Homes with the best bedrooms
Cotleigh, East Devon £495,000
Sundale is a very pretty three-bedroomed thatched cottage in the heart of the East Devon countryside. It has recently been renovated and is surrounded by fields. Agents: Winkworth, Exeter, 01392 215631 www.winkworths.co.uk
North Tawton, North Devon £1.27 million
Westacott Barton is a farmhouse with holiday cottage dating back to the 16th century. It is Grade II* listed, with many period details such as this stunning plasterwork ceiling. Agents: Strutt and Parker, Exeter, 01392 215631 www.struttandparker.com
Rattery, South Devon £800,000
Springfield House is a four bedroomed barn conversion with threebedroomed cottage. It is near the church in the ancient village of Rattery, near South Brent. Agents: Marchand Petit, Totnes, 01803 847979, www.marchandpetit.co.uk
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Get the luxury I do love a good hotel website with a gallery of photographs to tempt you into booking the very best room or suite. But booking a stay in a hotel is a tricky business, isn’t it? I fear I make it harder on myself than it ever needs to be – I always tend to start a search for the more glamorous hotels and then work my way backwards until I meet my budget. Sadly, the room I can afford is usually the one without the four-poster bed or roll-top bath featured on the home page. However, sometimes I get the chance to stay in a hotel that surpasses all my expectations. Not because I blew the budget but because the accommodation is thoughtfully designed. But then I often go home and find myself dissatisfied with my own bedroom at home! It’s a no-win situation – or so I thought. That’s why I was so excited to find out the trade secrets of Nadine Judd, the interior designer behind the Moorland Garden Hotel in Yelverton, West Devon. Nadine, who works for her family’s firm Scott-Masson Design of Dorset, has revamped each of the hotel’s 44 bedrooms. Now, they are all completely different to one another and scattered with easy-toachieve design touches. The Moorland Garden Hotel (formerly the Moorland Links Hotel) was bought by Brian and Sonia Meaden, parents of Dragons’ Den TV star Deborah Meaden, in August 2011. It was an obvious choice for the Meadens, close to their home town of Chagford and with nine acres of tranquil (albeit slightly overgrown) gardens in Dartmoor National Park. The hotel was somewhat run down but just waiting for some loving and experienced hands to bring it back to its glory days. That is exactly what Nadine and the Meadens have achieved. Nowhere more so than in the bedrooms, where comfort and glamour are found in abundance. Interior designer Nadine started out as a designer for private homes. But over the past six years she has been working on a number of guest house and small hotel projects too. Small wonder the hotel feels like an extra-fabulous home from home. “The first time I looked around here, my overall impression of the bedrooms was that they were very tired and dated,” says Nadine. “But I could see some just needed new curtains, bedside lamps and a few soft furnishings. Others have undergone a full renovation and are all the better for it – they look wonderful.” In your own home you sometimes don’t have the budget or time to do a full makeover, says Nadine. “But you
Sonia Meaden, owner of The Moorland Garden Hotel, relaxes in a revamped bedroom
bedroom look for less
Bracken Vernon-Jelier meets the designer who created gorgeous bedrooms in the Moorland Garden Hotel would be amazed how you can achieve a big difference with a few cleverly selected bits and pieces. A splash of new paint on the walls, some new bedding and a few scatter cushions make a big difference to the overall feel of a room.” Brian and Sonia changed the name of their new hotel to the Moorland Garden, and this theme has inspired the flower designs of Nadine’s bedroom makeovers. The Forget-Me-Not suite has a palette of pale blues and creams, with a designer feature chair of red and orange. The Lily of the Valley room has hand-printed black and green floral wallpaper and a green velvet sofa as a focal point. The Peony Room has shocking pink touches and a four-poster bed. Nadine says she often gets her
Cleverly selected, a few items can transform a bedroom ideas and inspiration from hotels she visits. “If I like something, I make a mental note of it. I adore beautiful things and so I am easily inspired. “Everyone is different, but I would say that the majority of people agree that a bedroom should be pretty and relaxing as well as functional. If you need extra inspiration, flick through magazines and tear out things you like for an ideas scrapbook. You’ll find many designer touches easy to replicate with less expensive versions found on the high street.” Contact Nadine Judd at Scott-Masson Design, Bovington, Dorset on 01929 460029, www.scott-masson.com
Give your bedroom the Moorland Garden Hotel look Top Westcountry designer Nadine Judd says: ● Lighting is important. Consider switches by the bed, a light that turns on automatically when a cupboard door is opened, reading lights that are individually controlled and dimmer controls. Lampshades in our four main bedroom suites were especially designed to wildflower themes by designer and illustrator Linda Warren. Prices from £30 – £50 www.lindawarrend esign.co.uk ● In a hotel room, a small space can be a flexible haven for the guest, offering multiple activities. Do the same in your bedroom with areas for sleeping, reading, writing/applying cosmetics and dressing. ● Sometimes it is worth spending more on one key item of furniture. The much talked about feature chair in the Moorland Garden Hotel’s Forget-Me-Not Suite came from PF Collections. Similar styles can be found www.totally-interiors.co.uk ● One of the reasons for the success of the Moorland Garden Hotel’s bedrooms is that we managed to keep them quirky and personal with art and local interest magazines. Whether it is a favourite painting or much-loved books, don’t be afraid to include those special items in your decorating scheme so you feel connected and at peace. ● For artwork that doesn’t break the bank, try TK Maxx (stores in Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and Truro).John Lewis, House of Fraser and Next also have a good selection. ● Use natural light. Ensure curtains or window treatments open past your windows to maximise views, but have enough (lined) fabric to ensure at least ten cms overlap when they are drawn. We had the curtains made by Sharon Stone Soft Furnishings in Ivybridge (01752 691141, www.sharonstone softfur nishings.com). ● If wallpapering the whole room may be too expensive or overwhelming, paper one wall – perhaps the one behind the bed. This could allow you to buy a more expensive paper without breaking the bank. Our wallpapers came from Osborne and Little, Harlequin and Sheila Coombes. You can find them on www.wallpaperdirect.co.uk ● Keep walls (and carpets) fairly neutral if you are not using wallpaper. Add throws and pillows for colour and pizzazz. Include a throw blanket at the end of bed to protect the duvet and provide a cover-up while reading. Cushions and throws are widely available. Try TK Maxx and Exeter’s John Lewis.
Designer Nadine Judd with her Lily of the Valley room (above) and the Forget Me Not suite (below)
Save 25% at Moorland Garden Hotel Get 25% discount on a stay at Moorland Garden Hotel. If you like the look of the newly revamped Moorland Garden Hotel, near Yelverton, you can experience the stunning new bedrooms here for yourself. We have an exclusive reader offer at this newly relaunched hotel, with an overnight stay including accommodation in a garden
room, a three-course dinner and full English breakfast just £99 for two. The offer is valid until February 28, excluding February 14, subject to availability. Upgrades to luxury suites are also available. To book, call 01822 852245 quoting “Western Morning News Reader Offer”. See www.moorlandgarden hotel.co.uk for more details.
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Ideal for a good night’s sleep
SATURDAY JANUARY 19 2013
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