Tales Of The Unexpected

Behind a traditional façade, Kate Bedbrook’s home has been remodelled into a gleaming contemporary space that inspires at every turn.

- Jo Leevers

Every now and then, a visitor who is not familiar with Kate Bedbrook’s interiors style has the pleasure of stepping through her front door. ‘The most common reaction is, “Wow”,’ she says. Replacing the previous muddle of small cottage rooms, the ground floor is now almost entirely open-plan. ‘I love the feeling of space, light and being linked with the garden beyond,’ explains Kate, a retired teacher and school counsellor.

The kitchen-diner, which is where Kate spends most of her time, is nominally divided from the front sitting room by a piece of bespoke cabinetry with central doors that can be closed for privacy, if necessary.

COLOUR CRAFT

Off the sitting room is a more intimate study, one of several spaces that feel distinct, thanks to the use of warm blocks of colour. A deep green wraps around the study, while a wash of brass coats the back wall of cabinetry in the kitchen. The adjoining utility room is cast in a hazy rust-red and the grid of bathroom tiles is a gentle shade of pink set against strong black.