Lockdown life gave London-based designers Laura and Aaron Hammett the impetus to seek a new rural home
FEATURE SARA EMSLIE
SITTING ROOM
Laura has paired contemporary pieces with antiques to great effect.
Interior designer Laura Hammett had always dreamed of an idyllic country life, but the practicalities of running a business in the capital kept her family firmly rooted in London. Until lockdown, that is. ‘With our design studio based in London, we never thought moving to the country was an option, until remote working showed us it was a possibility,’ she says. So, in 2020, Laura, husband Aaron, daughter Willow and son
Fox, along with their cats Lilo and Coco, sold their London home and moved. ‘I fell in love with Hampshire many years ago,’ she says. ‘So as soon as we decided we were going to make the move out of London, I spent the majority of lockdown looking for properties. I viewed about 20 and knew what a gem this one was as soon as I came up the drive.’
The house is detached, with a majestic but mellowed red brick Georgian exterior and an enviable amount of room for living, entertaining and working. There’s also a separate barn that the couple eventually plan to transform into guest accommodation. Their new home has all the space, inside and out, that a growing family could wish for, with the added bonus of Laura’s perfect balance of countryside and community. ‘Coming from London, I was hesitant to move to a fully rural location,’ she explains ‘but here we have neighbours as well as open fields.’
The move was, she says, for the long term. ‘The house had all the potential to renovate and make our own, but we were able to live in it and take our time with the works.’ While it had been well maintained, there was so much potential for cosmetic updates. ‘It had lots of plush, colourful carpets, including in the bathrooms! And a bright green kitchen, and anyone who knows our work knows that’s not our style.’
KITCHEN
Laura wanted a classic country kitchen but with a twist so she designed an island based on a French butcher’s block to feel more like a standalone piece of furniture.
BOOT ROOM
Ashelf of baskets provides useful storage and there’s a bench to sit on while you put on you
