We turned a cow byre into a home

Spacious living space

A ramshackle collection of run-down farm buildings has been transformed into a spacious and inspiring living space

Sara Holyer, 48, a former architect who retrained as a special needs teacher, lives in Hither Ham House with her son Zac, 21, daughter Freyja, 19, and Freyja\'s boyfriend Dan, 19. She explains how her house was converted from agricultural buildings.

By Victoria Jenkins, photographs:Steve Russell

Property Details

Location: Near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire

Purchase price: £50,000

Money spent: £500,000

What it\'s worth now: Around £1 million

Dream kitchen

The kitchen has white laminated units, worktops by Varenna and white-painted glass splashbacks. The reconditioned oil-fuelled Aga dates from the 1930s, while the pillar supports the main beam and is encased in stainless steel to make it look more attractive. A one-and-a-half size Blanco stainless-steel sink is a feature of the island.

Contemporary meets country

Family pieces

Grey sofas from Ikea and mixed wool carpet from Allied Carpets create a comfy feel in the family room. The striped armchair is an old family piece.

Part of the furniture

A mirror framed with old railway sleepers hangs above the sideboard. The teak table, chairs and sideboard are from a Furniture Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, while the cotton mix curtains and candelabra are both Ikea.

Slate floors

The flooring is in unpolished Chinese slate.

Classic designs

The 1970s-style cast-iron Focus wood-burner is a design classic and is the focus of the living room. A Ligne Roset coffee table is supported by a hollow alabaster ball and was brought back from France, while the rug is from Habitat.

An antique touch

The four-poster Jacobean oak bed belonged to the previous owner. He sent it for auction 17 years ago, when the Holyers bought it and brought it back to the barn. Now it stands about 50 yards away from its original position.

Under the eaves

A beautiful oak cradle was made for the children by Sara\'s father.

A serene space

Sara with Ollie, one of the two family cats, on a sofa given to Sara by her grandmother as a present on her 21st birthday.

Room to relax

Freyja sits on a bed covered with a quilt from The Quilt Room in Dorking, and cushions from John Lewis.

Brilliant bathroom

The Michelangelo suite in the bathroom used by Freyja, Dan and Tom was bought from Ideal Standard.

Copy the look

Combine rustic furniture with fresh modern pieces for a country home packed with style. Recreate Sara\'s style with Country style home accessories, click here...


Erikslund picture frame, £6.99, Ikea

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