ESTIMATED BUDGET £25,000
Having recently downsized from her family home, my client had already done the difficult work of decluttering, but the house she moved into felt tired, unloved and unresolved. The lounge, dining room and kitchen lacked warmth, cohesion and a sense of belonging. She came to me through word of mouth wanting thoughtful guidance and someone to help manage the project. Needing someone who could see the potential, make clear decisions, and help shape a beautiful home for this new chapter.
The Client Brief
The brief was to create a furniture plan that felt balanced, practical and suited to the way my client wanted to live in the space. She needed more considered storage, comfortable places to sit with friends, and a proper area to eat together, while making the best use of the limited natural light. The kitchen itself was clean, modern and well kept, so this was to remain, with new window dressings and selected flooring updates replacing the existing tired lino.
The Design Approach
The design approach was rooted in bringing ease, warmth and balance to a home that needed to work beautifully in everyday life. The existing kitchen was modern and well kept, so the scheme was developed around it rather than replacing it. Practical updates helped modernise the spaces: a durable, low-maintenance laminate was chosen for the kitchen and WC to sit comfortably alongside the existing solid wood floor, while new timber and glazed doors replaced tired gloss originals, drawing more light through the home and creating a better sense of connection between rooms.
Colour was central to creating flow, warmth and cohesion. Starting with the cool grey of the kitchen, the palette needed to feel light and airy without feeling cold. It was also important to consider that my client was now living by herself, so the rooms needed to feel uplifting during the day and inviting in the evening. Soft off-whites, pale blues and gentle greys created a calm foundation, while greens brought a grounded, nurturing quality. Accents of red and orange added warmth, vitality and contrast.
The challenge was to bring the clean lines of a modern kitchen together with my client’s wish for a more traditional, welcoming home. She had a clear feeling in her mind of what the space could become, and the work was in shaping her vision into something practical, balanced and cohesive.
In small space living, every decision has to work harder. The success of the design came through understanding where movement naturally happens and how people move through a space. Looking at where storage could be incorporated without overwhelming the proportions of the space or making it feel over-furnished.
Summary
A tired cottage became a calm, considered home for a new chapter. With the modern kitchen retained, the design focused on better flow, improved light, aesthetic updates and a considered,
colour scheme. The result is a contemporary English country cottage feel, that is warm, personal and easy to live in. Small space living asks for discipline, but also imagination; when each element is considered, even a compact home can feel generous, calm and beautifully resolved.
Location Northleach
Budget £25,000
Project Type Cottage Interior update
Property Downsized Cottage Home
Design Style Contemporary English Country Cottage
Key Design Elements
• Lounge, dining room and kitchen thoughtfully updated
• Furniture plan designed to improve balance, flow and flexibility
• Small space planning with practical freestanding storage
• Existing modern grey kitchen retained and softened within the wider scheme
• Durable flooring updates, with the existing solid wood floor retained
• New timber and glazed doors introduced to modernise and encourage natural light
• Window dressings added to soften and complete the rooms
• A gentle, layered palette of off-whites, pale blues and greys, grounded with green and lifted with warm red and orange accents
