The co-founder of Ochre's peaceful country house in Wiltshire
Whether they happen to be in the town or the country, Joanna Bibby’s homes have always flowed with style. This two-storey newbuild in Wiltshire, in the palest brick, is no exception, with its appealing blend of natural materials. The rough with the smooth, the functional and the beautiful – all happily co-exist here. Big windows flood the space with daylight and, after dark, the lighting is heavenly. In Joanna’s dream of a kitchen, a trio of luminous glass pendants from Ochre reflect her appreciation for understated, traditional craft and clean-lined design.
Joanna launched Ochre with her co-founder Harriet Maxwell Macdonald in 1996; they were joined by Solenne de la Fouchardière soon after. In the Noughties, Ochre was central to Clerkenwell’s bustling design scene, known for its furniture and lighting installations. Today, the company is based in Pimlico Road, SW1. ‘It feels very grownup,’ says Joanna of the spacious double-fronted showroom they moved into three years ago. ‘There is a charming mix of shops and restaurants here with a lovely, village feel – and it offers a perfect one-stop shop for clients.’
A long stint of living in flats in London – her last in Clapham North – informed Joanna’s list of prerequisites in her search for a new home. These included no road noise, a feeling of elevation and not having to do any major work for a few years. And, ideally, no outdated, fussy details. ‘For instance, no swans etched on the windows or swirly carpets,’ Joanna says with a laugh. She dipped her toe into country living by renting a property in Dorset, where she settled into a routine of remote working: ‘I lived near Bridport for three years, but it was a long drive into London. So when I decided to buy, I followed the train line instead.’
The house Joanna found to fit her exacting requirements was a Thirties redbrick bungalow in Wiltshire’s Nadder Valley. She lived in the house for nine years before doing any work, saving up for a renovation and all the while making plans with Jamie Campbell of Campbell Jackson Architects: ‘The more we investigated, the more we realised that the property was badly built, badly configured and badly insulated. It had condensation in the cavity walls.’ They did the sums and realised she could get a nicer, better insulated and better built house if she started again.
‘It began as a kitchen extension and ended up as a demolition,’ says Joanna, who commissioned Jamie to create a three-bedroom house based on her preferences – a space that feels simultaneously open and private, with a humble feel and nothing too high-tech or slick and modern. The garden also had to be an integral part of the design: this has been landscaped by Jamie and expertly planted by Jane Hurst Garden Design. Joanna was involved in the process at every stage, collaborating with Jamie and Jane to create an artful and confident space.
Paying homage to the property’s original Thirties incarnation, bricks remain a dominant material – however, these are no longer red and do not overwhelm. For the exterior, Joanna opted for a soft clay brick from Danish manufacturer Petersen Tegl, handmade and baked with a cream wash, chosen because they blend with the stonework in the local area. On the ground floor, Belgian bricks in three different hues – laid in a non-uniform way – provide the main semblance of pattern inside the house. The exception is the floral floor tiles in the bathroom upstairs. ‘We thought it would be nice to have something unexpected and fun in this room,’ Joanna says. Like many aspects of the interior, the forget-me-not floor offers a joyful surprise.
In the garden, Jamie suggested that they should deliberately disrupt the clean-lined architecture with a more idiosyncratic pergola, featuring wood chosen for its lack of regularity. The upright trunks of red chestnut and horizontal hazel struts soften the brick of the house and cast wonderfully wonky shadows on the exterior wall.
This sense of yin and yang continues inside with vintage finds, including a timeworn Swedish bench, elegantly contrasting with contemporary designs such as the sleek, sharp-legged ‘Whippet’ dining table by Ochre. Throughout the house, the feel is neither stiff nor formal. The decoration is characterised by pale, calming colours, with cream walls providing the backdrop for this appealing mix of pieces.
A wraparound ‘Cosy Cocoon’ sofa – another Ochre design – and a simple, striking brick fireplace anchor the seating area of the main open-plan room. This has been given a fresh, cool feel by Joanna. She credits the house that is Kettle’s Yard gallery in Cambridge with providing inspiration for the large, harmonious space, in which she can live and display favourite pieces in a relaxed way. ‘I’ve always said I could live at Kettle’s Yard, so I lifted a few ideas for the design of my house,’ she explains.
A strong artistic pedigree and an appreciation for craft, textiles and patina have enabled Joanna to effortlessly mix these elements in her home. But it remains a paredback and comfortable space where natural light reigns. ‘The tranquillity of the country speaks to me,’ she says. ‘Being surrounded by nature makes my soul sing more than cities and buildings and noise.’
Ochre: ochre.net | Campbell Jackson: campbelljackson.co.uk Jane Hurst Garden Design: janehurstgardendesign.com
TARAN WILKHU1/5Joanna likes to draw new designs using a pencil and paper in this tech-free space, devoted to art books, sewing and painting. She refers to it as her playroom – ‘It’s where I switch off ’.
TARAN WILKHU2/5Designed by architect Jamie Campbell, the oak staircase with open treads maximises the feeling of space and light.
TARAN WILKHU3/5The oak bed was made locally by Alex Argo of Burr Woodworks.
TARAN WILKHU4/5Traditional Spanish encaustic tiles are set off by Swedish-inspired panelling.
TARAN WILKHU5/5Views of the garden, with alliums, astrantia and geraniums, can be enjoyed from the pergola.
