FULL CIRCLE
When her life changed direction, Yvonne Jones never imagined she would be happily living in a house she first saw 35 years ago
This owner moved into a Welsh period house she first visited 35 years ago
Nearly four decades ago, Yvonne Jones’ dream was to return to her native Wales to set up a business as an interior designer, get married and have a family. ‘After I qualified from the Royal College of Art, I lived in London where I specialised in fabric design,’ she says. ‘It was great, but after a while I decided it was time to head home to live on a farm and have lots of kids.’
Most of Yvonne’s dreams came true – she moved back to Wales, lived on a farm, became a successful interior designer and did indeed get married and have a child. But 18 years later, when her son Nathan left for university, she was facing a difficult divorce and an uncertain future. ‘At the time, it didn’t feel as though I was having much luck, but life can be like that sometimes so I thought that I just had to get on with it,’ she says.
TURNING POINT
Then, everything changed. ‘When I first moved back to Wales, my friend Glenys had asked my decorating advice on a house that she’d bought with her husband Robert. After she sadly died a few years ago, Robert asked me to help him with his holiday home in Italy.’ As a result of that collaboration, a relationship blossomed and Yvonne sold her farm and moved in with Robert, into the very house she’d helped decorate 35 years ago.
The property is Victorian, and was originally built for a doctor, so part of it was an extension to accommodate his surgery. Yvonne suggested Glenys opened up the upstairs by knocking down a few walls to create a larger landing, and similarly downstairs to create a more spacious hallway.
PERSONAL TOUCH
When Yvonne moved in three decades later, there wasn’t much to do other than a few cosmetic changes. Yvonne describes her style as eclectic. ‘I love to mix old and new and collect Welsh oak furniture and antiques. I’m a huge fan of upcycling furniture by painting or reupholstering pieces with modern fabrics. I believe in choosing things that won’t date quickly – longevity is key.’ Colour is also integral to Yvonne. ‘It’s a vital ingredient in creating atmosphere,’ she says. The result is a stunning home with a seamless blend of old and new, peppered with vibrant hues.
‘If someone had told me 35 years ago that I would be living here with a lovely man, with my studio at the bottom of a beautiful garden, I would have said they were mad!’