We’ve moved! Our old landlords decided to sell our flat, so we needed to find a new place pretty quickly. We liked our old home a lot, especially the location… Osney Island is a small island built on a floodplain in the middle of the Thames just west of the city centre. It was developed very quickly in the middle of the 19th century to accommodate the workers who were coming to Oxford to work on the new railway. It’s now a historically protected area and, I think, one of the loveliest neighbourhoods in Oxford. There’s something magical about stepping off of Botley Road and onto the island, it feels different, like you’ve travelled several miles out of town and are entering a real community.
Luckily, we were able to find a place on the same street, further towards the south side of the island. It’s a wonderful house, the moment we walked inside we both just said “wow” under our breath, it’s so close to the type of home I’ve always dreamed of living in… cosy, inviting, charming and full of character. Whenever we’ve looked for a home to live in, I’ve had three things that I’ve looked for: hardwood floors, a fireplace and a garden. This has all three, in fact there are four fireplaces in the home, two downstairs in the living room and dining room, and two upstairs in the two bedrooms.
The living room is small, but very cosy, and feels like the heart of the home. We’ve not had a fire yet, we need to have a sweep come and clean the chimneys. Nevertheless, it feels comfy and inviting and is a place I like to study or plan my lessons.
The dining room, kitchen and conservatory are all joined together in one large living area. The conservatory was added on within the last few years, and the kitchen was updated with modern appliances. It’s wonderful to be able to cook in the kitchen and talk with friends sitting in the conservatory or dining room, I don’t feel isolated any more. There are skylights in the conservatory and kitchen, so the entire area is bathed in light during the day, which is so wonderful during the cold, dark winter months.
The dining room:
Standing in the dining room looking towards the kitchen and conservatory, with the garden just beyond the conservatory:
The garden, looking towards the conservatory. I was able to bring 16 roses in terracotta pots from the old house, and have them arranged on the patio to surround the lovely pillar table and chairs:
The garden:
