I will never tire of improving our house

Choosing a home for its future potential was a leap of faith for Cathy Pyle, but her vision held strong and now she’s reaping the rewards

Welcome to my home

A bit about me

I’m Cathy Pyle, I’m married to Tony, and we have three children, Izzie, 14, Eva, 9, and Louis, 7.

Where I live

We live in a fourbedroom Edwardian house in London.

What I wanted to change

All of the rooms needed general updating, but the main thing we transformed was the kitchen; it was poky and dark, with only a tiny window looking out onto the garden. It’s north-facing too, so there was very little natural light.

How I made it my own

Doing the work gradually, starting with things we could do ourselves and filling it with things we love to make it feel like a home.

My favourite part

The kitchen! We still can’t believe how beautiful it is on a sunny morning, filled with light, with the view over the garden.

GOOD IDEA

Shelves are the best option for kitchens with angled ceilings

GOOD IDEA

Mix emulsion and tile grout to make your own chalkboard paint

Kitchen

‘The kitchen units, doors and handles were inexpensive ones from Howdens, and the oak worktop was from Norfolk Oak, which we later whitewashed in Danish white oil. As for the chalkboard wall, I didn’t want to have the traditional black colour, so after some Googling, I found that you could create your own chalkboard paint by mixing together emulsion and tile grout. I love the result – it’s really useful for reminders and shopping lists!’