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Shirlie Kemp in a white dress with her husband Martin© David Fisher/Shutterstock

Shirlie Kemp unveils before and after transformation of unrecognisable cottage

The former popstar is married to Martin Kemp

Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
Updated: September 23, 2024
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Shirlie and Martin Kemp never fail to wow us every time they reveal an impressive transformation at their gorgeous Victorian home.

The former popstars, who wed in the 1980s before welcoming their two children, Harley Moon, a singer, and Roman, former Capital Radio DJ, have been converting their mansion and outdoor area ever since buying the property in 2021.

Not only have Martin and Shirlie, both 62, completely transformed the inside of their home, but they've also been hard at work on a cottage they have on their grounds. Shirlie recently impressed followers with an unseen look at the cottage garden before and after the drastic change.

Shirlie Kemp's garden before the hard work© Instagram
Shirlie Kemp's garden before the hard work

Taking to her home Instagram account, @Maisonnumber9, Shirlie wrote: "Cottage garden before" to caption a photo of what the outdoor area looked like before they worked their magic. The garden consisted of a lawn with stepping stones towards the building with little shrubbery and flowers in the area.

Meanwhile, the 'after' photo, which was shared on her Instagram Stories next, looked like a completely different garden.

Shirlie and Martin have laid larger slabs of patio towards the main building making it easier underfoot and lined the pretty stone walkway with plenty of different flowers and bushes. Further along the path towards the cottage, Shirlie has also placed large pot plants on the grass and on the wall of the building, adding even more texture and colour.

The ex-Wham! dancer and her husband, former bassist for Spandau Ballet, are fortunate to have their separate cottage area which serves as extra space and accommodation away from the main house.

Shirlie Kemp's garden after transformation© Instagram
The garden after their wow-worthy transformation

The cottage is fully functional as a separate home and has its own kitchen, living area and bedrooms. 

The second building is smaller, but certainly no less impressive. Shirlie has shown her fans inside the cottage's kitchen which looks totally different to the main home's kitchen area, offering a sense of variety at the couple's house.

Shirlie and Martin's kitchen in their main home is pristine bright white with porcelain tiles and plenty of daylight.

MORE: Shirlie Kemp reveals strict home rules for Roman and Harleymoon 

MORE: Inside Martin Kemp's feud with Spandau Ballet bandmate Tony Hadley 

Shirlie Kemp showed off her cottage's stunning kitchen© Instagram
Shirlie Kemp's kitchen in their stunning cottage

The cottage kitchen, however, boasts more of a rustic feel. The cabinets are a stone colour with light brown laminated flooring. 

Shirlie has also placed a runner rug alongside the walkway behind the island, adding some tactile comfort to the area.

The island is light grey with wooden cabinets underneath a solid white worktop, and three wooden stools can be seen underneath, offering space for eating.

Shirlie Kemp's white kitchen with plants on the side© Instagram
The kitchen in the main house is also stunning

The family's main home has undergone perhaps the biggest transformation. They bought the property with the intention of renovating the entire place, but the husband and wife have kept a period feel to it.

The Kemps bought the home in 2021 and decided to kick start what was supposed to be a five-year renovation project, but their hard work has come on leaps and bounds and they have managed to transform a huge amount of the home in less than half the planned time. 

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