Homes Countryside retreat
Restoring THE FAITH Stefan Camenzind fell in love with a derelict chapel in rural Teesdale, and persuaded brother-in-law Rob Broomby to help him save it and transform it into a holiday home Words Caroline Ednie Photography Chris Humphreys
84
OCTOBER 2015
CT15_House_Chapel on the hillSW.indd 84
14/08/2015 10:49
Homes Countryside retreat
AT A GLANCE Owners Stefan Camenzind and Rob Broomby Location Forest-in-Teesdale, County Durham Property Converted chapel Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 Project started March 2013 Project finished May 2015 Size of house 141sqm Project cost £1,470 per sqm
ould you believe it? I bought the chapel in the last century,’ laughs Stefan Camenzind, partner and executive director at Zurich-based Evolution Design. ‘I was on holiday in Upper Teesdale in the late Nineties, when I was working in London, and I saw the chapel by chance. It was for sale at the time and I thought, “Wow, it’s got so much potential”. I then asked my brother-in-law Rob Broomby, a journalist who’s based in Brighton, to consider buying the property with me. When I took him to look at it we got caught in a snowdrift, and had to walk the final few kilometres to get to the building. There were no windows and holes in the roof, and Rob said, “So this is what you want me to participate in buying? There is snow inside the building!”’ Despite this unpromising start, the pair decided to bite the bullet and purchase the nineteenth-century Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel, formerly owned by Lord Barnard and sold by the Raby Estate. It was once an important meeting place for the local community, but hadn’t been used since the Seventies. ‘So many renovated churches may look authentic on the outside, but inside they have often been butchered,’ says Stefan. ‘With Chapel on the Hill we were keen to retain the character and integrity of the original church hall as far as possible. It’s tricky changing the function of what was previously a religious building, but I think celebrating the original space is important.’ Stefan consulted the local planners about the change of use, and was told that permission would be given only to turn the building into holiday accommodation, rather than a full-time permanent residence. ‘When we bought it we had no particular plans – just a desire to stop such a beautiful building from completely falling apart,’ continues Stefan. ‘So when we found out that it had to be a holiday home, I knew I had to think about it more objectively. But if you love architecture as much as I do, it’s impossible to design something that you don’t adore!’ Stefan and Rob didn’t have the money to do any work to the property immediately after they bought it, so as a temporary measure they made sure it was watertight by boarding up the windows and patching the roof. Stefan admits that if the chapel had been left another couple of years there would have been nothing to save. ‘Over the following decade or so we maintained the chapel on an annual basis. Then we set about contacting the local
W
this picture Built in 1880, the Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel hadn't been used for decades
OCTOBER 2015
OCT15_House_Chapel on the hill.indd 85
85
14/08/2015 1
Homes Countryside retreat
Interactive
image gallery
Download the GD app
above Ornate patterned tiles are the backbone of the open-plan kitchen’s modern monochrome decorating scheme
86
council to find out what we were allowed to do with it.’ Planning permission was granted in 2012 following an extensive dialogue with Durham County Council. ‘I’ve learned that before making big decisions, you have to talk to planners,’ says Stefan. ‘The council’s main concern was to keep the chapel’s identity intact, which was also our aim. But we felt that roof lights would be intrinsic to the success of the renovation, as this would allow us to create accommodation on a mezzanine level at the same time as bringing light into the main living areas. Luckily, the planners understood that this compromise would work, while also allowing the ground floor to be preserved in all its glory.’ The development, which went on-site in 2013, wasn’t without its challenges, not least the fact that the chapel is set within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. ‘The planners looked very carefully at the impact the project would have on the surrounding landscape, and of course your options are far more limited in this context. There
were no services, so we had to bring in electricity. Sewerage was tricky, too, as was discharging water – we had to build a trench about 300 metres long. It obviously took a lot more money to start from scratch.’ A major aspect of the two-year construction process was repointing much of the exterior stonework. The roof was taken down and rebuilt using as many of the original slates as possible; the chimneys were also restored and a metal flue was installed inside in order to retain the heat of the woodburning stove that supplements the electric heating system. Another challenge was finding the right joiner to build the windows. ‘They needed to be double-glazed for energy efficiency, but modern frames are three times thicker than the originals and would have totally destroyed the chapel’s character, but we got there in the end,’ says Stefan. ‘The most important thing was to ensure that the building was fully insulated,’ he continues. ‘So it’s completely lined between the interior plasterboard and the outer stone
OCTOBER 2015
OCT15_House_Chapel on the hillSW.indd 86
14/08/2015 10:50
Homes Countryside retreat this picture A change in floor surface marks the transition from the living area to the kitchen
