< Previous10 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES Offering spacious rooms, plenty of storage and peaceful privacy, this month’s featured property, which has been fully refurbished to form the ideal family home, ticks all the boxes. Alex and his family have lived at 78 Cooper Lane in Laceby for the past five years. With a few friends in the area, they knew Laceby to be a “really nice little village,” and as soon as he saw the property, Alex felt its “wow factor,” making the move to the home a no-brainer. The house has been wonderfully refurbished by the family and though, as Alex notes, they haven’t “dramatically changed its ambience”, they have worked hard to update it and make better use of its generous floorspace. Alex said: “It was quite a project for us in the sense that when we moved in, we decided that we would complete one room at a time - obviously basing that on being able to afford it.” After starting with the large living room, to create a highly cosy space, particularly clever alterations came in two of the home’s five bedrooms. Alex explained: “The master used to be the size of the living room, so we put a separating wall in and created what is still a good size bedroom and a walk-in dressing room which leads on to the ensuite. We did the same in my daughter’s room, installing that walk-in wardrobe aspect that leads through to an ensuite.” Along with new carpets upstairs and the 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:21 Page 1HOMES general decorating of every room, further work to perfect the main “dated” bathroom, which features a pedestal bath, bidet, vanity unit and shower cubicle was completed, while the kitchen has been completely changed. Acting as the last room in which the family undertook work, Alex highlighted that the kitchen originally held a lot of wasted space. He said: “It was a big area and we worked to ensure that we created a kitchen that was actually a family kitchen, fit for our use.” 12 Á 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:21 Page 212 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES The kitchen acts as the centrepiece to the house, the location through which one traverses to reach most rooms, and features an induction hob, Bosch ovens, a large American style fridge-freezer, dishwasher, island and dining area, as well as doors that open out to the patio. “You literally have to walk through the kitchen to get everywhere. We spend a lot of time in there, whether it be eating, making tea or just generally,” Alex noted. Despite spending a significant amount of time in the kitchen, Alex’s favourite room in the house is a tossup between the master bedroom and the living room. He explained: “I just love the way the bedroom works but then I like how the living room is a very relaxed space. Because the property is very private with its high conifers, we can basically shut the curtains at the front of the house and leave open those at the back for a nice chilled out room.” The dining room is also worth an honourable mention, holding the memories of numerous get togethers, from Christmas parties hosting thirty people for a bite, to Alex’s wife’s fiftieth birthday party enjoying the company of around sixty people. Outside, with the detached property set in a semi-rural location, one can enjoy peaceful privacy, with conifers reaching twenty feet in height as well as a double entrance driveway with two sets of gates and parking for three to four cars. Alex noted: “Privacy is often such an important factor in today’s world where new houses are quickly built with a good spec on them, but generally compromise on garden size which can mean a lack of privacy and that you are 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:21 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 13 HOMES surrounded by a large estate of sixty or seventy, then one- hundred houses. For us, this house works well and is very private, with no windows from next door facing you.” The house also features a reception hall with two arch windows looking out to the garden, from which one can access the conservatory, two welcoming entrance halls, a utility room with highly useful built in storage, a study, shower room and double garage with space for two cars. 78 Cooper Lane is now on the market for offers in the region of £500,000 with EweMove’s West Grimsby branch, led by Mervyn Bradfield. When asked why they are looking to sell now, Alex said: “It’s purely because one of my daughters has bought a place, while my other is looking to buy, so the property is going to be too big for two people to live in. The home has been perfect for our family, where when everyone is around there are seven of us. With its five bedrooms everyone has their privacy, their own space to for instance go up and disappear to watch TV in their rooms. As you can imagine with the two of us, we just don’t need that kind of area now.” Alex concluded: “I don’t think you could ask for better house. In terms of the work we’ve done on it, we’ve ensured it complements the property overall. There’s a consistency throughout, and we’ve not gone too out there for instance with our decoration and colour choices, so it would be easy for a new owner to change those things. This will be a lovely home for somebody, just as it has been a really nice home for us over the past 5 years. It ticks all the boxes - it’s a perfect family house. You really couldn’t get a better home.” 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:21 Page 414 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOME TRENDS By now, readers will have likely bought the majority of their Christmas presents and much of the food they’ll be wanting for the festive period. But what about the home? Too often, this is the area that gets neglected. That’s understandable, what with everything else to worry about, but this year it’s time to treat the home with a present or two. It’s never too late to pick something up to improve the festivity of your décor, be that a throw cushion or ornamental piece. It might just be that some adorable tree topper or bauble catches your eye when your out in the county exploring all those wonderful shops and market stalls. If you’re stuck for inspiration, Lincolnshire Today has pulled together some of the loveliest little pressies you could gift to your home. 1 3 5 2 4 14-15.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:23 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 15 HOME TRENDS 8 6 10 7 1) From Cox & Cox comes an opulent and rich toned faux tree exuding a theatrical beauty perfect for the season. 