This medieval home has been given a contemporary twist with lovely results

 Think period homes are dark and dingy? Think again! Medieval homes can be light inside – and we have proof in the form of this Grade-II listed house that's currently up for sale.

High House is an elegant three-storey period property, and over the years it's been greatly enlarged and altered, with a lot of its influence taken from the Georgian era. Set at the foot of a hill by Dunster Castle, in Minehead, Somerset, the house has had many of its original architectural features preserved, including open fireplaces, ceiling beams and exposed roof timbers. 

This period home is pretty exceptional, so get ready to have your eyes opened.

High House exterior

 Outside, the property has been protected by a colour-wash render, with a Welsh slate roof and medieval wood front door. Pretty impressive isn't it?

It's also easy to see how this house is so light, when you take into account all of those windows.

Living room

 This house spoils with living room ideas. Inside, you'll find not one but four well-proportioned reception rooms, including this living room, which has been decorated in true heritage style.

That fireplace is pretty impressive and the range of sofas means you'll be spoilt for choice as to where you sit.

Kitchen

 At the back of the house is a charming French farmhouse-style kitchen fitted with a tiled floor, bespoke, painted timber units and a Belfast sink. The bit that caught our eye, though, is the pale-blue Aga nestled into what was probably an old inglenook fireplace, with a tiled surround and hanging copper pans. Matching copper pendant lights also hang over the dining table, which is large enough to seat 12.

Adjacent to this room you'll also find a pantry equipped with a range cooker, dishwasher, microwave, fridge and freezer – everything you need in fact.

Dining room

 Just incase you want a more formal table, there's a dedicated dining space with blue-coloured upholstered chairs that match the window shutters and tie in with the colour scheme elsewhere.

Teamed with the rustic wood beams, that powder blue shade is a beautiful match.

Bedroom

High House has five bedrooms – on the first floor you'll find four double bedrooms (two with en-suite bathrooms), while the second floor is home to the last bedroom, which features a vaulted ceiling fashioned from timbers, believed to have been salvaged from the ships of the Spanish Armada.

This bedroom, with its ornate rich-wood four-poster bed and hide rugs feels quite luxurious to us, especially if you look at the little step to help you get into bed more easily. And that lime-green chair and footstool adds contrast, bringing a touch of modern into a very traditional scheme.

This room just goes to show sometimes modern and traditional bedroom ideas can be a match made in heaven.

Bathroom

On to the bathroom and this is one of four in High House. We think this bath space is pretty perfect, with its botanical wallpaper, claw-foot roll-top bath and rustic shelf, and once again, open those shutters and this room is flooded with light.

Garden

There's no shortage of outdoor space with the house – in fact, the homeowners are treated to two separate and adjacent gardens that stretch out behind the house.

This one is laid out immediately behind and offers plenty of privacy with the high brick wall that surrounds it. Our favourite part is the barbeque and dining area, which sits under a pergola decorated with foliage. The lawn is fringed by borders filled with flowers and shrubs, and at the end of the lawn you'll find a hot tub and a gate leading out onto Dunster Deer Park and Castle Grounds.

Can you guess how much it is? High House is actually on the market with Knight Frank for £1,650,000. You can also book a holiday visit.