When designer Richard Smith and his partner Andrew Blackman were exploring the East Sussex coast, nearly two decades ago, a derelict farmhouse caught their attention. Built of local sandstone, it stood on high ground, partly boarded up and clearly neglected, but in a breathtaking pastoral setting with coastal views that captivated them.
The main house dated from the early 17th century, with extensions and a porch added in the early 19th century. ‘There was a concrete roof, and the garden had nothing apart from a
