The designer’s room
Colour and pattern transformed what had been a dark space in a medieval manor house into an inviting drawing room
IT was Sarah Vanrenen’s knack for creating a lived-in and layered look that caught the eye of the new owners of a 15th-century timber-frame house in Kent. ‘My clients had seen some of my previous work and particularly liked the use of colour,’ explains the designer. Her upbringing in both South Africa and the English countryside gave her an appreciation for a bold palette, as well as a sensitivity for classic countryhouse style. ‘They really wanted to use colour and the results to look relaxed and coherent.’
Before work could begin, the ceiling was painted white to make it lighter and add a feeling of height. ‘There was nothing symmetrical about the house and we had to create a sitting area as best we could around the original inglenook fireplace, which is slightly off centre,’ adds the decorator. ‘We avoided introducing any overhead lighting—something I tend to do in drawing rooms—and, instead, used lots of table lamps, which not only create a cosy atmosphere, but also are a way of bringing in another decorative and colourful element. None of them match and that was on purpose; we didn’t want the house to feel over designed.’
The skirted sofa is covered in Sunda Brown, a medium-weight linen she created for the collection of her mother, the interior designer Penny Morrison (020–7384 2975; www.penny morrison.com). Opposite is one in Varese, a cotton velvet in indigo from Designers Guild (020–7351 5775; www.designersguild.com). ‘The blue sofa has exposed legs, as do the armchairs,’ explains Mrs Vanrenen. ‘I never like having too much of one thing, so if one piece of furniture has frills, I’ll pull back on the others—the result is more relaxed.’ The curtains are in Robert Kime’s Susani Red, a simplification of a Bokhara embroidery printed to resemble a needlework (020–7831 6066; www.robertkime.com). The footstool, designed in-house, is covered in Namay Samay’s jaunty Edirne Stripe (020–7352 9977; www. tissusdhelene.co.uk).
Arabella Youens
Sarah Vanrenen (01488 500206; www.sarahvanrenen.com)