Houzz Tour: An 18th Century Cottage Gets a Graceful Extension
It took Rory and Becky Hart four years, and a lot of patience, to transform a ramshackle former worker’s cottage into a cosy family home
When Rory and Becky Hart bought their first home together five years ago, they knew it was destined to be a labour of love. ‘It was in a pretty awful state,’ recalls Rory. ‘The first floor joists had completely rotted and there was a series of poorly constructed extensions on the side. It needed a complete overhaul.’
As a builder and designer by trade, Rory saw the potential to transform the hotchpotch of bad DIY jobs into a spacious family home, but in spite of his enthusiasm, the renovation was anything but straightforward. Limited funds and three attempts at planning permission meant the family spent a year living in the downstairs snug while they made renovations to the original cottage in the evenings and at weekends to fit in with Rory’s full-time job.
‘We envisaged a much more contemporary extension when we first applied for planning permission, but it was continually pushed back by the planners,’ explains Rory. ‘They were concerned that it wasn’t in keeping with the rest of the village, so in the meantime we did what work we could to the original structure.’
The planning restrictions eventually led Rory and Becky to settle on a more conservative extension, which they decorated with their own unique blend of classic and contemporary style. ‘We actually have very different taste when it comes to interiors,’ confesses Rory. ‘I’m a little more avant-garde, while Becky prefers a more classic, country-style approach, but after four years of trying, we got there in the end!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Rory, Becky and their two daughters
Location Frome, Somerset
Year built 1780s
Designer Rory Hart of Hart Design and Construction
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That’s interesting The property was previously a worker’s cottage on the Longleat estate
As a builder and designer by trade, Rory saw the potential to transform the hotchpotch of bad DIY jobs into a spacious family home, but in spite of his enthusiasm, the renovation was anything but straightforward. Limited funds and three attempts at planning permission meant the family spent a year living in the downstairs snug while they made renovations to the original cottage in the evenings and at weekends to fit in with Rory’s full-time job.
‘We envisaged a much more contemporary extension when we first applied for planning permission, but it was continually pushed back by the planners,’ explains Rory. ‘They were concerned that it wasn’t in keeping with the rest of the village, so in the meantime we did what work we could to the original structure.’
The planning restrictions eventually led Rory and Becky to settle on a more conservative extension, which they decorated with their own unique blend of classic and contemporary style. ‘We actually have very different taste when it comes to interiors,’ confesses Rory. ‘I’m a little more avant-garde, while Becky prefers a more classic, country-style approach, but after four years of trying, we got there in the end!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Rory, Becky and their two daughters
Location Frome, Somerset
Year built 1780s
Designer Rory Hart of Hart Design and Construction
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That’s interesting The property was previously a worker’s cottage on the Longleat estate
‘Underneath the render I could see it was a lovely red brick cottage. It has plenty of character,’ says Rory, remembering his first impression of the property. After buying it, he tore down a series of ramshackle extensions. He was eventually awarded planning permission to add a mirror-image cottage on the back, which he linked to the original cottage with a flat joining section, as well as a lean-to on the side. ‘It’s a more traditional feel than we originally wanted,’ says Rory, ‘but we love how authentic it feels.’
The rooms in the original cottage are small, with low ceilings, so Rory wanted to create an expansive, open-plan area in the new part of the house. ‘This is where we spend most of our time as a family,’ he explains. ‘We’ve always lived in small houses in the past, so having a large space is something we’ve craved. My daughter even rides her bike in here.’
An old farmhouse table – ‘It was my mum’s, I grew up with it!’ – takes centre stage in the capacious kitchen-diner, which Rory describes as ‘pared-back country style’. ‘We have quite a lot of modern touches in the house, but Becky’s more of a traditionalist, so we had to be careful about how to merge our styles in this part of the house.’
A fresh, white scheme keeps the handmade kitchen from looking twee, while a clever mix of reclamation finds and one-off luxury purchases – such as the tap – lend a touch of elegance and charm to the scheme.
Handmade kitchen, Abbey Kitchens Bath. Swiss Pro kitchen tap, Franke.
Tour 10 ways to work an open-plan kitchen and living space
An old farmhouse table – ‘It was my mum’s, I grew up with it!’ – takes centre stage in the capacious kitchen-diner, which Rory describes as ‘pared-back country style’. ‘We have quite a lot of modern touches in the house, but Becky’s more of a traditionalist, so we had to be careful about how to merge our styles in this part of the house.’
A fresh, white scheme keeps the handmade kitchen from looking twee, while a clever mix of reclamation finds and one-off luxury purchases – such as the tap – lend a touch of elegance and charm to the scheme.
Handmade kitchen, Abbey Kitchens Bath. Swiss Pro kitchen tap, Franke.
Tour 10 ways to work an open-plan kitchen and living space
‘The bifold doors are made from Accoya – a sustainably sourced softwood that’s treated to become more durable than most hardwoods,’ explains Rory. ‘We wanted something we could paint black, as it looks a little different, and is more in keeping with the heritage of the property than aluminium.’
Accoya wood bifold doors, Montgomery & Sons.
Accoya wood bifold doors, Montgomery & Sons.
By opening up the back of the house, Rory allowed the open-plan kitchen-diner to spill out into the garden. ‘It’s great during summer, but even in winter it’s wonderful to have the light pouring in during the day, which is quite a contrast to the old part of the house,’ he explains.
