Shauna & John’s Post Punk Eclectic English Home and Artist’s Studio

Name: John and Shauna Stanton and their daughter, Isla
Location: Guildford — Surrey, UK
Size: 1,064 square feet
Years lived in: 17 years; Owned

There’s something fascinating about the homes of artists—I love the way the style and character of their art is expressed in the way they decorate and inhabit their spaces. The home of Guildford-based artist Shauna Stanton and her family is every bit as colorful and quirky as her beautiful, vibrant paintings.

Tucked into a street close to the center of town, their Victorian cottage has been home to Shauna and her husband, John, since their children were small. Over the years, as is often the case, their home has evolved to meet the family’s changing needs; now that the children have (almost) flown the nest, Shauna and John have reinterpreted the space again, altering the layout of the downstairs and claiming rooms that were once children’s bedrooms as new spaces for a studio and guests.

The hand-painted signs and brilliant-red geraniums outside the front door give visitors a taste of the color, creativity, and charm of the home’s interior. Cochineal reds, Cornish blues, sea greens: the cottage is packed with color, on the walls and in the furniture and accessories. Vintage furniture and handmade pieces are mixed with IKEA basics. And throughout, there are many elements that have been handcrafted by Shauna and John—the mosaic floor in the dining room that John made in memory of their much-loved dachshund, Basil, the hand-built shelves and cupboards, the original works of art by Shauna and other artists—which combine to give this home a truly creative and intensely personal feel.

Inside, the narrow hallway that’s typical of these Victorian homes opens up, via a curved wall, into a lovely open-plan living/dining space complete with new patio doors to the south-facing walled garden. Previously, access to the garden was from the kitchen; closing it up and creating a new access from the dining area has changed the flow of the house greatly.

Upstairs, the master bedroom, which for many years doubled as a studio for Shauna, has beautiful displays of memorabilia from Shauna and John’s childhoods. There’s also a studio overlooking the garden at the back and a newly decorated guest bedroom with Shauna’s biggest indulgence: the Penguin Library wallpaper by Osborne & Little, inspired by Shauna’s parents, who for many years owned a bookshop in Cornwall.

Shauna often opens her studio in June—for those of you within striking distance of Guildford—and her artworks are available to purchase from her website.

Our Style: Nouveau Hippy/Post Punk Eclectic English!

Inspiration: All and everything

Favorite Element: Our knocked-through living space

Biggest Challenge: Downstairs bathroom (still to be resolved)

What Friends Say: “I love your house it’s so creative and cozy.”

Biggest Embarrassment: Having windows that were falling apart for at least ten years (now sorted)

Proudest DIY:
John: All the mosaic and tiling work on the floor
Shauna: Pencil mirrors

Biggest Indulgence: Osborne & Little Penguin Library wallpaper in the guest room

Best Advice: Let go of the rubbish but truly value (and display) the things your love and that have meaning

Dream Sources: Gumtree, junk shops in Cornwall, skips in the road (do ask though)

• Living room: Fired Earth Cochineal
• Dining room: Fired Earth Mercury
• Kitchen: Fired Earth A Day by the Sea
• Guest bedroom: Fired Earth Woad Blue
• Downstairs bathroom: Fired Earth A Dip in the Lake
• Upstairs bathroom: Fired Earth Graphite

• Shelves: made from decking wood from B&Q
• Sofa: Ligne Roset via Gumtree
• Lampshade: handmade from vintage material
• Coffee table: DIY from a reclaimed pallet
• Cushion: Tunnock’s Teacake by Nicki McWilliams on Etsy
• Other cushions: made by Shauna
• Quilts: The Futon Shop
• Rug: Heal’s
• Pottery on mantlepiece: Ett riktigt krukmakeri
• Bird sculpture: John Maltby
• Fish sculpture: Shauna Stanton
• Fish paintings: Shauna Stanton
• Pears painting: Anna Walker
• Painting: Frank Taylor
• Photography: Mandy Millyard
• All large frames: Otters Pool Studio in Guildford

• Dining table: reclaimed
• Chairs: reclaimed
• Tartan chair backs: scarves from The Edinburgh Woollen Mill
• Framed Miró poster: Tate Gallery
• Storage cabinet: IKEA Värde
• Framing: Otters Pool Studio
• Ceramics: Penny Green
• Lampshade fabric: designed and printed by John Stanton

• Storage units: IKEA Värde
• Other units: made by John Stanton
• Vintage crates: Fresh Choices Vintage Cafe
• Large clock: What-Not’s Antiques

• Lamp: IKEA
• Bedding: IKEA
• Dog drawers: Funked Up Furniture
• Collage artwork: Jim Tucker
• Paintings: Shauna Stanton

• Wallpaper: Penguin Library by Osborne & Little
• Pencil mirror: Shauna Stanton
• Cushions: Shauna Stanton
• Storage: IKEA Kallax

Russian knitted lady is from Kitchen and Gifts

The milk churn is from Lewes Flea market at http://www.flea-markets.co.uk

• Fabrics: Ten Stockholm (now out-of-business)
• Chair: Habitat
• Cabinet: IKEA Varde sink unit
• Cornish blue pottery: found secondhand or given as gifts, but can be bought new at Cornishware
• All artwork: Shauna Stanton

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