< Previous10 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES Brought up to date by its owners, the modern blends splendidly with the traditional in this month’s featured property. T o the south of the historic city of Lincoln stands an impeccable, period, family home that has been thoroughly updated and extended by its owners, providing an ideal blend of the modern and traditional. Mr and Mrs Dillon Updating the classic Updating the classic LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 11 HOMES have lived at the house with their family since January 2012, drawn to the abode before it was placed on the market. They said: “We had always liked it, before it even came for sale. It had such curb appeal as a very attractive Victorian property, of which there’s not many available to the south end of Lincoln. As soon as it was for sale, we knew we had to buy it straight away!” Since moving in the couple have meticulously brought the property up to date, refurbishing the 12 Á12 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES entire home, installing new central heating, and adding an extension to the back to create an open plan living kitchen, brilliant for family life. “The house previously had a more traditional four-meter square kitchen when we bought it, so we built the large extension with bi- folding doors looking over the peaceful back garden, to present the kind of space more people want today,” the couple noted. Mr and Mrs Dillon have additionally converted ex-stables in the garden — apparently historically home to racehorses — into a self-contained annex with its own heating, air conditioning, bathroom, and kitchen. “It is perfect for having people over to stay,” they shared, “providing guests with their own space, but it is also great for teenagers, with our son having his mixing decks out there now! It’s such a multifunctional, flexible space. For instance, if you’re having parties, you can open the patio doors and use the annex as a garden room.” With accommodation across three floors, while the house has been wonderfully modernised, it still offers many pleasing period features. Taking a tour of the property, one approaches the 14 Á*HWLQWRXFKWRȴQGRXWPRUHRUDUUDQJHDYLVLW www.tingdene-parks.net | 01933 427815 | info@tingdene.net High-quality, low-maintenance, single-storey homes Safe, secure community of like-minded residents Private garden and parking No stamp duty Part exchange and assisted move options available 2FFXS\LQJDTXLHWVSRWRQWKHRXWVNLUWVRI6FXQWKRUSH$VKȴHOG 3DUNHQMR\VYLHZVRYHUWKHFRXQWU\VLGH\HWLVRQO\DIHZPLQXWHV IURPDOOWKHHYHU\GD\DPHQLWLHV\RXFRXOGQHHGSOXVDKRVWRI OHLVXUHRS portunities. 0RYHLQWRDEUDQGQHZIXOO\IXUQLVKHGKRPHDQGHQMR\ the best RIWRZQDQGFRXQWU\OLYLQJ<RXFRXOGDOVRIUHHXSFDVKVDYHRQ ELOOVDQGKDYHOHVVKRPHPDLQWHQDQFH6RZKHWKHU\RXȇUHUHWLULQJ VHPLUHWLULQJRUVLPSOLQJORRNLQJWREHSDUWRIDZDUPDQG ZHOFRPLQJFRPPXQLW\\RXUHDOO\FDQȴQGWKHOLIHVW\OH\RXȇYH DOZD\VZDQWHGLQDSODFHWKDW\RXȇOOORYH Freedom to live life to the full. Modern comforts and community spirit, exclusively for the over 50s. TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR RETIREMENT SHOW HOME OPEN FOR VIEWING %UDQGQHZIXOO\IXUQLVKHGKRPHVIURPe %XUULQJKDP5RDG6FXQWKRUSH'1$/ IT’S TIME *LYH\RXUVHOIWKHȴQDQFLDO security to live life to the full SCAN ME14 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES fireplace surround and tiled hearth. Meanwhile, ideal for movie night, to the left of the entrance is a media room with two sash windows, bespoke fitted units into its alcoves, and Karndean flooring. Across is a shower room, in which the stained-glass window is a lovely touch, and a handy utility room. Finishing the ground floor is the magnificent open plan living kitchen fitted with a range of high-quality kitchen wall and base units with drawers. Integrated appliances include two AEG ovens, an integral full height fridge freezer, AEG microwave, integral dishwasher and wine cooler, while there is also an integrated sink unit, drainer and filter tap in the worktop. Providing plenty of space for eager cooks, there is additionally a central island with a solid oak worktop and Bosch induction hob, and three remote Velux skylights bathe the room in light. The porcelain tiled floor has underfloor heating, and aluminium double glazed bi- folding doors open to the patio and rear garden beyond, prime for alfresco dining. Exploring the first floor, four bedrooms can be discovered, alongside a family bathroom, with a suite comprising of a bath, walk-in shower area, feature wash basin and WC, Karndean flooring, and