A Norfolk manor house richly decorated for Christmas
It could not be more English: the country lane, the wooden gate, the lawns, the brick façade, and the dogs barking a welcome. And yet, at the front door, stands Carlos Garcia, gesticulating, beaming and chatting away with a distinctly Spanish accent.
Carlos Sánchez-García, to give him his full name, was born in a village near Madrid, studied business administration at university, and came to the UK 20 years ago on a sabbatical from a job in finance in order to learn the language. Here he met his now husband, Michael Newman, and decided to stay. He then embarked on a life change that saw him study interior design at Chelsea College of Arts.
Carlos has spent the past 11 years as a successful interior decorator and is best known for a take on English country-house style that is as comfortable, rich in detail, layered and subtle as the best home-grown versions.
The couple also own a flat in London, which Carlos says is clean lined and contemporary – proof, if it were needed, that he is no one-trick pony. But five years ago, he fulfilled a long-held ambition to have a place in the country when they found this 17th-century manor house, surrounded by fields and woodland in North Norfolk.
Sitting at the table in the kitchen, sandwiched between whippets Theodora and Tristan – now settled in front of the Aga – and an oak dresser holding a collection of antique spongeware, Carlos says he fell in love with the English way of decorating, inspired by books and by visiting the houses of friends, as well as grander houses open to the public. ‘I think sometimes it can take a fresh eye to really appreciate something so established and familiar,’ he muses. ‘Look at Nancy Lancaster’s interiors – perfect English style put together by an American. I have no inherited hang-ups or prejudices. For example, some people think that Staffordshire pottery is too commonplace, but I love its charm.’
Hardly surprising, then, that Christmas in the Garcia household is a very traditional affair. ‘It starts on December 19, with local friends for drinks and the most lavish decorations I can devise without spending a lot of money. When I first arrived in this country, it was November and I brought with me three glass Christmas tree decorations,’ Carlos recalls. ‘Since then, I have always gone to Fortnum & Mason every year and bought a couple more. Aside from that, and the tree that we buy from the farm down the road, I simply raid the garden, the hedgerows and the forest.’
‘On Christmas Eve, the day that Christmas is celebrated in Spain, we have a black-tie dinner with my mother, who absolutely loves it here, and a few close friends – very intimate. Then, on Christmas Day, we have roast turkey with all the trimmings and drink Irish coffee while we make the stuffing. The dining room is lit with candles and we use the best china. After dinner, we sit by the fire in the drawing room and we also light a fire in our bedroom before we go to bed. This house is a wonderful setting for Christmas.’
What with the tumbling roses and the productive vegetable garden, it is equally lovely in summer. ‘I spend as much time here as I can, though Michael has to be in London during the week for work,’ says Carlos. ‘Since we bought the house, we have made so many local friends. And now I am being asked to decorate houses nearby, so I often stay during the week.’
The house is not quite finished – the early 18th-century staircase coated in layers of gloss paint requires attention, as does one of the spare bedrooms. Everywhere else, the rooms have a look of permanence that belies their relatively recent furnishing and decoration. With its rush matting, brass wall sconces and gate-leg table, the entrance hall has a 17th-century feel. Ahead is a snug and adjoining study, in the space that was once the kitchen, while to the left is a dining room with panelling that dates from the early 18th century. Separated from this by a small staircase hall is the drawing room, its inviting sofa and armchairs piled high with cushions.
Rooms to the right of the entrance hall have lower ceilings, as they were designed as store rooms rather than living spaces. Past the boxed-in secondary staircase, the beamed kitchen was used as a tack room until the previous owners converted it and installed an Aga. A door to the left of the Aga leads into the pantry, the same size as the kitchen and home to a fridge, a freezer, sinks, cupboards, a laundry rack, strings of onions, garlic and chillies, and shelves lined with homemade jams and chutneys. ‘This is the most useful space you can imagine at Christmas,’ says Carlos. ‘As long as you remember to keep the door shut so that the dogs can’t get in and eat the turkey’.
Carlos Garcia Interiors: carlosgarciainteriors.com
Paul Massey1/11The marble chimneypiece was painted gloss black and had to be stripped. Above it is an 18th-century mirror from the London dealer Adam Calvert Bentley.
Paul Massey2/11Walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Bone’ grey are the background for layers of patterned textiles, including Heriz rugs and an antique suzani over the back of the sofa. The Christmas tree always stands in the same corner and is decorated with candles as well as fairy lights.
Paul Massey3/11By the kitchen door, a Hungarian painted bench from John Cornall Antiques is brightened with pretty floral cushions.
Paul Massey4/11In the adjoining pantry, open shelves display homemade jams and chutneys. Curtains in a gingham from Ian Mankin hide additional storage. Carlos bought the table from his gardener for £5 and painted its legs in ‘Mole’s Breath’ by Farrow & Ball.
Paul Massey5/11The kitchen walls are in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Cooking Apple Green’. Layers of Linoleum were removed to reveal a floor tiled with Norfolk pamments. Next to the Aga is a cupboard painted in Edward Bulmer’s ‘Paris Grey’. A mix of old country chairs surrounds the table. The chintz cushion is made from Lee Jofa’s ‘Maisie’ glazed cotton.
Paul Massey6/11In this former sitting room, Carlos has painted the 18th-century panelling in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Parma Gray’ and laid rush matting from Rush Matters on top of the floorboards.
Paul Massey7/11The chairs are covered in Robert Kime’s cotton-mix ‘Turkoman Stripe’. Carlos bought the brass chandelier locally. A 17th-century court cupboard, from Holt Antiques in Walsingham, displays a selection of Delft pottery. Behind it hangs a reproduction tapestry from Zardi & Zardi.
Paul Massey8/11The main bedroom has 18th-century panelling, 17th-century doors and a Victorian chimneypiece. The slipper chair was bought on Ebay.
Paul Massey9/11In a spare bedroom, the walls are painted in ‘Light Olive Green’ by Edward Bulmer. The headboard is covered in Nicole Fabre’s ‘Grand Crocus’ linen.
Paul Massey10/11Between these two rooms is a bathroom, in which Robert Kime’s ‘St Abbs’ wallpaper complements panelling painted in Edward Bulmer’s ‘Jonquil’. The basin is from Burlington.
Paul Massey11/11The four-poster in the main bedroom was built around a pair of Gillows posts and has curtains in Robert Kime’s ‘Tree Peony’ linen. The sofa is covered in Volga Linen’s ‘Tuva’ in celadon, with cushions in ‘Lynxia’ silk by Robert Kime.
