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Calypso dining chairs with Wallis embroidery on Capri silk velvet - Aquamarine

ENGLISH HOME The

Interior awards

2020 WINNERS REVEALED

Celebrating the essence of English style January 2020 | Issue 179 | £4.50 | UK Edition

NEW YEAR HONOURS BEST FABRICS, WALLPAPERS, FURNITURE & MORE

DESIGN FOR A NEW DECADE

Style, innovation, sustainability, tech

FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

Enhance your life at home

GO FOR GLAMOUR

Modern luxe with art deco echoes

CELEBRATE IN STYLE Chic entertaining ideas to mark the moment

CONTENTS JANUARY 2020

34 50

Beautiful Buys 14 HOME COMFORTS Add a touch of softness and

create a cosy atmosphere with our beautiful buys.

20 SWEET CHARITY We select gifts that do good.

22 COCKTAIL HOUR Chic objects for a home bar.

English Homes 34 CULTURAL AFFINITY Modern art and antiques

combine to create effortless elegance in Essex.

42 MODERN CLASSIC A Victorian villa in Kent is

updated with traditional and contemporary pieces.

50 VIBRANT CHARACTER Vivid colours and bohemian

style combine to create a striking Georgian home.

58 FORWARD THINKING A Sussex cottage sets the

58

scene for early planning of seasonal celebration. 

THE ENGLISH HOME 5

Style inspiration 67 TIMELESS QUALITY Smart, classic lighting.

68 RETURN OF THE ROARING TWENTIES Look to the

1920s for interiors inspiration as a new decade dawns.

77 NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST 2020 The brands and

people that have caught The English Home’s eye.

96 AN EYE ON THE FUTURE Interiors experts offer

insights into key directions for the coming year.

Quintessentially

68

107 CALM & CONTEMPLATION Take the time to pen

a handwritten note amidst the quiet of January.

108 JANUARY IN THE MOMENT Connect with the season

and relish time at home with festive celebrations.

117 GOOD INTENTIONS Set simple and worthwhile

117

objectives for rewarding outcomes in the year ahead.

130 STRIDING INTO THE NEW YEAR Enjoy the season

with a bracing walk.

Regulars 8

A LETTER FROM HOME A welcome from our

Editor-in-Chief.

25 NOTEBOOK Our monthly digest of notable people

and pursuits, plus important dates for the diary.

32 THE LONDON EDIT Interiors news from the capital.

33 SUBSCRIBE Treat yourself or a loved one to a

subscription to The English Home.

96 GLISH ENG H ME RETREAT INDOORS HOM TIVE BRIT

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FIRES & FIREPLACES Focal points to suit your property

E DECORATIV LIGHTING for Jewel ery inter ors

TOWNHOUSE ELEGANCE Softly contemporary looks for city chic

with At home DON MONTY

DOWNTON DARLING Actress Kate on her interi Ph llips ors style

IN EX ERT HANDS VE LOegg, URof duck aqua & te LO CO less a lure The time Redecoration, restoration & reclamat on spec alists

6 THE ENGLISH HOME

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126 COMING NEXT MONTH An insight into the delights

to come in our February edition.

ENJOY SINGLE ISSUES BY POST To make life easier, you can now buy single editions or back issues of The English Home online and have them posted directly to your home address.

To order your copy, please visit

chelseamagazines.com/shop

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A letter from home

T

OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEW YEAR...

Our Good Intentions feature (page 117) considers easily achievable ideas – as opposed to resolutions – to enhance life at home for a sense of well-being for the year ahead.

Here are a number of our team’s intentions.

Kerryn: “I’m intending to spend more time in my garden, dabbling with creating a small vegetable patch (I’m a complete beginner), making space for a cut-flower area and adding another fruit tree. Being outside is the best antidote to an increasingly high-tech world, and if I get to eat a few home-grown foods that will be a huge bonus.”

Eve, Features Editor: “I aim to keep looking up and out, and to continue cherishing the time and experiences with my loved ones.”

Sarah, Managing Editor: ”I intend to stop saving things ‘for best’ in 2020 and instead use precious items in my everyday life, including treasured family heirlooms.”

