Welcome to our happy home!
The Borgman family’s cosy Cotswolds cottage comes to life during the festive period with crafty decorations and plenty of homespun charm
A Cotswolds cottage full of vintage charm
Caroline Borgman, an interior designer, and her husband Anthony live in a cottage in a Cotswolds village with their two children, Amelie, eight, and Felix, five. Caroline likes to go all-out for Christmas. ‘We make a big effort to make the house look festive and fun,’ she says, ‘including decorating two big trees: one to greet guests when they arrive, and the other for us to enjoy in the living room.’
Christmas is an exciting time in the Borgman household. They love to decorate their Cotswolds cottage with home-made stockings, freshly baked gingerbread houses and foliage from the garden.
The family have owned the property since 2007, but it wasn’t love at first sight when they arrived for the viewing. ‘I really didn’t want to get out of the car, the exterior was so unappealing,’ says Caroline. Luckily, her husband Anthony was able to convince her to take a closer look. The couple had been searching for a new home for a while, and had visited a number of other houses in the area. ‘But in each of the properties we’d seen, the layout was wrong and the rooms just didn’t flow properly,’ says Caroline. Once inside this house, though, it immediately felt different. ‘It was homely and I loved its quirkiness and the unevenness of the walls,’ recalls Caroline. The
couple soon put in an offer, and were delighted when it was accepted.
Using Caroline’s expertise from her background in design, the couple planned how to reconfigure the house to suit them. ‘It needed updating throughout and the decor wasn’t to my taste,’ says Caroline.
They loved the light that came in from the existing conservatory but other rooms were more problematic. The bathroom was first on the list for improvements. They ripped out the dated fittings – including a bright red carpet and orangey pine cladding – and installed a new freestanding bath and separate shower enclosure, as well as underfloor heating. As soon as funds permitted, the kitchen’s gloomy dark oak cabinets were ripped out and Anthony replaced them with new painted cupboards. ‘Luckily, Anthony is very practical,’ says Caroline. He also built a separate utility room with fitted cupboards and shelves for storage.
When it came to the decor, Caroline had a clear vision. ‘I wanted to create a farmhouse look throughout, with pretty, nostalgic fabrics and painted furniture.’ She says her style is influenced by her grandmother, who took her to antiques fairs and auctions as a child. ‘That’s where my interest in beautiful vintage and handmade pieces comes from,’ says Caroline.
All of the rooms were refreshed with new accessories and furniture. ‘I found standalone pieces at an auction and gave them a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint,’ says Caroline. The couple also replaced the flooring
throughout with Cotswold stone, and built a studio in the garden for Caroline so that she can work from home.
During the Christmas period, shades of red and green add seasonal cheer to the house’s neutral palette. ‘I adore deep green and berry red,’ says Caroline. Cream armchairs are updated with textured throws and cushions in rich colours and patterns, and touches of festive magic are added to each room.
Many of their decorations are handmade and Amelie and Felix have both inherited their mum’s passion for crafts. ‘I like the idea that one day they’ll decorate their own family’s Christmas tree with some of the things we’ve made together here,’ says Caroline.