Hidden, paradise

With hard work and a lot of initiative, Minnie and James Vosper lovingly brought their run-down home into the 21st century

On a grey day of pouring rain, Minnie and James Vosper came to view an 1840s cottage on the north Cornish coast. "The ceilings were so low James couldn't even stand up," says Minnie. "The estate agent took one look at him - he's 6ft 4in - and discounted us as potential buyers." But while James was muttering about it being a potential money pit, Minnie was overwhelmed by the magical spell cast by the cottage.

"It had clearly been a much-loved family home, but it was now very tired and needed totally modernising," she says. "There were three small bedrooms and two reception rooms plus an 1980s lean-to at the back housing the downstairs bathroom and kitchen. There was also a conservatory."

As for the nearly one-acre grounds they were very overgrown and had been neglected for years. "They were on a steep slope exposed to the sea winds; there was masses of weeds, brambles and bindweed," says Minnie, a keen gardener. Hidden and secluded, yet only one mile from the beach, the traditional stone- and cob-built cottage was unlisted. "But we were keen to retain its character, seeing it as part of the local heritage," says Minnie. A narrow track led down to a small copse and it was there that James also began to sense the building's beauty.

HOMEOWNERS Minnie and James Vosper

LOCATION North Cornwall

SIZE (Extension) 66m²

BUILD TIME 34 months

BUILD ROUTE Self-build with contractors and Minnie and James project-managing

CONSTRUCTION (EXTENSION) Timber frame with traditional strip foundations

HOUSE COST £445,000

BUILD COST £350,000; cabin and gardens £120,000