Highbrook Cottage: Interior design in harmony with nature and heritage

“Sometimes there’s a gaggle of ducks as you pass the vineyard. They love to prance around the brooks that surround our farm. Or as you drive down the lane, the rabbits or hares might join you or you might hear the lovely babbling sound if you’ve got the window open.” True to owner Susan Kinsey Jones’ description, the arrival at Highbrook Cottage is idyllic. 

In 2017, Susan and her husband, James, moved back to the family’s fourth-generation sheep farm, set up a vineyard (naturally), and took on the care of the farm’s holiday cottage. Highbrook Cottage is a 17th-century farmworker’s cottage tucked in amongst the trees at the foot of Wales’ Black Mixen. 

It’s a rural idyll but today we’re not talking about the hikes, star gazing, or even the ducks. Instead, Susan is telling me about how the enveloping Welsh landscape, in all its calmness, colour and playfulness, flowed into the cottage’s interior design as she undertook its renovation. 

“I knew I wanted it to feel warm and cosy, but also reflect the nature of the outside and have a bit of playfulness and colour because that’s kind of like mine and James’ personalities. We’re not too serious about anything.” 

Although Susan doesn’t have a background in interior design, she did a History of Art degree and has always been interested in form and colour. She is also very fortunate that her sister-in-law, a former interiors colourist for Laura Ashley, was around to help with mood boards, colour palettes that reflected the outside, and suggestions on how to inject pattern.  

“You look out the window and all you see is blue and green, especially soft sages. There’s a great Little Greene paint, Acorn, which is a very pale, fresh green which we used throughout the cottage. For panelling we used a darker green and then a pop of yellow for the bench, which is really invigorating and springy.”  

Susan was also keen reflect the cottage’s unique Welsh history with traditional items. “I just feel like historical items bring a bit of soul” she explains. The sofas are draped with Welsh blankets, as impactful as they are cosy, and the kitchen wall is hung with plates. “A Welsh dresser would be nice but they take up so much space, so we put plates on the wall as a nod to that.” At other times though, it was best to let the history speak for itself, so pattern was reserved for upholstery rather than wallpaper, meaning the natural wonkiness and stonework of the building could be celebrated. 

It all comes together to create a soothing space, which references the heritage and traditions of the area, while bringing in Susan’s creativity along with dashes of modern colour and style. It’s a fabulous piece of work.  

Susan’s interior design tips 

Think about the house as a whole 

“It’s good to not think of a room in isolation but consider the whole property and what works together. When you’re in one room looking through to another think about how the colours might marry up or contrast, depending on the kind of feeling that you’re wanting.” 

Find your starting point 

“I’m very interested in colour, so I use that as a basis. Someone might use a piece of furniture or a piece of artwork or a rug that’s got multiple colours in it, from which you could pull out one colour that you like and then have a contrasting colour on your main walls because that’s the biggest bit of your canvas. I guess if you’re into neutrals you can take a neutral colour out of that painting or rug and then to give a bit of energy you could pick out one of the bolder colours for a lamp or a chair. I really like when there’s that little bit of tension and playfulness or unexpectedness and something a bit quirky, which might come from something found at a car boot sale or charity shop.” 

Where to spend and where to economise 

“Paint is a cheap way of transforming a space. It was a magic tool in our toolbox! Being bold with your woodwork could really change the dynamism of the room. A deep colour on the window frames is quite nice in comparison to paler walls because it makes a picture frame for your view.  

We splurged a bit more on fabrics but we did make the headboards and foot stool/coffee table ourselves. Little things like that were quite fun and make it a bit different. A local upholsterer had some amazing offcuts from a project at a big hotel nearby called Llangoed Hall, where Laura Ashley used to live.  

We think the things that you touch regularly should be quite nice too. We’ve got some nice mugs by a Hereford-based ceramicist called Red Wheel Studios.” 

Where to shop 

“It’s really fun looking at colours and textures and patterns and sourcing things locally. There are loads of local artisans near us and we’re quite spoiled for choice.” The Great English Outdoors, in Hay on Wye, for Welsh blankets, one of which you’ll spot one in the cottage’s yellow bedroom. We love Red Wheel Studios in Hereford for ceramics and Casa de Folklore for Romanian bowls, mugs and vases. Then there’s always the antique market in Hay on Wye, English Salvage in Wellington for reclaimed pieces and incredible antiques, or Leominster’s raft of antique and charity shops. I’m sure if you rummage around every area of Britain you can find similar things.

 

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