It took five years for Mark and Joyce Richardson to create their dream home - and new business - at Bag End Cottage in Fife

Only slightly less glamorous than an actual Hobbit hole, Bag End Cottage is still a little piece of magic in the Fife countryside.

Joyce and Mark Richardson were on their way home from visiting friends in Ceres when they spotted the For Sale sign in the hamlet of Chance Inn. They were living in a flat in Dundee and were desperate to move. The dilapidated but 'n' ben they found offered them a great opportunity.

However, their move into Bag End Cottage was not a quick process. It took 18 months to complete the sale, and three architects and a further 18 months to get their plans passed. Their commitment to this project has been remarkable - it's not everyone who could live in a caravan for five years which is what they have done to build their dream home and start a new business.

Part of the reason the process has taken so long is that Mark took on almost the entire project himself. While Joyce kept the money coming in by working as an occupational therapist, the design, the build, and all the finishing touches are down to Mark, as he explains: "I had specialists erect the timber frame, a plumber to fit the boiler and an electrician to do his magic, but everything else I did myself."

Fair enough, if this had been a typical new-build square box, but Mark's design was quirky to say the least. "I wanted a property that changed height and shape constantly and to be honest, I would have liked to go much bolder but we struggled getting parts of even this design past the planners."

The couple's dream was to create a property that would provide them with a family home and an income. Accordingly, the house is split into two - the front with the main entrance, leads into a four-star, three-bedroom, self-catering holiday home. And at the other side of the property is the Richardsons' living space.

Both benefit from Mark's imagination in exploring differing heights and shapes. Curves and right angles are juxtaposed and every room has something special to offer, but surprisingly nothing jars the eye, much to Mark's delight: "I truly believe you can make a building interesting and comfortable simply by getting the rooms to flow. I love when guests arrive and they feel instantly at home which helps get their holiday off to a great start. I've even ensured the Italian porcelain floors flow from room to room without door treads so as not to create any visual barriers."

It's this level of craftsmanship that explains why this build took as long as it did. "I'm a Virgo and I'm fastidious," says Mark laughing. "I knew if I took on a builder they wouldn't pay the same attention to detail as I would and besides, I couldn't afford to pay a builder to spend a week cladding one curved wall which is what needed to be done."

The Siberian larch cladding took Mark five months to fit but it was just another job on a very long list. "I've done building work before, but nothing on this scale and alone as well. I remember one very bad day, I just ran out of energy and a full sheet of plasterboard fell on me. I just lay there underneath it, thinking: 'I'm never going to finish this'. However, I just kept saying to myself: 'Every job you do today is one less job you have to do tomorrow' and that's how I kept going till I got to the end."

Although Mark already had a number of building skills under his belt, there were still a few he had to master, but again rather than pay someone else he learned to do it himself as he recalls: "I phoned the dry stone walling association to see if I could sign up for a course so I could landscape the garden. One of their reps suggested I could go and work with him for a week, so I did, at Kinfauns Castle Estate."

The build has, however, taken its toll on Mark's health - he's broken ribs and injured a shoulder, but now that all the dirty work is done, he's looking at less strenuous ways of making a living.

Mark's father was an antiques dealer and the enthusiasm has rubbed off, but for a different era as Mark explains: "I couldn't live in a house with Victoriana and chintz as that's how I remember my childhood home but I have developed a passion for collecting vintage glass, ceramics and occasionally furniture too."

Mark's collection, much to Joyce's dismay, has grown considerably as he's developed quite a flair for it, so much so that his next plan is to open an eBay shop which he'll run from one of the outbuildings.

In the meantime, visitors to Bag End can enjoy Mark's eye for the unusual as original vintage pieces from his collections are dotted around the cottage. "I didn't want to scare guests by putting in too much or making it too personal," says Mark, "but it's nice to share beautiful things and it makes the place unique." Fortunately many of his guests agree.

Mark has been sensible too; original vintage lamps are not on the bedside tables where they could be knocked off, and his stunning collection of Italian glass vases is the perfect complement to the white vaulted ceiling, like a 3D piece of art but again not displayed in anyone's way. The kitchen is all Swedish practicality and the bathrooms are luxurious - there's everything a family needs in a home from home.

"This has been a proper labour of love, but we're all appreciating it now," says Mark. "It's been worth it and it hasn't put either of us off doing it again although next time I'll definitely need some help."

Bag End Cottage sleeps six with prices starting from 269 for a weekend break and up to 699 for a full week in high season, (01334 829019, www.fifecottageholidays.co.uk).

• This article was first published in The Scotsman on October 09, 2010