SUFFOLK COTTAGE

When painter Lucy Dawson moved in With olly hackett, her creative touches made a picture-perfect home to share

Creative touches abound in an artist’s quaint, historic home

This is such a beautiful place,’ says artist lucy Dawson. ‘I was brought up here in suffolk and I love the nature and wonderful skies. I went to university and then off travelling, but I came back to suffolk and appreciated living here even more. It provides a lot of inspiration for my country-themed artwork.’

lucy lives in a quaint 16th-century cottage on an idyllic village high street with her partner olly Hackett. they have olly’s parents to thank for introducing him to the village. ten years ago, they bought a house here and olly liked visiting the area so much, he snapped up the cottage next door when it came up for sale four years ago. ‘olly loved the people, the village and the atmosphere. It’s such a nice community here,’ says lucy. she was living nearby and knew the village well when she moved in with olly two years ago. ‘I loved the cottage,’ she says. ‘It’s cosy and full of character.’

olly had already done a lot of work on the building before he met lucy, gradually renovating the cottage over a three-year period. It needed a new roof and heating, and he was keen to re-introduce period character as the previous owners had boxed over many of the old features, including the beams. ‘one of olly’s uncles is a talented architect who helped him come up with a plan for

adjusting the layout,’ explains lucy. He designed an open-plan kitchen-diner, removing the ceiling in the dining area to open the space up to the beams for added wow factor. He also brought more light into the front of the house by knocking through part of the wall between the living room and hallway and replacing it with new vertical oak beams that are now a stunning architectural feature. a utility and cloakroom were also added. upstairs, the beams were exposed and new bathrooms installed, with olly adding an en-suite shower to the main bedroom.

It might seem there was little more for lucy to contribute, but she helped add the finishing touches to the cottage when she moved in. ‘It was a little sparse at first,’ she laughs. ‘there weren’t any doors!’

lucy’s artist’s eye can be seen in the combination of simple decor and creative design ideas that give the cottage its unique character. she used a white and offwhite backdrop to show off the beams and exposed brickwork. ‘I tried to keep the interior light throughout as it works with the accessories. We wanted the cottage to have a fresh and airy feel and the neutral colours are in keeping with the country look.’

the kitchen, with its soft blue/grey cabinets, reclaimed suffolk floor bricks, exposed brickwork and bold blue

aga built into the fireplace is lucy’s favourite room.

‘We both enjoy cooking and socialising. everyone gravitates towards the aga.’

the dining area is the perfect space for entertaining friends and family and lucy and olly have created an eclectic feel by fixing tree branches into the ceiling. ‘We saw the idea in a hotel and loved it,’ says lucy. ‘the branches are also great at christmas and easter when we can decorate them for a festive feel.’ Meanwhile, vintage ladders have been fixed horizontally across the walls on either side of the room and are a quirky way of displaying books.

Not surprisingly, many of the fabrics, accessories and soft furnishings in the cottage come from lucy’s own country-themed range. ‘they’re inspired by the wildlife we see around us. I’ve painted animals and wildlife for the last eight years then moved more into interiors two years ago, creating fabrics based on my watercolour designs. they’re in neutral tones and are great for adding subtle colour and pattern to a room.’

lucy has also converted one of the bedrooms into a workroom she can use when she’s not at her studio. ‘It’s lovely to be able to work from home in idyllic surroundings.’

What we love most about living hereé ‘The sense of community, as well as having amenities on our doorstep like the butcher and baker’

Exterior The Grade Ii-listed 16th-century cottage is situated at the heart of a pretty Suffolk village. For similar exterior wall paint, try Off-white by Farrow & Ball.

Kitchen Soft blue Shaker-style cabinets add subtle colour. Harvey Jones kitchen cabinets are a match. For a similar cabinet paint, try Cabbage White by Farrow & Ball. Blue fish plate, Adnams.

Kitchen The ladder is used as a place to store books. The stoneware jars were found when digging the floors.

Lilly the cat makes herself at home.

Living roomA woodburner adds a rustic touch. Hare painting by Lucy Dawson, Bella Art.

Main bedroom Painted and wooden furniture teamed with mix-and-match fabrics creates a classic country feel. Kingfisher, fern and feather print cushions; lampshades, all Bella Art. Throw, Emzo. Blind fabric, John Lewis.

Hall Part of the wall was knocked through to filter more light into the cottage. Table, made by Olly with a cast-iron sewing machine base from an auction. Lamp, Bulldog Vintage.

Bathroom A tongue and groove bath panel injects a country feel to the monochrome scheme. Floor and wall tiles, B&Q. Rug, bought in Greece.