Bienvenue, lovely to meet you...

let us introduce ourselves; we are Claire & Graeme and amongst other things we are a designer and a builder.

We met on a project refurbishing a 17th Century public house (Grade II listed too) in Norfolk (England) and we have been repairing, refurbishing, upcycling and reviving things ever since!

Photo of Graeme the Builder o the about us page.

Meet Graeme

All round super Builder with 30+ years experience

Graeme sees every project as a chance to solve a puzzle — and, more importantly, to make someone smile. He’s a dad first, a book-lover second, and somewhere close behind that is his long-standing appreciation for Jack Daniels (both the drinking and the memorabilia collecting!).

With 30+ years of hands-on building experience, Graeme is the kind of craftsman who lets his work speak for itself. He spent decades working his magic across London — including homes in Chelsea and Kensington, and possibly a celebrity or two… though he’d never name-drop.

These days, Norfolk is home base (the kids are the best anchor), but his tools have travelled far: Brittany, Nice in the South of France, and even Perth in Western Australia.

Graeme’s path hasn’t been straightforward — he’s been a car mechanic, an entrepreneur, and a builder in both England and France. Trust us, the French way of doing things is not the same! But that’s what makes him so good: real-world experience, problem-solving in any situation, and an ability to adapt to whatever a home throws at him.

He’s a superb tiler with a soft spot for kitchens and bathrooms, where detail really matters. And if you want something a bit special? Graeme has created bars for pubs, home bars made from old pianos, bespoke coffee stations, and unique display areas for those fancy glasses you’re proud of.

This is Graeme: skilled, steady, creative, and endlessly practical — the builder people trust to do it right.

Photo of Claire the designer on the about us page

Meet Claire

Claire is the design brain you call when you want a space to feel right — not by accident, but because someone with genuine vision shaped it that way.

She has that rare ability to walk into a room and instantly see what it could be. Layout, flow, detail, energy — it’s all already mapped in her head long before the first piece of furniture moves or the first wall is touched. Some people call it intuition; she calls it Tuesday.

Her background isn’t a neat straight line, and that’s exactly why she’s good. She’s been a publican, mixologist, engineering director, fashion designer, visual merchandiser, interior advisor, assistant buyer, personal shopper — roles that taught her how people live, how they choose, how they feel, and most importantly, how design can change all of that.

She loves sunrises, good ideas, and projects with character. Give her something interesting, challenging, or a little bit mad — she’s in.

Skills? Qualifications?
Yes, of course. But honestly?
Her real ability comes from
instinct, experience, and a lifetime of solving problems with style. It’s not learned — it’s built in.

And in case you’re wondering: yes, she also runs a passion project creating bold, one-off jewellery pieces from reclaimed materials. Because creativity doesn’t switch off — it spills into everything she touches.

 

All round Designer - clothes, kitchens, interiors, even trying gardens!!


"Your home is a reflection of YOU,

you get to live in the very best version of YOU

How cool is that!!!"

- Butterflies and Hurricanes Homes

So why work with us???

We've worked together for 10+ years now on several properties and projects from:

400 year old Grade II Listed old Coaching Inn
1970's bijou Villa is an ongoing project (and home)

30 year old building. Super fun modernisation project knocking through to create open living dining space that totally transformed the property and it rented before it was even finished and for a large uplift in rent too, due to the all the new amenities.

10 year old Modern Minimalist Open Plan Villa with incredible views up in the hills of Nice, South of France.

Our Family Home refresh to sell - sad but a big learning curve on clearing and working on a house that you need to sell quickly to pay HMRC!! I plan to write more that could help others in our predicament.

A couple of 1970s Bungalow that needed a refreshed kitchen, bathrooms, dining room and living room.

Fun Facts about us..


Cocktail order:

Claire: Glass or Rose wine (while I wait!!) ! Espresso Martini.

Graeme: Espresso Martini and a double Jack & coke.


The next big fashion we want to embrace:

Claire: Hats - beautiful vintage hats, top hats, berets, bowler hats .

Graeme: Smart jackets, flat caps and shoes, not too Peaky Blinders!!.

When we find time to do downtime:

Claire: Beach walks, business podcasts, gardening, kitchen raving on a Friday night!

Graeme: Cooking, watching The Chase, and reading thriller novels.

Our happy song:

Claire: I Ain't Worried - OneRepublic

Graeme: Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice


If you were an ice cream flavour:

Claire: Lemon meringue pie!
Graeme: Tutti Fruitti


Favourite Movie quote: 

You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage.

Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery.

And I promise you, something great will come of it.


- Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo


"A house is made with walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Butterflies and Hurricanes Homes

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