If Harrow on the Hill has been my long, winding love letter to restoration, then The Nook is its charming countryside companion, a tiny 1500s cottage tucked into the heart of Hursley, Winchester, full of history, quirks, and the kind of character you simply can’t manufacture.

We bought it because we fell in love with its story, the uneven floors, the low beams, the centuries old timber that has quietly witnessed half a millennium of life. It’s the sort of place that instantly slows your breathing. A cottage that asks you to lean in, soften, and let the old walls wrap around you.
And now, after weeks of gentle updates and thoughtful touches, we’re getting it ready to welcome guests on Airbnb.

Why The Nook?

The Nook is everything I adore about historic homes, imperfect, soulful, and deeply atmospheric. It’s small, yes, but it’s the kind of small that feels like a warm embrace. Every room has a story. Every angle has a quirk. Every beam has a bow.
Where Harrow on the Hill has been, and still in a full‑scale restoration, The Nook has been more of a curation. A chance to honour what’s already there while layering in comfort, warmth, and a sense of calm.

Bringing a 1500s Cottage Gently Into the Present

Preparing a medieval cottage for Airbnb is a delicate balance. You want to preserve the magic, the sloping floors, the textured walls, the slightly mischievous staircases, while ensuring guests feel cared for and comfortable.
For us, that meant a series of small but meaningful decisions.

Reworking the Garden Patio

When we bought the cottage, the garden had old decking that had slowly rotted over time and become unsafe. It didn’t feel right for a house of this age, too temporary, too flimsy, too modern in the wrong way.
We chose to replace it with paving stone, which felt far more in keeping with the cottage’s history. It’s sturdier, more timeless, and visually grounded, something that complements the age of the building rather than competing with it. Now the patio feels like it belongs, a little courtyard space that invites morning coffee or an evening glass of wine.

Refreshing the Bathroom

The bathroom was originally painted a bright blue that made the small space feel even smaller. I repainted it a fresh, clean white to open it up and give it a sense of calm. We also sanded down some damp patches and, after a bit of trial and error, I found a specialist paint designed for imperfect surfaces, and it worked like magic. Suddenly the room felt lighter, cleaner, and far more in harmony with the rest of the cottage.

Flooring: The Reality of Working With What You Have

In an ideal world, we would have replaced the flooring throughout, the carpets, the tiles, the slightly tired wood. But restoration is always a dance between vision and budget, and sometimes the most responsible choice is to pause.
Instead, we had the carpets professionally cleaned, which made a world of difference, and we’re hoping the tiles and wood floors can hold on a little longer until we’re ready for the bigger, longer‑term changes. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest, and part of the charm of working with a home that’s older than most countries.

Curating the Interiors

Furnishing The Nook was one of my favourite parts. I wanted it to feel collected rather than decorated, a mix of old and new that reflects the cottage’s long life.
We used:

• Vintage pieces with patina and personality
• Modern touches to keep things feeling fresh
• Art I didn’t end up using in The Gerards that has travelled the world with us
• Sourced prints that I framed to add charm and warmth

The result is an eclectic mix that feels lived‑in, layered, and quietly intentional, exactly the atmosphere a cottage like this deserves.

Making Airbnb Feel Personal

Even though we’re using a management company to handle bookings and cleaning turnarounds, a necessity with our schedules and living in London, I still want The Nook to feel personal. Thoughtful. Looked after.
So I’ve been thinking about the details that make a stay feel special:

• Luxury toiletries that feel indulgent but not wasteful
• Soft, pretty bed linen that suits the cottage’s gentle palette
• Fluffy towels that feel like a treat
• A few curated extras, a cosy throw, a welcome note, maybe even a little guide to our favourite walks and pubs.

These are the touches that make a guest feel considered, even if we’re not physically there to greet them. It’s my way of staying connected to the cottage and ensuring that the experience feels warm, intentional, and quietly elevated.

The Storm Before the Beauty

Of course, no restoration, big or small, happens without a little chaos first. Before The Nook became the calm, cosy retreat it is now, there was a very real storm before the beauty. Piles of old decking being ripped up, sanding dust in the air, damp patches being treated, paint samples scattered everywhere, and that familiar feeling of wondering whether the vision in your head will actually come together in real life.

There were days when the cottage looked more like a building site than a future Airbnb. The bathroom mid‑prep, the garden half‑demolished, furniture stacked in corners, and floors that had definitely seen better days. But that’s the part I secretly love, the messy middle. The moment when everything is pulled apart so it can be put back together with intention.

Those imperfect, chaotic snapshots are part of the story. They show the work, the care, the decisions, and the patience behind the finished space. And now, looking at the “after,” the contrast makes the transformation feel even more meaningful.

The Experience We Want Guests to Have

When guests step inside, I want them to feel what we felt the first time we walked through the door, a sense of stepping back in time, but without sacrificing comfort.
The Nook is for:

• Slow mornings with coffee and birdsong
• Long countryside walks followed by a pub lunch
• Cosy evenings by the fire
• Escaping the noise of everyday life
• Reconnecting, with nature, with someone you love, or with yourself

It’s a place to retreat, restore, and breathe.

Why It Fits Into My Restoration Journey

Harrow on the Hill taught me how to listen to a building. The Nook reminded me how to feel one.

Both homes share the same philosophy:

honour the history, soften the edges, and create spaces that feel deeply lived‑in and loved.

Bringing The Nook to life has been a joy, a smaller project, but one filled with intention. And now, opening it up to guests feels like the natural next chapter. For Nook reservations click here.