Wayne Perrey, known as the TV Carpenter for BBC Morning Live and ITV Love Your Weekend, has recently completed a full refurbishment of his family’s beautiful 1930s semi-detached house in Chislehurst. You might have even spotted his renovation recently in The Sunday Times Home Magazine as part of Wayne’s weekly column.
We had the pleasure of helping Wayne and his family design bespoke rugs and runners to complement the traditional characteristics of their home, while aligning with the sustainability values reflected in their design choices. We sat down with Wayne to discuss the recent renovation and explore how they used our new Anywhere Ca-rPET range to enhance their home. Continue reading for Wayne’s renovation tips to inspire your next DIY project at home.
Paint a picture of your home and who you share it with. How would you describe the interior style in just three words?
My wife Anna, our 16-year-old daughter Eva, and I have finally moved into our newly refurbished 1930’s semi-detached house in Chislehurst. As a carpenter and DIY expert, I took 7 months off work to renovate the entire house, creating a home that feels natural, simplistic and elegant.
Anywhere Ca-rPET Herringbone Re-flect bespoke rug with a Cotton Herringbone Hunter border
How did you discover Alternative Flooring?
As a TV carpenter and podcast host, I have worked on interior design makeover shows and interviewed my fair share of top interior designers. Alternative Flooring was frequently mentioned as the best place to order high-quality bespoke rugs and runners. Now that I have them, I completely understand why.
Tell us about the flooring choices in your home and why you chose Anywhere Ca-rPET?
When decorating our newly renovated home, we faced the unique challenge of designing rugs and runners to meet different needs.
With the help of Alternative Flooring, we created a bespoke runner for our kitchen using the Anywhere Ca-rPET Bouclé Re-vive carpet with a Cotton Herringbone Koala border, as it needed to withstand everything that a busy kitchen could throw at it. For the lounge and stairs, we opted for the same carpet but chose different borders. The lounge features an Anywhere Ca-rPET Herringbone Re-flect carpet with a Cotton Herringbone Hunter border for the bespoke rug, while the bespoke stair runner has a Cotton Olive Border.
Anywhere Ca-rPET Bouclé Re-vive bespoke rug with a Cotton Herringbone Koala border
One of the biggest surprises for me was that we could use the same Anywhere Ca-rPET range in the lounge and on the stairs. Both were hardwearing but felt soft underfoot. On a practical level, we had to be mindful of choosing a low pile rating carpet for the rugs and runners that were on the ground floor due to the underfloor heating, and the bonus was that the Anywhere Ca-rPET range ticked that box.
Why is sustainability important to your recent renovation decisions?
When renovating a home, it’s essential to make decisions that minimise our environmental impact. Having made the big decision to opt for an air-source heat pump, low-energy lighting, and eco-paint throughout the house, it was equally important that my rugs and runners had the same credentials, and thankfully, the Anywhere Ca-rPET range did precisely that.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about taking on a renovation project?
I’m not going to lie – renovating can be stressful, especially if you are doing it yourself like I did. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. We now have our dream home, and I feel amazing about the pride I feel knowing what we’ve created.
What’s next on your renovation journey/DIY hitlist?
Every now and then, my wife Anna talks about the idea of a loft extension, but I have banished that idea for at least two years to recover from this seven-month build! Instead, I plan to enjoy the garden and start considering what size rug to order, as we have an outdoor patio that would look stunning with the Anywhere Ca-rPET range.
Photography by Lol Johnson
