The English Home April 2021

The

ENGLISH HOME

Celebrating the essence of English style April 2021 | Issue 194 | £4.75 | UK Edition

SPRING FORWARD Renew, refresh & revitalise life at home

EXPERT GUIDES • Blissful bedrooms • Perfect sitting rooms

TIME TO INDULGE IN • Seasonal flowers • Easter entertaining

NEW COLLECTIONS Tempting fabrics, wallcoverings & colour palettes

CLEVER CURATION How best to display art and antiques

Both free-standing and fitted, sympathetically designed to work with your house’s architecture and built to last a lifetime.

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CONTENTS APRIL 2021

36

Notebook

English homes

Style inspiration

17 NEWS Our monthly digest of notable

36 SENSE OF BALANCE An eighteenth-

71 PERFECT PARTNERSHIP The harmonious

people, places and products.

24 DESIGN DISCOVERIES Beautiful new

home buys on our radar this month.

30 RAY OF SUNSHINE Add a cheerful glow

to interiors with pieces in yellow hues.

32 IN FINE TRADITION Folkloric style for

rustic charm and individual character.

34 THE EDIT Barneby Gates, Thibaut and

The Footstool Workshop catch our eye.

35 SUBSCRIBE The perfect gift for a

loved one or a treat for yourself – a subscription to The English Home.

8 THE ENGLISH HOME

century former schoolhouse is updated with a seamless blend of old and new.

46 AFFINITY & ALLURE Introducing colour

and optimising space lends new life to an elegant Chelsea house.

54 FAMILY AFFAIR How careful conservation

of a historic Oxfordshire cottage has created a treasured family home.

62 HOUSE OF MEMORIES Elegantly curated

finds are amongst the many interior delights of a Victorian London property.

marriage of blue and white.

72 SPRING AWAKENING New fabrics and

wallpapers from the latest collections.

82 WAYS WITH ART AND ANTIQUES

Making the most of treasured objects.

90 RESTFUL BEDROOMS Design ideas

to create the perfect sanctuary.

100 THE STORY OF BRIDGMAN Luxurious

outdoor/indoor furniture.

102 CREATING AN ENGLISH LIVING ROOM

Deceptively layered, relaxed elegance for a timeless look.

62

104 90 62

64

82 54

Quintessentially 111 A TASTE OF SPRING Iced bluebells atop

a delicious almond sponge cake.

112 FROM PATCH TO PLATE: MATTHEW FORT

Our food columnist on the delights of foraging and woodland finds.

114 THE SEASONAL HOME: SPRING Bring

joyful colour with seasonal blooms.

120 LIVING WELL Ideas and inspiration for

positive and uplifting lifestyle changes.

130 MY DESIGN HERO Interior designer

Justin Van Breda on design legend Nicky Haslam.

114 THE ENGLISH HOME 9

A letter from home Timeless blue-andwhite colour palettes have been given new treatments for the spring collections, perfect for bringing a fresh look to classic and contemporary interiors (page 72) .These trims from Travers provide an easy update.

S

pring is always a time of change, but perhaps this year we are more ready than ever to usher in the new. In fact, renew, revitalise and refresh were the words at the forefront of my mind when planning this issue with the team, as we embrace an optimistic mood.

The interiors industry has captured this positivity with its mood-enhancing new fabric and wallpaper collections in designs that reference the beauty of the natural world, artistic inspiration and bright colour palettes (p72). We also wanted to bring one of the most positive hues – yellow – to light, it being perfect for invigorating schemes with new accessories (p30), and pieces with hand-crafted appeal (p32).

Elsewhere this issue we’ve taken a look at how to refresh bedrooms in order to create a restful sanctuary that’s well designed and full of character (p90). This is the perfect time of year, too, to revisit the pieces we already own and treasure to ensure they are being presented in the best possible way, and our feature on displaying art and antiques (p82) provides an expert guide on how to do just that.

Finally, don’t miss our Living Well feature (p120) or our guide to arranging and preserving spring flowers in Seasonal Home (p114) to help you plan for Easter and beyond. We hope this issue will put a spring in your step and inspire you to make the most of all the season has to offer.

Follow us on Twitter @englishhometeam Pinterest at pinterest.com/theenglishhome Facebook at facebook.com@theenglishhome Instagram at instagram.com@englishhomemag

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PORTRAIT GRANT SCOTT PHOTOGRAPH KIP DAWKINS

Samantha Scott-Jeffries, Editor

High-performance, bleach-cleanable rugs made from 100% recycled water bottles

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The

ENGLISH HOME

Celebrating the essence of English style April 2021 | Issue 194 | £4.75 | UK Edition

SPRING FORWARD Renew, refresh & revitalise life at home

EXPERT GUIDES

CONTACT US Editorial 0333 014 3215 The English Home, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Email theenglishhome@chelseamagazines.com Website theenglishhome.co.uk Advertising/Publishing 020 7349 3700 The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd Email info@chelseamagazines.com

• Blissful bedrooms • Perfect sitting rooms

TIME TO INDULGE IN • Seasonal flowers • Easter entertaining

NEW COLLECTIONS Tempting fabrics, wallcoverings & colour palettes

TEH UK April 2021 COVER FINAL.indd 1

EDITORIAL

COVER PHOTOGRAPH: © ASTRID TEMPLIER

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

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CLEVER CURATION How best to display art and antiques

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It is amazing to be able to learn and receive feedback directly from the experts.

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For further inspiration on creating a quintessentially English home, visit our website theenglishhome.co.uk

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NOTEBOOK

Our monthly edit of news, shopping inspiration and inside information

SPOTLIGHT ON…

Flora & Fauna by de Gournay Esteemed design house de Gournay is most famous for its exquisite chinoiserie wallpaper, yet it also produces fine fabrics and porcelain pieces including vases, lamps, decorative objects and dinner services.

The brand’s Flora & Fauna porcelain dinner service (above) features hand-painted exotic birds flying and swooping inside rims delicately decorated with garlands of peonies, leaves and gold gilt.

The design on each plate in the service is unique, the beautiful bird images, such as the colourful Carolina parrot (above),

borrowed from the renowned nineteenthcentury artists and ornithologists John Gould and John James Audubon.

Every piece is hand-thrown, fired and painted using centuries-old techniques, “a rare expression of an ancient craft that has survived almost unchanged into the 21st century,” says the brand. degournay.com  THE ENGLISH HOME 17

NEWS

OUTSIDE INFLUENCES

Outdoor furniture with indoor sophistication Fluidity and elegance with sophisticated neutrals and bold, sculptural silhouettes exemplify the signature style of interior designer Fiona Barratt-Campbell. The same design DNA can be found in newly launched items for her outdoor furniture collection, Foras. From sofas, armchairs and loungers to coffee and dining tables, each piece is made to order and can be upholstered with rich patterned or neutral fabrics and leathers, all suitable for outdoor use.

“In 2020, the emphasis on outdoor socialising meant that we placed a huge amount of importance on the design and dressing of our gardens, terraces, courtyards or balconies,” she says. “We have designed a number of new pieces perfect for outdoor lounging, dining and entertaining.” Fiona works with craftsmen based in the North East of England. fbc-london.com

BRINGING NATURE HOME Charming fabrics gentle on the planet

Sarah Castle discovered her joy for textiles working in the cottons department at Liberty of London. When her children grew up and she had more time to be creative, she took a course on screen-printing and lino-cutting and learned how to translate a simple drawing into a printed fabric. She founded The Linen Ladder in 2019 and her studio is based in a converted barn surrounded by hop fields, meadows, orchards and woodland near Sissinghurst Castle in Kent.

Feathers, leaves, seeds and cones gathered on walks nearby inspired The Sissinghurst Collection, with complementary designs in a soothing pretty palette, printed in England using “linen of the highest quality that is gentle on the environment,” she explains.

“We endeavour to be as friendly to our environment as possible; it is where our inspiration comes from and is therefore vital to us.” thelinenladder.com

IMAGINATION TAKES FLIGHT English-made wallpapers inspired by nature

Watching bumblebees buzzing around flowers in an English garden in springtime inspired Leanne Pollard to design a vibrant wallpaper collection under her brand Hattie Lloyd Home. She began by sketching the bees in the garden of Goddards House in York, the former home of famous chocolatiers the Terry family. Back at home, Leanne embellished her sketches, adding flowers, petals and leaves.

Bee Bloom wallpaper is made in England, comes in colourways like Dusky Pink, Duck Egg and Silver, and has just been launched in limited-edition Gold. “I wanted to add subtle luxury to this design,” says Leanne. “I had cosy, candlelit rooms in mind, where the paper has a light gleam, giving beautiful ambiance. I love the way it can transform a very ordinary room like a cloakroom into a place of sophistication.” She started the company as a hobby in 2012 whilst working in advertising, and is now full-time. hattielloyd.com  18 THE ENGLISH HOME

ARTISAN ABODE

Home . . . it’s different for everybody

SS21 Palazzo Collection Here comes the sun . . .

artisanabode.co.uk

home furnishings and accessories | hello@artisanabode.co.uk | 01626 834705 |

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NEWS

GRACEFUL CRAFTSMANSHIP Martin Brudnizki’s first home collection Martin Brudnizki is one of the most exciting and sought-after interior designers in the world today, so his first home collection has been eagerly anticipated – and does not disappoint.

Encompassing tables, consoles, chairs, armchairs, sofas, bookcases, lighting and stools, the 14-piece collection has been launched under product atelier And Objects (founded by Martin with design partner Nicholas Jeanes in 2015) and is the first time the studio has designed without a collaborator or client in mind.

“We’ve always designed pieces for our interiors or other producers, and love the collaboration on these projects, fusing our approach with another brand,” says Martin. “But we really wanted to take a step back and understand what And Objects stands for. What would a table look like if we had absolute freedom to create it? Hence this collection. It takes our focus on craftmanship and combines it with a sense of playfulness to create a range of furniture for homes that embodies And Objects.”

20 THE ENGLISH HOME

Inspiration for the collection came from the Swedish Grace period of the 1920s, which fused elements of neo-classical, art deco and Swedish folk patterns.

“To my mind,” says Martin, “Swedish Grace derives from three main influences, and it is the balance of all three that creates a really beautiful and rather delicate aesthetic. We didn’t want to create a collection that copied these beautiful designs, but instead was influenced by them and could move the conversation forward without being pastiche. We knew that for it to be more contemporary the shapes should be more sculptural and less sharp, the materiality more modern and less art deco, and have more colour.”

Most of the collection was made in the UK by craftsmen in small workshops from Dorset to Lancashire. “We find understanding the production process in meticulous detail really aids in designing the products and adapting your initial vision to make it not only viable, but more beautiful,” says Martin. andobjects.com 

Find your flame. www.charltonandjenrick.co.uk

ELECTRIC

01952 200 444

GAS

|

marketing@charltonandjenrick.co.uk

WOOD BURNING

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M U LT I - F U E L

NEWS

WEAVING DREAM SCHEMES As befits a former fashion designer with decades of experience, Matthew Williamson knows exactly how to put together the perfect look, whether for the red carpet or a room. “Starting a room with a rug makes a lot of sense. It can really anchor the room,” he says.

“A beautiful rug can give you a palette or a sounding board for the rest of the room. You could pick out specific colours from the weave and take them onto the walls, into the soft furnishings and even up onto the ceiling for a dramatic look.”

Just like his fashion designs, Matthew’s new collection of rugs features colour combinations and original patterns with global influences inspired by nature.

He collaborated with Obeetee, the largest handmade rug-maker in India.

“One of the key considerations for my collection of rugs was an element of craftsmanship,” Matthew says. “I am an admirer of craft in all its forms, celebrating the natural material used in the process.

From mesmerising woodwork to the brutal beauty of ironmongery, these quintessentially human skills can have a hugely uplifting presence in the home.

“Working with hand-woven rugs, for this reason, is a dream come true for me, especially working with Obeetee – a world leader in the creation of exquisitely handcrafted rugs. Its respect for provenance, authenticity and its unrivalled skill was a huge draw, and resonates with my passion for unique and well-made homewares.

I wanted the rugs to be practical and last a lifetime, but also to bring a touch of whimsy and joy to any room.”

Born in Manchester, as a child Matthew was dazzled by his stylish mother’s choices of clothing and decor.

After graduating in fashion and textile design from Central Saint Martins in 1994, he launched his fashion label in 1996 and became hugely successful worldwide. Having pivoted in recent years from the world of fashion to interiors, he says: “Putting an outfit or a room together that brings a smile to your face and the faces of others is the objective in any project I undertake.” matthewwilliamson.com

SEASONAL SHOWCASE London Design Week 2021

Explore the new-season interiors collections and revel in the joyful palettes, uplifting patterns and defining products for spring and summer 2021 at London Design Week. Hosted by Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, the event will showcase the best in design from 120 international showrooms, with insider insights from the people who shaped the new-season home collections.

A stellar line-up of online talks, masterclasses and businessfocused sessions will provide conversations and in-depth analysis.

22 THE ENGLISH HOME

Draw design inspiration for the home from daily virtual events streamed online that are open to all and entirely free to view.

This digital programme will hopefully be complemented by in-person events at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, government guidelines permitting. dcch.co.uk; 12–16 April. Details correct at time of going to press but subject to possible change in line with government guidelines. Please check before travelling. n

FEATURE SARAH FEELEY PHOTOGRAPHS P18 (MIDDLE) © SARAH CASTLE. P20 (MIDDLE) © PETE NAVEY, (REST) © MICHAEL SINCLAIR. P22 (PORTRAIT) © SARAH EYTON

New rugs by Matthew Williamson

Delivering luxury...

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DESIGN DISCOVERIES

Chic style and heritage influences form the focus of this month’s beautiful buys

WILD BEAUTY The verdant hues and wild coastal beauty of western Scotland fed artist Angie Lewin’s imagination for her latest design for St Jude’s, producing a bold three-tone print originating from her Black Island linocut block work.

The Island linen, £78 a metre, St Jude’s

HERITAGE AND HISTORY Created as part of the historic Chelsea Barracks development, the 11 pieces in the furniture and homeware collection from interior design studio Albion Nord sees each item crafted by leading British artisans, including this oak side table from craftsman Rory Stride.

Elizabeth Side Table made by Stride & Co, £2,000, Albion Nord x The Chelsea Barracks Collection

PRACTICAL LUXURY Add a touch of beauty to everyday dining with these gauze linen pieces.

They are cut, sewn and dyed by craftsmen in the Veneto region of Italy exclusively for online interiors concept store &You. Table linen, from £60 for four napkins, &You x Once Milano 24 THE ENGLISH HOME

SHOPPING

THROUGH THE DECADES To mark its 75th anniversary this year, Graham & Brown has delved into its archives to produce its new ‘Through the Decades’ wallpaper collection. There is a limited-edition design for each decade since the brand was founded and all proceeds go to charity. We love the delicate roses of this 1940s-inspired wallpaper design.

Parsonage Bloom, £65 a roll, Graham & Brown 

THE ENGLISH HOME 25

SHOPPING

PAINT PERFECT Ca’ Pietra has launched its first paint collection, Proper Good Paint.

Featuring 35 colours designed to complement the brand’s tile and stone ranges, the collection includes this beautiful Ophelia’s Blush pink, perfect for bathrooms and beyond.

Proper Good Paint, from £46 for 2.5l Emulsion, Ca’ Pietra

ECO-FRIENDLY FABRIC Using offcuts from the fashion industry, the new 46-colour collection from Linwood is woven with 80 per cent recycled cotton to create a sustainable chemical-free double brushed fabric ideal for use in curtains, covers and upholstery.

Verde collection, £39.90 a metre, Linwood

FIT TO SCALE Cleverly combining a traditional pleated form with modern brass material, designer Matilda Goad’s latest lighting offering also includes an adjustable lamp base to allow the flexibility to use either small or large lampshades.

Brass lamp base, £350; Brass Concertina lampshade, from £175 (small), both Matilda Goad 26 THE ENGLISH HOME

BOTANICAL WEAVE Add a fresh touch to much-loved pieces with the textured vertical stripes of this new addition to the Guy Goodfellow stable, seen here in one of four available colourways.

