'Smart changes have made a big difference'

With savvy storage, soothing colours and versatile furniture, Alison Gibb's new-look room works hard as both a home office and guest retreat

- Alison Gibb

STEP INSIDE...

WHO LIVES HERE? I'm Alison Gibb, an interiors writer and stylist, and I live here with my husband, Douglas Gibb, a photographer. We live in a four-bedroom detached cottage in the Northumberland countryside, which we moved into in 2021.

WHAT WAS UPDATED? The room was always our spare bedroom and office, but it was a bit cramped with a double bed in it. We found a lovely sofa bed, so it is an office and spare bedroom much more comfortably.

WHY THE CHANGE? I wanted the room to be a sanctuary for our guests and somewhere I could work in peace with a coffee and enjoy the lovely view of the woods.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? It took about a fortnight. Laying the rush matting was quite tricky and painting the shelving unit took a few days.

TOTAL COST £2,263.

Although Alison and her husband downsized when their children Matthew and Eva left home, they still needed extra space for working and to accommodate family and friends. 'We fell in love with this cottage on our first visit because of the location - it's on the edge of an idyllic village overlooking the River Tweed, surrounded by woodland,' Alison shares. With four bedrooms in their home, the couple always planned to turn one into a multifunctional office and guest bedroom.

IN FULL VIEW