Our Story by Jo
We love the Lake District!
After renovating our own home in Hawkshead in 2015, I rediscovered my passion for buildings; I hadn't used my degree in Civil Engineering since the birth of my son Harry! Luckily, our own renovation introduced us to a team of local professionals and tradesmen, who we could trust. Then, by chance, Alice came along and became the next chapter of our story....
From Planning to Completion.....
We purchased Alice's in 2016, closely followed by Poppy's in 2017. Installing gas, removing avocado bathroom suites, dismantling formica kitchens, then re-roofing, re-wiring, re-plumbing and completely new interiors. Little did we know that the biggest project yet, Prospect, was just around the corner! With all the consents in place we reconfigured Prospect back to how it would of been 200 years ago. The home had been split in the 60s into 2 apartments and the attached cottage used as an art gallery and dolls museum. The planning, renovation and interior of Prospect took a lot of hard work and well over a year to complete.
When all the dirty work is underway......
I love colour. And I love antiques. Two years ago (when we bought Prospect), I started buying antiques at auction and had to rent a storage unit to house them all! From the moment we start to renovate a property I am creating mood boards of colours and fabrics for each room. It feeds my Farrow and Ball habit and antique addiction :)
The Nice Bit......
All Hands on Deck!
Over the years I have roped in friends and family to help us. From attending appointments with utilities to furniture removal, from testing out properties (party for 30 at Prospect House as a trial!) to website building; we have done it all! But the work never stops, with many local friends helping out with the day-to-day running of the homes to ensure all of our visitors have a wonderful holiday.
Breathing Life into Old Buildings
We always carefully find traditional homes in locations at the heart of the best villages in the Lakes. There is something very rewarding about taking a historic home in a great location that is tired and reviving it into something beautiful. All the homes we renovate are in desperate need of careful renovation. We work with the same great team to strip right back to the stone and make sure that the work is not only visually attractive but traditional and thorough.
The Story Continues......
I feel all our homes are an extension of our own. They are luxury character havens that we would want to book as a couple, family or with friends. They are ideally placed within the honeypot area of the Lakes, with an array of activities come rain or shine. Come share the fun with us! We hope to see you soon. Jo x