Renovation of character properties can be fraught with difficulty. How do you update and upgrade a home without diluting its period charm? How do you fuse the new with the old and merge the features that give the house its identity with the mod cons that make life comfier and easier for its residents? Well, look right this way because the builders have managed it all here, breathing new life and freshness into an old villa. The update has added 50sqm of space, including a two-bedroom extension, given it luxury extras and untangled small dark rooms, promoting light and a feeling of openness.

They’ve achieved this while respectfully honouring the house’s DNA and dealing with all the surprises that materialise when you start work on an old house. Case in point: the foundations and walls that needed a complete rebuild. The result is utterly lovely — light, fresh and flowing, yet still character-filled. Note the retained deep skirting boards, cornices and ceiling roses. The addition has two bedrooms and a luxury bathroom. The main bedroom, in the existing part of the house, has a new ensuite. New doors lead to a sheltered patio and a new expanse of decking with a fireplace and furniture. Flowing from the newly built kitchen and dining space, this deck is entertaining central. Ultimately, it’s the quality of the work and the respect for the old house that stays with you.