‘Everything in our home tells a story’
When Angelique and Simon Boone first stepped inside this 1920s detached house, they knew they could use their creative skills to turn it into something really special.
The couple had been searching for a home with more space, a larger garden, and a sense of privacy after years of city living. ‘We viewed around 20 properties before this one,’ says Angelique. ‘We weren’t even planning to move this far out of London. But, as soon as we saw this house, we fell in love with its proportions and layout.’
We are... Angelique Boone and I live with my husband, Simon. We’re both creative directors of our own graphic design consultancy, Boone Studio.
Our home is... A detached four-bedroom house built in 1929 in Cobham, Surrey. We moved here in November 2013. I share more of my home on Instagram @angeliqueboone.
My favourite room is... The kitchen. I love baking to relax and I spend hours in here. The open-plan layout is very sociable.
My style is... Bold and creative. I love strong colour and beautiful wallpapers, and I’ve filled our home with art that tells our story.
My best bargain... Is a pair of Italian orange leather chairs gifted from a former workplace. I love them because they’re stylish, timeless, and divine to sit in.
Slow and steady
Although the house had been well cared for by the previous owners, who had lived there for over 30 years, it was tired and dated, with frilly window pelmets, floral wallpapers and blue carpets throughout. ‘It was stuck in the 1980s,’ says Angelique. ‘But the house itself had good bones, and we could instantly see how to put our own stamp on it.’
The couple moved in during a busy work period, dividing their time between deadlines and DIY. They decorated the house slowly, room by room, when they had the money to do so. ‘After a week of living here, we realised that the original Crittall windows and doors were beyond repair and needed replacing, which was an expense we weren’t expecting,’ says Angelique. ‘We had to update them over several years, as our time and budget allowed.’
They decided to banish the tired blue decor and create a blank white canvas. ‘We hired a decorator to whitewash the whole house and rip up the old carpets to give us a fresh start,’ she explains. Beneath the tatty flooring, they were thrilled to find original wooden floorboards. Angelique stained them to bring them back to life, while sisal was laid in the dining room for texture.
Design decisions
Angelique began with the bedrooms, which she transformed quickly with colour, clever upholstery and a large dose of imagination. ‘I bought a roll of boldly patterned fabric that I found on sale in a local upholstery shop, and I used it to make a Roman blind, some cushions and to cover a chair pad,’ she says. ‘That one fabric inspired the whole room scheme.’
For one of the spare bedrooms, she found a striking French bedstead on eBay, which set the tone for the space. ‘When designing rooms, I start with one hero item and then build a scheme around it,’ explains Angelique. ‘I find that by decorating this way I’m much bolder, and choose more eclectic colours.’
‘My best idea in this house was using an Indonesian carved wooden screen as a headboard in our guest bedroom,’ says Angelique. ‘It’s totally unique’
Designed during lockdown, Angelique's bathroom feels luxurious, with a statement wallpaper and striking gold fishscale tiles. ‘The project took 10 months to complete, but it was worth the wait,’ she says.
The most recent renovation was the kitchen, which is Angelique’s pride and joy. She reused rather than replaced the original cabinets, painting them in soft tones and adding new handles, then opted for a dark grey ceiling for contrast. New stainless-steel worktops provide the perfect surface for her favourite hobby – baking.
‘We kept the original terracotta floor tiles and used this warm earthy colour as an accent in here,’ she says. ‘Our kitchen table is an old dining table from the school that was used as a set in the film St Trinian’s!’
Personal touches
Throughout the house, art and collected objects tell stories of the couple’s various adventures across Europe and Asia. ‘We make a point of visiting flea markets and galleries whenever we’re abroad,’ says Angelique. ‘Each piece in our home reminds us of a place or a moment.’
One of the most eye-catching displays is a cabinet filled entirely with red objects, inspired by an exhibition they saw at the Barbican in London. ‘We decided to start our very own ‘red collection’,’ she says. ‘Every item has to be under £10, which makes the treasure hunt even more fun!’
Angelique admits that not every decorating experiment has been a success, though. ‘I once tried bubblegum-pink wallpaper and it lasted about three weeks,’ she says. ‘I’d been too influenced by someone else’s style. Over time, I’ve learned that I love rich, deeper tones like green, rust and gold, as these colours feel timeless and comforting.’
After more than a decade of work, the house now perfectly reflects the couple’s creative spirit. ‘We’ve done it slowly, in stages, fitting projects around work,’ Angelique explains. ‘Decorating is my escapism.’
The end result is a warm and characterful home that captures a love of design and travel. ‘It’s taken time, but that’s what makes it so special,’ says Angelique. ‘Everything here has a story, and it all just feels so us.’
Feature and styling: Maxine Brady
Additional styling: Annabelle Grundy
Photos: Colin Poole
Project: Anna-Lisa De’Ath
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