News
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 27, 2019
A Toronto designer escapes an overheated housing market and creates her own perfect weekend escape on the cooler shores of Lake Huron.
I just knew this was it!ā says Toronto designer Tiffany Piotrowski, describing her first visit to the cottage. āIt was only the second property I saw, and I put in an offer right away.ā Other prospective buyers with less imagination may not have felt the same way. The interior left much to be desired, with dark wood panelling, popcorn ceilings, and orange and brown patterned carpeting. However, the location couldnāt be beat: the 800-square-foot cottage was just two blocks from the beautiful beaches of Lake Huron and a five-minute walk to the main street of Sauble Beach, a small town in southwestern Ontario. In 2018, the principal designer of Tiffany Leigh Design had expanded her Toronto property hunt out to cottage country as she searched for more affordable real estate. She envisioned a place that could be a weekend getaway, as well as a desirable Airbnb property ā renting it out could recoup some of her renovation and mortgage expenses. āLooking at other listings in the area, I saw a gap in the market for an updated, aesthetically pleasing cottage rental,ā she says.
MAKEOVER
To keep the budget under control, Tiffany and her parents tackled most of the work themselves, going up on weekends to paint, and install tile and new laminate flooring. The deck off the kitchen was expanded to make more room for outdoor grilling, and Tiffany uncovered flagstone on the property, which she used to pave an area for a cosy firepit. Cottage ownership did come with some unforeseen ā and expensive ā surprises: ripping up the carpeting exposed asbestos tile, which required professional abatement. The property also uses well water, which is high in iron and can stain bathtubs and sinks a rusty red. āWe had to install an iron filtration system and a new septic system, which was pricier than we had anticipated,ā says Tiffany. Despite these bumps in the road, she kept her vision firmly in mind. āI didnāt want it to look too traditional and cottagey. I wanted it to feel more coastal, like a beach house.ā She kept to a soothing palette of whites and soft blues and natural textures of jute, seagrass and rattan. Many of the furnishings are thrift store finds given new life with a coat of paint. āI donāt think furniture at a cottage should be too precious ā little nicks and dings are fine and give it a relaxed feel,ā says Tiffany. After nearly a year of renovations, the cottage is now open for business and booked solid for the summer. āI might get to use it in September!ā she says with a laugh.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 26, 2019
The condo they bought in the heart of Torontoās Yorkville neighbourhood overlooks the jutting, crystal-like exterior of the Royal Ontario Museum. āThey were excited about being less traditional and more contemporary in an urban environment,ā says Colette. With this fresh start, the owners were eager to see the treasures they had accumulated over a lifetime in a completely new light. Colette, who honed her everything-old-is-new-again approach in the U.K. when she was creative director for legendary designer Nicky Haslam, began by visiting her clientsā Montreal house prior to the move. She relished walking through the rooms one by one, reviewing the furnishings and accessories to decide which pieces to bring to Toronto. āI love the challenge of creating a dialogue between then and now, between antique and contemporary things,ā she says. āI find it much more interesting than starting from scratch, which can look like a showroom.ā Since itās not always readily apparent what will sing or fall flat in a new environment, Colette encouraged her clients to bring more than they actually had room for, particularly pieces of art and statement mirrors. The designer says one of the biggest dilemmas when downsizing from a grand old home to a modern 2,517-squarefoot condo is how to create architecture in whatis essentially a box. āWe agreed to keep the spaces quite clean, which allowed the antiques to really sing,ā she says. That meant replacing the orange-tinged jatoba wood floors for more up-todate, rift-cut oak wood flooring and painting the walls white. Beyond freshening up the palette, Coletteās redesign brought new energy to the whole condo. The living room needed a focal point, so she designed a niche on each side of the fireplace inset with verre Ć©glomisĆ© mirrors, and replacedĀ the painted neoclassical mantel with a contemporary plaster version. Colette found that, in the dining area, the clientsā existing chandelier, sideboard and dining set needed some shaking up. āOnce we whitewashed the mahogany Chippendale chairs and upholstered them in a cut velvet fabric, the room looked like a million bucks,ā she says. The family room originally had tall, dark wood builtins and a fireplace, but the owners happily sacrificed them to get an extra two feet of space for lower builtins and an integrated work area. And in the home office, a floating walnut desk lets natural light stream in while floor-to-ceiling storage reveals a Murphy bed that transforms the space into a guest room. The ample cabinets are perfect for stashing essentials. āWhen you come from a house, you have overflow: clothes, linens, photo albums, filing papers,ā says Colette, who ensured everything had a place. But itās the gutsy additions like the Brutalist coffee table in the living room that build a vibrant tension with the homownersā antiques. āThat was a real wild card,ā says Colette. āI knew it would be dynamite. Then I thought, Theyāre not going to get this.ā The designer was thrilled when her clientās eyes lit up when she saw the table. Chalk it up to the rejuvenating power of new ideas.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 25, 2019
CALL IT FATE. Designer Melody Duron and her husband, Bill, were planning to downsize to a smaller house in Toronto five years ago but,thanks to a hot realestate market,they sold quickly and suddenly found themselves without a home. āIt all happened so fast!ā she says. With their belongings in storage, they decamped to their weekend retreatin the hills of Mulmur, Ont., to plan their next move. Dubbed Lyric Pond,the 44-hectare property comprises wooded trails, five ponds, rolling fields and a country home thatās so remarkable,this is the third time H&H has photographed it. The first was for the November 1997 issue, after the couple attached an 1880s barn to the estateās original Pan-Abode cottage to add more space and authentic barnboard interiors. Dressed for the holidays, it captured the magic ofthe season. When Melody refreshed the interiors in 2005, H&H returned to share her effortless country style. Now,the house is enjoying a new chapter: after Melody and Bill, whoās chairman of York Bay Marine Services, settled in,they realized the hideaway should be their principal home. āThe reality is we love our life at Lyric Pond,ā says Melody. Even the 90-minute commute to the city for work a few days each week was worth the daily pleasure of waking up immersed in nature. Once the couple committed to staying, they realized many of the rooms and features, while fine for short stays, didnāt offer enough everyday comfort and convenience. Over the next five years, Melody embarked on a gradual upgrade of the bathrooms, the barnās great room and the kitchen. ABOVE: Homeowner and designer Melody Duron lounges on the daybedstyle seating she created in a corner of the living area. āItās perfect for morning coffee or an afternoon nap,ā she says. Seat cushion fabric,rug by Windsor Smith Home, Kravet Canada; cream and blue throwpillow fabric by Peter Dunham Textiles, Y&Co.; side table, Snob; artwork (just above Melody) by Sandi Wong. OPPOSITE: Bill Duron surveys the garden from a bridge that links the driveway to the homeās main entrance.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 25, 2019
