‘It’s our picture perfect cottage’

Renovated with love

Discovering a ghostly tenant didn\'t deter Rachel Tatlow, 38, and her partner, Karl Ward, 44 from renovating their Grade II listed cottage. Click through to see the results...

Property details:

Type of house:Three-bedroom, 17th-century cottage

Location: Broadway, Worcestershire

Purchase price: £585,000

Money spent: £150,000

What it\'s worth now: £950,000

Courtesy of House Beautiful magazine

Rustic charm

Warm and inviting, the rustic living room has been furnished with clever buys from Ikea, leaving Rachel and Karl more of the budget to spend on striking centrepieces such as the wood-burning stove.

Heart of the home

Rachel and Karl\'s huge kitchen is the heart of their country cottage and, with its exposed wooden beams, ceramic tile floor and rustic cream units, it sets the tone for the style throughout the rest of their home

Country kitchen

Although almost everything in the kitchen is reclaimed, including the units, which the couple simply repainted. The charming country kitchen table and chairs were an original buy from The Cotswold Collection in nearby Stow-on-the-Wold.

Unique touches

The elegant dining room is full of clever touches. The wrought-iron table is from a garden centre and was given a luxury look with a silk taffeta throw.

Less is more

Simple fittings are ideal for the bathroom under the eaves. The freestanding bath is a particular favourite of Rachel\'s and came from Landons Luxury Bathrooms. Limestone tiles make the floor safe and attractive.

Step this way

Karl replaced the original staircase with a new one made of American oak and moved its position to create more space in the hall. The sisal floor from Cotswold Carpets is hardwearing and suits the look.

French oak

The French oak bed in Rachel and Karl\'s bedroom was a lucky find in a shop in Lichfield. The couple contrast their more traditional cushions and patchwork quilt with the modern bedside table lamps.

Pretty in pink

This guest bedroom\'s dusky pink walls have been painted in Farrow and Ball\'s Smoked Trout. The brass bed came from Furniture Village and is dressed with faux fur cushions and a checked blanket from John Lewis.