The English Home September/October 2021 - US Edition

ENGLISH HOME The

Celebrating the essence of English style

COUNTRY EDITION The ultimate in timeless decorating for life today

STYLE SECRETS of country homes & interiors

CREATING AN IDYLLIC COTTAGE GARDEN

LIVE THE DREAM Enjoy the best of a quintessentially rural lifestyle

ROMANTIC VISIONS

Inside five charming historic homes from 16th to 18th century

October 2021

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2021

34

42 Beautiful Buys PHOTOGRAPHS (ABOVE LEFT) © SUSSIE BELL; (TOP RIGHT) © ANDREAS VON EINSIEDEL; (ABOVE RIGHT) © CLAIRE WORTHY

6

DESIGN DISCOVERIES Outdoor fabrics, pretty

tableware and charming prints.

12 BEST FOR GUESTS Visitor essentials.

14 BEAUTY & UTILITY Ancillary room buys.

English Homes 16 COTTAGE INDUSTRY Cabbages & Roses founder

Christina Strutt’s charming Somerset cottage.

26 TIMELESS ELEGANCE Designer Virginia Howard’s

glorious Georgian property in rural Suffolk.

34 COLOUR INFUSION Farrow & Ball’s colour curator

Joa Studholme in her historic former schoolhouse.

42 RESTORING INTEGRITY Unchanged since the 1960s,

a Kent farmhouse undergoes a sensitive restoration.

50 TREASURE TROVE A Grade II listed London

townhouse is home to three generations.

Style Inspiration 59 NOSTALGIC CHARM Classic country style revisited.

76 SOAK IN STYLE Our guide to baths

and the practical factors to consider.

Quintessentially 85 COUNTRY FLAIR Molly Mahon’s block-print design.

86 FROM PATCH TO PLATE: MATTHEW FORT Our food

columnist on apples, pears and quinces.

88 MEADOW STYLE A less structured take on the classic

English country garden.

92 A COUNTRY STATE OF MIND Ideas for enjoying the

benefits of rural living.

98 BEAUTIFULLY FLAMBOYANT Delightful dahlias.

106 HOUSES WITH CHARACTER Live the country dream.

111 THE ART OF COUNTRY LIVING Mrs M on leading

a rural lifestyle.

114 ONE FINAL THING Mulberry Home’s 30th is marked

with the country-inspired Long Weekend collection.

Regulars 4

The

Celebrating the essence of English style

COUNTRY EDITION The ultimate in timeless decorating for life today STYLE SECRETS of country homes & interiors

our Editor.

104 BRITAIN CALENDAR Enjoy the delights of

66 43 DOS AND DONT’S OF COUNTRY INTERIORS

113 ADDRESS BOOK Useful contact details.

Design experts share their advice and insights.

ENGLISH HOME

A LETTER FROM HOME A warm welcome from

60 DESIGNS WITH RURAL SPIRIT Fabrics and wallpapers

for quintessentially English country interiors.

16

Great Britain year-round.

CREATING AN IDYLLIC COTTAGE GARDEN

LIVE THE DREAM Enjoy the best of a quintessentially rural lifestyle

ROMANTIC VISIONS

Inside five charming historic homes from 16th to 18th century

TEH US Oct 21 Cover FinalSSJ.indd 1

October 2021

29/06/2021 10:48

COVER IMAGE: GRAHAM PRENTICE / ALAMY

THE ENGLISH HOME 3

WRITE TO US AT

The English Home, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ, UK Tel +44 (0)333 014 3215 Email: theenglishhome@chelseamagazines.com

www.theenglishhome.co.uk EDITORIAL

A letter from home

R

elaxed yet elegant, practical but stylish, the English country look is a romantic and seemingly elusive interiors style to master. One that is as deceptively effortless as the French woman who somehow appears perfectly ‘undone’ and accidentally chic.

From the sweetest thatched cottage to the grandest country pile, well-furnished country homes are as enveloping as their softly worn sofas are to sink into. They have us longing to replace city skylines with green pastures and while away the hours by an Aga with a dog at our feet.

These are interiors full of nostalgia and personality, where the owners have mastered the art of eclectic style, mixing faded chintzes with bold hues, combining timeless antiques with the new.

In this year’s Country Edition we wanted to demystify some of the secrets behind creating a beautiful and functional country home and what Nancy Lancaster called ‘a judicious mixture that flows’.

Leading interior designers share their dos and don’ts for country interiors (p66), we look at fabrics and wallpapers to use for a rural feel in any home (p60), and explore how to master that other seemingly effortless element of English style, the relaxed cottage garden (p88). Our feature A Country State of Mind (p92) provides inspiration for embracing a slower pace of life, including foraging, making preserves and keeping chickens. We hope this issue transports you to the country, wherever home may be.

Samantha Scott-Jeffries, Editor Follow us on Twitter @englishhometeam Pinterest at pinterest.com/theenglishhome Facebook at facebook.com@theenglishhome Instagram at instagram.com@englishhomemag

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© The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2021. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers. The information in The English Home has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. However, where appropriate, you are advised to check prices, opening times and dates, etc, before making final arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information within this publication is hereby excluded. The opinions expressed by the contributors of The English Home are not necessarily those of the publisher. www.chelseamagazines.com: Publisher of Artists & Illustrators, Baby, BRITAIN, Classic Boat, Cruise International, Discover Britain, The English Garden, Independent School Parent and associated Guides, Little London, Popshot, Racecar Engineering, Sailing Today, Scotland Magazine, Yachts & Yachting and Wedding Ideas.

PORTRAIT GRANT SCOTT PHOTOGRAPH (SARAHRAVEN.COM) © JONATHAN BUCKLEY.

A glorious bouquet of seasonal dahlias from Sarah Raven. For more about these colourful and diverse blooms, turn to page 98.

Editor Samantha Scott-Jeffries Managing Editor Sarah Feeley Art Editors Claire Hicks, Rebecca Stead Sub Editor Lea Tacey Decorating Editor Katy Mclean Features Editor Eve Middleton Homes & Lifestyle Editor Clair Wayman Editor-at-Large Kate Freud Editorial Assistant Nell Whitaker

WESTLAND LONDON SPECIALISTS IN ANTIQUE FIREPLACES & FINE ANTIQUES SINCE 1969

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DESIGN DISCOVERIES

Soothing hues and beautiful bucolic forms catch our eye this month

ECLECTIC PRINTS Joyfully discordant prints in a mixture of colourways exemplify the eccentric charms of English country style. Here, cushions in Royal Warrant holder Warner House’s outdoor fabrics enliven an exterior setting whilst offering a jaunty nod to their interior counterparts.

Perfect for summertime lounging.

Cushions (from back): Chinese Garden, Teal, £50 a metre; Panthera, Espresso, £50 a metre; Holkham, Amber, £35 a metre, Warner House

COUNTRY MOTIFS Featuring fun and informal designs such as this kitchen-dresser-inspired creation, Emma Bridgewater’s new blind and curtain collection at Blinds2Go is sure to raise a smile.

Roman blind, Dresser Duck Blue, from £33.35, Emma Bridgewater collection, Blinds2Go

XXX Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, £xxx, Xxxx Xxxx, £xxx, Xxxx

FLYING COLOURS Already available on teal and mint backgrounds, the addition of a new soft grey hue to this delightful print sees designer Lorna Syson’s delightful hummingbirds dart amongst bright honeysuckle flowers, and 10 per cent of sales go to the RSPB. Hummingbird wallpaper, £109 a roll, Lorna Syson

NATURE REIMAGINED Named after woodland gardens and hand-block-printed by artisans in Rajasthan, the collaborative collection

by Sussex-based Molly Mahon and design house Schumacher comprises 12 linens, including this uplifting pattern that pays tribute to India’s revered Mughal poppy design.

Curtain, Poppy, Mustard & Sky, £187 a metre, Greencombe collection, Molly Mahon with Schumacher 6 THE ENGLISH HOME

SHOPPING

 THE ENGLISH HOME 7

LUXURY LIGHTING

DESIGN STUDIO

LIGHTING CONSULTANCY

Collaboration with Plum Interiors www.pluminteriors.com - Photographed by Nat Rea

MADE IN ITALY

SHOPPING

AL FRESCO DINING Fluid shapes and flowing lines characterise the forms of these new designs, making them an elegant addition to a beautiful backdrop for idyllic outdoor dining.

Arbor Cream dinner plate, £72 for a set of four, Arbor Cream pasta bowl, £68 for a set of four, Floret Cream all-purpose bowl, £52 for a set of four, Floret Cream large serving bowl, £50, all Sophie Conran x Portmeirion

A SHADE OF STYLE Made from sustainably sourced vintage sari fabric, these handmade lampshades from interior designer Chloe Jonason’s new homeware offerings are available in a variety of colours and sizes, as well as being created bespoke to order.

Handmade lampshades, from £195, Chloe Jonason Interiors

HISTORY UPDATED It seems Winston the sausage dog is just as taken with these new tiles in a dark blue colourway as we are. Produced in Devon and part of the Odyssey Grande tile collection, the Vogue design features a seventeenth-century-inspired pattern offset by a fresh, cream background, perfect for creating interest underfoot.

Vogue, Dark Blue, £89.95 a square metre,  Odyssey Grande collection, Original Style THE ENGLISH HOME 9

SHOPPING

OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE Available in three prints and three colourways, The Performance Collection, a newly launched outdoor fabric and cushion range by Penny Morrison, is stain-resistant, oil- and water-repellent, colourfast, flame retardant and 100 per cent washable at 40 degrees, making it as durable as it is stylish and versatile.

Performance fabric, £190 a metre; performance cushions, from £180 each, all Penny Morrison

Bright, fresh blues add a note of calm sophistication to the garden. This tablescape incorporating hand-ladderstitched napkins and a block-printed tablecloth is a wonderful way to incorporate this most soothing of colours into eating al fresco.

Blue Stella tablecloth, from £65; Blue Linen napkins, £36 for a set of four; Natural placemats, £18 each, all Sarah K

RUSTIC SOFTNESS Enhanced by a careful stone-washing process, the rustic feel of the new linen Megha fabric

by Susie Watson Designs is further highlighted by harmonious hues. The delicate Denim shade used here lends a touch of softness to the upholstery of this armchair.

Megha linen, Denim, £54 a metre; Small Library chair, £1,295, all Susie Watson Designs n 10 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON PHOTOGRAPH P9 (CHLOE JONASON) © RACHAEL SMITH

TRUE BLUE

DISTINCTLY BRITISH

We welcome you to

welligogs.com +44 (0)1785 662277 Please visit us on Featured here: Westminster tweed jacket: Lambswool relaxed fit jumper: Faux suede baker boy cap.

Curtain, Melford, £35 a metre; wallpaper, Fencott, £59 a metre, both National Trust collection, Sanderson

SHOPPING

Vintage Fearne Spring Green wallpaper, £99 a roll, Woodchip & Magnolia

Bed upholstery and cushions, Fine Cashmere Velour, available in 14 colourways, £280 a metre, Johnstons of Elgin

Victorian Traditional English Tea Tin, £5.95, Westminster Abbey Shop

BEST FOR GUESTS Himari floral cotton gown, £139, Toast

Friends and family can once again be welcomed as guests, and will be eager to visit country abodes for a restful and restorative reunion. Make them feel at home with luxurious hotel-like touches and thoughtful details to make their stay a comfortable one. An indulgently dressed bed is a must, but also add a dressing gown, sleep mask, and facilities to make a cup of tea in the morning to enjoy whilst gazing at the view in a plump armchair. Some spare wellies and a bicycle will ensure guests can enjoy country life to the full.

Calliope breakfast tray, £66, Anthropologie

Botanical III framed art print, £198 Mind The Gap

Eye mask, £10, Molly Mahon x Bramley

Pink Asiatic Pheasants breakfast cup and saucer, £39, Burleigh

Poppy armchair in Blush pure Belgian linen, £890, Sofa.com

Penny bicycle in Duck Egg Blue, £745, Pashley

Table Grill ’71, £199, Morsø

Manopoulos Club backgammon set, £85, Farrar & Tanner 12 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN

Women’s Giverny jersey-lined boot in Vert Chameau, £120, Le Chameau

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Home + Auto = easy Bundling your home and car insurance is super easy with GEICO. Not only could it save you money with a special discount, but you’ll also save time by having all your coverages in the same place.

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geico.com | 1-800-947-AUTO | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Homeowners, renters, and condo coverages are written through nonaffiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko® image © 1999–2021. © 2021 GEICO 21_580819020

SHOPPING

Living Nostalgia French grey laundry tin, £19.95, Kitchen Craft

Westbury White Horse luxury matches, £6, Heavenly Homes and Gardens

Niwaki garden scissors, £30, David Austin Roses

Boot room painted in Icicle, £24.50 for 0.94l, Benjamin Moore Original walking stick set with stand, £11,640, Richard Nissen from The Kairos Collective

BEAUTY & UTILITY Often considered a desirable luxury, an ancillary room – be it a boot room, laundry, pantry or flower room – is one of the most useful and hard-working parts of a country home. Rural life makes it essential to have a space to remove muddy wellies, wash paws and stow away leads and walking sticks. A place to manage laundry or keep tools and utensils out of sight, or simply indulge in arranging freshly gathered flowers, is also a boon.

Whilst such ancillary spaces are primarily functional, a few smart additions will ensure they are stylish and a joy to use too.

Little straw table broom, £8, Curious Egg

Personalised boot rack in natural European oak, £129.50, The Engraved Oak Company

Chalford Wall Dryer, £110, Garden Trading

Grey and brass mounted hooks, £75, Cox & Cox

Harris Tweed dog lead in Achamore Brown, £84, Holly & Lil at CharleyChau

Natural Suffolk rush oval pet basket, from £190 (small), Nicholas Engert

14 THE ENGLISH HOME

Scullery set, £68, AG Hendy & Co

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN PHOTOGRAPH (BENJAMIN MOORE) © JOHN BESSLER; (KITCHEN CRAFT) © MIKE COOK IMAGING

Plant-based laundry range, from £5.95, Kinn

NEW DECORATING GUIDE 1 UIDE 2 20IGN G

S DE

SITTING ROOMS

INTERIOR DESIGN CREATING THE PERFECT ENGLISH HOME

Case Study One

Serene

SITTING ROOMS Four top interior designers reveal what to consider when designing a stylish sitting room with enduring appeal

P

ersonal style and architectural considerations are priorities when considering the design and layout of a sitting room. However, function is undeniably an important factor too – where some may require a sleek, elegant space for evening drinks and entertaining, others may need a family-friendly room where different generations can come together and relax in each other’s company. How best then to blend these varying elements? We talk to leading designers to glean insights on key projects of theirs and highlight stylish and effective solutions.

PROFESSIONAL DESIGN ADVICE Kitchens Bathrooms Sitting rooms Dining rooms Home offices Dressing rooms

Louise Bradley on combining a contemporary aesthetic with a period property Interior designer Louise Bradley provides insights on fulfilling a brief to create a luxurious, contemporary setting that was sympathetic to the history of a Grade II listed property.

PLUS

Chic shortcuts & wise buys Essential resources & brilliant tips

The brief

“The main house at the estate – a 130-acre shooting and fishing estate in Surrey – is Grade II listed and was designed by Scottish architect JM Brydon in 1885 as his own home. The sitting room boasts large windows and ample natural light, and is the main space within which the family gathers and hosts their friends. The client’s brief was for a classic-contemporary aesthetic that also fitted with the history of the house.”

Past and present

“Working with a Grade II listed property sometimes has its challenges, with many existing features needing to be retained throughout the interior architecture of the building. The clients wanted an elegant yet comfortable drawing room in which they could relax and entertain family and friends, with a classic contemporary-feel decor that was also sympathetic to the history of the estate.

“We retained the original floor, the original columns and fireplace. The beautiful large bay window had amazing views over the gardens so it was important to look at a floor plan and colour scheme that made the most of the spectacular gardens; to achieve this, we opted for soft muted colours that would complement

ABOVE The bespoke ornate breakfront bookcase along the far wall is designed to complement the style and history of the property and echoes architectural elements in the room.

the different seasons. Under the bay window, we made a large comfortable window seat that offered an area to relax, dressed with a variety of bespoke cushions using different textures and patterns, perfect to recline amidst for morning coffee and papers. The comfortable contemporary sofas were upholstered in a soft chenille and again dressed with cushions in assorted traditional prints. Cushions always add an element of luxury allowing to add colour without overpowering the room.”

Creating a blend

“The choice of a coffee table with clean lines and an aged mirror top had a more contemporary feel, dressed with interesting books and accessories adding interest

to the space. A central chandelier was a must and completed the overall aesthetic. The occasional table lamps, in both metal and rock crystal, created another level of light to the room in the evenings. The large bespoke breakfront bookcase was made by one of our trusted artisan craftsmen and is designed in a traditional style with a specialist paint finish in aged black, with an antique mirror detail in the pilasters to add interest. It also allows the clients to display their books, objets d’art collected over the years on their travels and family photographs.”  RIGHT The simple design and clean lines of the coffee table create a perfect setting for a carefully curated selection of books and mementoes.

14 THE ENGLISH HOME

THE ENGLISH HOME 15

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BATHROOMS

Case Study One

Blissful

Gemma Gordon-Duff on creating a decadent en suite Interior designer Gemma Gordon-Duff, of architectural interior design practice Gordon-Duff & Linton, reveals how she created a luxurious central London master suite with decadent materials and unfussy design details to create a scheme with a difference.

BATHROOMS

Design experts reveal important considerations in balancing style and practicality to create the ideal bathroom

ORDER B OVER 30 INTERIOR DESIGNER CASE STUDIES TODAY BY FOR Nina Campbell, Joanna Wood, Jane Churchill, Paolo Moschino,

athrooms, as intimate, personal spaces, have to be functional and hard-wearing yet also provide a cocoonlike and indulgent zone where we can close the door and feel at peace. It is vitally important, therefore, to get the feel right, particularly as warmth, comfort and a sense of luxury are bound to be high on the list of priorities. So the question is how to marry the brisk efficiency necessary for the early

morning rush with the pleasure of a relaxing evening bath or a long, hot shower?

Here, our bathrooms special showcases a range of rooms by four experienced designers, each demonstrating that it is eminently possible to marry form and function and create a space which is both perfectly practical and a beautiful haven in which to refresh and unwind.

