Inside Oakleigh Cottage
Victoria on homes with soul, slow collecting and The Tales of Oakleigh Cottage × Alban Rae Home Edit.
For our first collaborative drop, I wanted to introduce you properly to Victoria of Tales of Oakleigh Cottage.
Victoria’s warm, characterful home in Lincolnshire has long been a place I have loved following. Her thoughtful way of bringing old and new pieces together, and making a home feel collected, comfortable and personal, felt naturally aligned with Alban Rae Home.
Victoria first discovered Alban Rae Home around a year ago, and it has been such a pleasure to see pieces from each drop gradually find their way into Oakleigh Cottage. Her love of antiques, and the way she makes a home feel so warm and lived in, made this collaboration feel like a very natural next step.
We sat down to talk about Oakleigh Cottage, the appeal of imperfect finds and the story behind our first collection together.
The Tales of Oakleigh Cottage x Alban Rae Home Collection
Collected by Fiona in collaboration with Victoria, and styled by Victoria at Oakleigh Cottage.
Launching Wednesday, 28th October at 8pm.
Meet Victoria
“I never wanted it to feel too perfect or overly styled.”
F: For anyone discovering Tales of Oakleigh Cottage for the first time, tell us a little about you and your home.
V: I’m Victoria, and I live at Oakleigh Cottage in Lincolnshire with my husband, our three children, our dogs and quite a few ducks.
I’ve always loved making a home feel cosy and lived in, and Tales of Oakleigh Cottage really started as a place for me to share that. I love all things cottagey, old and a little bit wonky, and I’m happiest pottering around at home, moving things about, baking something or out in the garden.
F: What first made you fall in love with Oakleigh Cottage, and how has the house influenced the way you’ve decorated it?
V: When we first found Oakleigh Cottage, it just felt like home. I loved its character and that slightly tucked-away, cottagey feeling, and I think I’ve tried to bring more and more of that out over time.
I never wanted it to feel too perfect or overly styled. I want it to feel warm, cosy and like a proper family home, as though everything has naturally found its place over the years.
A Home That Evolves Slowly
“I’d rather wait for something I really love.”
F: How would you describe the way your home has come together over time?
V: The house has definitely come together very slowly, and with a lot of changing my mind. I’ve learnt what I love as I’ve gone along, and I think our home has become much softer and more traditional over time.
I’m much less interested in following trends now. I’d rather wait for something I really love, mix old pieces with new ones and let each room evolve naturally.
F: What do you find yourself drawn to when choosing pieces for your home?
V: I’m always drawn to pieces that feel as though they have a bit of soul. Warm woods, natural materials, linen, old pottery, checks, stripes and florals. Things that feel timeless rather than too polished.
I love finding pieces that look as though they could have been in the house for years, even if they are actually new.
Finding pieces with character
“When it comes to antiques, the more imperfect the better.”
F: What makes an antique or vintage piece an instant yes for you?
V: When it comes to antiques, the more imperfect the better. I love patina, worn wood, crazed pottery and anything where you can see that it has had a life before you.
I don’t tend to go looking for anything too specific either. I think the best finds are the things you were not looking for at all, but see and instantly know are coming home with you.
“The pieces sit so naturally amongst all my old finds and just seem to belong here.”
F: You’ve had quite a few ARH pieces find their way into Oakleigh Cottage over the past year. Do you have a favourite, or one you particularly loved styling?
V: We’ve had so many lovely ARH pieces find their way into Oakleigh Cottage over the past year, and I think my favourites are always the ones that just slot into the house as though they have always been here.
That is what I love about ARH. I never feel as though I have to completely restyle a room around something. The pieces sit so naturally amongst all my old finds and just seem to belong here.
Bringing the edit to life
“Would I have this in Oakleigh Cottage?”
Fiona selected each one-off piece with Victoria’s quietly layered, lived-in home in mind. Together, they shaped the final edit, which Victoria then brought to life at Oakleigh Cottage.
F: When I asked you to style a collection for ARH, what were you most excited about?
V: I was honestly so excited. I wanted the collection to include the sort of pieces I would get ridiculously excited about if I spotted them myself. Things with character, beautiful old shapes, warm woods and pieces that are useful as well as lovely to look at.
I kept coming back to one question: would I have this in Oakleigh Cottage? If the answer was immediately yes, I knew it felt right.
F: Without giving too much away, what can people expect from the collection?
V: People can definitely expect lots of cottage charm. Pieces that feel collected rather than overly styled, plenty of character and things that can work in lots of different homes.
I wanted it to feel very Tales of Oakleigh Cottage: timeless, cosy, a little nostalgic and full of pieces that you will hopefully love and keep for years rather than just for a season.
“Timeless, cosy, a little nostalgic and full of pieces that you will hopefully love and keep for years rather than just for a season.”
Tales of Oakleigh Cottage × Alban Rae Home
Collected by Fiona in collaboration with Victoria, and styled by Victoria at Oakleigh Cottage.
One-of-a-kind antiques, selected by Fiona with Victoria’s home in mind and brought to life through Victoria’s distinctive eye for a home that feels warm, personal and lived in.
Launching Wednesday, 28th October at 8pm.
Your can follow Victoria's journey with Oakleigh Cottage on Instagram @tales.of.oakleigh.cottage