Our Welsh Cottage & Garden
We have lived in our little stone cottage in the Welsh countryside since 2007 and have spent the past 15+ years slowly bringing it back to life. What began as a tired and slightly neglected building has become the heart of our home and the soul of our work.
In this section, we are sharing the story of its transformation from bare beams to reclaimed slate, frog-filled ponds to handmade panelling, all nestled in our quiet corner of West Wales.
Welcome to Our Cottage
We have been living in our Welsh cottage for 18 years, slowly renovating it while living here. Back in 2007, we began our adventure, transforming a tired little cottage into the gorgeous and happy home it is today.
We believe the cottage is around 350 years old, possibly dating back to the early 1700s. Records only go back so far, so we’ll probably never know for certain. What we do know is that it had been neglected in parts and needed a lot of TLC when we arrived.
It’s taken a great deal of time, effort, and care to get it to where it is now. Our cottage is a huge part of our lives, and we are proud to look after it. In the process, we have gained a real appreciation for Welsh vernacular architecture and the history of homes like ours.
The Living Room
We will start with what might be the best view of the cottage, the living room. The inglenook fireplace is the centerpiece, just as it would have been in centuries past when it served for both cooking and heating. Many original features had been hidden away under plywood and plasterboard, but we have carefully brought them back to life, blending the old with a few modern comforts.
The previous owners had laid a laminate floor which, while nice at the time, didn’t hold up to the damp conditions underfoot. Being built on bedrock with no traditional foundations, the cottage needed something more robust and sympathetic to its history.
Our trusty builders removed the old floor and added drainage inside and out. We then sourced reclaimed flagstones from three different locations in West Wales: a farm 20 miles away, an old school in New Quay, and a former jewelry shop in Lampeter. Some slabs were up to three inches thick and incredibly heavy, but the end result is everything we hoped for. It looks like it’s always been there and in many ways it has. We even found in situ cobbles from the original floor during renovation.
The photo above shows what it looks like today. It is a calm, warm, and relaxing place to sit and enjoy life. There is a large inglenook fireplace which is most likely a later addition, probably sometime in the 1800s. As you can see, there are large oak beams running through the cottage, three in total, plus the inglenook lintel, which are unusual for our size of cottage.
A Room With a View
This photo shows Lily looking out through one of our old sash windows lovingly restored by Nicholas. At one point the walls were sealed with thick cement, but we have now allowed them to breathe again by removing all of the cement from inside. It’s a peaceful spot for us and Lily’s favorite place to keep tabs on the world outside!
A Kitchen Reimagined
Our kitchen today is a world away from what it was when we moved in. We uncovered the original chimney breast, removed thick layers of cement, and pointed the stonework by hand. The floor is laid with reclaimed slate flagstones, and we crafted a new ceiling between exposed wooden joists, even sourcing reclaimed beams to replace missing ones. We also installed a wooden kitchen to complete the space.
It was one of our biggest renovation projects — and one of the most satisfying.
Woodwork With History
We have removed every sheet of plasterboard from our cottage and replaced it with bespoke tongue and groove paneling handcrafted by our wonderful carpenter. It was important to us that it echoed the original hallway paneling, which is likely over 100 years old. Now the old and new flow together naturally, giving the space warmth and character.
Uncovering the Heart of the Kitchen
When we moved in, the kitchen fireplace was completely blocked up. It had an old cooker plonked in front of it sticking out into the room. But we knew it had potential. Our builders opened it up, and we managed to fit a cooker inside complete with extractor up the chimney. A reclaimed beam finishes it off and makes the whole space feel as though it's always been that way.
When clients visit our home, we will always make them a cuppa and cake from our lovely cottage kitchen.
Timekeeping Through the Generations
This beautiful Napoleon hat clock was a gift from our neighbor, who grew up with it ticking away in his family home next door. It dates back to the 1950s and now proudly keeps time for us in our kitchen.
One day we’ll pass it on again, a little ticking piece of local history continuing its journey.
Christmas in the Cottage
Over the past 16 years, we have not only renovated the entire ground floor of our cottage but tackled the upstairs too, one dusty job at a time. We have added new windows, insulated the roof, revealed the chimney breast in the master bedroom, and completely overhauled the bathroom. We took up the old carpets and lovingly sanded back the wooden floors. Most importantly, we stripped off all the plasterboard that was hiding the cottage’s original charm and replaced some with tongue and groove paneling to match the Victorian paneling downstairs.
