Karen Price has transformed a 17th-century ... - The Post House

this page, clockwise From top leFt Mulberry china
and French linen napkins bought in Burgundy make pretty place
settings; the dining room was formerly a bakery and, when Karen
moved in, a quarter of the room was filled with old ovens; Weck
jars and bottles display jams and roses Facing page The
couple bought the imposing fireplace from a reclamation yard
in Bristol and the French refectory table from a dealer in Wells
36 H&A April 2012
the plumber, electrician and lime plasterer. ‘Through
experience I’ve learnt the importance of getting the walls
right,’ she says. The previous owners had covered walls in
painted woodchip and, when the builder started to
remove it, the plaster just fell away. Walls were taken back to
their barest form and painted in the traditional lime
plaster. The method produces a lovely chalky finish but,
more importantly, it lets walls breathe – preventing any
damp problems from developing.
Other major tasks included creating a kitchen from
scratch from what was previously the pig sty and garage,
and turning a driveway into a pretty front courtyard. The
two spaces are now connected by French doors and are one
of Karen’s favourite features of the new home. ‘In the
summer months, when the doors are flung open, it feels
like one space. When it’s warm enough, I love serving
breakfast out there.’
The feat of converting a predominantly commercial
space into a home would be enough to fill most with dread
and, although Karen admits to having experienced many a
sleepless night, she says that embracing the experience is
Embracing the experience
is the best, and only, option
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