A World of Color
An international life inspired designer Ana Engelhorn’s home in Surrey, England.
The dining room in Engelhorn’s listed Lower Farm in Surrey is painted the exact shade of a Porsche coveted by the designer.
Ana Engelhorn is not afraid of color, a fact that she demonstrates to great effect in her own home: a Grade II Listed farm in Surrey, England, known as Lower Farm.
The traditional farmhouse was divided into a rabbit warren of rooms, and had been through at least five different renovations in its approximately 100-year history. Engelhorn’s task was to make it livable for the current century, for her and her family. She tackled the project using her life of world travel as inspiration, and the finished product draws from inventive hotels she has stayed in, her love of art, antiques, and vintage designs, and her passion for saturated hues in unexpected places.
Left: A lounge area in the son’s bedroom includes a striking midcentury floor lamp.
Right: Shades of blue make this bath a serene, calming space. The Single Dalby pendant light with a conical glass shade, Double Thames Vanity, Coll Lever 3-hole basin mixer, and the centerpiece, the Usk Bateau Cast Iron tub in hammered copper, all from Drummonds.
An assortment of modern upgrades ensued. An open plan kitchen, larger bedrooms with en suite baths, underfloor heating where possible and antique, cast-iron Paladin radiators where not, raising ceiling heights while preserving original details, were all on the punch list. And equally important, Engelhorn’s dedication to dramatic, uplifting color was employed to create interiors that draw you in, bring joy and energy, and where appropriate, create restful environments.
“You have to keep being surprised by your home.”
Left: Drummonds Medway freestanding shower feels right for the period but also provides a spa showering exprience.
Center: In the boy’s bedroom, a Mini Cooper replica in bright red provides a jolt of color contrast against the shades of blue on the walls and shelves.
Right: The blue from the boy’s bedroom is continued in his en suite bath. A contemporary illustration of a model and a Mini Cooper echoes the replica in the bedroom. Drummonds Buttermere vanity basin and Bestwood Lever mixer add architectural elements to the room.
And while the home had to be adapted to modern lifestyles, Engelhorn was also careful to honor the existing period details, and to complement those details with design selections that fit the aesthetic. Reclaimed wood flooring, handmade and thoughtfully considered joinery in new cabinets, new windows with period style hardware, and bath fittings by Drummonds fit the home’s provenance while providing modern functionality.
The redesigned open-plan kitchen includes a comfortable corner for a cup of tea, enveloped by shades of teal and blue, with some surprising pink that peeps out of the bottom cabinets.
The redesigned and reimagined home sits in five acres of garden created by the previous owners, which includes a pond, swimming pool, tennis court, fields, and a thriving vegetable garden, making it a perfect escape for kids and parents alike.
Engelhorn has created a place that reflects who she is, even though she knows that the home will continue to evolve, just as its human occupants will also. She says, “You have to keep being surprised by your home. If you stop looking at a piece of art or the color of a wall, you should change it. A home isn’t about trends. It’s about how it makes you feel.”
Left: In the primary bedroom, deep colors give the room a feeling of warmth. A purple accent chair draws the eye.
Right: In the girl’s room, mauve and pink contrast with the exposed beams and reclaimed wood floors.