The Hancocks’ home is a riot of colour all year round and at Christmas it really comes into its own, discovers Heather Dixon.
“I love their rich, warm tones which I combine with lots of luxurious fabric and natural textures,” says Jill. “Christmas simply becomes an extension of what is already there.”
Jill loves the festive build up so much that she usually starts decorating weeks in advance, creating centrepieces for the table and wreaths and garlands which eventually fill the house from top to bottom.
“I want the place to feel very warm and welcoming the minute people come through the door,” she says. “There isn’t a room in the house that doesn’t get the festive treatment!”
Jill draws inspiration for many of her homemade decorations from the garden, teaming holly, twigs, fir cones, laurel and ivy with dried oranges, figs and berries to decorate a pretty bowl or mantelpiece. She piles colourful boxes tied with ribbon on the hearth, buys Moroccan-style candles for tables and shelves, and drapes richly coloured throws, cushions and scarves over the sofas. Then she completes the look with a slender Christmas tree, which she decorates with baubles, frosted berries and timeless miniature toys.
“I don’t like tinsel, but I love buying ornaments for the tree — I buy a few each year,” says Jill. “I have so many there’s not enough room on the tree for them all, so I sometimes pile them up in a pretty bowl and put them on a table.”
Jill is used to decorating the three-bedroom house from top to bottom. Since she moved in five years ago she has painted the main bedroom three times, the girls’ bedrooms and the sitting room twice, the kitchen and bathroom have been completely redone and she’s currently planning a new look for the hallway.
Husband Michael and their daughters Carly (19) and Melissa (13) are used to the changes. Jill is manageress of York House Antiques in Richmond and an interior designer, so she is constantly using her creative talents to completely transform the 1970s property on a tight budget.
“You learn how to use your imagination and create a look without spending a fortune,” says Jill. “When I moved into this house everywhere was pink or grey — even the bath and wall tiles were pink. So I gradually worked through the house to create a look which is much warmer and more homely.”
Jill travelled extensively in her teens and would regularly return home with bargains bought in Turkey and Egypt, where her love of Moorish colours and fabrics began. She gradually developed the confidence to combine strongly coloured accessories with neutral, earthy coloured walls and furniture.
“I often buy things in sales and I have an eye for a bargain,” says Jill. “If I see something I really like I will buy it and find a place for it to go, rather than wait until I need something. Although I like lots of different styles, they all seem to work together. There are common themes, like texture, colour and wood.”
The only major job left to be done in the house is the lower hallway, where Jill and Michael are creating useful storage space under the stairs, but even when that’s done Jill thinks she will be ready to start redecorating again.
“It’s never ending really,” she says. “There are always new ideas I’d like to try, and lovely accessories or furniture I’d like to include. I often spend hours just wandering round the house trying to find the perfect place for something. It helps to keep the house fresh and interesting.”
But any new decorating schemes will be tackled after Christmas.
“I shall still be adding decorations and bits of holly and ivy right up to Christmas Day,” Jill admits. “I love everything about Christmas and all the traditions that surround it. This time of year is all about the family getting together and enjoying being at home, so the more welcoming and comfortable it is, the better.”
For more info on York House Antiques call 01748 850338.Pictures by Colin Poole.
Garlands from York House Antiques are loosely strewn across the ornate French mirror.
Jill and Michael ripped out the old kitchen units and installed white cupboards instead, to make the room look larger and more modern.
Layers of calm tones have given the main bedroom a relaxing feel. A muslin curtain strung with fairy lights adds an exotic touch.
