What Was Once a Dark, Disjointed Old House Is Now a Light-Filled Home Thanks to a Timeless Earthy Color Scheme

'We wanted to ensure that this beautiful house felt like home,' says Bahar Nejad, co-founder and director of Studio 9 Design, about this impressive Grade II–listed Victorian property in the South Downs, England.

The clients required more space, so the studio was instructed to help gain planning permission for an orangery-style rear extension, plus an annex at the side of the house.

'As a property, it was grand and it had all the right features as there were beautiful windows and high ceilings, but it was lacking comfortable flow for modern living,' says Alice Adamczewski, co-founder and director of the studio. 'It didn’t have a clear narrative or aesthetic. It needed grounding.'

Over time, the property had undergone various extensions that were a clear jump in style and made the house design feel smaller and darker as one journeyed through – so maximizing light was a prerequisite.

Two capacious living rooms were completely disconnected from the garden, so the rear extension was designed to connect these spaces and provide views of the South Downs.

Ensuring every room had a function, so that each pocket of space was utilized, was another issue the designers addressed. The house had the luxury of four sitting rooms, so it was decided to convert one into a movie room, while another became a game room.

The grandness of the house proved a challenge, but a palette rooted in muted hues and showcasing occasional deeper earthy tones, with an emphasis on layers of texture, was envisioned as a way of creating tranquility.

'Small decisions such as not picking out the architrave, cornicing and skirting in a different color, and washing the walls and ceiling in only one color accentuate that calm,' says Alice.

The design narrative allowed Studio 9 Design to adhere to its signature style, which Alice describes as quite organic.

'We always respond to the clients’ brief – and every space demands something completely different – but the way that we’ve worked here is very much true to ourselves, given the fact that the materials are all natural, that it is responding to the light, the surroundings, and the history of the property, and we’ve considered the energy and the flow of each space. The result is a timeless modern scheme,' she concludes.

'It was a challenge to bring character into the interior and also encourage the clients to be brave with color. Some of the deeper tones were difficult for our clients to accept initially, as the samples came across as dark, and they wanted the space to feel light. But, in the end, they could see why we had to bring in these darker colors for depth and warmth.'

Limewash textural paint infuses a nuanced backdrop in the sitting room.

'It wouldn’t have been seen in the era of the property, but we managed to create something that felt like there was a lot of movement, layering, and texture in a way that we would never have expected,' notes Alice.

Curated finishes and layered textures enhance the carefully considered feel. 'We really played with those textures,' says Bahar. 'This is something we do throughout our projects.'

Natural materials and fabrics were championed throughout the house. Limestone swathes the kitchen floor, keeping the look light, while oversized herringbone timber flooring to suit the scale of the house was chosen for the main living spaces.

'When everything is so muted, the spaces needed a layer of pattern but we’re not doing it in a very obvious way,' says Alice.

Softness is injected with rugs crafted from pure wool. Alluring furniture was either made bespoke or carefully sourced, with vintage and antique pieces given a new lease of life by being upholstered in contemporary natural fabrics.

Furniture was chosen for its pared-back silhouettes, enhancing the ambience.

In the kitchen, for instance, meticulous attention was paid to the cabinetry design so that it was a clean and modernized interpretation of Shaker.

This is undoubtedly a house given a new – and serene – lease of life.

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