Charlotte’s Folly: a family-friendly fairytale cottage stay perfect for London design fans

Nestled among 200 acres of woodland on the Shropshire-Staffordshire border sits Charlotte’s Folly, a fairytale hideaway that wouldn’t look out of place on the pages of a Brothers Grimm story.

Owned by Viscount and Viscountess Newport, the current custodians of the 12,000-acre Bradford Estate, the Victorian cottage is a laid-back holiday retreat for design fans after its top-to-toe renovation by London interiors star Emma Ainscough.

A pink limewash exterior gives the cottage a life-sized gingerbread house aesthetic while, inside, Ainscough has run riot with playful colour combinations, contrasting patterns, vintage centrepieces and frequent nods to London makers.

If you’re looking for renovation inspiration for your own home, or simply fancy a restful minibreak in ultra chic surroundings, you’re certain to leave with plenty of ideas for your interiors moodboard.

Available for bookings through Unique Homestays Charlotte’s Folly, which comfortably sleeps up to six, is a masterclass in maximising space.

Gothic arched doors lead you into an intimate dining room, visually differentiated from the rest of the living spaces by chic striped wallpaper (Brown Paper Stripe by Hamilton Weston) and a maximalist dried flower installation by local designer Claire Wyon of Myrtle Fox and Maude which runs along one of the walls.

The antique Lorfords table has been dressed with white dinnerware from The White Company and London designer Matilda Goad’s tortoiseshell and pale blue cutlery set — not currently in stock, but these went straight on my wishlist. As did two wavy-edged terracotta lights from Straw London in Hackney.

The compact kitchen area is made to feel roomy with bespoke cabinetry made by a local firm and Farrow & Ball’s Yonder Blue paint, against a bold backdrop of red and white chequerboard tiles from Grestec.

Guests are treated to a fabulous array of locally-sourced supplies that include breakfast essentials and wine from Tanners Shrewsbury Cellars Shop. All arranged on top of a pretty kitchen island painted in Farrow & Ball’s rich Eating Room Red.

Other thoughtful touches include a picnic blanket and a map to White Sitch, a nearby private lake with an easy walking trail around it that feels as though it’s for guests of the cottage alone.

The main living space is cosy-chic, almost neutral in comparison to the rest of the cottage, with walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s Slipper Satin and a cream bouclé fabric-covered sofa opposite the wood burner.

Accents of colour here come from blue checkerboard cushions, cheetah-print fireplace fenders from OKA and a woven ceramic table lamp base in red with scallop edge lampshade from Matilda Goad.

Upstairs are three double bedrooms, although the one referred to as the ‘green room’ can be arranged as a twin.

It’s this room, in particular the Victorian twin beds, that designer Emma Ainscough finds herself thinking of most often - even now, three years after the transformation.

In fact, at least two projects Ainscough has worked on since Charlotte’s Folly were commissioned on the back of that one bedroom.

“The green room needed to have a multifunctional element and it’s definitely the room I’m asked about the most,” says Ainscough, who sourced two identical Victorian twin beds (“I haven’t been able to find any since”).

She gave the rest of the bedroom a touch of whimsy with Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s Green Squiggle fabric for the blind and Creeping Toadflax wallpaper by Living Quarter wrapped on all walls plus the ceiling.

“A project I’m working on at the moment came about because of the green room at Charlotte’s Folly.

“The client had their children’s room in mind although I’m actually doing the whole house now.”

The key to the whole project, Ainscough explains, was mixing old and new, layering and colours, “but in a considered way.”

“By using vintage and antiques, by definition, they stand the test of time. They add character that isn’t linked to today, having history and a story,” she adds.

On the colour palettes, “I am a bit more restrained when designing peoples’ homes,” Emma laughs.

Current projects include home renovations in Islington, Chelsea, Chiswick and a holiday let in Suffolk — in no small part due to her work on Charlotte’s Folly.

There are log burners in all three bedrooms at Charlotte’s Folly which certainly adds to the luxe-retreat feel. Logs are provided, as are two vintage-style bicycles. The nearest pub is an 11-minute cycle.

Charlotte’s Folly sleeps up to six and costs from £1,250 for a short break (three nights) or £1,650 for a week. There’s also the option to book for just two people in one room which costs from £995. You can take up to two dogs for an extra fee of £60 a week per dog.

Book through Unique Homestays. Charlotte’s Folly is two to three hours from London by car.