The story of my cottage is, that I was never actually supposed to be buying this cottage. I was looking for a flat or just a small 1 bedroom house. After all, why would I need anything more if I live on my own?!
I wanted a fresh start and I wanted a new project, new décor, new style, new furniture, new everything for the new me! And when I say new, you already know that I mean new to me and not necessarily brand new out of a factory!
I've spent a day upcycling furniture with Zoe and she's shown me the drinks cabinet she's inherited and the idea was, that we are going to do it up and sell it on. The twist in the story is, that I knew there and then that I wanted that piece of furniture, but didn't have space for it at the time, so I've said nothing.
Fast forward 6 months and I was out looking for a flat and believe it or not, the only criteria I've had for it: "it must include the gin cabinet"... I'm going to put parquet flooring with it!
Fast forward another 3 months and everything that I even considered looking at, by the time I've contacted the estate agent, it was all sold. Flat after flat, house after house they were all selling! In the middle of the pandemic! Who would have thought!
Until one day, my friend Lorna has sent me a link to this cottage on Rightmove that said: I know it's outside your area, but it's been on the market for some time, it's a cottage, it's got a green door and it's very you!
Well what can I say if it's very me, then I've got to see it!
And there I was with my offer accepted and the dilemma of how am I going to fit my gin cabinet and parquet flooring in this1800's cottage?
The design process:
Rule nr 1: Whatever you plan for, it can always change! Embrace the change!
Whatever happens, make the gin cabinet fit! You've been dreaming about it for too long to give up on it!
There are things, that you just won't want to change, and that's also fine, but then you need to figure out a way. Accept the challenge! I knew what this gin cabinet is going to look like. We've already bought the paint and the wallpaper that's going in it - that I'm going down somewhere "mid-century apartment lane". And now I've got a cute cottage with stone mullions and deep window sills and wonky walls, and beams and everything screams cottage core not mid-century. And who am I kidding, I am a cottage core girl, that's why I always dreamt of a cottage!
So I've said to myself: "you've designed the most colourful industrial style bedroom, if you did that, you can do this! Ha!" And that's where the design process has really started. I've designed my whole house around this cabinet. Not the usual way, but you've got to start with the things you love!
Next, I looked for furniture that matches or compliments this piece of furniture, but also screams: Cottage! The definition of the cottage. Not actually looking for an explanation, it was more of a: what does a cottage mean to me? What do I want this cottage to feel like. A very important question. I wanted calmness, I wanted safety, elegance and cosiness. I wanted to be able to truly lock the world out as soon as I shut the door. I like falling to sleep on the sofa with a warm blanket so my next purchase was a Loveseat chaise from Loaf. I've picked a light soft bamboo material. I love this style of sofa as it's both modern and rustic. Change the colour and the fabric and it pretty much goes with any style. What's sold it to me? Honestly, it was the arms... I just thought the arms will make a great connection with my gin cabinet.
Texture - I just love the roughness of a sisal carpet - ok, I've got to be honest here, I don't like carpets at all, I always wanted underfloor heating and wooden flooring with some beautiful rugs, but hey - we all have a budget and I needed the house to not just look, but feel warm so I've gone for the only carpet that's worth fitting! - Again, I see this carpet going in rustic and modern homes and it suits most designs. You can always layer a rug on top of it and it will look just as beautiful. Not the cheapest option, but it was the only option for me and so I've looked and searched high and low to get a good deal on it.
Cottages shouldn't really exist without wallpaper and panelling, but I've renovated houses before and I've always said, the only time people should be allowed to put up wallpaper is, if they promise to remove it when they move out. And then I've reminded myself of rule nr 1, and moved on to wallpaper and panel the entrance :) Since I've already decided I wanted a very neutral home, I've used the same paint on the panels as I did the gin cabinet, just to tie the two ends of the room together and I've simply looked, for black and white floral wallpaper. I found it extremely cute, that this wallpaper was called "Honey I'm Home" and so it sold itself to me.
