Houzz Tour: Contemporary Take on a 19th-Century Country Cottage
A redesign adds light and space to an 1890s English home
It can be a challenge to extend and convert a traditional home for modern living while still retaining the charm of the original space, but interior designer Linda Barker’s cottage in Yorkshire, England, is a master class in how to combine contemporary and traditional.
When Barker discovered the 1890s property, she loved its location and charm and was inspired to update the existing space to equip it for modern life. Thanks to a sympathetic addition and a clever redesign, she’s enhanced the cottage and increased the ground-floor living space while retaining the home’s period charm.
When Barker discovered the 1890s property, she loved its location and charm and was inspired to update the existing space to equip it for modern life. Thanks to a sympathetic addition and a clever redesign, she’s enhanced the cottage and increased the ground-floor living space while retaining the home’s period charm.
When Linda Barker and her husband moved in, the property was full of character. “I loved the house,” Barker says, “but it didn’t have the space I needed to feel completely relaxed and ‘at home.’ ”
Sofas: Multiyork; wall paint: Storm Grey by Zoffany
Sofas: Multiyork; wall paint: Storm Grey by Zoffany
Eager to combine the best of period charm with contemporary design, Barker planned a sympathetic addition to the ground-floor living space.
“We wanted to create a comfortable family home that was easy to maintain, while blending the rural cottage feel with a contemporary vibe,” she says.
“We wanted to create a comfortable family home that was easy to maintain, while blending the rural cottage feel with a contemporary vibe,” she says.
The addition created this dining space on the ground floor, with a large bathroom directly upstairs. There was a separate kitchen addition.
Opening up the living space has transformed the way the rooms are used. “I love how easily people occupy the rooms, and move through the different spaces both inside and out,” Barker says.
“A large family gathering sees all the ground-floor rooms being used for different activities. The house is full of conversation and it promotes a sociable atmosphere, with youngsters occupying certain spaces and adults using others.”
Opening up the living space has transformed the way the rooms are used. “I love how easily people occupy the rooms, and move through the different spaces both inside and out,” Barker says.
“A large family gathering sees all the ground-floor rooms being used for different activities. The house is full of conversation and it promotes a sociable atmosphere, with youngsters occupying certain spaces and adults using others.”
Squeezing a large kitchen into a cottage with a low ceiling was a challenge, but the new addition created a beautifully light and contemporary space.
“The kitchen was an important space to get right, as it was a complete rebuild, intended to make the most of the stunning views at the back of the cottage,” Barker says.
Kitchen: Wren Kitchens; ceiling paint: Architects White by Zoffany
Kitchen: Wren Kitchens; ceiling paint: Architects White by Zoffany
“It was a joy to see the potential of the house unfolding as we opened up the space,” Barker adds.
Upstairs, the spacious new bathroom with a free-standing tub positioned in front of a large window and skylight is one of Barker’s favorite rooms in the house.
Bathroom: Wren Bathrooms
Bathroom: Wren Bathrooms
A walk-in shower adds practicality and luxury to the space, while a soothing and unobtrusive palette of white and gray is sophisticated without detracting from the views beyond.
Wall paint: Architects White by Zoffany
Wall paint: Architects White by Zoffany
Adjoining the bathroom is the sophisticated master bedroom. Barker reupholstered the tall headboard in gray, which adds visual interest and a sense of luxury. Caged lightbulbs bring in a hint of industrial style.
Long-tube cage and long-tube filament bulbs: Urban Cottage Industries
Long-tube cage and long-tube filament bulbs: Urban Cottage Industries
“It’s wonderful and peaceful here,” Barker says of the rural location. “It’s the perfect antidote to our working week in London.”
Wall paint: Smoke by Zoffany
Wall paint: Smoke by Zoffany
The redesign wasn’t without its challenges, however, including
an exotic woodworm that ate its way through a solid oak floor. “Now long gone, thankfully,” Barker says.
an exotic woodworm that ate its way through a solid oak floor. “Now long gone, thankfully,” Barker says.
An upholstered French-style bed creates an elegant statement in the guest room, while wooden shutters and a vintage-style chandelier add a country feel. The bed was sourced new from a trade supplier in Lancashire, but, as Barker says, it has a “that looks old” feel to it.
Wallpaper in a charcoal shade behind the bed adds subtle pattern and interest.
Cow Parsley wallpaper: Cole & Son
Cow Parsley wallpaper: Cole & Son
The vintage chandelier was a find from the Kempton antiques market.
A carved wooden bed, rescued from a salvage yard and tucked under the eaves, creates a cottage feel in this bedroom. Barker brought the piece back to life with a coat of off-white paint.
Vintage pieces, such as this rustic blanket box, nod to the history of the house, which has creative and unusual decorative elements throughout, such as this light fixture made from an old parrot cage found on the street.
Barker describes her style as “contemporary, informal and elegant.”
A rolled-edge bathtub and traditional-style towel rack in this bathroom celebrate the period charm of the original cottage.
The garden was also a carefully considered part of the design.
“It was important to us to create lots of different areas where we could enjoy either the sunrise or sunset, and appreciate the far-reaching views,” Barker says.
“It was important to us to create lots of different areas where we could enjoy either the sunrise or sunset, and appreciate the far-reaching views,” Barker says.
To tie in with the addition, raised beds, a pergola and ipe wood decking for outside dining were added at the rear of the home.
Decking: The Outdoor Deck Co.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Decking: The Outdoor Deck Co.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Interior designer and creative director of Wren Kitchens Linda Barker; her husband, Chris; their daughter, Jessica; and their new lurcher puppy, Stanley
Location: East Riding of Yorkshire county, England
Size: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms