Viewers slam ‘tasteless’ George Clarke for removing ‘gorgeous’ panelling in couple’s £350,000 refurbishment on Old House New Home

VIEWERS of Old House New Home have criticised "tasteless" George Clarke for removing the wooden panelling in a couple's Edwardian house in London.

Lauren, 31, inherited the four-bedroom property in Golders Green from her grandparents which has been stuck in the same seventies time-warp since they moved in back in the 1980.

Keen to make it a “forever home” for her partner Chris and their daughter Marianna, Lauren asked presenter George Clarke to help them transform the property.

Lauren tells George: “I’m trying to find a balance of something that’s practical something that looks good something that’s sympathetic to house’s character and something that I love.”

With a budget of £300,000 the couple were prepared to take major steps to refurbish the tired property including getting rid of the ornate panelling that runs throughout the entire ground floor.

However, this was a decision that did not sit well with viewers, who criticised "tasteless" George for removing it.

Taking to Twitter one wrote: "OMG! You want to get rid of that gorgeous panelling! You tasteless cretins! It's gorgeous & adds £30k on your house price!"

Another agreed adding: " Let me get this right. Existing “later additions” to period houses are out of keeping and wrong, but your additions done for the programme are fine?"

One said: "Why buy a period house and destroy all the period features???"

And a fourth tweeted: "There's a place for panelling."

The couple were forced to replace the staircase after finding that the original had been coated in concrete to house the panelling.

The ground floor also accommodated two extensions which Chris and Lauren removed in order to create one sleek extension to house their kitchen-diner.

The downstairs loo was decorated with a busy printed wallpaper across all four walls and even the back of the door and ceiling.

Paying homage to the former décor, the couple opts for a graphic tropical print wallpaper, confining it to a small percentage of the room for a chic, modern feel.

“I love this toilet, I think it’s absolutely beautiful” George tells the couple following the

Upstairs, the master bedroom had lost some of its appeal after a clumsy ensuite took up most of the space.

But George redesigned the area to restore the room to its full spacious grandeur with the new ensuite, larger and more efficient than the last.

The wood panelling in the hallway has completely disappeared with a slate blue and patterned tiles giving the Edwardian space a light and airy feel.

George says: “It’s one of the nicest hallway transformations I’ve ever seen.”

Speaking of his finished home Chris agrees, adding: “I can’t imagine it being better than this.”

The couple overspent by £50,000 and admit they still have things to buy, but Lauren says it was worth every penny.

She tells George: “It’s been amazing and so much fun to mould something we’ve put so much of ourselves into this.”

Catch up on Old House New Home now on All4

In other property news, we told you about a woman who spent 10 years transforming her bland Essex home into a pink palace. 

And one woman who spent seven years to save a £62k deposit for a £278k four-bed house near Coventry.