Welcome... Dynamic and contemporary, we aim to exceed expectations and nurture long term relationships with our clients. Our dedication raises the bar. Sharvell Property is a contemporary boutique estate agency with traditional values. We provide a bespoke service tailored to you and your home; combining beautiful marketing and local knowledge with an outstanding commitment to our clients. Based in the heart of the Cotswolds and specialising in the sale of residential properties in the region, we pride ourselves on our service and approachability whilst offering integrity, discretion, and professionalism. Our relationship with our clients is of the utmost importance to us. Our passion We are lucky to live in one of the most attractive and sought-after regions of England. The Cotswolds has much to offer the potential buyer and our enthusiasm and knowledge of the area is key. We moved to the Cotswolds when our eldest son Rufus was only a few months old. Over time, and now with two further sons in tow, Wilfred and Augustus, we have built a wonderful network of friends, contacts and a wealth of experience which we wish to share with others. Our experience We created Sharvell Property after working for over two decades in the sale of international, national, and regional properties at multinational blue-chip companies including Knight Frank, Strutt & Parker and King Sturge (Jones Lang LaSalle). Our experience has led us to identify a need for a more personal and better managed approach to buying and selling property. We wanted to make a difference and create a business together which we could be proud of. Who knows, maybe one day our boys will want to follow in our footsteps! Our promise We strive to offer a more personal and enjoyable experience to buying or selling a home. By taking the best aspects of a traditional agency and combining the impact of the internet, exceptional photography and marketing, we are redefining the estate agency process. We advertise on all of the major property portals and ensure that your home has the coverage it deserves. Our dedicated photographers bring out the best in our properties and our innovative and effective marketing ensures every home stands out.
Peter & Francesca
Redefining estate agency an outstanding bespoke service with exceptional contemporary marketing.
Contact Details 01285 831 000 office@sharvellproperty.com www.sharvellproperty.com
Front cover image: Barrow Elm Cottage - Please see pages 8-9 for further details. Published by TBC Publishing Limited, Telephone: 01763 810042. ©TBC Publishing 2021. All rights reserved. Reproduction is forbidden except by express permission of the Publishers. The content of this magazine is believed to be correct but its accuracy is not guaranteed and it does not form part of any offer or contract. TBC Publishing Limited cannot accept responsibility for any omissions or errors.
Tunley Court is the perfect example of craftmanship
Tunley, Sapperton, GL7 6LW Cirencester: 5.5 miles, Kemble: 6 miles (direct train to London Paddington), Stroud: 8 miles
The design and setting fusing beautifully together to create an exceptional home with carefully thought out living spaces and delightful gardens and grounds. Set in circa 4.5 acres. EPC B.
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Guide Price £2,950,000
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
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A magnificent Cotswold country home
Cirencester, GL7 7HS
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Cirencester: 1.5 miles, Cheltenham: 14 miles, Kemble: 7 miles
A sensational and substantial country home only a few miles from Cirencester, surrounded by beautiful gardens, paddocks and woodland. Two separate one bedroom annexes provide superb ancillary accommodation. EPC E.
Price on Application 6 • sharvellproperty.com
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
A sensational country home in the heart of The Cotswolds
Quennington, GL7 5DE Quennington: 2 miles, Cirencester: 10 miles, M4 (Junction 15): 21 miles
Barrow Elm is the epitome of style and comfort in a fabulous semi-rural location. Careful thought and attention has been put into creating a sensational Cotswold home with period features and contemporary flare. Finished to a very high standard, this is a welcoming home with bright and light spaces alongside cosy corners. EPC F.
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Price on Application
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
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A magical country house with fabulous gardens and grounds
Horsley, GL6 0QF
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Nailsworth: 1.5 miles, Stroud: 6 miles, Painswick: 9 miles
An exceptional Grade II Listed country home in the heart of the Cotswolds, Barton End Farmhouse benefits from superb country living whilst being ideally placed in Horsley, close to Nailsworth.
