Seeking sanctuary

A serene Japanese aesthetic and the practical needs of family life come together in Katherine and James Simmonds' beautiful new build

- JO LEEVERS

Adetached new build in Surrey had all that Katherine and James were looking for in a home — except personality. Built recently, the house had faux-period doors, skirtings and cornices that didn't look right and all the rooms were painted in a really dull beige. 'It desperately needed all the details to be refined and the spaces rethought so that they reflected our own personalities,' says Katherine.

The family had a love of the light and textures they had enjoyed on holidays in Cornwall, while Katherine had grown up in Japan and retained a memory of how nature-inspired elements can create serene interiors. When she discovered Yoko Kloeden Design, whose design philosophies draw on the calming effect of nature, Katherine and her husband James knew Yoko could help them.