The brief

“My client’s main residence is outside the UK and so, as this home is used intermittently, they wanted the master suite – bedroom, dressing room and bathroom – to have all the luxuries of a hotel, but with a more homely feel. They loved the decadence of a copper bath in the dressing room, and asked us to use this as the starting point for the design. The property is a handsome Georgian townhouse, with high ceilings and beautiful architectural features, and so another aim was to complement this feeling of grandeur with a suitably classic yet chic design.”

Luxury & opulence

“The perfect place for the bath was by the window in the dressing room, with a cream linen Roman blind for privacy. I chose copper because the client expressed a desire for a statement piece and, to elevate the experience (and to allow for possible water splashes), raised the bath on an Arabescato marble plinth. The room is finished with a luxurious, cut-pile velvet carpet. Next to the bath, I designed an oversized ottoman in a sage cotton velvet that allows for clothes to be laid out, or for a partner to sit and chat. I do feel that bathing in a room full of soft, luxurious fabrics is a lovely, serene and elegant way to relax and cleanse.

I designed wardrobe doors with a copper inlay to complement the bath.

The en suite has plenty of space for a shower and vanity unit. I continued the opulent theme by using the same Arabescato marble on the walls, floor and even the drawer fronts. Above the vanity, wall-mounted taps create clean lines and allow plenty of space for toiletries, and a shallow mirror-fronted storage unit has inset lighting concealed beneath. The oversized, walk-in shower with a wet-room floor ensures the room feels spacious but unfussy. The finishing touch is low-level lighting in the bathroom that is automatically triggered by movement at night. The overall effect is luxurious but also quite architectural.” 

86 THE ENGLISH HOME

OPPOSITE PAGE & ABOVE RIGHT A copper bath from Catchpole & Rye is raised to window height by being set on a marble plinth in the dressing room.

The wardrobe doors feature a copper inlay to echo the bath’s exterior; they were designed by Gordon-Duff & Linton. The silverframed bird paintings are from Oka. ABOVE LEFT The walls, floor and drawer fronts of the en-suite shower room are covered with beautifully grained Arabescato marble from Stone of London.

THE ENGLISH HOME 87

TEH UK Bookazine 2021Bathroom case studySSJamends.indd 86-87

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Bookazine US COVER 2021 final.indd 1

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Interior Design is the ultimate room-by-room guide dedicated to helping readers create their dream home. From the publishers of The English Home magazine, it features invaluable advice from some of Britain’s finest designers and interiors experts on choosing all the key elements that make a house an elegant home.

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Buy online for $14.95 (including shipping and handling) and have it delivered direct to your door. Visit chelseamagazines.com/interiordesign21 THE ENGLISH HOME 15

Christina has spent many hours hunting for beautiful pieces of often pink china, old glass bottles, prints, frames and paintings from antique fairs including Sunbury Antiques Market and The Old Cinema on Chiswick High Road.

16 THE ENGLISH HOME

Cottage INDUSTRY

Christina Strutt’s charming sixteenth-century cottage in the Somerset countryside is the living embodiment of her lifestyle brand Cabbages & Roses FEATURE HANNAH NEWTON PHOTOGRAPHY CLAIRE WORTHY

‘I collect and hoard treasures and they all eventually find their place’ ABOVE The kitchen is sited where the sitting room used to be. Christina’s collection of vintage pink and floral patterned china can be seen on the dresser.

LEFT Christina stands at the front door of the cottage with Jack Russell terrier Wilfrid.

For more information on Christina’s designs, visit cabbagesand roses.com

18 THE ENGLISH HOME

I

n 1979, a young Vogue journalist drove out of London in her Citroën 2CV to work on a photoshoot with then Vogue art director, Barney Yan. That young journalist was Christina Strutt, who was just 25 years old at the time and was taken by Barney, after the shoot, to meet his friend Mark Strutt, who lived nearby. “That was the first time I met Mark and saw the cottage,” she says.

The cottage is a sixteenth-century former mill house, boasting the beautiful soft, honey-coloured hues of the Bath stone it was built from and a gin-clear brook ambling gently past it. Mark, who grew up in the valley where it resides, inherited the cottage from his parents in 1976.

Christina and Mark married in 1980 and Christina relocated from London to the rolling hills of Somerset.

The vintage chest of drawers and chair in the hall are teamed with Alderney Charcoal linen curtains and a Tulips & Roses cushion, all from Cabbages & Roses. Most of the lamp bases in the house are inherited and topped with shades from Oka. The rug is rush matting from Chairworks.

THE ENGLISH HOME 19

Woodwork painted in Farrow & Ball’s Off White complements the soft pink and red tones of the furnishings in the sitting room. An antique quilt and piles of cushions including several Jolly Stripe Red cushions from Cabbages & Roses cover the sofa.

20 THE ENGLISH HOME

‘Whether the brand’s designs are inspired by the cottage or the other way round is hard to decipher, but they certainly blend seamlessly together’ “I remember feeling so happy being in this lush, verdant valley,” Christina explains. “I was always happier in the country than in the city and, although I lived in Regent’s Park and loved my job, I had a secret yearning to be a gardener.”

Christina’s yearning came true and in the grounds of her home she tends a productive vegetable plot.

Surrounding the oak pavilion, which is used as an al fresco dining room during the summer, are virile bushes of hydrangeas, peonies, roses and foxgloves, all competing for attention.

Over the years, the property evolved as Christina and Mark’s family developed. Their children, Kate and Edward, were fortunate enough to grow up in this deeply bucolic landscape, splashing in the brook and climbing the large weeping willow, whose heavy boughs sweep backwards and forwards across the garden.

In the mid-1980s Christina decided she wanted to create a bigger kitchen and dining space that would become the heart of the home. This entailed relocating the small former kitchen from its original humble site in the parlour to what was then the sitting room.

Today, it is a warm and welcoming space that is very much at the centre of family life with its original inglenook fireplace, an Aga, a Welsh dresser and shelves filled with mismatched white crockery and antique jugs and bowls.

Next door, the parlour is now a cosy sitting room, replete with stacks of coffee table books, landscape paintings – mainly inherited from Mark’s family – and deeply plump sofas laden with vintage cushions and throws.

Christina, who is the founder of the British fashion and lifestyle brand Cabbages & Roses, has a magpie nature, spending countless hours scouring antique

ABOVE The former kitchen parlour was transformed into a snug sitting room in the mid 1980s.

Sunlight floods the room through a window dressed with curtain fabric from Cabbages & Roses. The walls are adorned with vintage paintings from antique fairs including Shepton Mallett.

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The master bedroom is a quietly elegant and tranquil space with the bed dressed in Cerise Hatley linen from Cabbages & Roses. The ornate mirror above the bed is a family heirloom and the prints and paintings alongside are all from antique shops or inherited.

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fairs such as Ardingly and Kempton Park, adding to her love of vintage. “I collect and hoard treasures and they all eventually find their place,” she says.

Cabbages & Roses is a romantically English brand, with wallpapers, fabrics and clothing designed with delicate floral motifs and printed in soft muted, monochrome tones. This classic look is adored the world over; the company has a global following from Tokyo to Texas.

It all began in 1999. “My friend Brigette Buchanan (of swingseat company Odd Ltd) and I fell in love with an old quilt which I think belonged to her great aunt,” Christina explains. “The faded fabric was so beautiful that we had to recreate it in a way that replicated its age and worn beauty. This was ‘Bees’, our first fabric,  ABOVE The feeling of serenity continues into the en-suite bathroom, which features Cabbages & Roses wallpaper in Catherine Rose.

RIGHT A quirky archway leads off the master bedroom into Christina’s dressing room. The bed valance was found at an antique market and the curtains are in Cabbages & Roses’ Alderney Raspberry.

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ABOVE The oak pavilion enables Christina and her family and friends to spend long summer days and evenings surrounded by the gardens that gave birth to so many of the designs for Cabbages & Roses.

The antique garden chairs are a legacy from previous generations of Strutts. “The pavilion provides a cosy space and allows us to be outside whatever the weather,” Christina says.

which then became skirts, dresses, curtains, cushions, quilts, basket liners – an endless parade of things all made in the same fabric – we were in heaven.”

The business is still going strong 22 years later, with daughter Kate now working alongside Christina, and the recent opening of a new shop in Bruton, Somerset.

Whether the brand’s designs are inspired by the cottage and the valley it nestles in, or the other way around, is hard to decipher, but one thing is for certain, they blend seamlessly together. “Cabbages & Roses is inseparable from my life and is all encompassing,” Christina says. Indeed, nowhere can the ultimate expression of the brand’s style be found than inside her house.

Stairs from the kitchen lead directly up to the master bedroom, which is decorated with Cabbages & Roses fabrics and furnishings, and painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White. The stone of the walls and the uneven feel of this old building perfectly suits the soft

raspberry and delicate cream linen tones of the fabrics and Christina and Mark’s collections of antique paintings and books. “I have a deep love of pink, china, and old prints,” she says. “The softness of the stone of the buildings is the perfect starting point for considering colours, but I don’t believe in deciding on a ‘look’ and going out to find it; I get drawn to one thing and the room grows organically around it.”

Family is central to the couple’s life, and the annexe, which was once a pigsty, was renovated by Mark in the 1990s and today their son Edward, his wife Sophie, and their three children live there.

Living Life Beautifully, one of Christina’s books on interiors, reflects her home, family, work, lifestyle and ethos. “I have always firmly believed that homes need to be filled with more than just lovely things,” she says.

“To be really beautiful they must be lived in, with the ‘things’ complementing the human stories that run through them.” n

ABOVE The swimming pool, not far from the house, is the perfect place to while away the hours on a sunny summer’s day.

FAR LEFT The front door of the cottage opens out directly into the garden. “I fell in love with the garden the moment I laid eyes on it,” says Christina.

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Opulent curtains, in silk from James Hare with bespoke fringing and tassels, beautifully frame the drawing room’s full-length windows.

Soft florals and antique furniture create a mood that is calming and elegantly inviting.

Hollyhocks fabric by Lee Jofa covers the small sofa.

Timeless ALLURE

Interior designer Virginia Howard has created timeless, classic schemes for her family home, a glorious Georgian property in the heart of the Suffolk countryside FEATURE CHRISTINE STOVELL STYLING BENEDICT FOLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BOZ GAGOVSKI

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‘My role was to interpret my parent’s wishes and create the traditional but relaxed family home they wanted’ ABOVE An uplifting yellow on the walls in the entrance hall is teamed with warm accents of red, terracotta and gold.

ABOVE RIGHT The substantial Georgian wing of the property, an extension to the original seventeenthcentury farmhouse, is distinguished by a hexagonal Victorian conservatory. The house is surrounded by mature gardens and parkland.

W

ith a distinguished career spanning some 30 years, interior designer Virginia Howard has a versatile portfolio of design styles to her name, and is rightly acclaimed for her sophisticated, elegant designs and signature attention to architectural detail. “The great touchstone of decorative style, for me,” she explains, “is the master of space and light, Sir John Soane. In my early career, I worked with the late architectural historian Professor David Watkin, who was an authority on Soane and inspired my lifelong passion for Soanean elements as well as being professor emeritus of Cambridge University’s History of Art and Architecture department.”

Back in 1995, after many happy years living in the family home in Kent, Virginia’s parents took the difficult decision to move to a more manageable property. Their search, which had begun within a

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60-mile radius of London, took an unexpected direction when it led them to East Anglia. “It’s an area many associate with traditional timber-framed houses, but, in fact, there are a good number of Regency houses and this one came up quite quickly,” Virginia says.

With her eye for elegant design and proportion, Virginia could immediately see the potential in the Grade II listed Georgian property set in a quintessentially English landscape of formal gardens and parkland. “Fundamentally, the rooms were beautifully proportioned and absolutely as they should be. I loved it, but the prospective buyers were my parents,” she say. “Fortunately they could see plenty of scope for recreating the style and feel of our previous family home, but on a smaller scale, and as a knowledgeable gardener and plantsman,  my father was drawn by the beautiful grounds.”

ABOVE RIGHT An antique marquetry commode and the gentle flourish of florals create flow between the drawing room and the conservatory.

LEFT Staffordshire figurines make a characterful collection on the dresser in the breakfast area. The Roman blind is in a Braquenié fabric from Pierre Frey.

RIGHT A mature camellia tree, planted soon after the conservatory was added in Victorian times, is a feature of this sociable space. The table and chairs are by Virginia Howard.

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The architectural credentials are exemplified by the sweeping, curved staircase with its elegant, sinuous bannister ABOVE LEFT The traditional dining room is arranged for the elegant proportions of the room. Family heirlooms, paintings and portraits create a sense of continuity and add to the history of the house.

ABOVE RIGHT The fine architectural detail of the house, such as the elegant, curved staircase, were an inspiration to Virginia throughout.

Virginia, whose interior design commissions include work on eighteenth-century Southill Park in Bedfordshire, is known for bringing tired country houses to life and could see her parents’ new home was in need of her skills. “The interiors were full of Regency drab; heavy and dark with open fires and minimal heating, but really that was all that was wrong,” she recalls. “There had been no changes to the layout, no modern ‘improvements’, so the renovations I made – such as new heating and updated bathrooms – were slight, and carried out with the greatest respect to the integrity of the house. The radiators, for example, are cast-iron reproductions and are largely concealed.”

Virginia’s reputation for the flexible and skillful interpretation of her clients’ wishes has been built on her simple guiding philosophy, ‘listen carefully first’, a principle that she was particularly mindful of in her dual role as designer and daughter when it came to

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decorating this graceful property. “My role was to interpret my parents’ wishes and create the traditional but relaxed country home they wanted, incorporating the paler colours and floral fabrics my mother preferred,” she says.

The six-bedroom house comprises a substantial Georgian extension to what was originally a seventeenth-century farmhouse. The property was divided up in the 1950s, but escaped heavy-handed modernization and retains its graceful proportions and original features. Stepping into the spacious entrance hall, the property’s architectural credentials, which so attracted Virginia, are exemplified by the sweeping, curved staircase with its elegant, sinuous banister giving it a cantilevered appearance. “It’s supported by cleverly concealed buttresses,” Virginia explains. “I so appreciate the sharpness of this staircase’s architectural detail; it’s a pleasure to live with. Small flourishes such  as these are the foundation of any decorating scheme.”

Dark wood is teamed with a bold red bespoke wall colour in the side hall and cloakroom. The portrait is of Virginia’s brother, Guy, an army officer in The Blues & Royals who with his wife, went on to purchase and develop Giffords Hall Vineyard.

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ABOVE The picturesque setting of the nineteenthcentury school house, overlooking the village church, was irresistible. The garden was originally designed and planted

by Penelope Hobhouse for previous owners.

“We were so lucky.

Neither Andrew nor I had had a garden before, so we were delighted to find ourselves with a ready-made, very lovely garden,” says Joa.

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ABOVE Delicate, feminine, embracing the colours and prints loved

by Virginia’s mother, the quintessentially English master bedroom connects with the garden and wider pastoral views.

The curtains and bed are in Jean Monro’s Amelia fabric.

LEFT Virginia has created distinct zones in this elegant guest room.

Fuchsia fabric by Colefax and Fowler in Blue Chintz, a timeless and popular classic, harmoniously links the space.

RIGHT The light and colours filtering in from the garden are picked up in a pretty chair beside a traditional dressing table dressed in antique lace.

Traditional colour and ageless patterns create a relaxed ambience throughout The side hall features walk-in storage and a cloakroom which Virginia describes as having been great fun to do. “The colour is bespoke, as it is for all the paintfinished rooms,” she notes.

On the opposite side of the hall, doors open onto the dining and drawing rooms, both of which have 12-foot-high ceilings. The full-height shuttered sash windows have been dressed with classic treatments to suit their proportions, respect the period of the property and frame the spectacular views across the gardens and the parkland beyond. “The drawing room is always delightfully relaxing, whatever the season,” Virginia says. “‘Grown-up’ decorating stands the test of time. It is 25 years since the rooms were decorated.”

Upstairs, four principal bedrooms lead off a spacious central landing with a beautiful glass cupola flooding it with light and a staircase to the second floor attic bedrooms. The light-suffused master suite, in the gentle colours chosen by Virginia’s mother, takes its cue from the gardens, with curtains in a classic floral fabric by Jean Monro. A blend of traditional colour,

ageless patterns and a harmonious mix of furniture creates a relaxed ambience throughout.

There is also a strong sense of blurring the boundaries between inside and outside which so epitomizes the spirit of the English country home.

Nowhere, perhaps, encapsulates this spirit more keenly than one special feature which made the house irresistible to Virginia and her parents: double doors off the drawing room lead to a spectacular hexagonal Victorian conservatory with a magnificent mature camellia as its centre piece. “Camellias were brought to the UK in the eighteenth century, but were relatively unknown,” Virginia explains. “As new varieties arrived, they became very fashionable. However, as the early species were always grown under glass, they were prestige plants. This wonderful specimen was probably planted in the late nineteenth century and has never been healthier. The conservatory is a lovely sociable space at any time of year, but for the three months from December to March when the camellia is in bloom, it really is spectacular.” n

ABOVE LEFT & RIGHT Wallpaper and curtains in Gollut Monochrome Russet, a classic design by George Smith, contribute to a delightfully nostalgic mood in this cocooning, restful bedroom, where thoughtfully placed family pieces create a relaxed and deeply personal feel.

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The wire-fronted kitchen cupboards are painted in Studio Green from Farrow & Ball. A Diner pendant light by Davey, from Holloways of Ludlow, hangs above the rustic table, which is teamed with dining chairs painted in De Nimes by Farrow & Ball.

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Colour INFUSION

Joa Studholme has used her skills as Farrow & Ball’s colour curator to enhance the unique features in her nineteenth-century former schoolhouse in Somerset FEATURE AMANDA HARLING PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREAS VON EINSIEDEL.

ABOVE The former schoolhouse dates back to the 1870s.

What used to be the school’s playground now provides space for a delightful fair-weather dining area scented by white wisteria growing up the wall.

The giant cardoon and topiary yew trees bordering the path were part of the original planting scheme. The dining table has been made weather-proof by adding a zinc top.

