SETTLING IN
Sally and Derek Frost have built a beautiful home that perfectly suits its stunning countryside location
A mellow, natureinspired scheme fills this Surrey new build
After waiting 17 years for a plot to become available, Sally and Derek Frost were finally able to buy the land on which to build their dream home. ‘It was the location that really attracted me, which is why we waited so long,’ says Sally. ‘The house is on a private road with no passing traffic. I love the quiet surroundings, the wonderful field views and the fact that we’re just a two-minute walk from the local town.’
Keen to have a modern property but with traditional elements, the couple instructed a bespoke builder to construct their new home. ‘I wanted the open-plan kitchen-diner/living space and sitting room to flow well despite being separate areas, so there’s a big opening between the two, which makes the whole space perfect for entertaining,’ says Sally. ‘Also, we’d originally planned to have four bedrooms, but decided that a dressing room would make better use of the fourth bedroom space,’ she adds.
Once the main structure was in place, the builders incorporated reclaimed materials such as old bricks and wood
to add character. These natural elements also complemented the semi-rural location and provided the base for the decoration, which was brought to life by Yvonne Jones of Chameleon Interiors.
Having worked with Sally and Derek from the early stages of the build, Yvonne had developed a good sense of the look and feel the couple wanted to achieve. With Sally’s guidance, she devised a colour scheme of grey, plum, green and gold, which reflects the changing hues of the landscape, and furnished the rooms with bespoke designs mixed with vintage pieces and custom-made soft furnishings.
‘I wanted a relaxing, homely feel that was also stylish, so the bespoke furniture and soft furnishings provided exactly
what I was looking for and complement the vintage pieces really well,’ says Sally. ‘We chose a neutral paint tone for the walls and a simple, earthy colour scheme that was timeless instead of overly fashionable.’ The result is a relaxed country theme, but with an up-to-date and luxurious twist.
The complementary elements in Sally’s home extend beyond the interior. ‘Yvonne
DESIGN INSPIRATION ‘The starting point for the interior decoration was the semi-rural location, which resulted in the calm, earthy colour scheme’
and our garden designer, Cheryl Cummins, worked together on the selection of plants so that their colours could be echoed in the fabrics used for the cushions on the chairs and sofas in the rooms,’ Sally says.
‘Upstairs, the master bedroom has been designed with tones of gold and pops of black. The two guest bedrooms, one double and one single, have both
been given different soothing colour schemes with luxurious textiles to offer the best night’s sleep,’ she adds.
Sally wanted a dedicated study area downstairs, but she didn’t want to feel ‘locked away’. As space is tight, Yvonne opted to close up the doorway from the hallway to the kitchen to create an office area for her. ‘I really like the desk set-up,’
says Sally, ‘as it’s much better to walk in the front entrance and see a neat desk area rather than a doorway.’
After such a long wait, Sally and Derek are delighted with their new home. ‘I think this is a unique property – a brand-new house with the look and feel of a much older place,’ says Sally. ‘And everything about it suits us down to the ground.’