When Susie and her husband moved into this four-bedroom Georgian former millhouse in the Scottish Borders, she was inspired to embrace the cottagecore look.
She became a magpie for finding second-hand treasures, and the result is a gorgeously cosy home. Curating a home with second-hand buys is not always easy, but she’s let us in on the best tips and tricks she used to transform the space.
1. ‘Plants bring a room to life’
‘I wanted to create a rustic French farmhouse feel in the open-plan family room, so the key pieces here are second-hand. The antique cabinet belonged to my parents, while houseplants brighten the space, particularly in the winter,’ says Susie.
Ferns are the perfect low-maintenance house plant for dotting on and around vintage furniture with their frothy fronts. Alternatively, add something taller, like a money tree or a ficus, to make more of a statement.
2. ‘A quick fix isn’t always best’
‘We planned to replace the cabinet doors, paint them and add new worktops. However, we realised it was false economy to install quartz in a 30-year-old kitchen. So a local company built a new one to fit the footprint,’ says Susie.
The kitchen did go over budget, but Susie adds, ‘The kitchen going over budget was the start of my love of affordable decorative vintage style.’
3. ‘Make the switch to antique pine’
‘When I found this lovely armoire, I got rid of most of our oak furniture, apart from the dining table and chairs! I feel that antique pine pieces work so much better overall with the period of the house, and here with the original floorboards in our dining area,’ explains Susie.
‘I have filled the armoire with china, some inherited and some bought with wedding money. We plan to change the oak table and chairs eventually.’
“I can imagine living here for a long time, with grandchildren coming to stay in the future”
4. ‘Try a mix of freestanding and fitted furniture’
‘I didn’t want the kitchen to feel too fitted or modern, so I was excited to find this wee table on Vinterior. It creates extra space for display under the window. Part of an old pine ladder on the wall is perfect for tea towels,’ says Susie.
In fact, freestanding kitchen ideas are becoming an increasingly popular kitchen trend for 2026 as a way of creating a kitchen packed with personality.
5. ‘Wallpaper was my starting point’
‘I originally wanted to colour-drench our bedroom in a bright, bold shade. However, when I saw this delicate leaf design wallpaper, I was inspired to go for a gentle country theme.’
The wallpaper is Whispering Leaves wallpaper in Vintage Cream, £75 a roll from Lucie Annabel.
6. ‘Pick multifunctional furniture’
‘I moved the antique Hungarian bench from the hallway into the main bedroom to disguise the new radiator; I hadn’t quite got my head around whether to paint the radiator or not. The bench brings warmth and character, and is handy for extra storage for my shoes,’ says Susie.
In the bedroom, a cafe curtain above the storage bench ensures privacy, adds cottagecore charm and allows natural light to flood the space.
7. ‘Give new buys a more vintage look’
‘My wall lights were originally the plug-in variety, but for a neater look I removed the wires and fitted rechargeable light bulbs. I finished the fittings off with Rub N Buff (available on Amazon) to make them look more vintage.’
8. ‘Adapt your found pieces’
‘The bedside cabinet was bright blue, so I painted it a more neutral shade, and found a pair of brass lamp bases on Facebook Marketplace. Along with the mirrors, the warm metallic finishes go beautifully with the soft-green walls.’
The mirror display makes a gorgeous feature wall. To replicate, choose frames in different shapes and sizes but keep the same finish.
9. ‘A simple look works here’
‘The old shower screen fell off a couple of months after we moved in, which was the impetus behind our bathroom makeover. We kept the bath and loo, but changed the wall tiles and shower,’ says Susie.
‘Sourcing a grid-style screen to fit the long bath was difficult, but we found one eventually. The vintage cupboard is handy for toiletries, and I am thinking about revamping the floor tiles with stencils.’
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