An English Period Home that Balances Bold Color with Timeless Charm

HOUSE TOUR | ROOMS & GARDENS | WORLD OF CABANA

British interior designer Rebecca Hughes has transformed a modest family home on England's south coast into an expanded, joyful space layered with rich colors, playful patterns and antique finds. She talks Busola Evans through the experience, from the pleasure of working with fearless clients to the decorative details of her scheme.

BY BUSOLA EVANS | ROOMS & GARDENS | 3 NOVEMBER 2025

The library in ‘Bancha’ by Farrow & Ball with a sofa in ‘Olive Sacking Cocoa’ by Guy Goodfellow and George Smith armchair upholstered in 'Victoria Garnet' by De La Cuona. 

A house that more than doubles in size while remaining firmly gripped to its soul is a rarity indeed. But in Hampshire, on England’s south coast, interior designer Rebecca Hughes has managed this with aplomb. A modest four-bedroom property has unfolded into a substantial eight-bedroom home – alongside additional living spaces – which manages to perfectly balance its scale with layers of color, warmth and atmosphere. 

Indeed, the house was never intended to be a showpiece. Instead the owners, a couple with three children, including a pre-teen and two teenagers, were looking to create a hard-working home with family and entertaining at its heart. “They wanted a house which could be filled with lots of people but also multi-generational,” recalls Rebecca.

While the extension was significant (“It went out, behind and up” says Rebecca), the designer was determined to avoid the trap of a house where the modern addition and original building were not in dialogue. “One of the most important aspects was making sure everything flowed well and looked like it had evolved over time, ” she says.

The vast entrance hall sets the tone with its checkerboard stone flooring laid in oversize travertine and marble, punctuated by the original fireplace. The walls are an eye-catching blue-green, ‘Spruce’ from Paint & Paper Library, which signals the family’s appetite for strong color, a theme repeated throughout the house. “I often have to encourage clients to use color, but this couple were completely unafraid of it,” says Rebecca. 

The drawing room, featuring ‘Pomegranate Fresco’ wallpaper by Lewis & Wood, chairs in ‘Selsey Stripe’ from Lewis & Wood and a chandelier from O’Keefe Antiques.

The drawing room, a new addition, is grander in scale yet softened by design. Pink botanical wallpaper from Lewis & Wood creates a cocooning backdrop for the more tailored sofas and striped armchairs. Any hint of stuffiness is knocked out by a leopard print fender by the fireplace: “It is unexpected and fun. And adds a little modernity.”

The family snug, meanwhile, features cozy yolk-yellow walls and joinery paintedFarrow & Ball’s ‘India Yellow’, the client's art collection and an ottoman covered with ‘Todo Terracotta’ by Christopher Farr Cloth. 

At the heart of the renovation lies the new orangery which connects the kitchen, snug, dining room and hall. “The room is light and airy but more importantly pulls all the others together,” she adds. A focal feature is the ‘Tree Parrot’ textile from Bennison, used to dress the windows and French doors. A giant pendant from Hadeda and 1960s bamboo chairs add texture and are among a pleasing eclectic mix of furniture. “I don’t have a hard and fast rule about sticking to one period,” says Rebecca.

The orangery, featuring cushions in ‘Les Indiennes’ by Laura Indigo and an ‘Ankara’ ceramic table lamp from Vaughan with an ikat lampshade by Rosanna Lonsdale.

The kitchen does not escape the couple’s love of color. A pink veined Arabescato marble island stretches across the room, pinking up the rosy hue from the tiled splashback. “The client loves pink and decided to go for a matching Aga, which shows true commitment to the scheme, rather than playing it safe.” Despite the room’s height, the clients did not want overly tall wall cabinets in fear it would not be fully utilised so Rebecca lined the top of the units with ceramic pots to retain visual balance.

But it is the dining room drenched in a deep red (pictured, top), that delivers full-on theatre and warmth, while foxed mirrors bounce light and contemporary art is hung alongside traditional paintings to add freshness. "The clients wanted this drama for when hosting and having dinner parties,” explains Rebecca. “The dining table comfortably seats 14 but they have been known to squeeze in up to 22.”

The kitchen, with cabinetry in Breakfast Room Green by Farrow & Ball, ‘Pumpkin’ island pendants from Pure White Lines and leather-strap bar stools from Six the Residence.

Upstairs the new primary bedroom has the same footprint as the drawing room, creating a luxurious, generous-sized space with a bespoke four-poster bed and antique bedsides. Guest rooms are equally distinctive – one is wrapped in Andrew Martin’s ‘Mythical Land’ wallpaper and features a freestanding bath. “I warned the clients that their guests may never leave,” laughs Rebecca. The details are just as characterful in the property's bathrooms. Striped tiling in one references Edwardian style, while an antique washstand in another has been converted into a double vanity with basins from India.

What really sets this project apart is not its scale or use of colour but its spirit. “The clients love the house and they keep telling me about different parties they host now, ” says Rebecca. “ It's a house full of life, which is what every home should be about. ”

A guest bedroom featuring antique bedsides and a bespoke headboard in ‘De la Tour’ (brown) by Nicholas Haslam with a trim in ‘Hudson’ (mocha) by Clarke & Clarke.