Reader home makeover
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Victorian hallway in a converted chapel
Once a wreck, this former chapel has been lovingly restored by its new owners into a stunning home, click through for the amazing results...
Property details
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Outside view of a converted chapel
Type of house
Three-bed converted Wesleyan chapel, dating from around 1847
Location
Taunton, Somerset
Purchase price
£21,000
Money spent
£150,000
What it\'s worth now
£370,000
Dream home
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Couple sitting in their living room
When Mandy Richards, 37, met partner John, 54, in 1998, he\'d just bought a chapel at auction. It was a wreck, having been empty for years, but the couple, who run furniture warehouse, Village World, transformed it into a home.
Light and space
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Open plan living and dining room
There was plenty of light and space to work with. The oiled oak dining table and the chenille-covered chairs in the main room all came from Village World.
Touches from China
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Chinese furniture in the living room
The enormous arched windows let light flood into the living room. John had the low elm table made in China, while the carved corbels on the 18th-century altar table were originally part of a Chinese roof and are 200 years old.
Moroccan magic
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Moroccan lamps and a Buddha from Thailand
Handmade metal Moroccan torches light the way up the stairs. The bronze Buddha in the distance came from Thailand.
Spectacular staircase
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Oak staircase in a hallway
John built the glorious oak staircase himself and painted it black. The 150-year-old glazed Chinese wine jar is one of many treasures the couple have collected
Living room luxury
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Couple sitting in thier living room
The living room is full of the couple\'s fascinating possessions which include 300-year-old wood panels from China hanging above the Heal\'s sofa. The red cabinet dates from the 1840s, the same era as the chapel
Work of art
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Works of art displayed in a living room
Two Moroccan lamps that John bought in Marrakech look dramatic hanging above the living area in the main room. Artist Serena Delahaye, made the life-size wicker figure, which was bought at an art exhibition.
Interior problems
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Workers restoring a chapel
Left exposed to rain, the windows, doors, floor and stairs were all rotten and had to be replaced. The couple gutted the rotten interior and then rewired, replastered and replumbed before putting in oak floors and doors. All the windows had to be restored and copied from the original Victorian design by specialist joiners.
French fancy
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French bed painted with Dulux
Warm pink walls create a totally different feel for the master bedroom. The antique French bed was painted in a soft cream by Dulux and the elm bedside tables are from France.
Lovely limestone
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Limestone tiles in an ensuite bathroom
Limestone tiles from Fired Earth blend with the green marble surround from China in the master ensuite.
Exotic bedroom
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Chinese inspired guest bedroom with silk bedding
The guest bedroom has a more exotic feel thanks to a 250-year-old Chinese bed adorned with four-ply shot silk curtains handmade in Cambodia.
If you\'re considering converting a listed building, click here for expert advice before you begin work.