Design house: An 18th-century townhouse in the Cotswolds, dressed for Christmas

An 18th-century townhouse with a chequered past is now a welcoming, color-steeped family home

18th-century house Cotswold
(Image credit: Jon Day)

Christmas in this Cotswolds home is made special. Here, baubles twinkle on boughs, stair rails are entwined with ivy and mistletoe dangles from beams. On a late afternoon, as candles flicker against panelled walls, it is easy to imagine centuries of festive prosperity filling this Georgian townhouse. But the picture wasn't always this idyllic. Built in 1703 for a prosperous merchant, the house was later acquired by the local brewery and turned into a pub. In the 1980s a solicitor moved in, installing a huge safe and partitioning the interior into a warren of offices. By 1990, however, the four-storey property was back in private ownership.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

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The property

The owner grew up in the village and would walk past the house on his way to school. ‘I’d always imagined living here, so when it came up for sale in 2016, my wife and I were quick to put in an offer,’ he says. 'Over the years the house had been added to in a hotchpotch fashion, so everything needed doing, but we felt that we could make it work – with help. At which point they turned to Garry Meakins, an interior designer who has worked on historic houses locally and knows the vernacular well. The pair have a daughter, work from home and like to entertain. 'So we had to think of ways to make the floorplan more practical for a modern family,’ says Garry.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Drawing room

Restored architraves and cornicing rekindle the house’s original spirit.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Orangery

‘The homeowners wanted the house to retain a sense of history, so all the alterations were done with a light touch,’ says the interior designer, of this dining space.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Kitchen

Garry designed this space to be family friendly, with leather bar stools for added luxury and comfort.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Living room

A previous owner extended the back of the house and connected it to an outbuilding, which was then converted into this relaxed family room .

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

To keep the revived interior of the period house fresh, a mix of traditional and modern art was sourced. These giclée prints by SYRETT add lively color to the subtle classic backdrop. Find work by this artist and others at Runway Gallery. Take your interest further by attending one of the gallery’s informal Soho Salon supper clubs, with a three-course meal, a life-drawing class and a talk by an artist.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Hall

Partition walls were removed and panelling, based on 18th-century proportions, was installed. The bespoke staircase was designed using sustainable Sapele for the handrail.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Small bedroom

To disguise an ugly beam, new curtains were designed to create a cosy alcove for the bed where the walls are lined in padded fabric.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Interior designer Garry Meakins created wardrobes to frame the door to the new en suite as a deliberate contrast to the more traditional woodwork elsewhere in the house. The green color is echoed inside the bathroom, while the detailing was inspired by French designer Christian Bérard’s mural, painted in 1939 at the Guerlain Institute in Paris.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Downstairs cloakroom

Lack of wall space for a single large mirror inspired Garry to design the abstract collage of smaller mirrors.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Daughter's bedroom

A reading nook was designed to sit under the acute eaves and wallpaper added to enhance the cosy feel.

18th-century house Cotswold

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Photography/ Jon Day

Jennifer Ebert
Editor

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.