2019-07-01_Country_Homes_Interiors

lovelyviewsofthesurroundingcountryside,’saysAndrew.

Knockingouta one-metredeepchimneybreastcreated

anopeningintothebreakfastroom.It wasanarduousand

filthyjobbutit paidoff.‘Itdramaticallylightenedupthe

kitchen,’saysFrances.‘Thebreakfastroomopensoutinto

thegarden,sowenowfeelpartofthegreatoutdoors.’

Tobringthehouseuptodate,theymadeallthe

necessaryrepairs,installeda newkitchen,convertedan

oldgarageintoa mediaroom,putina woodchipboiler

andreplacedtheAgatoaccesstheoldbreadoven.‘I

alwayswanteda larder,’saysFrances,‘andwewerelucky

inhavingsomestoreroomspacetoplaywith.Webuilt

thelardernexttothemediaroomandaddeda laundry

roomnearthecloakroomunderthestairs.Ourstyleis

old-schooltraditionalcountry,whichworkedwellwith

ourinheritedartworkthatwe’vecollectedgraduallyover

theyears,’saysAndrew.‘FrancesandI arequitepartialto

cows– henceallthecowpaintingsthataredottedaround.’

Thecoupleinitiallyreopenedthehouseasa bedand

breakfast,buttheynowalsoletouttheentireproperty

duringtheschoolholidays.‘It’srathersatisfyingknowing

otherscandiscoverit inthesamewedid,’saysAndrew.

TohireHuxhamFarmhouse,visituniquehomestays.

com; or for B&B, call 07734 448122 FEATURE

MAGGIE COLVIN

PHOTOGRAPHS

ROBERT SANDERSON

Guestbedroom
Tuckedupintheeaves,
vintagequiltsgivethis
spacea traditionallook.
Similarbedspreads,
Sanderson at Amara

LIVINGTHEDREAM

Aftermovingtothecountry,Frances

andAndrewdecidedtoletouttheir

homeduringtheschoolholidays

Whydoyourentoutyour

house?Thehousewasalways

a project– muchbiggerthanwe

needed– withthelongerterm

intentionofgeneratinganincome

thatwouldsupportthecostof

runningthehouse.Webothlove

propertyandinteriorsandwanted

toliveina beautifulhome,sothe

potentialtomakeit payitsway

justifiedtheinitialoutlaywemade.

WhatisyourUSP?

TheGeorgianfaÇadeofthehouse

andthewonderfulfirstimpressionit

creates,plusaccesstoourgardens,

completewithhensandsheep!