NEW BLOOM

Renovating their Oxfordshire farmhouse has allowed Charlie and Toby Quartley to grow an at-home floristry business, too

Flower-filled and decorated in the colours of a spring bouquet, it’s no surprise that this Cotswold home also doubles as a base for owner Charlie Quartley’s floristry business, The Flower Fairies. In fact, when she and her husband, Toby, bought it in 2011, their first priority was to create her studio. ‘I had a change of career when the children were born,’ says Charlie. ‘I longed for something that would express my creativity and allow me to be at home with the children. A few arrangements and a couple of friends’ weddings later and my path was set.’

The family’s previous home was a new build; this time they were looking for something with character. ‘I wanted an old farmhouse,’ says Charlie. ‘The location was important; ideally close to the children’s school and in a village community with good amenities.’ Fortunately, the couple came across a 17th-century farmhouse in an Oxfordshire village. ‘The interior was dated and because of the small windows and low ceilings, it appeared very dark inside,’ she says. ‘It had great potential; it just needed reconfiguring.’