Restored oak sideboard at our boutique B&B in Shropshire.

At Abbey Green Farm, our interiors are as much about memory as they are about style. As part of creating a true Boutique B&B in Shropshire, we love to weave stories into the furniture that fills our converted barn.

Our latest restoration is especially close to the heart. This antique oak sideboard once belonged to Rose’s late Mum.

For a time, we used a Laura Ashley console in our B&B kitchen, we even added handles so it matched our units perfectly, but we knew her Mum’s piece deserved its place in the heart of our home.

The sideboard was well-loved but tired, with chipped varnish and darkened wood. Rose carefully stripped it back, sanded it smooth, and protected the oak with a soft matt finish. The grain now glows again, revealing a lighter tone and giving the piece a subtle French farmhouse look that feels perfectly at home in our countryside kitchen.

It’s more than a piece of furniture, it’s part of our family history. We like to think Rose’s Mum would be delighted that something once so familiar is now admired by our guests every day. These are the little touches that make staying at our Boutique B&B in Shropshire unique: interiors with stories, restored with care.

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