This much loved but dated bungalow was transformed into an award-winning home thanks to help from the professionals

In doing so, she followed her parents’ lead. Newly married, they had bought the house from an architect who had designed it and had it built for himself.

Over the years, they had extended and altered it and added a garage/workshop, with her father, a gifted DIY’er, doing much of the work himself, including making the kitchen cabinets.

“The house was lovingly maintained but old fashioned and in need of updating,” says Nicola, who brought in Huddersfield based One 17 Architects to help her transform the bungalow into her ideal home.

The result is truly exceptional and its most recent addition, a garden room, won the Best Amazing Space award at the recent Northern Design Awards.

The whole process began with architect Mark Lee asking what Nicola wanted from the property.

He and his team then set about delivering a home that has exceeded every expectation.

“On the whole it was straightforward to relay my wish-list and have what I wanted included in the re-designed layout. However, there were some surprisingly painful decisions required to accommodate the property’s new footprint,” says Nicola.

“The loss of the old apple tree in the front garden, which I remember climbing as a child and from which my mother used to make applesauce, and the removal of the front door step, with its symbolism for the family comings and goings, are the two that stand out.”

There have, however, been compensations. “I now get to see the branches of the cherry tree from the skylights and the stone entrance pillar makes me smile as it reminds me of the initials my father left on the parts of the house he built.”

The bungalow’s reincarnation took just over a year and on Mark Lee’s advice, she only visited the site twice during that time.

“He said it wasn’t necessary to see the guts being ripped out of a building you love, but to wait until it’s all been put back together. I didn’t even look at the photographs which were being taken to record the work. I think this is testament to how much I trusted everyone at One17,” says Nicola.

“They put the house back together with such attention to detail. Bricks were taken from demolished internal walls, cleaned by hand and reused on the exterior, internal doors stripped and re-fitted, windows made to match those in situ and new architectural details, such as skirting and cornices, moulded to the original specifications.

“All these things mean the house still feels familiar to me, even with its open plan layout and new extensions housing the entrance, kitchen and dressing room.”

As for decorating and furnishing the house, she knew she wanted the look to be minimal but comfortable with muted colours and simple finishes.

Again she brought in the professionals from One17’s interior design team.

“I spent a few hours with them looking through images and discussing ideas and they instantly understood what I was hoping to achieve and the process of making the almost overwhelming number of decisions was therefore, much less daunting,” says Nicola.

A favourite element is the herringbone timber floor that runs the length of the living space. She also likes the mix of old and new, which includes her parents sideboard plus chairs that sit alongside a bespoke kitchen table designed by Mark Lee and made in Yorkshire under his Dyehouse brand.

The kitchen is from Edinburgh after Nicola spotted “the one” there and the blinds and rugs came from The Pattern Principle in Holmfirth.

With the bungalow reborn, Nicola began saving for phase two of her scheme, a garden room created by extending the existing detached garage, the back of which was her dad’s workshop.

Designed by One17 architect and partner Freddie Garside, the garden room is now a fabulous multifunctional space with a living area, mini kitchen, bathroom and wood-burning stove.

It is constructed from brick and oak to complement the existing house with steel framed windows as contrast and the interior features blackened oak cabinetry and raw oak cladding to give a contemporary alpine feel.

The final project Nicola has planned is to have garden designer Lizzie Tulip create a beautiful garden.

“The house really is more than I could have ever imagined or hoped for. It is beyond my wildest dreams,” says Nicola. “Working with One17 was a really memorable and enjoyable experience. It was cathartic too.”

*One17 architecture and interior design www.one17Design.com; The Dyehouse is at www.thedyehouse.com