>whatI wanted,butshetookmyideastoa levelthat
I wouldneverhaveachievedonmyown,’saysTanya.
WithSiobhan’strustedtradesteamonboard,building
workcommencedinthespringof 2017 andbythestart
ofAugustthatyear,Tanyahadherfirstbookings.
Originallya workingmillontheRiverEm,Ellesmera
isoneoffourmillspositionedalongthestreamand
consistsoftwostructures,linkedtogetherbya vaulted
kitchenspaceattherear.Initialworkonthehouse
involveddampproofingthepropertyanddiggingnew
channelsaroundtheexteriortoimprovedrainage,
whilepipeworkwasupdatedforthewatersupply.
Onthegroundfloor,a formerboatandwoodstore
hasbeenconvertedintoanopenoutdoor/indoorsnug
thathastransformedthehouse.Thespacefeaturesa
woodburner,comfysofascoveredinthrows,timeworn
kilimcushionsandoldgardenparaphernaliadisplayed
eclecticallyontheoriginalstonewalls.‘Whateverthe
weather,youcancosyupandfeelclosetonature,’says
Tanya.A deckedplatformreplacesa formersloping
lawn,whileFrenchdoorsfromtheadjacentdining
roomopenontooriginalmillstonesthathavebeen
inlaidintothedeckasa nodtotheproperty’shistory.
Theboys’formerbunkroomhasbeenupdatedwith
astylishmonochromebedroomscheme;andthe
bathroom has been refreshed with a freestandingLIVINGTHEDREAM
TanyaBirdhasuseda serene
backdropofwhiteandneutralwalls
throughoutherfamilyhome.Youhaven'tused
traditionalbeachhouse
colours– whyisthat?
‘Iwantedthespacetofeelelegant
andtimeless.A predominantly
whitebackdropavoidstheclichéd
lookandis verysoothing.’
Howpracticaliswhite
inabusyfamilyspace?
‘Whiteis surprisinglypractical
andcaneasilyberefreshed.The
simplicitycreatesanairy,almost
sanctuary-likefeel.’
Howhardisittocreate
interestinalargely
whitescheme?
‘Wemixedinnatural,earthytones
andoccasionalpopsofbrighter
colourtopunctuatethespace.The
all-whitebedroomfeaturesover 20
differentshadesbutstillfeelscosy.’DiningroomTanya
haschosena traditionalfeel,
witha tableboughtfromthe
previousownerslending
a classictouch.Chairs, The
DiningRoomShop.Chandelier,
Petersham Nurseries42 COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS
DEVON MILL HOUSE