FAR RIGHT
The ensuite, which was created using space from the bedroom and landing, has an internal window borrowing light from the bedroom
RIGHT & BELOW
All the furniture (from Barker & Stonehouse) had to be manoeuvred up two flights of narrow stairs or hoisted in through windows
Helen. “You have to have everything well planned out and for timings to be carefully arranged. If you get it wrong it can cost you dearly.” It was one of the reasons Helen and Pete decided to take the house back to a shell. “It’s usually better to strip something out completely and rebuild it rather than try to repair things,” she says. “The back and side of the house on the middle floor, for example, was dripping wet. We took off the plaster to find solid stone interspersed with reclaimed timbers which were originally ships’ beams. Over the years these had absorbed so much moisture that it was seeping into the plaster and running down the walls. The only way to rectify it was to rebuild the walls.”
They also asked the builder to shore up the hillside at the back of the house with two tons of concrete and steel, creating a terrace and retaining wall with enough space for a storage shed.
HIGH POINT
“Putting the finishing touches to it all and finally being able to enjoy staying here. All the main rooms in the cottage look over the bay, and it’s that view which has influenced the entire house.” – Helen Massey
november/december 2019
“We knew the builder, and knew he would do a great job,” says Helen. “He pulled up floors, took off the plaster, replaced every single window, built a balcony, put on a new roof, rebuilt the back wall and redid the plumbing. Nothing was left to chance. The main part of the renovation took eight months, but we are still making improvements – particularly outside.” The property is deceptively spacious, with four floors that include a bunk bedroom in the attic. When Helen first saw inside, this floor consisted of a tiny storage area, just big enough for a bunk bed, and a staircase behind a stud wall. By knocking out the stud wall and lowering the bedroom ceiling directly underneath, the builder created enough space for a larger bedroom in the roof area.
“It’s amazing the difference you can make
simply by rethinking the internal layout and opening up the spaces,” says Helen. “In a coastal cottage it’s all about the light, and the more you can bring into a property the better it is. It’s amazing what can be achieved when you put your mind to it.”
Some of the building materials and larger pieces of furniture were stored in the village hall for a month so they were readily accessible as and when they were required.
‘The locals were fantastic. We can’t thank them enough,’ says Helen. ‘We learned to be kind to the builders and locals. In a small community you need to get everyone on side and work with the teams. You have to be prepared to make compromises and keep the lines of communication open. If people understand why you are doing something and you keep talking to them, they will be very supportive on the whole.’
Once the renovation was complete, the finishing touches quickly followed. The kitchen is now a light, open plan living area filling the whole of the ground floor, with a half wall dividing the units from a dining/sitting area. To make best use of space they had a bench seat built into the back of the units that face into the room, and a pantry created in the corner for storage.
A former bedroom is now a second bathroom to cater for the growing family, and the entire house has been decorated in light ‘coastal’ colours.
“Runswick Bay is really popular with tourists but being at the top of the village means we enjoy privacy as well as spectacular views,” says Helen. “I love the fact that our patio is like an extra room in the summer, and we can throw back the windows to bring the outside in.”
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