family fortunes
Creating a home to suit three generations is no mean feat, but Sara and Scott Thompson have carried it off with elegance and charm in their modern farmhouse
How a tired Belfast farmhouse made way for two wonderful residences for three generations
The story of this new build began about 40 years ago, when Scott Thompson’s parents bought an old farm cottage just outside Belfast. Over the decades, as their family grew, they added various extensions, as well as lambing sheds and other agricultural buildings.
By 2010, Scott’s two siblings were living abroad and he and his wife, Sara, had two children of their own, Harry, now 10, and Olivia, nine. When the couple started to think about expanding their home, Scott’s parents were, at the same time, considering downsizing. The families were already living within a short distance of each other and the benefits of the spot chosen by the senior Thompsons all those years ago were clear to everyone – space and serenity within 10 minutes of the city.
‘ When we all discussed it seriously, it made sense to rebuild the property as two connected houses where we could live together,’ says interior designer Sara. ‘Scott wanted our children to have the same idyllic childhood he had enjoyed, and his parents did not want to leave the place they loved, so it was the perfect solution.’
The plan was to demolish the old house and build a new design on the same footprint, which would incorporate two homes with separate drives and entrances. ‘Scott and I were central to the project,’ says Sara. ‘ We were living only five minutes away, so we stopped by every day of the build. Scott’s parents lived on site to supervise their new home and would occasionally call to let us know what was going on.’
Planning began in 2010, with work starting 18 months later. The build took another year and a half and, while Sara admits there are still parts that need finishing, it is clear that the Thompson family has a beautiful new home. The delightful interior is down in no small part to Sara’s passion for art and antiques. ‘I love working with contemporary artists and, about eight years ago, I met Lindy Clarke at an exhibition,’ she says. ‘Lindy had been running a successful interior design business for 20 years and we collaborated on projects. In 2012, we decided to form our consultancy, Thompson Clarke Interiors.’ Sara’s new home serves as an impressive showpiece: ‘It’s lovely to be able to invite clients here so they can see how our ideas work in practice.
‘Making a home for three generations is something that a lot of people have thought about, and we are lucky to have been able to accomplish it,’ continues Sara. ‘It’s easy for the children, who now include Charlotte, 7, to spend time with their grandparents, and offers of babysitting are always gratefully received. At some point, however, many years from now, my parents-in-law may become less independent than they are at present, and we’ll be close by to help them. We believe that rebuilding the house has created both a lovely new home and a more comfortable future for all of us.’