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My Houzz: An Author’s Beautiful Home in a Quiet Corner of Hertfordshire
Best-selling author Freya North has revived a dated bungalow to realise her dream of creating an idyllic family home in the countryside
Back in 2010, when novelist Freya North quit London for rural Hertfordshire, she had an armful of reasons for making the move. She had split from the father of her children, Felix and Georgia, and her mum was battling cancer. ‘All these very emotional things were coinciding and I decided I needed to carve out a tiny part of England to be my sacred and safe space,’ says North. ‘A fresh start, new roots and a family home!’
The cosy sofabed in the library was a hand-me-down from North’s parents when they moved to a smaller property. ‘The great thing about when your parents downsize is they say, “Would you like this sofabed or this chair?” And you say, “Yes please!”’ says North. ‘It’s helpful to have this, because we have lots of friends to stay.’
North recently had a photo of herself taken for her latest book jacket by Charlotte Murphy. ‘Charlotte mentioned that she also made cushions and I just fell in love with these suede ones,’ says North.
The family’s cockapoo, Bee, also enjoys relaxing on the sofabed. ‘He’s half dog, half teddy bear,’ laughs North.
Suede cushion, Murphy McCall.
North recently had a photo of herself taken for her latest book jacket by Charlotte Murphy. ‘Charlotte mentioned that she also made cushions and I just fell in love with these suede ones,’ says North.
The family’s cockapoo, Bee, also enjoys relaxing on the sofabed. ‘He’s half dog, half teddy bear,’ laughs North.
Suede cushion, Murphy McCall.
‘When I started house hunting, I was looking for a nice, detached, period cottage in its own manageable plot,’ says North, ‘not a 1970s bungalow in 50 acres!’ North added a new porch, replaced the plastic windows and encased the exterior in shiplap cladding, painted an off-white. ‘It’s very in keeping with the local vernacular,’ she says.
Two trugs on top of the dresser in the dining area remind North of when she took care of a neighbour’s goats for a short time. ‘They were only little, the size of kittens, but they must have had springs in their legs,’ she says. ‘They kept pinging out of the stable, so we had a fun time with them.’
To say thank you, the neighbour gave her the trugs, which have the children’s names on them. ‘My parents gave us an 18-tree orchard when we moved here,’ adds North, ‘so they come in useful when we’re gathering all the apples, plums, damsons and gages.’
Dresser, Providence; painted in Hardwick White, Farrow & Ball.
To say thank you, the neighbour gave her the trugs, which have the children’s names on them. ‘My parents gave us an 18-tree orchard when we moved here,’ adds North, ‘so they come in useful when we’re gathering all the apples, plums, damsons and gages.’
Dresser, Providence; painted in Hardwick White, Farrow & Ball.
‘I love jugs,’ says North, ‘and often pick them up at craft fairs. I enjoy making ceramics, but I can’t make jugs. I’m happy just to collect them.’
North broke off from her postgraduate studies in art to write her first novel. These two paintings in the dining area are by her old school art teacher, Robert Hardy. ‘No one has inspired me as much,’ she says.
Chinwag Beached chairs, Loaf.
Chinwag Beached chairs, Loaf.
North converted one of the stables, seen here on the left, into a study where she writes. ‘It’s quite spartan, so there are no distractions,’ she says.
Photo by Freya North
North writes or researches every day. ‘I always have my nose in a book,’ she says. This year is the 20th anniversary of her first novel being published. ‘Since then, I’ve lived in three different houses, had two children and written 14 books.’
‘The support on my writing chair is a “back friend”,’ she explains. ‘I’m evangelical about ergonomics, which is why I use a separate keyboard and prop up my laptop.’
The two side chairs, a Bentwood and a Lloyd Loom, belonged to North’s late grandmother. A daybed and fluffy rug from Habitat add a cosy touch and stop the study feeling too formal, as do the pretty patterned curtains from John Lewis.
Hemnes desk; chair, both Ikea.
North writes or researches every day. ‘I always have my nose in a book,’ she says. This year is the 20th anniversary of her first novel being published. ‘Since then, I’ve lived in three different houses, had two children and written 14 books.’
‘The support on my writing chair is a “back friend”,’ she explains. ‘I’m evangelical about ergonomics, which is why I use a separate keyboard and prop up my laptop.’
The two side chairs, a Bentwood and a Lloyd Loom, belonged to North’s late grandmother. A daybed and fluffy rug from Habitat add a cosy touch and stop the study feeling too formal, as do the pretty patterned curtains from John Lewis.
Hemnes desk; chair, both Ikea.
North took her time choosing the colours for the house. ‘Initially, I had everything white,’ she says. ‘I do believe you need to settle in, see what the house tells you and how the afternoon light falls. It’s good to live in a place for a couple of seasons and experience a pitch-black countryside night, and then choose.’
Walls painted in Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball.
