Country Homes & Interiors – September 2019

R

enovatinga barnthatwashalfrundown

houseandhalfmilkingstallsis nota

challengemanywouldrelish,butTracy

andRonStarkdidjustthat.Thecouple

firstspottedthepropertyforsale 12 yearsago.Located

justacrossthevalleyfromthem,intheidyllicYorkshire

Dales,it wasa must-see.‘Thebarnwasforsaleintwo

lots,’saysTracy.‘Onepartwasa three-bedroomcottage,

whiletherestwasmilkingstallsforsalewithplanning

permissiontoconvertintoa four-bedroomhouse.

‘Wevisitedit ona sunnydayandjustfellinlovewith

theviewsacrossthevalley,aswellasthefactit came

withfiveacresofland,’Tracycontinues.‘Weknewif we

boughtbothlotswecouldcreateonehousewithplenty

ofroomforourtwogirls,thenagedsevenandsix,to

runaroundin.We’dalsohavespacetokeephorses.’

Thefamilylivedina rentedhousefora yearwhilethe

cottagepartofthepropertywasdoneup.Anarchitect

wasbroughtintodrawupplansforbothphasesof

thework.‘Weknewwecouldn’tdoalltherenovation

atonce– partlyduetothecostandalsobecause

therewassomuchtodo,’saysTracy.

Firstlya newroofwasneededandlargerhardwood

windowswereinstalledtobringinmorelight.Inside,

the house was taken back to bare brick, with some>

DiningroomThe

fireplacecontrastsbeautifully

withthedarkgreywall.

WallpaintedinDownPipe

byFarrow& Ball.Floor,

engineeredoakfrom

EastburnCountryFurniture.

Pendant light, Laura Ashley

ATHOMEWITH...

OwnersTracyStarkworksfor

SusieWatsonDesigns,andher

husbandRonis retired.Theylive

herewiththeirdaughtersLola,19,

andSasha,18,bothatuniversity,

plusboxerNelly,pugDelilah,and

horsesNoddyandDillon.

HouseBarnoriginallybuiltin

1842,nowhasfourbedrooms.

52 COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS