{"id":90411,"date":"2026-07-26T00:30:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/90411\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T00:30:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:30:49","slug":"what-i-own-we-ditched-london-for-a-340000-home-in-the-perfect-location","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/90411\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Own: We ditched London for a \u00a3340,000 home in the perfect location"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThis weekend, we\u2019re down in Devon meeting Abbie Downey (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

Welcome back to\u00a0What I Own<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Metro\u2019s property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder.<\/p>\n

When 36-year-old Abbie Downey and her husband started looking for their next home, they knew they wanted a project.<\/p>\n

The couple moved from London back to Plymouth, where Abbie is originally from, just before the pandemic, with a young son who absolutely loved being in the countryside.<\/p>\n

They lived in their first Devon<\/a> home for a few years, before buying their \u00a3340,000 property two years ago, and embarking on an extensive renovation.<\/p>\n

However, considering the house is half Victorian, half Georgian, and in need of a bit of TLC, they\u2019ve had a lot of work to do.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAsk Metro<\/p>\n

Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what Abbie had to say about their property journey\u2026<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tReady to start your homebuying journey?\t\t\t<\/p>\n

You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Award winning service from the UK\u2019s leading mortgage broker<\/p>\n

\u2013 Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week<\/p>\n

\u2013 Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market<\/p>\n

Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won\u2019t charge you a fee for their advice.<\/p>\n

Find out how much you could borrow online<\/a><\/p>\n

Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.<\/p>\n

Tell us about yourself!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m Abby, I\u2019m 36, and I\u2019m an interior designer. I live with my husband and my nine-year-old son. <\/p>\n

I love being out in nature, cooking, going to the beach, and going to the gym, if I\u2019m not working or playing LEGO with my son.<\/p>\n

We live in Plymouth. I\u2019m from there originally, and I went to university, met my husband in London<\/a>, and then we moved back here in February 2019.<\/p>\n

How did you get into interior design?<\/p>\n

My background\u2019s not in interiors<\/a>. I loved art at school<\/a>, but I also loved lots of academic subjects.<\/p>\n

The advice from the careers department was pretty much, unless you\u2019re going to be an artist, you can\u2019t have a career in art. I went and did a BSc and an MSc in Human Nutrition, and then I went to work in research, and then for the NHS in a health commissioning role.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d always done interiors in the background for friends and family though and was working on a project with an architect\u2019s firm while renovating a previous home.<\/p>\n

Having been immersed in it I thought, actually, this is what I want to do, so I went back and retrained in interior design. I set up my business four years ago.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tAbbie and her husband moved back to Plymouth in 2019 (Picture: Wayne Perry)
\nWhat do you think of the area? What propelled you to move back?<\/p>\n

My husband\u2019s from Ireland, about 40 minutes outside of Dublin<\/a>, so he\u2019s from the coast and countryside as well. <\/p>\n

Our son was coming up to one and was a very outdoorsy child, and we were driving out of London nearly every weekend to take him somewhere.<\/p>\n

We still wanted to have quite a good city that had lots of amenities, as we like going to art galleries and to the gym and having nice shops. My family are here, so it seemed the perfect option.<\/p>\n

The house we\u2019re in at the moment is perfect. We can be by the sea in five minutes, or we can drive 20 minutes and be on a beach with no one on it, or in the middle of a forest.<\/p>\n

We did look in London before, and we were looking at the equivalents of what you could buy. It was quite crazy.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\t\u2026they were previously in London, and wanted to be by the sea again (Picture: Wayne Perry)
\nWhen did you move in?<\/p>\n

August 2024.<\/p>\n

How much did you buy your property for?<\/p>\n

\u00a3340,000. We were able to port our mortgage from the previous house, and we had equity in that, so we didn\u2019t have to put down a deposit.<\/p>\n

Our mortgage rate is at 4.48% for 32 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve currently spent \u00a330,000 on our renovation, which is for the main major works of roof and sash window repairs and the re-render, as well as the bathroom, kitchen, living room, my son\u2019s bedroom and washroom renovation.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the monthly cost of living here now?<\/p>\n

The mortgage is \u00a31,400, council tax is \u00a3150, gas and electricity are \u00a380, and the water is \u00a340.<\/p>\n

What prompted the move from your former home in Plymouth to this one?<\/p>\n

There were only three of us, and it was a lovely Edwardian terrace house, but we just felt we were getting on top of each other.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tBeing half Victorian, half Georgian, the home needs a lot of work (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

We just wanted a new project to get stuck into. Probably not as big as we\u2019ve taken on, but we didn\u2019t know that at the time.<\/p>\n

Why has it turned into such a big project?<\/p>\n

This one\u2019s a Georgian house, and then it\u2019s got a Victorian rear tenement on the back. <\/p>\n

The Georgian part is lovely, and there are no issues, but the Victorian part we\u2019ve had loads of issues with, so we\u2019ve had to make changes to the roof.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had to re-render all of the back; we\u2019ve had rain come in through the walls. We\u2019ve had lots of mice, and there\u2019s lots of rotten beans and damp.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s pushed us a bit in what we thought we\u2019d be able to do ourselves, but we\u2019re enjoying the challenge.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the split between Georgian and Victorian like? Which rooms are where?<\/p>\n

