branching out
A beautifully decorated tree sets the scene at Sarah Jane Humphrey and Jon Coleman’s home
A huge pine tree, beautifully decorated, is the focal point for festive celebrations in this Edwardian family home in Cornwall
One special tradition marks the start of the festive season for botanical illustrator Sarah Jane Humphrey and her family. ‘Every winter we drive to a nearby pine forest and tie a wooden tag to our favourite tree,’ she says. ‘Then, on the first weekend in December, the farmer cuts our tree down for us and when we get back with it I’ll put on some Frank Sinatra, light the fire and start decorating it. An aunt in Vancouver used to send me brass decorations engraved with the date and a message, and when I hang them it always takes me back to my childhood.’
Sarah Jane lives with her partner Jon and her three children, Harvey, 17, Freddy, 13, and Isla, eight. Having owned the house for a decade, she has gradually transformed it from a beautifully proportioned but relatively plain property to a timelessly appealing family
home. ‘Over the years, I’ve taken virtually every room back to its bare bones,’ she says. ‘I sanded the floorboards, replastered everywhere and fitted new fireplaces using locally cut stone. I also replaced the kitchen and bathroom, and added an en suite to the main bedroom. There are still things I’d like to do here, but recently I’ve been getting ready to open my new shop, Botanical Atelier, in Falmouth, where I’ll hold workshops and sell home accessories, plants and my own artwork.’
Sarah Jane’s decoration is a chic mix of old and new, pieces from French brocantes mingling with high-street finds. ‘I would call it a blend of contemporary and traditional,’ she says. Not afraid of a bit of DIY, Sarah Jane has bought old items of furniture and upcycled them, made her own Roman blinds and, of course, has decorated using her own drawings and cushions that are inspired by the beautiful plants in her garden.
Natural colours have also inspired the interior of the house, with paint shades that reflect those of the sea and Cornish skies. ‘I’ve chosen the colours with great care,’ says Sarah Jane. ‘The walls in Isla’s room, for example, are painted in Mizzle, which means “light rain”, something we’re pretty used to here in Cornwall.’
Meanwhile, a palette of natural textures form the backbone in every room, with sheepskin rugs and real log fires adding to the cosy feel. On Christmas Day, after opening their presents, Sarah Jane and Jon join in with a mass dip in the cold Cornish waters of nearby Gyllyngvase beach. ‘ We love the seaside lifestyle,’ says Sarah Jane. ‘ What could be nicer than coming home to a hot toddy by a roaring fire?’