Mill House, Olney

Project: Full plasterwork scheme for a Georgian Grade II listed home

Role: Consultant on design, material specification, and execution of bespoke interiors

Key Challenges: Balancing heritage constraints with modern design taste and spatial complexity

Outcome: A cohesive interior with classical detailing, layered features and concealed functionality

Result: A private residence of exceptional character and craft

The Story

Mill House in Olney is a distinctive Grade II listed property — a Georgian-style former mill with unique external gothic detailing. When its owners set out to transform it into a dream home, they sought an approach that honoured the building’s architectural language while delivering a refined, contemporary interior.

Ian Waller was brought in at the design stage to help shape a scheme of decorative plasterwork throughout the house. This included a dramatic double-height kitchen ceiling, richly moulded cornices, wall panelling, backlit coffers, and large-scale bespoke picture frames. Each element had to be carefully judged to remain faithful to the period, while appealing to a more modern sensibility.

Working closely with the interior designer, Ian developed the scheme through historical research, sketches and material samples. Ceiling treatments were precisely scaled — particularly in the kitchen — to ensure visual impact at height, while maintaining proportional harmony. In places, modern polymers were used to strengthen moving elements and streamline installation without compromising the period style.

Clever storage elements were seamlessly integrated into the moulding schemes, and a carefully managed palette of profiles gave the home a consistent and elegant flow from room to room. The resulting interior is rich in classical detail yet finely tuned to contemporary living — a perfect balance of heritage and personal taste.