8 THE ENGLISH HOME

With warm regards,

Kerryn Harper-Cuss, Editor-in-Chief Follow us on Twitter @englishhometeam Pinterest at pinterest.com/theenglishhome Facebook at facebook.com@theenglishhome Instagram at instagram.com@englishhomemag

PORTRAIT RACHAEL SMITH

Refresh the home’s exterior with a cheerily planted windowbox. To see how, turn to page 123

he start of each new year feels momentous. For many, it is a symbolic opportunity to start with a clean slate, to ‘reboot’ (to use modern parlance), and to dream and scheme for the year to come.

As we enter 2020, the beginning of a new decade feels like an even more potent opportunity to make small but significant changes and reflect on the path ahead.

Each January edition we take the opportunity to highlight a few of the people and brands that have most inspired us over the past 12 months, and spotlight names we think are ‘ones to watch’. It is never an easy task to curate our New Year Honours List, but we enjoy taking a pause to celebrate notable achievements.

This year, there are two awards I’d particularly like to draw attention to. The first is our Lifetime Achievement award, which feels terribly poignant this year: there simply was no other name in The English Home team’s thoughts than the endlessly creative and indefatigable William Yeoward, who, as most of you will know, passed away in 2019. He is greatly missed by our industry and leaves an inspirational legacy.

The second is for the significant, and I would say game-changing, initiatives being implemented at Ian Mankin, with the creation of its Zero Waste collection and its intensive ambitions for the sustainable manufacture of fabrics using organic, natural materials.

May I wish you health, happiness and fulfilment, as well as the determination to act on resolutions and initiatives you have been dreaming of yourself.

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ENGLISH HOME The

Interior awards

2020 WINNERS REVEALED

Celebrating the e ence of Engli h t le January 2020 | Issue 179 | £4.50 | UK Edition

NEW YEAR HONOURS BEST FABRICS, WALLPAPERS, FURNITURE & MORE

DESIGN FOR A NEW DECADE

CONTACT US Editorial 0333 014 3215 The English Home, Cumberland House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1BB Email theenglishhome@chelseamagazines.com Website theenglishhome.co.uk Advertising/Publishing 020 7349 3700 The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Email info@chelseamagazines.com

Style, innovation, sustainability, tech

FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

Enhance your life at home

GO FOR GLAMOUR

Modern luxe with art deco echoes

CELEBRATE IN STYLE Chic entertaining ideas to mark the moment

COVER PHOTOGRAPH: © BRENT DARBY

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief Kerryn Harper-Cuss Executive Editor Samantha Scott-Jeffries Managing Editor Sarah Feeley Art Editor Claire Hicks Contributing Art Editors Matt Griffiths, Rebecca Stead Sub Editor Lea Tacey Decorating Editor Katy Mclean Features Editor Eve Middleton Homes & Lifestyle Editor Clair Wayman Editor-at-Large Kate Freud

ADVERTISING

Sales Director Cameron Hay 020 7349 3712; cameron.hay@chelseamagazines.com Head of Market Freddy Halliday 020 7349 3744; freddy.halliday@chelseamagazines.com Advertisement Manager William Bernard 020 7349 3749; william.bernard@chelseamagazines.com Advertisement Account Executive Madeleine Burgess 020 7349 3711; madeleine.burgess@chelseamagazines.com Advertisement Sales Executive Jasmin Nissa Shaw 020 7349 3732; jasmin.shaw@chelseamagazines.com Advertising Production 01202 472781; allpointsmedia.co.uk

PUBLISHING

Chairman Paul Dobson Chief Operating Officer Kevin Petley Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Director of Media James Dobson Publisher Caroline Scott Circulation Manager Daniel Webb EA to Chairman Sarah Porter

CHELSEA CREATE

Managing Director Steve Ross Partnerships Director Lyndal Beeton

ONLINE

Digital Product Manager Ben Iskander Email & Digital Creative Manager Jenny Choo

PRODUCTION

Reprographics Manager Neil Puttnam Printing William Gibbons Ltd

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 31 DECEMBER 2019 THE ENGLISH HOME (UK EDITION) ISSN 1468-0238 (PRINT) THE ENGLISH HOME (UK EDITION) ISSN 2397-7086 (ONLINE)

