House tour: A Georgian cottage transformed with clever colour choices
When Jules and Ben Covey decided the time had come to move out of London after the birth of their third child, there was only one direction for them to head in.
The call of the West Country was strong as Jules grew up in Cornwall and Ben in Somerset, so they wanted somewhere closer to their families but near enough to London for Ben to commute to work.
West Berkshire fitted the bill and they came across a potential house near the pretty village of Pangbourne. Despite viewing it on a cold, dark January day, they had a good feeling about it.
“We liked the fact that the previous owners had raised their family and lived there for almost 40 years,” Jules explains.
“We looked at other places that had been done up but not in our style, so it was a relief to find somewhere that genuinely needed updating.”
Originally built in 1810 as a two-up, two-down cottage for the rabbit catcher on the local estate, an extension had been added in the 1970s but the Coveys knew they would have to do quite a bit of work to create their dream home. They moved in a few months later with two youngsters and a tiny baby, and Jules remembers her heart sinking at the size of the task ahead of them.
Sensibly, they lived there for a whole year to get the feel of the house before starting on the transformation. The cramped kitchen was absolutely the first priority, with beige Formica cabinets with red plastic handles and a gas cooker that lit with an alarming eyebrow-singeing ‘woof ’.
The extension had given the house an L-shaped footprint so, by filling in the space to make a square, a generous new kitchen with a dining area was created. The build took six months, three months of which involved managing on a makeshift camp kitchen in the hall, but it was well worth the wait.
The new room has a loft-like feel thanks to a pitched-glass roof that lets the light stream in. A local joiner made the blue Shaker-style cupboards with bleached oak worktops, which sit next to a white Aga – a practical choice, as it warms up the north-facing kitchen wonderfully.
Clever re-use of old materials such as reclaimed pine floorboards, and blinds and cushions made from vintage grain sacks, introduce instant country character. The oak dining table that belonged to Jules’ grandparents was originally very dark but she had it professionally limed, along with its six matching chairs, to lighten the wood so they would work with the look of the kitchen.
At mealtimes, the family has a lovely view through large bi-fold doors leading to the garden, dominated by a beautiful old apple tree from the days when it was an orchard. Replacing nearly all of the windows was no mean feat but, as Jules says, “There are so many on all sides that the light is wonderful throughout the day – it flows around the house, so it was worth the investment.”
This abundance of light meant she felt she could be more adventurous with colour. The walls of their previous house were all painted white but here each room has different colour combinations, mostly greyish greens and blues, with darker colours used for the woodwork so skirtings, doorframes, shelves and mantelpieces stand out.
After the major upheaval of the kitchen plus extensive replumbing and rewiring elsewhere, work on the rest of the house was done more gradually, putting back some of the character by reinstating fireplaces and adding tongue-and-groove panelling.
Inspired by an original section found in one bedroom, this now appears in almost every room – on walls and sometimes ceilings, with the planks running both vertically and horizontally. It gives a strong coastal feel, which is appropriate as the family enjoys spending a lot of time on beaches. Collections of shells from holidays on Anglesey fill two demi-johns that have been turned into lamp bases to display them.
Shells are just one of the things Jules has been collecting since she was young – she also has a weakness for buttons, ribbons and vintage crockery, especially rose-pattern china. Some of this is on show, along with other treasures, on the mantelpiece above a log-burning stove.
“I come from a long line of collectors and homemakers. We have a strong nesting instinct and cosiness is in our genes,” she says. It gives Jules great pleasure to use inherited pieces and these are mixed with vintage finds from Ardingly and Kempton Park markets, complemented by eye-catching, colourful rugs, fabrics and cushions from Odd – a quirky furnishings company once run by her aunt and uncle.
In the living room, bright striped rugs and cushions liven up the restful soft green scheme, picking up on the colour of an elegant antique sofa that’s been reupholstered in a fuchsia-pink velvet by Designers Guild. The curtains are in a pretty floral design and another sofa is covered in a neutral wool plaid. Jules has always loved mixing patterns; contrasting stripes with florals and checks is a particular favourite.
Upstairs the same striking combinations of patterns and colours can be found in her daughter’s pretty bedroom, with its pink walls, floral quilt made by Jules’s mother, blind and checked lampshade. In contrast, the boys’ room has curtains and an armchair in a patchwork of different old Welsh plaid blankets. Cool bunk beds, built into the eaves and painted a soft blue, are a recent project and source of great excitement, with cubbyholes at each end for bedside lights and favourite toys.
After three years of hard work, the Coveys have transformed the house into the perfect place to bring up their family, just like the previous residents.
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