Let's redefine what "reclaimed" materials means in a modern context. It's the act of going to shops that salvage homes and buildings and reusing those same materials in practical (and hopefully beautiful) ways. The idea of reuse was paramount in every decision Lee Thornley, the founder of Bert & May, a company specializing in hand-poured artisan tiles, made when restoring his family's Georgian cottage in northeast England.
The property sits right on the River Ouse, overlooking the countryside. Located in a conservation village in York, a place where conservation equals preservation. Thornley and his husband purchased a circa 1820s semi-detached home with two kitchens, two staircases, two of everything…think of it as an American duplex. "Despite being over 3,000 square feet, it felt pokey and like a warren of small spaces," says Thornley. Their goal was to turn it into a single family home that worked for their family of four–plus two dogs–and respected the natural environment surrounding it.
While the exterior had to maintain its historic appeal per conservation village rules, the interior needed a lot of work to function. "The idea of ripping it apart is dangerous, but the internal walls were never features," says Thornley. "It's the beams, the stone, the brick, the fireplaces—those are the features. So our view was to say, 'Let's take it back and figure out what's underneath.' And that was the exciting part. Many of its original features were hidden beneath several generations of renovations." That said, in this case what comes down must go back up, and in pulling down walls Thornley was able to rethink how the home worked, adding in four ensuite bedrooms and an additional bath. In what was a true labor of love, he insisted on using salvaged materials to put the house back together again.
"I think there's a duty on all of us to stop buying things you don't need," Thornley says. "If you have the privilege that you can pay to do your interior in the way that we've done it, then I just don't think that it's right to think of this as a choice. I think if there's beautiful materials already out there, people should be using them." Throughout the home you see this mantra in living form: reclaimed tiles and wooden timbers, salvaged beams (found in place and kept), and vintage furnishings from 1st Dibs and Vinterior—alongside two fireplaces discovered hidden behind walls.
The home officially has seven fireplaces, with five that work. "Oh my God, I need a full-time person just putting wood on the fire," Thornley says, joking.
Where reuse wasn't an option, they worked with brands known for creating heritage-worthy products. Aside from using Bert & May's own artisanal handmade tiles throughout, they partnered with Devol to design the kitchen and Samuel Heath for fittings. The entire home is ultimately a testament to honoring the best of the past and making it work well into the future. "We wanted to create a home that felt like a sanctuary. Life's too short to go home and take a picture for Instagram," says Thornley. "I'd rather come home and open a bottle of wine."
Foyer
The entry point to this "new" single-family home is an original door at its center. During the colder winter months, the fireplace stove keeps everyone lounging in here comfortably.
Living Room
During the renovation, a steel structural beam was discovered that was essentially holding up the top floor. "Rather than take the more obvious decision of just lowering the ceiling and plaster boarding, we actually found some reclaimed timber, cladded that beam, and then, to give it symmetry, added a mock version of that same sized beam next to it. Now it looks like it's always been there," says Thornley.
Kitchen
Instead of working with a designer to custom design a complete kitchen, Thornley sought out the expertise and superb craftsmanship of Devol. He went with the Haberdasher Kitchen, a collection of unpainted modular oak cabinetry inspired by midcentury English interiors.
Naturally, owning Bert & May, Thornley had access to beautiful tile, which features abundantly in the kitchen and throughout the house on floors, walls, and fireplace facades. While Carrara marble was the material of choice for the countertops and the Tuscan farmhouse sink, Thornley purposefully switched up the surface directly around the wet zone.
Asked why he went with copper, he says, "Well, unlike humans, where I think we get probably uglier as we get older, I love materials that get prettier with age. So for me, I think the tiles look more and more beautiful every year because they get aged and the sun's been on them and they've been used. So I dislike materials that you've got to keep looking new because it's a pain. You're always thinking, How do I make this look as good as I got it on day one? The copper ages beautifully over time, it gets different shapes on it, different marks. It's like having a beautiful old leather jacket but on your worktop."
