Three in one

Sam Dascombe and Jeremy Flindall brought their property's three distinct parts together to create one unique family home

- ANNABELLE GRUNDY

The classical, Georgian-style exterior of Sam Dascombe and Jeremy Flindall’s village home gives few clues to what lies beyond, but once inside it is clear that this property has a unique history. The airy reception hall narrows into a cosy, low-beamed snug, before opening out to a spacious kitchen-diner.

‘The front part burned down and was rebuilt in the 1700s and the snug in the middle is probably 16th century,’ says Sam. ‘The kitchen was in a huge, 100-year-old barn, converted by the previous owner.’ With five children between them, Sam and Jeremy had been looking for a characterful six-bedroom house, with a family-friendly layout. Although changes were needed, they felt confident they could adapt this property to tick all their boxes.

‘We loved the heart-of-village location, and the big split-level room at the back, but most of the interior felt dated,’ says Sam. ‘There were old-fashioned fireplaces, a dark inner hall and cold tiled floors. The kitchen was pretty but very small and the living space didn’t flow well.’