The nature-inspired decor of this home suits its idyllic English country setting

Pia Pelkonen claims that the North Downs vistas were the impetus for the designs. The stunning Surrey setting is fitting for the world-class residence, a fake Georgian country house.

It was decided to bring in Pia, owner of Pia Design, to revitalize the tired interiors. “When we first saw the house, it was winter, and the views from every window were breathtaking. The setting above the Downs is stunning. We suggested extending the idea into the white spaces between the windows for a more seamless panorama that brings the outdoors inside. The yellow of spring daffodils, summer green, autumn’s rusty orange, and winter’s blue inspired our interior colour palette.

The customers had accumulated some lovely pieces of furniture over the years, and the renovation needed to have as small an impact on the environment as possible. The goal was to save and repair every piece of furniture with sentimental value. When asked about replacing any furniture, Pia replies, “We didn’t want to replace anything.” The only pieces of furniture that were thrown out were two old, worn couches. Everything else was used, and several items were relocated to other house areas. We revitalized the entire thing. The panelling and skirting were also retained. The grain on the Douglas fir doors was so lovely that we decided to leave them alone. When we proposed keeping the existing fixtures and furnishings rather than tearing everything out and starting over, the clients were quite appreciative.

ENTRY

Pia made a fantastic first impression by installing new marble herringbone floor tiles to replace the old, damaged porcelain ones. Elegant Sandberg Pil wallpaper, depicting leaves from a willow tree, was inspired by the tiles’ design.

The front door was also replaced with a stronger one, and panelling was installed to match the rest of the house. The custom stained glass panel created by Luna Glasswork adds a beautiful and unique touch to the doorway; its design was inspired by the daffodils that bloom on the client’s driveway in the spring.

HALLWAY

The Douglas fir staircase in the impressive foyer makes quite a bold statement.

Clients had complained that the area was too noisy, but Pia toned it down to make a more upscale and relaxing atmosphere.

One of her hall renovation ideas was to hang a Woodchip & Magnolia landscape mural. Wooden herringbone flooring in a matching pattern to the stairs and spindles painted in Farrow & Ball’s Railings serve to break up the otherwise uniform appearance of the wood. The customer’s grandmother originally owned the chaise longue, which was reupholstered to give it new life.

The existing arches do an excellent job of framing the vistas of the Downs. Woodchip and Magnolia’s murals adorn the walls as a homage to the locale.

DINING ROOM

Pia’s plans for the formal dining room focused on upcycling existing pieces of furniture and creating a look appropriate for the era. The client’s existing furniture was relocated from the garden room to the formal dining room, and the chairs were reupholstered in blue velvet, as Pia explains. The customer’s kitchen is where the pendant light originally resided.

Since blue is a customer favourite, we used Farrow & Ball’s Skylight and Dix Blue to repaint the walls and ceiling.

LIVING ROOM

Pia explains that the room’s spectacular vistas of the North Downs inspired them to decorate with a landscape mural wallpaper by Woodchip & Magnolia. The effect is “panoramic.”

Three matching sofas from an antique design were introduced into the living room as part of the plan to create a period effect. Pia claims, “Despite their seeming upright shape, they are incredibly comfortable for reclining in.” They are one of the few furnishings they have purchased or had custom constructed for the house.

GARDEN ROOM

In this case, Pia was inspired to create an “inside-outside sense” because the space looks out over a rose garden and a central fountain in a courtyard. Sandberg’s ivy-patterned wallpaper and a moss-coloured sofa and chair are essential to this effect.

The client’s original wood and cane furniture was repurposed in this space to create an informal eating area.

KITCHEN

The kitchen was installed after the home was built. Repainting the island in Farrow & Ball’s Railings was one of Pia’s ideas to modernize and amplify the drama in the kitchen. The antique chandelier had been relocated to the dining room and replaced with a classic globe-shaped pendant from Lux Deco.

MAIN BEDROOM

Since the clients were fond of the current pastel blue colour scheme, Pia opted to preserve it. A custom mural by de Gournay and a bubble chandelier by Dowsing & Reynolds were two of her ideas for making the bedroom more impressive.

BEDROOM

Pia has made her bedroom a bright and cheery space by adding colourful accents and an eye-catching mural to go with her traditional wooden furnishings.

BEDROOM

“The bedrooms in the back of the house were already furnished, but otherwise extremely plain,” Pia says. The client already owned the bed, nightstands, and lamps, so Pia added a painting to the wall behind the headboard to create an atmospheric feel and painted the walls and ceilings in dark tones.

BEDROOM

Even though it’s the smallest bedroom in the home, Pia insists it makes quite an impression. “We utilized Cole & Son’s Nuvolette cloud wallpaper on the ceiling to create the illusion of the sky opening into the room,” the designers explain.

The home’s cornicing influenced the headboard’s distinctive form.

BEDROOM

Pia installed panelling on the walls and hung Cole & Son’s Nuvolette cloud wallpaper inside the window to make up for the room’s low ceiling. An eye-catching, one-of-a-kind headboard unites the room’s many colour palettes.

BATHROOM

Pia’s bathroom ideas for updating the space included installing a custom vanity unit with fluted drawer fronts. The dark blue panelling and curtains create a dramatic atmosphere, while the marble mosaic tiles on the floor and the Carrara marble on the shower splashback recall opulence.