Surrey Homes | SH14 | December 2015 | Interiors supplement inside

Above: mysterious stairs in one of the boys’ bedrooms disappear
into yet more attic space – formerly a servants’ tunnel.
Right: the house is beautiful, yet is a proper family home
complemented by Farrow & Ball wallpaper and grey tiles.
What is now known as ‘Granny’s Room’ is an adorable
little secret annexe that occupies the first floor of the
Victorian extension on the side of the house. Originally
a dark corridor leading to a laundry room it was quite a
challenge to know what to do. But Becky has very cleverly
turned the corridor into a little anteroom using Capital
to Coast ‘Library’ wallpaper which leads into a cosy
bedroom with pretty strawberry toile curtains. The tiny
bathroom, painted surprisingly in Farrow & Ball’s Off
Black works really well with Olive & the Fox lamps.
Both the boys have fun bedrooms decorated
with interesting wallpapers and tones of blue –
with, of course, a liberal smattering of Lego, cars,
bats, balls and books to complete the look.
Set in extensive parkland, the house doesn’t really need
its own private garden but much of the original formal
framework remains. Beautiful old York stone terraces
surround the house, leading down through lawns to
woodland beyond. And the views are breathtaking.
A sense of history pervades – horse and carriages, butlers,
and balls – no doubt this house has seen it all over the years.
Now with a stunning 21 st century makeover it looks very
well set for an equally imaginative and interesting future.
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