Cothay Stripe in Lawn, £210 a metre, Guy Goodfellow 

FOR THE FULL TETRAD EXPERIENCE PLEASE CONTACT OUR PREMIER STOCKISTS LISTED BELOW Aberdeen Archibalds • Aberdeen Gillies • Aberdeen Sterling Furniture • Abingdon Lee Longlands • Accrington Taskers of Accrington • Banbury Bennetts • Banchory Taylors • Bangor Caprice • Barnstaple Padfields • Barrow-in-Furness Stollers • Bath TR Hayes • Battersea, London Barker & Stonehouse • Beverley Alexander Ellis Furniture Emporium • Birmingham Lee Longlands • Bo’ness Belgica • Boston Sack Store • Brighouse Websters Furniture • Burton upon Trent Haynes Furnishings • Cardiff Arthur Llewellyn Jenkins • Carlisle Vaseys • Chesterfield Brampton House Furnishers • Clitheroe Shackletons Home & Garden • Colchester Hatfields of Colchester • Crickhowell, Wales Webbs of Crickhowell • Darlington Barker & Stonehouse • Derby Lee Longlands • Dundee Gillies • Dundee Sterling • Dunfermline Thomsons World of Furniture • Dumfries Barbours • Ealing, London Brentham Furniture • Edinburgh Martin & Frost • Elgin Anderson & England • Exeter Stoneman & Bowker • Gateshead Barker & Stonehouse • Glasgow Forrest Furnishing • Glasgow Sterling Furniture • Grimsby AW Robinson Furniture • Guernsey Scope Furnishing • Guildford Barker & Stonehouse • Harrogate Smiths: The Rink • Haverfordwest Furniture Directory• Holt Bakers and Larners • Hove Barker & Stonehouse • Hull Barker & Stonehouse • Inverness Gillies • Inverness Sterling Furniture • Inverurie Andersons • Isle of Wight Bayliss & Booth • Kilmarnock Tannahills • Knaresborough Barker & Stonehouse • Leamington Spa Whartons • Leeds Barker & Stonehouse • Leicester Langtons • Lincoln GH Shaw • Llanidloes Hafren Furnishers • Macclesfield Arighi Bianchi • Malvern Rhubarb Home • Market Harborough Furniture Loft • Montrose Buicks • Nelson Pendle Village Mill • Newcastle Barker & Stonehouse • Northants, Heart of the Shires Texture Interiors • Northants, Towcester, Texture Interiors • Norwich Jarrolds • Nottingham Barker & Stonehouse • Perth Gillies • Rainham G Lukehurst • Ringwood Furlong Furniture • Salisbury Mylor & Mawes • Sheffield Ponsford • Shrewsbury Cousins Furniture • Solihull Whartons • Southsea Design House • Stamford Stamford Garden Centre • Stratford-upon-Avon Home of the Sofa • Street and Weston-Super-Mare Living Homes • Swansea Arthur Llewellyn Jenkins • Teeside Barker & Stonehouse • Tewkesbury Pavilion Broadway • Tillicoultry Sterling Furniture • Tunbridge Wells Hoopers • Waltham Cross Fishpools • Winchester Design House • Windsor WJ Daniel • Worcester Holloways Home & Garden Furniture • Yeovil The Old Creamery • York Browns

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO FIND YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST PLEASE VISIT WWW.TETRAD.CO.UK

SHOPPING

ILLUMINATING ART Featuring textured cubes of resin, imprinted with tree bark, offset against smooth pearl forms, Margit Wittig’s new Cube collection comprises a chandelier, and ceiling, table and floor lamps, with each piece handmade by the artist herself.

Cube collection, from £1,800, Margit Wittig

Designer Debby Tenquist’s passion for Oriental art influenced her Silk Road collection, seen here in one of two designs digitally printed in the UK on 100 per cent Belgian linen.

Duck & Deer, £160 a metre, Botanica Trading at The Fabric Collective

DEBUT WALLPAPER Repeated customer enquiries led textile designer Pippa Blacker to translate three of her most popular prints into an inaugural wallpaper range, digitally printed in the UK on uncoated non-woven paper.

Falling Leaves, Walking in Heather, and Lavender (each available in five colourways), £85 a roll, Pippa Blacker 28 THE ENGLISH HOME

CHIC REPOSE Opt to dine in glamour with the sleek curves, piped trim and polished wooden frame of this smart new seating design, seen here in Bahama cotton matt velvet.

Margaux dining chair, from £450, sofa.com n

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON PHOTOGRAPHS P24 (ST JUDE’S) YESHEN VENEMA. P26 (LINWOOD) JOHN BAILEY; (GUY GOODFELLOW) ASTRID TEMPLIER

ORIENTAL INFLUENCE

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SHOPPING

Yellow pressed glass vase, £24, Beaumonde

Gallery ceramics round side plate, yellow/pink (ACE6783), £13, HK Living, Heal’s

Artificial Yellow Lavender plant in decorative metallic ceramic pot, £39.99, Homescapes

Kiki napkin in Daffodil, £28 each, Shenouk Yellow scalloped bed linen, from £22.50, Sophie Conran

RAY OF SUNSHINE

Mimulus wallpaper, £175 a roll, Mind the Gap

Yellow is a colour full of hope – it lifts the spirits, signifies optimism and brightens a room. It is no wonder that it is seeing a bit of a moment in interiors as a ‘colour of the year’ at a time when rays of sunshine are needed to break through the gloom. Softer, creamier pastel shades of primrose or daffodil yellows are a gentler way to use this tone than rich mustards or citrusy lemons, and also imbue a prettiness to the home. It works well against crisp whites for a fresh bedroom, or as a charming foil to soft greys for a more contemporary take. A table dressed in yellow would make for a joyous celebration and a yellow accent will add a cheerful glow to any room.

Primrose Hill, £25 for 1l Pure Matt Emulsion, Fenwick & Tilbrook

Buttercup glass bird hanging decoration, £19.50 (set of three), Ella James

Tormore cushion in Maize, £39, Sheridan Grace armchair in Ochre classic velvet, £899, Cotswold Company

AggCoddler egg coddler in Yellow, £19.50, Divertimenti 30 THE ENGLISH HOME

Colourful Life Lemon Pie cocktail/water glass, £23.90 (set of four), Villeroy & Boch

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN PHOTOGRAPH (BEAUMONDE) MICHAEL BAY

Hawthorn Yellow, Dover White and Holkham Dune Victorian floor tiles, £0.52 each, all Original Style

Glass Menagerie Owl vase, £295, Jonathan Adler

Decorative Easter Eggs, £34, Deoli Ivy, Curated Living Limited

Selection of fabrics from the Matyo collection, all £64 a metre, Julia Brendel

IN FINE TRADITION Create an artisan feel to interiors with decor that celebrates folk traditions.

Naïve arts, hand-painted furniture, embroidered or block-printed textiles and carved woods combine for a tactile, rustic charm. Whether native skills, Eastern European in influence or more tribal in style, these crafted pieces add an interesting layer of character and intrigue. Often bright and colourful, and simplifying floral or animal shapes, folk designs are perfect for the eclectic home, though for a calmer look, neutral options are also to be found.

For an endearing Easter display, seek eggs with decorative folk-style floral patterns – the creatively minded may feel inspired to paint their own.

Carved Wooden Floral picture frame, £15, Mint & May

Rocket Fire, Citrus Zing and Bluebird Skies, all £16 for 2.5l Emulsion, Dulux

Karni lamp base, from £365, Penny Morrison

Truman sofa in Zabola, £1,850, Mind The Gap

Swedish Folklore candlesticks, £40, Raj Tent Club

Bolga pot basket with a lid, Nyako, £37, Lola & Mawu

32 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE KATY MCCLEAN PHOTOGRAPH (PENNY MORRISON) © MIKE GARLICK PHOTOGRAPHY

Kate Black Folk Art Flag cushion, £95, The Shop Floor Project

Marigold yellow embroidery art, £85, Ovo Bloom

‘Boscobel’ English Shrub Rose

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NEWS

THE EDIT Ways to add colour to interiors is on the agenda as fabrics, wallpapers and footstools catch Editor-at-Large Kate Freud’s eye this month BARNEBY GATES

THE FOOTSTOOL WORKSHOP Following the success of their sister company The Headboard Workshop, The Footstool Workshop was founded in 2009 with the same passion for making beautiful things. Based in South Wales, the skilled craftsmen, designers and upholsterers working behind the scenes have many years of experience between them, but their enthusiasm never faulters.

Whether seeking a small footrest, a footstool or an ottoman, the brand’s easy-to-use website makes designing a personalised footstool straightforward, from start to finish. Choices include everything from the size, the type of top, the legs, trims, the option of clever additional 34 THE ENGLISH HOME

storage and, of course, the fabric. Not only are there 150 different fabrics to choose from in its range, but customers can supply a fabric of their own. With an extensive gallery of images of the craftsmanship on offer on the website, too, there is plenty to inspire. thefootstoolworkshop.co.uk

THIBAUT In the world of wallpaper and fabric, there are few brands with a history as rich as Thibaut’s, which, as it was established in 1886, is the UK’s oldest continuously operating wallpaper firm.

Today, alongside an extensive archive of wallpapers, the brand offers an impressive variety of wallcoverings, co-ordinating print fabrics, embroideries and woven upholstery textiles. The addition of upholstered furniture to its collection has made it a firm favourite with interior designers and high-end customers alike.

What sets Thibaut apart is its signature bold colour palette that works equally well with both traditional and more contemporary designs. Its offering includes everything from historic reproductions to tropical and novelty prints, so there really is something for everybody.

New for 2021 is the brand’s Heritage Collection of co-ordinating wallpapers and fabrics which is something to behold, and the look is perfected with the addition of Thibaut’s new Tapes & Trims range. thibautdesign.com n

PHOTOGRAPHS (BARNEBY GATES) © BEN PHILLIPS; (THIBAUT) © KIP DAWKINS

When childhood friends Vanessa Barneby (who had studied decorative painting and trompe l’oeil) and Alice Gates (a figurative painter) joined forces to create Barneby Gates wallpapers and fabrics, we knew we were in for something special. Founded in 2009, the company is now based in Wiltshire’s beautiful Vale of Pewsey, where the pair design and print their range of idiosyncratically English designs by hand.

The majority of their styles give classical ideas a contemporary edge with metallic finishes and often a wry touch of humour.

Inspiration typically comes from the natural world with popular prints including the scallop shell, pheasants and pineapples.

This spring sees the launch of their wallpaper collaboration with floral stylist Willow Crossley. The two designs, Botanica and Maharani Block Print (left), perfectly reflect Barnaby Gates’ use of colour and texture and Crossley’s love of the natural world. barnebygates.com

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Sense of BALANCE Interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch has harmoniously combined old and new to transform an eighteenth-century former schoolhouse into a much-loved family home FEATURE & STYLING CLAIR WAYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY RACHAEL SMITH

36 THE ENGLISH HOME

Emma loves to prop artwork against walls to create a balanced display that can be changed at whim. The landscapes seen here are by Emma’s daughter, artist Daisy Sims-Hilditch, whilst the portrait is by Rachel Personett.

OPPOSITE Curved lime plaster walls and an original 200-year-old beam bring character to the inner hall. The oak bench is bespoke and based on an antique.

THE ENGLISH HOME 37

ABOVE The garden room is newly constructed on the site of a derelict old shed. Rather than creating a traditional conservatory with a fully glazed roof, Emma and John opted for a solid roof and a slice of glass above that washes the room in soft light.

Try Neptune’s Cranbrook rough boarding for a similar look on the walls.

H

aving both grown up in the countryside, Emma and John Sims-Hilditch always knew they wanted to bring up their family in a rural setting. So in 1990, newly-wed and living in London, they began searching for a country property in Wiltshire. A trio of dilapidated Grade II listed cottages that had once been a village school soon caught their eye. “We were both really excited about the idea,” says Emma. “For the same money, we would have been able to buy a refurbished two-up-two-down terraced house in a village, so it was either that or take a gamble and go for something like this, which needed a full conversion. I remember family friends advising us not to take it on because they thought it was far too big a project, but we were very gung-ho and thought ‘we can do this’.”

It is perhaps not surprising the couple, despite being in their early twenties, were not daunted by taking on such a challenging renovation, as Emma went on to set up a successful interior design practice, Sims Hilditch, and John co-founded well-known kitchen, furniture and homeware brand Neptune.

38 THE ENGLISH HOME

However, before buying the property, they discovered there was an unusual clause in the contract involving an elderly gentleman called Cyril, who was the original school caretaker and still living in one of the cottages. “The school closed in 1979 and Cyril managed to stay on as a sort of sitting tenant,” explains Emma. “When we bought the cottages, he paid us a peppercorn rent and was there until he passed away 10 years later. We loved Cyril, he was a real ‘salt of the earth’ old boy who had lived in the village all his life and had so many stories to tell.”

Dating back to 1790, the three cottages were originally built by the local landowner for his farm workers to live in. He later bequeathed the cottages to the village church to be used as a school. One front entrance led into the school room, whilst the one to the right led into the headmistress’s living quarters.

When Emma and John first acquired the neglected cottages, they converted the old school room into accommodation for themselves and their growing family. (The couple have three children, Daisy, Betty and Billy, who are now all in their twenties.)

The kitchen is updated regularly with fresh colourways and the island is currently painted in Olive from Neptune.

The Carrara marble worktops are from Anything Stone.

‘Our whole ethos was to retain as much of the original character of the building as we could’ The property, which dates from the 1790s, was originally three farmworkers’ cottages, then a schoolhouse to the left and headmistress’s living quarters to the right.

ABOVE Emma sits in her favourite spot on one of a pair of George Smith armchairs. For a similar widestriped fabric try Rayure Gatsby No2 from Nobilis.

THE ENGLISH HOME 39

For spring, Emma has freshened up the look in the sitting room with a mix of soft pink and green cushions from Fermoie and Neptune. The dependable Jøtul wood-burning stove adds to the farmhouse charm. The barn doors are painted in French Gray by Farrow & Ball.

40 THE ENGLISH HOME

The original kitchen is used mainly during the winter months, when the oil-fired Aga keeps the room warm. Art in the form of a toucan by master ceramicist John Chipperfield, founder of the Suffolk Craft Society, sits on the shelf above. The farmhouse table is contrasted by a pair of early Ikea metal chairs with seats painted in Willow Tree by Dulux.

ABOVE The staircase leading to the inner hall was inspired by a trip to Provence and built using breeze blocks and a bespoke iron handrail. Blond Barr French limestone from Artisans of Devizes covers the steps and floor.

‘As well as getting the architectural detailing right, we wanted a balance between formality and informality’ After Cyril passed away, the couple started on the second stage, turning the cottages into one home.

Then, in 2007, they acquired the ramshackle barn next door and connected it to the main property, converting it into an open-plan sitting room and kitchen, with a master bedroom above. “Originally the barn just had a basic corrugated-iron roof and no windows or doors,” says Emma. “As it’s on a slope, we had to dig out the kitchen to get the head height, with steps up into the sitting room area. It was quite an architectural and mathematical conundrum, but John is very good at layouts and space planning, so he enjoyed working closely with the architect.”

The whole property is Grade II listed, so Emma and John carefully worked within the existing footprint, without compromising on style. “Our whole ethos was to try and retain as much of the original character of the building as we could. We also wanted to create layers of texture throughout the house and bring character to the new spaces with rough pine boarding and tactile lime plaster.”

Old has been blended with new and curved archways eliminate the need for doors downstairs, creating an open, informal feel. Wood boards painted in a light wash cover walls and ceilings, creating a  cocooning effect, whilst textural French limestone

ABOVE LEFT The floating bookcase above the sitting room is made using versatile Pembroke fitted shelves from Neptune.

ABOVE The barn conversion containing the sitting room, kitchen and master bedroom above is joined to the original cottages.

THE ENGLISH HOME 41

‘We wanted to create layers of texture throughout and bring character to the new spaces with rough pine boarding and tactile lime plaster’ ABOVE LEFT “I really wanted a bathtub in our bedroom and it’s strategically placed to make the most of the gorgeous view up the valley,” says Emma. The reclaimed bath is painted in Pigeon by Farrow & Ball.

ABOVE RIGHT A partition behind the bed in the master bedroom leads to a shower on one side and a bathroom on the other. Neptune’s Chichester counterop washstand provides practical storage. The pebble floor tiles are

by Mandarin Stone.

blends with the original stone, evoking a rustic Provençal farmhouse feel, whilst the high ceilings and pale beams create a sense of openness and light.

“We’ve used a water and emulsion paint mix to create a lovely, pale, weathered look on both the Douglas Fir beams and the basic builders’ merchant pine boards, so it feels like these spaces have been here for a long time, rather than newly added.”

During the renovation, Emma and John went on an inspirational trip to Belgium to soak up the atmosphere. “I’m very influenced by Belgian designers and love their rustic farmhouse aesthetic,” Emma says. The result is a dramatic limestone fireplace for the sitting room, designed with the help of Alex Puddy from Architectural Heritage. They gleaned more ideas from La Bastide de Marie hotel in Provence, installing a pair of staircases with bespoke iron handrails made by a local blacksmith. “I wanted quite an aged, artisan feel, so I asked the blacksmith to hammer and dent the metal to create a rustic effect,” explains Emma.

42 THE ENGLISH HOME

Deciding to keep half the barn full height, Emma and John created a huge bookcase overlooking the lofty sitting room. “I was keen to create a sense of drama in this room and we needed somewhere to store all our lovely books,” says Emma. “As we were building this wall from scratch, I thought we should make it deep enough for a bookcase, otherwise, it would have just been a plain, painted plaster wall.” Whilst the majority of the sitting room has been newly constructed, the barn’s original Cotswold stone wall has been repointed and rebuilt in certain areas, so it all blends seamlessly.

