23 minute read
Homes
Homes&Interiors
FIND YOUR STYLE
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Georgian interiors were lavish
Regular columnist Holly Johnson, of Holly Johnson Antiques, advises on styling reception rooms in a period- style home
When it comes to choosing antiques for your reception rooms, first consider the look you wish to create. Are you aiming for an eclectic style, or would you prefer to emulate a specific period? And what ambience are you aiming for? Do you see yourself living in a rustic provincial farmhouse or a lavishly formal Georgian or Regency style home? Or perhaps you prefer more of a Mid-Century British or Danish Modern aesthetic? These choices will inspire you to consider pieces from craftsmen and designers that best realise your vision, be it the wood or the colours and designs of fabric, wallcoverings and flooring.
Fine dining
Regency or Victorian eras, where intricate details were fashionable and the wood was a lot deeper and richer in colour. Designers and manufacturers to explore would be Heals, Lamb of Manchester and Gillows. Side tables or etagères were used to serve, away from the seating. I recommend a display cabinet; this allows you to showcase favourite tableware and becomes a piece of art in its own right.
If you tend towards the more modern, Mid-Century designers of note include Aldo Tura, Piero Fornasetti, Hans Brattrud, Paolo Buffa, Peter Waals and Andrew J Milne. Shapes and designs are simpler, with modern finishes and tapered legs, featuring graphical prints or industrial materials.
The advent of the lounge
The dining room is one area where your acquisitions will really make a mark. For a rustic style, Arts and Crafts furniture fits well, with its simple shapes worked in native wood such as oak. This movement was very organic, in the sense that it drew on nature in the choice of materials and forms. Names to look for are Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson, Neville Neal, Edward Barnsley, Arthur Simpson and George Henry Walton.
For a more formal, lavish dining space, draw on the Georgian,
In Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras, we see the ‘living room’ as more of a drawing room, where you formally received guests. These rooms were often the most glamorous in the house, dressed with drapes and elegant chairs. Such rooms, especially in the Georgian period, were multi-functional, with furniture being brought in and out to suit the occasion. (For dancing, much of the room would be cleared.) The gentlemen may even have retired to the drawing room as a ‘smoking Arts and Crafts settle by George Henry Walton, c1890 room’ after dinner, or card tables would be brought in. For a true Georgian and Regency feel, you should be looking to dress the rooms with more ornate upright seating, with Adams-style Neoclassical pieces. Items by George Hepplewhite and Chippendale would also be well placed. At the end of the 19th century, we see the focus move towards ‘lounging’, as seating becomes larger, with an emphasis on comfort. Pieces by bespoke furniture maker Howard & Sons, with their handmade lounging chairs, are typical of this shift. Patterned fabrics by designers such as William Morris were very fashionable. In regards to window dressing, in Georgian homes drapes were pale, with a French influence. Heavier fabrics such as velvet and darker colours were the vogue for the Victorians, while the 20th century and Art Deco brought cleaner, stylised looks, with glamorous symmetry and bold shapes. hollyjohnsonantiques.com
Hayrake, by Gordon Russell c1920, price £17,500 “For a true Georgian and Regency feel, look to dress the rooms with more ornate upright seating, with Adams-style Neoclassical pieces”
Beat the heating costs
With soaring gas and energy prices as well as a growing understanding of the environmental impact of heating our homes, more people than ever are switching to green energy solutions
If you’re one of the many millions facing a hike in energy bills, there is some good news at least, with the announcement of a new grant scheme designed to encourage homeowners to ‘go green’. The government is providing grants to encourage property owners to install low-carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). These grants can help property owners overcome the upfront cost of low-carbon heating technologies. The scheme Water heats naturally below ground is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales and runs from 2022 to 2025.
Bi omassisarenewable energy source
What you could get Meeting the requirements
• £5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump • £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler, or • £6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump.
You can get one grant per property, and you may well be eligible if you live in England or Wales and own your property, and even if you’ve already received separate funding for energy-efficiency upgrades such as insulation, doors or windows.
The scheme is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties with an installation capacity up to 45kWh (this covers most homes) and a current energy performance certificate (EPC), with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
There are many local firms able to help you look at the options and one business, iHeat, based in Oswestry, is ready to consult with homeowners across the Shire patch on what will work for your property. They said: “The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a UK Government initiative to encourage more people in England and Wales to install low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps. It is an installer-led scheme. This means that the installer will apply for the grant on your behalf. As an MCS accredited company we are approved for the scheme. The MCS quality assurance scheme ensures that installers are competent, and the products they use meet the correct standards.
