COUNTRY PURSUIT

Creating a comfortable place for family Christmases was the priority for this Dutch pair when renovating their once-dilapidated farmhouse

Celebrating Christmas on their farm is a dream come true for Margret and Henk Mann. ‘We always wanted to live in a rural farmhouse, since our now grown-up children, Willemijn and Adriaan, were small,’ says Margret. ‘ We looked at so many different places over the years, but nothing ever quite fitted the bill.’

Then fate stepped in. ‘I was browsing the paper when I saw a tiny ad, saying this farm was for sale,’ says Margret. ‘By coincidence, Henk and I were visiting the area with Willemijn for a riding competition that weekend, so we decided to arrange a viewing. When we caught our first glimpse of the property, with its lovely landscape and summer house, we both fell in love with it on the spot, despite the fact that it was practically a ruin. The house had a major subsidence problem, a badly leaking roof and walls full of holes that had been stuffed with newspaper. It was in such a terrible condition that even the estate agent warned us to think twice. But the setting was idyllic and we knew that this was the home we’d been searching for.’

With the sale agreed, the couple drew up a schedule of work and fitted out the summer house to act as a temporary home while the main building was remodelled. ‘ We’re experienced renovators, so we managed the project ourselves,’ says Margret, who co-owns interiors company Poldershop 38. ‘Some people said we should tear the house down completely, but we loved the tall doors, wooden beams and high ceilings and wanted to preserve its character. We asked our builders to rebuild the structure and install new heating and electrics, but decided to remodel the interior ourselves.’

The couple spent three years renovating their farmhouse. ‘ We devoted all our free time

to the project and rebuilt everything, from the walls and doors up,’ says Margret. ‘ We took our time to do the work slowly and learnt a lot as we went along. If something didn’t go right, we simply did it again. A handyman friend also gave us advice and lent us plenty of useful tools.’

Many of the farmhouse fittings are made from building materials recycled from other parts of the structure, as well as pre-loved family furniture. ‘Timber from the old kitchen was reused in one of the bathrooms, and the cloakroom washbasin is made from my grandmother’s old coffee table,’ says Margret.

When the renovation was almost complete, Margret turned her attention to the decor. ‘ We wanted a mix of new and vintage country style, with colours and textures drawn from the natural world,’ she says. ‘I used a calming palette of chalk paints with soft, earthy tones, which gives the house a peaceful, restful feel.’ The interior is furnished with pieces collected on the couple’s travels throughout Europe, from antiques shops and recycling centres to brocantes. ‘I like furniture with a story and enjoy giving old items a new lease of life by painting them.’

Now, with the farmhouse finished, Margret and Henk are thrilled with the result of their hard work. ‘It’s the house we always dreamt of, and the perfect setting for our Christmas celebrations,’ says Margret. ‘Decorating for the holidays is one of my favourite things to do, and I like to get creative and try something different each time. Last year, we had three Christmas trees, decorated simply with tiny, twinkling lights, as well as wreaths and groups of candles. It’s wonderful to share this fantastic space with family and friends at this time of year.’