How Lucy Cunningham rewrote Toad Hall for family life
‘It's the finest house on the whole river–or anywhere else for that matter,' cries Toad in Wind in the Willows. He’s talking of Toad Hall, the ‘handsome, dignified old house’ that provides a fictionalised backdrop to the action in the much loved children’s book by Kenneth Grahame, but the real world houses that line that very stretch of the Thames in Marlow can be described in much the same way. With gardens that reach all the way to the water's edge, the vast Edwardian properties loom large in both stature and literary history.
It was in the spring of 2021 that interior designer Lucy Cunningham came to one of these very houses for the first time, brought on to oversee the decoration by a client she'd worked with many times before. It was intended as a quick project–the English base for a family whose lives straddle two continents–and the brief was delivered as the client was about fly back to their home in Dallas. ‘Let’s just paint the whole thing white and put new carpets in. We’ll rip out the top bathroom and that’s it.’ Yet, by the time the plane touched down on the other side, she’d changed her mind, calling Lucy back with the declaration: ‘I can’t do this to “Toad-y"–I want to decorate it properly!’
The needle was moved little by little, until the aim became not to leave a single white wall in the house–to keep it ‘worthy of the magic of its heritage.’ After all, it's not every day you get the chance to buy a literary landmark. ‘You name it, we did it.’ proclaims Lucy in between rattling a packet of crisps at her dogs to stop them barking. ‘Fabric walls, fabric ceilings, Moroccan plaster ceilings.’ The only rule was to tread lightly and ensure everything remained in keeping with the character and style of the place.
In a house with such a rich history, there’s a sense of fun that must be maintained–and entering the front door it feels as though Mole or Ratty might pop out at any moment. Indeed animal motifs are a constant throughout the house. Monkeys climb the kitchen walls on a Jennifer Shorto wallpaper. A Scarlet Ibis greets guests at the top of the stairs. Fish swim across the bathroom. Toad himself leaps into the frame of the stained glass front door.
There’s a sense of magic everywhere here–rooms that were destined to be relatively neutral spaces have ended up as almost den-like dwellings. Downstairs, the kitchen was supposed to be left untouched until the team became dissatisfied by its neutral presence in such a colour-packed house. A lick of Farrow & Ball's 'Cooks' Blue' on the existing cabinets revived the space almost immediately. Treading the staircase up to the second floor, a similar story unfolds in one of the bedrooms. 'We thought long and hard about it. We put up some orange stripe curtains and did a fun headboard...but last minute we decided to fabric the ceiling. It ended up being one of the hardest jobs the fabric waller had ever done!’ Difficult to construct perhaps, but the effect is well worth the trial.
Yet it's not just the house's past that the decoration reveres, but its present too. A house needs to feel like a home, not just a space packed full of literary allusion. As such, every room with a river view offers a space to sit and admire it from. Most spectacularly of all, built-in seating was added to the primary bedroom to provide a perch from which one can watch the world go by. It is the perfect frame for that magnificent vista, the blues of which are reflected in the wallpaper.
The family have now owned the house for a year, happily watching the seasons slip by like the boats along the river. ‘It’s the most beautiful spring house,' remarks Lucy. ‘All those daffodils!’ Summer brought with it long evenings watching the world go by, enveloped in big, comfortable armchairs. Autumn drew the family inside, ready to host an enormous Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family. This Christmas day might be the family's first at Toad Hall, but what’s next for the duo with three projects under their belts? Well, they’re already itching for the next.
Lucy Cunningham is a member of The List by House & Garden, our essential directory of design professionals. Visit The List by House & Garden here.
Harry Crowder1/22Further down the hallway, a bespoke radiator cover ties in with the yellow front door. Above, an antique mirror hangs on a backdrop of textured wallpaper by Serena Dugan.
Harry Crowder2/22This room was heavily influenced by Lucy and her client's shared love of Morocco. The walls are fabric wrapped in Peter Dunham's' Tangir and the ceiling is plastered using the traditional Moroccan Tadelackt technique. A pair of original Thonet chairs create a lovely vignette.
Harry Crowder3/22In the pantry, Howe's ‘Pondicherry’ paper backed fabric adorns the walls. A matching blind and skirt complete the look.
Harry Crowder4/22Wanting to sense of fun and playfulness into the kitchen, the team opted for Jennifer Shorto's ‘Forbidden Fruit' wallpaper. Inspired by the ‘lost city’ of Las Pozas in the subtropical forest of the Mexican mountains, the colours complement the kitchen cabinetry, making a fitting choice for a family who spend a lot of time in Mexico. The curtain are from Peter Dunham Textiles and the red chair is from Oka.
Harry Crowder5/22In the downstairs loo, Peter Dunham curtains frame the French windows, whilst a Namay Samay blind obscures the view. A chair from Lorfords Antiques provides seating.
Harry Crowder6/22The living room was originally panelled with very dark wood which the team decided to white wash to dramatic effect. Now a much lighter and brighter space, it offers an unexpected contrast to the colour and pattern in the rest of the house.
Harry Crowder7/22A Robert Kime rug grounds the room whilst a Murano glass ceiling light draws the eye upwards. The club fenders are also Robert Kime and the wallpaper is Schumacher's grass cloth.
Harry Crowder8/22Toad sneaks into view on a vintage fabric covered ottoman.
Harry Crowder9/22The sunny yellow sofa is from Lorfords x Turner & Pocock and is adorned with cushions in a mixture of vintage textiles.
Harry Crowder10/22Choosing to embrace the darkness of this room, Lucy opted for a deep red glass cloth on the walls. The heavy curtains are from Nathalie Farman Farma.
Harry Crowder11/22In the less formal living room, Fermoie paper backed fabric walls offer a dramatic yet cosy backdrop to an Andrew Martin sofa. The cushions are a selection from Robert Kime and Susan Deliss.
Harry Crowder12/22On the landing, De Gournay wallpaper lines the walls whilst a Lorfords sofa provides a place of respite.
Harry Crowder13/22Bright green De Gournay wallpaper is complemented by mandarin stone tiles and a Waterworks bath.
Harry Crowder14/22De Gournay fish wallpaper provides a sense of fun in this bathroom.
Harry Crowder15/22The wallpaper in the hallway is an enlarged printed illustration of a Scarlet Ibis from Ornithologist J.J Audubons masterpiece; 'Birds of America'. The bench is from Lorfords Antiques.
Harry Crowder16/22With an almost circus-tent feel, this bedroom went from relatively pared back to playful and whimsical with the addition of the striped fabric ceiling and matching blind.
Harry Crowder17/22Using Fanny Shorter fabric, the walls and ceiling provide a punch of colour in this smaller bathroom. A Studio Ham vanity is balanced out by a charming red armchair. The blind is from The Cloth Shop and the wall lights are Vaughn.
Harry Crowder18/22In the top bedroom, Common Room wallpaper covers every inch of the walls and ceilings creating a warm and inviting space.
Harry Crowder19/22A green vanity from Studio Ham provides the focal point in the top bathroom. The wallpaper is William Morris and the floor tiles are Bert & May.
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Harry Crowder22/22In the outdoor seating area, cushions from Bungalow provide softness.