here was a time in my life when all I desired was an entirely white home ā white floors, white walls, white furniture, even books sheathed in sleeves of white paper. It was an aesthetic Iād seen successfully carried out in magazines by artistic homeowners often living in New York City lofts with soaring factory windows. When we bought our first house in Toronto, we decided to live in the space for a few months before taking on a major renovation. The walls were a deep burgundy and the floors were a dark-stained, cheap parquet. Prior to moving in, I persuaded my husband to give everything a coat of white paint ā including the floors ā so at least the house would feel bright and clean. Three coats later, the place gleamed and my design fantasy to live in an all-white home was starting to take shape. I bought a white sofa, plucked out my whitest bound books and invested in lots of affordable white vases. The look should have started to come together, but no matter how many white things I threw into the space, it wasnāt quite right. Then one day, while studying a photo of a pristine white loft, it dawned on me: the whole reason theĀ space worked was because of the gritty, downtown Soho envelope that surrounded it. It was the tension between the austere architecture and the graceful white furnishings that made it sing. In this issue, we have four homes where talented designers have played against expectations to create stunning spaces with that perfectteeter-totter effect. In Palm Beach, we step inside a landmark 1920s Mediterranean Revival house belonging to Maxine Granovsky Gluskin and Ira Gluskin that has been updated by New York firm Haynes-Roberts with a gutsy mix of mid-century, disco-chic Italian furniture thatfeels entirely appropriate. Closer to home, retailers John Baker and Juli Daoust-Baker, inspired by Paul and Linda McCartneyās mid-life flee to a country estate in Scotland, renovated a centuryold stone house in the country and setto work doing whatthey do best ā applying their distinct, paredback Scandinavian-Japanese aesthetic to their rural digs. In Caledonia, Ont., a Victorian-era farmhouse with gingerbread trim and peaked roofs belonging to Judy and Michael McPhee was given a modern treatment with coats of white paint and a mix of down-to-earth honest pieces (think Windsor chairs) and contemporary furniture. And finally, we tour a soaring, downtown condominium with a decidedly contemporary vibe that delights and surprises with antique furniture updated in playful prints and an enviable art collection. Each ofthese homes responds to the architecture ofthe space butin a way thatis slightly unexpected. Instead of filling rooms with furniture ofthe same vernacular or era,theyāve played againsttype and the resultis glorious. I hope you enjoy these homes as much as I do.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 23, 2019
Kim Dawson worked tirelessly to turn a garish property into a serene home, ideal for a Scandi-style Christmas.
When Kim Dawson first viewed a handsome Edwardian house in her dream location, she was unfazed by the multicoloured, dated interior, realising that with vision and determination, it could be totally transformed ā just in time for Christmas. āIām sure many people would have been put off by the riot of colour that confronted me when I walked in,ā says Kim. āThe house was completely over the top, decoratedĀ in all colours of the rainbow dominated by yellows, reds and purples.ā Despite this being the first property she had looked at, Kim was smitten with the high ceilings, the generous proportions of the rooms and the potential to restore the original period features that had unfortunately vanished over the years. āEven though it was the middle of summer, I imagined the house decked out for Christmas,ā says Kim. āI put an offer in that day and, 10 weeks later, after a hugeĀ amount of effort, we were in and ready for the festive season.ā Back in 2012, Kim and her partner, David Priestley, had been living in Battersea. āIt was a great spot, adjacent to Battersea Park, but we felt it was time for a change,ā says Kim. Looking online, Kim searched in Putney and Barnes. āNothing appealed until I spotted this house, just a stoneās throw from where my parents had danced the nights away when they were courting,ā she adds. Kim hurriedly arrangedĀ a viewing and, from the moment she set foot inside, sensed the house was right. With excitement palpable, Kim called David and asked him to view it as soon as possible. āThankfully, David loved the house just as much as me,ā says Kim. āThe owners must have been thrilled since we were their first viewers and put an offer in immediately ā just hours after the For Sale sign went up.ā Knowing that a move was imminent, Kim had already lined up a recommended builder. āIād seen the standard of his workĀ in other homes and was confident heād be more than capable of tackling this fairly major renovation within our desired 10-week deadline,ā she adds. Having sold their Battersea home, the couple moved into rented accommodation nearby while the work started. āThe house needed a substantial overhaul to create a better flow and restore the character,ā says Kim, who managed the project. One of the first jobs was blocking up a doorway into the sitting room. āThis meantĀ we could reclaim a wall where we could position a sofa,ā Kim says. āWe created two defined areas in this large space ā one for simply unwinding or socialising, and another for watching TV.ā A visit to a Chesneys showroom inspired Kim to buy a cream woodburning stove and elegant new fireplace. She was also tempted by another woodburner to create an attractive focal point in the kitchen. In the sitting room, Kim tracked down a ceiling rose that was a perfect match forĀ one that was missing, and also sourced new cornicing to complement. On the upstairs landing, uneven floorboards and the ceiling were taken out and replaced. Bathrooms were updated, tall cupboards that she couldnāt reach were removed and a door leading from a guest bedroom into the second bathroom was blocked up. Finally, with all the structural changes completed, it was time to decorate. New carpets were laid and the walls painted in muted shades of cream and grey, injectingĀ an air of calm into the new-look home, which now features a raft of eye-catching and quirky items collected during the coupleās extensive travels. āIt was a whirlwind journey to get the renovation done in time,ā says Kim. āI had to make lots of decisions quickly but I enjoyed every single minute. I was thrilled when it all came together in time for Christmas. I love our home and, as many people have commented, it lends itself particularly well to the festive season.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 21, 2019
THE HOMESPUN BEAUTY AND HISTORY OF ANTIQUE FRENCH LINENS CHARMED THIS VERMONT HOMEOWNER, WHO USED THEM TO CRAFT HER HOMEāS UNIQUE DECORāAND HER HER LIVELIHOOD.
