Items from Veere Grenney’s Cinematic Home The Temple are Heading to Auction

“For almost 40 years now I have spent every weekend that I can in The Temple,” says Veere Grenney, the New Zealand-born, London-based designer whose profound residential projects in London, Mustique, Tangier, and beyond dazzle with an inspired mix of classicism and whimsical splendor. “It’s been a place of celebration, but also meditation, retreat, and appreciation. The collection, from the carefully chosen furniture to the treasured artworks and decorative objects, is a deeply personal one that I have lived alongside for many years. When I think back on my life, I don’t think I could have had the career I have unless I had this sanctuary to return to.”

The Temple, a picturesque eighteenth-century Palladian folly on a charming canal-side plot, boasts a design pedigree of epic proportions with ties to some of the most acclaimed names in the industry—David Hicks, John Fowler, and Grenney, who featured its masterfully restored interiors in his 2024 tome, Veere Grenney: Seeking Beauty (Vendome). His getaway since 1985, The Temple enchants at every turn with remarkable interiors the designer transformed with an artist’s eye, layering upholstered furniture, decorative lighting, and art by Maggi Hambling, Peter Coker, and more.

Now, approximately 150 lots from Grenney’s personal collection at The Temple are coming up for auction for the first time at London house Dreweatts. On display August 29 through September 2, the pieces will be dispersed in a September 3 sale at their Newbury, Berkshire location.

Highlights of the sale include a 1980 watercolor by Maggi Hambling estimated to bring between £1,000 and £1,500, a serpentine back sofa and armchair, upholstered in a Robert Kime fabric, and an intoxicating terracotta blue glazed two-handled urn. “Possibly one of my most treasured possessions at The Temple, this 19th-century vase was owned by Cecil Beaton and documented in both Pelham Place and Reddish House. I purchased it at his sale in 1980,” Grenney says of Lot 125, that carries an early estimate of £600 to £1,000.

“Veere’s vision of harmonious, uplifting and beautiful interiors is on full display in the sale, offering collectors a unique chance to buy into his legendary ‘eye,’” says Joe Robinson, Head of House Sales and Private Collections at Dreweatts. “This sale marks a rare opportunity to acquire cherished pieces from The Temple, which are coming to market for the first time. For Veere, The Temple has been a source of constant inspiration throughout his career and this collection offers collectors a unique opportunity to be part of a defining chapter of his journey as one of the country’s leading interior designers.”