COTTAGE COMFORT

When Giles Kime and his wife Katie bought a tired and badly extended 17th-century cottage, they set out to revive the old property and create a restful family home full of character

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EXTERIOR The cottage dates back to the 1630s; as part of the renovations, the 19th-century extension was reworked and now houses the kitchen-dining space and utility. Lime render brings coherence to the exterior When Giles Kime and his wife Katie found this house in a Hampshire village, they decided to buy it before their car had even crunched up the drive. 'The second thoughts lasted only a few (Arctic) months as we decided what to do with the tired 1630s cottage that had been badly extended in both the 1880s and 1950s,' says Giles.

Understanding its past was key to plotting its future. Built as an unassuming hall house, it was embellished in the 1730s and furnished with 'mod cons', including a hearth and bread oven. In the late 19th century, a barn was converted to a joinery workshop and another to a saw shed that became a weaving studio in the 1970s. The heritage statement written by their architect demonstrated why a nip and a tuck wasn't an option; after some pretty shoddy intervention in the past, the couple didn't merely want to restore the property, but to also ensure it would stand the test of time.