Inside Veere Grenney’s Temple collection, soon to be sold at auction
For more than four decades, weekends for Veere Grenney have often meant retreating to the Temple of the Four Seasons, his Palladian folly on the Suffolk–Essex border. Built in the 1750s by Sir Robert Taylor and later restored by David Hicks, the Temple became his sanctuary in the mid-1980s, when he gave up his London flat to secure the lease. ‘At the time it was utter madness,’ Veere recalls, ‘but I’ve never regretted it for a moment.’ The house was then little more than a romantic shell, without central heating or proper water. Over the years the interior designer brought it back to life — planting shaded hornbeam avenues in the garden, reworking the undercroft into a cosy kitchen and dining room, and giving the grand salon on the first floor its much-loved ‘Temple Pink’ walls.
This September, Veere is parting with many of the pieces that shaped the Temple’s atmosphere, as Dreweatts will offer nearly 150 lots from there and from his London home on Portsea Place. ‘The collection is an accumulation of very considered objects acquired over the last 42 years,’ he says. ‘The Temple has been through four decorative incarnations in that time, and I’m selling some pieces which have been through all four, and others from the last 15 years. I hope that others might appreciate the consideration that each piece carries.’
With every incarnation, Veere infused the interiors with the worlds that mattered to him and shaped his passions, from the rigorous forms of 18th-century Britain to the rich colours of India and the warmth of Tangier, where he has created another home and garden that is now his main residence. ‘For me, the Temple was architectural poetry, sculpted to human scale,’ acknowledges the designer, reflecting on a home that can fairly be described as a canvas for stylistic invention. ‘It taught me what it means to honour proportion and harmony.’
Weaving together Georgian furniture, custom-made designs, personal gifts and collected treasures, the Temple was always a welcoming refuge, reflecting Veere’s conviction that a house should be lived in rather than treated as a showpiece. ‘It is not just built space — it’s a lifestyle,’ as he puts it. ‘Sunday mornings spent tinkering among the blooms in its gardens remain, to me, a pure restorative joy.’
Among the lots are objects that tell stories of friendship and inspiration. Maggi Hambling’s ‘Storm Light’ (1980), given to Veere for his 40th birthday by Dudley Poplak, has hung in the Temple for decades. A pair of white-painted ‘Greek’ chairs were his own reinterpretation of Robsjohn-Gibbings — designed, he explains, ‘to harmonise with everything else.’
As the Temple’s contents move into new hands, the sale offers others the chance to share in the atmosphere of ease and harmony that has long defined Veere’s approach to decoration. The Dreweatts auction takes place on 3 September 2025, with viewing in London from 29–31 August.
Read on for our pick of highlights.
Dreweatts1/10A pair of white-painted metal garden seats from Bunny Mellon’s collection
Found through New York dealer Gerald Bland, the seats once belonged to Bunny Mellon. ‘I love their shape and style,’ Veere recalls — simple forms with an illustrious provenance.
Dreweatts2/10Buttoned upholstered serpentine-backed sofa
Designed by Veere’s studio to nestle within a bay window, this sofa was conceived as both a seat and daybed. ‘It is like an upholstered window seat,’ he says. At two metres long, it became the most comfortable spot in the house: ‘very comfortable to sleep on.’
Dreweatts3/10George III green and cream painted open armchair
This chair, with its original 18th-century paint, epitomises Veere’s taste. ‘It encompasses everything I love about an open armchair,’ he says, adding that it might easily have belonged to John Fowler or Nancy Lancaster.
Dreweatts4/10A set of eight Indian miniature paintings, late 19th century/20th century
Indian miniatures have long been part of Veere’s collecting. This set, bought from Gordon Watson, stood out even among the many he has owned. ‘I have always collected Indian miniatures,’ he explains, ‘and these are an exceptional group.’
Dreweatts5/10A pair of cream and red painted side chairs, George III style
These dining-height chairs were copied from an original set of 12. Veere admired their poise: ‘They are a beautiful model of mid-18th-century design,’ he says.
6/10Kathleen Guthrie, Sketch for September
Painted in oil on canvas, this work carries the quiet rhythm of late summer. Kathleen Guthrie, who trained at the Slade and later absorbed the influence of Ben Nicholson’s constructivist circle, moved from painterly observation to lyrical abstraction over the course of her career, as this picture beautifully reveals.
7/10A white lacquer and steel three-tier rotating side table in the manner of Gabriella Crespi
Celebrated for her glamorous, sculptural designs that blurred the line between furniture and art, Gabriella Crespi was among the most influential Italian designers of the later 20th century. This piece reflects Veere’s eclectic interests and his ease in mixing periods and styles into seamless harmony at the Temple.
8/10A pair of white-painted ‘Greek’ chairs by Veere Grenney
‘I love the Greek chairs of Robsjohn-Gibbings and these two chairs were my interpretation of the genius of his design. They fit within the Temple as every piece of furniture does, to harmonise with everything else,’ says Veere.
9/10A gilt and red lacquer coffee table
Crafted in the second half of the 20th century, it incorporates an antique Chinese panel on the top and stood as a focal point in the pink drawing room.
Dreweatts10/10Penny Graham, Two interiors
These charming works depict Veere’s storied former flat on the Chelsea Embankment. In the larger, landscape-format composition appear several pieces now included in the Dreweatts sale, among them abstract works by Martin Bradley and Kathleen Guthrie, and the book-filled white-painted metal ‘Mercer’ coffee table designed by Veere.
