rustic revival
How a derelict Staffordshire farmhouse was given a slice of Gallic grandeur
Sixteen years ago, when Jo Stokes and her husband, Graham, had outgrown the converted barn they were living in with their now grown-up children, Charlotte and Harriette, they decided to look for somewhere larger with more land. ‘We had viewed quite a few houses and I had set my heart on one place, but we lost it,’ explains Jo. ‘Then a friend told me about a farmhouse that was up for sale at auction.’ The Grade Ii-listed property was derelict and most of the house had not been lived in for 40 years, as its former owner had only inhabited the dining room. ‘Everything was unloved and the garden was so overgrown that we didn’t realise how much land there was,’ says Jo. ‘Nevertheless, we could see its potential and decided to take on the challenge.’
For two years, Graham, who is a builder, worked full time, and carried out the renovations in the evenings and at weekends, while the family lived in a caravan on site. ‘The house
had to be gutted,’ recalls Jo, but as the property is listed, the couple had to adhere to certain criteria. ‘Everything that was removed had to be put back using the same materials, so we pulled things out and, where possible, cleaned them up to use again,’ says Jo. Anything that couldn’t be reused was upcycled, including beams that were made into furniture.
Graham replaced the roof, the house was rewired, and new heating and plumbing were installed. The bathrooms were also updated. ‘Graham’s father made windows for us, too,’ says Jo. After two years, the family moved in while work continued. ‘ We still had to rebuild the kitchen and relied on a temporary one situated in the sitting room for a while.’
Next up were the outbuildings, which the couple wanted to knock down and replace with an extension to house an indoor pool. However, as the property is located near Stafford Castle, an archaeological dig had to be undertaken before any work could begin. ‘It took five days, and they didn’t find anything important, which was a relief,’ says Jo, who was keen to get started on the decorating, with a clear theme in mind. ‘France is one of my favourite places,’ she says, ‘so I wanted the style of the interior to have a Gallic feel. I also favour a neutral colour palette as it allows the rooms to flow from one to the next.’
Many pieces of furniture came from France, as well as charity shops and car-boot sales. Jo brought the second-hand finds back to life with a coat of chalk paint. ‘It’s ideal, as you don’t need to do any preparation first,’ she explains. Painting furniture inspired Jo to set up Jojo’s Interiors ( jojosinteriors.co.uk). ‘I enjoy painting, so opening a shop felt like quite a natural step.’ She also runs courses teaching people how to paint. When Jo isn’t busy working, she finds the time to enjoy the fruits of her labour. ‘It’s lovely here,’ she says. ‘It’s so nice to see sheep and cattle and hear birds singing. This place is idyllic.’