WHEN WENDY LEWIS HAD HER SON, ETHAN, AND 18 months later her daughter, Innogen, she was overcome with such a profound feeling of love that she vowed to surround them with beauty and history. But the photographer and amateur genealogist didnāt know precisely how she would express her love tangibly until she pulled a piece of 18th-century printed cotton from a pile of textiles at an antiques store in the French countryside. āIt was as if the heavens opened up with an answer,ā Wendy says. āIt was the most beautiful thing Iād ever seen other than my children. I thought, This is it. What do I have to do to be involved in this?ā Today, as the owner of Textile Trunk, Wendy works from her home in Charlotte, Vermont, and imports thousands of vintage French textiles every year then sells them online or at the Brimfield (Massachusetts) Antique Show. Ethan is 17 and Innogen is 15, and they eat breakfast on chairs covered in antique grain sacks marked with the logos of poppy and millet farmers. They wipe their hands on 18th-century napkins. āItās normal for them,ā Wendy says. āThey take for granted that they are surrounded by some of the most beautiful art in the world. And I love that I can give them that.ā She found the historic structure that would showcase her livelihood and her passion in a Federal-style house that dates to 1790. The houseās tall windows and high ceilings felt like the French interiors she was familiar with while living in Europe for 12 years, although it hardly looked like a showcase of anything except 1980s wallpaper. āThe bathroom had blue metallic ducks on the walls, and every room was so dark,ā she says. āBut I knew I could bring it back to neutral.ā Once Wendy stripped the wallpaper and painted the walls chalky white, ecru, and grayāshades picked from the backgrounds of her favorite textilesāthe light poured in. She also painstakingly brightened some of the floors during a week when the kids went to camp. āI got my kneepads out, took a bucket of water and added linen-colored paint to it, swished it around, and then went for it,ā she says.Ā
It took about two years for Wendy to get the house to be what she wanted because sheās deliberate and methodicalāand very hands-on. She scraped the orange paint off the glass of a salvaged door she found in Philadelphia then installed it in her dining room. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling of her bathroom for five years until she found the exact antique milkglass fixture she envisioned. āIf itās not right, itās not going in my house,ā she says. āI would rather have nothing than something that I think doesnāt belong.ā The thrill of the hunt is also a strong motivator. āItās easy to order something new from a catalog, but knowing Iāve found something imbued with history that may be one in a million gives me a tremendous amount of joy,ā she says. The house is essentially a canvas for her rotating, expanding collection. āI wanted my textiles to be the show,ā she says. āWhatever I wantāblue this month or linen next monthā they drop onto this stage.ā An old ladder propped against the bathroom wall is an obvious easel, but she also changes up the linens that drape her sofa, bed, and dining table. AlthoughĀ she sometimes sews pillow covers from pieces, most textiles are kept in their original condition and hung or draped in a temporary fashion. Her curtains are antique linen bed sheets that she simply clips to the rods. Wendy curates her private collection, pieces of which fill the weathered cupboards tucked around the house. āThey are the pieces that fascinate me,ā she says. āMaybe I want to know more about their origin. Or maybe theyāre ones I want to use on the changing stage of my house.ā Most of the antique linens she imports are offered to customers. Whether itās through online interactions or in person at antiques shows, Wendy delights in seeing the look of wonder that once crossed her face in France decades ago. āAll of the stories of my customers now become part of the history of these textiles,ā she says.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 20, 2019
A cramped and crumbling 1840s English cottage bursts back to life once it falls into the right hands.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THIS COTTAGE housed factory workers. At another, squatters staked a claim to the abandoned structure. When Justin Capp bought it in 1998, it was the home of a 102-year-old opera singer. Justin, a chef and leather artist, easily recounts the history of the houseāhe grew up next door to it in a Northamptonshire County village in the United Kingdom. āIām a local lad so I knew the place all my life,ā he says. āWhen it came up for sale, it was a low price because of its sorry condition, and I bought it.ā Justin put his artisan skills to workāpulling in his father, mother, and brotherāand together they replaced rotting floorboards, replastered the walls to a clean white, and reworked fireplaces. When he met eventual partner Angelos Bratis, an international fashion designer, the home took a modern turn. āIt leaned more rustic and traditional English in style,ā Angelos says. āI introduced color and modern design objects to the house.ā Now the home has an international flairāmuch like the men themselves, who also have a home in Angelosā native Greece. Here, clean-lined 1950s Italian upholstery and lighting mix easily with the English antiques Justin has rescued over the years. Pops of blue inspired by the Aegean Sea brighten rich, natural woods. Items discovered during travels, such as vintage Moroccan rugs, visually bridge the styles.
Ā
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 18, 2019
Once a chaotic student house, Kibi Wrightās elegant home is now the perfect setting for peaceful celebrations with family and friends
Call me Mother Christmas ā itās what Iām known as around here,ā says Kibi Wright as she welcomes you into her house on one of Bristolās Georgian terraces. Candy pink and adorned with a silver wreath, the door stands out among its more sober neighbours. Inside, the festive theme continues with candles, garlands, baubles and a vertigo-inducing tree glowing with fairy lights in the elegant first-floor sitting room. When Kibi and her late husband Mark first viewed the house in 2001, they needed all the power of their imaginations to see how it could work as a home for them and their two children, Eliza and Oli. āIt had been used as student accommodation,ā says Kibi, āso there were four kitchens and all the main rooms had been divided.ā NEW CHAPTER Despite wanting to restore the house to its original layout, the couple still had to get permission to turn it back into a single home as it had been listed as flats in the Seventies. The restoration took six months, with a few horrors uncovered along the way. āThe builders discovered a carjack holding up a beam in the attic. That meant the roof had to be redone, which wasnāt something we had factored in.ā Fortunately, all the original features, including fireplaces, cornicing and shutters, had been preserved, albeit hidden behind stud walls and fire doors. āOnce they were uncovered and restored,Ā the whole house had a completely different feel,ā remembers Kibi. Having waited patiently for the building work to be completed, Kibi was finally able to turn her attention to the decoration. āIt seemed like quite a grand house after our old flat, so I wanted an elegant scheme in keeping with its origins,ā she says. ELEGANCE REIGNS Today, classic Farrow & Ball-painted walls sit alongside more extravagant papered walls, while antique pieces seem perfectly at ease next to contemporary designs. āI have no problem with mixing things up,ā says Kibi, who draws a lot of inspiration from her travels. āI saw the most beautiful etched-glass door at a parfumerie in Paris and wondered how I could recreate it at home.ā She picked up two glazed doors at a local reclamation yard and enlisted an artist to design and etch them in a similar style. āIām so pleased with them as I wanted a thoroughly glamorous and indulgent bathroom where I could disappear occasionally to escape the family hubbub!ā Overthe years, the house has adapted to a growing family, which now includes Hector,14, and Oscar,12. Mark passed away in 2017 and the family are adjusting to life without him. āI did wonderif we should move, especially now the oldest two are at university,āsays Kibi, ābut this house has been such a haven for us, as well as holding so many memories, that it wouldnāt be right to leave.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 17, 2019
When Jenny Lilley and her fiancƩ Mark swapped town living for life in the country, they fell in love with a whole new interiors look.
