Renovating A Period Townhouse

Renovation Renaissance
DIY Masterclass
A Rustic Twist

Ian Ashton single-handedly designed and re-modelled a Lancashire townhouse in just 11 months. It sounds like it could have been a disaster, but his perfectionism meant that this was no rush job.

Imagine walking into a large Victorian townhouse that has been turned into shoddy bedsits. Imagine viewing this house, knowing that you'd have to renovate it completely single-handedly when you've just finished one renovation. Imagine feeling excited and energised by the prospect. Not everyone could, but five years ago, this is exactly what happened when Ian Ashton spotted a house for sale in a sought-after area of Preston, Lancashire.

The kitchen/dining room is the heart of the Ashton family home, and really sums up the modern rustic look that Ian and Michelle have created. Ian made the kitchen himself.

When Ian put forward the idea to his partner Michelle, she physically recoiled. She had just got used to living in their then lovely home after a long renovation period and wasn't ready to move again, but Ian was itching to get his teeth into another project. So he used a little emotional blackmail to get her to view the property as it had a large garden that he knew Michelle really wanted, and a cellar and loft that could be converted to create more space for their ever-expanding family.

When Michelle finally agreed to see the house, she felt overwhelmed by it all. The house was trashed and split into flats, but Ian could quite clearly see the potential and was bowled over by the amount of original features. He was totally smitten and managed to talk Michelle round.