Historic £1.2m Yorkshire home with features said to have been created by artist who worked on Sistine Chapel up for sale

Fate has been more than kind to Stones House, a beautiful historic home in the sought-after village of Ripponden. Almost all of its remarkable Georgian and Victorian features have been preserved, but the property is not listed.

These include hand-painted glass panels showing the four seasons and stunning decorative ceilings, both by an Italian artist said to have worked on the Sistine Chapel.

The original parquet floors, wrought iron balustrade, Minton tiles in the hall, and the Lincrusta wallpaper are still there, as are the grand sliding doors painted with scenes of Scottish lochs.

While subsequent owners have upgraded the house, they have all been careful to protect the features that make it so special.

The six-bedroom property is now on the market for £1.2m with VG Estates after having its most comprehensive and sensitive makeover yet.

The work began when interior designer Sharon Broadbent and her husband David bought the house five years ago.

“It needed quite a bit of work but it was a lovely big house perfect for family living and it was in a semi-rural area we loved. Ripponden is surrounded by beautiful countryside and it has a great community, good schools, restaurants and pubs but it also has quick access to the M62 and to Leeds and Manchester,” says Sharon.

She and David have done a sterling job in retaining and highlighting the craftsmanship and artistry of old while restoring, modernising and redecorating the property.

The marriage of period and modern is harmonious and no expense has been spared to ensure that the level of craftsmanship on the new elements matches that of the joiners and cabinet makers who worked on the house in the 1800s.

Sharon says: “Ryburn Valley Furniture did a lot of the work here and they are excellent. The workmanship is incredible.”

One of the biggest jobs was replacing all the windows installed in the middle of last century with Georgian-style sash windows. The original bay windows were restored and double glazed.

The main bedroom also required a lot of effort and expense. “We spent a lot of money there but it was worth it as it was a big transformation.

“One of the windows had been blocked up to make an ensuite, so we reinstated it to make the room dual aspect and we put a copper bath in the bedroom, along with a smaller ensuite built to look like a corner cabinet,” says Sharon, who owns Gingerbread Interiors based at The Piece Hall in Halifax.

Her palette of Little Greene and Zoffany paint colours for the house included a range of greys, now the UK’s favourite neutrals. There is a mid-grey on the drawing room walls, which sits quietly next to the stunning painted ceiling.

The sofas are in grey wool and there are Victorian and Georgian side tables and a glass coffee table. The curtains are in James Hare fabric with a French trim, the rug is by Calvin Klein and the cushions are in a Ralph Lauren fabric.

“I wanted a muted palette in that room because the painted ceiling is the star of the show and I wanted that to shine,” says Sharon, who also added a contemporary chandelier bought from Barker and Stonehouse.

“I commissioned a company to make an 80 kilo glass chandelier at first but then I was worried that the ceiling wouldn’t take the weight so I cancelled the order. I couldn’t risk bringing that amazing ceiling down, although as it turned out, it could have coped.”

The dining room is in a darker shade of grey and a 10ft Georgian table from London-based antique dealer Elizabeth Jane takes centre stage. It is surrounded by chairs from Kelly Hoppen.

In the kitchen, Sharon kept some of the bespoke units already there and the original housekeeper’s cupboard but Ryburn Valley Furniture replicated the latter. The table and chairs are from Heal’s.

All the bedrooms, bathrooms, study and the tower room/yoga studio were also revamped.

Furniture, furnishings and accessories are from a variety of sources, including John Lewis, Neptune, Kelly Hoppen, Sofa.com, antiques dealers including Greetland’s Andy Thornton, along with small boutiques shops and Sharon’s trade suppliers.

“The interior is a mix of modern and antique pieces because I wanted the rooms to look like they had evolved. It wouldn’t have looked or felt right to make everything contemporary,” says Sharon.

While the property is now perfect, there is still some potential left for subsequent owners as the vast cellars at Stones House are ripe for conversion.

“It took a year and a lot of time and love and an eye-watering amount of money to do Stones House but it has been worth every penny,” says Sharon, who is selling to move to another property close to Rippondren that is in need of modernising,

“We love it and will be sad to leave but I can’t resist a new challenge because I love the process of renovating.”

Stones House, Ripponden, is £1.2m and is for sale with VG Estates, tel: 01422 822277, www.vgestates.co.uk. It has four reception rooms, two studies, a house bathroom, four ensuites, two cloakrooms, six double bedrooms, a tower room and a dining kitchen, utility and boot room. Outside is gated parking and a large garden. Useful Contacts: Gingerbread Interiors, The Piece Hall, Halifax, www.gingerbreadinteriors.com. Ryburn Valley Furniture, www.ryburnvalleyfurniture.co.uk

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