Anyone familiar with the picturesque Hampshire village of New Alresford will understand why Laura and her family fell in love with their five-bed, red brick Georgian home. It’s not just the house itself, but the entire village that exudes a sense of community and charm that the designer describes with palpable affection. The property’s proximity to London, coupled with local countryside and thriving local boutiques, made it the perfect canvas on which to unleash her renowned design skills.
“For me, ‘home’ is a sanctuary,” she says. “It’s a place where you can truly be yourself, surrounded by the things and people you love. It’s a space that provides comfort, security, and holds so many memories of family time. Home should reflect your personal style and be your haven where you can relax and recharge.” It’s this philosophy that has guided the transformation of her own home since she moved in 2020, a challenging year that reshaped many homeowners’ perspectives on their living spaces. The pandemic, while bringing its share of challenges, also sparked a renaissance of sorts in home design. For Laura, it meant adapting her new space to accommodate both aesthetic and functional needs. “Moving during the Covid era was certainly challenging. There were logistical hurdles and a lot of uncertainty. However, it also provided an opportunity to re-evaluate what truly matters in our living space,” she says.
The renovation became a family affair, with Laura and her husband, Aaron, taking on many projects themselves. “Our previous house in London was quite contemporary and fully open plan but, particularly after lockdown, we really appreciated the privacy of separate rooms in a more traditional Georgian layout,” she explains. “The glazed breakfast room that the previous owners added creates the perfect flow between living room and kitchen, so you still feel connected. We have a study, which is crucial for remote working, and we love entertaining and having friends to stay, so we now have the space to do that. We decided early on to sacrifice one of the bedrooms at the very top of the house and turned it into a home cinema room, complete with a popcorn machine! And in another DIY job, Aaron converted half of the garage into a gym.” The couple are now working on a full garden renovation, including a swimming pool and outdoor kitchen, which Laura describes as “the most exciting stage”.
One of the standout features here is the large and luxurious redesigned kitchen, where the couple preserved the original Aga cooker but opened up the surrounding area to create more room. “We opened up the chimney to create much more space around it,” Laura explains. We wanted a classic country kitchen but with a twist to it, so I designed an island that was based on a French butcher’s block, to feel more like a piece of furniture than a solid block island.”
Laura describes her own signature style as “classic contemporary”, and that permeates every aspect of this family home. This style marries the historical charm of the Georgian architecture with modern comforts, ensuring each space is not just beautiful but also entirely liveable. What’s particularly striking is the designer’s use of a neutral palette throughout – one that creates cohesion and fl ow, whilst celebrating natural textures. “We used lots of neutral tones and natural materials such as linen, aged bronze, open grain timber and woven fabrics,” she says. “The dining table is made from reclaimed timber, so it looks lived in, which is how I wanted the home to feel. The overall intention was to draw out as much heritage from the Georgian architecture as possible, but to keep that modern twist, so it still feels like a young family home. Our projects are not known for colour, but in our home, we have an even more neutral palette as I love the serenity, especially after a busy day in London.”
Despite the lack of colour, there’s character aplenty in Laura’s home, thanks to its daring mix of old and new. Here, chic modern décor meets storied antique finds – the stately grandfather clock being a prime example. “It is one of my favourite pieces,” Laura says. “I’ve always wanted a grandfather clock because it feels so quintessentially English, and I love the sound of the ticking. I hunted online for months and found this antique beauty on eBay. The sellers delivered it personally and it had been in their family for generations, so it’s an honour to take it on. It needed a bit of love and a good clean, so Aaron fixed it up and now it brings me so much joy every day.”
“Blending old and new is one of my favourite aspects of design,” Laura admits. “The new collections for my homeware brand Laura Hammett Living, launching this month, are divided into ‘Modern Heritage’ and ‘Contemporary’ for this reason. I love the interest that mixing pieces from different historical eras brings, and I like not having to stick to one look. The key is to create a balanced mix that feels cohesive rather than disjointed. I like to pair contemporary furniture with antique accessories – and vice versa. For example, a modern sofa can be complemented by an antique coffee table. It’s all about contrast and harmony. Using a consistent colour palette can help tie different eras together. And mixing materials, such as combining sleek metals with textured woods, can create a layered and interesting aesthetic. The goal is to create a space that feels timeless and curated, with each piece telling its own story while contributing to the overall design narrative.”
Whatever project she’s working on, whether personal or professional, Laura’s approach showcases the beauty of contrast, where each piece, contemporary or antique, adds to a cohesive and timeless space with curated harmony and aesthetic balance. Consider us inspired.
