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"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
- William Morris
Before
We first visited Kingsley House pre-COVID in May 2019. It had been on the market for two years, and been through all the main agents without success. Witnessing the condition for ourselves, it was pretty apparent to us why the house hadn’t sold. On the way back down the drive he said “there’s no way we’re buying that money-pit”. A few weeks later we had the keys!
After
The Bungalow
Before
Planning is restricted in the National Park, especially for new builds. However, because we had ‘The Pool House’ [“shed with a puddle ” – Duncan], we were able to get permission to build the bungalow. Duncan’s mum and dad were living in Suffolk and getting ever more elderly, so we needed them to be closer to us. As Duncan’s mum was already in her 90’s, the bungalow was the priority and where we began the project.
The Bungalow Completed
Under Construction
After
COVID caused additional headaches owing to materials supply and hefty cost increases, however; we were able to get the bungalow completed by September 2021 and move mum and dad in.
After Inside
The Annexe
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Under Construction
Once the bungalow was finished we needed somewhere to live before we started renovating the main house. The old double garage block wasn’t the most appealing prospect but, after we’d dug down deep enough, we had enough height to fit 2 floors in. That meant we could have a one-up, one-down living area and even our own little patio at the back of the annexe bedroom, handy for flipping burgers when the summer rolled around.
The Annexe Completed
Under Construction
After Inside
The Garage & Gym
Under Construction
Part of the renovation for the main house meant needing somewhere to put the car (since we had turned the old garage into the annexe), and we had to locate the gym as well. The design with the pitched roof means we have loads of extra storage and can still get the car in the garage. Having the gym away from the house means that Duncan can have his showtunes & Kylie at top volume while he’s gymming and he’s not disturbing Craig on his working from home days.
The Garage & Gym Completed
After
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In amongst the four year renovation project, we thought we weren’t quite busy enough so we decided to get a puppy and get married as well. To hell with the budget!
The House
Before
Then onto the main house… Kingsley House was built in 1906 in the arts and crafts style. Unfortunately, while superficially things might have looked okay in the photos, there was very little of the original woodwork that wasn’t rotting, including doors and windows. We tried to remain faithful to the ideals of the house while completely replacing every single joist, window, door, floorboard and roof truss.
After
The Dining Room
Before
We love a dinner party. Craig is the chef, and we wanted to create a space that felt like a club room. Somewhere people could sit and lounge after dinner with a stiff drink and a good (stinky) cheeseboard.
The Dining Room Completed
After
Before
One of the fun things about gutting a house is playing with the layout. We had such a weird layout one the first floor west side of the house, with a bedroom, bathroom and old kitchen (?!). We knocked the whole lot together to create a suite with ensuite facilities and its own living area. The old death-trap balcony has been replaced by a much larger (and safer!) terrace that’s a real sun-trap and a great place for an evening cocktail.
After
Before
Built before they were commonly found indoors, the bathrooms in Kingsley House had been shoehorned into some of the most awkward corners and suffered from poor water pressure. A new pressurised plumbing system was installed, and bathrooms given proper proportions befitting a house of this size.
After
Before
Listed as the master bedroom, bedroom 3 had the odd feature of a bath situated in the middle of the dressing area, with a noisy macerating toilet that used to stink to high heaven. The bay window was free-floating, attached to the house by render only. We completely remodelled the space, creating a dressing area, enclosed but spacious en-suite, and we squared off the bay window in structural oak, integrating it into the structure of the building rather than leaving it to sway in the wind as before.
After
The First Floor Landing
Before
Previously the landing was just a corridor, with 2 bathrooms and an airing cupboard taking up a huge amount of space. Craig has always wanted a library and by smashing 3 rooms into one and trebling the width of the landing we’ve been able to create a space for reading and opened up our book collection to guests. It’s a chill place with comfy seats, perfect for relaxing with a book. The handy whisky decanter means you might want to linger awhile.
The Landing Completed
After
The Kitchen
Before
With it’s “magic” island, that used to move across the floor with the slightest pressure (despite being plumbed in with a sink!), the kitchen was in serious need of modernisation. It did have one redeeming feature – an original 1950’s Aga (circled). Despite not having been lit for years, we managed to get it working while we lived in the house, and later took it offsite for refurbishment while we tore the kitchen apart ready for refit.
Under Construction
The Kitchen Completed
After
Originally, for a house of its size, the kitchen was very small. Not only did we smash the kitchen, snug and conservatory together into one room but we added substantial square footage with an extension. Although the main kitchen is open plan, we wanted a separate cooking area where we could hide away all the mess and contain any cooking smells, so we created the prep-kitchen which is where we do our everyday cooking.
The Drawing Room
Before
The downpipes from the roof were discharging into the void beneath the drawing room, rotting the joists and creating a very real danger of the floor collapsing into the foundations. After sorting the drainage issue and completely replacing the floor, we wanted to do something special with the space because of its size. A real party room, we went with something reminiscent of the classic age of trans-Atlantic ship crossings. With the enlarged bay window it’s got great lighting and is very much a place for an event as much as it’s somewhere to curl up on the sofa next to the wood burner.
The Drawing Room Completed
After
Four years later and a very stretched budget, it is time to start to enjoy it ...
and share it with you!
"A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body."