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Ffion and James Baker renovated a Grade II-listed Georgian farmhouse in rural Cornwall over two years, adapting it for family life while restoring original features. The work included insulation and a new heating system, an open-plan kitchen and dining area, and an alternative roost for bats found in the roof.
Ffion and James Baker have spent two years renovating a Grade II-listed Georgian farmhouse in rural Cornwall, updating it for family life while restoring features including its beams, staircase and archways. Their work also addressed insulation and heating in the granite building and the discovery of protected bats in its roof, according to Ffion’s account in Ideal Home.
The Bakers bought the property even though they were not planning to move, Ffion said, because they saw it as a rare opportunity. The house had previously been part of an equestrian centre, with stables and run-down outbuildings. Inside, she recalled, the decor included bright red and dark green walls and reflected the 1980s.
The couple’s aim was to create a family home and develop the barns as a holiday let. James, a property developer who specialises in Grade II-listed buildings, brought experience with historic properties, Ffion said. The renovation involved improving insulation and installing a new heating system; the couple also dug a trench through fields for a new gas pipe.
Inside, they removed a wall between the kitchen and dining room to make a shared family space, while retaining original coving around an archway, according to Ffion. The kitchen was replaced, bathrooms updated, beams restored and wall panelling added. In the hallway, bespoke carpentry provides benches, hooks and shelving, while the original staircase and archway were restored.
Making a Historic Home Work
The project shows the practical decisions involved in adapting an older listed building for everyday family use. Improving warmth and dryness in a granite house was a priority, Ffion said, while the open-plan kitchen and dining area was designed as a central gathering space.
The changes were not limited to the main house. One converted outbuilding now serves as the base for Ffion’s holistic therapy business, The Healing Barn, she said. The family’s plans for the property also include developing the barns into a holiday let, although the source report does not provide details on its status or opening date.
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From Equestrian Centre to Home
The farmhouse came with land, stables and outbuildings, reflecting its previous use as an equestrian centre. The Bakers wanted to turn the property into a home for their family while making use of the barns, Ffion told Ideal Home. The house’s listed status and historic character shaped the renovation, alongside its condition and the demands of living in a granite building.
The couple found bats living in the roof during the work. Ffion said they sought conservation advice and built an alternative roosting space in the barns to allow the animals to relocate safely. She described the renovation as stressful to manage alongside a young family, but said it took two years from start to finish.
“We weren’t looking to move when it came up for sale, but a house like this one is such a rare find we knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
— Ffion Baker, speaking to Ideal Home
Details the Report Leaves Open
The Ideal Home feature is based on the family’s account and does not independently detail planning decisions, specialist conservation work or the project’s costs. It also does not specify when the farmhouse renovation took place beyond Baker’s statement that it lasted two years.
The report says the couple planned to develop the barns into a holiday let, but does not confirm whether that work is complete or when guests might be able to stay. It likewise describes an alternative bat roost built after bats were found in the roof, without giving further details about the relocation or the roost’s current use.
Plans for the Farmstead
The family’s stated next projects are to grow an orchard and raise chickens, which Ffion described as a nod to the farmhouse’s heritage. The couple also planned to develop the barns into a holiday let. The source report does not give a timetable for either project.
For now, Ffion said she runs her holistic therapy business from a converted outbuilding, while the farmhouse serves as the family home. No further renovation milestones or dates were provided in the report.
Key Questions
Where is the farmhouse?
It is a Grade II-listed Georgian farmhouse in rural Cornwall, according to the Ideal Home report.
Who lives in the house?
Ffion and James Baker live there with their daughters and their cat, Poppy. Ffion is a holistic therapist; James is a property developer.
How long did the renovation take?
Ffion said the renovation took two years, despite the work involving the house and its outbuildings.
What happened when bats were found in the roof?
Ffion said the couple followed conservation advice and built an alternative roosting space in the barns so the bats could relocate safely.
What are the family’s future plans for the property?
They plan to grow an orchard and raise chickens. The couple also intended to develop the barns as a holiday let, but the report does not confirm a completion date.
Source: rss
