Steal This Look: A Calm, Quiet Living Space in England

Thoughtful designer Cassandra Ellis has renovated a number of houses, most of which were for others via her London design studio Atelier Ellis. A recent project was renovated for her and her husband to live in the nature of the East Sussex Downs. The walls are painted with colors from her own paint line, and much of the furniture is of her down design too. Here we profile the key elements, both actual and imagined, that go into achieving a similar look.

Above: The renovation includes subtle but impactful details such as the threshold-less door frame where long oak planks run from room to room without stopping. Photo via Light Locations from Like Walking Through a Sonnet: A Serene East Sussex Barn by Cassandra Ellis.

Paint

Above: The majority of the house is painted in Warm White from Cassandra’s own line of paint, Atelier Ellis. Prices start at £30. Above: The living room is painted in the Atelier Ellis Smoked Green-Blue. “This is my childhood color and the first color I made,” Cassandra says. Prices start at £30.

Furniture

Above: An option for a dining table that doubles as a desk, as seen in Cassandra’s living space, is the simple Beach House Expandable Dining Table for $3,298 at Serena & Lily. Above: Source a vintage dining chair from Howe in London. This Set of Four Goan Hardwood Dining Chairs is a commitment at £5,800 for the full set, but Howe is a great resource worth mentioning for finding antiques & vintages similar to the style seen in Cassandra’s home. Above: For a large upholstered bench, Maiden Home makes The Franklin Bench for $1,500. Above: The John Derian Tulip Chair is $5,505 for the linen upholstery.

Lighting & Accessories

Above: For a similar beige lamp to the vintage industrial lamp on the desk table, the Marset Funiculi Table Lamp in Beige is $338.40 at Hive. For more ideas, see our post 10 Easy Pieces: Industrial-Style Desk Lamps, Color Edition. Above: The Washed Woven Linen Pillow in Indigo is $157.20 from RW Guild. Above: The Moroccan Leather Pouf is $329 from Garnet Hill. Above: The simple Highland Dunes Coastal Rattan Basket is $89.99 at Wayfair.

For more from designer Cassandra Ellis see our posts:

• A Refined Terrace House in London by Cassandra Ellis
• On the Market: Designer Cassandra Ellis’s London Flat
• In the Stillness: A 1640s Georgian in an Affecting Palette by Cassandra Ellis

N.B.: This story originally appeared on November 2, 2021 and has been updated with new products, links, and pricing.