NESTING INSTINCT

A barn conversion in the Yorkshire countryside provided Kathryn Volgin and husband Dima with the space they needed to start a family, and with plenty of rustic charm for good measure ifit

- SARA EMSLIE

A conversation while on holiday proved to be a catalyst for change for Kathryn Volgin and husband Dima - one that would ultimately lead to the move to the house they now call home. We had almost finished renovating our cottage in Derbyshire and were away on holiday, when we had a serious chat about starting a family,' she explains.

It turned into me scrolling Rightmove for family homes from the sun lounger!' A Grade II listed farmhouse caught Kathryn's eye almost immediately. We spotted the barn and as soon as I saw the fireplace and beams I knew it was the one for us,' she says.

Once back on home soil, and with a viewing arranged, Kathryn's initial feelings were soon proved right. From the second we walked into the house, I remember thinking, Wow! This is going to be our next home.

The couple immediately placed their existing property on the market and then contacted the estate agent to put an offer in on the barn. But fate, it seemed, had already intervened. To my disappointment I was told that the property had already sold,' she says.

However, our estate agent told us not to give up and said they would do everything they could to help us get the house. I'm so glad I listened, because we actually sold our cottage super-fast and offered above the asking price to secure our dream home.'