Doorstep Gallery

Renowned Yorkshire wildlife artist and conservationist Robert Fuller has extended his farmhouse to create a living area with very special views…

- Heather Dixon

Victoria and Robert Fuller’s extraordinary home is shared with thousands of visitors – both human and animal. By day, tourists from far and wide trek to their farmhouse in Thixendale to buy Robert’s highly acclaimed wildlife art and merchandise. By night the animals take over – making themselves at home in the warren of purpose-built tunnels, dens, ponds and woods which surround the property.

It’s a delicate balance which has not only influenced the way Victoria and Robert live, but also shaped the latest redesign and extension of their family home.

‘Our home and business are inextricably linked, so the farmhouse is constantly evolving,’ says Victoria. ‘We’ve just completed the biggest project of them all to date – a large extension which links the house and garden and has completely changed the way we use the house.’

Since they moved into the dilapidated estate cottage more than 20 years ago, Victoria and Robert have renovated throughout – including new floors, windows, kitchen units and re-plastering – and converted disused outbuildings into a gallery, studio, offices and workshop.

‘It worked well at first, but as the business grew and we had a family, we realised we needed more private space,’ says Victoria. ‘The business facilities were encroaching on our living areas and we needed to redress the balance.’