Home Style: Celebrating in Style

Thursday, 12 December 2024 08:00

A blend of antiques, vivid colours and a bohemian vibe characterise this striking Georgian town house which comes alive over Christmas and New Year

Owning a listed home is many people’s ultimate property dream and when Riv and Marc moved into their handsome Grade II listed Georgian manor house eight years ago, rumour had it that Riv had finally settled down. After four house moves in seven years, she had found her dream. Judging by the perfect symmetry of its impressive façade, covered in Virginia creeper, it is easy to see how this stunning home would have lasting appeal.

The manor house occupies a prime position on a quiet cobbled street in a southeast market town, with a large private garden and separate mews house at the rear. With lofty ceiling heights, an oak hall, graceful sweeping staircase and large square rooms, every nook and cranny is fused with history. “Disappointingly we do not know a lot about who lived here,” said Riv, “but it feels as though it has been much loved over the centuries. It has all the architectural assets of a house of its date and with so many rooms to decorate I am in my element.”

The previous owners had skillfully negotiated the problems of dealing with a listed building and had invested in quality improvements. According to Riv, “being interior designers, every built-in cupboard was immaculately designed and every component, even down to the light switches and crystal door handles, was quality. “When we moved in, there was nothing major to do. The bones were good, just the colours and carpets were a little old fashioned, as you would expect.”

With a legendary reputation as a passionate homemaker who positively embraces constant decorative changes, the arrival of Christmas and New Year is Riv’s perfect excuse for giving each room a new visual facelift. This year it adventurously included a new colour scheme for the drawing room. “At Christmas I try to avoid over glitzy clutter,” Riv explained one of her style rules. “A pair of large golden angels standing on either side of an otherwise empty tabletop will outshine a jumble of Christmas cards any day.” Owning a well-stocked garden provides her with bundles of fresh foliage to mix with fake, and being creative with her hands inspires her to wrap her presents so they become works of art in their own right.

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“Battery lights have become my secret agent for adding sparkle,” she said. “They put lively energy into dark corners and I stretch them along shelves and around wreaths mixed with fresh foliage. I am quite addicted to those LED chunky church candles too. Unlike real candles there is no danger of pools of wax marking the antiques. They are incredibly realistic too.”

Famed for her energy, artistic flare and the eclectic witty way in which she has transformed the interior of the family home, Riv admits she is always thinking of new improvements. “It is the gypsy in me. I enjoy making endless tweaks and changes,” she admitted.

The most significant improvements made to the house recently have been creating an all-in-one kitchen, snug and dining room, which has increased the light flow drastically and brought the family together. “We all tend to live in this space together now,” Riv explained, saying what a great party room it has also proved to be. “Christmas and New Year are equally important party times for us, especially as Marc has his birthday on New Year’s Day. So, we are almost guaranteed to stage at least two parties.”

The kitchen used to be quite cut off but now it has been opened up and raised on a platform. Riv appreciates being able to stand at the sink and overlook the snug and dining room. “The dining table is everybody’s favourite place to open up their laptop and chat,” she said, “so when I am working in the kitchen, I no longer miss out on conversations between the boys, their father and friends.”

Over the years Riv has enjoyed successful international shopping trips, from souks in Marrakesh to secondhand markets in Normandy and fairs in Sussex, her purchases give her home its vibrant eclectic character. “I have to say I do love that multi coloured sassy Bohemian look and
I am sure that holidays in Tangier, and trips to France have inspired my style,” she said. One of Riv’s first ideas was to paint the house in South of France colours. “I started with the dining room which I painted in a rich Cote d’Azur turquoise.” Now inevitably the turquoise has been replaced with a softer shade of grey blue and the drawing room is now a pale pink plaster. The two sofas facing each other have been re-covered, one in deep pink velvet, and the other flamboyant pink and orange stripes.

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“Having a father who was an ardent art collector trained my eye and gave me the confidence to experiment with bright colours,” explained Riv, adding that one of her boys Ivo, now a painter, has also inherited the artistic genes of the family. Walls in various parts of the house are graced with family paintings, as well as many bought by Marc and Riv. “We still cannot resist an art gallery opening,” said Riv, “although we both know we have run out of hanging space.”

Evidence of her courage in using colour is particularly noticeable in the hall where the ornate coving, beams, arches, pillars and door frames have been picked out in a deep blue green. The walls are painted in a much lighter shade of the same colour. In contrast, the master bedroom and adjoining bathroom have been decorated in a quintessentially English soft palette, beautifully paired with painted vintage furniture in a classically comfortable way.

Comfort and a relaxed atmosphere are important ingredients in Riv’s home making format. On the first floor, a large low-beamed sitting room, painted a rich olive green, has been turned into a TV room furnished with two sumptuous sofas and a rocking chair. This is a cosy and restful room where the family snuggle down with Christmas drinks and nibbles, and they open their presents after the Christmas church service in the village.

“One reason I like the house so much is it reminds me of the house in London, that I grew up in. The stairs and the hall have the same generous proportions. It is a brilliant place for parties for all ages and we can sit fourteen around the dining room table.” Odee the King Charles cavalier spaniel wags his tail in agreement.

Photography: Robert Sanderson/Living4media

Words: Maggie Colvin/Living4media

Home Style: Celebrating in Style

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