A remarkable 17th-century cottage brimming with colour

‘Fourteen people came to view the house before we did and not a single one put in an offer,’ says artist Rachel Bottomley of her 17th-century cottage on the Surrey-Hampshire border. ‘Maybe they were put off by the amount of work it needed, or they just didn’t know what to do with this “patchwork” house, but I like to think it was just waiting for a creative person. It was waiting for me.'

Originally a tiny cottage with just four rooms, the house was heavily extended in the 1970s and ‘80s by its architect owner, which means moving between rooms is a dramatic adventure in scale and style. The entrance is a tiny, expected space, with low ceilings and beams, very much in keeping with the cottage’s exterior. Take a few more steps, however, and you’re in a light-filled, sunken sitting room, with grand arched windows that span the back wall. ‘When I walked into the house,’ says Rachel, ‘I saw the architect’s vision immediately. I was walking around saying “What’s this? What’s that? Where does that go?” I love how your eyes get taken on a journey.’

In terms of location and style, the cottage represented an evolution for Rachel, who moved with her husband and two young children from a typical terraced house in London. ‘My style has changed a lot from the London house,’ says Rachel. ‘I’ve always loved colour and wanted to use it all over my house but everyone was going for grey at that time. Every time I wanted to make a bolder choice, I’d seek advice or ask someone for their opinion and get put off.’ It was, in part, a short course at KLC that bolstered Rachel’s belief in her own ability. ‘I learnt a lot about colour theory and realised I should go with my gut a lot more. I said to myself “I’m not going to ask Tom, Dick and Harry what taps to get. I’m just going to get the taps I like!”’

With grey banished from Rachel's palette, colour abounds. Each room has its own distinct identity, from the brilliant green of her son's bedroom to the sugary pinks of the playroom. ‘I chose colours that reflect whatever mood I want to feel in that room, and I tend to involve my family in the decisions so the house feels right for all of us.’ Even with the rooms' distinct personalities, there's a clever, cohesive flow between spaces. As Rachel says, ‘playing with those connections was one of my favourite parts in the decoration. I just love how you go from being enveloped in a leafy Morris & Co. wallpaper, to a playful, pink room or a bright yellow kitchen.’