Jo Wooden’s listed farmhouse mixes outdated, new and nation types
How did a self-confessed metropolis lover find yourself dwelling with no mains electrical energy, drawing
How did a self-confessed metropolis lover find yourself dwelling with no mains electrical energy, drawing water from a nicely, and with sheep for neighbours? Jo Wooden says she requested herself that query each day in her first six months right here. However after dwelling in cities everywhere in the world, the lure of the countryside proved too nice to withstand. Jo is CEO of her personal natural magnificence vary, and certainly one of her desires was to reside off grid so when this home got here up, she took the plunge.
Three years on, Jo is a rustic convert and her outdated farmhouse – one of many world’s finest houses – and its backyard are remodeled.
There’s an city edge to this rural residence that offers it the type of cheeky humour, depth and sass that her pals say is so Jo. She took on a very clean canvas, the place all of the partitions have been white, and has introduced again the colour and packed it filled with persona. ‘I wished to deliver London to the nation with a mix of outdated and new – Marie Antoinette and rock ‘n’ roll!’ she says.
Eating room
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Jo’s eating room concepts for the revamped kitchen diner integrated favourite items of furnishings from her earlier houses. Backyard views by the French home windows make these classic Tolix chairs the perfect seats in the home. The desk and chairs are from Petersham Nurseries. The chandelier is an vintage.
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Jo prefers the urban-loft-style look of open cabinets, however says it is a wrestle to maintain these freestanding ones tidy.
Kitchen
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Jo sensibly escaped the kitchen-diner refit with a visit to India. Earlier than packing her luggage, nonetheless, she talked by her kitchen concepts and format along with her carpenter, planning the place all the things ought to go. She designed the area and the shelving which is linked with scaffolding posts, painted black. ‘I knew precisely how I wished it to look,’ she explains. ‘Open cabinets had labored nicely for me in London and I discovered a Moroccan copper sink.’
When she returned from India, the brand new kitchen-diner was full, simply as she’d envisaged it.
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
A refreshing view of the backyard hyperlinks indoor and out of doors areas. Open cabinets make sure that all the things is at hand. The gray vary cooker is from Lacanche. Pink Metro tiles, Tile Big.
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Enormous industrial model lights are the right complement to Jo’s metropolitan-look area, and got here from a reclamation store. The butchers block was an Ebay discover. Jo’s son Tyrone gave her the batterie de delicacies above it. Cool Fridge, John Lewis of Hungerford.
Front room – mellow yellow
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Jo was eager to inject color into this room with its unique inglenook, so front room concepts embrace a sunny yellow. Jo loves to make use of it alongside her favorite black furnishings to offer a sensible metropolitan look. Partitions painted in Sudbury Yellow, Farrow & Ball. The work have been public sale buys and the George Smith sofas have been purchased in Los Angeles in 1978. Lamp, Classic Shades. Leopard footstool, George Smith
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
The chair, additionally purchased in LA in 1978, has been reupholstered in black velvet and makes a rock ‘n’ roll distinction with the traditional inglenook and weathered mantel above.
Cozy den
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
A pink-gloss ceiling displays the sunshine on this small boudoir-style front room. The throw and pouffe have been eBay purchases. Extinctopia wallpaper in Slate, Divine Savages. Lamp, Classic Shades. Yellow couch, George Smith.
Corridor and staircase
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
An earthy hue on the partitions ensures a heat welcome, and Jo’s hallway concepts embrace a gallery wall of classic work and mirrors provides curiosity to the beforehand all-white residence. Jo up to date the clean glass banister with strips of wallpaper to offer an uncommon impact. Wallcovering used on stairs, Brooklyn Tin Tiles wallpaper, Rockett St George. Partitions painted in Light Terracotta, Farrow & Ball.
Main bed room
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Anybody on the lookout for bed room concepts will likely be impressed by one other of Jo’s resourceful makes. The ceiling ‘beam’ on this bed room is definitely a wood-effect wallcovering that Jo’s used so as to add character to the excessive ceiling. She additionally designed the cranium rug herself and had it handmade in India. The spherical desk is from a backyard furnishings reclamation yard, and the artwork nouveau chandelier (simply seen) is an artwork nouveau fairy chandelier. Mattress from And So To Mattress with a lace cowl from London’s well-known Portobello Highway Market.
Rest room luxurious
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
This rest room has had a glamorous replace. Rest room concepts started with the good copper tub from Catchpole & Rye, with a inexperienced pendant mild and work from flea markets in Lengthy Island and Miami.
The swimming pond
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
Jo’s transformation of the backyard with its meadow is simply as dramatic as what she’s achieved inside the home and she or he loves it out right here. ‘I’ve grown natural greens for years,’ she says, ‘however I wished a pond so as to add one other dimension. I had the pure swimming pond dug out and lined with natural blue clay.’
Then at some point final summer time, Jo, her daughter Leah, and son Tyrone planted it with aquatic crops and sowed the wildflower meadow that now hums with birds and bugs. Jo lately added 70 timber close to the pond and it’s a success along with her grandchildren in addition to the wildlife. The jetty was constructed by Tyrone.
Marie Antoinette and rock ‘n’ roll
(Picture credit score: Brent Darby)
The pond is simply one of many residence’s many options that Jo appreciates after a visit to town. ‘My family and friends all thought I used to be utterly mad shifting to the nation,’ she says, ‘however I adore it right here – it’s not too large, it’s not too small and I really feel very secure. I used to be all the time such a London woman, however the perfect factor about dwelling right here is being so near nature – it’s so magical.’
Jo’s particular mix of metropolis and nation types, with outdated and new furnishings is what makes this residence so particular. She calls it ‘Marie Antoinette and rock ‘n’ roll’, and we see the place she’s coming from!
Jo is pictured above within the kitchen diner, with the fireplace encompass that is moved along with her from her London residence. The Marilyn portray is by Russell Younger. Wallcovering,
Rockett St George.