White touch
Sarah and Paul Crozier haven’t looked back since they upped sticks, moved to the countryside and found a very special place to spend the festive season
We love a natural Christmas,’ says Sarah Crozier. ‘Instead of having a traditional tree, we go out into the country lanes and see what we find in the hedgerows.’ And, for Sarah and her husband Paul, their rural home provides all the pastoral inspiration they could want. ‘This area is so tranquil and at one with nature,’ says Sarah.
Sarah and Paul had been city dwellers for years before they relocated. ‘ We’d always been intrigued by country living,’ says Sarah. ‘ We wanted to be able to go for long hikes and experience the seasons. As artists, both Paul and I longed to find a place that would inspire creativity.’
The couple began house hunting in Lincolnshire, hoping to find a period property. ‘We wanted to live in a rural location within easy reach of London for work,’ says Sarah. Then they spotted a potential house online, only to find it was a new-build. ‘But when we went to view it, we were amazed,’ says Sarah. ‘It combined the architectural style that we were looking for with the conveniences of a new-build – and, unusually for a modern house, all on a good-sized plot with amazing views of open countryside.’
The property was a shell inside, so a lot of the interior and exterior required finishing. ‘It was beautifully built
and everything was in the right place, but it needed an injection of soul and some TLC,’ says Sarah. She and Paul set about a year-long complete renovation, a rework of the interior to create a snug downstairs and an additional bedroom upstairs, and installing handmade kitchen units.
‘We wanted the decor to be practical with a modern country feel to suit the rural setting, and to make our guests comfortable,’ says Sarah. ‘We were aiming for a pared-back look with French influences and a rustic ambience, so we used organic materials, such as wood and stone, and a natural palette of soft greys and whites. There’s a dramatic view out of every window, so the plain white walls draw you to look outside – like a painting on a gallery wall.’
With its neutral backdrop, the property is perfect for Christmas. ‘It’s a great house for celebrating and having lots of people around, as the space flows really well and it feels very sociable,’ says Sarah. ‘I really enjoy decorating and dressing the house for friends and family who visit. Christmas Day starts with a late breakfast, followed by a long walk through the frost at nearby Belvoir Castle – then it’s home for champagne and roast turkey with all the trimmings. There’s something so Christmassy about returning home to a cosy house when it’s cold outside – with the fires lit and a mince pie, it’s all you need!’