In the heart of Stamford, a lantern lights the doorway of this 300-year-old townhouse. The owners have spent a year carefully renovating this home, maintaining the classic stonework outside, and creating a sophisticated space filled with colour inside. A wood-burning stove tucked into the original stone wall of the living room adds a touch of cottage cosiness, while midnight blue wall panelling and an aquamarine sofa are solidly 21st-century. The clash of eras continues in the custom-made kitchen where dark blue cupboards filled with sleek black crockery sit against lime-green walls, and the wooden beams of the low ceiling wouldn’t be out of place in an 18th-century country kitchen. Out the back door, a decked, courtyard-style garden is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner drink as stings of lights twinkle above. It’s just a few steps to Stamford High Street, where there are plenty of shops, cafés and delis to choose from. Home truths: * As the house is a Grade II listed building, the stairs are listed and therefore a little uneven in places * The underfloor heating in the kitchen and bathrooms is a welcome addition in winter, but cannot be adjusted by guests * The third bedroom features a day bed which can be set up as a single for one, or double for two – just ask your host