In 2020, Sanu and Kip bought a beautiful home in Ewell, located on the border of London and Surrey. They quickly fell in love with its charming original features and peaceful neighbourhood; the decision to buy the property was an easy one. However, the house was stuck in the 1950s, and didn't feel practical for their young family. Determined to create a space better suited to their needs, the couple turned to Resi for help in transforming the home into the perfect environment for a young family.

How did your family come to live in this home?

My husband and I previously lived in Wimbledon for a long time, but we needed a bigger place for our kids. We both work in finance in London; I work in investment banking, and he works at a peer-to-peer lending company. We decided to move out this way because we wanted more space and to be near Kip’s family so we could get their help with childcare. We did consider buying in London to be closer to work, so it was a big decision for us, but then the pandemic happened, and neither of us ever went back to being in the office full-time. We’re really glad we made this choice—it’s been the best decision ever. We came to see the house and immediately fell in love with the garden, but the layout inside was really odd. I came across Resi on Instagram, and I thought I’d get in touch for help with reconfiguring the house.

What was the brief?

Initially, we wanted to break down as few walls as possible. Our designer gave us loads of ideas, and there were walls where we just wanted to add doors and openings. But it turned out that many of the walls were not stable because they were so old, so we decided it was easier to knock them down and rebuild. We didn’t intend to have a huge, open space, but now that we have it, it still feels quite ‘broken plan’ because the lounge, cinema room, and kitchen are all fairly separate. With the internal decor, we went for a different vibe in each room to enhance that feeling of separation. We also extended the room next to the kitchen, which we've made into our home office. We were able to put a bathroom in there too, so in the future, it could become another bedroom with an en-suite.

What were the pain points with the house before?

The layout of the house was really weird. The floor plan was U-shaped, so, for example, from the kitchen, you could see into the lounge, but you couldn't walk there directly—you had to loop all the way through the front room and dining room. It was also quite dark, so the addition of skylights has really helped. Plus there was a lot of soundproofing, which you can see in some of the before photos. This was because the previous owners' son was a drummer, he played for some well known bands.

How has life at home changed for you and your family since the project?

The house is so much better for us now. The kids are still quite young, so they don't need private, secluded spaces just yet. Or if I'm cooking—actually, I don’t cook, my husband does the cooking!—if I'm warming up food, I can always hear or see them close by. It means we’re always together. The area is very child-friendly, the neighbours are really nice, and there's so much nature around us. At this time of year, we sometimes get deer and badgers coming into the garden. It's really cute, and the kids love it.

How did you find working with Resi?

It was so practical. My husband was skeptical about using an online architect, as we had met other architects who had come to the house to talk us through plans. But we're always so busy with work and family life, so being able to just jump on a call when it suited us and receive messages on the go was super practical—I really liked the concept. Resi helped us with everything from the designs to planning permission, and we were informed at every step of the way. We also took a recommendation for a structural engineer through the Resi Connect service. And our designer was brilliant!

Photography by Peter Furlong.