Mark and Sally Bailey’s book explains how to create a ‘calm’ home

Sep 29 2009 by John Avison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IF there was an easy-to-make recipe for calm, there’d surely be no shortage of takers in our stressed times.

But that’s exactly what interiors experts Mark and Sally Bailey have devised for our homes.

They believe that, if followed, the result will be as satisfying as any wholesome dish or soothing massage but with a far more enduring effect. You’ll have a peaceful sanctuary that relaxes and comforts you.

Just listening to these two eco-friendly specialists talking about the ’ingredients’ they recommend is calming.

Sally advises a generous dollop of natural materials such as wood and stone, recycled furniture and then a helping of “milky-soft, natural colours in your home – reminiscent of large mugs of hot chocolate – to add to the feeling of relaxation.”

It sounds a yummy mix and one they demonstrate with great effect in their rambling rectory house in Herefordshire with its chalky white walls and stripped floorboards, embellished with collections of quirky, recycled items ranging from old dog kennels and wooden shoes to discarded gems of design.

They’ve decanted their distinctive recipe for calm spaces for comfortable living into their book, Simple Home.

Sally explains: “We seem to be so busy all the time nowadays and so our homes really need to be havens of tranquillity and relaxation where you have a chance to forget about the stresses of the day.

“If you choose to create an interior that embraces the idea of simplicity, you will infuse your home with a sense of calm without really having to think too much about it.”

The Baileys’ idea of decoration is far from the norm and doesn’t rely on colour charts and fussy detail.

Rather, they urge that bare surfaces, chipped paintwork, and exposed brick should be celebrated rather than hidden and collections of treasures should be displayed but changed regularly and edited to avoid clutter.