Home is always a few minutes walk away

Mar 22 2007 by Debbie Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Debbie Johnson meets a man whose Hope Place house also provides a showcase for his work

The kitchen is one of the hubs of this artistic, as well as social, activity. There is an old farmhouse table, a comfy sofa, and lost of light and space for everyone to sit, stand, chat, chill, and of course eat.

The room is also filled with art – much of it impromptu from guests, much of it created by Jon's three sons.

Even the ceiling is covered. "Everything in here is a masterpiece!" says Jon.

The lounge has been taken over by four-year-old Oscar, and is currently the residence of several cast members of the Bob the Builder show – but the main bedroom is, says Jon, a haven of peace and calm.

Painted in whites and oatmeals, it has a big old double bed and a Buddhist shrine as well.

"It's a beautiful room," says Jon, "very calming."

The back yard is small ("you could swing a cat around if you didn't mind bumping its head") but perfectly formed, with colourful hanging baskets.

One of the biggest plus points for Jon about living in Hope Place is also its sense of community.

He says: "This is a street of old homes, with a well-established mix of people, some who have been here forever, some more recent, but with a real neighbourhood feel to it.

“And of course because we have a superb hotel on the corner, we get the very best kind of guests as well – like the whole of Barcelona quite recently!"