Victoria English Cottage 2021

editor’s letter

Dear Friends Why does my heart flutter at the first glimpse of our editorial team’s perennially popular English Cottage? This special issue promises an array of storybook havens, bringing to mind a range of dwellings, from quaint ivy-clad abodes nestled among tangles of blooms to gracious estates boasting exquisitely manicured formal gardens. Whether humble or grand, each home chosen for this publication holds the power to capture my imagination. The lovely space showcased on the cover—the drawing room of a seventeenth-century manor in Yorkshire—brims with the sense of timeless romance we often associate with British style. Step into this historic property on page 29. In other features, learn how a Victorian schoolhouse finds new life as a residence, explore the halls of a country house beloved by generations of the same family,…

restoring character

Although Sally Paget-Brown is retired from her noteable career as an interior designer, she simply cannot resist a project, and the quintessentially English cottage she came across several years ago was no exception. “Even though I was very happy in the converted coach house that I renovated in 2014,” she explains, “I missed not having a garden for my grandchildren to play in, and I needed more bedrooms for my visitors.” Sally was drawn to the early-eighteenth-century house’s quirkiness and its ties to illustrious architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, who designed two of its numerous extensions and once lived across the street. Since it is Grade II listed, as well as located in a conservation area, she had to request additional permits before starting her own renovation. The previous owner had occupied the…

family legacy

The stately, gray stone residence near Lewes in Sussex came with a built-in set of memories for Amy and James Bell. Not only had James spent his teen years here, but it was the place for family gatherings as long as his parents owned it. “This house had already played a big part in our lives,” explains Amy. “We held our wedding reception here and had parties for our children’s christenings. When it went on the market, we couldn’t bear to see it go.” When they moved in just over five years ago, the plan was to reimagine the house for multi-generational living to suit the couple, their two daughters, and James’s mother, who would remain in residence there. There were a few structural repairs—the kitchen and pantry roofs leaked—and the…

of heart and home

Half-hidden by an old brick wall and a pair of gates, David Hurlston and Nic Taylor’s Georgian home reveals very little to passersby on the street. If one were to blink, he or she might miss it entirely. When circling around the back of the property, however, visitors are greeted by a visual masterpiece. The original façade, with a stone-stepped door at the center and windows positioned symmetrically around it, is like a storybook drawing: beautifully balanced and facing a colorful walled garden. When David and Nic first came across the house, it felt welcoming. Their search for a period residence with verdancy was over, and they promptly moved from York to the countryside. “Our previous homes required a lot of work, and we wanted to avoid another major renovation,” says David.…

nourishing the spirit

Having lived in a Greenwich flat for several years, Linda and David Williams decided in 1979 to move to a home with a garden. Their ideal dwelling would have plenty of light and little maintenance so as not to interfere with David’s painting or his position as an art teacher. Shortly after their search began, however, something unique caught Linda’s eye. The property, a butcher’s shop with lodgings aloft, was nearby in Southeast London. It seemed to be everything the pair thought they didn’t want—dark, in need of repair, and with minimal gardening space. Yet, despite the negatives, they instantly fell in love. An elderly butcher and his wife were selling the shop. Apparently, he had purchased it in the thirties after working there as a butcher boy since 1917. There have…

reviving a classic

With the transformations of a dozen period properties to their credit, the Bells weren’t daunted in the least when they tackled their latest project: a centuries-old Georgian with a walled garden, located in the tranquil village of Nunney. Its nearness to the storied city of Bath, which offers both a cultural community and convenient transport links to London, was an especial draw. The dwelling was a serendipitous find. Just as the couple received an on-the-spot offer for their own residence, the original offer on this one fell through. They immediately purchased it and commissioned a bespoke renovation to tailor the spaces to suit their family of six. “It was in good condition,” explains Susie, co-founder of Somerset- and London-based faux-florals design business Beyond Beleaf, “but we had four children on the brink…