2019-06-01 Country Homes & Interiors

(Joyce) #1

anda halfaway.‘I wasbroughtupina town,sothe


viewhereneverboresme,’saysLauren.Thehouse


is alsoclosetoa markettown,whichis important


forherasCharlieis awaya lotwithwork.‘I wanted


tohaveneighboursnearbysoI didn’tfeelisolated,’


saysLauren.‘I lovedthehistoryandcharacterofthe


farmhouse.It lookedlikea doll’shousewiththedoor


inthemiddleatthefront,plusalltheroomswerea


goodsize.It alsohada lovelynewkitchen.It wasa bit


ofa stretchforusbutwe’resogladwetooktherisk.’


Asa lotofworkhadalreadybeendonetothehouse

duringtheprevioussale,LaurenandCharliewentin


witha relativelylighttouch.‘Werepointedthefront,


installeda bathroomonthetopfloorandaddeda


woodburnertothediningroom,’saysLauren.‘We


thenredecoratedthroughouttofreshenuptherooms


butdidn’tchangethecolourschemeat all as it was


exactlyhowI wouldhavedoneit.’


Butastimewenton,thecouplebegantofeelone

thingwasmissing– a familyspacethatwouldtruly


bringthehousetolife.‘I lovedtheideaofanopen-


plankitchen/entertainingspaceoverlookingthe


garden,’saysLauren.‘Wethoughtit wouldfinishoffthe


house.’Sothedecisionwasmadetoaddanextension.


‘Merry Albright, the creative director of Border Oak,


KitchenThecouple
kepttheShaker-style
cabinets,updatingthem
witha lickofpaint.Units
paintedinVertdeTerre
by Farrow & Ball

LIVINGTHEDREAM
ForLaurenRichards,livinginthe
countrysidebutclosetoa market
townis thebestofbothworlds

What’sthebestthing
aboutlivingcloseto
Ludlow?‘Idon’tfeelisolated
whenmyhusbandis workingaway.
Everyoneknowseveryonehere–
there’sa realsenseofcommunity.’

What’sattheheartof
locallife?‘Thedailymarket,
whichis supportedextremelywell.
Andthelocaltheatreandcinema.’

Anytipsformakinglocal
friends?‘Withsmallchildren,
makingfriendscameeasy.Butfor
thosewhodon’thavechildrenthere
aremanygroupsandclubsto
getinvolvedin.Joininginis the
bestwaytomeetpeople.’

>

KitchenAnopen-
planlayoutmeansthe
oldpartflowsseamlessly
intotheextension.Rug,
Graham and Green
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