Walls painted in Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball.
It took about six months of work to transform the house, ‘Although a house you love is an ongoing project,’ says North. She opted for a contemporary, double-sided wood-burning stove to sit between the living and dining rooms. ‘Now it unites the two spaces with warmth,’ she says. The artworks show Felix (in orange) and Georgia when they were little. The painting of horses above the wood burner is by Paul Guiramand.
Wood burner, Firebelly Stoves.
Wood burner, Firebelly Stoves.
The shelving beside the wood burner houses all of North’s DVDs and CDs. ‘I’m obsessed with film,’ she says. ‘This is my collection. The kids have shelf space for their stuff in another unit.’ The shelves are three Habitat freestanding units that have been mounted on the wall.
‘The coffee table from Heal’s is made of bur oak and I love it,’ says North. ‘I realised that a couple of my oak trees in the woods here are bur oaks. I could make a cabinet out of them! But I love trees, so I’m not sure I could chop them down. I’ll just have to imagine how they would look.’
‘The coffee table from Heal’s is made of bur oak and I love it,’ says North. ‘I realised that a couple of my oak trees in the woods here are bur oaks. I could make a cabinet out of them! But I love trees, so I’m not sure I could chop them down. I’ll just have to imagine how they would look.’
A comfy brown leather sofa sits at the far end of the living room. ‘This is our TV sofa where we watch the one and only TV in the house,’ says North, ‘all three of us squidged up on it!’
The striking artwork of North’s horse is by Sarah O’Toole. ‘I’ve had Nathan for 13 years and have taken lots of photos of him, but nothing captures his spirit like this,’ says North. ‘It’s a huge piece. My mother saw it and said “It’s like a shrine to your pony!” I love it!’
The striking artwork of North’s horse is by Sarah O’Toole. ‘I’ve had Nathan for 13 years and have taken lots of photos of him, but nothing captures his spirit like this,’ says North. ‘It’s a huge piece. My mother saw it and said “It’s like a shrine to your pony!” I love it!’
The kitchen flows off the dining space via a wide opening with no door. ‘This was a really dark utility room with black lino on the floor,’ says North. ‘I wanted a Shaker-style kitchen and added a fake flagstone floor. The tiles are a composite and fantastically cheap.’ The worktops are hard-wearing iroko wood. ‘The butler’s sink came from a builder’s merchant,’ adds North.
Cabinets, Squarepeg Designs; painted in Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Flooring, Stoneham Flagstones.
Cabinets, Squarepeg Designs; painted in Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Flooring, Stoneham Flagstones.
‘Tea towels are always needed in abundance and I like these neutral colours,’ says North. ‘I’m always on the lookout for a nice new one!’
A coloured glass splashback looks sleek behind the hob. ‘I don’t much like tiles as splashbacks,’ says North. ‘This is glass with a coloured film on it, so it’s pink. Unlike with tiles, there are no greasy marks staining the grout, so it’s very practical.’
Not sure what splashback to go for? Check out this handy guide
Not sure what splashback to go for? Check out this handy guide
There are three different sets of shelving in the library for practicality and variety. These MDF shelves hold North’s vinyl records and her art books. ‘I did an art MA and gave up my PhD to write my first novel,’ she says.
One set of shelves in the library is devoted to North’s own novels and other paperbacks. Her latest novel is The Turning Point, seen here. ‘I’m taking six months off from novels to adapt it for the screen,’ says North. ‘I want to see if I can create a 120-page screenplay from a 120,000 word novel.’
‘My dad gave this chair to me when my parents were downsizing, but it will never be my chair, it will always be Dad’s,’ says North. It’s a late 1960s design by Swiss furniture manufacturer de Sede. ‘There are photos of me as a baby sitting on it and of my children,’ she says. ‘It’s a family heirloom and the most comfortable chair.’
Glass doors ensure the library is flooded with light. The walnut shelves on the left are used mainly for display.
Walnut shelves, Heal’s.
Walnut shelves, Heal’s.
‘I love my room, it’s a sanctuary,’ says North of her downstairs bedroom. ‘I have two armchairs in here that I’ve had for a long time, and it’s where I have quiet time and just be.’ The space is a gadget-free zone. ‘I work very hard to keep it tranquil,’ she says. ‘Life involves so much running around. Here and the woods are my go-to places for peace.’
Armchairs, Designers Guild. Walls (except around the bed) painted in Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork painted in Charleston Gray and Skimming Stone, both Farrow & Ball.
Armchairs, Designers Guild. Walls (except around the bed) painted in Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork painted in Charleston Gray and Skimming Stone, both Farrow & Ball.
Bespoke ash shelves make a gorgeous feature in North’s bedroom. ‘That wall would have been very spartan without them,’ she says. ‘I have some very personal pictures and possessions, and I tend to group them on these shelves. Everything here is of fundamental personal importance.’
