Wealden Times | WT200 | October 2018 | Kitchen & Bathroom supplement inside

Above: The Swedish neo-classical style bed is from Nordic Style. The bench on the side wall is an antique
take on a more classic feel, both in dimensions and
decor. To the right as you come in the front door is the
drawing room and to the left is the dining room.
“Cox’s found the most incredible, single piece of slate, but
it came out further than we expected,” says Belinda. “We
decided to replace the two armchairs – which were too big
for the space – and also had a bit of a re-think on colours,
injecting a touch of mauve and ochre to ‘zing it up’ a bit.”
A sisal carpet by Tiger’s Eye, in Titanium adds a relaxed
farmhouse feel while demi-lune tables from Phoenix Antiques
add a classic touch. Understated linen curtains with an
amazing Samuel & Son’s ‘onion fringing’ are a playful twist
and, as Belinda adds, “Probably my favourite curtains ever!”
Across the hallway, the dining room is a ‘work in progress’
though key features are already there including a vast sash
window, open fireplace and high ceilings. “The wheatsheaf
chandelier is from Phoenix Antiques, and seemed rather
appropriate given the farmhouse setting,” says Belinda.
A glance out of the window reveals a stunning thatched
barn, bought as a frame and reconstructed by Cox
Restoration. Beyond that is a tithe barn, roofed in Kent
pegs, and home to the owners’ three horses. The views
from every room are unspoilt; lawns, horse paddocks
and the farmyard. Upstairs, the views are even better.
As with the downstairs, it’s easy to see where
the old finishes and the new begins – if Georgian
constitutes ‘new’. The upstairs has been divided
into ‘his and hers’ suites as well as a guest suite and
another study. All lead off a wide, central landing.
“We’re going to put alcove bookshelves on either side of the
bed,” says Belinda of the gentleman’s bedroom. “Our client’s
husband has more than 40 suits for work, so the dressing
room will need to have as much wardrobe space as possible.”
A huge sash window overlooks a sand school and the
valley beyond. According to the architect who worked on
plans for the house, sash windows such as these, which are
five-panes wide, are extremely rare. Despite being in the
old part of the house, the room is lovely and light.
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