With its collection of antiques and classic palette, you would expect this Georgian cottage to be the home of a seasoned period property decorator, but that could not be further from the truth. āAlthough I grew up in the countryside,ā says Jenny Lilley, who is a lawyer, āmy fiancĆ© Mark and I lived in a modern flat in central Winchester before we came here in 2015. We filled that place with contemporary furniture that suited our tastes back then, but since moving here, and embracing a different kind of life, weāve replaced our modern pieces with furniture from local auctions and antiques fairs like Kempton.ā Jenny did take advice from a period property expert, however. āI remember reading an interview with Cabbages & Roses founder Christina Strutt,ā explains Jenny. āShe advised staying traditional in your colour choices when you have an old home, so I did a lot of research into the shades you would expect to see in a Georgian property ā muted tones like dusky greys and various shades of off-whites. I love the way these colours change with the light, so I knew I wanted to use them throughout the house and even on our fencesĀ outside!ā But before Jenny and Mark began to decorate, the building needed some attention to ensure it suited their needs. Upstairs an airing cupboard was sacrificed for a more spacious bathroom, and a landing cupboard was combined with what is now a nursery for the coupleās six-month-old son Teddy. Mark also installed a new bathroom, complete with a roll-top bath, and removed old carpets to reveal original floorboards. Sash windows were also fitted throughout the cottage. But is wasnāt all plain sailing as the couple did hit a problem when they discovered a hole in the roof. āThat wasnāt the best day,ā recalls Jenny, ābut we had some fantastic tradesmen friends who pitched in to fix it. We donāt know what we would have done without them.ā When the structural work was finished, Jenny could start doing what she enjoys most of all ā choosing the furnishings. āIt now saddens me that Iām running out of places to put any more furniture, as I like the thrill of finding one-off pieces,ā she says. āI would really love to start a vintage furniture and homeware business in the future, but for now I enjoy posting things on my Instagram account ā @wallflower_cottage.ā The couple love their new life and have fallen hard for the cottage, as well as the surrounding countryside. āThereās a real sense of peace and calm here, and not a day goes by that we donāt think how truly lucky we are to live here,ā says Jenny. āAll the work seems like a distant memory and weāre just really enjoying living in the house and being a family, especially this Christmas ā our first one with Teddy.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 17, 2019
When Jenny Lilley and her fiancƩ Mark swapped town living for life in the country, they fell in love with a whole new interiors look.
With its collection of antiques and classic palette, you would expect this Georgian cottage to be the home of a seasoned period property decorator, but that could not be further from the truth. āAlthough I grew up in the countryside,ā says Jenny Lilley, who is a lawyer, āmy fiancĆ© Mark and I lived in a modern flat in central Winchester before we came here in 2015. We filled that place with contemporary furniture that suited our tastes back then, but since moving here, and embracing a different kind of life, weāve replaced our modern pieces with furniture from local auctions and antiques fairs like Kempton.ā Jenny did take advice from a period property expert, however. āI remember reading an interview with Cabbages & Roses founder Christina Strutt,ā explains Jenny. āShe advised staying traditional in your colour choices when you have an old home, so I did a lot of research into the shades you would expect to see in a Georgian property ā muted tones like dusky greys and various shades of off-whites. I love the way these colours change with the light, so I knew I wanted to use them throughout the house and even on our fencesĀ outside!ā But before Jenny and Mark began to decorate, the building needed some attention to ensure it suited their needs. Upstairs an airing cupboard was sacrificed for a more spacious bathroom, and a landing cupboard was combined with what is now a nursery for the coupleās six-month-old son Teddy. Mark also installed a new bathroom, complete with a roll-top bath, and removed old carpets to reveal original floorboards. Sash windows were also fitted throughout the cottage. But is wasnāt all plain sailing as the couple did hit a problem when they discovered a hole in the roof. āThat wasnāt the best day,ā recalls Jenny, ābut we had some fantastic tradesmen friends who pitched in to fix it. We donāt know what we would have done without them.ā When the structural work was finished, Jenny could start doing what she enjoys most of all ā choosing the furnishings. āIt now saddens me that Iām running out of places to put any more furniture, as I like the thrill of finding one-off pieces,ā she says. āI would really love to start a vintage furniture and homeware business in the future, but for now I enjoy posting things on my Instagram account ā @wallflower_cottage.ā The couple love their new life and have fallen hard for the cottage, as well as the surrounding countryside. āThereās a real sense of peace and calm here, and not a day goes by that we donāt think how truly lucky we are to live here,ā says Jenny. āAll the work seems like a distant memory and weāre just really enjoying living in the house and being a family, especially this Christmas ā our first one with Teddy.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 15, 2019
Geri OāToole and Cathal Glynn pooled their skills to turn a derelict cottage into a bright family home.
