When Mel and her husband, Chris, were first married, Mel was renting a house in Manchester, and Chris would travel from his army base in Suffolk to see her every weekend. ‘But with his retirement looming after 25 years, we decided it was time to buy a forever home together,’ says Mel. As both Manchester and Suffolk were out of the couple's budget, they decided to widen their search, finally choosing to concentrate on The Potteries, as there are several National Trust properties in the area, where the couple both hoped to find work.
‘At the time we needed three bedrooms because Chris's children stayed every other weekend, and our brief included a Shaker-style kitchen with butler sink, Minton tiles in the hall, and lots of period features. Luckily, the estate agent came up with the goods and found this place, which ticked all the boxes,’ says Mel.
REFRESH WITH PAINT
The couple's new home was full of bright
