THE GENTLE TOUCH

Sally Paget-brown called on a dream team of craftspeople to sensitively bring a period building into the 21st century

This Surrey cottage had previously been extended by Sir Edwin Lutyens so a sensitive approach was essential

Sally Paget-brown used to run a successful interior design firm and although she retired a number of years ago, she can’t resist a project. ‘I was drawn to this house by its quirkiness,’ she says of the quintessentially English cottage she bought in 2017. ‘I was happy in my previous home, a converted coach house, but I missed having a garden for my grandchildren to play in. I also needed more bedrooms for visitors.’

The 18th-century house started as a one-up, one-down dwelling that was extended several times, twice by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. ‘He lived in the house opposite with his parents and this was his first commission,’ says Sally. ‘Not only is the cottage Grade II listed, but it is also in a conservation area, so needed additional permissions. The Lutyens Trust also took a keen interest in the renovation.’

SYMPATHETIC RESTORATION

The house certainly needed attention ‘There were all sorts of problems, from damp to wood rot,’ says Sally. With the help of architect Peter Barker of Antique Buildings, Sally gained permission to knock down two walls in order to enlarge the kitchen, and an entrance to a bedroom was blocked so that it could be turned into an en suite. The beams were stripped and flooring was restored or replaced.

When it came to the decor, Sally was equally respectful of the house’s history. ‘It’s important not to fight a house – glitzy black and white were not for this cottage,’ says Sally, who chose gentle grey-greens and chalky off-whites. Floral fabrics in the upstairs rooms nod to the beautiful garden.

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Sally’s former home featured grand spaces and soaring ceilings and, as a result, many of her antiques and artworks look very different in the cottage. ‘Things seem to be somehow more visible in intimate spaces,’ she says. ‘Friends have commented on “new” paintings that had, in fact, been hanging on the walls in the coach house.’

Entertaining is one of Sally’s great pleasures and the cottage’s large hallway comes into its own when she is hosting a crowd. The Victorian table extends to seat 14, while a new wood burner ensures a warm welcome.

For Sally, one of the biggest surprises of this move has been the sense of community she has experienced now that she lives in a village. ‘Even if I just nip out with the dog I will bump into someone,’ she says, adding, ‘I feel that both the house and the village have embraced me.’

1 & 2 SITTING ROOM Timber wall panelling was added to match the original detailing around the fireplace. Woodwork in Light Gray estate eggshell, £62 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Pompidou small metal and glass coffee table, £535, Oka. Curtains in Ralph Lauren Cottage Rose Floral in Tea Rose, £101m, Designers Guild. Try the RV Astley Alia two-seater sofa, £1,257, Houseology

3 HALLWAY Sally loves to entertain, so uses this extra large space for special occasions. Victorian table, Elisabeth James Antiques; find a similar design at 1stdibs, from £4,000. Washakie chairs in Sand linen, £320 each, Oka. Blind in Woodland Berries, £59m, Sanderson at Style Library. Walls in Dimity estate emulsion, £46.50 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball

1 KITCHEN Sally chose marble-effect quartz worktops to contrast with the blue units. Try the Silestone quartz classic Calacatta, £783.90sq m, HC Supplies. Cabinetry, price on request, Riverside Joinery; painted by Peter Halesalexander in Inchyra Blue estate eggshell, £62 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Building work, Hammer Building Services

2 DINING AREA A colourful oil painting stands out against the white-painted brickwork. Washakie dining chairs in Sand linen, £320 each, Oka

3 BATHROOM A period-style tub chimes with the style of the cottage. Millbrook double-ended cast-iron bath, £925, The Cast Iron Bath Company