An east Belfast mansion once used as a holiday home by CS Lewis has been restored to its former glory – and the judges on BBC NI’s House of the Year agree as it’s become the third property to make the final of the series.
The impressive two-storey Hampton House in east Belfast, was built in 1862, designed by Thomas Jackson, one of the most prolific architects of the time.
At one time it had been owned by the aunt and uncle of CS Lewis, though hasn’t been a family home since the 1960s.
Having fallen into a state of disrepair, the property was just a shell of its former self before Belfast-based property developer Farran’s Construction took five years to transform the building from near dereliction into a refurbished building, ready for a future owner to put their stamp on it.
Up to that challenge were the Coulter family, who said they were “honoured” to be part of the building’s history.
And there efforts to create a sympathetic nod to the history of the property, and introduce some modern touches and fun, immediately had the ‘wow’ factor for host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
“It feels like the house is happy to see you,” he said, taking viewers on a tour of the ground floor with its huge and impressive formal living area, adjoining dining room, through to open plan kitchen, informal family room, study and downstairs bathroom.
A skylight drenches the home in light from the landing, with three children’s bedrooms, a spare bedroom and a master bedroom with dressing room.
“I’m being treated to a colour drench in shades of lovely liquorice making it chic, elegant and almost like a little black dress. I should be wearing more velvet!” the presenter enthused.
At one stage he admitted he’d “‘got lost on your cornices” as he took in the tastefully decorated home.
The Grade II listed property was put on the market in 2020 with a £1.5 million price tag after falling into disrepair, having also previously served as a base for the Northern Ireland Youth Association.
When Katie Coulter and her husband, Johnny, who have four children, moved back to Northern Ireland from London eight years ago they initially lived in another period home in east Belfast.
“We wanted to stay in the area, but we needed a bigger house,” she said.
“Hampton House really isn’t like anything else out there. It’s one of the last original mansion houses left in the area.
“Farran’s did a great job restoring the property, which was quite literally falling down.
“The original plan was to knock it down and build 11 homes on the site, but planning wasn’t approved because it was listed as a heritage building.
“Although we didn’t do the physical restoration, we did all the decoration and fitting out, which had to meet heritage standards,” said Katie.
“We had to put in the vestibule in the porch, wooden sash windows and cornicing in the style that was in the house originally, as well as all the finishing touches such as the bathrooms, kitchen, floors and soft furnishings, which I really enjoyed.
“Although much of the original features were not able to be kept, we did keep the original bannister on the stairs, which is really nice.
“We have tried to keep much of the interior in keeping with how it once looked, but with a modern twist on it.”
Katie said she has been working with a historian to put together a book of photographs and stories about the property.
“This is more of a personal book for us to remember and pass down for years to come,” she said.
“This is a really special house which was here long before us and will hopefully be here long after we’re gone, so I wanted to document its history somehow.”
Melmore House, a lovingly restored 1850s villa in Co Down, was revealed as the first home to secure a place in the grand final.
The family home was originally built in 1855 and previously belonged to former Chief Constable Sir Graham Shillington and was joined as a finalist by Scott’s Farmhouse, in Clogher Valley in episode two, a property dating back to 1923 which has been passed down through a family ever since.
The fourth episode of the six week series will be aired on BBC NI next Monday evening at 8pm.