‘I’ve restored my home’s period charm on a budget’
Naomi Wilson’s keen eye for second-hand treasures has given her home the timeless, country look she loves without the big price tag
When it comes to decorating for the festive season, Naomi Wilson loves to dress her home from top-tobottom with trees. ‘I would have one in every room if I could! This year we have six,’ she says. ‘I love the way the pine trees scent my home. They give our cottage a magic feel that reminds me of Narnia.’
It’s no surprise Naomi loves bringing the outside in, both over Christmas and all year round – it was the rural location of this former gardener’s cottage that drew the couple to it. ‘We wanted to buy a larger house in a rural location with lots of space to enjoy,’ she explains. ‘Also on my list was a window in the bathroom, because I hated that our old house
Try new ways of using vintage items in your home – think crates for side tables or shelving, or a storage trunk as a coffee table, like Naomi’s.
To make the kitchen a super-cosy family hub, Naomi has filled the adjoining living space with second-hand buys for a traditional country look. Knowing the slate floor had to stay for budget reasons, she decorated the room to complement the grey
‘This house had stacks of potential, so my plan was to renovate it with heritage styling to reflect the period of the property’
KITCHEN
Rather than replace the kitchen units, the couple painted the cabinets in pastel blue and added new gold fixtures to brighten it up while keeping its vintage feel
OUR MUST HAVES Tri-ply stainless steel saucepan set with lids in Copper, £190 for three, John Lewis. Hawthorn Berries ½ pint mug, £19.95, Emma Bridgewater. For a similar rug try Vedbäk, £119, IKEA
didn’t have one!’ The couple put their previous Wiltshire property on the market and started house hunting in Herefordshire. ‘We had a tight deadline of four months so that we could move in for December 2019. Our friends and family thought it would be too difficult, but we lucked out when we found this empty cottage. And by Christmas, we had moved in.’
FULL OF SURPRISES
Their first Christmas in the new home was spent surrounded by moving-in boxes, but that didn’t deter Naomi from making it memorable for her family. ‘Even though we hadn’t unpacked properly, I wanted to make our house feel special for the children. We bought a massive eight-foot tree that we filled with decorations. I had to clear a space among the boxes to make room for the giant spruce.’ A chimney sweep was called to clean the fireplace, but he gave them a nasty surprise. ‘He condemned our stove as too dangerous to use! I used our savings to have it replaced so that we would have a real working fire for the winter,’ says Naomi.
Within the first few months of moving in, the couple channelled their energy into
decorating. Working to a tight budget, they tackled most of the work themselves. ‘The house had been renovated in an old-fashioned way with brown walls and red carpets, which made the rooms feel dark and gloomy. This house had stacks of potential, so my plan was to renovate it with heritage styling to reflect the period of the property.’
LIVE AND LEARN
Chipping away at their to-do list, Naomi and Paul had a busy few months filled with painting and decorating, as well as getting carpet down in most of the rooms. They started by painting everything white to freshen up the space, then over time slowly started to add colour. ‘After a year of living here, we got to know the house. We learned what colours each room would suit, and we started to add a palette of greens, blues and yellows,’ she says.
The first big project was the kitchen, where they painted the oak units in light
LIVING ROOM
‘I’d been looking for a striped sofa for ages and finally found one for next-tonothing second-hand,’ says Naomi. ‘In fact, everything in this room is nearly new apart from the giraffe, which my dad brought back from Africa as a moving-in gift’
OUR MUST HAVES Laura Ashley Lynden chair, from £875, Next. Valentin medium rectangular footstool in Windermere cotton matt velvet, £525, Sofa.com. For a similar wall light try Tatum faux silk wall light, £25, National Lighting
DOWNSTAIRS WC
This was the last room in the house to be decorated. ‘It took six months to finish as we fitted it around Paul’s work,’ says Naomi. She enjoyed playing with bright colour and print: ‘It’s our happy room’
OUR MUST HAVES Rozin Antique Brass sink tap single mixer, £39, Amazon. Paradise Feather wallpaper, £166 per roll; Mister David intelligent eggshell paint, £68 per 2.5L, both Little Greene. For a similar towel ring try Antique Brass towel ring, £9, Wilko
blue to complement the slate flooring that was already there. Naomi says: ‘We couldn’t afford to replace the floor, so we had to work with what we had. Painting the wooden units in a lighter shade made the kitchen instantly feel airy and bright. We made shelving from reclaimed wood and I hung my copper pans on the wall for a vintage feel.’
MAKE IT SPECIAL
To furnish her home on a budget, Naomi shopped around on Facebook Marketplace and charity shops for one-off, bargain buys that worked with the vintage vibe she was after. ‘All our old furniture was too big for this house, and I found that vintage pieces have smaller proportions that fit better into alcoves,’ she says. She even managed to find their kitchen sofa for just £50 on movingin day. ‘We lifted it into the back of our removal van to transport it to our new home. I couldn’t pass such a good buy!’ she says. ‘The charity shops in this area are amazing and I’m forever picking up vintage pieces that I either paint or restore for our home.’
With lockdown preventing them from spending last year with extended family, Naomi and Paul are excited to celebrate
MAIN BEDROOM
The main bedroom is a balance of bright and cosy, with a pale-blue feature wall for subtle colour and sisal carpet for natural texture. Naomi has filled it with antique and vintage-inspired finds, including a fun festive quilt that was just £10 from a charity shop
OUR MUST HAVES Selkirk iron/ metal bedframe, from £499,
The Original Bed Co. Mosslanda picture ledge in White, £9, IKEA.
For a similar cushion try tufted diamond cushion cover in Ochre, £6, Dunelm
‘The charity shops in this area are amazing and I’m forever picking up vintage pieces that I either paint or restore for our home’
together at their cosy home this year, especially now its period charm has been restored. ‘We couldn’t wait to have our parents stay. We’ve decorated the house inside and out with foliage from the surrounding fields as well as real trees, fairy lights and homemade decorations. It’s a really special time for us,’ she says.
KID’S ROOM
William Morris wallpaper and panelling are a timeless pairing that Naomi has given a fun, child-friendly twist with bright yellow paint. Patchwork quilts made by Paul’s mother complete its snug, homespun feel
OUR MUST HAVES Minnen bed in White, £89, IKEA. Morris Daisy wallpaper, £88 per roll, Wallpaper Direct. Country Character prints, £145 for eight, JanJayDesign on Etsy. Naples Yellow
emulsion paint, £51 per 2.5L, Edward Bulmer