Inside Alexandra Tolstoy s 18th Century Oxfordshire Cottage, Design Notes

Alexandra Tolstoy welcomes us into her Oxfordshire cottage. Coming here, even now, is like stepping into a fairytale Its just so different from ordinary life, says the British adventurer. Liberally bedecked with chintz, Staffordshire pottery, embroidery samplers, lustreware and willowpattern ceramics, it could easily be the urcottage of all English cottages. Yet in many ways it is supremely practicalvery much a dogs on the bed, children running in and out of the garden in wellies houseand also incredibly personal, scattered with the artefacts of a life spent adventuring in Russia and Central Asia. The true joy of the cottage, for Alexandra, is that it comes alive in every season. The summer is all about walking and tea in the garden, but in the winter we can light fires and cram everyone round the table for supper. Watch the full episode of Design Notes as we tour Alexandra Tolstoys charming cottage, tucked away in the English countryside. , AlexandraTolstoy, EnglishCottage, I