PERIODLIVING DECOR ATING & SHOPPING
BEAUTIFUL OLD HOMES
GARDEN ANTIQUES INSPIRATION & VINTAGE
RENOVATION & MAINTENANCE
BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING PERIOD HOMES MAGAZINE
Vintage homes From an idyllic thatched cottage to a charming converted coach house
APRIL 2022
Cottagegardens Plant a romantic scheme abundant with joyful flowers
SHAKER KITCHENS Timeless spaces with handcrafted character
ELEGANT DINING ROOM INSPIRATION
GUIDE TO PERFECT HANGING BASKETS
ARTISAN DESIGNS Decorate with beautiful block-printed fabrics and wallpapers
Decorating & shopping
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Journal
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Easter treats
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Decorative plates
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A home for all seasons
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Labour of love
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The happy house
We round up the latest interiors offerings and news
Add seasonal cheer to your home with these delightful buys
Update your tableware with these pretty patterned designs
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Hand block printing
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Dining room design
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Decorate with lilac
Homes Sarah Druce has transformed an old stable block into a cosy, year-round retreat
Having stumbled on the cottage of their dreams, Christina and Nigel Dickinson didn’t hesitate
Sarah Williamson-Jones extended and updated a country house to create her forever family home
We explore this time-honoured skill while looking to the printers reinvigorating the craft
Create an elegant space that gives guests a warm impression
The myriad variations of this delicate pastel shade can inspire the most restful interiors
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Features Mixing it up Pearl Lowe shares her tips on combining textiles and patterns
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Made in Britain
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Antiques journal
145
Blue and white vases
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Explore Highclere
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Easter craft
We visit print designer Isla Middleton in the South Devon countryside that inspires her
Discover the latest antiques trends and hear collectors’ stories
Discover the appeal of investing in these decorative ceramics
We share highlights of the iconic home and star of Downton Abbey
Have a crack at decorating your own pretty eggs
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Cover Photograph Julia Currie Styling Pippa Blenkinsop and Karen Darlow
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Advice & inspiration History of hallways Lee Bilson looks at the evolution of these transitional spaces
House journal Discover the latest products for improving your period home
Bathroom wall tiles Breathe new life into your bathroom with these pretty yet practical designs
Bathroom panelling ideas Try this decorating technique to create an elegant backdrop
Shaker kitchen ideas Bring this charming, timeless style to your home
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Douglas Kent discusses the art of this historic roof covering
Restore old paving Expert Roger Hunt advises on maintaining this essential feature
Gardens Springtime elegance Sandhill Farm House is a glorious showcase of Rosemary Alexander’s gardening passion
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Garden journal
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Growing foxgloves
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Hanging baskets
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Wildlife ponds
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Gardens in time
Thatched roofing
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Products, workshops and places to inspire your plot
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Your journal We share our readers’ letters and photographs
Subscription offer Subscribe to Period Living for just £43.50 and receive a free set of Emma Bridgewater cake tins worth £42
Discover how to get the most out of these cottage garden essentials
Learn how to plant stunning baskets and how to keep them looking their best
Find out why you should add a wildlife pond to your garden and where to start
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National Trust head gardener Rosie Fyles reveals the secrets of Victorian cottage garden design
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Regulars & offers
This April, celebrate Easter and brighter spring days with seasonal tableware, pretty fabrics and craft-led designs
Feature Alice Humphrys
Little Daffodils large teacup and saucer, £38; small butter dish, £34; cereal bowl, £21; plates, from £14; ½ pint mug, £22; medium straight jug, £42; medium pasta bowl, £24; Bumblebee ½ pint mug, £22; plates, from £19; egg cups, £32 for a set of 3; cereal bowl, £21; Aconites small mug, £16, all Emma Bridgewater
SEASONAL CHEER Spring is a time of transition – the weather warms up, the days are longer and brighter, and we can always rely on cheery yellow daffodils to help lift our spirits. This Easter, make the most of any rays of sunshine and create a no-fuss spring tablescape in the garden for brunch or afternoon tea.
