Buying another person's home can mean looking past years of dodgy design and decor choices at its bricks and mortar to realise the property's full potential.
In our Where I Live series, the ECHO will explore one house from across the region each week, with the owner giving us an insight into the buying process, how they managed to get on the property ladder, and how they plan to make it their own in a cost of living crisis.
Amberley, 39, works in the tech industry in Liverpool, but has an interest in "all things décor and DIY" which she channels through her Instagram account @raineysresidence. She now has more than 11,000 followers on her page.
READ MORE: Expert shares tips on how to revamp your kitchen on a budget
She bought her 1960s, three-bed semi on the Wirral for £175,000 in December 2016. Amberley admits it needed "a lot of TLC" when she bought it, but she managed to look past that: "The thing that attracted me to it the most was how light and bright it was with masses of potential to improve it."
She told the ECHO the house had "a lot of quirks" that needed rectifying when she moved in, especially the "tiny" kitchen, which she overhauled on a budget.
She told the ECHO: "When I had friends round there was only standing room for them while I cooked diner. I’m a sociable person and the layout was so impractical for more than one person in there at a time. My plan was to knock down the wall separating the kitchen and the dining room.
"Doing this opened up the space turning it into a bright and airy kitchen diner perfect for family and friends visiting."
Amberley has transformed the house "slowly", with her pitching in wherever possible.
"Each room has had a makeover taking me almost six years to do trying to be mindful of budget. The kitchen was the biggest bargain at £400 as it was second hand from eBay.
"I love neutral tones and natural accessories. I would love to live in a country cottage but unfortunately, that isn’t anything like what I have or where I live so for now I have tried to inject a little bit of classic country décor into my home without it looking overkill."
You can follow Amberley at @raineysresidence
Amberley's styling tip is to add personality to your home with things that can be "easily and affordably change".
"It's natural to want to switch things up, if you add colour to your home in the form of accessories, it means you can alter these simply as your tastes change."
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