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All images: © Nathan Gallagher
At home with AJ AJ Odudu is best known for appearances on British television on reality shows such as Big Brother’s Bit on the Side and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins; however, her love for renovating is not as well recognised as her presenting career. This month, we’ve talked to AJ about the recent renovation of her enviable three-bedroom, onebathroom, Victorian, semidetached split-level flat in South East London.
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acking up nearly 5000 Instagram followers on her dedicated renovation page, @homewithaj, AJ describes herself as an “absolute novice renovating a Victorian house”; which resonates with many undertaking their own renovation and self-build projects. Here, i-Build’s Editor, Rebecca Kemp, talks to AJ about her newfound infatuation with renovations and discovers what prompted her to take on such an extensive restoration.
RK: What inspired you to take on this project?
One of my horror stories is that my living room completely fell into my neighbour's home. A builder walked over the bare floorboards and just fell right through – I can’t believe she still talks to me!
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AJ: It was not my original intention to buy a place that needed renovating, but I realised that there was nothing on the market that was 100% to my taste. I hadn’t realised how particular I was about things, such as how essential ceiling heights were to me and the amount of natural light in the space. During my search, I realised how much of my own stamp I wanted to put on my home, and the only way to do that correctly was through renovation.
RK: Had you always wanted to pursue your own project?
AJ: I always wanted to renovate a place, but I didn’t think it would be my first home. I had envisaged that my first home would be just moving into a nice, warm space from the get-go. I’m busy, and I just don’t have time for my first property to be a huge project. I had grown up watching Changing Rooms, 60-Minute Makeover and Homes Under The Hammer, and I love Grand Designs, Location, Location, Location etc. – so I always had the vision to renovate, but I didn’t think it would be my first one. I really got into the spirit of things though and truly loved it – I now want to do another.
