Heart in the Hills

Sprout Cottage’s new owners decided their new space needed life and wanted to make it a little spot where guests can’t help but feel happy and relaxed. When decorating a holiday spot or B&B accommodation, one can really create a feast for the eyes, a space that leaves one feeling that they’ve had an experience rather than just stayed in a B&B. We often don’t live in these spaces on a daily basis, which is more reason to create a place unlike home. Now, there’s nothing dull about walking into this bright little cottage; colour abounds everywhere, mixed wonderfully with patterns.

When the owners said they wanted lots of colour, and given the magnificent setting in the Midlands, Lee knew immediately this had to be a timeless mix of old and new, painted furniture, and lots of patterns. It was the perfect opportunity to overdo the fun, creating interest and adding character to this little cottage, since it’s not lived in every day. It certainly leaves guests having experienced a fun-filled time away.

All the headboards were custom-made, mixing patterns and colours in the lovely bed throws and, of course, finishing off each room with a rug under the bed. “I’m a firm believer in using rugs to pull spaces together and to ground the room. It stops the look of furniture floating around,” says Lee. The curtain fabrics were intentionally chosen to work in those rooms, striking a fine balance between a hodgepodge Smartie-box look and a curated space.

Whilst Lee pushed the boundaries a little when designing, she says it’s important to remember that when furnishing a space for guest use, you need fabrics with a higher rub count, which ultimately resist wear and tear better over time. Nothing is boring in this cottage. The showers are tiled in chequered and striped subways. The art and the framing of some of the pictures are also cheery and vibrant. There’s a beautiful, peaceful mural on a previously blank wall. A lovely fireplace was added for those chilly winter days, and instead of leaving the wall behind it blank, she brought the same floor plinth tiles up the wall in a pretty herringbone layout.

This B&B is a compact three-bedroom ensuite cottage, which goes to show that a home or space doesn’t have to be grand to have heart and look beautiful; it’s just about creating the right feel for the particular space. When asked about a favourite piece, Lee responded, “This was a real ‘sourcing and finding’ of bits and pieces. I love the old meat safe which I found in the Karoo and painted to add a pop of green in the kitchen. There isn’t any one thing in particular that is my favourite; I just love the feeling the little touches created at Sprout Cottage.”

Lee Shelly’s path to becoming a decorator took a few turns. When she finished school, she actually went on to study nursing, but after qualifying as a nursing sister, she really missed using her creative juices. “I was in London working as a midwife when I decided to start part-time design courses. And as they say, the rest is history. As strange as it may seem, I would definitely say that elements of nursing and caring for people have been an enormous benefit to understanding the different needs of each of my clients.” Lee started her business 21 years ago and has grown from doing little décor projects to designing the interiors of hotels, bush lodges and homes. She reflects, “I’ve been incredibly blessed over the years, gathering clients and friends. The things that feed my soul and matter deeply to me are spending time with my grown-up family, spending time in nature, appreciating the value of true friends and being intentional about finding joy in the small details around me.”

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Instagram: leeshellyinteriors

Photo Credit: Christy & Co.