Layer up linens and scatter jugs and cups filled with seasonal blooms. Emma Bridgewater’s jolly new Little Daffodils collection is the perfect celebration of spring and will chase away any winter blues. It includes plates, mugs, bowls, vases, jam jars, and even a hen on a nest. Team the designs with Emma’s Bumblebee collection for the perfect pairing. Period Living 13
Creativeimprint Decorating
We explore the time-honoured skill of hand block printing and the artistry in creation, and look to a new generation of studio printers reinvigorating the craft Feature Kerryn Harper-Cuss
Rose & Fern by Jean Monro is a classic hand block print dating to 1859. Here the fabric has been used to upholster walls in an interior by Gavin Houghton at the Turnell & Gigon showroom. It has also been used for curtains in Dumfries House. £340 per m at F&P Interiors Period Living 33
LABOUR OF LOVE When Christina and Nigel Dickinson stumbled upon the thatched cottage of their dreams, they didn’t hesitate for a moment, even though there was lots of work that needed doing Words Jane Bowles | Photographs Colin Poole
With its palette of white, blues and natural tones, the coastal-themed open-plan living space has a light and airy feel. The turquoise metal dining chairs were bought at B&Q, and designed for use in the garden. Ian Mankin’s Vintage Stripe in Airforce is a similar fabric to that used for the tablecloth. The antique sideboard is one of Christina’s most treasured possessions. For similar wall lights, try Dowsing & Reynolds
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Thatched Cottage Renovation
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Set to impress
Dining Rooms
Feature Pippa Blenkinsop
Create an elegant dining space that takes inspiration from the past and gives guests a warm impression when entertaining
SERENE BACKDROP If you’re looking for a new wall colour then take inspiration from nature and opt for a tranquil green shade. Calm and uplifting, mid-green hues, like Farrow & Ball’s Yeabridge Green, £52 for 2.5ltrs of Estate emulsion, are highly versatile and make a fantastic backdrop for displaying artwork and pairing with patterned linens and tableware – pinks and reds look particularly effective. Featured here is the Ilex tablecloth in Dusky Red, from £165, paired with Bel tableware also in Dusky Red, from £19 for a bowl, and Rosie wooden candlesticks in Pink and Sage Green, from £25 for small, all Birdie Fortescue.
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The addition of a new wing in contrasting flint stone has given the house a striking new aspect. It contains the kitchen and living space, with a master suite above. The outdoor sofa and ottoman are from Garden Trading 60 Period Living
Extended Country Home
THE HAPPY HOUSE From the moment she set foot in this country house in Wiltshire, Sarah Williamson-Jones knew it was the forever home she and her family had been looking for Words Sharon Parsons | Photographs Richard Gadsby
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LovelyPlilac Decorating
Conjuring scenes of trailing wisteria and swathes of moorland heather, the myriad variations of this delicate pastel shade can inspire the most elegant and restful interiors
Feature Pippa Blenkinsop
SOFT TOUCH If you’re looking to bring delicate colour and warmth to a cool, north-facing room, consider a lilac paint with red undertones. Benjamin Moore’s African Violet, £27 for 0.94ltrs, would make for a calm and feminine bedroom scheme – finish the look by pairing with rustic accessories and neutral linens.
urple rooms are having a moment. With Pantone having recently announced ‘Very Peri’, a bold blue-violet, as its colour of the year for 2022, we’re seeing the shade popping up everywhere. While vivid violets and royal purples can be seen as daring choices, their softer-toned cousin lilac lends a soothing, gentle feel to a space, and can feel like a breath of fresh air. ‘Soft lilac has an inviting, friendly energy and is great for creating a relaxed feel within a home,’ says Francesca Wezel, founder of Francesca’s Paints. ‘Associated with sociability and open-mindedness, it helps make people feel at ease – perfect for communal areas. Lilac also has a slight feminine edge, which reinforces the feeling of comfortability.’ There are many colours that work well with lilac, but it depends on the pigment of the tone, explains Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene: ‘When selecting a complementary shade, consider the undertones and opt for neutrals with a pink or lilac undertone for a harmonious finish.’ ‘Lilac works well with greys, as well as deep blues and pinks,’ adds fabric designer Sarah Hardaker. ‘Where a more warmtoned lilac is used, pair with fawns and creams, or contrast with a touch of olive green. Lilac is a lovely soft colour and perhaps more ambiguous than pinks, with the underlying blue tone enabling it to sit well with other blues, too.’
