• NORFOLK COTTAGE
Katy Stevenson Bretton downsized in the city so she could invest in an inviting cottage hideaway in the country
Finishing a former Victorian village bakery with salvaged finds has made it the perfect rural hideaway
Ayearning for more space and a connection to nature crept up gradually on Katy Stevenson Bretton. She had grown up in Scotland, then moved to east London in her twenties. It was there she met her husband, James, and their two sons were born, but something was missing. ‘I was craving fresh air, big skies and the sense of freedom that I had enjoyed as a child,’ she explains.
While James had grown up in Wimbledon and admits his longing for country life was less intense, he too had come to relish weekends spent in Norfolk, somewhere the family found easy to reach from east London. Time together, walks and trips to the beach had become increasingly important, so the couple decided it was time to make a move. ‘We sold our large house in Hackney and downsized to a threebedroom apartment in the area, which gave us the funds to look for a weekend cottage,’ says Katy. ‘We focussed on Norfolk, because we had spent time there as a couple before having children and always felt a special connection to the area. The colours of the landscape – the soft blues, the natural scrub and miles of golden beaches – also remind me of Scotland.’
With the London move complete, they set about finding a hideaway cottage with enough space to create a retreat for their family of four, booking six
❝IT IS SMALL, BUT THIS COTTAGE GIVES US ALL SPACE, RENEWED ENERGY AND A JOY WE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED❞
properties to view in one weekend. ‘This cottage was the first place we saw and we liked it immediately for its proximity to the coast, off-the-beaten-track setting on a pretty lane and tranquil feeling,’ Katy explains.
Constructed from local flint, the early-victorian cottage had been extended to incorporate the village bakehouse to its rear, offering a little more ground floor space than similar two-up, two-down properties. ‘We also liked the open-plan living room-kitchen, which we felt was important,’ she adds. ‘We had stayed in too many rentals where James or I would end up preparing supper shut away in the kitchen, while everyone else was playing a board game in the living room, and we definitely didn’t want that set-up in our own cottage.’
On the ground floor, out came the worn linoleum and chipped floor tiles to be replaced with reclaimed oak floorboards, once used as ceiling joists in a manor house. ‘Wood is so much nicer underfoot and instantly creates a much more comfortable feel,’ says Katy, who used more reclaimed materials, layers of interesting texture and colours inspired by nature to enhance the character of each room. ‘I collected razor and mussel shells and seaweed from the beach and used the dark greys, soft whites, muddy browns and flecks of ochre as my palette,’ she says. ‘The darker tones create an enveloping feel and add depth to each space.’ Custom-made cupboards and shelves in the kitchen
were built by a local contractor, who also installed tongue-and-groove wall panelling. ‘It really helps to know the experience of your contractor,’ advises Katy. ‘We were lucky to find somebody with a background in joinery, who loves working with wood and who tackled so many tasks with ease, including finishing the oak floorboards so beautifully.’
Many of the fittings – from the bathroom basin to the wall lights in the living area – are salvaged finds.
‘My goal is always to create a harmonious balance of old and new,’ says Katy. ‘From a sustainability point of view, it is hugely important to me to reuse materials and furnishings, and I also love the texture, character and connections to the past that old things bring.’
The bedrooms were decorated in natural materials, including wood, linen and wool, and in a muted colour scheme to echo the tones found outside. ‘I wanted to create a space entirely in tune with its surroundings. The light up here is so beautiful, so it was important not to compete with it,’ says Katy.
‘Waking up here is so peaceful.’ Which is, after all, the key to the success of the venture. ‘It’s been the best thing,’ she says. ‘In London, the constant buzz and noise meant that I was longing for space. Now I feel recharged after spending time in Norfolk and can appreciate both places so much more.’
For interior design, contact @katystevensonbretton
❝ I LOVE USING MATERIALS THAT FEEL BEAUTIFUL TO TOUCH AND WILL CONTINUE TO AGE AND CHANGE OVER TIME❞