Anyone who’s ever taken on an old property knows the trials and tribulations... not to mention how quickly the budget (and contingency!) vanishes. But the results have been so worth it. One of our favorite times of year here is Christmas; the cottage looks truly magical with the decorations up. We always get a real tree, which smells wonderful, and although we have to keep it small due to our low ceilings, they’re always perfect. The photo here was taken in December 2021 and really captures the festive coziness of our home.
Welcome to Our Cottage Garden
Tucked behind our old Welsh cottage lies a garden we’ve lovingly shaped over the years — a space for wildlife, muddy paws, and peaceful tea breaks under the trees. What started as a simple patch of lawn has grown into a little sanctuary, complete with a wildlife pond, woodland paths, and our cozy studio nestled at the bottom.
It’s a place we cherish deeply, and we hope you enjoy this glimpse into the quieter, greener side of our world.
Our Garden in 2007
When we moved in, the garden was a simple rectangular lawn bordered by overgrown shrubs and hedgerows. We later bought a piece of unused land from our neighbor both to the side and below us. It was a tangled mess of brambles, nettles, broken logs, and old slate. Clearing it was no small task, but it opened up a world of possibility. The transformation has been slow and steady, 18 years of graft, and it’s still evolving.
One of our favorite additions is the little wildlife pond we restored. It’s now home to frogs, newts, water boatmen, and the odd nosy snail. Every inch of the garden has been planned with nature in mind, and we love how it’s become a quiet sanctuary just outside our studio door. Scroll down to see more.
The Pond
We have been working on naturalizing our little pond, encouraging it to become a proper wildlife haven. We added a beautiful lily last year, and to our delight, it flowered all summer long. It’s a peaceful corner of the garden, and seeing it flourish with a bit of care and time has been incredibly rewarding.
We are always tweaking the planting around it too, with a mix of native species and cottage garden favorites. The pond is now full of life, from frogs and newts to all sorts of water insects, and we often stop to watch what’s going on down there while Lily patrols the path nearby.
The Pond Plants
We have been gradually trying to naturalize the pond over the years. It’s really come into its own lately, and last summer we were thrilled when the lily we planted flowered continuously through the season. It was one of those little triumphs that made all the work feel worthwhile.
The pond is small but mighty, a real magnet for wildlife. It's tucked just below the cottage. The photo above was taken on one of those perfect summer mornings, and yes, it really did bloom like that all season!
Frogs and Toads
Of course, it wouldn’t be a garden pond without a few amphibious friends. We spotted this frog basking on the stones by the water one afternoon and couldn’t resist getting a quick photo. We also have toads, and now each year we’re lucky enough to find frogspawn in the spring.
We love encouraging wildlife and seeing these little ecosystems thrive; it’s all part of the magic of living here. If you would like to read more about the studio nestled at the bottom of the garden, hop over (pun fully intended) to our Pet Portraits Studio and Materials page.
Garden Art Studio
This peaceful spot leads down through the garden to our art studio, nestled quietly at the bottom beneath the trees. Wintertime is a slightly different view, though; everything is always better in the spring and summer months!
The old tree bench has become a favorite resting spot too. Perfect for a coffee in the morning sun or a quiet pause before starting the day’s portraits.
Lily's Morning Patrol
Here’s Lily doing one of her favorite things — inspecting every inch of the garden as if she owns the land (and let’s be honest, she kind of does). This area leads down towards the chicken shed and storage shed, and is often dappled with light through the trees in the early morning.
It's peaceful, lush, and one of those spaces that changes character with the seasons — but Lily is a constant presence, always with her nose to the ground and tail in the air.
Lawn in Dappled Light
I’ve always loved growing plants, though I’ll admit it’s a challenge here in Wales! Our summers are short, the rain is plentiful, and the sun often plays hard to get. That said, when we do get a stretch of dry weather, the garden comes alive, and it’s all worth the wait. It definitely helps the lawn to stay green, that’s for sure.
I often share seasonal snapshots in our personal blogs on our Blog. If you haven’t visited yet, do pop over for a peek, especially if you’re partial to a bit of cottage garden charm.
Welsh Cottage Garden
We hope you have enjoyed taking a little peek into our cottage and garden life. It’s a big part of who we are and where our creativity stems from.
If you’d like to see more of our home, work, and daily goings-on, feel free to use the top navigation — there's always something new blooming or being painted!
