Interior designer Evelyn Lindley, 38, rents a one-bedroom coach house in Malden, Kent for £700 per month. She has transformed the flat with bold colours, wall panelling, and vinyl kitchen cabinet covers, despite the landlord's condition to leave it neutral upon moving out.
Property and Location
Evelyn moved into the one-bedroom flat in September 2023. The property is a coach house with its own entrance and stairs leading to the upper-level flat. It includes one bathroom, a small kitchen, and a living room, located on a cul-de-sac in the quiet village of Malden.
She describes the area as lovely and quiet, with a big park just a few steps away, a coffee shop, and a homeware store in nearby Staplehurst. The smallest village shop has closed, but the countryside surrounds the single street.
Interior Design Journey
Evelyn's passion for interior design began in childhood, noticing upside-down wallpaper in her mother's home. After years in customer service roles, she finally studied interior design during the 2020 lockdown, encouraged by her mother who paid for the course. She says, 'My mum came round one day, and said to me: “I’m absolutely sick and tired of hearing you say how much you regret not doing interior design. I’ve paid for your course, and you’re going to do it.”'
She now works as an interior designer but struggles with pricing her services, stating, 'Charging people money is the bit I’ve been stuck on for a few years now.'
Decorating the Flat
The landlord allowed Evelyn to decorate as she wished, provided she restores neutral colours when she leaves. She repainted the entrance hall and lounge in a very pale pink to avoid having to repaint them later, and added panelling to the walls. The bedroom is painted dark, and she applied vinyl wallpaper to the kitchen cabinets, complemented with light strips for a colourful effect.
Her favourite colour palette is dual tones like teal, deep blue, and green, but she adjusted her eclectic style for this flat. Her favourite piece of furniture is her nanny's old 1950s chest of drawers, which she painted and plans to keep permanently.
Rent and Finding the Property
Evelyn pays £700 rent per month and feels it's a good deal for the location, saying, 'I’m very grateful to live here, and that alone is just worth whatever I’m paying for it.' She found the property through the council bidding system and was top of the list among three applicants. The flat was in a mess when she moved in, but it was the first place she offered on.
Challenges and Future Plans
She has experienced boiler problems with frequent pressure loss and slow repairs, and a leak was fixed. The frosted back windows prevent her from seeing out, which bothers her. She also wishes to personalise the garden but hesitates due to the cost of plants and the possibility of moving.
Evelyn and her partner would like to move in together but currently find the flat too cramped for both. She continues to work on colour theory and cares for many houseplants in her spare time.
