High on a Mountain!

2:04pm Wednesday 13th August 2008

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Instead of the new house he was looking for, interior designer Michael Dunne ended up buying the shell of this Grade II listed house that was once a pub known by the delightfully quirky name of Mad Ma Jones.

Dating from around 1900, the property was also known as The Mountain Eagle because it sits on top of an area of Queensbury known as Mountain.

“The agent suggested we look at it because it offered a lot of house. I wanted a new property this time, but decided to look anyway,” Michael recalls.

“I was amazed. It really had the ‘wow’ factor, even though it was nothing more than a shell. It had amazing space and was very grand looking from the exterior, being double fronted. I had to buy it.”

The site had been bought six years ago by a housebuilder who constructed nine properties on land at the back, converting the former pub back to a shell to use as a site office.

“This now heads the cul-de-sac of properties and is both the largest and the only original property,” says Michael.

“We lived there as it was for six months before starting work. Being a listed building, you are limited to what you can do structurally. However, we did alter a couple of the walls upstairs to create better space and enhance the layout slightly, as well as sandblasting it back to the original stonework which was then painted in the traditional colours of cream and black.

“Being an interior designer, it is very difficult to decide what to do with your own property as it is much easier to do it for a client. We lived in the property throughout and even had relatives to stay, which was crazy to say the least.”

The end result is just was Michael wanted – a unique style for a unique house. It has an entrance hall, modern kitchen/diner, spacious lounge and cloakroom, with three bedrooms – one with en-suite – and family bathroom upstairs. Gas central heating and double glazing – many of them sash windows – provide all the home comforts.

“We have tried to use modern elements combined with a traditional look. It took a long time to decide what to do as I didn’t think it would have suited being ultra-modern,” says Michael.

“We started at the top and worked our way through the house, installing high quality fixtures and fittings throughout, assuring they were sympathetic to the house.”

A ceiling rose from an architectural salvage yard was added in the lounge and combined with a modern, yet traditional looking chandelier. The original stone fireplace was restored to its former glory and a gas wood-burning-effect stove fitted to give it a warm and inviting feeling.

“By adding some modern pieces of furniture and a bold feature wallpaper to the main wall it enhanced the size and space.”

A Victorian reproduction glass panelled door was installed in the downstairs cloakroom to create light and space, forming a focal point in the hall, with the wall given a strong colour to create a bold entrance.

The dining kitchen is a happy marriage of old and new. The fixtures and fittings are modern and the floor has a laminate finish, while the base and wall cupboards are traditional cream units. There are plenty of integrated appliances, including fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and oven and gas hob with extractor.

“It has a modern understated look,” says Michael. “The feature chimney breast is a rich copper colour to add depth and character, while the low voltage ceiling lights give an intimate feel.”

The theme continues upstairs with the master bedroom given a modern but calming burst of energy with bold, yet subtle, stripes to the main wall. The master bathroom has a traditional black and white theme with designer fixtures and fittings.

“The makeover went smoothly once I had decided what to do, even though the decor was changed on many occasions due to a change of heart once the colour was on the walls.”

Finishing touches came from everywhere – from salvage yards to Ikea – because Michael wanted to create a look that the house could carry comfortably. “Everyone who visits loves it; so I must be doing something right,” he adds.

Michael’s favourite room is the lounge: “The lounge is light and airy in summer and warm and comfortable in winter. It’s a great social space, able to seat a large group of people comfortably, and leads out onto the landscaped side garden, where it took days to dig out the earth to flatten and then preserve the large rocks at the bottom as a feature.

“The garden is suitable for everything from relaxing to entertaining. There’s a block paved driveway with room for two cars at the back, stone patio and a shaped lawn with pebbled borders and plants which were selected to add a calm yet pleasing effect.

“What will I miss? I think it will be the space and uniqueness, and the fact that if you walk out of the door to the left there is nothing but open fields and the stunning views of rural living, while if you go to the right there are all the amenities you could need. It’s a perfect combination.

“I’ll also miss the fact that I will probably never own a house like this again, because it would be difficult to find something similar that was affordable.”

This property in Brighouse & Denholme Road, Queensbury, is on the market for £224,995 with Whitegates, Bradford, (01274) 306611.