Emma is a big believer in sustainability and loves to mix treasured antiques with good-quality newer pieces that are made to last. This means the interiors have stood the test of time and Emma’s motto of buying once and buying well holds true. Choosing a neutral backdrop of colours has meant that she can change accessories seasonally to freshen up the look. “I’m quite proud of the fact that pretty much everything in  the house is nearly 15 years old and I haven’t really

The bathroom walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath and the bath is painted in Dragon’s Blood by Fired Earth whilst the needlework panel was a gift from a friend.

“Our whippet Lily is loved by all who meet her,” Lynn says.

The spacious master bedroom which sits above the kitchen in the barn conversion maintains a light, lofty feel with a pitched roof, skylights and pale wood. The sheer curtain panels hanging from the bespoke fourposter bed are from a French antiques market.

THE ENGLISH HOME 43

Original features have been harmoniously combined with new, natural elements and a gentle palette of colours to create calm, restful spaces changed anything since we converted the barn,” she says. “The other lovely thing is we’ve managed to recycle our original Neptune kitchen from its previous location in the house.” Over the years this house has been a test bed for quite a few Neptune designs and as the kitchen is made up of individual freestanding cabinets, it could be moved quite easily. Converting the barn into an open-plan living space has made it the heart of the home and really transformed the house for the whole family.

This property has evolved almost unrecognisably from its humble beginnings. Original features have been harmoniously combined with new, natural elements. Rustic Cotswold stone, warm wood and a gentle palette of colours all converge to create calm, restful spaces. “As well as getting the architectural detailing right, we wanted a balance between formality and informality,” Emma says. “I think we achieved that by just keeping things simple.”

Emma and John have put so much of themselves into this remarkable renovation, spanning 30 years, and the end result is a truly unique family home. n

44 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE The guest bedroom feels more spacious now the pitch of the roof has been opened up.

Larsson chests from Neptune provide ample storage.

For similar lamps try Vaughan.

LEFT The couple decided to keep this original stone mullion window. “All the other windows were replaced, but we decided to keep this one because you can see it’s got the history of the house in it,” says Emma.

A pretty pink cushion from Fermoie sits on a Gustavian chair from Chelsea Textiles.

EMMA SIMS–HILDITCH

CHARACTER STUDY

FEATURE CLAIR WAYMAN PHOTOGRAPHS © RACHAEL SMITH WATERCOLOURS IN TOP RIGHT IMAGE DAISY SIMS-HILDITCH

The interior designer has combined some clever ideas to create a relaxed, harmonious and characterful home

What are easy ways to keep interiors feeling fresh and interesting?

Nothing is very static in our house – there are always things going on. I think that’s part of the fun of decorating. You can seasonally change accessories, such as cushions and throws, to make your home feel very different in summer and winter.

I like to create interesting ‘tablescapes’ on various surfaces throughout the house with books, photos, art and favourite pieces that mean something to me (page 37). Every area in the house needs to have things to look at as you walk through it, and it’s wonderful to have collections of things picked up over the years arranged in a creative way.

How would you avoid a conversion looking brand new?

When we were converting our barn, we told our builders we didn’t want any sharp edges on the walls and made sure they rounded everything off so the spaces felt old, which made such a difference.

Builders often use those metal right-angle trims on every corner and plaster over them, making the room feel like a modern box. We also incorporated a lot of rough boarding and lime plaster. It’s all about creating layers of character and texture, rather than making everything perfect – that’s what makes a home come alive and

feel special. When carrying out building work, it’s important to try and retain as much as possible of the originality of the building. We have the most wonderful 200-year-old beam with incredible patina in our inner hallway (page 36), so have made it into a real focal point.

When composing a scheme, what is one of the main things you consider?

I make sure I have a strong statement piece in every room, something that stands out and draws the eye, whether it’s a pair of big lamps or an antique piece of furniture, a large mirror or chandelier. I like to go big and bold, avoiding everything feeling too little or fiddly. It’s all about scale. An example of this is the huge eye-catching wooden bauble lamp on the table in our sitting room (page 40).

Why would you say it is important to mix old and new in a home?

I think antiques and fine art are essential to create a home that feels like it’s evolved over time. Without a little bit of antique furniture or something you might have inherited from your granny, a house can feel quite lifeless, like a show house. A home should be a little bit eclectic, with collections showing your personality and belongings that have been handed down.

How do you use colour to create a calm, cohesive interior?

I start with a colour palette and thread it through the house so there’s a sense of flow. I often draw inspiration from nature and like to use soft colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel. They are naturally complementary and blend together, creating the most beautiful, gentle atmosphere. I look at all the colour schemes in the house as a harmonious and holistic whole, rather than individual rooms. I limit the number of paint colours I use because keeping the palette a little bit restrained definitely makes a house feel bigger and more cohesive.

How do you create informal spaces?

I love leaning mirrors and art on walls to create an informal feel. I also like to play with symmetry and asymmetry. Sometimes asymmetry is more pleasing and makes a space feel more relaxed. The tall grandfather clock in our hall (above), for example, offsets the umbrella stand on the other side of the door. I love the balance, or weight of one piece against another. The main thing is to create a sense of balance, similar to a painter composing a painting.

To see Emma’s interior design projects visit simshilditch.com n THE ENGLISH HOME 45

Affinity & ALLURE The matt spray lacquered cabinetry with Arabescato marble worktops are by 202 Design. Metallic accents and rattan bar stools add to the sense of light and space.

When their family’s lifestyles changed, Evelyne and Valentine Beresford took a fresh look at their Chelsea house introducing colour, optimising the space and creating a home filled with heart and soul FEATURE CHRISTINE STOVELL PHOTOGRAPHY ASTRID TEMPLIER

THE ENGLISH HOME 47

Evelyne is delighted with the Marrakesh wall covering

by Martin Lawrence Bullard.

A bespoke banquette designed by Guy Goodfellow and upholstered in Indus fabric from the Guy Goodfellow Collection makes good use of space and provides comfortable seating. The flooring is by Walking on Wood.

‘The location is perfect for us. We’re within minutes of fabulous amenities yet it’s so quiet and peaceful’

I

t was an auspicious morning in 2004 when Evelyne Beresford, driving around a favourite and much-missed part of London, spotted an estate agent’s board going up and took swift action. “I made an appointment to view the house that same afternoon and immediately felt it was just right for us,” she says. “My husband, Valentine, a property director, viewed it shortly afterwards and loved it too.”

The couple, who divide their time between their country home in Dorset and their London base, had been living with their three children, Simonne, Ferdinand and Ludovic in a large property in Wandsworth, but their requirements changed once the elder children went away to school. “We’re Chelsea people,” Evelyne reflects. “We lived there before we had the children and we were excited to return.”

The property that caught Evelyne’s eye is an elegant Georgian terraced house in one of the oldest parts of Chelsea, with Sir Christopher Wren’s famous Royal

Hospital forming the centrepiece of the area. “The location is perfect for us,” says Evelyne. “We’re within minutes of fabulous amenities and our favourite restaurant, Ziani, yet it’s so quiet and peaceful.”

As well as being ideal for its human occupants, the property has the additional benefit of a slightly extended garden for the family’s three dogs, a dachshund and two Jack Russell terriers.

After years of being a rental property, there was as an ‘unloved’ feel about the house. “It didn’t matter to us because we were so thrilled with it,” Evelyne continues.

“We were just happy to move in and take our time.”

The couple initially chose the simple, clean lines and concise colour palette of a minimalist design scheme for their new home. “We tried living with it but we just couldn’t make it work for us. It seemed as if it didn’t suit the house,” Evelyne explains. “So we decided to start again by putting everything back and restoring the original features.” 

ABOVE Textiles from the Guy Goodfellow Collection are used for the curtains and upholstery in the drawing room. A family portrait of John Beresford, 5th Baron Decies, presides over gatherings. Evelyne remarks that the handmade gasfuelled fire, with artificial logs, twigs and ash, created by Neville Stephens has been mistaken by many visitors for a real fire. The rug is from Dominic Everest.

THE ENGLISH HOME 49

ABOVE The bespoke sofa in the sitting area at the rear is by Guy Goodfellow.

Several of the small paintings above it are

by Charles Church, a Dorset artist who is a family friend.

Guy Goodfellow Collection’s Fez is used for the stools and Piedmont Print for the blind.

Their daughter’s close friend, Isabella Worsley, who now runs her own interior design studio, introduced them to leading designer Guy Goodfellow, under whom she was training. “Guy is wonderful and such a good listener,” says Evelyne. “His affinity with our vision for the house, his ability to interpret our expectations and his proficiency at visualizing rooms made it a pleasure to work with him.”

“The client is at the centre of every scheme,” says Guy. “The family is at the heart of Evelyne and Valentine’s home, but with their older children coming and going, everyone’s requirements were changing. Not only were they looking for something

50 THE ENGLISH HOME

a little more grown up and glamorous, but they were becoming frustrated because the space wasn’t working for them.”

Evelyne and Valentine had been determined, almost from the point of purchasing their property, for the house to remain within its existing footprint rather than choosing the popular but sometimes challenging option of a basement extension. Instead, they engaged the services of building contractor, James Stygal, and architect Martin Taylor to address effective ways of optimizing the circulation space and practical matters such as storage. “There is even a dedicated area under the stairs for the three dogs,” Evelyne adds.

Working in conjunction with Martin Taylor, to enhance the space, Guy began to create the smarter, more luxurious scheme the family were seeking.

Guy’s design was not simply to give the house the architecture it lacked, but to evoke the sense of a larger Georgian house. What appears to be original panelling throughout the ground floor and the staircase hall is in fact a clever construct, with MDF stiles and rails applied directly to the plaster wall.

This meticulous, even exacting, attention to detail is the backbone of a design which also provides drama, glamour and fun. “Evelyne and Valentine were looking for a fresh twist on the comfortable, classic country

house style for their home, somewhere both they and their grown-up children could entertain their friends,” Guy explains. “I wanted to give a nod to both parties with something that was traditional, but also funky and vivacious.”

When it came to choosing colours, Guy suggested a continuous plain wall colour for the raised ground floor to provide cohesion. This gives way to softer, papered effects in the bedrooms. In the kitchen, a bold American wallpaper is used to stunning effect against the dramatic blue cabinetry. Elsewhere, warm tones and jewel-like accents appear in a sophisticated blend of soft furnishings and the considered placement of 

ABOVE New architectural features in the entrance hall create the impression of a much larger house. The curve of a Louis XVI demi-lune console table from Hugh Leuchars optimises the space.

The antique lanterns are from Zugasti.

THE ENGLISH HOME 51

Evelyne visited the showroom of copper bateau bath manufacturer, William Holland, to find one that was the perfect size for her and which fitted perfectly in the bay window of the master en-suite bathroom.

‘We were happy to move in and take our time redecorating’ the couple’s art collection. Subtle metallic elements threaded throughout the house, from the brass trim of the sitting room fire surround to the opulent copper bateau bath in the master bathroom, add to the sense of luxury and reflect the abundant light.

Evelyne’s serendipitous find has become a home filled with colour and personality which reflects her family’s changing lifestyle and works for everyone.

Youngest son, Ludovic, resides in what Evelyne refers to, with a smile, as the ‘gent’s quarters’ downstairs, whilst the elder children and their friends are frequent visitors. “I do love the sitting room and being able to entertain lots of people,” says Evelyne. “We like to have friends over for supper and we can sit eight people around the dining table in comfort.”

Evelyne observes that she learned so much from the process of watching the evolution of the revised scheme for the home. It seems this was also true for her son, Ludovic, who was actively involved with the design of his own rooms.

“Our daughter, Simonne, recently got married and it meant so much that she could leave on her wedding day from the home we all love, with everything looking so fabulous,” Evelyne concludes happily. n

TOP Remy wallpaper from the Guy Goodfellow Collection in the master bedroom is teamed with Oaksey Linen on the headboard, valance and curtains and a bedcover in Stockholm Stitch, both by Lewis & Wood.

ABOVE Basilica wallpaper by Robert Kime lines the walls in youngest son Ludovic’s bedroom. The striking Trebizond linen used for the curtains is by Carolina Irving Textiles.

THE ENGLISH HOME 53

54 THE ENGLISH HOME

Family AFFAIR Robyn and Peter Christie’s careful conservation of a treasured family home filled with memories has secured its heritage for future generations FEATURE CHRISTINE STOVELL ADDITIONAL STYLING CLAIR WAYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY NICK SMITH

The plaster mouldings above the fireplace in the sitting room are thought to have been collected by Robyn’s grandfather, architect Arnold Silcock.

ABOVE The cupboard in the sitting room belonged to Robyn’s grandmother and the painting above it is by Edward Wakeford, who along with his wife Eileen was a close friend of Robyn’s aunt Ruth.

Marvic’s Indigo Mood Pila Charcoal and Pila Red cover the sofa sourced from Claire Langley Antiques.

RIGHT In the snug, a portrait by Raymond Coxon of Robyn’s mother, Diana, hangs above the chaise longue covered in Bayberry Strie

by Brunschwig & Fils.

56 THE ENGLISH HOME

‘With the blessing of my three siblings, my husband Peter and I decided to purchase the cottage and keep it in the family’

I

n a rapidly changing world, a sense of continuity can be easily lost. However, for architectural heritage consultant Robyn Christie and her family, a picturesque eighteenth-century thatched cottage in a small Oxfordshire village has provided an anchor of stability, having passed from one generation to the next over the course of a 100 years.

“My mother and her sister, Ruth, inherited the cottage from their aunt,” explains current owner and custodian, Robyn. “As my mother had moved to Australia, married and had four children, my aunt

lived in the cottage, and we stayed with her on our regular trips to the UK. When I left school, I even lived with Ruth for several months whilst I made my way in the world.”

This happy arrangement continued for some 40 years, until Robyn’s aunt required nursing-home care and it looked as if the property would have to be sold.

“Instead, and with the blessing of my three siblings, my husband Peter and I decided to purchase the cottage and take on the responsibility of keeping it in the family,  although we were still living in Sydney,” says Robyn.

ABOVE Robyn originally bought the rush chairs in New Zealand, then brought them over from Sydney and had them repaired by Dovetail Restoration.

The sisal rug is from MB Carpets.

THE ENGLISH HOME 57

‘The sink in the laundry room has such character, I couldn’t bear to lose it’ ABOVE The bespoke kitchen was made locally by C&G Joinery. Open shelving topped with bright cookware gives the room a light, airy feel.

LEFT The laundry room, which used to be the kitchen, looks out onto the kitchen garden. The porcelain sink serves as a reminder of the room’s original use.

58 THE ENGLISH HOME

The listed cottage had been carefully maintained, but work was necessary to provide a serviceable kitchen and a new upstairs bathroom. “The existing kitchen, now the laundry room, was a nightmare if we were all trying to use it,” Robyn recalls. “And in the only bathroom, off the kitchen, the room was always freezing and the bath water was cold by the time it filled.”

Working with conservation architects Rodney Melville & Partners, Robyn and Peter drew up a series of plans to expand the property for modern needs whilst respecting its history, carefully retaining the existing layout and patina of the small cottage within a conservation area. A sun parlour added to the cottage in the 1950s offered an obvious solution to the problem of creating more living space, but the decision to replace it was not made lightly in a house imbued with memories.

The south-facing extension is suffused with natural light. A Circus pendant light by Corinna Warm hangs above a classic Clifton table from Benchmark.

The painting by Frederick Brill is of Rowfant Mill, West Sussex, where Robyn’s grandmother had a cottage. The flooring is European Oak, Novar Rustic, from Havwoods Wood.

“It was built by my maternal grandfather who was an architect in Bath,” Robyn explains. “Ruth would have kept it for that reason, and it was difficult for me to contemplate demolishing his work, but I believe the cottage is more habitable as a consequence.”

As a graduate architect and having spent her career in Sydney advising on new additions to old buildings, Robyn was guided by her own principles for the design of a new two-storey addition to replace the former sun parlour. Her philosophy, that new fabric should be distinguishable from old fabric, and, also, that it should not obscure the reading of its past is evident in the new extension, which is a separate structure with a glazed link tucked snugly under the thatch. “It doesn’t add to the bulk of the original cottage and takes a subtle abstract language from vernacular wooden barns,” says Robyn. “And, importantly, because the cottage sits sideways to the street, the new structure is hardly  visible from the village.”

The eighteenth-century thatched cottage sits in a conservation area. A sympathetic two-storey extension, with a glazed link to the main building, houses the new kitchen and upstairs bathroom.

THE ENGLISH HOME 59

ABOVE Previously accessed by another bedroom, the original master bedroom is a serene sanctuary. An Etienne quilt from The White Company is in keeping with the cottage feel. The painting above the bed is by Charles DuBack, a New York artist who was then married to the artist Daphne Mumford, Ruth’s cousin.

