No.3
Amanda Townsend has lovingly created an idyllic retreat that’s the ideal setting for memorable family gatherings
FEATURE JANET MCMEEKIN
SITTING ROOM
Amanda’s attention to detail extends to the pretty decorations on the Christmas tree. Flower arrangements, The Flower Hut
H OM E TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Detached cottage
ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, four bedrooms, two bathrooms
LOCATION North Norfolk
DINING AREA
Vintage tableware and fresh flowers set the scene for an unforgettable Christmas. The White Company’s 4.5ft pre-lit Christmas tree, is similar. Norfolk zinc planter, The Interiors Yard
As Amanda Townsend strolled into a cosy, brick-and-flint cottage with an inviting inglenook fireplace, she knew immediately where the Christmas tree would go. ‘I was bubbling with anticipation when I arrived for the viewing and instantly felt that the cottage was really special; somewhere to make joyful festive memories with a roaring fire and beautifully decorated tree,’ she says.
When Amanda and her husband, Taras, who live in Suffolk, began searching for a holiday bolthole in 2011, they hadn’t initially thought about buying in north Norfolk. ‘France had actually been our first idea, but we soon realised it made much more sense to stay closer to home,’ she adds.
Hiring a homefinder, within weeks several options materialised, including Ford House in the quaint village of Docking. ‘At the time, the cottage felt rather oppressive,’ Amanda says. ‘The previous couple had filled the house with dark furniture and some rather colourful pieces and artefacts.’
Despite not being to Amanda’s taste, she loved the cottage’s ‘good bones’, the Aga, and myriad period features, including gnarled beams and characterful doors.
Originally built as two cottages in the 1700s, the property became a village pub for some years, before it was converted back into residential accommodation.
Realising that to transform it into a light-filled, homely cottage would require a major renovation, Amanda expressed her concerns to the estate agent – who then came up with the perfect solution.
‘The agent’s husband, James, just happened to be a builder, and having met him I could see that he shared my vision and passion for restoring old properties.’
KITCHEN
Amanda refreshed the kitchen by swapping wooden worktops for quartz, and painting the cabinets darker. Cabinets in Railings estate eggshell, Farrow & Ball
BEDROOM
The serene bedroom with its crooked wooden beams lends itself particularly well to the festive season. Oliver double bed in Porcelain White, Feather & Black. 100
