andI thoughtit wouldworkforthecurtains,’saysJane.
‘I builttherestoftheroomaroundit.Wechosea bold
blueforthewalls,andoffsetit withneutralfurnitureand
rawwoodpiecesfromScumbleGoosie,whichgivesit
a relaxedlook.Wesawthishouseasbeinglikea big
cottageandrawwoodfurnitureworks really well as it
introducesa cosycountryfeel.’
Theonepartofthehousethatdoesn’tfeellikea cottage
isthelargehall,completewithpyramidroof.‘When
wefirstviewedthehouse,it wasfullofancestralportraits
andantelopeheads,’saysRichard.‘Weweredauntedby
thescaleoftheroom,whichfeltsomewhatcold,large
andanonymous.Thenwehadtheideaofturningit into
a libraryroom,whichhasmadeit feelcosierandmuch
morewelcoming.’Thesolutionwastoaddpanelling
paintedina softgreenononewallandgoreallyboldwith
patternedwallpaper,inspiredbythegardenoutside.To
complementtheeclecticfeel,thecouplereplacedthe
existingheavymetallanternwitha longchandelier
createdfromwoodshavingsbyTomRaffield.
Thehouseis stilla workinprogress,butit’sproving
tobetheperfectcountryhome.‘Wehavewoodpeckers,
thrushes,owls,buzzards,foxes,deer,rabbitsandbadgers
inthegarden,’saysRichard.‘Wehavea largeterraceand
weopenthedoubledoorsinthekitchentobringthe
outdoors in. It feels like we’ve always been here.’SnugRichjewelshades
andsumptuousvelvetfabrics
createa cosyfeel.Tealvelvet
loveseat;footstool, both
SofaWorkshop.Cushions,
Loaf.Largepatternedcushion;
rug, both Scumble GoosieLIVINGTHEDREAM
Janehasusedcolourandpatternto
inject personality and interestWhatcoloursand
patternsdoyoulike?
‘IlovecoloursthatI findinnature,so
greensandblues,butalsopurples,
pinks,redsandyellows.Infact,I like
colouringeneral!I tendtobedrawn
toorganicpatterns,suchastrees,
plants,flowersoranimals,orabstract
patternsthatfeelquiteorganic.’
Whydidyoudecideon
suchdramaticdecor?
‘WhileI likeneutral,mutedtones,
theycanfeela bitboringif theyare
everywhereandresultina housethat
lackscharacterandpersonality.’
Haveyourchoicesaltered
thefeeloftherooms?
‘Inthetealsnug,theintensecolour
hasmadetheroomfeelmorecosy.
Whileinthelibrary,thepanelling,
boldwallpaperandthechandelier
have made it more welcoming.’
>66 COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS
WILTSHIRE COUNTRY HOUSE