Kent Country Home Interior Design Project
This Grade II listed property has historic connections to Lord Nelson and the gentry of the eighteen century, but had fallen into a state of disrepair by the time our clients purchased it. They had the vision to restore the property to its former glory and create a smallholding on the twenty acres of surrounding land.
The first phase of works involved the total overhaul of the plumbing, electrics, plastering and flooring. This was undertaken by the clients whilst living in the property.
Decorbuddi was initially brought into the project to help create a space for the family to live in relative comfort whilst the renovation continued in the rest of the house. This evolved to incorporate the spectacular entrance, halls and landings.
Our clients’ dream was to restore the property with historically accurate architectural detailing combined with sympathetic yet contemporary decor suitable for modern living. They had taken the time to explore the history of the house and created a long-term plan for the restoration and ongoing improvements.
The façade we see today was a Georgian horse-shoe shaped extension built around the original two-up two-down farmhouse. There had also once been a Victorian orangery to the side of the house. This provides a historic footprint to extend and add a light-filled and spacious kitchen overlooking the grounds of the property.
The beautiful hallways have stunning ceilings reaching up over four meters. The children used to play football in empty corridors which, prior to redesign and decoration, felt cold and harsh. Our challenge was to bring purpose and create an elegant, cosiness in these bare areas.
The first step was to add coving to create personality in the large hall area.
We put together a gentle, calming colour palette with subtle textures in the carpet and painterly wallpaper. The new panelling looks as though it was always there, quietly lifting the look and feel of the entire property.
The proportion of the area is perfect for statement lighting. We chose these over-sized pendants to hang centre stage, reflecting the fine Georgian symmetry of the property.
The design and colour palette flow throughout, reaching from the patterned hall tiles up to the top house. The border on the runner draws attention to the feature of the Georgian stairs that ascend over three storeys.
All of the architectural features – light switches, sockets, doorknobs, picture rails and panelling, for example – were selected to be in-keeping with the Georgian period.
The original Georgian floorboards in the family room were carefully restored and stained back to their original colour. Practical for a busy family with both dogs and young children, they form a walkway from the entrance hallway, through the family room to the kitchen.
The family room was designed to capture the fun personality of the family. Priority was given to investing in the design elements that would stand the test of time, such as the bespoke joinery. Practical furniture was chosen to meet the current needs of the young family with a plan to change in the future.
Exquisite Juliet Travers wallpaper elevates the design, wrapped around the room to bring all elements together, working with the deeper green-toned paint on the cabinetry and woodwork.
We designed and made window seats in each of the bays that again, look as though they were always there. Each seat was allocated to one of the three children to store their own individual toys.
The intention throughout was to help manage the enormous task of renovating a property on this scale, making it easier and more manageable for our clients. We provided detailed schemes and specifications throughout and met with trades to ensure that the design intent was implemented to the highest quality end result.
Kent Country Home Interior Design Project Testimonial
“I can’t compliment you both (Laura & Ann) enough for the service, professionalism and friendliness you’ve given over last few months. You have made a challenging time very straightforward for my family and I, and I’m really grateful to you both for making things so less stressful. We are delighted with the end product and are much happier and comfortable in our ‘new’ home. Thank you!” Neil
Kent Country Home Interior Design Project Credits
At Decorbuddi we work as a team with our clients, colleagues and trusted preferred suppliers, each and every one contributing to the successful delivery of the project. This Kent Country Home Interior Design Project was led by Laura Nicolson and Ann Jackman.
Photographer: KT1 Photography
This beautiful, historic property is now available for sale. Please take a look at the full sales details here.