Trundling back home through the woods on a frosty winter’s morning, bearing armloads of greenery, holly and berries to adorn the house, is a sure sign for Molly and Rollo Mahon that Christmas has arrived. ‘I think this cottage lends itself to Christmas,’ reflects Molly. ‘We love bringing nature in.’ The tree, which the children have decorated, twinkles with baubles alongside a nativity scene of felted animals made over the years.
Tucked away down a bumpy forest track is the cottage where the magic of Molly’s eponymous homewares label began five years ago - a label that is celebrated for its striking, bold patterns and joyful colours. She creates, she says, ‘to make people smile’.
Molly Mahon house
The 17th-century stone cottage looks out over the garden towards the studio | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
The couple left London in 2010 ‘looking for our own little space,’ and a few years later, happened upon this 17th-century stone cottage in East Sussex. ‘No way am I buying this house,’ thought Molly. ‘It was really dark, the rooms were all falling down, Rollo couldn’t stand up because the ceilings were so low. It just wasn’t what I had in mind when I dreamt about living in a pretty rural cottage.’
The setting, on the edge of the Ashdown Forest, surrounded by peace and quiet, won them over. The Mahons and their three children - Lani, Algernon and Orlando, lived there for a short time ‘to get a feel for it’ and then quickly moved out to allow works to begin.
Molly Mahon house portrait
Molly, Rollo and the family's parson terrier, Bramble, take a moment's pause in front of the woodshed | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
‘It was that classic scenario: we were so naive that we didn’t realise the work would take a lot longer than the builders promised us.’ In fact, the family were to find themselves living in a tent for eight months during the renovations and whilst Orlando was just a few months old. ‘Life was so crazy, we had to live very simply,’ remembers Molly. ‘We all slept in one tent and found ourselves living in a way which was actually quite tribal.’
Molly Mahon house kitchen
Rollo made the kitchen units using reclaimed scaffolding planks. An alcove above the Aga is lined with plywood tiles made by Molly. The pink rug is a vintage find | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
During this time, the builders completely reconfigured the space in the cottage. ‘Nothing flowed, and the only way to make sense of it was to build a house that suited us as a family,’ Molly recalls. They moved the staircase, which originally sat behind a huge oak door, and changed the layout upstairs to create four spacious bedrooms and a gorgeous family bathroom where Molly enjoys reading to the children whilst they are having a bath.
Molly Mahon house kitchen detail
A simple blue and yellow blind hand-printed by Molly hangs above the Belfast sink. Pretty block-printed curtains cover stacks of crockery below the worktops | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
The kitchen, which was originally two small rooms and a glasshouse, was knocked through, and French windows were put in to allow easy access to the garden. The space is now flooded with light and has been transformed into somewhere Molly loves to sit during any rare downtime.
Floors were lowered to give more ceiling height. ‘We’ve opened up the space and created a lovely family home. We managed to do a lot on a relatively small budget, and it all now works really well. We have no reason to move,’ Molly says.
Molly Mahon house kitchen dresser
A painted dresser is laden with a cheerful selection of plates and mugs printed with some of Molly's designs | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
‘On Christmas Eve, we go to our local farm and sing carols to the animals,’ explains Molly. ‘The cows look out at us whilst we sip warm apple juice, eat mince pies and the farmer tells the nativity story.’ On Christmas morning, Molly will come downstairs to light the fire, put the fairy lights on and make a big pot of tea. ‘It’s magical, because our daily life can often be quite rushed. This way we open our stockings together: it’s heaven. It’s what life’s supposed to be about - slow and warm.’
Molly Mahon house dining
Molly's Red Pattee Stripe design is used for the lampshade and tablecloth, creating a festive canvas. The brass candlesticks are from Nkuku and the inherited ercol chairs have been covered in Molly's Yellow Dot design. The flowers were supplied by Aesme | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
Molly professes to being quite traditional when it comes to Christmas, and the decorations throughout the house exude her signature vibrancy. ‘I will put one of our own-design tablecloths on the table and we’ll have napkins and crackers that I’ve made,’ she says. ‘Then I’ll fill the table with candles, mince pies, pomegranates, satsumas and walnuts. It has a lovely festive, rustic feel.’ Molly’s creativity runs throughout everything that the family does; the children print the paper for the paper chains and Molly makes all her own wrapping paper.
The Mahons have a symbiotic relationship between work and home. ‘What I love about my work is that Rollo is involved and I can do it with the children around,’ Molly enthuses. Family-produced art and design can be spied throughout the house.
Molly Mahon house sitting room detail
Above the sofa hang paintings by James Astor and Molly and Rollo's son Algernon | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
Inspired by what she describes as the Bloomsbury group’s ‘domestic creativity’, Molly is not afraid to paint on her kitchen cupboards or even her fireplace - in face she is often commissioned by people to paint their cupboards. ‘It’s the idea that every home should reflect its inhabitants,’ she explains. ‘Your home is your home even if you’re only in it for a very short time. My mother was horrified,’ she laughs, referring to the fireplace in their sitting room which she and the children painted, inspired by those at nearby Charleston farmhouse, ‘but I love it. It looks gorgeous in the evening light.’
Molly Mahon house dog
Bramble takes a nap beneath a bench layered with brightly coloured cushions | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
The surrounding countryside leaves its impression on Molly and Rollo daily. So much so, that they were even married under an oak tree, and, at every turn, the house references the nearby woodland, the simplicity of its shapes and its ever-changing palette.
‘I love the way that nature is constantly changing,’ Molly says. ‘It’s the same with block printing: every time you lift the block you get a slightly different print. The patterns are simple, they make sense and are timeless.’
Molly Mahon house main bedroom
Molly designed the headboard fabric specifically for the main bedroom | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
In an age of perfectionism, when nothing is allowed to be out of step, it is refreshing to witness Molly’s love of imperfection. ‘Our house is perfectly imperfect and we wouldn’t want it any other way.’
Molly’s studio sits at the bottom of her garden and is a riot of colour and pattern. Christmas wrapping paper is strung from pegs across the length of the room and inspiration lies in every corner. Though comparatively small, there are several different areas within the studio: one for moodboarding, another for designing and drawing, another for printing. She confesses to being an inveterate collector of books, and her studio is piled high with them.
Molly Mahon house bathroom
The walls of the bathroom are papered with Molly's Coral print | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
Recalling her first trip to India with delight, Molly says, ‘I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness. This was where I wanted to be. I felt so alive and excited.’ She appears to have pocketed a little bit of Jaipur’s vitality and brought it back with her.
Molly Mahon house childrens bedroom
The canopy in daughter Lani's bedroom is Indigo Blue Stars by Molly Mahon. A hand-printed stocking hangs at the foot of the bed. The fairy lights are by Lights4Fun | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman
The children often spend time with her in the studio. ‘I think it’s so good for children to be busy with their hands,’ she adds. ‘I love it when we’re in the studio together. We might put some tunes on and everyone is immersed in this creative zone. It’s what I did with my parents and now the children are doing it with me.’
Molly Mahon house detail
Books about Peggy Angus, one of Molly's heroines, sit beneath enticingly wrapped presents on the ottoman | Photo credit: Rachael Smith. Styling by Clair Wayman