Recently, a fan of these pages approached me and took me to task for not featuring the “rustic” look often enough. She felt that she’d seen a lot of minimalism lately and wanted to know how to turn her home into a cosy, cottage-style haven. With winter on the doorstep now’s the perfect time, so if you’re a rustic romancer, read on for inspiration!

As the days grow shorter, and the nights cooler, it’s time to get cosy at home. For some of us this means lighting a fire or turning on the heater, while others see it as an opportunity to ring the changes. Early winter is a good time to indulge in inside renovations or redecoration, now that summer’s outdoor activities are on hold for a few months.

I believe the key to successful home decoration lies in creating an enjoyable atmosphere that is comfortable and welcoming. I’ve sometimes found myself visiting shiny interior-designed homes where everything looks so perfect and so carefully arranged that I’m too scared to sit down – yet I’m sure none of us really wants our guests to feel that way. Here’s a simple room-by-room guide to adding some friendly country-style flavour to your home.

KITCHEN

The kitchen is the hub of the home but when you’re aiming for a traditional and homely look, bear in mind that you don’t want to sacrifice your handy mod cons in the process. Even with relatively modern units and fittings, you can easily add country style by using baskets, mismatched vintage crockery and retro cookware. Try fabrics such as gingham for your tablecloths, tea towels and window treatments.

LIVING ROOM

In the interests of using less energy, it can be a good idea to rearrange your furniture in winter, positioning the chairs and sofas closer to heat sources such as heaters, fireplaces and wood burners. Also, consider reducing your use of large spaces such as dining rooms. Provide throws, blankets and soft cushions so family members can snuggle up without sending power bills into orbit.

BATHROOM

The challenges in creating a natural-looking bathroom are similar to t hose of the kitchen. In winter especially, a bathroom must look and feel warm, so if you go for polished floorboards you’ll need cosy rugs to take the chill off. In terms of colour, bear in mind one concept – the simpler, the better. White, cream and buttermilk are all shades that contrast beautifully with wood, which is, of course, an essential element of rustic style.

DINING ROOM

There’s nothing nicer than sitting around a large table with family and friend s for a relaxing winter lunch. In the photo above left, the owners have set up their t able, rather sensibly, by the window in full sunlight. Well positioned plant s help bring the outdoors in, and a big bunch of bright blooms in an attractive vase always looks great too.

BEDROOMS

This lovely, inviting bedroom is almost monastic in it s simplicity, but in English country cottages with low ceilings, bedrooms have always been rather understated affairs. Again, the secret to achieving attractive country style may be as simple as utilising vintage bed linen in interesting ways and, of course, adding the most welcoming touch of all – a vase of fresh flowers.