Over the years Amy Fitzgeorge-Balfour has been known for her work at Colefax and Fowler, as a florist and a decorative painter, but it is the stunning interiors and renovations of her family home that she has, arguably, become best known for. From eclectic prints to bold colours, Amy Fitzgeorge-Balfour’s House in East Sussex is a masterclass in vibrant English decor:
In Summer 2020 Amy and her husband bought the oldest house in the village in the pretty East Sussex village of Fletching. Though the small family had already experienced renovating a previously unloved home in London, where they lived in a prettily decorated flat until moving to the village of Hartfield, taking on the behemoth period property was a whole new level of commitment. Upon picking up the keys in August, six months into the global pandemic, the imposing property was overrun with untamed vines and weeds, peeling walls and ceilings, damp rooms and broken windows. Inside was dark and dingy, and decades away from its last lick of paint.
Amy explained to her followers ‘The house is believed to have been built around the 1500s as a four-bay yeoman farmer’s hall house, with a later addition in C17th. In the mid 1600’s the property was registered as ‘The White Horse` and functioned as the village alehouse until C18th. In 1805 the property changed ownership when a debt occurred and the property was surrendered to Anne Baker Holroyd, Countess of Sheffield. From here on the property was owned by the Sheffield Park estate from 1805 until it was sold after World War 2. In 1856 a local master carpenter made various improvements and built the carpenters workshop and studio. Thereafter there were owners from aristocracy to carers and finally a much-loved village school master. The property is the oldest dwelling in the village and retains a wealth of period features. To briefly mention, a bread oven, salt cupboard and range in the kitchen/breakfast room, a number of fireplaces in particular the main fireplace surround with newel posts possibly from Sheffield house and tiles that match those in the church, chamfered oak heartwood beams and a medieval saw pit within the garden.’
In just nine months the decrepit 16th century home was transformed into a vibrant and cosy family home with fresh sisal carpet, Farrow and Ball and Little Greene paints, Molly Mahon prints and a classic DeVol English kitchen. The house is almost unrecognisable from its drab and forlorn former life, reincarnated into the unique and inviting home it has become. The interiors combine bright but warm colours with vivid prints, antique furnishings with newly created pieces; a mix of styles and palettes, expertly combined to create a seamless and cheerful interior that can only be described as a gloriously British creation. The whimsical approach has the maximalist edge we’ve come to love from other British interiors such as Victoria Roper-Curzon’s former townhouse, Penny Morrison’s country house and the confident use of colours in Robert Carslaw’s cottage.
The renovation journey has been all the more enjoyable to watch thanks to Amy’s frequent updates on her inspiring Instagram account, kindly taking her ever-growing eager followers along on the journey; offering the names of brands used, tips and updates and glimpses of her adorable family. As if her decorative talents and inspiring renovation hasn’t been enough of a feat, Amy has also undergone the whole experience while carrying and then delivering triplets!
Throughout the home, Amy has peppered each room with well-chosen pieces that complement the cosy aesthetic, including her own playful ‘heirloom products‘ that evoke English narrowboats and gypsy caravans through the traditional English folk art-inspired designs. All together, the home embodies a classic-but-refreshing style – a kind of restrained maximalism, a matured imagination and, most of all, a welcome antidote to the endless grey interiors that are so popular with overly-curated social media influencers, and their wannabes. In a way, there is a calming nostalgia to the home without being guilty of being ‘old and stuffy’ – this is traditional but imaginative, and we’re excited to see more.
View more of Amy’s stunning home on her instagram account here, or find out more about her decorative pieces at her website here.
images: Amy Fitzgeorge-Balfour