HEART & SOUL

Years in the planning, Laura Padovani's rural idyll finally became reality when she found the perfect house and set about bringing it back to life

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Having lived her whole life in cities, it seems Laura Padovani is a country girl at heart. 'I moved to the UK 24 years ago, and always dreamt of living in the English countryside,' says Argentinian-born Laura. 'I even kept a scrapbook filled with pictures and ideas. I called it “My house in the country”, and took it everywhere I went.'

In 2019, Laura was living in London and travelling worldwide for work, but a health scare, followed by a lifestyle change, prompted her to take stock. 'I decided I would buy that house in the country,' she says. Five minutes into her only viewing of a cottage in Kent, Laura offered the asking price. 'The estate agent thought I was mad to buy the first house I saw,' she recalls, 'but I knew I'd found my dream home. It felt a little sad and empty because it hadn't been lived in for more than 10 years but when I saw the kitchen with its pristine cabinets and island, my decision was made.'