this picture Modern furnishings with an industrial twist work in direct contrast to the building’s historic exterior
OCTOBER 2015
OCT15_House_Chapel on the hillSW.indd 87
87
14/08/2015 10
this picture Tucked into a recessed nook under the stairs is a small, stylish study area
‘I can stay inside for a long time and still feel connected to the outside world’
this picture There are fine views across the countryside from the light-filled bedrooms
PROJECT PLAN BATHROOM
STUDY KITCHEN LIVING ROOM DINING
BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR EN SUITE
EN SUITE
BEDROOM BEDROOM
BEDROOM FIRST FLOOR
88
OCTOBER 2015
OCT15_House_Chapel on the hill.indd 88
14/08/2015 17:22
Homes Countryside retreat this picture The bathroom scheme is an eclectic mix of contemporary and ornate styling
this picture Built-in shelving makes the most of the awkward eaves space
walls. It meant losing a bit of space inside, but if you want a cosy, ecologically sound building then insulating properly and making it as airtight as possible are the priorities.’ Building work overran, partly due to the brutal weather on this very exposed site. An adjustment to the design of the mezzanine structure also had to be made during the project. ‘When we built the internal steel frame, we realised that there wasn’t as much headroom upstairs as we had anticipated,’ explains Stefan. ‘We had to rearrange the bedrooms and bathrooms to make them more comfortable.’ The three light-filled, mezzanine-level bedrooms are cleverly configured to create as much space as possible, with panoramic views of the undulating County Durham pastures. The two en-suite bathrooms, with their huge glazed roof windows, enjoy some of the best views in Teesdale. Downstairs, an additional bedroom and family bathroom are positioned either side of the compact entrance, offering accessible accommodation to anyone with mobility issues. Once through the narrow hallway, the open-plan living area and double-height kitchen are revealed to dramatic effect. Their impact is further enhanced by
characterful details, such as the original timber A-frames in the roof, set against a backdrop of handmade patterned cement tiles that cover the rear wall of the kitchen space. Turn around and you’re faced with a large pop-art-style painting, inspired by the work of Roy Lichtenstein, that adds drama and contrast to the bright living area. Functionality hasn’t been overlooked, however. Hardwearing materials, including the painted pine boards and staircase, tiled kitchen floors, and chunky oak dining table and benches, make this an informal, practical space. There is also a clever office area tucked below the stairs, in which Stefan likes to work when he’s staying at the chapel. ‘I just think it’s a great place to relax,’ admits Stefan. ‘When I’m travelling and staying in places, I often feel that I need to get out and explore the surrounding area. But this is one of the very few buildings I’ve experienced where I can stay inside for a long time and still feel connected to the outside world. There are views in all directions and you can watch the everchanging weather, which can often be harsh and bleak – but that makes being tucked up inside the chapel even more enjoyable and memorable.’ OCTOBER 2015
OCT15_House_Chapel on the hill.indd 89
89
14/08/2015 17:22
Homes Countryside retreat
STYLE FINDER Copy Stefan’s style with tactile surfaces and vibrant artwork Compiled by Emily Seymour
Porcelain pattern Piano decor tiles in monochrome (H22.5xW22.5cm), £39 per sqm, Mandarin Stone (01600 715 444; mandarinstone.com)
Picnic bench Arbori dining table in stained oak (H75xW200x D90cm), £1,495, Heal’s (020 7896 7451; heals.co.uk)
Pop art Lichtenstein Whaam! screen print (H43xW99cm), £80, Tate Shop (020 7887 8869; shop.tate.org.uk)
above The former chapel’s historic exterior has been fully restored with bright red woodwork adding a cheerful accent
90
Suppliers
PROJECT TEAM Architect Evolution Design (+41 442 539 500; evolutiondesign.info) Project manager Lee Darvill Architecture (07786 176 474) Structural engineer Bleasdale Wand (01229 588 585) Builder Francis W Construction (01325 721 997) STRUCTURE Windows and external doors Star Projects (01325 788 089; starprojects.co.uk) Top-hung roof windows Velux (01592 778 225; velux.co.uk) FIXTURES & FITTINGS Kitchen floor tiles Flagstones Direct (01285 656 738; flagstonesdirect.co.uk) Lobby floor tiles Beswickstone (01285 885 795; beswickstone.co.uk) Bath Victoria Plumb (0344 804 4848; victoriaplumb.com) Basin Bathstore (0330 024 0845; bathstore.com) Shower Victoria Plumb (as before) WC Ideal Standard (01482 346 461; ideal-standard.co.uk) Fireplace Hunter Stoves (hunterstoves.co.uk)
OCTOBER 2015
Kitchen Howdens (howdens.com) Fridge-freezer Smeg (0844 557 9907; smeguk.com) Cooker hood Rangemaster (0800 804 6261; rangemaster.co.uk) FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES Bed Bensons For Beds (0330 124 1100; bensonsforbeds.co.uk) Bedroom wall lights John Lewis (0345 604 9049; johnlewis.com) Dining area pendant light Maisons du Monde (0808 234 2172; maisonsdumonde.com) Dining table Nina’s Country Kitchen Furniture (01789 751 569; diningtableandbenches. co.uk) Bar stools Andy Thornton (01422 376 000; andythornton.com) Sideboard Oak Furniture Land (0800 440 2254; oakfurnitureland.co.uk) Sofas and armchairs Ikea (020 3645 0000; ikea. co.uk) Floor lamps Next (next.co.uk) Feature artwork Acrylic on canvas, Splügen Gallery (spluegen-gallery.ch)
Focal point Bellingham 12kW solid-fuel stove in steel (H69.6xW68xD38.4cm), £1,399 (0844 879 3588; dimplex.co.uk)
Natural finish Vogue planks in oak in notte (H12xW100-140cm), £36.95 per sqm, Havwoods (01524 737 000; havwoods.co.uk)