UNITED FRONT

Lucy Clarke-Bishop added a lower-ground extension to her 1960s home, connecting the calm, colourful interiors to the large woodland garden

- WORDS ALEXANDRA PRATT | PHOTOGRAPHY RACHAEL SMITH STYLING FIONA DE LYS

Lucy Clarke-Bishop added a lower-ground extension to her 1960s home, connecting the calm, colourful interiors to the large woodland garden Looking to be closer to her parents in Leeds, Lucy Clarke-Bishop and her husband Andrew started the process of moving from their London home and soon discovered a mid-century house with a large woodland garden. 'I said to Andrew, “We have to buy this house!” says Lucy. 'It was love at first sight.' However, once inside, the romance didn't continue. 'It hadn't been touched since the 1960s,' says Lucy. 'Wallpaper was peeling off and the kitchen was dingy.'

In London, the couple had lived in Victorian properties, which had been perfect for a while. Then with the arrival of Marlowe, now seven, Lucy, who works as an interior designer, began to crave a more versatile family space. 'This house offered so much space and light,' she says.