All the trimmings

Combining warmth and elegance, tradition and modern family life can be tricky, but Sallyanne Hutchinson gets the balance just right in her 18th-century country home. Christmastime just adds another layer of magic

The Hutchinson family’s handsome Queen Anne home comes to life at Christmastime

Bumble the whippet waits on the doorstep to greet visitors to Sallyanne and Andrew’s 18th-century home. ‘I hang a wreath on every door,’ says Sallyanne

This house lends itself to entertaining at any time but it really comes into its own at Christmas,’ says Sallyanne Hutchinson. ‘We have log fires burning in every fireplace and decorate with lights inside and out. It’s magical.’ Sallyanne and her partner Andrew moved into the Queen Anne property six years ago, entranced by its elegant proportions and, more practically, the layout of the rooms. ‘People talk about contemporary builds having “flow”, but this house proves that period properties can function really well for our modern, busy lifestyles,’ explains Sallyanne. ‘The front door opens into a hall-cumdining room, with a drawing room to the left that leads through to the conservatory and kitchen. There’s also a cosy snug on the ground floor. Upstairs, there are two guest rooms with bathrooms, plus mine and Andrew’s room.’ The top floor is given over to Sallyanne’s three children, with their bedrooms, a family bathroom and a TV room. ‘It’s their domain up there,’ says Sallyanne. ‘The house is always full of teenagers, friends and family, as Andrew’s daughters, who are in their twenties, are frequent visitors with their boyfriends, too.’

It’s a supremely elegant setting but Sallyanne has created a warmth and intimacy that suits the hubbub of everyday life. ‘We’ve been fortunate because we haven’t needed to make any structural changes or renovations. We’ve simply paved some of the lawn area outside to create a place to eat and entertain in the summer months,’ she says. Inside, the style is traditional, inspired by the couple’s love of the countryside. Sallyanne has freshened up the décor and used fabrics and paint to create a calming, friendly atmosphere. ‘I know that many people like the contrast of contemporary styling in a period setting but I didn’t want a cold or sterile environment, especially with three teenagers in the house,’ she admits. ‘My approach is to team period furniture with up-to-date furnishings to create a comfortable family home.’ She compiled mood boards for each room, focusing on gentle tones of green, pink and putty, with flashes of red. ‘Each room has three paint colours – on the walls, the ceiling and the woodwork – and those are my starting point. I’ve used the same wall colour in the principal areas (kitchen, conservatory and hallway) for continuity. Next come the fabrics for the curtains and blinds,’ she explains. Finally, it’s time to position the furniture; a mix of inherited, new and antique purchases. ‘Once it’s in place, I don’t change it,’ she adds. ‘I’m not someone to tinker with a room. When it’s right, it’s right.’

That couldn’t be truer than in the snug, with its twin sofas covered with faux fur throws where the children get cosy, plus Sallyanne’s chair by the fire. ‘That’s my space,’ she laughs. ‘I have my reading light, magazines and a footstool. It’s perfect.’ But it’s the kitchen that is the hub of family life. ‘The Aga was here when we moved in and everyone comments on the colour, which is unfortunately no longer available,’ says Sallyanne. She found the ceramic pitchers in a complementary shade of turquoise, displayed on the shelf above the stove, soon after they had moved in. ‘I thought I had won the jackpot when I saw them!’ she laughs. The large island is permanent home to an Emma Bridgewater cake stand. ‘It’s a family joke that it must always be full. For Christmas, that means a fruit cake, of course, and this year Hermione baked and decorated our cake for the first time.’

Festive decorating starts in the second week of December, when Sallyanne trims the mantelpieces, using a mix of fresh boughs and faux garlands with fairy lights twined around them. The house is filled with leather pieces from her own Howat & Hutchinson label – trays and console tables, trunks and boxes – to which she adds scented candles, and sprigs of holly and berries for a seasonal feel. ‘I love the timeless look of leather because it works in every room and blends so well with a range of wood and fabrics,’ she says. Bright red amaryllis, colourful cyclamen and bowls of bulbs add energy and life. ‘They bring a wonderful freshness to the house, especially in the wintertime when it can seem so cold and bleak outside,’ she says. The Christmas tree is the final touch, decorated by the family as they wait for the church bells to call them to the Christmas Eve carol service that marks the start of their celebrations.

‘Our Christmas is very traditional and a time for our extended family to come together,’ says Sallyanne. ‘But we’ve created a home full of warmth and comfort that allows us to enjoy special times all year round.’

Above: The family place their presents under the Christmas tree in the drawing room. Sallyanne chose the colour scheme to complement the original hardwood floor. The console is one of a pair of George III Sheraton tables, and the painting above is of Andrew, by artist Jo Stockade Left: The period-style conservatory was added by the home’s previous owner Far left: Cheerful bunting and an LED tree light up the conservatory. The rattan table and chair set is from Vale Garden Houses

Above

left: The traditional dining hall creates a grand entrance to the house – at Christmas, its red and green colour scheme sets the scene perfectly. The mahogany table was bought at auction and seats up to 16 guests. Sallyanne designed the flatweave wool rug with twill border, and had it made by The Crucial Rug Store. The cabinet was a gift from Sallyanne’s parents. Walls are painted in French Gray by Farrow & Ball

Above right: The leather Hampstead console table is from Howat & Hutchinson

Left: This is Sallyanne’s favourite corner in the snug.

The armchair is from Coach House, with a faux fur throw from Oka and a cushion from Mulberry Home. The lamp is from Laura Ashley. Curtains are made from Nevis fabric, also Mulberry Home, edged in velvet. On a leather tray from Howat & Hutchinson is an antique port glass and a candle from The White Company

Right: The table is set with a mix of old and new, coloured and clear glass. The plates are antique, while the green glasses are from Oka. The mahogany sideboard was another gift from Sallyanne’s parents, beneath which lurks a fox, a family heirloom

Above: The turquoise Aga was there when the couple moved in but Sallyanne sourced antique pitchers and Le Creuset stoneware in a similar shade

Opposite: Sallyanne painted the kitchen walls in Matchstick by Farrow & Ball, the same colour is used in the hallway and conservatory to keep a consistent look through the ground floor. The kitchen cabinets, fitted by the previous owners, are painted in House White, also by Farrow & Balll. Hermione’s cake is proudly displayed on the island in an Emma Bridgewater glass stand

‘This is one of the few rooms where I’ve used a pretty floral fabric,’ says Sallyanne. ‘My taste in soft furnishings is generally very simple.’ She bought the pink silk in Jaipur while on a working trip, and the blind fabric is by Colefax & Fowler. The beds, bedlinen and Christmas stockings are all from The White Company. ‘The children have had the stockings since they were born and we’ll always keep them,’ she adds