Interiors: Neutral selection

Meet the antiques dealers who created a perfectly serene country-cottage home by blending pale fabrics, vintage finds and weathered woods

In the heart of a quiet Cotswolds village is the 17th-century thatched cottage of antiques dealers Anthony and Karen Culls, with views of the surrounding countryside and an ancient Saxon tower. ‘We fell in love with the thick, wonky stone walls, the building’s natural quirks and its inviting atmosphere,’ says Karen. Although ‘the cottage hadn’t been touched for years’, there was enough space to add to the original two-up two-down structure. Seen from the front, the cottage is quintessentially English; viewed from the back, its traditional architecture now successfully fuses old and new.

The two started their antiques business, Anton & K, in 2009, after developing a passion for Swedish, French, Flemish and other European antiques while renovating their previous home. The couple have always been curious about nature – simply sourcing what excites them visually and historically, while building relationships with suppliers, makers and designers around the globe.

‘We love the impact antiques can have on the energy of a room and a person,’ says Karen, ‘and it is the same for our home. Pieces move around frequently, new discoveries supersede old and the dynamic of our space is always changing to reflect our evolving taste.’

The cottage has been decorated with the couple’s signature light touch, pairing whitewashed walls with raw stone partitions and repurposed antique cheeseboard planks, which are used throughout for flooring and windowsills.

The calming palette allows furniture that is bold in shape to shine: handmade Belgian linen-covered sofas, striking period chairs reupholstered in vintage linens and a covetable collection of sought-after antiques.

The space also features handmade decorative finds. There is always a touch of black in each room to add depth to the natural look, while patina-rich textures – think foxed mirrors, vintage-rope chairs and stools, plus weathered-wood tables – add imaginative layers of interest and detail.

Walls display an inspired mix of old and new: original antique oil paintings are teamed with 19th-century portraits, abstract 20th-century art, in the style of Terry Frost, and primitive 18th-century folk-art canvases.

‘We like to find pieces that have a back story,’ says Karen. ‘When we’re travelling, we are always on the hunt for undiscovered artists in markets and through less well-known dealers, tucked away down quiet side streets.’

Visit antonandk.co.uk for more details. This is an edited extract from Create: At Home with Old & New by Ali Heath, published by Mitchell Beazley, £30. To order a copy for £25.50 until 10 December, with free UK delivery, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937