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Ffion and James Baker renovated a Grade II-listed Georgian farmhouse in rural Cornwall, updating its layout, heating and interiors while restoring historic details. The two-year project also included measures to provide an alternative roost for bats found in the roof.
Ffion and James Baker have completed a two-year renovation of a Grade II-listed Georgian farmhouse in rural Cornwall, updating it for family life while restoring features including its beams, staircase and archways. In an Ideal Home house tour, Ffion described the work on the former equestrian property, which also included improving insulation and heating and making provision for protected bats found in the roof.
The Bakers bought the house despite not having been planning a move. Ffion told Ideal Home that the property’s character and rarity persuaded them to take it on. Her husband, James, is a property developer who specialises in Grade II-listed buildings. The couple live there with their daughters and cat, Poppy.
The farmhouse had previously been used as an equestrian centre, with land, stables and run-down outbuildings. Inside, Ffion said, the décor had not been updated since the 1980s. The couple’s plan was to make it a family home and convert barns into holiday accommodation. One outbuilding now houses Ffion’s holistic therapy business, The Healing Barn.
Work included removing a wall between the kitchen and dining room to create an open-plan family space, restoring beams and the original staircase, updating the kitchen and bathrooms, and adding panelling. The kitchen received hand-painted grey units and marble worktops, according to Ffion. A child’s bedroom was stripped back and fitted with new windows; the room was also divided to add an en suite.
Balancing Comfort With Listed Features
The renovation shows the practical demands of adapting an older, protected property for modern family use. The Bakers had to address the challenges of keeping a granite-built house warm and dry while preserving historic details, rather than treating the project as a standard interior makeover.
Ffion said the family focused on insulation and a new heating system, including digging a trench through fields to install a gas pipe. The open-plan kitchen and dining area changed how the house functions day to day, while restored archways, coving and woodwork retained elements of its original character. The account also highlights how wildlife considerations can affect renovation plans: bats found in the roof required a response based on conservation advice.
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From Equestrian Site to Family Home
The farmhouse came with land, stables and outbuildings, but the property needed substantial work. Ffion said the interior had bright red and dark green walls and that the original kitchen was more than 30 years old. The scale of the project ranged from structural changes and building services to repairs in individual rooms.
In the hallway, the couple restored an archway and staircase and added bespoke storage benches, hooks and shelving. In the bathroom, the original window was so deteriorated that, in Ffion’s account, wisteria had grown through it. Across the rooms, the Bakers used soft, historic paint shades and a mix of stone, wood and antique furnishings. Ideal Home’s report presents the house tour through Ffion’s account and photographs credited to Colin Poole and Chris Poole.
“We weren’t looking to move when it came up for sale, but a house like this one is such a rare find we knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
— Ffion Baker, speaking to Ideal Home
Project Details Not Independently Verified
The account is a homeowner interview and house tour, not an independent assessment of the renovation. The report does not provide a full project budget, detailed planning or listed-building consent records, or an independent evaluation of the building work. It also does not specify the exact heating system or insulation materials used.
Ffion says the couple followed conservation advice after discovering bats and created an alternative roost in the barns. The report does not give details of the species, the advice received or the timing of any relocation. It is also unclear whether the planned orchard and chicken-keeping have begun.
Orchard and Chickens Planned
Ffion told Ideal Home that the family’s next plans are to grow an orchard and raise chickens, reflecting what she described as the farmhouse’s heritage. The report does not give a timetable for those projects or say whether work has started.
The couple also developed barns for holiday accommodation, and Ffion runs her holistic therapy business from a converted outbuilding. The article does not state whether further building work is planned. For now, the reported focus is on settling into the renovated home and the family’s stated outdoor plans.
Key Questions
Who owns the renovated Georgian farmhouse?
Ffion and James Baker live there with their daughters and their cat, Poppy, according to Ideal Home. James is a property developer who specialises in Grade II-listed buildings.
How long did the renovation take?
Ffion told Ideal Home that the renovation took two years from start to finish.
What changes did the Bakers make?
They opened up the kitchen and dining room, updated the kitchen and bathrooms, improved insulation and heating, restored historic features and added storage and panelling. They also renovated bedrooms, including adding an en suite to one child’s room.
How did they respond to bats in the roof?
Ffion said the couple followed conservation advice and built an alternative roosting space in the barns. The report does not provide further details about the bats or their relocation.
What does the family plan to do next?
Ffion said they plan to grow an orchard and raise chickens. The report does not say when those plans will be carried out.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