The front room, kitchen, master bedroom, the office, and the attic space are all Georgian.<\/p>\n

And then in the Victorian part, there\u2019s a bathroom, a utility room, a bedroom, and an ensuite. The front part was originally a Georgian cottage, so they extended it out to make it bigger. They\u2019ve doubled the floor print.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it been like renovating with a child?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all embraced it quite well. We\u2019ve done the kitchen, and we\u2019re nearly finished all the bathrooms, so I think those are the worst rooms to get done, because you\u2019re in them all the time. <\/p>\n

My son loves getting involved, so it\u2019s a nice journey that he\u2019s with us on.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey\u2019ve lived here since August 2024 (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

If I got to the end, I\u2019d probably want to move, because I\u2019d really have finished. It\u2019s quite nice that it\u2019s taken its time, because it gives me longer to process each one and come up with the designs.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got no dining room at the minute, so my son kind of walks around with a plate, wondering where to sit.<\/p>\n

What made you choose this property?<\/p>\n

We looked at quite a few, and we lost a couple that we really liked. This one\u2019s on a really lovely street. The area\u2019s still quite mixed. There\u2019s lots of big houses, so some of them are single-use, and some are flats.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the inspiration for your interior design style?<\/p>\n

My design\u2019s very maximal. I love pattern and colour, and I take a lot of inspiration from culture and history. I love Moroccan design, but also Mexican and Brazilian. There\u2019s also a lot of vintage finds and eclectic stuff that I\u2019ve layered up. Everything has a story.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tAbbie is an interior designer, and is very maximalist in her style (Picture: Wayne Perry)
\nDo you have a favourite piece of furniture inside your home?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got an Indonesian drum that we\u2019ve recycled as a coffee table that we found in a skip. It\u2019s weathered and beaten and has such a story, and then we\u2019ve got an old safe in the corner that\u2019s a side table.<\/p>\n

Do you feel like you have enough space?<\/p>\n

Definitely. We\u2019re not using all the rooms as the walls are crumbling down, but once those are usable, then we\u2019ll probably have more than we need space-wise.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThis safe is one of her favourite pieces (Picture: Wayne Perry)
\nAre there any wider problems with the property you\u2019ve had to deal with?<\/p>\n

The original sash windows have needed minor repairs. We\u2019ve got quite a few original features that are intact, so we haven\u2019t had any issues with the bones of the property.<\/p>\n

What are your plans for the future, in terms of housing?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll definitely stay here until my son\u2019s 18. My husband would like a little farm at one point in his life, and I\u2019d quite like to move to Italy<\/a>, so we could combine the two. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ll definitely stay here for at least another 10, 15 years. We really like the area and the flexibility it gives us.<\/p>\n

Shall we have a look around?<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey\u2019ve spent around \u00a330,000 on the renovation so far (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tAnd while it\u2019s tiring, they love the project (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThe splash of blue in here is fun, too (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey previously lived in a terraced Edwardian house (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey didn\u2019t realise it was going to be such a big project (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\t\u2026but have enjoyed pulling it all together nonetheless (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tEvery piece of decor has to have a story behind it (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThe splash of colour on the fireplace is lovely (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey\u2019ve embraced the stress of renovating with a young child (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\t\u2026he usually gets involved with the design work (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tAbbie has tried to design the bathroom in a Moroccan style (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\t\u2026she finds it calming, particularly before work (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tWe\u2019re enjoying these taps (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tBeing in here is like stepping away on holiday (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tScrub a dub dub (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey\u2019ve learned to live in a half-finished home (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tOnce the reno is finished, they\u2019ll have more than enough space (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey\u2019ve had a few issues with the Victorian part, including mice (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\t\u2026and damp walls, with the rain coming in from outside (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tWe\u2019re liking these mismatched handles (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tMirror mirror on the wall (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tPlants always brighten up a home (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tNow this is an injection of colour, in the best way (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThis clock fits with the period home setting (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\tThey found the Indonesian drum in the corner on a skip (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Abbie
\n\t\t\u2026and subsequently repurposed it (Picture: Wayne Perry)<\/p>\n

Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk<\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: Million-pound cliffside cottage won\u2019t sell as buyers fear it will crumble into sea<\/a><\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: We got \u2018gazundered\u2019 and lost thousands of pounds when selling our home<\/a><\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: What I Own: I got a free \u00a312,000 bonus to buy my \u00a3390,000 one-bed London flat<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\t\t\tComment now<\/p>\n

\t\t\tComments
\n\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\tAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tAdd as preferred source
\n\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tThe Key<\/p>\n

Sign up for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This weekend, we\u2019re down in Devon meeting Abbie Downey (Picture: Wayne Perry) Welcome back to\u00a0What I Own\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Metro\u2019s property…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":90412,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[26],"tags":[9574,154,424,27,152,32843],"class_list":["post-90411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-london","tag-devon","tag-housing","tag-lifestyle","tag-london","tag-property","tag-what-i-own"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116983463368908266","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90411"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90411\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}