Inside a 13th Century English Country Manor Updated for Present Day Living

When it came to restoring the interior of this charming manor home, interior designer Emma Sims Hilditch was careful to be sensitive to its specular history while redefining the space better for modern living. Perched high above the local village and set amongst rolling lawns and a one-acre lake, the manor dates back to the 13th century when William the Conqueror gifted it to one of his favorite noblemen. Over time, the property has evolved into something of a historical jigsaw puzzle with Norman and Georgian architecture pieced together with wooden beams, stone walls, ancient flagstone floors, large fireplaces and detailed wooden paneling.

For the formal entrance hall inside the front door, Sims Hilditch left the interior features exposed and embraced a pared back design to elevate the ancient architectural details and provide a gentle reminder of the home's immense heritage. Curtains embroidered in a vine motif bring a welcoming softness to the scheme.
In the Georgian wing of the house, Sims Hilditch converted the former dining room into a spacious drawing room. Through clever use of paneling, the arched profile of the sash windows was simplified for a more contemporary aesthetic, which is balanced by a mixture of antique and bespoke furnishings.
Sims Hilditch transformed the oldest part of the house into a contemporary open-plan kitchen-dining room. To create a sense of depth, the cabinets were painted in a variety of subtle grey shades. The large wooden posts add to the unique character and cleverly divide the space.
In the dining space, an enormous and ancient fireplace framed by exposed wooden beams and stonework houses a contemporary wood-burning stove.
In the master bedroom, Sims Hilditch opened up the pitched roof to increase the feeling of spaciousness and light. Patterned wallpaper forms a calming haze of blue and reaches up to the exposed beams, creating a pleasing mix of rough, smooth and soft textures as the eye wanders.
The patterned wallpaper continues into the master bathroom, establishing a sense of cohesion between the two rooms. Bespoke mirrored cabinets hide essential but unsightly items, like sockets.
In the guest bedroom, a window seat beneath the ancient mullion windows is an area of interest. The layered neutral color scheme creates a calming, restful atmosphere with contrasting bursts of color that engage the eye.
Historical homes are known for their awkward nooks and crannies. Sims Hilditch reimagined a corner of the guest bedroom into useful space with traditional tongue and groove paneling.
Sims Hilditch used treasure map wallpaper and injections of color to create a softly playful scheme in the child’s bedroom.
The strong lines of an über contemporary glass garden room are softened by generous upholstered armchairs in pale grey. Antique pieces and mirrored finishes signal the home’s historic heritage.
The glass garden room is designed to nestle into the ancient stone like a bit of contemporary punctuation inserted into a very old story.