When Philippa McFarlane and her husband Al first saw Sandrock House in 2012 after a two-year search for their next property, they knew it had stacks of potential.
Philippa was captivated by the character and period features in this already imposing Victorian seven-bedroom family home. Describing its condition as “perfectly functional but a little tired”, she says: “We were immediately drawn to the original fireplaces and cornicing, plus its grand proportions. The rooms felt so big, but mainly we fell in love with the welcoming soul of the house.”
Already Dorking residents – Al had grown up there and Philippa moved to the area when they got together – the couple were also attracted by the short walk into town. With an appetite for a project, the pair wasted no time in getting stuck into the structural and cosmetic overhaul, which would take the best part of the next seven years. Philippa had always had an eye for interior design, having studied for a degree in interior architecture in her late teens, and her natural instinct for interiors and styling was ever-present. But it was a passion that had been largely left on the back burner until the renovations at Sandrock House took off.
Describing her style as timeless but eclectic, Pinterest became a “full-blown addiction” as Philippa gathered inspiration for the décor by looking through thousands of images.
Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av Surrey Life.
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Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av Surrey Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The House That Rocks
Transforming an impressive, seven-bedroom Victorian property in Dorking wasn’t without its challenges, but the result is a stunning family home that has had the interiors world raving
REMEDY FOR SUCCESS
Surrey’s Tracy Borman discusses the return of her heroine healer in the final book of her best-selling fictional trilogy
Love Celia
Actress Celia Imrie has travelled the world for work and leisure but wherever she goes there is a part of her which is forever Surrey
EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH
Art & Action: Making Change in Victorian Britain at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village in Compton focuses on the Victorian roots of art activism
Electric dreams
The Range Rover plug-in hybrid brings silent electric motoring to this iconic luxury car
THE OPEN ROAD
Chris Pickering rounds up some of the best drives in Surrey
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Oxted & Limpsfield
With the North Downs looming nearby and glorious countryside surrounding it, Oxted is a town with real “escape from London” appeal and character, while nearby Limpsfield has a superb village vibe with its own community-run pub
Artist to the stars
Known as ‘The Face of Modern British Impressionism’, Mickleham-based Sherree Valentine Daines is celebrating four decades at the forefront of her field
A RIGHT ROYAL WELCOME
The Signet Collection’s inaugural hotel project is a reimagining of a former royal guest house, situated directly opposite Hampton Court Palace
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Godalming & Hascombe
On the banks of the River Wey, Godalming is a watercolour pretty town surrounded by pristine countryside and in-demand rural villages, such as Hascombe