Looking to settle down in the UK after years of travelling for work, this couple’s hearts were won over by an Arts and Crafts house

After travelling the world, Betsy and Russell Haworth have put down roots in a beautiful Berkshire cottage

The re-laid York stone now gives the garden a seamless connection to the cottage. For similar garden furniture, try Garden Trading

Swapping a footloose life for a permanent home is easy when the setting is as idyllic as this Arts and Crafts cottage, with its romantic, rose-filled garden. Betsy and her husband Russell had been living and working overseas for many years when, in 2014, Russell was offered a CEO position in Oxford. ‘I’m American and Russell is British and his career has taken us all over the world, but with two young boys, Russell’s new position in the UK seemed like the perfect opportunity to put down roots,’ says Betsy.

The couple settled on Berkshire, with its quintessential English villages and rural country charm, all within a stone’s throw of both Oxford and London. A charming 1930s cottage in a pretty village had been on the market for a while when the couple snapped it up. It needed someone with a clear vision to sort it out and, as Betsy and Russell both have a passion for designing, it was the perfect project for them both. Surrounded by a pretty country garden, the house consisted of two parts – the new extension and the original cottage. The extension, although home to a fabulous Neptune kitchen, was a vast empty shell that needed to be configured for family life. Equally, the old part of the house needed updating, and both spaces needed to feel more cohesive.

Keen to modernise the house while honouring the building’s heritage, the couple enlisted the help of Jo Calver at Isla James Interiors. ‘I had ideas and possible >

❝ WE’VE TRANSFORMED THE COTTAGE, LINKING THE OLD AND NEW PARTS OF THE HOUSE, CREATING ROOMS❞ WARM AND INVITING

❝ THE BIGGEST TRANSFORMATION TOOK PLACE IN THE LIVING ROOM, WHICH HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO BY POCKET DOORS ❞

design scenarios in mind, but I wanted someone to help me think through the choices I was making,’ says Betsy. ‘Jo and I immediately connected; she understood my aesthetic and we had great fun brainstorming.’

The existing extension needed to be reconfigured to suit the Haworths. As Betsy loves to cook and entertain, the layout was divided into three zones – a kitchen area with an island, a living area with comfy sofas and a dining area in front of the French doors. The cabinetry was repositioned to better fit the space and to allow for updated appliances to be installed. Jo arranged the lighting to reflect the three new zones.

‘I’ve always loved floral linen fabrics and base most of my design choices around those,’ says Betsy. ‘Jo helped me decide on paint colours – a muted palette that also reflected the cottage’s quiet and beautiful surroundings.’ The cabinetry was resprayed and the colours used were referenced throughout the rest of the room to tie in the three zones.

A boot room was then added to an unused hallway off the kitchen. ‘This helped to link the old part of the cottage to the new and is now an integral part of our family home, storing wellies, coats and the children’s sports gear.’ In the older part of the cottage, a formal dining room has been reinstated, exposing the original oak herringbone flooring, while an inherited dining >

Garden

Kitchen A grey island adds definition, while pendant lights create a focal point. Island in Smoke eggshell, Neptune. Pendants, Jim Lawrence

Exterior The detached cottage is set amid beautiful Berkshire countryside

Kitchen Betsy loves floral fabrics and this printed blind is an ideal way to warm up a neutral scheme. Blind in Amborella, Harlequin at Style Library

Kitchen Nothing completes a country kitchen better than a range cooker. Dove Grey range cooker, Everhot. Pale green metro tiles, Walls and Floors

Living room Stepping away from the muted tones used elsewhere, vibrant orange gives this space a cosy, homely feel. Sofas, Neptune. Rug, Crucial Trading

Boot room A well designed space to store outerwear stops the hallway from becoming a dumping ground. For a similar storage solution, try The Cotswold Co

Living room Using the same or similar fabrics for curtains and cushions creates cohesion. Fabric, Lewis & Wood

Hallway Although bare wooden stairs look good, carpet acts as a sound buffer – a big plus in homes with young children. Carpet, Alternative Flooring

Living room French doors are a great way to make the garden feel more like a part of the home. Curtain and cushion fabric, Lewis & Wood