It took blood, sweat and tears for Gill and Tim Denham to transform a derelict 19th century cow barn in County Durham into what is now a stunning five bedroom holiday let
TEXT HEATHER DIXON IMAGES DAVE BURTON
Perched on a hillside overlooking miles of glorious countryside near Barnard Castle is a converted barn, aptly called Skyline. Unlike many converted farm buildings, however, this one has been a marathon – a true labour of love and determination which tested relationships, budgets and commitment during the eight-year transformation.
Despite the challenges, Gill and Tim Denham, who acquired the 200-year-old former cow barn through the family, both agree that the results have been worth the highs and lows
of a journey that started back in 2010. Their home is perfectly located for the Yorkshire Dales and market towns like nearby Barnard Castle, but also just a short drive from Teesdale and the Pennines.
The former livestock building looked nothing like it does today. ‘There was planning permission to convert it into a dwelling but we didn’t like the design,’ says Tim. ‘We met with architect Mike Rassmussen and reworked it, creating more light and space and using the height of the building to create the wow factor.’
They decided to do most of the conversion work themselves, with the help of family and friends, so they could save money and get the results they wanted. “We had no time constraints,” says Gill, a practice nurse.
“We were both working full time and living on the farm, so we could work on it whenever we had time, which was mainly weekends and evenings. Without the pressure of a moving in date, we could enjoy the process and do it exactly as we wanted. There were no rash decisions and therefore fewer mistakes.”
The first job was to demolish a small, unwanted outbuilding and preserve the materials – including stone mullions – for re-use later. It then took three years just to restore the stone slate roof. Part of it, which was covered in tin, came off all together to be replaced with more slates. Rotten timbers and huge beams were replaced – the green oak A-frames dried out and made on site by their friend and joiner Martin Blenkin, who used traditional methods to fit them. “Every single feature and every bit of work
that’s been done has a story behind it,” says Gill. The building sits in an exposed location at the top of a hill, with wide open views across a valley. There was one particularly cold winter when Tim was up on the roof in howling gales, “just trying to hang on while he was working.”
With the roof finally finished, and with the help of daughter George, her husband Neil, and builder Trevor Wright, they turned their attention to the floor. Together, and over a period of many months, they dug out the entire ground floor to create depth for under floor heating, insulation and screed, topped with limestone.
“We just fitted it in around everything else,” says Gill. They were determined to do everything we could to the highest quality, using traditional methods and materials. “It was never going to be something we would rush through, but it meant many years of extra work to gradually renovate the property.”
The handmade windows were also made over a period of time by Tim’s school friend Peter Grieves and the original stone walls were rough rendered. Internal walls were dry lined and insulated, and new plumbing and electrics installed along with a biomass heating system. Gill’s vision for the interior was to create a warm, welcoming home which would withstand a rural lifestyle. They are a family of dog lovers and love the outdoors, so we wanted the house to be as resilient and practical as possible without compromising on the style and comfort. “We also wanted to make it accessible to everyone, so we included ground floor bedrooms and a bathroom.”
Still conscious of saving money, Gill embarked on the mammoth task of single handedly decorating the entire house – even though she’s scared of heights! “The main living area was the biggest challenge,” she recalls. “I used scaffolding for the high areas but it was still a challenge – and then I realised I’d painted the accent colour on the wrong wall. I could have cried.” It took two or three coats to paint it white again before finishing it in a dark rustic grey, but she says “it was worth doing – it looks amazing now.”
But after priming, undercoating and top coating every room in the house Gill never wanted to see another paint brush or roller again. “It was like the Forth Bridge – never ending,” she says.
But the best bit was still to come. “I have absolutely loved turning it from an empty building into a beautiful home,” she says. “It’s a bit wind-swept up here so I wanted it to be really cosy in winter, yet modern and bright in summer.
Gill and Tim chose their pre-painted kitchen units and appliances from Wren but had a family friend and joiner install them. They maintained the country style by replacing wall units with open shelves and including feature lights over the breakfast bar. They laid the floor with Bastille Blue limestone tiles from Perfect Homes and Gardens.
Tim then set about making the huge dining table. “In a large space like this you have to think big with everything,” says Gill. “The furniture in our farmhouse was too small, so we started again with everything.”
The table was created from a steelwork base, made by Tim, and a huge piece of oak which had cracked down the middle. It wasn’t quite wide enough for the proportions of the room, so Tim sliced the wood in half, along the length of the split, and inserted a strip of steel to which the wood is clamped.
“I made it in the shed and it took me a fortnight, but it’s perfect for the space and easily seats twelve, which is ideal for family get togethers,” says Tim.
The dining table, along with two seating areas, help to divide the large ground floor living space into comfortable independent areas, without losing the natural character of
an open plan barn. All the beautiful original beams were sanded and oiled by son-in-law Neil. Gill chose earthy accent colours for the main walls to reflect the property’s rural location and heritage, but she sought the help of Niche Living, in Barnard Castle, to furnish the rest of the home, sourcing most of the accessories and soft furnishings from there, including bespoke headboards, dressing tables, drawers and mirrors.
There are two bedrooms on the ground floor separated by a wide, welcoming entrance hall which is tiled in stone, and features a wide sweeping staircase. Tim designed, made and fitted the industrial style railings to create a striking feature in the hall. “I had help from a welder and it was one of the quickest parts of the whole project.”
The integrity of the former cow barn is also evident in the exposed stone walls which continue into some of the bedrooms, including the main bedroom on the ground floor where an exposed stone wall adds warmth and texture to the room. Elsewhere, thick pile carpet from Floors for Living make the spacious rooms seem cosy all year round.
All the bathroom fittings were supplied by daughter George’s plumbing company, Howsons Heating Services, including these in the main en suite. They chose Chester Grey floor tiles from Perfect Home and Gardens, Shildon.
The first floor bedrooms are linked by a mezzanine style landing which overlooks the spacious double-height entrance hall. In keeping with the Denhams’ philosophy of recycling and re-use, they have fitted handmade oak doors and kept original beams and wall niches, to give each room a sense of light and space. Even a compact children’s room in the eaves is made to feel light and open with a Velux window.
Now the renovation is complete Gill and Tim have no intention of ever parting with it, but it earns its keep as a holiday let – with Gill and the family spending get-away time there themselves whenever they can take a break from the tenanted farm, which has been in the family for generations.
“There were times when the whole project seemed never ending,” says Gill. “Being so involved, for so long, it becomes very personal.”
She adds that in getting to know every single bit of the property inside and out, quite literally, “you develop a love-hate relationship with it.” Gill concludes: “There were many times, in the deepest of winters when the winds were howling round the stone walls and the rain coming down in sheets, that we wondered what we had taken on. It’s only now that we are able to take a step back, really appreciate everything we’ve done, and love it for the very special place it’s turned out to be.”