'I opened the door and saw woodchip wallpaper and nicotine-stained ceilings everywhere!'

This article details the transformation of a dilapidated 17th-century pub in Dorset into a cozy home by its owner, Alastair Humphries, an interior designer. Alastair and his partner Carlo, along with their two Weimaraners, Guthrie and Billy, were looking for a rental property in Dorset after a change in their relocation plans to the US. They struggled to find a place that allowed their large dogs until they heard about the empty old coaching inn in Shaftesbury, which had been vacant for three years. Despite the landlord's warning about its poor condition, Alastair was undeterred by the woodchip wallpaper, nicotine-stained ceilings, and neon-colored walls. Instead, he found inspiration in the challenge, recognizing the potential for a unique home. After securing a long-term lease, the renovation began. The initial focus was on the main living space, formerly the pub's snooker room. Alastair removed the woodchip wallpaper, revealing original features such as window seats and a fireplace, which he painstakingly restored. He exposed the old brickwork of the fireplace and installed a wood-burning stove with a simple mantel. To cover the dreary stonework, he used tongue and groove wall-panelling, painted in a warm-white shade, creating a neutral base. He noted that starting with neutral wall paint and carpets is effective when dealing with overwhelming renovation projects, allowing decorative elements to be added later. He then curated the furniture and furnishings, reupholstering two second-hand sofas and placing them in front of the fireplace, establishing a country living room aesthetic. The pub's old catering kitchen, spacious and offering flexibility, appealed to Alastair, a former restaurateur who preferred freestanding kitchen elements. He designed a freestanding kitchen, incorporating an old butcher's block top as a rustic centerpiece, supported by a framework from a local blacksmith and a slatted lower shelf built by a carpenter. He integrated a mix of vintage cupboards and dressers, including a metal mechanic's trolley and an American pie-cooling cupboard, to provide additional storage and a French farmhouse style. The kitchen wall was painted in Little Greene's Blue Verditer. The back kitchen was converted into a practical utility room, where cupboard curtains made from traditional blue and white ticking fabric by Ian Mankin conceal white goods, and the sink area displays Alastair’s collection of vintage kitchenalia. The study, located at the back of the house, was transformed with dark green walls, painted in Edward Bulmer’s Fine Green, to resemble an old manor house library. It features old Liberty curtains trimmed in green damask and a vintage wing-back armchair reupholstered in Irish tweed. Upstairs, the design shifted to a traditional English country house style. The bedrooms incorporate heavier floral prints, iron bedsteads, and handsome bedside tables. In the guest bedroom, Alastair used a Lucie Annabel 'Tulip Garden' wallpaper in Sweet Pink and Olive for a feature wall behind a cast-iron bedstead, found at a brocante in Brittany. A paisley bedspread from Cologne & Cotton completes the look. The main bedroom, with windows on two sides, is painted in Farrow & Ball's 'Hay,' a dusty yellow, and features deep pink toile de Jouy curtains and an antique Turkish rug. A taxidermy duck from Ardingly Antiques Fair is displayed on the window seat. The bathroom was refitted with classic white fixtures and metro tiles, complemented by a Roman blind, but an unexpected green metal locker introduces a hint of industrial style. Through these efforts, the historic property was given a new life as a characterful home. #HomeRenovation #HouseTour #InteriorDesign #CountryStyle #VintageDecor #KitchenDesign #LivingRoomIdeas #BedroomDecor #DIYProjects #HomeRenovation #HouseTour #InteriorDesign #CountryStyle #VintageDecor #KitchenDesign #LivingRoomIdeas #BedroomDecor #DIYProjects

14 months ago

Read Full Article