Creative expression

A historic house in a Sussex village has been given a new lease of life with colour, pattern and eclectic flair, thanks to the bold skill and vision of its owner

- FEATURE SHARON PARSONS PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD GADSBY COMPILED BY KIRSTY LYONS

Much as we all hope to find the home of our dreams when house hunting, in most cases, a compromise is called for. Some requirements, however, are nonnegotiable. This was certainly the case for Amy Maynard and her former husband, Charlie, when, in 2015, they decided that with two young children (aged three, and 11 months) it was time to leave London.

‘I grew up in Sussex, and we wanted to be closer to family,’ explains Amy, an interior designer, ‘so it made sense to relocate there.’ The challenge was to find a house that fulfilled their brief — but exacting — checklist: a characterful period property, in good condition, with ample space for a growing family, in a village. Crucially, in order to fulfil Amy’s long-held ambition to create a hideaway for short-term holiday lets, the property needed a generous garden with an outbuilding suitable for conversion.