Traditional Interior Design Ideas
There's something utterly enchanting about traditional interior design. Houses filled with old things can be at once terribly grand and wonderfully human. Centuries of history can be traced in the layering of design styles - amendments made by generations of the same families, adding furniture, fabrics and curiosities reflective of the owners of that moment.
Most grand English and French country houses have an eccentricity which prevents them from being ostentatious or blingy - they are homes, as opposed to status symbols, and in some of the best their owner's are able to find a delicate new framework within which to use old pieces, which somehow feels contemporary. Fermoie founder Tom Helme's Carskiey Estate in Scotland is a prime example.
Feast your eyes on some favourite interiors from the archive; a historic eighteenth-century house with interiors by Hugh Henry, a Hampshire country house with a contemporary twist, the Wiltshire home of Polly Nicholson, the Château de Sully in Burgundy, a grand working farm covering 53,000 acres in New Zealand, the electic and colourful Faringdon House and finally Lady Wakefield's townhouse.
Simon Upton1/135The Bathroom
A light by Hector Finch hangs in the main bathroom of this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton2/135The Spare Room
In a spare room of an 18th Century house, a canopied four-poster bed is hung with Veraseta's 'Satin Athena'.
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Simon Upton3/135The Boot Room
Cupboards line the wall in the boot room in an 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton4/135The Dining Room
A Venetian-glass chandelier hangs above the mahogany table in the dining room of this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton5/135The Drawing Room
A nine-metre rug designed by Hugh extends across three seating areas in the drawing room in this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton6/135The Dressing Room
The dressing room of this 18th Century house is painted in three different shades of blue from Sanderson.
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Simon Upton7/135The Dressing Room
A wall of built-in storage mimics the effect of panelling in the dressing room of this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton8/135The Entrance Hall
The spacious entrance hall was originally the drawing room in this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton9/135The North Front
This 18th Century house was 'turned around' in the 1870s, with the north front refaced as the main entrance.
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Simon Upton10/135The Hallway
An eighteenth-century console from Jamb provides shelter for two dogs in this house.
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Simon Upton11/135The Loggia
The sitting-room loggia leads into the drawing room in this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton12/135The Main Bedroom
A pair of French armchairs and a sofa upholstered in 'Chloe' from George Spencer Designs create a pretty effect in the main bedroom of this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton13/135The South Front
The south front becoming the back of the house during the redesign of this 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton14/135The Staircase
The main staircase of an 18th Century house.
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Simon Upton15/135The Staircase
The hall of Bowood House, with its cantilevered staircase, was converted from a dining room in the Fifties, under the direction of John Fowler. The soft yellow walls are a perfect compliment to the wooden floors.
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Simon Upton16/135The Drawing Room
John Fowler's decoration of the drawing room at Bowood House remains almost unaltered, including the cream cotton damask used for the curtains and pelmets and to cover the walls; the desk by the window came into the family during the French Revolution through Emily Mercer, daughter of the Comte de Flahault, who married the 4th Marquess.
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Simon Upton17/135The Exterior
At Bowood House in Wiltshire there is so much to take in: the gently undulating landscape with its carefully positioned clumps of oak and beech; the sinuous lake with its Doric temple; the extensive Pleasure Grounds behind the walled gardens; and the arboretum planted with 700 species of trees.
The Italianate terraces in front of the public part of the houe were laid out by the architect Robert Smirke in the mid-nineteenth century. The clock tower was added later by Sir Charles Barry.
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Simon Upton18/135The Guest Bedroom
A guest bedroom at Bowood House in Wiltshire, decorated by owner Fiona, has walls covered in Colefax & Fowler's 'Bowood' design, which also features on the bed valance, headboard, curtains and chair upholstery.
