Melanie Griffiths
Editor, Period Living
Homes come in all shapes and sizes, but few are as universally admired as the cottage. Originally humble dwellings intended for poorer members of society, who would use the surrounding garden to grow their own crops and medicinal plants, cottages have today become a rural idyll. Cosy, brimming with character, and possessing a uniquely warm and welcoming atmosphere, their appeal seems to transcend all design boundaries. Happily, the look is more of an ethos than a prescribed style, and can translate to houses of every era – as evidenced in our readers’ homes this month, which span two centuries.
Each one celebrates the style in its own way, from our cover star – the quintessentially English chocolate-box cottage of Clare Pearne (page 47) – to Anna and Dirk de Glee’s Dutch country home (page 66) filled with antique treasures, and the handcrafted Edwardian house of Chris and Neil Myers, which for many years has been their labour of love (page 24). If you’re looking for key themes shared by cottage-style homes, then focus on nature – as integral features of the landscape, these dwellings tend to reflect the local palette of colours and materials. In addition, remember that cottages are imperfectly perfect, so don’t undermine your home’s character by ironing out every ‘flaw’ and making it too clean-lined. Celebrate original features and restore rather than replace wherever possible. Give your interior a sense of being lived in and having evolved over time by mixing antique and vintage finds with new heritage-inspired designs, and add texture by layering up tactile pieces and pretty fabrics. The most successful cottages also continue the theme to the garden. Even the smallest outdoor space can embrace the look – as seen in this month’s featured garden (page 84), which is a feast for the senses, packed with fragrant flowers. Owners Sharron and
James Pashley are masters at container gardening, which inspired us to share our own favourite design ideas for using pots and planters in the garden (page 132).
I do hope you like the issue, and if you want to make sure you don’t miss out, then why not subscribe (page 44)? This month when you sign up, you will receive a free Annie Sloan paint set, worth almost £45, featuring Chalk paints, a stencil and paint brush. Enjoy!