Dream Country House With a Palette of Soft Greens and Warm Blues by Sims Hilditch. Enjoying spectacular panoramic views towards the Malvern Hills and Black Mountains, this Grade II-listed country house outside Cheltenham is one of two halves: a grand Georgian main section, which takes in all the formal reception rooms, leading to an earlier farmhouse bearing more vernacular architectural details.
A family with three kids in school, decided to purchase the house while they were living in the Far East. The house had already been through a significant renovation, keeping many of the original features. Sims Hilditch then asked to revitalize the interior of the home to match their tastes and to provide the necessary furniture for the rooms. All of this was done within the limitations of the pandemic.
The project focused on linking the kitchen and orangery with panelled glazing. The cabinetry featured a vivid green with a darker island, while the orangery was painted in a soft pink to offset the natural light and views of the garden.
They employed a combination of soothing greens and cozy blues throughout the home in order to bring out the existing features and form a classic style that would be beneficial to both the house and the family for many years.
The family’s relocation from Singapore necessitated finding furnishings that were appropriate for the house in terms of style and size. SH selected a variety of items from different eras and styles, such as dining chairs with floral patterns on their backs, a Gustavian sideboard, and velvet wingback chairs, all of which provided a unified yet dynamic look. Furthermore, to add depth to the scheme, we included some vibrant colours and patterns in some of the rooms while still preserving the home’s original charm and subtle sophistication.
SH drew inspiration from the house, paying particular attention to the lower ceiling heights and exposed beams. Then incorporated open shelving, custom cabinetry, and darker tones on the walls. To accommodate the family’s love for movie nights, they proposed converting one bedroom into a home theater with a substantial L-shaped couch in a rich navy velvet accompanied by an oversized ottoman.
The initial design of the master bedroom featured two distinct bathrooms. They determined it was more practical to design one large bathroom with a wood floor, half-height walls in keeping with the downstairs, an enclosed shower and a standalone tub. To make the space more inviting, the vanity has rounded edges and the mirrors are accompanied by ample medicine cabinets.
By using space planning, it was determined that the solution to the former two separate dressing rooms was to create one room to suit the needs of both clients. This room was designed to be neither overly masculine nor overly feminine, and it contains a large, marble-topped central island, custom joinery and a corner desk that can also be used as a home office.