Guide Price £1,795,000 10 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
Q&A With Dorcas Jones of Castellum
Designing and creating our dream home
Founded in 2003, Castellum is an awardwinning prime construction company offering both a turnkey design and build solution and outstanding levels of service as a main contractor; as a company we also develop and sell our own properties. We cover London and the South West Home Counties from our Surrey HQ and Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire from our Cotswold Office in Cirencester. Our management team has extensive construction experience and we work alongside architects, structural engineers, interior designers, landscape designers and historic buildings consultants across a range of properties from new builds to agricultural conversions and the refurbishment and extensions of existing homes, including listed buildings and country house estates. Tell us about a recent project The Red Sheds My family and I have recently moved into our very own Castellum project, giving me the perfect opportunity sit both client side and at the coal face simultaneously. We had our hearts set on a site that had four farm barns on it, two of them still inhabited by cows and long before it was granted planning permission for residential conversion. Getting consent for residential conversion was the biggest hurdle and we had to watch from the sidelines (it wasn’t ours at that point) and wait… and wait. We managed to buy it soon after the initial
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permission was granted and from that point we had a multi-pronged planning strategy. At the time of purchase the only building to be retained was the stone barn. Four planning applications later we achieved our end goal and were eventually able to retain three of the original farm buildings, maintaining the form of the original farmstead. Our site is on the route of an old Roman Road and there is a scheduled ancient monument in the adjoining woodland so that too added a frisson of interest, along with the bats, owls and contamination that were all on site and with a whopping 26 planning conditions to meet. It was a lengthy process but by the time we had met all of the conditions, we had been able to plan every last detail. Even down to the position of the socket for the Christmas tree! Once building finally began, the construction phase took little over a year. Throughout the planning process, Blake Architects (Jonathan Nettleton and Misha King) were a joy to work with. So many people have asked me if it is as I imagined it would be and the answer, of course, is absolutely. What we have managed to achieve is exactly what we had worked towards. This home really is all about the arrival, the view and the light. When you pull up on the drive you see a contemporary Cotswold stone barn (I swear that Castellum’s stone masons cannot be beaten) and through the front door, you see straight through the
room for a pool table and space to sit and watch both movies and sport – it really is an escape room and at the time of building, we had no idea that we would soon be heading into lockdown. To meet our much-desired eco credentials, we bit the bullet and installed a ground source heat pump that uses five bore holes that reach down a staggering 145 metres to heat all three buildings. With the high levels of insulation required by building control, we now have a very energy efficient home that is future proofed against rising fuel costs. It has been a once in a lifetime experience I suspect and, we are so delighted with it, that I cannot honestly imagine us ever wanting to move. Part of my own brief was to create a home that my children would always want to come back and visit but now I fear they may never leave! building to the view beyond. All of the living spaces look out over the view to the west but we have high level lighting from the east and roof lights too which means the house is flooded with light all day long. We decided to create a home that celebrated Cotswold stone, both inside and out, and we decided early on that the visible fabric of the building would predominantly be either clean and white or earthy and natural in texture and colour with the industrial structural steels on show. We used polished plaster, metal, stone and wood. We love colour too but wanted to bring that in in very bold pops but softly – using sofas, chairs, lampshades and so on. I had been carrying around my sofa fabrics for years and I got a local upholstery company to upcycle a couple of cream sofas that a good friend of mine was
disposing of… my dining table and chairs came from my family home when my parents were downsizing and I had those re-upholstered too. Our games room was rather a luxury item and is a bit of a giggle. In terms of design, it really is the room that I have spent the most time and effort designing in my life – perhaps because I viewed it as a thank you to Ben for being so instrumental in achieving our forever home – he was the driving force behind all the things that make the structure work. This was a complex room – with recycled acoustic panelling and a complicated bulkhead that was needed to enable an upstairs room whilst allowing the sliding external doors to be a full three metres in height to take advantage of our incredible view. I wanted to the room to have a club feel and a bar,
What do you think makes a house a home? Character. I think it is really important that homes reflect the nature of the people that live in them. Homes, and the people that we share them with, should feed our souls and be both relaxing and fun places to be – places that wee are always happy to come back to. What should people consider when renovating a house? (layout, usage etc). For me it is all about how spaces flow and practicality. A full-on project is not for the faint hearted but, with the right team, it can (and should) be a great deal of fun. To be able to design your own space to live in is a privilege and not something you are likely to do multiple times in your life. For that reason, plan it properly, choose your dream team and enjoy the ride.
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A magnificent Country House in the heart of The Cotswolds
Preston, Cirencester, GL7 5PR Cirencester: 2 miles, Kemble: 5 miles (London Paddington 75 mins), Cheltenham: 18 miles
Preston Place is a sensational Grade II Listed country house, built of Cotswold Stone. The sweeping driveway leading up to the house is both impressive and elegant and a wonderful introduction to a fabulous country home which offers both practical living spaces whilst retaining its exceptional period charm.