feature column towel radiator. With stone and wood tones, bath time is sure to be soothing. The second floor presents the master suite, with the bedroom providing an impressive, glazed dwelling via a private gated entrance leading to an extensive gravelled driveway with turning points. There is a delightful shaped lawned area, a wide variety of flowerbeds, shrubs and borders, and mature trees, including a conker tree and beautiful, large pine trees, which are “almost a landmark on the road.” Though such a generous driveway offers a wealth of parking, there is a garage too. “It’s difficult to find parking as good as this,” Mr and Mrs Dillon noted. Stepping into the home, through a pretty, blue feature door, one begins in the reception hall hosting Karndean flooring, a feature column radiator, under stairs storage, stairs rising to the first floor galleried landing, and Cornice coving to the ceiling — as can be found through most of the house. Immediately to the right is the first of multiple reception rooms. “This is probably my favourite room,” Mr Dillon said. “It’s so bright thanks to two big sash bay windows and has an open fire which is particularly nice in the winter. We’ve had some great memories in there with the fire crackling, especially around Christmas.” The room also includes oak wood flooring, a trio of radiators, limestone fireplace surround to the open fireplace, and picture rail. Ahead is a further sitting room holding a sash bay window, two feature column radiators, and picture rail, as well as an elegant living flame gas fire with a stone LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 15 HOMES Visit Grimsby’s Premier Fireplace Showroom. Over 75 beautiful displays. In-house fitting services available. Burning Sensation (Grimsby) Ltd Armstrong Street, Grimsby. DN31 1XD Call: 01472 351651 sales@burningsensation.co.uk www.burningsensation.co.uk sun area which leads out via double glazed double doors to a balcony. There is moreover a dressing room with fitted cupboards and drawers, and an en-suite bathroom with a roll top bath and walk-in shower area, column and towel radiator, Karndean flooring with underfloor heating, his and her wash hand basin with vanity units below, and four Velux skylights. Separate is the annex, with its kitchen, living and sitting area with sliding patio door to the rear garden, and shower room. Further, air- conditioning has been fitted to the first and second floors of the dwelling and the annex; great for scorching summer days. Outside the property, which is situated within beautiful and mature grounds extending to approximately 1/2 an acre, to the rear is an expansive, private lawned garden with a patio. Though there’s plenty of space for kids and dogs to run around freely, there are also a wide variety of flowerbeds, shrubs, mature trees and fruit trees, as well as a range of outbuildings, one of which is currently being used as a gym. One will further find a greenhouse, an additional brick outbuilding, an outside bathroom perfect for cleaning up pups, and a log store. While Mr and Mrs Dillon have loved their home, the time has come to sell. The abode on Newark Road is on the market with Mundys with an asking price of £775,000. ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE Born in Bradford in 1977, Danny Abrahams is an incredible self-taught landscape painter, who fills his work with stories of love, family, childhood, and those quiet moments that linger with you throughout the years. 16 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY A s a teenager, Danny’s passion in life was music. He became an accomplished musician, writing songs and playing guitar for the rock back ‘The Hoover Dams’. He found, in his words, moderate success with the band, travelling to and performing in venues all across the UK, appearing on television, and doing live performances on the radio. The sky is a powerful subject in Danny’s painting and often where he starts a piece. English skies never cease to amaze him, with the overall beauty, emptiness, rawness, and power of an everyday wonder that is easy to take for granted. Danny, therefore, often makes the skies of his work as much a focal point as the figures in his paintings. The wide breadth of colours he uses, mixed with his seemingly effortless way of creating a sense of movement, makes each piece powerful. The many moods of the land and skyLINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 17 THE LITTLE RED GALLERY Love art? Then we’d love to meet you, please call in for a cup of tea and