New Romance

Having discovered this thatched cottage while holidaying in a favourite spot on the coast of the Baltic Sea, Christine Pink bought it as a weekend bolthole. However, she fell in love with the property and its surroundings and soon gave up city life

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After 20 years working for at fashion agency in Hamburg, Christine Pink needed a break from the rush of the city. 'I loved to spend my holidays by the Baltic Sea; I enjoyed the peace and tranquillity, so whenever I could, I'd rent a cottage.' It was on one of those holiday trips, back in 2007, that she came upon an old house with a 'For sale' sign. 'It was love at first sight,' she says. 'I didn't even have to look around; I wanted to buy it immediately! Initially, I was only planning to use it at weekends.'

The location of the former smithy, built in 1856, couldn't have been more idyllic: surrounded by fields as far as the eye could see, and a garden filled with mature magnolias and plum trees. It was clear the property had huge potential.