This amazing Yorkshire barn conversion is on the market

Great design stands the test of time and Chris Watson’s converted barn and cow byre is a good example of this truism. He turned the agricultural building into a home 17 years ago and it looks as fresh and exciting now and it did in the early noughties.

The success is down to Chris’s gift for spatial design, his love of contemporary architecture and his creative ideas. A builder, who is best known for developing interesting homes and constructing one-off properties for clients, he can turn his hand to anything from plumbing and plastering to joinery and brickwork and he carried out this conversion almost single-handedly.

“I don’t think I ever stopped working. It was 12-hour days, but I didn’t mind. I love what I do and I love creating something special,” he says.

There have also been regular refreshes over the years to keep the decor on trend, along with the addition of a separate annexe. “It says a lot about this place that we have stayed so long because there has been temptation and plenty of chances to move and do other projects for ourselves but we have resisted until now,” says Chris. “It’s rural and peaceful and it’s a wonderful place to come home to after a busy day at work but it’s only a 10-minute drive to the A1M and M62.”

The decision to sell the Courtyard at Little Fenton came when he was granted permission to convert a nearby farm building into a new home. So, the property is now on the market for £795,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley’s Wetherby office.

“It means we get to stay in this location, which we love, but we have the excitement of converting a portal frame structure into a contemporary home,” says Chris.

The latest project should not be as labour intensive as the Courtyard. Chris had to disassemble the unstable barn brick by brick, before rebuilding it. “It took three months to clean the bricks up and put it back together. You have to be fairly passionate about what you’re doing to bother to do that,” he says. “They are hand-clamped 200-year-old bricks and very hard to lay.”

After a re-roof, the interior was formed and is a clever blend of old and new. Exposed beams, brickwork and woodwork reveal the building’s history while the double-height glazed atrium is a 21st century addition that brings views and even more natural light into the much-loved family home.

Mod cons include underfloor heating, a sound and lighting system and a wood pellet boiler. The latter comes with a generous government renewable heat incentive. “The RHI payment means that you effectively get free heating and boiler maintenance,” says Chris. “The boiler was expensive. It cost £25,000 but I’d recommend it. It’s one of the best things we bought. It’s cost-effective, super-efficient and carbon-neutral and we love it so much we are going to install one in our new house.”

The Courtyard has an entrance hall, cloakroom, utility room, open-plan kitchen/sitting/dining room and an office. The ground-floor snug, bedroom and bathroom can work together as a guest suite. Upstairs, there is a double bedroom with a mezzanine area and a bathroom, a second double bedroom with ensuite and a large main bedroom with a bathroom.

Most recently, Chris and his wife have redesigned the kitchen, which now has bifold doors and new units from Howdens, along with an island. “Howdens is a great Yorkshire company, their designs are good and so is the quality but the prices are reasonable,” he says. “That allowed us to splash out on the granite, leather-look worktops, which were £3,000. They are fantastic and you can see glitters of quartz and tiny bits of rubies in them.”

All the walls in the house are painted in Farrow & Ball colours with a mix of neutrals and bold feature walls. Redbrick Mill in Batley, the interiors mecca that boasts everything from Heal’s to Made.com and a host of independent retailers, is the Watsons’ favourite place to shop for furniture and lighting.

It’s also where they pick up some of their interior inspiration. The enormous oak-topped coffee table in the sitting area is from there and was an investment buy. There are also eBay finds, including the £60 dining table, along with old favourites that have been revitalised by upholsterer Sally Holmes, of Fabrication, who also made the curtains and blinds.

“We had our comfortable old sofa reupholstered and it now looks fresh and modern. The difference it has made has been incredible,” adds Chris. “We also had my grandmother’s chair reupholstered. It is over 100 years old and it now has new life thanks to Sally.”

Outside, there is Mediterranean-style courtyard and long garden with an orchard. The separate annexe has a double bedroom and a living space and generates an income.

“We have let it on a short-hold tenancy, though it could be let on AirBnB for short breaks. That is an option for whoever buys the house,” says Chris, who has mixed emotions about selling his home.

He and his wife love their home and brought their children up there but they can’t wait to start on their self-build adventure. This time, Chris’s son, Josh, will be part of the team as he has joined his father in the business.

“The new place is going to be very contemporary and minimalist inside with a porcelain patio outside,” says Chris. “I’ve got loads of ideas for it and I can’t wait to get started.”

*The Courtyard, Little Fenton, is for sale with Dacre, Son & Hartley for £795,000, tel: 01937 586177, www.dacres.co.uk. Chris’s business is City Builders, email: [email protected]. Sally Holmes, upholstery and soft furnishings specialist, near Selby, www.sallyholmesfabrication.co.uk

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