This project, which we recently completed, is a very pretty period house situated opposite the church and a stone’s throw from the pub in the middle of an idyllic village in the heart of the country.
The result is a celebration of family, heritage and of home. At its heart is the client’s love of beautiful antiques and heirlooms; each holding memories and stories.
For example, we helped restore an antique tapestry chair sewn by the client’s great-grandmother. It still bears her initials beneath the seat and its journey continues but with a new lease of life.
The scheme for the Entrance Hall centres around these richly embroidered crewel work Colefax & Fowler curtains which hang elegantly from a dark-stained walnut curtain pole; a beautiful contrast to the modern and colourful Middle Eastern rug.
The overall effect is opulent, welcoming and characterful and works perfectly with the rust-coloured, striped stair runner from Roger Oates.
The staircase itself by Adam Architecture is a new design and and an eye catching feature of the hall. It is ornate in design and finished with a dark stained handrail, which echoes the antique furniture in the room. The brass stair rods bring a smart finishing touch.
In the drawing room the beautiful and ornate marble fireplace was carefully removed from the original family home and reinstated as the focal point of this new scheme. We used a contrasting Farrow & Ball paint colour, Dimity, in order to allow it to stand out. Colefax & Fowler embroidered curtains were chosen to deliver a classic and traditional feel and edged with an elegant tassel trim by Salvesen Graham at Sanderson.
Gents’ Loo & Boot Room
The March Hare wallpaper by Jane Churchill makes a playful statement in the Gents’ Loo, sitting beautifully alongside the bold panelling in Tom Howley’s Green Meadow. This practical and versatile shade was continued through into the adjoining boot room.
Here, the bespoke joinery by Wylde Bespoke, was carefully designed in collaboration with the joiner to incorporate a considered mix of pegs, shelving, and cubby holes for outdoor clothing and equipment. A seat cushion upholstered in Selsley wool stripe from Lewis & Wood adds warmth and pattern and that all important perch for taking off wellies.
We inset a door mat within the Buscot limestone flooring from Ca’ Pietra for practicality; allowing muddy shoes and boots from the garden to be easily cleaned at the back door.
Dining Room
Rich, layered tones were chosen for the dining room to create an atmospheric and inviting space. The existing panelling was recoloured, with a strié wallpaper introduced above in order to add softness and a subtle texture. This provides a beautiful backdrop for the client’s own gilt wall lights and artwork. We chose red carpet slipper shades from Fermoie for an up to date look, and to bring in the colour of the curtains.
Kitchen
The kitchen, built by Tom Howley, makes a bold statement in Green Meadow, is balanced with calm Slipper Satin walls by Farrow & Ball and a neutral quartz worktop.
A herringbone linen from GP & J Baker is used for the curtains. These curtains embroidered with delicate ferns, and indeed the entire palette, reflect the pretty walled garden just beyond and the surrounding countryside.
The lantern over the island, from Charles Edwards is the client’s own.
Sitting Room
Designed in the style of a traditional morning room, this space is light and inviting. The gathered pelmet and pinch pleats on the Colefax & Fowler Snowtree curtains inject a degree of femininity and frame the windows beautifully. The walls are in Pale Powder by Farrow & Ball and the soft wool carpet is by Westex.
It is a comfortable and restful room and a log burner ensures it remains cosy during the winter months.
Laundry Room
The bespoke joinery by Wylde Bespoke provides generous and well-organised storage ensuring it is both a practical and beautiful space and perhaps even makes laundry a little more enjoyable!
Painted in Vert de Terre by Farrow & Ball and finished with a Taj Mahal worktop sourced and installed by Southern Counties Marble and Granite, the palette is calm and serene. A Sanderson blind completes the scheme, offering a gentle nod to bucolic scenes with a charming depiction of hares and grasses.
Master Suite
The stand out design detail here is the elegant oval window, designed by Adam Architecture, which sits above the bath and overlooks the very pretty walled garden below.
Crema Marfil Is a warm, classic natural marble and was selected for its timelessness. It pairs beautifully with the GP & J Baker embroidered linen fabric which we used for the blinds. In fact this fabric is used throughout the master suite, including the dressing room, bathroom, and bedroom. The dressing room is wallpapered in a classic Colefax & Fowler sprig design.
Blue Wisteria Bedroom & Bathroom
This is one of our favourite fabric designs. We used this very pretty embroidered blue wisteria pattern for the curtains. The walls remain simple painted in Skylight by Farrow & Ball and allow the curtains to stand out. The And so to Bed sleigh bed in grey sits alongside Chelsea Textiles bedside tables, with a bespoke Lucy Marsh frilled cushion completing the look.
For continuity, a matching Wisteria blind was used in the bathroom where a bespoke vanity unit, finished with a Carrara quartz worktop by Southern Counties Marble and Granite is paired with pretty Vaughan wall lights and Fermoie shades in blue.
Honeysuckle Bedroom
The smallest bedroom, yet perhaps the prettiest, is decorated in soft pinks and warm yellows.