S

ome make life-changing decisions in a nanosecond, whilst others weigh up the pros and cons through long, sleepless nights. Joa Studholme and her husband, Andrew, fall into the former category. “We were staying with friends in Somerset for the weekend and, over dinner on the Friday night, another couple mentioned that they were selling their weekend home nearby, a nineteenthcentury schoolhouse,” Joa explains. “Intrigued, we drove over early the following morning, and by the afternoon, it was all agreed. We’d bought a house. The lofty ceilings in the kitchen and main living area are what made it particularly appealing as, although I’m not tall, my husband is 6ft 7, our son Cosmo is 6ft 5 and our daughter Nancy, is 6ft.”

Approaching the schoolhouse, it quickly becomes apparent that it was not merely the exceptional ceiling height that prompted the impulse buy. The view from the property’s hillside setting resembles a stage set of a quintessentially English rural scene, with cows grazing in the fields and the comforting presence of the village church and its tower neaby.

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Joa has been Farrow & Ball’s colour curator for over 25 years and could be described as the éminence grise behind the brand’s global renown for colour and design. “I was friends with Martin Ephson, who in the early 1990s, with his business partner Tom Helme, acquired Dorset-based paint company Farrow & Ball, which was well known in the trade for producing fine quality traditional paint,” she explains. “Tom had previously worked for the National Trust and was very knowledgeable about historic colours, so when he and Martin opened the first Farrow & Ball shop on Fulham Road in 1996, I helped out on a part-time basis. I’d previously been working as a decorative artist, so my experience with colour and finishes was useful when customers needed advice. One thing led to another, and these days, in my role as colour curator, I consult all over the UK and abroad, advising homeowners, interior designers and architects on a wide range of projects.

“Another aspect of the job is developing Farrow & Ball’s range of colours,” Joa continues. “I’m constantly experimenting. Indeed, the inspiration for the School

‘The lofty ceilings in the kitchen and main living area made it particularly appealing’ TOP LEFT Joa stands in front of the wire-fronted kitchen cupboards with floral Hegemone wallpaper from Farrow & Ball lining the interiors.

LEFT The Esse range cooker and the vintage tiles in the kitchen came

with the house and Joa inherited the Windsor chair from her grandmother. The doors lead to the boot room on one side and the pantry on the other.

ABOVE A warm shade of yellow applied to the window reveals in the

kitchen add a sunny glow.

The painting to the right of the window is by Sandy Mallet and was a 30th birthday present to Joa, whilst the tall wooden chest of drawers was found in her father’s garage and upcycled.

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Leading off the entrance hall, the bookshelves and ceiling beneath the gallery are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Railings, which creates a dramatic contrast to the lighter main living area beyond.

A multi-patterned wing chair and colourful Bluebellgray rugs add a whimsical touch.

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On warm summer evenings, Charlotte loves sitting on the cosy back porch in her garden. A useful storage bench has been made using decking boards. The antique French tablecloth is from No.1 Lewes and the wall is painted in Cromarty by Farrow & Ball.

‘I decided to create a dark, dramatic area as one enters the living area and chose Railings, a soft, just off-black, to give it a cosy, library-like feeling’ House White paint colour came from wanting to find a soft white which harmonised with the exposed limestone and also reflected the abundant light in our new home.”

Explaining how she chose the colour for the floor in the sitting room, Joa says, “Originally, the floor was much lower to prevent the children being able to see out of the windows, but previous owners had raised it to take advantage of the view and as the replacement floorboards weren’t anything special, I painted them using Mouse’s Back. It’s an earthy colour that creates the warm look I was after. It’s one of the original drab shades in the Farrow & Ball range – colour with no brightness.”

When it came to lighting, Joa engaged specialist lighting consultant Kate Beard. “Kate suggested illuminating the ceiling by placing concealed uplighting on top of the walls beneath the beams,” she explains. “It accentuates the height and feeling of space, as do the Tom Dixon silver globes, which we already had. They were in my son’s bedroom in London. Here they add a quirky,  contemporary touch to a Victorian schoolroom.”

ABOVE A cocktail of colours, patterns and an eclectic mix of art from no-longer existent print publishing company Editions Alecto creates a relaxed feel in the sitting room.

The low wall is painted in Sulking Room Pink which ties in with the lampshade dip-dyed in a vibrant paint named Rangwali.

RIGHT The roof trusses, along with the window frames, are painted in Drop Cloth to highlight the architectural features, whilst the paler School House White was especially created for the walls and ceiling.

 THE ENGLISH HOME 39

‘We were so lucky. Neither Andrew nor I had had a garden before, so we were delighted to find ourselves with a ready-made, very lovely garden’ ABOVE The picturesque setting of the nineteenthcentury school house, overlooking the village church, was irresistible. The garden was originally designed and planted

by Penelope Hobhouse for previous owners.

“We were so lucky.

Neither Andrew nor I had had a garden before, so we were delighted to find ourselves with a ready-made, very lovely garden,” says Joa.

The interiors have an evolved look due to Joa’s use of furniture such as the pink chesterfield sofa in the sitting room, inherited 30 years ago and given a new lease of life by Revival Upholstery in Notting Hill, and the kilim-covered footstool – a wedding present from Joa’s sister, Nicky, who found it in Robin Guild’s long-gone shop in Pimlico Road. The art mostly consists of prints published by Editions Alecto, a print publishing company founded by Joe Studholme, Joa’s father-in-law. “Editions Alecto, established during the early 1960s, were renowned for the quality of their printing and the outstanding contemporary artists such as David Hockney who worked with them on limited editions,” Joa explains.

A stone arch frames the entrance from the sitting room into what was the smaller classroom and is now the kitchen. Joa reconfigured the kitchen’s layout, removing a peninsula section to create space for a large kitchen table, and painted the existing cabinetry with Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green, reflecting the colour of the lush greenery outside. Meanwhile a colourful floral wallpaper adds a decorative flourish to the interior of

40 THE ENGLISH HOME

the wire-fronted cupboards. A warm shade of yellow applied to the window reveals is an ingenious way to add a sunny glow to the room on dull days.

Other significant changes Joa made also concerned colour. “The gallery and the bookcase beneath it in the sitting room had been installed by previous owners.

In order to contrast with the open white space beyond, I decided to create a dark, dramatic area as one enters the room and chose Railings, a soft, just off-black, to give it a cosy, library-like feeling,” she says.

The gallery is Joa’s studio where she mixes colours and writes. Her latest book, Recipes for Colour, is the definitive guide to choosing colour for interiors. “With around 250 Farrow & Ball sample pots to play with, along with lots of brushes and ramekins in which to mix the paint, new colours evolve,” she says. “I think there’s a definite link between the colours we choose for our homes and what is going on in the wider world. Currently, customers are opting for strong saturated colours, whereas five years ago, all anyone wanted was shades of grey. On the interiors front, things are definitely looking brighter!” n

ABOVE The aged rosy-red velvet curtains and the ornate braided headboard in the guest bedroom were inherited from Joa’s great uncle. “The curtains must be almost as old as the school house!” says Joa. Walls are painted in a soft pink, Setting Plaster.

RIGHT For the main bedroom Joa chose French Gray because the underlying green tone in the colour works well in this room, as it opens onto the garden.

LEFT Joa loves the rough plaster finish on the bathroom walls.

Decorative artist, Danny Robbins painted the side panel of the bath and the wooden floor in a diamond pattern using Peignoir and All White.

All paints mentioned are by Farrow & Ball.

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Restoring INTEGRITY Unchanged since the 1960s, a farmhouse in Kent undergoes a sensitive restoration to create a stylish and comfortable country home FEATURE PAULA WOODS STYLING JO RIGG PHOTOGRAPHY SUSSIE BELL

42 THE ENGLISH HOME

Bespoke bookcases stand either side of the restored fireplace. These, along with the furniture, were commissioned and made to order by Evernden Interiors. The Tigers Eye Titanium sisal flooring is by Kersaint Cobb.

A striking 1920s Moldovan Bessarabian rug from Joshua Lumley brings a splash of bold colour and pattern to the dining room.

Hand-painted shades

by Gavin Houghton sit on top of antique brass candlesticks.

The Plain English kitchen is painted in a combination of Farrow & Ball’s Rectory Red and Paint & Paper Library’s Stone V. An inviting mix of old and new includes an antique kitchen table, rustic-style Chortler chairs from Loaf and industrial-style pendants from Olive & the Fox.

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‘Nowadays it is unusual to find unconverted farmsteads, especially within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’

I

t is said that life, at times, has a way of coming full circle. For Alice Owen, together with her husband Tim, this meant exchanging a busy London lifestyle for the rolling Kent countryside of her childhood and a more relaxed, bucolic way of living. “Despite already having a weekend home in Sussex, our long-term goal did not include turning our backs on the city,” she explains. “The plan had been to sell our London home and buy another with a larger garden nearby.” However, as Alice and Tim found themselves dividing more and more of their time equally between town and country, it was actually Tim, a London-based lawyer, who suggested a permanent move to Kent.

Having established roots in the area proved particularly fortuitous for the couple when it came to finding their future home, as it was a timely tip-off in

2014 from a family friend that alerted them to a Grade II listed farmhouse coming to market following the retirement of a tenant farmer. “Once part of large country estate, the farmhouse had not been touched since the 1960s, yet it was still structurally sound,” Alice explains. “It was the only property we looked at as nowadays it is unusual to find unconverted farmsteads, especially within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. What’s more, it was close to family and friends, and the right size for us.”

Like similar estate farmhouses in the area, the property has sixteenth-century origins, with a Georgian facade and rooms that were added around 1800 – a charming mix that Alice and Tim were understandably keen to retain, despite considering extensive renovation plans. “We wanted to create a home where we could both comfortably work, relax and entertain,

ABOVE LEFT The reclaimed brick floor, sourced by Cox Restorations, offers practicality underfoot in the kitchen.

ABOVE RIGHT The hallway is painted in Paint & Paper Library’s Blanket.

Alice sourced the antique settle, which is topped with a cushion in Colefax and Fowler’s Eaton Check fabric.

THE ENGLISH HOME 45

ABOVE Teamed with matching sconces on the walls either side of the fireplace, a wheatsheaf chandelier, from Phoenix Antiques, creates a fine focal point above the dining table.

The dining room walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Charleston Gray.

but it was also important to us that, no matter what changes were made, we would not lose the integrity of a period farmhouse,” explains Alice.

With this in mind, the couple turned to Kent-based historic building specialist Cox Restorations, and interior designer Belinda Benton of Evernden Interiors to sensitively restore and update the property. Alice and Tim had already worked with Belinda on their Sussex home, so they trusted her with the complexities of the project. “As it is a listed property, we knew there would be restrictions when it came to implementing changes,” says Alice. However, thanks to the services of an experienced architectural practice and a very helpful conservation officer, the couple were delighted to sail through the planning process.

Externally, a two-storey weatherboard extension was added at the rear of the house to create a study for Tim

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on the ground floor and a dressing room above. Cox Restorations also rebuilt a thatched, oak-framed barn, which now serves as a garage, and carried out extensive repairs to a listed tithe barn, which provides stabling for the family’s horses.

Upon stepping inside this handsome home, the benefits of the changes become truly apparent. The clever incorporation of adjoining outbuildings, removal of certain walls and reworking of spaces has instantly improved both layout and flow. It has allowed the creation of additional ancillary rooms, a large, welcoming, archetypal rural kitchen and separate suites for Alice and Tim. Luckily for the couple, Belinda was always on call to advise them on everything from layouts to joinery and decor. “Belinda’s first suggestion on visiting the house, prior to purchase, was to remove a section of wall that

On warm summer evenings, Charlotte loves sitting on the cosy back porch in her garden. A useful storage bench has been made using decking boards. The antique French tablecloth is from No.1 Lewes and the wall is painted in Cromarty by Farrow & Ball.

‘It can be scary when you put colour onto something that’s been white for a few years. It might look shocking at first, then you realise it works’

‘It was also important to us that, no matter what changes were made, we did not lose the integrity of a period farmhouse’ butted into the hallway, to open things up. Although we had only just entered the building, I knew I was in safe hands,” Alice recalls, whilst Belinda adds: “I thought it would be lovely to walk through the front door and look straight through the house.”

“I like to be hands on,” says Alice, “so Belinda and I would regularly meet to discuss the project, and she was happy to work alongside Cox Restorations, who, as well as restoring period features – including rare five-paned Georgian windows – we tasked with sourcing any necessary additions, such as reclaimed floorboards and bespoke fire surrounds.”

Nowhere is the success of this collaboration more evident than on the ground floor, where the newly sited and installed kitchen appears to have evolved over the years. “The original kitchen was far too small for our needs,” explains Alice, “so converting the existing garage into a sociable space for cooking and entertaining was vital for us, as was incorporating the hayloft above to create a second study.” The spacious light-filled kitchen and adjoining dining area is a wonderful, characterful mix of neutral tones and warming russet red inspired by the  reclaimed brick floor sourced by Cox Restorations.

ABOVE Alice’s love of Cadboll Highland Tweed, which is woven in Scotland by Anta, provided the inspiration for the snug’s cosy theme, including walls painted in Btwn Dog and Wolf, by Paint & Paper Library. The ottoman was commissioned by Evernden Interiors.

THE ENGLISH HOME 47

ABOVE The Imperial Bathrooms cast-iron slipper bath, from The Bathroom Shop, is teamed with a marble-topped vanity designed by Evernden Interiors.

LEFT Alice’s study features a Bonde desk from Nordic Style and a Faux Bamboo chair from Chelsea Textiles. The bespoke shutters, in Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath, are by Evernden Interiors.

‘The restored original floorboards at the front of the house hit just the right note alongside the Scandinavian-style decor’

LEFT Painted in Paint & Paper Library’s Joanna 130, the guest bedroom features Scandinavian-style furniture, including a pair of Gustavian nightstands. For similar, try Chelsea Textiles. Simple tongue-and-groove panelling in the en-suite bathroom injects a rustic touch.

48 THE ENGLISH HOME

Meanwhile, the former kitchen is now a cosy snug.

“You could say it lacked inspiration with its cork floor, Formica units, and boiler hidden behind a false wall,” recalls Belinda, “but, to everyone’s delight, removing the false wall revealed a wonderful brick fireplace, and this now evocatively rich room is Alice’s favourite.”

Belinda and Alice’s love of chalky historic paint hues and classic prints is evident throughout this inviting home, as is Belinda’s curated mix of relaxed, well-loved antiques and timeless, commissioned pieces, all expertly interwoven with new elements. This is aptly demonstrated in the more formal drawing room, where its perfect Georgian proportions are enriched with contemporary lamps and vibrant dashes of colour.

New airy bedroom suites, complete with dressing areas and en-suite bathrooms, take advantage of

generous Georgian dimensions upstairs. Alice instinctively elected to indulge a passion for restful Swedish Gustavian-era design throughout this floor.

“Cox Restorations were able to restore the original boards at the front of the house,” says Belinda, “and alongside the Scandinavian-style decor, they hit just the right note – modern and clean in their simplicity, yet hinting at the building’s past.”

This design ethos subtly permeates every corner of the now comfortable, welcoming farmhouse, especially the older, pared-back guest and family areas, plus Alice’s pretty study that belies its humble hayloft origins. “Like many people, we’ve been working from home recently, and this has only underlined how happy we are with the results,” says Alice. “It really is a privilege and joy to live here.” n

ABOVE Alice’s pretty bedroom includes a Karlsholm bench from Nordic Style and an antique settle. The walls are covered in Cole & Son’s Clandon wallpaper in Duck Egg and the curtains are made using Lewis & Wood’s Kemble linen, trimmed with Amelie velvet and beaded trim by Samuel & Sons.

THE ENGLISH HOME 49

Afternoon light streams into the high-ceilinged drawing room.

The Persian rug was bought at Lots Road Auctions and picks out the colours in the armchair in the foreground, an archive Le Manach fabric – Greuze –

by Pierre Frey.

Treasure TROVE

Evoking a country house feel, this retreat in the heart of London is home to three generations and their eclectic collections FEATURE COSMO BROCKWAY PHOTOGRAPHY NATALIE DINHAM

Shelves in Amanda’s bedroom are a miniature gallery housing a lifelong collection of china, drawings and unusual finds like the vintage Chinese dolls in their original silk outfits.

THE ENGLISH HOME 51

The drawing room leads into the lightfilled dining area and out into the garden.

The Regency sofa table came from Spitalfields Market whilst the Bergère armchair is from textile dealer Katherine Pole and in a vintage Jean Monro print, whilst the cushion on the armchair is from Robert Kime.

Much-loved treasures jostle for space...the effect is magpie-like and has an eclectic charm that marks Amanda and Prunella’s approach to their home

L

ondon-based Amanda Hanbury describes her last house move as “a complete change of scene”. Exchanging warehouse-living in a converted Victorian tannery with acres of exposed-brick walls and industrial pillars for a period terraced house in Vauxhall’s conservation area was just the adventure the antiques collector was looking for.

“We wanted a home for myself and my husband, Bill, with my daughter, Prunella, and granddaughter, Bea – a family commune over several floors,” she says.

Back in 2016, chancing upon the wisteria-filled enclave of Grade II listed houses set close to the River Thames, Amanda and her family knew it was the perfect setting. “There were things about my old location I missed, such as getting up at dawn to scour

52 THE ENGLISH HOME

Bermondsey Market for treasures, and bicycling on Sunday mornings to the chapel at the Tower of London,” she says, “but Vauxhall has, once you get past the frantic bus station, so many hidden gems, a community feel and serene streets like this one.”

When Amanda first saw the tall Georgian brick house she remembers, “It was flooded with light, despite every floor being covered in dark brown furniture and cupboards. All three generations of us fell instantly in love with it. Prunella, my daughter, is KLC-trained [KLC School of Design] and has a wonderful eye for design. She moved in five months before all of us to be on site, spending weeks sleeping on a mattress in order to oversee the decorating and choose every colour and detail. It was a beautiful 

TOP Amanda, Prunella and six-year-old Bea all live happily under the same roof.

ABOVE An armchair in Pierre Frey fabric sits next to a Georgian cabinet found at Bermondsey Antiques Market by Amanda’s son, Tom. The prints are from the family collection and were reframed at Pure & Applied in London.

The dining room in the double-height conservatory makes the perfect setting for a summer’s afternoon tea. The tea service in pale purple, painted in chinoiserie style, was found in Paris and the circular table is framed by antique French hospital chairs.

