The Cottage Diaries #1

If you follow us over on Instagram and Facebook, you'll have already seen some snippets of a personal project of ours. If you haven't, let me show you around our latest project, a little cottage hideaway here in the Yorkshire Wolds. 

This week I'm writing up the first of a little series coming your way. Introducing... The Cottage Diaries! At nearly 350 years old, the Old Hall Goodmanham is now split into 4 quaint stone cottages. I have the pleasure and joy in helping to renovate this little beauty into a quaint and charming retreat.

So, what have we been up to since the keys were handed over?

Well, we've basically begun to decorate the whole cottage inside. The first tasks have been the messier ones. We started off by sympathetically restoring and cleaning the rustic natural bricks on the fireplace which was all covered in decades of soot. It was a mucky job but we're so pleased with the results. 

Next up, we set to work on the two bedrooms. They've a lovely character and feel so we wanted to find something to compliment the history whilst injecting a little Grandad's Shed style fun into the space. We started by pulling together a mood board featuring some lovely Voyage wallpapers and carefully selected Frenchic paint colours to match. Painting has been the perfect job on a cold wet winters day. Picture of them coming soon!

We chose Moorehaven in bedroom 1 and Meadwell Loganberry in bedroom 2. If you fall head over heels for the gorgeous designs as much as we have, you can shop a sample here or book an appointment to meet us at our studio space to browse our fabric books. 

I've also chosen all the fabrics for our reupholstery projects and new blinds which are being made this very minute. I can't wait to share the blinds with you in the next post!

Alongside custom pieces, I've been sourcing beautiful antique pieces in need of a new lease of life. For example, Tony has lovingly resorted a gorgeous drop leaf table and I've been using my favourite shade of Frenchic paint to update an old wardrobe at the property. 

We've also been restoring some of the old original chairs in the property. What a transformation! This chair works perfectly in one of the cosy nooks in the living room. We wanted something funky and uplifting - that's absolutely what we got! 

Finally, we've given our front door a fresh coat of paint. It's a favourite of yours, Green with Envy from our Frenchic range.

Next up I'm going to chat you through our latest work, from electrics and lighting to designing a pantry unit for the grotty old cupboard. What do you think of our progress so far?