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A return to warmth: rediscovering the charm of a countryside home
A calm, layered kitchen at Didcot Cottage, featuring Studio Lauren Olivia’s design and our Ullswater tiles
When a characterful Oxfordshire cottage lost much of its inherent charm through an overly modern renovation, its new owners turned to Studio Lauren Olivia to bring back the warmth, story, and soul the home deserved. What followed was a sensitive transformation - centred around a serene, reimagined kitchen - that restored the gentle magic of countryside living while creating a space designed to stand the test of time.
A cottage in need of calm
For designer and founder, Lauren Olivia, the project began with a feeling rather than a floor plan. “Our approach to design is super organic,” she explains. “We really feel what we want to create with the energy of the space and the client, and that leads the way.”
Didcot Cottage, though undeniably charming from the outside, had suffered from a renovation that unintentionally stripped away much of its original character. The clients making a fresh start in a new area, were longing for a home that felt grounding, natural, and quietly restorative. “It was a big move for them,” Lauren notes. “We wanted the house to feel calming and homely, with design choices that would last.”
One of the most meaningful changes came in the kitchen. A reclaimed oak beam, set where an exterior wall once stood, now frames the room with a sense of history and gentle division. “Before, it was just a long white box,” Lauren recalls. “Adding the beam and then mini ceiling beams gave the space rhythm again. It brought back that subtle, authentic character cottages are known for.”
At Didcot Cottage, the kitchen was thoughtfully redesigned for family life. Behind the AGA and along the backsplash, our Ullswater Chalk White tiles bring texture, brightness, and a warm, lived-in charm to the space.
Designing a kitchen for living
A thoughtful kitchen balances comfort with utility, and at Didcot Cottage, that balance became the design’s foundation. “We wanted it to feel like a space you’d want to spend time in,” Lauren shares, “but with a layout that actually works for how the clients live.”
The original kitchen sat tucked into the darkest corner of the room - functional, but far from inspiring. Lauren proposed moving it entirely, a bold shift the clients embraced. The result is a harmonious, light-filled space complete with a generous island and an intimate dining nook carved into the cottage’s original footprint. The flow is effortless; the atmosphere deeply calming.
The beauty of a quiet backdrop
To ground the kitchen in timeless simplicity, Lauren utilised our rustic Ullswater Chalk White tiles for the splashback. “We looked at a mix of reclaimed and new white tiles,” she says, “but after many samples, the rustic Chalk White tiles just felt right.”
The choice was subtle yet transformative. Their lived-in softness complements the natural materials throughout the room, while the glossy finish gently bounces light around the space - especially valuable in a traditional countryside cottage where daylight can be precious. “They kept the kitchen feeling clean and sleek while adding a softness we loved.”
With its open shelving and streamlined cabinetry, this kitchen exudes a soft, airy ambiance.
Layers of texture and time
Beyond the tiles, the material palette reads like a love letter to natural finishes. Warm wooden floorboards, terracotta tiles in the boot room, hand painted cabinets, and beautifully veined marble counters work together to create a space that feels slow, authentic, and enduring.
“We always try to use as many natural materials as we can,” Lauren explains. “They inherently bring calmness and longevity. Here, everything from the timber to the terracotta helps tell the story of the home.”
Advice from the designer
For anyone beginning a renovation, especially with an interior designer, Lauren’s guidance is simple: start with feeling. “Each design project is personal,” she says. “Before getting into the technical side, put together a concept board per room. Pull references, colours, materials, products - anything that sets the tone. It helps you understand what you want the space to feel like before diving into layout plans.”
Thank you to Lauren for sharing the story behind this beautiful cottage transformation. With its soft palette, considered materials, and renewed character, Didcot Cottage now embodies everything Studio Lauren Olivia stands for: natural, timeless, and beautifully layered design - crafted not just for living, but for feeling truly at home.
Explore the Ullswater collection and discover tiles with lived-in charm.
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