A couple who bought their dream home found it came with one looming problem – a neighbour’s giant window which towered over their new garden so that they felt they were being watched.
So Daniel Cox and Nick Hodgins have spent two years coming up with creative design solutions to conceal the ‘horrid extension’ at the bottom of their garden.
The pair launched what they called ‘Operation Hide the Window’ and began planting a series of trees and shrubs and adding features to conceal the huge dormer window which they claimed had opened out from a room which had previously been used as ‘a porn set’.
Now the couple – who have documented their garden transformation in a series of wildly popular TikTok videos – are finally celebrating accomplishing their mission as ‘the monstrosity’ has ‘completely disappeared’ behind their towering barrier made up of silver birch, maples and fern trees..
Daniel Cox and Nick Hodgins (pictured) have spent two years coming up with creative design solutions to conceal the ‘horrid extension’ at the bottom of their garden
The pair launched what they called ‘Operation Hide the Window’ and began planting a series of trees and shrubs and adding features to conceal the huge dormer window (pictured)
The couple put in some tasteful garden furniture and planted their first couple of trees at the bottom of the garden before posting a new image saying: ‘So ‘operation hide the window’ commenced’
Now the couple – who have documented their garden transformation in a series of wildly popular TikTok videos – are finally celebrating accomplishing their mission as ‘the monstrosity’ has ‘completely disappeared’
A source said: ‘The neighbours think what they have done to brighten up the garden and the locality is wonderful.
‘They have brightened up the area and there hasn’t been a single complaint from the people in the dormer.
‘They haven’t caused any trouble for the house with the huge dormer and window and everyone is happy.’
The couple – who are in their 30’s – bought their three bedroomed Edwardian terraced house in Leytonstone, east London for £706,550.
They insist there have been no complaints from the people living in the property while neighbours have complimented them for their work which features as part of a spectacular garden makeover.
They named it the Hitchcock House in honour of the celebrated Hollywood movie director who was born less than half a mile away in a flat above his parents’ leased greengrocers shop.
One of Hitchcock’s most celebrated thrillers is Rear Window starring James Stewart as a photographer who spends his time looking out on his neighbours while cooped up in his apartment as he recovers from an injury which left his leg in plaster.
He witnesses a murder and recruits his girlfriend played by Grace Kelly to help solve the mystery.
Daniel and Nick faced their own rear window nightmare and told friends how the only downside of their new home was the structure that their neighbours had put in more than 10 years earlier.
The couple – who are in their 30’s – bought their three bedroomed Edwardian terraced house in Leytonstone, east London for £706,550
They insist there have been no complaints from the people living in the property while neighbours have complimented them for their work which features as part of a spectacular garden makeover
They named it the Hitchcock House in honour of the celebrated Hollywood movie director who was born less than half a mile away in a flat above his parents’ leased greengrocers shop
It was built after owners of a shop which backs on to the couple’s home were refused planning permission to convert the premises into a single family home in 2006.
The following year the local council approved permission to change part of the property into a flat.
Coincidentally the shop where the dormer window was built is in the same road where Hitchcock was born.
Daniel and Nick began renovating their new home and the ‘awkward shaped’ garden which was covered in weeds and charted their progress on TikTok while setting up an Instagram account in the name of their new home.
Describing their battle for privacy they posted a picture of the run down garden and the dormer window on TikTok with the caption: ‘Okay, so we bought a house in 2022. A neighbour built this horrid extension breaching planning permission with the window.
‘It was built over 10 years ago so we can’t challenge it/get them to remove.’
The couple put in some tasteful garden furniture and planted their first couple of trees at the bottom of the garden before posting a new image saying: ‘So ‘operation hide the window’ commenced.’
A further image charting the progress reveals the window is ‘still there’ but after they put in a pagoda and laid down decking and black and white tiling the couple revealed ‘a slight improvement’.
Further ‘progress’ is being made as the trees reach new heights and they announce they are ‘almost’ there after the window slowly disappears and they add a garden kitchen, a marble topped table and dozens of new plants.
They finally show how the window as vanished as their garden makeover is complete.
Daniel and Nick began renovating their new home and the ‘awkward shaped’ garden which was covered in weeds and charted their progress on TikTok while setting up an Instagram account in the name of their new home
Daniel and Nick faced told friends how the only downside of their new home was the structure that their neighbours had put in more than 10 years earlier
As they added the finishing touches to the garden they wrote: ‘Doing up the garden has been the best investment on the house so far and we’ve managed to do it on a fairly low budget’
Explaining how they reached their goal, one caption to a picture posted on Instagram in May 2023 said: ‘The love of my life, aka the fern tree, has started producing new fronds.
‘The silver birch and acer are starting to cover our neighbours window.
‘Interesting story, the apartment that overlooks our garden used to be used as a porn set.
‘Weirdly the estate agent didn’t include that fun fact in the brochure.’
As they added the finishing touches to the garden they wrote: ‘Doing up the garden has been the best investment on the house so far and we’ve managed to do it on a fairly low budget.
‘During the warmer months it makes our house feel double the size so it’s been well worth it.
‘I literally live out here from March to October, stood next to the bbq with a beer.’
When approached by MailOnline the Spanish speaking occupants of the building with the huge window said they had no problems with the plants installed to hide the dormer.
Daniel and Nick also declined to comment about their handiwork when approached by MailOnline.
But the source added: ‘They decided to call it the Hitchcock House to celebrate Leytonstone where Sir Alfred was born.
‘There’s a huge mural of Hitch on their street corner and he was born less than half a mile away on Leytonstone High Road.
‘Leytonstone is undergoing huge changes with restaurants and new stores opening up all over the place which is attracting young creative professionals like them.’
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