rural pursuit
When Lucy and Graeme Cooper saw a dilapidated farmhouse surrounded by countryside, they knew it was to be their ultimate restoration project
How serial renovators revived a run-down Berkshire farmhouse
Challenging renovation projects are not a prospect that Lucy and her husband, Graeme, shy away from. ‘Every house we have owned has been a project and we enjoy the process of tailoring our living space to our own needs as a family,’ she says. So the couple were delighted when the sale of their former seventies detached house in Buckinghamshire afforded them enough to buy this picturesque 18th-century farmhouse in Berkshire. ‘ We wouldn’t have been able to buy it had it been “finished” – we knew there would be a huge amount of work to do, but we were happy to take it on,’ says Lucy.
The derelict farmhouse needed a complete renovation, so the couple moved into a caravan in the garden, along with their two small children, Grace, now 13, and Charles, 11. ‘ We had to replace the entire roof, the floors, the septic tank, plumbing and electrics,’ says Lucy. ‘ We could stand in the hall, looking through the collapsed ceiling, three floors up to the roof. The drawing room was out of bounds, too, due to the rotting floor – we would have ended up in the cellar had we stood in there.’
The property’s Grade Ii-listed status meant that all the plastering had to be carried out using traditional methods, including lime plaster onto the old laths, and avoiding plaster boards altogether. The majority of the original windows were beyond repair and so needed either replacing entirely or specialist restoration. With no connection to gas mains, the house had no central heating and only the original open
fireplaces. Graeme’s job in the energy industry was fortuitous when it came to researching the possibilities of fitting ground-source heat pumps as a cost-effective alternative to oil. The installation of these, plus underfloor heating, ensured their home was as energy efficient as possible.
Eager to save money where they could, Graeme carried out the majority of renovation work, including carpentry, tiling and fitting the bathrooms, while Lucy took on the sourcing and decorating. Her choice of classic heritage paints, sympathetic to the period of their home, creates an authentic and tranquil flow. ‘I didn’t want bold colours or patterns, as the features of the house are aesthetically pleasing enough,’ she says.
A traditional farmhouse kitchen extension delivers an abundance of space and breathtaking views of the surrounding farmland. The design was Lucy’s vision, fulfilling her criteria for a space to launch her business, The Cake College. ‘When it came to designing the extension, I knew I needed usability in terms of day-to-day family life, but also a relaxing space for clients to learn and create in,’ she says. ‘Our bespoke kitchen was great value and clients always admire it, however, it cost less than a store kitchen, as Graeme fitted it and I painted it myself.’
Once again, there is life in this beautiful historical property. ‘ We have achieved our goals with this house, our children appreciate growing up surrounded by nature and many of my clients return with their friends,’ Lucy says. ‘To me, that’s a sign of a loved and hard-working home.’