Back in late 2022, renovating duo Harriet Langsbury and her partner Gavin Forsyth had already cut their teeth on the restoration of two small terraced houses in Gloucester, but they dreamed of finding a fixer-upper with plenty of space where they would be able to raise a family.
While out on evening walks around the neighbourhood, the couple would often pass an intriguing three-storey Victorian house that seemed like it had seen better days. ‘We always look at the worst house on the street because we know that if the outside is tatty, the inside is likely to be untouched and retain its original features,’ says Harriet. ‘This house had its original windows at the front, which gave us a clue about the inside.’
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Then, by chance, Gavin spotted the property for sale online and arranged a viewing. ‘As soon as I walked into the spacious hallway, I knew this was the one,’ Harriet remembers. ‘The house was very rough around the edges, but I fell in love with the elegant proportions. I had a vision and knew we could put our stamp on it.’
A leaking gutter had caused a section of the roof to decay so badly that some of the ceilings had fallen through and the interiors were riddled with damp, but the intrepid pair weren’t put off. ‘It was a total wreck but that just made me feel more excited about what we could do,’ says Harriet.
Having next to no money to renovate meant they had to do all the work themselves, with help from Harriet’s dad. ‘He’s a plumber and Gav’s an electrician, so we were able to save a lot.’ The most urgent job was to fix the roof. ‘We did the roof repairs ourselves – Dad and Gav managed to work it all out by watching YouTube videos.’
Working their day jobs during the week, the pair spent evenings and weekends ploughing through the renovation to-do list, which included tiling, sanding floors, building wardrobes and insulating, as well as plastering and painting walls. However, their biggest achievement was the kitchen extension, which they built themselves with no outside help.
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Wanting a bespoke, vintage feel, without the designer price tag, Harriet chose cabinets from DIY Kitchens in a custom colour. The stone-effect work surface was a clever, cost-effective solution that they made using water-resistant MDF, covered in layers of microcement. A pair of antique, industrial-style wall lamps and a vintage apothecary chest incorporated into the island bring a one-of-a-kind feel to the new kitchen, which is now the hub of the house.
One of Harriet’s greatest passions is rummaging for quirky vintage treasures. She regularly trawls car-boot sales and flea markets, as well as Facebook Marketplace, until she finds what she’s looking for. ‘I love to shop vintage and secondhand because things used to be made to last. If you’re patient, you can pick up beautifully crafted pieces for a fraction of the cost of buying new. One person’s junk is someone else’s treasure,’ she says, laughing.
Having always been thrifty and with an eye for design, Harriet’s aim was to create minimalist, modern luxe interiors without spending a fortune. To retain the sense of space, she’s taken a less-is-more approach to the decorating. Carefully curated spaces have been furnished with a restrained mix of old and new. ‘If you have a tiny budget, the trick is knowing when to save and when to splash out. I believe, for instance, that lighting is worth spending a bit more on because it can really elevate a room.’
Harriet was also able to save by getting creative and making headboards and side tables, as well as her own DIY art. One such piece is a vibrant, large-scale landscape painting, inspired by a holiday to New Zealand, that now takes centre stage in the kitchen. She also commissioned her artistic sister, Chloe Langsbury, to paint a striking monochrome pattern directly onto canvas fabric, which she then made into a headboard for the guest bedroom. ‘I enjoy filling the house with things that are personal to us and made by people I love – that’s what makes a home.’
The couple were keen to celebrate the period charm of the house, which was built in 1901, and so were thrilled to discover original Victorian doors hidden underneath cheap plywood panels. And, after months of searching, Harriet found the perfect Victorian marble fireplace at a bargain price to replace an ugly 1960s gas fire in the front living room.
‘I enjoy history and think it’s important to preserve the character of a building. I wanted the redesign to be minimalist, with soft heritage colours,’ she says. Harriet has been careful to choose muted shades that work well in period properties and also blend beautifully together. Deep greens, warm saffron yellows, pale pinks, soft blues and rich reds all effortlessly combine to create a sense of harmony and flow throughout the house.
As an interior stylist, Harriet is often inspired by the location houses she works in, one of which featured exposed plaster walls that caught her eye. Consequently, she now has two rooms with similarly soft, textured walls and a pared-back modern look.
Harriet is most proud, though, of her cosy attic main bedroom, which had previously been two poky rooms. After removing the dividing wall, fixing the damp issues and insulating the room, the pair created a luxurious space, complete with an ensuite bathroom hidden behind panelled doors.
Having gained a wealth of experience about what’s possible on a very limited budget, Harriet decided to share her DIY hacks and impressive renovation skills on TikTok and Instagram. ‘I think there’s a lot you can achieve yourself, such as painting walls or sanding floors. I keep trying to encourage my friends to be brave and try tiling. It’s one of the things we’ve always done ourselves.’
The renovation was finally completed in February 2025, just in the nick of time, as one week later the couple’s daughter was born. ‘It was a struggle. There were a lot of late nights. I’d sometimes wake up on a Saturday morning and wish we were like other young couples who have a clear weekend ahead of them, but now we’ve got this amazing house to live in, so it’s all been worthwhile. We’re very lucky.’
The property is available to rent as a location house via styledhomestudios.co.uk. See more at @harrietlangsburystylist.
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