Houzz Tour: A Cosy Coastal Bolthole Filled With Pattern and Personality
Greg and Valerie Wilson were prepared to make some bold choices when it came to decorating their Suffolk holiday home
When Greg and Valerie Wilson realised their dream of buying a house by the sea for weekends away with their children, they wanted it to be an effortless extension of their weekday lives. ‘The family wanted to walk into this house on a Friday night and slip straight into an easy, relaxing weekend,’ says interior designer Charlotte Ford, recalling her brief for the Suffolk house.
The 1930s detached property had a tired interior with a warren of small rooms. An architect took care of the poky layout, opening up the ground floor to create a relaxed living space, with the kitchen, dining, office and living areas all distinct, but flowing into each other. Then Charlotte was tasked with transforming the house into a comfortable space the family could use as a weekend retreat for themselves and friends. She chose a relaxed mix of furniture and added colour and pattern with wallpaper, cushions and lighting.
‘Greg and Valerie have a penchant for retro furniture and strong colours, so it was important to incorporate these into the design while creating a livable space that wasn’t too precious,’ says Charlotte.
The result is a cosy, colourful home from home designed for relaxing and having fun.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Greg and Valerie Wilson and their two children
Location Walberswick, Suffolk
Decade built 1930s
Designer Charlotte Ford at Cotton Tree Interiors
Size 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
The 1930s detached property had a tired interior with a warren of small rooms. An architect took care of the poky layout, opening up the ground floor to create a relaxed living space, with the kitchen, dining, office and living areas all distinct, but flowing into each other. Then Charlotte was tasked with transforming the house into a comfortable space the family could use as a weekend retreat for themselves and friends. She chose a relaxed mix of furniture and added colour and pattern with wallpaper, cushions and lighting.
‘Greg and Valerie have a penchant for retro furniture and strong colours, so it was important to incorporate these into the design while creating a livable space that wasn’t too precious,’ says Charlotte.
The result is a cosy, colourful home from home designed for relaxing and having fun.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Greg and Valerie Wilson and their two children
Location Walberswick, Suffolk
Decade built 1930s
Designer Charlotte Ford at Cotton Tree Interiors
Size 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Porcelain tiles from Marbelous were chosen for durability and easy upkeep, while hard-wearing fabric on the sofas helps to make the house both pet- and childproof.
‘The family wanted their holiday home to look stylish, but they also wanted to be able to enjoy their weekends here without worrying about constant upkeep,’ explains Charlotte. ‘It had to be a very livable space where they could put their feet up on the furniture at the end of a long week.’
Porcelain tiles, Marbelous.
‘The family wanted their holiday home to look stylish, but they also wanted to be able to enjoy their weekends here without worrying about constant upkeep,’ explains Charlotte. ‘It had to be a very livable space where they could put their feet up on the furniture at the end of a long week.’
Porcelain tiles, Marbelous.
‘The office on the ground floor is just for occasional use, so we kept it very simple and functional,’ explains Charlotte. The desk, chair and lamp were sourced from French company Blanc d’Ivoire, and Charlotte painted the cabinetry in Attic II by Little Greene.
Desk, chair and lamp, Blanc d’Ivoire. Cabinetry colour, Attic II by Little Greene.
Desk, chair and lamp, Blanc d’Ivoire. Cabinetry colour, Attic II by Little Greene.
Bi-fold doors in the garden room ensure this space is bright and airy. ‘We’ve kept this area very natural and pared back, so there’s a seamless transition with the outdoor space,’ explains Charlotte.
Wooden-plank-effect wallpaper from Thibaut together with the locally sourced wood-burning stove give this room a cosy, log-cabin feel, while the Tristan Cockerill driftwood coffee table hints at the nearby coastline.
Plank-effect wallpaper, Thibaut. Coffee table, Tristan Cockerill.
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Wooden-plank-effect wallpaper from Thibaut together with the locally sourced wood-burning stove give this room a cosy, log-cabin feel, while the Tristan Cockerill driftwood coffee table hints at the nearby coastline.
Plank-effect wallpaper, Thibaut. Coffee table, Tristan Cockerill.
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Osborne & Little cushions in aqua add a glamorous twist to the otherwise pared-back palette in the family living room. ‘This is a comfortable, relaxing space where the family can kick back and watch TV,’ explains Charlotte.
Deep sofas by Whitehead were chosen for quality and comfort, while Mulberry Home Flying Duck wallpaper gives the scheme depth. A high-tech lighting system allows the family to create the ambience to suit their mood at the touch of a button.
Cushions, Osborne & Little. Sofas, Whitehead. Wallpaper, Mulberry Home.
Deep sofas by Whitehead were chosen for quality and comfort, while Mulberry Home Flying Duck wallpaper gives the scheme depth. A high-tech lighting system allows the family to create the ambience to suit their mood at the touch of a button.
Cushions, Osborne & Little. Sofas, Whitehead. Wallpaper, Mulberry Home.
A view of Walberswick beach in the distance takes centre stage in the master bedroom. Colourful curtains in fabric from Harlequin frame the scene. ‘The clients wanted this room to feel comfortable and calm, so we opted for a gentle palette with plenty of texture,’ explains Charlotte.
Lamps by India Jane and cushions by Chelsea Textiles add luxury, complementing the Zoffany silk-effect wallpaper. ‘The ceiling was originally flat, but we created the vaulted section to give the room a sense of light and space,’ she says.
Curtain fabric, Harlequin. Lamps, India Jane. Cushions, Chelsea Textiles.
