How an interior designer brought new life to her crumbling Victorian home in Manchester
If you were to walk through the front door of Jo Thatcher's Didsbury home, the first thing you would notice is her clever use of colour.
'Previously, my interior style was heavily influenced by the grey paint trend, which looked lovely, but it was very safe,' she explains. 'So when we bought this house, I wanted to make a conscious effort to be a bit bolder. I'm fond of strong colours – navy, green, rust, black – so I went for it and used them throughout.'
When Jo and her husband Ben bought this ex-rental property in March 2021, they started updating it almost immediately. 'We fell in love with the original plaster corbels, dado rails, fireplaces and arches,' Jo recalls. 'And we loved that everything was a bit wonky-looking because it gave the house lots of character.'
The downside, though, was that the interior was tired and unloved, with bland magnolia walls and worn stripy carpets. ‘Our plan was to breathe life into the space to create a modern eclectic look that blends old with new. I love autumn and I'm drawn to colours inspired by nature.'
Within just a month of moving in, the couple decided they wanted the main bedroom to be first in line for a DIY makeover.
'It was our favourite room in the house, as it's light and spacious, so we focused our energy on transforming it – and it was an easy win!' says Jo. Before they started, Jo created a detailed moodboard for the room, mapping out her paint choices and furniture so they had a clear plan of action.
'Because it's a large room, I knew that it could take a dark colour on the ceiling, so I painted it black and it instantly gave the space a sense of grandeur. To liven up the monochrome scheme, I added a few green touches with the furnishings and accessories.'
The kitchen was the next big renovation project. A builder stripped the room back to the brickwork, ripping out the units and replacing the windows, doors and floors. 'I design kitchens for a living, so I was excited to try out my ideas,' says Jo. She chose Shaker-style cabinets with brass handles and a marble splashback and countertop. 'I took a risk using veined marble in the kitchen, as it's a high-maintenance material, but it was worth it as it really elevated the overall look.'
While the kitchen build was ongoing, the couple couldn't do too much to the rest of the house. ‘I was seven months pregnant by the time the kitchen was finished and we were over building works,’ states Jo. ‘I was tired of washing plates in the bathroom and we were craving a homecooked meal.’
But the one room she did prioritise was the nursery, to ensure it would be ready before her baby’s arrival. ‘It caused more chaos than the kitchen!’ she remembers. ‘We had to hack crumbling plaster off the walls and the dust went everywhere.’ To get it finished in time, Ben painted the room late into the evenings. ‘After Roman was born, we took a much-needed six-month break from DIY.’
Next, the couple turned their attention to the living room, where the plasterboard on the walls had blown and the floorboards were damaged. ‘You could hear the wind whistling through the gaps in the floor and it was unbelievably draughty!’
Unfortunately, Jo faced a major setback when the handyman she hired walked out on the job weeks before Christmas and she was left with a half-finished room. 'My stress levels went through the roof and tears were shed,' she remembers. Luckily, her kitchen builder came to her rescue and salvaged the living room just in time for the holidays. 'The paint wasn't even dry and I was dragging a Christmas tree through the door just before the big day.'
But this wasn't the only challenge the couple faced during the renovation. The roof unexpectedly started leaking and when it rained heavily, they found water pouring down the walls.
Experts surveyed the roof with a drone and discovered the joists were rotten. ‘It was a big shock to us and we hadn't budgeted for that cost,’ recalls Jo. 'The expensive repairs had a knock-on effect on our other renovation plans and we had to put them on hold while we built up our savings again.’
Although these unexpected repairs tested the couple’s patience and bank balance, Jo remained focused on her creative vision. Her colour palette of navy, green and rust has created a cohesive, inviting atmosphere, and her attention to detail has certainly paid off: ‘This has become my real-life interior design portfolio where I showcase my best ideas.’
Now all the hard work is done, Jo enjoys nothing more than spending time in her home with her family. 'This is a beautiful house packed with history and character and it brings me so much joy to live here,' she concludes. 'I'm proud of how we’ve turned a draughty, cold house into a warm and welcoming home that’s perfectly designed and decorated for our young family.'
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