Uncovering the original features turned a police station into a wonderful family home

Interior designer Jo Tutton and her husband Nigel returned to their Welsh roots and spent several years restoring a run-down former village police station

When interior designer Jo Tutton and her husband Nigel decided to move back to their Monmouthshire roots, they both agreed they wanted a project. ‘Nigel is a property developer and we’re both artistic and creative,’ says Jo. ‘Neither of us would want a property that was already done. We both wanted to put our stamp on our home.’

The couple soon found a house that fitted the bill perfectly. ‘It was located in a village and had once been used as the local police station,’ says Jo. ‘The house is near where we both grew up and we fell in love with it as soon as we walked up the drive, but it was definitely a challenge. There were patterned carpets and lino on top of two inches of concrete on all the floors and woodchip absolutely everywhere! All the period features had been covered up and the bathroom suite was turquoise.’

Jo and Nigel decided to buy the house although they were both working full-time and had four young children at the time. ‘Nigel would often spend whole weekends working on the renovation,’ says Jo. They stripped the house back to its bare bones, reinstating the fireplaces, ornate door frames and flagstone floors, and exposing the lovely chamfered stonework. ‘Luckily, the roof was in good condition,’ says Jo, ‘but we found dead crows and their nests before we opened up the fireplaces.’

With the bulk of the renovation work complete, Jo and Nigel decided to build a two-storey extension and transform the existing conservatory into a garden room. Then, just after work had begun on the extension, Nigel was offered a job in the Gulf of Mexico and the whole family had to

relocate. ‘It was good being away from the mess, but tricky being so very far away,’ says Jo. ‘But we still managed to build the extension and create the new garden room.’

With the building work complete, it was time to re-envision the decor. Jo and Nigel’s choices were firmly led by the history and architecture of the house as well as their hectic lifestyle. ‘Our lives are so frantic and busy so I want a soothing retreat when I come home

– clashing colours and jazzy patterns wouldn’t work for me at all,’ says Jo. ‘The house is quite dark inside, so I used a subtle, neutraltoned palette to lighten things up.’

Despite the hard work and disruption, Jo cheerfully admits she enjoyed the whole process, despite the occasional gruesome find. Renovating the house was the inspiration for setting up her own interior design business (@jotuttonlifestyleandinteriors).

The finished house strikes the perfect balance between comfortable family base and successful conservation project. ‘Our four children are all grown up now and spread across the globe, but this is still home,’ says Jo, who now enjoys working on the garden. ‘Restored and cared for once again, this lovely home and garden give you a real sense that you are shielded from the elements, whether you are inside or out.’

‘I was influenced by the history and architecture of the house, and styled the decor around the original features we uncovered’

SNUG Jo and Nigel’s second sitting room also doubles up as a study. Antique desk, price on request, Soho Home Vintage. Reinstated timber fire surround in Worsted estate eggshell, £64 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Lohals sisal rug, £99, Ikea

KITCHEN Painted Shaker-style cabinetry and stone flooring creates a timeless feel. Bespoke cabinetry, Classic Kitchens Direct. Walls in Architect White true matt emulsion, £52 for 2.5ltr, Zoffany. Try Audley Conical ceiling light, £195, The White Company HALLWAY The imposing front door provides a nod to the house’s Victorian heritage. For similar limestone flooring, try Dijon Grey, £70.80sq m, Mandarin Stone. Black metal chandelier, £154, Maisons du Monde, has this look GARDEN ROOM Jo bought many of the things in this room while living in Mexico. The Bluebell corner sofa from Sofa.com has a similar design. The Savoy rattan butler’s tray table, £180, Kalinko, would work in this space

DINING AREA ‘I sourced the butcher’s block from the local village school when they auctioned it off at a fundraising event,’ says Jo. Tolix-style metal stools, £59 each, Cult Furniture

MAIN BEDROOM Pale colours and linen bedding enhance the sense of light and space in this tranquil room. Henley brass bedstead, £750, Feather & Black. The bedside tables were bought at a junk shop in Edinburgh; for similar, try Pamono

BEDROOM A pink and cream palette gives this a soft, feminine feel. Middleton Pink estate emulsion, £49.50 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball, is a similar wall paint colour. Burford metal bed frame, £399, Crazy Price Beds, has this look BATHROOM ‘I replaced the dated 1970s suite with a salvaged freestanding bath,’ says Jo. Salcombe bath, £1,618.75, The Cast Iron Bath Company, is a similar style. Wooden bath rack, £24; handmade soaps, £3 each, all Baileys Home Store GARDEN Jo and Nigel have spent several years restoring both their house and garden. Hannah four-seater cast aluminium metal garden set, £539.95, Lazy Susan, is an alternative option