From Party Barn to Playroom, This Rambling Old Oxfordshire Home Has Been Totally Remodeled for Modern Family Living
The beautifully crafted interiors of this country retreat in Oxfordshire combine all the necessary ingredients for entertaining – and relaxing
The interior is a cocktail, a culmination of different styles and feelings,’ observes Amy Dalrymple of Dalrymple Studio, describing her favorite house design to date – a rambling period home in Oxfordshire, complete with a coach house, flint barn, and party barn.
‘We dipped into every genre to create the interior around the clients, who have traveled widely,’ explains Amy. The result is an intoxicating blend – an elegant yet practical home devised for modern living, with flowing open-plan rooms tempered by cozy hideaway spaces, designed to be a hub where visiting friends and family feel completely at home.
Larder (left): A fabric with charming Indian motifs is a whimsical note in this most practical of spaces. Cabinetry by Tom Howley; painted in Avocado. Blind in Bombay Mix No 9 fabric, Jim Thompson. Walls in Linen Wash, Little Greene. Kitchen (right): Dark green cabinetry brings the outside in and enhances the country feel. Delft splashback tiles introduce an understated pattern. Delft Small Flowers splashback tiles in Green, supplied by Douglas Watson Studio. Creamware pendant lights, deVOL. Bar stools, Forest to Home.
The clients, a couple with young children whose main base is in London, bought the property as an escape to the country. It was previously owned by the same family who had lived in it for years, so ‘it needed a revamp of freshness,’ says Amy.
Dalrymple Studio was recommended by a family member, and the studio’s flair for interior architecture, design, and bespoke product design is beautifully showcased in the comprehensive refurbishment. ‘The whole of the house was basically gutted inside,’ explains Amy.
‘The clients wanted to create a carbon-neutral home, so it incorporates lots of high-tech systems.’ Rooms were reconfigured and opened up, en-suite bathrooms were created for each of the bedrooms in the main house, a smart new kitchen was installed – complete with a walk-in larder and a utility – and the basement, which housed a wine cellar, was dug deeper to incorporate a cosseting cinema room, where the low ceiling is given a rustic twist with time-worn plank cladding.
Barn Seating Area (left): he ancient beams are complemented with bold orange walls, while sofas flecked with gold lend a celebratory air. Walls in Brick, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. Sofas, Andrew Martin. Bespoke cushions, Dalrymple Studio. Artwork, clients’ own. Wall lights, Richard Taylor Designs. The rug is antique. Barn Bar Area (right): The chic dark green bar, which looks as if it belongs in a swanky cocktail bar, links with the kitchen cabinetry in the main house. Bespoke bar designed by Dalrymple Studio; made by Barr Joinery; painted in Avocado, Tom Howley. Stools by Monologue London. Cushions in Olive + Daisy fabric. Pendant lights and chandelier, Pooky. Curtains in a The Cloth Shop fabric; trim, Altfield.
The barns were transformed into guest accommodations, with the quaint party barn – complete with its own sophisticated bar – morphing into a joyful space for entertaining. ‘It was a real passion project for the clients,’ explains Amy.
A relaxed aesthetic was key to the interior schemes. ‘The clients were keen that visiting friends and family would feel comfortable and happy. It’s a real hub and everybody feels at home in it,’ explains Amy. With that in mind, each space in the house needed to be utilized effectively and ‘not unloved or unwanted – the dining room, for instance, is not just a place to store your smart china,’ explains Amy.
Dining Room (left): The space showcases a fresh take on classic style, featuring relaxed rustic elements, such as the rug. Dining chairs, Susie Watson Designs. Table, Matthew Cox. Artwork, clients’ own. Walls in Alabaster, Zoffany. Panelling in Nocturnal Gray, Benjamin Moore. Rug, Coral + Hive. Chandelier, Lorfords. Curtains in a Mark Alexander fabric. Sitting Room (right): Amy has introduced botanical wallpaper on the back of the library shelves to great decorative effect. Bespoke shelves designed by Dalrymple Studio; made by Barr Joinery. Fontainebleau wallpaper, Pierre Frey. Bespoke chaise designed and created by Dalrymple Studio in fabric by Andrew Martin.
Arches are a trope throughout the house, interspersed to soften spaces, as well as forming graceful entranceways at key moments. For instance, an arched door leads from the open-plan kitchen-diner to the generous sitting room, where guests have the choice of squishy sofas in front of a roaring fire or the considered library end, where a sumptuous red velvet sofa invites curling up with a good book, while an elegant chaise caters for those who want to be truly laid back.
Muted hues form the backbone of many of the schemes, but the studio ensured there were plenty of unexpected surprises. Vibrantly patterned wallpapers hug the cloakroom walls and form a lively backdrop to the cabinetry in the children’s playroom, deep forest green cabinetry anchors the kitchen scheme, while pops of joyful tangerine signal the ultimate fun spaces, swathing the walls in the party barn.
Playroom (left): This bespoke cabinetry, combining shelves, cupboards, a cushioned seat, and a desk, has a place for everything. Trematonia wallpaper in Ecru, House of Hackney. Jonathan Adler Op Art Teal rug, Ruggable. Artwork, clients’ own. Taino chair, Oka. Children's Bedroom (right): The canopy is a great decorative touch. Voysey Park wallpaper, Lewis & Wood. Bespoke canopy designed and made by Dalrymple Studio; outside fabric in Baker House Linen; inside fabric in Thornham, both GP & J Baker; trim in Tiverton Striped Gimp, Samuel & Sons.
‘We pushed the clients with the colors,’ says Amy. ‘We wanted the playroom to be really fun – it’s a space that’s got to stand the test of time and grow with the children.
Because of the vast ceiling height and substantial wall area, it needed to pack a punch but also feel warm and cozy. The clients sometimes preferred calm and muted shades, then we would bring in punches of color with the warmer tones pushed through to bring it to life.’
Bedroom: The ceiling was vaulted to introduce drama. Bespoke headboard designed by Dalrymple Studio; in Pienza Tigrotto fabric, C&C Milano. Artwork, clients’ own. Rug, Peter Page.
Unexpected flourishes are revealed upstairs, including in the dressing room, where the wardrobe doors are inset with linen panels hand-painted and stitched to create cow parsley and grasses, mirroring the countryside. ‘The client wanted wild, botanical, and country, and we came up with the idea of the leaves and grasses,’ explains Amy. ‘Because of the height and narrowness of the dressing room, we needed to find a way to make it feel warm and special.’
Children's Bathroom (left): Soft hues create a calming feel, while the opulent tiled backdrop in the alcove pulls together the colors in the scheme. Bath, Aston Matthews. East Java Flamingo Marble Plume Mosaic tiles (in arch), Ca’ Pietra. Carrara honed hexagon marble mosaic floor tiles, Mandarin Stone. Dressing Room (right): Statement botanical cabinet doors were handcrafted as a nod to the countryside. Embroidered doors by Claire Coles.
Adding texture was really important.’ The arch motif, meanwhile, is teased through in the children’s bathroom, where an arresting marble alcove sits above the bath, and a playful washstand showcases scalloped detailing. Such exquisite interiors undoubtedly tempt guests to outstay their welcome.
