Ilkley_postcard

I’ve known Karen and her sister Anne since fourth grade. Karen was my best friend growing up and ultimately, my maid-of-honor. Anne is her older sister. During play dates, Karen and I were silly girls who avoided (the more mature) Anne, as we played top secret spy games under the stairs. After high school, Karen and I only saw each other every few years. I rarely saw Anne, especially after she met the love of her life in Japan and followed him to his childhood home in England. Anne and Chris settled into a beautiful old row house in Ilkley, UK, where they are raising their daughter and two twin boys. It has been years since I’ve seen Anne, but when we were contemplating our trip to the UK this summer, I thought it would be fun to look her up and visit with her and her family. We had such a wonderful visit with them and I fell head over heels in love with their home.

blue_doorway

I begged them to let me share their home on the blog, so be sure to thank them!

violets_doorstep

Come right this way, I have one of those antique keys to unlock the front door. Can you imagine how many generations of families have used this same key hole?

keyhole_brass_plate

The first thing you notice as you walk in the door is the amount of beautiful wood, molding and character in their home.

stairway_molding

A little background, their home was built about 1880 and has four floors. The kitchen on the downstairs floor, a living room and library on the main floor, bedrooms upstairs and two additional rooms on the top floor. Right this way and I’ll take you on the tour.

sitting_room

The plaster ceiling medallions look like frosted wedding cakes!

ceiling_medallion_beige_drumshade

library_piano_room

More beautiful details. Scrumptious!!!

ceiling_medallion_blue_shade

What I love most about their house was the natural patina of wear on the doors.

old_wood_door

Can you imagine the fingers that touched this door? What was life like for a young child in 1880? Did he or she leave sticky finger marks on the door? Or did he poke at the door to leave the patterned dots. Oh if only doors could talk!

door_with_rustic_wear

Not to be outdone, the wood floors in the home are amazing. The age and beauty of the wood yearn to tell of bare feet and boot scrapes for over 100 years.

Old_wood_Floors

One of my favorite rooms is one of the twin boy’s room. He has a skylit (and moonlit) room on the top floor.

attic_bedroom

boys_bedroom_skylight

The velux window opens to let fresh air inside.

velux_windo_open

From his window you can see across the countryside.

View_from_velux_window

If you look the other way you get a nice view of Ilkley’s signature rock formations the Calf and the Cow (The stones jutting out on the hillside.):

calf_and_the_cow_Ilkley

Can you imagine sleeping under the stars? It almost feels like you’re camping.

velux_window_over_bed

red_chair

Another beautiful door. I love the exterior lock mechanisms and the wooden knob.

wood_doorknob
Gorgeous old floors, with wide gaps reveal no subfloor, but the ceiling of the rooms below. I’m sure there are lots of hidden treasures and maybe some notes under those floors.

old_wide_plank_flooring

On the second floor are the rest of the bedrooms. I had to take a picture of their daughter’s bed with the diamond finials.

rose_bed

A painting in the master bedroom caught my attention. I am in love with the colors and the country road that disappears to hidden destinations.

country_lane

Head downstairs to the lower level to my favorite room.

door_to_downstairs

Past another old door that hides storage and a washing machine.

closet_door_downstairs

Into the kitchen.

ilkley_kitchen

Even though this is the ground level of the home, there is lots of beautiful light that floods in from the courtyard outside the window

cookbooks

 

The farmhouse table is the star of this room. Both our families and my mom fit around the table for dinner and breakfast.

kitchen_table

farmhouse_table

bowl_fruit_on_table

You might have noticed that original stone mantel in the room. Before it was closed up, this was where older generations created a fire to cook over. The stone bears the marks of many a delicious open-hearth cooked meal.

wood_burning_stove

On cool nights a fire in the wood burning stove makes this chair the prime spot for reading.

purple_chair_corner

Check out the cute little wool artwork that their daughter made:

sheep_wool_art

Step outside the kitchen door into the lush courtyard.

blue_door_to_courtyard

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hanging_flowers

courtyard_wall

flower_pots

pink_flowers

purple_flowers

There’s a funny story about this gate. During dinner, Chris and Anne mentioned that they forgot the bread. Chris ducked out the kitchen door saying he’d be right back. A few minutes later he came back into the kitchen with bread rolls in hand. I thought they had a food storage pantry beyond the gate. It was revealed to me later that the gate leads to a little alley way and that he actually ran down the lane to the store a block away. Apparently they fool many guests with their abundant supply of food and drink.

garden_gate_to_courtyard

Judging by the curvature of the steps, Chris and Anne aren’t the only ones who have used these steps to sneak out the back.

curved_stone_stairs

What did you think? Isn’t their home charming? I could easily settle into life in Ilkley.

PHGFancySign

26 replies
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  1. lee
    lee says:

    Hi, I am from the UK and as a previous poster said, they are called teraced houses here. The great thing about them is that your neigbours on either side help keep your house warm.
    I think the holes in the door are woodworm holes. A small insect lays eggs in the wood which hatch and eat the wood from the inside then munch their way out before pupating and leave those tiny round holes. How do I know ? ‘cos we had them in our floorboards. These are obviously ancient, the insects are long gone and anyway only affected a small part of the door.
    What are absolutely amazing are the sash windows in the living room and kitchen, they look original and very well restored. I dont think they have double glazed panes, it is hard to tell from the photos.
    I love the fact that they have the same lampshades that I have. They obviously have great taste.
    Absolutely loved this post. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Chris Creighton
    Chris Creighton says:

    You really have a good eye for photos! You made our house look amazing.
    We are just back from the USA, where I enjoyed visiting some beautiful American homes. I do love the sense of space that you have over there.

    Reply
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