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CREATIVE HARMONY A collaboration between a Hampshire homeowner and interior designer Gavin Houghton
The armchair in the drawing room is in a Peter Dunham fabric from Tissus d’Hélène and the sofas are in a fabric by Nina Campbell. The oil painting above the sofa is by Dominic Hills, represented by Edgar Modern, and ‘The Haughty Woman’ bronze resin bust on the table is by Robert Hornyold-Strickland.
Creative HARMONY
A joyful collaboration between the homeowner and interior designer Gavin Houghton has revitalised the interiors of this idyllic Hampshire home
FEATURE KERRYN HARPER-CUSS PHOTOGRAPHY BOZ GAGOWSKI
Usually it is the owners who painstakingly seek out their dream homes, but very occasionally it can seem as though it is the house that is in eager pursuit. The latter certainly seemed to be the case with this picturesque Grade II listed property in Hampshire. Catriona Yates had been searching for a home to rent in Oxfordshire, but this alluring house, which was for sale, kept persistently popping up on her computer screen, despite the fact that it did not fit her search criteria.
Over many months, a series of serendipitous events kept drawing Catriona’s attention to the property, until finally she drove to see it, nestled in an idyllic location, deep in rolling countryside. It immediately stole her heart. “It’s odd that although we weren’t looking in this area, we do have lots of friends nearby, and as soon as I walked in, I felt very much at home,” she says. “It felt wonderful being surrounded by so much greenery and trees, to hear birdsong and to feel a deep sense of peace. It really felt as though the house found us.” An amalgam of several eighteenth and early nineteenth-century farmhouses, joined and extended over the years, the property has five bedrooms and three bathrooms, and an inviting annexe. Whilst the house had been well looked after, it was not decorated to Catriona’s taste, so, having enjoyed working with him on a previous home, she sought interior designer Gavin Houghton’s guidance once more.
Prior to founding his design studio in 2008, Gavin had worked as an interior magazine stylist, art directing photoshoots for glossy publications. This rare background is undoubtedly pivotal to his considered approach to the composition and details of room design. As Gavin explains, “I subconsciously decorate with vistas in mind – thinking of every angle as you would when looking through a camera so that there are interesting things to enjoy from every perspective.”
Rather than decorating this rural home solely in traditional English style, Gavin has imbued it with
ABOVE The kitchen is a substantial space with a generous dining table that was made for this room and bought from the previous owners. Catriona repurposed her former dining chairs to accompany it. The blinds are in Constance Multi from Cabbages & Roses. OPPOSITE An antique Italian writing desk in a corner of the drawing room is framed by curtains in Secret Garden by Sheila Coombes.
Covering the walls in the kitchen in Ashdown wallpaperby Nicholas Herbert has added a French-style charm and atmosphere. The riseand-fall pendant lights are from Hector Finch.
an air of French elegance throughout. “I introduced classical elements – although still with some wit and humour – but I didn’t want the interiors to look too English. They needed to be a tad more glamorous,” he says. “Traditional English style can look wonderful in a stately home, of course, but I don’t really love it in a smaller property – it doesn’t sing in that context. This is such a perfect, pretty little house, it needed a few slightly French echoes.”
The kitchen was already a spacious, light-filled room with views to front and back and French windows leading into the garden. The pre-existing kitchen cabinetry was perfectly serviceable, so Gavin had it repainted in a warm cream and upgraded the handles. Wrapping the entire room in a delicate green-and-cream wallpaper was a masterstroke, and this, along with character details such as the pendant lighting and green bar stools with vintage tractor seats, has resulted in a beautiful and atmospheric place for family and friends to congregate. The Roman blinds in fabric from Cabbages & Roses were a more recent addition.
ABOVE Walls in soft pink add a cocooning feel to the dining room. The chairs are Gavin Houghton’s Josephine design, and are upholstered in a Penny Morrison fabric. The curtains are in a Cabbages & Roses print.
ABOVE Nestled deep in the picturesque Test Valley in Hampshire, this Grade II listed property comprises several eighteenth and nineteenthcentury farmhouses, joined and extended over the years. LEFT The family’s much-loved black Labradors (from left to right) Holly, Kiera and Missy. Holly and Kiera are sisters, Missy is Holly’s daughter. As the dining room lacks natural daylight, Gavin decided the walls should be painted a soft, warm pink and offset them with green elsewhere. “I use a lot of green” says Gavin. “Being a natural colour, your eyes rest on it, and I find it creates a tranquil mood. With so many variations – from grey green to olive – there is something for every space.” Meanwhile, Catriona had already bought the dining table, but wryly admits to an error. “I misjudged and went for something too small – which is why I need Gavin’s eye – so I had an MDF top made to fit the space,” she says. “The table can seat up to 12 comfortably. The MDF top stays covered with a tablecloth, but we can remove it whenever required.”
Finding the perfect wall colour for the triple-aspect drawing room took more time. The room has steps down into it from the hall and Gavin wanted to amplify this physical change with an enveloping colour scheme. He was keen to add a subtle 1930s echo, and he and Catriona painstakingly sought out the perfect turquoise paint hue which adds vivacity without being too bold. He also had a new fire surround installed,
The entrance hall is a calm portal between the reception rooms. The antique mahogany pedestal table was sourced through Hugh Leuchars antiques. For similar try sellingantiques.co.uk
The bed and corona in the master bedroom are by Beaudesert. The walls and woodwork are in Panel by Paint & Paper Library. The daybed from Sean Cooper is in fabric from Nicholas Herbert, as are the drapes. The standard lamp is by Robert Kime.
sourcing it from a maker in Notting Hill. “It reminded me of a fireplace at Ashcombe – one of Cecil Beaton’s former homes,” he says.
The existing armchairs were re-covered and new sofas were made to measure; Gavin describes them as “quite grand, but not too grand”. They are beautifully proportioned for the setting. The handwoven rug, sourced from specialist Robert Stephenson, anchors the room and draws together the complex and sophisticated layers of the colour palette, from the raspberry-and-indigo stripe on the armchairs, to the russet cushions, ochre lampshades and vibrant cerulean lamp base.
Progressing to the first floor, Gavin chose a trailing floral wallpaper up the stairs and around the landing to bring charm to what can be an often-neglected space. It proved to be a huge success.
Catriona’s favourite room, the master bedroom, sits on one side of the split-level landing, giving a sense of being in its own wing. Here, the elegant bed feels perfectly positioned in the space once occupied by a fireplace, between original arched bookcases. Fabric drapes on the half-tester bed stand out against the deeply cosseting colour of the walls and woodwork, magnifying the chiaroscuro effect.
Playful but elegant colour and pattern have been used in all the bedrooms and bathrooms, from rich olive-coloured walls to Indian block-printed curtain fabric.
Although each room in the house has its own unique character, Gavin has deftly ensured that the interiors flow seamlessly one into another, and six years after moving in, Catriona is still thrilled with the results of their creative collaboration. “Gavin and I work very well together, although I can’t take much credit for the interiors,” she says. “I know what I like, but he is my confidence. He is an artist and has an artist’s eye for colour and shape. I would never have been so bold in my choices but it all works together so well.” n
ABOVE LEFT The larger of two guest bedrooms has a softly bohemian feel with warm green walls and lovely block-print paisley fabric at the windows. For similar fabric, try Penny Morrison. ABOVE RIGHT The master en-suite bathroom features floor and wall tiles from Fired Earth, a Marley vanity from Porter and taps from Lefroy Brooks.
