Natural charm

The open-plan kitchen is a triple-aspect room that works in all seasons. You can open all the doors in the summer to the gardens, and hunker down in the winter with cosy blankets in front of the wood-burning stove. In the middle, a generous kitchen island is the social hub of the room, while also providing additional storage and worktop space. The cabinetry and Carrara marble worktops are all from deVOL, the vintage ladder came from Bridport Antiques, and the Hans Wegner CH24 Wishbone chairs, from Heal’s, are perfect partners for the antique oak table, which can seat 10 comfortably. Similar oak dining tables can be found at Antiques World.

When Matt and Alice Cobon first viewed their West Country farmhouse back in 2013, they knew instantly it was the country getaway they’d been looking for. The couple had often holidayed in Dorset, says Matt, explaining that as self-confessed foodies, the area’s vibrant restaurant scene was a big part of its appeal. So when the couple started looking for a renovation project, it made sense to focus their search on Dorset.

The property that caught their attention was a 19th-century farmhouse with an adjoining barn and a number of dilapidated outhouses, which had been in the same family for over 60 years. Although the buildings were in need of love and attention, the surroundings couldn’t have been more perfect: 16 acres of wild gardens and meadows, a short distance from the Jurassic coast, and in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. It was a project the couple could put their heart and soul into.

‘We both have a passion for interior design and wanted to modernise the property in a way that bridged the gap between contemporary and traditional living,’ says Matt, explaining how they earmarked the large, adjoining barn as the new kitchen/living area, and reconfigured a warren of small upstairs rooms in the house to make better use of the space. Restoring period character to the property was also top of the list.

Over the course of six months the farmhouse and barn were sensitively transformed, including the removal of a mezzanine level in the barn, which revealed a beautiful, vaulted ceiling. Full-height doors and windows were installed to fill the space with natural light. ‘Alice and I both love to cook, so it seemed fitting that