At home with Emma Deterding: Inside a Norfolk designers colourful, characterful home

Once annexed to a monastery in Yorkshire called Mount Grace, the house still carries echoes of its past. Monks once walked a tree-lined path to the nearby priory in Binham, a route that still exists today. But since Emma moved in back in 2011, the house has evolved into something entirely her own: eclectic, joyful and constantly changing.

“I hope that around every corner there are little vignettes and surprising moments,” she says.

A home built on memory and “inherited decorating.”

Emma describes her style as “inherited decorating” a thoughtful layering of objects passed down through generations alongside car boot finds, art, and meaningful pieces collected over time.

“We’ve many things that belonged to my great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents. I don’t like buying everything brand new.”

The result is a home that feels lived in, loved, and full of stories.

From beige to bold

Like many designers, Emma didn’t always live with colour.

“I had long been the master of beige,” she admits. “My career began in lettings… and as a parent with young children, I didn’t think about using colour.”

But that changed.

Now, colour is central to both her work and her home. Her sitting room is a confident dark pink, and she’s a firm believer that orange is having its moment.

“Orange is the new black. It’s uplifting and chic, just think of Hermès.”

The party barn and a home made for living

Ask Emma her favourite room, and the answer is immediate: the “party barn.”

It’s hosted everything from first birthdays to 80th celebrations and even fits a bouncy castle for the grandchildren.

“It holds many happy memories. It’s a precious resource which allows us to extend hospitality.”

It’s also her office, a soaring space that encourages big thinking and creativity.

The art of entertaining

Emma’s home is always ready for guests, with cupboards full of candles, vases and creative serving ideas.

“We’ve done drinks out of milk bottles, drinks out of jam jars… I could almost set myself up as a party planner.”

Flowers also play a huge role, cut from her walled garden filled with peonies, roses and dahlias.

A life surrounded by art

Emma’s appetite for art is constant and evolving, with works by artists including Fred Ingrams, Katha Wood, Guy Allen, Harry Cory Wright, and Chris Levine.

“I have no stop button when it comes to art.”

Why it matters

For Emma, a room should be both beautiful and practical, a balance of function, memory and personality.

“Collect and display things that are precious to you… but don’t hoard. Allow things to breathe.”

For the full article and all things Norfolk, pick up the Spring edition of at home or read it here