Great escape to the country

A seasoned property renovator and professional gardener, Lizzie Butterfield is used to mucking in and getting her hands dirty. So, when she bought a cottage in need of modernisation, she thought nothing of knocking down walls and ripping out kitchens.

The reward for her bold approach is a “grown-up dolls house” that is perennially perfect. The historic property is now a holiday let and its job is to look gorgeous and spotless, unlike a real, everyday family home where there is clutter, mess and a never-ending list of DIY jobs.

“I call this my escape. I can keep it lovely and put flowers out whereas my house is mayhem. We have two 11-year-old boys and dogs and so it’s impossible to keep tidy,” says Lizzie, who works part-time for the National Trust as a gardener at Nunnington Hall.

She originally bought the cottage as a main home but after marrying and moving to a nearby village with her husband, David, she couldn’t bear to part with the property.

“I loved it and I couldn’t bear to sell it or to let it on a regular tenancy so I decided to turn it into a holiday let. I’m pleased I did. It’s enjoyable even though I have to make sure it stays immaculate.”

While the house looks beautiful now, it was a different story when she first bought it. It was dated and damp when she got the keys three years ago and her first job was to plan a new layout that would maximise space and allow more natural light into the rooms.

“I’ve done about six renovations. I just love old houses and I enjoy bringing them back to life. It’s in the blood. My dad was a builder,” says Lizzie. “Knocking walls down doesn’t scare me at all and I like to gut a place and start again so I can make sure everything is right”

Removing the staircase that had been put in a box room to create access to the loft was top of her “to do” list.

She replaced it with a retractable ladder and turned the box room into a reading room. Walls and doors were moved to make more useable spaces in the bedrooms and the bathroom was completely refitted.

Downstairs, the archway in the hallway was removed and a cupboard created under the stairs. Knocking down a strangely-placed false wall in the dining room revealed the waste pipe from the toilet and it was leaking.

“Finding the pipe was a shock but it turned out well because we moved it and the wall was hiding a gap, which was perfect for the dining table,” she says.

The kitchen was the biggest challenge. She designed in a utility area, slightly moved a wall to accommodate a fridge and created a false chimney breast with space for a range cooker. A large skylight was installed, along with a picture window above the sink, and what was a dark, dismal place is now filled with natural light. The kitchen units were a budget buy from B&Q and cost £2,500.

Insulation and a new heating system have made the house cosy but for added hygge, Lizzie has put a wood-burning stove in the dining room and an electric stove in the front sitting room.

The décor is classic contemporary with walls painted in soft whites and French Grey by Little Greene. Furniture is a mix of old and new. The dining table was orange pine before the top was sanded and stained and the base painted with Autentico chalk paint. The Art Deco chair was donated by a friend and recovered.

Lizzie’s love of auctions and antiques means that there are lots of vintage finds that add character to the property. Some of them have been sourced locally and others from visits to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in France, which is famous for its brocantes.

The house is also full of clever ideas. Instead of dressing tables there are space-saving wall-hung mirrors with shelves beneath.

The bedheads are sheets of tongue and groove MDF fastened to the wall and topped with architrave.

Blinds and curtains, made by Kirkbymoorside-based Lyn Bailey, add colour and texture and the white bed linen is from Ryedale Laundry.

“I use a lot of local suppliers and Kirkbymoorside is a fantastic place for finding what you need. There are some great shops here and everyone is so helpful,” says Lizzie.

One of her favourite shops is Busy Liz’s floral design. “I love fresh flowers and I like them to mirror the plants outside,” she says, looking out at the new garden area.

The patio is topped with a second-hand cast iron table and chairs that have been treated to a fashionable coat of grey paint.

“I’ve done buy-to-let properties and I don’t have any emotional attachment to them at all but this place is different,” she says. “I love it and the plan is to live here one day.”

Useful Contacts

Castlegate, Kirkbymoorside is for let via Rural Retreats, ruralretreats.co.uk

Home Decorating Centre, Market Place, Kirkbymoorside, homedecoratingcentre.co.uk

Busy Liz’s floral design, Crown Square, Kirkbymoorside, busylizs.co.uk

Lyn Bailey, blinds and curtains, Market Place, Kirkbymoorside

CW Strickland electricians, 
Kirkbymoorside, electricalcontractorsryedale.co.uk

Greyhound Antiques, Newbiggin, Malton

Calverts Carpets for sisal flooring, calverts-carpets.co.uk