2) Courtesy of Idyll Home, this foliage and gold hanging can be hung from the ceiling and will provide the perfect spot for a smooch or two. 3) This centrepiece from Urban Coo will add a touch of seasonal sophistication to your meals this Christmas. 4) True, a pillowcase will do, but how can you resist Bobby Rabbit’s adorable festive stocking. Made from certified organic cotton, this stocking is made by Danish creators Fabelab and just needs to be hung out for Santa. 5) You might have seen nutcrackers before, but nothing quite so fun and classy as this. Excelsa offer a nutcracker that will have guests reaching for the hazelnuts again and again. 6) It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a wreath and this one from Berries & Baubles combines hot pink mixed foliage and berries. It’s an extravagant piece, resplendent in colour and guaranteed to stand out. 7) All the little pieces of this magical Christmas Eve cushion from Jan Constantine are intricately cut out and hand embroidered with exquisite gold thread detail and finished with a catering of golden sequin stars. 8) This beautiful wooden advent calendar by Meri Meri and available via Bobby Rabbit includes a set of wooden animals inside a cotton drawstring bag, all ready to come out, one by one and day by day, to create a wintery woodland scene on your shelf or mantlepiece. 9) Display your favourite festive tipple in this gorgeous seasonal bottle holder from Annabel James. The beauty of this design means that while it’s perfect for Christmas, it’s also a delight all year round. 10) What would any Christmas gathering be without tipples to hand? The Farrar & Tanner selection is an erudite option that would look perfect on a sideboard or table. 9 14-15.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:23 Page 2ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE winter scenes of Lincoln. C arl Paul attended Grimsby College of Art from 1979 to 1981, setting his natural skills in motion. Steeped in the influence of his teachers, Carl learnt never to stick to any one subject or style and this advice has kept him in good stead ever since. Painting iconic scenes across our county means he’s constantly taking in the landscape, the coastline and the architecture, all of which behaves as differently in life as it does on canvas and paper. Over the last few years, Carl has set his sights on Lincoln, capturing its most iconic and emblematic scenes, from the craggy walls of the castle and the gothic spires of the cathedral, to the cobbled streets and walkways. His preferred medium is acrylic paints, particularly in how freeing and flexible they can be. It can behave like watercolours or oils and can be used for a delicate or bold effect, which allows the artist to experiment and shake-up his own style decades into his career. For around the last half-decade, Carl has painted iconic scenes of Lincoln. From these romantic cityscapes, he secured his first exhibition in spring 2015 at Lincoln’s own Little Red Gallery. But Carl went further, developing this body of work into the ‘Iconic 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:24 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 17 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 ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE To see more of Carl’s work or to get in touch, visit www.carlpaulfinearts.co.uk landscapes, seascapes. I was deeply inspired by my teachers at collage, in particular David Tartellin who was my tutor. He told me never to stick to the same subject, be versatile.” Like the best artists, Carl wears his influences and inspirations on his sleeve and yet creates something distinctly his own. His paintings practically leap off the canvas, bright with colour and full of feeling. Each painting is a love letter to Lincolnshire, captured as if in a half- finished thought or hazy memory and preserved perfectly in time. Head down to the Little Red Gallery in Lincoln to see Carl’s latest works for yourself. wonder and majesty. There are also the old masters, who fascinate Carl with their use of colour, light and shade. All of which are essential tools in Carl’s methodology as he works from photographs he himself has taken from around the county. “I can use as many as three or four photos of the same subject taking something from each and come up with a composition,” Carl explains. “The pictures can be of anything that catches my eye, architecture, street scenes, Lincoln’ souvenir range which encompasses tea towels, greetings cards, fridge magnets, coasters, postcards and calendars. This year, he’s produced another collection of stunning winter scenes that are just perfect for the Christmas period. “I really enjoyed painting these winter scenes, the colours of winter have got that crisp, clean, fresh look about them,” Carl says. “I think this is more apparent in the painting of the central tower of the Cathedral.” Carl draws influence from the greats, namely Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh. This impressionism is ingrained in his work, which faithfully recreates his subjects but not without a sense of the sublime, a little 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:24 Page 218 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY GARDENS F or those too young to remember, The Good Life was a popular TV series, broadcast in the Thatcher years, in which a couple give up their high-flying city jobs in an attempt to become wholly self-sufficient in their surbiton home, raising livestock and growing their own fruit and vegetables in their back garden. As Helen explains: “To be fair, the garden was previously a small farm, not quite the Surbiton plot from the TV comedy, but I remember there were an awful lot of nettles and outbuildings - previously the home of goats and chickens amongst other livestock so we had quite a journey ahead of us to transform it.” In fact, it took 15 years to get the two-acre plot ship shape, with the planting of trees around the The Good Life When the Wilson’s first moved into their home 30 years ago, their garden was rather neglected, more of an allotment than a garden. As Helen recalls: “Imagine a throwback to that TV sitcom, The Good Life, and you wouldn’t be far wrong.“ 20 Á 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:26 Page 118-21.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2019 11:26 Page 2Next >