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\u2018Finding a property with just one thing on our wish list was proving difficult, and we were beginning to think it was never going to happen,\u2019 says Evelyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The couple had been holidaying in the town for many years before moving to Devon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018We were living in north London but absolutely loved visiting, and had thought for a long time about making the move,\u2019 she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018It was a big change though, so originally we bought a little cottage for holidays to test the water. After a year, we knew this was the right place for us.\u2019<\/p>
Unfortunately, the perfect house continued to evade them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Then one day I called an estate agent, mainly to bemoan the fact that nothing ever seemed to be available,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I was told that a house was about to come on the market, and it just might be what we were looking for! We wasted no time in going to see it and straight away we crossed everything off on our tick list.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The imposing Edwardian house<\/a> stands on a road that runs high above the town on land that was once part of a large family estate, which also incorporated the Britannia Royal Naval College.<\/p> \u2018When plots were auctioned off, the house was built for the college\u2019s fleet paymaster,\u2019 says Evelyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018The original staircase in what was the servants\u2019 quarters sits in a cupboard in what is now our boot room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The house had undergone a series of changes since then, being turned into flats and then back again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018When we viewed it, the interior walls at the back of the house had been removed to create one big space, but we felt so much could still be done, not least to make the most of that incredible view,\u2019 says Evelyn.<\/p> With French doors<\/a> leading out to the terrace, the vista was somewhat compromised. So the couple\u2019s vision was to extend the footprint, renovate the space entirely, and install vast sliding-glass doors across the whole of the back wall to create a seamless link to the outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the floor above, a sleek balcony <\/a>with glass panels to shield against sea breezes was also planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Evelyn and Simon worked with a local architect to refine all their ideas, and once planning permission had been approved, the major work could begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It took 18 months altogether \u2013 not helped by the pandemic,\u2019 recalls Evelyn.<\/p> \u2018Several factors made it a bit easier though, such as having an outdoor room we could escape to when it got too much. Also, our fantastic builder had the foresight to order all the materials before we went into lockdown, so work resumed straight away.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n The couple had decided on a clean, contemporary style for their open-living space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\u2019s in contrast to the rest of the house, which retains many of its original Edwardian features, but that was the idea \u2013 we wanted it to feel fresh and unexpected,\u2019 says Evelyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I also wanted the kitchen to be clutter-free, so a local company made it to our exact specifications \u2013 I wanted sleek finishes and plenty of storage.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the major interior work was complete, including decorating throughout, the exterior was rendered to bring old and new together. One of the most important parts of the project for Evelyn and Simon was the outside space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018We both wanted a low-maintenance Mediterranean-style garden<\/a> with an emphasis on evergreens and architectural plants,\u2019 says Evelyn, who has Royal Horticultural Society diplomas in garden design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Burton](\"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Burton-House-16-e1724442996553.jpg\")
![\"Burton](\"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Burton-House-29-e1724443063252.jpg\")
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