Perched on a hillside a 10-minute drive from Bath, this converted and renovated carpenter’s workshop boasts the most sensational views, overlooking a 26-mile patchwork of meadows and hedgerows.

Living in the house below, its new owners knew it was a fantastic opportunity when they first heard the workshop was for sale.

The exterior

The couple bought it at the end of the first lockdown in the summer and put in some furniture so their friends could stay over the warmer months. They then embarked on the full renovation at the end of 2020.

‘Our vision was that we would rent it out but also use it for our family and friends,’ say the owners. ‘We love going up there for movie nights and it’s been useful for allowing us to have a change of scene when necessary.’

Living space

The couple cleared the attic and had it insulated, put down a new millboard balcony and added the log burner. ‘We also re-did the lighting and installed new bathrooms,’ say the owners.

As well as the mesmerising views, the main living floor has a tremendous sense of space with a vaulted ceiling and a floorplan that circulates freely from kitchen to dining area and sitting area. The low profile of the sofas ensures the view makes an impact upon entry.

The open-plan area

The couple’s furniture choices are largely solid, modern and beautifully upholstered with the occasional antique piece anchoring the house to the past. Rugs help to mark out each space in the open plan design.
They chose an oversize mirror for the chimney breast. It makes a strong focal point in the room and also brings the spectacular view into the centre of the house.

The kitchen

The original lower units were retained while the owners added a quartz surface and shelves so crockery can be easily accessed.‘We kept the wide deep drawers of the kitchen and added open shelves so visitors unfamiliar with the layout can find things easily,’ they explain. ‘We avoided buying from big high street brands but instead scoured Etsy for smaller makers who are just starting out. It was a really fun part of the process.’

The floating shelves in the kitchen, by BespOak Interiors, provide smart but stylish storage. ‘They look fantastic and are very secure. We wanted as much on display as possible,’ they explain.

Dining area

The original floorboards were stripped of varnish and then oiled. Wicker chairs strike a relaxed note, while symmetrical lights and lamps balance the scheme.

The couple introduced accent colours to lift the pale palette.

The staircase

The floorplan rotates around the glass screened spiral staircase, which is made of concrete but mimics local sandstone. Light from above streams down its axis into the lower part of the house.

The main bedroom

While the main living area upstairs is neutral with plenty of colourful splashes, the bedrooms downstairs have more vibrant tones. ‘I found myself making braver choices because no-one would be living there full time,’ says the owner.

Beautifully made curtains and cushions were another detail the owner was eager to invest in. ‘My cousin came over with a box of Studio B fabrics – they’re really fun with amazing colourways so we have used them for all the curtains and blinds in the house.’

In this bedroom, the curtains prompted the vibrant bedroom colour scheme. ‘I love the colour contrast and the squiggly lines on the fabric as well as the shape of the headboard,’ says the owner.

The guest bedroom

The owners chose this bold blue bedroom idea having used it successfully in the study. A wardrobe is discreetly tucked into a recess at one end of the room.

At the other end, symmetrical oversize table lamps and an ornate mirror make a strong focus of the bed, with the curves of the lamps balancing the shape of the headboard.

The bathroom

The azure tones continue in the bathroom, where pale blue painted window frames tie in with the beautiful tiles and bath panel. Neatly stacking Roman blinds inject a lively dose of colour and help frame the living wall beyond.

Additional words: Juliette Benning

The post Explore this converted workshop turned home – with its colourful new interior appeared first on Ideal Home.

IKEA has launched a new sustainable home fragrance collection designed to conjure the scent of the great outdoors, including the scent of fresh grass.

IKEA certainly knows how to produce stylish Scandinavian-style flat-pack furniture. So, we will forgive you if you are surprised to learn they have a whole home fragrance department too. From scented candles to potpourri, IKEA has been quietly squirrelling away and developing delicious home fragrances for some time.

When we heard about their most recent launch of scented candles inspired by the outdoors we couldn’t wait to get our noses in gear to experience the nature-loving essences. Eight new scents promise a sensory atmosphere and best home fragrance that conjures up the outdoor lifestyle.

Image credit: IKEA

The collection has been created with an elegant Scandinavian design in mind. It replaces their current ”gourmet scents’ IKEA home fragrances and will focus on nature.

New IKEA sustainable home fragrance range

Each scent is especially designed to be a perfect match for different life at-home activities. They echo and evoke Scandinavia’s nature and landscapes – beautiful meadows, forests, and greenery. HEDERSHAM, which went on sale this month, is one candle we’re particularly excited about. It has been designed to smell like fresh grass and will only cost you £5.

Image credit: IKEA

However, if the scent of a mown lawn doesn’t get you excited,  you can choose from STÖRTSKÖN, which draws on hints of sweet berries. JÄMLIK  has vanilla notes and JÄMNMOD offers up the scent of sweet pea. LUGNARE focuses on the scent of refreshing jasmine and AVMÅLA has a distinctive crisp mint aroma.

‘We are excited to offer our customers the opportunity to embrace and to continue to personalise their spaces in an affordable way which focuses on wellbeing first’, says Karin Gustavsson, Range and Product Design Leader at IKEA of Sweden AB.

Isle Crawford X IKEA candle range

Two of the signature scents which will go on sale in July have been created in partnership with interior furniture designer and long term IKEA collaborator, Ilse Crawford. The scents of ADLAD and ENSTAKA are both are rooted in wood. One focuses on the scent of Scandinavian forests, the other of smokey bonfires that reflect on our need for warmth.

Image credit: IKEA

‘There is something that is forever grounding in nature. We wanted to bring the instinctive memory of nature – particularly of trees and forests – back into our homes, through scents – particularly for those of us around the world who live in dense cities and don’t have immediate access to the outdoors,’ explains Ilse Crawford.

Ilse Crawford designed the glass and ceramic containers with sustainability in mind, so each container is re-usable after the candle is finished. ‘The containers are elemental objects that we can use every day. They are beautiful and affordable. They are special because of their materiality size and tactility,’ she says.

‘Above all, they can be reused later – creating a ‘second life’ beyond its first use – as a penholder, food container, bathroom storage.’

The candles themselves are made from plant-based materials such as soy wax, shea butter, and rapeseed oil. They have a burn cycle of approximately 12-60 hours.

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