HOMES & DECORATING
HOME INSPIRATION
This listed Somerset longhouse – with its “Hobbit-like procession of rooms” – conceals a cunning secret that reveals why it works so well as a contemporary family home
limpse the Ralfe family’s home from the road and you’d think it every inch the traditional farmhouse: a handsome stone façade part-covered by climbers, sash windows and a slate roof – all flanked by a wall blotched with lichen. Behind is a yard complete with Silkie bantams and outbuildings. Look closer here and the part-glazed construction between the main building and its neighbour provides the clue to the Grade II-listed property’s secret. “We were given planning permission to build a two-storey extension and link it to the existing house using glass,” says owner Rebecca. And how did she and her husband Jonny create the upper half so that it appears seamless? “On our land we had a lot of Doulting stone, which the original house was made with, allowing us to build it in the same material so that it looks as if it’s been there for ever.”
They moved to the Somerset longhouse and its nine acres in 2012 with their children Maddie, Daisy, Miller and Michael. It was once two cottages, with some parts dating back to the 1700s. Jonny’s background as a heritage builder meant that, once permission was granted, they converted the hayloft into a two-bedroom annexe for his parents and, in 2015, set to work on restoration.
“The house was in a poor state when we moved in,” Rebecca recalls. “It didn’t really have a kitchen, so we spent two years with a temporary one before building the extension where we could have a proper big family room.” The new space reflects the talents of the area’s artisans. Joiner Paul Vincent built the island and units from oak, based on a Danish design found on Pinterest. The island’s worktop was crafted by a local metalworker: “If it had been in solid brass, it would have been unaffordable, but he fixed a thin sheet to MDF to make it appear thicker than it was.” It has a wonderful patina – covered in scratches and stains – that you’d be forgiven for thinking it was old. The Aga’s brass splashback brings further charm to the kitchen. Jewel-coloured glass pendants above the dining area (handblown by Curiousa in Derbyshire), suspended from a rose and bar created by the same metalworker, are a fun addition.