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Feature Pippa Blenkinsop
SOOTHING HUES When searching for a tranquil and elegant shade for the kitchen, consider a soft lilac with warm grey undertones. Emulate the sophisticated design seen here, by painting cabinets in Little Greene’s Dolphin, £72 for 2.5ltrs of Intelligent eggshell, and pairing it with its Great Ormond St wallpaper, £110 per roll, which features a colourful parrot motif. Great Ormond St is a refreshed version of a print discovered in an early-18th-century London townhouse and is pictured here in the Signature colourway.
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The front woodland garden is Rosemary’s favourite area, especially in spring with the layered groundcovers, such as Helleborus foetidus and Trillium chloropetalum, under the emerging canopy of cherry blossom, amelanchier and magnolias, while the informality is contrasted with clipped accents 78 Period Living
Gardens
SPRINGTIME ELEGANCE
Home to Rosemary Alexander, a doyenne of gardening, Sandhill Farm House in Sussex is a glorious showcase of her passion and expertise Words and photographs Leigh Clapp Period Living 79
Hallways Continuing his series exploring the history of the rooms we live in, conservation expert Lee Bilson looks at the design evolution of entrance halls
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uthor Bill Bryson wrote, ‘No room has fallen further in history than the hall.’ A slight exaggeration perhaps, but the point made in his book At Home somewhat accurately conveys the history of the space. While the hall has been an integral part of the home throughout history, it has changed form several times, in line with fashions, and social and technological advancements. In our earliest ‘hall houses’, the hall made up the entire home, but with the upward expansions of architecture it was eventually reduced to a humble space for hanging coats and wiping feet, while allowing access to more important rooms. Yet hallways remain an integral and fascinating part of period homes, and can be fabulous spaces to display and convey our interests and tastes. The hallway is far more than a mere vestibule.
Passing through The history of the hallway is similar to that of the living room, arisen from the most prevalent form
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of homes in the later medieval period. The hall house incorporated a large singular barn-like space, open to the rafters, in which all activities took place – living, eating, sleeping and entertaining – for servants and family alike. From this most basic of set-ups, came many of the principal living spaces we now know and recognise. The open hall was composed with one end – the high end, home to the owner’s table, and to the other – the low end – the main door in the front elevation and a rear door leading to the outbuildings behind. In larger, more prosperous households, one of these outbuildings would have been a kitchen, placed away from the home out of the fear of fire. It is easy to imagine the hall filled with smoke and cold draughts, so unsurprisingly one of the first developments included the addition of a screen at the low end, initially made of fabric then later wooden panelling. This created a passage between the two doors, known as the through or cross passage, and gave access to additional service rooms. These often consisted of the pantry for storing bread, and the buttery – not for butter, but for butts of wine and ale. This partitioned passage was the earliest space that we may now recognise as a hallway, although it would go on to evolve through various forms over history.
Images Brent Darby; Bridget Peirson; Mark Scott; James Merrell
CHANGING SPACES
SHAKING it up
Kitchen Design
Discover how to bring the charm of Shaker style to your kitchen with timeless cabinetry, natural materials and simple, honest design Feature Holly Reaney
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nstantly recognised by their timeless, uncomplicated designs featuring simple panelled doors and an abundance of natural materials, Shaker kitchens are ubiquitous in homes throughout the world. A religious group who arrived in America from England in 1774, the Shakers created the style out of necessity and a desire for usefulness over trends.