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Simon Upton19/135The Main Bathroom
The main bathroom at Bowood House in Wiltshire features a chintz-covered free-standing bathtub and several pieces of antique furniture, including a Georgian writing table and a chair featuring the Prince of Wales' feathers, which belonged to Fiona's mother; Fiona chose a large-scale lilac chintz from Colefax & Fowler, which has since been discontinued
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Simon Upton20/135The Library
In the library of Bowood House in Wiltshire, Etruscan-style Wedgwood vases dating from 1813 stand on bookcases under the coffered ceiling, both of which were designed by Charles Cockerell in 1821. The 5,000 bound books were mostly collected by the 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne. Through the double doors is the drawing room.
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Davide Lovatti21/135The Paisley Bedroom
Pink rules in the Paisley Bedroom of the Carskiey Estate, named after the painting of Paisley Fair above the antique sofa with suzani cushions.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti22/135The Bathroom
The industrial style hydrotherapy bathroom at the Carskiey Estate has its original shower, bath and teak wet-room floor.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti23/135The Staircase
At the Carskiey Estate, a staircase leads to a bathroom with wooden floor and deep set round window.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti24/135The Bedroom
A bedroom on the first floor of the Carskiey Estate has a soft, pastel palette, with window and bed curtains in the same 'N-098' wicker linen from Fermoie.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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25/135The Desk
In one of the bedrooms at the Carskiey Estate long curtains in Fermoie's green 'N-098' wicker linen work beautifully with soft pink walls. The rise and fall pendant lights over the desk draw attention to the height of the ceilings, their lampshades are from Fermoie, as are the window seat cushions and upholstery fabric.
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Davide Lovatti26/135The Breakfast Table
In the kitchen of the Carskiey Estate a breakfast table and chairs made by Coryndon sits in the corner.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti27/135The Dining Room
A long, oval table, with its vast surface exuberantly painted by the artist Sara Allen, sits in the centre of the dining room at the Carskiey Estate. Fermoie fabrics lend anchoring spots of colour to the large and airy rooms and the halls, with the curtains and bed hangings throughout by Janette Read.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti28/135The Drawing Room
The Carskiey Estate's drawing room is furnished in a more contemporary style, with a B&B Italia sofa, and cushions and lampshades by Fermoie.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti29/135The House
The Carskiey Estate sits on the furthest point of the Mull of Kintyre.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti30/135The Gunroom
The gunroom at the Carskiey Estate has the original monogrammed game bags for James and Kate Boyd.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti31/135The Kitchen
Around the Aga in the kitchen of the Carskiey Estate, the walls are clad in geometric tiles from Fired Earth, framed by white subway tiling.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti32/135The Library
The library of the Carskiey Estate, returned to the first floor by Tom, has a B&B Italia sofa and Maxalto ottoman, covered in Fermoie 'Silver Something' linen; the bookcases are original to the house and were made by Whytock and Reid.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti33/135The Reception Hall
The reception hall at the Carskiey Estate is furnished with a pair of sofas designed by Tom and covered in Fermoie 'Satchel' linen; the curved stone staircase leads up to the library.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti34/135The Garden Hall
On the ground floor of the Carskiey Estate, the hall to the garden has a colour-block table designed by Tom and a glazed bookcase made by Coryndon reflecting the green landscape framed by the windows opposite.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Davide Lovatti35/135The View
The view from the first-floor library at the Carskiey Estate.
Taken from the February 2016 issue of House & Garden.
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Paul Massey36/135The Front
Amelie with her sister Charlotte on path leading to the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey37/135The Ballroom
The ceiling and decorative panelled walls in russian green set a grand tone in the ballroom at the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey38/135The Doors
The russian green doors in the ballroom of the Château de Sully feature ornate design details.
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Paul Massey39/135The Wine Cellar
Vigneron Patrick Tisserand, who has worked at the domaine for over 40 years, tops up the barrels in the wine cellar at Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey40/135The Bedroom
In the bedroom at the Château de Sully, the decadent bed is footed by a coral Gustavian-style bench.
