A KIND OF MAGIC
Enchanted by this characterful building and its surrounding land, Georgina Salter has worked tirelessly to conserve it for generations to come
Having fallen under the spell of this listed longhouse in Suffolk, this family were determined to maintain its enchanting ambience
When Georgina and Nigel Salter began mulling over the idea of moving their young family from London to the Suffolk countryside, a 35-acre estate was not at the top of their wish list. ‘I’d originally thought that a house with a couple of acres of land might be good, so that we could consider keeping a pony for our children, Marnie, now 14, Rory, 13, and Thibaud, 10,’ says Georgina. ‘But we just fell in love with this house and its enchanting location.’
Reached by a long driveway lined with lime trees, there is certainly something beguiling about the place, with its grounds teeming with wildlife and its structure featuring timeworn oak beams and undulating walls. ‘It’s a very quirky home, and we didn’t want to lose any of its natural charm,’ says Georgina. ‘It’s the sort of place where you might expect to find the unexpected.’ ‘The unexpected’ fittingly describes the family’s first, freezing winter in the Grade Ii-listed house, which consists of two farm buildings dating to the 16th and 17th centuries that were joined together in the Victorian era, when an extension was also added. ‘The previous owners had bought the building as a wreck and carried out the first phase of the works,’ says Georgina. ‘But, that winter, we started to realise just how much was left to do. The draughts were so strong in certain parts of the house that they would lift up the rugs.’
Insulating the building became a priority, as was installing a proper kitchen – there were no units or worktops. Fortunately, the couple quickly found a local artisan builder, Gary Oughton, who was completely in tune with the sensitive approach they wished to
design tip ‘It is important to listen to what the building tells you – I don’t think this house would have suited a polished scheme’
take. ‘We simply wanted to restore everything that was already here,’ says Georgina. ‘We have used traditional building materials throughout, so that the house can breathe.’
What had appeared to be a lot of furniture in their modest London townhouse was quickly swallowed up by the many rooms in the longhouse, and Georgina’s approach has been to furnish it gradually, picking up pieces from local antiques fairs and junk shops and mixing them with resolutely contemporary designs, such as the striking fibreglass pendant light in the entrance hall. A folder filled with tear sheets that she had amassed over the years proved particularly useful during the process. ‘This was my chance to realise so many of the ideas I’d taken from magazines,’ she says, citing as an example the main family bathroom where Moorish-style tiles now serve as an exotic backdrop to a sculptural copper bath. Pale beams and textural lime-washed walls have created a pared-back palette throughout much of the house, and Georgina, an illustrator, has adapted many of her furnishings to suit the scheme. An exception to the pale palette is the living room, where Georgina chose jewel-like colours and luxurious fabrics.
Perhaps the most rewarding part of this project has been learning to manage the land, which Georgina and Nigel have turned into a private nature reserve. ‘This is such an agricultural area that to have wildlife corridors is crucial to provide places where wild species can thrive,’ explains Georgina. ‘It is a tremendous amount of work but it is very satisfying and good for the soul. We fell in love with this magic kingdom, and we want to keep it alive.’
design inspiration ‘We chose simple furnishings for the bedrooms, so they wouldn’t compete with the wooden beams’