Amanda inherited the elaborate Regency mirror from her grandmother and the washstand-turneddrinks table from her grandfather.

ABOVE Ornate Iznik tiles line the family bathroom, with a gilded mirror completing the look.

“This bathroom feels like a tiny Leighton House,” Amanda says, referring to Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton’s home, now a museum.

ABOVE RIGHT The Chelsea porcelain cockatoo and Regency painted urn on the bedroom mantelpiece were given to Amanda by an aunt.

OPPOSITE PAGE The kitchen, inherited with the house, has been repainted in Dix Blue by Farrow & Ball. “The challenge was to make it feel cohesive with the rest of the interior, so I let the same colour flow from the entrance hall to connect the dots,” says Prunella.

canvas for my belongings when we arrived. The bones of the house are so good that it was a joy to work with.

We hoped the rooms would feel as though we had always been there once we’d finished decorating.”

Prunella adds, “The house felt quite contemporary and functional. I wanted to transform it into something enveloping and with a hint of the country.

I was also guided by the Victorian feel of my mother’s possessions and her own personality, which is so warm and cosy.”

Amanda’s background is as intriguing as her home.

Family properties include the famous La Mortola gardens on the Italian Riviera, a place where Amanda stayed many times as a child and which she credits as strongly influencing her love of light and scale. Her officer father took the family to Tripoli, where Amanda joined an army school. “We would bounce along in tented military trucks to class, and I became fluent in French – and barracks language,” she laughs.

Returning to the family home, Turvey House (said to have been built by John Nash, architect of Buckingham Palace), which Amanda’s mother inherited, was a shock to the young girl after the heat and smells of Libya. “My memories of growing up are almost that of another time,” Amanda recalls. “I remember watching my grandmother sit at her desk writing letters before donning an immaculate hat and gloves and going into the gardens.”

Always an avid collector, Amanda lists “rescuing chairs from French flea markets” as her favourite

54 THE ENGLISH HOME

activity and has brought the results of decades of antiquing to this townhouse. Every room blooms with layers of colour and pattern. The double drawing room, infused with light from French windows that open onto the dining room, is the heart of the home.

Painted in the restful hue of Bone by Farrow & Ball, it is where the family gathers on the deep, squashy armchairs, covered by Amanda in fabrics from Pierre Frey and The Cloth Shop. Fermoie lampshades in warm tones and antique Regency and Georgian furniture complete the look.

Touches of wit and fun are everywhere. The marble fireplace in the drawing room is given levity by the vintage glass baubles spilling out of the grate, whilst metal sconces, sourced by Prunella from Hector Finch Lighting, are draped in old French decorations and more etched baubles. Much-loved treasures jostle for space on the mantelpiece, including a gilded scallop shell and family photos. The effect is magpie-like and has an eclectic charm that marks Amanda and Prunella’s approach to their home.

Amanda loves to share the stories behind the pieces she owns, from a Regency sofa table – “patched together from Spitalfields Market” – to a washstandturned-drinks table that belonged to her beloved grandfather. “I remember him shaving at the washstand in his stiff, striped pyjamas, so this is the thing I would save in a fire,” she says.

Cupboards and open shelves reveal a cornucopia of collecting, from Italian amethyst glassware to crisply 

THE ENGLISH HOME 55

ironed piles of pre-war table linens, so beloved of country house entertaining. In Amanda’s words, “Prunella and I love to fill the house with things that have been lovingly made by hand all over the world, whether cushions from Robert Kime or simple block-printed fabrics from Delhi.”

Amanda’s favourite space is her en-suite bathroom.

Formerly dominated by “a mocha-coloured jacuzzi crammed into an ugly space”, it has been transformed with tongue-and-groove panelling, a cast-iron bath and, strikingly, an eighteenth-century Dutch marquetry cabinet. “My bathroom,” reflects Amanda, “is my peaceful retreat.”

The master bedroom displays much-loved Italian porcelain from La Mortola and walls covered in a powdery pinky-grey that sets off the colours of the textiles, pictures and china to perfection. “It is Peignoir

by Farrow & Ball,” says Amanda. “Prunella chose these soft shades for our bedrooms as a play on this being a ‘girls’ house’. I love the colour because it is so restful without being dull. I would never have chosen it, but that is the magic of collaborating – the new discoveries you make. This house has brought us even closer together as a family – and that is its real magic.” n

56 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE Amanda’s bedroom boasts a splendid cast-iron bed and her grandmother’s chaise longue in an original chintz. A treasured collection of porcelain and pictures is set off by restful pink walls.

RIGHT Amanda’s en-suite bathroom has been made into an indulgent boudoir for her by Prunella.

The eighteenthcentury Dutch marquetry cabinet holds further objects connected to the Hanbury family.

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STYLE INSPIRATION Our special section dedicated to interior design and decorating begins here

NOSTALGIC CHARM

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN

Inspired by romantic notions of Victorian picnics and secret gardens, combined with a nod to chinoiserie, Julia Brendel’s Victorian Tale collection encapsulates a softly contemporary take on classic country style. The delicate depiction of birds perched on blossom-filled branches creates a design that can be given extra charm with the addition of ruffle and pom-pom trims or take a sleeker guise in a graphic black print. Perfect for setting the scene for a country picnic.

Victorian Tale fabrics, £65 a metre, Julia Brendel

THE ENGLISH HOME 59

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Wallpaper, Willow, Yellow, £75 a roll, Morris & Co Curtains, English Oak Velvet, Leaf, £69.90 a metre, Linwood Cushions, Cranes, Blue, £70 a metre, Emily Burningham Curtains, Cloud Garden, Vert de Gris, £134.99 a metre, Rapture & Wright Fabric swatches: (top) Blackberry, Russett, £180 a metre, Marthe

60 THE ENGLISH HOME

Armitage; (bottom) Balmoral, Aqua, £65 a metre, Warner House Wallpaper, Chickens, Green, £65 a roll, Belynda Sharples Wallpaper, Delicate Butterfly, Moss, £85 a roll, Eleanor Bowmer OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP Wallpaper, Cleo, Sky Blue, £105 a roll, Elizabeth Ockford OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM Wallpaper, Fly Fishing, £95.86 a roll, Lewis & Wood

DECORATING

DESIGNS with rural spirit Explore the prints and weaves used to create quintessentially English country interiors, from florals to tweeds to bucolic scenes and pastimes

Pastoral prints From sporting scenes to beetles and butterflies, patterns consisting of motifs inspired by and associated with rural life can add immense character and whimsical charm to interiors.

Traditionally, country motif patterns referred to toile de Jouy, which depicted scenes of idyllic pastoral life and were relied on to create elaborate country-style room schemes. Modern interpretations of life rely on a more tongue-in-cheek artistic approach, and contemporary patterns can include illustrative depictions of all sorts of activities that truly capture the spirit and embodiment of rural life including fishing, hunting, birdwatching, country sports as well as finely detailed drawings depicting nature, entomology and wildlife.

STYLE NOTES Nature is a source of immense inspiration for artists, illustrators and designers, so leaf motifs and patterns depicting trees and vegetation are hugely popular. Simple line drawings in muted colours work well as a backdrop against which more elaborate designs can be layered. For impact, opt for a tapestry-style design in bold shades of green, such as English Oak by Linwood, which captures the natural shape and broad colour palette of a tree canopy.

Many patterns focus on mythological woodland folklore and medieval hunting scenes and their stylistic visual references to the past make them a perfect choice to add authentic heritage charm to a country house. Seek designs

by Lindsay Alker or Warner House. Meanwhile, handsketched illustrations of farmyard animals, such as those by Belynda Sharples, can add characterful charm to a family dining room or kitchen.

Patterns celebrating the opulence of life on a grand estate will add a modern twist to a traditional country interior. Look out for designs by Mulberry Home’s Long Weekend collection (see page 114) and Barneby Gates. These will offer quirky appeal in an instant and cleverly capture the essence of English country charm, from croquet to polo, to pheasants and deer. THE ENGLISH HOME 61

Finely woven Plaids, tweeds, tartans and herringbones are synonymous with country life. The products of a once-thriving woollen industry that was at the heart of the rural community, they would have been hand-dyed using hues derived from local mineral and plant sources, echoing the landscapes within which they were made.

These deep earthy shades of brown, grey, green, ochre and russet are still found in modern designs and are ideal for complementing the natural tones found in materials used to build many a country home, including sandstone, slate, flint and timber.

Similarly, textural wallpapers in natural fibres such as grasses and hemp can be used alongside woven wools to add a sophisticated modern rustic feel to a country interior.

STYLE NOTES Decorating with woven wools brings softness and warmth to a country home. Use heavyweight woollen fabrics as full-length curtains that pool onto a flagstone floor as a beautiful contrast of materials and as a practical solution for keeping draughts at bay. Traditional weaving methods still exist, with working mills such as Melin Tregwynt and Mourne Textiles creating designs that are steeped in history and ideal for adding rich textural interest to a country cottage with whitewashed walls and timber beams.

The orderly, almost regimental, configuration of a herringbone in monochromatic black and white makes a modern statement in an old-style country interior. Take inspiration from Ian Mankin, whose curated collection of striped, herringbone, houndstooth and patterned weaves work harmoniously together.

Tartan plaids have plenty of appeal and are ideal for adding a touch of the country lodge to a rustic interior.

The bright jewel-like shades work particularly well with the rich tones of dark wood panelling.

For a modern twist on tradition introduce contemporary weaves and textural chenille in patterns and colours inspired by nature, such as tree bark, woody branches and velvety moss, and team with complementary wallcoverings in grass, hemp and hessian. Or put classic plaids and traditional woollen weaves with flamboyant florals and utilitarian ticking stripes for a look that is beautifully bohemian in spirit and design. 

62 THE ENGLISH HOME

Cushions (from left): Textured Linen Weave in Indigo and Peacock, £138.50 a metre; Empire II Velvet in Russet and Cedar, £105.50 a metre; Tempera Linen Mix in Indigo, £144.50 a metre; bedcover, Brushstroke Linen Mix in Indigo, £128 a metre; upholstered bench (at front) Tempera Linen Mix in Indigo, £144.50 a metre, all Mark Alexander

DECORATING

OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM ROW FROM FAR LEFT Padstow Check, Dried Grass, £138 a metre, Fox Linton Mourne Mist 202/25, £108 a metre, Mourne Textiles Chair, Magnus Plaid, Old Blue, £85 a metre, Colefax and Fowler Cushions (from top): Boundary, Indigo, £80 a metre; Ambit, Indigo, £73 a metre; Mimar, Indigo, £84 a metre; Ambit, Teal, £73 a metre; Boundary, Teal, £80 a metre; Arlo, Indigo, £60 a metre, all Threads, GP & J Baker ABOVE Wallpaper, Sutton Stripe, White on Natural, £324 a roll, Grasscloth collection, Anna French

TOP RIGHT Sofa, Volupté Chenille 696; cushions, Volupté Chenille 796, £119 a metre, all Etamine MIDDLE RIGHT Fabrics (from top): Rodmell in Blue, Green, Yellow, Chocolate/Coral, Red/Teal, Aqua, all £74 a metre, Nina Campbell BOTTOM RIGHT Headboard, Stanley Stripe; pillows, Ripon Houndstooth; cushion on bed, Malham Damask; blanket, Gisburn, all in Grey colourway and £57.50 a metre, Ian Mankin BELOW LEFT Knot Garden, Copper, £138 a metre, Melin Tregwynt BELOW RIGHT Hikari, Slate, £40 a metre, Scion

THE ENGLISH HOME 63

Beauty in simplicity Pretty checks, ginghams and stripes are at the heart of classic country style. In colours that range from soft pastels to utilitarian monochromes, these popular patterns are hugely versatile and add a relaxed, homespun feel.

Their simplicity stems from the centuries-old traditional weaving methods used in India and the Far East, where a single dyed yarn was introduced to a plain woven fabric, creating a stripe that added colour and interest. This evolved into the array of ginghams, checks and elaborate stripe designs available today.

Different aspects of rural life have, over time, adopted these naïve patterns in a variety of ways. There are ticking stripes synonymous with mattress coverings, blue and white stripes that conjure up coastal style, grain stripes used to embellish agricultural hemp sacks, and colourful patchwork ginghams and checks that are staple designs for country kitchen textiles.

STYLE NOTES These patterns can bring a cheerful note to any room, from a simple rustic kitchen to a grand entrance hall.

Classic pencil stripes and ginghams in bright pinks, yellows and greens from designers such as Jacqueline Milton or Tori Murphy will add freshness and vibrancy to a small cottage living room, for example, particularly when the co-ordinating colourway is pure white.

For a modern take on tradition, decorate with striped designs by Charlotte Gaisford, inspired by haberdashery stitching and braiding, or Molly Mahon, whose Trellis design takes its cue from the lattice repetition of the traditional country garden plant support.

The clean lines and geometric configuration of a stripe or check can introduce orderliness and structure in an uncontrived way, adding visual interest whilst maintaining a sense of calm in a room that requires a simple element of decoration.

Ginghams, checks and stripes work well with floral patterns, large and small, so combine them for a joyful country decorating scheme, introducing, say, a ruffled gingham curtain at a window, or a simple striped armchair.

Stripe and check wallpaper designs can enhance the sense of space in a small attic room or snug by being applied vertically or horizontally. To add intimacy and a sense of cosiness to a country room of more generous proportions, paper the ceiling too.

64 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE Chair, French Ticking, Mushroom/Raspberry, £57 a metre; cushion, Nordic Stripe, Reindeer, £72 a metre, both Vanessa Arbuthnott RIGHT Wall in Poppy Red fabric, £62 a metre, Charlotte Gaisford BELOW RIGHT Cotton Checks & Stripes collection, all £62 a metre, Trend at Christian Lee BELOW Walls in paper-backed Blue Tented Stripe, £130 a metre (excluding paperbacking), Fermoie BELOW FAR LEFT Noki, Satsuma/Sky/Pebble, £44 a metre, Scion BELOW LEFT Woodhouse Cotton Check, Radish, £50 a metre, Tori Murphy

DECORATING

In full bloom

Floral wallpapers and fabrics will add a dash of quintessential English country style to any interior.

Inspiration comes in the form of an abundance of flowers, from classic cottage garden favourites to wildflowers native to the countryside, all bringing different levels of decorative detail and romantic charm.

From dainty sprigs and ditzy flower designs to voluptuous florals and faded vintage rose patterns, each is as captivating as the other in its representation of our national flora, with many designs deeply rooted in history.

Rose emblems have been favoured as far back as medieval times and are still immensely popular in today’s designs.

English chintz is an anglicised adaptation of an Indian block-printing technique, but is considered a country classic in English interiors. The Arts and Crafts movement, too, allowed intricate and highly elaborate flower patterns to flourish, adding to an already rich heritage of floral-inspired designs.

FEATURE SARA EMSLIE PHOTOGRAPHS P63 (ANNA FRENCH) © KIP DAWKINS. P65 (SANDERSON) © ANDY GORE; (BARNEBY GATES) © BEN PHILLIPS

ABOVE Chair, Octavia, £95 a metre; blind, Josephine, Yellow, £90 a metre; lampshade, Josephine, Red, £90 a metre, all Kate Forman RIGHT Wallpaper, Hencroft Primula, Pink, £97 a roll, Little Greene BELOW Blind, Stapleton Park, Squirrel/Olive, £65 a metre, One Sixty collection, Sanderson BELOW MIDDLE Wallpaper, Twickenham PATW02, £153 a roll,Hamilton Weston BELOW RIGHT Wallpaper, Botanica, Ivory, £108 a roll, Willow Crossley at Barneby Gates

STYLE NOTES Decorating with florals is a wonderful way of introducing nature’s colourful, elaborate and intricate creations, adding life and energy to interiors.

When choosing designs for wallpapers and fabrics, consider the room the pattern is intended for. Tiny sprig designs and small repeat floral patterns are intimate in feel, so are ideal for spaces where a degree of cosiness is required, such as a country cottage bedroom.

For country homes that boast high ceilings and ornate cornicing, bigger-scale florals, such as large-headed hydrangeas or a profusion of tulips in full bloom from companies such as Designers Guild will accentuate the already established sense of grandeur.

For older, low-ceilinged properties, large or small, an archive print depicting a historical floral design can add authentic period charm. Hamilton Weston’s collection of prints includes sympathetic reproductions of pattern fragments uncovered during the restoration of some of the country’s historic buildings, including Jane Austen’s Georgian country home. For a more recognisable, iconic floral design, consider Bowood by Colefax and Fowler or Stapleton Park by Sanderson, teamed with a fresh country stripe or heritage paint colour. n

THE ENGLISH HOME 65

43 DOS AND DON’TS OF

COUNTRY INTERIORS Interior designers share their rules for creating a perfect country home that is practical, welcoming and beautifully considered

1 DO

remember the natural light. The light

JUSTIN VAN BREDA

Interior and bespoke furniture designer

3 DON’T

in the English countryside changes throughout the year, and there is often a pronounced difference, not just in the level, but in the tone of the light indoors, from winter to summer, as the inside surfaces reflect the amount of greenery that surrounds the house.

When picking wall colours or fabrics consider that changing light; what feels cosy in winter

be too old-fashioned when it comes to kitchens and bathrooms. The idea of recreating the

idylls of Regency country life is enticing but, in practice, nothing beats good plumbing. Kitchens and bathrooms are a relatively modern invention and their style should reflect that. Quarter-turn

66 THE ENGLISH HOME

and cool in summer? Some colours can seem soft in summer but move to the acidic in winter, so avoid bleached white or primary yellow bases in soft furnishings; a hint of natural white, pale tobacco or pale creamy yellow will work well across the year. And, if you can be bothered, you can always rotate your soft furnishings in spring and autumn – it’s always exciting to add or remove details with each changing season.

2 DO

keep it crooked.

Country homes are never straight – provincial architecture is deliciously hodgepodge and in most homes, even regimented Georgian properties, you couldn’t drop a plumb line.

Embrace that crooked, imprecise nature and work with it, using rounded, softer shapes. Steer away from hard, clean lines and angles and embrace details like Victorian millwork joinery and gentle curves in furniture.

ceramic taps are a brilliant option and you can crank them on energetically. Ample quantities of immediate hot water is one of the most luxurious things in life. Modern well-appointed kitchens are better than those that stay true to the traditional features but mean you have to walk a thousand steps to make a cup of coffee.

