Interior design

Interior stylist kits out Christmas show home in Shrivenham–and highlights military links!

- 04 Dec 19

An interior stylist, who has dressed a national housebuilder’s family show home in Shrivenham for a special Christmas event, has revealed the importance of the village’s military heritage on her work.

Click to view a video of Claude Hooper Interiors' stylist revealing how she dressed the Bovis Homes show house:

Grace Morrison, from Claude Hooper Interiors, decorated the five-bedroom house at Bovis Homes’ Townsend Place, off Townsend Road - and families are invited to see it for themselves to gain inspiration for their own perfect Christmas.

There are framed military photographs, model aircraft and old books from the Royal Military College of Science.

Grace said: “To celebrate the village’s military heritage and Bovis Homes’ connection to the armed forces, we included memorabilia – including photos, drawings, letters and some text books from the Royal Military College of Science – in the downstairs study, which is a wonderful space for those wanting to work at home.

“Little touches like these military additions really make a difference and add to a show home – personalising it and showing off roots with the local community."

The theme is especially apt as Bovis Homes is the first dedicated housebuilder in the industry to receive the highest award from the Ministry of Defence for supporting armed forces personnel.

Earlier this year they received the Government’s Defence Employee Recognition Scheme Gold Award for a raft of initiatives, including providing employment opportunities and helping those connected to the military onto the housing ladder.

Festive dining table in The Winchester at Townsend Place
As well as making the interior design relevant to the area and the homebuilder, Grace has also focused on colours.

“We have used pastel colours, deep purples and metallics throughout the house and decorated two Christmas trees – one in the sitting room and a second in a reception room, that we have styled as a play area to mark the family-theme,” she says.

“The feature tree in the sitting room has around 800 lights and is decorated with dusty greys, blues and deep purples. We have co-ordinated the trees with the wrapped presents underneath. The beautiful coffee table has been dressed to match the tree – and the dining room table next door is all ready for Christmas too.”

“This is a house for a happy family, with a teenage son, daughter and a toddler. We have a boys’ room complete with a rugby ball, travel holdall, neutral colours and little lifestyle pieces that they would love. Also, a girls’ room with flamingos and a botanical feel – with Christmas presents on the bed.

“The nursery has a Scandinavian-feel and is all about textures, and we have a tipi to show a lovely play area here, too.”

Families are now invited to visit and count the number of presents hidden in the show home and each entry will receive a special gift from Father Christmas.

Bovis Homes is also giving away £5,000 worth of Select vouchers for anyone who presents the housebuilder's festive leaflet when they reserve a new home before Christmas. The leaflet is being distributed by two elves at Shrivenham Hundred Business Park from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, 7th December. The vouchers will be awarded on completion of the house purchase.