Family Fortunes

Creating a home to suit three generations is no mean feat, but Sara and Scott Thompson have carried it off with elegance and charm in their modern farmhouse

- Sarah Farley

The story of this new build began about 40 years ago, when Scott Thompson’s parents bought an old farm cottage just outside Belfast. Over the decades, as their  family grew, they added various extensions, as well as lambing sheds and other agricultural buildings.

By 2010, Scott’s two siblings were living abroad and he and his wife, Sara, had two children of their own, Harry, now 10, and Olivia, nine. When the couple started to think about expanding their home, Scott’s parents were, at the same time, considering downsizing. The families were already living within a short distance of each other and the benefits of the spot chosen by the senior Thompsons all those years ago were clear to everyone – space and serenity within 10 minutes of the city.