Pastures new

A move from London to the beautiful Dorset coast to restore a tired cottage has given Jane McCarthy and her husband Johnny their ideal country life

- MARISHA TAYLOR

Leaving behind their lives in London wasn't an easy choice for Jane McCarthy and her husband Johnny, but a move to a picturesque village on the Dorset coast gave them the opportunity to complete a dream renovation project, start an interior design business and restore some balance back into their lives.

'The location was the main reason we viewed the cottage,' says Jane. 'Nestled in a picture postcard village and only a short walk through fields down to the breathtaking coastline and sea, it was everything we had envisaged leaving London for.' Although surrounded by generous, mature gardens, the cottage itself needed a little more work. It was a warren of small rooms and felt dark and dingy. 'Johnny didn't even think it was an option after our first viewing, but I could see that with some love and careful thought, it had the potential to be something special and I spent the long journey back to London convincing him!'