2019-08-01_Homes_&_Antiques 2

secondlivingroom,wasadded more
recently,inthe1980s.
AlisonandStephenandfouroftheir
eightchildrenmovedinthreeyears
ago.Thecoupleworkedonthehouse
roombyroom,rewiringandinstalling
woodburnersandcentralheating.‘We
areina conservationarea,soit allhad
tobedonebythebook,’saysAlison.
‘Butthatsuitedus,aswewantedto
honourthehistoryofthehouse.’
Fortunately,Stephen,whoisa piano
technician,isverypractical.Hewas
responsibleforallthejoineryand
madeandedthekitchen,creating
anislandfroma salvagedschool
laboratorybench.Alotoftheir
furniturehaseitherbeenmadeor
upcycledbyStephen,whichis
particularlyinggiventhatthe
originalownerswerecartwrights
andagriculturaljoiners.
Theycompletedtheworkmuchmore
quicklythantheyhadplanned.‘Itwas
freezing,sowejusthadtogetonwith
it,’Alisonlaughs.Althoughshehasa
realeyeforcolour,whichisevident
inherquiltsandembroidery,as
wellastheragrugsandbright,so
furnishingsthatll theirhome,whenit
cametodecoratingthehouse,Alison
optedfora simplepalee offreshwhite
paintthroughout.Notonlydoesthisll
the space with light, but the clean

ThepinedresserwasaneBay

bargainandhadto becutin half

to getit intothecottage.Stephen

madetheislandunitfromanold

labworktop.A pairof Artsand

Craftschairssit at eitherendof

thediningtable,whichcame

froma localfurnitureshop.The

Windsorchairswerea Gumtree

findandthependantship’s

lantern came from Cornwall.

Theslipperbathis newand

fromanonlinesupplier.

Stephenmadethevintage

bath rack from an old pallet.

HOMES Collectors’ Coage

August 2019 Homes & Antiques 87