SHOWCASE Embrace country living in the picturesque Millie’s House

RURAL HEART Millie’s House is the safe haven we all crave By Matilda Walton

In 2020, our year of exploring the great indoors, cosiness has taken on a sacred quality. Throughout these peculiar months, kitchens around the country have filled with the scent of freshly-baked sourdough, and longabandoned crafting ambitions found themselves dusted off and embraced, again. A lot of us began to yearn for some alternative to the minimalist look that has dominated décor trends for so long, and so rose ‘vintage maximalism’, a style drawing inspiration from flea market finds of the kind you might see in your grandmother’s living room. The pull toward the simpler life – or, at least, an idea of it – that has gained so much momentum this year feels like a fair response. We’re all reaching for comfort as we stumble through this period of mass uncertainty.

You may not be aware, as you bake and crochet in the comfort of your own living room that this feeling has been given a name: Cottagecore. Championed by

TikTok first but quickly spreading through generations and social media platforms, it’s an aesthetic ideal driven by exactly those activities we’ve spent our year consumed by – cooking, crafting, gardening, curating our spaces with fervour. Without knowing it, many of us have been participating this entire time. Intentionally or not, Taylor Swift released an entire lockdown album infused with it.

If there was ever a home that represented the Cottagecore ideal, its Millie’s House. The Grade II listed, stone-built, period home on the outskirts of the village of Neston is filled with exposed beams, fireplaces – some complete with wood-burning stove – stone mullion windows and stone barrel-ceiling cellar. It all adds up to one central theme: cosiness.

Spread across three floors, this is the quintessential family home. Six bedrooms, a spacious family room that’ll fit two large sofas, sitting room with wood burner – the perfect retreat for a winter evening – welcoming reception hall with traditional flagstone flooring, study and a swoon-worthy kitchen/breakfast room. The

undisputed heart of Millie’s House, this spacious cottage kitchen features the must-have Aga, plenty of cupboard space – with different styles of unit giving it that soughtafter, rustic ambiance – and more than enough room for a large dining table. Double doors draw the eye outwards to the ample half-acre of garden.

Predominantly laid to lawn, to the rear you’ll find established flower beds, shrubs and trees. Beyond, there’s access to a further lawn which reaches out into a wilder area at the bottom of the garden, where Millie’s House meets the countryside. Out front, meanwhile a five-bar wooden gate leads to a gravel driveway and open garage with adjoining workshop – a space to dedicate to your next lockdown DIY project, perhaps.

A mere seven miles from Bath and two from the bustling market town of Corsham, it’s a well-situated home away from the hectic nature of town, but close enough that everything – including some wonderful local schools – remains accessible.

On Instagram, Cottagecore is an aesthetic, for the new owner of Millie’s House, it’s a lifestyle. HOUSE NUMBERS Square foot 3,479 Bedrooms 6 Guide price £1.2 million Gardens In excess of half an acre Outside Driveway, garage with adjoining workshop For more Savills Bath, Edgar Buildings, 17 George Street, Bath. tel; 01225 475500; www.savills.co.uk

Three ways your apartment can make you happy

Peter Greatorex from THE APARTMENT COMPANY advises…

In this crazy year our homes have been more than where we live; they have become offices, and may well still be, our gyms, classrooms, playgrounds, pubs and whole social life. That’s a lot of pressure to put on your property and, although many of us have gone DIY crazy, you may not have had time or could just feel completely uninspired and fed up with your property. But don’t despair, we have some inexpensive and simple ideas to make your home feel fresh and even stimulating. Here are three ways your home can make you happy:

1. ZONING With all the conflicting responsibilities your apartment has, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. As we don’t know what may happen in future months, it could be a good idea to think about zoning your apartment for different activities. For example, if you’re working from home, is there a corner you can now completely designate as an office rather than working from the kitchen table? You can ‘split’ rooms and spaces with curtains and screens and even a storage unit can separate spaces.

2. ADD SOME COLOUR When was the last time you decorated? This is one of the easiest ways to reinvigorate your apartment, and also help your mood – nothing feels better than a freshly decorated room. Neutrals will also create a classic look, whereas pops of colour add a more dramatic feel. Greens and blues are very popular at the moment, and apparently are associated with wellbeing, calm and health.

3. THE BIG CLEAR OUT We all have stuff we don’t need, whether that’s on bookshelves, a cupboard, or that scary space under the bed! Decluttering feels so rewarding.

Not only will it transform your apartment, mentally it is completely freeing – it may even give you a few pennies in your pocket. Our advice would be to just do a little at a time, or a room at a time – this makes the whole process far less stressful.

BE HAPPY Your Bath apartment should always make you happy, but if you’re feeling you have itchy feet, then give our team at The Apartment Company a call. n

For more advice visit our blog at www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk Sales: 01225 471144 Lettings: 01225 303870