25 Beautiful Homes

25bh |28 | 25bh OCTOBER 2017country cottagebedrooms were fitted with datedwardrobes, and the bathroom hadan avocado-coloured suite. ‘Thehouse was so damp that wallpaperwas hanging off,’ adds Clara.With no renovation experience,the couple got stuck in. ‘We wantedto create a larger kitchen, an extrabedroom and a generous livingspace. We came up with the layoutourselves, and had plans drawn up.’On a tight budget, the pair took onmost of the work themselves. Theystripped away outdated fixtures andfittings, and knocked plaster off thewalls to get at the source of thedamp. In the front bedroom, theydiscovered the remains of a fireplacethat had been hidden for yearsbehind the ugly fitted wardrobes.Once the walls were hackedback, they were injected with damp-proofing solution, then plastered.‘Our friends helped us out whichkept us on budget,’ says Clara. ‘Onefriend did some plastering whileanother fitted the bathroom tilesin return for home cooked meals.’As Clara and Mark workedthrough the house, they discoveredmore period features hidden away.‘We found a fireplace archway in thedining room which we left exposed,’says Clara. ‘Mark hired a digger andstarted on the foundations for thekitchen and side extension – heeven built and tiled the roof himselfwith the help of our neighbours.’The kitchen itself was built by alocal joiner. ‘We couldn’t afford thewhole kitchen at once so we gotitems made as and when we couldafford them,’ adds Clara. ‘We’ve allbecome close over the years, and ourchildren, Eliza and Isaac, are nowfriends with his children.’When it came to the finishingtouches, Clara turned to nature forinspiration, furnishing her homewith antique finds, wooden piecesand rustic shapes, with walls paintedin soft, neutral tones. ‘Living in thecountryside, I take inspiration fromnature,’ she says. ‘We picked objectsmade from natural materials likewood, clay and wool that add depth,texture and warmth. I love our homeand how it evolves as our tastes andstyle develop. One thing we’ll nevertire of is looking out of the window,taking in the views over the fields.’``````DInIng rOOMThe beautiful parquet flooring originally came from a schoolin Doncaster and Clara had it fitted by a local joiner.walls painted in Lamp Room gray estate emulsion, £43.50 per 2.5litres, Farrow & Ball. Dining chairs painted in Antique white,£10 per 750ml, Rust-Oleum. For a similar table, try Loaf, £695