LOW POINT
“Working on the roof in terrible winter weather. It was a thankless task and quite dangerous – the winds were so strong and the sleet was coming down almost horizontally at one point.” – Tim Denham
But the best bit was still to come. “I have absolutely loved turning it from an empty building into a beautiful home,” she says. “It’s a bit wind-swept up here so I wanted it to be really cosy in winter, yet modern and bright in summer. Gill and Tim chose their pre-painted kitchen units and appliances from Wren but had a family friend and joiner install them. They maintained the country style by replacing wall units with open shelves and including feature lights over the breakfast bar. They laid the floor with Bastille Blue limestone tiles from Perfect Homes and Gardens. Tim then set about making the huge dining table. “In a large space like this you have to think big with everything,” says Gill. “The furniture in our farmhouse was too small, so we started again with everything.” The table was created from a steelwork base, made by Tim, and a huge piece of oak which had cracked down the middle. It wasn’t quite wide enough for the proportions of the room, so Tim sliced the wood in half, along the length of the split, and inserted a strip of steel to which the wood is clamped.
“I made it in the shed and it took me a fortnight, but it’s perfect for the space and easily seats twelve, which is ideal for family get togethers,” says Tim.
jan/feb 2022
The dining table, along with two seating
areas, help to divide the large ground floor living space into comfortable independent areas, without losing the natural character of an open plan barn. All the beautiful original beams were sanded and oiled by son-in-law Neil. Gill chose earthy accent colours for the main walls to reflect the property’s rural location and heritage, but she sought the help of Niche Living, in Barnard Castle, to furnish the rest of the home, sourcing most of the accessories and soft furnishings from there, including bespoke headboards, dressing tables, drawers and mirrors. There are two bedrooms on the ground floor separated by a wide, welcoming entrance hall which is tiled in stone, and features a wide sweeping staircase. Tim designed, made and fitted the industrial style railings to create a striking feature in the hall. “I had help from a welder and it was one of the quickest parts of the whole project.” The integrity of the former cow barn is also evident in the exposed stone walls which continue into some of the bedrooms, including the main bedroom on the ground floor where an exposed stone wall adds warmth and texture to the room. Elsewhere, thick pile carpet from Floors for Living make the spacious rooms seem cosy all year round.
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