8 tips for achieving the coveted Cotswold look

The Cotswolds is the UK’s current property hotspot, with celebrities and stylists lapping up its sophisticated take on countryside living. Much fawned over are the interior designs, known for their timeless quality and rustic appeal. 

With a careful choice of fittings, fixtures and furniture, you too can add a slice of Cotswold charm to your home, wherever you live. Here are our top eight tips:

1.     Stick to a soft, neutral backdrop

The walls of a Cotswold home almost need to blend into the background so the furniture and accessories can stand out. Stick to a neutral palette, such as Linen Wash by Little Greene or Moon Shimmer from Dulux.

2.     Paint your kitchen cabinets

To truly capture the Cotswold aesthetic, you’ll need to forgo high gloss kitchen cabinets and revert back to a traditional painted finish. Soft pastels are a safe option, such as the warm green of Farrow & Ball’s Eddy or the pale blue of Coat’s Lie-in.

3.     Opt for built-in storage

Forget off-the-shelf freestanding storage, Cotswold homes often sport bespoke, built-in larders, pantries, bookshelves and cupboards. Instead of trying to make the storage blend into the background, the workmanship is highlighted by painting the wood in bold shades, such as Lick’s Orange 05 or Fired Earth’s Celadon.

4.     Show a bit of leg

Living room seating is all about classic comfort. The main design must-have is exposed sofa and chair legs, preferably short tapered, spool or bun shapes. The Livie sofa from DFS is a fine example – tapered legs, low-rise arms and generously filled seat cushions.

5.     Add style with stone floors

Stone floors are a reminder of bygone times when cottages were working premises as much as family homes. Choose a hardwearing but warmly-toned stone for kitchens, hallways and boot rooms. We love the Cotswold Aged Limestone Tiles from Stone Superstore and the Saint Martin Pale Terracotta Parquet Tiles from Baked Earth, laid in a herringbone pattern 

6.     Pile up ruffle-edged cushions

There’s something twee and fresh about cushions with a ruffle edge and no Cotswold sofa would be seen without a stack. Up the style stakes with Oka’s Latkan Cushion Cover in Blood Orange, the Nina Campbell Red Maypole Stripe Ruffle Edge Cushion, sold by Next, and Dunelm’s Seersucker Gingham Frill Cushion in Apricot. 

7.     Light up with lamps

Table and freestanding lamps are a cornerstone of Cotswold interior design but there are rules to follow. Make sure the bases are either chunky ceramic, such as this Green Filton Table Lamp Base from Next, or a wooden bobbin type, like this Mango Wood Base from Habitat or this Maria Wooden Floor Lamp by Laura Ashley at John Lewis. Your shade must be pleated and ideally patterned – try the Vienne Chevron Pleat Shade from Dunelm or Hudson Home’s Millicent Green Floral Pleated Shade.

8.     Clash your patterns

A neutral backdrop gives you license to mix, match and contrast patterns in a way only Cotswold interior stylists can. Fill a room with pattern and colour by adding the Abstract Ikat Rug from Dunelm, this Floral Embroidered Cushion from M&S, the Cath Kidston at Next Pink Tiny Town duvet cover set and the Mara Armchair from Dusk, upholstered in Raspberry Stripe. 

Thinking of moving home soon? Contact us and we can provide you with a free valuation as well as show you some available properties in your budget.