Chapel CHIC

Mid-century Sputnik pendant? Check. Light- up Virgin Mary? Check. Helen Harlow's take on decorating this 19th-century chapel is as fun as it is unexpected...

- KATIE PIKE

Walking past the old Methodist chapel in a pretty village in east Suffolk, passersby might be taken aback to catch a glimpse of an oversized 1960s Sputnik light through the arched windows. Those in the know, though, wouldn't be surprised. Interior designer and colour consultant Helen Harlow bought the chapel 20 years ago, bringing with her a love of mid-century design and a playful approach to decorating, much to the amusement of the locals.

Inside, Helen has taken a cue from the chapel’s heritage, her eyes trained to look for decorative religious items when she’s scouring antiques markets and eBay. One of her most beloved items is the light-up mid-century Virgin Mary, bought from Columbia Road Flower Market. At Christmas, Mary is joined by Joseph and one of the three kings (who both also light up, naturally). 'Joseph and the king are stored in my house in London, so when I travel here for Christmas I put them in the back seats of my car and secure them with seatbelts - we get a lot of double-takes from other motorists,' she says.

Mary resides in the open-plan living-dining room year-round, where other religious pieces also nod to the heritage of the 1892 building. There’s a framed painting of Mary, a statue of Jesus, a group of chapel chairs — rescued from a reclamation yard - and the chapel’s original sign, found by Helen rotting at the back of the old timber garage and brought back to life by a local signwriter.