M a g a z i n e issu e 08
Life is Beautiful Wanting to give their young family a life with clean air and open spaces, this design duo found the countryside home of their dreams. Writ e r Donna Dug g an S t yling Sally H ayd e n P u b l i s h ed i n ‘ E s t Mag az ine , Is s ue 1 6 , 2 0 1 4 ’
M a g a z i n e issue 08
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M a g a z i n e issue 08
In 2009, Alex and Charlie Willcock were keen to move their family out of London to greener pastures. They started searching online and before long a property in the West Sussex countryside caught their eye. “The moment I saw it online I fell in love”, recalls Alex. “There was something magical about it, romantic, almost dream-like in a way.” Built in the mid-to-late 1600s, the house was designed by an architect called Kemp who built many of the grand houses in the area. “Our house is relatively small in comparison to these houses, but it has the most extraordinary light throughout it which is rare for a house of its age”, explains Alex. “Arriving at the house for the first time is something that I will never forget. It was a cold winter day and the house was empty. The ceilings were down in many of the rooms and the plaster hung off the walls. Despite all this, I was smitten.” Alex and Charlie both have a strong design background. Alex has run his own interior design business, set up Country Road homewares in Australia and worked as Creative Director for The Conran Group in the UK. He is now the founder and CEO of Imagini, a company that owns VisualDNA. The company’s first visual personality quiz was built in the living room of his new Sussex home and emailed to 40 recipients.
“In less than 6 weeks we had over 1 million users and rapidly another 4 million and now, over 20 million”, says Alex. Charlie studied graphic design and illustration before working as Creative Director for a London-based communications agency and now VisualDNA. “My wife Charlie and I are both designers so we did all the interior work on the house ourselves”, says Alex. “Houses of this age are heritage listed in the UK which means there is a limit to how much you can actually do. The room layout for instance is the same as it has been for centuries.
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M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
The main living room for example has five access points. The front door, the main staircase, a second living room and two doors onto the kitchen. As such it represents both a challenge and an opportunity to create a very fluid space.” The Willcock’s wanted to create a home that is laid back, honest and supremely comfortable. “The flooring is either old oak floor boards, herringbone strips or a natural wool carpet that looks a bit like sisal and wears unbelievably well”, says Alex. ”We’ve chosen natural paints in original heritage colours in some of the rooms, otherwise it’s white everywhere.” Built over three storeys with a single staircase connecting each floor, the home is flooded with natural light thanks to a number of large windows. The staircase is Alex’s favourite design feature. “I love the scale of it and the thought of all the people who have run up and down it across the centuries.” Alex built the massive green cupboards in the kitchen. “I made them from old wooden shutters that I found at a reclamation yard nearby. They are early Georgian and the final result gives the room a very reassuring feeling, like it’s always been there.” The kitchen tops are handmade from English maple and the vintage butcher’s block adds to the rustic vibe.
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M a g a z i n e issue 08
The main family bathroom is Alex’s favourite room. “I feel such peace here. The massive oak floorboards create the most wonderful foundation to the space. They have been here for over 350 years. Each one would have been hand sawn and hand finished. The view from the bath is stunning and at night, this room lit only by candles is one of the most peaceful places I know.” The house of full of beautiful objects collected over the years. “I love things to have a history and purpose”, says Alex. A collection of early 20th century Russian oil paintings adorns the walls, as well as floating shelves stacked with family portraits.
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A few of Alex’s most treasured pieces were obtained during his time in Australia, including a bench bought from Mark Tuckey over 25 years ago. “After all these years, Australia is still my home, it’s where I feel most me”, says Alex. Equally as beautiful as the home is the surrounding garden that is lovingly tended by a gardener two days a week.
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
Entering the property through the wooden gates, you are met be an ancient stone path flanked by spectacular topiary. “The topiary came from our house in London where we had it in massive pots. We finally dug them into the ground and they took off from there. Each year a few more pom poms are added, they are our favourite part of the garden.”
Alex describes the move from their city pad to their country home as transformational. “We had a city life and all that that brings and suddenly found ourselves surrounded by space, by light, by nature. For Charlie, it was a bigger shock than me. It took her nearly three years to feel at home in the house.”
The move is a decision that neither Alex nor Charlie regret. “We loved our place in London, but you can’t beat having a beautiful garden and being able to take long walks in the woods with the children”, says Charlie. “It’s so liberating.” Alex agrees, “I’m in love with our home, literally, in love.”
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
M a g a z i n e issue 08
kayburton.com.au
kayburton.com.au