‘My 25-year marriage has ended – now I can finally downsize to my dream home’
When Charlotte Brown got divorced after 25 years of marriage, it meant leaving the three-bedroom family home where she’d been living with her ex-husband and teenage son and moving to a smaller place.
But rather than being daunted by the prospect of downsizing, Brown, 53, saw it as an opportunity for a fresh start. Despite living in the previous house for 20 years, she had never been emotionally attached to it, and was not a fan of the decor and exterior.
Moving out of the family home meant she could buy the house she’d always dreamed of – a Victorian terrace on a street she’d always admired – and make it her own.
“Previously I was in a 1970s semi-detached three-bedroom house with large rooms. I’m still adjusting to a completely different style of home where the rooms are smaller and have traditional features, but this is much more to my taste.
“I’m trying to keep the original style while making everything more modern,” she says. “Now, I want my home to be a reflection of who I am and my personality.”
Brown had been renting while looking for a place, and when her current house came on the market, she moved swiftly. The 865-square-foot house, in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, had an asking price of £275,000 and she secured it for £270,000 in June 2018.
“I just fell in love with it as soon as I walked through the door. I grew up around here and have always loved this street and Victorian houses, but my ex wasn’t keen on older houses,” says Brown. The only compromise was that the house didn’t come with off-street parking.
She has spent the past five years gradually doing up the two-bedroom house, injecting her style into the rooms. Downstairs, the walls are painted bubblegum pink and there are disco balls dotted around, a style that she describes as “a dose of dopamine and a sprinkle of maximalism”.
“I’d say renovating was part of re-establishing myself after the divorce. I really found myself and my own style,” she says.
“When you’re a couple, you both have to agree on decisions, and our old home was very generic with lots of magnolia walls. I’ve now definitely found my style. I’d say it’s playful and makes me happy, with portable disco balls downstairs bringing some sparkle.”
The living room has a gold table and peacock candle holders, while the kitchen is forest green with panda-themed art on pink walls. Brown, who works as a customs manager for an automotive company, uses the dining room as an office two days a week.
“I work with spreadsheets a lot in my job and my work is about compliance, rules and regulations, so I channel any creativity into my house. I like designing the rooms and working out what the colours will be and what materials will be used.
“I do the smaller jobs in the house myself but get professionals in for the major renovations,” says Brown, who posts about her progress on Instagram under the handle @georgestreet1890.
She has installed a new bathroom and kitchen and has kept all the original features, including the four fireplaces. The front door, which Brown believes dates back to the 1920s or 1930s, has been repainted from red to Farrow and Ball’s Babouche yellow.
The bedrooms have yet to be repainted but all the downstairs rooms have been done, and feature a Hovia mural and a print of the late queen by the artist Agent X (bought from Art Republic).
The next job is to tackle the garden, which will involve installing new fences, a decking area and tidying up the lawn and flower borders.
Other jobs are to paint the bedrooms and lay carpets upstairs. She saves up for work before starting, so she doesn’t have to worry about finance or getting into debt.
There has been a resurgence in downsizing in recent years. Around 41pc of movers in 2023 reduced their bedroom count, up from 32pc in 2022 and 33pc in 2019, according to data from estate agency Hamptons.
Younger downsizers say they are also moving to clear their mortgage debt quicker amid higher interest rates.
“I’m really happy here. Everything has worked out for the best. Downsizing can be a very positive move. Your house can be much more cosy, bills are reduced and there is less space to keep clean,” she says.
“With less space to play with, I have become much more thoughtful about what pieces I have in my home. I have fewer belongings but I love them more.”
