Open House - Bless Cottage in Weybridge
Above: Bless Cottage in Weybridge
While St George’s Hill might be home to some of Weybridge’s most exclusive properties, cast your eyes away from the walled gardens and you never know what hidden treasures you might find. ANDREW LOPEZ-CALVETE visits the recently refurbished Bless Cottage
Throughout my years as a student at Brooklands College, my appreciation of Weybridge was pretty much limited to two pubs, an off-license and the Wimpy Bar. Never did I go off the beaten track and investigate some of the enticing suburban side streets that break away from the main drag.
Had I troubled to do so, I would have discovered that the town in question is host to a wonderful selection of architectural styles from across the ages, not to mention a range of fine properties, both of which indicate that the wealth of the area long predates the famous gated estate of St George’s Hill. In fact, so attractive is this quiet spot that house prices have steadily been on the climb in what was already an expensive area.
Therefore, finding a recently refurbished three-bedroom cottage in the area of such outstanding quality as this month’s property, Bless Cottage, is truly amazing when you consider the asking price of just £750,000.
Love at first sight...
No one had to explain the appeal of Weybridge to the owner, Mandy Ogle, who had previously lived in the area. So how did she find such a gem of a property?
“I have always had a passion for renovating properties and have worked as an interior designer, so I’ve always had an eye for places that needed work to exploit their full potential,” she says. “I’d been searching for a while and viewed over 50 houses before finally finding Bless Cottage. I fell in love with it even before walking inside – the chocolate box cottage look, the location and amazing atmosphere.
“The decor and condition of the cottage left a lot to be desired, though, when I first moved in. It had obviously been a family home but needed some serious TLC and opening-up. I had originally chosen it as a house that was ideal for entertaining, but whether it was to be used as a family home or just for me, it needed some help.”
But this project wasn’t just going to be about new electrics and a healthy dose of laminate flooring, her plans were far more ambitious. “The existing layout didn’t provide enough usable space and only by changing this could I help my new home reach its full potential. When working with the architect, I wanted to create an open-plan space – inside and out. All my previous projects had been in London and I like creating clean, modern living spaces without them feeling cold or unwelcoming.”
Unlike a lot of owners featured in this column, Mandy decided not to project manage herself, so after receiving planning permission she selected Concept Carpentry and Renovations to handle the job. “Within a short period of time, the team from Concept had gutted the cottage – no windows, doors or even floors!” she says. “All the electrics and plumbing had to be replaced, and as there wasn’t one straight wall the plasterers had their work cut out for them.”
The finishing touches...
Mandy was fortunate enough to have alternative accommodation during the work, though she kept a close eye on the progress. “Concept were very patient with my many visits to track the work in progress and my seemingly endless questions so I knew what was going on during the six months the project took. The most enjoyable part was when the decorating was finished and I was able to go in and do the finishing touches, such as the curtains, pictures on the wall and furniture, so what I had visualised could finally become real,” says Mandy.
Looking at the décor of Bless Cottage, one sees an almost corporate approach to certain aspects, which manage to be softened with more personal strokes of the brush, so it’s no surprise to find one of Mandy’s key influences. “Hotels are a great source of inspiration for design ideas and I have often embarrassed my husband by taking photos of light fittings or curtains,” she says. Fortunately, these aspects don’t progress as far as a trouser press in each bedroom, and she had some much less conventional desires for the project.
“I love vaulted ceilings but have never before been in a position to do one so I was thrilled that my architect was able to include one for the master bedroom along with the Juliet balcony,” she continues. “The cottage originally had only one bathroom so I wanted an en-suite bathroom, as well as a decent sized third bedroom. My architect designed the extra space upstairs above an eat-in kitchen with living area looking out on the rear garden. We all seem to spend more and more time in the kitchen these days, so I was keen to have an open-plan space where I could be working in the kitchen while friends and family were easily able to interact with me from the living space. To make this area feel almost like an extension of the garden outside, I installed large patio doors on both aspects.”
Back on the market...
But this gem of a property is on the market so soon after its completion, fortunately for a positive reason. “I met my husband the week I moved into the cottage so he has lived through the entire experience with me,” says Mandy. “I had planned on staying in Weybridge but we have since decided to move back into London – partly because of work commitments. Thankfully, he hasn’t been put off by the work involved and we decided our next project was to be our home in Fulham, which is fortunately now almost finished!”
Get the look
Keep wall colour and floor coverings consistent throughout
Make sure designs are flexible enough for future occupants
Retain period details – respect your house’s heritage
Move out and let someone else project manage!