Court of Noke was a sleeping beauty when we bought it in 1995. The back of the house was falling down, there was no decorative detailing (or even decoration!), the well ran dry within 6 months, there was no heating, we were camping in an 18^th century shell. The house sat so comfortably in its countryside, alongside the supremely calm lap of the river Arrow, which spills gently into ancient water meadows surrounded by apple orchards planted in the 19^th century.

Many houses reach out to those with inspiration and a certain amount of madness and Noke touched our artistic ambitions and a desire to create a family home. We knew it was a life’s work!

We aimed to create a comfortable family home with exits into the garden in every room. We planned that the garden would come in at every opportunity with graceful entrances as our simple desire was to let nature in.

We have used a full palette of strong colours to complement our furniture and pictures, the children’s artwork, how we live and how we eat. We wanted to bring the outside world in whether we eat it or display using our colours Pomona, Lavendar, Laylock, Verdigris, Sea Green, Turquoise, Buff, Creami Colour and Mouse Grey.

I am remarkably lucky to be married to an artist who has taught me that we are all artists in our lives as creators of a backdrop which promotes harmony, happiness and a jolly good meal!