Inside one of Yorkshire's best barn conversions

Finding the perfect property was a challenge for Gillian and Phil Kay, who wanted to swap their suburban life in the South for a dream home in the North Yorkshire countryside.

The long-distance search finally yielded a barn conversion in Potto, near Stokesley, which fulfilled almost everything on their wish list.

The location was tranquil with views of the Cleveland Hills and it was within easy travelling distance of the London-bound train from Northallerton. The property had also been modernised without the loss of its impressive architectural features.

“It was really well done and the layout flowed beautifully. The only thing it lacked was personality. The decor was just too bland for our tastes,” says Gillian, who combined her imagination and creativity with Phil’s DIY skills to transform the property.

Her starting point was a series of themes. The most striking is “the medieval room”, a dining room inspired by knights of old and lavish banquets. The double-height space features a long wooden table, goblets, candelabra, a tapestry and a life-size suit of armour.

“He is my knight in shining armour and people find him amusing. He was £400 and we had him shipped over from Belgium,” says Gillian, who themed the sitting room in a “horse and hound” style. “That started with me imagining the riders coming home from the hunt and warming themselves in front of the wood-burning stove,” she says.

Her mission was to create a warm and cosy feel and she started by covering the pale walls with a coat of dark grey. She then added an enormous gilded mirror, checked fabrics and dog and horse-themed prints.

To create atmosphere, extra wall lights and dimmers were installed, along with a lantern inside the fireplace that gives a warm glow in summer when the woodburner is redundant. The second sitting room, which is filled with natural light, has been turned into a reading room complete with new built-in bookshelves, while the front hall, which was bare, was filled with an over-sized clock, storage chest and rocking horse.

Some of the furniture came from Gillian’s previous house near London and from Phil’s property in Bedfordshire, although the recently married couple wanted a fresh start for their first home together in Yorkshire. “I was born in Northallerton and although my parents left to move south when I was four, we often came back to visit family. I have very fond memories of the area and Phil liked it too, which is why we decided to move here,” says Gillian, a retired teacher.

“It has everything we wanted: lovely countryside, a nice village and it’s easy to get the train back to see my parents and grown-up children.”

The move was the perfect excuse to offload some possessions and replace them with new finds.

The Kays have enjoyed hunting for furniture and accessories that suit the former barn. Most are vintage from charity shops, antique shops and eBay. They also bought from Simply Dutch at Leeming Bar, which is well known for its quirky home and garden ware.

The wardrobe for Gillian’s “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” room came from there and suits the theme, which was sparked by the iron bed.

“I also wanted a French bedroom and we managed to find a great vintage bed on eBay for £500 from a lady in France,” says Gillian, who teamed it with French-style wardrobes and a matching bathroom with glamorous mirror, free-standing bath and chandelier.

While their barn conversion was ready to move into, she and Phil have made the best use of the space available and have redecorated every inch of it. The large rear entrance hall is now a music room and home to Phil’s jukebox, disco lights and a karaoke machine. The small storage area at the rear of the dining room is now a wine room with racking.

The kitchen was given a makeover with new lights to brighten up a dark corner and a lick of green paint on the cupboards and walls. It is filled with interesting pieces, including an old railway bench, vintage signs and a collection of 20th century crockery.

Even the garden was revamped in a romantic Victorian style. It has new seating, lanterns, ornamental birdcages, pergolas and a water feature surrounded by new hedging, trees, climbing roses and honeysuckle. “We took three sheds down and utilised every bit of space with four or five different areas where you can sit and relax. It’s really pretty but it’s also low maintenance,” says Gillian.

In just under a year, the whole property has been transformed inside and out into a beautiful, characterful home. It makes saying goodbye to it even harder. Gillian and Phil are selling the property to move back south to be closer to elderly parents.

“It will be hard to leave. We love Potto and our house but I will definitely be recreating a bit of it in our next home,” she says. “My medieval room is coming with me. I love it.”

The barn at Cooper Lane, Potto, is £375,000. It has three reception rooms, a kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study and off-street parking. For details, contact Dacre, Son and Hartley, tel: 01845 574939, dacres.co.uk