I’ve personalised my rented cottage with upcycled finds
Taking on an unloved farm cottage, Danecia Scheepers has found clever ways to update her rented home
Stylist Danecia Scheepers turned an unloved farm cottage in Kent into a place to call home
When Danecia Scheepers and her husband, Ray, realised they wanted to put down roots in the countryside, rather than a town or city, they began their property search. ‘We’re used to space, views and light and we worked out that somewhere rural would be right for us. I was actually brought up near the Kruger National Park, South Africa, so to be surrounded by fields and farms here suits us down to the ground.’ The couple met while both working in London, and rented a flat in Kensington, but once they’d had their son, Raydan, an amalgamation of both their names, they knew they wanted to move out of the capital to a more rural location. ‘We thought about Essex and Kent as possible places to move to, and we drove around at the weekends looking at potential towns and villages.’
Having family in Sevenoaks who they wanted to be near, the couple concentrated on the area fanning out from Tunbridge Wells in Kent. ‘We wanted to be in the countryside, but with a village nearby for all the amenities. The Kent Weald is an area of outstanding natural beauty, which really appealed to us.’ Chancing on the quaint village of Lamberhurst, with its half-timbered houses, pub, school, and thriving community, the couple were sold and searched the countryside around it. ‘There really wasn’t much for sale, but as we were making such a big move, we really wanted to rent first anyway, before committing ourselves.’ Finding a farm cottage in need of some love and attention, Danecia and Ray took it on, and four years later, are still there in the fully renovated property. ‘The views are incredible and it’s very much what we had in mind for Raydan’s childhood, being able to just walk out of the back door and be in the fields, getting muddy on the riverbank and seeing the horses in the nearby stables.’
Craving wide, open spaces, the rural location drew Danecia and Ray to this rental farm cottage in need of a little TLC. Danecia knew she could upgrade its unloved interior
When they moved in, talented stylist Danecia knew she had to set to work. ‘Most of the walls were bottle green or pumpkin colour. It all felt very dark and closed in. But I was convinced I could make a big difference.’
So, Danecia painted the whole house from top to bottom, bringing in neutral, soft colours, and changing the furniture and fittings with her mixture of finds from charity shops, house sales and the pieces she has made herself. ‘I love reusing and recycling pieces of furniture and changing them into new pieces. I paint, reupholster, make soft furnishings and sometimes build things myself, with the help of Ray, who gets persuaded into dragging back all sorts of things from the beach, the woods, or some far-flung sale.’
Danecia’s philosophy with clients is the same as she uses in her own home. ‘I’m not going to start encouraging people to buy expensive things they don’t need. Yes, invest in a few special pieces, but look around you and see what you can reuse first.’
Because the couple are on a long-term lease before they find the right place to buy, Danecia is also careful with what she buys for her own house. ‘If you are renting, you need
to think seriously about what you will be able to take with you when you move on. Don’t be tempted by something with enormous proportions like a dresser or a table for ten unless you have somewhere to store them, as they may not fit in the house you eventually buy.’ Danecia recommends reasonably sized tables, chairs, and storage units as good buys, along with rugs, plain curtains, fun bedding and cushions. ‘They are things that make a real difference to a house, but can be easily packed up and moved.’ Sticking with her own advice, Danecia has gone for simple tab-top, white curtains in every room, rather than made-to-measure blinds, shutters or anything patterned. ‘White goes with everything, and you can just pull them off the poles, wrap them up and put them up elsewhere.’
Over the four years, Danecia has updated each room in turn, incorporating her own ideas and adding pops of colour in cushions, murals and fresh flowers. ‘Because we’ve got nature on our doorstep, I love bringing fresh flowers and greenery into the house. There are plants everywhere.’ Having spotted the lovely old wooden floor in the dining area, Danecia just polished it up to make it more of