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Guide Price £2,800,000
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
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A stunning Country house with beautiful gardens and grounds
Corston, SN16 0HJ
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Malmesbury: 2 miles, Tetbury: 7 miles, M4 (J17): 4 miles
A sensational country home bursting with charm and character, set in circa 9.23 acres of stunning gardens and grounds. The house has been wonderfully renovated with generously proportioned and colourful reception rooms and cosy corners.
Guide Price £1,750,000 18 • sharvellproperty.com
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
Melanie Williams Bespoke Interiors is a creative architecture and interior design studio working between London and the Cotswolds. The Studio skillfully integrates all aspects of architecture, interior design and bespoke furniture design to create cohesive spaces, tailored to each individual client.
+44 [0] 7989 597264 +44 [0] 207 1297560 info@melaniewilliams.co.uk www.melaniewilliams.co.uk
What would be your biggest tip when choosing an architect to work with? I’m a big fan of staying local unless there is a good reason not to. An excellent architect can work anywhere of course, but if you have not got one of those already up your sleeve then staying local has some huge benefits. Local architects will know the planners and have a good understanding of what will and will not be acceptable to them. Sometimes serendipity steps in and lends a hand – I found the architect for my house because I happened to spot a building that resonated with me and so started my research there… Of course, if you are going down the design and build route then Castellum can recommend a match and help you with the brief. Which pieces in a home are worth investing in?
Founded in 2003, Castellum is an award winning prime construction company offering both a turnkey design and build solution and outstanding levels of service as a main contractor. In February 2021, Sharvell Property caught up with Castellum’s Cotswold based Design Manager, Dorcas, and interviewed her on all things construction, including how to choose an architect.
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We are including here a few snippets from that interview but please head over to www.sharvellproperty.com/blog for the whole interview and to see all the other interesting “Meet The Expert’ interviews along with some brilliant Cotswold hints and tips that are carried in the Journal section of the website. Talk us through the design process… Every good construction project starts with a detailed brief and, given the bespoke nature of our work, the approach differs enormously from project to project. Some clients come to us knowing exactly what they want and others have a far blanker canvass. We really love being involved from the very beginning. Where works are extensive, negotiating the planning process can be complex and involves far more than just matching the right clients to the right architects - in the Cotswolds it often involves archaeological and environmental surveys and the timing for such surveys will form part of the critical path. Keeping the momentum going and all the plates spinning is all part of the fun. I tend to get rather obsessed with the flow of spaces and understanding how people live in them and what is going to work and when it comes to choosing finishes it is sensible to think about which materials are going to be most practical. The more detail you can start with, the more smoothly works will progress.
When considering the fabric of the building spend time choosing the things you cannot easily change and invest in those! If you pick something you later regret, there will be a solution, but it could be costly so it is worth taking the time to plan properly and get things right first time around. This really does apply from the groundworks up… When it comes to investing in furniture and paintings, work out what you really care about and spend your money there. These are the things that will reflect your personality and give you the greatest pleasure. Favourite material to work with right now? Metal! What are your tips for successfully blending old and new (it could be modernising listed buildings, or blending inherited/antique furniture with new pieces). Don’t be afraid of it. There are no rules. The piano in our entrance hall is over 120 years old and looks totally at home in a very contemporary space.
COTSWOLD OFFICE Castellum House, South Way, Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1FN 01285 771439 www.castellum.co.uk
An exceptional and substantial Country House with stunning countryside views
Rendcomb, GL7 7DF Cirencester: 3 miles, Kemble: 8 miles (London Paddington 75 mins), Cheltenham: 12 miles
A charming Cotswold stone barn conversion with ample entertaining space, set in circa 35 acres with exceptional rural views. EPC D.
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Guide Price £2,750,000
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
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An exceptional country house with delightful gardens and grounds
Luckington, SN14 6NJ
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Tetbury: 9 miles, Malmesbury: 8 miles, M4 (Junction 17): 8 miles
An exceptional country house which has been lovingly renovated over the years to create both a welcoming and practical home with contemporary living spaces and much character throughout. Set in circa 2 acres of beautiful garden and grounds. EPC D.
