Escape to the country

Inge Versteegh and Michel Berger left town, bought an old farmhouse and set about giving their style a more rustic vibe…

- KAROLA WOLL, KAREN WILSON

Having lived in a bustling town for many years, Inge Versteegh and Michel Berger wanted a slower pace of life. After finding a 240-year old farmhouse close to Michel’s family in the southern Netherlands, they made the move. The marlstone facade, original barn doors and large inner courtyard featuring an old well captured their hearts. It also had a self-contained one-bedroom apartment that Inge could run as a B&B (brookerhof.nl). ‘Having lived in cities all my life, I appreciate the quietness of Limburg but sometimes it’s too quiet,’ she says. ‘That’s why it’s nice to have people staying with us. Our guests are always in a good holiday mood and I like to pamper people.’ Although the inner courtyard needed rebuilding and the decor was old-fashioned, the couple appreciated the room sizes and half-acre grounds which include a lovely orchard. ‘I enjoy old details that tell a story. It’s exciting to think that this house was here long before we were and will probably be here long after us.’