A spectacular location in the middle of a private estate, we bought the house from a member of the family who had lived in it for 43 years.

 

It had originally been three workers' cottages, which they joined together and renovated 43 years earlier. Although it was much loved, it needed an update. It wasn’t listed but had an interesting history. Behind the house was an ugly building we called "the carbuncle," which was a recording studio where, amongst others, The Who had recorded, as the person we bought the house from had been their sound engineer.

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The stone staircase, stone floor in the hallway, and the windows were the only elements we didn’t change.

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From taking out all the ceilings and exposing the joists to gain extra height, to reconfiguring the space, to adding bathrooms, and opening up the house to let the light in and enable the view to be appreciated from every room, it was an extensive renovation that completely changed the flow and energy of the house.

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Nestled in the woods on the side of a lake, it was a magical place to live. We were holed up there during the pandemic, surrounded by nothing but trees and wildlife. It was an extraordinary privilege to live in that house.