Escape To The Country

Emma and George Crawford swapped hectic London living for this colourful, eclectic Surrey cottage that simply oozes character and charm

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Like many city dwellers, Emma and George Crawford dreamed of moving to the country and, in 2012, they decided to turn their dreams into reality. ‘We were living and working in London with our son Hughie, and life was frenetic,’ says Emma. ‘We felt it was time to move to a place with more outdoor space. Surrey seemed like a good choice, as we already had friends nearby and it was also an easy commute.’

Shortly afterwards, a likely property appeared on the horizon – a country cottage requiring renovation. ‘It needed a lot of work, but it came with five acres of land and a barn, which was just what we were looking for,’ says Emma. ‘The interior was dark and poky with a tatty old kitchen, but the outside space was hugely appealing and I liked the rural views across the fields.’