My country life: Kate Guinness

Kate Guinness started her working life as a set and costume designer in the theatre. In 2016 she launched Kate Guinness Design, an interiors studio that works internationally on residential and commercial projects, creating spaces with an authentic sense of accumulation. Guinness enjoys combining antiques, fabrics, colour and art that have the appearance of being gradually gathered over time. The studio has been in House & Garden’s top 100 list for the past six years. 

Where do you live?
We are in Pewsey Vale in Wiltshire. We moved down here temporarily and loved it so much, we stayed. We started converting an old stable block on my mum’s farm with a view to renting it out, but partway through we decided to move in. 

Can you describe your home?
Although we came here to be with my mum during the pandemic, we can’t now imagine being anywhere else. For us it’s the perfect mix of rural but still only an hour on the train to London – and there are lots of lovely villages nearby.

How do your surroundings influence your work?
I feel more influenced by nature now I live in the country. In London I wasn’t as acutely aware of the changing seasons as I am on the farm. 

What’s the view out of your kitchen window?
We have wonderful views sweeping up across crop fields to Salisbury Plain.

What’s the style of your home?
The architecture of the building is fairly contemporary: it was an old stable block that had mostly fallen down. We painstakingly cleaned the original bricks and rebuilt it. Against this backdrop, we have layered vintage pieces with a timeless quality, our own artwork that we’ve collected over the years, and some favourite colours and fabrics. The sum total is a comfortable family home that works for us now with three small children, and will leave space for the house to grow as our lives change. 



Is there a house locally that you covet?
There are lots of beautiful thatched cottages that I admire, but the ceiling heights mean they wouldn’t be an option for our (tall) family. 

Which are your favourite pubs and restaurants in the area?
What’s greatly exciting is that Pewsey has a new spot: a delicious bistro called the Garden Kitchen. Other firm favourites include our local pub, the Seven Stars in Bottlesford, and Bunce’s café in Marlborough, which prides itself on seasonal British cooking.

Any shops and markets?
Wiltshire is teeming with creatives. Handmade rug specialists Tate & Darby are just outside Pewsey, as is Sarah K, which sells artisanal homewares. I also love rummaging for treasures at Digger & Mojo.

The Blanchard Collective is nearby – a diverse bunch of antiques dealers under a single roof. And Marlborough is home to world-class interiors studios such as Robert Kime and Fermoie.

Local galleries and museums?
Some friends have started up an excellent gallery, MADE in the Pewsey Vale. It’s a collective that has a constant turnover of wonderful exhibitions by local artists – it’s a real boon to the area. 



What are your favourite things to do in the country?
I love going for walks with our soppy labrador, Nina, but I have to admit that with three children under the age of six, inevitably one of them insists on being carried. Although I’m a hopeless gardener, I love days with my family where all of us are working together, planting, weeding, digging.

How is your social scene different in the country?
When we first moved out of London, I was worried we wouldn’t meet that many like-minded people of our age. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Weekends revolve around children’s parties, sports clubs and having other families over for lazy lunches. Our village throws a hilarious disco every year to raise funds for the church: fancy dress is taken very seriously and we can walk the few metres home to bed.

How much time do you spend in the city?
We have design studios in Wiltshire and London. When I’m at my desk I work predominantly from Wiltshire, but I spend a lot of time travelling to visit clients. I definitely get a buzz from going up to London, but I do feel an enormous sense of calm when the train pulls up at Pewsey station. 

What do you love most about where you live?
Pewsey Vale is, for me, the perfect combination of being rural but also accessible. It’s less manicured than other areas an hour from London – maybe that’s why it attracts so many wonderful people.

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