THE COTTAGE IS SO COSY AND ITS BLEND OF OLD & NEW ENSURES THE PERFECT COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

As one of the rising stars in our Next in Design initiative, Sophie Garland knew exactly what to do to make this 17th-century home merry and bright

- VIVIENNE AYERS

Christmas feels quite magical here,' says interior designer Sophie Garland of the beguiling Grade II-listed, 17th-century thatched cottage in the North Wessex Downs that she and her husband Freddie, founder of Freddie's Flowers, and children Jesse, six and Sadie, two, head to for the holidays. 'We're both big on Christmas and Freddie loves decorating for it. The cottage is so cosy with the fires burning and we put fairy lights all around the trees outside.'

The couple bought the house, which was originally two cottages, three years ago as a bolthole from London - Sophie grew up in Wiltshire and has family in the area and both she and Freddie went to school nearby. Panoramic views of the Alton Barnes White Horse and Salisbury Plain, along with the cottage's inherent charm, ensured instant appeal. 'It just felt right, we wanted something totally different to being in a city,' says Sophie. 'Everyone told us we were mad buying a thatched cottage, but it has a charm to it that other houses we viewed didn't have. We liked that it had history and that it was very quirky inside - everything's slightly wonky and we love the beams and low ceilings.'

Against the lacework of ancient timbers, Sophie, whose signature style celebrates colour and pattern, has crafted a cosy and cocooning interior that showcases verve and vibrancy. 'We wanted to bring in youth and fun,' she says. 'I lean heavily towards colour and pattern, not necessarily overpoweringly so, but my interiors were not going to consist of muted tones.'