen eye for a secondhand find, first-time buyer Sophie Hill has decorated her home in modern-retro style without breaking the bank
Feature Karen Wilson
BLAND TO BOHO UPDATE
My story
‘When I became pregnant, Sam and I didn’t fancy climbing five flights of stairs to reach our rented flat in Liverpool, so we started looking to rent or buy elsewhere. We wanted a light and airy three-bed, as I loved the big windows in our previous Georgian flat.
Sam’s mum saw this house in Bromborough, a village with loads of green space around, but it got snapped up quickly. It was the ideal location, with a park nearby, so we were really pleased when it came back on the market a few weeks later. Although it was crammed full of furniture, you could tell the rooms were quite big. I particularly loved the large south-facing windows in the living room at the back and the gorgeous garden.
We had thought we could only afford a two-bed house in a less desirable area, but this was within budget as it’s a shared ownership property. We got a mortgage for 25% of the value and pay a reduced rent to a housing association on the rest.
Sienna was born two months before we moved in and we started decorating room-by-room while I was on maternity leave. I studied textile design at uni and love interiors, so I’d already made moodboards and taken lots of screenshots from Pinterest and Instagram. I love using pieces from different trends and eras, especially 1970s furniture and patterns. I can definitely see us living here for a good few years.’
Welcome to my home
A BIT ABOUT ME
I’m Sophie Hill, 28, an assistant manager at Urban Outfitters. I live with my partner Sam, 30, who works in music publishing, and our daughter, Sienna, two.
WHERE I LIVE
Our home is a three-bed property in Bromborough, The Wirral, which we bought in December 2021. You can follow my Instagram @sophiesgaff.
WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE
The house had been owned by an elderly couple so was dated, especially the kitchen, which had beige wood-effect doors teamed with brown and white speckled worktops.
HOW I MADE IT MY OWN