The group practised a belief that God was at the centre of everything, and nothing was beyond His reach or His eye. This thought is reflected throughout their designs: every element of the room must be beautiful and functional in equal measure. Shaker kitchens are one of the most versatile designs, befitting every style of home, from modern apartments to period cottages.
Flawless minimalism Above: This Devol kitchen epitomises Shaker style. Nothing in the space is purely decorative, everything has a purpose – from the large glass bottle on the counter to the herbs growing on the windowsill. Pale cabinetry, with classic fielded doors, emphasises the room’s original features, drawing the eye to the rustic ceiling beams and the worn wooden floor. It is through these natural and architectural elements that the character of the space is achieved, rather than through ostentatious cabinetry design. Devol kitchens start at £12,000. Period Living 101
Gardens R
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DIGITALIS FERRUGINEA - also known
DIGITALIS X MERTONENSIS – also known as
DIGITALIS PURPUREA ‘PAM’S CHOICE’
as rusty foxglove, flowers June to September
strawberry foxglove, perennial hybrid, flowers in late spring/early summer, strawberry shade
– one of the best cultivars, features tall, strong spires
DIGITALIS ‘GOLDCREST’ -
DIGITALIS ‘FOXLIGHT RUBY GLOW’ – hybrid, summer long blooms, grows best in light shade
DIGITALIS PURPUREA – quintessential
perennial, peachy-yellow, summer to autumn
native foxglove, summer flowering, biennial
DIGIPLEXIS ‘FALCON FIRE’ – cross native DIGITALIS PURPUREA F. ALBIFLORA – white-flowered
DIGITALIS PURPUREA ‘SUGAR PLUM’
and Canary Island foxglove, long flowering period
– sturdy perennial, purple-white flowers from May to July
foxglove, flowers June to July, favourite of Gertrude Jekyll
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Image National Trust/Andrew Butler
Complete with roses scrambling over the front door, Hardy’s Cottage in Dorset – childhood home of novelist and poet Thomas Hardy – is home to a quintessential cottage garden that combines simple beauty with productivity. Its charming abundance of roses, summer-flowering perennials and vegetables, all buzzing with life, are what many people imagine when they picture a cottage garden
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Gardens
GARDENS
in time
This month, National Trust head gardener Rosie Fyles looks at elements of Victorian cottage garden design, and explains how the planting ideas can inspire and be incorporated into our own home gardens Period Living 129
Top row, from left: Isla applies Prussian Blue ink onto an inking plate ready to be rolled out; the lino block has been covered with a thin layer of ink, highlighting the raised areas that will create the design and the areas that have been cut away – it is now ready to create the print; Isla uses a wooden Baron to apply pressure to transfer the print from block to paper Above left and right: She checks the quality of the finished print Left: Isla is perfectly at home surrounded by the tools of her trade, and favourite examples of her work
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Highclere castle
Exploring Heritage
Feature Rachel Crow Images Courtesy of Highclere Castle
The seat of the Carnarvon family since the late 17th century, Highclere is steeped in history, and is also recognisable as the fictional home of the Crawley family in Downton Abbey
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ith the imminent release of the new Downton Abbey film, the spotlight will once more be shone on Highclere Castle as it assumes the role of the fictional Crawley family seat. The popularity of the series and films have carved a special place in many people’s hearts for this stately home in the Hampshire countryside amid 1,000 acres of Capability Brown Arcadian parkland; yet with a history stretching back 1,300 years, Highclere has many real-life stories to tell, too. Its current opulent Victorian incarnation, designed by Sir Charles Barry, which followed on
from the Tudor, Elizabethan and Georgian designs, retains the warmth and welcome of a much-loved family home, despite its immense proportions – counting somewhere between 250 and 300 rooms. A tour will take you through many of the State Rooms familiar from Downton fame. As well as the treasures indoors, there are many jewels to enjoy in its surroundings and gardens. These include the enchanting Secret Garden with curving herbaceous borders and serpentine paths; the original Monk’s Garden; the Healing Herb Garden; wildflower meadows; beautiful orchards and 18th-century follies. Period Living 147