Design is in Geri OāTooleās DNA. Her father set up a furniture retailer in Limerick named Browsers, which Geri runs today, and her late mother was an interior designer for the business. Geriās childhood was steeped in swatches, mood boards, antiques and fortuitous saleroom finds. āI used to work in the shop during the holidays. I just loved being there,ā says Geri, who now also runs her own interior design business, Geri Designs, from the shop. She found her match in her husband Cathal Glynn, a joiner whose skills proved useful when the couple bought a ramshackle, single-storey cottage in Castletroy five years ago. āMountshannon House was built in the 18th century and burned down in the Twenties. Our house was built on the estate after the fire,ā explains Geri. āThe property was derelict when we first saw it. But we like a challenge, so we bought it.ā The couple ā who have a four-year-old son, Finley ā have transformed the house, knocking through to create an open-plan kitchen-diner/living area on the ground floor. They extended up to the roof space to create an additional floor with two bedrooms and a bathroom. āWe didnāt need planning permission because we stuck with the original footprint,ā says Geri. Instead of adding a third bedroom upstairs, Geri reconfigured the floor plan to include a vaulted ceiling, adding unexpected drama to the living area downstairs. She designed the new staircase using urbanĀ materials that contrast with the wide oak beam, salvaged from a hotel in Cork owned by Geriās father, and exposed brick walls, which lend a rustic warmth to the area. āI wanted to balance the clean lines and modernity with natural materials ā I donāt like too much perfection,ā says Geri. Cathal made sash windows using the original weights, and the existing brick fireplace downstairs was restored. āWe tried to preserve as much of the old building as possible. I love these original features; they give the house soul,ā says Geri. An understated palette underpins the calm, light feel of the home. Monochrome tranquillity abounds upstairs, where a roll-top bath sits against walls papered in a motif of swirling clouds. āI love the way the wallpaper makes me feel as though Iām floating up on high.ā The pale backdrop is warmly sprinkled with antiques and heirlooms gathered by Geri and Cathal over the years. Silvered mirrors illuminate the sitting area, soft Persian rugs adorn the floors, and modern artworks by Irish artists, such as Markey Robinson, enhance the rooms. āThe way we decorate has changed so much. People used to stick to one look, but nowadays weāre more open to mixing and matching,ā says Geri. Nearby, a set of dilapidated outbuildings are in need of attention. Geri and Cathal have various ideas: the barns might become a holiday rental, or a workshop. Whatever their decision, one thing is clear: a transformation is in store.
News
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 14, 2019
Magnus Pettersen and Ella Jones gave a tired Victorian property a contemporary twist with a clever use of vibrant colours and natural materials.
When Magnus Pettersen and Ella Jones upsized from a small modern townhouse to a larger London property, they were looking for a project. The couple, who met 10 years ago, had completed three renovations before buying this three-bedroom Victorian terrace. āIts converted loft, extended kitchen and big garden were huge draws for us,ā explains Ella. They also loved the location on a tree-lined road. āItās very peaceful and close to lots of green space,ā she adds. Used for shared occupancy for years, the house was severely neglected, with strippedout period features and a confused groundfloor layout. āThere was a bathroom in the middle of the sitting room,ā Ella recalls. Magnus is an award-winning product designer and Ella is a fashion designerĀ working for global brands, so they brought a strong creative vision to reimagine the property. They lived on-site throughout the year-long renovation, acting as interior designers and project managers. Magnus and Ella worked alongside their builders, who were also able to complete all of the carpentry to a high standard. Knocking down the internal walls at ground level turned small rooms into bright, open-plan living spaces. The couple were keen to lay concrete flooring, so they dropped the floor level at the front of the house to meet the kitchen, where there had been a step down. They also moved the kitchen units and added double doors out to the garden and a skylight window above. To fit the supporting beam for the window, they had to move the staircase. āThe old stairs were rickety and falling toĀ bits,ā explains Ella. So the couple designed a new staircase for the builders to make. āThey also made the kitchen unit doors that we planned to look more like furniture than a fitted kitchen,ā explains Ella. Keen travellers Magnus and Ella have filled their home with treasures from their trips and many of their interior ideas come from abroad. Throughout, beautiful Moroccan rugs add warmth and texture. The rugs are all from Ellaās extensive collection, which she sells in her east London shop, A New Tribe. A visit to Japan in 2017 influenced their design of the wood and reeded glass partitions that partially divide the kitchen and sitting room, while also framing the area by the front door where the hallway originally stood. āThe reeded glass panels are a nod to mid-century open-plan homes and createĀ a subtle division with a lighter effect than solid walls,ā says Ella. Inspired by the Swiss-French architect, Le Corbusier, the couple planned their colour palette using his Colour System, where every hue can be combined. The vivid blue wall in the kitchen-diner helps to zone the space and contrasts with the earthy neutrals, greys and blacks used elsewhere. On the first floor, they turned a bedroom into a bathroom, removing the ceiling to fit a pitched roof and adding a large window. The bathroom walls were finished with the tadelakt-style lime-based plaster typical of Moroccan bathrooms, and the pair designed a reeded glass shower screen to echo the ground-floor partitions. āCompletely transforming a property is so satisfying,ā Ella says. āBut it was such hard work. Next year weāre planning a holiday instead.
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 13, 2019
Victoria Gedgeās goal was to preserve her homeās history while making it practical for modern living.
The one thing Victoria Gedge noticed when she viewed her future home for the first time was its smell. āI said: āWe must buy it, because it smells like a National Trust propertyā,ā she says. āMy husband Dale replied: āDamp is what you can smell,ā but I was sold.ā They were looking to upsize after their wedding in 2013, as their current home could no longer provide enough storage to suit their needs. The couple were keen to remain in the same area of Norwich, but were on the hunt for a house with three bedrooms and a hallway entrance. āThe type of property we had in mind isnāt hard to come across in Norwich, however there werenāt many within our price bracket,ā says Victoria. āEach one we viewed required a compromise of either size or location, until ā unbelievably ā we found our dream home right around the corner for an affordable price. It seemed too good to be true.ā Victoria and Dale made an offer the very same day, but it had already been sold. Disappointed and disheartened, they put their search on hold and even considered a loft conversion in their current home instead, but the universe had other plans for them. āBy chance, we were walking along a tiny one-way street near the city centre one day and saw a āFor Saleā sign poking out of the bush in a front garden,ā Victoria recalls. āWeĀ went straight on Rightmove to see the price, but it was way over our budget. We viewed it anyway, and I fell completely in love with it.ā Dale needed a little more convincing, though the promise of a games room in the cellar sealed the deal, and after some negotiating they managed to secure the house. But the excitement ā or, more accurately, drama ā was far from over. Victoria and Dale moved in just before Christmas to no double glazing and just a smattering of radiators. āI remember being completely freezing while wrapping gifts, and using candles to try and heat the living room,ā says Victoria. The house required seemingly endless work, and being Grade II listed only made matters more complicated. Consent was required for many a project to begin, while some renovations were off the cards altogether. The chimney, which Victoria had planned to restore in order to install a log burner, was a gust of wind away from collapsing onto the roof, and a leaking tap in the upstairs bathroom saw the entire room and ground floor hallway flooded. By far the biggest challenge was renovating the cellar. To solve its damp issues, the couple decided to get the room tanked, but despite being given the go-ahead in advance, a conservation officer ā who turned up at the house unannounced after the procedure ā informed them that they needed toĀ apply for listed building consent, which would see work put on hold for six weeks. āDuring that time we had some extreme rain and the tanking failed,ā says Victoria. āThe new floors had wet patches and the plaster was soaking, but the company completely washed their hands of it. I think my tears could have flooded the rest of the house.ā With basement woes eventually resolved and an extension underway that meant rejigging their brand newkitchen, Victoria took on the master bedroom. āAs I was deciding on what to do with the floor and furniture, Dale was flying out to Sierra Leone as an NHS medic to assist with the Ebola crisis,ā she recalls. āI decided that I could at least have the bedroom completed for when he returned.ā Friends and family popped by to pick up a paintbrush and pour cups of tea, and the room quickly came together. Restoring their charming home has been a labour of love, and while the house isnāt quite finished, it has a whole new identity that is classic in style and sympathetic to its history. Plus, both Victoria and Dale adore it. āA house which throws as many curveballs as this one could test any relationship, but weāve laughed and cried our way through the renovations together, and have come out the other side still as happy as we were when we purchased it,ā says Victoria.
