New Forest Retreat
COLOUR, CHARACTER AND LIGHT
Client Brief
The clients who own this Victorian cottage requested a non-precious, practical home, full of character and somewhere they could showcase their collection of art and cherished furniture, collected whilst living overseas. Colour was also important to the couple, along with natural and botanical patterns. They requested a lived-in eclectic feel with bohemian touches, but a style that was classic enough not to date. A cottage, they desired a look that reflected this, wanting a cool open feel in the summer and a cosy ambience in the colder months. They liked the idea of blending vintage and new pieces and favoured natural finishes.
My Design Solution
I set about this design by suggesting a soft white wall colour throughout, along with natural floorings such a herringbone, lime washed wood, slate tiles, and white painted floorboards. The neutral backdrop was designed to display the client’s colourful pieces of art, in addition to showcasing a few pieces of their existing furniture. I introduced simple linen soft furnishings in stone hues, along with splashes of indigo, apple and coral colour and pattern in the cushions and bedspreads. In one bedroom, I rejuvenated an antique French bed with a giant botanical linen fabric, and I introduced lots of textured rattan, along with furnishings of different styles and eras.