Guide Price £1,595,000 26 • sharvellproperty.com
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
Q&A With Harriet Parsons
Creating Outdoor Living Spaces Harriet Parsons
“We are most excited about the increasing demand for water within the garden be it a lake, swimming pool, pond or rill. This is brilliant for the environment.” 28 • sharvellproperty.com
Blurring the lines between the inside and out is a growing trend for 2021, what are the key points to keep in mind when extending an indoor living space into the outdoors? We aim to create a space that is a natural extension of the house taking into account existing doors, windows and materials. We also pay particular attention to how the space is accessed and viewed from inside. Where do you look for inspiration when it comes to garden design? Nature. What are essential pieces to invest in when creating a garden? We encourage clients to invest in year round structure whether a wonderful
tree, topiaries or a stunning wall which, amongst other things, will act as a setting for any outside living space. Furniture and pots will then follow. What are your tips for choosing the best outdoor furniture? What materials should you look out for? • Consider what it will be used for i.e.: lounging or dining. • If possible, try it out. Is it comfortable, is it easy to get up from? • Is the furniture a suitable size for the space? • Consider its intended location i.e.: glass table tops under trees may not be advisable. • If it’s in full sun will it get uncomfortably hot?
What furniture or pieces would you recommend to anyone looking to easily level up their outdoor living game? Dress your table. Add a table cloth, candles, lanterns or flowers. Rugs, sheepskins or cushions can also be used on benches or chairs. They needn’t be new, items from the house can be temporarily bought outside to make the most of sunny days and evenings.
• Is weight an issue/is it easy to move? What do many people tend to overlook when putting together their outdoor living space? • What it looks like from the house. • What it looks like in the winter. • What it looks like without cushions. • Where to store the cushions. • Will it need much maintenance. • Will it need covers, these may not be very nice to look at. • Will it block views you’d prefer to keep, i.e.: will you be looking at the back of a sofa? • How easy is it to walk around? Leave enough space for people to walk behind even when their chairs have been pushed back.
Without delving into a huge redesign, what are some low maintenance ways to get your garden ready for summer? • Clean the terrace or hard landscape. • Remove anything that’s dead. • Ensure the lawn edges are crisp. • Declutter the outside living space. • Add some furniture, visible from the house, to entice people into the garden. For smaller gardens that are limited on space, how can you create a space to
entertain while ensuring those natural elements still shine through? Where space is limited we incorporate seating into essential features. For example we ensure the edges of retaining beds are high and wide enough to be used as a bench. Within our studio we are presently developing some furniture which will fold out of the trellis. What garden design trends are you excited about and incorporating into your own garden this year. We are most excited about the increasing demand for water within the garden be it a lake, swimming pool, pond or rill. This is brilliant for the environment. I’ve got a new garden, the first thing I’m going to do is put in some water.
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A quintessential Cotswold farmhouse with separate annex and paddock
Woodmancote, Cirencester, GL7 7EF Rendcomb: 1 mile, Cirencester: 5 miles, Cheltenham: 10 miles
An exceptional Grade II Listed family home bursting with an abundance of period charm and character, with separate annex, delightful landscape gardens and paddock.
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Guide Price £1,650,000
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
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An exceptional 18th Century barn conversion in the heart of The Cotswolds
Baunton, GL7 5EY
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Cirencester: 2.5 miles, Kemble: 6 miles, Cheltenham: 14 miles
This Grade II Listed Cotswold home is both welcoming and generously proportioned. Of particular note is the fenestration throughout the property which adds an exceptional feeling of space and an abundance of natural light throughout with large windows overlooking the surrounding gardens.
Guide Price £1,500,000 32 • sharvellproperty.com
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
A sensational period home in the heart of The Cotswolds
Painswick, GL6 6UP
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Stroud: 3 miles (direct trains to London 90 mins)
A sensational period home only a stone's throw from the centre of Painswick. Whilst the house would benefit from some updating, the proportions of the rooms and house are excellent. There is a real sense of grandeur with a wonderful feeling of space with an abundance of period charm and character throughout.
Guide Price £1,350,000 34 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
A superb country house in a wonderful village
Kemble, GL7 6BS Cirencester: 4 miles, Tetbury: 8 miles, Malmesbury: 9 miles, Cheltenham: 21 miles
A beautiful Cotswold home with fabulous landscaped gardens, superbly located on the edge of Kemble close to local amenities. Bright and light throughout, careful thought has been put into creating welcoming spaces.
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Guide Price £1,500,000
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
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A stunning converted chapel in a beautiful woodland setting
Tunley, Sapeprton, GL7 6LW
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Cirencester: 5.5 miles, Kemble: 6 miles, Stroud: 8 miles
Nestled in beautiful woodland, The Old Chapel is a converted and extended former Chapel bursting with charm, character and original features. Beautifully laid out it is both welcoming and comfortable with open plan living spaces and cosy corners.