DECORATING

ROSANNA BOSSOM

Interior designer

4

DO alter pieces of old furniture to make them work with today’s requirements. Check they are

not of value first, but many pieces can be given a new lease of life.

We recently created a drinks cabinet from a Georgian bookcase, fitting in a wine fridge, lighting and an antique mirror to the backs of the shelves.

5

DON’T be too precious. Although

practicality plays a big part in our design process, we also love using timber floors in kitchens and the occasional bathroom carpet. The first scratch or stain hurts, but over time the marks add character.

6

DON’T be afraid of colour. We love a bright

boot room. Colour can help distract from all the mud, and makes a great statement. In a recent boot room project (below) we used Farrow & Ball’s India Yellow to warm up what was a rather dark, small space.

JOANNA WOOD

International interior designer

7DO

keep it natural. Stick to

natural textures everywhere in the house. Silk, wool, cotton and linen are all incredibly versatile (and work really well alongside each other) meaning you

don’t need to incorporate anything that doesn’t feel ‘at home’ in the setting.

Keeping materials natural also applies to furniture, whether that’s existing pieces upcycled for a new space, or a well-loved antique.

8 DO

make use of rugs. Install (or

keep) hardwood flooring and layer rugs on top.

Fitted carpet doesn’t fit the narrative of a classic country house. By avoiding anything synthetic, you’ll stay within the traditional style. Hardwood flooring

is also much more practical for rural living; an animal on the loose is far worse on fitted carpet than it is on a rug.

9 DO

consider the history. Architecture

and architectural features are what make country houses so special and give them their charm. The country style exaggerates those features so that the house retains its own character and its history. It does mean that you have to be especially careful when you’re planning your space.

It’s so important to get scale right.

10 DON’T

be afraid to add art. Nothing makes a home more personal than art.

Go for a real mix of mediums – drawings, oil paintings and prints, all displayed together alongside family photos. Mixing things together to suit you. Something slightly eclectic gives a room a real sense of character and an art wall is a great place to experiment.

11 DON’T

go contemporary with lighting. Be very careful of contemporary lighting. Country homes have wall, floor and picture lighting. Candles and fireplaces should feature heavily. The home should have warmth (both literally and figuratively) and anything like LED lighting will strip a space of both.  THE ENGLISH HOME 67

LUKE EDWARD HALL

Artist & interior designer

12 DO

embrace a confident colour palette. I think there is this idea

that we need to rest and recharge in the countryside, which can be true (and certainly is for me a lot of the time), and in order to do this we need to be surrounded by white and beige. This feels reductive to me. The colours we have on the walls and in furnishings at home in the Cotswolds bring about different feelings: they energise, and make spaces feel joyful, warm and inviting.

13 DON’T

ignore a country cliche. When

we first moved to the country, I wanted it all: china dogs, chintz curtains, fringes on armchairs. All of the things that might have made less sense in our London flat.

I always love the idea of embracing a cliche. It’s what you do with these items that really counts: pair old-fashioned china with brightly coloured walls, a chintz fabric sofa with a contemporary side table. The tension between objects is what makes an interior exciting.

68 THE ENGLISH HOME

DECORATING

member of the family and guests – and somewhere to sit and pull boots on and off. This is an area where practicality is premium and wipeable surfaces and floors are imperative.

15DO

have a pantry or back kitchen off the main kitchen.

PIPPA PATON

Interior designer

14 DO

focus on creating usable boot and utility spaces.

Ideally you should be able to access them directly from outside. We find that a large, deep sink for washing muddy boots, arranging flowers and washing dogs (or have a separate dog shower), along with lots of space for hanging coats, including wet ones (a drying cupboard if space allows), cubby holes for everyone’s boots and shoes – allocated spaces for each

As rural life inevitably means the nearest shop is a car journey away, it is important to be able to store sufficient provisions to avoid the need to be popping out every five minutes. A larder or pantry is the ideal way to do this as everything can be easily seen and, on the whole, a pantry is more cost-efficient than kitchen joinery.

If there is sufficient space, we have found, as entertaining becomes more relaxed and dining rooms less prevalent, that a back kitchen is extremely valuable, as it allows the detritus of dining to be hidden from view

and dealt with at leisure.

Country kitchens are busy places and need to cater for many different events, from a family supper to a shoot lunch.

Ensuring there is a place for everything and everything has a place is crucial.

16DO

have practical flooring.

Floors should be easy to care for and clean and shouldn’t show up muddy footprints and paw prints. Ideally flagstones, large porcelain tiles or rustic graded timber, but don’t be afraid to use contemporary materials such as polished concrete or resin.

17DO

embrace the elements of the countryside. Natural fabrics

such as wool, linen, leather and sisal, all create a tactile connection to the land around us. A neutral palette allows you to embrace and layer the colours of the countryside.

18 DON’T

skimp on lighting. In terms of quality, amount and, in certain areas where needed, lighting control. Often, historic country homes have small windows and hence dark rooms. Make sure you have layers of lighting which can be adjusted to suit the mood – task, ambient and decorative. Control will allow you to easily achieve pre-set ‘scenes’ of lighting for different occasions and tasks.  THE ENGLISH HOME 69

PAOLO MOSCHINO Co-owner with partner Philip Vergeylen of

Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam

19DO

consider the garden as part of the house. A country home

should hug you from the moment you walk through the gates, the gardens should be part of the package. Don’t use too many colours in the gardens and think about winter when most of the plants lose their leaves. I like to use evergreens like buxus, shape them like big clouds so the views from the house are beautiful all year round.

Scented plants, like jasmines, are nice near the front doors.

20DO

make it special for guests. A tray with water and chocolates or biscuits next to the bed in guest rooms is a must, together with a good book. Don’t use plastic bottles but pretty glass jugs. You can pick them up at any country or antique fair

21DON’T

use overhead lights in a dining room. Soft

lighting like table lamps or lots of candles is much nicer – and makes you look younger!

22 DON’T

ever use scented flowers on a dining table. They

take away from the delicious smell of your dinner.

70 THE ENGLISH HOME

23DON’T

follow the fashion of the year with colours or furniture. Try to keep

to classics for the bones of the house. You can, of course, add a few accessories, such as cushions or interesting objects, which are easily changeable.

24DON’T

use bold colours for the main reception area.

You can be a bit more adventurous for guest bedrooms. Guests like to have a surprise and they only stay for a short time.

DECORATING

EMMA SIMS-HILDITCH

Founder and creative director of Sims Hilditch

25DO

consider including a dog shower in your boot room. Country living usually

comes with a certain element of mud, particularly when it comes to pets. Protect your home interior by installing a dog shower in your boot room, or even outside. We recommend using a minimally porous Dijon tumbled stone on the floor and walls of a dog

27DON’T

be taken in by trends. The essence of English country style is timeless and elegant, which means that it never goes out of vogue. The addition of multiple trends to a country home interior can disrupt its innate beauty, taking it away from its country roots. Select natural materials and retain as much of the property’s original fabric as possible.

shower as it is easy to clean and beautiful to look at. To ensure continuity and flow you might consider laying this stone in various locations throughout the rest of the house as it is perfect for creating a country aesthetic.

26DO

consider the durability of your fabrics. For those adopting a country lifestyle

which might cause wear and tear to your home, it is a good idea to select durable fabrics, particularly if you have pets and/or children. For upholstery, we recommend choosing fabrics with a Martindale rub count of more than 18,000. This should ensure the longevity of your furniture for years to come, avoiding the expense of constant replacements.

28 DON’T

buy all new furniture. Country style is brimming with character, so incorporate a mix of old and new furniture into your home. Antique furniture sourced from a market or dealer is a great addition to a bedroom or sitting room, and creates a pleasing contrast when paired with the sharp lines of a mirror or more contemporary light fixture. THE ENGLISH HOME 71

HENRIETTE VON STOCKHAUSEN

Interior designer, founder of VSP Interiors

29DO

try to incorporate antique furniture and fabrics, lots of rugs and tapestries. The latter have a story to tell and lend a sense of settled comfort. They can be used in all sorts of ways, like upholstery or headboards etc, and can be found at numerous

32DON’T

different auctions. Not only is buying ‘old’ good for the environment in terms of the item being recycled, but also the craftsmanship will be incredible, each one being made to a very high standard.

30DO

try and let the house speak

forget to include a four-poster bed in as many bedrooms as possible. Nothing

beats the comfort and cosiness that these provide, and it’s such a treat for guests to arrive at a country house for the weekend and to be shown their fabulous four-poster bed.

72 THE ENGLISH HOME

by honouring the architecture and the historical details. Let

details like architraves and cornicing shine through by avoiding adding things that will detract or fight with them.

Where necessary, look to have period features carefully restored by a professional.

33DON’T

31DO

support local artisans and makers. Local craftsmanship helps imbue character and often has a deeper connection to the location of the property, too. It is also important to support and protect those special, heritage skills that are at risk of dying out.

forget lighting as this is a huge part of a room feeling comfortable. Consider

having at least three light sources and always put them on a dimmer so they can be adjusted. Ask for the help of a lighting expert (such as John Cullen).

DECORATING

SUSAN DELISS

Textile designer and interior decorator

38DO

indulge in comforts. Life generally

‘feeling’ all in one go from a single shop and still keep the authenticity, so don’t be in a rush to complete everything instantly, but take time to savour and enjoy the decorating process.

PAULA SUTTON

Stylist and writer, Hill House Vintage

34DO

take your time. The beauty

of country style is that it’s meant to feel relaxed and gathered or collected over time, mixing new with antique and vintage pieces.

An evolved and well-loved home is eclectic and interesting and is an expression of the home owner’s life and personality.

It’s impossible to buy that

35

DO display

collections proudly. But do not

mistake collections for ‘clutter’. Collections can be chic and beautiful when displayed well. A collection can be curated from anything. Whether it’s a collection of framed prints, a collection of white stoneware, or blue-and-white ceramics hung together on a wall, displays can bring together an awkward space or area that otherwise feels too empty. I have collections throughout my home – from vintage copper jelly moulds in the kitchen, to a floral gallery wall along a staircase.

Collections can elevate the most simple items to create a collection that has more of a visual impact than the individual piece.

36DO

find your own style rather than trying to recreate a carbon copy of one particular designer or shop. It’s

absolutely wonderful to be inspired by what we see in books or on social media, but there is no better style to suit you than your own individual style. Also, don’t be too swayed by trends. Trends are fun and can provide an interesting catalyst for trying something new, but make sure to carefully pick and choose the things that you genuinely like and that suit your tastes and lifestyle, rather than be swept up in a potentially short-lived wave of mass enthusiasm.

slows down in the country, so places to linger longer deserve more focus. A bath rather than a shower; a really comfortable chair to read the Sunday papers in; a mudroom to separate at least some of the dirt and wet of the English countryside from the rest of the house. Think about a real fire or a wood-burning stove in the hall if you have space. There is nothing nicer than a cosy fire.

39DO

Leave plenty of space for a freezer or food storage if your house is not near a shop.

No one wants to have to leap in the car every time you need milk or a bag of flour. A walk-in pantry is another luxury to keep extra food and dishes organised.

40DO

consider where you place textiles and pops of colour. Here

(below) we have used the structure of the bare window and the woodwork above it rather than a blind and have added colour and warmth with antique-textile cushions on this very comfortable window seat.

37DON’T

throw out: upcycle, recycle and redo. Remember that changing the fabric on chairs, footstools, headboards and other upholstered furniture can dramatically change the look and feel of a piece without having to start from scratch. Don’t be afraid to have things re-covered, reupholstered and repainted – especially when the shapes are already strong, or the item is sentimental. I remember having my dining chairs reupholstered, and everyone thought that I had redecorated the entire room!

 THE ENGLISH HOME 73

EMMA DETERDING

Interior designer, founder of Kelling Designs and KD Loves

41DO

make a statement with colour and pattern. The feeling of space you get in the country lends itself to being braver with colour. Embrace the opportunity to either use flashes of colour or go full-on and don’t be afraid to use green, it will look fabulous. But try to make it harmonious, especially in the downstairs rooms. You want the spaces to really flow. Try to use a combination of colours, maybe repeating in different ways in different rooms.

42 DON’T

use your old bed in your guest bedroom. It’s the worst mistake anyone can make. In

fact, if your own bed becomes uncomfortable, take the guest bed and buy the guests a new one. You want to give your guests the

best night’s sleep. Make sure the bed is as big as it possibly can be, with a show-stopping headboard and beautiful linens and pillows.

Guests should be able to get into bed, relax and have a wonderful night’s sleep.

43DO

FLORA SOAMES

Interior, fabric and wallpaper designer

74 THE ENGLISH HOME

think more is more.

The layers of a room can often be the unexpected twist that makes a country house interior sing. I love pattern and print, and, often, a generally looser more informal look. It is an abundant use of a print in a room that can really make a striking impact.

We recently launched Enid’s Ramble, a modernday take on a toile de jouy, in an array of jewel colours. In a charming but very simple stable-attic bedroom (left), we relished using this print for everything – walls, windows, bedding, upholstery and lampshades. The final result is a cocoon of colour and cosiness, but, importantly, made less saccharine by the introduction of some unlikely and more robust pieces of furniture and accessories.

It is good to look at a room as a series of vignettes, as well as a whole, and, in doing so, think ‘where is that not too tasteful or considered piece’, since these remain the essence of a room when you walk away from it. n FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN PHOTOGRAPHS P67 (ROSANNA BOSSOM BOOT ROOM) © JAKE EASTHAM; (JOANNA WOOD PORTRAIT) © ASTRID TEMPLIER. P68 (LUKE EDWARD-HALL PORTRAIT) © JAMES HARVEY-KELLY. P73 (SUSAN DELISS WINDOW SEAT) © ANDREW D STEEL

DECORATING

Perfectly placed to enjoy the view, the al a s a contemporary take on the traditional sl r a al at , r , , ict ria l ert Bat

BUYER’S GUIDE

in style

SOAK

Find the perfect bath with our guide to the various styles, shapes, sizes, materials and practical factors to consider

R

elaxing in a warm bath is one of life’s great pleasures and a perfect way to unwind at the end of a busy day. Whilst choosing a bath may seem straightforward, it is essential to ensure it is comfortable to lie in and suits everyone’s needs as well as being aesthetically pleasing.

“Practicality is always key,” says designer Joel Fry at West One Bathrooms. “In a family bathroom or one where there will be an over-bath shower, go for a fitted bath, but in a master en-suite where you have the luxury of space, a freestanding bath can add impact and elegance.”

Fitted baths come in a range of formats including shower baths, shallow baths for accessibility, corner baths for awkwardly shaped rooms, and low-capacity baths to reduce water consumption. Made in a range of sizes, they are usually placed along a wall or built into an alcove so plumbing is easily concealed and maximum floor space left clear.

Freestanding baths provide a focal point, creating impact and adding character to a bathroom. Styles range from period-style models such as roll-top, bateau and slipper baths, to smooth, sleek contemporary shapes. Be aware, though, that they bring with them additional considerations.

“Freestanding baths are generally a little costlier than a built-in bath,” notes Leanne Robey, senior designer at Ripples, “especially if you are considering a floormounted bath filler, which gives an opulent finish but can sometimes cost as much as the bath itself.”  THE ENGLISH HOME 77

ABOVE This cast-iron large bateau bath with a polished finish adds to the glamorous style of this bathroom.

The Wye large cast-iron bath, from £3,570, Drummonds LEFT The smooth form of this bath provides a sleek counterpoint to fine decorative plasterwork.

Lonio natural stone bath, £2,799, Clearwater

78 THE ENGLISH HOME

THINKING AHEAD

Before deciding on a bath design, it is important to consider practicalities. “The first step should be to assess the strength of the floor to determine the maximum weight it can bear,” says Lee Frost, director at Waters Baths of Ashbourne. “The size and capacity of bath it can support depends on it.” A builder or structural surveyor will be able to advise – bear in mind though that whilst strengthening a floor is an option if needed, so too is switching to a smaller or lighter weight bath to sidestep additional costs.

Fry prioritises the material of the bath.

“Composite resin and acrylic baths are much lighter than marble or cast iron, and come in a massive range of designs and sizes. Thinner metal baths such as copper and steel, whilst extremely durable, are easier to move.” As when buying any large piece of furniture, access is a consideration, so check that staircases, landings, corners and door widths can be negotiated and will not hamper delivery.

BUYER’S GUIDE

Silvery metal, neutral on s and r d ar l are key constituents of this l an s The Nickel Bateau bath with Charcoal exterior, £6,000, Catchpole & Rye

THE ENGLISH HOME 79

A simply shaped tub allows the pretty gothic window to be the centre of attention.

Amiata Bath in l r att i Quarrycast, from £2,690, Victoria + Albert Baths

BUYER’S GUIDE

Elegant and characterful, this sophisticated scheme from interior designer Alison Henry offsets a beautiful view.

The Ashburn small cast-iron bath with ball and claw feet, from £3,390, Drummonds

MEASURING UP

Bear in mind that both external and internal dimensions matter. Firstly, a bath has to fit comfortably within the room, allowing for doors to open freely and other fittings to be used whilst leaving enough circulating space for the area not to feel crowded.

With freestanding baths available in lengths of between 1200mm and 2000mm (try Albion Bath Co for the extremes) and conventional baths from 1050mm to 2000mm (Bette produce a wide range), there will be one to fit almost any situation.

When choosing a larger tub, note its capacity, as some heating systems may not be able to generate or store enough hot water to fill it. If in doubt, check first with a plumber to confirm.

Checking the interior size is more subjective, depending as it does on the

physique and preference of the bather.

“Comfort should be up there at the top of your wish list,” says Frost. “That said, it can be hard to assess this from a picture, which is why we always recommend seeing and feeling a bath before buying it.”

Check the internal contours of a bath too and, if possible, step in and try it for size. Features such as the angle of the back slope and the width of the cavity have an impact on comfort, and it is also important to note the position of the waste and taps. In families where children or couples enjoy bathing together, a double-ended bath with a central waste and taps can be a good choice.  RIGHT This project by Kasha Paris shows a freestanding bath with cleverly wall-mounted taps and shower mixer.

