Forming part of the Brakspear family of hotels and eateries, The Frogmill oozes a charming Cotswold country look.
Speaking to the leading lady behind the look, SoGlos chats to Stephanie, head of interior design at Brakspear, about everything from finding second-hand gems to creating a country look on a budget.
After months of hunting high and low around the Cotswolds for perfect antique pieces, creating bespoke lampshades and tying the whole look together, Stephanie shares her secrets with SoGlos – and the biggest one? It doesn’t have to cost as much as you think.
For more information about The Frogmill, visit thefrogmill.co.uk directly.
Can you create a Cotswold country look in any home?
It is beneficial to have the beautiful period Cotswold features that we were lucky enough to have at The Frogmill, but you can take elements of the look into any style of property.
You can even add the character through things like panelling. We used a lot of reclaimed wood at The Frogmill and other parts of the property we painted. Even if you have a really modern property you can really go for the style in terms of getting reclaimed furniture and layering up with lots of beautiful old pictures.
What sort of furniture do you need to create the look?
The vast majority of the furniture at The Frogmill is old and reclaimed, so to go for that look, you really want to look out for pieces that have real character. The wood on them might have lots of knots and have wear to it.
If you’re going for painted furniture, go for things that look like they’ve been rubbed back rather than ones that look like they have a perfect finish.
Do you think that lighting is really important for creating the Cotswold country look?
Absolutely, yes! The lighting in The Frogmill includes so many layers. It’s really important for a room to have the right lighting so you can have it bright if you need to.
The Frogmill has a lot of wall lights and I think it’s a good idea to have spotlights too. Also, The Frogmill has a lot of lamps and when you layer all three types of lighting together, you can create a nice cosy feel.
We also made a lot of old lights and lampshades. You can get some really interesting light fittings with a lot of history to them.
Does it have to cost a lot of money to create the look?
No, that’s the beauty of it. If it doesn’t cost money it does take time. You can pick up amazing older oil paintings which are really fashionable at the moment.
If you spend your time looking around charity shops and auctions, you can pick up some lovely things really, really cheap. It’s an ongoing project and you can keep you eye out for pieces.
Where do you start when re-designing a room with the Cotswold country look?
Establish how much you have to spend. Even if you don’t have a big budget, the colour palette is very important. The colour palette at The Frogmill is very chalky and uses two styles. There’s a very dark moody area in the bar and a very light and airy feel in the conservatory.
Fabrics are also important, The Frogmill is very textural. Faded florals are very in at the moment too. Battered old rugs are also great to create the look. I also tell people not to be scared to mix fabrics and colours together.
Finally, where is good in Gloucestershire that is great for picking up home finds?
The Frogmill has a lot of plants and they were sourced in Burford Garden Centre. Daylesford also does some great things.
For more information, see The Frogmill, call (01242) 386364, or visit thefrogmill.co.uk directly.
