{"id":13399,"date":"2022-08-04T09:30:27","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T07:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=32944"},"modified":"2022-08-04T09:53:11","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T07:53:11","slug":"a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques\/","title":{"rendered":"A neutral home filled with decorative antiques"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Christianne Raymer\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 04 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

After running a successful antiques<\/a> and interior design business for over 20 years, Kate Pols thought a change was in order. \u2018As much as I loved dealing in antiques, I felt it was time for a simpler life,\u2019 she says. However, once Kate had divested herself of the shop and its stock, what she really wanted was a fresh challenge. And, as someone who lives and breathes design, it was a foregone conclusion that this \u2018fresh challenge\u2019 would involve a new home.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019d started looking,\u2019 she says, \u2018but not very seriously. Nothing really appealed until \u2013 quite by chance \u2013 I spotted the \u2018For sale\u2019 sign on this place as I was driving past.\u2019 Kate, who says she has an instinct for such things, knew immediately that this was where she wanted to live. \u2018I drove straight home, phoned the estate agent and put in an offer,\u2019 she laughs. \u2018He insisted that I went out to view it properly but, even then, I just took a look through the front door.\u2019<\/p>\n

Situated only a mile or two outside Hungerford, and not far from where Kate was living at the time, the area was convenient and close to friends. \u2018And the far-reaching views gave it a real sense of being out in the countryside,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

From the floor plans, it was clear that the interior would benefit from a few alterations, \u2018and there was certainly scope for improvement on the garden front\u2019. In other words, the property was ideal \u2013 exactly the kind of project she was looking for. Kate, who had renovated several houses in the past, saw no reason to engage an architect. \u2018I knew what needed doing,\u2019 she says. \u2018So with the help of my very competent builder, I submitted the planning application myself.\u2019<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Kate\u2019s new home was not listed, so replacing the existing windows on the front elevation with custom-made gothic ones wasn\u2019t a problem. Neither was her proposal to extend the building by adding an elegant, glass-roofed orangery<\/a> at one end of the house. Designed so that it can be used throughout the year, the orangery has a wood-fire stove set into the fireplace, which casts a cosy glow towards the dining table and the seating area throughout the winter.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s during the summer months that the room really comes into its own: the large folding glass doors allow the interior and the beautiful all-white garden beyond to become one large, sheltered space that\u2019s ideal for entertaining.<\/p>\n

\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The gothic-style windows at the front of the house were replaced by Kate.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The orangery extension is furnished with a mix of French and English antiques, such as the 19th-century fruitwood dining table, which give it a sense of warmth. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Orangery\"<\/picture><\/div>
Limestone from Artisans of Devizes has been laid throughout to create a seamless transition from the oldest parts of the house to the new.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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Everywhere you look there are decorative antiques, such as the owl vases on the mantelpiece, framed samplers and yellow-glazed French confit pots.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Orangery\"<\/picture><\/div>
The dining room opens straight out onto the garden. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe original sitting room, situated at the opposite end of the house, has a very different feel. With its heavily beamed ceiling and inglenook fireplace<\/a>, Kate furnished it with winter evenings in mind, basing the upholstery fabrics on warm pinks and reds. A needlepoint throw, a Persian rug and embroidered cushions add to the profusion of pattern and colour. \u2018That\u2019s where I hibernate during the winter,\u2019 she says. \u2018As soon as it gets dark, I light the fire and curl up on the sofa with a pile of gardening books<\/a>.\u2019\n

The kitchen used to be cramped and dark but is now filled with natural light thanks to the orangery running along one end. An Aga, installed by the previous owners, earns its keep in the coldest months when Kate is appreciative of its warmth.<\/p>\n