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Paul Massey41/135The Chapel
The medieval chapel at the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey42/135The Chest of Drawers
A dolls' house sits atop a French bombe chest of drawers in the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey43/135The Dining Room
A large marble fireplace faces a low table in the Château de Sully dining room. The dusty pink tablecloth matches the details on the chairs and maya blue rug.
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Paul Massey44/135The Drawing Room
Amelie and her fox terrier Gyulai in the drawing room at the Château de Sully. The plaster walls have a trompe l'œil design to make them look like wood panelling.
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Paul Massey45/135The Entrance Hall
The magnificent stone and wrought iron staircase in the entrance hall of the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey46/135The Duchesse
An exterior view of the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey47/135The Château
The approach to the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey48/135The Secret Door
An exterior wall at the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey49/135The Escritoire
A painting of an ancestor hangs above an escritoire in the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey50/135The Hallway
Light streams through the windows in the hallway of the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey51/135The Kitchen
Copper pans hang in rows in the kitchen of the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey52/135The Plaque
A plaque outside the abbey of the Château de Sully was carved by Patrick in 2010.
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Paul Massey53/135The Vestibule
A sixteenth-century tapestry hangs in the petit vestibule at the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey54/135The Study
In the study at the Château de Sully, a 'Boîte aux Lettres' sits on the writing desk, which is beside a marble and wood whatnot topped with a crown feature.
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Paul Massey55/135The Fireplace
At the Château de Sully, the study features a carved stone and marble chimneypiece.
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Paul Massey56/135The Tapestry
A tapestry hangs on a wall in the Château de Sully.
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Paul Massey57/135The Garden
Amelie collects vegetables from the garden at the Château de Sully.
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Andrew Montgomery58/135Attic Room
[i]A bust of Lenin sits in an attic room of Faringdon House.
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Andrew Montgomery59/135Decoration Detail
Porcelain looks pretty on shelves of Faringdon House.
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Andrew Montgomery60/135The Bathroom
At Faringdon House, Robert added the en suite bathroom in the Fifties, with its flamboyant pink tub and Rousseau-inspired murals by Roy Hobdell.
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Andrew Montgomery61/135The Bedroom
The main bedroom of Faringdon House is full of character and pattern.
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Andrew Montgomery62/135The Dining Room
The dining room at Faringdon House has an attractive fireplace and soft grey walls.
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Andrew Montgomery63/135The Drawing Room
[i]The drawing room of Faringdon House follows a sunny yellow decoration scheme.
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Andrew Montgomery64/135The Folly Tower
Faringdon's folly tower is 100ft tall and was the last major folly to be built in England.
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Andrew Montgomery65/135The Front Entrance
[i]Sofka Zinovieff with her whippet cross Lily at the front entrance of Faringdon House.
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Andrew Montgomery66/135The Grounds
Fantailed pigeons roam in the grounds of Faringdon House; Lord Berners and Sofka's grandfather started to dye them in the Thirties and the tradition has continued.
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Andrew Montgomery67/135The House
Sofka Zinovieff walking back towards Faringdon House with cut flowers.
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Sarah Stewart-Smith reconfigures the ground floor of this Victorian terrace
Andrew Montgomery68/135The Music Room
[i]Sofka Zinovieff's husband, Vassilis Papadimitriou, reading in the music room of Faringdon House which is hung with portraits and painted a rich green-blue.
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Simon Upton69/135The Boot Room
In the boot room of this Hampshire country house, there is plenty of custom-built storage.
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Simon Upton70/135The Dining Area
Fiona 'soaked, stretched, flattened and repinned' the buckled old dining table in the kitchen of this Hampshire country house.
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Simon Upton71/135The Dining Room
In the dining room of this Hampshire country house, a set of Reed & Rackstraw chairs are covered in a French damask from Alton-Brooke.
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Simon Upton72/135The Drawing Room
Contemporary art, including a painting from Anselm Kiefer's 'Alkahest' series, contrasts with the traditional elements of the drawing room of this Hampshire country house.
