BOX OF tricks

BY USING HIS INTERIOR DESIGN KNOW-HOW AND AN UNEXPECTED TAILORED LOOK, NIGEL HUNT HAS ELEVATED THIS SIMPLE COTTAGE AND GIVEN IT A SENSE OF SPACE

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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 may be roses by the front door but you won't find chintz or chippy furniture inside. Instead, it's tailored and considered and makes a beautiful setting for quiet breaks with his partner David.

Property renovation and design is both Nigel's passion and occupation, so his first glimpses of the cottage's dark kitchen, cramped main bedroom and ladder stairs to the loft didn't put him off. 'We loved the house instantly. It felt remote, and the village untouched,' he says. There were exciting changes to come, as Nigel set about making the most of the available space.

The kitchen's transformation sums up his approach. Skylights, added when the kitchen roof had to be rebuilt, have lifted the mood but the bones are pure country cottage, all boarded walls, Cotswold stone and exposed beams. The details are smart rather than humble, with marble worktops, pleated shades on brass wall lights, and muted pink walls and cabinetry. 'I have no problem with the rustic traditional cottage,' says Nigel, 'but my aesthetic is more classic. It's bringing in special elements to give a more elevated look.'

Many improvements involved finding the best way to arrange the rooms. In the living room, Nigel has created three zones - an alcove office, a sitting area by the fire and a welcoming entrance at the front door.