Luckily for this stunning 18th-century mansion, Ann Louise Roswald and her husband Nick Hartley are equally creative and imaginative. Her restored and redesigned home in North Yorkshire, UK is now one of the the world’s best houses but with fashion and textile designer Ann Louise and Nick, the founder of The Baytown Coffee Company (opens in new tab) When first seen, the former Georgian farmhouse had fallen into disrepair and its outbuildings were crumbling into the rugged coastal landscape.
Her vision was to restore the home to its original condition while adding a contemporary design that connects to the landscape and provides an open space for her family.
For anyone thinking of renovating, Nick’s top tip is to be able to adapt and assume that whatever funds you set aside for construction work will cost more. Patience is also important for a project of this magnitude. The restoration took the couple 11 years and is still ongoing. But it was worth every moment and the results speak for themselves in that graceful Georgian beauty that now not only suits the landscape around her but also 21st century life.
dining room
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
The glass doors in the newly built dining room can be opened when it is warm to give the feeling of eating al fresco. This glass addition to the home was built specifically for this purpose – allowing the home to embrace the landscape and vice versa. Dining room ideas These include Eames chairs, a G-Plan sideboard and the exposed original exterior bricks are central to the room design. The stylish pendant lamp above the table is from Secto.
Renovations are not without challenges, and there was much to do over the course of this project, from convincing national parks to allow dormer windows to be reinstalled in the attic bedrooms, to choosing ideas that fit the budget.
This black-framed glass room was originally going to be built from seamless glass, but this proved prohibitive and the couple opted for sliding glass doors instead.
family living room
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
living room ideas Because this spacious family room required a corresponding sense of moderation. A huge sofa bed divides the space, and Douglas fir beams emphasize its height. A double-sided fireplace is a good solution for the partially open floor plan. The walls and ceiling are painted in bespoke Mylands (opens in new tab) Colors (Higgins Black Coffee and Duke St Gray) developed by Ann Louise when she designed the HR Higgins (opens in new tab) Café, where she is creative director.
kitchen
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
kitchen ideas For this homey space, borrow the idea of an Italian farmhouse, with a stove and hanging pans and herbs. Walls painted a soft plaster-pink hue provide a warm, neutral backdrop that goes well with the exposed brickwork surrounding the Aga.
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
Formal living room update
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
In the original Georgian part of the house, the formal living room is a grown-up place to relax. living room ideas Here, keep the original fireplace as the focal point, along with the sleek windows and shutters, but freshen up the look with the sleek dark walls and glamorous lighting.
outdoor kitchen
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
With folding doors that open fully to the family room, the outdoor kitchen is used for evening and weekend meals. The table is reclaimed wood and the chairs are Jasper Morrison by Vitra. Ann Louise designed the abstract coffee bean floor tiles herself, in her favorite color combination of green and pink.
The garden
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
The hardest part of this project was the landscaping. The home is set in two acres of split-level gardens, and the couple wanted to make sure it flowed and worked together as a whole. One way to ensure harmony was to salvage and reuse materials from the farm’s long-ruined outbuildings. The old stones have been put to good use in the landscaping to maintain this connection with the past. And over time, shrubs have been formed into hedges to provide shelter so garden plants can thrive. The couple also pondered coastal garden ideas, considering plants that would thrive in this location so close to the sea.
The master bedroom
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
bedroom ideas for the master bedroom in the Georgian part of the house make this a truly personal space. Nick designed the elm bed, which was made by his father, a carpenter. The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Mizzle.
We love the way the simple bedside light takes on the fresh coral hue in both pieces of art.
bathroom
(Image credit: Claire Bingham)
Anyone looking for bathroom ideas and inspiration will love this luxurious space. The high ceilings call for a stunning bath, and the polished steel finish of the freestanding tub is the perfect choice. Ann Louise designed the tiles.
Original film and all photographs: Claire Bingham