a chat. The Little Red Gallery are feeling ‘Love’ with a fantastic range of pieces and perfect gift ideas. If you’d like to see Danny ’s work for yourself, head down to Lincoln’s Little Red Gallery18 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping explains how you can still get some autumn colour into your garden. flowers on arching branches that continue to bloom into autumn. Best of all, its blooms are scented. PHORMIUM – With their arching, strappy, sword-shaped leaves, Phormiums make a dramatic statement in the garden. Originating from New Zealand, where their fibre has traditionally been used in the same way as hemp or sisal, they are versatile evergreen plants that tolerate a range of conditions. They may not always have flowers, but their leaves can come in a variety of colours. For example, the Phormium Māori Queen has upright bronze-green, strap-shaped leaves, and at the tips have rose-red stripes. These occasionally have yellowish flowers in the summer, but it will be the striking leaves in the autumn that will add colour. AUTUMN CROCUS – These appear from September to November and are followed by narrow, mid-green leaves. J ust because the days will be getting shorter soon, doesn’t mean you can’t have some colour in your garden to try and keep some brightness in the darkening days. Here are some examples of plants that will add that colour. AGAPANTHUS – These bloom for a long period, from mid-summer to early autumn. They are a good border plant, and for best flowering performance grow them against a fence, brick wall, or in a container. Some types, especially the evergreen, may not be fully hardy and so are best grown in containers that can be protected from frost over the winter. ABELIA GRANDIFLORA – This is a useful, long-flowering, semi-evergreen shrub for a mixed border. This abelia has attractive, glossy, deep green leaves which it keeps for most of the year. From June, it produces masses of small, fragrant, pink-flushed, trumpet-like autumn Creating Creating colour colour* Clear up fallen autumn leaves regularly * Prune Climbing roses and rambling roses once they have finished flowering and tie in the stems before autumn winds cause damage * Plant daffodil, tulip, and allium bulbs for a fantastic spring display * Now is the ideal time to plant clematis plants * Clear up fallen rose leaves to prevent diseases such as black spot. Do not compost the leaves * Clear overhanging plants away from pathways * After tidying borders, mulch with bark chips, well rotten manure, or leaf mould compost to insulate plant roots for the winter and keep weed growth in check * Harvest squashes and pumpkins before the first frosts, and apples and pears * Plant autumn onion sets for cropping next summer and plant out spring cabbages * Remove the netting from fruit cages to allow birds to catch and eat any pests that are lurking there LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 19 FULLERS Call 01522 868717 or 07867 510544 landscapinglincolnshire@gmail.com www.landscapinglincolnshire.com GARDEN ADVICE Specialised Service in Garden Design and Landscaping Backed by a highly-skilled and experienced team, we’ve built our reputation on an ability to provide our clients with professional, tailored garden design and construction services. Around the garden Each corn usually bears one long-tubed flower ranging from deep purple to lilac-purple with a paler throat and bright orange of yellow stigma. This popular autumn flowering crocus is ideal for naturalising in a sunny border among deciduous shrubs or for scattering through the lawn. MAHONIA – These are easy-to-grow shrubs that look good in many settings and give late winter colour, with scented flowers and berries for the wildlife. En masse their bright yellow flowers are attractive and are mostly trouble-free shrubs, making them easy to grow. CALLICARPA – A bushy, deciduous open and arching shrub grown for the freely-fruiting clusters of purplish- mauve to magenta berries borne along the stems during autumn and often into winter. The elliptical to ovate leaves have serrated margins and the undersides may be covered with woolly hairs. The stems are slender and grey to reddish-brown. In late spring to early summer, inconspicuous flowers of violet, pink, or white are arranged in clusters from the leaf axils. Whatever you choose, keep some colour going in your garden all through autumn and winter so you can enjoy it from the warmth of your home! © stock.adobe.com/LifeisticAC © stock.adobe.com/leomalsam © stock.adobe.com/40iNastyaNext >