Houzz Tour: A 19th Century Somerset Cottage Gets a Modern Revamp
Interior designer Nicola O’Mara decided a relaxed modern makeover was in order when it came to renovating her dream country cottage
Natalie Wain
18 June 2014
UK-based Houzz contributor.
I've been writing for the national press in Britain for almost 10 years and my most recent post was as the News Editor at Housetohome.co.uk.
These days I can usually be found hunched over my dining room table (which I've commandeered as my office) where I scribble away for a number of UK-based publications, including Homes & Gardens, The Telegraph, metro.co.uk and This is Money, among others.
I'm a bit of a jack of all trades but hopefully master of some.
And, in case you're wondering, I'd describe my interior style is brave, bold and eclectic. That's not to say I don't love a gleaming white wall... but I can't resist an accessory or two.
As the glorious Vivienne Westwood once said, 'when in doubt, overdress...'
UK-based Houzz contributor.
I've been writing for the national press in Britain... More
When Nicola O’Mara and her partner, John Merriman, from Inspired Design bought a 19th century cottage, they knew it would require some attention. One year of devoting weekends and evenings to the renovation later, and their dream home in the countryside was finally ready.
‘It was a beautiful cottage, but it was full of damp, and once we’d stripped it back to the stone walls it was basically a pile of rubble,’ says Nicola. ‘We had to rebuild the entire structure, but it meant we could put our own stamp on it.’
When the building work was complete, Nicola began creating the interiors. She chose a muted palette and furnished the house with a mixture of antique and eBay finds.
The finished home is a charming, easy-going cottage peppered with luxurious touches and clever design details – perfect for a modern family’s needs.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Nicola O’Mara, John Merriman and their daughter
Location Banwell, Somerset
Designer Inspired Design
Size 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
‘It was a beautiful cottage, but it was full of damp, and once we’d stripped it back to the stone walls it was basically a pile of rubble,’ says Nicola. ‘We had to rebuild the entire structure, but it meant we could put our own stamp on it.’
When the building work was complete, Nicola began creating the interiors. She chose a muted palette and furnished the house with a mixture of antique and eBay finds.
The finished home is a charming, easy-going cottage peppered with luxurious touches and clever design details – perfect for a modern family’s needs.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Nicola O’Mara, John Merriman and their daughter
Location Banwell, Somerset
Designer Inspired Design
Size 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
The kitchen-diner is the heart of the house, and reflects the family’s easy-going style. ‘There’s definitely a French influence in this part of the cottage,’ says Nicola. ‘It’s all about muted creams and blues, but it’s all very simple. Also, because the right-hand wall slopes, we couldn’t put any furniture up against it, hence the full-length mirror, which also reflects some light into the small space.’ Nicola sourced the powder-blue pendant lights from John Lewis, and the kilim cushions are from India Jane.
Nicola likes to mix and match her furniture, and scours eBay, antiques shops and flea markets for her big purchases. ‘I like to wait until I find the right piece,’ she says. ‘I haven’t found my ideal kitchen table yet, so this one is totally makeshift – it’s just a piece of plywood on some table legs. I found the old chapel chairs in a local antiques shop, so it’s quite an eclectic mix.’
Nicola didn’t want this room to look like a typical kitchen, so she decided against overhead cupboards in favour of open shelves, which also prevent the narrow space from feeling cramped. ‘I wanted it to be a space where people feel comfortable,’ she says. ‘It’s small, but it feels open and inviting.’ The stable door is another new addition and leads to a small garden area. Nicola used Little Greene paint in Slaked Lime on the walls and French Grey Mid on the cupboards.
The impressive flagstone floor, from Mandarin Stone, is an arresting feature in the kitchen. ‘I fell in love with the dark colour and texture,’ says Nicola. ‘I didn’t want anything flat and uniform, and it’s authentic to the style of the cottage.’ The French windows lead out onto a balcony with 180 degree views over the surrounding countryside. ‘It’s a wonderful, secluded spot with no through traffic,’ she says.
