At Home With Anna @tudorfarmhouseorchard
This week I'm at home with Anna, the creative home interiors lady behind the inspirational instagram account @tudorfarmhouseorchard where she shares beautiful images of rural life in her 16th century Suffolk farmhouse. Read on to learn more about Anna, her home, lifestyle, and top tips for home styling.
Tell us about you
I’m Anna, a medical/science publisher turned homemaker. I live in the Suffolk countryside with my husband and son, plus a border terrier puppy, two cats, three pet sheep and some rescue hens.
Tell us about your home
We live in a Grade 2 listed farmhouse. The oldest part dates back to 1530, and it retains many of its original features, such as fluted ceiling beams and carved bressummer beams.
How would you describe your home?
I would describe my home style as ‘English Country House‘, but living in the country some parts are quite ‘cottagecore’ and rustic.
Which is your favourite room in the house?
My favourite room has to be the oldest one; our drawing room. It was the first room we viewed, and I knew we had found ‘The One’, after many, many viewings. There is a huge inglenook fireplace, with an elaborately carved bressummer above, and beautiful fluted ceiling beams. One of the original mullion windows is still in the wall separating this room from the dining room.
How does your home reflect any passions or interests?
With two publishers in the house, there are lots of books. I have a keen interest in antique furniture, so there are treasured pieces in every room, including some inherited ones.
What are your favourite items in the home?
A Regency needlework table, and a rosewood nursing chair that I rescued from the rain at a street fair.
When you moved into your house was it the finished article or was it a project?
Most of the restoration work had been done when we moved in, but the electrics were found to be dangerous and there was a lot of cosmetic work to do.
What renovation and decorating have you done?
We updated the electrics, fitted new bathrooms, and redecorated throughout. Outside we added a terrace to the south-facing side of the house, where previously there had been a pile of rubble, and brought in three Jacob sheep to keep the paddock mown.
Have you had any DIY or styling disasters?
DIY disasters- not yet!!
What is your top home styling tip?
No clutter, clean kitchen and bathrooms, and fresh flowers.
Is there anything in your home that you couldn’t live without?
My pets, they bring so much joy.
They say that every home tells visitors a story about who lives there. What do you think your home says about you?
That I love the countryside, animals and flowers, and that I love to plan and style my home.
The Home Edit
Lived-in or showhome?
I aspire to showhome, but it’s usually lived- in!
If you could only paint your walls one colour, which one would it be?
Farrow & Ball Pointing
What is your pet hate when it comes to your own or other’s homes?
uPVC windows and doors. Thankfully our house is listed, so it has never had them, but I’ve seen so many period properties ruined by these things
Favourite front door colour?
If I can’t say ‘a solid oak door ‘ I would say Farrow and Ball Vert de Terre.
Carpet or Floorboards?
Floorboards
Kitchen table dining or formal dining room?
Both kitchen table and dining room
High gloss or rustic?
Rustic!
Wallpaper or Brick Walls?
We have some brick fireplaces
Want More?
If you enjoyed being at home with Anna, you might like to take a look inside other popular home styling accounts on instagram and find out more about the people behind them. You can view more of these "at home with" articles here
Catch up with Anna's instagram account here. It's well worth a look