Guide Price £1,175,000 38 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
The Leap
The Marlborough Downs
Making the move from city to The Cotswolds
“We spend so much more time outside whether it’s in the snow or sun. We feel less stressed generally, no London traffic, no sirens, and a much more friendly community.”
The Marlborough Downs Image credit: Michelin Travel] Jolly Nice in Stroud Image credit: Jolly Nice IG Keeper's Lodge, Cranham
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We are excited to share stories from residents who made the leap from city life to the beautiful Cotswolds countryside. Charlotte and Jack have been happily residing in the Cotswolds' rolling hills for two years now. Find out more about their journey to countryside living and their advice to anyone else thinking about making the leap! Do you remember the moment that the seed was sown to make the move to The Cotswolds? We were living on our houseboat Trafalgar in London, on Chelsea Reach. Charlotte was pregnant with our first, and a friend was coming over with her baby. She called from the road, saying she couldn’t get her buggy, shopping and other such baby paraphernalia down the ramps without help - we knew it was time for a change - either abroad or to the country, and when we decided on the country, it was only going to be The Cotswolds. Tell us about your property search We rented first in Quenington so we had time to search, and viewed loads of properties in the area between Burford and Chipping Norton. We were sitting at Daylesford having lunch after yet another disappointing viewing, feeling rather glum and dejected. We couldn’t find anything in our budget that justified the move to the
Cotswolds. The night before, as a last attempt, I had widened our search area towards Cheltenham. Sitting in the courtyard, about to head back to town, my phone beeped. It was a property alert. Sharvell Property had just loaded Keeper’s Lodge in Cranham. Within 2 minutes we had spoken to Peter and arranged a viewing for the following morning. Did you have a wish list for the features/style of house/amenities you wanted? We wanted space - open countryside - and charm. Old and in need of work, but liveable at the same time. Charlotte is an Interior Architect and I develop properties, so we wanted a project. What made you think your new home was ‘the one’? Keeper’s Lodge has that immediate ‘wow’ impact on arrival. We were actually in the woods behind the house when we both said “this is the one”. We hadn’t been inside yet. That didn’t matter. We made an offer there and then. Surrounded by its own land, with unbroken views as far as the Marlborough Downs, we knew we’d found our home. How are you settling in? We have been here for two years now, and in that time had two daughters and set up two companies. We converted the stables
Paint-a Pot for the kids. A family favourite is Jolly Nice - just to the West of Cirencester, a converted petrol station serves up the best burgers around, and the deli/shop is full of some amazing treats. Our local shop in Miserden is the most amazing village shop going, with endless walks that start and end from it. What does a weekend in The Cotswolds look like for you? Long walks, roast lunches, roaring fires, adventures in the woods, jumping in puddles, tennis and golf, newspapers in bed (yeah right....we have two young children).
Keeper's Lodge
into a guest suite and have had many an enjoyable weekend hosting friends. Peter and Francesca have actually now sold Keeper’s for us! We adored being here, especially for those nesting days before and after each child, and for ‘lockdown’. We were incredibly grateful for the space to walk, see the seasons change in nature and be outside without actually leaving home. But we are moving to be closer to our family near Oxford, so it’s time for another family to enjoy this amazing home. We are incredibly grateful for the memories here. What’s been your biggest adjustment? The biggest adjustment has to be working from home. We do still go to London for meetings when necessary, Char commuted 2 days a week for 18 months when she had a big project in Kensington and now the projects are country based it’s only necessary for the occasional sourcing trip. We set up Headboards & Ottomans from home as so many friends were asking for help with having these made and it’s so tricky to find nice bespoke upholstered furniture that isn’t extortionately expensive without the help of an interior designer. How has it changed your day to day living for the better? We spend so much more time outside whether it’s in the snow or sun. We feel less stressed generally, no London traffic, no sirens, and a much more friendly community. When we see friends and family, we feel like we have quality time with them rather than fleeting visits and rushing off to the next appointment in town.
