
Nicky & Rob were both born and raised in Leicestershire. Nicky is the manager at her local family run golf centre and Rob works as a facilities manager at a large bank in Leicester.
“We are a family of 6 with two dogs and we like to spend as much time together as we can.”
As a family, they love to walk their dogs both locally and afar, discovering new places in their classic Hymer.




Nicky & Rob have always admired more traditional houses filled with character and original features. So when they initially viewed their current home, they knew immediately that it was the one for them.
“We fell in love with the character of our 1940’s cottage, it was very quirky and the floor space was incredible.”
It was never their intention to purchase a bungalow, but whilst they were viewing the property they began to visualise the potential that the house had to offer.

“We designed it as we went along and with every step we found different perspectives.”
Some of the best renovations are often the ones that are not restricted by extensive initial designs. In this case, Nicky & Rob have modelled their renovation as they have progressed through each stage. This has led to welcome surprises like discovering the original fireplace in the living area which is now home to their log burner, giving the room a cosy feel.





“Our interior style is a mix of traditional, modern, unique, neutral and bold creating a mid-century modern look.”
Nicky & Rob have created a stunning open plan living kitchen area which was originally a separate kitchen, dining room and hallway. This is their favourite part of the whole renovation as it now forms the heart of the home, catering for their family get-togethers.





“I always wanted an in-frame kitchen with a large island, and luckily we managed to source one on Facebook Marketplace.”
Finding bargains is a real skill which can help towards a significant saving across the entire renovation project. Having sourced their kitchen online, Nicky & Rob were able to create a kitchen layout with an island as the focal point. They also proceeded to paint the doors and change the hardware to give it an individual look.



All of the works carried out to improve their home have been DIY projects. Nicky has done the majority of the painting and styling whilst Rob has carried out all of the building, kitchen fitting, bathroom installation and garden landscaping. They were also helped massively by their two sons along with Nicky’s dad.



“A lot of the inspiration for this project came from Pinterest and my love for home accounts on Instagram. I also have a real passion for homes and interiors.”

Nicky & Rob pride themselves on being as sustainable as possible, often giving new life to older items through upcycling. This also means that they can be less ‘picky’ with furnishings as they are able to give them their own, individual look.




Nicky started the @paigecottage Instagram account as a hobby in 2019, mainly to document the progress that they were making with their renovation.
“People love a before and after!”




In terms of the future, Nicky & Rob are planning to extend the upstairs to complement the downstairs layout. They would also like to add a summer house and a wild garden to attract some wildlife.