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Simon Upton73/135The Drawing Room
Contemporary art, including a painting from Anselm Kiefer's 'Alkahest' series, contrasts with the traditional elements of the drawing room of this Hampshire country house.
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Simon Upton74/135The Drawing Room Chairs
In the drawing room of this Hampshire country house, curtains in 'Strie' from George Spencer Design frame the bay windows.
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Simon Upton75/135The Entrance Hall
An umbrella lighting installation by Rolf Sachs adds drama to the entrance hall of this Hampshire country house.
Taken from the March 2015 issue of House & Garden.
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Simon Upton76/135Hall
Hats hang from an antler rack from Clock House Furniture in this Hampshire country house.
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Simon Upton77/135The Library
Curtains in Claremont's 'Concini Fleur Rouge' add colour to the library of this Hampshire country house.
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Simon Upton78/135The Main Bedroom
The main bedroom in a Hampshire country house.
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Simon Upton79/135The Children's Room
'Mistletoe' muslin from Simon Playle hangs on the twin beds in the children's room of this Hampshire country house; the curtains are in 'Delphos Aqua' from Jane Churchill.
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Lucas Allen80/135Garden Barn
A view of the barn at night, Inchyra Estate.
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81/135Bathroom
Upstairs at the Inchyra Estate, the elegant bathroom features taupe curtains, a matching claw-foot bathtub and a view to the garden.
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82/135Yellow Bedroom
Chintz curtains with an elaborate pelmet feature in this sunny bedroom of the Inchyra Estate.
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83/135Hanging Decorations
Decorating the barn at the Inchyra Estate with floral arrangements.
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84/135Dining Room
The dining room of the Inchyra Estate, which leads through to the main hall, is decorated in a delicate floral wallpaper, 'The India Paper' by Cole & Son, along with a collection of antique furniture.
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86/135English Garden
The Inchyra estate includes a classic English garden where the children ride ponies.
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Lucas Allen87/135Exterior
The imposing façade of the Inchyra Estate, a regency mansion which looks over the Ochil Hills.
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88/135Garden Path
A view of the garden path leading up the Inchyra Estate.
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89/135Barn Lights
Fairy lights hang from the ceiling of the barn at the Inchyra Estate.
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90/135Main Hall
A striking floral arrangement sits on an antique drum table in the main hall of the Inchyra Estate.
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91/135Old Byre
The old byre at the Inchyra Estate.
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92/135Pretty Pear
A garden wall is adorned with a beautiful pear tree at the Inchyra Estate.
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Eminent gardener Arne Maynard gives a tour of the grounds of his home
93/135Duck Egg Blue
The pale robin egg blue walls modernise and brighten the staircase and hallway at the Inchyra Estate, which is filled with antiques.
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94/135Workspace Desk
A striped armchair brightens this workspace area, while an antique escritoire fits the decadent feel of the Inchyra Estate.
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Michael Sinclair95/135The Dining Room
For the dining room on the ground floor, Felicity Wakefield chose a limewash-style blue, which brings out the veins in the marbled cornicing and door frame. The panelled walls are hung with sixteenth-century portraits of the Duchess of Richmond (left) and a Venetian boy (right), which Peter and Felicity bought from Richard Philp and Michel Dumez-Onof.
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Michael Sinclair96/135The Drawing Room
Lady Wakefield and her late husband Peter decided to move the drawing room up to the first floor. Here, they created a comfortable space with panelled walls and purposely unmatched furnishings that mix well with paintings and objects acquired over the past three decades. Two rugs from Turkey demarcate seperate sitting areas.
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Michael Sinclair97/135The Drawing Room
At one end of Lady Wakefield's drawing room, three tall Georgian windows frame the greenery of the garden. The full-length floral-print curtains from Colefax and Fowler add to the effect.
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Lucas Allen98/135Mount Algidus
Upstream on the far bank is a grassy plateau with one of the most breathtaking views in the world, and it is here that the owners of the station, Jane and Jamie Smiley, have built a Mount Algidus.
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