Interiors: The purchase of rundown cottages in Dumfries and Galloway may have started as a business decision, but it utterly changed a couple's lives

Having just renovated their London flat, James Barton and Sara Guild had no intention of moving to a remote part of Scotland. But the discovery of some derelict buildings set them off on a rural trajectory.

The couple's first trip to Dumfries and Galloway in 2002 was prompted by James's mother's purchase of a house in Wigtown.

"It needed lots of work so we stayed in holiday cottages," says Sara, then a freelance writer working for hotel and catering publications. James, a property developer, had just fulfilled an ambition by completing a chef's training programme at Westminster Kingsway College.

Their experience of self-catering places in Dumfries and Galloway wasn't great and they spotted an opportunity to draw on James's development experience. He recognised the potential in two cottages perched on the edge of woodland outside the village of Sorbie.

The wooded setting resonated with Sara, who is Canadian and, shortly before the couple headed across the Atlantic for Christmas 2002, they put in a bid.

"We arrived back to a letter announcing we were the new owners," Sara says.

Still the couple didn't envisage moving to Scotland, simply planning to renovate the properties and let them out.

Set around a courtyard, and originally part of a stable block for the nearby Ravenstone Estate, the buildings had been converted to accommodation for farm dairymen in the 1950s.

By the time James and Sara entered the frame, both cottages – of simple, two-up, two-down design – were in poor repair. Mould had formed in one after a water tank burst in the loft, while the living room floor in the other was completely rotten. Putting London life on hold, the couple spent two months gutting and renovating one cottage, tackling pretty much everything themselves, with help from a tradesman with whom James worked in London as well as a plucky friend. They saved a lot on plastering costs; James had attended night classes in the trade and taught Sara during their London flat renovation.

By May 2003 Ravenstone Cottage was complete, its uncluttered interior setting the mood for others to come.

The couple vetoed the dated look that arises from cobbling together a holiday home from the contents of granny's attic. "Accommodation these days has to meet the expectations of people who are well travelled," says Sara.

Neither did she want a pretentious look, choosing durable pieces from contemporary sources such as Ikea as well as local antique shops and auction houses, adding home comforts such as DVD players and iPod connections.

A wood-burning stove was a warming choice for this cottage as well as the second, completed in 2005 and which can also accommodate four guests.

"Ravenstone Stables took considerably longer because it was in worse condition, and we lived in it during the renovation," says Sara.

And this wasn't the only project on which the couple had to work. Having officially made the move north, they identified another untapped market in the area, where it had proved a struggle to buy anything as exotic as a vanilla pod.

Some thought them mad when they bought a double-fronted shop in Whithorn (then somewhat off the foodie radar) with a view to opening Ravenstone Deli. But, in the event, local people were incredibly supportive, not to mention excited by this newfound access to interesting deli fare.

"When our son Benjamin was born, the locals decorated the deli and filled it with gifts," says Sara, a gesture which she found quite overwhelming.

The two businesses complement each together. Guests at Ravenstone Cottage can self-cater in style, ordering hampers with fresh bread (which James makes at 5am every morning) and sufficient deli counter delights to whip up a three-course meal, including plump olives and artisan cheeses.

Initially, the couple used half of the shop as an office, but subsequently invited a butcher to utilise that space, extending their repertoire. Cottage guests can also stop by the deli cafe for Italian coffee, fresh sandwiches and traditional pizzas.

Earlier this year they opened a second branch of Ravenstone Deli in a vacant butcher's shop in Wigtown. "People missed the butcher," says Sara, whose new deli is restoring that service with local farm produce. It has been hectic this year but Sara cites their busiest as 2008 when, before the birth of daughter Jennifer, they completed the conversion of a derelict steading, their third self-catering venture.

"James had been looking for another project," laughs Sara.

Close to Kirkinner, south of Wigtown, this old barn with coastal views was a massive job. Half the building, which forms part of a courtyard with a central garden, had to be rebuilt. Their environmentally friendly approach saw Orchard Cottage rebuilt using stone and slate salvaged from the original structure. Timber windows were fitted, while the new internal timber frame was packed with insulation.

The single storey cottage sleeps six in three bedrooms tucked off a central hallway (with two en-suite shower rooms and a separate bathroom) while the remaining kitchen/living/dining area is open-plan.

James sourced a wood-burner stove-cum-range that has aesthetic appeal in this large area while also heating water for the under floor heating. Bamboo flooring was chosen for its compatibility with the latter, as well as its eco credentials, and an abundance of Velux windows increases solar heat gain. Sun pipes deliver natural light to rooms that would otherwise require electric light bulbs.

Today, the family lives in a property to the opposite side of the courtyard at Ravenstone, sharing the large garden with guests, ducks and chickens.

When they bought these cottages, the couple hired a digger to remove willow and bog plants before creating a pond, fern and grass beds. Last year they boosted family appeal with a timber pirate ship and climbing wall, positioned discreetly on the edge of the 14-acre woodland that can be explored using bridges and pathways.

James and Sara didn't leave London for a quiet life. But two children, two shops and three holidays cottages later, they have no regrets. "Quite a few of our guests are contemplating a move to the area, it's all come full circle," says Sara.

www.ravenstonecottages.co.uk, tel: [phone]; www.ravenstonedeli.com, tel: [phone].

• This article was first published in The Scotsman on 22 May.