Country Homes & Interiors – September 2019

LIVINGTHEDREAM

A loverofhistory,Stephaniehas

enjoyeddelvingintotherich

pastofherownhome

Haveyoumade

anyunusualfinds?

Wefoundanentiretreetrunk

supportinga wallinthekitchen!

Haveyouseenphotos

ofthehouseinthepast?

Ourneighbourwasbornhereand

shehassharedsomeofherfamily

photoswithus.Wealsohaveoneof

thehouseafterthe 1947 rooffire.

Doesthehousehave

anylocalconnections?

IthasconnectionswithCanford

Manor(nowCanfordSchool)in

Wimborne,theformerhomeofLord

andLadyWimborne,aswellasthe

hamletofKnighton,whichis thought

tohavebeena medievaldeerpark

duringthereignofKingEdwardIII.

wantanythingoppressive.Theinteriorwouldhave

tobelightandfreshwithsimplecleanlines.’They

alsowantedsometouchesofboldercolourandprint,

inspiredbythecreationsofKitKempandthecouple’s

favouriteCrosbyStreetHotelinNewYork.Another

stronginfluencewastheLewis& WoodAdam’sEden

wallpaper,whichtheyputinthelivingroomandupthe

stairs.‘Ithasblues,lightauberginesanda lotgoingon,

whichmadeit hardtoputup.Inplacesthepatternhad

tobecutfastidiouslytoworkonthewalls,’saysStephanie.

Thehousehadnotbeentouchedforyearssothe

scopeoftheThornes’ambitionswasextensive.‘The

roofneededtoberepaired,werewired,putinnew

plumbingandthendiscoveredweneededtorebuild

chimneys,replacetheirongutteringandthedownpipes,

putinnewwindowsanddoorsandreplasterthroughout,’

saysSteve.Theyalsodiscoveredthatthegroundfloor

hadbeenlaidstraightontodirtsotheyhadtotakeit

upandexcavate120cmdownbeforeinstallinga new

woodenfloor.Asmorelayerswerestrippedbackfrom

thehouse,itssecretsbegantumblingouttothegreat

delightofStephanie,a historylover.‘It’smydream

justtospendalldayrummagingthroughanoldattic

looking for treasure,’ she says. The house had been

Sittingroom
Afewpersonaltouches
letthecouple’sstyleshine.
Lampbasepaintedin
Radicchioestateeggshell,
Farrow & Ball

Bootroom

A dedicatedspacefor

cleaningupaftermuddy

dogwalksis a luxury

Stephanie’sso

gladshewentfor.

Units, Neptune

>^

COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS 21