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

ENGLISH HOME Th

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RETREAT INDOORS

Colour-fi led farmhouse, classic grange, smart Victorian house ENDURING POWER OF PATTERN Iconic Br tish fabrics re gniting imaginat ons today FIRES & FIREPLACES Focal points to suit your property TOWNHOUSE ELEGANCE Softly contemporary looks for city chic

IN EXPERT HANDS Redecorat on, restorat on & reclamation specialists

ENGLISH HOME e

RETREAT INDOORS

IN EXPERT HANDS

Including Room-by-room decorating advice Interviews with top interior designers Behind-the-scenes insights Invaluable buyers’ guides

ROGER DAVIES Working mainly in metals, my work is representative of nature, generally of the sea and creatures that inhabit it. My work is created for many places from seating, garden sculpture to paintings.

If you wish to commission some work I would be happy to discuss with you your requirements call 07473637897 or visit the website for more information

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Catch up when out and about theenglishhome.co.uk FOLLOW US ON...

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Add a touch of softness and create a cosy atmosphere in the home with our selection of beautiful buys

Painted perfection Kitchen company Plain English has collaborated with interior designer Rita Konig to develop Colour Collection No 3. Each of the 12 new paint colours is inspired by historical interiors, the storage of practical household supplies and all that is found below stairs.

Cupboard exterior in Candied Peel, interior in Bib & Braces. Kitchens from ÂŁ25,000, Plain English

14 THE ENGLISH HOME

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Sculptural delights Combining solid tulipwood with a faux malachite finish, this delightful obelisk-shaped lamp base, juxtaposed with a handpainted tortoiseshell lampshade, creates an eye-catching counterpoint to the soft pink walls.

Lamp base, £400; lampshade, £320, both Vanrenen GW Designs Material update Made using eighteenth-century techniques and featuring curved ends, this new tin bath blends the traditional charm of yesteryear with a contemporary appeal.

Tin Bateau Bath, from £4.032, BC Designs Calm colourway Characterised by a soft teal with cream accents, the Autumn colourway from ILIV’s new Botanist fabric collection offers a calming palette for the dinner table and beyond.

Tablecloth, Carlina, Teal, £22 a metre; napkins, Glen, Linen, £36 a metre; cushion, Calluna, Autumn, £95 a metre, all ILIV



CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Classic detail Inspired by the extravagant details of the eighteenth-century French merveilleuse fashion, this embroidered bedding features gold thread picot-stitched onto white cotton voile.

Lit Merveilleuse bed linen, £POA, Yves Delorme Couture Historic inspiration The latest collaborative collection from family firm Arley House features designs derived from the V&A’s historic archives.

Romano, from £68 a metre, Arley House Prints perfect Textile designer Zoe Glencross’s debut wallpaper collection is printed in Britain and showcases her signature Bollin Bird print and much-loved Honeycomb print amongst others.

Wallpaper (from bottom left): Sola, Grey; Honeycomb, Grey; Bollin Bird, Grey; Honeycomb, Blush; Slade Stripe, Grey; Sola, Blush; Nordic Trail, Grey, all £75 a roll, Zoe Glencross Season’s offerings The gentle blue hues of the new winter textile collection from family-owned weaving mill Lapuan Kankurit add a further soothing feel to the natural raw material designs.

Linen tea towel, Duo, Aspen Green/Petroleum, £16; blanket, Revontuli, Green/Blueberry, £139, both Lapuan Kankurit



16 THE ENGLISH HOME

Winter Sculpture Exhibition until 31 January

Enjoy an eclectic mix of sculpture set against the backdrop of the garden in winter. rhs.org.uk/rosemoor Every sale supports our work as a charity RHS Reg. Charity No: 222879 / SC038262

Supported by

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON PHOTOGRAPHS P16 (LAPUAN KANKURIT) © KATJA LOSONENM

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Dressing the table Celebrate the perfectly imperfect with Piglet’s range of luxuriously soft, naturally creased linen tablecloths and napkins. Dress them up or down as the mood dictates.

