This is what happened when Kathleen and Robert Cooper in Oldham got the 60 Minute Makeover treatment.
Daughters Jane and Karen contacted the 60 Minute Makeover team because their parents been very supportive of them both throughout their childhood and now into womanhood. They felt it was finally time they got some payback.
They are currently letting both daughters and their partners live in the family house while they save to buy first homes and pay for weddings. This makes for a very cramped house – a three-bedroom semi with six adults living in it. If that wasn’t enough they are also letting Jane have her wedding party at the house.
They haven’t put money into the house because they're always giving to others and putting family and friends first. The house is very clean but everything is dated.
The designer: Kathryn Rayward
Kathryn faced a huge challenge because Kathleen and Robert both have different tastes when it comes to decorating. Kathleen likes traditional decor and like a room to feel cosy whilst Robert loves modern designs and furniture.
Kitchen
The kitchen was an important room in the house but one that was in need of a revamp. Jane felt that although the room was clean, her mum would love a new modern cooking space. Kathleen had painted the cupboard doors before, to try and change the space but what was needed was a complete overhaul.
Kathryn felt the space was far too clinical and in need of some colour. She wanted to modernize the look of the room and felt the best way to achieve this was to remove the old kitchen and fit a new one. She opted for a cream shaker-style kitchen with black worktops from Fineline Bedrooms and Kitchens. She used a black splashback to cover the old tiles behind the new cupboards.
A dramatic red colour was introduced through paint on the walls in the kitchen. This was to create contrast and impact and she wanted to continue the colour throughout the house.
The old kitchen appliances were worn and dated, so Kathryn introduced new stainless steel appliances from Neff and Love-electricals.com.
A new vinyl flooring (United Carpets and Beds) went down to provide a comfortable, practical but stylish flooring for in the kitchen.
Dining room
This space was used by the family to eat and socialize. They had some extra kitchen cupboards in the room and the flooring in this area was worn.
Kathryn wanted to be quite dramatic with this space by removing the dining furniture to create a new living area complete with modern but comfortable seating. She felt that people often keep furniture where it was originally placed. She wanted to make use of the patio door area and create a relaxing space where Kathleen and Robert could sit and look out at their garden. The house is currently packed so another living space will create a bonus environment where the couple can reclaim their privacy.
Out went the extra kitchen units and the vinyl from the kitchen was extended out into this area as well. By deliberately carpeting the mezzanine area but leaving the kitchen and living room with vinyl helps us to differentiate the areas.
Seating also had to be an important feature of this space. Kathryn introduced a three-seater sofa and pouf by Foremost Furniture Ltd and an original Egg Chair from Fritz Hansen.
The other furniture (large sideboard, nest of tables and coffee table) was provided by Morris Furniture.
Mezzanine
The mezzanine area had been turned into a study/dumping ground.
But the space was wasted. There was a fantastic view out to the garden and the benefit of having a view down to the new living area. Kathryn chatted to Jane and she agreed that her parents would love to have their dining table in this space and for the room to be made into an elegant dining area for the family to enjoy but that would also double up as an area for Kathleen and Robert to work in if they needed.
Kathryn continued the Harlequin-feature wallpaper up the staircase wall into the dining room. She was inspired by the wallpaper and used it as a starting point to create the room around it. She wanted to create a retro feel with a modern edge.
She kept the original feature in this space the balustrade. The original 1970’s balustrade may have looked out of date but against a backdrop of funky '70s-inspired wallpaper and furniture it came alive again.
The wooden dining table in this area was provided by Morris Furniture and the glass furniture from Ravaya and Elite Glass Furniture helped to make the area feel larger and more spacious.
Main bedroom
The main bedroom in the house was clean and in good condition, so Robert and Kathleen decided to redecorate other rooms before decorating their own bedroom.
The room was a good example of the contrasting tastes of Robert and Kathleen. She likes the more traditional, patterned wallpapers while Robert had put up a wall of mirrors to create a modern feature wall.
Kathryn wanted to freshen up the room and add some colour and design. She wanted to paint the walls with a red colour - but to help soften this bold colour, she added lots of light soft furnishings and accessories.
The white furniture in the room was all dated so Kathryn replaced it with colourful but elegant restored furniture, including a turquoise Le Pigeon Rose dressing table and bedsides.
Kathryn kept the large divan bed but added a new twist by creating a feature headboard using a mirror laid on its side, a great trick in a smaller space to make the room feel larger. To add to this, she introduced extra lighting through a chandelier and bedsides by The Light Studio.
The wooden floor was kept because Robert has a dust allergy. It’s vital if you have asthma or a similar problem to be wary of putting carpets down. You need to keep everything easy to clean and practical so you don’t allow the dust to settle.
Outdoor area
Karen will be getting married next year and celebrating the ceremony at her parents house. We decided to transform the patio area. Kathryn wanted to treat the immediate outside space as an extension of the interior.
She introduced a large new outside dining table with chairs and canopy from All-In-One Garden Furniture and set a garden seat swing from Bents Garden Centre next to it.
In order to make the outside space more elegant, Kathryn introduced a number of garden statues from Frenchstone (UK)Ltd
