2019-07-01_Country_Homes_Interiors

finallymadeuptheirmindstobuy.Andastheproperty

isclosetostatelyhomeRagleyHall,thecouplehave

sincediscoveredtheycanwatchtheairshowsand

fireworkdisplaysit hostswhileimmersed in the

relaxingbubblesofthehottub!

‘Thebarncameontothemarketthedayafterwehad

anofferonourSolihullhouse.Thingsjustseemedto

fallintoplace;likeit wasmeanttobe.Soalthoughit

tooksixmonthstocomplete,it wascertainlyworththe

wait,’saysLaura,whospentthetimedecidinghowshe

wouldstyleherruralretreat.‘Theconversionwasonlya

coupleofyearsoldatthatstage,whichsuitedusvery

well.A localbuilderhaddonetheworkandcreateda

livingroom,diningroom(previouslyusedasa third

bedroom),twobedroomsandthreebathrooms.It was

stillverynewandmeantwecouldputourstamponit

fromthestart,’saysLaura,whostartedanInstagram

account(@thehappyheartcompany)shortlyafter

movingintothebarn,recordingherdecorchoices.‘A

lotofmyinspirationforinteriorscomesthroughsome

lovelysmallbusinessesthatI followonInstagram,’she

says.Theresultis a blendofcalmingnaturalelements

mixedwithcontemporarystylingtomakethespace

tranquilandrelaxing.‘Wewereespeciallycarefulnotto

overpower the barn’s own structural elements and the

LIVINGTHEDREAM

Onceherchildrenweregrownup,

LauraSzczygielskiwasableto

downsizetoa homefullofcharacter.

Whatwasthecatalystfor

yourmovetothecountry?

Itwasa timeofself-reflectionand

wonderingwhatwewantedinlife–

andwedecidedthecountryside

wouldplaya bigpartinournextstep.

Howdidyoupreparefor

themove?Downsizingmeantwe

neededtore-thinkourfurniture.We

tookonlya fewtreasuredpiecesfrom

ourprevioushomeandgavetherest

tofriendsandcharity.

Howdoyouthinkbigina

smallerspace?Thebarndoesn’t

feelsmallasit’sopenplanandwe

wereabletohavea largesofaand

diningtable.Wealsospendlotsof

timeinthegardenduringthesummer,

soit’slikehavinganextraroom.

>

LivingroomLaura’s

cornersofais hergo-tochill-

outzone.Sofa, Loaf.Tripod

lamp, Habitat.Sheepskins,

JohnLewis& Partners.

Stool, madebyGemma

Metherell Upholstery

waRwickShiRe baRn