Home Style: Treasure Island

The restoration and enlargement of a handsome 17th century farmhouse has transformed it into a characterful and colourful home from home

The Isle of Sheppey isn’t renowned as a holiday destination but in recent years, taking a break closer to home has certainly increased in popularity. Situated just off the north Kent coast and linked to the mainland by two bridges, the island is less than an hour by rail from central London, which
is hard to believe looking across the marshes from the garden of Kingshill Farmhouse. The property is tucked away at the end of a two-mile track leading to the Elmley Nature Reserve; nothing but birdsong and the squawk of ducks disturbs the peace.

A few years back Georgina and Gareth Fulton set about restoring the 17th century derelict house named after King James II who spent a night there before his thwarted attempt in 1688 to flee to France on board a ship moored on the river nearby. The couple took over running the 3,300-acre reserve after Gareth had retired from the Army having been a serving officer for ten years. He recounted, “I’d had a great time but after we were married we began to think more seriously about the future – ours and Elmley’s and how we could combine the two.”

The RSPB, which had leased Elmley from Georgina’s father Philip Merricks, a farmer and conservationist, for the previous thirty years, were about to vacate the property. Georgina explained, “The Nature Reserve borders the Swale, a channel of the Thames estuary which separates Sheppey from the mainland. It is internationally significant as a breeding ground for ground nesting birds such as lapwings, redshanks and avocets and an important winter migratory destination for tens of thousands of wildfowl and wading birds.

“Offices had occupied the Georgian part of the farmhouse whilst the Victorian section at the rear had been derelict for some time. No maintenance had been done for decades on the house or the adjacent farm buildings and they were falling apart – some more than others. Gareth and I moved into one of the farm cottages whilst we worked out how we could run Elmley so that it could earn it’s keep and continue as a national nature reserve. Facilities were pretty basic. We had mains water but electricity was dependant on the generator. After our daughter Ellie was born I remember always having to think twice before I switched on the kettle – if the washing machine was on at the same time the generator couldn’t cope and the whole system went into meltdown. Not what you need as a new mother...”

In due course, the couple decided to make Elmley the first national nature reserve to offer overnight accommodation. “We began with just two shepherd’s huts made to our specification. Each contained a comfortable double bed, cooking facilities and an en suite shower and loo with solar panels providing power for light and hot water,” said Georgina. Realising that connecting the cost of connecting to the grid was never going to be an option, the Fultons emphasised the positive aspects of the simple life. “We always say there’s normal time and Elmley time; with fewer distractions, everyone seems to be early to bed and early to rise.

“Ever since we were children, what my sisters and I loved most about Elmley was the overwhelming sense of space. The only sounds are the wildlife and the wind and that’s what our guests appreciate the most; the calm, the space and being surrounded by nature,” said Georgina. There are now six shepherds’ huts on the reserve and they’re booked months ahead. “Some guests are knowledgeable bird-watchers, others don’t have a clue what they’re looking at but what they all seem to love is watching the skies rather than the telly.”

The next project was to draw up plans to restore and extend the farmhouse as the centrepiece of the estate. “We’d known the architect for some years and as he’d already completed several off-grid projects, we felt comfortable that he had the experience to achieve our vision of transforming the warren of dark, little rooms into a warm, light-filled house.”

An experienced period property interior designer was in charge of dressing the house. “I’d seen a larger period house Francesca had worked on and was impressed by the relaxed, non-formulaic look she’d created. Francesca retained the period character of the building whilst adding a contemporary slant with pattern, paintings and colour. We tramped around antiques fairs with her choosing furniture and accessories, and helped narrow down the dizzying array of fabrics and wallpapers put before us, but she and her assistant did the hard graft. It was fascinating seeing how all the elements were finally brought together and the house became a home once again. She is very knowledgeable when it came to sourcing decorative antiques that didn’t cost the earth. And costing the earth is something we are very conscious of, living as we do off-grid and surrounded by nature. Furnishing the house with vintage furniture fits with the sustainable ethos that guides every decision we make and weathered, time-worn antiques help create the relaxed, informal look that we wanted.”

At Francesca’s suggestion, areas of exposed brickwork were retained emphasising the rustic character of the building. For the informal sitting room Francesca’s proposal to paint the walls a dramatic shade of deep blue created an intimate club-like setting combined with leather and velvet sofas and a strongly patterned kilim rug. The drawing room across the hall is a complete contrast – light and airy with palest grey walls, and the newly installed French windows take advantage of views across the garden to the marshland beyond.

Upstairs, the woodland design wallpaper transformed the main bedroom along with the graceful metal four-poster bed and the vintage bathtub placed in front of one the windows. “Having a quiet half hour to lie back in the bath and gaze at the view is a rare luxury,” said Georgina.

Subsequently, the Fultons have restored the dilapidated wooden grain store, now an atmospheric venue for weddings and functions, complete with a professional kitchen. “During the summer, wedding guests can stay in the farmhouse, the shepherds huts and the rows of bells tents which we erect in a field nearby. Another barn contains the farm machinery, along with our newly upgraded solar array system and the generators that provide back-up power. These days, one thing I don’t have to worry about is whether switching on the kettle is going to blow all the fuses.”

www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk

Photography: Andreas von Einsiedel/Living4media

Words: Amanda Harling/Living4media

Styling: Rowan Plowden Design/Living4media