Rural retreat

Francesca Reed’s sensitive and colourful refurbishment has changed this humble farmhouse into a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of city life

- RICHARD WEBBER

Reflecting on the renovation of their 17th-century farmhouse in the Kent countryside, Francesca Reed and her husband Peter Robinson, ‘naively’ underestimated the work required to revive its charm. ‘It was in a terrible condition but just called out to us – it was clear there was so much potential to be realised,’ says Francesca. ‘The roof leaked and pipework was in poor condition. In fact, broken pipes had caused damage to floors and walls.’

After removing the ruined floorboards, woodworm was discovered, which meant not only replacing joists but fumigating the entire house. ‘We were left with just four external walls because the roof needed replacing, too,’ says Francesca. The couple knew a complete reconfiguration of the house was required. ‘During the 1970s, the layout was reorganised with the ground floor based around two staircases, each going up to a bedroom. Curiously, though, there was no way of getting from one to the other without descending one staircase and ascending the other. ‘It wasn’t practical,’ says Francesca, who hired TaylorHare Architects to redesign the layout.