Hannah moved into the barnhouse 20 months ago after splitting from a partner (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Ready for some interiors envy?

When we think of renting, most of us (well, those of us in London) picture tiny flats or houseshares.

Those are very often the types of rented properties we see in our weekly renting series, What I Rent, in which we take you inside people’s homes to see what they get for what they pay.

Hannah, 35, has the type of cosy, homely, beautifully decorated place usually reserved for homeownership. The massive sofa, the Christmas decorations, and the sense that this is home, not just a house, is proof that renting doesn’t mean you have to live in an unsettled state.




Hannah is a business owner and designer who lives and works in a barnhouse on a farm in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

She’s lived in Buckinghamshire since she was little, but 20 months ago moved into the barn on her own (along with a cat, Saffy) after splitting from a partner.

She pays £1,350 a month (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Hi, Hannah! How much do you pay to live here?

I pay £1,350 rent per month. Water is included, electricity is around £600 a year and I spend around £1,000 a year on oil to heat the underfloor heating and water.

And what do you get for what you pay?

The living space in the barn is all open plan, with two bedrooms, a main bathroom and en-suite to the master bedroom. I have a small utility space and a great garden with a hot tub, perfect for a morning coffee or nighttime of stargazing.

Do you think you have a good deal?

I think it’s probably at the top end of my budget, but the setting of the barn is absolutely stunning and I wouldn’t change it for anything, so yes I have a great deal in that regard.

This feels like a very special and unique place to live.

As well as being her home, the barnhouse is Hannah’s office (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Why Buckinghamshire?

I love the local area and being in a very rural location whilst also be close to the market town of Thame which is easily reached on foot or by bicycle.

Oxford is only just down the road and it’s easy to get into London and Birmingham by train. So the location has a fantastic balance of rural living and local amenities.

Are you happy where you live?

I absolutely adore living here, it’s a total pleasure to come home to – if and when I ever have to move, it will be very hard to leave such a wonderful location.

I’ve also made lifelong friends with my next door neighbours – what’s not to like?

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Yes, plenty! I could probably do with a bit more storage space but I have plenty of space for me and the cat to run around.

Hannah’s been loving decorating her place with whatever she fancies (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

How did you find the barnhouse?

I had separated from my husband and was living with my parents. While it was lovely to be with family, I needed to have space of my own to give me the boost I needed to be independent and get my life back on track.



I had no real intention of moving but saw the barn spontaneously on Rightmove, went to visit it and absolutely fell in love with it. The rest is history.

What’s it like living alone?

Living alone can be lonely sometimes. However it is also very empowering and I love the freedom of being able to play my guitar at any time of the day or sing along with Spotify to my heart’s content.

I have lots of friends and family who spend time at the barn too so it’s never too lonely. I’m sure it would be a wonderful place to share for a couple too.

There’s plenty of pink (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

What’s it like to work and live in the same property?

I do work from home and sometimes find it hard to switch off, particularly as I live alone.

I make a conscious effort at the end of the work day to shut the office door, hide my felt tips and try and go for a walk or out to the gym for a change of scene.

I think it helps that if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like you are working. Being a business owner can be all-consuming and I’m very fortunate to live in a place that makes all of the hard work worthwhile.

How have you made the house feel like home?

I spent the first year in the barn making do with spare furniture and fittings that I had begged, upcycled or borrowed, as most of my furniture, art, lamps and fittings were dressing the house that I own with my ex-partner which was on the market.


I had a realisation one day that I wasn’t actually ‘living’ in the barn and that I was just seeing it as a transitional place to live until my life got back on track.

This was probably part of the way I was feeling about myself too and that I hadn’t quite found who I wanted to be or the direction I wanted my life to go in.

And you’ll spy Christmas decorations, too (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

I decided to go all out and buy a pink sofa… just because I could. The sofa was a catalyst for making the barn my home and a place that reflects my personality and the things I love in life.

I have filled the house with plants that I’m learning to look after, strange, quirky objects that I find curious and photographs of my amazing friends and family. It’s starting to feel like my own little place, particularly with a Christmas tree and as many fairy lights as I can sneak in!

Are there any issues with the house you have to put up with?

Living on a farm can bring interesting wildlife into the house, much to the delight of Saffy the cat! We’ve had frogs, toads, newts, bats, wasp infestations, all the neighbours’ cats and an edible dormouse visit us in the last 18 months, as well as a peacock!

Living on a farm isn’t for everyone however I feel very at home with the farm quirks, smells and cow chorus. Being in a rural location can be difficult in terms of services.


With oil heating, if I forget to top it up regularly, I can be left without hot water and heat (thank goodness for the log burner).

I can’t get a good broadband or mobile phone signal on the farm and have had to install a 4G antenna to enable me to work and watch Netflix. I was pleasantly surprised that it’s so easy to get a government grant to have these installed in rural areas.

Another problem I have is that it’s impossible to change lightbulbs or get rid of cobwebs when your ceiling is so high and you don’t have a ladder tall enough!

Hannah runs a design team (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Do you have any plans to move again?

When I next move, I imagine that it will be into a quirky or unusual character property which has the potential to be renovated or remodelled in an imaginative way.

And what about buying a place?

I own an old pub locally with my ex-partner which is currently on the market. My plan is to stay in the barn a little longer before buying my next property… I’m in no rush to leave.

We can understand why. Shall we have a look around?

Welcome in (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

There’s that glorious pink sofa (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Look at that fireplace! (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Wrapping lights around those beams must have been a bit of faff (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

A barnhouse needs plenty of wood to keep the fire going (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

There’s plenty of outdoor space (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

The living room leads into the kitchen (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

There’s space for a dining area too (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

The very neat kitchen (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

We like those trailing plants (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

An important mantra on the fridge (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

The barnhouse has two bedrooms (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

This one’s the spare (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

This bedroom doubles as Hannah’s office (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Please appreciate the colourcoded pen organisation (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

And yes, Hannah does play the guitar (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

Unless your notebook says it, you’re not the boss (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

There are two bathrooms (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

This one has a tub (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

And finally, here’s that toothbrush shot you were waiting for (Picture: Richard Cave for Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property.

How to get involved in What I Rent What I Rent is Metro.co.uk's weekly series that takes you inside the places people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what's normal and how much we should be paying. If you fancy taking part, please email whatirent@metro.co.uk. You'll need to have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates! You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.

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