THE CHALET REVIVAL
When Harry Antonious spotted an old bungalow for sale, he knew he could transform it into a modern family home
WORDS VICTORIA JENKINS
The 6m-tall glass front and apex to the new first floor bedroom give the home a thoroughly contemporary aesthetic. All the windows in the house were replaced with double-glazing with aluminium powder-coated frames and solar glass
PHOTOS WILL GODDARD
After spending 18 months doing up their home in Cheltenham, builder Harry Antonious and his partner Catherine Hews spotted an old chalet bungalow for sale.
When Harry drove past the property, he was immediately drawn to it, and asked Catherine to come and see it, too.
The couple approached the estate agent, who told them it had been on the market for some time and if they really wanted it, they would have to sell their own house first.
“Amazingly within five days I had sold my own home,” says Harry. “Thanks to local agent Nick Griffiths, it took just five days to get the photos and details online, whereupon it sold immediately.”
MAY 2019
FACT FILE
NAMES Harry Antonious & Catherine Hews
OCCUPATIONS Owner of a construction company & social worker
LOCATION Cheltenham
PROJECT Renovation & extension
STYLE Contemporary
PROJECT ROUTE Owner designed & managed, with input from an architect
PROPERTY COST £440,000
BOUGHT 2019
HOUSE SIZE 271m 2 (extensions 110m )
PROJECT COST £184,500
PROJECT COST PER M2 £681
TOTAL COST £624,500
BUILDING WORK COMMENCED May 2019
BUILDING WORK TOOK 30 weeks
The 1950s chalet was a probate sale. Downstairs there was an original 50s kitchen, which was rotten, a dining room ,lounge and back room, plus a pink bathroom. Upstairs there were two bedrooms. And, to make life easier for the previous elderly owner, there was an open WC in one of the bedrooms: “It was quite literally in the corner of the bedroom, out on full display,” explains Harry.