What would you say to someone who’s considering making the move from city to country? Try before you buy. We found renting for a period really useful - in terms of seeing if country living was for us, and more specifically, which area you want to be in. Make the most of people like Peter and Francesca, who know The Cotswolds inside out, and can do the hard work for you. Can you share some of your favourite local haunts? We have loved being between Cheltenham and Cirencester. Both offer everything you could need, from the Ivy and YO! Sushi, to
Do you miss anything about city life? Having all your friends on your doorstep or within 5 minutes is always nice, but they make the most of our house at weekends. We often go to London for a few days. The ease of walking out of the door to your favourite coffee shop, or dropping into the theatre or cinema around the corner is always nice, but it only takes a day or two before we feel the pull of the countryside. We honestly haven’t looked back. Finish the sentence: ‘Life in The Cotswolds is….’ ...perfect for us at this stage of our life right now. Knowing us, we will have an adventure somewhere else in the world, but I suspect we will end up in The Cotswolds long-term. It feels like home. Are you thinking about making the leap to The Cotswolds? Get in touch at office@sharvellproperty.com
Jolly Nice in Stroud
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A beautiful edge of village house with beautiful gardens and grounds
Upper Minety, SN16 9PY
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Minety: 1 mile, Oaksey: 2 miles, Kemble: 6 miles
A beautiful edge of Cotswold stone village house, superbly presented with generous living spaces, bright and light rooms and cosy corners. EPC B.
Guide Price £1,175,000 42 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
A stunning contemporary village house in the heart of The Cotswolds
Northleach, GL54 3DA
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Cirencester: 9 miles, Burford: 9 miles, Stow-on-the-Wold: 10 miles
A stunning contemporary village house in the heart of the Cotswolds. Built in 2018 Brookview House is part of a quaint development of five houses on the edge of Northleach. Superbly located it offers privacy in a village setting with rolling countryside on the doorstep. EPC C.
Guide Price £1,100,000 44 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
A substantial Cotswold House in the heart of the village
Down Ampney, GL7 5QW
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South Cerney: 3 miles, Fairford: 4 miles, Cricklade: 4 miles
Built 1865 for the Reverend Vaughan Williams whose son Ralph was later to become one of England’s finest composers. It was divided into two separate dwellings after it was sold by the Church of England in 1946 and remains a substantial semidetached village house with delightful gardens and grounds.
Guide Price £995,000 46 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
Q&A With Sims Hilditch, Interior Designer
Sims Hilditch is an award-winning, multidisciplinary interior design practice specialising in interior architecture and interior design. Its founder Emma SimsHilditch began her career working in film production for Ridley Scott in London, before relocating to Wiltshire with her husband nearly 20 years ago where she started making curtains from her kitchen table. This eventually grew into Sims Hilditch interior design, which now operates from a listed former coaching inn in the Cotswolds, which Emma renovated in the signature Sims Hilditch style with the help of her design team. Sims Hilditch currently undertakes projects in the city and country across the UK and further afield. Talk us through the design process, how you are led by clients, how you put together colour schemes etc We encourage our clients to have as much input as possible in the design process. Our ultimate aim is to create an interior that our clients can feel at home in, so the more information we can gather about their likes and dislikes, needs and requirements, the better. We ask our clients to fill out a detailed questionnaire at the initial stage of the process, and use this information along with details taken from respective meetings in person and via Zoom to put together an initial concept. In one case, we were able to determine a colour palette for our client’s home based on the ink they used to complete the questionnaire! Colour
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schemes can be inspired by an existing piece of artwork that our client particularly likes, or even the terracotta tiles on the floor of an entrance hall, as was the case in our Malvern Family Home project. We also ask our clients to share any design inspiration that they have accumulated via Pinterest to help us spot any common themes or patterns emerging that might be suitable for their home. What would be your biggest tip when choosing an interior designer to work with? When choosing an interior designer, its’s important to make sure they are a good fit. When starting a project with our clients we make it a priority to understand their individual needs and way of living, which stands us in good stead to design an interior which works well for them. If you don’t feel that your interior designer has a good understanding of this then perhaps they are not for you. At Sims Hilditch, we recommend making initial contact early with the details of your project to help us to build the right team to meet your requirements. We sometimes work with contractors or architects who assist with plans and external changes to the property when required. Which pieces in a home are worth investing in? A comfortable bed is a must have in the home. We often use Hypnos beds who work by Royal appointment and have been
We often incorporate a blend of more traditional and contemporary furniture into an interior to add interest and contrast. We also love to source antiques for our clients’ homes, including artwork, mirrors and furniture. In a recent project we even converted an antique commode into a beautiful washbasin for a cloakroom. Gustavian style furniture and antiques look particularly striking when paired with the sharp lines of Crittall doors, a metal coffee table or light fixture, and work well in a city or country home. It’s important to remember that old buildings can be sympathetically modernised to work well for modern living. This might include sensitively reconfiguring the layout of a narrow Victorian townhouse, or even excavating a basement to create more space.
