FRESH PERSPECTIVE
English cottage style meets modern Scandi in this remodelled former barn in West Sussex
Having spent over a year in search of a new home, natalie and Dug Woods had been looking to swap the buzz of a town centre terrace for the quieter pace of a more rural location. ‘The Dairy House, originally part of a larger working estate, instantly felt right,’ says Natalie. ‘It was a tiny cluster of houses, in the perfect country spot, but with an opportunity to extend and create our own mark.’
Located off a quiet road in West Sussex, the group of farm buildings had been totally knocked down and rebuilt three decades ago. ‘Despite the remodelling the dairy felt somewhat dated,’ explains Natalie. ‘The ground floor was a warren of small linking rooms and a 1970s-style serving hatch connected the original living and dining areas, making the spaces feel dark and closed in. Our plan for the property was to open up the entire ground floor to create a better sense of flow.’
Working to a strict budget, with a local architect and creative team of tradespeople, the couple have transformed the interior into a stylish, English cottage meets French rustic barn. The kitchen was knocked through and updated with a combination of off-the-shelf cabinets, bespoke joinery and freestanding antique cupboards. The kitchen units themselves were budget buys, but with clever joinery, such as plate racks being cut into beams, the design feels bespoke and sophisticated.
Upstairs, the master bedroom was given a refresh and reclaimed Victorian floorboards were laid throughout on both
levels of the house, replacing green carpet and orange lino. ‘I have a new-found appreciation for bare wood, having previously leaned towards all-painted surfaces,’ says Natalie.
More recently, a lofty vaulted extension has been added to create a snug at the back of the building – a rustic addition that lends a nod to the dairy’s original heritage. ‘It’s a wonderful space to either relax or entertain in and the woodburner creates a focal point that’s enjoyed from within the space and from the connecting dining area and kitchen,’ says Natalie.
Throughout, the neutral palette is offset with Natalie’s vintage finds in various shades of soft yellow, blue, grey and stone. Think French and Italian decorative pots, engraved Indian lassi cups, kitchenalia, old signs, herbier originals, naive landscapes and antique floral paintings. ‘I’m a magpie at heart and am obsessed with brocantes, vide-greniers and specialist independents,’ says Natalie. ‘I love to travel and each space is peppered with one-off special pieces that have been added gradually.’
Furniture, a mix of high street and antique, is combined with vintage linens, velvets and stonewashed fabrics. The aesthetic is personal, calming and laid-back – the idea that triggered the name for Natalie’s Instagram feed @laid_back_farmhouse. Natalie’s venture into social media came about as a way of documenting the couple’s renovation journey, but it has subsequently become a passion. ‘Home is my retreat,’ she says, ‘and this renovation has been the catalyst for harnessing my love of interiors and design.’