Rural idyll
Paula Barnes and Matthew Thompson extended a dated country coach house to create a stylish and comfortable family home that combines the old and the new
A dated country coach house has been transformed into a stylish and comfortable family home
Craving the open countryside, Paula Barnes, her husband Matthew and their three young children left their seafront home in Hove and moved to the pretty picturepostcard village of Southease, near Lewes, six years ago.
‘Our previous house was in the centre of town with all the amenities nearby and was very easy to look after, but as soon as we viewed Black Lamb House, Matthew set his heart on it,’ recalls Paula. ‘We wanted more outside space and with two acres of mature gardens with views to the south coast beyond, it seemed perfect. We also felt ready to take on a new project, having developed several period properties before.’
A ‘project’ was a bit of an understatement as the house was dilapidated. The two-storey outbuilding was built in the 17th century with later 18th-century additions, and had been neglected since the 1970s. ‘It was a wreck,’ says Paula. ‘It had nasty green carpets and concrete floors throughout, and UPVC windows. We were tempted to knock the whole thing down and start again, but as it was Grade Ii-listed we decided to plough on and set about extending the property.’
So in 2007 Paula, Matthew, their three children Eve, Arthur and Audrey, and dogs Badger and Toby moved into their new ‘dream’ home. The dream soon turned into a nightmare, however. ‘It was so stressful,’ recalls Paula. ‘The toilets didn’t flush properly and it took half an hour for the bath to fill. The final straw was when the boiler broke so we packed up and rented in Brighton for six months.’
A qualified architect, Paula designed and drafted the plans for the extension. The renovation of the original property and the new build took a year in total to complete, although the bulk of the work was done in six months.
Today it’s almost impossible to tell that the property has been extended at all. The brick and flint addition blends seamlessly with the original building and, both inside and out, the design, features and chosen pieces work beautifully.
Where period elements could not be restored, the couple replaced them, adding reclaimed floors, old beams, and several antique fireplaces. They also plastered the walls in a rough clay lime to give an aged feel. When it came to decorating, Paula, whoalso has a textiles degree, used the same approach that she uses with clients of her interior architecture and design business, Eliza Barnes, encouraging people to ‘under design’ their homes.
‘Practicality and personality are key,’ says Paula. ‘I like houses to feel instantly comfortable, aged and luxurious. It’s important to pay attention to detail and surround yourself with things that are important to you – I like to be reminded of people. Books, paintings, and things that you would never part with become a story of your life, and it makes sense to me that they should be on display.’
Most of Paula’s pieces are inherited, auction buys or found at boot fairs and travels to Europe. ‘Belgium and Holland are really good for salvage,’ she says. Squashy sofas, mismatched vintage fabrics and textiles are transformed into stunning pieces throughout Paula’s home. Some of the furniture was made by local craftspeople, based on old designs, using traditional techniques and remodelled to work for modern living. ‘If I can’t find what I want, I have it made,’ says Paula.
A background of light, neutral wall paint in whites, creams and greys gives a sense of continuity throughout the house and is the perfect canvas for the colourful accessories, paintings and photos, pulling everything together.
Paula has created a stunning country family home that looks like it has been in the village for decades. ‘It’s all about de-designing and emphasising on living with things you love looking at in a calm environment. It’s wonderful to break the rules now and again!’