Trading places

The Stafford-Smiths swapped city living for a fresh start in the country and a poky terrace for a big converted barn… bringing urban glamour together with rustic character in the process

Living room

‘The full-height windows let in so much light and the green velvet sofas give a blast of colour and texture. They go really well with the vintage gold tables, which were a gift.’

After many years in London, the Stafford- Smiths moved back to their old stomping ground of Cheshire. ‘With two young kids, we decided it was time to move back home and give them the sort of childhood we had, with family around. We wanted to be in a semi-rural area and identified villages near Knutsford as the best locations. There wasn’t a lot of choice, so we viewed around 10 properties.’ The barn stood out because of the space and possibilities it offered. ‘We wanted somewhere we could put our stamp on and some places had only recently been done up. It would have been criminal to rip out new kitchens and bathrooms.’