Inside, Robyn has enhanced the rhythm and layout of the original cottage. Upstairs, a new bedroom and bathroom bring cohesion and allow each of the three bedrooms their own space. Downstairs, the southern light that floods the two-storey extension has lifted the dark and occasionally claustrophobic feel of the original ground-floor rooms. “I’m delighted with how well it works all year round; the new extension sits comfortably within the garden, and sunlight pours in through the French windows,” Robyn remarks.

The cottage is filled with an abundance of heirlooms and mementoes which pay touching tribute to the women who inspired Robyn. “I feel I am with my mother and my aunt whenever I am here,” she reflects.

“They were both extraordinary people and had quite different and sometimes difficult lives.” Most of the furniture in the cottage belonged to Robyn’s aunt or grandmother and she has been exacting in her care to preserve pieces as she remembered them for future generations, even waiting patiently until the perfect

60 THE ENGLISH HOME

shade of green fabric came along to replace the existing one on a tired chaise longue. Working with “the best furnishing person”, Jane Adams – whom Robyn is quick to thank for partnering her on a “thoroughly enjoyable journey of discovery” – fabrics were selected on the basis of what had been there before and would work best in the cottage.

“My grandmother had a cottage in Sussex and, when she passed away, my aunt brought some of her things here. I knew both cottages intimately, so I even know which china and which cutlery set belongs to which cottage,” Robyn continues. “All the objects and paintings here were my aunt’s. She and my grandmother had a coterie of artist friends who included Raymond and Gin Coxon [née Edna Ginesi], and Frederick Brill and his wife Deirdre Borlase who visited them regularly. Although my aunt worked as a social worker – as did my mother and my grandmother – her love was literature. She was an author and poet, publishing her third anthology of poems Biographies,

‘I feel I’m with my mother and my aunt here. They were both extraordinary people’ etc, at the age of 80. Ruth was someone with an amazing ability to make cross-generational links with everyone she met.”

In 2018, Robyn marked the creative and sociable legacy passed on to the family through the cottage when she, her three siblings and their partners gathered there to celebrate the centenary of it belonging to the family. “It was the most special time and full of magical memories,” she says.

Although none of the family was sorry to lose the original kitchen and having to work around one another in the cramped space, one element of it remains to serve as a reminder of the past. “The ceramic sink in the laundry room is where I stood and washed up over many years,” Robyn says. “It has such character, I just couldn’t bear to lose it.” n

ABOVE Robyn purchased the twin beds in Australia.

Bowood fabric by Colefax and Fowler is used for the cushions and curtains.

RIGHT The trunk under the window was brought back from China in the 1920s by Robyn’s grandparents. Her architect grandfather was there to build a Quaker university in Chengdu.

THE ENGLISH HOME 61

A rug designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is a neutral base in the drawing room, enlivened by a pair of jewel-toned hand-blown-glass lamp bases and an oval artwork by Susan Derges at Purdy Hicks Gallery.

The side tables are vintage pieces, as is the Viscontea pendant by Castiglioni for Flos.

62 THE ENGLISH HOME

House of MEMORIES

Sam and Hugh Godsal’s London home is full of family stories and special finds which have been artfully curated to create a welcoming interior FEATURE JO LEEVERS STYLING MARCIA MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHY RACHAEL SMITH

The pretty, antique sofa is covered in turquoise Cunard velvet from Claremont.

Mugham Flower fabric from Robert Kime was used for the cushions.

A pair of urns from Orchid Furniture sit in the alcoves.

ABOVE In the kitchen-diner, a marble-topped Eero Saarinen Tulip table bought at Criterion Auctioneers is paired with mid-century dining chairs Sam bought at Sunbury Antiques Market.

RIGHT In the entrance hall, a handwoven rug from Guyana lies beneath a Murano glass chandelier bought at Alfies Antique Market. The Italian cherrywood credenza is from Valerie Wade, complemented by a vintage French mirror from Foster & Gane, set between wall lights from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler

W

hen Sam Godsal was wondering what colour to paint her kitchen, she asked her good friend Lulu Lytle, founder of Soane Britain, for advice. “We were walking in Kensington Gardens and she immediately replied, ‘Ben Pentreath’s Parsonage Pink’,” she says.

Trusting Lulu implicitly, Sam ordered several pots of the paint over the phone and the two women continued their walk. “Five minutes later we bumped into none other than Ben Pentreath. This pink was meant to be,” she adds. The recently redecorated chic kitchen-diner is the hub of the west London townhouse that has been a happy family home for Sam and her husband Hugh for over 20 years.

When the couple took on the Victorian property, the rooms had a very different atmosphere. This once-grand house had been divided into flats, and then divided again into several more unofficial bedsits.

“The house had been really butchered. Not a single architrave or original door had survived,” says Sam. The house’s fortunes changed for the better when Sam and Hugh found it because they are not ones to shy away from a project. Their Devonshire home (featured in The English Home November 2019) benefited from a major makeover. Then there is  the renowned Barbados hotel Cobblers Cove, which

64 THE ENGLISH HOME

‘There’s something magical about this house’

This ground floor seating area is full of light. The walls are painted in Parsonage Pink by Ben Pentreath for Papers and Paints and the sofa is a 1930s piece, its curves echoed by a vintage faux bamboo footstool.

‘It was about rationalising an interior that had evolved over 50 years’

ABOVE The bespoke kitchen has a Brazilian marble work surface, handles custom-made to Sam’s design by Collier Webb and is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Vert de Terre.

The two nineteenthcentury pantry cupboards are from Lorfords, whilst the pendant and sconces are by Soane Britain.

RIGHT The rear of the house seen from the garden.

Hugh inherited 10 years ago. Sam oversaw a sensitive upgrade of this tropical institution beloved by royalty, aristocracy and actors such as Dame Judi Dench.

As work on their London home began, Sam and Hugh realised the scale of the job. “One evening, standing in the basement, we could look up through all five floors and see the sky through the roof rafters. At that point we did wonder, ‘What have we taken on?’,” Sam says.

However, this back-to-the-bones restructure was exactly what the house needed. Once the floors were shored up, the period features reinstated and the electrics updated, it was ready for its next chapter. “It felt reassuringly solid, like a home that would look after us, and it’s been a wonderful place to bring up our children,” says Sam.

When Sam and Hugh first moved in, it was just them and their eldest daughter, Clover. “We didn’t expect to have any more children, so we designed it for a family of three,” remembers Sam. Amazingly, they went on to have four more children. “I genuinely believe there’s something magical about this house,” Sam says. “If we ever sell, it will have to go to a couple who want a large family.”

One by one, the Godsal children (Clover, now 22, Cary, 19, Harley, 16, Grey, 15, and Stanley, 13) were installed on the top floor, which remains a bedroom for the two youngest boys. “It was very sweet having them all up in the attic – like an old-fashioned nursery or a scene from Nanny McPhee,” says Sam, recalling

how the littlest would always start out in a cot on their landing below and a deep handbasin made a very good baby bath. There is a strong sense of family stories woven through this home. “Memories are everywhere I look,” agrees Sam. Since the house’s redesign, there is a sense of flow between floors and rooms thanks to Sam’s creative eye.

After studying English at Cambridge, Sam gained an MA in fashion at Central Saint Martins and designed ski and swimwear for her Fulham Road boutique, Sam de Teran, in the 1990s. She now writes children’s books under the name Sam Angus and her study is on the first floor, which leads off the family’s drawing  room where her talent for bringing together antiques

ABOVE One of the nineteenth-century pantry cupboards is filled with the Sultan’s Garden china range, a collaboration between Sam Godsal and William Edwards, sold at John Lewis.

The porcelain artwork on top of the cupboard is by Sam’s good friend, the ceramicist Natasha Daintry.

THE ENGLISH HOME 67

ABOVE In the master bedroom, 1950s Spanish lamp bases with custom-made shades sit on top of antique side tables by early twentiethcentury interior designer Syrie Maugham. The cushions on the bed are from Wicklewood and on the floor is a röllakan, a Swedish flatweave rug.

RIGHT Small Medallion wallpaper

by Blithfield covers the walls in daughter Clover’s bedroom on the lower-ground floor. The wheatsheaf sconces are vintage finds from Foster & Gane.

‘It felt reassuringly solid, like a home that would look after us, and it’s been a wonderful place to bring up our children’ and vintage finds is evident. Handily, the house is close to the antiques shops of Portobello Road, Westbourne Park and also Church Street in Marylebone. “I remember everything about the pieces we’ve found,” Sam says. “We didn’t inherit anything, we just slowly built up our home.” She jokes that she almost envies people with homes where everything is co-ordinated and has been bought in one go. “Treasure seekers like me never stop looking for the next special piece,” she says. “We’re condemned to the long, slow torture of finding the ‘perfect’ item.” In truth, Sam would not have it any other way: “I love a home that tells you about its owners and the places they’ve visited. If furniture all comes from one store, it just tells you where someone’s been shopping.”

A perfect example of Sam’s attitude to decorating are the colourful rugs dotted around the house, some bought in Tunisia, others from Sweden and, in the hallway, a Guyanese handwoven jute rug that took

seven days to transport by canoe to Georgetown, Guyana, before being shipped to the UK. Every piece has its own story.

Also in the hallway is a set of drawings of Sam’s 1990s skiwear designs by renowned designer, illustrator and fashion lecturer Howard Tangye, who taught Sam at Central St Martins. “Every time I walk past them, they are a lovely reminder of that time in my life,” she says. “Pictures, photographs or a special object your child made many years ago all give you a heart-warming feeling. Houses have a richness and a depth if you fill them with your own things. However, once a year, I do go through our rooms, drawers and cupboards and have an almighty clear out.”

Having brought up five children in this London home, Sam appreciates the way it has looked after them all, and she knows it will continue to adapt with them. “A house is full of memories, but it also needs to evolve with you,” she says. n

ABOVE A clawfooted bath from CP Hart has space to breathe in this generous bathroom.

A 1940s gilt brass drinks trolley purchased at Christie’s provides a useful moveable surface to have near the bath. Ceramics and glassware, all gifts from friends, line the mantelpiece.

THE ENGLISH HOME 69

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70 THE ENGLISH HOME

STYLE INSPIRATION

Our special section dedicated to design and decorating inspiration begins here

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN

PERFECT PARTNERSHIP The marriage of blue and white is an ever harmonious one. Timeless, elegant and fresh, it works for all manner of patterns – and in our edit of new collections (p72) we see it works beautifully in a contemporary way, too. Here a Japanese scene with pagodas, flying cranes and young women fishing is portrayed in a detailed hand-drawn toile.

The height of a stairwell allows the generous scale to flourish and the clean contrast of the colours to remain perfectly balanced.

THE ENGLISH HOME 71

awakening

SPRING

Reinvigorate interiors with bright and beautiful new fabrics and wallpapers from the latest collections

NEW COLLECTIONS

Bountiful botanicals The ever-popular allure of botanical designs sees florals abound in new collections. The organic forms of trailing leaves and florals is captured in a number of designs that celebrate the natural beauty of the shapes and colours of plants, often in painterly detail or fine embroidery.

Sanderson’s recoloured archive for Brewers has bold brights for a modern approach and softer, romantic choices too. Manuel Canovas has signature brights alongside embroideries in pretty watercolour hues, creating a dreamy choice for bedrooms.

Delicate, classic approaches can be found in Flora Robert’s sublime artwork for Hamilton Weston, and in Etamine’s watercolour-style botanical designs.

Designers Guild can be relied upon for contemporary twists on big blowsy blooms and larger-scale designs in soft hues as well as more intense tones. Whether on walls or textiles, these flowery, leafy patterns will bring a joyous boost of colour and connection to the natural world. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Court Embroidery wallpaper, £130 a roll; Library Frieze, £125 a roll, both Cole & Son Blind, Rose de Mai, £109 a metre, Maison-Jardin collection, Etamine Chair, Nancy, £96 a metre, Vogue Living x Schumacher Trim, Plaza Medallion, £47 a metre; fringe, Swanson, £39 a metre, both Travers

ABOVE & RIGHT Selection of wallpapers, from £69 a roll, Sanderson Brewers Edit, Wallpaperdirect.com SWATCHES RIGHT, FROM TOP Jolie Fleurs wallpaper, £197 a roll, Pierre Frey Floral Stripe wallpaper, £175 a roll, Flora Roberts at Hamilton Weston Pahari fabric, £95 a metre, Designers Guild

STYLE NOTES • Bolder, vibrant colours in flowery patterns will have a modern feel when paired with block colours on walls or woodwork.

• Create a romantic, delicate feel with intricate embroideries or prints with a watercolour quality perfect for a timeless uplift to neutral schemes.

• Botanicals with a flowing organic design will always work well with a stripe or check to bring a subtle, structured element to the ensemble of patterns.

THE ENGLISH HOME 73

Rich heritage

ABOVE Curtains, Carsina, £159 a metre; chair, Delgado, £75 a metre, Colefax and Fowler BELOW Verdure Tapestry wallpaper, £500 a roll (210cm x 3.5m). Silk version £2,750 a roll (210cm x 3.5m), Cole & Son SWATCHES ABOVE, FROM LEFT Folklore fabric, £35.76 a metre; Elliot fabric, £32.40 a metre, both Prestigious Textiles SWATCHES RIGHT, FROM TOP Theodore wallpaper, £40 a roll; Fougere wallpaper, £40 a roll, both John Lewis & Partners

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Cardaillac Black Rhapsody Linen fabric, £270 a metre, Watts of Westminster Sofa and curtain, Holkar, £72 a metre, Nina Campbell at Osborne & Little Curtain, Folklore, £35.76 a metre; upholstery, Dickens, £35.76 a metre, and cushions, all Prestigious Textiles Henriette wallpaper, £40 a roll, John Lewis & Partners

New collections created with longevity in mind always appeal to our desire for timeless and evolved interiors. Colefax and Fowler’s new collection perfectly encapsulates this ethos with designs that showcase expert craftsmanship and techniques, and both antique and Eastern influences. Embroideries, tapestry styles, crewel work and kilim-inspired designs feature and combine for a co-ordinated yet charmingly diverse look in rich, comforting colours of rust oranges and reds, teal, navy and browns – a palette also seen in Prestigious Textiles’ Arts and Crafts-influenced collection.

Nina Campbell, too, is influenced by the East with indiennestyle prints, embroideries and weaves evoking the textiles of the ancient Silk Route. Holka emulates a Persian rug in luxurious chenille, and Patudi references traditional ikat designs.

Look also to Cole & Son’s Grand Masters collection of wallpapers, created in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces.

The spectacular designs are inspired by the interiors and gardens of six palaces. We particularly like Verdure Tapestry. Taken from a work displayed at Kensington Palace, and also available as a silk wallcovering, it works as well juxtaposed with contemporary furniture as with traditional pieces.

These heritage designs will add gravitas and a sense of history to schemes and bring an extra level of evolution to a wellestablished room. 

STYLE NOTES • Mix different pieces from collections, combining weaves and embroideries for a layered and textured look that is full of pattern and character.

• Give heritage pieces a modern twist with boldly coloured woodwork and combine with contemporary furniture.

• For a more classic style, these collections will work splendidly with antiques, as well as adding further interest to an exisiting eclectic scheme.

74 THE ENGLISH HOME

NEW COLLECTIONS

FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK

THE ENGLISH HOME 75

NEW COLLECTIONS

Singing the blues This year there is a noticeable palette of blues that are neither deeply navy nor pale and powdery. Instead, a rich yet fresh, bold but not vibrant mid-indigo blue seems to pervade many collections. A perfect partner to white, this blue works well in traditional and contemporary settings. It is bold without being overpowering, and allows for a confident approach to pattern, whether a large damask, strong geometric, abstract print, delicate block print, intricate design, or mixing some or all together.

Antique blue-and-white china often is an inspiration for fabrics and papers to set a classical look in toile designs, as we have seen on page 71 in Manuel Canovas’s pretty design. For a truly modern look, Rapture & Wright new Albaicin fabric and wallpaper has a striking hand-printed pattern. Featuring a strong white-line design that is at once abstract and ordered, it looks particularly handsome in the Indigo colourway. LEFT ABOVE Selection of trimmings, from £39 to £151 a metre, all Style Moderne collection, Travers LEFT BELOW Brush fabric, £196 a metre, Clay McLaurin Studio at George Spencer Designs BELOW Albaicin wallpaper, £23 a metre, Rapture & Wright at The Fabric Collective

SWATCHES BELOW RIGHT, FROM TOP Zanzibar fabric, £282 a metre, Peter Dunham at Tissus d’Hélène Rialto wallpaper, £130 a metre, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam Bettina fabric, £222 a metre, Lake August at The Fabric Collective

STYLE NOTES • A blue-and-white palette allows experimenting with layers of different patterns without the end-result feeling overpowering.

• Botanical designs look fresh and interesting in blue as it is not a natural colourway for leaves and flowers.

