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‘I love it when a home epitomises the person who lives in it,’ says Paula Sutton, ‘my interior style is colourful country with a mix of vintage chic.’ An interiors lover, antique hunter and founder of blog Hill House Vintage, Paula made the move from South London to the Norfolk countryside in 2010, swapping the ‘glamour and excitement’ of her job as Bookings Editor at Elle magazine for ‘a far simpler life and a less urban upbringing for my children’. For Paula’s ‘creative eye and love for interiors’, moving into the beautiful Georgian property was a dream come true. And, though the house was in ‘extremely good condition when we moved in’, she describes the formal Victorian mood and heavy damask wallpapers as ‘very beautiful, but far too austere and dramatic for our tastes’. She set about transforming the house, starting her blog and corresponding instagram to document the process. |
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Image taken by Paula Sutton, including Wicklewood cushions |
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‘I mix up the styles and periods that I love’, she says, ‘so in each room you will find a combination of antiques, shabby vintage, newer textiles and contemporary pieces based on classic or traditional styles’. Her posts are catnip to a cult following of 75k+ interiors lovers. It is not just Paula’s carefully curated shots, impeccable taste and honed eye for design that is enticing - each post exudes joy and her easy charm. We met her to talk style, inspiration, and hunting down the perfect vintage piece... |
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Image taken by Paula Sutton, including Wicklewood Pieces The Anoushka, The Antigua Stripe, Floral Green Inlay Tray and the Three Layer Dash Vase |
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WW: Have you always been creative? PS: I’ve always had a creative eye and loved interiors. When I was in my teens, my mother used to buy Country Life magazine - I would pore over the country house section, studying the architecture, design of the rooms, layout of furniture. I was fascinated by the formality and symmetry of a traditional country house. I wish I’d studied architecture at University... WW: Tell us about your job at Elle magazine? PS: Growing up, my love of interiors ran parallel to my love of fashion. It was inevitable that I would end up at a fashion magazine. Elle was an iconic brand throughout my youth - I remember reading the first British issue atop a London bus when I was 15. Highly organised with a creative mind, fashion shoot production was a fabulous career for me - coordinating photographers, models, locations, props and hair and make-up. I listened to the Fashion Editors dream brief and made it happen. |
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Image taken by Paula Sutton, including Wicklewood pieces |
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WW: And then you moved to Hill House - how have you transformed it? PS: The house was in extremely good condition when we moved in, but the previous owners had been far more traditional than us - it was all very formal and Victorian. I prefer a lighter touch; painted furniture mixed with some darker wood, colourful stripes, checks, florals and ticking to add fun and comfort. Lighter walls bring out the beautiful architectural details - especially the original shutters. With three teenagers and a dog, stylish comfort is the key – and lots of cushions... WW: Where do you find inspiration? PS: I am a magazine obsessive, constantly cutting and tearing inspiration from magazines and sticking it into a scrapbook. Instagram of course is a great source of inspiration, but I’m also drawn to the country house style interior designers from the past and present. WW: How do you approach a seasonal refresh? PS: The light in each room throughout the year dictates the approach. During the Summer, my drawing room is light and fresh with lavender growing beneath the large Georgian windows. The focus looks outwards towards the garden, so fresh greens, blues and lilacs complement that. During the Winter, the same room suddenly calls for warming reds, olive greens and deep pinks to ‘cosy up’ the space as the eye is drawn back towards the fireplace. I have collections of vintage and antique pieces - objets d’art that fill spaces and cover surfaces. I love to move these around to create little vignettes that catch the eye. And of course seasonal flowers are a must. It’s amazing what subtle changes can do to the mood of a room. |
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Shop Paula Sutton's favourite Wicklewood items, including The Anoushka, The Antigua Stripe, Floral Green Inlay Tray and Blue and White Ceramic Vase |
