well-designedholidayhomes.Soin2014,following
thepurchaseoftheirfirstcottageintheCotswolds,
ZaraandLexfoundedTheLittleCottageCompany.
Theyalsorunanotherpropertybusiness,Golden
TicketLondon,whichfindshousesforactorstolivein
whilethey’reona movieshoot.Thebusinessis named
afterthegoldenticketinLex’sfavouritefilm,Charlie
andtheChocolateFactory.‘ItallbeganwhenLex’s
friendwasworkingonthefilmHugoandhecalledto
sayheneededtofinda houseforMartinScorseseto
liveinanddidLexknowofanywhere?'Lextookthejob
onandbuilta businessonthebackofthatcall.‘We
grewthebusinessfromourdiningtableandnowhave
officesinLondon,BarcelonaandLosAngeles,’hesays.
Sincecompletingtherenovationworks,thecottage
hasflourished.‘Daddoesallthemaintenanceandmy
mumandauntytendtothegarden,’saysZara.‘One
ofthejoysaboutbeinghereis thateveryoneknows
everyone.WespentourfirstnighthereonChristmas
Eve,litthefireandatefishandchips.I lovewatching
Jaxlearntoridehisbikeinthecountrylanesandplay
onthebeach,justasI did.Andit’sgreattoshare
ourenthusiasmforthecottagewithguests,too.’
Tobooka stayatLittleNorfolk Cottage, visit
littlenorfolkcottage.co.ukGuestbedroom
Woodendoorknobsare
a stylishandlow-costway
tohangmirrorsorwallart.
Similarknobs, Wickes.
Bed, Feather & Black
LIVINGTHEDREAM
Zarahasmadethemostofthequirky
featuresthatmakeherholidayhome
unique,andaddedextracharacter
withunusualfindsWhatattractedyou
tothecottage?
‘Theroundedfrontreallysoldit tous.
I lovetheflintstonewallsandthat
everyroomis anunusualshape.’
Wasitchallenging
furnishingunusually
shapedrooms?
‘Themostawkwardroomsarealways
themostinteresting.Ourtilers
commentedonhowrefreshingit was
workingina triangle-shapedroom!’
Anystandoutdesign
featuresorspecialitems?
‘I’dseena beer-pulllevercisternina
JamieOliverrestaurantandlovedit
somuchthatI huntedonedown.I’m
notsurehowyoucanbeinlovewith
a toiletcisternbutI amwithmine!’