“One of our iHeat Ltd installers will advise you on whether your installation is eligible for a grant under the scheme and, if so, you will agree a quote for the installation with your installer. Then iHeat will apply for the grant. You will need to confirm that the installer is acting on your behalf with Ofgem when they contact you, and the work will be carried out, with any remaining balance paid by the homeowner.” The new heating system must have been commissioned (that is, installed and fully checked by your installer) on or after 1st April 2022, be capable of meeting the full space heating and hot water requirements of your property, replace an existing fossil fuel heating system (such as oil, gas or electric) and meet certain technical standards, such as minimum efficiency requirements (your installer can advise you on these). You cannot get funding for the replacement of existing low-carbon heating systems and the grant will only cover biomass boilers in rural properties with no connection to the gas grid and with an emissions certificate showing that polluting emissions are kept to a minimum.
Grants are not available for social housing, newbuild properties (apart from certain self-builds) or properties that have already had government funding or support for a heat pump or biomass boiler.
If the promise of funding helps you make the decision to go green, find out more about the scheme on the government website or email boilerupgradescheme@beis.gov.uk
To book an iHeat installer or to ask iHeat for advice visit their website at iheatltd.co.uk
“The installer applies for the grant on your behalf” Heat pumps pull heat out of the air or ground to heat your home
Isn’t it time you went green?
Financial windfall after a ‘Premier’ service
Premier Windows & Conservatories is the region’s leading home improvement fi rm. Key to their success is their commitment to customer service
Specialising in windows, doors and new living spaces such as conservatories and orangeries, Premier Windows & Conservatories has translated decades of local success stories into national prominence –and a windfall for one of its customers. Founded in 1989 and family-run, Premier’s ‘family first’ philosophy has seen it achieve an outstanding score of 4.9 on both Google Review and the independent review site for the home improvement sector, Network Reviews. Collated from feedback from hundreds of genuine customers from around Oswestry and the Welsh Borders, this puts Premier in a league of its own for customer service and quality of craftsmanship.
Local couple Mr and Mrs Jones left a five-star review on Network Reviews after engaging Premier to upgrade their windows and install patio doors. Mrs Jones said: “From the service and planning in the showroom to the surveyor and fitters, Premier is a brilliant company to deal with. Prices are competitive, products are excellent. They have good ideas and solutions. We will use them again.”
As an independent national aggregator, Network Review conducts
monthly prize draws to encourage open and honest feedback from customers that sign up to its service. The couple claimed April’s prize of a £500 cheque, which was presented to them by Premier’s Ben Chenery. Premier was also recognised for its outstanding service score. “We’re delighted that Mr and Mrs Jones are happy with our work and wanted to promote their experience,” said Ben. “Choosing to upgrade Mr and Mrs Jones receive windows or add a new living their £500 cheque from area is a big decision, and our Ben Chenery consistently high rating is the real measure of our success. “We’re a family business, it’s at the heart of all we do, from initial consultation through to installation. It’s been our mantra for 30 years and will continue so.” Visit the Premier showroom at Moreton Business Park, Gledrid LL14 5DG, call 01691 773993 or see premierwindowsoswestry.co.uk
and a windfall for one of its customers. family-run, Premier’s ‘family first’ philosophy has seen it achieve an outstanding score of 4.9 on both Google Review and the independent review site for the home improvement sector, Network Reviews. Collated from feedback from hundreds of genuine customers from around Oswestry and the Welsh Borders, this puts Premier in
“Five stars. They’re a brilliant More homeowners are seeking to add living space company to deal with” Conservatories are a popular choice
PIMP UP THE PATIO
Soaring in popularity as the season hots up, outdoor rugs help soften an exterior entertaining area and make a chic setting for those summer nights
As more homeowners maximise their living space by extending into their outdoor space, Cheshire’s own family-run rug specialist From the Monty collection The Rug Retailer has unveiled a range of outdoor rugs to boost the garden’s aesthetic appeal. The Outdoor Rug Collection brings together the best of interior design with modern manufacturing methods to create striking rugs that not only look great but will stand up against the elements.
Chris Bond, director of The Rug Retailer, said: “Our outside spaces have become more important in our everyday lives, and those all-important finishing touches – the interior accessories that bring together entire schemes – really matter. These rugs have been handpicked because not only are they suitable for outside use, they really raise the stakes when it comes to styling. They were designed with function and form at the fore and will elevate every outside space.”
The rugs are available in a choice of styles and sizes and prices start at £70. The Halsey range is an all-weather eco-friendly rug that can be used indoors or outdoors. Ideal for conservatories and areas around the home that require a flat-woven rug, it is made from recycled plastic bottles. This range is ideal for adding geometric style to your summer patio. The Halsey is resistant to UV light and is durable with a soft finish, it’s easy to clean, stainresistant and represents excellent value for money.
