Greener Pastures

This lovingly renovated farmhouse belonging to Sarah-Jane and Justin Gray is perfect for festive celebrations

- Hazel Dolan

Christmas at Sarah-Jane and Justin Gray’s home is cosy and welcoming. Roaring fires, bracing country walks and lively gatherings of family and friends are all part of the plan, and at the heart of their celebrations is their huge kitchen and living space. With its long farmhouse table and fabulous views over the countryside, it’s where you are most likely to find the couple and their children Connie, 18, Hamish, 16, and Rory, 13, chatting and relaxing, along with their two spaniels Muckle and Baggins.

It wasn’t always this way. On the wall hangs an early gift from friends: a framed photograph, seen from the other side of the valley, of the farmhouse and its nearest neighbours, a castle and two grand halls. The jokey caption: ‘the worst house on the best street’ summed it up, says Sarah-Jane.

‘The building wasn’t very loveable. It had a modern conservatory on the front and was missing features you’d expect in a period home, like fireplaces and sash windows. The owners were delightful – farmers who had lived here until their eighties – and the building was sound, but functional.’