A rustic stone house with a red tile roof, surrounded by a small stone and metal fence, featuring vines on the front wall and three windows with white shutters.

Withy Villa

Located in the village of Winford within the Chew Valley in North Somerset, this charming rural cottage was thoughtfully remodelled to elevate both its functionality and character. The project introduced a refined guest suite, a bespoke oak staircase and carefully crafted joinery, seamlessly blending the building’s historic fabric with contemporary detailing.

ReFrame Studio delivered a complete interior design package, including architectural refinement, material specification, bathroom design and a fully curated furniture selection - creating a cohesive and considered home tailored to modern country living.

Location: Chew Valley, North Somerset

Size: 250sqm

Client: Private Residential

Project Type: Rural Cottage Renovation

Services: Full Architectural Services, Interior Design, Furniture Package, Contract Administration

Status: Complete

Collaborators: Unit 8 Joinery, Farrow & Ball, Lusso Stone, Mandarin Stone

A brown dog lying on a gray dog bed near a white door inside a modern home.

A bedroom with a large built-in closet with five closed doors, a portion of the bed with white bedding, a nightstand with a white lamp, and an ornate white headboard.

A modern bathroom with a glass wall dividing a shower area on the left and a toilet area on the right, featuring white marble tiles and sleek fixtures.

Living room with a built-in bookshelf on the left, a small fireplace in the center with a flame, and a beige door on the right. There is a pink upholstered armchair in the foreground.

Top-down view of wooden staircase with light-colored wood steps and a glass railing on the right side, next to a gray wooden floor.

Modern bathroom with a white freestanding bathtub, white brick wall with a built-in shelf holding colorful bottles, a small window, and a ceiling light.

Close-up of a modern wooden and glass furniture piece with clean lines, set on a dark tiled floor.

View looking down from the top of a staircase into a living space with light-colored wooden floor, pink sofa, and a fireplace.

A stone and brick house with a wooden front door, black lantern, and white window shutters, surrounded by a stone and metal fence.

A window with white shutters set into a rustic stone and brick wall, with vines and bare branches surrounding it.

A bedroom with a white bed, a nightstand with a white lamp, and a large white wardrobe against a pale pink wall.

Interior of a modern house with wooden staircase and glass railing, a small wooden table with a lamp, framed photo, and reed diffuser, and a partially visible pink sofa.

A stone house with a red tiled roof, white windows, and a small upright porch entrance, surrounded by a fence and trees, with a road in front.

Close-up of a modern staircase with wooden steps, white side panel, and glass railing.

Living room with a gas fireplace, built-in bookshelves, beige walls, a pink velvet sofa, and a window with white shutters.

Context & Brief

The property is an historic cottage that had recently been extended as a self-build. While structurally sound, it lacked the finishing detail and refinement expected of a high-quality home, and several building regulations compliance matters required resolution.
The brief was to rejuvenate the interiors with a modern yet elegant guest suite, redesign the entrance hall and staircase to create a stronger architectural statement, and provide a complete interior and furniture scheme. The ambition was not simply to “finish” the house, but to elevate it -combining rural warmth with a more sophisticated and enduring aesthetic.
Design Approach

We worked closely with the client to understand their aspirations, drawing inspiration from their time living in the Far East to subtly infuse the design with layers of warmth and understated opulence. A restrained base palette creates calm continuity throughout, punctuated by carefully placed accents of warm colour and texture.
Specialist joiners were engaged to craft bespoke storage solutions and feature elements, introducing a timeless modern sensibility while respecting the cottage’s proportions. Architectural components that required upgrading for compliance were reimagined as design opportunities, adding clarity and interest rather than compromise.
A striking new oak staircase with frameless glass balustrade forms the centrepiece of the redesigned entrance hall — transforming it into an inviting and light-filled heart of the home.
Outcome & Impact

The completed home feels rejuvenated and quietly confident - a rural property elevated with precision and warmth. The new guest suite provides a welcoming retreat for visitors, while the entrance hall now sets a refined tone on arrival.
Subtle references to oriental craftsmanship - including rattan-panelled joinery - sit comfortably alongside natural materials and clean architectural lines. The full furniture package balances elegance with comfort, ensuring the house feels both design-led and deeply liveable.
Technical Details

New recessed wood burners were installed to enhance the cosy cottage atmosphere while maintaining a clean, contemporary aesthetic. Bespoke joinery features rattan inlays, referencing Far Eastern materiality through natural textures and craftsmanship.
The monolithic oak staircase was carefully detailed and paired with a frameless glass balustrade to introduce lightness and contrast within the historic envelope. Each junction and finish was resolved with precision to ensure the new interventions felt intentional and enduring.
Challenges & Problem Solving

A key architectural intervention was the introduction of a new window to create a focal point within the guest bedroom. This required sensitive detailing to match the proportions and character of the existing traditional windows, ensuring it blended seamlessly with the historic exterior.
Internally, the primary challenge lay in balancing rural character with contemporary elegance and subtle luxury. Through careful material selection, proportion and detailing, we achieved a cohesive interior that respects the cottage’s heritage while confidently bringing it up to date.