4 minute read
Designs on Suffolk
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Two years ago, Sally-Ann Elliott, her husband Yan and young family made their pipe dream come true by upping sticks and swapping the bright lights of London for a delightful farmhouse in rural Suffolk. On a sunny spring morning we catch up over coffee to see how they have settled in.
Located on the outskirts of Dennington, Wash Farm sits within two acres of land, with an orchard, veggie patch and wonderful south-facing garden that has enviable views across the Suffolk countryside. Primroses and daffodils stud the banks of a large pond where a wooden deck looks exactly the sort of place to head when you fancy a glass of wine at the end of the day, and, closer to the house, a sunny terrace beckons you out for summer breakfasts. We sit in the conservatory, where industrial pendants hang over a fabulous table etched with the scars of its artistic past and old school chairs, worn smooth by years of shuffling schoolchildren, now see the family sit together for supper.
Before moving here, Sally-Ann was already familiar with the Suffolk coast, having spent many happy family weekends exploring the area. “We love discovering interesting and quirky places to stay and found ourselves being constantly drawn back to Suffolk. The more time we spent here, the more we began to dread Sunday afternoons when we had to pack the car and head home to Crouch End.” In 2018, feeling the need for a more permanent bolthole, they bought a cottage in Wilby which Sally-Ann renovated and
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restyled to create a warm and welcoming holiday let. Their dream was always to move to Suffolk permanently, but with job commitments in London and the children at school, it felt too big a life choice to consider properly – until lockdown struck!
“Suddenly, working from home became a thing and with the kids being home schooled we decided it was now or never! We sold our London house in just a few weeks and moved to Wilby whilst we looked for something bigger with heaps of character and the potential to develop.” Wash Farm ticked all the boxes as the farmhouse was bursting with period features whilst the outbuildings lent themselves to a myriad of possibilities. The previous owners had already converted one of the barns into a beautiful architecturally designed two-bedroom holiday let but Sally-Ann couldn’t wait to get started on the other barn and had designs on converting the stables into a workshop and art studio.
Our coffee cups empty, Sally-Ann shows me around. The kitchen is all fresh whites and greens, a impactful watercolour by Mother Daughter Create sits above the Rayburn and vintage pieces add character. The utility has been given a facelift with a winning combination of Farrow & Ball Hay and Cooking Apple Green, and the snug is a delightful space where a corner sofa piled high with cushions invites you to sink down with the Sunday papers. In the main sitting room, a huge inglenook is surrounded by colourful armchairs and a deep sofa - the
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perfect place to hunker down in the winter – and I love the juxtaposition of modern artwork, exposed beams, and funky painted furniture.
As an interior designer, Sally-Ann’s style is both eclectic and measured and the farmhouse is a wonderful medley of old and new, all pulled together by her instinctive eye for colour and design. Stone flag floors butt up against white painted floorboards, abstracts by Boo Compton and Eileen Coxon sit alongside flea markets finds, and a contemporary nude by local artist Kasia Trojanowska shares wall space with an original Adam Bridgland. ‘I love trawling car boot sales and vintage markets, treasure hunting at the barn.co and Marlesford Mill or scrolling online sellers such as @tings_ amazing_things or @mayflyvintage.” In the holiday lets, the styling is more modern, with cleaner lines and calming neutrals, but Sally-Ann has still injected her same sense of fun with pops of colour, vibrant textiles and an eclectic mix of artwork. She is now working through ideas for the workshop and the studio and is taking time to concentrate on her new business, Gallery Wall Projects, curating wall galleries for commercial or retail spaces.
It has been a busy but rewarding two years and Wash Farm is a wonderful home where they can now grow as a family – and on Sunday afternoons instead of having to pack up the car, they will mostly be found enjoying the Suffolk sunsets on the deck!
