My Houzz: A Beautiful Cotswold Home Tucked Away in a Hidden Valley
This traditional country home has had a beautiful and sympathetic restoration under the careful eye of its very stylish owner
Victoria Harrison
24 October 2014
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
As creative director of homeware and fashion brand Cabbages & Roses, Christina Strutt has a natural eye for creating an English country look. So the restoration and redecoration of this beautiful country home thought to date from the 1500s was a natural fit. ‘The house has been in my husband’s family for 200 years,’ explains Christina, and family life is clearly at the heart of this home as her son and his family now live in the cottage next door.
Christina has decorated throughout with her signature fabrics, which draw on the faded glamour of antique and vintage linens and florals with a soft, pale colour palette. However, despite the chocolate-box prettiness of the house, Christina is not afraid to experiment with the design of the interiors. ‘I’m always changing things,’ she admits. ‘It’s in a constant state of flux.’
The picturesque house is set in a hidden valley outside Bath; take a tour of the beautiful gardens here.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Christina and Mark Strutt
Location A hidden valley outside Bath
Era built 1500s
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Christina has decorated throughout with her signature fabrics, which draw on the faded glamour of antique and vintage linens and florals with a soft, pale colour palette. However, despite the chocolate-box prettiness of the house, Christina is not afraid to experiment with the design of the interiors. ‘I’m always changing things,’ she admits. ‘It’s in a constant state of flux.’
The picturesque house is set in a hidden valley outside Bath; take a tour of the beautiful gardens here.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Christina and Mark Strutt
Location A hidden valley outside Bath
Era built 1500s
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Tucked away in the rolling countryside, Christina and Mark’s home has a quintessentially English look and enjoys spectacular views across the valley.
The 16th century property has a beautiful honey-coloured stone exterior and a wonderfully relaxed character. Five different entrances enable family and guests to mill around in the summer and access the beautiful gardens that are such an integral part of the home.
View the garden tour of this home
View the garden tour of this home
Vintage finds, soft tones and antique furniture set the tone upon entering the home. The antique dresser and vintage chairs in the boot room were sourced from an antiques market. The cushions are upholstered in a classic ticking stripe for a relaxed, country feel.
Love country cottages? See more in our photo section.
Jolly Stripe cushion cover, Cabbages & Roses. Chairs, vintage. Chest of drawers, vintage.
Love country cottages? See more in our photo section.
Jolly Stripe cushion cover, Cabbages & Roses. Chairs, vintage. Chest of drawers, vintage.
The welcoming kitchen with a large farmhouse table, traditional dresser and painted wooden cabinets sits at the heart of the home, although it hasn’t always been situated here. This was originally the sitting room, ‘but my dream was to have a fire in the kitchen,’ says Christina, ‘so we swapped the rooms over, brought in an Aga and we now have a beautiful log burning fire in the kitchen.’
Catherine rose pink tablecloth, Cabbages and Roses
Catherine rose pink tablecloth, Cabbages and Roses
A traditional Welsh dresser painted a soft green displays a collection of vintage crockery and sits next to the traditional cream Aga for a classic country kitchen look.
Range, Aga.
Range, Aga.
A comfortable sofa upholstered in relaxed white linen is tucked in the corner of the kitchen next to the open fire, ready for the winter months.
Wall paint in New White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork paint in Off White, Farrow & Ball.
Wall paint in New White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork paint in Off White, Farrow & Ball.
This cosy and relaxed room used to be the kitchen before it was turned into a parlour. ‘Having stolen the living room to turn it into the kitchen, we then had to move the sitting room next door,’ Christina explains.
Constance raspberry cushion fabric, Cabbages & Roses
Constance raspberry cushion fabric, Cabbages & Roses
The snug sitting room really comes into its own in the winter. ‘It’s my favourite room,’ admits Christina.
Cerise Stripe linen cushion fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Jolly Stripe Red window seat fabric, Cabbages & Roses.
Cerise Stripe linen cushion fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Jolly Stripe Red window seat fabric, Cabbages & Roses.
A second, larger sitting room has a similarly relaxed feel and multiple windows flood the space with light. It also shows no signs of its surprisingly rustic previous incarnation. ‘This room used to be a pigsty,’ laughs Christina, ‘before it was transformed into a living space.’
The room has actually been through many changes in its time. ‘After the pigsty, it was converted into a children’s nursery, then it became the main sitting room.’
