‘We spent £250k renovating an 18th-century house with no roof’

A single palette of materials and colours has been used throughout the house. Her principal materials are oak, stone, marble, slate and terrazzo stone. To keep within her budget, Maria says she has used “entry level” versions of these materials rather than premium products.

Her colour palette is brushed brass, black, green smoke and anthracite. 

By using the same palette of materials and colour throughout the house, says Julia, it removes any jarring as one moves through the home.

“The natural colours and materials are sensitive to the period and bridge the period property with the demands of a contemporary home,” she added. 

When planning spaces, she adds, it is important to understand which will be most used during different times of the day. The new kitchen and open-plan extension will be used most during the daytime and the large areas of glass and skylights maximise the experience of light and space to great effect. 

But she broke some design rules. Her induction hob was placed in front of a window, usually a no-no, so that Maria can look out onto her favourite tree while cooking. She chose not to obscure the view with an overhead extractor hood, opting for a central Bora extraction system which sits in the middle of the cooker hob instead. 

A floating LED lit shelf runs along the side of the kitchen in an area Maria calls “back of house”, home to appliances such as the coffee machine, fridge and a stain resistant Tectonite sink. 

On the floor, the couple chose Monmouth slate, a luxury vinyl tile. Where appropriate, they have kept the exposed stonework which can be seen in both their extensions and in other areas in the house. 

Julia says: “Backstone is a successful renovation and has been transformed from a crumbling wreck into a characterful, well-functioning family home.”

Her main concern for a project of this type is the cost of delivering utilities to an off-grid home.

“Anyone looking at a remote, off-grid property should find out exactly where electricity and water can be accessed and obtain a quote for bringing both to the house.”