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 12, 2019
Memories of Italy inspire the tailored redesign of a private terrace in Montreal.
For 23 years, Dominic Monaco avoided his garden, but who could blame him? āIt was a mini forest on a tilted slope,ā he says, describing the tangle of overgrown cedars that grew on the incline just behind his home in Westmount, Que. When he did brave his side yard, he had to walk down steep stairs that led to a small, dark terrace with crumbling stone walls. In 2016, Dominic, who runs an auto parts company, finally decided to tackle the mess. āI thought maybe I would fix the wall and do the rest in phases,ā he says. That short-term solution was tossed aside, however, after he met with landscape architects Sophie Robitaille and Teressa Peill. Impressed by their ideas, he recruited the duo for a full-scale reimagining of his outdoor space. āHis house is modern, minimal and square, so my initial instinct was to respond to that architectural style,ā says Sophie, whose first proposal detailed a rectilinear garden design. āThen Dominic said, āIām Italian. I need my dream garden to hearken back to my roots.āā He alsoĀ wanted the garden to be done in the warm, sunny hues of Tuscany to match his memories of dining alfresco among cypress and citrus trees. The garden took five months to build, with Alfonso Campisi as project manager, landscape architecture by RobitailleCurtis and landscape contracting by LāArtisan. To set the mood, Sophie and Teressaās plan involved replacing the old concrete stairs with a curved design that gently leads to a terrace below. āThe stairs offer a pleasurable experience,ā says Sophie, encouraging you to meander, stop and stare at the cityscape beyond or admire the lush trees. Hemlock and river birch, hay-scented ferns, white Brunnera and a Japanese maple now grow along the stairs, bringing texture and vibrancy. In total, the landscape architects planted 52 trees on the property (including at the front of the house), along with shrubs and perennials. āUnlike a wild English garden, the planting wasstructural,ā says Sophie. āIts layers create a sense of depth and privacy.ā When you finally arrive at the bottom of the stairs, two distinct zones take shape on the terrace. A dining table, which perfectly fits the space, sits under the dappled light of a dramatic pergola built of Western cedar. Next to it, an outdoor sofa and deep, comfy armchairs invite lounging with digestifs. A low wall built of pale yellow Ducharme stone and topped in Adair limestone coping defines the perimeter and, instead of paving stones, Sophie chose a finely textured ground covering of granite and resin, which has a soft feel underfoot. Since the gardenās redo, Dominic heads to the terrace as often as possible. āEvery morning after exercising, I walk the entire garden circumference in peace and quiet, taking it all in with an espresso,ā he says. āItās a perfect way to start the day.''
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 11, 2019
Elisabeth and Aldo Ciarrocchiās inviting family home makes the most of its industial heritage.
Elisabeth and Aldo Ciarrocchiās daughter Isabella, now 11, was a toddler when they began house hunting, and Elisabeth was pregnant with their younger daughter Piera, now eight. āWe were living in small flat not far away, and all we knew was that we needed something larger for our family,ā says Elisabeth. āWe both liked the idea of warehouse-style living and as soon as we walked in here, we fell in love with it.ā When the Ciarrocchis got the keys to the property, it was desperately in need of some TLC. āThe ground floor was covered in laminate and there was a basketball hoop hanging from one of the posts,ā Elisabeth reveals. āThe kitchen was cluttered with wall cabinets and it had a low bulkhead ceiling to accommodate the sunken bath in the bathroom above.ā After moving in nine years ago, and replacing the flooring throughout with reclaimed wooden floorboards sourced from Crosby Hall in Londonās Cheyne Walk, the couple delayed renovations until 2016. āIt was important for us to live in the space first, so that we could discover the best way it would work for us,ā says Elisabeth, who together with Aldo, runs reclamation business Encore Reclamation. In this time, they tried to find an architect who would assimilate their ideas. āWe met with five architects,ā says Elisabeth. āThey were all great, but one in particular seemed to really listen and understood that we wanted to keep things simple, plus he is local, which was handy when it came to picking up samples. When we were ready to start work, we had a very clear idea of what we wanted, so the internal design became a real collaborative effort.ā The layout of the large double-height living space didnāt change, but has been made more flexible. In conjunctionĀ with Space Group Architects, Elisabeth designed the kitchen peninsular unit so that it could be moved around to work as an island when she fancied a change of scene, and when the space needed to be opened up for entertaining. The dining table was put on wheels for the same reason. On the first floor, the walls were pushed back to widen the mezzanine, and the vast bathroom was divided into two to create an en suite to the childrenās bedroom. The internal windows within each room that open on to the mezzanine were also repositioned and widened to draw in more light. The budget was tight, but Elisabethās desire to retain the buildingās factory feel helped keep costs down. āI like the unfinished look,ā she says. āWhenever the builders wanted to put the finishing touches on something, I told them not to. I didnāt want anything to look sleek and polished.ā She also applied these design principles to the kitchen units. āAs the builders were running behind schedule, they fitted the kitchen door fronts temporarily, for Christmas,ā she explains. āThe plan was to take them off and paint them later. But once they were fitted in their pure MDF moistureresistant state, and finished with shellac we liked how they looked. The kitchen fitter thought I was crazy, but heās grown to like the style, too, and is fitting similar kitchens elsewhere!ā When it came to furnishing the property, most of the vintage pieces were sourced from eBay, and Elisabeth and Aldo also picked up bits and pieces from car-boot sales and through their reclamation work. Now that the renovation is finished, the couple are delighted that their vision for the apartment has become a reality. āWe really wouldnāt have done anything differently,ā says Elisabeth. āItās perfect for us as a family.