• Strong geomterics are striking in blue and white.

Try a Greek-key trim to elevate a plain curtain or footstool, or simply add a bold stripe to cushions for a contemporary lift.

THE ENGLISH HOME 77

NEW COLLECTIONS

STYLE NOTES • Let bold artistic designs take centre stage as a statement piece on walls.

• Do not be afraid of large-scale designs as often they feel less overwhelming once used on a large expanse of wall than when seen as a swatch.

• Allow a striking pattern to shine by limiting other pattern choices or pairing with plains in interesting textures.

• Considering colour and form, use such designs as a painterly backdrop to display a collection of objects.

Artistic inspiration All designs are works of art, often created from beautiful original artworks by talented artists and designers. Many, too, are inspired by antique designs – whether on textiles, plates or other artworks.

This season sees a very clear celebration of artistry with fabrics and wallpapers showcasing artistic style – whether from movements such as cubism, expressionism or fauvism – as well as wonderful contemporary updates of designs found on antique pieces.

At the more contemporary end, Abbot + Boyd have a Rothkoinspired wallcovering with bold colour-blocking, whilst Rubelli’s ‘Burano’ features an almost fauvist depiction of the Venetian island it is named after. Pierre Frey has also taken a bold, colourful approach for its Joie de Vivre textile and Eternal Été wallpaper collections, celebrating artistic traditions of the 1950s, as well as the spirit of the French Riviera. Ceramic designs are the inspiration behind Jim Thompson’s designs, along with cubist and jazz-age artworks.

For a softer approach, Villa Nova’s Still Life collection translates artworks of everyday objects into beautiful, delicate designs – from a continuous line drawing of a tabletop scene of vases, fruit bowls and coffee cups, to a large-scale patchwork of watercolour brushstrokes that, though bold in scale, is surprisingly calming used as a wallcovering in soft green-greys or blues.  78 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE LEFT Calanques wallpaper, £178 a metre, Caspari in collaboration with Pierre Frey ABOVE Outside The Box wallcovering, £POA, Elitis at Abbot + Boyd

SWATCHES ABOVE, FROM TOP Catteau fabric, £150 a metre, Jim Thompson Still Life wallpaper £67.50 a roll, Villa Nova Burano, £113 a metre, Rubelli

ORIGINAL, LIMITED-EDITION ART DECO POSTERS

97 x 65 cm. Priced at £420 each (inc. UK sales tax).

Private commissions are also welcome.

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Our central London gallery All images and text copyright © Pullman Editions Ltd. 2021

View and buy online at w w w.pullmaneditions.com

NEW COLLECTIONS

Pinks & greens This combination is a somewhat modern classic – a perfect marriage of fresh and pretty, unexpected yet reassuringly calming.

As red and green are contrasting or complementary colours, sitting opposite each other on the colour wheel, using softer shades of green with gentle pink, which has a main base tone of red, makes for a dynamic pairing.

Pink and green are frequently seen together in nature, and in interiors the effect is similarly appealing, with botanical patterns having a natural affinity with these colours. Susie Hetherington’s charming new designs perfectly encapsulate the natural world in a pretty palette that combines greens and pinks perfectly – though shades of duck egg and blue are available too. Named after her new home, Hillslie, and inspired by everyday life there, Hetherington’s new collection is inspired by chickens pecking under runner beans, walks in the woods and a first crop of blueberries. Birdie Fortescue’s new textiles are also inspired by nature, but with a seventeenth-century Persian influence, combining geometrics with greenery and florals.

To successfully combine this palette, green often works best as the more dominant colour, with accents of pink, and a few soft earthy neutrals or fresh whites for balance. n Hexagon cushion cover, £55, all Birdie Fortescue SWATCHES RIGHT, FROM TOP Zinnia fabric, £196 a metre, Clay McLaurin at George Spencer Designs Reverse Doshi fabric, Schuyler Samperton at Tissus d’Hélène Blueberry fabric, £56 a metre, Susie Hetherington

STYLE NOTES • Set a pretty and romantic mood with gentle shades of greens and pinks. Botanical designs naturally suit these hues, not only in chintzes, but simpler block-print styles too.

• Green works best as the dominant colour in this palette, with large accents of pink. Consider a 60/30 per cent balance, with 10 per cent in a neutral.

• Cut neutrals with crisp whites for added freshness, or set an earthy, mellow mood with some soft tones of brown and greys.

80 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN PHOTOGRAPHS P70 & 77 (TRAVERS) © KIP DAWKINS; P71 (SCHUMACHER) © MELANIE ACEVEDO; P73 (JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS) © DAMIAN RUSSELL; P80 (ZIMMER + ROHDE) © GEORG ROSKE; (BIRDIE FORTESCUE) MATT KEAL

RIGHT Personal Landscapes collection, from £70 a metre, all Zimmer + Rohde BELOW Striped velvet & linen/ cotton cushion cover, £65; Embroidered velvet cushion cover, £70; limited-edition hand-block-printed Green Throw, £350; Half Drop Floral blockprinted cushion cover, £55;

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THE ENGLISH HOME 81

ART&ANTIQUES Ways with

Make the most of treasured objects, both antiques and works of art, by giving thoughtful consideration to the ways in which they are displayed

I

ntroducing art and antiques to any room adds not only interesting and intriguing colour and patina, but also very welcome character. As Camilla Clarke, creative director of design studio Albion Nord, says: “A room without art is a room unfinished.” The same goes for older items of furniture and even smaller pieces, such as ceramics and glassware – from family heirlooms to carefully considered acquisitions. Here we look at how to ensure that such much-loved and unique possessions fully complement their setting and are shown to their best advantage, whether they are hung on the wall, arranged in a cabinet or simply placed against a complementary background and carefully illuminated.

82 THE ENGLISH HOME

LIGHTING FANTASTIC Good lighting elevates a display enormously. The most effective (and expensive) option is to use a framing projector, which must usually be inset in the ceiling and will focus the light into a pattern to perfectly illuminate the artwork but not the surrounding wall. Much simpler choices are ceiling-mounted, adjustable spotlights, a track system, or picture lights fixed either to the wall or the picture itself. Experts recommend a colour temperature of 2,700 to 3,000 kelvins, which is a slightly yellowish to a neutral warm white (some say early paintings, created by candlelight, should be lit by

‘warmer’ bulbs). Colour rendition is important, too – a high-quality bulb will show off the vibrancy of all colours, including trickier reds; look for a colour rendering index (CRI) of at least 95. Kate Wilkins of Home Lighting Ideas adds: “If artwork is behind glass, it is important to check that it is non-reflective and protects against UV. The angle of light is significant to avoid glare.”  ABOVE TM Lighting supplied the Slim Light Pro picture light, a made-to-measure, minimal, contemporary design finished in antique bronze plate, for this chic townhouse space designed by Rebecca Hughes Interiors.

DISPLAY ADVICE

CAREFUL CO-ORDINATION It is advisable to ensure that a work of art does not jar with its surroundings. One way to create an overall scheme in which a painting feels wholely, yet subtly, integrated in a room is by repeating colours found within the work in nearby furnishings and accessories. In this way, the delicate shades of an abstract oil could be replicated in a pair of lampshades; the tones of a favourite painting found in cushions and a rug; and the rich paint colours and gilt frame of a traditional portrait echoed in pieces of antique furniture.  Handsome tones of brown and cream, with metallic highlights, elegantly link this traditional portrait with the environment of fine antiques and beautiful architecture in which it is hung. The interior design is by Mark Gillette.

PERFECTLY FRAMED Challenged by the sheer choice of picture mounts and frames available? There are conventions that help (though confidence does allow rule-breaking to create unusual effects). Mounts should increase in size according to the size of the picture; use extra-large mounts for additional impact and a more modern look. White and off-white mounts are subtle and easy to use anywhere, whilst coloured mounts are more decorative and can be used to co-ordinate with the colours within a room. Frames should also be proportionate to the picture size, their style chosen to complement the style and period of the picture, as well as the colours within it and those of the room in which it will be placed.

An expert framer will give excellent advice, while further inspiration can be found in art galleries, museums, magazines and online.

RIGHT Round or oval frames make an interesting departure from the norm.

Sandberg Ekeblad Blue wallpaper, £85 a roll, TM Interiors

Challenged by the sheer choice of picture mounts and frames available? There are conventions that help (though confidence does allow rule-breaking to create unusual effects). Mounts should increase in size according to the size of the picture; use extra-large mounts for additional impact and a more modern look. White and off-white mounts are subtle and easy to use anywhere, while coloured mounts are more decorative and can be used to co-ordinate with the colours within a room. Frames should also be proportionate to the picture size, their style chosen to complement the style and period of the picture, as well as the colours within it and those of the room in which it will be placed. An expert framer will give excellent advice, while further inspiration can be found in art galleries, museums, magazines and online.

84 THE ENGLISH HOME

COLLECTIONS ON DISPLAY Objects en masse have great impact, with the end result being highly effective and at times greater than the sum of its parts.

There are several tricks to help organise arrangements of grouped items. First, match the scale of the pieces on show with the area in which they will be displayed, so that they are neither too small nor too large for their shelf, cabinet or area of wall.

There may be a rationale to grouping by colour, type, material, shape, artist, period and so on, but, if nothing obvious springs to mind, it makes sense to start by positioning one or two of the strongest, most striking items first, with larger pieces at the back of the display. Work towards a flow of shapes, a strong overall structure and an emphasis on the most interesting characteristics. If a piece jars within the group, remove it and display it separately.

LEFT This bespoke cabinet features shelving and display areas for books and decorative items, whilst the cupboards below allow for discreet storage.

Green Kensington Library, from £3,600, Neville Johnson

DISPLAY ADVICE

COLOURFUL BACKDROP Neutral walls are not the only way to show off a work of art, much-loved collection or valued antique; a splash of well-chosen background colour can prove invaluable in drawing the eye and providing a foil for the display itself. The darker the colour, the more drama is introduced, and dark colours are also, of course, perfect for contrasting with white or pale pieces. Charcoal, navy, deep green or crimson will add gravitas to a simple collection of white ceramics, for example.

When deciding on a background, aim to complement one of the colours from within the object or objects on display. Creating a mood board using colour swatches may be a real help with this, and it may be useful to ask a paint showroom to colour-match an item exactly.  RIGHT Crockery, glassware and other kitchen paraphernalia take on a still-life quality when carefully arranged on the dark olive background of these open shelves.

Chichester 5ft Open Rack Dresser, £2,235, Neptune BELOW The mustard wall in this Hampshire farmhouse creates a warm, welcoming room and also makes a handsome foil for the dark-wood antique tables, lamps and frames. The rug is also antique, and the bespoke Dean sofa is by Max Rollitt, who designed the room.



THE ENGLISH HOME 85

ON THE WALL There are various options for hanging groups of photographs or paintings, with the simplest being to fit them in identical frames and hang them in ordered lines.

Matching or similar frames will also help co-ordinate a less regular arrangement of pictures (this works well with, for example, family photographs on a stair wall). To pull together a disparate grouping, start by laying the potential artworks (which could also be mirrors, plates, embroideries or pressed seaweed, for example) on the floor and assessing how the elements work together. If necessary, remove some, make substitutions or consider reframing. One way to unite them is to group them into an overall rectangle, or at least align them on three sides. A completely freeform arrangement can be intriguing, though it helps if the ‘ingredients’ possess at least one common factor, whether it be shape, size, colour, texture or material.

RIGHT In this dining room by Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors, a collection of antique plates originates from a variety of different places, from the famous Portuguese Bordallo Pinheiro plates and the green Moroccan Tamegroute mountain pottery to German antique pieces. Their similarities in shape and colour pulls the hanging together, with its overall circular outline echoing the individual plates themselves.

SYMMETRY AND PAIRS There is something very pleasing about the mirroring and doubling that results from a symmetrical arrangement of two identical objects. It often makes a great deal of sense to show off antiques or works of art in sets of two – a pair of silver candlesticks on a dining table, a pair of lamps on a hallway console or a pair of chairs either side of a window, for example – especially as plenty of antique pieces are more valuable when in pairs. That said, even everyday and modern items can look good when displayed symmetrically, as the resulting feeling of balance is calming and elegant.

LEFT This entirely symmetrical arrangement of antique furniture, works of art and accessories recreates the sparse beauty of a Regency room. All the pieces are from Lorfords.

86 THE ENGLISH HOME

DISPLAY ADVICE

OLD AND NEW The ‘layered’ interior that combines pieces from different periods and places is always charming, welcoming and characterful. With even more intent, however, it is possible to juxtapose old with new more deliberately and dramatically. Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors says: “A strategically placed antique in a very modern interior adds an element of unexpected surprise, and the

juxtaposition creates an even stronger statement. For a modern interior, if only having one antique, be brave and choose something extraordinary to make it a statement piece. The same goes for a period home. Make sure that your modern pieces are a bold choice and are in stark contrast to the antiques in the room. This gives each integrity and importance.” 

ABOVE In this dashing master bedroom by Rebekah Caudwell, an antique sofa contrasts with modern elements, including a geometric rug by Martyn Lawrence Bullard from The Rug Company, all unified by a soothing range of blues.

THE ENGLISH HOME 87

DISPLAY ADVICE

BUYING ANTIQUES

Whether adding to a collection or buying a first piece, these experts offer a few tips to help with making the right choice BUYING A STAND-OUT PIECE “One of the golden rules when considering buying a feature article is to buy what you like. Don’t buy for investment or if it’s on trend.

Spend time browsing through websites and interior magazines to find your style. The item doesn’t need to be the same period as your home; mix and match, even new homes can still accommodate antiques well. If you’re a little unsure about your choice, ask the dealer if you could try it in situ before you commit. Most dealers, if logistically practical, will suggest this, a department store will never carry that service.”

Lennox Cato, Lennox Cato Antiques

BUYING PAIRS

TOP In this eclectic scheme by Thompson Clarke, a pair of gilded-ceramic antique lamp bases make a subtle statement at either end of a carved-wood console table.

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ONE KEY PIECE Displaying just one single, large-scale work of art – a painting, wall hanging, ceramic or glass work, or perhaps a sculpture – is one of the simplest and most effective ways to create a dramatic statement. This works particularly well in a high-ceilinged room, stairwell or double-height space, where smaller pieces can get ‘lost’. On the other hand, there are times when one oversized piece in a small room can be highly striking. Consider how the work relates to the overall proportions and architectural detailing of the space, ensuring that it is balanced by a large-enough wall, shelf, table cabinet or other support or backdrop, so that it appears full of impact without being overwhelming. ■

ABOVE A bespoke bronze sculpture

by Edward Waites takes centre stage in this private home designed by Nicky Dobree. It sits on a Christian Liaigre wenge table and is positioned in a hallway that connects several spaces. It has been spotlit for maximum effect so that it can be seen from all directions.

FEATURE KATHERINE SORRELL PHOTOGRAPHS P84 (SANDBERG) IDHA LINDHAG; P85 & P88 (MAX ROLLITT) TOM MANNION; P88 (LENNOX CATO) KAREN BENGALL PHOTOGRAPHY; (SCULPTURE) PHILIP VILE

“Pairs of antique items are usually worth around three times as much as each individual item would fetch.

Pairs can be items which were made to belong together, and it is pleasing to find a pair of objects which have survived without being separated. Similarly, there is serendipitous joy in finding an item which can be paired with one you already have to create a ‘matched pair’. Pairs can be used, for example, either side of a fireplace or window, and give a pleasing symmetry to a room. It’s worth bearing in mind that there is a virtue in not being too symmetrical in a design, it’s better not to be led by it. Pairs of mirrors, bedside tables or wall lights are particularly useful, but again not essential, I tend to take objects on their merit.”

Max Rollitt, Max Rollitt Antiques

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THE ENGLISH HOME 89

bedrooms RESTFUL

As important at the beginning of the day as at the end of the day, a bedroom requires careful planning and design to create a perfect sanctuary

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BUYER’S GUIDE

W

hilst the primary purpose of a bedroom is to provide a place for an undisturbed night’s sleep, it is also where we start the day and a retreat for a spot of quiet contemplation or to indulge in a good book. It is therefore an important space to plan and design carefully, taking into consideration everything from what size of bed will suit the room to storage that fits with its architectural features. Whether a master suite, a guest bedroom, or a multipurpose space, we look at ways of maximising its character and allure.

DESIGN DETAILS To begin the process, assess what the room will be mostly used or needed for – this will be a starting point for the layout and design. Determining the main function of a bedroom will help with planning its general layout. For instance, is it the master suite for everday use or is it an occasionally used guest bedroom? If the latter, will it double up as a home office or somewhere to retreat to for hobbies or crafts?

Is it a compact room that requires furniture to fulfil several purposes? Consider, too, any architectural features that need to be worked with, such as elaborate cornicing if planning floor-to-ceiling wardrobes.

ABOVE The key to a successful bedroom layout for interior design company Kitesgrove is that it not be overfurnished and to ensure every piece of furniture has form and function.

