Extreme makeover!

12:34pm Wednesday 28th May 2008

How do you get a brand new 200-year-old cottage? Well, if your are Jean and Barry Lee you knock it down and start all over again!

In 1999 the couple, who lived in the area, had sold their home and were looking for another challenge.

"We'd always liked Lee Lane and were driving through one day when we saw a for sale' board, so we went to have a look," Jean recalls.

"We got out of the car at this derelict site and this man came up to us, and when we asked about the house for sale he said that we should have gone up the other lane. But, if we were interested, his property was going up for sale the next week.

"Call it fate or kismet; it doesn't matter. I've always believed that things happen for a reason, so I took it as a sign that we were meant to buy this run-down old place. It was just so peaceful there. Our son was nine and we thought it would be a great place for him to grow up.

"We got a brand new 200-year-old cottage by rebuilding it using the existing materials. It was easier than building new walls and doors. We got a great feeling of pride at what we'd done."

You can understand why the cottage, with its lovely views over Bingley and the Aire Valley, is so peaceful. Its stands in formal gardens and 14 acres of land. Then there's the stables - no less than 20 of them - tack rooms, open hay barn and floodlit menage. Obviously this would be a great home for someone with equestrian interests, offering the potential to be used as a family-run business.

The cottage is deceptively spacious - an excellent family home over two floors with gas-fired central heating, sealed unit double glazing and security alarm.

The couple got straight on with renovating the property as soon as they bought it.

"When a couple of rooms were in reasonable condition we moved in, and we've been here ever since," says Jean.

"We tried to keep it very countrified and old-fashioned, yet we wanted all the modern amenities. We've got the best of both worlds. We had to have the gas piped in for getting on for 500 yards, plus the water pipes and electrics needed replacing."

Lee Ridge Cottage has several fireplaces, including one in the reception hallway.

"My husband designed the fireplaces, using 200-year-old bricks found in the walls," says Jean. "He also designed the bathrooms; he likes the idea of going out and choosing different styles, so there's a lot of Villeroy & Boch, in both en-suites and the family bathroom.

"My son absolutely loved it when all the work was going on and he helped quite a bit. It's not the first venture we've done, and it won't be the last."

You can see that kitchens are important to Jean. The kitchen is definitely country in style, with its beamed ceiling, but it has a French feel too with cream antiqued base and wall units, plus an intricately patterned terracotta tiled floor. There is also an enormous double oven filling an entire tiled alcove, with a five ring gas hob and hot plate.

Also on the ground floor is a dining room with a large fireplace with stone mantel and gas stove and French doors into the garden, along with a utility room, study, family room and cloakroom.

Jean and her husband love the views. "From one side we can see as far as Leeds-Bradford Airport. Then there's Ilkley Moor on the other side. The views are panoramic - 360 degrees - and we can see Saltaire, Shipley and Baildon. We can see the bad weather before it hits, which is handy, and it's lovely watching the seasons change.

"My favourite room is the lounge. With a big roaring fire, it's so cosy in the winter, while in the summer it's light and airy."

Upstairs, the master bedroom comes complete with a dressing room with fitted open hanging units, wardrobe, fitted drawers and cupboard, plus an en-suite bathroom with luxury four piece white suite with free-standing roll-top bath with claw feet, tiled shower cubicle and part-tiled walls.

There is also a guest suite with a beamed ceiling, lovely views and en-suite shower room, and two more bedrooms - one overlooking the front and the other the back.

"We have a massive garden which progressed as we went along. I suppose it's sort of evolved like the cottage. Living in the middle of nearly 15 acres of grassland, we wanted to add some colour so there's a massive patio at the back with lots of pots of flowers."

There's also a private driveway approaching the garden area at the front, along with side and rear gardens and a block paved driveway leading to a large garage.

Jean admits she will miss what they have created at Lee Ridge Cottage.

"I'm going to miss the peace and quiet, but I love the challenge and thrill of creating something new. We were in the right place at the right time with this house. There is no comparison between what we had and what we have... and we want to do it all over again!"

Lee Ridge Cottage in Lee Lane, Cottingley, is on the market for £750,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley, Bingley, (01274) 560421.

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