Helen - Port Loop, Birmingham
‘I wanted somewhere to park my bike and somewhere to paint’
When your children move out of the family home, the dynamic changes. Suddenly, your home becomes all about you. For Helen Bonham, choosing a home that met her own, rather than her family’s needs and desires, led her to leave a Victorian property in Sutton Coldfield for a new, factory-built Town House at Port Loop; a canalside neighbourhood in Birmingham city centre.
“Flexibility was key. Whilst none of my children still live at home, I wanted to make sure that there was plenty of space for them to visit,” begins Helen, when describing what first attracted her to Port Loop.
“It was my brother, who’s an architect, that suggested I look at Port Loop. I came to view the show home and knew that this was the kind of space that I wanted.
“In terms of lifestyle, I only really had two stipulations: I needed somewhere to park my bike and somewhere to paint.”
As an artist, Helen has transformed the front room of her three storey Town House into an art studio.
“Whilst I’m yet to draw Port Loop, living here has been great in giving me the space I need to paint,” Helen tells us. “This was a huge benefit of the flexible floorplans; it meant that I could make the rooms work for my lifestyle. This is the first time that I’ve had a dedicated studio in my own home.”
Giving us an insight into her decorating to date, Helen said: “I wanted the house to feel unique to me, so I’ve had carbon neutral, linseed flooring installed throughout the ground floor; adorned with rugs to create warmth and add texture. I’m taking my time to decorate the rest of the house, particularly when choosing artwork. The minimalistic design would allow for a real statement piece and my current thinking is whether to project some nature-inspired art onto the walls. Time will tell what I decide to do!”