Paris blue curtain fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Raspberry French toile cushion fabric, Cabbages & Roses
The room has actually been through many changes in its time. ‘After the pigsty, it was converted into a children’s nursery, then it became the main sitting room.’
Paris blue curtain fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Raspberry French toile cushion fabric, Cabbages & Roses
The sunny room is the perfect space in which to relax or work, with plenty of views of the pretty garden. Coordinating blinds and curtains in a soft, vintage-inspired print lend a distinctly English charm to the pretty room.
India Rose curtain and blind fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Wall paint in New White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork paint in Off White, Farrow & Ball.
India Rose curtain and blind fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Wall paint in New White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork paint in Off White, Farrow & Ball.
Fabrics designed by Christina are used throughout her home and all have a beautifully faded and relaxed look to them. As an interior decorator, Christina was frustrated by the fabrics that were available to her 14 years ago, so she decided to make her own and, in 2000, Cabbages & Roses was born.
Christina’s fabric designs are all inspired by the soft beauty of antique linens. ‘My business partner, Bridget, and I found a vintage quilt and decided to design a fabric inspired by the beautiful washed-out antique look,’ she explains. ‘We designed one then we got it printed and perfected the technique of making things look old when they were new.’
Browse shabby-chic style bedrooms.
Constance Raspberry curtain fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Alderney raspberry fabric on beside table, Cabbages & Roses. Wall paint in Strong White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork paint in Old White, Farrow & Ball. Eiderdown, vintage.
Browse shabby-chic style bedrooms.
Constance Raspberry curtain fabric, Cabbages & Roses. Alderney raspberry fabric on beside table, Cabbages & Roses. Wall paint in Strong White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork paint in Old White, Farrow & Ball. Eiderdown, vintage.
A mix of antique pictures are clustered above the bed and tucked under the low, sloped ceiling.
Discover more about the elements of vintage style
Discover more about the elements of vintage style
An en-suite bathroom continues the country theme, with a delicate rose wallpaper. It works well in this space, but, Christina advises, ‘put a glass splashback around the bath if you decide to use wallpaper in the bathroom’.
Catherine Rose wallpaper, Cabbages & Roses.
Catherine Rose wallpaper, Cabbages & Roses.
Framed prints sourced at an antiques fair surround the bath. ‘I like to experiment with different looks,’ explains Christina. She encourages others to be brave with design choices, reasoning that ‘you can always put it back if you change your mind’.
A characterful archway leads into a walk-in wardrobe, which is accessed via a little set of steps. ‘The space was originally an outside attic, accessed from outside the house,’ says Christina, but she was curious as to what lay behind it. ‘I started picking away from the outside in.’
When Christina accessed the space, she discovered that ‘it was four steps above the level of the bedroom’, so the stairs were put in to link the two spaces together. The unusual-shaped archway is due to the fact that there is a chimney breast to the left and the aga chimney to the right
When Christina accessed the space, she discovered that ‘it was four steps above the level of the bedroom’, so the stairs were put in to link the two spaces together. The unusual-shaped archway is due to the fact that there is a chimney breast to the left and the aga chimney to the right
A snug, spare bedroom is popular with guests and has a light, cosy feel. White painted tongue and groove panelling creates a rustic look while a cluster of small framed paintings add a homely touch.
Christina and Mark’s garden has a quintessentially English feel that perfectly complements their 16th century home.Tucked away are hidden gems, such as a swimming pool heated by a wood-burner, a shady pavilion for alfresco meals and a lofty tree house with majestic views.
Take a tour of the idyllic gardens here.
Christina has also recently converted a loft above a stable in the grounds into an airbnb guest room for visitors.
TELL US…
What appeals to you about this country home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
MORE
See more Garden Tours
View more Houzz Tours
Take a tour of the idyllic gardens here.
Christina has also recently converted a loft above a stable in the grounds into an airbnb guest room for visitors.
TELL US…
What appeals to you about this country home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
MORE
See more Garden Tours
View more Houzz Tours
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reminds me of home being a child and my mum, fells like I can be me in that style.
Absolutely grateful for putting my dream home to paper, well in this case 'screen'. I feel like my dream is one step to reality all I need to do now is win the lottery and here I come Cotswolds!! No turning back. But this is indeed my ideal home. Unfortunately, reality is my two bedroom flat tucked away in high road Leytonstone. I love it all the same