Pristine white-painted brick and pebbledash walls, a New England-style porch and a garden filled with hydrangeas, roses and scratch-built sheds hint at the dedication Chris and Neil Myers have poured into making The Warren their own. From knocking through rooms to reshaping the once-overgrown garden, every corner has been carefully considered.
‘It looked so unloved and tired when we bought it in 2000, but we could see it had huge scope for transformation,’ says Chris. Using handmade soft furnishings, restored furniture and cherished collections – from old paintings to samplers – the interiors have been refreshed, while outside the garden has evolved into an abundant cottage-style retreat.
‘It helps that Neil is very handy,’ says Chris. ‘He makes things using salvaged materials in The Crooked Workshop, a shed he made using a tin roof from a Second World War Anderson shelter.’
A creative addition
Years of work underpin the home’s easy charm. Alongside extensive decorating, the couple added an extension that now houses The Cozy Club – a space styled like an old general store – where Chris holds creative workshops, and occasionally sells handmade and vintage finds. Above it sits a loft-style bedroom.
‘We extended in 2004, in part because I’d always longed for a porch where I could sit and enjoy my garden and chat to passers-by and friends – this reminds me of growing up in Canada,’ she explains.
‘We worked really hard to design something that looks part of the house, not just an add on.’ The process wasn’t without its complications: ‘We had to navigate a protected tree and a council officer who wasn’t at all sure about the shiplap cladding,’ recalls Chris.
Where old meets new
Inside, the house, which dates from 1904, feels light and cohesive. A lofty entrance hall painted in off-white leads to softer tones and floral wallpaper upstairs. Early on, Chris and Neil chose to connect the kitchen, sitting and dining rooms. This was a hard decision to make as they didn’t want to change the Edwardian look too much.
However, it didn’t take anything away from the period of the property: ‘In fact, the view towards the original sitting room fireplace has somehow added to the kitchen,’ Chris says.
The kitchen itself is made up of freestanding units and repurposed furniture, with a double Aga and wide tongue-and-groove boards adding warmth and character. ‘We scoured fairs, such as Loseley Park Decorative Home & Salvage Show, The Reclaimed Home Fair and Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park, for dressers and shelves,’ Chris says.
These finds have not only created a unique kitchen but have also given Chris space to display her collections. ‘As a keen cook and a firm believer in a proper afternoon tea, I cherish mixing bowls and blue-and-white china,’ she says.
Treasures on display
Other collections are dotted throughout the house. To the left of the wooden fireplace in the sitting room is shelving, made by Neil, that displays one of Chris’s favourite treasures: vintage Anne of Green Gables novels.
‘Just holding these old books fills me with such inspiration – they have hugely influenced how we’ve made our home. Her cottage/farmhouse style is described so beautifully in the books, which I know guided me.’
In the adjoining dining area, a glazed Swedish-style dresser holds sentimental collections of small objets, including silverware and German Christmas decorations from Chris’s godmother.
Stitched with stories
With their sons now grown up, Chris and Neil have created a nursery and bedroom upstairs for visiting grandchildren. Furnished with inherited Second World War hospital beds, a sleigh bed, Canadian quilts and treasured toys, the rooms feel nostalgic and personal. Chris has a deep appreciation for textiles – and quilts in particular – with a past.
Drawn to pieces that have been used, repaired and reworked over time, she values the stories stitched into every layer. ‘I love their narrative, and when they are well worn you know that they have been dearly loved.’ She’s no stranger to mending them too, adding in her own story, stitch by stitch.
Despite the scale of what they’ve achieved, Chris insists that the process is ongoing. ‘I’m forever finding something to change or paint. The job of homemaking is never-ending,’ she says. Even so, The Warren feels complete in spirit.
Chris recalls a visit from someone who had been born in the house. Invited inside, he remarked that, despite all the changes, it retained the same atmosphere. ‘High praise indeed,’ she says.
Follow Chris @thecozyclubx
