Back in 2018, my SW London Edwardian semi-detached house was renovated from top to bottom. We'd moved in the previous year and lived in what felt like a very dusty museum for several months before embarking on the work.

Every period home renovation reaches the same moment. The carpet comes up, and you hold your breath.

There’s a decision that comes up in almost every period home project I work on, and it rarely has a simple answer. Do you restore the original feature, or do you recreate it?

You’ve bought the period property of your dreams and moved in, but now realise that the Victorian charm you fell in love with is hiding below many layers of (probably leaded) paint, peeling wallpaper and layouts that aren’t practical for modern family life.