The Cotswold interior: a classic design for every home

Understated, timeless and very much in vogue, the Cotswold interior is what’s grabbing our attention. The area, which sits across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire, is known for its limestone cottages, rolling hills and celebrity residents. 

As you would expect from the home of Soho Farmhouse, The Club by Bamford and Daylesford Organic, Cotswold interiors are super stylish but they are easier to emulate than you think. Here’s how you can bring a slice of countryside chic to your home, wherever you live.

The backdrop is neutral….

Typical Cotswold style starts gently with walls, ceilings and floors in neutral colours. This is especially important when balancing original features, such as beams and exposed stone walls. Stick to buttery cream or warm white on visible surfaces and opt for painted kitchen cabinetry in dove grey, sage green or cashmere beige. Let nature provide the inspiration when choosing carpet colours too – corn, canvas and hazel are safe bets.

…but the patterns are wild

Cotswold homes take an eclectic approach to patterns, which owners aren’t frightened to layer or even clash. Ditsy florals, William Morris botanical prints, tribal ikat in vibrant orange and bold turquoise, gingham checks and wide, pastel stripes are frequently used at the same time. Be generous with pattern when choosing upholstery fabric, cushions and curtains – the latter should always be full length, no matter the size of the window.

Curves and pleats add interest

The inviting softness of a Cotswold interior leans on cute details. Curves are in abundance, whether that’s a bobbin lamp base (a bobbin is an ornate 17th century orbed decorative finish) or an upholstered headboard featuring gentle scallops. Lamp shades should be made of a tightly pleated fabric, and an extra flourish can be added with ruffle-edged cushion and pillow cases.

The furniture is classically chic

Rather than look like the owner has completed a wholesale shop at Ikea, a Cotswold home is filled with treasures collected over the years. For example, sofas will have been reupholstered time and time again, with exposed wooden feet and low arms. An oversized, upholstered footstool will serve as a coffee table, and the sideboard that is resplendent in the hallway will have been carefully sourced from a vintage store, if not inherited.

Nature provides the material inspiration

There’s a certain rough-hewn quality to the Cotswold interior – one that reflects the area’s reliance on the amazing local limestone and penchant for hand crafted workmanship. As such, there is little place for shiny chrome or gloss surfaces. High traffic areas look best in natural stone – terracotta parquet tiles laid in a herringbone fashion or large format tumbled flagstones in kitchens and hallways. Where something softer under foot is required, the tactile yet hardwearing nature of jute, coir, seagrass or sisal will infuse rustic charm.

We’d love to hear about your moving plans, especially if you’re looking to create the Cotswold look in your next property. Get in touch for buying and selling advice.