Interiors: North Berwick, Seaside cottage

A cosy fisherman’s cottage proved the perfect catch for sisters looking to create a seaside haven

Alison Hall and her sister Lorna Armstrong get a huge buzz from finding the perfect finishing touches for an interior. So Lorna was especially delighted when she stumbled upon the vintage sign which now hangs on the kitchen door in 29 Victoria Road, North Berwick, one of three properties the sisters have renovated in recent years.

The sign pronounces the wearing of swimsuits optional, and is a typically quirky addition to the fresh and fun style that Alison and Lorna favour.

When Alison bought this little fisherman’s cottage in her home town six years ago – with a view to creating a holiday home for personal use as well as for visitors - its interior was a 1980s melange of peach and pink. But fortunately the bones of the building were sound, and Alison relished the prospect of reconnecting the property, located in the heart of the town’s harbour, with its nautical past. 

“The interior was very dated, but the cottage had been cared for,” says Alison, whose first big job was to strip back all the floors. These turned out to be in great condition, and sanded back to their original state, they create a sweep of blonde timber that lightens the mood of the entire space.

The bathroom was replaced and Alison snapped up a job lot of glass tiles in a shade of blue redolent of the sea.

“They sparkle in the sun,” she says.

The restoration was completed with the addition of tongue-and-groove panelling to many of the walls. In some spaces the panelling has been laid horizontally rather than vertically, making the upstairs bedroom feel a little like the top berth of a ship.

The hallway would, says Alison, have originally featured such panelling and it’s been reinstated here. She decided to paint these panels burnt orange after discovering this shade when the walls were stripped back. Again this gives the cottage a stronger connection to its history.

“And it just creates a nice splash of colour,” says Alison, who chose a pared down look for the rest of the cottage, using whites and pale greys.

Old photos of North Berwick are displayed on the walls of the hall, including images of an outdoor pool that was a well-used feature of the town in the 1960s and 70s. Suddenly that sign in the kitchen seems especially fitting.

Skilled local tradesmen helped Alison and Lorna achieve many of the finishes.  As well as the panelling, a fixed bench, topped with cherry wood, was built in the kitchen, a room that has been re-jigged to make the most of the view of the town’s west bay. Previously there was a table in the middle of this space but this just didn’t make sense to Alison and Lorna, and the new dining area enjoys a much more inspiring window seat.

“It was a simple change which made a great difference,” says Alison, and there’s a view too for whoever is doing the cooking and washing up. A reclaimed timber dresser underlines the room’s relaxed, breezy style, as does the displayed striped Cornish ware, and a flower-printed Laura Ashley chair which sits companionably alongside the custom built cherry wood table. 

The rudder of a dinghy washed up a few years ago in a fierce storm, and salvaged by Lorna, hangs on the kitchen wall. It’s a distinctive object and another imaginative way of lending the space a seaside vibe. 

Above the stairs a large (wooden) gannet has taken flight. The stairs themselves were in great condition and just required a lick of paint to fit in with the fresh new décor.

On first viewing the cottage, Alison loved that she could hear the sea and the sound of the boats clinking gently here in the heart of the harbour. Today that’s still possible, although the new window shutters in the sitting room (which has dual views of the harbour and east bay) allow this space to be entirely quiet, cosy and still too.

Evidence of Lorna’s creativity is scattered throughout; she made the cushions for the sitting room as well as the fabulous window blinds, created by ironing images from old North Berwick postcards (which the family collect) onto cotton. 

“The images look great when the blinds are down,” says Alison; “In some places the postcard text has transferred to the cotton too.”

A painting of a harbour side that hangs above the fireplace was bought for the cottage from an Edinburgh gallery. Another fitting addition was the standard lamp in this room with its lighthouse lampshade. Like many of the pieces in the cottage Alison had owned this lamp for some time, but never found the right place for it. 

Lorna also made the curtains for the bedroom, where linens from Laura Ashley complement furniture from Linton Country Pine. The bedroom has wonderful views of the west bay and the Bass Rock to the east.

As this seaside bolthole sits right on the harbour there was no garden to think about. Nevertheless the renovation wasn’t done quickly, but instead tackled gradually over six years, during which time Alison has bought and transformed other properties. Perhaps this little baby was the hardest to relinquish. Certainly Alison’s husband would find it impossible to give up completely. 

“He’s always looking for a gap in bookings,” she laughs, although that isn’t always easy to find.

 

• For more details on 29 Victoria Road, North Berwick, tel: [phone] or visit www.gonetothebeach.co.uk