A Warm & Characterful Shropshire Sitting Room
A Warm & Characterful Shropshire Sitting Room
Creating a joyful and deeply personal sitting room was at the heart of this project in the Shropshire countryside. Surrounded by a wild and flourishing landscape, this beautiful cottage offered endless potential.
Fable & Willow worked closely with our client to enhance the home’s existing character, combining her personal vision with our love of colour, craftsmanship and thoughtful design. The result is a warm, inviting space that feels entirely at home in its rural setting.
A Personal Approach to Country Style
At Fable & Willow, we believe a home should tell the story of the people who live there—layered with personality, warmth and timeless craftsmanship.
Our client’s much-loved horse and greyhound, Blue, hold a special place in her heart. Incorporating her love of animals into the design therefore felt both natural and essential, allowing us to create a room that feels meaningful and uniquely hers.
The Fabric That Inspired the Scheme
The design centred around GP & J Baker’s beautiful ‘Robina’s Dinner Party’ fabric. Featuring delicately illustrated animals within a soft pink and green pattern, it brings a wonderful sense of charm and playfulness to the room while remaining elegant and refined.
We used the fabric for the curtains, creating an eye-catching feature that set the tone for the wider scheme. To draw out its beautiful colours, we lined the curtains with Linara cotton-linen in Sakura, adding a soft peach finish and another considered layer of detail.
Building a Warm & Balanced Palette
Once the curtain fabric had been chosen, we began building a cohesive scheme around it.
The light-reflecting oak flooring and cosy fireplace already provided a beautiful foundation. To complement these features, we selected Edward Bulmer’s Clove at 70% strength for the walls. This warm, grounding shade allows the brighter colours and patterns within the room to shine while enhancing the cottage’s welcoming character.
Terracotta pink and olive green became the key colours within the palette, bringing warmth, freshness and balance to the space.
Celebrating Much-Loved Furniture
The existing sofa and armchair already had wonderfully characterful silhouettes, so we chose to celebrate their charm by giving them a new lease of life.
The sofa was upholstered in a beautiful Moon wool, while the armchair was covered in Sears terracotta pure wool. Their warm pink and terracotta tones introduce softness and depth, creating an inviting place to sit and relax.
For the footstool, we selected an olive fabric from Colefax and Fowler. This creates a harmonious connection with the green tones in the curtains and helps bring the entire scheme together.
Layers of Texture & Playful Detail
The finishing touches gave us an opportunity to introduce further texture, personality and playfulness.
A rustic rug from Crucial Trading anchors the room with muted, earthy tones while adding warmth underfoot. An assortment of cushions in Ian Sanderson fabrics, finished with brush fringe from James Hare, creates layers of pattern, texture and detail.
We completed the seating area with a playful box cushion in Rufus Green Stripe. Its distinctive blend of cotton and jute introduces another tactile element, bringing a fresh and contemporary touch to the cottage setting.
Together, these carefully considered details make the room feel comfortable, welcoming and beautifully lived in.
Creating a Gentle Evening Glow
Lighting was equally important in ensuring the sitting room felt inviting throughout the day and into the evening.
To enhance the warmth of the scheme, Fable & Willow created bespoke lampshades using Ian Sanderson’s Quiver fabric in Dusty Pink. These soften the light and cast a gentle glow across the room, creating an atmosphere that feels both comforting and enchanting after dark.
A Joyful Country Retreat
By using terracotta pink and olive green as our starting points, we created a layered and engaging sitting room that reflects our client’s personality while complementing the character of her country cottage.
This project is a celebration of personal storytelling, thoughtful craftsmanship and joyful design. The finished room feels bespoke and elegant, but above all, it is a comfortable and uplifting space to live in.
If this project has inspired you to bring more colour, character and personality into your own home, get in touch with us at Fable & Willow and let our team help bring your vision to life.