10 minute read
‘IT’S FULL OF HISTORICAL CHARM!’
from Hjjhj
by elloco2019
LIGHTEN UP
‘The glazed door allows borrowed light to flood into this space’
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COME ON IN!
IDEA TO STEAL
ABOUT ME I’m Charlie Gooch, 43, a freelance nutritionist, and I live here with my husband Andy, an engineer, and our children, twins Beatrice and Alice, 10, and William, seven. MY HOME A five-bedroom, Grade II-listed detached house encompassing the old village forge, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. WHEN WE MOVED IN The layout was unusual and the configuration of rooms didn’t suit us, but we loved the house’s connection to history. AND NOW We brought in builders and an architect to help transform the property into a unique family home we can continue to grow into. STYLE TIP Take time to research your dream look and don’t do anything too rash. I spent hours pulling together mood boards to inspire the feel of each room.
HIS TORICAL CHARM’
Doing up a quirky house partly built in 1710 was a challenge, but Charlie and her husband Andy were confident they could turn it into their forever home
FRESH TOUCH
‘Green is a key colour in the scheme. It makes the room feel fresh and balances the cosy textures to create a contemporary feel’ W e’d lived in military accommodation for years, as Andy had been in the army,’ says Charlie. ‘So one of the things we were most excited about in this next stage of our lives was owning our own house and putting our stamp on it. We couldn’t wait to get the search started and were determined to find the right property to turn into our dream family home. Sense of history
Scouring the villages near Tunbridge Wells in Kent, we came across this house and were drawn in at once by its historical feel and original features. The enormous sitting room had once been the village forge, where the horses would have been brought in to be shod many years ago. It still had the remains of a huge fireplace, beautiful beams and incredibly high ceilings. While we loved all the historical elements, we knew we’d have to contend with its unusual layout. The original cottage part of the house, which dates back to 1710, had three small bedrooms on the first floor. The previous owners had added a kitchen extension and renovated the basement underneath. You had to walk through the kitchen to get to a further two bedrooms. It was unlike any other house we’d seen and not really suitable for us and our three young children, so we put together a plan to update the space.
Changing the layout
To make the space work for family living, we decided to reconfigure the three first-floor bedrooms into two
IDEA TO STEAL
COSY ADDITIONS
‘The ceilings are high, so we’ve used textures to make it feel warm. Alongside the exposed beams and brickwork, we’ve layered cushions, throws and rugs’
TIMELESS MIX
‘To balance old and new, we’ve decorated the room with contemporary furniture and retrostyle accessories’
ORIGINAL BACKDROP
‘The expanse of exposed brick wall makes a great background for displaying pieces’
3 of the best CONSOLE TABLES
Use these flexible pieces for storage or display
HANDY HIDEAWAY
Orson console desk, light wood, £229, Cult Furniture
COLOUR BLOCK
Arcadia Navy console table, £207.95, The House Office
MINIMALIST FRAME
Mango wood and iron console table £320, Rose & Grey
bigger bedrooms, as well as a large shower room. We turned the loft space into a bedroom with an en suite for Andy and myself. We left the basement extension as it was, for guests, as there was already a modern bathroom down there, which makes it nice and private, away from the main house. When the children are teenagers, I imagine they’ll probably take it over, so it’s a house with plenty of options.
Bringing in the cavalry
Once we’d figured out a plan, finding the right architect was next on the list. As it’s a Grade II-listed building we needed someone knowledgeable about all the restrictions and planning a permissions. We asked around the p village until Tim Marshall’s name v
SMART SHELVES
‘The ladder storage fits the rustic elements of our home and means that essentials are easily accessible’
, arranged to see him. His ideas were impressive yet practical and he even figured out a way of giving us the roll-top bath and separate shower we’d been dreaming of for our en suite. When it came to meeting builders, we had the same considerations, as we wanted someone who was used to the quirks of old houses. We were lucky to find a talented carpenter, who did all the woodwork in the main bedroom suite, as well as LJ Fletcher Builders, who were fantastic at keeping me sane throughout . a challenge to establish our role with the builders, and to manage the awkward conversations that inevitably happen on a project like this, but I’m so happy with how it turned out. They completely understood how to work with a house like ours.
Finding my style
I could see it was going to be a delicate job coming up with a decorating scheme that blended the old and new parts of the house, and I soon realised I needed
IDEA TO STEAL
EASY UPDATES
‘With a kitchen extension added more than 10 years ago, I was pleased the units were still in good order, so it was more of a question of styling than pulling everything out’
Do it! GET BUILDING CONSENT
To carry out renovations on a listed building that may change the building’s character, architecture or historic value, you’ll need to get written building consent from your local planning authority.