RIGHT Calm hues and a considered scheme combine for a soothing feel in this sophisticated bedroom by Todhunter Earle.

OPPOSITE Elegant tones and luxurious fabrics create characterful charm.

Rockefeller headboard, £6,140; curtains, Audrey Couture Fabric, from £2,350 a metre, all Beaumont & Fletcher

THE ENGLISH HOME 91

As the main focus for the bedroom, choosing the right bed to suit sleeping preferences and aesthetic tastes is of paramount importance.

Gloucester bed, £2,650 (double with slatted base), The Cornish Bed Company

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BUYER’S GUIDE

The master bedroom is more often than not the largest of all the bedrooms, making it easier to plan and furnish to maintain a sense of calm. “A haven in which to relax and sleep at night, the master bedroom is also where you wake up, get up and start to get ready for the day,” says Simon Taylor of Simon Taylor Furniture. “Therefore, the space has to serve a number of functions, and whilst the bed is always going to be the main focus of the room, storage and lighting are also important considerations.

“Depending on the size of the room and any architectural contours, we always recommend a combination of floor-to-ceiling fitted wardrobes with freestanding bedside tables to complement. Storage seating can be installed within a bay or a window recess, making the area more appealing during the day when natural light flows in. Meanwhile, strategically placed and adjustable LED spotlights in the ceiling can be installed to make a feature of specific areas in the evening.

“We always suggest a neutral colour palette for the furniture, with colour accents provided by curtains, blinds and throws.”

CREATING CHARACTER Alongside logistical considerations, the character of the room plays an important role. Will it, for instance,

ABOVE Kelling Designs always makes the bed the focal point in any bedroom. White linen creates a fresh look, whilst a side table provides the perfect place for essentials.

Plum Blossom handpainted wallpaper, de Gournay; bedding, The White Company; side table, Oka. A similar bedroom design would cost from £8,000, Kelling Designs RIGHT When space is limited, look for practical, smaller storage. This neat French wardrobe has hanging space and shelving as well as a wide drawer.

Portland small wardrobe, £595, The Dormy House

THE ENGLISH HOME 93

be a space with a calm, cocooning effect, perfect for sleep, or will there be scope for bolder design choices?

For Emma Deterding of Kelling Designs, the master bedroom should always be of the utmost comfort and reflect personal tastes. “We always make the most of the bed,” she says. “The more expensive the bed, generally the more comfortable and certainly the better made it will be. At Kelling, the bed is always the star of the show and we match it with a bedspread, throw and cushions. We tend to use white linen, which makes it a fresh and inviting place to be.

“When considering the side tables, I would suggest that you make them as large as the room allows and as high as the top of the mattress. Never have downlights or hanging lights above a bed. There is nothing more distracting than a blast of direct light as you lie in bed.

Keep lights to the perimeter. For curtains, try to use blackout lining and make sure they are on a lath and fascia if you are a light sleeper, as this will keep out much of the light for those early summer mornings.”

When planning for a guest room, Deterding suggests a bold approach. “Guests are likely to only stay for a few nights,” she says, “so for them it should be a comfortable and exciting experience – they want to be more, or at least as, comfortable than they would be in their own home. Go for a big, bold statement headboard, embrace colour and choose fresh, crisp bed linen, great pillows, and duvets that suit the season. Storage is important, but if the room is too small to house a wardrobe, a beautiful set of hooks with gorgeous coat hangers will work just as well.”

KEY PIECES The bed needs to be the right size and style for the bedroom. Measure the room carefully to ensure there will be ample space to walk around the bed. When it comes to bed sizes, a standard single is 90cm x 190cm, perfect for children’s rooms or guest rooms. Small doubles are usually 120cm x 190cm, whilst a standard double is 135cm x 190cm. King-size beds typically measure 150cm x 200cm, and super-king-size beds – the ultimate in luxury – are 180cm x 200cm.

TOP LEFT Bold design choices add character to the bedroom. Samson headboard in Linwood Kami velvet, from £449 (single), The Headboard Workshop LEFT Ensuring there is plenty of room around the bed frame allows for space and flow.

Camelia king-size bed frame, from £895, Button & Sprung OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Be sure to take comfort and style into equal consideration.

Maple Natural Superb mattress with deep divan base and headboard, from £3,097 (king-size set), Hypnos Bold shapes and strong pattern add interest and charm.

Konig headboard, from £2,235, Rita Konig x Ensemblier Add layers and textures for interest and a seasonal update.

Pink Sprig standard pillowcase, £18; Pink Matilda Oxford pillowcase, £26; Green scalloped-edge Oxford pillowcase, £26; Mini Elephant quilt, £150; Paisley throw, £145, Sarah K 94 THE ENGLISH HOME

BUYER’S GUIDE

THE ENGLISH HOME 95

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BUYER’S GUIDE

Mark Tremlett, CEO of The Cornish Bed Company, advises always choosing the biggest bed that can fit in the room, and to take comfort into the equation too. “Where possible, try before you buy and be sure to explore the different mattress options available,” he counsels.

Consider, too, whether the bed needs to provide storage space for clothes, spare bedding, blankets and pillows, in which case an ottoman divan is the perfect choice. Alternatively, opting for a bed frame that shows the floor space beneath will help to create a feeling of light and space in a dark or small space.

Think about the different bed bases too, and the benefits of each. Slats offer good support and can adapt well to different weights, as well as providing good levels of ventilation to circulate air around the mattress. A sprung divan meanwhile often enhances the life of a mattress, and provides a softer surface and another support layer to sleep on.

If the room is to function as a guest room or multipurpose space, look for day or sofa beds, or trundle styles that free up valuable floor space when not in use.  ABOVE Set the mood with bed linen to complement the colour scheme. Raspberry Bed Linen, from £36, Piglet ABOVE, RIGHT Natural linen has a luxurious feel and texture as well as being easy to care for. Still White duvet cover set, £159 for a double, Chalk Pink Linen Company

Dress to impress When it comes to bedding and bed linen, it is a good idea to buy for the season as well as for style.

• Duvets are measured in togs, with 1 being the coolest and 15 being the warmest. For summer, a 1-7 tog is advised, whereas 10.5 or above is recommended for winter.

Natural fillings such as feather or down are softer and allow skin to breathe more easily than synthetics, whilst silk is a good option for allergy sufferers.

• Pillows come in a choice of materials and fillings in low, medium and high profiles. For those who sleep on their stomach, a lower, soft profile is perfect, whilst a firmer one is better for side or back sleepers. Head and neck alignment is key for the muscles to relax enough for a comfortable night’s sleep.

• Choose bedlinen in a choice of fabrics and materials to suit the household’s different needs and desires. For hotel-quality sheets, consider high-thread-count cotton for its naturally breathable qualities which help regulate temperature and moisture levels.

Pure linen is another good choice, as it acts as a heat regulator, allowing air to circulate around the body. In addition to this, linen is hypo-allergenic, has antibacterial properties and a natural pH balance.

• When dressing the bed, set the mood for the whole room by choosing a colour palette to complement or contrast with the colour scheme. Layer the bed with textures – bedspreads, blankets, throws and cushions can all be added to or taken away as the seasons change.

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BUYER’S GUIDE

DIRECTORY Resources for a beautiful bedroom BEDS & MATTRESSES And So To Bed Tel 0808 144 4343 andsotobed.co.uk Beaudesert Tel 0845 838 8720 beaudesert.co.uk The Cornish Bed Co Tel 01726 825182 cornishbeds.co.uk The English Bed Co Tel 0161 925 8503 theenglishbedcompany.co.uk

Harrison Spinks Tel 0113 205 5200 harrisonspinks.co.uk Hastens Tel 020 7313 9888 hastens.com The Headboard Workshop Tel 01291 628216 theheadboardworkshop.co.uk Hypnos Tel 01844 348200 hypnosbeds.com Naturalmat Tel 01392 877247 naturalmat.co.uk

Headboards can be a great way of transforming the look of a bedroom – particularly larger, bolder styles. “With the rise of the boutique hotel and its look being emulated in residential design,” says Martin Waller of Andrew Martin, “the headboard has become a brilliant focal point in bedroom decor. Look to the Firmdale Hotels group for inspiration on using brave colour and pattern, and have fun co-ordinating headboards with a wallpaper or throw. Don’t be afraid to choose a more outlandish style as this only adds more character. See it as art above your bed.”

For storage, let the available space guide you.

Fully fitted furniture makes the most of every inch, whilst freestanding wardrobes, chests and armoires can be moved into different positions or rooms when a change of style is required. n ABOVE Rich textures and ornate prints provide colourful interest against plain backgrounds.

Headboard and lampshade, Chinese Garden, Ochre, £55 a metre; headboard trim, Downham, Russet, £65 a metre; cushions (front to back): Downham, Juniper, £65 a metre; Cusco, Spice, £70 a metre, all Warner House LEFT Save space in a compact room with a wallmounted clothes rail that also works as a shelf.

Skagerak Cutter wardrobe in Oak, £462, Blomster Designs 98 THE ENGLISH HOME

The Natural Bed Co Tel 0144 272 1984 naturalbedcompany.co.uk The Original Bed Co Tel 0800 464 0875 obc-uk.net Savoir Beds Tel 020 8838 4838 savoirbeds.com The Woolroom Tel 01780 461217 thewoolroom.com The Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co Tel 01485 542516 wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk BEDLINEN Chalk Pink Linen Co Tel 01872 492192 chalkpinklinencompany.co.uk Christy christy.co.uk Gingerlily Tel 020 8877 9905 gingerlilylondon.com Heirloom Linens Tel 01243 820 252 heirloom-linens.com Peter Reed Tel 01282 616069 peterreed.com

FEATURE HAYLEY GILBERT PHOTOGRAPHS P91 (TODHUNTER EARLE) © ANDREW BEASLEY. P92 © JON DAY. P95 (HYPNOS) © DOMINIC BLACKMORE; (SARAH K) © MATILDA DELVES; (ENSEMBLIER) © JAMES MERRELL

The French Bedroom Co Tel 01444 415430 frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

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THE STORY OF BRIDGMAN

PASSION FOR QUALITY

W

hen Peter Bridgman followed his father into the furniture business in 1977 to set up his company Bridgman, it was with three clear principles in mind. As well as looking good, he wanted the furniture to be all about “quality, design and comfort”, and these values remain at the core of what the luxury garden and home furniture company stands for, more than 40 years later.

“For us, luxury furniture goes far beyond aesthetics,” explains Alex Bridgman, sales director of Bridgman and Peter’s son. “Wellcrafted pieces can transform your space and allow you to maximise your time spent relaxing and entertaining.”

Peter’s first workshop was set up in North London, where Bridgman’s head office remains to this day. From here, Peter quickly established the company as a leading supplier of reproduction furniture in the late Seventies and by 1987 had launched its first collection of luxury garden furniture. Encouraged by this early success, in 1990 the brand decided to set its sights on becoming the UK’s leading supplier of luxury garden furniture and started showcasing its new designs at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a tradition it continues 30 years on.

Bridgman is understandably proud of its heritage, in particular being one of the first British companies to supply enduringly fashionable rattan garden furniture in 2001 and then later going on to supply fully waterproof outdoor cushions in 2011. These virtually stain-proof cushions have continued to be one of its best-selling products to this day.

The rattan furniture is handwoven in factories in Indonesia (where it can take three days to complete one chair) and Bridgman’s teak furniture is also made there, using premium timber that has

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been completely kiln dried before machining to prevent any cracking or splitting of the timber. The company’s cushions are made in factories in Europe.

Bridgman’s collection also extends to outdoor sofas and dining sets, parasols, solar lights and patio heaters, and indoor dining sets, tables and chairs. With several showrooms across the country from London to Cheshire, it is possible to really get a taste of the “Bridgman lifestyle”.

Peter’s two sons, Robert, and Alex now work in the company alongside 25 team members, a number that continues to grow as Bridgman expands, some of whom have worked in the business for more than 20 years. “As a family business, we’re fortunate that we can be in control of the whole process from design and manufacture to selling the furniture through the website and in the showrooms,” explains Alex. “We combine innovation and quality to make sure our furniture is timeless, looks good, and is easy to maintain whilst being comfortable too.”

Never a brand to rest on its laurels, Bridgman has plenty of new launches for 2021, a time when, more than ever, people are making the most of their homes. The company is launching the Casual Dining range which features mix-and-match tables – with ceramic slate, ceramic marble or glass table tops – which can be teamed with a teak or aluminium frame, and a range of chairs which can be used inside or out, as well as a quick-dry, fully waterproof upholstered modular lounge set. bridgman.co.uk n ABOVE Henley 158cm Ceramic Marble & Teak dining table with six Richmond with fully waterproof and virtually stainproof armchairs, £5,399

FEATURE KATE FREUD PHOTOGRAPHS (CLIVEDEN ROUND TABLE) JOHN ‘BRIEN / KOJO PHOTOGRAPHY

From elegant rattan garden furniture to sleek indoor/outdoor dining sets, Bridgman’s luxurious pieces lead the way in both comfort and practicality

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Hampstead grey sofa and lounge armchairs with Aqua Grey seat and back cushions and coffee table, £3,499 National Trust Cliveden 90cm round dining table with four Cliveden dining armchairs, £2,599 Henley 220cm Ceramic Marble & Aluminium dining table with eight Richmond dining armchairs in Honeycomb fabric, £6,999 Hampstead 240cm rectangular dining table with eight stacking armchairs with optional Aqua Grey cushions, from £4,399 National Trust Cliveden modular sofa set M in handwoven pewter rattan with fully waterproof grey cushions, from £6,899

THE ENGLISH HOME 101

This grand, classical drawing room has so many ingredients that are typically English that it is hard to know where to begin. Perhaps most notable, along with the flowers and the casual cocktail of colour and pattern, is the presence of a magnificently relaxed and saggy sofa, layered with squishy cushions.

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DECORATING

Creating

AN ENGLISH SITTING ROOM Praised for its relaxed elegance and comfort, the perfect sitting room is deceptively layered yet achievable, as Ros Byam Shaw explores

T

here are certain elements of the English sitting room – or drawing room, if you prefer the more old-fashioned term – that are non-negotiable. There should be a sofa, ideally squashy, plump, and loaded with cushions – the sort of sofa you can curl up in, lie down on, and share with your dog. Armchairs can be substituted for the sofa, if necessary, as long as they are the sort you can sprawl in. The room needs a focus, a direction in which to point the sofa, and this can only be a fireplace. Best of all is an open fire, piled with logs snapping with flames in winter, its grate cool and dark on summer evenings when doors stand ajar into the garden.

Sofa and fireplace are the axis around which all other elements of the room are built. For comfort and convenience, these should include side tables big enough to hold a drink, a book, and a lamp, and perhaps a padded stool between sofa and fireplace for more books and somewhere to put a tea tray. Once you have these, you have everything you need. The same formula applies whether your room is large and high-ceilinged with tall sash windows and an ornate cornice, or cosy and beamed with a broad inglenook fireplace. All that changes is the number and positioning of sofas and armchairs, the intention being to create a conversational group in front of those dancing flames.

When it comes to filling the gaps, this is a room where style and creativity are on show. It is the most public room in the house, but, unlike the kitchen, THE ENGLISH HOME 103

It is the place to display any furnishing trophies. Pieces you have gathered over time. Things that confer a little jolt of pleasure whenever you look at them 104 THE ENGLISH HOME

DECORATING

which you may also use for entertaining, it has a less specific role. Its purpose is mainly for rest and relaxation, and as a place to gather and talk. So once seating and lighting are sorted, with sofas, armchairs, and table lamps, it is the place to display any furnishing trophies – the inherited secretaire, the oil painting you splashed out on, the expensive rug.

Ideally, these are pieces you have gathered over time, things you have been given, or have bought because they delight you, things that confer a little jolt of pleasure whenever you look at them.

No one can tell you what these things should be – there is no magic formula – but, it is the mix of furnishings, including pictures on the walls, curtains, upholstery fabrics, rugs, and ornaments, that give a room its character and atmosphere. This can mean not only pieces from different eras, but also different cultures – a Turkish suzani thrown over the back of a sofa, a group of Indian miniatures on the wall, an African basket.

