Artist Helen Charlton and her husband John have transformed a period cottage near Whitby into a romantic bolthole, which seems to be working its magic on guests. Sarah Foster reports

To Helen Charlton's mind, Lavender Cottage, a chocolate box property in the heart of the North York Moors, has become something of a "special occasion house". Designed as a luxury holiday let with the feel and romanticism of a country cottage, the place was always intended to be somewhere unique, but not even Helen anticipated quite how it would seize couples' imaginations.

"We get a lot of honeymooners and people celebrating their wedding anniversaries," she says. "We had a couple who proposed in the cottage and then they came back for their honeymoon and they have just been back for their first anniversary. I love it when the men phone up as a surprise, planning to propose. We've had a few proposals and, so far, everybody has said 'yes'."

The cottage is a true girls' haven, with a garden filled with the scent of lavender and roses and interiors carefully designed by Helen to reflect its traditional character. Built from stone in the 18th Century, it has a rippling, dragon's back roof, and it stands in the tiny hamlet of Iburndale, just beside Sleights and a few minutes' drive from Whitby. It was the picturesque location that first captured Helen's imagination.

"We looked in the Whitby area because, as a child, I used to go to Whitby with my mum and dad so it was a dream to have a house there," she says. "We looked at quite a few properties but as soon as we saw Lavender on the internet, we knew it was the one. Our first visit only confirmed it."

Helen's search for a holiday let began six years ago, after she received an inheritance following her parents' death. She already had experience in renovating a period property, having worked on the farmhouse just outside Durham where she and John live. Being an artist, she felt confident in her vision for Lavender Cottage, but wanted to be sure.

"We had the cottage for about six months before we started the work, just to get a feel for it and plan everything, because we didn't want the building work to go on for a long time," says Helen. "In the end, everything was done in six weeks. We had a new kitchen and a new bathroom, put fireplaces in the living room and bedroom and had everything re-plastered."

Helen's mission was to restore the cottage's true character which, over time, had been all but eroded. The only remnants were a couple of beams, which were added to in key areas like the kitchen. Helen also asked her builder to source local stone for the fireplace in the living room. She wanted everything to be just right - and was prepared to pay for the best she could afford.

"We went for the top end of the market because I did a little bit of research and at the time we started, there wasn't a lot at the top end," says Helen. "I wanted people to be delighted when they came. I wanted it to feel like a home from home."

Helen's taste is apparent throughout. She has combined classic tones with splashes of colour like the red and white gingham blinds in the kitchen to give a luxury, yet lived-in feel. There are staples like a wood burner and a Belfast sink, but Helen has gone beyond what you would normally expect with touches like a beautiful French vintage bed and Emma Bridgewater crockery. The living room floor is solid maple, with travertine tiles in the bathroom, and soft, tactile fabrics add the feel of indulgence.

Helen has used Farrow & Ball paint, which she says is second to none. "Behind the living room fireplace is Pigeon and the rest of the room is String," she says. "There are nice linens and silk curtains that puddle on the floor. There's a squishy feather sofa and lots of cushions. A lot of plumping goes on."

One thing Helen and John pride themselves on is their attention to detail. They stay at the cottage every six weeks to ensure that nothing is overlooked. "It's things like if we need a torch or batteries," says Helen. "That gets picked up a lot in guests' comments."

So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive Helen jokes that the worst complaint has been a lack of egg cups and Lavender Cottage is running at 90 per cent occupancy. Buying another holiday let would be an obvious choice for the couple, but Helen says that, at least for the time being, they are content as they are.

"One is enough at the moment, but never say never. I would rather do one really well than take on more. I want people to enjoy the cottage and have a good time and I want it to be right."

Helen's tips on holiday let decor

Go for the best quality you can - guests appreciate luxury and attention to detail.

Solid floors are an excellent idea as they are practical and hardwearing, but look stylish.

Try to achieve a comfortable and homely feel - anything too pristine can be off-putting.

W: lavendercottagewhitby.co.uk