LIFE IN YOUR
country home
What makes this
house a home ... 'Having space for our grown-up daughters and friends to stay for wonderful weekends, and being surrounded by special treasures that we've collected over the years'
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At home with .., Owners
Jeni Jebb recallsjeelin,q at home
the moment she and husband Stuart stepped into the large kitchen of this mill house two years ago. 'The units were painted the same shade as the ones in my existing kitchen, even the tablecloth was the same,' Jeni says. 'I said to Stuart, "This is definitely meant to be." The couple had lived in a farmhouse near Guildford, but decided to move on when their daughters, Sophie and Amy, flew the nest. Moving, however, proved easier said than done. While they wanted somewhere that would suit the two of them and accommodate visiting family and friends, they also hoped to create a boutique bed-and-breakfast retreat. Properties that met their criteria were few and far between. 'Eventually, we instructed a property-finding company,' says Stuart. 'It sounds expensive, but it was absolutely worth it.' The firm they chose, Qwest, sorted the wheat from the chaff, so that Jeni and Stuart didn't have to make fruitless trips to view unsuitable properties. 'When they called to tell us about this old mill house, we were hopeful,' says Jeni. 'We loved its situation and the size sounded perfect. We went down that weekend with fingers crossed.' The couple were intrigued by the property's history. Records show a mill has stood on this site since Domesday times. While the current mill was built 200 years ago, its adjoining cob cottage, which housed the miller and his family, dates back to the 15th century. It was a working mill until just before the Second World War when the area was commandeered by US troops to accommodate soldiers. A German bomb sealed its fate, destroying the leat (a man-made channel that diverts stream water to a mill). It was then used to store farm machinery until both buildings were converted in the 1990s. Jeni and Stuart liked the fact that there were four bedrooms on the cottage side, which would be perfect for guests, and three more in the mill for family. While the property was in good condition, most of the rooms needed updating. 'We loved the original features, but wanted to introduce a feeling of light and space,' Jeni says. Stuart set to work without delay, redecorating rooms and corridors in soft, neutral shades, installing contemporary bathrooms and updating the basic heating system with eco-friendly woodburning stoves. Meanwhile, Jeni, who had worked in interiors 'for many years, thought how best to incorporate the furniture and collections from their former home into this new one. 'Wewere so lucky that almost everything we had looked right,' she says. 'Although we had to .invest in a few new pieces, generally we were able to make each room comfortable and homely as soon as they'd been redecorated.' Within seven months of moving in, the couple were more than settled in and able to welcome not only their first guests but friends and family, who often gather for relaxed country weekends. Last summer their daughter Sophie's wedding was even held in the gardens. 'It's such a privilege to be part of this wonderful building's story and share it with everyone who comes.' '2:i"Keynedon Mill, 01848 831488,
keynedonmill.co.uk.
Jeni and Stuart Jebb, who have lived here since 2011 with their Lakeland Terrier, Mabel. They have two grown-up daughters, Sop hie and Amy.
House
An early-19th-century mill and adjoining 15th-century cob cottage with three and four bedrooms respectively.
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On our doorstep ... Visit... 'The
South West Coastal Path (southwest coastalpath.com). The scenery is stunning, and we love visiting the wonderful beaches and coves where we spent so many happy holidays with our daughters:
Shop at ... 'The Friday market in Totnes. It's fantastic and sells everything from artisan bread to French country furniture. Vanessa Harrison's stall, Classic Vintage (classic-vintage.co.uk), is a favourite for the latter: Gofor a meal at ... The Seahorse Restaurant (01803 835147, sea horse restaurant. co.uk) in Dartmouth. Owned by top chef Mitch Tonks, it specialises in fresh local fish:
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What we love most about living here ... 'The beauty of the South Hams, the .calmer-pace-of life, and all the local people who've made us feel so welcome'
Devon mill house
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Room ideas
Be inspired by...
Jeni's kitchen
k
Colour mixing Using cool, relaxed shades fail-safe way to put a country on a kitchen. To update the add an appliance in a vibrant
is a stamp look, colour.
Need to know ... For units or freestanding pieces, pick toning shades from a neutral paint palette, such as cream, limestone and soft dove grey - great for evoking acalm, spacious feel. Mix and match worktops in natural wood and stone to bring in warmth and interest. A range cooker in a glossy enamelled finish adds a bright accent.
Where to buy ... • Little Greene for neutral • Rencraft for hand-painted • Stoves for range cookers vibrant shades. • Smeg for range cookers pastel colours.
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paints . kitchens. in hot, in fresh
Find the perfect
country tiles
Download your digital edition today: visit housetohome.co.ukl digital-editions
1 Willow cutlery basket, H21x15cm sq, £8, The Contemporary Home. 2 Ceramic jug, H18.5cm, £30, Plum & Ashby. 3 Wooden wall cupboard, H100xW60xD23cm, £159, Hafod Farm. 4 600 Series range cooker, col Claret, H91xW99.5xD58.2cm, from £4,995, Rayburn. 5 John Leach Squat 1.5L casserole, £74, David Melior. 6 Metal wall sconce, H33.5cm, £24.95, Dupere Design. 7 Oak antipasti board, 40x30cm, £48, Garden Trading. 8 Bespoke cook's bench with oak top and integral bread drawer, col Sage Grey, £2,000, Barnes of Ashburton. 30
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Chicken Run
All hand-painted wall tiles, 13cm sq, from £24.20 each, Marlborough.
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