< Previous10 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES This month’s featured property is a modern family home that has been completely transformed by its owners. masterpiece A modern 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:42 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 11 HOMES Placed in the village of Skellingthorpe, just a stone’s throw away from Lincoln and four miles west of the historic cathedral, this detached property on Waterloo Lane has been altered and extended significantly. Its owners initially came across the abode while in search of a project, after being based in the area for twelve years. They have now lived at the home for three years. “We saw the house and realised straight away how much we could do with it,” the owners said. “It was in desperate need of modernisation and has now been completely revamped. It’s undergone a dramatic change.” The work on the home saw the majority of the house knocked down and a full extension placed to one side, creating something almost unrecognisable. Transformed into what is practically a new home, the owners’ efforts saw the property receive a ‘Highly Commended Award’ in 2019 from the Local Authority for the Best Extension or Alteration to an Existing Home. “It felt good be recognised. It’s nice when professionals acknowledge you,” the owners said. If taking a tour of the home, one will begin by stepping into the main reception hall and will notice the solid oak staircase. To the left is a study/bedroom, with a fitted desk unit and cupboards, while straight ahead is the lounge and an open plan kitchen/living/dining area - the centrepiece of the home. The spacious lounge, the owners’ favourite room in the house, hosts a feature fireplace with a Contura Wood Burner and large bi-folding doors, which are a delight to open up. “It’s just like being sat outside,” the owners noted. One can certainly imagine enjoying a nice breeze on a hot evening in here. 12 Á 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:42 Page 212 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES Moving into the kitchen one will see a range of Schuller glass fronted kitchen units, a central island with large drawers and units below, quartz work surfaces, a NEFF induction hob and central extractor fan, integral NEFF ovens and steam ovens, an integral fridge and dishwasher, sink unit and drainer. While the kitchen portion of the open plan space utilises tiled floors, the living and dining area features American walnut wood flooring. The kitchen/living/dining room, off of which one will find a utility room and W/C, can also be introduced to the outside via bi-folding doors. Travelling upstairs one is welcomed by a galleried landing. The first floor holds four bedrooms, two of which have an en- suite and dressing area, one of those being the master. The master bedroom presents a feature high vaulted ceiling, four velux windows, internal feature windows, a dressing area with fitted hanging rails and shelving, a mezzanine balcony area and an en-suite shower room, a key aspect of which is the walk-in shower area with a rainfall showerhead. A family bathroom can also be found upstairs, with a large “his n hers” walk-in shower area with a rainfall showerhead, a bath, washbasin with vanity drawers below, toilet, and “his n hers” towel radiator. Outside of the house there is a driveway for off-road parking, which gives access to an integral double garage with an electric up and over door. Meanwhile, 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:42 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 13 HOMES in the rear garden one will see a large patio area, a lawned area, a variety of mature trees, a protected birch tree, shrubs, and a summer house. The owners note that it is the perfect manageable size. While they love the home and its peaceful yet well connected location near to Lincoln City Centre, the owners are now selling, explaining: “We’ve built some houses on Doddington Road in Lincoln and are planning to move into one of those.” The modern property is now on the market with Mundys for £615,000. PREMIUM MULTI-FUEL STOVES & FIRES ELECTIC & GAS FIRES AND SURROUNDS We have an extensive range of fireplaces, multi-fuel and wood burning stoves along with a magnificent collection of gas fires, electric fires and surrounds on display at our showroom in Boston, Lincolnshire. Our stunning selections from leading British and Scandinavian manufacturers such as Elgin & Hall, Jotul, Chesneys, Dimplex, Valor Contura and Arada to name but a few, means we cater for all tastes. Our friendly and helpful staff are always on hand to give you some ideas and help to guide you with your purchase. Visit our showroom or call us today on 01205 310 327. Church Road, Boston PE21 0LG | Tel: 01205 310 327 E-mail: sales@bostonheating.co.uk | www.bostonheating.co.uk We are a local and independent roofing firm with over thirty years’ experience. We have been serving the local community for over ten years. All our team are friendly and professional and take pride in the high standard of workmanship that we provide. For more information, call us today! We cater for domestic and commercial clients in need of quality roofing for their homes or businesses. Our comprehensive range of services includes: • Roofing service • Re‐roofing • Slating • Tiling • Fascias and Soffits • General property