‘I just wanted it to be cosy and calm’
We all lust after original features, but Daisy Jones struggled with the dark, panelled walls and twiddly details in her listed home – until she found ways to make it look more relaxed and modern
Daisy Jones fell in love with her Grade-ii-listed Georgian house in Thames Ditton, Surrey, as soon as she saw it eight years ago. ‘It really was the house of my dreams,’ says
Daisy, who lives there with her husband Hugh, their 15-year-old triplets and their two dachshunds.
‘It had plenty of original features and had been painted in magnolia from top to bottom, which meant it was a blank canvas for decorating,’ says Daisy. ‘I was after a classy, luxurious look. This house lends itself to that style, as it’s light, airy and full of elegant features. I knew I could give it personality with some simple design tricks.’
Daisy isn’t a great fan of bold shades, so there’s barely a bright colour in sight here. ‘I have three teenagers and two dogs, so life can be chaotic,’ she says. ‘I wanted my home to be a calming place where we can relax.’
The palette she chose – of grey, brown, sage green and violet – has an authentic feel in keeping with the period of the house. ‘The colours are neutral, but the feeling is one of cosy luxury,’ she says.
The subtle shades are the perfect backdrop for the clusters of framed black-and-white family photographs she has arranged to create focal points, as well as her own charcoal drawings and paintings. There are beautiful objects, pieces of pottery and scented candles, too. ‘I love nice things and scour the local shops for new pieces,’ she says. ‘The right piece of furniture or a thoughtfully chosen ornament can be the making of a room. I’m more than happy with how this house has turned out.’
“I have three teenagers, so life is chaotic! I need home to be somewhere calming, where I can really relax