{"id":20965,"date":"2023-04-28T09:30:02","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T07:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=37018"},"modified":"2023-04-28T09:36:44","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T07:36:44","slug":"a-restored-300-year-old-coachmans-cottage-in-germany","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/a-restored-300-year-old-coachmans-cottage-in-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"A restored 300-year-old coachman\u2019s cottage in Germany"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jeanette and Stefan Walther have lovingly restored a 300-year-old coachman\u2019s cottage and the result is a warm and welcoming space that is much more than a family home. Feature Chantal Hintze. Styling & Production Wilma Custers\/Features & More. Photographs Ivar Janssen <\/p>

By Christianne Raymer\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 28 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Jeanette Walther is sitting in her kitchen, surrounded by linen<\/a> cushions in various shades of sand and stone, and musing on her career as an interior designer.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. I always ask myself how I can combine things to bring out the charm of a place. I\u2019d say that my style of interior reflects my life philosophy,\u2019 she says, explaining that she likes authentic and sociable spaces that feel cosy and inviting.<\/p>\n

She has put this into practice in the home she shares with her husband Stefan, a carpenter, and their two sons, Philip and Robin. Decorated<\/a> throughout in soft, earthy greys, with natural materials such as weathered wood and heavy linen providing textural interest and character, the house is warm and welcoming.<\/p>\n

Over the years this combination of dark shades and simple, raw finishes has become her signature look. \u2018I like to use colours to dress rooms. People worry that dark colours might feel oppressive,\u2019 she says. \u2018But I think they fill a room with warmth and atmosphere.\u2019 And with the sunshine filtering through the kitchen window, bathing the room in a soft, early autumnal glow, one has to agree.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to believe that just eight years ago the entire property \u2013 a former coachman\u2019s cottage built in the 1700s \u2013 was virtually derelict. \u2018This floor was covered up by three layers of tiles<\/a> that we carefully chipped away, all the while not knowing if what we\u2019d find underneath would be intact,\u2019 Jeanette says, tapping her toes on the white and red floor tiles in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

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By the time the property became available, Jeanette had been coveting it for some time. \u2018My interiors business was located just up the road from here, so I drove past the cottage on a daily basis. You couldn\u2019t even see it properly because it was so covered in ivy, but I loved its shape and every day I would think: one day!\u2019<\/p>\n

And that day finally arrived in 2008, when Jeanette noticed a removal van parked outside. \u2018I immediately began to move heaven and earth to find out who the owner was,\u2019 she says. As it turned out, the cottage had been in the same family for many generations and its current owner was living in the US.<\/p>\n

\u2018When I finally managed to get in touch with him, he appeared reluctant to part with it,\u2019 Jeanette recalls. But as the only other offer had come from an investor who wanted to turn the plot into a terraced housing estate, the owner eventually handed the keys to the Walthers, recognising that they really valued the building\u2019s 300-year history. \u2018We wanted to take the cottage back in time and reinterpret it in a contemporary way,\u2019 says Jeanette.<\/p>\n

But before they could start on the decorative details such as limewashing the walls, there was a lot of hard physical work to be done. Concerned that hiring a team of builders would result in lots of the original features being stripped out, Jeanette and Stefan decided to do all the work themselves. Luckily, their sons, Philip and Robin, are also keen craftsmen and both of them were happy to help with the renovation project.<\/p>\n

Over the course of six months, ancient floors were carefully removed, reconditioned and then reinstalled. \u2018I much prefer a floor with a few cracks and a whole lot of history to one that\u2019s immaculate but without personality,\u2019 says Jeanette.<\/p>\n

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The upside of doing everything yourself is that you remember its history, \u2018and that\u2019s what gives the house its charisma and charm\u2019. For anything too dilapidated to save, Stefan sourced old wood to make replacements, even going so far as\nto import timber salvaged from barns in Canada.<\/p>\n

The cottage today is much more than the sociable family home Jeanette originally envisioned: since completing the renovation she has moved her business into the ground floor and Stefan now works alongside her, creating beautiful pieces of furniture from reclaimed wood.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019re a great team,\u2019 she laughs. \u2018I design, he builds.\u2019 Their house is the perfect showroom. \u2018Sometimes clients feel a bit awkward when they realise we actually live here,\u2019 she admits. \u2018But I think it\u2019s great. They get to experience the charm of a house that has a real history. Once in a while someone tries to sneak a peek upstairs, but generally they respect that it\u2019s a no-go zone.\u2019<\/p>\n

