The Cotswolds

My client, one of the UK’s most talented actors whose LA home I also designed, asked if I’d not only design the interiors for his newly acquired farmhouse in the Cotswolds, but also oversee the entire renovation. This sort of job is my forte — I always love a big project where I can get to grips with the interior architecture and garden design. In addition, one thing that gets my heart racing is any mention of the Cotswolds, to me the most enchanting of English landscapes. 

This new country place came with a fun provenance. The farmhouse was previously the home of Sir Mark Palmer, hippie baronet and former page to his godmother Queen Elizabeth II, and his wife, the astrologer Catherine Tennant. Everyone I’d ever known had a story about it during its hedonistic heyday. 

Charming though it was, the house needed more than just new curtains and throw pillows. I knew I wanted to retain the original footprint of the house while preserving and enhancing its many quirks and charms. This was a listed building of historic importance and work on the roof had to be delayed for months while the resident bats were rehoused. Luckily, I found an architect and a local contractor who were well versed in dealing with properties of this type. We wanted to preserve the patina of the centuries and stay true to the spirit of the house and the people who had lived there before.

When it was time to furnish the house, I scoured the surrounding countryside for unique pieces. For me, antiquing, or sourcing, is all about the thrill of the hunt, and the random element of luck cannot be underestimated. I made a couple of lucky strikes whizzing around Pimlico Road and at my favorite hunting ground, The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair in Battersea, for pieces that had eluded me. Finding that last element that finishes a room often feels like a miracle and still surprises me sometimes.