English Home

54 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOKABOVE Lewis &Wood wallpaperprovides thebackground for thedecorations in the‘toile room’. Thiswallpaper has beendiscontinued, butMuscat Vintage,one of Lewis &Wood’s currentdesigns, is similar.The sleigh bed isa reproduction;try Simon Hornfor similar.RIGHT The whitechina vases arefrom Brissi.``````of creamy lace, illuminated in the evenings by aglittering nineteenth-century crystal chandelier, whichhas been passed down through generations of owners.Less formal arrangements exist in the live-in kitchen,where Carol and Peter have supplemented existingcabinetry with extra storage. “We’ve had dresser-styleshelving installed in one of the alcoves so I can displaymy grandmother’s collection of 1920s blue-and-whiteSpode china, which I very much treasure,” says Carol.With so much known about the villa’s history, it isperhaps worth wondering how its first owners, wouldreact if they saw how it is lived in today. Presumablyvery positively, and the lady of the house in particularwould surely be thrilled to know that the property is aspopular with guests as it was when she was holding herparties back in the 1830s. Her spirit can rest easy; thevilla’s essential rural charm and architectural characterremain safe in Carol and Peter’s hands. nTEH UK DEC15 HOUSE - Richards.indd 54 23/10/2015 12:58