Name: Rebecca Proctor, Andrew Wightman and baby Wren
Location: Bude, Cornwall, UK
Size: 780 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years; Owned
Moving to the Cornish countryside from London four years ago, Andrew and Rebecca embraced a major design challenge. "We knew that we wanted to create a home that would feel cosy but not cluttered. Moving to the countryside was all about living a simple life and we wanted the house to reflect that."
However, when they moved into their 18th century cob cottage, the house was in a serious state of disrepair. It required immediate renovation work and in order to keep costs down, they decided to do most of the work themselves. Downstairs, partition walls were removed to create a large kitchen/diner and a living room. Upstairs, all the rooms were remodeled, allowing for a larger bathroom and a third, smaller bedroom.
The result is a modern country cottage that perfectly suits their changing needs (baby Wren arrived last year). "The house is small but it contains everything we need. We love to display vintage clothes, toys and textiles all around the house and with a combination of clever storage and carefully editing our belongings, we are able to live the simple life we always dreamed of."
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Modern Country
Inspiration: Relaxed homes where people have fun. We are not too precious about anything or anywhere in the house. After all, it's for living in!
Favorite Element: The Morso wood burning stoves, they keep us warm and cosy right through the winter.
Biggest Challenge: We've done a lot of renovation work here and in the early days everything was a challenge. Just living amidst all the dust and mess and chaos was overwhelming at times. When we had been living here for 6 weeks, a passing builder asked when we were hoping to move in!
What Friends Say: The bed in the guest room is really comfy!
Biggest Embarrassment: The garden — we don't tend it as much as we should.
Proudest DIY: The unique concertina door on the stairs was a real design challenge as we needed a door that could be folded away or firmly shut. Since Wren arrived, it now also doubles as a stair gate.
Biggest Indulgence: The Mercury range oven. Although we did get it at a knocked-down price because we bought a discontinued color direct from the factory.
Best Advice: Buy the best quality that you can afford and only buy things that you intend to keep forever.
Dream Sources: Vintage fairs and auctions, small independent designers, Russell Pinch, The Conran Shop, SCP, Liberty.
Resources of Note:
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM
- • Range: Mercury
• Kitchen units: IKEA
• Kitchen sink: EBay
• Fridge: Smeg
• Table: Antique shop
• Dining chairs: Family heirlooms recovered in Josef Frank fabric
• Leather chair: Antique shop
• Lights: Original BTC
• Wood burning stove: Morso
• Dresser: EBay
• Rug: The Braided Rug Company
LIVING ROOM
- • Sofa: SCP
• Coffee table: Local auction
• Wicker tub chair: EBay
• Pillows: Handmade with vintage fabric and St Judes
• Wood burning stove: Morso
• Square shelving: Vintage fair
• Book shelves: Handmade
• Standard lamp: Family heirloom
• Task light: EBay
• Rugs: Family heirlooms
LANDING
- • Leather chair: Antique shop
• Shelving: Handmade
• Rug: Local farm
GUEST BEDROOM
- • Bed: Muji
• Wicker tub chair: EBay
• Pillow: Handmade with vintage fabric
• Wooden crates: Portobello market
• Lamp: Andrew's childhood lamp
• Wardrobe: Handmade
• Rug: Holiday souvenir from Croatia
BATHROOM
- • Storage trolley: Bailey's Home & Garden
• Mirror: Vintage
• Laundry basket: Toast
• Shower curtain: Handmade with Saul Steinberg fabric
WREN'S ROOM
- • Cot: Ikea
• Knitted blanket: Handmade
• Patchwork quilt: Family Heirloom
• Filing cabinet: EBay
• Lamp: Bird Kids
• Shaker Pegs: Handmade
BEDROOM
- • Bed: New Heights
• Bedside tables: Handmade
• Bedside lamps: Handmade
• Bedding: Toast
• Dressing table: New Heights
• Chair: Liberty
• Shaker pegs: Handmade
Thanks, Andrew & Rebecca!
(Images: Rebecca Proctor)
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— Rebecca Proctor
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this house is like a little dream. LOVE it.
Love!
Not crazy about the low ceilings on the main floor but I love it anyways! Gorgeous, cozy and definitely shows personality. Well done!
Think you might have to re-think your coffee table until the baby is about 8. Beautiful,stylish, and deadly to tumbling infants.
Great place. I wish I could pare down and make special pieces shine like you have!
Love you kitchen sink and counter. That porcelain enamel part that rests on top of the wood is genius!
I love everything about the house! My favorite parts are the wood burning stoves....I'd love to snuggle up in front of one of those....
So beautifully done... restful, peaceful. Although I would be curious to know how tall those ceilings are. I found myself ducking just looking at the pictures!
I love seeing how people make small living spaces work. This house is charming.
The wood stoves add atmosphere (and heat of course), but the more I learn about wood smoke, the less I like wood stoves (Google "wood smoke" "health effects", for example). Hopefully these are operated efficiently, burning hot so there is little smoke.
The bedroom textiles are gorgeous!
How did you paint the crib from Ikea? I want to do the same, but I'm not sure which kind of paint to use. Thanks for any advice!