In truth, this mix is difficult to get just right. The best decorators make it look easy. A master like Robert Kime can put an eighteenth-century painted Italian

cupboard, a French provincial table, an English wing ABOVE Whilst this is English style at its chair, curtains made from Anatolian tent hangings, a Turkish rug, and a 1920s standard lamp all in the same most ascetic, the English trope of sofas room, and create an effect that is harmonious, and facing one another looks very like the result of years of thoughtful on either side of the acquisition by several generations of owners. This fireplace persists. ‘layering’ is at the heart of what makes an English LEFT This sitting room is almost too room distinctive. Because it is inclusive, it makes you poised and chic to be feel welcome, and because there appear to be no strict typically English. The rules, you feel you can relax. comfort of a deep For those of us who are not professional decorators sofa with a generous with long experience and generous budgets, getting it loading of cushions and a thick rug laid right is likely to be a process of experimentation – adding and subtracting, moving things round until you over the matting help it to qualify, get what Nancy Lancaster called ‘a judicious mixture but still at the very that flows’. Scale is also important – oddly, big bits of smartest and tidiest furniture look marvellous in small rooms, while lots of end of the Englishstyle spectrum. small pieces look as mincing and bitty in small rooms as they do in big ones. Scale equally applies to textiles and wallpapers – a sprigged fabric to complement a bold tree of life, neat checks with blowsy chintz, stripes with paisley, plain on pattern and pattern on plain. To weave it all together, you need a palette of colours that THE ENGLISH HOME 105

You need a palette of colours that bring out the best in each other instead of clashing and disagreeing

When the arrangement of doors, windows and fireplace allows, to have sofas facing each other on either side of a fireplace is comfortable and looks balanced.

There is no need for them to match.

106 THE ENGLISH HOME

bring out the best in each other instead of clashing and disagreeing. This is much more straightforward if you limit a room to shades of white and cream or taupe and coffee, but also too restrictive to be truly English.

Better to find a colour thread or theme, perhaps taken from the curtains or the sofa upholstery, and work around it, remembering that you can’t always predict what will please and what won’t, so it’s worth trying out different combinations.

Scale and harmony also apply to ornaments, their size and placing. Little things look better in herds than dotted around singly. Some, like pretty boxes, are best appreciated from above so could be laid out on a side table. Others are best seen in silhouette ranked along a mantelshelf. Just as you can play with patterns, colours, and scale, so you can twiddle the dials of symmetry in arrangements that subtly subvert expectations, setting up a framework with a pair of tall candlesticks, or matching jugs, and weaving things of differing heights and shapes in between. It’s a game you can play endlessly to get different effects.

There is one last element that many would consider essential in a sitting room, and that is the television, assuming you do not have a secondary reception room, snug, or playroom where watching it can be indulged like a guilty secret. If the fireplace is the focal point of the room, then the television needs to be next to it.

I have seen various ways of accommodating televisions – inside a cupboard, wall-mounted in a box behind doors from a glazed antique cabinet, and tucked under the heavily embroidered cloth of a corner table. As long as it is not so big that its blank, black oblong dominates, I would rather see it than not, though it is nice to be able to hide it on occasion, and I note that televisions have been censored in every photograph I have chosen to illustrate this feature.

The cherry on the cake of a room made from these ingredients is fresh flowers – one of Nancy Lancaster’s three ‘tricks’. She suggested ‘masses of them’, along with open fires and candlelight. If you have a large, productive garden and time for flower arranging, or a generous flower budget, then you can follow Nancy’s advice to the letter. If you live in the country, there are certain times of year when you can pick armfuls of cow parsley or foxgloves. For longer-lasting displays, there are pot plants, which are having a fashion moment.

For something traditional, and typically English, you might choose pelargoniums, which some people can persuade to flower all year if kept indoors. n To discover the elements to create other English rooms see Perfect English Style by Ros Byam Shaw (Ryland Peters & Small, £30). The English Home readers can buy a copy for the special price of £20 (including P&P, UK mainland only).

To order, go to rylandpeters.com and at checkout use code PERFECTENGLISHHOME. Offer valid until 30 April 2021.

ABOVE The formality of this elegant panelled room, with its hang of antique portraits and selection of mostly eighteenth-century furnishings, is undercut and softened by enormous cushions on the demure French sofa and an untidy pile of books on the side table.

RIGHT These armchairs are so plump and mounded with cushions, it seems possible to bounce straight off them.

Instead, thanks to squashy feather fillings, make a nest and cover up in the woollen throws that hang over their backs.

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WOOD WORKS

ABOVE The bespoke oak-frame home is surrounded by an idyllic, rural backdrop and has bi-fold doors at the rear to make most of the views and blur the boundaries of inside and outside when they are fully open.

ABOVE RIGHT The Clarissa Hulse bed linen and Hypnos bed take centre stage in the spacious, light and airy master bedroom with its wall of glass and Juliet balcony at one end.

W

hen Dennis and Suzan Woods bought their first home in a picturesque Surrey village, it was the start of a lifelong love affair with the area. So when the time came to downsize, they knew they wanted to stay local but agreed to try something new and build their next home. “Once we had decided to build our own home it was a case of finding a plot and deciding on the style,” explains Dennis.

As luck would have it, Suzan came across a beautiful oak-frame house being built by Oakwrights nearby and, after visiting the company’s website, found everything she envisaged for her own new home. Not only did Oakwrights combine traditional craftsmanship skills with cutting-edge technology, but it had sustainability at its core, something else that was important to the couple. She subsequently booked to stay at Oakwrights’ Herefordshire show home, The Woodhouse, so she and

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Dennis could experience living in an oak-frame property for themselves.

When Nick Price and Tim Crump established Oakwrights more than 20 years ago, they knew they had big plans, but their show home, built in 2007, really proved a high point, and allows their customers to fully understand the joys of living in such a building. As Dennis explains, “I was dubious about the open-plan layout, but from the moment we walked through the door I thought, ‘this could really work for us’.”

Once Dennis and Suzan had decided what they wanted in their property – which included three bedrooms, a utility room, and an office – they worked with an Oakwrights’ architectural designer on the initial drawings to secure planning approval.

After everything had been approved, the hard work began in earnest. During the 10-month build, the couple rented a house nearby and visited the site each

FEATURE KATE FREUD PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD KIELY

Building a home from scratch can be a daunting prospect, but the whole experience proved a dream for one couple who put their faith in oak-frame experts Oakwrights

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

day. “Being on hand to answer queries was the key to keeping the job rolling,” explains Dennis.

Now the building is complete and nestled in its beautiful garden, it is hard to imagine it was built just two years ago. “We chose materials that would fade over time to look as if our cottage had been there forever,” says Suzan. The house’s oak frame is complemented by a design of linear pattern bricks on the ground floor and an intricate, herringbone pattern beneath each window.

The roof is designed in simple old-style dimpled tiles and the chimney features two tones of brick.

The glazing to the rear of the home harnesses as much light as possible, which was important to Dennis and Suzan. They worked with Woodbase Joiners for their doors, window frames and bi-fold doors. “We love this beautiful location and can enjoy the fantastic sunsets across the meadows by opening our bi-folds, giving an inside-outside sense of living,” explains Dennis.

Energy efficiency was another key factor for the couple.

They wanted their home to combine modern heating, Oakwrights’ insulation – WrightWall – and lighting systems with the traditional character of the property.

Their main source of heat is underfloor heating powered by an air-source heat pump which also heats the water. They have an electric Aga in their Shaker-style kitchen, and a contemporary-style woodburner in the eye-catching herringbone-brick-finish fireplace.

Following the final process where all the timber beams were hand-cleaned and oiled to give a superb golden oak-coloured finish, Dennis and Suzan could not resist moving in. “There was still work to be completed,” says Dennis, “but it was an enormous pleasure to live in this beautiful property and we feel the same way every time we step through the door, day or night. It has been an amazingly rewarding journey for us from start to finish.” oakwrights.co.uk n

ABOVE Glass lampshades and wood furniture blend seamlessly with the house’s structure.

TOP LEFT The house’s bespoke doors and windows were provided by Woodbase Joiners.

TOP MIDDLE The New England kitchen

by Mark Wilkinson perfectly suits the style of the home.

The dual-control electric Aga in Pistachio was supplied by Aga in Cobham, Surrey.

THE ENGLISH HOME 109

01608 652442

raptureandwright.co.uk

2020

110 THE ENGLISH HOME

QUINTESSENTIALLY

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

A TASTE OF SPRING

FEATURE SARAH FEELEY PHOTOGRAPH BETTYS

Bluebells gracefully carpeting a woodland floor are an eagerly anticipated springtime spectacle. April and May offer the perfect chance to see them in full bloom, especially at Clent Hills in Worcestershire, Sissinghurst Castle in Kent and the ancient woodland at Coughton Court in Warwickshire. In celebration of this explosion of colour, bluebells adorn a delicious new cake by Bettys made with light almond sponge, raspberry preserve and buttercream.

Spring Bluebells cake (serves six to eight), £14, Bettys, bettys.co.uk

THE ENGLISH HOME 111

MY ENGLISH HOME

Matthew Fort FROM PATCH TO PLATE

The food writer and critic praises the art of foraging and shares his deceptively simple ideas for conjuring elegant dishes with fresh, free finds from the woodlands this month

112 THE ENGLISH HOME

There is little of a wild garlic plant that isn’t edible. I’ll come round to what to do with the leaves in a moment, but its flowers, which look like tiny, white, exploding supernovas, can be added to salads, and the cluster of small bulbs from which the leaves and flowers grow just below ground can be pickled.

However, it is the leaves that are most likely to be come across, so here are a few ideas for what to do with them: - Chop finely and add to butter for wild garlic butter - Grind up with salt for wild garlic salt - Purée and add to mayonnaise - Make wild garlic and nettle soup - Toss whole leaves over roast potatoes fresh out of the oven - Make wild garlic risotto - Mix with eggs for a wild garlic omelette Rather rarer, and so, perhaps, more treasured, particularly by chefs and discerning gastronomes, is the great spring mushroom – the morel. It is a curious looking number, like a giant thimble, corrugated like a coral, but made of brown rubber. Even for a mushroom, it’s a bit odd, but as an eater, there’s not much to beat it at this time of the year. It is famously best combined with chicken – the flavour of chicken and morels cooked inside a sealed pot with madeira at Le Gavroche still haunts my memory like a ghost of immeasurable charm and elegance.

Over the years I have heard reports of morels being found here and there in abundance, but I’ve only ever found one.

And one morel isn’t really enough to feast on. However, if you’re lucky enough to stumble

WILD GARLIC GREEN SAUCE My favourite wild garlic recipe is for a versatile green sauce (not pesto, which is made with basil – or should be).

INGREDIENTS Handful of wild garlic leaves (at least 40) 1 hard-boiled egg 1 tbsp capers 6 cornichons 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or vinegar from cornichons) ½ tsp mustard powder 125ml rape seed oil salt and pepper

METHOD • Put all the ingredients into a bowl.

Wizz them up until chunky cut, smooth or somewhere in between, as you like it. And that’s it. Could hardly be simpler. Use with fish and chicken. across a trove of them, don’t wash them but clean them carefully, fry them in butter, anoint them with cream, sprinkle them with parsley, pile them on toast and eat them all yourself. ■ NB When foraging for wild food, it is imperative to correctly identify what it is, otherwise it should not be eaten.

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.

PORTRAIT GRANT SCOTT ILLUSTRATION EPINE / SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOGRAPH © STOCKFOOD / MAGDALENA HENDEY

T

here’s the purple sprouting broccoli, the first unfurled leaves of sorrel, and the rhubarb (as I mentioned last month), but that is it as far as my garden is concerned.

In my experience, April is the month of promise rather than delivery. Expectation is high and anticipation higher, but patience is called for before the first proper harvest can begin.

So what’s a chap to do? Well, we’re told we should exercise our bodies as well as our minds, and as spring is leaping into action, sap rising, rays of sunshine and hope of a less cloistered life beginning to dawn and all that, there’s all the more reason to get out and fossick about in field, hedgerow and wood looking for early foraging foods.

First among them must be wild garlic – or ramsons to give its English name (from the Old English hramsan) – because it is the easiest to find. Indeed, there are parts of the country, such as where I live in Gloucestershire, where it is difficult to avoid. Sometimes I think wild garlic is taking over the world. Whisper it, but wild garlic is a bit of a bully. It is so vigorous that it takes over the ground also preferred by our native bluebells. But as you can’t eat bluebells, and wild garlic has multiple culinary uses, this may not be thought a bad thing. Personally, I like a woodland where there’s room for both.

As its Latin classification, allium ursinum, suggests, wild garlic is a member of the onion family, and whilst its garlic flavour is mild, it is quite penetrating all the same. Its shiny, dark green, sharply pointed leaves are very distinctive, and can be picked in their hundreds or thousands if you have the patience, without fear of them ever going extinct.

RECIPE

THE SEASONAL HOME: Spring Add joyful colour with displays of cheerful spring flowers, from wild buds to blooming bulbs and blossoming trees it is a season full of cheer, promise and delight

ABOVE Pretty shades of pastel pink and soft white blossom fill the the branches of apple and cherry trees in spring, a harbinger of the delicious fruit to come.

RIGHT Tulips come in all manner of styles and colours, including these decadent ‘Dream Touch’ and ‘Pink Parrot’ varieties, here arranged with another spring favourite, cream hyacinth.

S

pring bursts forth with long-awaited blooms full of bright, cheerful colour. Some traditional spring flowers such as sunny daffodils are increasingly making earlier appearances, popping up with their proud trumpets whilst snow may still be falling in late January and February, extending the ‘spring’ flower season. It is a favourite bloom of florist Rowan Blossom. “For me, March is synonymous with narcissi, perhaps because my father is a proud Welshman and we always wear a daffodil to celebrate St David’s Day.” A kitchen in March is almost incomplete without a pitcher full of daffodils and there are a huge variety of colours and varieties to choose from. “Of course, the first type to spring to mind is the cheerful yolky yellow one, which cannot fail to raise a smile,” says Blossom, “but there are so many others which are a joy to arrange with – from the pure white ‘Thalia’ to lemony ‘Toto’ and even an incredible peachy pink variety called ‘Mary Gay Lirette’.”

Another bulb that begins to appear towards the end of winter, emerging into the first sunny days of spring and bringing colour through April is the popular tulip.

Again, this species offers incredible diversity in colours and shapes – from simple cups to double flowered, peony-like blooms, to extravagant parrot tulips with curled and fringed petals, and beautiful striped hybrids. Just a simple vase of these will delight – and

114 THE ENGLISH HOME

look even better in a large quantity. “April offers a bounty of luscious British beauties to play with – including tulips, ranunculus and anemone,” notes Blossom. Ranunculus with dense clusters of petals offers an aesthetic akin to layered roses, and comes in a palette of bright and light, deep and dramatic colours. Charming freesias in pastel shades offer delicate beauty as well as incredible scent. Hyacinths, too, offer an incredible heady aroma. Plants such as lily of the valley are another beautifully scented choice.

Wildflowers also are a visual delight in spring – fritillaries, bluebells, crocuses, grape hyacinths and even daisies can all be used to create charming arrangements in dainty bud vases. Consider, too, the clouds of pink and white blossom bursting forth.

These are a joy to behold, and make for a particularly simple yet impactful hallway display. Lilac blossoms too, with their heavenly scent, offer beautiful sprays of tiny flowers (see p118 for culinary uses too).

Though usually a herald of summer, peonies can start to appear in spring should the weather be warmer than usual, “which is absolutely thrilling as they are a showstopper in any arrangement,” Blossom enthuses.

Spring flowers allow for richly diverse arrangements, full of bright colours, shapes and textures, as we will explore over the coming pages – perfect for lifting the spirits when dotted around the home. 

SPRING FLOWERS

THE ENGLISH HOME 115

Spring celebration Discover beautiful ways to showcase the variety and colour of spring blooms Rowan Blossom, the Notting Hill and Cotswolds-based florist and author of Living with Flowers & Floriography (published April 2021), creates a beautiful celebration of spring flowers in a compote vase arrangement.

“For me, spring is all about embracing the lighter and brighter days, and I love to use playful colours. One of my go-to combinations is pairing pretty pinks with buttery yellows and creams and lots of vibrant zingy foliages – a charming palette that feels hopeful, cheerful and is guaranteed to look pretty in any home.

Here, I have used ‘Butterfly’ ranunculus, rose ‘Cafe Latte’, ‘Carnival’ ranunculus, ‘Cloni’ ranunculus, daffodil, daucus, forget-me not, poppy and ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peony, along with asparagus fern, berried ivy, guelder roses, senico and soft rucus foliages.

A compote is a footed vessel that was traditionally used for serving nuts or fruit and it is a lovely thing to arrange flowers in. I have used chicken wire to create a central support to elevate the centre of the arrangement. The reason it looks so special – perhaps as a centrepiece for a Sunday lunch – is that you don’t see the ‘mechanics’. There are no stems or water on show – it is all about the blooms. If being used as a centrepiece, consider the design ‘in the round’ so it looks lovely from all angles.”

BUDDING IDEA For small flowers – such as violas, crocuses, perhaps late snowdrops, bluebells, even buttercups and daisies or other wild flowers – a sweet little arrangement can be made in a simple bud vase on a kitchen windowsill to raise a smile. Or use mutliple vases or bottles in colurful glass for a bright display.

For a more creative idea, consider other vessels – eggs have a particularly nice affinity with the new hope of spring and can make for a charming arrangement. Carefully remove a small part of the top of the shell and use the egg inside, clean the shell and use as a miniature vase. A simple nest of entwined twigs, or a hanging wreath with the egg glued in the centre would make a pretty vignette for Easter and beyond.

