A Penny for your thoughts!

1:03pm Wednesday 16th April 2008

According to Carl Garnett, when he and partner Jill were looking for a barn conversion in 2004 they were so popular with buyers that they were flying off the shelf.

He believes they were lucky to get their hands on Upper Penny Hill Barn, a Grade II listed character barn conversion approached through an arched gateway on the edge of Clayton.

"We heard about it through a family friend," Carl says. "The owner had approached estate agents with a view to selling, but we were able to get in before the house made it on to the market, which was great.

"At the time, property like this was selling within hours of being put on sale, and we had lost out on another property which sold above the asking price."

The property in question has three bedrooms, two reception rooms, galleried landing with study area, garage, lawned garden and two stables. As well as plenty of character, all the advantages of modern day living are included with gas heating, double glazing and an alarm system with security cameras.

"The main thing that attracted us was the size of the rooms and the location," Carl says. "The kitchen and dining room are pretty spacious and the open hallway was also useable as another reception room - the open ceiling with Velux windows and exposed beams making it a really nice additional space.

"Photographs don't really do it justice, but the feeling of space when you are standing on the ground floor and looking out through the roof windows is a nice feature.

"Although the house is close to Clayton village, it sits at the top of a private track which gets no traffic except visitors to the house; so we had a high level of privacy while maintaining the practicalities of local amenities."

The barn was already converted but they have made a number of changes, including an entire new roof and amendment to the Velux windows.

"We've re-shaped the living room and re-sized or replaced all of the windows. Some of this work was to fit in with planning regulations left over from the initial build, but some was to improve the aspect of the property."

They started work almost as soon as they moved in, but all the work was largely driven by available funds.

"Having the roof changed was a major upheaval because of the nature of the design - the roof line is visible internally, At the time we were living in different areas of the house to keep away from where the work was taking place. The weather wasn't very good at the time either, and that obviously didn't help.

"Other than that, we generally re-decorated throughout the house over the last two years. We did intend to convert the stables into an additional bedroom or flat and I had some plans drawn up to allow a small kitchen and bathroom in one side and a liv- ing space in the other - all open plan. Unfortunately, time and money got the better of me, but I'm sure it would make a great project for someone with some renovation skills."

It is easy to see why Carl loves the space in the barn, especially in the entrance hall, which has exposed beams, stone flagged floor in the entrance area and steps leading down to the main hallway.

The lounge is a lovely space with a polished stone fireplace and hearth, full-length plinth on one wall and double doors to the rear garden.

There is also a dining room, accessed by double doors from the hallway, and a dining kitchen where no expense has been spared to ensure that this is a great family space with all mod-cons, including a range style cooker with stainless steel hood, dryer, dishwasher, larder units and central island unit.

Off the galleried landing are steps to the mezzanine study where exposed beams add to the charm of the space.

All three bedrooms have exposed beams, and one has it's own entrance into the family bathroom, which has a traditional style with its beamed ceiling, part-tiled walls, wash basin, high level WC and panelled bath with mixer shower, as well as a separate shower cubicle.

"My opinions are split when it comes to which is my favourite room," Carl adds. "The kitchen is fantastic for entertaining and people tend to congregate around the island unit - closer to the fridge I suppose!

"The stereo is wired throughout the downstairs rooms so people are not restricted to one place, which creates a great atmosphere.

"In quieter times I love the study as it sits on a different level to the rest of the house and overlooks the galleried landing. It has the appeal of being a private space but you can still hear what is going on throughout the house."

There is a shared courtyard area, garage with electric roller door and two stables, and through the arched gateway is another parking area and lawned garden at the front of the property.

"I will miss the space in the rooms and the peace and quiet. The back of the house overlooks fields, which are owned by our next-door neighbour, and the views over the city are great; especially when you get a free fireworks display every Bonfire Night!"

Upper Penny Hill Barn at Lane End, Clayton, is on the market for £385,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley, Saltaire, (01274) 581794.

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