New look for a hidden-away modern home in York

This contemporary, hidden home in central York has been given a new lease of life and a great new look. Sharon Dale reports. Pictures by Gary Longbottom.When floods devastated hundreds of homes in York just after Christmas 2015, Mike and Beverley Proctor’s house was one of the worst hit. They had only just bought the property and turned it into a holiday let with the intention of eventually retiring there.“The guest who was staying was only our second and had to be evacuated. We ended up with four feet of water in the house,” says Mike.It was a stressful time but the rain clouds that caused the flood had a silver lining. An insurance payout enabled the Proctors to restore the ground and first floor. This meant they had good reason to give them a whole new look with the help of interior designer Carole Whitby. (Read more on Carole and her home )

Carole Whitby, interior designer, at her shop, Upside Down Design on Bootham in York

The damage caused by the River Foss also prompted a decision to demolish an under-used garden room and replace it with a third bedroom with an ensuite.“It took us a year to do all the work and during that time we decided to bring forward our plans to move in here,” says Mike.“It’s the best thing we could have done. We love being in the city centre. Everything you could want is on the doorstep.”Mike and Beverley swapped their large family home in a York suburb for the smaller city centre house, which was originally built by David and Eileen Downie.

The house is on a small, hidden-away site

The couple are self-builders and renowned for constructing architecturally exciting homes on small and difficult sites.Mike and Beverley were impressed when they viewed the 10-year-old property. Having self-built their own home in the suburbs, they appreciated the clever design and the exceptional location.“We fell in love with it. It’s almost completely hidden from view and yet it’s in the city centre and very few people realise it’s here,” says Mike.“It’s also detached, which is rare in central York, and it has some outside space.” The steel-framed building is clad in brick and features large areas of glazing and a zinc roof.The layout is set over three floors, with bedrooms on the ground floor where they are insulated from city noise.There is an open-plan living space with kitchen on the first floor and a sitting room on the top floor. The house has a small garden and balconies on the upper levels.

Mike Proctor at his newly-refurbished home in York

The decision to use an interior designer was taken because Mike and Beverley wanted someone to design and install fitted wardrobes but they were so delighted with Carole Whitby’s ideas, that they asked her to design and fit out their bedroom and the whole of the first floor.“She was brilliant and understood us completely,” says Mike. “Bev is very creative so she took the lead in liaising with Carole.”Carole adds: “Bev and Mike wanted the space to reflect the way they lived. They had downsized but the old kitchen was over dominant in the living space on the first floor.“Their bedroom hadn’t been a priority so we created a brief together for a luxurious boutique hotel-style room that they could escape to when their older children needed the run of the house with their friends.“We also developed the design to reflect Bev’s love of luxury and colour.”

The new kitchen

The new kitchen was inspired by a vintage apothecary look and it is teamed with highly contemporary Elica appliances.The carcasses, doors and drawers were handmade by Carole’s carpenter from reclaimed mahogany library shelves.“We also sourced vintage ironmongery and aged the screws to match,” says Carole, who managed to keep to budget by mixing the mahogany units with painted ones made from birch ply.“The ply paints up so beautifully compared with MDF and is much more stable in a humid kitchen environment.”

Carole also suggested sanding and liming the existing dark floorboards using Mylands earth oils finished with a hard-wearing top coat.

“This floor colour allowed the mahogany and soft white kitchen units to sit together beautifully,” she adds.Furniture is mix of mid-century pieces and new pieces from local makers, including a comfortable, made-to-measure dining bench so that Bev and daughter Evie can work at the dining table.

Carole sourced the mirror doors from Newark Antiques Fair and the velvet and lime green club chairs are bespoke. The handmade roman blinds are in a Boeme fabric.The main bedroom features sustainably sourced teak chosen to add warmth, along with mustard and teal velvets.Anna Hayman cushions and lamps, which Carole sells in her Upside Down Design store on Bootham, add pattern.“The dressing table is a favourite of mine as it we made it exactly for Bev’s needs,” she says.“It has everything from somewhere to put jewellery to concealed hairdryers, make-up task lighting and mood light washing over an aged mirror.”

.Mike and Beverley are delighted with Carole’s scheme and are also confident that their home is now safe from flooding.The flood defences on the River Foss have been strengthened, which is just as well as Mike and Beverley are keen to stay put in their hidden-away home.

“Living in central York has changed our lives. We can walk everywhere and there’s so much to do and see,” says Mike.“The only slight problem is that we are tempted to eat out a lot. We are spoiled for choice with restaurants and cafes.”Useful ContactInterior designer Carole Whitby trades as Upside Down Design and also has an interiors store at 27 Bootham, York, www.upsidedowndesign.co.uk