No.3
Katharine Pooley loves spending the festive season at her country cottage – its charm is utterly alluring
DINING AREA
The smart burgundy rug inspired Katharine’s choice of colours for the cottage’s decor. Bespoke Katharine Pooley rug, Sinclair Till. Table, Porada. Ella chairs, Katharine Pooley. Tartan throw, Magee 1866. Framed painting by Ellen Watson. Wall lights, Hector Finch
KITCHEN
Plenty of storage was a priority. Units, Humphrey Munson. Blind in Farne, Colefax and Fowler with applique details by Victoria Bain
UTILITY/BOOT ROOM
This room comes into its own after winter walks on the fells with the family’s two dogs. Wood-effect flooring, Fired Earth
HOME TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Stone-built cottage, dating from around 1800
ROOMS Sitting/dining room, kitchen, boot room/utility, two bedrooms, two bathrooms
LOCATION Lake District
SITTING ROOM
The window seat comes into its own over the holidays. Bespoke sofa; bespoke armchair in William Yeoward fabric, both Katharine Pooley. Window seat in Frisco linen, Turnell &Gigon. Mini L Bracket wall lamp, Hector Finch
Compromise on style and comfort, in a holiday cottage? That was never going to happen in Katharine Pooley’s holiday home.
If anything, the interior designer’s bijou cottage is all the more luxurious, with beautifully textured fabrics and tailored furniture. There are clever design details at every turn, all aimed at making life and holidays here more comfortable and cosy.
‘With a family home or a holiday home, I always look to design in a practical and long lasting way,’ says Katharine.
The two-hundred-year-old cottage in the Lake District has changed dramatically from when Katharine, her husband Dan and their two sons rented it as a holiday home, before discovering it was up for sale. It was in good repair, but looking tired so as soon as Katharine took ownership she set about reconfiguring the upstairs to make the most of the space. ‘You don’t need a big house to have fun with the design,’ she says. ‘The drama of these tiny cottages is always going to be storage. I think I’ve managed to put a lot into a challenged space.’
‘All the rooms had been stripped back,’ says Katharine. ‘There were no remaining original features, like fireplaces or lovely floors, so we’ve had to put the character back in.’ Katharine also changed the front door and added the porch canopy. ‘It’s practical and gives the house symmetry,’ she says. The biggest change was converting an outbuilding into a boot room and utility. Fitted cabinets offer plenty of extra storage.
BEDROOM
The earthy scheme for the boys’ sleeping space b
