GOOD AS NEW
Couple transform ‘dog’s dinner’ farmhouse to stunning modern home on Old House, New Home – but layout baffles viewers
A COUPLE’s “back to front” farmhouse, dubbed a “dog’s dinner” has been left unrecognisable after its modern makeover on George Clarke’s Old House, New Home.
Events manager Lauren and her rugby coach husband Chev purchased the Victorian stone farmhouse complete with a seventies red brick extension in Mirfield, West Yorks, for £225,000.
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The couple had already moved in with their two young sons and Buster the dog but were desperate to transform the space with the help of presenter George.
But while the pair were left “speechless” with their thoroughly modern makeover viewers at home weren’t convinced.
Fans were unimpressed with the new layout which saw the front door open directly onto the dining room, taking to Twitter to share their disapproval.
One wrote: “Lovely what they’ve done.. but walking in your front door to your dining room? Very very odd.”
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Another agreed adding: “The whole walking in the front door straight into the dining room thing, is the only bit I don't agree with.”
Lauren and Chev were determined to make this a “forever home” having moved house four times in the past six years alone.
But they were well aware that it needed a lot of work and set aside a total of £70,000 to transform the property.
Lauren said: “I don’t think it’s been properly decorated since the seventies.”
“It’s stuck in a time warp” added Chev.
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But it’s not the ageing décor that leaves the presenter baffled when he is unable to locate the front door of the property.
He asked: “Where’s your front door?
“You’ve got a side door on what looks like a relatively grand Victorian house.
“You can’t see your front door but the garage door jumps out like a sore thumb.”
The reason for the unappealing entrance is that it’s all back to front, at the rear is an impressive stone façade with symmetrical windows.
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Baffled by the layout George remarked: “About two thirds of it is an impressive period house, that third is a dog’s dinner.”
Immediately upon entry George notices the various “level changes” in the house.
“Everything is split level” he said, “so it makes the place more exciting but it makes it really difficult to redesign.”
The current layout sees the couple’s living room placed at the back of the house while both the kitchen and dining room are accessed by sets of steps.
The presenter admitted that he was “slightly lost for words” but the couple are pleased to inform George that they have planning permission for a two-storey extension at the rear.
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The presenter kept the 70s extension as it is, uniting old and new with the help of rendering.
He planned to keep the dining room as it is but lose the wall between the hallway to create a “line of sight” from front to back.
The kitchen was relocated from the front of the property to the centre and has added a family room and upstairs the master bedroom is transformed with Lauren’s dream walk-in wardrobe.
And of course the home now has an all-important front door.
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The couple went over budget by £35,000 spending a total of £105,000 transforming the property, but they couldn’t be happier with the result.
Exploring their new home for the first time Lauren says: “I’m actually speechless and that never happens.
“I feel like I've walked into some beautiful show home.”
She added: “We've had years of upheaval and moving and we can't way just to enjoy it now.
“The kids are going to have such a happy childhood here and for us, that's the main thing”
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
George Clarke's Old House, New Home airs on Wednesday's at 8pm on Channel 4 - catch up now on All4.
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