How do you add historic character back into a soulless room?
Cornices, skirting and a striking colour palette are all key, says Emma Burns, managing director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler.
Although it enjoys fantastic views over Wimbledon Common, beautiful light and strong structural bones, the configuration of this drawing room needed attention. In addition, the historic detailing had also been lost, explains Emma Burns, co-managing director of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler.
As well as reinstating cornices and skirting, the main challenge was to reconfigure the layout so that it was not connected to a bedroom, as it had been previously, but to a kitchen/dining room. Installing a pair of folding doors means both rooms can be made into cosy, self-contained spaces.
Working closely with her client, the aim was to create a space that was elegant, but unstuffy. ‘He had lots of items from a previous property — including the fireplace — so we were keen to make use of these pieces where possible,’ explains the decorator.
The walls in the drawing room are in Tang Yellow by Papers & Paints, which creates a bold backdrop for the paintings and decorative art. An Indian wall hanging to one side of the fireplace balances the window on the other, as the red lacquered coffee table, an in-house design, and the colourful Swedish rug ensure that the room doesn’t look ‘old-fashioned,’ she says.
John Fowler originally designed the sofa, which is part of the studio’s furniture collection. Here, it has a slip cover with a dressmaker skirt in a Pierre Frey ‘Craft’ linen. The tapestry chairs were found by her client in an antique shop in the Dordogne.
This feature originally appeared in the February 11, 2026, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
