Renovated Farm Cottage
A former farm manager’s home has been given a sympathetic makeover in the hands of Peter and Amanda Jaques-Walker, creating a relaxing, welcoming aura
Originally built for the farm manager on a country estate, this modest home has a presence in the landscape that says it is here to stay. The estate in question is in the Westmorland Dales, straddling the border between Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales. Peter and Amanda Jaques-Walker have certainly done their bit to prolong the life of the four-bedroom house, making it beautiful inside and out. ‘When we took on the work at Brownber House we already owned the estate’s main house, Brownber Hall, which we run as a holiday let. A footpath across the fields links the two properties, so it made sense for us to link them stylistically, too,’ says Peter. ‘Our aim with this smaller house, which was actually owned by Amanda’s parents, was to work with them to renovate and furnish it to a high standard, and let it for holidays.’
Structurally, everything was in good order: there were no roof repairs or building works to be done; the rooms were good sizes and the period details had been well maintained. ‘For us, it was more a question of cosmetic improvements to make it much more to our style,’ says Peter, ‘
The pair enlisted interior architect Georgina Rose to help them find the right paint colours and furnishings to achieve the look they wanted. ‘We turned the fifth bedroom into a luxurious new bathroom,’ says Amanda. ‘Even though everything was perfectly workable, we wanted a more harmonious look throughout the house and Georgina helped us with that.’
The house was rewired, and new radiators and central heating were installed. A new kitchen was fitted, too, its spring green paintwork bringing life to the d
