Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Twist on Tradition in the Cotswolds
Elegant furnishings, natural colours and traditional materials help blend old and new in this cleverly extended home
‘The house was in a bad state of repair, and putting it right was an extensive project,’ says Charles Bateson from Charles Bateson Interior Design. ‘Everything had to be done from scratch.’
Before Charles got his hands on the interior, though, the house was completely remodelled, which involved preserving and renovating the old part of the property, then adding a new, more contemporary structure on the side. ‘The entire house is a unique blend of old and new, which fits in perfectly with my style,’ says Charles. ‘I like mixing contemporary and more traditional elements for a seamless look.’
Having worked before with the owners on a number of projects, Charles was confident the elegant, unfussy interiors he planned would suit their tastes. ‘I’m on the dividing line when it comes to modern and traditional,’ says Charles. ‘This house is a good example of taking the best of the classical tradition and having a play around with it!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A family with four children
Location The Cotswolds
Designer Charles Bateson Interior Design
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Before Charles got his hands on the interior, though, the house was completely remodelled, which involved preserving and renovating the old part of the property, then adding a new, more contemporary structure on the side. ‘The entire house is a unique blend of old and new, which fits in perfectly with my style,’ says Charles. ‘I like mixing contemporary and more traditional elements for a seamless look.’
Having worked before with the owners on a number of projects, Charles was confident the elegant, unfussy interiors he planned would suit their tastes. ‘I’m on the dividing line when it comes to modern and traditional,’ says Charles. ‘This house is a good example of taking the best of the classical tradition and having a play around with it!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A family with four children
Location The Cotswolds
Designer Charles Bateson Interior Design
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
The timber-framed extension was built using local stone so it’s sympathetic to the landscape. ‘Everything you can see here is new,’ says Charles, ‘but it was designed to suit the vernacular of the area.’
Charles has kept the interior of the extension fresh, comfortable and modern, so it doesn’t detract from the stunning views of the valley beyond. Cotswold houses traditionally have tiny windows, so this new extension is a bit of a departure. ‘There’s a lot of natural light in this part of the house,’ says Charles, ‘so I have kept it simple and elegant, with a few choice pieces of furniture and a smooth limestone floor that softly reflects the light.’ He also threw in a dash of luxury with a Mongolian lambswool footstool he designed himself.
The handsome chimney breast is made from bush-hammered local stone, which is peppered with little indentations that add texture to this end of the house. Charles slotted colourful glass tea-light holders into the niches, so the chimney area can be home to flickering flames, even when the fire is not lit.
The Smallbone kitchen is integrated into the dining area, which Charles furnished with bar stools from The Sofa & Chair Company. He kept the palette throughout the entire house neutral, opting for a beige-grey shade to encourage a sense of connection as you move from the old to the new part of the house. Charles found the pendant lights at Mr Light, but opted to leave the large windows untreated. ‘There is lighting in the garden and, with views this amazing, it would be criminal to put curtains here,’ he says.
A smart and spacious boot room opens off the kitchen, with built-in cabinets for storing shoes. ‘I chose tongue and groove panelling here for its cottagey feel,’ says Charles, ‘but it still looks quite sophisticated.’ Charles designed the shelves with LED lighting built into them to illuminate the family’s collection of coloured glassware. He painted the cabinets in Fawn interior eggshell by Marston & Langinger, and used this shade on the doors and joinery elsewhere in the house, too.
Over in the original part of the house, the drawing room demonstrates Charles’s playful take on traditional interior design beautifully. The French-style seating is made from two chairs that Charles customised to create one sofa. He then reupholstered it in bright, contemporary fabric.
‘The beam and ancient stones here are original to the house, but we put in the canopy above the fire to give the space a more contemporary feel,’ says Charles. The fender, sourced from Acres Farm, adds a modern dimension to the room, as does the Trio floor light from Richard Taylor Designs.
Get designer advice for choosing the right fire
Get designer advice for choosing the right fire
A cosy snug with a low ceiling and tongue and groove panelling is the perfect retreat for the family, who like to relax in here and watch TV. On the walls, Charles used grass wallpaper with a soft metallic finish from Donghia, which he teamed with a leather-edged rug from Stark Carpet. The comfy sofa and ottoman are Charles’s own design.
Charles opted for a more luxurious look in the master bedroom, which is situated above the kitchen in the new extension. ‘There is a subtle hint of old French style in this room, with printed fabric set into the doors of the wardrobe and the elegant stool at the end of the bed,’ says Charles. For the textile panels, he used fabric from Galbraith & Paul. He found the stool at Frenchie Furniture and reupholstered it in fabric from Zimmer + Rohde.
Get tips for decorating around a pitched ceiling
Get tips for decorating around a pitched ceiling
A well placed mirror seems to double the size of the family bathroom, capitalising on the natural light which flows in through the window. Charles used limestone on the floor and walls and continued the mirror theme with antique mirrored panels on the bath surround.
Charles complemented a neutral palette with soft hues of pink and green when decorating the daughter’s bedroom. ‘The look is still very simple, but I’ve added a few pretty touches,’ says Charles. ‘These include the linen curtains and the mirrored bedside cabinets from Knowles & Christou, which bring a little finesse.’
‘We were originally going to put bunk beds in the youngest boys’ room, but the ceiling was too low,’ says Charles. Instead, he devised a boat-style bedroom with bespoke shelving and concealed storage in which toys can be squirrelled away. He completed the look with blinds made using fabric from Nobilis.
Do you like this home? Tell us what you like about it in the Comments below.
Do you like this home? Tell us what you like about it in the Comments below.