Cool interiors in the Cotswolds? Hell yeah.
“Cotswold weekend away?” my friends said. I rolled my eyes out loud. Imagining headscarves and tweed jacket and cafés called Binkie’s I just couldn’t commit. Then I remembered I had three children and a very needy rescue puppy and offered to drive.
I did exactly what I tell the kids not to do…imagined I wouldn’t like something without TRYING it first and shame.on.me. It was all kinds of fabulous. The eating, the shopping, the scenery and some seriously cool bars and to boot. Granted, there was a fair bit of tweed and the odd lesser-spotted Sloane-ranger, but it was also absolutely gorgeous and the house we stayed in provided some insta-grammable moments for sure.
With a morning coffee from Cafe 53 on board we hit the shops running and the mix of antique emporiums, high end interiors and edgy little homeware havens satiated the urge to splurge. We all bought vases for spring flowers, scandi short candles and the most gorgeous interiors accessories from Cwytch. There were a few Spring wardrobe purchases too though frankly Tetbury is synonymous with interiors for me.
Seriously impressive was the Close hotel and we did make a stop for a pre lunch drink here. Clearly subject to a recent renovation, the interiors here would not look out of place in a top magazine. Gorgeous furnishings, artwork, and fabulous paint choices. Excellent stuff.
In a manoeuvre the Red Arrows would be proud of, we performed a starburst move to collect the cars, wine and a quick detour via the cake shop before heading back to our house for the night #allthefoodgroups
Mixing styles & periods is my favourite interiors look (aside from full-blown-art-deco) and our accommodation did this brilliantly. A quaint cottage down a winding lane but so much more thanks to an amazing architect-led renovation. Contemporary prints on fabrics and cushions with period wing-back chairs and vintage slate floors. Yum. Modern bathrooms concealed behind sliding walls with hessian floors and exposed roof timbers. Yay. Fashionable and quirky modern art hung over a traditional open wood fireplace….when can I move in?
Predictably, some might say, the evening was fairly liquid and led to the early on-set of pyjamas ready for a second day exploring what the Cotswolds had to offer.
The weather was our only challenge on day 2 and sensibly, coffee and papers in front of the fire prevailed. Plenty of pinch-me moments occurred as we realised no one had; waited outside a cold church hall or on a side-line, refereed a squabble or cleared up an unsavoury accident for nearly 24 hours. We had also finished several drinks whilst they were STILL HOT. Eureka.
We headed to the water for an hour or two; so many crazy ways of getting yourself utterly and toally wet are available in the area with its amazing water parks. After a thorough soaking attempting to wakeboard, we headed for my happy place – a hotel!
Calcot Manor was absolutely ideal for some re-fuelling before re-entry into the atmosphere of family life. We opted for more casual dining and their Gumstool Inn was just what we were after. Mac & cheese all round worked a major miracle (or that was possibly the treacle tart we had after?)
Here we did spot a couple of headscarves ‘n’ tweed but I am pleased to report only on the over 70s couple lunching with their grandkids (and they didn’t try and shoot us and hang us up to cure). The interiors here at Calcot were as good as the food with gorgeous Spring flowers on every windowsill.
I hold my hands up #lifeafterlondon continues to inspire me and I thoroughly enjoyed my Cotswold adventure even though it was artic conditions. What a beautiful spot with some incredibly creative and cool outposts. Coming back when it’s official rose weather.
STYLEOPHILE 