Appliances: Smeg. Tiles: Bert & May. Kitchen: Devol. Fixture: Samuel Heath.
Eat-In Kitchen
A reclaimed dining table sits in opposite the kitchen island near a fireplace clad in reclaimed tiles. Through the open doorway is a little "TV-slash-chill-out room" where the family hangs out pre- and post-dinner.
Primary Suite
To transform what had been a sitting room into an ideal retreat for adult catchups, Thornley put in a giant wall of windows to take in the gardens and countryside and added wood panels all the way up the ceiling to play up the room's height. A freestanding clawfoot tub sits opposite the bed and serves as a favorite spot to soak after a long day.
Daughter's Bedroom
The youngest of their two daughters already loves design. She mood-boarded her entire space with references to boho style and nude color palettes, with the rattan bed really setting the style. Thornley jokes that his older daughter is not even remotely interested in design. "I could literally paint my oldest daughter's room purple, and she would not notice," he says. "Whereas I could buy a plant pot that was not quite right and my youngest would say, 'That's not my style.'"
Daughter's Bath
Bert & May green marble and green Majadas on the floor complement the pine door's washed-out color. Thornley jokes that the original door is a bit impractical. "They never stop slamming their asses off because they're quite thin, they don't have a lot of insulation, they've got holes in them. Sometimes you virtually don't even need the door there, you can see right through them…but hey, they look good in, right?!"
Guest Bath
"The guest bathroom was inspired by my love for Spain, and therefore the two reclaimed marble basins were a must and all was built around those features in the space," says Thornley.
Q&A
House Beautiful: What was the home like before?
Lee Thornley: The house had the footprint of the two former cottages with two staircases, two kitchens, and many small rooms both upstairs and down. It wasn’t practical for our youngish family. We knew it had the potential for so much more, but we felt it needed to be entirely remodeled to create more open spaces. The aim was to celebrate all the character behind the false ceilings and plaster walls. We wanted to create a beautiful family home, a forever home for ourselves and our two girls.
HB: What was the reason or inspiration for the new design? What are a few ways you achieved your vision?
LT: The design goal was to create a family home which is stylish and centered around nature. We both love the outdoors, and therefore bringing the garden into the home was a big focus.
Our priority was to uncover the architectural bones of the house and assess how they could be incorporated into the design. We removed all ceilings upstairs, exposing the vaulted ceiling and original beams. While some people felt the high ceilings would create a cavernous vibe, we chose to embrace this.
We also removed all internal walls and started remodeling the upstairs into four ensuite bedrooms. The main bedroom was formerly the sitting room, but we elected to turn this into a suite overlooking the garden.
I asked the Bert & May design team to design each of the bathrooms based on our mood boards. Each of the children (and us) created a mood board of how we wanted our space to look and feel.
HB: How did you incorporate the tiles?
LT: The tiles used in the kitchen are Moroccan zellige on the floor and backsplash and a reclaimed tile on the chimney breast. We wanted the floor to be a neutral palette but full of texture. As each tile is handmade, there are lots of imperfections, and this makes it feel really beautiful. The patterned tiles on the chimney breast are very bold and brave and act as a piece of art, which they really are. The children picked their own tiles and had very clear ideas of what they wanted to achieve.
HB: How did you save money/DIY/get crafty? Please detail as many of these as you can!
LT: One significant cost-saving measure was uncovering the original flagstone floor and deciding to keep it. Additionally, we discovered two fireplaces during the process and opted to leave them untouched. We also found some beams that added character to the space, and rather than removing them we incorporated them into the design, meaning we emphasized the architectural details in the house and kept costs down.
HB: Any other memorable details?
LT: If used well, it's impossible to overuse reclaimed materials, so I simply used them wherever I could. We elected to use handmade terra-cotta on the floor in the kitchen, reclaimed elm boards throughout the downstairs space, and a reclaimed oak floor upstairs. We also used reclaimed tiles in the kitchen around a main feature fireplace, and this really feels like a piece of art. The tiles are of no practical use, simply a statement of beauty.
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