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By Beverley Nielsen | The approach to the White House is something of a guessing game. You strain to spot any property that is white and, instead, as the front gates swing open, an idyllic Georgian ivy-clad, red brick house emerges.
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Idyllic, ivy clad home: the Georgian red brick house | The house sits comfortably in mature grounds not far from Tenbury Wells, where the hilly borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire meet. Neil’s dedication to creating a home truly reflecting something of himself shines through. Drawing on his own irrepressible energy and enthusiasm, he’s creating a seamless whole by fusing the fabric of this quietly restrained house with a sparkling new approach to interior design.
Sanjeev explains how he and Neil first met just over a year ago. “Neil had been to a friend’s house and had seen the Orangerie Kitchen which I’d designed for her. She passed on my contact details and Neil got in touch about two bathrooms he was looking to refurbish.
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Abstract and fun: the children's bathroom featuring a Fired Earth St Mortiz bath | “The first was a children’s bathroom. He wanted something which was both abstract and fun. I came up with a design influenced by Le Corbusier, the 20th century modernist architect, and Neil loved it. I created a small three-dimensional replica model to help Neil visualise it which proved very helpful during installation.”
“I was amazed and impressed by the creativity of Sanjeev’s design,” says Neil, “so when we were installing it I insisted that we stuck to his design. When Sanjeev first saw it on his completion, he was dumbstruck because we had re-created his model to the letter, even down to the smallest details.”
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Designed to perfection: the children's bathroom | Looking at the bathroom it’s wonderful how well something as original complements its surroundings so beautifully. The sunlight streams in through the window highlighting the foliage on the trees outside and creating a play of light and shadow interacting with the shapes painted on the walls and the neutral tiles on the floor.
Neil and Sanjeev then moved on to refurbish the main bathroom. Neil was clear that here he simply wanted the best of old and new. “I know it’s said a lot, but it’s hard to put it any other way, I wanted a contemporary design with a traditional twist, and whilst that may be a hackneyed phrase, once it’s been delivered to a high standard and become a reality in your home, it’s hard to beat. I also needed an en suite bathroom that wouldn’t jar with the French furniture I’d bought for my bedroom. I feel both rooms work together in a measured blend of restraint and exuberance.”
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Contemporary with a traditional twist: the main bathroom with a Fired Earth Le Bain de Bateau bath | “I knew I needed to create a bathroom with plenty of impact and lots of drama without it becoming naff,” says Sanjeev. “And I was really pleased with the results here. I used a variety of Fired Earth products to create this effect.
“Our Bain de Bateau bath is the focus of the room, highlighted with a column of incense iridescent tiles with two recessed and mirrored alcoves lit by blue light. These are reflected in the antiqued mirror sitting above the ‘his and hers’ Eclipse basins, set off beautifully by the combination of Moustier and Marble Mosaic tiles. I used ceramic Sardinia tiles on the floor, which are both practical and modestly priced, and they’ve worked particularly well with the mixture of wall tiles.”
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His and hers: Fired Earth Eclipse bowls and Moustier and Marble Mosaic wall tiles | Neil adds: “We’re now working on the third bathroom, which is going to be a masterpiece combining layers of textured materials, sculptural form and practicality. It’s such a pleasure working with Sanjeev who’s clearly a very talented designer. His work’s transformed my home and the enjoyment I get from being here. Living with it is a real pleasure.”
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