Tongue and groove panelling underneath the kitchen island adds to the country-style charm in this part of the house, as do the walnut worktops and simple wooden bar stools. ‘The house is a real mix of bespoke plus Ikea and eBay finds,’ says Rory. ‘We saved money wherever possible so we could splurge on other items.’
Bosse bar stools, Ikea.
Bosse bar stools, Ikea.
The 1960s Aga has been converted to electric for convenience, while twin Belfast sinks were another budget purchase. ‘I found them in a local reclamation yard for £20 each,’ reveals Rory.
Browse 9 wish list items for a dream kitchen
Browse 9 wish list items for a dream kitchen
An old butcher’s block has been given a new lease of life as a kitchen island. ‘This was definitely a splurge item,’ admits Rory. ‘I love the old, gnarly texture and the sense of history it brings to the space. If we ever move, this is definitely coming with us.’
Vintage butcher’s block, Abbey Kitchens Bath.
Vintage butcher’s block, Abbey Kitchens Bath.
Rich texture and bold colours create a sense of cosiness in the snug, which is in the 18th century part of the home. The original stone wall has been left on one side, while the hearth wall has been painted in a cocooning dark hue. The stained wooden floorboards are reclaimed Douglas fir.
‘We’ve embraced the darkness in this room. The small windows are a traditional feature of this type of cottage, so we wanted to enhance it rather than hide it,’ explains Rory.
An old snooker table, which has been transformed into the hearth, provides a quirky flourish that’s both beautiful and practical. ‘We love how it looks quite knotty and rustic in here, but with two kids it had to be a practical space.’
Fireplace, Ben’s Tiles and Reclamation. Old snooker table, Frome Reclamation. Sofa, DFS. Wall painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball.
‘We’ve embraced the darkness in this room. The small windows are a traditional feature of this type of cottage, so we wanted to enhance it rather than hide it,’ explains Rory.
An old snooker table, which has been transformed into the hearth, provides a quirky flourish that’s both beautiful and practical. ‘We love how it looks quite knotty and rustic in here, but with two kids it had to be a practical space.’
Fireplace, Ben’s Tiles and Reclamation. Old snooker table, Frome Reclamation. Sofa, DFS. Wall painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball.
The main sitting room is the second of the ground floor rooms in the original cottage. ‘After the kitchen-diner, this is where we spend the majority of our time,’ reveals Rory. ‘Like the snug, it’s fairly laid-back and cosy, although we’ve added the odd glamorous touch, such as the chandelier, which was reclaimed from a Georgian house in Bath.’
A wood-burning stove keeps the room toasty during the winter months.
Sofas, DFS. Wood-burning stove, Ben’s Tiles and Reclamation.
A wood-burning stove keeps the room toasty during the winter months.
Sofas, DFS. Wood-burning stove, Ben’s Tiles and Reclamation.
At the other end of the sitting room, opposite the wood-burning stove, a collection of stags heads and butterflies reflects the couple’s passion for eclectic art. ‘A stag head is actually the logo for my company, so it started from there,’ explains Rory.
Reclaimed oak railway sleepers and exposed copper piping lend a hint of industrial style to the staircase in the new part of the house.
Pendant light, Fiat Lux Design.
Check out 10 steps to a smarter staircase
Pendant light, Fiat Lux Design.
Check out 10 steps to a smarter staircase
A blend of smooth plaster and original stone wall marks the meeting of old and new cottages. ‘I love the different textures in the wall here,’ admits Rory. ‘It’s a very charming effect.’
The whitewashed scheme is in contrast to the more enclosed, cosy feel in the original cottage. ‘We deliberately made it brighter in the new section to differentiate between the old and the new.’
Walls painted in Wimborne White, Farrow & Ball.
The whitewashed scheme is in contrast to the more enclosed, cosy feel in the original cottage. ‘We deliberately made it brighter in the new section to differentiate between the old and the new.’
Walls painted in Wimborne White, Farrow & Ball.
Dramatic, pooling curtains in the master bedroom are another salvage success. ‘They were being thrown away on a job I was working on, so I rescued them. They’re lovely quality Laura Ashley curtains, but they were a bit scuffed, so we dyed them dark to disguise any blemishes and add drama to the scheme,’ explains Rory.
The trunk is another heirloom piece, and belonged to Rory’s dad when he was a child, while the bed is from Ikea and has moved with the couple for more than 13 years.
The trunk is another heirloom piece, and belonged to Rory’s dad when he was a child, while the bed is from Ikea and has moved with the couple for more than 13 years.
‘The bathroom is my favourite room in the house,’ admits Rory. ‘There’s quite a lot of natural light in here, but I wanted to it feel cosy and not washed out.’ To enhance the glamorous feel, Rory painted the walls dark grey and added a wood-burner in front of the elegant copper tub. ‘The copper bath was definitely a splurge, but we found the chandelier on eBay,’ he says.
Marseille Cyprium copper bateau bath, The Cast Iron Bath Company. Walls painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball.
Marseille Cyprium copper bateau bath, The Cast Iron Bath Company. Walls painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball.
The floor plan shows the layout of the original cottage and the new extensions.
TELL US…
What do you like about this extended home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you like about this extended home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.