It’s decided, when I grow up I want to live in Suffolk…

Last weekend my little family and I set off on a much needed weekend away to beautiful Suffolk. Our base for the duration of stay was One Mill House, set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, in the picturesque village of Butley, on the Suffolk coast.

As soon as we stepped into the property we were wowed, the owner, Lianne Westwood, has decorated it beautifully, with vintage mid-century finds and modern adornments, it’s a feast for the eyes.

The structure is one half of an old mill house, the other a modern extension. The original Mill House was built in the 1800’s, then at some point was split into two dwellings. The modern extension has been finished with a scandi vibe, the original half still holds onto it’s period charm.

The downstairs has an open-plan, L-shaped kitchen/living/dining space, with a wood burning stove. Large doors lead out onto the garden (which has a patio eating area and BBQ), with views over the mill pond and pretty Suffolk countryside beyond. We were visited by Swans and their signets daily and the wildlife was just wonderful.

The view over Mill pond

The Garden

Swan visitors

The ground floor also boats a separate living room, decorated in calming blues with pops of bright colours. This room has a four-seater sofa, plus a double sofa bed. There is also a downstairs loo/utility room.

Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms and a large family bathroom with a freestanding bath and large walk in shower. The larger of the two bedrooms – The Cow Parsley Room, has a striking feature wall, oak furniture and accents of copper. It has stunning views over the reed beds and Butley Creek.

The second bedroom – The Parrot Room, has been playfully decorated with Osbourne & Little’s Cockatoo’s wallpaper (featuring drawings from Quentin Blake) with retro metal and wooden furniture and another fabulous gallery wall. The large window has gorgeous views over the mill pond and surrounding farmland to the rear of the house.

The spacious family bathroom features freestanding roll top bath and a large walk-in shower. A feature wall has been added with a tiled mural.

As I’m sure you can guess, it was hard to drag ourselves away from this cosy little house and explore. Being located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, just three miles from the sea, the options were pretty varied.

Suffolk is renowned for being a haven for foodies. The cute nearby village of Orford boasts three very good pubs, an award winning bakery, and a tardis-like village store selling all manor of foodie delights.  Further afield are the towns of Woodbridge,  Aldeburgh and Southwold. All three have pretty high streets packed with independent shops, delis, pubs and restaurants. Closer to home, there is both the village pub, and a restaurant within a mile of the house.

The Unruly Pig in Bromeswell had been recommended to us by several fellow foodies (and Google!) so we booked up to visit for dinner. It boasts various awards including Best Suffolk Restaurant 2018 and is in the Michelin Guide and the AA Pub Guide (to name just a few.)

Ava and I at The Unruly Pig

Octopus with nero, nduja tortellini and burrata

Dining at The Unruly Pig

To say we were impressed is an understatement, the food was simply divine. We sampled such delights as octopus, crab risotto, pulled lamb and white peach trifle. All mouth-watering with locally sourced ingredients where possible.

I was in interiors heaven swooning at the stunning eclectic decor. With a jieldeofficiel light illuminating every table and a Farrow & Ball palette (check out that St Giles Blue below). We relaxed amongst vintage rugs, medieval fireplaces and wooden panelling, the carefully curated art collection added a real wow factor to this quirky little gem.

St Giles Blue adorns the walls in this dining room at Dining at The Unruly Pig

Vintage rugs cover the floors

With a great set menu offer in the week, full vegetarian and gluten free menus on top of the a la carte, a wine cellar to be proud of, it’s the place to be.

The quaint village of Orford is just a five minute drive away, and boasts a castle, a lighthouse and some excellent pubs and restaurants, as well as a sailing centre and coastal walks. Great for an evening stroll, the castle was magical at sunset.

Orford beach

Orford Castle

Roman & Ava at sunset at Orford Castle

Fifteen minutes away is Aldeburgh, with it’s pretty high street, a variety of shops, galleries and restaurants, all running parallel to the pebble beach. With it’s it vibrant coloured shop fronts and houses, it’s a bit like being in a film set.

Aldeburgh beach

The highstreet

The Look Out on the beach

Ice-cream stop

Many people gave us advice before our trip, all mentioned we must visit the amazing Aldeburgh Fish & Chip shop, and yes, it lived up to it’s reputation. There are many ice-cream parlours dotted along the high street to visit, and varied array of shops from Jack Wills, Interior boutiques to a second hand book store.

Drinks at the village square

Thorpness Windmill

The boating lake with views to The House In Clouds

The House In Clouds

From Aldeburgh you can walk the two miles to nearby Thorpeness, a pretty seaside village with it’s famous house in the clouds (a former water tower that you can now stay in). There is a village green, a boating lake, a windmill and again some great places to eat.

Admiring the Henry Moore statue at Snape Maltings

Shopping heaven at Snape

In the nearby village of Snape, is Snape Maltings, a collection of redeveloped Victorian industrial buildings. They bring together concerts and events, distinctive independent shops, cafés, galleries and walks. Make sure you take your purse, as you immerse yourself in the eclectic interiors of House and Garden where you will discover British made upholstery and a handpicked selection of tableware, rugs, throws and gifts.

Rendlesham Forrest

Den making

We also visited nearby Rendlesham forest, one of the prettiest forests I’d ever been to. Great fun for for all ages, with several way-marked walks, picnic areas and things for the kids to do and see regularly dotted around the site. In December 1980 several sightings of a UFO were reported in Rendlesham Forest… There’s an UFO trail you can take whilst there to decide your views on whether aliens visited this magical site.

There is so much to do in this stunning area, we really were spoilt for choice.

Get The Look

I think you’ll agree that One Mill House has such style, below I’ve rounded up a few hot buys to help you to achieve this eclectic vibe.

Pavot Blue Interiors

Ikea

Albert & Moo

Dulux

Dulux

Albert & Moo

Osbourne and Little

Cole & Son

Albert & Moo

Luxurious sheepies available at Pavot Blue Interiors from £27
Gagnet Rattan Armchair, Ikea £70
Monstera Leaf Coasters, Albert & Moo £12
Dulux Heritage paint colours in Mallard Green and Midnight Teal
Botanical Jungle Cushion, Albert & Moo £13
Osborne & Little Cockatoos Wallpaper in Beige, Pink and Purple Wallpaper sales £40.75 per roll
Cole & Son Cow Parsley Wallpaper, janeclayton, £85 per roll
Black Copper Round Wire Shelf, Albert & Moo £35

I hope you enjoyed reading my little Suffolk travel round up, we can’t wait to return! Make sure you visit this beautiful area if you haven’t already, it’s a truly wonderful part of the world.

Until next time, Amy x

For more information please visit www.onemillhouse.com and www.theunrulypig.co.uk
The Owner of One Mill House, Lianne Westwood, owns the online interiors store Albert & Moo, many of the quirky wares are featured in the property. She has and Interior Design diploma (as you can clearly see!) and offers and interior design service on her site.

Written and photographed by Amy Davies Pereira of Little House In London. 

*Although the stay at One Mill House and meal The Unruly Pig were gifted, I wasn’t paid to write this article and all views and opinions are my own.

**NEWS** I’ve been nominated for an Amara Blog Award (Best colour inspiration blog) You can vote for me by clicking here. All voters are entered into a draw to win Leica camera.