Page 74 - Ideal Home - UK (April 2020)

Welcome to my home

THE PROPERTY
A five-bedroom 17th-
century former mill
in Gloucestershire,
bought in 2014.

“ The mill house
has been extended
over the years. I
Nia Morris, an interior wanted to preserve
designer (niamorris.co.uk)
lives here with her its heritage, but
husband Paul Baines, an in a way that felt
”
intensive care consultant. contemporary

ia Morris has clear opinions on interior

design. ‘Too much taupe and tastefulness
is bland,’ she says. ‘I think interiors should
Nbe a bit daring – that’s what gives a home
energy.’ It’s a philosophy she has certainly put into
practice in her Gloucestershire property.
What began as ‘an unwieldy cottage with low
Take a quick tour... ceilings, dark corridors and too few windows’, is now
a modern, super-sized family home that feels bold and

contemporary, and strikes a balance between rustic
and refined. While it wasn’t love at first sight for Nia,
the house was in a beautiful location, with space for the
couple’s extended family, so it had plenty of potential.
BEDROOM BEDROOM BEDROOM
The first design decision taken was to create a double-
height front entrance to replace the low-ceilinged,
BEDROOM
gloomy hallway. While the exterior – with its gabled roof
line – feels traditional, an oak-and-steel staircase and
MAIN BEDROOM
airy space waits beyond the front door. ‘The entrance to
a home is so important – if it looks miserable, it’s hard
to shrug off that negative first impression,’ says Nia.
FIRST FLOOR The next move was to extend the kitchen and fit large
glass and metal picture windows. The simple layout,
with an island and practical breakfast bar, was
determined by the needs of the couple’s large family.

SITTING ROOM ‘We have seven children between us and everyone
STUDY
likes to cook, so it made sense.'
Nia’s taste for bold, clear colour is evident throughout,
from the flash of deep green in the utility room to the
KITCHEN-DINER
black doors and trims. Moody blue envelops the living
LIVING ROOM
room, with walls, ceilings and joinery in the same inky
tone. It’s a daring choice, but one that makes the room

feel formal yet cosy. ‘I don’t think there is one right way
to do things,’ says Nia. ‘There are many approaches that
GROUND FLOOR work. The key is to take one idea and follow it through.’

72 APRIL 2020 | IDEALHOME.CO.UK