As luck would have it

Fate’s fortuitous intervention helped Maria and Mike Shemilt to create the home of their dreams

Childhood sweethearts

Maria and Mike Shemilt couldn’t believe their luck when, despite fierce competition, they eventually managed to clinch the deal on a quintessentially English thatched cottage. ‘Even though I rang the estate agent the day this pretty thatched home went on the market, eight other househunters had already booked viewings so we were well down the waiting list,’ Maria recalls.

After discovering that the cottage had been snapped up, the pair assumed they’d completely missed out. However, some weeks later, Maria took a surprise call that changed the course of their lives.

‘The estate agent rang to explain that the chain had unexpectedly fallen through,’ says Maria. ‘Since we were in such a strong position, she asked if we’d still be interested in a viewing.’ Within hours, Mike and Maria were standing outside the chocolate-box cottage, full of anticipation.

Maria and Mike, who met at school, had been renting a two-bedroom, new-build house in Mawsley, Northamptonshire. ‘We knew that renting was a waste of money and were both working hard and saving like mad to buy our first “together” home,’ says Maria. Having been brought up in a beautiful thatched property, Maria had her heart set on living in another period home.

‘Until we saw this cottage, none of the character properties we’d viewed had ticked all the boxes. Most had low ceilings, which didn’t suit Mike, who is six-foot-four. And many of the homes we viewed had overlooked gardens.’ Thankfully, it was a different story when the couple strolled into this quaint home.

‘The open-plan layout downstairs meant it felt surprisingly spacious,’ says Maria. ‘There were a couple of low beams but not enough to be a problem.’ Upstairs, the ceilings had been raised and the added bonus was the established, and very private, back garden. Thrilled with their findings, several days later, the couple returned for a second viewing with both sets of parents.

‘In true Location, Location, Location style, after the viewing, we headed to the local pub for a discussion about the pros and cons of buying a thatched cottage. Minutes later, a call to the estate agent left the pair shrieking with delight when they discovered their offer had been accepted. After buying the cottage in January 2017, Maria and Mike hired a builder, electrician and plumber to make essential changes before they moved in. Jobs included installing a larger walk-in shower and freestanding bath in the airy bathroom. ‘The bathroom floor was so wonky that it had to be levelled and, while that was happening, we decided to install underfloor heating,’ says Maria. Since the wall in the shower was also very uneven, it was replastered before being tiled.

Having ripped out the old carpets upstairs, new ones were laid in both bedrooms. More efficient radiators were fitted throughout, along with dimmable LED lights. Downstairs, the chimney was relined and a new wood-burning stove fitted. ‘The open fire was fabulous, but we felt a stove would be safer with Poppy around,’ says Maria.

After choosing a smart new front door, the whole cottage was redecorated. Fortunately, every job went smoothly, apart from the installation of the new shower screen. ‘I was away on holiday with family when Mike rang to tell me that the shower screen had shattered,’ recalls Maria. ‘At first, I thought he was joking but, when he sent me a photograph, I realised that it was true. However, I reckoned if a broken shower screen was the worst problem we’d encountered, it really wasn’t too much of an issue. Since it was a little stop-start with the various trades, we couldn’t move in for four months, which was a bit frustrating, but we got there in the end.’

Taking inspiration from her mother, magazines and the Instagram accounts she admires, Maria spent a lot of time and effort updating the little cottage with a modern country look. ‘I’ve gone for a muted palette for the walls, which act as a great backdrop for our key pieces of furniture,’ she says. ‘To create further depth and interest,

I’ve layered with cushions and throws, mainly in subdued shades of blues, pinks and pale greens.’

Mike and Maria haven’t looked back since moving into the idyllic cottage in this sought-after village, which is regularly photographed by tourists. ‘I was absolutely over the moon when Mike surprised me by getting down on one knee and proposing in front of our inglenook fireplace, and we were married two years ago,’ says Maria. ‘We find it hard to believe that we nearly missed out on the opportunity to buy this unique cottage. It’s already brought us so much happiness and we’re looking forward to many more years here.’

| Photographs Jeremy Phillips

Maria and Mike couldn’t be happier with their cottage’s rural location, which is perfect for strolls with Poppy. Tourists and passers-by often stop to admire the pretty thatched cottage. The new wooden door is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hardwick White

With a new Clearview wood-burner installed, the open-plan living-dining room has become a much more welcoming space. A Bella sofa from Sofology is topped with cushions from Susie Watson Designs, Dunelm and The Cotswold Company. The footstool was sourced through Serrina Interiors and upholstered in Abraham Moon’s Reflection in Hessian. The clock is from Dunelm and the lamp is from Tesco

Top: Maria has gone to great lengths to zone the open-plan ground floor of the cottage, which now has a modern country vibe

Right: The kitchen doors open onto a delightful back garden – a real selling point for the first-time buyers who enjoy tending it

Top: A grainsack table runner from Chez Soi adds a hint of French style to the dining area, while linking through to the window seat cushions. Maria bought the stripy cushion from Rowen & Wren and the tartan one from Dunelm Left and above: Maria has updated the existing kitchen units by painting them in Farrow & Ball’s French Gray and changing the handles. The oven is by Bosch

Left: Layers of off-whites and greys create a tranquil, relaxed look for the master bedroom. Maria found the chest of drawers in an antiques shop. The bedding is from Dunelm, with a grey throw from Next. The white bedspread was an Ebay find, the headboard is from Just Headboards and the white cushions are from Marks & Spencer. Maria painted the walls in Farrow & Ball’s Ammonite, and painted the mirror frame in a pale grey shade Below, left and right: Maria and Mike updated the bathroom with a smart walk-in shower enclosure and roll-top bath, both from Victorian Plumbing. The tiles and flooring are from Topps Tiles. Maria painted the John Lewis & Partners mirror in Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe. The wall lights are from Garden Trading and the stool was found at a local antiques shop