Linen tablecloth, £83; linen napkins, £9 each, all Piglet Creative collaboration Waterworks’ second collaboration with interior designer Thomas O’Brien sees the introduction of the new Foro collection of bathroom hardware in a range of finishes.

Foro gooseneck three-hole deckmounted lavatory faucet with metal lever handles, £2,917.20 (nickel finish), Waterworks Pattern underfoot As one of the new additions to the Quirky B collection, this latest pattern is expertly woven in British wool to blend traditional techniques with contemporary design.

Quirky B Hot Herring Gray Carpet £103.35 a square metre, Alternative Flooring

18 THE ENGLISH HOME

100% Bespoke kitchen & household furniture, sympathetically designed to work with your home’s architecture and handmade to last a lifetime.

24A West Street, Ashburton, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 7DU

Tel: 01364 653613 www.barnesofashburton.co.uk

Sunset Mohair Blanket, £139, The Future Kept (part of the 1% For The Planet global movement)

Lily of the Valley & Ivy Charity Candle, £48, Jo Malone London

Yellow Check medium handwoven seagrass basket, £19.99, Oxfam

SWEET CHARITY

Support a good cause by giving presents that will not only be a pleasure to receive but will also benefit individuals, organisations and our wonderful planet. From encouraging wildlife into the garden to buying pieces made from recycled materials or which aid mental health charities and the arts, there is an abundance of tactile and visually pleasing options to choose from.

Cornish Coast Tray by Julian Opie, £40, Tate Shop

Cream Metal Bee and Insect House, £15.99, The Woodland Trust

Weaver Green shopper bag (made from recycled plastic bottles), £45, National Trust

Rossmore Indigo lampshade, £250, Chatham Collection, Blithfield x Kit Kemp at Fine Cell Work

Sprig keepsake boxes, from £19.50 (small), Cressida Bell for Charleston

Charleston Stripe hardback notebook, £12.95, Charleston

20 THE ENGLISH HOME

FEATURE CHARIS WHITE PHOTOGRAPH (JO MALONE LONDON) © CHRIS LINTON

Tea towels from a selection of archival designs, £7.50 each, Warner Textile Archive

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Lenox drinks trolley, £995, Oka

Acrylic Jacques Sputnik chandelier, £2,250, Jonathan Adler

Vintage List Stars Champagne coupes, £85 for a set of six, Fortnum & Mason

Baby Lilac Laguna B Murano handblown glass tumbler, £78, Rita Konig

COCKTAIL HOUR The idea of creating a home bar, cocktail cabinet or drinks trolley has made its way to the top of one of the most desired interior design items for the home. Add a little effervescent sparkle to your New Year celebrations with the help of our bubbly edit of ‘cocktail chic’.

Wyatt stainless steel and leather bar tools, £95 for a set of three, Ralph Lauren at Amara

Silver-plated tray (32cm diameter), £67.95, Annabel James

Kyla glasses in rose gold, from £22.50 a pair, Parlane

Newton sideboard, £699, Atkin & Thyme 22 THE ENGLISH HOME

Croft Collection cocktail shaker, £25, John Lewis & Partners

FEATURE CHARIS WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS (ANNABEL JAMES) © LAUREN GUILFOYLE; (PARLANE) © JONATHAN BOYCOTT

Nantes bar stool, £1,490, William Yeoward

ORIGINAL, LIMITED-EDITION ART DECO POSTERS

Limited to editions of 280, our newly-commissioned Art Deco posters feature glamorous holiday destinations around the world, ski resorts in the Austrian, French and Swiss Alps, and the world’s greatest historic automobiles. Over 100 designs to choose from, all printed on 100% cotton fine art paper, measuring 97 x 65 cm.

Priced at £395 each.

Private commissions are also welcome.

