![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Sarah-Southwell-Banner.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\nWhich project in your portfolio is your favourite example of \u2018English country-house style\u2019?<\/p>\n
\u2018My own home, which I designed four years ago. It is a 16th-century manor house in Somerset, rich in period features and full of character. I approached the project as the creation of a magical family home. With three young boys, I incorporated playful elements such as circus-tent ceilings, secret doorways and hidden nooks. The result is a house that feels both historic and imaginative\u2014a place full of charm, wonder and warmth, and still my absolute favourite place to be.\u2019<\/p>\n
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The kitchen from Sarah’s 16th-century manor house in Somerset.<\/p>\n
What is your favourite part of the design process?<\/p>\n
\u2018The initial concept stage is my favourite\u2014the moment when ideas begin to take shape, and the narrative of a space emerges. I love translating a client\u2019s brief, lifestyle<\/a> and personality into a cohesive vision, layering colour, texture and atmosphere from the very beginning. It\u2019s where creativity feels most instinctive, and the foundation for a truly personal home is set.\u2019<\/p>\n Favourite antique or inherited piece in your house?<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s probably got to be this Transylvania folk art<\/a> painted dresser that\u2019s in my house in the children\u2019s playroom, I love it.\u2019<\/p>\n The dining space from Sarah’s project in salcombe.<\/p>\n Jonathan BondWhat is your favourite texture or material to use to create a layered look?<\/p>\n \u2018I love working with natural textiles, particularly striped linens, as they bring instant depth and softness to a space. Layered with antiques, woven rush or jute, and hand-finished surfaces, these materials create rooms that feel collected rather than decorated. Texture is key to adding warmth and authenticity, and I\u2019m always drawn to materials that age beautifully and invite touch.\u2019<\/p>\n What is your favourite design lesson you’ve learned on the job<\/p>\n \u2018The most successful interiors<\/a> are those that truly reflect how people live. No matter how beautiful a scheme may be, it must first and foremost feel comfortable, intuitive and personal. Designing with the client\u2019s daily rituals, habits and needs in mind always leads to spaces that are not only timeless but genuinely loved and lived in. And most importantly, a reflection of themselves.\u2019<\/p>\n Which city is your favourite for design inspiration?<\/p>\n \u2018Florence, Italy<\/a>. I lived there for a few years when I was younger and carefree, and it remains my favourite city<\/a> in the world for inspiration. Its extraordinary layering of history, craftsmanship and beauty continues to influence my work, and every visit feels like a reminder of how timeless design can be.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Which project in your portfolio is your favourite example of \u2018English country-house style\u2019? \u2018My own home, which I…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":253944,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[307,304,305,306,308,93,61,60,65858],"class_list":{"0":"post-253943","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-artsdesign","12":"tag-design","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-ireland","16":"tag-the-list"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253943\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=253943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jbp_ss_tl_low_014.jpeg\"\/)
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