An Amazingly Artistic, Colorfully Patterned UK Home

Name: Faye and Dave Campbell, and their four children
Location: Sutton Green — Surrey, UK
Size: 3,000 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years

With its tall elevations and white-painted, wood-clad exterior, this house gives an impression of New England that feels quite unexpected in the heart of the quintessentially English countryside. Home to artist Faye Campbell, her husband Dave (who runs a vintage clothing business) and their four children, this colorful home is set in a large plot backing onto fields, with a wild garden and a play house for the kids—as well as a studio for Faye.

It’s now been two years since renovations were completed on this 1950s home that had been almost untouched since it was first built. In the renovations, Faye and Dave not only transformed the exterior of the property but also extended its scope, creating a den downstairs and new bedrooms upstairs, as well as the studio in the garden. Perhaps the greatest transformation, though, was to open up the living space to create a spacious kitchen-dining-living area with double-height ceiling and large windows for light to flood in—and it’s no surprise that it’s the light and space that are Faye’s favourite elements of her home.

Once the building work was completed, Faye turned her hand to decorating the space to create a unique, quirky and colourful home for her young family. She decorated walls with paper and paint to create custom wallpaper, both downstairs and in each of the children’s bedrooms. A vintage armoire spray-painted in bright orange sits alongside a chest painted in acid yellow; mixed-media artworks line the walls, including a vast triptych above the dining table; there are chandeliers in jewel tones, and florals, geometrics and stripes in clashing colours.

Faye and Dave have furnished their home with a range of vintage pieces sourced from car boot sales, junk shops and Kempton Market. The look is highly original, creative and at the same time very relaxed and lived-in.

Faye’s work is available to view on her website, and or those of you who are UK-based, you can meet Faye in her studio, which she’s opening alongside three other local artists, as part of the Surrey Artists’ Open Studios season in June.

Our Style: Scandinavian, vintage, shabby chic, eclectic mix

Inspiration: We love LivingEtc and Elle Decoration; the outside of the house design originated from The Waltons which we watched for years with the kids!

Favorite Element: The light, the space, and the flow

Biggest Challenge: Keeping it tidy with four kids!!

What Friends Say: They love the boldness of the designs — “you’re not afraid to be brave!”

Biggest Embarrassment: The piles of clutter and clothes everywhere!

Proudest DIY: I’m not great at DIY but am pleased with my home-made wallpaper!

Biggest Indulgence: The windows were probably the biggest expense, though they were necessary, although everything was done on a budget and nothing felt extravagant.

Best Advice: Don’t think too much about a decision — just go for it as you might change your mind if you don’t!

Dream Sources: Most of the furniture was from junk shops, car boot sales and Kempton Market, and all the artwork was done by myself!

Everywhere’s painted in cheap white paint!

• Tiles from B&Q and Topps Tiles
• Faye made the wallpaper herself, using pages from the bible.
• The artwork is one of Faye’s.

• Light from Ikea

• Table from a charity shop
• Chairs from Kempton market

• Tiles from Tile Warehouse
• Lights from eBay

• In each of the bedrooms, Faye has created a personalised wall decoration in mixed media. She watered down PVA glue, and then added spray paint and acrylic paint, as well as postcards and scraps of material.

• The bathtub was bought online
• Screen from a charity shop
• Chandelier from Urban Outfitters
• Rug purchased at an auction

• Trestle tables from Perry Hill Antiques, Worplesdon
• Art supplies from a variety of sources

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