The Monty Collection helps create a contemporary space in your home, “Raising conservatory or on your the stakes in styling” garden patio, and is made from 100 per cent polypropylene, making the rugs hard-wearing, anti-shed and easy to clean. Available in tribal Halsey in the Duck Egg option and geometric designs, in tonal black /white and beige colourways, the rugs in this flat-weave, high-low pile range are soft, durable, but also provide a striking focal point. They represent a weather-resistant, low-maintenance option for high traffic areas. therugretailer.co.uk
HOW TO CREATE
STYLISH OUTDOOR SPACES
Summer is here, and it’s time to dress those outdoor dining spaces for long, lazy lunches, starlit suppers and a cocktail party or two. Holloways interior designer Annie Blackledge shares some tips
Above: Tetbury Mini dining set
Choosing the right table, adding comfortable chairs to cocoon your special people and clever accessorising will transform your alfresco dining experience into an occasion to remember,” says designer Annie.
First, get a room…
Zoning off an area of your garden, space permitting, will help you create an outdoor dining room you can use year-round. If different paving isn’t an option to demarcate your chosen spot, carefully placed planters filled with evergreens like Buxus or glossy laurel will help screen off your dining area, creating an intimate space, and clever use of lighting will point the way for guests.
A covered area for less clement days adds interest, while a pergola planted with climbing roses, wisteria, clematis or honeysuckle will provide shade with a heavenly scent.
Eat, drink and be merry
There’s an outdoor dining table to suit every lifestyle, whether yours is a contemporary or traditional space, bijou courtyard or sprawling poolside patio. Think about when you’ll use your table – daytime or evening; how many guests you’re likely to welcome; your style of dining – formal or informal? Round outdoor wicker dining sets like the six-seater Monterey are sociable as everyone can see and hear everyone else, while long tables may be more practical if you regularly need to seat larger numbers.
“Teak tables like the round Louvre or long Derby are always timeless,” says Annie. “The wood mellows to a silvery grey as time goes on and they just get better with age.” For modern spaces, the Goa dining tables are hard to beat, made Goa 160 table and Santander rope chairs from state-of-the-art HPL (high-pressure laminate). Pair with rope-backed Santander chairs, and entertain your guests in comfort and contemporary style. For a more informal outdoor setting, try the Monterey casual dining set, or its whizzier cousin, the Monterey fire-pit dining set. With a super-comfortable curved
“Beautiful sofa and deeply cushioned dining benches, you can sit back, light the flames and keep the party going tableware, long into the night. polished cutlery and Dress to impress Dress your outdoor table as you would your dining elegant glasses room, says Annie. “Beautiful tableware, polished bring a sense of occasion cutlery and elegant glasses bring a sense of occasion and sparkle at night. Linen napkins topped with sprigs of greenery from the garden, tied with twine and sparkle” or ribbon, are a lovely organic touch.” Add Moroccan-style lanterns in jewel-like shades, Add Moroccan-style lanterns in jewel-like shades, and hang festoon lights from the trees. Vases of freshly picked flowers from the garden will soften the look of your dining space. Old terracotta tomato pots planted with rosemary and thyme, centred along the table, smell beautiful when guests brush table, smell beautiful when guests brush against them – and the herbs can be used in against them – and the herbs can be used in cocktails when the sun goes down. cocktails when the sun goes down.
Keeping cosy
“Adding cushions and throws to your dining area will make your guests feel comfortable area will make your guests feel comfortable The all-essential fi re pit and cosy,” says Annie. “Bringing rich fabrics with tactile textures from indoors makes the space feel much more dressed and sumptuous.” When the sun goes down, a parasol with LEDs, like the Truro, comes into its own, adding warm pools of light. “And light one of our fabulous fire pits,” says Annie. “They come with cooking grates so you can rustle up a feast for guests.” In dry weather, add one of our eco-friendly rugs, made from recycled bottles and recovered ocean plastics, beneath the table to make your dining space feel like a real room outdoors.
holloways.co.uk
TOP TUB TIPS
Just what the doctor ordered…
When it comes to summer fun, there is no greater addition to your home – or even holiday home – than a hot tub to relax in at the end of a busy day
The popularity of hot tubs soared over lockdown when making the most of staying at home was all we could do! But the trend shows no sign of abating as more and more of us discover the joy of soaking in warm bubbles to unwind and escape. Aside from helping you relax, it turns out that spending time in a hot tub may provide other benefits, too, according to the experts at Healthline – although this may vary from person to person, depending on health and usage.
1. Pain relief
Soaking in a hot tub may relieve some types of pain by relaxing tense muscles and tendons. If you have arthritis, it may ease the stiffness and inflammation that causes pain.
2. Improved sleep
According to research, the simple relaxation of a soak in the tub may be enough to help you drift off into a more peaceful sleep.
