LIV Chats To…Cottage Renovation Expert Danielle About Her Cosy Home
This week, we’re chatting to @ahomefitforkings about her beautiful cottage renovation. her beautiful home is definitely going to make you want to move into a listed property!
Hi Danielle, first things first, please can you introduce yourself!
Hi I’m Danielle, a primary school teacher from Hertfordshire.
I live with my husband Simon, our two daughters, our dog and cat in a Grade II listed cottage. We have a third baby on the way!
Please tell us more about your stunning home?
We bought our cottage in 2017, after falling in love with its period features and the history of the house. It needed a lot of work doing to it as it hadn’t been updated in over 30years. Think old heating systems, ineffective electrics and some very dated décor and you get the idea! There was a stable block in the garden which we wanted to attach to the house to create a bigger kitchen. Being listed, we had no idea whether this would be accepted when we bought the house, but luckily after a bit of work with Heritage, we moved forwards with renovating the cottage, and attached it to the stable.
Please could you describe your interior style, has it always been the same or has it evolved over time?
I’m drawn to natural textures, so you’ll see lots of exposed brick and beams.
I’ve always loved antiques and one off items, and love homes that are full of ‘stuff’. I can appreciate modern interiors, but for me, textures, plants, books and nick nacks are what makes a house homely.
What brands or trends inspire you or your house purchases?
I love Rockett St George and modern rustic interior pieces, but my go to (pre covid) would be antique shops, charity shops, and jumble sales - you never know what you'll find!
What interior Instagram accounts inspire you, could you name your top 3?
I love:
2. @stephgowla
Sam from @vintagecuratorinteriors has the most covetable stuff in her home and I love the décor.
Steph is all about natural, simple style and the textures of her home shine through.
Inge is a styling genius, and so inspiring.
We love your open plan kitchen with the dark colours and exposed brick!
what is your favourite space in your amazing home?
Definitely the kitchen, it’s where we spend most of our time. I also love the attic bathroom as it’s the perfect space to relax and hide.
What inspired you to start sharing your beautiful home?
I wanted to share our renovation process, and found that people love seeing before and afters, and being inspired by others working with listed buildings.
Please can you talk us through how you did your lovely home up and if you would have done anything differently?
We had the whole house rewired and re-plumbed. We attached the side of the cottage to a disused stable in the garden, and turned the stable space into a kitchen and guest bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. We had to lift the brick flooring from the stable, and relay it due to heritage conditions. The whole house has been completely renovated. We’ve turned what was the kitchen previously into an office space, we’ve added a utility room. We even turned the damp basement into a home bar!
What's your favourite house purchase you made in 2020 and is there anything on your Wishlist?
This year, we bought two mint coloured metal beds from Bobby rabbit kids and I love them!
On the wishlist is a new sofa as ours is so old!
And finally what does the future hold for @ahomefitforkings is there anything up your sleeve or is the house complete?
We have got the nursery to complete still!
At the moment, my pinned and saved inspiration photos range from murals to muted calm palettes. Im not sure the direction we will go in yet - but the baby is due next month!
If you have enjoyed reading all about Danielle and her beautiful home, head over to her Instagram page @ahomefitforkings to keep up to date.
