A brilliant barn conversion in Stamford Bridge was created by a labour of love – and it shows, says Brian Page.

“THE thing about barn conversions,” says Paul Carter, “is that by their very nature there are not very many of them in handy locations… but here we are just a two-minute walk from the centre of the village.”

Paul has a point. The location of the home where he and wife Heather live could not be better. It sits in Blacksmith Lane, a private road tucked away in a quiet corner of Stamford Bridge.

The gardens, all manicured lawns and terraces and patio area, have a lovely rural aspect yet, as Paul says, you are just a stroll from the shops, pubs and amenities. And you are an easy drive from York – and the east coast is handily placed in the opposite direction.

But, despite what some would have us believe; location, location is not the only thing that makes a property special. It has to also have style and character and charm…

Fortunately this is a home that has all of that – and more. It’s a beautiful barn conversion, a blend of reclaimed and new, designed and created with care and a great deal of attention to detail, its sleek lines assuming the footprint and style of the original building while providing contemporary comforts throughout.

As Heather says: “I’m quite proud that we have kept the building true to what it was 200 years ago but that we have attractive modern features.”

But then this has been something of a labour of love for the Carters.

The property sits on what was once a paddock and stables for the old village blacksmiths shop.

That shop was situated on the end of what was the Carter family home – they have been in Stamford Bridge for more than 40 years – and the couple would often look up from their old house to the paddock and imagine the new home they could create there.

And then they set about turning imaginary dreams into a solid reality.

It was no easy task and Paul laughs when I ask him what he enjoyed most about project-managing what must have been a huge undertaking. “Getting it finished,” he says.

But there is a glimmer of pride in his smile – and with good reason. Their determination to get every little detail right saw Paul and Heather scouring the country for just the right materials – including new walls built with 300-year-old clamp bricks – and insisting on quality every step along the way.

The result is a remarkable home, rich with character, from the wide stave solid oak flooring which runs throughout the house, to the oak beams and trusses which dominate the main rooms.

“We had to get a crane in to put those in place,” Paul says. “The neighbours asked what we were doing with the crane – I said we were going to do a spot of bungee jumping.”

Well, the ceilings in the feature rooms might not be quite high enough for that but they do swoop and soar, creating a great impression of light and space.

Nowhere more so than in the brilliant main reception room, a super space that measures almost 30ft by 19ft. At the heart of the sitting area there is a recessed exposed brick fireplace housing a log-burning stove. “It’s lovely and warming on winter nights,” says Heather.

Not that we need such warming today, when the sun is streaming in through a long set of bi-folding doors; doors which open on to a cleverly placed patio area just outside.

“It is a great entertaining space,” says Paul, “you can just throw the doors open and the garden comes in.”

This room, however, is just one of many highlights of the house. The next to-die-for spot is the dining kitchen, another large and lovely spot, fitted out in a smart range of bespoke hand made wall and base units (again in oak) and with an amazing double Rangemaster oven and six-ring hob.

And then there is another gem of a room in the shape of a fourth bedroom or, as it is arranged here, a delightful snug with dual aspect windows making it yet another sunny spot.

It has, like the rest of a house, a delightfully inviting and cosy feel to it – I almost want to sit down, pull out a book and curl up in the quiet for an hour or so… But, of course, there is more to see before we can consider resting. This is a house with a lot of floor space and it’s not surprising that Paul and Heather’s grandchildren find it the ideal home for playing hide and seek.

An inner hallway takes us through to the sleeping quarters and the quite beautiful main bedroom, a spacious room which features another set of bi-folding doors opening onto to yet another garden area and with a modern en-suite shower room.

There is another double bedroom and a stunning house bathroom along the way – the latter being one of Heather’s favourite things about the house.

“I’ve always wanted a big bathroom,” she says, “and this is all I could have wanted and more.”

And, talking of more, we can complete the internal tour by tip-toeing back through the living room and kitchen, past the utility room, to find a further bedroom, a great guest suite with an en-suite shower room.

Tour of the house completed we step outside. The sun is twinkling away and it’s a pleasure to stroll along, finding a different garden area almost at every turn. The property sits on around a quarter of an acre plot which lets you know there is as much space outside as inside – completed by a huge detached garage “big enough to live in if you had to,” as Paul says with a laugh… No need, however.

Because, with love and dedication and a wonderful sense of style he and Heather have created a quite superb home from those old blacksmiths’ stables.

A barn-stormer if you like…


1 Blacksmith Lane, Stamford Bridge

Reception rooms: 2.

Bedrooms: 3/4.

Bathrooms: 3.

Gardens: Lawned areas, terrace, patio areas on ¼ acre plot.

Wow factor: The awesome main reception room with bi-folding doors opening onto the side garden.

Price: £550,000. Contact: Naish.

Tel: 01904 653564.