I have recenly had the pleasure of looking over a pal’s ‘little cottage’.  It does look from the back as if it really is a) little and b) a cottage.  Neither are actually accurate.  I was amazed at what the place started out as in around 1710 and how it stands now in all it’s glory.  Being part of the barns and worksheds associated with a former flour mill – the windmill is a separate entitiy and lived in by rich folk . . .  the rest of the estate was split up years ago.   So my pal and hubby bought their bit a few years ago.  Over these years they’ve engaged an excellent interior design studio to help them bring their investment up to and beyond everyday standards.  The inside has been sympathetically restored and decorated with modern materials for comfort but without wrecking the feel of agedness.  The lighting and heating are unobtrusive too.  Its stunning and worth every penny spent.