maintenance DDS Roofing 35 College Street l Grimsby North East Lincolnshire l DN34 4TN Telephone: 01472 267709 l Mobile: 07980 962009 Email: derrick.saxby@homecall.co.uk For all your roofing needs 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:43 Page 4Sometimes, it really is the smallest things that can have biggest impact. That’s as true for life in general as interior design. Now more than ever, we each of us need to find little things that make us smile when there’s still so much anxiety and uncertainty around the globe. Livening up your décor with a few carefully chosen ornament pieces can have a big impact, not only to the overall feel of a space, but your wellbeing. Below, we’ve gathered up some lovely pieces that might be right at home in your house or serve as inspiration. HOME TRENDS The little things 2 14 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 2 1 3 14-15.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:45 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 15 8 6 5 1) This Large Distressed Birdcage from Melody Maison is a beautiful cream and gold home decor accessory for lovers of shabby chic style or vintage design. Made from metal this Birdcage has a cream painted distressed finish with gold detailing for added rustic effect. 2) For the romantic dreamers amongst you, AUDENZA offer this golden perch- ing parrot mirror. An enchanting mirror for a romantic setting. Perfect for the boudoir. 3) Necklaces like these continue to be used in various traditional ceremonies by the peo- ple of Papua New Guinea, who are known for their incredible shell jewellery and body or- naments. Each necklace from Shimu is individually made by hand using different types of shells, woven onto a rope backing. 4) This striking yellow and blue abstract cushion from Louise Mead is available in three sizes and a choice of faux suede, canvas, or linen fabric. 5) This beautiful watercolour is a frame print by British artist Sarah Reilly of Love Country UK. Sarah also writes a delightful story to accompany her prints, bringing the animals to life with this highly collectible and lovable range. 6) These round porcelain vases, handmade by Jade Gallup in her East London studio and available via Monday, feature deep blue glaze splodges and real gold lustre. Gorgeous with or without foliage or flowers. 7) Embellish your home decor with this elegant Custard Apple Box from Sweetpea & Wil- low featured in an antique nickel finish. Great for added texture and decor, this ornament will complete kitchen or dining area effortlessly. 8) These ape-like vases in saturated hues from Micucci Interiors are part of Elena Salmis- traro’s latest collections presented in Paris for Bosa called “Primates”. This set of fine ce- ramic vases has been created to remind us of the delicate relationship between men and apes. 4 7 14-15.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:45 Page 216 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE Many of the artists we’ve profiled over the years have had similar experiences, where they’ve either been turned away from a career in the arts or have come to the decision on their own. The reason is that “art isn’t a real career” and “there’s no money in art”. While there may be some truth to those notions, it does stymie so many people’s creativity, leaving careers in tatters before they’ve even begun. Kevin Bandee made a living in IT while possibilities Infinite Artist Kevin Bandee’s mixed-media portfolio has become highly sought-after by collectors and admirers. Lincolnshire Today explores this fiercely independent artists work a little closer. he supported his family. Once his family had grown up, he made the brave choice to pursue his lifelong interest in art. As a self-taught artist, Kevin spent much of his formative years experimenting in different media, searching for his own unique style. It was crucial this style be free of any influences and stand apart from the art world, offering the world something it had never seen before. He began working with tools that he made himself and experimented with ideas ranging from digital landscapes to metal wall art. There was – and is – always a collection of research materials and images stored away in his studio to be used in the future for that next piece. Kevin has explored a wide range of subjects, but when he came across the symbolism of butterflies, he was inspired to paint them. He forged an immediate and immensely strong connection with this subject; through further research he discovered that butterflies are important symbols in many different cultures, often connected with joy, peace and transformation. Although he says he is not especially spiritual in his day-to-day life, the two things are connected in his mind, and this gives his art an added emotional dimension. From his digital experiences, Kevin 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:46 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 17 ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE discovered fractals – infinite complex pictures of repeating geometric shapes that exist within nature, in the beauty of trees, rivers, snowflakes, clouds and crystals. He wanted to somehow recreate these natural effects in paintings, albeit with an abstract twist. It was a period of sporadic creativity, of extremes ups and downs. Kevin would spend vast amounts of money