The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Kathryn Williams
Every home should be a sanctuary from the gloom and chill of the winter months and nothing feels quite as inviting as a country cottage with a roaring log fire.
Whether you’re a denizen of the countryside stuck in the town, hoping one day to return to the quiet backwater where you were raised, or a city slicker in need of some warmth, light and calming hues, you can turn a drab city bolthole into a cosy country retreat. Here’s how to get the look …
Inviting: A sitting room with a cosy, country look
Creating warmth
Let the sunshine in with a British handmade Everhot Electric Stove in mustard yellow, lifting spirits and the temperature of your living area without the hassle of installing a log burner or needing to check if you live in a ‘Smoke Control Area’.
The 1.5 kW enamelled steel and cast-iron heater simply plugs into a standard 13-amp socket, and you can also bake freshly made buns in its 20-litre oven, creating the aroma of a rustic idyll in the middle of the metropolis (£1,399, everhot.co.uk).
A Fireplace Company spokesman says: ‘Electric stoves and fireplaces are the most energy efficient because they convert over 99 per cent of their energy into producing heat, without producing harmful by-products such as smoke. No flue is required which means no heat is wasted and installation is incredibly easy.’
For a classic country log burner look with cast-iron detailing, he recommends the 1.5 kW Gazco Chesterfield 5 electric stove (£1,385, thefireplacecompany.co.uk).
Keep the heat in with a Woof Draught Excluder covered in illustrations of dogs from wirehaired dachshunds, Jack Russells and fox-red Labradors (£45.50, sophieallport.com)
Fireside essential
Even without a log burner, a filled log basket can bring a taste of country living. The Life of Riley round leather log basket is stylish yet robust, with strong handles — perfect for keeping your fireside tidy (£369, lifeofrileyonline.co.uk).
A dog is another fireside essential. Spoil your furry friend with a wool and velvet Lounging Hound Bolster Bed in mulberry. It has a waterproof reverse and removable quilted cushion (from £145, thelounging hound.com).
Sitting soft
Life of Riley log basket, £369
If you have guests visiting from the country, a sofa that can double as a bed is a game changer for urban homes where space is at a premium.
The Furl Duette Sofa Bed feels like a traditional sofa but has been designed to be used as a main bed, supplied with a 14cm luxury mattress. Available in five sizes from single to super king, Duette sofa beds are handmade to order at Furl’s workshop in Nottingham. They come in a choice of luxurious velvets, premium leathers, and woven or patterned fabrics (from £1,470 furl.co.uk).
For a traditional English look in muted hues, the Susie Watson Designs Button Back Chesterfield Sofa (from £2,045, susiewatsondesigns.co.uk) is timeless.
Throws and cushions can jazz up the most mauled of sofas and are a country staple, especially in homes of faded opulence, hiding moth holes and all manner of other sins. Opt for British woollen examples such as the Illusion Throw in Green and Grey (£65, cotswoldco.com) or Dusky Rose Sage Harlequin Shetland Wool Throw (£94, susiewatsondesigns.co.uk)
And combine natural tones in flora and fauna inspired cushions. Go for the Hollyhocks Embroidered Linen Cushion —Bloomsbury & Silk (£82), Green Gold Megha Stonewashed Linen Cushion £65, both susiewatsondesigns.co.uk) and Bees Linen Blend Embroidered Cushion (£64, sophieallport.com)
Handmade lighting
Lamps and their shades are beacons that anchor a country-inspired interior. Handmade in Wiltshire, the Fermoie Gathered Lampshade in pink wicker is 100 per cent linen sheer fabric, balloon-lined in cream cotton to match the frame (£240 for 14in, fermoie.com). Team with a handblown glass Stoker lamp base with a brass fitting and caramel-coloured silk flex (£395, fermoie.com).
Consider an Oralee Table Lamp in Ink Blue or Sea Green (£225) with a Hirkani Lampshade 45cm, Moss (£125) on a Mambu Sofa Side Table (£495, all oka.com). To complete the look, add a Melissa La Fave hand-painted pheasant glass valet tray, available in green or burgundy finished with an 18kt gold edging (£60, melissalafavelondon.com).
Bring nature in
Dogs and pheasants ticked off the list, bring in more of the natural world with botanical prints. Check out the gorgeous Tulipe de Gesner — Tulipa Gesneriana by Pierre Joseph Celestin Redoute, a fine art print from the Royal Horticultural Society archive (from £20). And a print from the V&A archive, a bright hedgerow delight from 1926 by C.F.A Vosey. (from £25, kingandmcgaw.com)
Real plants as ornaments are not only beautiful but also purify the city miasma. Visit hortology.co.uk and consider purchasing a Thatch Palm (Kentia Palm) — elegant, air-purifying, resilient and low-maintenance (From £43.99). Team with a Nanna Wikr Plant Basket, with the look and feel of traditional woven wicker crafts but made from recycled plastic (£31.99).
One plant is never enough, so add a Ficus Elastica Robusta or rubber Plant (From £9.95) or a Chlorophytum Ocean or spider plant with retro cottage vibes and powerful air purifying properties (from £10.99) to help you breathe easy in your cosy, calming country retreat … in the heart of a conurbation.
Savings of the week: Accent chairs
The accent chair adds visual interest to a room, plus extra seating. The term seems first to have been used to describe the iconic Barcelona chair created in 1929 by the German design duo Lilly Reich and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Nowadays, a Barcelona chair would set you back £7,000, but you can make a statement for less with one of the subtly retro chairs now available at reduced prices.
Habitat Eppy in yellow, which is now priced at £77
Inject colour with the Eva chair from My Furniture — in mustard, peacock, pumpkin, blush pink and dove grey — reduced from £219.99 to £199.99 (my-furniture.com). The DFS Retro chair, in pink and other cheerful tones, is reduced by £20 and is now priced at £279
A smaller accent chair without arms is often called a cocktail chair. You can save £8 on the cheerful Habitat Eppy in yellow, which is now priced at £77 (pictured, argos.co.uk).