Pullman Editions Ltd 94 Pimlico Road Chelsea London SW1W 8PL www.pullmaneditions.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 0547 Email: info@pullmaneditions.com

Our central London gallery

All images and text copyright © Pullman Editions Ltd. 2020

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

Heralding Spring

Saturday 25th January – Sunday 2nd February

Join us in the Garden for our celebration of the first harbingers of spring Open daily 11am – 4pm. Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HS

Registered charity number 286513 Registered in England

chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

THE ENGLISH HOME

NOTEBOOK Our monthly digest of inside information on people, places and pursuits

by Managing Editor Sarah Feeley

Diary – events worth noting INFINITE VARIETY

Temptations await at The Cotswolds Decorative, Antiques & Art Fair at Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire, with prices from £20 to over £10,000 and more than 45 exhibitors encompassing a vast array of items, styles and eras.

3–5 January; cooperevents.com

EXPERT INSIGHTS Monksilver

Nursery’s plantsman Joe Sharman – also known as ‘Mr Snowdrop’ – will share fascinating insights into these delicate flowers at Chelsea Physic Garden, with talks at 11.30am and 2pm, the latter followed by a snowdrops tour of the garden.

26 January; chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

IMPRESSIVE SHOWCASE Renowned interior

designers are regularly spotted at the three Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fairs held annually in Battersea Park, and for good reason. This discerning showcase features 150 specialist dealers from across the UK and Europe, and includes every discipline and items from the 1700s to the 1970s.

21–26 January; decorativefair.com

Paper-flower wreath by paper-flower artist Bee Watson of Wild Hive

PURSUITS

A Good Read

Hand-crafting paper flowers Adorn the home with delicate flowers throughout the winter months with just a few sheets of paper and expert help.

Workshops are held throughout the country on the craft of making paper flowers, led by skilled specialists such as Bee Watson, founder of Wild Hive who teaches across the UK. “Paper flowers are a long-lasting and sustainable way to enjoy your favourite blooms all year round,” she says. “The joy of attending a workshop is that it gives you space to become fully immersed in the craft, away from daily

distractions of life or work, to create something really beautiful to keep or to gift. The flowers look complex, but they are really achievable, and people always leave having completed one, even if they’re complete beginners or don’t consider themselves to be creative.”

For natural-looking petals, gently curl the edges using a pencil or the edge of scissors, and for long blooms destined for a vase, wrap the stems with floral tape for a professional finish.

For more details, visit wildhive.co.uk; petalandbird.co.uk; pompomfactory.com

Rooms With A History by Ashley Hicks (£45, Rizzoli)

This book offers an intriguing glimpse inside the mind of designer Ashley Hicks and the myriad influences which have inspired his individual style, from the historic to the eccentric and from the English to the exotic. As an architect, interior and furniture designer, and photographer, and the son of Lady Pamela Hicks and decorating legend David Hicks, his perspective is unique and fascinating.  THE ENGLISH HOME 25

PEOPLE

Grant Macdonald Silversmith

Having started silversmithing aged just 14, Grant Macdonald is now one of the world’s most talented silversmiths.

His eponymous firm proudly holds a Royal Warrant and is commissioned by royal families and palaces worldwide, hand-crafting works of art, diningware, fine bone china, crystal, barware and accessories.

After attending the Central School of Art in London, he honed his skills by restoring fine antique pieces and in 1966 began taking commissions from London’s guilds and livery companies for ceremonial chains and coats of arms. His work soon became sought after by luxury retailers, celebrities and royalty.

In the 1980s, amid changing tastes and post economic downturn, he began working internationally and found a world of new clients, particularly in the Middle East.

When offered the chance to make a new version of a ceremonial sword presented by a Gulf royal family to visiting dignitaries, he knew the cost of the gold, diamonds and rubies could topple his business. He took the gamble, the royals ordered 15 more swords, and a long-

Maria Sigma Weaver

At a time when maximalism and abundance dominate many design schemes, weaver Maria Sigma has chosen the opposite path – paring back to basics and removing any details she sees as superfluous. The raw simplicity of her hand-woven, undyed, woollen textile collection translates to functional beauty and longevity in the home.

Maria hand-weaves her fabrics in London on a traditional wooden loom in a process which has hardly changed for centuries, adding a flash of vibrant Aegean blue.

“Inspired by my Greek heritage and by the colour palette of the British landscape, in combination with a love for maths and craftsmanship, I make vibrant but minimal contemporary textiles that creatively interpret long-established traditional craft techniques and styles,” she says.

