OXFORDSHIRE FARMHOUSE
Renovating their Oxfordshire farmhouse has allowed Charlie and Toby Quartley to grow an at-home floristry business, too
A thoughtful renovation of their 17th-century home gave this couple the space to work from home
❝TOBY ALWAYS SAID IT WOULD BE A 10 YEAR PROJECT, BUT I NAIVELY THOUGHT WE COULD DO IT IN FIVE❞
Flower-filled and decorated in the colours of a spring bouquet, it’s no surprise that this Cotswold home also doubles as a base for owner Charlie Quartley’s floristry business, The Flower Fairies. In fact, when she and her husband, Toby, bought it in 2011, their first priority was to create her studio. ‘I had a change of career when the children were born,’ says Charlie. ‘I longed for something that would express my creativity and allow me to be at home with the children. A few arrangements and a couple of friends’ weddings later and my path was set.’
The family’s previous home was a new build; this time they were looking for something with character. ‘I wanted an old farmhouse,’ says Charlie. ‘The location was important; ideally close to the children’s school and in a village community with good amenities.’ Fortunately, the couple came across a 17th-century farmhouse in an Oxfordshire village. ‘The interior was dated and because of the small windows and low ceilings, it appeared very dark inside,’ she says. ‘It had great potential; it just needed reconfiguring.’
Charlie and Toby moved into the property a month after they bought it. ‘As it’s a listed building, we thought it unlikely we would get planning consent to extend the main house. Instead, we applied for permission to knock down the existing garage and build a new double garage and annexe in its place, which would become the flower studio,’ says Charlie. ‘We also put an Airbnb suite in the roof space of the annexe.’ The couple decided on a timber-framed, oakclad structure to complement the Cotswold stone of the main house.
Charlie and Toby enlisted the help of local builder Stuart Henderson of SDH Builders. ‘He came highly recommended and even lived on site in his caravan. It took him just over six months to complete the initial work,’ says Charlie. Over subsequent years the couple transformed the interior, repairing and redecorating throughout. And like many couples living through a big refurb project, the strain began to show as they became exhausted by the volume of work and concerned about costs. ‘A few years ago, we did consider selling and buying a newer property,’ says Charlie.
It was the estate agent who gave them the idea of repositioning the kitchen at the centre of the house, creating the family hub and an informal eating area. ‘Now you pretty much walk into the snug and kitchen,’ says Charlie. ‘This means the space is so much more sociable and has made such a difference to how we gather as a family.’ Charlie has chosen pale tones of blue, grey and white for the interior, with her love of flowers adding the finishing touch. The original kitchen is now the dining room. ‘We called in local carpenter Glen Jackson to source materials and manage the project. It was great working with someone who understood our requirements, had good design solutions and was also keen to utilise existing materials – for example, using an old beam as the new mantelpiece.’
The renovation has been exhausting, but the couple are now reaping the rewards. ‘It’s been such a long and challenging journey,’ says Charlie. ‘Toby always said it would be a 10-year project, but I naively thought we could do it in five. We are nearly there now, but there will always be a snag list – it’s just that kind of house!’