Home Style: Cosy for Christmas

A charming little guest lodge in Amy Maynard’s garden is a testament to her imagination, eye for a bargain and ability to create a magical Christmas hideaway 

Back in 2015, interior designer Amy Maynard viewed a house in rural Kent which she and her children Lottie and Theo now call home. When she visited it she was especially taken with its layered history. “The oldest part dates back to the 1700s, and in Victorian times it was the village hardware store,” she said. “My then husband, Charlie and I loved its character and knew it would make a great family home.” 

There was, however, another reason why Amy was so captivated by the property. “In the garden was a ramshackle old building which had last been used as a carpentry workshop,” she explained. “I immediately saw that with a little imagination, it could be transformed into really special self-contained accommodation for guests.” 

Nevertheless, it was to be a few years before there was an opportunity to do so, because the main house required work and attention first. “That was a good thing really,” Amy said, “As it gave me time to mull over ideas and plan it all properly.” 

Having decided on a New-England style combined with industrial-style features, she instructed an architect to bring her vision to life, but sadly just a few months in, he was taken unwell. “Luckily, I was recommended another brilliant architect and things were able to progress,” she said. 

It was decided to mainly keep to the original footprint of the workshop. “We knocked down everything apart from the original brick walls which I was determined to keep,” Amy recalled. “At one point, they were the only features still standing!” 

While there were no absolute disasters regarding the build, hiccups did crop up along the way. “When we applied for planning permission, a neighbour initially objected but we managed to work that out,” she recalled. “I also had to refine my ideas a bit: I’d hoped to install a mezzanine floor for a second bedroom, for instance, but that would have entailed underpinning the property which wasn’t possible. The architect came up with the great suggestion of installing sleeper-style bunk beds in the corridor instead.” 

As the little lodge took shape, Amy could finally start to bring together the decorative scheme she’d long envisaged. “I wanted it to be relaxed and eclectic, so it felt as if everything had evolved naturally,” she explained. “I came across so many wonderful things in auction rooms, vintage shops and online, but my best buy was definitely the fantastic rolltop bath which I bought locally for £200. It had been left outside and was full of spiders, but I didn’t care – it came home with me!” 

As the project drew to an end, Amy admitted she was quite sorry. “I loved the process,” she laughed. “We had fantastic builders and there was a great sense of camaraderie on site. Even the children got involved to such an extent that when it was finished, the guys presented them with little hard hats!” 

In the years since, The Outbuilding has become everything Amy hoped for. “It’s a wonderful place for guests to come and unwind for a few days at any time of year,” she said. “But there’s something about Christmas that makes it especially magical. It’s like a cosy little cabin straight out of a storybook – I often think about staying in there myself!” 

theoutbuildingappledore.com 

Photography: Richard Gadsby/Living4media 

Words: Sharon Parsons/Living4media