From one working hob to dream kitchen: Here's how I coped while renovating

Home of the Year winner Jennifer Sheahan has advice on making your kitchen useable while renovating

Jennifer Sheahan's kitchen when she bought her artisan cottage, left, and right, her kitchen after the renovation.

When I bought this home I lived in it for nine months before renovations started, saving and planning and waiting for my contractor to be ready. I know lots of people who are pre-renovation will be living in a new home before ripping it up and rebuilding, many for longer than nine months, and some homes need a bit of sprucing up to turn them into hospitable environments during that time. 

If you’re saving for a renovation then you’re unlikely to want to spend much on making your temporary digs habitable, nor do you want to buy something nice only to get rid of it again soon.