Caitlin and Phil Murphy's Art Deco house in Penarth has been featured on television after winning the south Wales regional heat of BBC Cymru Wales' property programme Wales' Home of the Year. The couple, who renovated the 1930s house during the Covid pandemic, have created a home that celebrates its original curves and opulence with a modern twist.
Falling in Love with the Architecture
The Murphys were first captivated by the Art Deco style of the property. Caitlin, 48, originally from Ross-on-Wye, said: "I think it was just the architecture of it, because it had such a lovely layout and all the rooms were a really good proportion. And it was a very kind of square house, so all the rooms went off the hall, and it just felt a very practical family home, but then I just fell in love with all the curves."
Phil, 55, from Bridgend, added: "We'd had a look at a few houses around south Wales, and some of them, you know, they were fantastic. But this one just had that sweet spot of that it was lovely and big, and it was a nice space, we could grow into it with our growing family."
Renovation Challenges
The couple faced challenges during the nine-month renovation, including sourcing curved double-glazed windows to remain faithful to the original design. Phil explained: "Getting curved, double glazed windows turned out to be quite a challenge, there were very few places that would do that sort of thing."
Caitlin added: "I think one of the biggest challenges was getting the workmen to do the work, because it was around the COVID time, everyone was super busy. ... trying to get workmen to work on it was definitely the biggest challenge, and materials definitely got more expensive than we were expecting."
A Dream Realized
Phil, who grew up visiting the area with his grandparents, said: "We're literally two doors away from the cliff tops in Penarth, right by the sea. It's somewhere, as a kid, I was brought here by my grandparents, and we would walk along the cliff and we'd look in awe at these amazing houses. So to end up living here, it's just been an absolute dream."
The couple's advice for renovators is to choose tradespeople carefully. Caitlin said: "They were part of the creative process as well, they came up with lots of fantastic ideas to help towards what the house has become, so we were very lucky, and when we've found someone good, we've never let them go!"
TV Feature and Interior Design Passion
The house won the south Wales regional heat of Wales' Home of the Year and will compete in the all-Wales final. Caitlin admitted: "I found it hard to watch, because obviously, seeing yourself on telly, I'm not the sort of person that would want to be on telly, but I wanted the house to be on telly, so I did it for that, but it was hard to watch!"
Phil revealed Caitlin's dream of working in interiors, saying: "We all think she should be an interior designer because she is so talented." The couple share their home on Instagram at @art_deco_penarth.
