Oxfordshire Limited Edition – August 2019

30 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition|August 2019

huntingsceneprintfromLewis&Woodina

pink,aquaandinkybluecolourway.

“The‘Mouse’sBack’colourchoiceby

FarrowandBallforthewallswasimportant

becausetheownersdoalotofentertaining,

sothediningroomneededtohavean

interiorthatelevateditfromtherestofthe

house–thecolourcreatesadark,inviting

atmosphere.”

T

heotherlivingareas,

meanwhile,weregivenamore

relaxedtreatmentwithbeautiful

naturalmaterialscleverlyused

tocreateharmoniousspaces.

Emmaexplained:“Tocreateacomfyand

relaxedinterior,weusedamixofantiques

andcontemporarypieces,combiningwools,

linensandvelvets.

“Afavouritefeatureisthelargeglazed

doorsseparatingthekitchenandliving

spacesonthegroundfloor.Bothpractical

andbeautiful,thedoorsofferprivacywhile

allowinginvitingglimpsesofroomsbeyond.A

naturalcolourschemewithsplashesofdusty

pinkdrawstheroomstogethertocreatea

welcomingyetelegantfamilyhome.”

Thegreat-granddaughterofaRoyal

Academicianpainteranddaughterofan

interiordecorator,Emmagrewupinaworld

ofart,architectureanddesignand,after

takingabusinessdegree,sheembarkedon

acareerinfilmproductionwithacclaimed

producerRidleyScott.

Jugglingfilmcrews,locationsandsets,she

honedtheorganisationalskillsthatunderpin

theSimsHilditchbrand.Creativityisatthe

heartofallEmmadoesandshebeganher

interiorsjourneyatherkitchentable,making

curtainsandothersoftfurnishingswhile

bringingupthreechildren.

Beforelong,shefoundherselfbeingasked

totakeonfull-scaleinteriordesignprojects.

In 2009 ,sheformallylaunchedSimsHilditch,

offeringthecombinedskillsofinterior

architecture,interiordesignandproject

managementinoneplace.

Emmabelievedhercompany’spremises

shouldmirrorherethos,visionandsignature

styleandcameacrossTheWhiteHart,a

GradeIIlistedbuildingintheCotswoldsat

ColdAshton,fivemilesfromBath.

Datingfromthelate 16 thcenturythe

formercountrypubhadfallenintodisrepair.

SimsHilditchhasgivenitanewleaseof

lifeafteracompleterefurbishmentwhich

preservesthebuilding’shistorywhilecreating

acontemporarydesignstudio.

WouldyouliketocreateEmmaSims-

Hilditch’sstyleinyourownhome?

Here’sherlistofdecoratingdosand

don’ts...

• Haveanexploratoryapproachto
  design–I’malwayslookingatmy
  surroundingsforinspiration,beita
  beautifulcountrysidewalkorasmart
  designhotel.


• Looktocreateanoasisofcalm


• Itendtoavoidlotsofblingand
  anythingthatshouts“lookatme”.


• Lessisoftenmore–createspaces
  wheretheclutteroflifeishidden
  away,andtheroomdepictsacalmand
  tranquilspace.


• Greatlightingdesignisatthetopof
  myprioritylist–itcreatesbothdrama
  andatmosphereinanyscheme,little
  orlarge.


• Artwithininteriorsisamust–it
  bringsaschemetolifeandgivesa
  uniquepersonality.


• Don’tdetractfromtheviews–keep
  theinteriorinsympathywiththe
  landscapeinwhichitisset.


• Celebrateyourantiquepieces–they
  addgravitasanddepthtoaninterior,a
  senseofhistoryandheritage.


• Bebrave–berespectfulofheritage,
  whilefindingwaystogentlymovethe
  lookandfeelforward.


• Booksareamustforeveryroom–
  theyarealmostasmuchofastapleas
  asofaandkitchentable.


• Travelisthebestsourceofnew
  inspiration–wearealwaystravelling,
  andIgetmuchofmyinspiration
  fromvisitingEuropeancitiesandI
  amparticularlyinfluencedbyBelgian
  design.

HOMES INTERIORS

L