COUNTRY ESCAPE An Arts and Crafts house in Gloucestershire provides the perfect relocation dream.

The property started life as a tiny 1930s coach house for the nearby manor and was seamlessly extended on both sides by previous owner, architect Robert Hardwick, transforming it into a spacious family home.

COUNTRY ESCAPE

Relocating from London, Jessica and Ben Miller were drawn to a characterful Arts and Crafts house in the heart of the Gloucestershire countryside

FEATURE & STYLING CLAIR WAYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY KIRSTY JONES

Reclaimed Cotswold stone slabs were sourced by the previous owner, architect Robert Hardwick, to perfectly blend with the original stone floor in the adjoining dining area. The bespoke kitchen is by Paul Deakin, with cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue to tie in with the Fired Earth tiles on the wall. Brass taps from Perrin & Rowe and antique copper pans bring a warm glow to the kitchen.

Prompted by a desire to give their young son Harrison a wholesome country upbringing, film producer and designer Jessica Miller and her actor husband, Ben, decided to take the leap and leave London in 2014. The couple initially enlisted the help of a buying agent to find a property in Oxfordshire, where friends had relocated, but none of the houses felt right. Then, by chance, flicking through the pages of a magazine, Jessica’s mother spotted a beautiful Arts and Crafts house in Gloucestershire that had just come on the market.

“When we first viewed the house, I remember being struck by the wonderful sense of flow,” Jessica says. “It immediately felt like this was our house and, in my head, I’d already moved in. I had an instant connection. It was definitely love at first sight.” The couple did not know the area but could see it was a beautiful spot and were ready for a new adventure. “We didn’t look at schools. We didn’t do any of the things that people are meant to do before deciding to buy a house but none of that mattered.” laughs Jessica.

ABOVE Jessica recently launched Mish Mish Marrakech, an ethical and sustainable clothing, jewellery and homeware brand, mish-mish-marrakech.com, that celebrates Amazigh culture and craftmanship.

ABOVE The rich vintage tones in Linwood’s Tally Ho fabric, used for the curtains, was the starting point for the scheme in the library. LEFT For a sense of continuity both the hall panelling and the library walls beyond have been painted in Oval Room Blue by Farrow & Ball. The wide floorboards are made from reclaimed oak.

“I remember being struck by the wonderful sense of flow. It immediately felt like this was our house”

LEFT In the library, a mustard yellow sofa from Sweetpea & Willow is juxtaposed with bookcases by furniture maker Paul Deakin in Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue. A secret door (far right in the image) in the bookcases includes hand-painted faux books by Original Book Works. The Spanish handmade vase on the mantelpiece is from The Oscar Collective.

The house is hidden from view and emerges at the end of a woodland track. This side of the property is shady and mysterious, but walking round to the back, a sun-drenched, secret garden appears, with colourful herbaceous borders and sweeping lawns. “It feels incredibly private – we’re so tucked away,” Jessica says. “I love the combination of feeling like we’re in the middle of this magical, private world, but then it’s a short drive to some great towns.”

Dating back to 1932, the original part of the house was designed by the celebrated Arts and Crafts architect Norman Jewson. In recent years, the house was owned by architect Robert Hardwick, who seamlessly enlarged the property from a two-bedroom cottage into a substantial five-bedroom family home. Hardwick, who specialises in the restoration and building of traditional Cotswold stone houses, took inspiration from what was there and reimagined it as a bigger property using mainly reclaimed materials.

As well as Hardwick’s extraordinary attention to detail, Jessica and Ben were drawn to the layout of the house, which is perfect for entertaining and very child friendly. “It’s an unusually long house, with a beautiful flow and openness,” says Jessica. “There are three sections: the central part of the house comprises the master bedroom, two smaller bedrooms, and the sitting and dining rooms. Separate stairs lead to two guest wings on either side – one above the library and the other above the kitchen. We love having these separate areas and being able to have friends and family to stay without feeling like we’re on top of one another.”

ABOVE The dining room is in the original central part of the house. A reclaimed oak table from The Real Wood Furniture Company is paired with ladderback chairs from Ardingly Antique Fair. The French factory window mirror is from Battersea Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair.

An elegant antique brass coffee table from Lorfords and a Frond lamp with glass droplets from The Oscar Collective bring a glamorous, Hollywood Regency feel to the sitting room. An Andrew Martin sofa is teamed with a George Smith sofa in Old Rose mohair velvet. The cushions with metal discs are made from Moroccan Handira wedding blankets.