People pour their heart and soul into making a house a home, and one Merseyside mum was recognised by a national brand for her hard work.
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 how they've made their house a home.
Jodie bought her Crosby house with husband Phil in 2015. The couple now have two daughters, five-year-old Grace and one-year-old Hattie.
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Jodie told the ECHO: "We decided Crosby was a place to settle as we liked the area and schools. I used to have friends who lived in this road and when the house went up for sale, I insisted we viewed it.
"From the moment we walked in it felt homely and I loved the large square rooms. Plus it had the potential to extend and really let us create the space we knew we wanted to achieve."
The family have realised the home's potential, taking it out at the back with an apex roof to add height. The result is a large open plan space for the family to enjoy.
The kitchen is bang on trend, with floor to ceiling cabinets in a neutral grey complementing a dark central island with marbled worktops. The areas have splashes of brass from the fixtures and provides the perfect space for informal dining.
Elsewhere in the house, the separate toilet and bathroom have been knocked through to create a lavish black and white suite with a walk-in shower and luxurious standalone bath.
The family's style, which Jodie describes as "monochrome", has even caught the eye of Marks & Spencer and featured on the retailer's website.
Jodie told the ECHO she "couldn't believe it". She added: "I had grown up with family members constantly shopping there and as I got older I shopped there myself.
"To be asked by such a strong brand to be featured on their website was a real pinch me moment and is something I still can't believe now. To see a picture of my home on the website is surreal."
Jodie's favourite spot in the house is the dining area. She said: "We have not long finished the feature wall and always wanted to use lighting to create an ambiance for when we host.
"It's quite a bold dining wall with black panelling and brick slip but when the warm down lights are dimmed against it, for me it has a really nice vibe."
While the family's hard work has paid off, Jodie said the renovation project was "extremely difficult" at times. She added: "At the time I was pregnant with my youngest and we had to move out when it come to the bathroom construction starting.
"We had a strict timeline as I was planning to have a home birth. Luckily we made it back in time.
"Since then, we are continuing to work our way through each room in the house. That has included some very late nights as the only time we manage to complete a DIY task is when both little ones are in bed."
Would you like to be included in the ECHO's Where I Live feature?
We'll be taking a look inside a different property each week. If you're splurging on a renovation, trying your hand at DIY to save money, or have a passion for interiors, let us know.
Please email your name and details to storm.newton@reachplc.com
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