DESIGNS FOR LIVING
Clever combinations of pattern and colour bring a sense of harmony to a Surrey home
Bold florals and interesting colour combinations fill Mimi Pickard’s 1920s house near Guildford in Surrey, but it hasn’t always been that way. Mimi and husband Ed bought the house 20 years ago, undertaking a series of gradual improvements, but it was only when Mimi embarked on a new career as a textile and wallpaper designer that she began to let colour and pattern fill the family home.
With her children grown up, six years ago Mimi took a design degree at Farnham UCA. “As soon as it came to textiles, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue,” she says. “I was lucky to do work experience at fabric company Blithfield, which was so inspiring.” After graduating in 2016, she took the plunge and set up her own business, Mimi Pickard English Textiles. “It felt scary but I believed in my ideas. I knew my designs had to be different, so opted for unusual colour combinations, such as pink and yellow.”
The house was originally part of the farm next door, sold off years ago, but is still surrounded by open countryside. The couple moved in when their children were young. “We liked the local
schools, and bought the house from friends who had lived here for ten years – it wasn’t even on the market,” Mimi says. “It had a lovely atmosphere and felt like it was meant to be.” She now runs her design business from home. “I spend most of my time in my workroom. I love the hidden area, tucked around the corner where I store my fabric swatches.”
Mimi’s love of pattern is also evident upstairs, where the bedrooms have a romantic and feminine style. “There is something about pink and cream that I find very calm and peaceful,” she says. “I chose the same Cabbages & Roses Hatley wallpaper for our bedroom and en suite
– it’s what my parents used to do, and I think it enlarges the space and gives a sense of continuity. The freestanding bath was already here when we moved in.”
Downstairs, the couple opened up the space to allow more natural light to flow through. “We removed the wall between the kitchen and the corridor to create a spacious hall,” Mimi explains. “To make the kitchen feel lighter, we opted for a combination of neutral shades with units painted in Stone 1 from Paint & Paper Library and walls in Slipper Satin from Farrow & Ball.” One of the first rooms she redecorated was the conservatory, where she added colour: “I also love matting, so chose this for the floors as it instantly adds interest and texture.”
Throughout the house, Mimi mixes family heirlooms and more recent purchases, as well as vintage designs with her own. The armchair in the office is from her grandmother – Mimi had it
“Matting on the floors adds interest and texture”
re-covered in a classic Jane Churchill fabric. A pink corner sofa in the conservatory is brightened with cushions made up in Mimi’s Naked Angelica Dusk: “Lola, our springer spaniel, loves snuggling up here with me.”
Mimi’s love of bold patterns has gradually taken over the formerly neutral palette of her home room by room. “When I set up my business, I started replacing plain curtains and wallpapers with my own designs,” she says. “I love how strong colours and shapes have given the house a new lease of life.” FOR MORE INFORMATION Mimi Pickard English Textiles (mimipickard.com).