A love of colour and pattern is evident as soon as you walk through the door of this pretty cottage down a quiet rural road on the outskirts of Farnham, in Surrey.
‘Ten years ago I loved pale pastels, shabby chic and toile de Jouy,’ says owner Flora Rigg. ‘But now ikat and paisley Indian block prints are more my style, along with bolder colours.’
When Flora and her husband, Chris, bought the simple three-bedroom cottage it turned out to be the perfect choice. Not because it was colourful but because it was exactly the opposite.
‘Everything was grey and minimalist, but it made a nice, easy blank canvas, and I couldn’t wait to bring it to life with colour and patterned fabrics.’
The couple moved out of London seeking a quieter pace of life after the birth of their son. They rented for 12 months, 15 minutes away from the house that they eventually bought.
Colourful kitchen
Flora makes beautiful homewares for her business, Flossie and Bumble, and she wasted no time putting her creative talents to good use in transforming the cottage.
The previous owners had extended the kitchen and opened it up to the dining room.
‘I started in the kitchen diner, adding wallpaper, painting the walls and painting kitchen cabinets and adding new handles,’ she says. ‘They were in good condition so it made sense to keep them.’
Refreshing rather than replacing cupboards is a great budget kitchen idea.
The units are repainted in Little Greene’s Pleat, and a kitchen island unit from The Cotswold Company adds useful prep and storage space.
Feature wall
The dining area, which is open-plan to the kitchen, has French doors leading to the garden.
Flora chose a Flying Ducks wallpaper to create a feature wall and painted the ladderback chairs in Mineral Blue from William Morris at Home.
She covered the seats with a Clarke & Clarke fabric, which matches the curtain frill, and patterned table linen completes the beautiful space.
Vintage displays
A characterful mix of decorative objects in the hallway sets the tone for this interesting home full of family heirlooms.
‘My starting point for most of the rooms is treasured pieces. I just wanted to make this a fun, eclectic and cosy home,’ says Flora.
Despite the wealth of vintage and antique pieces, new colours and patterns ensure a fresh and contemporary look. ‘It’s a cheerful mismatch.’
Flora painted the wall shelf in the cloakroom a muted green shade to link with the vintage bureau in the hallway.
The walls are painted in Fitzrovia Red by Dulux Heritage.
Colourful living room
The living room colour scheme is bright and uplifting. This is Flora’s favourite space. ‘I love the combination of blue walls and darker mahogany furniture here,’ she says. ‘The stand-out piece is the sewing table which belonged to my great-grandmother.’
Flora made most of the cushions and upholstered the ottoman and her great-grandmother’s antique rocking chair.
‘Every couple of months I like to change things, so I’ll make a cushion, re-cover a chair or give something a new coat of paint and that stops things becoming stale. Chris always warns visitors not to sit down in our house or I’ll sand and paint them!’
Themed children’s bedroom
There’s a cheerful red, white and blue theme in this children’s bedroom.
The handmade patchwork quilt was the starting point. The vintage cabinet at the foot of the bed has been repainted. Flora cut the second-hand striped curtains to size, and painted the walls in James by Little Greene.
Country-style bathroom
In this country cottage bathroom, green-painted tongue-and-groove panelling creates a cottagey look that can be easily updated.
The floor tiles create an eye-catching contrast to the panelling, adding a modern edge to the traditional look.
Loft conversion
A loft conversion provided a spacious main bedroom and en suite which Flora says has made a world of difference.
‘The children are growing up fast and we were just starting to feel cramped again,’ she says. ‘But it made sense to extend rather than take on the expense of moving – and we love it here.’
They found the upholstered bed at Grosvenor Furniture.
Outdoor living
The family enjoy outdoor dining whenever the weather permits.
Flora chose John Lewis Rye rattan chairs, and she made the cushions in an ikat linen fabric.
In the summer house at the back of the garden is Flora’s upholstery and sewing workshop, and the Flossie & Bumble HQ.
They have created the perfect home for work, rest and play.
This article first appeared in Period Living Magazine. Subscribe and save here
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