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Built-in bookcases and a snug
seating confguration give this
room a cosy and inviting feel.
Similar sofa, Padstow large fxed
cover sofa, from £1,300; similar
table lamp, Rupert rubbed wood
table lamp, £65; both John Lewis,
0345 604 9049, johnlewis.com.
Similar rug, Diamond weave grey
jute rug, £76, The Merry Magpie,
themerrymagpie.co.uk.

some of the nails in the clapboard on the
outside of the house are 18th century. We had
a wonderful carpenter who really threw
himself into the project and insisted on cutting
all of the boards by hand. It took a year to
build, and a great deal of patience.
Did you fnd it di∞cult to source original
elements? Actually, it wasn’t all that diffcult.
We found plenty of 18th-century panelling,
which was put together with dowels, so our
carpenter could pull the panels apart and put
them back together seamlessly on site. When
it came to the moulding, we knew we would
never fnd enough, so we bought an original
piece and made more to match.

Did you use an architect? We did, and he
was invaluable in helping us to site the house
as our plot is basically one big hill. Also, we
knew that it would be a challenge to confgure
the bathrooms, a laundry room and ward-
robes, so he helped us massage the interior to
make it suitable for 20th-century living.

What other concessions to modern living
did you make? There is a washer and dryer in
the laundy room and we have air conditioning,
too; I would have been happy without it, but
I thought Robert would kill me if I even
suggested the idea. There is also a garage,
which is built of reclaimed barn wood but has
an automatic door.
How long did it take to collect all your
beautiful antiques? It has been a lifelong
project for both of us. First, we bought funny
little things, then we traded up and up until
we had the exact pieces we wanted. In a way,
our love of 18th-century furniture has been
the glue for our relationship, because it is
something that we have always shared.

Would you ever move house? It would be fun
to take on a new project, but I think we’re
embedded in this house now. There are so
many memories here and I know our sons feel
very attached to it as well, even though they
are grown up and have families of their own.
For us, this house will always be home. l

SEPTEMBER 2015 | H&G | 89

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