{"id":2421,"date":"2026-08-06T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T07:30:00","slug":"inside-the-cotswolds-home-of-designer-vanessa-macdonald-where-every-room-tells-a-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/?p=2421","title":{"rendered":"Inside the Cotswolds Home of Designer Vanessa Macdonald, Where Every Room Tells a Story"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For interior designer Vanessa Macdonald<\/a>, the essence of a country house<\/a> should be \u2018livable, easy, holding loads of people while holding its own,\u2019 she enthuses of the four-bedroom, three-bathroom Cotswolds family home she has shared with her art dealer husband James and their two sons since they bought it 19 years ago. <\/p>\n

Despite having hundreds of boys running through its corridors over the years, \u2018it still scrubs up nicely,\u2019 she laughs, no doubt due in large part to Vanessa\u2019s belief that decorating should feel \u2018long-lasting and not shouty\u2019. When they first moved into the elegant Georgian house, original details and fireplaces had been removed, floors lifted and spaces left unloved. But their budget for improvements was tight. \u2018We could literally only afford to buy the house and move in,\u2019 she recalls. <\/p>\n

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\"Cozy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Living room: <\/strong>Antique pieces, like the console and round table from Christie\u2019s, give the room gravitas. Armchair upholstered in Mughal Flower<\/em>, Robert Kime. Artwork by (far left) Sylvia Gosse; (above chair, bottom) Samuel John “Lamorna” Birch; (over fireplace) John Partington; (far right, top) Doris Vaughan; (far right, bottom) Clifford Fishwick. Sculpture by Mary Gorrara. Curtains in Ottomania<\/em>, Christopher Moore. Rug, Hawker Antiques at Jamb. Sofa, Kingcome. Box (next to sofa), Vincent Dane Antiques. Fireplace screen, Howe London. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So they put it together with odds and ends, \u2018trying to make the house look as good as we could from borrowed and hand-me-down pieces, or client cast-offs, which I\u2019d paid for, but wouldn\u2019t necessarily have chosen myself.\u2019 Since then, the couple have slowly renovated it to suit their tastes and needs, starting with reinstating the architectural bones (cornicing, skirting, architraves, doors). <\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s so important to invest in quality,\u2019 says Vanessa. \u2018If you do these things properly, you won\u2019t have to do it again.\u2019 They added a double vanity unit and shower to the main bathroom<\/a>, updated curtain headings and finials to feel \u2018less fussy\u2019 and gradually swapped downlighters for pendants, wall lights or table lamps. \u2018I\u2019d much rather have less light than too much.\u2019 <\/p>\n

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\"Open<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Kitchen:<\/strong> The existing cabinetry was painted in fresh shades and paired with timeless country classics. Walls in Vert de Terre by Farrow & Ball. Cabinets in Shaded White by Farrow & Ball. Island in Cinnabar by Benjamin Moore. Pendant lights by Hector Finch. Curtains in Indhira by Le Manach. Rug by Peter Page. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Proper fireplaces<\/a> have been fitted in every room, because, Vanessa explains, \u2018they provide an essential focal point that connects everything together\u2019. Plus a two-bedroom, one-bathroom guest house was fashioned from a former garage and office built in the 1980s. \u2018We gutted it, lowered the ceilings, clad the internal walls with horizontal boarding to lend character and a fireplace gave it a cottagey feel,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

Walls washed in landscape shades of gentle pinks, blues and greens made the home feel relaxing and uplifting, says the Canadian-born designer who first worked for Sotheby\u2019s in New York, then London, before going to work alongside the late Melissa Wyndham in 2002 after a course at the KLC School of Design. With Melissa, she honed her decorating skills on great British houses such as Petworth House, Longleat and Glamis Castle. Since inheriting the business following her mentor\u2019s passing in 2015, Vanessa now works on everything from country estates and contemporary apartments to ski chalets. <\/p>\n

