Who wouldn’t need to reside in a sizzling pink cottage? (Image: David Broabent)
To the surface world, this unassuming constructing is simply one other charming cottage nestled within the coronary heart of the rolling countryside. However guests be warned.
As you stroll by way of the entrance door, you’re abruptly thrust into a busy hybrid of Willy Wonka’s chocolate manufacturing facility and the Mad Hatter’s tea occasion.
The loud clashing color scheme with hand-painted floral partitions, neon polka dots and fluorescent stripes is perhaps a nightmare for some. However for ceramicist Mary Rose Younger, it’s a dwelling murals – and her dream dwelling.
‘Individuals are usually uncertain of the best way to react once they see it for the primary time,’ smiles Mary, whose fuchsia hair and wardrobe distinction spectacularly together with her rigorously curated inside.
Ceramicist Mary Rose Younger needed her home to match her eclectic artwork model (Image: David Broabent)
As soon as the eyes have adjusted, it’s clear she is aware of a factor or two about color and the best way to throw a sample collectively.
‘That is my craft and I needed it to replicate my tastes and who I’m – to be enjoyable and hospitable. It provides you that childlike feeling of wanting right into a candy store. It’s a enjoyable home for grown-ups!’
Mary and her musician husband Phil purchased the cottage in Lydney within the coronary heart of the Forest of Dean 30 years in the past for a mere £30,000.
Mary’s not afraid to combine patterns (Image: David Broabent)
‘It was such a humble dwelling once we purchased it and it was so darkish inside. There have been no architectural options, so I made a decision vibrant colors have been the way in which ahead to introduce some mild and create a lot wanted character.
‘I painted all the pieces myself by hand to make it completely distinctive, like an extension of my work. The refurb turned a enjoyable undertaking alongside my ceramics, and each a part of it got here from the center.’
The kitchen is among the most charming and vibrant rooms in the home. Mary painted all of the items and fired the black and white tiles herself. The fluorescent pink dresser homes all her plates and cups.
The kitchen isn’t only for cooking, it’s a murals (Image: David Broabent)
‘I hand-painted all of the partitions and painted the beams within the pitched ceiling child blue, which was a problem,’ she laughs. ‘I needed it to look distinctive.’ She additionally hand-painted the pink roses on the desk high.
However the pièce de résistance is the ceramic chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It’s very Alice In Wonderland-esque – the centrepiece is a teapot and the sunshine bulbs match into cups and saucers on the arms.’
Within the eating room, Mary has created a ceiling rose constituted of fake flowers and petals caught onto the ceiling with a hot-glue gun. ‘It’s difficult to mud,’ she laughs ‘however it’s enjoyable and I adore it.’
It’s not simply the partitions, ceilings and furnishings that get a makeover – Mary additionally paints the flooring. ‘I painted the wooden ground pink to brighten up the room because it was fairly darkish.’
Every portray in Mary’s cosy eating nook has a corresponding piece of pottery (Image: David Broabent)
Enormous hand-painted pink, blue and orange roses adorn the stone partitions, which provides texture in addition to pops of color and superbly units off the inexperienced dresser.
Upstairs, Mary’s small pink gallery is crammed together with her framed work, and there are cabinets to point out off the matching vases and jugs. ‘’Every portray has a corresponding piece of pottery,’ she says. ‘This can be a nice room to take a seat, for guests to have a cuppa and a bit of cake.’
However her favorite room is the massive vaulted gallery, which she refurbed to deal with her huge assortment of designer pottery.
The huge ceramic chandelier is price £25,000 (Image: David Broabent)
‘I needed one thing dramatic and costly right here so I created the crown chandelier as a centre piece, which is price £25,000! It seems nice towards the striped partitions and painted dressers.
‘The ground can be spectacular – it’s a mosaic of tiny vinyl flooring based mostly on a Venetian church ground I fell in love with. It took six weeks to put all the person items however it was price it.’
The sitting room has a yellow ceiling with orange painted beams and blue stone partitions. The window and doorways frames have an added contact of pink polka dots.
The low ceilings are brightened up with yellow paint (Image: David Broabent)
Most of the colors are impressed by a visit Mary and Phil made to New Orleans. ‘I cherished the way in which they put the pastel colors collectively.
The picket stairs are painted like confetti in numerous colors. ‘It’s less expensive than having a carpet – and when it will get scruffy I simply add a number of extra colors,’ she laughs.
The French-style picket mattress in her boudoir additionally had a makeover. ‘I cherished the form of it however it wanted some color so I painted the headboard pink and the body pink. Now it actually stands out towards the turquoise ground and yellow striped wallpaper.
Even the bed room obtained the rainbow remedy (Image: David Broabent)
‘Color is my speciality and I actually take pleasure in placing a great deal of testing colors collectively on the partitions to see what works. It’s all trial and error – you might want to see what works with the sunshine within the room.’
Rose made all of the tiles within the lavatory and even painted and fired the sink and toilet in her kiln to make them match.
In 2014, she needed to purchase a boutique resort close by so put the home available on the market. With just one viewing and no provides, the property instructed she paint all of it white. She refused.
‘I can’t see the purpose of adorning your house to swimsuit different individuals’s tastes. We love this home and we’re delighted we stayed put.’
To see extra of Mary’s work go to maryroseyoung.com or comply with @maryrosepottery on Instagram.
