Sims Hilditch: Beautifully British Interiors

Sims Hilditch creates interiors that epitomize the English country house look of today. The firm embraces--in this, its second, book--the best of old and new British design, traditional materials, and a pared-back aesthetic to create stylishly comfortable rooms for twenty-first-century living.

Spanning the extraordinary breadth of the studio’s most recent work--projects in townhouses, historic country manors, and seaside villas--the interiors in this book reflect the design philosophy of founder Emma Sims-Hilditch: Every house needs to work on a functional level before one even considers the decoration. Spaces, from sumptuous entrance halls and sitting rooms to hardworking kitchens and boot rooms, are organized for efficiency and practicality before the design team introduces an abundance of floral and damask textiles, striking colors, both refined and comfortable furnishings, and decorative trims.

This book not only explores the fruits of complex and rewarding collaborations that artfully breathe new life into old buildings but also offers an insight into an exciting new chapter in the fascinating story of classic English country houses. New materials and technologies, paired with traditional decorative devices, reinvigorate a Victorian house in the city, an eighteenth-century country house, a Jacobean manor, an apartment in London’s Old War Office, and many other quintessentially British residences.

The Sims Hilditch team comes to every commission with an open mind, ready to respond to the setting and architecture and create something original for each client--a style that is classic and comfortable but also highly relevant to the shift in the way many people are now living.

Giles Kime is the executive editor of Country Life magazine. Emma Sims-Hilditch launched Sims Hilditch in 2009, using the skills she honed through her previous career in film production. Today, she heads an expert team comprising interior designers, interior architects, and project managers.