About these houses

The alcoves, the carved transoms, the stone lantern in the garden, the fan-shaped lattice beside the stairs. Wherever a previous owner had put care in, we left it. In many places, tearing it out and starting again would have been quicker.

We kept them because they are what gives a house its character. Nobody remembers a room that could be anywhere. People do remember 'the room with the hexagonal window' and 'the wall of orange tiles'.

Other things we changed without hesitating: bathrooms, insulation, beds, the kitchen. Those are not places to ask guests to put up with something for the sake of atmosphere. The low bed frames on tatami are exactly that — the look of a Japanese room, without the strain on your back.