 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 had long admired, despite having never lived in a home of its kind before. 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.
Set across three levels, the home balances formal entertaining spaces with relaxed family living areas. 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. The master bedroom and ensuite with 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.
The bedrooms are conceived as calm, enveloping retreats, each with its own character while remaining connected to the home’s broader palette. Soft neutrals, layered textiles and generous drapery create a sense of quiet luxury, with natural light filtered through billowing curtains and, in places, introduced from above via skylights to gently wash the rooms. Fine detailing in the bed frames, bedside tables and lighting lends a refined, almost heirloom quality, keeping the spaces elegant but understated.
Elsewhere, colour is used more deliberately: patterned wall panels and upholstered pieces in soft blues, grey green and linen flax lend a tailored, sitting-room feel, while a richly layered four-poster bed, complete with gathered canopy and full-height curtains, introduces intimacy and a sense of occasion. Upholstery, bed linen and window treatments are carefully coordinated for tone and texture, so each room feels inviting, with comfort placed firmly at the forefront.
Ornate ceiling details, picture rails, and carved timber elements are celebrated and paired with furniture, lighting and materials. A strong connection to the garden, pool and tennis court is woven through the interiors via fabrics, light fittings, colour, tone and texture. A controlled palette of warm neutrals and deeper tones unifies the generous volumes, while layered rugs define living spaces 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.
The kitchen and living room ceilings, selected carved timber elements and a bespoke bedroom armoire were all custom designed. Throughout the home, spaces were resolved in dialogue with the owners’ existing art collection so each piece feels intentionally placed.Â
Bathroom fixtures were selected for their timeless elegance and grand presence, with stone chosen for both its beauty and durability. Every fixture, finish and furnishing was curated 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 areas support daily rituals with comfort and style, and every level reveals thoughtful detail. Quietly opulent, classically beautiful and deeply lived in, Still House demonstrates how heritage architecture can embrace contemporary life.
