25 Beautiful Homes – July 2019

T

hreeyearsago,part-timevintage

dealerandupcyclerClaireGoddard

andherhusbandStevedecidedthat

ratherthandownsizingaftertheirfour

childrenhadlefthome,theywouldmakeClaire’s

childhoodwishcometrueintheirexisting

Cumbrianhome.‘I’dalwaysdreamtofhaving

a welcomingrustickitchenthathada realfire,a

scrubbedpinetableanda comfysofa,’Clairesays.

‘So,wedecidedtostayputandknockdowna few

wallstocreatea muchbiggerroomwhereI can

indulgemypassionsforcooking,baking,sewing

andreading.Havinga largerspacemeansit can

alsobeeasilytransformedintoa workshopfor

myrecyclingbusiness,ThriftwoodVintage,

whentheweatherwon’tallowmetopaint

outdoors.Plus,it’sa greatplacetoentertain

whenthechildrencomebacktovisit– I love

thattheyallrelaxintoholidaymode as soon

astheywalkthroughthedoor.’

ClaireandStevehavealwayshada make-

do-and-mend attitude whenever refurbishing

theirhomeof 12 years,fromtheinstallationof

a re-enamelledroll-topbaththathadbeenrescued

froma friend’sgardentotheuseofvintagefabrics

andpapers,whichaddinexpensiveshotsof

cheerfulcolourandpatterntoeveryroom.And

thecreationofthenewkitchenwasnodifferent.

‘Weusedsalvagedmaterialswhereverpossible,’

Claireexplains.‘Forinstance,wesourcedold

floorboardsandtheleftoversweremadeinto

windowsillsandworktops,andratherthanbuying

newcupboarddoors,I usedremnantfabricto

makecurtainstohidetheappliancesunderneath.’

Continuingtherusticfeel,ClaireandSteve

optedforopenshelvingonthewalls,andobtained

boardsfroma localscaffoldingcompany,which

theypower-washedandsealed.‘Weweren’tsure

we’dcopewithoutwallcupboards,’saysClaire,

‘butaswehavea pantryforallthefoodand

oursmallappliances,andlargebasketstostore

utensilsandteatowels,we’remanagingquite

well–andI thinktheshelveslookgreat.’To

complete Claire’s dream room, the chimney was

Kitchen

colourfulcrockeryand

funaccessoriesbring

personalityandcharmto

thishard-workingspace.

PolkaDotbutterdish,

£32.95;half-pintmug,

£19.95,bothEmma

Bridgewater.Konekettle,

£80,LeCreuset

Sittingroom

treasuredfindsmakegreat

conversationpieces.

‘there’sverylittleinhere

that’snew,’saysclaire.

‘it’seitherhandmade,

second-hand,inherited

orupcycled.’

Flyingswan,£59,PJH

Designs.RoundFrench

clock, £32, Shabby Store

lessonlearnt‘Alongtheway,werealisedthatonesmalltaskcanleadtoseveral

largeones, so now we always expect a job to take longer than expected’

16 | 25bhJuLy 2019