FARMHOUSE FANTASTIC
Restored home is a sight for sore eyes.
BREATHING new life into old buildings is what Arlene and David MunroWise do best.
The couple restored their former home, a 400-year-old house in France, and spent the following nine years undertaking restoration projects for clients.
So when they decided to move back to Scotland, the derelict B-listed Georgian farmhouse they spotted near the picture-postcard Lunan Bay in Angus, posed no fears.
Built around 1825 they knew it would house some horrors but Arlene, an artist/ designer, and David a freelance designer/project manager, could handle them.
Arlene says: “The interior was hideous. Surfaces that weren’t wallpapered were covered in Artex, while the woodwork had so many layers of paint any detail was lost.
“Fortunately, the original features had been covered, not removed, so while it was a challenge, it didn’t faze us.”
Paint was removed to reveal a black marble fireplace in the lounge while in other rooms hearths hidden behind plasterboard were unveiled and restored and original wooden window shutters, sealed with paint, were returned to their former glory.
Arlene says she and David shared a vision for the farmhouse, which was to strip it back and reinstate its unique qualities and architectural features, while adding contemporary touches.
Gradually, Lunan Bank Farmhouse revealed its secrets, such as the original flagstone floor in the hall and the kitchen.
Says Arlene: “The kitchen floor had been covered in
black tiles and paired with gloss red Artex walls. Some flagstones were damaged but we were able to repair them.”
The couple stripped the remainder of the kitchen back to its natural stone walls and ceiling rafters, installed four Velux roof lights, replaced a window and installed glazed double doors to the garden.
She reveals: “We chose units which I painted in a soft shade of grey, contrasting with white that features throughout the house.
“The units and central island are topped with white Italian composite quartz work surfaces.”
A key feature is an old door suspended against the kitchen wall. Battered and studded with monster-sized nails, it is 400 years old and was transported from the couple’s former home in France.
Off the kitchen is a newly created cloakroom and study , a living room, reception hall and two further rooms – one furnished with a spectacular four-poster bed.
Upstairs are another two double bedrooms and the main bathroom.
While the house is still an ongoing project, Arlene and David can now afford to take time out to enjoy nearby Lunan beach and explore the Angus countryside and coast.
Arlene says: “This project was a mission to restore the historic detail of the house while also providing contemporary comforts to make it liveable again.”