From Stage to Stately: Mylands Introduces Colour to the Country House Diaries’ Georgian Hall

Ben Forster and Paul Longman of @thecountryhousediaries, Exterior of the home, and external windows painted in Grays Inn™ No.167

Walls, Ceiling & Woodwork painted in Long Acre™ No.102 (Wood & Metal Matt,) Floorboards & Bench in Natural Linen Earth Stain

In the heart of the Cumbrian countryside, musical theatre star Ben Forster and developer Paul Longman of @thecountryhousediaries have enlisted Mylands to infuse their 19th-century home with rich and characterful colour. The Georgian property had fallen to disrepair having been empty for over 10 years before the couple bought and began renovating it in 2021. Ben and Paul have strived to retain all the house’s original features, restoring them with traditional techniques where they were missing throughout the 18-month refurbishment. The beautiful architecture has been accentuated by the broad palette of Mylands’ richly pigmented colours, offset by vintage and contemporary pieces for a thoroughly modern country house.

Best known for his career in musical theatre spanning more than 20 years, with roles including Jesus in Andrew Lloyd Webbers’ Jesus Christ Superstar , the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, and Buddy the Elf in Elf the Musical, Ben also has a passion for property and design; Ben has successfully developed various properties prior to The Country House Diaries. Meanwhile, Paul has worked in property full- time since leaving his job in finance in 2012, before which he developed property and designed freelance for friends and family. Their combined passion for property, heritage and design, is evident throughout their skilful and passionate restoration.

Ben’s background in musical theatre first introduced him to Mylands: on set one day, Ben recalls a painter describing Mylands, which has long been the go-to paint for theatre, film and tv sets, as the best paint on the market, a statement that stuck with him and positioned Mylands as the couple’s top paint choice for the project.

(Left to Right): Bedroom walls painted in Burlington Arcade™ No.216, Living room Walls & Woodwork in Egyptian Grey™ No.154, and Bedroom in Haymarket™ No.47 (Walls) and Egyptian Grey™ No.154 (Woodwork)

The duo worked to create a home true to the building’s rich history, making a nod to each era of the property’s heritage in every room. Throughout the home is an eclectic mix of antiques and an assortment of classically shaped furniture with a contemporary twist, upholstered in bold and textural fabrics that bring a distinct sense of character to each room. The schemes are bought together harmoniously through the backdrop of Mylands’ rich hues, which also accentuate the building’s original architectural features. Inspired by Mylands’ colour collections, each shade was carefully selected to create an energetic palette that emphasised the property’s personality, infusing it with a confident and welcoming atmosphere. From the calmer neutrals like Egyptian Grey™ No.154 and Honest John™ No. 58 to the warm mustard yellow Haymarket™ No.47, the classic dark green of Messel™ No.39 and the nuanced blue grey tones of Long Acre™ No.102, each colour brings the unexpected through every door.

(Left to Right): Hallway walls in Honest John™ No.58 and woodwork in Messel™ No.39, Kitchen Walls in Holbein Chamber™ No.7 and cabinetry in Messel™ No.39

The hallway welcomes you into the home with the embossed wallpaper by Lincrusta, a wallcovering invented by Frederick Walton, which has been painted in Mylands’ calm, stone-white shade Honest John™ No.58 and accented with a contrasting dark olive-green Messel™ No.39 on the doors and woodwork. In the kitchen by Olive and Barr, the cabinetry and a 4m prep table island with a Carrara marble worktop have been painted in the deep and classic shade Messel™ No.39 used in the hallway, while the kitchen walls and ceiling feature the off-white pigment Holbein Chamber™ No.7, with a hint of pink that brings a subtle glow.

(Left to Right): Games room in Bond Street™ No.219, Living room in Egyptain Grey™ No.154

The games room is enveloped in the rich, dark blue Bond Street™ No.219 from floor to ceiling, enveloping the space in the mesmerising almost-black shade, while the living room is painted with the calming neutral Egyptian Grey™ No.154 that forms a mellow backdrop for the vibrant yellow L-shaped sofa.

Walls, Ceiling & Woodwork in Long Acre™ No.102, Floorboards & Bench in Natural Linen Earth Stain, and Ceiling Rose in FTT-001™

The drawing room underwent some of the home’s most major structural changes, due to a dry rot issue that meant the loft could be seen from the ground floor, and so Paul and Ben were forced to remove some intact features and replace them with plaster cornicing mouldings and other bespoke features without compromising the room’s original charm. Once complete, Long Acre™ No.102 was used to colour drench the room, creating a restful, deep grey blue backdrop with opulent accents of gold FTT-001™ on the ceiling rose.

Bedroom in Burlington Arcade™ No.216 with bath in Arts Club™ No.281, Principal bedroom in Egerton Place™ No.297 (Walls & Ceiling) and Egyptian Grey™ No.154 (Woodwork), and bedroom walls in London Plane™ No.200

The home’s six bedrooms have all been uniquely designed with bold furnishing and colour; one bedroom is painted with London Plane™ No.200, a light olive green hue that forms a restful backdrop. The principal bedroom is painted floor to ceiling in Egerton Place™ No.297 feels opulent and luxurious; in contrast, a dramatic bedroom painted in dark green-blue Burlington Arcade™ No.216 is paired with rich shades of umber, orange, and the deep red Arts Club™ No.281 is used on the bathtub.

Bathroom in Egerton Place™ No.297, Second Bathroom in Kensington Rose™ No.22 (Walls) and Threadneedle™ No.262 (Woodwork), Doorway image shows Egerton Place™ No.297 (Walls & Ceiling), and Egyptian Grey™ No.154 with FTT-001™ (Woodwork)

The building’s history has also inspired the en-suite bathrooms throughout the home, of which there are six; one pays homage to the 1970’s with retro bathroom tiles, while the principal ensuite incorporates classic Minton Hollins handmade tiling; replicas of those found in the Roker Lighthouse in Sunderland, Ben’s hometown, as well as throughout the London Underground. The neutral mushroom hue Egerton Place™ No.297 provides a deep and earthy backdrop in one bathroom, while the same shade on the walls of the principal bedroom contrasts subtly with the Egyptian Grey™ No.154 used for the woodwork, while another is a pink dream with light pink pigment Kensington Rose™ No.22 on the walls and Threadneedle™ No.262 woodwork details that complement the soft pink tiling.

Paul Longman said of the project: “We spent 3 years going through the buying process of the property. It had long been a fantasy of ours to restore a country estate like this, so when we finally got to refurbish the property it really was a dream come true! The house has an incredible history; it was built by a wealthy local family who had made their fortune in the cloth and drapery trade in India, and it was really important to us throughout the project that our restoration really embraced the property’s past and held on to its amazing energy.”

Ben Forster added: “I grew up in Sunderland and would often spend weekends and holidays in a village near this house. I’d ask to be lifted over the wall so I could peer in the windows and stare at it in wonderment. I left Sunderland at 16 to begin my career on stage, so it is a real dream come true to have bought this house and bring it back to life. Colour was of course always going to be a key element of each room as paint choice really has the power to transform a space, but working with Mylands meant we were thinking about the backdrops more than ever. The Mylands collections draw on the brand’s own rich history of paint and colour, which complemented our desire to honour the heritage of the property, and it has also been a top brand amongst the theatre industry for such a long time that I had always been aware of it through my work on stage – Mylands had been our first choice from the beginning, and it was an honour to work with them.”