Home Trends Budget Makeovers 2015 | Page 94

I If you’ve been enjoying Cabin Pressure on Cottage Life TV, you’ll be familiar with our plan: that being to transform a run down (but very pretty) log cabin into holiday home perfection. Hmm. Let’s just say our, ahem, ‘postcard perfect’ prospect was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Rising damp, mold and mice infestation were just a few of the issues with which we had to contend. Oh, and leaky plumbing that would have challenged Noah… and dodgy electrics akin to Old Sparky. Undeterred, we set to work. In the living room, first point of order was flooring: we replaced threadbare berber with ‘scraped’ solid oak. Had we chosen a pristine finish, we’d have worried about scuffing, polishing and preening. And besides – a little rustic is good, huh? The biggest change, however, was on the lakeside elevation. To remedy small windows, we engaged a structural engineer to appraise, and, planning consents in place, inserted three sets of grey painted portals. Hey presto – easy access to the deck and bags more light indoors. Directly beside the doors is an out-sized table, dressed with carvers and modern Windsor style chairs. The vignette is gently illuminated by a faux antler chandelier which floats elegantly above. Our quest for a large chesterfield concluded when we found this snaking grey sectional. To amplify the area’s appeal, we added a soft leather ottoman in front of the 94