The Knapp is a glorious Cotswolds farmhouse resting at the head of the unfolding Slad Valley. The village is where British author Laurie Lee spent boyhood and took inspiration for his famous novel, Cider with Rosie; all rolling hills, verdant fields and towering trees. So, it’d take quite a house to hold its own amid such storied surroundings – perhaps one heralded “no finer place to stay” by interior design bible, House & Garden.
Upon entering, the heritage is palpable. Old doors with black thumb latches sit misshapen and worn, exposed wooden beams speak to timeless craftsmanship (local lore has it they were salvaged from pirate ships) and a grand open fireplace stands with its brick back scorched by centuries of fires – telling stories of days where tea once brewed in pots above the flames, and families warmed fingertips on frosty December eves. “The history of the house can be documented back to Tudor times,” property owner Natasha notes. “We believe the side of the house with the blue front door was built in the late 15th century around the time of Henry VIII; the snug side a hundred years later.”
Natasha, a London-based interior designer to the stars, fancied herself a passion project when stumbling across the property back in 2013: “We had fallen in love with the view down the valley and the incredible seclusion and wildlife, but the house was in a dilapidated state,” she explains. “It is Grade-II listed, so we knew that the restoration would be slow and complicated.” Working closely with local conservation officers and architects, Natasha has struck a careful balance between respecting the home’s old bones, breathing new life into the place and paying homage to her roots. "Personally, I think the key to good interior design is being true to the house and honouring its history," she explains. "But, in addition to that, bringing in personal objects to give it some soul. We've got lots of old antiques, mixed with Hungarian objects like folk art and pottery, and Transylvanian cushions."
Rooms feel beautifully eclectic; a melting pot of stories gathered from places elsewhere. In the kitchen, a long shelf houses pots and jugs collected from far and wide; in the snug, inky blues and reddish pinks sit in perfect harmony alongside a second fire and library wall of books; in the entrance hall, hats of every kind pose as decorative wall art; and one of the bedrooms embraces a decidedly “granny-core” aesthetic, where clashing patterns meet a frilly, floral bedspread and long, tartan-style headboard. “The art here is a mixture of contemporary and historical pieces collected through our travels,” her husband, Jez, explains. “Most of the folk furniture has come from Hungary, where Natasha´s father lives and are pieces that have been handed down through the generations. And items – such as the Yoruba beaded chair in the bedroom – were bought by Natasha during a stint living in Africa as a reconstructive surgeon.”
So, what brought the duo to this little Cotswolds village? “We are both Londoners, but we have happy memories of visiting our grandparents in the countryside when we were children – in Oxfordshire and Hungary respectively,” they explain. Recreating somewhere peaceful and private for their own family was important to them. “The sense of space and being surrounded by nature is very rare so close to London, and is very precious to us. There is almost no light pollution at night and the wildlife is unfettered – we often wake up to deer on the lawn and kites in the sky.”
At The Knapp, opportunities to indulge in whatever pleases you are limitless. Cooking feasts in the Plain English kitchen; playing backgammon beside the fire; curling up with Cider with Rosie in the snug (the home actually starred in the BBC’s adaptation of the novel); cooking pizzas al fresco on long summer evenings; or setting out on a hike or antique hunt before refuelling on treacle tart and cream at nearby The Woolpack Inn. “We're still incredibly busy," Natasha concludes. "But when we do come here, we love pottering in the garden and I love escaping to my man cave – the greenhouse – where I grow vegetables and chamomile tea. I put my music on and don't think about anything else."
Feeling inspired? Read more of our owner chronicles, or find a place to stay in the Cotswolds.