handmade in England for the last 100 years. We also recommend investing in a quality sofa and kitchen/dining room table. These pieces tend to be integral to the rooms where families spend most of their time, so should be made with quality materials and expert workmanship. Emma has a wonderful pine table in her Wiltshire home that she bought nearly 30 years ago, and a beautiful George Smith sofa that has been in her family for generations. Creating interiors for posterity is something that is at the heart of the Sims Hilditch ethos, and something our clients are taking an increasing interest in. Tell us about a recent project We recently completed a Grade I Regency Townhouse in the heart of Bath. The aim of the project was to create an interior which was sensitive to the building’s heritage and beautiful surroundings, yet suitable for modern living. We used a combination of contemporary furniture and furnishings and an elegant colour palette of greys and pinks, with accents of deep blue to create an element of drama. What interior trends can you foresee for 2021/2022? At Sims Hilditch we create timeless, elegant interiors which are designed to last, so with this in mind we tend not to follow ‘trends’ perse. However, we have seen an uplift in clients investing in high quality furniture and furnishings that will stand the test of time so they can be passed on to future generations, and we expect this to continue in the coming years. What do you think makes a house a home? While we love to source new and exciting pieces for a client’s home, we also make a point of incorporating any existing pieces
into the design where possible. One particular client had a wonderful range of family portraits going back generations, which gave the interior a wonderful character and history. An interior should be designed with the people living there in mind. For instance, if the property has great historic value, the interior should be designed sympathetically to reflect this, while also being suitable for modern living. Can you share a few favourite independent interiors brands? Marlborough Tiles (tiles), Looking Glass of Bath (mirrors). What are your interior pet peeves or style no-nos? We try to avoid an overuse of animal print and neon in our interiors, Instead, we opt for a more classic aesthetic, often with a contemporary twist. Favourite colour? The classic Sims Hilditch green-ish grey reflected on the exterior paintwork and railing at our studio is a favourite of ours. This is RAL Pebble Grey.
Which interiors do you admire? (hotels, buildings, Instagrammers etc) Hotels provide much inspiration in terms of interior design, and indeed Emma’s own Wiltshire home is inspired by Provencal design reminiscent of a hotel she stayed at in the region. What should people consider when revamping a room? (layout, usage etc) One of the first things we do when planning an interior is consider how the space could be best utilised. This might require the reconfiguration of a home’s layout and some interior architectural work to increase the amount of storage available. Storage is a key consideration for most of our clients, particularly in the bedrooms, kitchen and utility/boot rooms. We devise intelligent storage solutions to make the most of the space, building shelving into awkward corners and recessing it into walls, creating hidden cupboards under the stairs and under bench seating, among other innovative solutions.
Where do you get your design inspiration from? Nature and a property’s natural surroundings are a great source of inspiration for us and is something we always consider in our designs. For one of our projects in the Scottish Highlands, we used the greens and ochres from the surrounding trees and foliage to inform the colour palette for the home, and we used plenty of natural materials, including oak for the flooring. What are your tips for successfully blending old and new (it could be modernising listed buildings, or blending inherited/antique furniture with new pieces)
sharvellproperty.com • 49
An enchanting village house in the heart of The Cotswolds
Brockhampton, GL54 5XH
3
5
3
Winchcombe: 5 miles, Cheltenham: 8 miles
A stunning Queen Anne semi-detached village house believed to date from 1703. It is a welcoming home, beautifully renovated and adapted to contemporary living, whilst retaining many original features and an abundance of charm and character.
Guide Price £975,000 50 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com
It all starts with a pencil
Camilla Bellord Interiors
From initial sketches to a beautifully curated interior space for your home, we meet the team behind award-winning Camilla Bellord Interiors and learn about how great design begins with the sound of a pencil on a blank page to create a truly bespoke interior design service. 52 • sharvellproperty.com
The renowned German designer and academic, Dieter Rams, once said that good design is making something intelligible and memorable, yet great design is making something memorable and meaningful. So how, when it comes to our homes, can this theory help us? For great interior design is so much more than a splash of paint – it shapes the experience of interior space, it thinks of our house as a whole, it connects our rooms with one seamless thread and establishes a true creative direction to where we live. Creating this meaningful and memorable aspect of space in our homes is vital, but, when it comes to creating such great design, how does it begin?
