This 500-Square-Foot English Stone Cottage Is Honestly the Cutest Home Ever

Name: Ana Perez, partner, and daughter
Location: Hunworth — Norfolk, England
Type of home: Cottage
Size: 500 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years, owned

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: We are Ana, Alan, and Isla. We both work in the IT industry and Spinks Nest is our first major renovation project, to say that there have been a few bumps along the road would be an understatement.

We have loved every moment of it and have really enjoyed bringing this old cottage back to life, so much so, that we have decided to permanently move from London to North Norfolk and enjoy the slower pace of life and the connection with nature.

We used inspiration from our many travels as well as from the local vernacular to design the house. The high bed was influenced by those we found in our stays in guesthouses in New England, the idea of the sunken bath came from traditional Japanese onsens. We also wanted to make sure it felt special and luxurious so we splashed on a super comfy mattress and high-end appliances on a very traditional kitchen. The colors and the materials are inspired by nature surrounding the cottage.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Modern vintage cottage or cottagecore

What is your favorite room and why? The kitchen is my favorite room, small but perfectly formed! I love sitting on the bench by the window, with the reclaimed church pew and the beadboard; it resembles a snug put corner. The open shelves allow me to display the large collection of trinkets that we have accumulated over time.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Our most recent addition are the silk lampshades made by Samarkand Design from vintage Indian saris.

Any advice for creating a home you love? We imagined the story of the building as a gardener’s cottage with the zinc workbench, the open shelves, and the plants dotted everywhere and it really helped us always to refer to that image of the cottage to keep it a coherent space. But ultimately the best advice is to fill your home with the things that bring you joy!

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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