Houzz Tour: A Dorset Home Gets a Touch of Californian Beach Chic
Gabriel Holland took California coastal style as her inspiration when it came to decorating her Bridport home
‘The moment I stepped through the door, I had that feeling and I knew I had to have it!’ says Gabriel Holland, recalling the moment she viewed her home in Bridport, Dorset, for the first time. It was, she affirms, dark, dingy and stuck in a 1970s avocado rut, but she and husband Alan saw the potential for the light and spacious home they’d been searching for.
Given her job as a colour consultant, the stylish renovation is fairly restrained. It’s the result, says Gabriel, of her need for serenity and calmness away from the office that only a largely white scheme could provide.
‘I spend all day looking at colours, so when I get home I need a break,’ explains Gabriel, who was inspired by laid-back California living. ‘I craved the sense of relaxation you feel when you stroll home after a day at the beach, and this is the essence of what I’ve tried to create in the house,’ she explains.
Husband Alan was initially in favour of a bolder scheme, and Gabriel has included slabs of hot pink and rich blue to give it some colour, but he has come to love the easy-going look of their light, bright home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Gabriel Holland with husband Alan Suter
Location Bridport, West Dorset
Designer Gabriel Holland
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Given her job as a colour consultant, the stylish renovation is fairly restrained. It’s the result, says Gabriel, of her need for serenity and calmness away from the office that only a largely white scheme could provide.
‘I spend all day looking at colours, so when I get home I need a break,’ explains Gabriel, who was inspired by laid-back California living. ‘I craved the sense of relaxation you feel when you stroll home after a day at the beach, and this is the essence of what I’ve tried to create in the house,’ she explains.
Husband Alan was initially in favour of a bolder scheme, and Gabriel has included slabs of hot pink and rich blue to give it some colour, but he has come to love the easy-going look of their light, bright home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Gabriel Holland with husband Alan Suter
Location Bridport, West Dorset
Designer Gabriel Holland
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
‘There is a bit of a 1960s vibe going on in this corner of the room,’ admits Gabriel. The Bob Dylan print is courtesy of Alan from a Danish exhibition of posters, while the original 1960s pink armchair was bought from a friend. ‘We love to reinvent things and the colours work really well here against the rest of the pared-back scheme.’
The glossy surfaces in the kitchen enhance the sense brightness and space, while a wall of deep blue adds richness. ‘Deep blue may seem like an odd choice in a compact space, but it’s actually a recessive colour and makes the room feel much bigger,’ explains Gabriel. The simple-but-effective kitchen units are from Ikea and the dining chairs are from Habitat.
Kitchen Units, Ikea. Dining Chairs, Habitat.
Kitchen Units, Ikea. Dining Chairs, Habitat.
Bespoke floating shelves from The Shelving Company keep glasses and crockery close to hand. ‘Overhead kitchen units would have overpowered this space,’ says Gabriel, ‘so I decided to keep it open. I love the simplicity of it and it means you can constantly change the display to suit your mood.’
Shelves, The Shelving Company.
Shelves, The Shelving Company.
Original silver print photographs in the kitchen are by local photographer Claudine Rangecroft and depict a beach in Norfolk where Gabriel used to play as a child. ‘I recognised the scene immediately, so I had to have them,’ she says. ‘Plus, it ties in with the relaxed beach vibe I was trying to create.’
Photograph Prints, Claudine Rangecroft.
Photograph Prints, Claudine Rangecroft.
The door from the kitchen features window film with a list of the couple’s favourite things cut out of it. ‘The kitchen is a fairly simple, monochrome space, but there’s plenty of personality in it,’ says Gabriel.
The original master bedroom on the ground floor is now used as a guest bedroom. ‘I wanted this to be a soothing space,’ explains Gabriel. ‘It’s very feminine, and Farrow & Ball’s Stony Ground paint has to be one of the most perfect colours.’ Original artwork by Jo Love enhances the warmth and sensuality of the scheme. The vibrant pink blanket was a gift from a market in Cape Town.
Paint, Stony Ground by Farrow & Ball
Paint, Stony Ground by Farrow & Ball
Opening up the loft created more light, bright bedrooms. ‘This is such a wonderful room – we use it as our bedroom,’ say Gabriel. Wood panelling on the walls has been extended up to the ceiling to evoke a beach hut look and is painted with Steel I from Paint & Paper Library.
Paint, Steel I by Paint & Paper Library.
Paint, Steel I by Paint & Paper Library.
Subtle pattern, from the Timorous Beasties cushion to the Feather & Black headboard, adds interest to the soothing scheme. The simple bedside tray table is from The White Company.
Cushion, Timorous Beasties. Headboard, Feather & Black. Bedside Tray, The White Company.
Check out more amazing headboards
Cushion, Timorous Beasties. Headboard, Feather & Black. Bedside Tray, The White Company.
Check out more amazing headboards
Downstairs, the utility room is decorated in dramatic Tema e Variazioni wallpaper by Fornasetti from Cole & Son. ‘It’s very special,’ explains Gabriel. ‘There are only a few rolls of this left now as it’s been discontinued, and I have one of them!’
Tema e Variazioni Wallpaper, Fornasetti for Cole & Son.
Tema e Variazioni Wallpaper, Fornasetti for Cole & Son.
A bijou bathroom on the top floor previously housed a toilet and little else. ‘We were determined to squeeze a bath in here somehow, so although it’s a short one, you can still lie back and watch a film on an iPad balanced on the shelf above the window,’ says Gabriel. ‘It’s a very relaxing space.’ The tongue and groove panelling, which is taken up onto the ceiling, is painted in Steel V from Paint & Paper Library.
Steel V Paint, Paint & Paper Library.
Discover how to make the most of a small bathroom
Steel V Paint, Paint & Paper Library.
Discover how to make the most of a small bathroom
A painting by Boo Mallinson – a West Dorset artist – hangs at the other side of the small bathroom. ‘I studied fine art and I used to work at the Tate, so art is very close to my heart,’ explains Gabriel. ‘I try to have original artwork whenever I can.’
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Sofa, The Conran Shop (reupholstered).