This house is darling: I want to move in.
Really 780 square feet?! Amazing!
So charming. My favorite shots were the first: SMEG! and the last: the great vintage photos in the wooden frames.
comfy chair by a fireplace AND a fridge? be still my heart
An absolutely dreamy home! What an inspiring kid's room!!!
I really like this home. Feels like a comfy bed and breakfast. I don't get the beat up chairs...but still has that friendly, welcome home feeling.
This is like one of those "what's different" tests: in one photo the walrus is wearing a tam-o-shanter hat, and in the next he's not.
I love that walrus. Source?
I can't imagine that cozy bottom floor divided into rooms! You did an amaxing job. I especially like the child's room.
One word: Charming! Your home is amazing. I disagree with the above commenter that the coffee table isn't a good choice around tots, it looks like it could handle lots of little hands.
Thank you for your kind comments!
I agree the coffee table is not ideal with kids but Wren spends most of her time outdoors or playing in the kitchen so it is not really a problem - yet!
The cot came in that colour - they also do it in a bright pink and white I think.
I can't remember the name of the shop but the walrus came from a really cute kids shop in Antwerp.
Any more questions - just ask...
I love the dining room and the hutch with the Jars of dry goods. That is exactly what I want to do. And so now I know how to do it..
But, the rest of this house is so cute.. but,, walking up those steps in the kitchen would be a bit hard on the back.. or maybe it just looks small in the picture...
As I can appreciate the style they are going for, it is not really mine. I feel like it is a little too plain and stark. I can see how they are influenced by vintage/ antique style with a little bit of a modern flair. I would like to make a suggestion, though, for any style you choose. I think it looks awkward to hang small pictures too high on a wall and I noticed this in a few different rooms. Maybe hang the pictures lower, bring in more scale, or create a gallery wall. It would look much more complete.
Love the wood stove and windows, very cozy. I could live here.............
Do you have an auxiliary heating system that goes with the wood-burning stove? Love the grey woodwork.
I think this looks wonderful. My favorite thing about this is the balance of vintage and modern and the use of bright accent colors. Looks great!
Justin
www.modernaddressdesign.com
Very pretty. Nice wicker chair.
I never take the time to actually comment on house tours, but this is probably one of my favourites. I love a house that really evokes a feeling, and this place feels so loved and peaceful. Bravo!
It is completely not anything I'd go for but I really appreciate seeing a whole other sort of look and architecture than what we're used to.
Very cozy. Looks like a great place to snuggle with a book and listen to great music while waiting for dinner to finish.
I'm hooked.
All it needs is a bowl of porridge that is "Just right!"
How old is the house?
OH JELL - All I could think of when I was looking at the tour was Goldie Locks. What a fun house for a kid to grow up in. Walrus is excellent. Duster next to the food icks me out.
So refreshing. I let out big sighs as I was clicking through...stress lifting away!
I love how light and airy this space is. Your ability to pare down your collection to fit the home was very well done! I wish there was a picture of the exterior, although I guess that leaves a little to the imagination.
This might be my favorite house tour. Ever.
Antique leather chairs = LOVE. So cozy.. my favourite spot is the window bench cut into the stone!
what a lovely, unique home! I love the rustic floors and that bathtub!
I hate that places like this exist b/c then I know I am not living in them. This is just wonderful! The colours. The details. Such a great home!
perfect.
I look at interiors for a living, so believe me when I say this one is very special. I love it!
I think this has been my most favorite house on here. It's definitely the one i want to live, eat, laugh and love in. Thank you for posting it.
I keep coming back to linger and imagine sitting by the fire, reading Beatrix Potter stories to Wren. Excited to see an Appalachian dulcimer on your wall. Thanks for the tour.
Rebecca, or anyone else, can you help me figure out how to paint my Ikea crib? I assume not spray-paint, but other than that I'm clueless. I am a newbie to thinking about these things, so please excuse my inexperience!
Thank you, anyone!
So charming! Love everything, especially the kid's room.
I'm dying of jealousy.
DREAM HOME.
I want to pay someone to recreate this for me, in every detail. I know it doesn't work like that, but...dang. WANT.
Quite charming. Modern but still in keeping with the spirit and style of the house.
The leather chair at the top of the stairs looks so inviting, books at hand, a window to gaze through and a nice deep sill to rest a hot chocolate on . . . ahhhh!
This is one of the few house tours that really grabs me; I love most everything about it.
Love the colours, rounded/soft edges and warmth this house generates. Well done.
Love house, wishing for more of the physical spec and less vignettes.
I love it!
LOVELY! WANT TO HOUSE SWAP??????? Thanks for sharing!!!
What a lovely place. Especially love the picture frames and the wooden linen trolley in the bathroom.
So refreshing to see a home that feels so *homey*. I love the uncluttered simplicity and country charm. I found myself daydreaming of visiting those rooms.
It's all so lovely, it feels safe and warm.
I really like that it is stylish but real looking. Most the time these types of pictures are so clearly staged that it's hard to imagine my very un-staged life occurring there. This house seems like someone truly LIVES there. Love it.