See the transformation of this Victorian terrace into stunning home with 50,000 instagram followers
An impressive Victorian house on Stanhope Road has amassed a huge social media audience, as more than 47,000 people follow the property’s redecoration journey and admire its interior on Instagram.
Elizabeth Davies, from Durham, has owned the house for four years and says it’s full of history. The property was built back in 1896 and the local vicar and his family were the first residents.
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Hide Ad"I think we are about the ninth family to have the house,” Elizabeth said.
She started the Instagram account to document her home’s original features, as well as the renovation work and didn’t expect it to become so popular.
"It was more of a gradual built up. I didn’t wake up one day and gained 10,000 followers overnight,” Elizabeth said.
Since moving in, she has restored several original features in the house. One of her favourites is the original ceiling from 1896, which she uncovered in the entrance hall. It had missing roses and huge cracks, but it has been brought back to its former glory.
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Hide AdElizabeth said: "We don't have all the original features of the house, so to find an original ceiling was really, really nice."
As the redecoration work went on, more original features resurfaced around the house.
"In the two guest bedrooms we wanted to put fireplaces back in as we had uncovered the original hearth tiles hiding underneath the flooring in both rooms," Elizabeth said.
She added: "In the bathroom, we wanted it to feel more in keeping with the age of the house. We chose Victorian style patterned tiles and a freestanding bath. We also put the window back into the room as the original sash had been bricked over many years previous.
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Hide Ad"The two double bedrooms on the top had already been partially knocked into one. We added an ensuite and dressing area to create a master suite."
Elizabeth said that the heritage of the property is honoured in the hallway.
"The hallway displays a history to the house. We have framed local historical maps, a house portrait drawn by a local artist, and a copy of the 1901 census taken after the house was built displaying the first family who lived here. Reverend James Robson, who was vicar at All Saints Church in Harton from 1890, his Swiss wife, their five children and two domestic servants were the residents at the turn of the century."
Despite the impressive look of the house, its renovation journey isn’t over yet, as there are plans to redecorate the kitchen.
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Hide Ad"It’s a very traditional Victorian kitchen. It’s very small and it’s on the back of the house. It doesn’t match the rest of the house at all and the idea is to extend the kitchen,” Elizabeth explained.
She advises other home owners not to rush into redecorating.
"If it’s an old property, try your best to retain its original features. I know sometimes it’s quite expensive, you have to restore things, but just do your best not to ruin them. It’s part of our history.”