During the summer, she cooks on an electric hob, set into an island unit that she had made to her own design. Housing all the kitchen appliances apart from the fridge, it cleverly rationalises the space, leaving room for a collection of framed samplers on the walls and a charming dresser filled with vintage china<\/a> and decorative spongeware<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When furnishing the house, Kate started with pieces she\u2019d brought with her from her former home. \u2018To begin with, there was furniture piled up all over the house,\u2019 she says. \u2018But gradually I filtered out what I didn\u2019t need.\u2019 Kate describes her decorating style as looking lived-in and undecorated.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think a house should reflect the personality and taste of whoever lives there. I look around my home and I\u2019m surrounded by things that I love \u2013 the cats and dogs, my garden and all the furniture and artwork that I\u2019ve collected over the years and, of course, my family as I have lots of photographs.\u2019<\/p>\n

\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
In the kitchen, an island unit contains all the appliances apart from the fridge, leaving room for Kate\u2019s antiques to take centre stage.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
A dresser top to the side of the Aga houses a huge collection of spongeware. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The utility room is decorative as well as practical, with open shelves for storing pretty, vintage vases.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
Kate and her partner Rod keep chickens, ducks and doves.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOn the upper floor, Kate made a few adjustments, such as enlarging the en suite bathroom and creating more wardrobe space in the main bedroom. Walls are painted in earthy neutrals<\/a> and, for the curtains and bedcovers, Kate chose delicate, embroidered floral designs from Chelsea Textiles.\n

\u2018As elsewhere, the furniture is a mixture \u2013 French, English, painted, polished, large and small. I already had the large French mirror that is in my bedroom. It\u2019s designed for a much taller room, but I think it looks at home here.\u2019<\/p>\n

Kate thought she\u2019d miss the cut and thrust of antiques dealing but, in fact, she has no regrets about giving up the shop. \u2018Charlotte, my daughter, now has her own interior design company, Sutton House Interiors<\/a>, so I keep my hand in, acting as a consultant on her larger projects. And although Kate doesn\u2019t work with them in the same capacity, antiques are very much still part of her life.<\/p>\n

\u2018When I had my shop I mainly dealt in decorative 18th and 19th-century French and English antiques and I\u2019ve always furnished my own homes using the same styles,\u2019 she says. \u2018After all, what else can you buy that is not only beautiful and well-made, but affordable as well as being a good investment?\u2019<\/p>\n

\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The stairwell is hung with a collection of 19th-century silhouettes.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
Kate has furnished the bedroom with her signature mix of antiques and textiles. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The bedrooms take up the oldest part of the building where beams criss-cross ceilings and walls.\u00a0 <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The bathroom has modern fittings alongside 19th-century touches such as the mahogany chair.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The new windows blend perfectly with the style of the house.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The orangery has been sympathetically designed to seamlessly blend with the house. Kate has worked tirelessly on the garden to create a flourishing idyll.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
The path to the front door is lined with fragrant lavender. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""English\"<\/picture><\/div>
Kate Pols lives in a three-bedroom house in the Berkshire countryside that dates from the 17th century, with her partner Rod Trimboy and their two dogs, Alice and Winston, plus chickens, ducks and doves.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/body><\/html>\n
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By Christianne Raymer Published: Thursday, 04 August 2022 at 12:00 am After running a successful antiques and interior design business for over 20 years, Kate Pols thought a change was in order. \u2018As much as I loved dealing in antiques, I felt it was time for a simpler life,\u2019 she says. However, once Kate had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":13400,"template":"","categories":[1,41],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"7"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques.jpg",1600,1065,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques-768x511.jpg",768,511,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques-1024x682.jpg",800,533,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques-1536x1022.jpg",1536,1022,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2022\/08\/a-neutral-home-filled-with-decorative-antiques.jpg",1600,1065,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Christianne Raymer Published: Thursday, 04 August 2022 at 12:00 am After running a successful antiques and interior design business for over 20 years, Kate Pols thought a change was in order. \u2018As much as I loved dealing in antiques, I felt it was time for a simpler life,\u2019 she says. However, once Kate had…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/13399"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}