Before and after: An antique kitchen was the perfect fit (and price) for this Edwardian terrace

Recycling is nothing new. Our parents and grandparents were the “don’t waste, don’t want” generation. They would reuse and reuse items until they fell apart, or put them aside in case they were needed later.

That kind of green thinking was at the fore with Caroline Briggs when she tried to sort the kitchen on the Edwardian terrace she and her family had moved to in the coastal town of Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear.

After expanding the dark, somber room to fill it with light, she preserved its character by outfitting it with antique pieces and cunningly reclaimed floors. Not only did it save her money, we think it’s pretty awesome too!

  • If you’re looking to renovate an antique patio, we have lots of ideas on how to add value

That before

This Whitley Bay-era home is full of reclaimed treasures and offers the most inspiring views

The old kitchen was somber with dark tiles and an eclectic collection of units and ovens

(Photo credit: Caroline Briggs)

A short walk on Whitley Bay Beach convinced journalist and photographer Caroline to move to a house overlooking the ocean that she shares with her husband and two children. But while the 100-year-old deck had potential, it needed some serious upkeep before it became Caroline’s dream home on the coast.

“My only disappointment with the house when we saw it was its tricky kitchen,” she recalls. It had cold tiles, a brown ceiling, and a view of a huge garage in the garden. I don’t know how I got through the first year with a baby – he would be in the living room and I would be stuck in the depressing kitchen in the back. Enlargement was a high priority. ‘

The process

Moving to the northeast gave Caroline Briggs the opportunity to indulge her passion for recovered treasure and create a one-of-a-kind home with inspiring views

For a similar dining set, try the New Frontier Mango Wood Table and Barker & Stonehouse Chairs. Try dwell for a floor lighting. Basket, Ikea

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

Reinventing the kitchen helped, however, and it literally fell on the doormat. “We designed the new space ourselves and used builders who put a brochure through my sister’s door,” says Caroline. They tore down the old garage, lengthened it by seven meters and installed folding doors directly behind the house. The new room has a large pantry that was the old kitchen and utility to keep the kitchen area less cluttered. ‘

For the units, she wanted something that matched the age of the house. And here she had another stroke of luck – again thanks to her sister. “I wanted to keep Victorian authenticity with nothing special, new or shiny. My sister went into an antique shop one morning and saw an amazing Victorian kitchen for £ 1,500. It was a corner design but my brilliant carpenter said he could redesign it to match our space. ‘

The details

Moving to the northeast gave Caroline Briggs the opportunity to indulge her passion for recovered treasure and create a one-of-a-kind home with inspiring views

Sink, Rangemaster. Tap Ebay. Fish painting, For love of the north. Herb pots, TK Maxx

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

“By reusing the sink and drawers from the existing kitchen and making a new island out of reclaimed wood, the builder somehow got it to work,” adds Caroline. “The blue and white subway tiles on the island recreate the old Victorian glass blocks, and we also reused some of the outside stones to make planters for the garden. It’s a completely one-off piece and exactly what I wanted. ‘

Moving to the northeast gave Caroline Briggs the opportunity to indulge her passion for recovered treasure and create a one-of-a-kind home with inspiring views

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

The warm wooden floor was another bargain. It was completely free! And it came with its own story of generations of youngsters who went over it. “I love the parquet floor at my children’s school around the corner,” says Caroline. I jumped right in the car when the headmaster emailed the parents saying it was free to take them away from the yard. I love the fact that kids have walked over it for 100 years, including mine.

“To complete the room, I found a Victorian pantry on Ebay that sold for only £ 150. It’s well built, has a lot of character, and goes perfectly with the kitchen. ‘Bright, full of character, recycled, practical and full of bargains. We are green with envy of this renovated space.

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