The driveway to Sue and Richard's Grade II-listed home in the heart of rural Worcestershire is surrounded by lush green fields dotted with well-groomed horses and a welcome party greets visitors - Tao, a Labrador, Hattie, a Boxer, and Mo, a Border Collie. 

Heart of the home: the 4-Oven Aga in Cream

The  kitchen

The traditional country kitchen is quarry-tiled, with a wood burner and, at its heart, a cream 4-oven Aga. Bastide solid oak kitchen furniture - made by Fired Earth's sister company, Grange, in France - fits in perfectly.

"We love the rustic look and feel of our Bastide kitchen table and island unit," says Richard. "It's great for us with our three dogs as it's so hard-wearing and solid but with a great deal of Gallic charm. 

Grange

Welcoming and intimate: the dining room features stylish Grange furniture

"We've known Grange furniture for sometime, so when we needed to buy a new dining room table and chairs we knew we could rely on Grange for the quality of design and finish. We wanted a dining room that was welcoming and intimate, but at the same time retaining its elegance, with a feeling of longevity, comfort and ease." 

Through the hallway is a dark and sumptuous dining room. Painted in a dark sepia, it has an air of mystery contrasting with the natural poise of the building itself.

 

The  house

The house is magnificent and quite at odds with the story of complete renovation and refurbishment undertaken to bring it to this stage. The imposing and spacious hallway runs from the front to the back of the house with a galleried stairway leading to the bedrooms upstairs. 
 

Timeless and robust: Bastide kitchen furniture in Cream with Oak detail from Fired Earth

Richard and Sue have made the most of this expanse with some striking pictures, including a painting of Richard's father in full official regalia during his term as High Sheriff of the West Midlands.

"We loved the house because of the beautifully proportioned hallway and rooms," Richard says. "But I'm not sure we realised the full extent of the work required to make it habitable. We thought it would be more superficial, but once we'd started we found a ceiling would need re-doing, a floor or a beam and one thing would lead to another.

Renovating

Stunningly practical: Fired Earth Island Pebbles with silver blue slate and a Broadway wall hung loo

"The bathrooms needed to be gutted completely, so we called in to see Sanjeev Jakhu, Fired Earth's Home Designer in Kidderminster, whom we'd heard about from a friend. He designed two bathrooms, one for the children and another one for us. 

"Essentially we knew the sort of thing we wanted. Working with Sanjeev we were able to take advantage of his design talents to consider a number of options before opting for our final choices. We found him extremely quick and innovative and this led us to incorporate some interesting features."

 

Fired  Earth

"Both bathrooms have been designed and installed using Fired Earth products," adds Sue. "They've been widely admired by all our friends. We've been impressed by the quality of the products - they're substantial and durable. As well as being stunning to look at, they're practical and usable.

Sanjeev Jakhu says: "It's a very stylish home. I was delighted on entering each room by some visual feature - a piece of furniture or a painting - that served as a focal point for the eye. Alongside this, there was a seamless flow as you moved from room to room reflecting the couple's own panache, style and not a little humour!
 
"I first met Sue and Richard just over a year ago. It was a pleasure to work with them especially as they had such a strong interest in the design and its development.

Pure luxury: Eden Shower screen with antalya travertine from Fired Earth

"We worked together closely on every aspect of the bathrooms, from the showers, tiles, basins, partition walls - everything was discussed in detail between us all. While Sue and Richard were talking I'd be drawing so they could visualise an idea straight away. They were both especially interested in the authenticity and quality of Fired Earth's product range. Having chosen the right pieces for this project all our focus went into the layout and installation.

"We wanted to make sure we got the designs absolutely right for their requirements. Making those designs a reality is also a key element in these projects and we've all been very impressed by the quality of the installation work carried out by John Allan of JLA Interior Design & Installation Services, which shows a high level of workmanship.

"It's particularly gratifying when every aspect of your design has been followed to create in reality what had previously been simply a set of drawings."

 

For more information about Fired Earth and its products, visit Fired Earth online.
 

By Beverley Nielsen