“By emphasising the raw quality of the materials and texture, and removing any superfluous elements, my work pays close attention to usability and aiming 26 THE ENGLISH HOME

at producing high-quality luxurious interior products designed to become timeless heirlooms.”

Maria is dedicated to a zero-waste philosophy, sustainability and runs ‘weaving from waste’ workshops to inspire others, with dates including 25 & 26 January and 8 & 22 February. mariasigma.com 

standing partnership began. The firm’s standards are still impeccable, and Grant’s son George joined in 2003.

“Silver and precious metals go on forever,” says Grant. “That’s incredibly powerful.

It means you can never apologise for design flaws, imperfections or poor service.

Everything has to be perfect, or it doesn’t leave the workshop.” grantmacdonald.com

PLACES

Auckland Castle Following three years of painstaking conservation, Auckland Castle in County Durham recently reopened to visitors.

It used to be a palace for the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham, whose private apartments are now open to the public for the first time. They were once some of the most influential men in British history, commanding great wealth and exercising political and military power second only to the King for over 750 years.

The castle, which was built as a manor house in 1183, has been sensitively restored to its Georgian Gothic splendour, as designed by renowned English architect James Wyatt. The State Rooms have been authentically revived thanks to paint analysis, the preservation of historic features and the reproduction of soft furnishings and furniture. aucklandproject.org

Freight HHG The founders of homeware brand Freight HHG (which stands for ‘household goods’) say it is “more about conscious living than self-conscious design”. Its aesthetic is minimalist, emphasising the beauty of natural materials, with a smart practicality that gives a respectful nod to a simpler past.

The brand was established by mother and daughter team Hélène and Adele Adamczewski, who have a shop of the same 28 THE ENGLISH HOME

name in Lewes, East Sussex. They design the homeware, which is manufactured in the UK. “Our ideas are influenced by the places we have visited and those that have left a significant impression on us,” they say.

“The designs we create and the materials we use are considered and carefully sourced to ensure we are manufacturing items which are going to last well and wear even better.” freightstore.co.uk

PLACES

Kenwood House

PHOTOGRAPHS P25 (DIARY) © NICK MATTHEWS PHOTOGRAPHY. P26 (WEAVER PORTRAIT) © ALUN CALLENDER; OTHERS © ROCIO CHACON. P28 (CASTLE) © HOUSE OF HUES COURTESY OF THE AUCKLAND PROJECT; (FREIGHT) CANDLES © SARAH WEAL. P30 © ENGLISH HERITAGE.

On the edge of Hampstead Heath lies one of London’s hidden gems. Kenwood House is a grand neoclassical villa restored to its Georgian splendour and home to a world-famous art collection.

First built in the seventeenth century, it was Scottish architect Robert Adam who masterminded Kenwood’s magnificent transformation in the eighteenth century, commissioned by William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield. He created its full-height giant pedimented portico, designed the south front elevation, modernised the existing interiors with new decorative schemes and built a new Great Room or library for entertaining.

Now looked after by English Heritage, its breathtaking interiors have been extensively yet sensitively restored, most impressively its library in which Adams’ original colour scheme has been reinstated. Kenwood shimmers with opulence, offering a window on its fascinating past.

Its majestic exterior played a starring role in the film Notting Hill as the setting for the Henry James period drama in which Julia Roberts’ character was starring.

Surrounded by tranquil landscaped gardens, Kenwood House is home to the 1st Earl of Iveagh’s renowned collection of Old Master and British paintings, including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer. english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kenwood/

30 THE ENGLISH HOME

THE

QUINTESSENCE COMFORT There’s nothing quite like the joy derived from making your own log fire and feeling that first burst of warmth as you sit back for the evening. At ESSE we share that joy when we hand build our beautiful stoves which we have done for over 160 years.

