A mother who lives in Britain’s skinniest home that is just six-foot wide says she ‘absolutely loves it’ but admitted it does come with a rather big downside.
Kim Giles described the unique property as her ‘dream home’ and has made it her own for the past 12 years.
The four-floor terrace in Gravesend, Kent, looks pretty ordinary from the front.
But its incredibly thin shape is visible from the side, making it somewhat of a local attraction.
Property lovers and even tourists visit for photo opportunities next to the £300,000 house.
Kim Giles described the unique property as her ‘dream home’ and has made it her own for the past 12 years
As the house is just six foot wide she admits getting furniture in is impossible
Kim has been renting the quirky Gravesend property for the last 12 years
Kim has rented the home – built in the 1880s – for the last 12 years and says it matches her ‘quirky’ personality.
The costume designer, 42, lives there with her partner, Sonny, 32.
She told MailOnline: ‘The interest it attracts always surprises me. It’s quite funny.
‘I suppose it is Britain’s skinniest home! When I came to visit it someone said ‘oh you won’t believe how thin it is’.
‘I wondered what they were on about. And when I got here I was still wondering, then I saw it from the side and I was like wow. It’s incredible.
‘It really took me back and it still does today really.
‘It’s very quirky and that matches my personality really. It fits well.
‘I like the fact it stands out and is different. It’s just a very different shape. It’s totally bizarre.
‘There’s room once inside and it is four floors so we have plenty of stuff in.’
Complete with a garden, Kim makes do with her reduced width and makes the best use of her space
The staircase in Kim’s house poses a unique set of challenges
The narrow property is perhaps the thinnest house in Britain
The biggest challenge Kim admits is getting furniture inside.
Most had to be flat-packed and then built inside.
She added: ‘There’s just no way of doing it normally like an ordinary house.
‘It’s the one thing which is a nightmare. But I knew that would be the case when I moved in. So I really cannot complain too much. Well nobody listens anyway.
‘It has a very windy staircase as well which just makes the furniture thing even more difficult. So the majority of what we have has to be built once inside.
‘It means we have to be a bit pickier I guess. But it’s a small price to pay for such a lovely property.
‘We did once try and get a sofa inside normally. But it was just a total nightmare. we nearly gave up. Other things have had to go through the window.
‘That’s also a challenge.’
Kim says she is thankful she has adapted to the narrowness and not bumped her head
When asked about any other challenges, she added: ‘I was worried I’d keep banging into things because it would be tiny but thankfully that has not been the case.
‘I have just got used to the shape now after all these years.
‘I could not imagine living anywhere else. It’s just perfect.
‘It’s very strange. I think you have to be a certain type of person to live here.
‘There’s plenty of space for things though. We get used to it.’
And it has become a small internet hit itself, with property features and people taking to it on social media.
Kim added: ‘We see people take photos outside from time to time. It’s quite nice.
‘People stop me and ask me what it is like and if I would ever consider moving. The answer is no really. It’s a lovely area as well.
‘It sits in a conservation area. So there’s a lot of rules and regulations around what can and cannot be done.
‘But I know the landlady is very happy with how it is at the moment and so am I.
‘I imagine living here for many more years to come.’
Gravesend neighbour Michael Tittley, 45, said he had always been ‘staggered’ by its appearance.
The plumber said: ‘It feels like something you’d maybe see abroad, in like a European city. Not Gravesend.
‘I am glad it has been kept the way it is. It would be a shame for it to change at all.’