Set in the North Yorkshire countryside, a historic cottage was to be reimagined as a luxury holiday rental. The client wanted it to feel warm and inviting without being too rustic or overly polished, preserving its heritage while offering comfort and charm.

The irregular layout posed challenges: compact bedrooms and kitchen, oversized bathrooms, and immovable features like tiling and wallpaper. The project required king-size beds in the tiny bedrooms and called for a strict budget and timeline.

Isobel responded with a design that embraced constraints and enhanced the cottage’s quirks. Colour, pattern, and texture were introduced gently, balanced by natural materials and vintage accents. Each room flowed seamlessly with a clear identity.

A sunny yellow front door became a visual signature, chosen to help the cottage stand out online and stick in renters’ minds…‘the one with the yellow door.’ Every decision served both beauty and commercial viability.

The finished design was soulful, functional, and utterly unique, combining the cottage’s past and original charm with modern luxury and hospitality.

A cozy bedroom with a bed, checkered pillows, a window with a striped shade, a mirror on the wall, a bedside lamp, and a picture on the wall.
A cozy living room with a window seat, purple sofa, fireplace, plants, and a striped armchair, decorated with lamps and artwork.

‘The cottage and its surroundings made me feel nostalgic for long, lazy, hazy summer days and, with the cottage’s modern-day purpose as a heritage holiday destination this association was perfect.

So, it was this that I sought to amplify in the interior.

Guests should feel as though they’ve been transported into a vintage picture book of the English countryside, where the days are long, the air is soft, and everything feels a bit magical.

The cottage interior is designed to envelop in a sense of dreaminess and comfort, a truly restful home from home.’

Isobel

A cozy corner with a built-in green bench with striped and checkered pillows, a wooden table with two matching stools, a window with red and white striped curtains, a wall clock, and a framed botanical print on the wall. Sunlight streams through the window illuminating the space.
Interior of a cozy room with a wooden door leading to a small cloakroom. The cloakroom has a coat hanging, wicker storage chest, shelf, hooks, and a potted plant on the windowsill. In the main room, there’s a fireplace with a vase of sunflowers and a table lamp beside a striped chair.
White flowers in a clay pot on a window sill, with a scenic landscape visible through the window.
Cozy living room with red sofa, floral artwork, striped armchair, window seat with cushions, plants, and a TV on a stand.
Cozy bedroom with floral bedspread, plaid pillows, mirror above a small table, lamp, and window with light curtains.
Bathroom with a white bathtub, tiled walls, a window with a view of the outdoors, and a potted plant on the windowsill.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

‘Isobel’s attention to detail and the ideas she had were amazing. Her insightful designs and ideas has meant that [the cottage] is so much better now than I could have imagined.’