“It all starts with a pencil." This is Tom Bellord, director of the prestigious and award-winning Camilla Bellord Interiors. Launched in 2016, this luxury interiors company offers a complete interior design service with a philosophy of timeless interiors, infused with an eclectic elegance. It's a philosophy based on impeccable credentials. Founder Camilla Bellord has over 20 years’ experience and hails from a pedigree of renowned design institutions. She trained at the prestigious KLC School of Design in Chelsea, graduating with honours and was quickly snapped up by Lifestyles Interiors, previously part of the exclusive Northacre Property Development Group. From there, Camilla
sought-after design name, previously overseeing the creation and implementation of some of the most intricate commercial programmes in world sport, including FIFA World Cup and Six Nations Rugby. Coupled with Camilla’s bespoke design approach, it all combines to create a very special, utterly client-centred service. “It starts with an in-depth briefing with the client, ideally at the premises of the property,” Camilla says. “I then ask questions to get a feel for the space, the surrounding environment, architectural features, key materials. That’s always followed by time with the client to get a feel for who they are, their lifestyle, passions and interests, what they like and don’t like about the property.” For Camilla, creating this curated, bespoke service for her clients is paramount. “I like getting to know the client, as well as the geographical and environmental parameters of each project” Camilla says. From chalets in the Alps to international city apartments, geographical location is something this husband and wife team know a lot about, having lived for seven years in Switzerland by Lake Geneva before relocating to a country pad in the Cotswolds.
went on to work with renowned studios, Fox Linton Associates in London and Federica Palacios Design in Geneva. Projects have included show apartments at Kings Chelsea, a townhouse in Cadogan Square, the Grand Park Hotel and ski chalets in Gstaad, with Camilla’s work featured in a number of renowned international publications, including the Andrew Martin Interior Design Review and French Elle Decoration.
Without doubt, this is an interior design company which inherently understands the needs of a busy international client who requires a bespoke, discerning and individual service. Tom Bellord joined the company in 2017, bringing over 20 years of commercial business acumen to this
Camilla then begins formulating a palette of colours and materials. “I create the mood board,” Camilla says. “Then the detailed design process begins, using architectural plans and elevations. It’s at this point when I start to sketch my conceptual ideas – and the project comes to life. Each concept is then presented to the client and worked up using our prestigious portfolio of trusted suppliers." A bespoke service, one-of-a-kind drawings, unique art, absolute expertise and the sound of a pencil on the page. The eminent designer, Dieter Rams said that great design is making something memorable and meaningful – and Camilla Bellord Interiors are doing just that. And more. www.camillabellordinteriors.com
“Everything Camilla designs is handdrawn, that pencil curve, that line of the ruler," says Tom Bellord. "It's what sets her design ethos apart. That attention to detail, the bespoke style, the individual approach. A Camilla Bellord drawing is individual – there are no replicas.” sharvellproperty.com • 53
A beautiful village house in the heart of The Cotswolds
Ampney Crucis, GL7 5RY
3
4
2
Cirencester: 3 miles, Fairford: 6 miles, Kemble 8 miles
A beautiful village house in the heart of The Cotswolds with bright and light living spaces and a beautiful garden. A wonderful Cotswold home full of charm and character. EPC D.
Guide Price £975,000 54 • sharvellproperty.com
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
A beautifully renovated Cotswold cottage in the heart of the village
Ampney Crucis, GL7 5RY
4
4
3
Cirencester: 3 miles, Fairford: 6 miles, Kemble: 8 miles
A fabulous village house with delightful room proportions and charm and character throughout. Beautifully bright and light, the house offers welcoming living spaces. EPC D.
Guide Price £825,000 56 • sharvellproperty.com
Peter Sharvell 01285 831 000 peter@sharvellproperty.com
A beautiful village house in the heart of Northleach
Northleach, GL54 3EP
3
4
2
Cirencester: 9 miles, Burford: 9 miles, Stow-on-the-Wold: 10 miles
A stunning Cotswold home occupying a prominent position in the village, the owners have been mindful to create a welcoming and charming home which is also practical and perfectly adapted to everyday living. EPC E.
Guide Price £635,000 58 • sharvellproperty.com
Francesca Sharvell 01285 831 000 francesca@sharvellproperty.com