How They Transformed a 200-Year-Old Cottage

Rose Winter emigrated from Great Britain to Australia as a child. She always loved green hills and valleys, and later developed a passion for French countryside style.

Candelabras in the dining room are decorated with ivy and berries.

Rose found an old 1860s house in the small village of Ridgel. There, every year in early September, a narcissus festival is held.

Even in its weathered state, I immediately saw the potential. But I quickly brushed off the idea of restoration like a persistent fly and went home. On the kitchen where there used to be a fireplace, there is now a small wine cellar. Abundance of small decor accents highlight the countryside style.

Soon, Rose came across the same cottage in a real estate guide. Despite her doubts, she decided to buy it. That’s when the major and sometimes difficult work of renovation began. An inspection of the building revealed that the house retained a solid frame, but restoring the interior was not simple.

The only clue was the unique shape of the house, which defined its character. Everything else was pure imagination.The former dining room, now a living room, tastefully furnished with antique items. Take a look at these handcrafted shutters.

Rose and her children virtually demolished and rebuilt the house from scratch. For example, the modernized kitchen now features a new tiled roof made of corrugated iron.

At times, the scale of the renovation overwhelmed the new homeowner.

In the yard was an old log where I often sat and cried.

But any difficulties can be overcome: today the house is fully renovated and restored. French doors, new dormer windows, and mirrors completely transformed the dark interior and added brightness.

Rose’s love for France inspired her color choice when it came time to paint the walls.

After six months of intense work, Rose moved into the house and started gardening. From a weed-infested enclosure, she transformed it into a fairy-tale green land. Today the garden is full of roses and deciduous trees: silver birch, wild and spreading willow.

When I am in the garden among the sparrows and little finches, watching roses bloom, I feel true happiness.

Rose’s cottage is considered the oldest house in Ridgel village. To preserve this memory, she left several planks untouched that were used to clad the house from the very beginning, and treated the new ones in the same style.

Such places as Ridgel are becoming rare.

Today, Rose Winter lives in her dream home. She raises chickens, grows herbs and vegetables. On Sundays, she plays the organ in a small local church.