Creating a Luxury Lakeland Holiday Home…

Well let’s try this one more time. We have finished Lacet Cottage and so now it’s time to start a bigger project, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Home Farm House used to be the gatehouse to the Estate, until Andre Fleming Hudleston allowed the public road to be built that cut the drive in two and separated the gatehouse from the big house. It has been used as a farmhouse until relatively recently. In fact just like Lacet, it was two cottages once coupon a time. Hence the unusual layout of two small inner hallways. I could have knocked down some walls and made the place more open plan, but I thought it would spoil the Lakeland cottage feeling you get as you walk round. One guest has told me it makes a great place for hide and seek! The picture here would looks even better now, as my husband has removed the defunct satellite dish. (I have to say that as it took him the best part of an hour and three trips back home because he kept bringing the wrong tools.)

We had various things that needed to be repaired and some problems with damp, but that’s old houses for you. Dennis, with som help from Donald and Aaron, sorted all of that: fixed the roof and repaired the fence. One other problem was the need for drains and so Chris dug up the whole garden and put in a raft of drains to keep the garden dry. We had a dry spell and the ground looked like a desert. I told Chris I’d ask for my money back if it didn’t rain soon, but then summer came…that reminds me I need his photo, but is proving elusive. However I know where you live!!

We have completely gutted the inside of the house and added a new bathroom. The kitchen has also been re-modelled. I found a beautiful oil on canvas to decorate one wall. My husband, ever practical, insisted on some “Mind Your Head” notices. I think my addition to the kitchen is more aesthetically pleasing, but perhaps not as useful. That speaks volumes about the two of us.

I have to thank a few people who listened patiently to my ideas and made them reality, or put up with my nagging, depends on your point of view. Mark and Darren, the ever ready plumbing brigade, of course need a commendation. The lovely Louis and Stephen the electricians. I think Louis you have another twenty years of work left in you. Dennis (no talk of retirement now) and Chris, both mentioned above, need a formal thanks or medals for their efforts. I had to give up saying “just one last job Sean”, but he takes it all in his stride so a big thank you to him. He just finished one last job for me, fitting the glass window sills. He always says he knows it’s me when I phone because it is a number withheld, but he still answers it. Lastly I should thank the two  youngest members of my happy band who like the rest are always smiling.

Couldn’t have done it without them so a big thank you to them all. I should also mention Paul, Darren and Pete the tilers and Darren, Stephen, Pete and John the decorators. My technological skills being what they are, I have deleted their pictures. Let’s hope I’m more proficient with designing the perfect holiday let!

On to the next project then…