116 THE ENGLISH HOME

TIPS FOR TULIPS & DAFFODILS • Tulips continue to grow after cutting so buy flowers with stems shorter than the leaves for longevity.

• Some may like the way tulips organically grow, change shape and droop over time within an arrangement – if so, turn the vase each day as they will grow towards sunlight. For straight stems, adding copper coins or a little sugar to the vase water will help them keep upright.

• When cut, the sap from daffodils can kill other flowers in a mixed arrangement, so pop them in a bucket of water for 24 hours to condition them before arranging (and do not cut stems again).

MAKE AN ENTRANCE Remember about outside too – a wreath made of blossom is a welcome sight, but consider a hanging basket or window box too. These are not the reserve of summer – fill them with violas, cowslips, pinks or dwarf wallflowers – or a mixture for colourful impact.

CHEERFUL GIFT Bulb plants such as hyacinths or small ‘Tête à tête narcissi make for a lovely springtime gift – perhaps for Easter, Mother’s Day or just to bring a smile to a loved one’s face. Present them in a painted pot or wrapped in tissue paper or old sheet music and tie with string, raffia or a ribbon.

Lovely lilacs

LILAC SUGAR As with lavender, the flowers of lilacs can be used to scent and flavour sugar. Simply give branches a good shake to remove any bugs and take off the petals. Layer sugar and petals in a jar and shake gently every day.

After around a week or so, once the sugar is dry, sift it to remove the petals. The sugar can be used in baking to lightly flavour cakes, sprinkled over shortbread or stirred into tea – it is a lovely addition to camomile tea.

LILAC SYRUP

Just now the lilac is in bloom, All before my little room; And in my flower-beds, I think, Smile the carnation and the pink The Old Vicarage, Grantchester, Rupert Brooke (1887–1915)

118 THE ENGLISH HOME

The deeper the colour of the blooms, the more intense the lilac of the syrup will be. Simply add petals to a simple syrup solution of water, sugar and lemon and simmer for a few minutes. Once cooled, strained and bottled, the syrup can be drizzled on pancakes, or used as a cordial in sparkling water, added to cocktails or used to make a floral-infused pitcher of lemonade. n ABOVE LEFT Lilacs come in all sorts of shades, from white to deepest violet.

LEFT White lilacs offer a refreshing alternative to purple varieties and as they won’t colour syrups they are best used for an alluring and aromatic display OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Lilac flowers can be used to create a delicious syrup to use as a cordial or to add to cocktails for a delicious floral note – particularly complementary to the botanicals in a gin.

Use lilac sugar to add an unexpected twist to a simple sponge and lilac flowers to decorate it.

Lilac sugar can be used in much the same way as lavender sugar to add floral notes to sweet treats.

There are few things more refreshing on a sunny day than a jug of homemade lemonade, particularly when flavoured with lilac.

Mix lilac syrup with freshly squeezed lemon juice, top with water and serve with ice, lemon slices and a sprinkling of lilac flowers.

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN PHOTOGRAPHS P114 TAMSYN MORGANS. P115 SARAH GARDNER. P116 (ROWAN BLOSSOM) JAMES STOPFORTH; (OTHERS) FLORA PRESS/MINA HESSE; P117 (VIOLAS & HYACINTHS) TAMSYN MORGANS; (TULIPS) SHUTTERSTOCK/NATALIA VON DONINCK; (NARCISSI) FLORA PRESS/GEORGIE STEEDS. P118 (LILACS) FLORA PRESS/DANIELA KUNZ; (WHITE LILAC) FLORA PRESS/YVONNE KÖNIG. P119 (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) ZORYANA IVCHENKO/ALAMY; EYEEM/ALAMY; ZORYANA IVCHENKO/ALAMY; IRINA MELIUKH/STOCKFOOD

Grown in the garden or found in hedgerows and woodland edges, these densely packed branches of tiny flowers have a beautiful, decorative impact in simple displays. They come in a rich spectrum of purple hues – from delicate mauves to punchy violets – as well as ethereal whites. The flowers provide a heavenly sweet scent, and can be used for culinary purposes too. Lilac has a sweet floral flavour with a hint of citrus, imbuing a delicate zest to cakes or drinks.

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THE ENGLISH HOME 119

120 THE ENGLISH HOME

LIFESTYLE

Living well

Spring brings with it a freshness and the promise of a new dawn – embrace the season as a time for renewal with positive and refreshing lifestyle changes

B

e it in the home or beyond, the gradual increase in daylight hours at this time of year creates a sense of impetus and verve. Turning to face these brighter times ahead has a wonderfully uplifting effect on body and mind. Living well, or mindfully some might say, helps us to focus on simple yet rewarding pleasures.

Whether adding a fresh lick of paint to a room or piece of furniture, creating a beautiful table setting or appreciating seasonal delights, here we suggest ideas for starting with small changes to create far-reaching effects.

The great outdoors Stepping outside to feel the wind and sunshine on hair and skin is an unequivocal pleasure made all the more feasible come spring. The benefits of being in the great outdoors have long been proven to lower blood pressure and heart rate, alongside boosting the immune system and restoring balance to both mind and body.

Where striding out across a field, moor or stretch of coast can provide release and rejuvenation, so too can an exploration of a green space closer to, or even at home, allowing us to focus on the natural world in much the same manner as venturing further afield.

For maximum benefits, pick a quiet time of day, leave electronic devices aside, and settle into an observation of the sights, sounds and sensory elements in the vicinity, taking time to slowly bring awareness to the natural environs.

Often forgotten and overlooked amidst other everyday thoughts and cares, tapping into an almost-childlike sense of wonder in the natural world is a wonderfully rewarding way to note the seasonal changes brought about by spring.

Turning to face brighter times ahead has a wonderfully uplifting effect on body and mind – living well helps us to focus on simple yet rewarding pleasures LEFT Spending time amidst nature is proven to have myriad health benefits – creating a memento such as dried wildflower montages from country walks is both a poignant and beautiful visual reminder.

Flower Pressing Kit (includes Oak Veneer flower press, Japanese Niwaki Sentei garden scissors, Sussex trug, Wildflower identification book, flower seeds, bamboo tweezers), £275, JamJar Edit ABOVE Striding out barefoot across a sandy beach is just one of the ways to engage with the great outdoors – not to mention awakening a child-like sense of joy and delight.

THE ENGLISH HOME 121

LIFESTYLE

Interior refresh Delicate shoots and unfurling blooms outside are a poignant reminder of fresh beginnings. Now is the time to throw open the windows, let the light in, and start with a clean slate – all the while being mindful of caring for the earth from which the season stems.

Pleasingly, spring cleaning need not mean using chemical products that can cause harm – lifestyle author Joanna Thornhill, in her title The New Mindful Home, points to findings in a 2018 University of Bergen study showing that regular use of chemical cleaning agents can affect lung health as significantly as smoking 20 cigarettes a day. The number of eco-friendly cleaning products now available continues to expand, but for those who prefer to take matters into their own hands, creating a chemical-free kit can reap dividends.

Thornhill suggests a household cleaner made from one-part water to one-part distilled white vinegar with a few drops of essential oil for fragrance, or a carpet deodoriser made up of 150g of bicarbonate of soda left overnight in a jar with a few drops of essential oil or dried herbs or dried citrus peel. “Always do a patch test first, then sprinkle over carpets and rugs and leave for a day before vacuuming,” she advises.

Consider swapping single-use sponges and brushes for those made from ethical materials such as natural

sustainable fibres; forgoing kitchen roll and wipes for fabric squares created from off-cuts or old clothes to clean up spills; or opting for beeswax food wraps in lieu of plastic wrap or Tupperware boxes.

Nature’s powerful effect in highlighting better things to come can similarly be harnessed in interior decor, with the use of neutral tones and calming shades to encourage a feeling of tranquility and space within the home. Opting to paint an accent wall or woodwork is a relatively straightforward and instantaneous way to effect change.

Dominic Myland, managing director of Mylands Paints, highlights broader use of natural colours “as people look to build their relationship with the outdoors”, and suggests looking to verdant tones for inspiration. “Green has always been a popular accent colour,” he says. “It is nature’s neutral, and works really well as a backdrop, but with the added benefit of an injection of colour which can be intensified or softened according to personal tastes.”

To further echo the outdoors, try adding botanical prints – particularly effective when combined with window treatments such as sheer blinds to let light in, or a charming floral print. The use of flooring in natural and sustainable materials as temperatures rise allow for padding barefoot around the home.

ABOVE LEFT Opt for floral prints to echo beautiful blooms.

Bluebell fabric, £62 a metre, Lorna Syson ABOVE Green accents mimic the effect of nature’s neutral tones.

Timonius Timon roller blind by James Miller from the Natural History Museum Collection, £190, Surface View

THE ENGLISH HOME 123

A style guide to the outside

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LIFESTYLE

The Easter table

This year Easter Sunday falls on 4 April, lending a focal point to the beginning of the month. Whether solely for the household or for permitted gatherings, taking the time and effort to create a sense of occasion is easily achievable, most notably with embellishment of the everyday.

Gathering spring flowers to display in clusters of creamy yellows, fresh white and vibrant yolk hues works as a simple and effective means of dressing the table, notably when offset against linens in similar shades or bearing botanical motifs – June Summerill of Summerill & Bishop tableware suggests trying “an assortment of vase shapes and sizes (stem, bulb, and bud vases, amphoras with handles, teardrop vases, carafes...) to add interest to the table”, highlighting the use of “grasses and buds, or even a basket of eggs” for a further seasonal touch.

Decorating eggs, whether hollow to hang on ribbons or hardboiled for an egg hunt*, can be a charm in itself. Use food dye or paint to create designs tailored for the table and sit wonderfully alongside playful decorations to bring a lift to interiors.

Those for whom Easter is synonymous with baked goods will happily find reason enough to enjoy further simple pleasures in the form of hot cross buns (try Mary Berry’s recipe found online); Easter biscuits (cutting out ovals to ice with detailing for Easter egg shapes is a pleasing activity with no specialist cutters required); or for a project bake, a simnel cake topped with marzipan balls. *If eggs have been at room temperature for more than two hours, discard them, do not consume. Only use food-based dyes. Discard cracked eggs. Once decorated, store in an airtight container in the fridge if not using immediately.

RIGHT Add interest to the Easter table with delicate decorations.

Forget-Me-Not Wood Egg decorations, £2 each; Ladybird Egg Decoration, £2; Forget-Me-Not Ladybird ceramic jug (small), £15, all Gisela Graham

DYED EGGS WITH LEAF MOTIFS Ingredients: Eggs Water Red onion skins Nettles Vinegar Old stockings or tights, cut into pieces to fit eggs Fine leaves such as lovage, woodruff or carrot Old saucepan • To make the stock (for dyeing), peel the onions, then place the onion skins, the nettles and about a litre of water in a saucepan.

Boil for 30-40 minutes. To achieve even colouring, pass the brew through a sieve and return to the pan.

• Meanwhile, clean the eggs thoroughly with a sponge, then soak them in vinegar water for 30 minutes – this helps the dye to adhere better. Select the desired leaves and place them on the eggs – dampen the eggs first with a bit of water as it helps everything stick.

Next, wrap the eggs tightly in pieces of stocking, being careful not to break the eggs, and tie both ends.

• Cook the eggs gently in the sieved brew for 10 minutes. If a darker colour is desired, leave them in the warm brew for a further 10 minutes. THE ENGLISH HOME 125

Green-fingered projects

Little is as rewarding as nurturing shoots to fruition and appreciating the fruits of one’s labour. Though there are undeniably areas of gardening that require expertise, happily a multitude of smaller projects await those with more modest resources, be it in the garden, greenhouse, or in the home.

Lovers of cut flowers such as peonies, freesias and sweet peas would do well to take advantage of warmer weather to plant out seedlings. The latter, in particular, provide a pretty focal point in the garden when planted at the base of willow frames to wend their rising tendrils around.

Where gathering armfuls of scented blooms to display in the home is a delight in itself, so too is the notion of harvesting produce fresh from the soil. Strawberry seedlings in tubs will provide plump juicy berries in the months to come, whilst planting seeds now for mixed salad leaves, radishes, spinach and French beans will ensure plentiful bounty in due course.

Should the need for a green-fingered project be more pressing, tending to kitchen herbs need only see plants decanted into terracotta pots, and kept well-watered on a sunny windowsill for use in seasonal dishes. n ABOVE Planting now will reap rewards such as beautiful sweet pea blooms come the summer season.

ABOVE RIGHT Time spent planning and pottering in the greenhouse is a pleasure that reaps dividends. Greenhouse, from £12,950, Alitex RIGHT Strawberry seedlings in tubs will provide plump berries in the months ahead. Zinc tub, £89 for set of three, Nordic House

126 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON PHOTOGRAPHS P120 © EMMA GUSTOFF. P121 (FLYING KITES ON THE BEACH AT MURLOUGH NATURE RESERVE, COUNTY DOWN) © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/CHRISTOPHER HEANEY. P123 (SURFACE VIEW) OLIVER PERROTT. P125 (DYED EGGS) FLORA PRESS/DANIELA KUNZ. P126 (SWEET PEAS) FLORA PRESS/GARDEN PHOTO WORLD/GEORGIANNA LANE;

LIFESTYLE

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www.handmadesofacompany.co.uk The Handmade Sofa Company, Unit 4, Manor Farm Business Centre, Gussage St Michael, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 5HT.

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Shop and Online Store Based in Church Stretton, Shropshire.

4, High Street, Church Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6BU Tel: 01694 720189 Email: info@thedoorknockercompany.co.uk Web: www.thedoorknockercompany.co.uk

For more information visit us at www.theenglishhome.co.uk

When calling the UK from North America,

For more information us at www.theenglishhome.co.uk When UK from North America, dialvisit the country code ‘011 44’ and drop the first ‘0’ incalling the UKthe phone number dial the country code ‘011 44’ and drop the first ‘0’ in the UK phone number

TO ADVERTISE CONTACT LAURENCE BALDWIN ON 01242 216093 LAURENCE.BALDWIN@ARCHANT.CO.UK

THE HANDMADE SOFA COMPANY

01453 731305

MY

HERO

Interior designer Justin van Breda on design legend Nicky Haslam

“W

orking for Nicky Haslam was my first job after I arrived in the UK in 1999. I was walking past his studio and saw he was inside, so I went in, handed my CV over, and said: ‘I’m from South Africa, and I’ve just graduated in interior design.’ As luck would have it, Nicky had just started working on a project in Belgium, and as Flemish is very similar to Afrikaans, which I speak, he thought I could be useful. He called me in to do some drafting and within minutes I was his design assistant. By the time I left after three years I was creative director.

Nicky is a socialite – he knows everybody – and he sings, paints and writes. He would come in every morning with the most outrageous stories. He can be tough but he’s very funny and charming, and – most importantly – he is kind. He was huge fun to work with, and was so generous with his incredible knowledge. It was an amazing experience, and I was like a sponge.

Nicky is my hero because I don’t think there’s another person from whom I’ve learnt so much. He started practising in 1972, so has had an almost 50-year career in decorating and design. He’s a genius.

He really understands design as a language, can decorate in any style or idiom, and his eye is unerring. His style is classic English country house with lots of glamour thrown in, and he’s the best in the West with chintz.

He knows how to layer pattern on pattern, but can do a very quiet, calm space, too.

He’s brought a sense of aristocratic whimsy to interior design, a huge sense of humour, and he’s the person who put glazed linen on the map. He will also tell you that he invented mauve!

Nicky’s legacy, I believe, is the host of interior designers working today who came through his studio, who he mentored and who have been influenced by him. I feel so privileged that I had this opportunity.” n

130 THE ENGLISH HOME

RIGHT Nicky Haslam often designs by drawing a perspective of a room, planning in furniture and then painting it in watercolour. He is a talented artist and some of his renderings are held by the V&A. BELOW The whimsically shaped sofa in van Breda’s Gloucestershire sitting room clearly shows the distinctive influence Nicky Haslam has had on his design work.

RIGHT Part of Justin van Breda’s Cape Weaver Charity Collection, the Nicky cabinet was developed by the two men and is based on the design of the first cabinet that van Breda worked on with Haslam for the historic Soniat House hotel in New Orleans.

FEATURE KATHERINE SORRELL NICKY HASLAM PORTRAIT FRITZ VON DER SCHULENBURG/INTERIOR ARCHIVE

design

Nicky Haslam in a client’s home in London. The door and its frame are his homage to exuberant American interior decorator Dorothy Draper (1889–1969).

Haslam collaborates with Studio QD.

A large scale Magnolia wall light, hand-forged in our London atelier 1 9 4 E B U RY S T R E E T B E LG R AV I A LO N D O N S W 1 W 8 U P

+44 (0)203 328 9506

W W W.C OX LO N D O N .C O M