SURREY LODGE

TRACEY APPEL’S ARTS & CRAFTS HOME HAS BEEN SYMPATHETICALLY UPDATED TO BLEND SEAMLESSLY WITH THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE

With an appealing air of faded elegance, this Arts & Crafts gem has been seamlessly restored

With its classic country looks and impressive 14-acre plot giving breathtaking views across the North Downs, Tracey Appel’s Arts & Crafts home would have been an estate agent’s dream had it ever been on the market. Who would have thought, then, that after admiring it for years, a chance encounter with the owner and a casual question from Tracey would be all it took to find her ideal family home?

Tracey and her husband, David, had been living in Paris for seven years, before moving back to England and settling in Surrey. She then spent the next decade walking her dogs past the house they now call home. ‘One day, I met the owner clearing snow from the drive,’ she says. ‘I asked him if the house would ever be for sale. He’d had no plans to move, but we met that evening and agreed the sale there and then.’

The couple bought the property in 2012 and Tracey spent the next two years redeveloping it into a family home that fuses traditional features with contemporary style. ‘We wanted to preserve the historical integrity of the original thatched lodge and coach house, so we added a third thatched building to create symmetry,’ she says.

‘It was important to us to reuse all the reclaimed wood, flooring and materials in the build. Our architect and builders worked hard to ensure every scrap was incorporated and understood my desire for raw, rustic textures, both in the building and dressing of the house.’

The facade remained untouched, while contemporary glass linkways, topped with turfed roofs to blend with the surrounding landscape, were added, seamlessly connecting the original lodge with the new thatched structure. Floor-to-ceiling modern Crittall windows at the rear now frame the view to the garden and beyond.

Inside, the house is a mix of large family areas, such as the vaulted living room with its original inglenook fireplace and the kitchen with its convivial Aga, and smaller rooms that ensure greater privacy.

‘The layout means that we are all able to enjoy our own space, yet family rooms are still at the core of the house,’ Tracey says.

As she is the owner of a home interiors and lifestyle store, it is no surprise to find Tracey’s covetable style at work throughout the house. Colours are muted, earthy and restful, and the interior is filled with carefully curated finds and artwork. ‘It was a conscious decision to remove colour,’ she says. ‘The pared-back palette is easy to live with. Seasonal shades are introduced with foliage, produce and accessories, but it is always a raw, earthy patina that prevails.’

Tracey’s style is influenced by a love of Flemish architecture, landscaping and interiors. ‘I adore the simplicity of their design ethos,’ she says. ‘I am drawn to aged wood, worn stone, weathered brick and the feel of old leather and linen. For me, natural materials only improve with age and create a soul that is hard to replicate.’

This gentle, rustic interior blends with the landscape outside.

‘We are lucky to have unspoilt views across the Surrey Hills – an

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – yet we are minutes from the heart of a city,’ Tracey says. ‘It really is the perfect location.’

BARDOE & APPEL, 01483 511477, BARDOEANDAPPEL.CO.UK.