For Jeanette, it\u2019s also a great way to showcase the laid-back interiors filled with sculptural, oversized antique jugs<\/a> and jars that she likes to create.<\/p>\n

Living in a home where most of the furnishings are for sale means the interior is in constant flux, but this doesn\u2019t worry Jeanette. \u2018The cottage is always changing, always evolving. Things come and go and everything is continually interpreted in a new and different way,\u2019 she explains without even a hint of wistfulness.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019ve been living here for eight years now, and even though I see lots of nice houses through my work, I still come home every day and think that I wouldn\u2019t want to live anywhere else but here.\u2019<\/p>\n

\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
The house had suffered years of neglect and, where original details had been lost, homeowner Stefan was able to take a creative approach to the restoration. In the sitting room, he used planks salvaged from a Canadian barn to clad the fireplace, which then provided the inspiration for the large sliding doors that divide the room. The walls are painted in Jeanette\u2019s signature earthy tones.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
A 300-year-old coachman\u2019s cottage in Sprockh\u00f6vel-Ha\u00dflinghausen, Germany. Arranged over two floors, Jeanette\u2019s business occupies the ground floor, alongside the kitchen, dining room and family sitting room. Upstairs is private and there are four bedrooms and a bathroom.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Jeanette Walther, an interior designer (home-interior.com), and her husband Stefan, a carpenter, live here with their sons Philip, a carpentry apprentice, and Robin who works as a PR and marketing trainee.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
A tiny tin horse was one of many such treasures unearthed during the renovation. When the floor was retiled, Jeanette had it set into the cement as a permanent reminder of the building\u2019s origins.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Candlesticks add sculptural interest even when not in use.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
The worn wood of the kitchen table top and the huge antique dresser feel in keeping with the history of the 300-year-old house.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
The original red and white floor tiles lay hidden under three further layers of flooring. It took a lot of blood, sweat and patience to chip them free, says Jeanette. The industrial-style lamp is from Tierlantijn.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Preserved fruits in Kilner jars add to the farmhouse ambience.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
With her keen eye for spotting gems amongst the rubble, Jeanette rescued the ceramic sink from the demolition. It now takes pride of place in the kitchen, set within a cupboard made by Stefan, who also created the worktop and shelves from reclaimed planks.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
The central staircase leads upstairs to the family rooms, which are off limits to the public. The floorboards were all carefully restored and relaid.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Seagrass flooring is warm underfoot in the master bedroom, where Stefan built the antique-style bed using salvaged wood.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Even though the interior is constantly changing, there are some things that Jeanette would never part with, such as this chair in their bedroom, which was the family dog\u2019s favourite spot. Sadly, she died a year ago.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Stefan used an old cupboard to create a Narnia-like doorway between their bedroom and the en suite bathroom.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
The scheme in the couple\u2019s en suite bathroom was dictated by the existing tiles. Rather than ripping them out, Jeanette decided to retain this small part of the building\u2019s more recent history, adding her own touch with the bold Brigitte von Boch wallpapers.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
The scheme in the couple\u2019s en suite bathroom was dictated by the existing tiles. Rather than ripping them out, Jeanette decided to retain this small part of the building\u2019s more recent history, adding her own touch with the bold Brigitte von Boch wallpapers.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Jeanette\u2019s aesthetic is in evidence in both of her sons\u2019 bedrooms; in Robin\u2019s room, the soft earthy shades on the walls are echoed in the heavy linen bedspread, which is enlivened by turquoise and green cushions and bed linen.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Jeanette\u2019s aesthetic is in evidence in both of her sons\u2019 bedrooms; in Robin\u2019s room, the soft earthy shades on the walls are echoed in the heavy linen bedspread, which is enlivened by turquoise and green cushions and bed linen.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Restored\"<\/picture><\/div>
Throughout the house the furniture is a mixture of antique pieces teamed with contemporary designs, such as this shelving unit, which Stefan made from reclaimed materials.<\/span> <\/figcaption> Ivar Janssen<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

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