Surprise PACKAGE

Transforming a humble cottage with an elevated, tailored look, Nigel Hunt's clever interior design has created an unexpected sense of space

- WORDS AND STYLING KAREN DARLOW | PHOTOGRAPHY DARREN CHUNG

Redefining the country cottage was not something Nigel Hunt set out to do, yet that's exactly what he has achieved with the transformation of his two-bedroom home in a sleepy Cotswolds hamlet.

There are roses by the front door but you won't find any chintz. Instead, it's tailored and considered and makes a beautiful setting for quiet breaks with partner David.

Property renovation and design is Nigel's passion and full-time job, so his first impression of the cottage's dark kitchen, cramped bedroom and ladder stairs to the loft didn't put him off. 'We loved the house instantly and made an immediate offer. It felt remote and the village looked as though it hadn't changed for years,' he says.