Set back behind the three central arches, Sandown occupies pride of place in the courtyard, among luxury cottages in general, and amongst luxury holiday cottages in particular.
It used to be the carriage house, and its large open-plan drawing-room/dining-room/kitchen has truly noble proportions, with an 11′ ceiling, and length and width to match.
The imposing symmetry of the doors and windows called for an equal elegance and sophistication in the decor. so there’s a deep moulded cornice, and the walls are papered in subtle grey-green, a good background for the Ian Sanderson’s yellow-and-cream striped linen curtains.
The focal point is the fine antique pine mantelpiece taken from one of the rooms in Bruern Abbey. Clustered round it are a comfortable chesterfield in green Lelievre velvet with a handsome old paisley shawl slung over the back. The cosiest place on a cold day is the club fender in front of the open fire, or the big paisley ottoman strategically placed for trays or magazines on the needlework rug. Beside the fire on the left is a tall glazed Victorian bookcase in stripped pine, and on the other side a desk. Above it all gleams the brass of a Dutch six-light candelabra.
The kitchen area is paved with pale terracotta tiles laid diagonally, and the centrally placed pine island unit, which houses the microwave, is surfaced half in granite and half in pine, with sockets built-in for appliances. Over it hangs an oval wrought iron rack for saucepans and utensils. The units are painted warm ivory, and topped with brown granite, and there’s a row of highly decorative Mason’s Ironstone plates above.
