Creative accord

Sacramento grasspaper wallcovering by Stereo lends texture and depth to the sitting room, which is furnished with Elmstead sofas from Lorfords and a bespoke armchair in Carolina by Vanderhurd. The curtains are in Olive Sacking by Guy Goodfellow, while the contemporary Perspex table is from Carew Jones. A rug from Jaipur Rugs anchors the scheme.

Even before she had set eyes on the handsome Arts and Crafts villa that was to become her home, Sarah Davies recalls sensing that it was going to be ‘the one’. “You cross a little white bridge before you arrive at the house, and I think that by that point, my husband John and I both knew we wanted it. The setting is really glorious,” she says.

Surrounded by 10 acres of land, including formal gardens, woodland, paddocks and an orchard, the house feels incredibly private, yet it is situated on the outskirts of a pretty Hampshire village. “The countryside has a lovely rural feeling even though we are still close to London – an important factor, as John and I both work there during the week,” Sarah says.

The proportions of the house were another big draw. Built in 1907, it has generous rooms that afford ample space for Sarah and John and their two children – Billy, 12, and Felisha, 10 – without feeling intimidating. “The previous owners had reconfigured the layout, and its sense of openness, particularly the spacious kitchen, really appealed,” explains Sarah. “It is a true family home – it feels as if it has been loved by every previous occupant.”

It was the house’s innate sense of warmth and conviviality that the couple wanted to preserve when they updated the interiors, but with both having very demanding jobs, they knew they would need some professional help. It was during a conversation with art consultant Georgie Grandy of GrandyArt that the name of interior designer Alice Leigh came up. “Georgie had helped us source art in the past and we were telling her about our new project,” Sarah recalls. “She mentioned that she had an interior designer friend who could be the perfect fit.”

Alice’s ability to create characterful, layered spaces resonated with the couple, as did her practical approach when it came to devising furniture layouts. “We had never had console tables in our lives but now we would be lost witho