A grand Tudor family home reimagined over eighteen months of thoughtful collaboration. Honouring the architecture’s traditional bones while introducing refined contemporary comfort, the interiors balance heritage gravitas with the warmth and ease of everyday life.
The clients purchased a stately Tudor residence they admired but had never lived in. Their vision was clear: retain its heritage presence while ensuring every room felt welcoming, comfortable and aligned with their lifestyle from day one. The challenge lay in softening the formality of grand proportions without compromising the home’s architectural character.
Working within the existing envelope, the design retained original leadlight windows, richly detailed timber panelling, substantial fireplaces and formal proportions while establishing a cohesive interior language through materials, finishes, fixtures and furnishings. Timber floors were carefully stained to ground each space, while stone surfaces in the kitchen, butlers pantry, conservatory dining room and bathrooms introduce tactile luxury. Bespoke joinery was designed to feel integral to the architecture, with decorative lighting chosen to complement both the Tudor character and contemporary furnishings.
The extensive program spans formal and family zones across multiple levels. The formal lounge and study feature intimate seating arrangements around fireplaces that encourage conversation and connection to garden outlooks, while a billiard room with bar at basement level offers retreat and entertainment. The kitchen and family living areas balance refined finishes with durable materials chosen for their longevity and everyday practicality. Detailed powder rooms and a considered laundry and mud room demonstrate the same level of care applied to service spaces.
Upper levels continue the considered approach. A main suite with ensuite and walk-in robe feels both luxurious and restful, while adult children and grandchildren’s bedrooms, walk-in robes and an enchanting attic playroom offer functional spaces that spark imagination. An introduced elevator integrates seamlessly, resolved as part of the interior architecture rather than an afterthought.
Existing architectural features – ornate ceiling details, picture rails, and carved timber elements – are highlighted and paired with furniture, lighting, materials and art that feel collected rather than themed. A strong connection to the garden, with its pool and tennis court, is woven throughout the interiors through fabrics, light fittings, colour, tone and texture. A controlled palette of warm neutrals and deeper tones unifies the generous volumes, while layered rugs define zones within large rooms and introduce acoustic softness. Window treatments frame garden views while providing privacy and light control, and carefully selected textiles bring warmth to formal spaces.
Bathroom fittings were specified for their quiet quality, stone selections considered for both beauty and durability. Every fixture, finish and furnishing was chosen to contribute to a cohesive whole – functional, gracious and built to endure.
The result is a modernised Tudor home. Formal spaces invite entertaining without feeling unapproachable, family zones support daily rituals with comfort and style, and every level reveals thoughtful detail. Quietly opulent, warm and deeply lived in, Still House demonstrates how heritage architecture can embrace contemporary life.
