Page 66 - Homes amp Gardens UK February 2021
P. 66
LIFESTYLE
VEERE GRENNEY PAOLO MOSCHINO &
PHILIP VERGEYLEN
When Veere Grenney first saw his late-Georgian
house several years ago, it hadn’t been touched West Sussex was a part of the world Paolo
for 40 years and was lacking many of its original Moschino and Philip Vergeylen were already
features, except for the 1820 stone staircase. familiar with. They had been renting there for
Veere reinstated skirting boards and cornices in two years and loved it so much that they wanted
keeping with the period, replaced doors with to buy in the area. When they first saw the house
his favourite Soane-detailed ones and added they now own, they had made their decision even
curved walls to the stairwell. Most of the walls before they stepped inside. ‘The outside was
are upholstered. ‘We do fabric walling in a way most important, because we knew we could fix
that appears seamless,’ explains Veere. In whatever was inside,’ says Paolo. Each room has
contrast, ‘the house has naked floors, which a different character, from the blue and white
I love – the walls take care of the noise. I love dining room and the lofty new extension looking
the luxury around the walls and modesty of out to the garden to the cosy drawing room with
the floors.’ The pleasure of putting this house pickled beams and the sitting room with its
together, he says, is that it gave him the terracotta walls. An intriguing mix of objects
opportunity to decorate again in the way he’d from different periods and places is indicative of
be trained many years before. Philip and Paolo’s broad-ranging tastes. &
Sandra Jordan alpaca was used for the walls and bed curtains In the barn, which was converted into guest accommodation,
in the guest bedroom, enhancing the cocooning effect of the a Hollywick vitrine cabinet from Nicholas Haslam Ltd
small space. A built-in bookcase adds to the cosy feel provides a decorative storage solution
■ Extracted from British Designers at Home by Jenny Rose-Innes (£30, Hardie Grant)
H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M 65
