Award-winning Lowick church conversion inspires new book

Dean Keyworth bought the Grade II listed former Church of Scotland church in Lowick back in 2017 and spent three years transforming it into a beautiful home.

It was even highly commended by the Georgian Group in its awards for the best conversion of a Georgian building.

“As Grade II listed, the church was subject to heritage restrictions and, as a property being converted from religious use to a domestic dwelling, it was also in some respects treated as a new build by the planning authorities,” recalled Dean, a former president of the British Institute of Interior Design.

"These dual (and sometimes conflicting) sets of parameters made for some interesting times and was a steep learning curve, even for an experienced designer.”

Having survived the build, he recalls the joy at being able to embark on his favourite part – the decoration and furnishing.

"My main aims were to be sympathetic to the ecclesiastical architecture without it feeling too ‘churchy’, and to source as much as possible locally in the North East,” he explained.

"To this end, much of the furniture came from local auction houses, including Railtons at Wooler; the new doors and windows were manufactured by Crawfords Joinery; the 1909 kitchen from Maden Kitchens - both in Berwick; and the paint was from Craig & Rose, just across the border.”

Dean and his husband worked and lived in London and this was to be their second home.

However when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, they decided to sell up in London and make the church their main place of residence.

Dean’s new book, The New Country-City Style for Rural Living, is also a treasure trove of inspirational ideas for homeowners looking to bring a taste of the city to country life, as well as insights into the way of life that country dwelling entails and the benefits of neighbours and local resources.

Outlining the inspiration behind the book, he said, “Having been an interior designer for over 20 years, I felt I had learned so much through this project that I decided to write about it in “The New Country – City Style for Rural Living” which gives tips for working on rural buildings, using the Old Church as a case study and also showcases a host of outstanding country interiors by a range of talented designers.”

Through the book Dean takes readers right from the planning stages to the designing of individual rooms around the house, highlighting ideas and practical tips to make them more comfortable, workable and beautiful.

The New Country also takes into consideration the types of materials and finishes as well as styling that stand up to country life and highlights the importance of using local materials and crafts people where possible.

The New Country: City Style for Rural Living will be available from RIBA Books from December 1 and copies will be stocked at Interesting Books on West Street in Berwick.