“We had been pleased to enlist Beverley in a previous space planning project when she had helped us adapt a dark, cramped 19th century terraced cottage into a stylish Tardis-like 3 double bedroom/2 bathroom property; so she was the obvious choice to help us tackle our Exmoor farmhouse.
The building had at one time been three farmworkers’ cottages, the most recent addition being the cottage at the west end which had been added in the late 19th century. Since the mid-20th century the property had become one 5 bedroom farmhouse, with other rooms that had dual purposes. We wanted to create a logical space to use as a dedicated self-catering holiday let/bed & breakfast accommodation, that could easily revert to a 5 bedroom home when our large family come to stay.
With Beverley’s skill at seeing space-generating possibilities, she advised us to reclaim a kitchen/breakfast room from a mezzanine study room, leaving a large sitting room with its inglenook fireplace for guests to use exclusively. In this way we were able to create an extremely spacious two bedroom property with its own grand front door and porch, so that guests to the Victorian Wing cottage now feel that they are staying in a completely self-contained period home.
We also took Beverley’s advice on the use of colour throughout and fabrics to conceal the internal doors into the main farmhouse, again giving guests the feeling of exclusivity.”
Ali D.
