{"id":921501,"date":"2026-04-27T09:02:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T09:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/921501\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T09:02:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T09:02:21","slug":"a-storybook-cottage-in-the-cotswolds-with-an-intriguing-literary-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/921501\/","title":{"rendered":"A storybook cottage in the Cotswolds with an intriguing literary history"},"content":{"rendered":"

As well as creating a more practical layout for family life, Chris and William wanted to restore the house\u2019s character and soul, which had been lost during previous renovations. They uncovered tombstones hidden in walls, reinstated windows to echo original stone mullions, and added sympathetic panelling and joinery. Keen to ensure that the house was faithful not only to its history but also to the area, they worked with various local specialists and makers. Cabinetry was crafted by Hilltop Bespoke Kitchens, based just over the border in Worcestershire, much of the furniture came from historic manufacturer Wesley Barrell, and everything from ceramic lamps to mugs was made by potter John Jelfs. These sit alongside locally sourced antiques and striking artworks picked up on their travels. \u2018Interior design is very much like filmmaking, because you find your team of creatives whose work you love, and you bring them together to create something new,\u2019 reflects Chris.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

In the pantry, the panelled walls are in Farrow & Ball\u2019s \u2018Drab<\/a>\u2019 and the cupboards are in \u2018Wainscot<\/a>\u2019 as in the kitchen next door.<\/p>\n

Beth Evans\"Image<\/p>\n

The large butler\u2019s sink in the pantry is the ideal place for Chris and William to arrange beautiful cut flowers from the garden.<\/p>\n

Beth Evans<\/p>\n

The process would have been far more daunting had it not been for the help of two fine friends. \u2018One is Nicky Haslam<\/a> and the other is Jonathan Reed<\/a>, two very different voices in architecture and interior design,\u2019 says Chris. \u2018Jonathan\u00a0has taught me\u00a0how you use a space and how you use materials, and Nicky is very much about having the confidence\u00a0to be bold.\u2019 It was Jonathan, for instance, who suggested relocating the kitchen, while Nicky told Chris in no uncertain terms that the sitting room beams had to be white. \u2018A lot of it has been through osmosis, too, from seeing how they do things,\u2019 adds Chris. The earthiness of the palette \u2013 greeny browns, burnt orange, rusty reds, ochre \u2013 reveals Jonathan\u2019s influence (just look at his own home in Yorkshire<\/a>). And there\u2019s a whiff of whimsy from the secret bar in the sitting room and the box beds (or \u2018princess beds\u2019 as Peggy calls them) upstairs that could quite easily be attributed to Nicky or Lewis Carroll.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

In one corner of the kitchen, a banquette with seat cushions in The Cloth Shop\u2019s heavyweight linen in rust and old school stools bought on Ebay (\u2018some still bear rude engravings!\u2019 says Chris) partner a wooden table made by Chris, who also assembled the enamel pendant light from parts bought online.<\/p>\n

Beth Evans<\/p>\n

Outside in the garden, it was another great writer who showed Chris and William the way. \u2018I’m a big fan of Slad Valley and Laurie Lee\u2019s house and garden, so we did something similar here,\u2019 explains Chris. \u2018At the top, there\u2019s a wooded area, and then it gets more formal as you move towards the house.\u2019 Looking out over this bucolic scene are two outbuildings, one of which serves as a guest cottage and the other as a study, where Chris is now working on a few carefully considered interior design projects in between his film and TV work. It seems the next chapter of this story is only just beginning.<\/p>\n

Chris Sweeney: @chrissweeney<\/a><\/p>\n