Admiral Bath, from £4,046.06, Devon & Devon

THE ENGLISH HOME 81

MATERIAL MATTERS

Traditionally, cast iron was the primary bath-making material, and is still a popular choice for those seeking an authentically period look. Strong and stable with a beautifully lustrous enamelled surface, it is durable, easy to clean and, though initially cold to the touch, once warm, retains heat.

However, cast-iron baths are extremely heavy and the floor may need to be reinforced to bear the combined weight of bath, bather and water.

Other lighter metals include enamelled steel, which can be moulded into a variety of angular or curved shapes that lend themselves particularly well to crisp modern designs, and copper, which tends to be reserved for traditional styles.

Synthetics such as high-grade acrylics and solid-surface stone composite materials are also widely used to make baths, and are developing fast. Though generally less weighty than metal, some have the substance to emulate traditional materials such as cast iron and fireclay, whilst others are cast into fine-edged shapes for sleek, contemporary baths.

Where once all baths came with a gloss finish, some are now offered with a tactile velvety matt surface, adding yet another element to the sensory art of bathroom design. “Matt solid-surface options and colours evoke a very design-led feel, but be sure to reflect on how the bath finish will suit the rest of the scheme,” says Robey. “For example, if there is already a glossy basin, it may be advisable to complement it with a gloss finish for the bath.”

82 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE In this bathroom design, VSP Interiors has set the bath on a plinth to maximise the view.

Hampton Classic slipper bath, £3,024, Bathroom City ABOVE LEFT The a n s a and weathered metal taps create a relaxed ambience in this design

by Gunter & Co. Arezzo Bath, £1,199.95, Victorian Plumbing RIGHT This bath is supplied primed and ready for painting to suit a scheme.

Windsor bath in Chadite material, £3,950, Chadder & Co

BUYER’S GUIDE

FEATURE MAGGIE STEVENSON PHOTOGRAPHS P81 (DRUMMONDS) © DARREN CHUNG; (KASHA PARIS) © IDHA LINDHAG. P99 (WEST ONE BATHROOMS) © PAUL CRAIG

PERFECT POSITION

ABOVE Enjoy the panoramic outlook from a double ended bath set in a bay window Lindley cast-iron bath painted in Farrow & Ball’s Cook’s Blue, with Chrome Feet, £1,915, Hurlingham Baths LEFT A compact copper bath makes the most of a small bathroom.

1500 Petit Bateau bath, from £4,959.60, William Holland; Dornbracht Vaia mixer in Dark Plat Matt, £2,278.20, CP Hart

In many bathrooms there is only one possible location for a bath, but where space and flexibility allow, it can become the room’s most striking feature. Using architecture to frame a bath is effective.

Try centring it under a beautiful window or between a pair of windows, in an alcove or before a fireplace. If a bathroom lacks existing features, try tiling a floor-to-ceiling panel behind the bath with metallic mosaics or a ceramic mural.

In an attic bathroom, the area under a sloping ceiling is the ideal place to locate a bath. Provided the head height is sufficient when stepping out of the bath, it puts an otherwise hard-to-use space into play, and lends a sense of intimacy and warmth to the room.

In a small bathroom, clever positioning of a bath can make all the difference. For example, in a tall slender space a regular bath placed lengthways highlights narrow proportions, whereas a smaller raised-leg bath placed widthways creates an illusion of greater floor area and thus space.

Fry offers a useful designer tip: “To make sure a bath fits, use masking tape to map out possible layouts on the floor, moving it around until you arrive at the right one.” n TOP The success of this bathroom rests on a clever pairing of rustic and modern elements.

Eclipse Oval Bath by Antonio Lupi, £7,664; iSpa Freestanding Bath Shower Mixer by Gessi, £2,770, all West One Bathrooms

THE ENGLISH HOME 83

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QUINTESSENTIALLY

Inspiration for seasonal pastimes and making the most of life at home starts here

COUNTRY FLAIR

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN

This cheerful block-printed fabric by Molly Mahon is perfect for country cottage charm, complete with wide, ruffled trims. We particularly love the Strawberries design for imbuing year-round joy to interiors. Mahon also supplies block-printing kits for printing tea towels and lampshades, as well as single blocks with which to create bespoke designs at home. From strawberries and cherries, to butterflies, flowers and rainbows, a favourite aspect of English country life can be printed the brand’s own eco paint on greeting cards, gift wrap and fabric.

Chair in Strawberries, Grass, £181 a metre, and all other fabrics, The Greencombe collection, Molly Mahon

THE ENGLISH HOME 85

MY ENGLISH HOME

Matthew Fort FROM PATCH TO PLATE

The food writer and critic tells of his passion for apples, pears and quinces, which are abundant for autumn harvest We even have a pig known as the pig with the built-in apple sauce. The Gloucestershire Old Spot was bred to feed on the windfall apples in the orchards that once crowded the banks of the River Severn.

I can’t say the same about our climate and pears – even pears that sound as if they’re British, such as Merton Pride and Beth, turn out to be the product of cross-bred European varieties. There’s the Conference pear, of course, and the once-famous Warden – a cooking pear raised by Cistercian monks in Bedfordshire – but for the most part we owe our pears to France, Italy, and, in the case of Clapp’s Favourite, to Thaddeus Clapp of the United States.

I do love a pear, though. One of my great fruit epiphanies was when I was confronted by a Comice pear of such bewitching beauty at breakfast one day – flesh the colour of ivory and the texture of wax, glistening with juices the perfume of which filled the kitchen – that I had to stop eating and simply meditate on its loveliness before finishing it off.

As for quinces, the third in our trinity of autumn treats, they are positively puritan in their nomenclature and origins. Despite this, I, like Sir Isaac Newton, have a particular weakness for the quince.

Quince is a tricky fruit. It can’t be eaten raw to start with (or I wouldn’t recommend it). It has to be cooked and treated in some way to bring out its imperious qualities: subtle husky flavour; golden amber colour; and an elusive perfume that hovers between musk and honey.

It can be used to make a supreme jelly, and a fruit cheese (or membrillo if you have to go all Spanish). It brings lustre to everything with which it is served – partridge, venison, pork, guinea fowl. It lends weight to apples and pears in pudding, and is fabulous on its own, roasted, as Sir Isaac liked it, with a little double cream.

When the brave tree in my garden produces a bumper harvest, I turn it into quince ratafia (for recipe, see below). ‘Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples’ sang the poet in the Song of Solomon. If only the poet had chosen quinces, those flagons could have been filled with quince ratafia, which would have provided him with all the comfort he needed.

About Matthew Best known as a judge on BBC2’s Great British Menu, Matthew is an award-winning food writer and critic.

He was the Food & Drink Editor of The Guardian for 15 years and is the author of four books.

QUINCE RATAFIA A fancy name for a simple liqueur, the divine product of fruit and alcohol. I make two versions, one with rum, which is rich and full; and the other with vodka, which is muscular and intense.

INGREDIENTS 1l brown rum or vodka 4 fat quinces

86 THE ENGLISH HOME

200g caster sugar 75g peeled almonds 2 strips lemon peel

METHOD • Wipe the down off the quinces with a cloth. Grate them quite finely, peel and core included. (This is made much quicker and easier if you have a grating attachment on a

food processor. Quinces are tough and woody in their natural state).

• Mix with the sugar. Put the almonds and lemon peel into a large bottling jar or equivalent.

• Push the grated quince on top. Pour in the rum or vodka.

• Set the top of the jar in place and put away in a cool dark

place for at last three months.

I know some people who leave it undisturbed for six.

• When ready, strain the amber/gold liqueur into a bottle and sip with reverence.

(I usually start the process in September/October, whenever the quinces are at their ripest and decant the divine liqueur just before Christmas). n

PORTRAIT GRANT SCOTT ILLUSTRATION ANIOK / SHUTTERSTOCK. PHOTOGRAPH LUNOV MYKOLA / SHUTTERSTOCK

A

pples, pears and quinces – together they will see us through from late summer, through autumn and into winter.

Pride of place goes to apples, if only because of their ubiquity and variety, and possibly because they owe something to royal patronage – Henry VII, Henry VIII, Queen Victoria were all dedicated apple lovers. There is poetry, too, in the names of British apples: Fair Maid of Taunton, Keswick Codlin, Gascoyne’s Scarlet, Egremont Russet, Devonshire Quarrenden to name but a few.

Our climate, variable as it is, seems peculiarly suited to apple cultivation and we are blessed with an extraordinary range and variety of the divine fruit. We have apples for eating – the popular favourite, Cox’s Orange Pippin and the connoisseur’s choice, Ashmead’s Kernel. We have apples for cooking – Blenheim Orange and Peasgood’s Nonsuch. We have fluffy apples – Elton Beauty and Rosemary Russet, crisp apples – Adam’s Pearmain and Ribston Pippin, sweet apples – Cornish Gilliflower and Pitmaston Pineapple, and tart apples – Kidd’s Red Orange and Ellison’s Orange. We have apples for sauce – Keswick Codlin and Colloggett Pippin, and apples for cider – too many to mention.

FOOD

THE ENGLISH HOME 87

 88 THE ENGLISH HOME

GARDENING

style

MEADOW Create a less structured take on the classic English country garden with a considered balance of nature and nurture

S

it back and imagine an enchanting garden full of birdsong, floral colour, a sweeping lawn and walls swathed in rampant climbers. These charming characteristics are all evocative of the English country garden and occupy a cherished place in our national psyche, creating a magical blend of natural and curated beauty. This garden style has gently evolved and continues to inspire landscape designers and gardeners alike.

Elements such as rose-covered arbours, wisteriadraped pergolas and richly planted herbaceous borders are immediately recognisable, but there are other, more subtle details and several new emerging plants and features that are well worth exploring to achieve this idyllic style.

EVOLVING HERITAGE

Dahlias, cosmos, Ammi visnaga and more intermingle in this charming country garden, imbuing a sense of relaxation, with topiary adding a focal point to draw the eye.

Leading lights have shaped English country gardens in a variety of styles over time and their influence can still be seen today.

William Robinson, a Victorian keen to reform gardening and often referred to as ‘the Irishman who taught the English how to garden’, was a keen advocate of nature inspiring planting. He was responsible for popularising the planting of perennials, which appear year after year, over having regimented borders of annual bedding. He was also one of the first designers to plant swathes of spring bulbs within a lawn or under trees. Meanwhile, his friend and contemporary, Gertrude Jekyll, championed planting borders with a free painterly use of colour that changed with the seasons. Together, Robinson and Jekyll laid the foundations of this constantly evolving, less obviously structured garden style. THE ENGLISH HOME 89

ABOVE The gardens at Trematon Castle, Cornwall were an irresistible challenge for garden designers Isabel and Julian Bannerman. “We flung species rambling roses at the walls and tried to blend the borders by mixing in Daucus carota, moon daisies, wild echium and fringing the grass around so that the whole was a field of the cloth of gold.”

Contemporary landscape designer Piet Oudolf is known globally for his meadow-style planting. Working across expansive areas, he plants large beds with bold, repeating drifts of perennial flowers that merge with elegant, swaying grasses to create a living tapestry that erupts into vivid colour before fading to bleached stems and seedheads in late autumn.

Garden designers Isabel and Julian Bannerman also share a love of carefree, colourful planting. “Although we are known as extravagant, romantic, almost theatrical gardeners and designers, Julian and I have been leaning more this way for 20 years,” explains Isabel. “Here in Somerset, where we moved two years ago, we have a cider orchard and very few mature trees in a flat landscape. We are planting four acres of woodland which will take some time, so meadowmaking is the thing.”

PRINCIPAL PLANTS One distinct feature of meadow-style planting is an abundance of flowers. From the first glimpses of hellebores, snowdrops and fiery witch hazel in winter, to the riot of vivid spring bulbs – including narcissi, tulips, alliums – and the heady crescendo of summer, when perfumed roses, stately delphiniums and dancing agapanthus take centre stage, the everchanging palette of colours is a major draw. Colour and interest do not disappear later in the year, they simply become more subtle as vibrant sunflowers and dahlias are gradually overtaken with fading foliage, 90 THE ENGLISH HOME

ripe seedheads and berries.

Topiary and hedges also play a supporting role, as award-winning garden designer Ann-Marie Powell acknowledges. “I believe that English country gardens should fully utilise the natural advantages of the surrounding landscape and nature. The garden should lay with the land – relaxed, loose wild plantings with good bones such as evergreen shrubs, hedging and topiary combining to create tapestries of texture and kaleidoscopic colour in our gardens.”

Climbing plants are important in any garden, but particularly in an English country garden. Thanks to their free-roaming nature and ability to drape and soften walls and other structures, they exude romance and energy. Simon White, rosarian at Peter Beales Roses, explains: “Any English country home should have at least one or two rambling or climbing roses grown within their garden. Ramblers will adore arches and pergolas, giving large clusters of blooms and therefore the ‘wow’ factor. Climbers would be good for walls and fences, producing larger blooms that will flower off and on most of the summer.”

SIGNATURE ELEMENTS Adding structure is imperative to this plant-heavy gardening style. Summerhouses, gazebos and pergolas all provide essential height and interest. With the focus firmly on natural style, look for materials such as timber shingles, handmade bricks, clay tiles and hand-woven hurdles. “Gertrude Jekyll described

FEATURE JILL MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHS P88 © CLIVE NICHOLS/GAP. P90 © I&J BANNERMAN LTD. P91 (ROSE ARCH) © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/ JONATHAN BUCKLEY; © HARROWDEN TURF; (DAVID AUSTIN ROSES) © JONATHAN BUCKLEY; (SCAMPSTON HALL) © MARCUS HARPUR

GARDENING

oak as the best material for a garden seat, and we agree,” says Simon Burvill, founder of Gaze Burvill.

“An organic, beautiful product of nature, oak is naturally durable and will weather according to its environment, ensuring that it belongs in the landscape in which it sits.”

FOLLOW NATURE’S LEAD Taking a relaxed approach is key to this style, and it is essential to choose plants that will thrive in their chosen spot with little intervention. Emphatically practised by revered plantswoman Beth Chatto, the importance of ‘right plant, right place’ is clear when walking around her Essex gardens, but it is a principle others also embrace. “At Mapperton House we have several areas, each with their own approach to the English country garden style,” says Steve Lannin, head gardener of the Dorset garden. “In Fountain Court, self-seeded erigeron soften the hard landscaping, whilst the walls are clad in rambling roses, with tree peonies, hydrangea and other shrubs supporting the wild perennial plantings.”

Although wild meadows are in decline, nurturing native species of grass and flowers at home is firmly on the increase. Hampshire-based garden designer Rachel Smith says: “A wildflower area can be seeded with a mix or can be created using specially created turf. Both seed and turf mixes are created to be used in specific ground conditions. Whether it is dry, sandy soil or heavy, acid clay, there will be an appropriate product

available which will best suit these conditions.”

Planting an orchard will also soften the boundaries between formal and informal garden areas. “Choosing a fruit tree is a long-term investment, which – if looked after properly – will provide a beautiful focal point and fruits for many years,” says Jon Munday, nursery manager at Blackmoor Nurseries in Hampshire. His recommended varieties include the Red Falstaff apple, with its bright red fruits, and Concorde pear, a new variety that is full of flavour.

THE CHARM OF WATER Water can take various forms in an English country garden. A simple fountain will mesmerise as sunlight glances off the falling droplets, whilst a clean-sided rill or reflection pool nestled within loose, airy planting, as popularised by landscape architect and garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith, can provide a tranquil feature perfect for quiet contemplation.

Wildlife ponds and natural swimming pools offer further creative opportunities, and landscape designer Claudia de Yong shares this advice: “Adding a feature like a jetty or pontoon to a pond is wonderful if you want to enjoy sitting on the water’s edge. You need to think of doing this at the beginning of the build as it is much easier than doing it later, once the pond is filled with water. Don’t be too mean on the size of the jetty – ponds always look bigger when they are empty, but once filled with water and plants, they end up looking much smaller.” n

TOP LEFT An abundance of fragrant and colourful roses fills the Rose Garden at Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire TOP MIDDLE Establish a colourfilled meadow with a mix of 41 native British wildflowers.

Birds and Bees Meadowmat, from £17.48 a square metre, Turf Online TOP RIGHT Fill the garden with deliciously scented roses that flower from May to October.

Olivia Rose Austin, £27 potted rose, David Austin Roses ABOVE Piet Oudolf’s meadowstyle planting at Scampston Hall, Yorkshire creates an ever-changing tapestry of grasses and perennials

THE ENGLISH HOME 91

A country

STATE OF MIND The benefits of a rural way of life and being closer to nature are both plentiful and accessible. We ask the experts to share their advice about how to experience a slice of country lifestyle, wherever home may be

T

he mere idea of country living has enduring appeal, and conjures up images of meadows and streams, rolling hills and wildlife. The promise of a slower pace of life and relative peace, combined with healthier habits and cleaner air is tempting – especially given the last year and its many challenges. In addition to a sense of space and appreciation of the natural landscape, there is the positive impact on well-being to consider – just looking out of the window and onto open fields or a leafy-

Large seagrass tote bag, £52, Nordic House

92 THE ENGLISH HOME

green hedgerow can help lower stress levels.

Glorious as this sounds, escaping to the country is not a reality for everyone, but this does not mean it is not possible to enjoy the many advantages a rural setting has to offer – the countryside can be a state of mind, as opposed to a geographical location.

From keeping chickens to growing vegetables, foraging for food to letting the wildflowers grow free, there are plentiful ways to adopt country style whatever the setting.

LIFESTYLE

PERFECT PRESERVES

There are few things better than homemade botanical-based food and drink, especially having taken the time to grow the produce or forage for wild treats – the more unusual and interesting, the better. After all, why not make the sort of delicacies that are hard to buy in the shops as a treat or a gift for friends and family. However, when it comes to picking ingredients, what should be top of the list?

“I wouldn’t be without lemon verbena for cocktails, syrups and cordials,” says Mark Diacono, writer, photographer, grower, cook and owner of Otter Farm nursery. “Its bright lemon sherbet leaves bring zing and freshness that nothing else can match. The zest of four lemons, two stems of lemongrass and a handful of lemon verbena leaves, infused in a litre of vodka for a couple of weeks, topped up with sugar syrup (500g sugar dissolved in 400ml simmering water) makes the best limoncello; a sprig or two in boiling water makes a refreshing tea.”

