This cleverly designed live work home in Hebden Bridge belongs to artist Julia Ogden

Julia, who also runs art classes for children and adults, decided to rent when she first landed on home soil thinking this would give the best chance of finding and securing the right place to buy.

As for somewhere to work, she was thrilled when local designer maker Hannah Nunn suggested she share studio space with her at Burlees House.

It took a long time for her to find somewhere to buy and during that time house prices had risen steeply, which limited her options. Luck was on her side when a kind-hearted friend decided to sell a home she owned and gave Julia the chance to offer on it.

It was a Godsend in every way as just after she put the offer in for the property, Burless House suffered a catastrophic fire and she lost her studio and teaching space.

“The fire was awful but I was so lucky because I could see that the ground floor sitting room of this house could work as a studio and a place for art classes,” she says.

The property is in the heart of Hebden Bridge and is an underdwelling, which is a house underneath another house with the one on top known as an over dwelling.

These double decker builds are commonplace in the town and emerged during the industrial revolution when homes were needed for workers and there was a shortage of suitable land.

Julia’s property has a ground floor with a compact galley kitchen and what was a small sitting room. Upstairs there is a bathroom, bedroom and second sitting room.

The house was in need of some work and her creativity was a boon when left with a small budget for this. The kitchen was revamped with walls in Denim Drift by Dulux, while the old units were covered in navy blue sticky back plastic and treated to new handles.

The retro cabinet in the kitchen is something she has had for years after buying it in a charity shop in Brighouse She upcycled it with vinyl wall tiles which were glued to the top while the glass doors were treated to window film by Hannah Nunn, which features meadow and nature designs

The vintage tins are from a charity shop and Julia also likes shopping in the Antique Centre in Hebden.

The ground floor former sitting room is multi-functional and acts as Julia’s studio where she paints, sketches and teaches art.

The sash window is at street level opposite houses on the other side of the road so to protect privacy and improve the look, she again used window film designed by Hannah Nunn.

What was a tiny pantry has been turned into a downstairs loo, vital for those who come for art lessons The tables from Ikea and the plan chest are on wheels so they can be arranged to suit, though the vintage table in the window stays put.

It’s here she often returns to drawing, which has led to a series of nature inspired, illustrated little books, available from her online shop. Notes on Snow and Notes on Summer both feature her illustrations, along with written observations.

“When I was deciding on which degree to do, it was between art and English literature. Art won but I chose to concentrate on illustration at university as it tells a story,” says Julia whose work has also benefited from her art classes, which she runs in person and online.

One of her favourites is with a group of young people who she teaches everything from drawing and watercolours to acrylic painting in a mixture of subjects including illustration, portraiture and landscapes to name a few.

“I’m quite a quiet person so I don’t mind working here on my own but when I do the art classes, there’s such a buzz. Doing them has also benefited my work because I’ve been brushing up on techniques

“It’s the perfect mix. I have time on my own to do my own work and I get time to spend with other people who I have loved meeting.”

*See Julia’s website www.juliaogden.com for more of her work and her online shop with her own design pictures, cards, cushions, decorations, silk scarves and books, along with details of art classes in person or by Zoom. She is also opening her home studio to the public for the Hebden Bridge Open Studios event, which runs from July 7th to 9th. For more details visit www.hebdenbridgeopenstudios.org