Sarah Dowling and her partner Jack had previously been in a tiny shared flat, and even lived on a houseboat for a year, ‘which was as lovely and romantic as you'd think,’ she says, ‘but also hard work, and definitely an exercise in small-space living!’ So, they were excited about the prospect of buying a house of their own.
Initially, their perfect property proved to be elusive. ‘I really like period homes, and we were looking for one with two bedrooms, because we wanted to have a lodger,’ Sarah explains, ‘but Jack also wanted a workshop for his woodworking, so we needed access at the back of the house, which we discovered most terraces don't have.’ When they came across this place, they quickly realised that it ticked both boxes,…