I find a lot of inspiration on Pinterest, I like looking at other peoples designs, I love exploring and learning about different styles and learning how to fit them together. I'm not sure if there's a rule for mixing and matching, some of us just look at different things and know what fit and what doesn't, they either feel good or they don't. But if you do need a guide, it's generally safe to combine and mix and match colours and textures. If you like using the same material then mix up the colours to add interest. If you like sticking to just one colour pallet, then mix up and layer textures. In a small space invest in items that are useful, but pick the slightly more expensive but prettier version and don't be afraid to display it - it will save you money on decorations as you will love to see the items you already have. For example I love my vintage tea set with violets and I love my wine glasses that I picked up from the charity shop for £0.50 each. Decorate with plants - I've got a colourful chilli growing on my window sill that's not only edible but looks pretty too!
Upcycle furniture - make them look like bespoke furniture - we've cut book cases in half and turned into a shoe cupboard, we've used spindles to build the bench in the dining corner. Turned a door sideways to make a headboard. The sky is your limit and you will sure make memories whilst doing it all.
Decorate seasonal - so much cheaper than decorating for specific holidays. Buy candles and flowers. I've discovered and truly recommend: THE CANDLE BRAND on a trip in to the Lake District and ever since then, I'm hooked. Hand made in the UK, and I adore their flower diffusers! My personal favourite is the peony and rose, and you have to be quick with this one as it gets sold out pretty quick (I always stock up and have one on reserve!). They do refillables, so you don't have to buy the full package every time you run out. If you haven't yet purchased from them, as a brand rep, I can offer a 10% discount, just use: PIRISTYLE at the checkout, or click on this link: https://www.thecandlebrand.co.uk/discount/PIRISTYLE?ref=mW-xvV_BdWtvxa
To summarise the process, here are my 10 steps of designing your home:
Make peace with the fact that your plans will need to change - always!
Embrace plan A, B and C - once you've mastered step 1, you can actually have more plans and be equally happy with your backup plans - when something fails, trust me it feels so good that you can turn round and say: Haha! I've got the fix for this!
Ask the question: What kind of activity do you want to promote in that room? Depending on your answer you will also know what feelings will that room give you and your decision will come a lot easier. Don't put carpet down if your plan is to dance and throw water at each other.
Be inspired by colours - I look at my colour fan just for fun - just because it's pretty - there's always a shade and a tone of every colour that you ARE going to like! If you are struggling go for a walk in good old nature and take the time to analyse the beautiful colours.
Be inspired by texture - soft or smooth, shiny, heavy, dull, crisp - a soft pillow, a heavy duvet, crisp bedding, smooth coffee and shiny nail varnish! Who needs more in life?
Be inspired by fabric - I love going in to a fabric shop and take a deep breath just so I don't faint from the sheer excitement! - Linen, cotton, denim, leather, wool, lace, chiffon - I've been known for hugging a rug! Don't judge me! You've got to know what everything feels like if you are bringing them into your home
Be inspired by shapes - circles or triangles - edges or curves, we all have a preference - I have always loved curves as I find them more natural comforting and elegant. You can't beat a round table with chunky handcrafted pedestal and a vase full of pretty flowers :)
Be inspired by smells, tastes, feelings - a smell of a cookie can bring back joyful memories, I often find myself sitting thinking about my summer holidays at my grandparents. The smell of the freshly cut grass, the sound of the birds. I crave the peace the slow life. That reminds me of my grandmas old dining table with a daybed right next to it.
Be inspired by history - history teaches values and that's no different when it comes to interior design. I value the sustainability, beauty and the functionality of a house and I consider all of those aspects when I make a purchase.
Be inspired by other peoples designs - there is nothing wrong in copying anything that you truly love! I feel honoured when I go to peoples houses and I see my designs repeating themselves.
There you have it. It's never going to be easy, but I hope, that the above steps will help you making decisions and if not, I'm only a message away.
Love,
Piri
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