The Northamptonshire 'Bootility' Room

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The Northamptonshire 'Bootility' Room

LocationNorthamptonshire, UKDesignHill Farm Furniture

Farthings is a charming stone and render cottage situated in undulating countryside at the heart of Pitsford in Northamptonshire. Farthings, which dates back to around 1850, was originally two smaller cottages but is now (thanks to the previous owners) one residence. Thankfully, many of the property’s period features were preserved and, unusually for many buildings of this type, Farthings is a bright and airy cottage benefiting from dual aspect within most rooms.

The current owner, Michelle, purchased Farthings in May 2023 after falling in love with the unusual character and potential of the cottage. After travelling the world, Michelle returned to her roots in the beautiful English countryside to be closer to family, and adopted the ongoing renovation project at Farthings. Included in the renovation, and as part of Michelle’s vision for her dream home, was the addition of a ‘bootility’ room - a hybrid boot room and utility space. The space originally housed a corridor and wash room, which was redesigned to accommodate the new vision.

The idea was to create a functional but welcoming entrance to the home.

The wish list was long; Michelle wanted a classic boot room feel with storage, housing for appliances, space for new puppy Spencer and a sink for muddy boots and paws, whilst also keeping the exposed stone work which was the original face of the cottage.

At the outset, the space was quite compact and didn’t benefit from much daylight, so a wall was knocked down and new windows were installed to create additional space and to let light flood in. The company tasked with delivering Michelle’s vision was Hill Farm Furniture, a second-generation traditional cabinet maker whose workshop is based in Newark, Nottinghamshire.

The new ‘Bootility’ room showcases a classic, utilitarian Shaker design.

Simple ‘lambs tongue’ moulding, designed and manufactured by Hill Farm’s craftsmen is featured throughout. The cabinet carcasses are made from a combination of oak veneer and solid oak, with all the painted elements constructed using American White Poplar. They are hand painted in a gentle period green called Tracery 11 by Little Greene, and finished with simple, yet elegant aged brass hardware by Armac Martin. The subtle-soft green colour balances perfectly with the crisp white Marble-effect Quartz work surfaces to create a bright, fresh feel to the room.

As space was of a premium, the Shaws Belfast was the clear winner when it came to the choice of sink.

Michelle wanted the traditional look and feel of an apron fronted sink, so the Belfast, with its compact design, was the natural choice. Paired beautifully with the Aged Brass Perrin & Rowe Langbourn tap and rinse it is the perfect solution for washing muddy boots and miniature dachshunds.

The layout of the space almost designed itself.

Due to the size constraints of the room, and Michelle’s requirements for certain elements (a built in washer/dryer, storage and bench seating) the layout almost designed itself; with a sink fitted perfectly on the back wall, adjacent to the storage cupboard. The designers at Hill Farm suggested installing tongue and groove panelling, and this not only looks period, but it’s a practical choice in an area such as a boot room, allowing any muddy splashes to be wiped down easily.