ENGLISH ECLECTIC

Using a bold, rich palette has turned a tired farmhouse into a stunning family home for Claire and Simon Read

- VIVIENNE AYERS

For Claire and Simon Read, it’s always been a case of opposites attract. ‘When Simon and I met we joked that it was like Jane Austen dating Damien Hirst!’ says Claire. ‘We both have very different tastes, although over the years we have settled somewhere in between.’ They bought the Cotswolds property as a bolthole to escape from London for holidays and weekends, and it’s a complete contrast to their place in the city. While their London home has a modern Scandinavian-inspired monochrome interior, their idyllic country house embraces characterful period features and a colourful, eclectic scheme.

‘We live in central London and miss not having a garden. We wanted to give the children a sense of country living,’ says Claire. Finding a suitable property took some time. ‘We had looked for ages, but couldn’t find what we wanted,’ she says. The couple were still on an estate agent’s mailing list, however, and when the details of one particular house came through, it caught their attention. ‘The house was so pretty,’ she says. ‘It’s made of Cotswold stone and has a French look, which really appealed. Added to that, Simon knew the area as he grew up nearby.’