Welcome back to What I Own – Metro's property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder. For the last 20 years, colour consultant Millie Beer has made a habit of moving a lot. She's now redecorated and resold four homes, and her four-bedroom property in Thaxted is next in line for the market. It's currently up for £1 million, and Millie likens it to a 'doll's house.' Built during the Georgian period, it was a doctor's surgery for three generations. When she and her husband bought it almost three years ago, it needed a considerable amount of work. £250,000 later, they'd freshened it up. Here's what Millie had to say about her property journey.
Tell us about yourself!
I worked for Farrow & Ball as a colour consultant, and I've now got my own business. This is our fourth house that my husband Jack and I have renovated, in Thaxted in North Essex. It's been one of our biggest projects.
We live here with our 19-year-old son, Jack, and our 17-year-old daughter, Poppy. We moved out from London when we were pregnant, so we've been in the area for 20 years.
What do you think of the area?
Thaxted is a small, Medieval town. It's really pretty, and it has a lot of history. The houses are all different colours. It's also the home of Morris dancing, and they have festivals all through the year. There's a stunning church, and I enjoy the dog walks around there. You're surrounded by farmland. The other great thing is that we're 15 minutes from Stansted Airport, and there's a bus that'll take us there for £2. We don't have to pay for parking.
How long have you lived in this property for?
It'll be three years in October.
How much did you pay for your property when you bought it?
£765,000. We've got £160,000 left on our mortgage. Our previous home was a lot bigger, so we made a lot on it. My view is that I buy a house that needs work so that I can make a little bit of money on it.
How much does your property currently cost you?
Our mortgage is £1,450 per month, but with bills, about £4,000. Our rate is 4.2%.
How did you find this property? What made you choose it?
I just fell in love with it. It's a classic Georgian townhouse, and it looks like a doll's house. Georgian is probably my favourite period, just because of how elegant they are and the amount of light you get. The previous property was Tudor and had very low ceilings, so I loved that for different reasons, because I made it all cosy. We'd been approached to sell our old house, so I was actively looking for another one, and then this one came up on Rightmove. It was built for the doctor of Thaxted, and it went through three generations of his family. In the 1980s, it became a family home. When we bought it, the couple that lived in it were in their 80s. Their children had grown up there, and it needed a lot of work. Everything needed to come out, and we needed to go back to the basics. I was quite naïve, because I didn't realise what I was going to find.
What was the renovation process like?
It had the original waiting room, and we wanted to preserve that character, but we also wanted to bring it into modern-day living. We've created a new kitchen where that was, as the original kitchen is quite small, which was quite common in houses like this. We pulled out all the internal workings, and we've created a vaulted ceiling, and we've got some of the original brickwork. It's a very dramatic, impressive space. It's full of light now, but before, it had low ceilings and it was a bit dingy. The lounge has ornate woodwork around the door frames, which is beautiful. We've also got the original high ceilings and the skirting boards.
How much did the renovation cost you?
About £250,000.
Would you say you made any mistakes during the process?
We had a guy come to tile the entrance hallway. We've got a cellar, and the door weighs a huge amount. He discovered all of the joists were completely rotten. Somebody could've just walked along and gone through. We had to rebuild all of that floor, but the key bit is we made it all safe again.
What's the biggest lesson you've taken from renovating?
Sometimes you just have to sit and be patient. It's also good to really live in a space first. Don't make any rash decisions. The financial commitment is always huge, because it always ends up costing more than you'd originally planned.
What inspires your interior design style?
My style of modern and eclectic. Nothing is over-styled, and it's full of things I love.
And your favourite piece of furniture?
I've got a beautiful mid-century wardrobe that I bought in Camden about 15 years ago. It's full of things I've collected through different stages of life.
How did you get into being a colour consultant?
I've always had a love for colour and interiors. I go into people's homes, and I do a minimum of three rooms. I say to them, 'how do you want this room to feel?' Once I understand that, I then look at the light and if they need any warmth in the room. It also depends on the furniture they've got, and then you choose a colour that pulls everything together.
Your house is currently up for sale – how much is it up for?
£1 million. I'm sad to leave it. We're moving to Folkestone for family reasons, but I haven't been by the sea for years. I grew up on the south coast, so I'm excited about doing another renovation. We haven't found a new house yet, because we haven't had an offer on ours.
What would you like people to know about buying a home?
I don't think anyone should walk into a house and think it's perfect. As long as you're realistic about your goals and timeframe, you can make any home your dream home. Just be realistic.
What's your plan for the future? Will your next home be for the long-term?
I hope so. I'd like to think I'll see grandchildren at this next one. I don't want to keep moving. I'm excited about this move, but this isn't a thing I want to carry on.
