south downs cottage
A pretty cottage nestled in the South Downs national park, originally three workers cottages linked together to make a comfortable family home.
HONOURING HISTORY
Our clients bought this pretty cottage in a lovely hamlet in the South Downs, with Emma and her team in mind. Tired and dated, they were looking for a considered sympathetic approach, in keeping with the cottages humble origins.
It was important to respect the history of the building and it originally being separate dwellings, whilst also making the house more suitable for modern open-plan family living.
By dividing the original footprint of the separate cottages with glazed timber screens and doors, this careful balance was achieved.
INSIDE OUT
Emma Milne Interiors were appointed to manage the interior architecture, project management and interior design. With the clients being keen gardeners, the relationship between inside and outside was of prime importance.
We set about focusing on how you would enter the house as this was confused, and how to improve the interaction with the garden outside. By adding new doors and blocking others, this relationship was enhanced. With the added benefit of a more considered flow between the main areas of the ground floor living space too.
This inside outside approach extended to the choice of finishes within the cottage, to include natural materials, paint colours and fabrics. All of which flow from one room to the next, providing cohesion and increased feeling of spaciousness.
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY
Our clients are keen collectors of modern art, so it was important that the backdrop of the cottage interior remained neutral, to act as a wonderful backdrop to their collected pieces which have been gathered from the family’s travels, or as a collection of works by artists they admire.
When considering the interior finishes such as the choice of fabrics, paint colours or textures, the art played centre stage.
The result is a very personal and special home, curated and developed for every day life, but with areas for socialising, welcoming friends and family without pretension, and well connected to the garden they love.
Emma & Rachel’s work has made every moment spent in our home special for us. We couldn't be happier with the outcome, which has turned out even better than we ever imagined. We’ve had lots of “pinch me” moments. We wholeheartedly recommend Emma Milne Interiors to anyone seeking to transform their home. The design process is fun, enjoyable and memorable. And wow, the results speak for themselves.
J & K