First, check with your local authority conservation officer as to what type of consent is needed for your project. This is important for buildings with a Grade I or II.
To apply, you’ll need a completed application form, site plans, and detailed drawings for specific items of work. The full list of documents can be found on your local authority’s website.
Carrying out unauthorised works to a listed building is a criminal offence and can result in heavy penalties, so it’s not worth taking the risk!
FAMILY SPACE
‘The front room has been turned into a snug with strong blue tones, pops of gold, and plenty of bird motifs everywhere’
Make it!
TILE A FIREPLACE SURROUND
Starting at the centre, apply mortar to the bottom of the surround and carve notches with a trowel.
Set the first tile against the centre line and work your way out to the right. Use ¼in spacers between each tile. Work in small sections at a time so the mortar doesn’t dry out.
Repeat the process on the left side.
For the second row, place the first tile straddling the centre line. Work your way to the right and left as before. Continue staggering the tile placement all the way up the surround.
Remove spacers once the mortar is dry, then wipe the tiles with a damp sponge. Apply grout to fill the joints. Remove excess with a damp sponge.
‘ANIMAL ELEMENTS, FROM WILD HARES TO PARROT FEATURE IN
EVERY ROOM AND TIE THE SCHEME TOGETHER’
. Danecia Scheepers of Uplift Home helped me to find my own style. I was determined not to be beige and boring, which meant that some of my initial ideas, like acres of marble in the en suite, were a bit too bold! Instead I focused on good layout and how larger items would fit within this, and I rediscovered my love for Moroccan-inspired interiors, which was key to making the scheme cohesive. When it came to accessories, I picked the theme of wild animals and it’s
IDEA TO STEAL
SNUGGLE UP
‘We invested in a blue velvet sofa from DFS for extra comfort and hung a gallery wall of parrot pictures behind to carry on the animal theme’
IDEA TO STEAL
CALM SANCTUARY
‘We turned the loft into our bedroom suite and painted the walls a relaxing shade to create our own upstairs oasis’
fantastic how it’s drawn everything together. I’ve got everything from a hare lamp to deer head coat hooks!
Learning curve
We definitely encountered a few hurdles along the way, which is to be expected during a project this big. One crucial thing I’ve picked up is how important it is to measure fixtures! We had a couple of disasters where we bought things without measuring properly and found they didn’t fit. Also, taking the time to research what look you want and not rushing into things is key. I found that pulling together mood boards really helped me imagine the look and colour palette of each room. I spent hours online, searching through magazines and window shopping for inspiration.
Forever home
With everything finally finished, we can now enjoy having a house that’s our very own. I love every room we’ve renovated, but I think my favourite would have to
MADE TO FIT
‘To accommodate the sloping roof our carpenter made wardrobes to fit the space. We then added gold handles’
Buy it
Love Charlie’s style? Shop her look on PAGE 30
RAISE YOUR GAME
‘We solved the storage issue in William’s bedroom with colourful metal lockers and a bunk bed with space for a desk underneath’
SO RELAXING
‘I’ve made the guest bedroom feel welcoming and warm by hanging pretty curtains and layering cushions and throws’
be our living room, the old village forge. The exposed sandstone, high ceilings and massive fireplace make it a stunning space for entertaining. We’ve had some memorable parties in there! If I’m relaxing, though, I’ll head straight for our cosy snug to put my feet up, or I’ll pop outside to the decking with a G&T once the children are in bed. The redevelopment of this house took some very imaginative thinking from everyone involved and, at times, it felt like we were trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Now, we’re thrilled with what we’ve achieved and see ourselves being here for a long time.’
Find more clever ideas to style up your home by going to pinterest.com/
styleathomemag
Where to buy Charlie’sstyle
MILLIE & ROSE ‘I’ve known the owner since I was eight and her taste is exquisite. I particularly love the lampshades we’ve chosen.’
TRACY ROBERTS TEXTILES ‘For hand-finished curtains and cushions that are thoughtfully designed, and a personal, friendly service.’
MUSTARD ‘Their bright metal lockers add fun to a bedroom.’
CULT FURNITURE ‘Whether you’re looking for a contemporary piece or a timeless classic, they’ve got affordable furniture to suit all.’
MADE FOR TWO
‘The double basin was at the top of my wish list for our en suite’
