Then and Now: An Idyllic Village Cottage
Occupied for well over 50 years by the previous owner and in need of some serious renovation, Twenty Twenty Property listed this cottage back in 2021. Two and a half years later, we revisited the successful purchasers, Harry and Lydia, to see how they managed to transform the property into a quintessential village home.
We do love a good before and after and this one is as satisfying as it gets! When we listed this ‘do-upper’ in 2021, it certainly grabbed the attention of many a buyer. But it was Harry and Lydia, with a clear vision for what the property could turn out to be, who came out on top. Their aim: to create a modern, functional and sociable space without losing the ‘cosy cottage’ feel that they immediately felt when they first walked through the door. We think it’s fair to say that they achieved this!
“Everything in the house needed re doing. We took the property back to its bare bones!”
Sitting on a quiet back lane in the village of Silverton, the setting is perfect. A symmetrical frontage with a path winding up to the front door, the cottage would be well placed in a Beatrix Potter novel. It was this classic look and feel that enticed Harry and Lydia and they could see no end to the potential it possessed. They knew that there was a great deal of work to be done and a long journey ahead. Rather predictably, this journey was a good deal longer than they first thought, as they ran into inevitable issues along the way. However, this misfortune was interspersed with the occasional pleasant surprise, such as unearthing a delightful feature fire place and some characterful hidden beams!
Adding on a beautifully thought out extension to create a spacious and sociable main living space in the kitchen, they have found a fantastic balance between the light and airy, and the warm and cosy. Now a young family, after welcoming their son last year, they are enjoying the home that they set out to create and the lifestyle that they dreamed of too.
Words: Adam Dibble
Photography: Liam Street (@sobyfilms / @stil_studio)