“Whatever I’m fermenting, say, sugar snaps in brine or perhaps pickling cucumber, bay is essential,” he continues. “The flavour is so special, but it also releases tannins that help keep the firm, crunchy texture of vegetables. If you place a couple at the top of the ferment, tucked in under the shoulders of the jar, it helps keep the vegetables submerged in the brine.

“Similarly, if I’m making a chutney or jam, my fingers head to the Szechuan pepper or the rose-scented geranium; if I’m using plums or nectarines, perhaps even both. The citrus zing and peppery punch of the Szechuan pepper livens whatever it goes with, fruit or vegetable, and the soft warm rose of the scented geranium takes a jam or chutney somewhere delightfully, gently floral.” 

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Mark Diacono’s delicious limoncello recipe from his latest book, Herb: A Cook’s Companion, £26 (Quadrille); Home Made 1.9l clear traditional glass demijohns, £8.99, Kitchen Craft; Home Made 200ml glass terrine jar, £3.49, Kitchen Craft; Strawberry beeswax wrap, available as part of the Vegetable Garden Fruits Pack (from £20 for three wraps), Emma Bridgewater; Large early 20th century French earthenware pot, £132, The Kairos Collective

THE ENGLISH HOME 93

HEN HAVEN

Whilst keeping pigs, goats and sheep might stretch resources when it comes to living the country dream, chickens will make themselves at home in a good-sized garden, whether it is a rural idyll or city-based sanctuary.

Compared to larger livestock, they are relatively low-maintenance and easy to care for, and will, of course, reward their owner with the perfect breakfast or baking ingredient every morning.

Arthur Parkinson, gardener and poultry keeper, knows a thing or two about how to get the best from hens. “The most important thing is to give them as much space as you can provide,” he says.

“If possible, make your garden entirely fox-proof, too, using a high-perimeter fence, planted with tough plants like rosemary and roses, or house your hens in an aviary-like run, complete with a roof to ensure they are out of harm’s way.”

It is also worth adding a few extra touches to make their environment as chicken-friendly as possible to make them relaxed and happy layers. “The best thing for hens is a dust bath,” says Parkinson. “For this you need to mix dry soil with louse powder and scatter it somewhere sunny and dry, and you’ll soon see them preening and powdering themselves. My girls love to peck at the red millet seed heads I grow.”

Parkinson recommends the stylish recycled-plastic coop designed by founder of Ham Street Hens, Libby Syddall, which uses metal and is groove-free, making it resistant to the troublesome red mite.

He also recommends the PestOff Rat Proof chicken feeder by RoamWild if a coop is needed for city chickens.

When it comes to choosing the best layers, Parkinson says, “Hybrids are good for beginners, because they have been vaccinated – I like the Bluebells and Speckledys the most.

Burford Browns and Copper Black Marans are the best for the adored brown eggs. They are far from garden-friendly, but you’ll get plenty of beautiful eggs.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Rustic Hen sculpture, £20, National Trust; Chicken gardening gauntlets, £27.95, Annabel James; Kate Black Framed Chicken Collage, £345, The Shop Floor Project; Recycled Plastic Coop, from £495, Ham Street Hens

94 THE ENGLISH HOME

LIFESTYLE

FOOD FOR FREE

What could be more evocative of country life than finding seasonal goodies whilst enjoying a walk along a hedgerow or in a wood? “People ask me where they might start their foraging career,” says foraging expert, John Wright. “My answer is ‘almost anywhere’. A back garden, a hedge, a churchyard, a park, a seashore. Each of these places will have their own ecology, their own collection of plants, some of which may be edible. Hairy bittercress, stinging nettles and ground elder in the garden, elderberries (or flowers – seasonality is king in the foraging world), sloes, rosehips in the hedge, and so on. With perhaps a thousand edible species – plants, fungi and seaweeds – in our corner of the world, there is so much to explore.

“No-one would wish to destroy the habitat in which they forage, so it comes naturally (most of the time) to pick with care and to pick only what you need. If you feel the urge to fill your car’s boot with wild mushrooms, resist. It is good for your karma. Foraging is allowed by default almost everywhere, but do make sure you have free access and obtain permission if you haven’t. Being challenged is always embarrassing, as I know all too well!” 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Forage Bric bag, £34, Wearth London; Bolga market basket, £55, Lola & Mawu; The Forager’s Calendar by John Wright, £12 (Profile Books); Summer Seasonal Foraging Illustration, £18, Rhubarb & Hare

THE ENGLISH HOME 95

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Recognising that carefully manicured lawns and borders might look beautiful but do not provide the right habitats for wildlife, conservationists and ecologists are hoping to encourage gardeners to change tack and let things go a little. Known as rewilding, this approach to helping the environment has become more popular in recent years and is not difficult to achieve.

Whether reducing how often the lawn is mown, or allowing an area of the garden to become overrun with weeds, it is easy to create new habitats for all sorts of animals. “Allowing a space for wildlife to use, live in and flourish in our gardens is not only a wonderful and fascinating thing to do, but also offers an invaluable lifeline and safe haven for many species that are struggling in the wider landscape,” explains BBC Gardeners’ World presenter, Frances Tophill. “Choosing nectar-rich varieties that flower for as much of the year as possible is key for attracting insects, which, in turn, will encourage the larger birds and mammals. If you don’t have a lot of space, go for plants that flower for a long time, like lavender and catmint – two easy plants that come back each year and take hardly any looking after, even in a window box.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Teak garden chair, £745; Jodhpur Stripe large cotton seat cushion with tassels, £59; Megha linen cushions, £58 each; metal chandelier, from £78; hand-painted candles, from £3.75 each; vintage

96 THE ENGLISH HOME

wooden crate, from £39, all Susie Watson Designs. Mr Fothergill’s seed selections, £2.80 each, Robert Dyas; Ornate Zinc planters, £175 each, Cox & Cox; The Balcony chair In Sao Paolo Cream, £189, Denys & Fielding

LIFESTYLE

PLANT LIFE

Electra Loft 7i EQ Step-Thru Ladies Bike, Green Tea, £800, Electra Bike

FEATURE CINEAD MCTERNAN PHOTOGRAPHS P93 (LIMONCELLO) © MARK DIACONO. P95 (RHUBARB & HARE) © KATY MCDONNEL; (THE FORAGER’S CALENDAR) © STEVE GOODWIN. P96 (DENYS & FIELDING) © RICHARD HUGGINS. P97 (NATIONAL TRUST) © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES / CHRIS LACEY

TAKING THE SLOW LANE

“Riding allows you to take in your surroundings and reach points of interest that may be too far to walk,” says Graham Clark, active outdoors lead at the National Trust. “We have cycle hire at a number of our sites, with child trailers and bikes for all ages, and e-bikes. With the increase in availability of e-bikes, hills and distances are now not barriers to riding.”

“With the longer evenings and warmer weather, there’s no better time to get out and explore the National Cycle Network,” says Xavier Brice, CEO of walking and cycling charity Sustrans. “As the custodian of the National Cycle Network, Sustrans is proud to maintain and celebrate the 12,739 mile network of traffic-free paths and quiet on-road cycling and walking routes across the UK.” For more information, visit sustrans.org

CYCLING AT THE NATIONAL TRUST • For easy-to-follow, family-friendly trails, visit Blickling, Norfolk; Calke Abbey, Derbyshire; Dudmaston, Shropshire; Kingston Lacy, Dorset; Nostell Priory, Yorkshre; Osterley, London; Plymbridge Woods, Devon; and Wallington, Northumberland.

• For mountain bike trails head off to Lanhydrock, Cornwall.

• For multiple routes of interest try Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire and Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire.

• Hire cycles at Blickling, Clumber Park, Lanhydrock, Low Wray Campsite, Osterley, Wallington, and Wicken Fen. Visit nationaltrust.org for more cycling routes and information.

It is hard to resist the appeal of The Good Life for those lucky enough to have a bit of space for a vegetable patch. Just as Tom and Barbara grew their own fruit and vegetables in the heart of suburbia in the popular 1970s BBC television sitcom, it is not necessary to have acres and a stunning rural view to try it.

There are several varieties that are equally happy to grow in the ground or in medium- to large-sized containers, like courgettes, tomatoes, beetroot and carrots. It is also worth considering perennial fruits and vegetables, or rather vegetables that require sowing once and will crop year after year with the smallest amount of care and attention, which means less time spent digging, sowing and weeding. There is a huge choice on offer, from salad leaves to unusual, exotic crops, and seed companies such as The Real Seed company and Otter Farm even flag up perennial vegetable varieties so deciphering what can be left in the ground from year to year will not require a certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society.

There are also more and more vegetable box schemes appearing, selling a range of seasonal produce grown in both country and city farms. Look online to find out where the nearest organic box scheme is, or to find details of local producers, farm shops and pick your own. n LEFT Bicycles leaning by a gate at the National Trust’s Marloes Sands, Pembrokeshire BELOW, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Slate plant tags (large) with soapstone

pencil, £12, Garden Trading; Hinged herb planter, £69.99, Robert Dyas; Architectural cloche, £34.95, Annabel James; Salome cane armchair, £248, Rowen & Wren

Beautifully FLAMBOYANT With an astonishing diversity of colour, size and shape to suit every garden and taste, dahlias are prolific garden heroes

O

ften regarded as the most ostentatious of garden flowers, dahlias are currently enjoying a glorious renaissance. With over 50,000 hybridised dahlias available, there is a more varied spectrum to choose from than perhaps any other garden bloom. These floral beauties can offer everything from daisy-like simplicity and exacting architectural spheres to exuberant and spiky border divas. The diversity of colour is another reason that these prolific plants are so popular with everyone from leading florists, garden designers and nurserymen to retailers and gardeners alike. Vivid shades of cerise, fuchsia, scarlet and orange primarily spring to mind, but there are many more considered, inspiring options and a favourite variety just waiting to be found.

ENDURING CHARM Often associated with Edwardian cutting gardens and post-war domestic borders, dahlias have a compelling background. Highly valued by the Aztecs, tree dahlias were found growing in the mountains of Guatemala and Mexico where, thanks to their hollow stems, they were often prized as a source of water, or

a device for channelling it. In 1570, Spanish botanist Francisco Hernández de Toledo was sent by the Royal Court of Spain to study the species, which led to the first botanical studies being published in 1651. A gift of dahlia tubers from Mexico to the Royal Gardens in Madrid in 1789 led to the propagation of three new plant forms – and it is these, and subsequent dealings and hybridisation, that has led to the thousands of varieties of dahlias on offer today.

REVIVED INTEREST There is no doubt that dahlias have soared in popularity over recent years, and nurseries and retailers alike have their theories as to why. “Dahlias have been enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with the rich jewel shades, pollinator-friendly singles and bold structural forms topping wishlists. Nothing can beat them for their abundance of summer flowers,” says Helen Derrin, in-house designer at Crocus. Peter Freeman, new product development manager at Thompson & Morgan, cites a slightly different reason. “We’ve noticed a real resurgence in sales of dahlias over the past two years across young plants, tubers and seeds.

ABOVE LEFT Sarah Raven trials endless varieties, and her ‘Best Ever’ Dahlia Collection, from £12.95, features three decorative species: ‘White Onesta’, peach-pink ‘Labryinth’ and soft coral ‘Waltzing Mathilda’.

ABOVE RIGHT Initially buds of rich pink-purple, the petals of Dahlia ‘American Dawn’ gradually turn to soft apricot as they unfurl.

Tuber, £3.99, Crocus OPPOSITE Choose a neutral planting scheme of white and green to highlight colourful dahlias.

THE ENGLISH HOME 99

ABOVE Pale pink on top with a deep purple underside, the dual-toned petals of ‘Crème de Cassis’ make this a fascinating variety.

From £4.99, Thompson & Morgan ABOVE RIGHT Dahlias’ brittle, flower-laden stems require plenty of support as they grow.

A matt-black obelisk is the perfect choice and highlights the vibrant blooms.

Steel Pyramid Obelisk, £189, Harrod Horticultural

With more and more gardening content on social media, our feeling is that this is at least in part driving the increase in sales – with so many photogenic varieties they are catching the eye of expert and new gardeners alike.”

NURTURE AND NOURISH These vibrant flowers are largely straightforward and extremely rewarding to grow. Most frequently grown from tubers – fleshy, bulbous roots that resemble fat fingers – they need a rich, free-draining soil and plenty of sun to thrive. Wait until the frosts have passed before planting them either directly into the ground or into a large pot with a volume of at least two or three litres. Place the tubers at least 30cm deep.

Space around 75cm apart and water well. Quick to establish and bushy by nature, these are hungry plants that will need a regular soaking.

“Feed them once a fortnight with a liquid balanced feed and support them with a stout stake and tie them in regularly, to prevent stems snapping in the wind, ” says Sarah Raven. “To create healthy and productive

100 THE ENGLISH HOME

plants, pinch out the tips of the main shoot as they grow. Either with a sharp knife, or squeezed between your thumb and forefinger, remove down to the top pair of leaves,” she adds. This will promote strong stems and plenty of blooms.

Dahlia shoots – young and old – are particularly attractive to slugs and snails, so take care to protect them, using deterrents such as sharp grit or wool pellets. The latter can be placed directly on the soil and, once wet, swell to create a bristly, felt mat irritating to pests.

As each flower fades, deadhead it to encourage subsequent blooms. Foliage will blacken with the first frost – once this happens, decide whether to lift, dry and store the dahlia tubers ready to replant the following April, or, if the climate is mild, it may be preferable to leave them in situ. Either way, cut back frosted plants to around 12cm. If storing them, lift carefully with a fork, removing any soil, and place them on a shallow tray of compost to dry out. Keep them somewhere moisture-free and dark. Any plants left in the ground will need to be mulched by adding

ABOVE Spectacular and star-like, cactus dahlias make eye-catching cut flowers. Dahlia ‘Good Earth’ and ‘City of Leiden’ are both vibrant, pink shades. Available from Ashridge Nurseries.

BELOW A favourite with pollinators, the rolled-in, almost black petals of Dahlia ‘Verrones Obsidian’ are brilliantly offset by the rich yellow centre. Available from Taylors Bulbs.

BOTTOM Dahlias offer a vast array of colours and shapes. Plant side by side for a feeling of playful exuberance.

Where to admire dahlias

Seek inspiration at these favourite dahlia spots: National Dahlia Collection, West Cornwall With over 1,600 varieties, this is the go-to place to inspire any dahlia wishlist.

Tel: 01736 339 276; nationaldahliacollection.co.uk

Hinton Ampner, Hampshire

Perch Hill, East Sussex Rural home and garden of Sarah Raven, a plant-filled haven that includes carefully trialled and selected dahlias.

Tel: 0345 092 0283; sarahraven.com

Rousham Gardens, Oxfordshire

Beautiful formal displays around the grounds, particularly in the kitchen and sunken garden.

Tel: 01962 771305; nationaltrust.org.uk

Early English Landscape gardens by William Kent with walled garden, herbaceous border and parterre filled with many glorious dahlias.

Tel: 01869 347110; rousham.org

Great Dixter, East Sussex

Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire

Home of the late, great Christopher Lloyd, each garden room is a jewel-box of rich, vibrant colour, many including dahlias.

Tel: 01797 252878; greatdixter.co.uk

The walled garden and long borders are filled with dahlias in late summer, many are cut and used for arrangements in the house.

Tel: 01604 686543; kelmarsh.com

Nymans, West Sussex

Cragside, Northumberland

Nestled in the Sussex Weald, this glorious and romantic garden features numerous types of dahlias in the lavish herbaceous borders.

Tel: 0344 249 1895; nationaltrust.org.uk

The formal garden of this breathtaking Victorian garden includes a majestic long border of dahlias.

Tel: 01669 620333; nationaltrust.org.uk

ABOVE The herbaceous borders at Nymans, West Sussex, overflow with dahlias and inspire visitors well into the autumn months.

THE ENGLISH HOME 101

a thick layer of mushroom compost and straw around the remaining stems to keep frost at bay.

AN ARTIST’S PALETTE With a remarkable array of colours to choose from, dahlias offer endless creative possibilities to designers, garden lovers and florists alike. There are plenty of vivid, hot shades to choose from, but some of the newer and more unusual hues are also well-worth exploring. Dark – almost black – shades of deepest red, purple and burgundy are the current favourites for mixing in with paler, wispy grasses and loose, airy perennials such as gaura, sanguisorba and perovskia.

Varieties such as the star-like Dahlia ‘Verrones Obsidian’ and full-flowered Dahlia ‘Black Narcissus’ are both easily found.

As in fashion and interior decor, paler, blush-tones have recently become highly desirable; creating a subtle and calming effect, they make a sophisticated and refreshing way to enjoy these beautiful flowers. From the delicate ‘Teesbrooke Audrey’ and frilly soft apricot ‘Mango Madness’ through to the gentle coral tone of Dahlia ‘Preference’ there are many to savour.

Other current dahlia trends include varieties ‘Julie One’ and ‘Crème de Cassis’ with their curious

102 THE ENGLISH HOME

two-toned petals, and those with an unusual leaf colour. Ian Clark, business manager of Taylors Bulbs, says: “Dark foliage varieties such as the heritage variety ‘Bishop of Llandaff’, ‘David Howard’ and the luxurious ‘Karma Choc’ are particularly striking.”

GEMS OF THE CUTTING GARDEN Highly prized for their decorative value, dahlias also have a long vase life. Gillie Shaw of English flower grower and arranger Hortus Poeticus says: “Dahlias make the most rewarding garden and cutting flowers, producing abundantly from late June to the first frosts. Bright and brilliant, pale and interesting, wild and exuberant or poised and perfect, arrange them monochromatically on their own in single vases, or with other flowers, or throw in all the colours together for a joyful zingy mix that takes the colour right off the scale.”

When it comes to harvesting dahlias, Georgie Newbery, owner of Somerset’s Common Farm Flowers, says: “Cut dahlias early in the morning or in the evening into a clean bucket of fresh water that you take to the plant. Never walk around with them drying out in your hand. Cut them when they’re not quite fully open and they’ll last longer in the vase.”

