PURE CHARM
Interior designer Sophie Grattan Bellew reawakened a historic farmhouse with a wonderful balance of colour, pattern and light
An interior designer used layers of colour and pattern to add new life to her magical Suffolk farmhouse
Astory that begins with a handsome horseman catching a glimpse of an intriguing house almost hidden behind a thicket might be the opening of a fairy tale, but for interior designer Sophie Grattan Bellew this sighting was the start of a new chapter of her life. Sophie, who co-founded the premium paint and wallpaper specialists Paint & Paper Library with David Oliver, had been living and working in London, but a change in her personal circumstances drew her back to Suffolk, a place she had loved since childhood.
‘There were practical reasons for returning to the area, too, like good schools for my sons, Edward and Cosmo – then aged six and eight – and being closer to my parents,’ Sophie explains.
In fact, it was Sophie’s father who spotted the secluded property while out riding. Essentially a timber-framed Tudor building with a Georgian addition to the front elevation, the farmhouse was ideally located. ‘It was isolated, yet within walking distance of a village pub and a good farm shop,’ says Sophie. ‘The magical setting was tangled, overgrown and romantic and the building had such charm and atmosphere.’
Originally part of a large estate, the six-bedroom Grade IIlisted building had remained untouched and undisturbed behind its veil of greenery for many years. ‘When I moved here, part of the interior was open to the rafters. There was a huge amount of work to do, but basically the house was structurally sound,’ Sophie recalls.
Sophie began by transforming what had been a rather gloomy kitchen into a light, bright, welcoming space with an adjoining dining room. ‘Half of the house faces north, so there is a distinct dark and light side,’ she explains. ‘I’ve used paint colours to balance and complement this.’
Despite the nature of the house – its construction, different floor levels and beams making it inherently busy with pattern and texture – Sophie has imbued it with a sense of calm. ‘I’ve used one of my favourite colours, Clean White, to allow the colours in other rooms to sing,’ she says. ‘The strong, sugary pastels I’ve chosen reflect the colours of traditional Suffolk houses.’
Sophie’s hard work, patience and more than a dash of creative magic have added new life to this enchanting home, which still retains a strong sense of continuity and timelessness. ‘I particularly love being in the sitting room, where I’m surrounded by books, paintings, layers of pattern, textiles, and the play of light on glass and china,’ she says. ‘The natural light here is wonderful and the pink wall colour works well in winter and summer. By day, it’s complemented by the green of the garden and at night it looks glamorous.’