A tranquil, elegant 17th-century house designed by Rose Uniacke

Step into the hall of this house and it is simple to the point of austerity: original bare boards, white walls, and its only furniture a chunky X-legged table flanked by two rustic carved wooden chairs. An unusual choice for a grand Georgian hall, but it works to perfection. A pair of 20th-century lanterns in Queen Anne style hangs low to minimise the height of this tall space. But then you turn left into the light-filled sitting room, where all is comfort and luxury. The linen curtains match the warm cream of the walls and jonquil yellow silk upholstery – on Rose’s appropriately named ‘Drawing Room Sofa’ – complements the tones of two large photographs, very simply framed. An 1860s French marble table, turned from a single block of the stone studded with fossils and corals, stands in the window.

In the duck-egg blue dining room, with its buttoned chairs and sweeping curtains, a rare 1910 intricately carved brass electrolier hangs above the dining table, which was designed by Rose. There is an early-20th-century Persian carpet underfoot and an elegant Italian 18th-century table with a Siena marble top in the bay window. ‘I wanted this to be a room that was used – not one on which you shut the door,’ she says.

The kitchen beyond it is certainly well used by the family. Reclaimed limestone flags, a cream Aga and a set of rush-seated Arts and Crafts chairs by William Birch gathered around the table create a welcoming space, while a black-painted Swedish 20th-century cupboard, with interesting glazing bars, takes care of storage. ‘I like freestanding furniture in a kitchen,’ Rose explains.

In the study, there is quite another atmosphere – one that is more in keeping with the 17th-century origins of the house. Painted a very dark blue on the walls and ceiling, it houses the owners’ books, as well as some precious family antiques. This is a quiet space for reading and writing, while the television room – with the TV hidden behind panelling – is a place to get together, with its vast brown velvet sofa and huge central stool, covered in vintage French linen, to rest your feet on.

The television room leads into the garden room, which has rough plaster walls, soft translucent blinds, a floor of reclaimed bricks and double doors that open onto an acre of lovely garden. There is a pair of Forties Danish bamboo armchairs for relaxing and Japanese bronze hanging lamps, and an old marble table with a rusted iron base and iron chairs ideal for a summer lunch.

The owners’ favourite room is their bedroom. ‘We love the pale colours and soft textures and the feeling of complete tranquillity. From the windows, all you can see are the treetops – it feels like being in a beautiful treehouse.’ Rose panelled the walls of the adjacent bathroom and set the bath in the middle of the room, with doors off to left and right for the loo and shower. Also leading off the bathroom, there are two dressing rooms, spare and simple, though one has a wonderful 19th-century Christopher Dresser wardrobe, with decorations from Aesop’s Fables. These rooms, the bedrooms above and, indeed, every room in the house are testament to Rose’s talent for creating calm, uncluttered spaces, where every addition – be it a comfortable chair or a remarkable antique – and every choice of colour contributes to a house with her promised beauty, energy and life.

Rose Uniacke: roseuniacke.com