We lived in one room on takeaways and grit for a year!" says Enid Good, who has lived in this pretty cottage in Gomersal with her husband, Robert, for the past eight years.

"My conditions for moving into the cottage were that I got everything I wanted... and I did," Enid adds.

The house didn't always look like it does now - it's taken hard work and determination. The couple were both retiring and wanted to downsize to a property with easy maintenance, but it was a while before this was achieved.

"It was the location that sold it to me. It was our Dales cottage in Drub Lane! We're opposite a farm and open fields, and surrounded by millionaires'," she says.

No one is sure when the cottages were built, but Enid thinks they was originally farm cottages - a terrace of four that had later been converted to two.

"It needed completely gutting so we called in a team of builders. We put in new central heating, hardwood double glazing to look like sash windows, and stripped all the woodwork back. We wanted to keep the interior character, so when we found the original pine cupboards in the kitchen, we had the remainder made out of reclaimed pine, added a double Belfast sink, granite worktops, a stone flagged floor and where the chimney breast was we put in an Aga.

"We also took space off the rear bedroom, which we use as an office and dressing room, to enlarge the bathroom."

Unless we are into minimalism, we tend to fill the space in our homes to capacity; so any move to a smaller property means there's less space for the treasures we all accumulate. This was doubly difficult for the Goods.

"We used to trawl round the antique shops, so we had lots of stuff," Enid says. "We put a lot into storage, sold some, and when we opened the loft hatch in the cottage to store some more, we found it was an original room with a blocked-up window. So we had that taken out and then put in proper stairs. Now the loft has a bedroom area and a sitting area. It's fully carpeted and there's plenty of room under the eaves for storage."

The couple's love of antiques gives some nice touches, like the old door knobs and the gas lamp in the garden which used to illuminate a street in Birmingham.

When carrying out an interior renovation it's easy to lose a home's character, but a nice juggling act means that this cottage has stayed true to its roots. There's an inglenook style fire surround with log burning stove in the good sized lounge, a period fire surround in the bedroom on the first floor - with another in the loft room - and throughout the cottage there are some wonderful ceiling beams.

The cottage also has a cellar with useful storage, a cloakroom/utility room and a bathroom with slipper roll top bath, shower cubicle, part-tiled walls and antique style radiator.

"The attic room is my favourite space," says Enid. "I can go up there and watch the soaps in peace! And you can see right over to Emley Moor. I also love the kitchen, because I do a look of cooking and baking.

"I thought the cottage would appeal to a mature couple who like traditional things, but I've been surprised at the number of young couples who have been around."

While Enid loves the interior, it is the outside that has inspired her. A keen gardener, she has made the most of the area, with winding paths and cunningly placed seating areas, so no matter what time of day you can find somewhere to sit in either the shade or sun.

As well as enjoying restoring furniture, Enid loves to get stuck in and get her hands dirty. "I did the whole garden myself, including laying the cobbles. It took about 18 months to achieve the result I wanted. I used to grow herbs in between the cobbles, but it was taking longer to weed the path than it did to mow the lawns, so I've just had the spaces between the stones filled with gravel.

"My husband made the rose arches and the smell of roses and honeysuckle is heavenly.

"Originally there was just one big garden with a fish pond which took up about two-thirds of the space. I've made a feature out of a stump of an oak tree and turned it into a waterfall, and put in a small fish pond and a gazebo at one end. There's also a summer house, so even if it's raining I can still enjoy my garden, which is very traditional in style."

In a mirror image of the Goods in classic TV sitcom The Good Life, to one side is a neighbour who keeps hens and grows fruit and vegetables. "When he goes away we feed his hens and in return we get new-laid eggs and produce from the vegetable garden. We also get fresh milk from the farm.

"I am really going to miss the garden. The maintenance is easy, but I'm a born potterer. I'm out there as soon as the sun is up, feeding the fish and the birds.

"The gazebo catches the early morning sun, so I can enjoy a cup of coffee there, then move on to the cast iron bench in front of the window, then on to the summer house in the late evening. It's perfect... living here has been perfect."

This property on Drub Lane, Gomersal, is on the market for £249,950 with Robert Watts, Birkenshaw, tel (01274) 689589.