Second Chances

So, when her clients approached her about revamping the interiors of their cottage, Rowell jumped at the opportunity. “The home was really lovely with buckets of character,” she says. “I think the client had . . . played it safely buying lots of items in the same tone and color; so, everything sat well together, but there wasn’t any real dynamism to the spaces.” It was equally important for the new design to feel comfortable and livable as it was to feel fresh and new.

Rowell quickly set to work pulling together a design scheme that incorporated some of her clients’ existing pieces with some newer ones.

“We tried to interject character into each room either with paint colors, fabric choice, or standout one-off pieces,” she explains. “The goal was always to respect what the client already had, avoid unnecessary waste, and still achieve a cohesive look.” Much of that was achieved via updating upholstery, adding new window treatments, or repainting existing cabinetry. “Rather than starting from scratch, we found ways to breathe new life into existing furniture and fittings,” she explains. “We reupholstered several key pieces, added bold trims and contrasting fabric hems to perfectly good curtains, and gave tired cabinetry a second chance including a specialist to hand paint one particularly old cabinet.”

The updates and transformations abound in the home. In the primary suite, Rowell upholstered the headboard and frame, adding a skirted valance to offset the masculine-shaped headboard. The top of an existing cabinet was tiled with hand-painted Delft tiles, which “we took inspiration from a favorite plate the client owned,” she explains. “This created a striking bar in the sitting room with a very personal touch.” And in another space, Rowell restored a pair of antique leather club chairs that the homeowners had given up on and which the designer was able to inject with new life.

“I think the kitchen seating area is one of my favorite areas,” she says of the project. “We created a much more comfortable, social environment. A space where you can relax and keep the cook company, but it also works for informal gatherings where you can sit and chat and enjoy the garden view without having to retreat to the more formal sitting room.”

In the end, the home is a timeless example of Rowell’s philosophy of working with existing pieces rather than starting from scratch. “I’m super happy, and can see this project has stood the test of time as we worked on this house four years ago now, and I still love all the details, fabrics, and creations.”