How this medieval cottage was restored without sacrificing its charm
Lucy Ogilvie-Grant’s thatched cottage is hidden at the end of an isolated lane surrounded by the wooded countryside and wild meadows of Hampshire.
Step inside and there is an easy-going sense of style that belies the hard graft that has gone into creating this characterful family home.
Lucy moved to Hampshire from Northumberland, renting locally before moving to the cottage seven years ago with her then teenage sons.
She was drawn to the tranquillity and the feeling of splendid isolation, even though it is close to the thriving market town of Petersfield and just an hour from London.
The previous owners had lived simply, with no modernisations. “It was important to me to keep that authentic, bohemian quality,” recalls Lucy, who throughout the renovations maintained a deep respect for the integrity of the building and the people who had lived here.
She approached everything with the lightest touch: “I reused every single floorboard, tap and handle. I wanted the fabric of the house to remain unchanged.”
To create more space, Lucy appointed eco architect Janna Laan of Grain Architecture to design an extension that was sympathetic to the rest of the house.
Since the cottage wasn’t listed, Jaana had the freedom to replace the poorly constructed 1960s extension. True to her organic design philosophy, she bypassed modern sources of inspiration like Instagram and Pinterest. Instead, she drew from A Pattern Language, the 1970s architectural manual by Christopher Alexander, which became her guide throughout the design and building process.
The new design was built without concrete, steel or plastics, using natural materials: limecrete for the foundations, a slate dampproof course, wood-fibre insulation, wooden windows and reclaimed roof tiles.
The build took a year, requiring Lucy and her sons to decamp for a memorable summer into the outhouses in the meadow. Fortunately, Lucy had the foresight to commission a shepherd’s hut – made from reclaimed wood and designed in a "railway carriage" style – to be used as accommodation during the works. Painted in traditional Scandinavian Falun red, the hut features a sliding door and large window overlooking the meadow. Inside, a Windy Smithy stove keeps it warm and cosy, and it's now used as a studio for Lucy’s bookbinding and basketry.
The Laundry Maid
£460.00 at devolkitchens.co.uk
Colourful Patchwork Quilted Bedspread
Country Living Charlbury Sofa
Myrtle Rustic Delft Tile
£11.00 at marlboroughtiles.com
Red on White Geometric Rug
Antique Pine Cupboard in Farrow & Ball India Yellow
£595.00 at originaleclectic.co.uk
Inside the cottage, Lucy went about reusing and repurposing whatever she could. Beneath the original curved wooden staircase, she has installed a box bed made from a hotchpotch of reused materials. A bright green painted BEKVÄM Step Stool from IKEA helps with climbing in, while a colourful patchwork blanket tops the bed.
Her son's bathroom is a triumphant use of a tiny space. Lucy repurposed her grandmother’s bureau to create bespoke wooden panelling, which adds a link to her family's history. The tiny bath is “much loved by everyone as you can fill it right up to your ears.” The deep red wall paint is made to look like leather with Annie Sloan's Dark Chalk Paint Wax. And in a total feat of creativity, the curtains in the neighbouring bedroom are handmade from a sofa cover.
In the garden, Lucy allowed the meadow to thrive. Within a year, a wild orchid had appeared. This summer, she counted 75 and now the garden buzzes with wildlife.
Like her father and grandfather, Lucy learned to scythe, embracing a peaceful connection with the land and the biodiverse wildlife it supports. It is a nurturing, light-touch approach that mirrors the gentle and respectful way she breathed new life into her house.
Tour the rest of the home
Tour this former dog kennels in the Surrey Hills
Transformed into a spectacular family home
Inside a restored upside-down cottage in Buckinghamshire
A theatrical Cotswolds home styled with vintage finds
Complete with its own artist's studio
You Might Also Like
