A sensational Sandbanks property has just won a major international design award. Woadden Nash, the Poole-based company who created this award-winning family home, gives us an exclusive through the keyhole tour
Hidden away from the roadside by trees and with the sparkling waters of Poole Harbour as its vista, sits a beautiful family home. From its Turkish marble entrance hall with bespoke staircase to the immaculate gardens which sweep down to a private jetty – it is obvious that this is no ordinary house. With the help of an award-winning interior designer its owners transformed rubble and mess into a modern deluxe design which has just won a prestigious international award.
“As soon as we spotted the site we fell in love with the views and the southerly aspect and just knew we had to live here” said the owner. “We had been looking to move to Dorset to bring up our children in a seaside environment where they can enjoy a healthy outdoor lifestyle.”
The original house on this prime location was demolished to make way for a new family home. “We toyed with the idea of remodeling the existing property but it was actually quicker and easier to start from scratch,” said the owner.
So they set about creating their dream home with the help of interior designer Sarah Woadden, from the Poole-based company Woadden Nash. The owner added: “Having worked together on several projects in the past, we knew that Sarah was the ideal person to help us create our dream home as she understood our family needs and personalities so well.”
Sarah was delighted to take on the project. “The client wanted to create a sanctuary for the family and a place where they could entertain their friends. It needed to be as fun and exciting for them as it was for their children.”
Over the next three years interior designer and owner worked closely to create a completely bespoke set of living areas, each with its own character that also reflected how that room would be used. For example the three boys’ bedrooms are a riot of colour and pop art, each one depicting their own particular taste in sport or play.
“The idea for the boys’ rooms was to express their individual personalities,” Sarah reveals. “For one of the boys we took a holiday photo of him up a palm tree and digitally printed it onto wallpaper for a wall in his bathroom. And the youngest son achieved star status when we put his name up in lights on the wall.”
In the sitting room the mirrored wall, which reflects the water view is both beautiful and practical, as Sarah explains. “We tinted the mirror wall for a more subtle effect. It also cleverly conceals some valuable storage to allow our clients to keep everything tidy very easily!”
Working closely with the client, says Sarah, is a pre-requisite for all good interior design. “There is a misconception that designers wish to impose their taste and style on a client but at Woadden Nash the opposite is true. We listen to the client to understand how they wish to use their home. It is important that what we do enhances their lifestyle and sense of well-being. A successful interior design should do exactly that.”
Even the window treatments had input from the client. “They came to our studio in Poole where the curtains were being made, so they could see alternative style suggestions. We actively encourage clients to be involved.”
The stunning bespoke kitchen was designed in conjunction with Darren Jenner, right down to the shagreen inlaid cupboard doors and handles. Local craftsmen were brought on board to create the tiniest bespoke details such as the inlaid door handles on the dressing room cupboards in the master bedroom.
“The dressing room was inspired by the curves in the room itself,” explains Sarah. “We wanted to have a design where we played with symmetry, so hence we mirrored the curves and designed the doors as pairs. The handles were specially made with inlayed beaded wall covering to tie in the colours of the master bedroom itself.”
Sarah also designed the mirrored leaf pattern on the walls of the master en-suite which were cut by hand.
Lots of local craftsmen were involved in this award-winning project from stonemasons and carpenters to polishers and a specialist carpet man who cut the pile of the carpet with a pair of scissors. Local expertise is something Sarah is keen to use.
“Whilst we source products from all over the world, it is always our preference to utilise the tremendous wealth of skills and knowledge we have on the South Coast. By combining fresh, modern thinking with finely honed craftsmanship you can create something special with exceptional finishes that are rare to find these days.”
All that attention to detail paid off. It was for this project that Woadden Nash Interiors recently won the highly esteemed International Design and Architecture Award hosted by Design et al, winning the prestigious private residential interior design category.
“This exceptional home shows that a Dorset-based company can deliver internationally recognised interior design that rivals anything London can offer,” says Sarah proudly. “It really puts both Woadden Nash, and indeed many of the Dorset-based craftsmen who worked with us, firmly on the map.”
About Woadden Nash
Woadden Nash was set up in 2011. It brings together the skills and experience of its award-winning directors Sarah Woadden and Chris Nash to create a highly experienced team of professionals collectively able to offer the best service to the interiors market.
Woadden Nash Interiors, 11 Cabot Lane, Poole, BH17 7BX, woadden-nash.com 01202 900866
Factbox
• The Property: 6 bedroom waterside family home in Sandbanks built in 2013 on four levels with waterside views. It has its own private jetty and boathouse, staff accommodation, cinema, gymnasium, outdoor infinity pool, indoor pool and spa, games room and bar.
• Ground Floor: Entrance hall with handcrafted bespoke staircase, open-plan living and kitchen area, separate pantry, boot room, utility room, lift to all floors, formal drawing room opening onto top terrace, formal dining room.
• Lower Ground Floor: Swimming pool, sauna, gym, shower, bar, games room, cinema, fully mirrored disco loo, laundry, glass doors opening onto middle terrace.
• First Floor: three children’s bedroom suites with WIR, bedroom, study area and en-suite, master suite with duel aspect, tunnel slot fire dividing master bedroom and dressing room.
• Second Floor: Two guest suites and study all with panoramic harbour views.
• Outside rear: Dining terrace with outdoor fire and seating area, outdoor kitchen with built in BBQ, fridges and TV. Formal lawned garden leading to informal terrace with infinity pool and bespoke sun loungers. Steps lead to sunken seating area, boat shed and private beach with jetty.
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