Exploring a Soulful 18th-Century Cotswolds Home

Veering off course today – hey, it’s Friday! Sharing a home tour outside of Scandinavia is my new rock ’n’ roll, and honestly, it’s about as wild as I get these days (at least that's what I tell my teenagers ;). But this isn’t just any home – oh no. This is the archetypal English dream house.

Set in the rolling hills of Gloucestershire, overlooking the breathtaking Five Valleys region, this beauty lies within the Cotswolds National Park. Built in 1720, it has a magnificent limestone façade – the kind you might expect to see in a Hollywood Christmas film, complete with a dusting of snow and twinkling lights.

One of the first things I noticed – and I don’t know if this is just a British thing or not – is that the main front door of these grand old homes is often purely for show. There’s nearly always a side or back door that sees all the real action. I say this because, firstly, in this house the front door opens straight into the sitting room (with nowhere to hang your coat or kick off your boots!), and secondly, at both my grandparents’ and my parents’ homes we never used the front door. In fact, I’m not even sure we could open my grandma’s front door without a bit of a battle – it was wedged in so tightly!

Anyway, once inside, there are all kinds of delights waiting. Oh, to have those wonderfully higgledy-piggledy floors and walls, with one step up here and another down there! It’s the perfect foundation for a home brimming with soul, brought to life through playful modern touches and little bursts of surprise – think jewel-yellow pendants, a red chair, an orange desk lamp – all of which create a charming juxtaposition against the property's timeless heritage. 

So, come on – follow me through the back door, and let’s take a tour!

So lovely! 

I absolutely love this home (you know I am a real sucker for old houses), but I also love the dots of colour, which are not overly done, but just enough to add personality, a contemporary twist and interest to each room. 

I'd love to hear about your impressions below.

Is it Ok if we complete the week with a tour of a few more beautiful English homes? Why not pour another coffee and check out: 

A 17th century english farmhouse

Global soul, english heart in a London townhouse

A cosy cliffside hideaway in Devon

Step inside the cosy world of a collector

A beautiful home in Nottinghamshire

Thank you so much for stopping by this little corner of the web—and for all your comments and emails—always great to read! Have a great weekend!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Inigo, shared with thanks.