CHARM


Theresa and Colin Sharpies gave a neglected barn a new lease of life.
When Theresa and Colin Sharpies decided to move house, the Sussex Downs was their first choice. Wed always dreamt of Irving in a converted barn near the coast. saysTheresa and this property was the very first place wc viewed.
The old farm building had been empty for years and the garden was dense with weeds, recalls 1 heresa. Despite all that. I felt a flutter of excitement when I stepped through the door. 1 instantly fell in love with it.
However, the couple got a shock when the estate agent informed them the barn shouldnt have been put on the market, as there were problems with ownership rights. So for six months, the pair rented a property in the area, while continuing their search for the perfect home. Everywhere remotely suitable seemed to be snapped up within hours of being on sale. says I heresa. I kept finding myself driving past the barn and dreaming. One day 1 took matters into my own hands, and with a sleuth - like determinat:on, I discovered who the owner was and put in an offer, which was accepted
The main building dates back to the 1890s and two former cattle sheds were merged with it in 1980. Theres even a hook still in the beams where bulls were once tethered. While the sitting room, dining room and guest bedrooms arc located in the main bam. the rest of the rooms are in the attached former cattle sheds. Wc decided to create our master bedroom out of one of the cattle sheds, as it has three large windows and spectacular views of the garden,says Theresa.

CHARM


Total rewiring and repitimbing took several months, so Theresa and Colin lived in a cottage in the next village while the work was being carried out. Colin wasnt completely sold on it and whenever we visited the barn, hed ask whether I was sure we were doing the right thing. says Theresa. "As certain as I was. there were times when even 1 began to have a few doubts.
Outside, the garden was overgrown and strewn with broken glass, which Theresa and Colin saw as an opportunity to redesign it from scratch. Clearing the land and replanting was a daunting task, but the couple kept the end result in mind. Its hard work.but having horses means theres never a shortage of nourishment for the plants. smiles Theresa.
With the building work completed, there were still a few tweaks to be made, one of which was in the dining room. On moving in. Theresa and Colin realised that the room lacked natural light. The solution was to include French windows, leading out onto the terrace. Sometimes a successful renovation is a process of trial and error. says Theresa The final adjustment was the creation of a library area to house the couples many books. That was a signal that our home was complete." says Theresa. Im still smitten with this place when I walk through the door and now, thankfully, so is Colin.

< Prev   Next >
 

Last read