Pearl Lowe: 'I'm over life in London'

We wanted to move from London for a long time, but it took nearly four years for our house in Primrose Hill to sell. We came across this place almost immediately. I knew I wanted to live somewhere idyllic and beautiful, and this home ticked all the boxes. The only drawback is that we rent it.

It's a 14th-century cottage set in fabulous grounds, with its own river. We have a pool in the garden. Danny loves it, as there is enough space to play football, and it is a great place for rehearsing his music. The house still has many of the original features, from the wooden-beam ceilings to the fireplaces and the wonderful Saxon-style banqueting-hall-cum-dining-room on the ground floor. We have added our own touch, but we have still kept a lot of the traditional look.

In the two and a half years that we have lived here, I have been able to achieve so much more than I would have in London. I finished my first book here, All That Glitters, which I wrote in the caravan that we have parked outside. I bought it from eBay for about £250, but I have spent more than £1,000 on decorating. It is sumptuously adorned with Ralph Lauren black wallpaper and mirror tiles. Every morning after the school run, I used to sit and write there for hours.

The other thing about being here is it is a lot less frenetic. Since I moved here, I have been completely clean. My life used to revolve around drugs. Moving here has helped me live a drug-free existence.

I've had my share of London living. I'm getting older now, and I'm past that life of needing to be on the cover of the most hip magazine. Things like that don't last, whereas sitting outside in the garden with my children watching the river is a wonderful feeling.

The best part of living here is being so at one with nature, and having more of an eco-friendly lifestyle – also, the huge garden is fantastic for our children.

It feels more environmentally friendly to live in the country. You consume less and recycle more. We recycle everything we can. You drive more, but we're looking to change to a hybrid soon.

We've got a Land Rover, but with four children, every seat is filled. I do feel strongly about the number of people who drive cars on their own with only one passenger. We should work a lot harder at car pools. I have noticed mums have just one child in a huge car.

Here I can enjoy the simple things in life, and things that matter. Cooking a roast, arranging flowers from the garden, playing hide and seek with my children. These are the things I enjoy now, not the upscale fashion parties with drugs and drinks. We still have friends coming by, but people have to tell you in advance when they're coming.

Throughout the house, we have unusual artworks, which is in keeping with the eclectic style. When we moved here, we moved most of our furniture from our house in north London, and what didn't fit in we either gave it away to friends or charity shops.

I had to bring my bed with us, which is one of my favourite pieces of furniture. I bought it in India and then I made it into a four-poster myself as a gift to Danny on his birthday. I have covered it all in black lace. I am very into lace, and used to run a business selling lace curtains from my home in London.

Since I have been here I have set up my own dress company making vintage lace dresses and sell them in Liberty and the Cross in London. A lot of my inspiration for my work comes from my bedroom. I love being there, as it feels very safe and peaceful. We have a white roll-top bath next to the bed, which looks out on the garden and a large plasma TV just to the right, a beautiful vintage Venetian-glass dressing table.

My daughter Daisy's room is next door. Now that she's working as a model, I don't see her as much as I'd like to, but she does spend a lot of weekends here and likes to have her friends, such as Peaches Geldof, to stay. Next to Daisy's room is the door to the loft, which the children use as their sitting room and next to that is our son Alfie's room.

I was brought up in a six-bedroom house in Harrow, and then we moved to Maida Vale when I was 14. I grew up in London, met my husband there and had all my children there, but I had always longed to live in the country. I don't think I could ever move back to city life after this.

'All That Glitters', £16.99, Hodder & Stoughton

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