Picture-perfect style

Photo journalist Stephen Markeson, and his wife Juliana, have lovingly renovated Ivybank at Shilton to create a comfortable family home that reflects its 19th-century origins. The three-bedroomed home is deceptively spacious.

The entrance hall is grand for a house of its period, and a galleried landing adds an extra dimension to the property.

Mrs Markeson said: “When we bought the house it was in good structural order, but the layout was not ideal for modern family living.

“For example, Stephen is a very keen cook and firmly believes that the kitchen is the heart of the house, so we installed a new farmhouse kitchen, designed and equipped to be just how he wanted it.”

The Markesons also enlarged the dining area and installed French windows to give access to the garden and make more of the wonderful views over the valley.

The most striking change, and one of the simplest to carry out, was to the front of the house.

Mr Markeson added: “The property looked slightly forbidding, with uPVC windows and a dark blue front door.

“By upgrading the windows, and changing the door to pale green with brass hardware, we made the house look more welcoming.”

New bathrooms were also installed, including a Victorian-style en-suite.

The entire house was redecorated to create a light and airy interior with simple finishes and natural materials, such as limestone flooring in the kitchen and shower room.

By coincidence, Ivybank has a strong photographic heritage, Mrs Markeson said: “The previous owner’s uncle had been a keen amateur photographer, who had compiled an extensive photographic record of the village on his plate camera.

“She was delighted that the house would once again be occupied by a photographer and astonished Stephen by arriving one day with her uncle’s camera and some of the original glass plates, which are now among Stephen’s most prized possessions.”

The Markesons will miss Shilton as much as the house.

Mrs Markeson said: “Shilton is a thriving and friendly community. On the day we moved in neighbours invited us to a drinks party, which made us feel at home from the start.

“However, Stephen’s retirement is enabling us to fulfil a long cherished dream of buying a property abroad.

“We are buying something smaller in Oxfordshire and are looking for something that we will love as much as Shilton on the other side of the Channel.”

Ivybank is on the market through Carter Jonas at a guide price of £695,000. For more details, call 01865 511444.