‘We exposed and sandblasted this stone wall and repointed it using lime mortar to create a feature in the room,’ says Nicola. The cottage is quite dark, but she resisted the urge to paint everything white and decided to make the dark, cosy corners work for her instead. She painted the skirting boards and window frames in Railings by Farrow & Ball, which she repeated throughout the house for continuity. The black leather trunk was a flea-market find and serves as both a table and storage.
The fireplace in the cosy living room is an original feature that Nicola stripped back to expose the brickwork. The oak beam hearth is also original. It was rotting, but she managed to save the façade to retain the country-style charm of the room. To counter the trad elements, Nicola added a few quirky touches, such as the rhinoceros light fitting from Sia. She didn’t want the TV to be the main feature of the room, so she built a false wall with cupboard doors so she could hide the set and cables away.
There are two staircases in the house and this one in the kitchen leads to the bedrooms. Nicola decided to keep this space light with Farrow & Ball Hardwick White on the walls and Cornforth White on the wooden steps.
See spectacular spiral staircases
See spectacular spiral staircases
The master bedroom is a soothing space that Nicola uses as a retreat. ‘I wanted this room to be light, gentle and calming,’ she says. ‘The pendant light from John Lewis gives off a lovely soft glow, but just enough to read by – nothing too bright. At the other end of the bedroom there’s a French door with a little balcony outside. It’s a lovely room to spend time in.’ The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball Cornforth White, and Nicola found the bed linen at The White Company. The cushions are a mixture of home-made and bargain TK Maxx finds.
Discover 10 ways to recharge your batteries
Discover 10 ways to recharge your batteries
‘I didn’t want our daughter’s bedroom to be too girlie, so I’ve mixed in touches of green,’ says Nicola. Even though her three-year-old is now trying to fill the room with princess posters, Nicola has insisted a few smart details, such as the foldaway chair, a flea-market find she’s topped with a sheepskin rug.
Nicola gave her daughter’s room a subtle bird theme, and found the cute little houses at The White Company.
This staircase had to be completely replaced, so Nicola decided to build in a wall-to-wall bookcase, both as an innovative storage solution and to create a colourful feature in this otherwise dead space. She used Farrow & Ball Railings paint on the steps to highlight the geometric shapes.
Carrara marble on the floor and splashback gives the master bathroom a luxurious feel. The sophisticated grey paint on the walls is Plummett by Farrow & Ball. Nicola found the elegant roll-top bath in a reclamation yard, and linked it to the rest of the house by painting it in Farrow & Ball Railings.
Do you have a favourite antique? We’d love to see a photo of it in the Comments below.
Do you have a favourite antique? We’d love to see a photo of it in the Comments below.
Related Stories
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Midcentury Home With a Strong Indoor-outdoor Link
By Becky Harris
A nature-inspired renovation has given this ranch house a relaxed mood and a connection to the outdoors from most rooms
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Room Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Smart Layout and Genius Storage in a Victorian Home
Flipping the standard layout and carving out excellent storage have turned this tired house into a brilliant family home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Victorian House Brought Impressively Up to Date
By Jo Simmons
A cohesive layout and warm colours combined with energy-efficiency measures thoroughly modernise this terraced home
Full Story
Kitchen Tours
Kitchen Tour: An Open, Airy Space Made for Entertaining
Combining two separate rooms has improved flow and created a sociable open-plan kitchen, dining and seating space
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Inspired by its Seaside Location
Coastal colours and practical design combine to create a house that will adapt as the family grows
Full Story
Kitchens
5 Inspiring Before and After Kitchen Transformations
Whether you want to boost storage, incorporate original features or maximise your space, take ideas from these designs
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Airy, Scandi Finish for a Tall Victorian House
By Kate Burt
From a tricky inherited bath to a sticky-out staircase, on-site problem-solving led to a seamless update for an old home
Full Story
Amazing and so wonderful!!!
I love the cottage and the redesign! But I hope the very distinctive features of English Country style are not being “watered down” by country style Americana. The kitchen reminds me of designs of Fixer Upper’s JoAnna Gaines. Has she become popular across the pond?
This is a typical English Somerset Cottage. All the ideas and design are my own and the only inspiration I used was that from the surrounding woodland trees.