Lamps by India Jane and cushions by Chelsea Textiles add luxury, complementing the Zoffany silk-effect wallpaper. ‘The ceiling was originally flat, but we created the vaulted section to give the room a sense of light and space,’ she says.
Curtain fabric, Harlequin. Lamps, India Jane. Cushions, Chelsea Textiles.
Charlotte used polished plaster for a sleek, clean look in the en-suite master bathroom. ‘The family wanted this room to be very simple and calming, like a spa,’ she explains. Walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s Cord set a serene tone for the scheme.
Paint, Cord by Farrow & Ball.
Paint, Cord by Farrow & Ball.
An illuminated mirror by Astro enhances the spa-like serenity of the bathroom, while the colourful roller blind – made from the same Harlequin fabric as the curtains in the master bedroom – adds a pop of colour to the scheme and encourages a sense of continuity and flow between the rooms.
Mirror, Astro. Blind fabric, Harlequin.
Mirror, Astro. Blind fabric, Harlequin.
The little girl’s room is pretty, but not twee. ‘She’s not into pink, so we’ve kept it quite versatile so she can grow into it,’ explains Charlotte. A bunk bed from Warren Evans is perfect for when friends stay over, while Jane Churchill Calder wallpaper adds a playful feel.
Bunk bed, Warren Evans. Wallpaper, Jane Churchill Calder.
Bunk bed, Warren Evans. Wallpaper, Jane Churchill Calder.
A surfboard on the wall is the main focus in the little boy’s bedroom, which is decorated in wallpaper from Designers Guild. ‘It’s quite a generic room that can be added to over time,’ says Charlotte. Vintage drawers have been sprayed in Farrow & Ball’s Purbeck Stone, while the retro mirror is a market find.
Wallpaper, Designers Guild. Paint, Purbeck Stone by Farrow & Ball.
Wallpaper, Designers Guild. Paint, Purbeck Stone by Farrow & Ball.
Farrow & Ball’s St Giles Blue paint infuses the children’s bathroom with a bright and breezy feel. ‘We wanted to have a little fun in this bathroom while keeping it as low maintenance as possible,’ says Charlotte.
Paint, St Giles Blue by Farrow & Ball.
Paint, St Giles Blue by Farrow & Ball.
Wooden-floorboard-effect tiles on the floor reference the bath panel and basin unit and are easy to clean. Roper Rhodes accessories and a Bette bath were chosen for quality and durability, and Designers Guild towels add a touch of luxury.
Bath, Bette. Towels, Designers Guild. Accessories, Roper Rhodes.
Bath, Bette. Towels, Designers Guild. Accessories, Roper Rhodes.
A boxroom on the top floor was the perfect spot for the children’s den. It can also be used as an extra bedroom when friends come to stay.
‘We went for a combination of wallpapers in this room for added texture and depth,’ explains Charlotte. ‘We continued the Rapture & Wright Aurora paper [on the window wall] into the guest room next door to give the top floor a cohesive feel.’
The playful, snakeskin-effect wallpaper is by Osborne & Little and the metallic cushions are from Bloomingville. The wooden trunk, used as a coffee table, was picked up at a local market.
Wallpaper, Aurora by Rapture & Wright. Snakeskin effect wallpaper, Osborne & Little. Cushions, Bloomingville.
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‘We went for a combination of wallpapers in this room for added texture and depth,’ explains Charlotte. ‘We continued the Rapture & Wright Aurora paper [on the window wall] into the guest room next door to give the top floor a cohesive feel.’
The playful, snakeskin-effect wallpaper is by Osborne & Little and the metallic cushions are from Bloomingville. The wooden trunk, used as a coffee table, was picked up at a local market.
Wallpaper, Aurora by Rapture & Wright. Snakeskin effect wallpaper, Osborne & Little. Cushions, Bloomingville.
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Following the lead of the children’s den next door, the guest bedroom on the top floor is covered in Rapture & Wright Aurora wallpaper for a soothing, cocooning effect.
Charlotte had to work out how to fit everything into this little space. ‘It’s quite a small room and there wasn’t space for bedside tables, so we opted for simple wall lights above the bed,’ she says. A textured bedspread from Schumacher completes the relaxing scheme.
Wallpaper, Aurora by Rapture & Wright. Bedspread, Schumacher.
Charlotte had to work out how to fit everything into this little space. ‘It’s quite a small room and there wasn’t space for bedside tables, so we opted for simple wall lights above the bed,’ she says. A textured bedspread from Schumacher completes the relaxing scheme.
Wallpaper, Aurora by Rapture & Wright. Bedspread, Schumacher.
The simple, pared-back scheme in the en-suite guest bathroom prevents the compact space from becoming too fussy. Roper Rhodes fixtures and fittings are a luxurious touch, while a glass splashback over a wall painted in Harbour Grey by Zoffany adds depth to the scheme.
Fixtures, Roper Rhodes. Paint, Harbour Grey Zoffany.
TELL US…
Could you see yourself hanging out in this house? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Fixtures, Roper Rhodes. Paint, Harbour Grey Zoffany.
TELL US…
Could you see yourself hanging out in this house? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
‘We chose furniture by Julian Chichester to complement the retro feel of this room,’ explains Charlotte. ‘The idea was to have a little fun here – it’s a space for low-key suppers rather than formal dinner parties, so we tried to keep it playful and relaxed.’
Crescent wallpaper, Kelly Wearstler. Pendant lights, Design By Us.