FAMILY PLANNING
Bold tones and a rejigged layout have turned an old cottage in Cambridgeshire into a bright, practical home
When Georgina and Simon Grace first thought about starting a family, they began their search for a long-term property. The couple were living in Peterborough, but had their hearts firmly set on a more rural setting, but still within Cambridgeshire. ‘ We really loved the area’s picturesque villages, combined with the easy commute to London,’ says Georgina.
Viewing a pretty cottage with potential in an ideal location, the Graces were initially put of by the configuration of the first floor. ‘The previous owners had sacrificed one of the bedrooms in favour of a large bathroom,’ says Georgina. ‘ We wanted to reverse that, so we brought our builder along to the viewing to ask his advice. He proposed a clever way that we could steal space from the landing in order to restore the fourth bedroom and create a more modest-sized family bathroom instead.’
Reassured that the layout could be improved to better suit their requirements, the couple made a successful ofer and the structural work was completed in just over three months. Upon moving in, Georgina devised an individual look for each room, which her decorator followed to the letter while Georgina, who works for Google, was at the office. ‘The interior was dark and gloomy, with an abundance of alcoves that we filled in to create a streamlined feeling,’ says Georgina. ‘ We also painted the ceiling beams white, to create a sense of height.’
Throughout the cottage, restful, muted colours have been used for the walls and window treatments, allowing Georgina’s more bold decor choices to shine through. ‘I love punchy colour when it comes to decorating, but I have to keep myself in check when choosing wallpaper, as I could easily go too far,’ she says. ‘I like to choose unique designs, but I restrict myself to just one wall so the pattern isn’t overwhelming.’
With the exception of a few key pieces, like the grandfather clock in the sitting room, which was a wedding gift, the couple shopped specifically for each diferent room. ‘Our previous home was an airy Victorian house with high ceilings and completely diferent proportions to this place,’ says
Georgina. ‘I have mixed contemporary classic furniture with plenty of cushions, throws and colourful art to add personality. I like to display items that Simon and I have collected together on our travels, as they personalise our home and hold special memories for us. I love using textural fabric, too, and velvet is my favourite.’ Lighting has also been carefully thought out, with downlighters and lamps strategically placed in each room to create a soft, relaxing ambience. To finish her restful room schemes, Georgina loves to use fresh flowers and scented candles as final touches.
With impeccable timing, just as the couple’s hard work was complete and the house was ready, baby Theo, now 17 months, came along. ‘We have worked hard to create a welcoming family home that is cheerful in the daytime and peaceful in the evening,’ says Georgina. ‘Now that Theo is on the move, we know that more and more of his paraphernalia will take over the house, but we don’t mind at all – we set out to create a family home and we couldn’t be happier, with this precious phase of our lives.’
LESSON LEARNT ‘Professional decorators can save you money, get the job done faster and prevent costly mistakes – especially in older houses, where walls are rarely straight’