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\"Rustic<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Utility room: <\/strong>The functional space has a rustic charm, where Vanessa gathers flowers from the garden to decorate the house. Custom-made cabinets by a local cabinetmaker, painted in Light Olive Green by Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. Roman shade in Hardwick Blue Gold\/Oyster by Bennison Fabrics. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was important to make the house look fresh but feel traditional. \u2018I wouldn\u2019t get anything modern past James,\u2019 Vanessa laughs. The couple\u2019s love for classical things \u2013 antique brown furniture, a few old master paintings, Robert Kime fabrics \u2013 sweeps through every room. \u2018How to create a lovely layered-over-time look is something I learned from Melissa,\u2019 she reflects. This can be felt in the hallway<\/a>, where a delicate 19th-century bobbin chair sits below a series of inherited but reframed monochrome engravings and a Regency-style hexagonal lantern from Howe.<\/p>\n

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\"Bright<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Entrance: <\/strong>The hallway exudes a sophisticated restraint. The flagstones are original 18th-century. Antique console, Bonhams. Chairs, Hawker Antiques at Jamb. Hyde wall lights, Jamb. Painting by Paul Huxley. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The same is true in the living room<\/a>, where a blend of lamps, from \u2018an old Soane one that\u2019s quite contemporary and an 18th-century porcelain from Christopher Butterworth\u2019 team with big, comfy sofas, deep armchairs, and an antique lacquered box used as a side table. \u2018It\u2019s so important to have tables near where you\u2019re going to sit with a drink\u2019, she says. <\/p>\n

Joyful bursts of color come through the couple\u2019s collection of British art, chosen with much deliberation \u2013 \u2018It takes time to buy art because we like to buy from auction houses so we see everything in person\u2019 \u2013 and flowers in every room. \u2018That\u2019s what\u2019s wonderful about living here, I can fill the house with things I grow.\u2019 <\/p>\n

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\"Hallway<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Entryway: <\/strong>A collection of inherited black-and-white engravings was reframed to create a striking gallery wall. Nineteenth-century bobbin chair from Dean Antiques. Pendant light by Howe London. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It has given them a lifestyle they might not have had in a city like London \u2013 bringing up two boys \u2018with a cricket pitch outside our front door and space for birthday parties and sleepovers,\u2019 she beams. And while it\u2019s not a massive house, it feels spacious and relaxing. \u2018The moment I walk through the door,\u2019 she says, \u2018the pressure lifts. We can just focus on being together as a family.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\"Elegant<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Bedroom: <\/strong>This space is the perfect blend of formal and relaxed, which makes it completely timeless. Walls in Stony Ground, Farrow & Ball. Headboard in Mughal Flower, Robert Kime. Bench, Macintosh Antiques. Antique carpet, Robert Stephenson. Fireplace with Wentworth grate, Jamb. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q&A with Vanessa Macdonald<\/span><\/h2>\n
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\"Traditional<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

Bathroom: <\/strong>A coral shade on the bath adds a modern touch. The rush-seated chair is an antique. Basin by C. P. Hart. Unlacquered brass faucets by Barber Wilsons. Wall lights by Vaughan, with lampshades in a Namay Samay fabric. Mat by Seagrass Story. Curtains in Indian Pear by Robert Kime. <\/span>(Image credit: Christopher Horwood)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

INSPIRATION<\/strong>
Melissa Wyndham, of course. She was fierce but funny, unbelievably kind and loyal, and had phenomenal taste. She had the ability to walk into a room and instinctively know what it needed.<\/p>\n

GO-TO DESIGNER<\/strong>
Robert Kime for the timeless linens inspired by his archive of antique textiles.<\/p>\n

WHAT’S ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE?<\/strong>
Books \u2013 Vanessa Bell<\/em>, Frances Davison<\/em>, Goya<\/em>.<\/p>\n

FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT<\/strong> Rousham in Oxfordshire for its gardens designed by William Kent.<\/p>\n

WORDS TO LIVE BY<\/strong>
\u2018Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game\u2019 (Babe Ruth).<\/p>\n

Love beautiful design ideas, expert advice, and inspiring decor trends? Sign up for our newsletter<\/a> and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/article>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For interior designer Vanessa Macdonald, the essence of a country house should be \u2018livable, easy, holding loads of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tapyom.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}