Well, when it comes to featuring stylish homes in magazines, the answer to the age-old question: ‘Does size matter?’ is a definite NO from me!
To be fair, the majority of houses I write about do tend to have more than one bedroom, but this is not always the case.
The key is that properties reflect the owners’ personalities and are jam-packed with interesting elements which will inspire other homeowners.
Suzie Marshall and Liam Dore’s one-bedroom cottage is a masterclass in how careful thought and clever choices can change a bland property into a stylish and truly cherished home. You can compare the startling difference in the after shot (above) with the before photograph (below).
When planning how to transform their first ‘together’ home, this lovely couple turned to Devon-based interior designer, Josephine Burlingham, who runs Country & Coastal Interiors, for her expert help and advice.
Teaming a striking Roger Oates runner with charming Peony & Sage fabric and subtle Farrow & Ball paint shades works a treat!
In our interview for Your Home (Suzie’s fabulous cottage is featured in the February 2016 issue), Suzie told me: ‘Josephine is such a talented interior designer and has an incredible eye for colour and design, which really appeals to me. I absolutely love her home and wanted to emulate Josephine’s charming, relaxed style in our cottage, as well as adding our own twist.’
To keep costs down, Suzie and Liam did a lot of work to the cottage themselves, and scoured antique and junk shops, fairs and eBay, for bargain finds and pieces they could lovingly upcycle. This thrifty pair spent just £3,500 on the whole project!
I’m so thrilled that Suzie and Liam love their new-look home in its idyllic setting near Exeter. It was another wonderful shoot with photographer colleague, Richard Gadsby, on a glorious day
For me, the icing on the cake, was receiving the following email from Suzie:
‘We are absolutely THRILLED with the article, and have had so many comments on how nicely written it is. Thank you so much, you have really captured our love and affection for our cottage. Putting it all together, grouped with the lovely pictures, we could not be prouder.’
If you love your home, no matter what the size (!) and would like to see it star in a magazine, drop me a line to mail@janetmcmeekin.co.uk or give me a call on 01243 792379.
For more details about Country & Coastal Interiors, view www.countryandcoastalinteriors.com, or call Josephine on 07817 672 287.
After shot (above), courtesy of Richard Gadsby. Before shot (below), supplied.