WHEN you look at the imposing Gothic frontage of Stuart Bethel and Helen Rhodes’ home, it’s difficult to imagine that it was once a battered wreck.

The future had looked bleak for the property built in 1868, desecrated by vandals and left to rot until construction project manager Stuart took it on.

He and his partner spent years lovingly transforming it into a stunning family home.

The listed house was split into eight bedsits in the 1960s, but 30 years on was facing ruin when it was left abandoned – giving vandals a prime opportunity to make their mark.

Stuart said: “It was in a terrible state when we bought it. Vandals had smashed it up and ripped out some of the original features like the balustrades of the staircase which we had to replace and all the original plastering which had perished.

“It was completely desecrated and this, plus a few structural problems, put a lot of people off buying it.

“This was lucky for us because, being in the trade, I knew exactly how to put the problems right.

“We also had the vision to see past the house’s problems to the potential it had, although at the time people did say we’d bitten off more than we could chew!”

Despite the problems, the couple fell in love with the property’s sense of grandeur and space. Its Edgerton location – surrounded by other magnificent period homes in a quiet conservation area setting – also appealed to the couple who had spent months house-hunting in the area.

Big fans of properties with a sense of history and character, the couple found period charm in spades with the atmospheric property – the outside looks like it could have been conjured from the pages of a gloomy Gothic novel.

Stuart said: “We were looking for a character property rather than something modern and already liked the Edgerton area which does have a few period houses.

“Even though the house was looking pretty grim, it did have all the space and character we were looking for – it was just that some of it had been lost and needed putting back.”

The couple’s grand Victorian-built home is listed on the original deeds as belonging to an army captain, but was later carved up into bedsits and lay abandoned for years after the last occupants had left.

When the couple bought the house in 2000, they embarked on a lengthy mission to restore the property to its former glory while creating a home that suited their modern tastes.

Stuart added: “I’d done refurbishment work before, but never on this kind of scale. It was a pretty big job and Helen did take a bit of convincing at first!

“The bedsits had all been self-contained with individual kitchens and bathrooms so that all needed to be converted back. The biggest nightmare for us was converting the basement back as it was very damp.”

Along the way they uncovered a plethora of stunning period features that had long been forgotten or neglected which they were then tasked with bringing back to life.

Stuart explained: “The original covings and skirting boards were still there as well as some lovely ceiling roses, but there were also a few things that we revealed along the way like where the original fireplaces had been. Unfortunately, they had been ripped out – this was a real sore point for us – but we were able to uncover the surrounds and put in replicas.”

Stuart said he and Helen – who works in graphics and marketing – wanted a home that was modern but one that also made the most of the property’s superb period features.

“In the end we decided to go for a mix between traditional and new, making sure that we were sympathetic to the age and features of the house,’’ said Stuart.

“All of the rooms are different, with some looking more contemporary than others. The colours also vary from bright reds in the living room to duck egg blues and greens in some of the others.

“With furniture we’ve kept the rooms fairly minimalist and shopped locally for pieces that are different. For example, we’ve recently bought an 8ft gold guilded picture frame that we’re waiting to put up somewhere.

“One good thing about having this much space to play with is that we can be quite flexible with how the rooms look. The main living room is very modern at the moment, but we considering changing it to be more traditional and grand – perhaps a shabby chic effect.”

The couple have now transformed the rundown property into a beautiful and stylish home that strikes the perfect balance between period and contemporary living.

Thanks mainly to Helen’s flair for interior design, the couple have blended the old and new styles expertly with each glossy room emanating an individual look – from the very modern decor of the living room to the more traditional bathroom with wooden flooring and a roll-top bath.

The impressive transformation job Stuart and Helen did on their home soon caught the eye of property scouts from Yorkshire Locations, a company which gives homeowners the chance have their homes appear on the small and big screen.

The swish decor as well as the generous proportions of the rooms made the couple’s home ideal for camera crews and the property was soon appearing in TV adverts for the supermarket Costcutter, filmed in the stylish kitchen and living room.

It may have taken years to perfect, but Stuart and Helen couldn’t be prouder of the fantastic family home they’ve created.

Stuart added: “It’s been a real labour of love, but it’s given us a real sense of achievement.

“It’s nice to stand back and say that we’ve created something so great out of something that looked so impossible – it’s surprised a lot of people!”

The couple’s house is featured on the Yorkshire Locations website at www.yorkshirelocations.co.uk