2019-07-01_Country_Homes_Interiors

OwnersLauraSzczygielski,

whoworksfortheSueRyder

organisation,andherhusband

Mike,anITspecialist,livehere

withtheirgrown-upsonJoe.

Theyalsohaveanadult

daughter,Sophie.

HouseTwo-bedroombarn

dating from the 17th century.

R

elaxingintheircedarhottub,Lauraand

MikeSzczygielskicanwatchtheworldgo

by,whichintheircasemeansdeer,owls,

foxes,haresandevenbats.Sincemoving

totheWarwickshirecountrysidetwoyearsago,they’ve

beenabletoimmersethemselvesintheruralidyll

they’dalwaysdreamedof.‘We’dlivedinourlasthouse,

afour-beddetachedpropertyinSolihull,for 20 happy

years,butwhenthechildrenleftschoolandwentto

university,wedecidedit wastimetofollowourdream

offindinga homeinthecountryside,’saysLaura.

‘Aswedrovedownthelongwindinglanetoviewthe

barn,wejustknewthatweweregoingtofallinlove

withit.Wewalkedintothebeautifulkitchenandit was

litwithfairylightsalongitsoldoakbeams– I betthey

couldtella taleortwo!It wasa lotsmallerthanour

previoushomebutthatdidn’tmattertous,andthefact

itis openplanactuallymakesit feelveryspacious.

Whatwelostinsizewegainedincharacter.We’dloved

theinsidebutwhenwesteppedintothegardenwe

wantedtosignonthedottedlinethereandthen.It

wrapsaroundtwosidesofthebarn,withamazing

countrysideviewsandthemostbeautifuluninterrupted

sunsetsandsunrises.’Butit wasthehottubthey

discovered in a secluded corner of the garden that >

AT HOME WITH...

KitchenLaura

inheritedtheunitsand

marbleworktopwhen

shemovedin.Decorative

star, Flo and Co Interiors