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 10, 2019
A Toronto designer escapes an overheated housing market and creates her own perfect weekend escape on the cooler shores of Lake Huron.
I just knew this was it!ā says Toronto designer Tiffany Piotrowski, describing her first visit to the cottage. āIt was only the second property I saw, and I put in an offer right away.ā Other prospective buyers with less imagination may not have felt the same way. The interior left much to be desired, with dark wood panelling, popcorn ceilings, and orange and brown patterned carpeting. However, the location couldnāt be beat: the 800-square-foot cottage was just two blocks from the beautifulĀ beaches of Lake Huron and a five-minute walk to the main street of Sauble Beach, a small town in southwestern Ontario. In 2018, the principal designer of Tiffany Leigh Design had expanded her Toronto property hunt out to cottage country as she searched for more affordable real estate. She envisioned a place that could be a weekend getaway, as well as a desirable Airbnb property ā renting it out could recoup some of her renovation and mortgage expenses. āLooking at other listings in the area, I saw a gap in the market for an updated, aesthetically pleasing cottage rental,ā she says.
MAKEOVER
To keep the budget under control, Tiffany and her parents tackled most of the work themselves, going up on weekends to paint, and install tile and new laminate flooring. The deck off the kitchen was expanded to make more room for outdoor grilling, and Tiffany uncovered flagstone on the property, which she used to pave an area for a cosy firepit. Cottage ownership did come with some unforeseen ā and expensive ā surprises: ripping up the carpeting exposed asbestos tile, which required professional abatement. The property also uses well water, which is high in iron and can stain bathtubs and sinks a rusty red. āWe had to install an iron filtration system and a new septic system, which was pricier than we had anticipated,ā says Tiffany. Despite these bumps in the road, she kept her vision firmly in mind. āI didnāt want it to look too traditional and cottagey. I wanted it to feel more coastal, like a beach house.ā She kept to a soothing palette of whites and soft blues and natural textures of jute, seagrass and rattan. Many of the furnishings are thrift store finds given new life with a coat of paint. āI donāt think furniture at a cottage should be too precious ā little nicks and dings are fine and give it a relaxed feel,ā says Tiffany. After nearly a year of renovations, the cottage is now open for business and booked solid for the summer. āI might get to use it in September!ā she says with a laugh.
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 08, 2019
When they first viewed the property that was to become their much-loved Hamptons holiday home, Ian Ferguson and Ryan Brandau werenāt overly impressed. āIt wasnāt love at first sight, but our broker was convinced that the house was right for us and she could envisage something beyond what we were seeing,ā recalls Ian. The couple had been in a long-distance relationship between New York and California for several years before settling on an apartment in Manhattan, and wanted to complement their city lifestyle with a retreat in the Hamptons to be shared with Ianās parents. āWe love tennis and one of our criteria was for a court and a pool,ā adds Ryan. Clad in shingle and featuring multiple gables as is the New England style, the house was repainted to refine its architectural qualities. āIt was originally pale, which exaggerated some of its weird shapes ā as if it were all roof and no walls. By painting it a darker colour, closer to the roof, we toned it down and made it look a bit more thoughtful,ā says Ian. The house had been built in the early Noughties, but lacked the architectural detailing the couple craved. A year after they bought it, an overhaul of the basement triggered the extended project. Sarah Zames, of the interior design firm General Assembly, was recommended and became the linchpin of the redesign. āOne of the priorities was to create more architectural interest internally,ā says Sarah. āWe wanted to add texture and colour, giving each room an individual character.ā The property was stripped back and given a new floor plan with fewer walls, instilling in the house a more sociable, loose character. āWe tried to expand and connect the spaces as much as possible,ā she says. āPreviously, the kitchen was small with theĀ dining area next door relatively constricted and a sprawling main room that hadnāt been put to good use,ā says Ian. Sight lines became important so that anyone cooking would be able to see out onto the porch and tennis court beyond. Upstairs, the landing ācatwalkā was widened, while bedrooms were made bigger and en-suite bathrooms added. In terms of decor, the couple aimed for a relaxed look that would appeal across the generational divide. āWe wanted the interior to have a sense of fun and although we felt it should be beautifully designed we didnāt want it to feel stuffy or intimidating,ā says Ian. Across the ground floor indoor/outdoor rugs have been used while much of the upholstery is from Holly Huntās outdoor range, making it impervious to the scratches of Tux, Ian and Ryanās dog. An emphasis on craftsmanship and natural materials has also reduced the formality of the highly designed spaces, as Sarah explains, āThe marble of the dining table is a feature, while all the built-in furniture is made of smoked oak, with the floors of a lighter bleached oak.ā White walls delineate the crisp planes of the slanted ceiling in the main living area with a host of Farrow & Ball colours giving bedrooms individual character. The paint is not the only British touch, with new London projects by General Assembly bringing a transatlantic influence. āWe discovered several furniture designers at London Design Festival and the wallpaper in the cloakroom is from House of Hackney,ā says Sarah. Many months after its completion, Ian and Ryan continue to be enthralled with their retreat. āWe love the fact that even if there are 20 guests staying, weāve used the idiosyncrasies of the architecture to create a private nook for everyone,ā says Ian. āItās great seeing the house unfold and be used as we planned.
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Black Concept: Luxurious and Incorruptible
by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 07, 2019
Black accents in bathroom design are modern and appear luxurious ā they contribute to the bathroom with an incorruptible character. KEUCO offers a new finish in brushedblack where the furniture of EDITION 11 is concerned. The unobtrusive and rectilinear design of EDITION 11 furniture is characterized by an optic without handles. In addition to the vanity units, sideboards, highboards and lowboards are available with this new special finish. The noble matt black look exudes a secretive extravagance and at the same time gives the bathroom a comforting atmosphere. The haptic eminent, cosy, velvet matt quality is reflected in a special insensitivity and easy care. Perfectly matched: The velvet matt gloss finish of the furniture, with a slight metallic shimmer, perfectly match the exclusive IXMO shower fittings as well as EDITION 400 and EDITION 11 fittings and accessories in brushed black chrome. The washbasin fittings are the centre of attractionĀ positioned on the white ceramic washbasins of the edition ā not only that, but they present an elegant contrast. The ROYAL LUMOS light mirror with a black all-round anodized rim is a shining highlight. Two LED illuminating sources ā main illumination and washbasin illumination ā these can be dimmed intuitively via the control panel and at the same time offers the possibility to set the light colour variably. A practical mirror heating and a sound system are optional extras. The iLook_move cosmetic mirror with its brushed black PVD surface is the finishing touch to the dark accentuated bathroom design. The syntonized design and consistent matt black finishes with a metallic look guarantee a luxurious KEUCO bathroom design where sophisticated interior design is concerned.
