A Light and Airy Sussex Cottage That Makes for the Perfect Off-Grid Escape

Make the Most of Brightness

Step inside and – thanks to huge windows surrounding the living space – your spirits will lift. Crisp, white-painted panelled walls and an abundance of natural light lend the cottage a bright and breezy air. While a well-loved history is hinted at through in the gently weathered woods of the original sash window frames and floorboards.

French doors in the dining and sitting rooms lead out to a generously proportioned terrace. Making it a perfect space to embrace the tranquillity of indoor-outdoor living.

Bring in Natural Textures

In homage to Ashdown Forest, we set about bringing the outside in to create an inviting space that’s wholly at one with nature. To complement the scene just outside the cottage’s doors, our stylist used plenty of natural textures and nature-led accessories. From the reclaimed wood dining table to rattan-detailed sideboards, chests of drawers and side tables.

Familiar flora and fauna, such as hazel leaves, shells, corals and seaweed, are reflected in dishes, pots, wall art and decorative objects throughout the interior. As is a wealth of ceramics displaying earthy, organic finishes.

Choose Bright Home Decor Shades

Throughout the cottage you’ll find shades of vibrant yellow and blue, with dashes of rich red, which weave each of the living spaces together. In the sitting and dining rooms, daubs of marine blue and sunny yellow echo from the armchairs and cushion covers. Shades are also reflected in the handmade and dip-glazed pots, seascape oil paintings and botanical prints adorning the walls.

Earthy reds bloom on flower pots and floor cushions. While in the snug, more saturated shades come into their own in table lamps, soft furnishings and silk lampshades. Here, the blues get bolder, too.

When someone retires to privacy for what Winnie-the-Pooh would call “a smallish nap or two” and red and yellow accents share the spotlight. This combination may be an unexpected choice for a bedroom. But you’ll find they’re remarkably balanced with the help of warm brown, which emerges with plenty of texture in jute rugs, rattan lamps and chests of drawers.

Enjoy Comfort in Every Space
The terrace makes a great spot for a summer afternoon’s snooze. Where someone can sink into the outdoor sofa or lean back in the surprisingly spacious and comfortable bistro chairs. Waking just in time for a little “smackerel” of something to eat in the comfiest place to be.