It's often said that a tradesman's home rarely benefits from his skills. The same certainly can't be said for interior designer Amelia Wilson's Asby home.

The decor of the 1756 cottage could be considered a shop window for her design business.

Amelia, who lives with husband Murray, their American bulldog Lexi and their chickens, has blended vintage, contemporary and industrial styles to create character in her living space.

And the approach she's taken, she says, will prevent the rooms from quickly becoming outdated.

The heart of her home, the kitchen, has been totally transformed by Amelia's attention to detail and eye for design.

She says: "Although the original kitchen was large there was poor use of space, limited work surfaces, and it was very dark.

"I knew I could correct this with a better layout and felt there was huge potential to create something in keeping with the age of the property but a little funky.

"I chose a simple Shaker-style kitchen from a range called 1909, which was supplied and fitted by the Cockermouth Kitchen Company.

"I went for a striking colour scheme of deep red, black and ivory and added the industrial elements to give it a little edge."

The focal point of the room is a butcher's block on top of a central island.

Amelia, 43, says: "I wanted a block 100mm thick like an authentic butcher's block so had it custom made.

"I treated it with Osmo oil but use it as a working surface so that it will naturally age over time.

"This island has transformed the kitchen into a kitchen, dining room, work place and the social hub of the house.

"People want their homes to look unique and not straight off the pages of a catalogue and that’s what I've tried to achieve."

The butcher's block is lit by two over-sized industrial pendant lights and a set of adjustable-height stools give another industrial touch.

A black Heston Blumenthal toaster and kettle blend perfectly with the outer work surfaces of the room, while a series of clocks set for different time zones provides a point of interest above the cooker.

When it came to the living room, Amelia was keen to make sure the finished space would be functional as well as appealing to the eye.

She says: "You won’t use a room – especially a living room – that’s not fit for purpose no matter how pretty it is.

"I wanted to create a large social space where everyone could sit comfortably when we had visitors, and talk or play board games without the distraction of a television.

"The position of the house means it can be quite dark inside so I’ve kept the walls downstairs light and added recessed spotlights to make it as bright as possible.

"Autumn is the time of year I think the Lakes is at its most beautiful so I have used a range of autumnal colours and textured fabrics to add warmth."

Making the most of her home's original features was important for Amelia.

She says: "When we knocked a hole in the chimney breast we found the original fireplace which we sandblasted to restore it, replacing the broken pieces with new ones from Bigrigg quarry.

"We also brought in a company called Back from Black to restore the original beams which had been gloss painted."

Amelia has shopped locally for many of the accessories in her home.

They include a coffee table from John Young Furnishers in Keswick, a paraffin lamp made by Mell Nicholson in Egremont, an ornamental pheasant from White & Green in Cockermouth and bellows, irons and a teapot from Oxfam in Keswick.

There are paintings and prints by local artists in the living room, along with leaf pottery dishes by Bitter Beck Pottery in Cockermouth.

For Amelia, the finishing touches are an important part of any design project.

She says: "There is nothing more luxurious than made-to-measure curtains using good quality fabric, but they are an investment so be sure you are not going to want to change them in a year or two.

"I designed the décor in our living room to last using good quality Moon fabrics and authentic Persian rugs throughout the downstairs to create a scheme that flowed.

"I spent less on accessories so I can afford to replace these when I see new ones I like.

"It’s an interior designer's dream to work with customers who only want the best but I love bargain hunting and some of my favourite commissions have been on a tight budget."