Inside Interior Designer Sophie Patterson's Elegant Neo-Georgian Home
Creating a home that balances classical elegance with contemporary comfort is an art form that requires vision, patience, and a willingness to evolve. Interior designer Sophie Patterson has mastered this balance in her stunning Neo-Georgian residence in Surrey, England, where she's carefully crafted spaces that serve both aesthetic and practical family needs.
The Perfect Blend of Classical and Contemporary
When Sophie and her husband discovered their home in 2012, it was merely a shell – but the layout and natural light immediately captured her imagination. Moving from a small South Kensington townhouse, Sophie was drawn to the spacious, open-plan design that still allowed for individual rooms to be closed off when needed.
“My personal style is very much a blend of classical and contemporary,” Sophie explains. “This property is a Neo-Georgian house, so it's taken inspiration from the Georgian era, and I really wanted to combine that more traditional architecture with some contemporary elements.”
Creating Character Through Architectural Details
One of Sophie's first priorities was adding character to the new build. “When we found the house, it was just the bare bones, and I really felt like it was lacking character,” she shares. Her solution was to add paneling to the walls using plinth molding and additional MDF details for depth. This immediately transformed the space, providing the perfect backdrop for a thoughtful mix of antique and contemporary furniture.
The Art of Collecting Antiques
Throughout the home, Sophie's love of antiques is evident. The entrance hall features a stunning flamed oak chest of drawers – one of her favorite pieces. “I think a lot of people worry when they're sourcing antiques. How do you pick a good antique? How do you know if it'll work?” she notes. “Don't worry about the provenance of the antique. For me, it's all about the materials themselves.”
Sophie advises looking at the joints, materials, and whether you genuinely love the piece. Many of her antiques come from eBay or markets rather than high-end dealers, proving that adding character to your home doesn't necessarily require a massive investment.
Personal Touches That Create Meaning
What makes the Patterson home truly special is the personal significance behind many of the pieces. “My husband and I really love to have pieces that have memories attached to them,” Sophie explains. The entrance hall features a painting by Scottish artist Alison Dunlop – a gift from her in-laws that previously hung in their Edinburgh townhouse.
Sophie's design philosophy includes taking inspiration from artwork into the room itself. The feather motif from the painting is echoed in custom cushions on the entrance hall sofa, creating a cohesive feel.
A Staircase with Wow Factor
The central staircase serves as a dramatic focal point. Sophie completely redesigned the builder's original angular, closed-off design, opting instead for something soft, curved, and open. To maximize the light from the skylight above, she added an églomisé mirror by Stuart Fox behind the staircase – a practical choice that disguises fingerprints while adding an antique feel.
Entertaining Spaces Designed for Connection
Sophie and her husband love to entertain, and their home reflects this priority. The formal sitting room, where they host cocktail parties and pre-dinner drinks, features silk wallpaper – one of their first investments in the property.
“We love to have quite big dinner parties,” Sophie shares. “I designed this room with as much seating as possible on all four sides, which makes for great cocktail parties where everyone can have really great social gatherings.”
The formal dining room, recently converted from a children's playroom, features olive brava wallpaper that Sophie designed with Fromental. The space projects forward into the garden with views on three sides, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor connection.
The Heart of the Home: A Social Kitchen
The kitchen serves as the busiest social hub in the house. “It's a really sociable space,” Sophie explains. “When we have family over, particularly if we're entertaining on a more casual level, everyone always wants to sit at the island.”
A clever design feature is the mirrored splashback, which reflects the garden view so that guests seated at the island can enjoy the outdoor scenery while conversing with whoever is cooking.
Sophie has thoughtfully integrated art throughout the kitchen, challenging conventional ideas about where artwork belongs. “I really like to have as much art in here as possible,” she says, pointing out oil paintings and sculptures that add personality to the functional space.
A Primary Suite Retreat
Upstairs, the primary bedroom suite functions as a true sanctuary. Unlike the neutral palette found throughout most of the home, Sophie and her husband chose a deep burgundy wallpaper for their bedroom. “We don't really spend that much time in our bedroom during the day, so it's really a space for relaxing and winding down at night,” Sophie explains. “It feels so cozy and soothing to have this color on the walls.”
The bedroom connects to a private gym with a balcony – an unconventional but practical arrangement that allows the couple to exercise early in the morning without disturbing their children. Sophie designed the gym with the same attention to aesthetics as any other room, forgoing typical rubber matting in favor of timber flooring with an oversized rug.
Sophie's dressing room, converted from a former guest bedroom, serves as her ultimate retreat. “This really is my ultimate escape from the world,” she says. “It's a space where I don't just get ready in the morning, but I even work here one day a week.”
Thoughtful Children's Spaces
For her children's rooms, Sophie took a forward-thinking approach. “This is the design that I created for my son Oscar even before he was born, and it's intentionally quite grown up,” she explains. “Now that I'm a mom, I realize how quickly children grow up, and I didn't want to redesign it every few years.”
Both children's rooms feature sophisticated backdrops with playful elements layered on top. Oscar's room has herringbone wallpaper complemented by felt animal heads, while eight-year-old Ava's room showcases a four-poster bed and custom wallpaper featuring family groupings of animals that she helped design.
Outdoor Living as an Extension of the Home
The garden plays a crucial role in the family's lifestyle. “We live out here the whole time in summer and try to use it as much as we can throughout the year,” Sophie shares. A gas fire pit with a chunky surround doubles as a coffee table, creating an inviting space for post-dinner drinks and socializing.
The family has hosted numerous gatherings in this outdoor space, including Sophie's 40th birthday celebration with about 40 people, a Cuban band, and fireworks. “We've had some great parties at this house, and we've got some really happy memories,” she reflects.
A Home That Evolves
Throughout her tour, Sophie emphasizes how the home has evolved over their 13 years of ownership. “Our tastes have changed as a couple, our lifestyles change – we've now got children when we first moved here we didn't,” she explains. “And as a result, we're not scared to keep changing the house up.”
Future plans include a significant renovation with an extension, pool, and pool house – evidence that the Patterson home will continue to evolve with the family's needs and dreams.
What Makes a House a Home
For Sophie, the essence of home goes beyond aesthetics. “What makes a house a home is the feeling that it creates,” she reflects. “Whenever I have people here, I really want them to feel relaxed. I don't want them to feel like they've got to be on their best behavior.”
This philosophy manifests in practical details: ensuring every seat has a table within arm's reach for drinks, using performance fabrics that withstand real life, and filling spaces with personal touches like photo frames that capture cherished memories.
Sophie's approach to creating a home centered on comfort, connection, and evolving personal style offers valuable inspiration for anyone looking to create a space that feels both beautiful and truly livable.
