This country cottage is like a breath of fresh air with its blue and white colour scheme

It was important for the owners of this home that anywhere they lived was a bright, calm and relaxing space. That is certainly what they have achieved with the renovation and redecoration of this 350-year-old Welsh cottage, which is filled with blue and white decorating ideas.

They had been looking for an old stone home to renovate when they came across this delightful property. Originally a pair of cottages, it had been turned into one in the 1970s and was ripe for transformation.

In fact, it was so perfect that they put in an offer for the asking price within an hour of viewing it.

'The cottage was structurally sound, but the decor was a little dated. It was just the right project for us,' they say.

Read on to find out how they transformed it from dark and dated to light and uplifting.

Replacing dark colours with white

The owners could envisage adding a light touch to the interiors that featured dark colours and wooden beams, and an outdated kitchen. 

They wasted no time replacing the kitchen and redecorating the entire house. ‘We worked through the cottage, one room at a time, painting throughout in Loft White by Little Greene. The limited colour palette keeps the cottage light and fresh.

'The paint is easy to touch up, and is almost pure white yet not glaring, so it’s easy on the eye and made the cottage much lighter.' This is among the best white paint for walls.

Kitchen renovation

With their blank canvas created, the owners could then begin to think more long-term. ‘The kitchen was cosy, but we barely had a view of the back garden nor the incredible mountains, hills and fields of the Welsh countryside beyond,' they explain.

'So we decided to build an open-plan kitchen extension with custom-made French external doors, painted blue, as we wanted to fit a huge dining table to gather around with family and friends.'

It was important to the owners that the new space had character and didn’t feel too modern, as it needed to be in keeping with the rest of the cottage.

'We asked the builder to build a fake chimney breast to house the range cooker. We insisted on reclaimed bricks and then painted them white. The builder thought we were mad, but we wanted it to feel naturally worn and irregular.'

As a kitchen tile idea, faded delft pattern wall tiles behind the range add interest to this blue and white scheme.

A butler sink and quartz worktops add to the bright and light feel of the space as white kitchen ideas.

They didn’t want wall cabinets, only base units as a kitchen layout idea but opted for open shelving to display their Cornishware pottery collection, and added a large custom-made pantry to complete the country kitchen look.

Upcycled old kitchen units

The owners reused the old kitchen units in the new laundry room, where they also created French farmhouse-style worktops and shelves from reclaimed scaffolding planks. 

Keeping with the blue and white theme of the rest of the house, units were painted in Duckling Al Fresco by Frenchic Paint, while the Faded Delft Pattern tiles by Baked Tiles match those in the kitchen.

Light and bright living rooms

In the two living rooms, parquet flooring was discovered under the old carpet; this was restored and finished with a light varnish to add more character to the ground floor. See our guide on how to restore a parquet floor for a similar project.

The rooms are furnished with reclaimed wooden pieces, simple sofas, vintage linen and pretty floral cushions creating a space reminiscent of a French farmhouse. 

‘We love that laid-back style,’ say the owners.

Vintage bedroom style

The owners were able to indulge their passion for floral Cabbages & Roses wallpaper upstairs.

'The walls downstairs were not suitable due to the textured plaster finish. Upstairs it was a different matter and we papered one wall above the new panelling we fitted in the master bedroom and main bathroom; we've even squirrelled away spare rolls for the future!’ 

In the bedroom, they have coordinated the bedding to match the grey floral pattern creating a vintage bedroom feel.

Wallpapered bathroom

Bathroom wallpaper ideas can add instant impact, and in the cottage bathroom, a painted shelf picks up on the blue blooms on the feature paper that sits behind the repainted roll-top bath.

Painted wall panelling below the wallpaper adds further interest and builds on the country, vintage bathroom feel.

Outdoor living

To make the most of the wonderful views, the owners also added an inviting lean-to outside seating area, which much like the cottage interior, is full of vintage-style accessories and furnishings and decorated with pretty bunting.

'This old cottage is definitely home: it’s cosy, welcoming, and it gives you a hug when you walk through the door. We are blessed to live here.’