Modern country chic in the Surrey Hills.

Modern Country Chic in the Surrey Hills: Berkeley Homes – Leighwood Fields, Cranleigh

Set within the rolling landscape of the Surrey Hills, this Cranleigh show home for Berkeley Homes was designed to feel lived in, loved, and effortlessly timeless. Working to a Modern Country Chic brief, the aim was to create interiors that balance traditional country references with a more considered, atmospheric edge – resulting in a home that feels both high-end and deeply inviting.

A calm, neutral foundation runs throughout the property, built on a palette of sand oak, ivory, and cashmere. These soft tones provide a serene backdrop, allowing texture, craftsmanship, and thoughtful detailing to take centre stage. In the kitchens, classic elements such as Belfast sinks and warm brass hardware ground the scheme in tradition, while layered finishes ensure the spaces feel fresh rather than nostalgic.

A Richer Take on Country Chic

Rather than a light, overtly rustic interpretation, this showhome explores Country Chic through a richer, moodier lens. Warm timber finishes, moody accent tones, and soft ambient lighting introduce depth and contrast against the neutral base, creating rooms that feel elegant, characterful, and welcoming. Relaxed styling, tactile fabrics, and traditional furniture forms add warmth and personality, ensuring the home feels curated but never contrived.

Throughout the living spaces, we played a key role in the design and installation of bespoke joinery, introducing tailored elements that bring both functionality and a sense of permanence. These pieces anchor the interiors and enhance how each space is used, supporting everyday living while elevating the overall aesthetic.

In the bedrooms and living areas, bespoke cushions and headboards were commissioned to enhance comfort and texture. These custom elements reinforce the layered, crafted feel seen throughout the scheme, adding softness and subtle individuality to each room.

Designing Around Real-Life Functionality

Given the scale of the development and our long-standing relationship with Berkeley Homes, collaboration was seamless. Having worked closely together over the past few years – and across multiple projects – there is a strong level of trust in our process. This allowed for open conversations around layout, budget, and functionality from the outset.

One key challenge was the dining area located adjacent to the kitchen, which felt tight on the original floor plan. Our initial proposal introduced a bespoke banquette seating solution to improve circulation and usability. While this was ultimately removed due to budget constraints, the client recognised the pinch point and worked with us to find an alternative solution.

We refined the layout by making subtle but impactful changes: swapping out chunkier bar stools for lighter, farmhouse-style stools and adjusting seating choices to visually open up the space. These decisions helped maximise flow and ensured the dining area felt as generous and practical as possible – a great example of balancing design intent with real-world constraints.

Curated Details with Character

This show home also marked a more hands-on, curated approach to styling. To stay aligned with the client’s budget while still delivering distinctive design moments, many accessories were sourced from charity shops and antique stores, introducing unique, characterful pieces you simply can’t buy off the shelf.

Several elements were designed and made in-house, including bespoke framed artwork in the living room featuring black-and-white floral mounts, a custom striped pinboard, and layered decorative details throughout. These personal touches allowed us to inject creativity and individuality into the scheme while remaining commercially mindful.

To fully embrace the Country Chic aesthetic, we leaned into linens, florals, and tactile fabrics, softening the interiors and enhancing the sense of comfort and authenticity.

A Show Home That Delivers Results

The completed show home has been extremely well received by Berkeley Homes, standing out as something distinctly different from their previous schemes. Its popularity reinforces the value of investing in thoughtfully designed show homes that connect emotionally with buyers.

This isn’t the first time our work together has delivered tangible results – the previous show home we installed for Berkeley Homes at Leighwood Fields was sold with all furniture included, highlighting how well-designed interiors can directly support sales and add commercial value.

For Berkeley Homes, this Cranleigh show home demonstrates how modern country living can be refined, atmospheric, and aspirational, while still feeling approachable and real. For us, it’s another example of the power of strong collaboration, trusted relationships, and design-led problem solving – creating spaces that don’t just look beautiful, but truly work.