Bee Osborn is an English interior designer living in the idyllic Cotswolds countryside. When she isn’t designing for international hotels and residential clients, she is busy with her family making updates to their thatched cottage originally built in 1540. Here, Osborn shares how her personal design process has uplifted the spirit of her warm, cozy home.
Photography provided by Bee Osborn
How would you describe your personal style?
I would describe my style as elegant, calm, comfortable and country chic.
How did you approach the design of this cottage?
When I see a space, I immediately visualize the overall look and feel I want to deliver. I also try to consider how each room connects with the others to create a pleasing space flow. My cottage is Grade II listed, meaning that everything has to be passed by planning first and all materials require approval.
What are some of your favorite design elements in your home?
I adore the natural elements of my home, like the old stone walls and wood cladding. It creates such a warm and cozy feeling. I also love the natural color palette that makes everything feel calm and relaxed.
If you could add one design item to your home, what would it be?
If I had to choose something, it would be these incredible oversize ceramic white vases that are currently in my show room. I have put lights in the bottom of them that create a dramatic effect. Sadly, they are out of my price range.
How did you source the furnishings for your home?
It’s been a mixture of hunting in old reclamation centers and antique shops, shopping online, and attending design fairs. Sourcing takes up a huge amount of my time, but I’ve kept a file of pieces that I had been dying to use for years, so it is exciting to actually see some of those live inside my home.
Do you have a favorite space?
Definitely my bathroom. I waited three years to have an en suite bathroom. It is clad in reclaimed barn wood and is beyond comforting. I purchased the secondhand tin slipper bath a few years ago. I think my inspiration came from the movie The Holiday when Cameron Diaz sits in the tiny tub. As my cottage resembles the house in the movie, it feels so meant to be.
Which room do you spend most of your time in?
I spend the most time in my kitchen that opens to a dining room and sitting room. This room was originally the barn at the back of the cottage that couldn’t be accessed from the house. We had no idea how the space would actually look and feel until we knocked through. The barn had three different floor heights; I couldn’t afford to level them out and I was concerned that the space would feel disjointed. But in reality, it works brilliantly — it allows people to sit in the different areas doing their own thing with the feeling of still being together.
How does your cottage bring you joy?
My cottage may seem small, but it’s large enough to squeeze my family together perfectly. It is so comfortably furnished with deep-seated sofas, linen fabrics and soft cushions. Considering we had a year of renovations during lockdown and I lived without a kitchen while sleeping on the floor for months, to have a completed home is heaven.
