Catherine Colston, a property investor and owner of Black Door Stays, lives here with her husband Alistair, a chartered surveyor.
Having lived in their Grade II-listed home for 26 years, Catherine Colston and her husband Alistair finally felt it was time to downsize. But rather than simply looking for a ready-made home to move into, they decided to embark on an ambitious new-build project to create a property tailor-made to suit their future needs – providing the perfect forever family home to retire in.
What made you decided to build your own home?
‘We’re both moving into a phased retirement, and we wanted a home that was going to see us through our latter years. Having seen the mobility issues our elderly parents have, we wanted a space that could be future-proofed from the start, so we wouldn’t need to move again.’
How did you find the plot?
'We knew of a house for sale across the road, and the site had bags of potential – the views across the valley were amazing. Our initial plan was to retrofit the existing house, but it was going to be very expensive, and we’d have to compromise on the room sizes so we applied for permission to demolish, rebuild and extend to the side, taking in an old small garage.’
How did you future-proof the house?
‘We worked closely with BPB Architects and interior designer Grace King of Studio Rey to optimise the layout. I wanted it to be “Zimmer-proof”, so the main bedroom suite is located at ground-floor level; this way, we wouldn’t need a stair lift, plus the full-length floating balcony means we can step straight outside to enjoy our morning coffee.
'We also plan to do more travelling for longer periods so we factored in extra storage for our belongings, allowing us to share the space more easily if people stay while we’re away. Another priority was making sure it was thermally efficient, so we installed solar panels along the south-facing roof, an air source heat pump, triple glazing and underfloor heating throughout so it’s toasty warm and costs little to run.’
What changes did you make to the garden?
‘Our previous garden required a lot of tending, so we wanted something more low-maintenance. We’ve created a variety of terraces for sitting and al fresco dining, with an outdoor kitchen to come – we also added raised beds for veggies and flowers for easier access.
'We’ve even put an outdoor bath under the pergola so we can have a soak while enjoying the view. We also bought part of the field behind the house, which we’ll plant with fruit trees and wildflowers, plus there’s a pond to help with rainwater irrigation.’
What advice would you give others?
‘Think about what you want from your space now and how those requirements might change over the years. An interior designer is also worth their weight in gold – Grace brought our vision to life, as well as throwing in a few curveballs, which I love – it’s made the house so special.’
Room-by-room
Kitchen
Ethnicraft Bok dining table, £1,309, Holloways of Ludlow. Edison dining chair in walnut, £349, West Elm. Try Yalia dining chair with rope seat, £229, Kave Home. Paris Nights pendant, £382, Royal Design. Artwork, Adam Cartwright.
Catherine's interior designer Grace King pulled the colours for the kitchen from the terrazzo used on the kitchen island and worktops. ‘We love the mix of terrazzo, ribbed painted doors and walnut cabinetry.'
Terrazzo worktop, price on request, Bristol Marble and Granite. Form Cone shadependant bar strip light in Black (shown left), £265, Dyke and Dean.
‘We went for a sleek, handleless design with ergonomic drawers; the dishwasher is at waist height to save on bending down!’
Living room
When considering the living room design, they chose voile drapes for privacy. These frame and soften a large picture window but don’t detract from the view beyond.
‘Our floating balcony is reached via sliding doors from both the living area and main bedroom. It was a big build challenge, but worth it for the beautiful views.'
Bedroom
A headboard in soft mustard adds contrast to a neutral scheme. ‘One of my favourite features is the framed fabric above our bed – it was a really clever, cost-effective idea suggested by Grace, and adds an exciting dimension to the space,' says Catherine.
‘It was important that each space had its own design, but with a clear colour thread and complementary timber finishes to create a sense of cohesion.’
En-suite bathroom
'We went for a super generous walk-in shower - again, thinking about the future. We also have a his-and-hers double vanity, with storage for all of our toiletries,' says Catherine.
Guest bedroom
‘The slatted wall panel brings interest to this serene room; I love that, with the sliding doors, it has an indoor-outdoor feel.’
Guest en-suite
Patterned wall tiles bring a subtle décor touch to a practical bathing space. ‘Soft pinks and greens link with the adjoining room’s scheme, as does the ribbed vanity. It feels cohesive, yet interesting – this is why having an interior designer’s eye always pays off!’
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