The cottage was built in 1750 but had been ‘over modernised’ internally by previous owners and looked more like a modern bungalow inside. The brief was to put some character back and create a more spacious feeling if possible. The relatively simple removal of a couple of stud walls enabled the interior to be rearranged to suit the clients’ lifestyle better. Additionally removing the ceiling over the new kitchen/living area made an enormous difference to the feeling of space and light. As now the kitchen area opened out into the living room, it was important the two sat well together as a living space. Alison designed the kitchen along with Ashley Ann Kitchens to ‘shoehorn’ as much as possible into the tight space being allocated and also provide a casual dining area – the result is a light painted kitchen with tongue and groove paneled details and washed wood effect worktops. Distressed, painted beams were added to the hall, recess down lights for a better spread of light in this long narrow space, along with tongue and groove paneling to the dado to give some ‘cottage’ character. The awful ‘orange’ pine, 6 panel doors (soo wrong!) were replaced with untreated reclaimed oak broad plank doors which were given a smokey grey colour wash and black iron door furniture. The stained skirtings and architraves were all painted. At the entrance to the new kitchen / living room a brick supporting pillar was discovered behind the studded out wall and this was left exposed. The interior scheme was pulled together with a very simple colour palette. The majority of ceilings, walls and woodwork being painted with Zoffany White Clay. The master bedroom is wallpapered with an Elitis ‘linen’ effect wallpaper in muted taupe shades and one of the guest rooms is papered with Lewis and Wood’s over scaled Adams Eden. The flooring throughout is Alternative Flooring Boucle Sisal, apart from the master bedroom which has a luxurious wool carpet, also from Alternative flooring, in a similar dark taupe shade to keep the continuity. The clients love of blue and white is a linking theme through the cottage. A nice addition to the renovation was the conversion of a wooden shed in the garden in to a proper garden room complete with dining table, sitting area and bio fuel fire for year round use.