‘I made it my mission to befriend the owner … we ended up swapping houses’: a refurbishment 14 years in the making

After falling in love with an Edwardian house up the street, interior designer Fiona Duke had to bide her time before the owner was ready to sell. Thanks to a clever mix of retro and contemporary design, it was worth the wait

‘I’m an Essex convert,” says interior designer Fiona Duke. “We moved here from London, having been to a funeral nearby, and fell for the fabulous community vibe.” Duke and her husband’s first purchase was a Victorian terrace, but even then she had her eye on the big, detached Edwardian house up the road: “I made it my mission to befriend the owner, in case she ever decided to sell. I was up there a lot!”

It took eight years but her persistence paid off. After many evenings involving wine and a lot of begging not to sell to anyone else, the neighbour finally revealed she wanted to downsize. “I was poised to strike, but was convinced it would fall through” says Duke. “We ended up swapping houses, which was an unusual way to move, but it suited us both.”