3. Calorie burn
A little corner of paradise In a small 2016 study, participants soaked in a waist-high hot bath for an hour, and burned about the same number of calories as they would on a 30-minute walk.
4. Better cardiovascular health
Relaxing in a hot tub can raise your heart rate and lower your blood pressure.
5. Improved insulin sensitivity
“…the joy of Researchers warm have suggested bubbles” that regular thermal therapy using saunas or hot baths may improve impaired insulin Better than counting sheep? sensitivity and be beneficial for managing diabetes.
Have a safer soak
Drink plenty of water but avoid alcohol during your soak. And limit your time in the tub – on the hottest setting, 10-15 minutes is enough.
WHATEVER THE WEATHER…
If you’re planning to make the investment in a hot tub of your own, check out the local suppliers who have everything you need on hand
All Weather Leisure
With indoor showrooms in Cannock and Shrewsbury, All Weather Leisure is the number one place for all your hot tub needs in Staffordshire, Shropshire and the Midlands, including Jacuzzi hot tubs, SwimLife swim spas, Covana electronic covers and a range of other hot tub buildings. Find everything you need to make your garden an oasis of relaxation. Experienced staff will ensure your buying experience is the best in the industry, whether you are looking to buy a hot tub or simply stock up on chemicals. To see some hot tubs in action, visit one of our showrooms and the team will be happy to talk you through the models to help find your perfect hot tub. Check out the range at allweatherleisure.com or visit the Shrewsbury showroom at 28a Vanguard Way, Battlefield Enterprise Park, Shrewsbury SY1 3TG.
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Bring that holiday feel to your home with this seaside-inspired decor with this seaside-inspired decor
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1. Broadstripe blue circular lampshade from £45, Melin Tregwynt,
Haverfordwest; melintregwynt.co.uk 2. Shoal of wooden fi sh £14.95; livelaughlove.co.uk 3. Averil throw in Ocean various prices, Tweedmill, Flint; tweedmill.com 4. Besp-Oak hanging compass clock £59.95, Bodenhams of Ludlow; bodenhams.co.uk 5. Le Creuset stoneware jug in Coastal Blue £21.99, Charlie’s Home and
Garden, Shrewsbury; charlies.co.uk 6. Hand-made leaded stained-glass mirror £95, The Door Knocker
Company, Church Stretton; thedoorknockercompany.co.uk 7. Marble chopping board, £18, Wilstone Interiors, Leebotwood,
Shropshire; wilstone.com 8. Coastal wooden hearts in Washed Seafoam, £8.50, £12.50,
Listers Interiors, Chester; listersinteriors.com 9. Coastal hurricane tealight holder with star £7.99, The Range; therange.co.uk 10. Devon whitewashed wood table lantern £65, Make Your House a Home,
Whitchurch; makeyourhouseahome.co.uk 11. Splash anchor cushion £110, Jan Constantine, Betley, Cheshire; janconstantine.com 12. Gary Edwards ceramic pinch pot £15, Mostyn, Llandudno; mostyn.org
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LICENCE TO GRILL
Take your alfresco cooking to another level with these barbeques and accessories with these barbeques and accessories
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1. Esschert barrel BBQ smoker from £189.99, Ludlow Stoves, Ludlow; ludlowstoves.co.uk 2. Pentromax FT45 4.5 quart cast-iron Dutch oven £72.99, ProAdventure,
Llangollen; proadventure.co.uk 3. Jotul Froya chiminea £299 Saxon Home Care, Wrexham; saxonhomecare.co.uk 4. Tramontina three-piece BBQ tools set £24.99, The Range; therange.co.uk 5. Outback dual-fuel four-burner gas and charcoal BBQ £579.99,
Charlies Home and Garden, Shrewsbury; charlies.co.uk 6. Weber premium BBQ gloves £47.99, Bents Garden and Home,
Warrington; bents.co.uk 7. Bamboo fl aming torch £6.99, Tweedmill Shopping Outlet, St Asaph,
Denbighshire; tweedmill.store 8. Traditional marshmallow roasting fork £19, British Ironwork Centre,
Oswestry; britishironworkcentre.co.uk 9. Leather BBQ apron £49.99, Ludlow Stoves, as before 10. Kala fi re pit £59.99 Minshull’s Garden Centre, Crewe; minshulls.co.uk 11. Sagaform Nature solid oak tweezers £13, The Silver Pear, Ludlow; silverpear.co.uk 12. Fire pit popcorn pan £35 Black Country Metalworks, Oswestry; blackcountrymetalworks.co.uk 13. La Hacienda BBQ pizza oven £109.99 Old Railwayline Garden Centre,
Brecon, Powys; oldrailwaylinegc.co.uk