FEATURE JILL MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHS P98 © SUSIEFOODS/SHUTTERSTOCK. P99 (SARAHRAVEN.COM) © JONATHAN BUCKLEY. P101 (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © IBULB; NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/MARIANNE MAJERUS; JORGE SALCEDO/SHUTTERSTOCK. P102 © FI BOYLE GARDEN DESIGN. P103 (TOP LEFT) © SUSIEFOODS/SHUTTERSTOCK (BOTTOM LEFT) © IBULB; (FLOWER TYPES) ALL © IBULB EXCEPT SEMI CACTUS (WAITROSE GARDEN)

ABOVE Wiltshirebased garden designer Fi Boyle worked closely with her clients to create a border where they could ring the changes with their new favourite dahlias.

ABOVE RIGHT To extend their vase life, cut dahlias before they fully open.

RIGHT Ideal for cutting, this medium decorative Dahlia ‘Anna Cornelia’ has metre long stems and vivid ceriseedged red petals.

Available from HW Hyde & Son.

Dahlia flower types With over 50,000 hybridised dahlias available, there is some variation in how these flowers are classified.

THESE ARE THE MAIN GROUPS:

ANEMONEFLOWERED

BALL

CACTUS

One or more outer rings of flattened ray florets surrounding a dense central group of tubular florets showing no disc.

Easy to confuse with pompon varieties, these tend to be larger blooms with a spiral of incurving petals. They are also slightly flatter in shape.

Double blooms with pointed, narrow, curled-back ray florets that either grow straight or curve upwards.

COLLARETTE

DECORATIVE

Cheery and daisy-like, these flowers have a prominent centre encircled by a delicate ‘collar’ and outer circle of large, flat petals.

The largest of all. These flowerheads can measure up to 25cm across and have full double blooms showing no disc and bluntly pointed.

POMPON (SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS ‘POMPOM’) Perfect spheres – these intricate flowers have tight, dense petals that curve inwards.

SEMI-CACTUS

SINGLE-FLOWERED

WATERLILY

Although similar to cactus varieties, these blooms have semi-rolled petals that are much broader at the base.

The pollinator’s favourite, these simple blooms have one ring of broad, flat petals around the centre.

Aptly named, these beauties have saucershaped double ray florets giving the flower a shallow appearance. n

THE ENGLISH HOME 103

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PERFECTLY SITUATED Scoble House is a Grade II* listed residence situated above South Pool creek in rural Devon. The present house is believed to date from 1720 and once formed part of the historic estate of the de Scobbahull family, who were given the country seat in the thirteenth century.

Arranged over five floors, the house benefits from eight bedrooms as well as

106 THE ENGLISH HOME

five generous reception rooms featuring original fireplaces for cosy evenings.

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GEORGIAN SPLENDOUR Situated in expansive grounds in the Somerset countryside, Haygrass House is a Grade II listed Georgian manor with grand proportions and original features. The elegant entrance hall leads to the principal reception rooms, including the light and airy drawing room with a bay window to the gardens, and the dining room, which has an open fireplace. A cantilevered staircase leads to the nine bedrooms on the first floor, which offer views of the parkland setting. In warmer weather, spend afternoons enjoying the property’s outdoor amenities, such as the swimming pool, tennis court and terrace with a barbecue.

There are also superb equestrian facilities, a flat above the stables and a separate lodge providing additional accommodation.

Haygrass House, Somerset, £2,950,000, Knight Frank

3

RURAL RECTORY A moat surrounds The Old Rectory, a Grade II listed country house positioned on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds which retains a wealth of original features.

A grand staircase leads to the upper two floors that comprise six comfortable bedrooms. On the ground floor, the drawing room boasts high ceilings and a fireplace as well as a bay window from which to take in views of the picturesque setting. The dining room also features a bay window and provides access to the established gardens. Step out onto a paved terrace that leads to rolling lawns and a Monet-inspired bridge, which crosses the moat into a woodland walk. The property also benefits from a paddock adjacent to open farmland.

The Old Rectory, Lincolnshire, £995,000, Savills  THE ENGLISH HOME 107

4

4

TO THE MANOR Poxwell Manor is located in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, encompassing rolling hills, woodland, coastal cliffs and beaches. Inside the Grade I listed manor, the magnificent great hall, which once formed the centre of the original seventeenth-century house, features a period decorative chimneypiece, wood panelling and ornate ceiling work. The hall leads to the large dining room and library, both with log burners, to form one large, welcoming space. The kitchen is at the heart of the home, fitted with a range cooker, and there are nine bedrooms on the first floor. At the front of the property is a Carolean gatehouse dating from 1634, which forms the entrance to the formal gardens and an excellent vantage point to view the surrounding countryside.

Poxwell Manor, Dorset, £3,750,000, Strutt & Parker 108 THE ENGLISH HOME

5

6

A RICH HISTORY Only a ruined tower remains of the castle from which Warblington Castle derives its name, yet the Grade II listed country house in Hampshire is full of character and history. Past owners include Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury – a confidante of Catherine of Aragon – and the Cottons, whose Royalist support during the English Civil War led to the demolition of the manor, except for the Grade II* listed turret. The seven-bedroom residence dates largely from the seventeenth century, with beautiful stonework, stone flagged floors and exposed beams. The kitchen is particularly inviting, with an open fireplace and a large bay window looking out over the grounds. The property is close to the shores of Hampshire’s tranquil Langstone Harbour Nature Reserve.

Warblington Castle, Hampshire, £2,450,000, Jackson-Stops

6

SCENIC OUTLOOK Thorpe Salvin Hall is set within expansive grounds, including landscaped gardens, a paddock and a lake, in the South Yorkshire countryside. Charm abounds in the eighteenth-century house, with spacious reception rooms showcasing exquisite original features, ranging from ornate cornices and high ceilings to period fireplaces and stone mullioned windows.

An inner hallway gives access to the welcoming kitchen. This is fitted with an Aga and triple-aspect windows with views over the rural surroundings, and the nearby village and ruins of Thorpe Hall, a Grade II* listed Tudor manor. The games room is ideal for entertaining and opens directly on to the south-facing lawns. Upstairs are five bedrooms and four further rooms on the second floor.

Thorpe Salvin Hall, Yorkshire, £1,250,000, Fine & Country n

FEATURE JANINE JORGENSEN PHOTOGRAPH (4) JONATHAN STONE; (5) ANDY SCOTT

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e: home@scabetti.uk.com www.scabetti.uk.com

Image courtesy of HAUS of SILVA/Richard Lankester Design Consultants: Shoal366 in a Chelsea Residence, London

KENTCHURCH BUTLERS

An ideal present that will last forever. Hand painted and crafted in Devon, these delightful wooden side-tables are fun pieces of furniture to rest your drinks etc on. Standing 38’’ high, their sturdy trays are 25’’ above ground, an ideal height to place your favourite tipple when resting on your sofa after a hard day eventing.

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Mrs Minerva writes...

The art of

COUNTRY LIVING Passionate about quintessential English customs, our incognito columnist reminds us to do the best things in life in the most elegant fashion, always with a twinkle in her eye

M

It is delightful that the village telephone box has been transformed into a second-hand library, although the reading material on offer is sometimes below par.

r M and I could not be loving village life more – there is always something happening. Last week it was roadworks and the entire village was abuzz with talk of trenches being dug on Church Hill and Mrs Walters having her car boxed in by the contractors.

She blamed poor eyesight for not having seen the warning sign and, when Mr M enquired whether she should in fact be driving if she cannot see a huge yellow sign screaming ‘Road Closure’, she simply gave him a withering look and has not spoken to him since.

The subject of yellow has been high on the village gossip agenda as we are to have a new set of double yellow lines painted. More aesthetically minded villagers are adamant we should not have the lurid shade one sees in towns and are campaigning for something softer. Each time one rounds a corner, there is someone with a paint chart waxing lyrical about why Dayroom Yellow or Oxford Ochre would be more in keeping than the regular shade.

This approach is not without precedent; I understand a village in Scotland had its parking lines painted in a primrose shade, although this, too, was said to have divided local opinion, with some seeing red.

Mr M thinks this is all rather ridiculous and that it will lead to parking bays being marked out in pink, or the white lines in the middle of the road suddenly being changed to a pastel blue. I cannot bear another word on the subject, so leave the room each time it seems as if he might raise it again.

Having moved down the hill into the village proper we feel much more part of things. I have even begun

posting on the village forum. I used to lurk there – to keep up with the goings on, you understand – but now I post at least three times a day. Mr M has had a go himself, but his post on the decline of local newt habitat only got three likes and no responses, so he left in a huff and can be found muttering darkly about favouritism and the vagaries of “unsocial media”.

Our little piece of rural England has become something of a London outpost, with so many people having taken up permanent residence in their holiday homes throughout the various lockdowns. Traffic has increased in the Market Square and online. The incomers are prolific on the village forum and are quite changing the face of local life. Mrs Ashworth in the deli has begun stocking all sorts of odd and exotic ingredients since the townies moved in. I am secretly thrilled, but also a little put out as, when I asked her to get in some quinoa some years ago, she told me firmly that she “doesn’t hold with such things”.

The honesty library in the old red phone box has taken an interesting turn too, with historical romances crowded out by books on politics, philosophy and back issues of Tatler and Vogue. I have not heard such tutting since three copies of 50 Shades of Grey were donated as a Christmas raffle prize a few years back.

When we lived up at the big house we had little to do with the weekenders, so living amongst them has been something of a revelation. The vast majority are heavenly, and it is rather marvellous to be able to chat about London as I have not been for almost a year and am missing it hugely. The odd one or two are a little tiresome and cannot quite seem to get into the swing of country life. They complain about all sorts of odd things that really should not trouble one.  THE ENGLISH HOME 111

Mrs Minerva Writes...

LEFT There has been an absolute epidemic of new puppy owners in the village since lockdown. The Butterworth-Trotters treat theirs (left) as if it were a newborn child 112 THE ENGLISH HOME

SERVING IN STYLE Mrs M shares her favourite new discoveries for creating a rural idyll HEART OF THE COUNTRY HOME

Nothing says rural living quite as unequivocally as a country kitchen.

Often I will pop into a friend’s kitchen or see a picture of one on Instagram or in a magazine and fall instantly in love with it. When this happens, it turns out more often than not to be a kitchen by Plain English. There is something so quintessentially country about their designs that even if you are in the heart of the city you get that country house feel. I particularly adore this one (above). Its gorgeous neutral tones and beautiful sink make me want to spend hours in it.

A fully fitted Plain English kitchen starts from £80,000. You can find out more and spend hours gazing at the beautiful images at plainenglishdesign.co.uk

CONSIDERED MOVE PHOTOGRAPHS P111 © CORNFIELD / SHUTTERSTOCK; P112 (PUPPY) © CYNOCLUB / SHUTTERSTOCK; (EDIT58) © KIRSTY NOBLE

The local dairy farmer got the most hilarious letter from someone who (perhaps wisely) chose to remain anonymous. The thrust of the missive was a plea for the farmer to ‘wake up the cows a little later’ as they can be ‘terribly noisy first thing’.

I lived in London for a few years between leaving my parents and marrying Mr M. It was a joyous time during which I shared a flat with a bunch of adorable, untidy girls. My heart, though, is very firmly in the country, so I can completely see why the lockdown was the catalyst for so many people to up sticks for somewhere more rural. When all one has been allowed to do for months on end is to go for a walk, one wants to be surrounded by beautiful scenery and interesting wildlife.

Mr M and I have rather bonded over my new-found interest in nature. I admit that before the world changed I was much more interested in the theatre, galleries or the cinema than I was in the great outdoors. That has changed and now I cannot wait to tell my friends that there is a new foal in the field or that lambing has begun. I even helped another walker pop a sheep upright after it had fallen over in a field I skirt on my daily walk.

Embracing the new is the answer to a move from town to the country. Nothing stays the same forever and I rather think it keeps one young to have something new to look forward to. It is only a matter of weeks before we will be welcoming a new grandchild. A baby will be rather a novelty in the village as everyone else seems to have got themselves a lockdown puppy. One can barely move for the pitter-patter of tiny paws.

Previously this has been mainly a spaniel or lab area, but now we are seeing all sorts of exotic breeds. Mr M absolutely swore he saw a wolf in the garden of the Rose & Crown, so I popped in to have a word with Tom about keeping an eye on his drinking. I need not have worried. The beast in question was actually a Swedish Vallhund that had decamped from Clapham with his family. He is a jolly little fellow who gets on very well with all the village dogs. I think we can all learn from him and embrace our new neighbours. n

If you are looking to buy a house in the country or just adore looking at beautiful spaces, then take a look at Inigo, a new estate agency that specialises in Britain’s most marvellous historic homes. Whilst many are in cities, there is a good selection of country homes, too, and these are invariably my favourites. Each house listed has its story told beautifully in words and pictures, and the histories are quite fascinating. To fall in love with some of the most beautiful homes visit inigo.com

WINNING COMBINATION

Creating the perfect country home is about layering, taking the old and the new and seamlessly mixing them together. The best rooms tell the story of those who live in them. When it comes to new pieces, I head to edit58, which always has such interesting things.

I particularly love the capsule collection of handmade ceramics edit58 has launched with Kana London. The range includes brush pots, treasure trays, pinch pots and plates, with each limitededition piece featuring a subtle yet eye-catching pink splatter design.

With pieces from £30, they are sure to become family treasures.

For more, visit edit58.com

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Aga Tel 0115 946 6138 agaliving.com A G Hendy & Co Tel 01424 447171 aghendy.com Annabel James Tel 0345 548 0210 annabeljames.co.uk Anthropologie Tel 0808 196 8599 anthropologie.com Bathroom City Tel 0121 753 0700 bathroomcity.co.uk Beaumont & Fletcher Tel 020 7352 5594 beaumontandfletcher.com Benjamin Moore Tel 01753 575756 benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Bermondsey Antiques Tel 0333 358 3688 bermondseyantiquemarket. co.uk Blinds2go Tel 0800 862 0464 blinds-2go.co.uk Bluebell Gray Tel 0808 164 0130 bluebellgray.com Bramley Tel 01747 445067 bramleyproducts.co.uk C.P. Hart Tel 0345 873 1121 cphart.co.uk Cabbages & Roses Tel 01749 717095 cabbagesandroses.com Catchpole & Rye Tel 01233 840840 catchpoleandrye.com Chadder Tel 01342 823243 chadder.com Charley Chau Tel 0161 848 8702 charleychau.com Chelsea Textiles Tel 020 7584 5544 chelseatextiles.com Chloe Jonason Interiors Tel 07748 981961 chloejonasoninteriors.com Clearwater Tel 01322 473 222 clearwaterbaths.com Cole & Son Tel 020 7376 4628 cole-and-son.com Colefax and Fowler Tel 020 8877 6440 colefax.com Cox & Cox Tel 0330 333 2123 coxandcox.co.uk Cox Restoration Tel 01233 714950 coxrestorations.co.uk Curious Egg Tel 01738 621111 curiousegg.com David Austin Roses Tel 0800 111 4699 davidaustinroses.co.uk Denys and Fielding Tel 07528 578198 denysandfielding.co.uk

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Loaf Tel 020 3141 8300 loaf.com Lola and Mawu Tel 07380 170206 lolaandmawu.com Lots Road Auction Tel 020 7376 6800 lotsroad.com MindtheGap Tel +40 265 264121 mindtheg.com Molly Mahon Tel 01342 825700 mollymahon.com Nicholas Engert Tel 01488 657900 nicholasengert.co.uk Nordic Style Tel 020 7351 1755 nordicstylelondon.com Odd Ltd Tel 01865 416836 oddlimited.com Oka Tel 01235 433930 oka.com Olive and the Fox Tel 01892 614197 oliveandthefox.co.uk Original Style Tel 01392 473000 originalstyle.com Paint & Paper Library Tel 0161 230 0882 paintandpaperlibrary.com Pashley Tel 01789 292263 pashley.co.uk Penny Morrison Tel 020 7384 2975 pennymorrison.com Phoenix Antiques Tel 01892 549099 phoenixantiques.co.uk Pierre Frey Tel 020 7376 5599 pierrefrey.com Pippa Paton Tel 01865 595470 pippapatondesign.co.uk Plain English Tel 020 7486 2674 plainenglishdesign.co.uk Portmeirion Tel 01782 743427 portmeirion.co.uk Profile Books Tel 020 7841 6300 profilebooks.com Revival Upholstery Tel 020 7727 9843 revivalupholstery.co.uk Ripples Bathrooms Tel 020 7449 9594 ripplesbathrooms.com Robert Kime Tel 020 7831 6066 robertkime.com Rosanna Bossom Tel 020 3991 4552 rosannabossom.co.uk Rowen & Wren Tel 01276 451077 rowenandwren.co.uk Samuel & Sons Tel 020 7351 5153 samuelandsons.com

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THE ENGLISH HOME 113

ONE FINAL THING…

Imbue interiors with the spirit of a classic country house weekend

D

114 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE SARAH FEELEY, KATY MCLEAN

ecadent English country house parties of the 1920s and 30s were the inspiration behind Mulberry Home’s Long Weekend collection, an eclectic mix of prints, stripes, embroidery and velvets, launched to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary this year.

Held from Saturday to Monday, interwar country house parties attracted aristocrats, artists, film stars and poets alike, with sporting pursuits, dressing fabulously for dinner and amateur dramatics all part of the fun. The colour palette for the velvets in the collection was drawn from the smoking jackets and sumptuous evening gowns of the era.

This whimsical range also embodies a sense of adventurous travel and escapism. gpjbaker.com/brands/mulberry-home

WHY HARTLEY

VICTORIAN GRAND MANOR Virginia, USA

BEAUTY & ELEGANCE The incomparable range of simply beautiful and elegant structures means Hartley Botanic can create designs that are distinctive and unique. The Victorian, Heritage and Modern Glasshouse ranges are so comprehensive you don’t have to go anywhere else to find your beautifully crafted, high-quality Glasshouses from the widest of choices.

Discover the secret of Hartley Botanic by calling 781 933 1993 or visit www.hartley-botanic.com

HANDMADE IN ENGLAND, CHERISHED IN AMERICA The only aluminium Glasshouses and Greenhouses endorsed by the RHS

® The Royal Horticultural Society. The Royal Horticultural Society, and its logo, are trade marks of The Royal Horticultural Society (Registered Charity No 222879/SC038262) and used under licence from RHS Enterprises Limited.

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