Cool, Calm & Collected

Soothing shades, modern art and layers of charm form the basis of Suzi Ellis’s generous period home

- Heather Dixon

It took Suzi Ellis just five minutes to seal the deal on her Victorian home – before calling her husband to tell him she had just bought a house. ‘I instinctively knew that it was right,’ she says. ‘Richard had faith in me and, fortunately, loved it, too.’

The couple had been searching for a solid period house for over a year and this one ticked all the boxes. It had original features, a rural location and a beautiful garden. It also had room for improvement inside. ‘The decor was very dated and the layout was all wrong,’ says Suzi, founder of The English Cabinet Company. ‘The dining room was as far away from the kitchen as it could be and there were more sitting areas than anyone could ever need. It all seemed very dark and disjointed.’