INTO THE BLUE

The colours of the Devonshire coastline provided inspiration for Felicity Thomson’s spacious barn conversion

- JO LEEVERS

Felicity Thomson, who lives on a farm near Salcombe in Devon, says May is her favourite time of year. ‘Early spring is when our foals are born and it’s also when the countryside starts to come into its own,’ she says. ‘Wildflowers begin to bloom and the long, sandy beaches are at their most beautiful.’

Felicity, her husband Charles and their children, Freya and Freddie, moved to this part of the world 20 years ago from Kent, but already knew the area well. ‘We had a holiday home down here, which meant we’d already built up a good circle of friends,’ she says. It still took a while to find their perfect home, which is a Grade II-listed 18th-century farmhouse with several outbuildings.

The couple wanted a completely fresh start from their busy commuting-based lifestyles. Charles gave up working for his family engineering business and instead the couple focused on creating a different way of life on the farm. The Thomsons now breed Dartmoor ponies, which have won prizes at the Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International Horse Show.

Kitchen Open wall cabinets and plate racks give the space a homely, country cottage feel. Similar plate rack, Furniture 4 Your Home

Five years ago, they decided to make another new beginning – converting a large barn on the farm into this warm, welcoming home. The building is on two levels and a previous owner, who was in the music business, had used part of the top portion as a recording studio. ‘Robert Plant, the Levellers and Alannah Myles recorded here,’ says Felicity. The lower level, however, had been used for hay storage.