of paint and art supplies, most of which, he admits, ended up on the floor, on him or even in the bin. He went from the highs of eureka moments to the crippling lows of failure. Amid all that, the unique style he was searching for came together over the space of a month and his style was there, fully formed and waiting. Although he acknowledges his admiration for other artists, Kevin has always sought to depart from existing styles and genres and to make something which is both new and original. His extensive experimentation and the many hours spent painting in the studio have led him to a multi-layered approach in which varying depths of colour and texture create a mesmerising whole. Kevin uses acrylics and resin to create aqueous surface design. His technique is indebted to the Turkish art of ‘ebru’, involving marbling, pouring, chemical reaction, fluid and flow. He revisits each piece many times to ensure that the three-dimensional effect is working in perfect harmony with his portrayals of nature. He says: “My aim has always been to find my own voice - a style free outside influences that has never been seen before, and my fractal inspired homages to nature are highly personal and, I hope, unique.” You can see Kevin’s work first-hand at the Little Red Gallery in Lincoln. THE LITTLE RED GALLERY Love art? Then we’d love to meet you, please call in for a cup of tea and a chat. The Little Red Gallery are feeling ‘Love’ with a fantastic range of pieces and perfect gift ideas. 8 Bailgate Lincoln LN1 3AE 01522 589134 8 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP art@thelittleredgallery.co.uk www.thelittleredgallery.co.uk To see more of Kevin’s work visit his website www.kevinbandee.co.uk or visit his Facebook @KevinBandeeArt. 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:46 Page 218 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping explores how your garden is the perfect place to keep kids happy, entertained and educated throughout the summer holiday. During this unpresented time, we have been at home more than ever and you have probably used your garden more than ever. If, like us, you have also had home schooling to deal with, you are probably pleased that the summer holiday is here. However, you now have to think about entertaining the kids rather than educating them. Your garden can be a place that can keep your mini-beasts amused for hours. There is a campaign by the RSPC called ‘Give Nature a Home’ and you can download a guide from their website (www.rspb.org.uk). This gives ideas of things to do that will help nature in your garden while getting your little ones (and big ones!) outside and having fun. They can build anything from a hedgehog shelter to a bee hotel. If you are feeling brave, you could mark off a section of the garden which is just for them to experiment with. If you leave the grass to grow (say no to the mow!) then this will encourage butterflies, bees and grasshoppers and enable them to complete their life cycles. They could use the space to start growing vegetables. Some vegetables © Shutterstock / Coatesy GIVING GIVING The gift that keeps on The gift that keeps on 18-19.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:48 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 19 Specialised Services in Garden Design Landscaping and Tree Maintenance Backed by a highly-skilled and experienced team, we’ve built our reputation on an ability to provide our clients with professional, tailored gardening and forestry solutions FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATIONS FULLERS Landscaping Call 01522 868717 or 07867 510544 landscapinglincolnshire@gmail.com www.landscapinglincolnshire.com Around the garden • Prune Wisteria • Deadhead flowering plants regularly • Keep watering containers and new plants • Feed containers, and even tired border perennials, with a liquid tomato food each week to encourage them to bloom into the early autumn • Collect seeds from favourite plants • Inspect chrysanthemums for the first signs of white rust and take immediate action • Harvest sweetcorn and other vegetables as they become ready • Continue cutting old fruited canes on raspberries • Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners • Most perennial weeds are best dealt with when in active growth. Apply a weed killer containing glyphosate. • Keep ponds and water features topped up • Feed your soil with green manures that can be sown at this time of year are spinach, beetroot, carrots, lettuces and leeks. If you have a larger garden or live near a park, then maybe you could set your little adventurers off on a garden treasure hunt. Maybe it could have a theme for example Numbers. They have to find leaves with 1, 2, 3 or 4 points or flowers with different number of petals. Colours is another theme, where they have to find an example of all the colours of the rainbow or match all the colours on their clothing. If you have a small space, or maybe only a balcony, pots can enable you to grow flowers, herbs and vegetables. Pots can easily become fairy gardens, or a cacti and succulent garden can be an ideal place for toy cowboys to live in. The most important thing to do during this time is to enjoy your garden and outdoor spaces. GARDEN ADVICE © Shutterstock / Eileen Kumpf © Shutterstock / Patrick Foto 18-19.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 11:48 Page 2Next >