“I’m always changing things around – nothing stays still for long here.” It’s a philosophy that perfectly captures the warmth, creativity and effortless character of Sue and Rick Hodgson’s beautiful North Yorkshire cottage.
When the couple moved here in 2014, they weren’t searching for more space – quite the opposite. After years of running a large bed and breakfast, complete with a dramatic balcony but very little outdoor living space, they were ready for a slower pace and a home that felt more manageable. What they found was a historic end-of-terrace cottage dating back to 1720, later extended in the 1800s and again in the 1990s. While the property was full of charm, it needed vision, imagination and plenty of hard work.
Fortunately, renovations are something Sue and Rick know well. This was their third major project together, and they wasted no time bringing their ideas to life.
“We knew exactly what we wanted,” Sue explains. “We were able to live here while we renovated, so we could make decisions as we went. We tackled the major work in just two months.”
The layout was transformed almost immediately. The kitchen was opened into the neighbouring sitting-room, creating one bright, welcoming space where family and friends naturally gather. Rick, a professional chef, wanted a kitchen designed to be used every day rather than simply admired.
“It’s the heart of the house,” laughs Sue. “The tiles between the cooker and island have almost worn away because it’s used so much.”
One of the home’s most dramatic transformations came in what is now the living-room. Originally built in the mid-1800s as the local Oddfellows Hall – a meeting place where local tradespeople gathered to support one another – the room had been hidden beneath a low suspended ceiling by previous owners. Sue and Rick stripped everything back, exposing the original roof structure and creating a wonderfully airy space filled with history and character.
Throughout the cottage, original features sit comfortably alongside practical modern living. Oak flooring flows through the ground floor, painted floorboards brighten the upstairs rooms, and even a former gun cupboard has been cleverly reimagined as a downstairs cloakroom.
Although the house offers just two bedrooms, the adjoining holiday cottage provides two additional guest rooms, making it perfect for visiting family and friends while also operating successfully as a holiday retreat.
Outside, however, is where the real transformation has taken place.
When they first arrived, the garden was little more than a paved car park. Today it is a thriving outdoor sanctuary filled with flowers, fruit, vegetables and beautifully designed spaces to relax.
“We took our time with the garden,” says Sue. “It’s become the heart of our home.”
The couple converted the garage into separate workspaces – a floristry studio for Sue and a workshop for Rick – while the old garden shed has become Rick’s much-loved “man cave”. A productive greenhouse provides homegrown fruit and vegetables alongside seasonal flowers, ensuring the garden works just as hard as the house itself.
As soon as the weather allows, life moves outdoors.
Sheltered from the wind, the garden becomes an outdoor dining-room throughout the summer months, with Rick cooking everything from freshly caught sea trout and homemade burgers to colourful seasonal salads using ingredients picked just moments before serving. Summer desserts often feature delicate fruit tarts and towering homemade meringues shared with family and friends around the table.
The garden also provides daily inspiration for Sue’s flourishing floristry business, Flora Staveley. Working almost entirely with seasonal flowers, foliage and seedheads gathered from her own garden and those of her clients, she creates beautifully natural arrangements that celebrate texture, movement and colour. As autumn arrives, many of her creations are carefully dried before being transformed for Christmas with subtle touches of white or gold.
Her creative eye extends throughout the cottage.
I couldn’t imagine having a formal dining-room that only gets used at Christmas. Every part of this house is lived in every single day.
Vintage papers, carefully collected shells and handmade collages add personality to every room, while decorative storage boxes covered in antique wallpaper reflect both her artistic flair and her love of organisation.
“I don’t like clutter,” Sue smiles. “Everything has its place.”
That philosophy has shaped every corner of the house. Clever storage solutions are tucked almost invisibly into the design – the washing machine hidden behind elegant louvred doors, a tiny entrance lobby transformed into a cosy library, and even a wall-mounted dolls’ house repurposed to discreetly store the family’s first aid supplies.
Despite its relatively compact footprint, the cottage feels remarkably spacious.
“Every room has to earn its place,” Sue explains. “I couldn’t imagine having a formal dining-room that only gets used at Christmas. Every part of this house is lived in every single day.”
It is this thoughtful approach that gives the home such warmth. Nothing feels overly styled or precious. Instead, every room reflects the couple’s creativity, practicality and shared love of making things by hand.
Before launching her floristry business, Sue enjoyed a successful career in the NHS and previously worked as an HR director. Yet weekends were always spent decorating, renovating or tackling another interiors project.
“I’ve always loved rolling my sleeves up,” she says. “Working on the house has always been therapeutic.”
Today, the cottage serves not only as her home and workplace but also as the peaceful sanctuary she always dreamed of creating.
Rich in history, full of personality and surrounded by an abundant garden that changes beautifully with every season, Sue and Rick’s North Yorkshire cottage proves that thoughtful design isn’t about size – it’s about creating a home that truly reflects the people who live there.
And for those dreaming of experiencing its unique charm for themselves, this much-loved cottage is also available as a holiday retreat, offering guests the chance to enjoy a little piece of Yorkshire life at its very best.
Find out more at lodgecottagesyorkshire.co.uk
