This is 18th Century Cottage with 21st century convenience. Every piece of antique furniture has a story and The chairs are Great Northern Railway and stamped with the names of long closed stations. The huge granite fireplace is made from kerbstones taken from the mountains of Mourne and used in Victorian Belfast streets - each with the mark of the men who carved them. Light the pot bellied stove - we will leave a log basket to fill it - and rest in the old leather library Queen Anne chairs we rescued and restored. The cushions are made from the pattern used on the Titanic. Double doors take you out to two patios - one in the garden where we love to sit and listen to the river running by, the other to the courtyard with its cow-tailed pump and massive gothic door, originally from a church at the docks in Belfast. It's a sun trap and very private, although you can hear the comings and goings of the village.

The tongue and groove wood in the bathrooms have been reclaimed from the original house ceilings. When we took these down we found newspapers pasted to the rafters which told the news of the American Civil War in 1864.

One of the themes upstairs is the 'Green Man', who appears in Victorian carvings above the doors and in the magnificent table in the Master bedroom. You have to put your finger in his mouth to open the drawer! We have used original art and limited prints throughout. The watercolours of the vintage cars in the Blue Bedroom give nod to the famous hill climb which happens every year in Cairncastle. The Gothic feel of the Master Bedroom with its massive Gothic Headboard (originally an altar in a County Down church) is a reference to the link the area has had with Game of Thrones as a location.

We love the comfort of the beds, the double showers, the feel of woolen carpets and persian rugs on bare feet and the way we were able to reuse the original floorboards and kitchen table. Its wonky with paint layers on the legs but to us its perfect!