Houzz Tour: An Old Dairy Gets a Contemporary Twist

When it came to designing the interior of The Dairy, the owners were leaning toward an elegant monochrome scheme, but interior designer Lindsey Rendall wasn’t so sure. “When I first saw the building, I thought monochrome would be too harsh,” she says. “I remember it was a summer evening, and I felt soft grays and greens would be much better. When it comes to choosing color schemes, I think the surroundings of a building are important, and that’s what inspired my choices.”


When she was asked to work her magic on the 19th-century dairy, Rendall knew the building’s history would play a major role in its redevelopment. She had worked with the owners before, and they trusted her vision, but there were still obstacles. Working with a building listed as historic poses a number of challenges, and there was a three-month planning process to navigate before any work on the structure could begin.


Rendall’s job was to bring together a team of highly skilled professionals to restore and extend the old dairy and create a contemporary living space sympathetic to the building’s origins. The facade of the building could be restored but not altered in any way, so Rendall hired local craftspeople with an understanding of local materials and techniques. The project took nine months to complete, and the result is an award-winning, serene, bright, contemporary home with a salute to the past.



Houzz at a Glance
Owners: Diana and Peter Williams
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Designer: Lindsey Rendall, Rendall & Wright
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms


Rendall used a muted palette of soft grays and greens to create a calming environment, as can be seen here in the open-plan living area. The beams are original, but she took up the old cobbled floor — worn after years of being trampled by cows — to make way for hard-wearing engineered oak.



Nothing shouts for attention in this home; the beauty lies in the detail. The heavy wooden doors, while not original, are based on the original design and were made by a local craftsman. Rendallchose glass to section off the mezzanine above to allow as much light as possible to filter through.



The elegant but understated soft furnishings are made from natural materials wherever possible. The sofa, in charcoal-gray brushed cotton, is from OneDeko, while the walls, units and dining table are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath. This pale hue allows the furniture to recede into the background, as Rendall didn’t want the accessories to distract from the building itself.


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Houzz Tour: An Old Dairy Gets a Contemporary Twist

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