Anna Haines brings harmony to a former vicarage outside Bath
Perched on a ridge a mile-and-a-half south of the centre of Bath, and now very much part of the city, Combe Down was, in the 1800s, a village that the city’s inhabitants would head to for respite. Originally the site of a quarry that provided most of the honey-hued stone used to build Bath, it became a solace for city folk after the closure of the quarries in the early 19th century, thanks – to quote one contemporary commentator – to its ‘very fine air’ and ‘groves of firs’.
The sense of peacefulness that so enticed 19th-century city-dwellers is perfectly embodied by the 1840s Grade II- listed limestone former vicarage in Combe Down. Set back from the road amid rambling grounds with a couple of outbuildings, the Gothic and Jacobean revival house, with its star-topped octagonal chimneys, is likely to have been designed by Henry Goodridge, the architect of the church that it accompanies. (He was also responsible for other Bath landmarks, including Beckford’s Tower and The Corridor retail arcade.) With generous proportions, weathered wooden floors, a harmonious palette of whites and greens, and a thoughtful array of furniture and textiles – think deconstructed armchairs and antique rugs – the house feels as if it could always have been this way.
That, of course, was all part of London-based interior designer Anna Haines’ plan. Along with Ailtire Architects (now based in Australia, but originally from Bath), she spent two years working her magic to create a comfortable and inviting house. ‘We didn’t want it to feel overly done, nor did we want to impose a heavy stamp on it,’ explains Anna. Before she joined the project, the owners – a couple and their two teenage sons who left Wimbledon for this house in 2013 – had commissioned the architects to gently rework the space with contemporary family life in mind, while celebrating and respecting the house’s original 19th-century fabric. It is spread mainly across two floors, with a basement that now contains a cinema room. The kitchen, sitting room and dining room are on the ground floor, while there are four bedrooms and three bathrooms upstairs.
Even if there had been no constraints dictated by the house’s listed status, the owners wanted any interventions to sit lightly. ‘Our focus was more on stripping it back to reveal the bones,’ says the wife. ‘It is a house that feels as though it will look after you and we felt it was our responsibility to look after it in return.’ At the rear, the conservatory was replaced with a metal Crittall-framed orangery, which was more in the spirit of the greenhouse built in the same spot in 1853. This space, which frames a view of a bountiful quince tree, now functions as a lovely, light-filled dining room.
At the front of the house, a former garage was turned into a much needed laundry and utility room, while all the bathrooms were reconfigured and fitted out with sanitaryware from The Water Monopoly. The stables became an office, and the coach house was turned into a one-bedroom space with its own kitchen and dining area, providing self-contained accommodation for guests. This is so charming, I found myself pleading with the owners to turn it into a holiday let.
Key to how the house evolved was Bath-based building company Wraxall, known for its historic renovations. Floors were painstakingly restored and new elements were introduced using traditional materials that will allow the building to breathe. Anna called on Patrick Williams, the Bath-based designer behind Berdoulat, to create an unfitted kitchen, describing his input as ‘the icing on the cake’. The result is a beautiful, relaxed space that complements his ‘Cook’s Table’, with textured plaster walls and a wooden floor salvaged from a station. ‘Patrick is a building whisperer,’ says the owner.
When it came to the palette, Anna kept it simple. ‘The owners really felt the bones of the house and didn’t want to upset the flow with any sudden, pronounced colour,’ she says. But, like a good designer, she gradually steered them towards stronger, earthier tones. In the boot room, built-in cupboards are in Edward Bulmer Natural Paint’s ‘Etruscan Brown’ while the snug’s walls are a soft green. ‘It was about adding richness to create pockets of interest,’ explains Anna. Another pocket is the spare room, where the walls are covered in a bespoke, pared-back version of Tess Newall’s ‘Herbarium’ wallpaper. ‘Anna was fantastic at encouraging me to think beyond my comfort zone,’ the owner admits happily.
In terms of furniture, Anna started more or less from scratch, as the house called for pieces of scale to temper the high ceilings. A large pedimented bookcase was built bespoke for the sitting room, while antique pieces were sourced from some of Anna’s favourite dealers – including Dean Antiques, The French House and Howe London. Texture was crucial to Anna’s vision, which she introduced through pieces such as the pair of deconstructed armchairs in the sitting room, as well as the antique textiles that weave their way through the house as rugs and upholstery fabrics. In the snug, for instance, the cushions of a custom-made sofa are covered in a jajim, while the sitting room sofas are upholstered in antique linen sheets from Susan Deliss.
Everyone involved, quite rightly, is thrilled with the final result and had a great time along the way. ‘I feel as though I have made a friend having worked with Anna,’ the owner enthuses. ‘We were all on the same page and it was such a joyful project to be part of,’ Anna adds. After all, isn’t that what creating a harmonious home should be about?
Anna Haines Design: annahaines.co.uk
Mark Anthony Fox1/9In the hall, Howe London’s ‘Irish Slim’ table and a Georgian mahogany chair from The French House stand on the Victorian floor tiles.
Mark Anthony Fox2/9In the snug, Walls in Farrow & Ball’s ‘French Gray’ are the backdrop for a ‘Tamburlaine’ sofa with seat cushions made from an antique jajim, both from Howe London. A bespoke ottoman is covered in a Robert Kime ticking and the antique armchair in his ‘Ume’ linen. The ‘Quenby’ chandelier is from The English House.
Mark Anthony Fox3/9In the pantry, cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Cooking Apple Green’ is set off by ‘Jelly & Cake’ wallpaper in pink from Thornback & Peel.
Mark Anthony Fox4/9Mid-century ceramics and glassware are displayed on a vintage bread trolley in the window bay.
Mark Anthony Fox5/9In the pantry, a runner from Howe London picks up on the colours of the cupboards in Edward Bulmer Natural Paint’s ‘Etruscan Brown’ and the seat cushions in RAF blue ‘Natural Maroc’ leather from 36 Bourne Street.
Mark Anthony Fox6/9Curtains in an antique French linen from Susan Deliss hide the under-sink storage.
Mark Anthony Fox7/9In the main bathroom, ‘Soho’ basin on ceramic legs from The Water Monopoly is paired with ‘Zellige’ tiles from Mosaic Factory. The flatweave rug is from Francesca Gentilli.
Mark Anthony Fox8/9The bespoke four poster is by Titchmarsh & Goodwin.
Mark Anthony Fox9/9
