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There are renovations thatÌýhappen at pace with a flurryÌýof builders, scaffoldingÌýand cement mixers, and then thereÌýare those that take a more leisurelyÌýtack,ÌýedgingÌýforward over theÌýcourse of years.ÌýFor Bussage House,ÌýaÌýhandsomeÌýGeorgianÌýhouseÌýinÌýGloucestershire, it’s very much a caseÌýof the latter. ‘We’ve been here forÌýtwo years and the only room we’veÌýcompletely finished is the downstairsÌýloo,â€� laughs interior stylist AlyceÌýTaylor, who bought the three-floorÌýhouse with her husband, artist andÌýsculptor Henry Castle, in NovemberÌý2019. ‘Our decision to approach itÌýslowly was partly down to choice,Ìýbut also a matter of necessity as itÌýmeant we could keep to our budget,’Ìýshe says.

The house had been empty for two years and was in a sorry state when Alyce and Henry stumbled upon it by chance when visiting friends for the weekend. Although initially daunted by the scope of the work –there were cracks in walls and a worrying amount of damp � the couple knew they could take on the challenge, having renovated their previous two homes and developed plenty of resilience in the process. ‘We’ve lived in states of chaos for years now and I actually enjoy it,� admits Alyce.

From the start, they had a clear vision for this house: it was about returning the space to its former glory by sensitively stripping it back and restoring what was there. The couple knew that they would be living in it while renovating, which meant their approach would have to be more piecemeal than a complete gut job. They also knew that they would be hands-on, aided by Alyce’s father at weekends. ‘We’ve never had to compromise on materials or techniques because we’re not working to a rushed timeline, and we’ve gained an intimate knowledge of the house’s details.�

‘The house has thrown soÌýmany surprises at us,â€� says Alyce.ÌýWoodworm has been their ‘trickiestÌýnemesisâ€�, meaning that many joistsÌýand floorboards had to be replaced.ÌýBut, behind crumbling render, theÌýcouple have revealed unexpectedÌýdelights: fireplaces, old ridge linesÌýin the top bedroom that show howÌýthe roof has changed position overÌýthe years, and floating doorwayÌýlintels that give an idea of previousÌýlayouts. Two of their most remarkableÌýdiscoveries are a ten-metre deepÌýwell, which would have originallyÌýbeen the main water supply for theÌýhouse, and a ‘puzzlingâ€�, grand, double-width stone staircase that leads downÌýto the basement.

Ìý‘Often what we uncover confusesÌýus even more about how the houseÌýhas been used in the past,â€� explainsÌýAlyce. ‘But, it’s made us reallyÌýinterested in its history.â€� Over theÌýyears, it’s been a NonconformistÌýmeeting room, a boysâ€� school andÌýa girlsâ€� finishing school, beforeÌýbecoming a family home in 1937.Ìý‘We’ve tried to preserve the featuresÌýwe’ve found, so it stands as aÌývisual marker of the building’s richÌýhistory. They’re beautiful scars of aÌýhouse that has been changed over aÌý300-year period.â€�

Along with the architectural quirks, Alyce and Henry have discovered fascinating elements that give insight into the lives of the previous inhabitants. A pretty green floral wallpaper, discovered sandwiched between the walls on the top floor, suggests one owner had a taste for chintz, while Alyce thinks a decorative bench in what will become the dining room could be a remnant from a school dining room. ‘There’s also an old built-in cupboard in our bedroom, which I think would have been added by the school,� adds Alyce. ‘It’s a tricky one for us, because it’s too narrow to be useful, but I’d really like to keep it as a reminder of the house’s history.

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Equally insightful are all theÌýbits and pieces Alyce and HenryÌýhave unearthed from under theÌýfloorboards and carefully preservedÌýâ€� luggage tags, a candle snuffer, aÌýhandful of letters, and even a pairÌýof architect’s callipers. ‘Some ofÌýthem date back to the 1800s andÌýwe love finding these fragments thatÌýhint to the lives in the house beforeÌýus,â€� says Alyce. ‘They’re treasuredÌýpossessions now and we’re going toÌýframe them all in a big box frame.’ÌýOld photographs and adverts forÌýthe school, Alyce explains, ‘addÌýanother layer of understandingâ€�,Ìýone describing the house’s ‘healthyÌýsituationâ€� and another showing it, atÌýone point, with external shutters.ÌýTaking the project slowly hasÌýallowed the couple to let the houseÌýevolve with their lives. ‘What weÌýwant from it has developed over theÌýpast two years and we’ve had timeÌýto really think about how we wantÌýto use the space,â€� Alyce says. ‘I don’tÌýthink it will ever really be done,Ìýbecause it will continue to evolve asÌýwe do.â€