Bed linen, The White Company.
Want to add drama to your bedroom? See these ingenious ways to do just that
Bed linen, The White Company.
Want to add drama to your bedroom? See these ingenious ways to do just that
Among North’s treasured pieces are some first edition books and, to their left, a photograph of her father as a boy. ‘The embroideries are by my mum,’ says North. ‘They’re based on Franz Marc paintings that I love.’
North made these pots. ‘One thing I never miss is my Tuesday evening ceramics class,’ she says. ‘I’m pretty rubbish and can only do a few basic shapes using stoneware, clay or porcelain.’ She doesn’t glaze her pieces, preferring to keep them raw white. ‘These little vessels look like they’re in conversation with each other,’ she says. ‘I often give them away. Friends know at Christmas their present will be my new book and some pots! Always!’
North painted the white underside of the bath a bold fuchsia shade. ‘It just works against all the white in here and is so girlie,’ says North. ‘I moved here as a single woman and thought, right, I’m having a pink bath!’
Bath, Aston Matthews.
Bored with neutrals? Discover spring shades to spruce up your space
Bath, Aston Matthews.
Bored with neutrals? Discover spring shades to spruce up your space
The house is basically an L shape, with the short part containing two floors with bedrooms upstairs. ‘I wanted the children to have exactly the same size bedroom,’ says North. ‘When we lived in an Edwardian house in London, one of them had a tiny room and the other had a huge one.’
‘Georgia had a room makeover as her birthday present this year,’ says North. ‘Her room was in a little girl style, so I gave her a budget and she sourced everything herself, finding lots of things in the winter sales.’
The palette of soft grey and lilac gives the room a chic, feminine feel, while pretty blinds from Curtains, Curtains, Curtains add a touch of pattern. Lots of cushions and a comfy throw from Cargo Homeshop make it feel cosy and inviting.
Chandelier, Homebase. Walls painted in Quartz Flint and Lilac Heather, both Dulux. Desk, Ikea. Bed linen, John Lewis.
The palette of soft grey and lilac gives the room a chic, feminine feel, while pretty blinds from Curtains, Curtains, Curtains add a touch of pattern. Lots of cushions and a comfy throw from Cargo Homeshop make it feel cosy and inviting.
Chandelier, Homebase. Walls painted in Quartz Flint and Lilac Heather, both Dulux. Desk, Ikea. Bed linen, John Lewis.
Twiggy the English pointer and Bee the cockerpoo enjoy the house and its spacious grounds. ‘When I was a little girl, I was terrified of dogs. A family friend had an English pointer and it helped me get over my fear,’ says North. ‘They are big dogs, but so quiet, gentle and sweet natured.’
North’s son Felix was also frightened of dogs as a small child. ‘I knew I’d get dogs when we moved here, so I got an English pointer specifically to help him,’ she says.
North’s son Felix was also frightened of dogs as a small child. ‘I knew I’d get dogs when we moved here, so I got an English pointer specifically to help him,’ she says.
The house sits in 50 acres of land and half of it is pasture for horses, with three woods full of ancient hornbeam coppice. ‘It’s an incredible wood, which is extremely dense, so it burns very hot and slowly,’ says North. ‘It used to be made into charcoal for the malting kilns used in the beer industry.’
North used a specialist Norwegian exterior paint for the property’s cladding. ‘There is a big sky here and we get a lot of weather,’ she says.
‘These are hornbeam logs from my woods,’ says North. ‘They will be ready for next winter. I love piles of wood!’
North had new oak doors fitted throughout the house. ‘It’s draughty in the countryside and we needed them to keep the warmth in, while also looking beautiful and rustic,’ she says. ‘I didn’t want to scrimp on the doors. They were quite pricey, but they make a huge difference to the feel of the space.’
Oak doors; ironmongery, all Peak Oak.
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Oak doors; ironmongery, all Peak Oak.
TELL US…
What do you think of this rural home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Freya North, best-selling author of 14 books. Her latest novel, The Turning Point (Harper Collins), is out in paperback on 24 March. She lives with her son, Felix, who will be 15 in April, daughter Georgia, 13, dogs, Twiggy and Bee, and her horse, Nathan
Location Rural Hertfordshire
Property A 1970s bungalow, now fully modernised
Size 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
North had long dreamed of life in the countryside. ‘I wondered if it were possible to give my children an old-fashioned childhood,’ she says. Thanks to a 1970s bungalow set in 50 acres of land, complete with stables and pasture land, that dream has become a reality.
North opened up and modernised the bungalow, while her children quickly learned to love the great outdoors. Now there’s ample space for the family, plus two dogs and a horse, and lots of room for North to write (a converted stable is now her study).
‘Inside, the house consisted of loads of small rooms, so I sketched out what I wanted and we created a semi-open-plan space,’ North explains. ‘I was after a sort of modern, New England Shaker feel.’