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of

THE ENGLISH HOME

THE LONDON EDIT Editor-at-Large Kate Freud looks at a beautiful new fabric collection, a bespoke rug service and quality hardware and furniture COLLIER WEB

PUKKA FABRE

CRUCIAL TRADING

W

32 THE ENGLISH HOME

T

he allure of natural materials for interiors is higher than ever on the decorator’s wishlist. This is why brands such as flooring and rug specialist Crucial Trading – which launched in 1986 and has stayed true to its original ethos of favouring 100 per cent natural materials sourced from all over the world – continue to inspire. The wool Crucial Trading uses, for example, is sourced from New Zealand due to the fine texture, durability and purity of the material, whilst its sisal collection makes stylish use of fibre from the Agave plant, one of nature’s true survivors, which thrives in areas with little rainfall, including Brazil and China.

The Crucial Trading team loves nothing more than innovating and exploring new weaves, textures and patterns, and now offers an online ‘Build a Rug’ service, too. Choose dimensions, style, material and colours, then view the rug in situ via the the brand’s augmented reality app to see if it suits the room it is meant for. Once ordered, it will be produced in Britain at the firm’s workshop in Kidderminster. crucial-trading.com

PHOTOGRAPH (COLLIER WEBB) © JULIAN ABRAMS

G

eoff Collier’s father, Cedric, could have had little idea of the longstanding family business Collier Webb would prove to be when he started the leading lighting, furniture and hardware company 40 years ago. These days, Geoff runs the brand with his daughter, Danielle, but the inspiration for the company definitely came from Cedric, who created handles and brass mounts for the antiques trade in his shed at the bottom of the garden whilst his young son watched and learned.

A few years after launching the business as it is now, Geoff was joined by the late Andrew Webb, a Sotheby’s-trained antiques expert and much-respected interior designer. Their joint vision for the brand is clearly demonstrated to this day at the Collier Webb store on London’s Pimlico Road.

Over the years, Collier Webb has completed bespoke projects for innumerable clients, from the Claridge’s Royal Suite to Belstaff’s flagship store and The Arts Club in Mayfair. Through these examples we can see the combination of traditional and cutting-edge techniques and why the company’s passion for British craftsmanship continues to stand them in good stead. collierwebb.com

hen the creative minds of antique textiles collector and designer Nicole Fabre and Pukka Print’s Juliet Cornell came together, it was clear they were going to design something rather special. Under collaborative new brand Pukka Fabre, their first launch – known as the French Collection – offers a range of fabrics encompassing beautiful handblocked prints from Jaipur, screen-prints from Calcutta and weaves from England, embracing the Anglo-Indian feel so in harmony with both women’s deep love of textiles.

The designs are largely inspired by Fabre’s extensive collection of antique textiles, mainly French and built up over the past 30 years. Whilst the patterns honour the distinctive colour palette of the original textiles that inspired them, they have been given a Pukka Fabre twist, with new colour combinations expanding the collection to over 20 fabrics, all of which are gloriously cross-cultural and offer a broad appeal. pukkaprintlinen.com

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34 THE ENGLISH HOME

The dining area in the open-plan kitchen is a stylish and welcoming space. Both the dining table and chairs are Swedish antiques, from Brownrigg and Augustus Brandt respectively. The striking abstract painting is

by Shirin Tabeshfar.

ABOVE The kitchen island is painted in Steel IV by Paint & Paper Library.

A painting by Emma McClure hangs to the left of the ancient bread oven in the right-hand corner.

W

alk through the attractive portico entrance of Lucy and Ernest van Vredenburch’s Grade II listed Essex country home and witness a lesson in the virtuosity of keeping the festivities simple. Exquisite art, stylish antiques and vintage glass combine with the glint of soft candlelight and an abundance of natural evergreens to fill the air with promise.

For the van Vredenburch children – Isabella 23, twins Eliza and Saskia, 21 and Hugo, 16 – this striking period property is where they have grown up and each year traditions take on a natural annual rhythm. “The children love to cook ‘oliebollen’ – fried dough balls,

36 THE ENGLISH HOME

a festive speciality in the Netherlands,” Lucy says. “My husband, Ernest, is Dutch and this custom has filtered down from his childhood.”

Lucy and Ernest moved from Battersea in London back to the east coast of England 20 years ago. “It was where we had both grown up and we wanted our children to enjoy the same sense of freedom; to run, make dens, ride horses and enjoy being young without the pressures of city life,” