It’s only natural that, seven years into running our interior design company, we’ve developed tried-and-tested colour palettes that we know from experience will stand the test of time. We know what works, what doesn’t. What we like, what we don’t. And we have a list of go-to suppliers that never fail us.
That being said, if you browse through our portfolio, you’ll notice that no two projects are the same. Instead, you’ll see how our signature style is combined with our clients’ individual wants and needs to create truly unique spaces that don’t just work – they wow.
In our opinion, no project highlights this more than our recent work in Surrey – a country cottage transformed from a simple space into a characterful home packed with personality, practicality, and style.
Here’s how we achieved the all-important after shots!
PRIORITISING JOY
At Wells and Maguire, we’re big believers that our homes should bring us joy – and nothing says joy more than sunshine and warmth. For that reason, we embraced colour in this project because – when used purposefully – it injects exactly that into a home.
No more so than Hay by Farrow & Ball – a colour inspired by our clients’ wish for yellow walls. As you can see, this shade completely transformed the once-dated kitchen into a room filled with light and character. When paired with cabinets painted in linen and the stunning herringbone terracotta flooring, it’s impossible not to feel uplifted when you step into this space.
We’ve spoken on numerous occasions about the importance of continuity in a home, so it won’t come as a surprise that the theme of joy and this colour palette is echoed in other areas of the house too. For example, we loved the yellow in the kitchen so much that we opted for these glazed yellow shower tiles in the family bathroom and paired them with beautiful Spanish-inspired patterned floor tiles. Not only did it allow us to get even more playful with the fittings (hello, scallop-edged vanity!), it helped us spread (stylish) sunshine vibes in the bathroom too.
It’s worth noting that we worked really closely with our clients on the tile selection here – a prime example of how collaboration can lead to stunning results.
TRICKS OF THE EYE
One of the perks of working with interior designers is that we know how to make the most of a space. So, when our clients’ wish lists include things like magically adding extra bathrooms or more storage to make daily life easier, our job is to find a way to make it happen.
With that in mind, as soon as we walked into the once open-plan hallway, we knew it had the potential to be so much more. By reconfiguring the floor plan – which included relocating the front door and removing a window – we were able to introduce a second toilet/shower room and conceal it with this discreet panelled door.
Shout out to these stunning white zellige and inky blue patterned tiles for making the disguised shower room even more special!
Given that we kept the original conservatory in the kitchen area, we designed a bespoke dining bench to conceal a radiator and ensure the space stays warm all year round too. Finally, we removed all the non-essential beams in the kitchen to let more light in.
MAKING SPACE FOR STORAGE
Whether we’re transforming a family home or a luxury apartment, creating more space for storage is a must.
In this project, that meant transforming a small spare bedroom that was rarely used into the new family bathroom – which now feels so much more spacious than its predecessor. As you can see, the freestanding vanity unit and shower niche mean that products can be stored discreetly.
Furthermore, the original family bathroom was transformed into a home study with custom storage, so that ‘work’ no longer seeped into other areas of the home. Finally, given that we were working with a cottage full of quirky nooks and crannies, we maximised the formerly ‘dead’ space in the attic by adding custom storage within the eaves for suitcases, skis and lofty bags – all disguised by tongue-and-groove panelling.
Circling back to our belief that homes should bring us joy – for us, decisions like this boil down to: ‘What would bring more peace into your life?’ If there are daily family feuds over boots and bags being left out, not being able to find things easily, or you have a room that’s barely used – plus the budget to do something about it – we’re always the first to say: “Let’s do something about it, then!”
FINAL THOUGHTS
We’re sure you can tell from this blog that we had so much fun working on this project – and the results speak for themselves.
So much so that this Surrey cottage project has inspired both of us to use this shade of yellow in our own homes now too!
We’ll be back next month with more tales of transformation. Can’t wait until then? Catch up on previous posts here.
Emily and Danielle x