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 06, 2019
WEATHERBOARD WALLS AND WHITEWASHED INTERIORS HAVE BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO A FIFTIES HOUSE, TRANSFORMING IT INTO A RELAXED COUNTRY HOME WITH AN EAST COAST FEEL.
With its weatherboard cladding, peak-roofed dormer windows and Atlantic grey exterior paint, this house would look at home in a New England town on Americaās East Coast. In fact, itās tucked down a narrow track in a hamlet in the heart of the Chiltern Hills, close to Marlow and with views across open countryside. Itās home to Sue and Tony Blakeley, who spotted it three years ago when property renovation expert Sue was looking for a new project. āWeāve lived in the Buckinghamshire countryside since our boys ā who are both adults now ā were tiny,ā says Sue. āOur previous five renovations became family homes that we lived in over three decades. When we saw this house, with its paddock, the location and views were a big attraction.ā Inside, the decor was very dated, with dark brown carpets, lino floors and exposed brick walls. Still, Sue could see the houseās potential. It was a huge project that she had to fit in around her work commitments. āWe lived through all the changes, escaping to our bolthole in France whenever it became too manic!ā Over the next three years, Sue reconfigured the layout and project managed the build. Plans involvedĀ knocking through three reception rooms to create a spacious 100sq m kitchen-diner, which is filled with light from four double doors at opposite sides of the space, crafted by a local joinery company. Sue and Tony also created a snug at the far end, in place of the double garage that previously adjoined the kitchen. āThe butcherās block came from our lovely local butcher Nick, who was refurbishing his shop in West Wycombe at the time,ā says Sue. āI had the island custom-made out of quartz stone, so itās the same width as the butchers block, and Iām a big fan of Neptuneās pantry cupboards. āThere was a lot of wasted space in the loft, so we took the roof off and put in dormer windows on both sides to maximise the beautiful countryside views where there previously werenāt any,ā adds Sue. āThis helped create the New England style, together with an insulated and weatherboard cladding exterior. Parts have also been rendered and painted grey, and we used reclaimed tiles and bricks to create a more aged appearance.ā In the living room, a wood burner, wall of books and walls painted in a dramatic punch of colour, with soft pink throws and scatter cushions, create a warm atmosphere. Upstairs, Sue chose a soothing, neutral backdrop for the bedrooms, adding pops of colour with accessories andĀ furnishings. āIāve always loved the colour grey, itās a calm tone to live with and Iām known for using a lot of it in my projects,ā says Sue. āIām inspired by classic English design and French influences and I feel passionate about breathing new life into beautiful old buildings or neglected properties.ā The garden was largely a blank slate when they arrived, with a few raised timber beds and an overgrown field at the rear. Sue has designed a traditional parterre garden at the front, with clipped box hedging, box balls and olive trees. āThe front is a lovely spot to sit and enjoy a coffee or a G&T as it catches the last of the evening sun,ā she says. The raised lawn area near the orchard and paddock at the rear is surrounded by mature trees and open countryside. Here, Sue has designed an alfresco dining area, with a Big Green Egg barbecue, lanterns and furniture from her own garden collection. Sue and Tony also enjoy spending downtime at their holiday home in the Dordogne, where Sue is fond of attending local brocantes to hunt out French-style pieces for her projects and her home. But, despite her busy work schedule, Sue always finds time to enjoy her own home and garden with friends and family. āWhat Iāve really loved about this project is that Iāve been able to install so many sets of glazed doors to bring the outside in.
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by Erdem Gorgun on Nov 05, 2019
AFTER WORKING AND RAISING A FAMILY OVERSEAS, CAT AND SIM PRESTON FELT THE CALL OF THEIR RURAL ROOTS AND FOUND THE PERFECT ENGLISH FAMILY HOME IN THE COTSWOLDS.
It was a case of going back to their roots when Cat and Sim Preston bought a beautiful converted mill in the Cotswolds. Originally from Wiltshire, the couple lived in London and then overseas in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Chicago and Hong Kong, as they brought up their three children, Jake, Josh and Hana. But when Jake was about to start his GCSEs, he decided he wanted to go to school in the UK. āIt gave us the impetus finally to move back home to England,ā says Cat. She began looking for properties online and soon spotted an idyllic converted grain mill. āThis house jumped out at me,ā she says. āI fell in love with it at first sight. Added to that, Sim is a geographer at heart and we were looking for something with water ā this was perfect as thereās a mill stream in the garden.ā Sim came back to the UK with Jake when he started school and they took the opportunity to view the house. āThey filmed it on their phones so I could see it,ā says Cat. āWe took the plunge and put in an offer. Then I visited and, fortunately, it was just as gorgeous as I had thought.ā The 400-year-old house had been a grain mill until 1959, then stood empty for 10 years until it was bought by an architect and converted into a French country-style family home. āThe house still had many of its original features,ā says Cat. āThe previous owners had retained them when doing the conversion, so the bedroom had beams with pulleys. It had been restored with great attention to detail, which we loved.ā The family now had a base and over the next two years they renovated the house. āWe were living in Hong Kong still,ā says Cat, ābut we came back most holidays. Friends recommended builder Dan Eaves of CJ Holme who did a fantastic job project managing the work.ā The renovations included installing a new heating system, putting in three new bathrooms and building a conservatory at the back of the house. In addition, a barn and outbuildings were converted into guest accommodation. āThe result is an upside-down guest house, with two bedrooms downstairs and an open-plan living room and kitchen upstairs that take in the view across the meadow. We wanted the barn conversion to feel like part of the main house and be in keeping with it,ā says Cat. So stonemason Jim Clayton built new walls that matched the originals, while Dan Eaves sourced reclaimed oak for the framing. The family home was then redecorated throughout. āI wanted to get as much light in as possible, and I kept the palette neutral to complement the Cotswold stone,ā says Cat. āI like to keep the look simple but add colour with abstract paintings. My mother-in-law Sue Preston is an artist and my friend Kirsten Coltart is an interior designer, so they helped with the aesthetics.ā āItās been fantastic to create a family home in the UK after living in Asia for so long,ā says Cat. āWeāre country people at heart so itās great to get back to our rural roots.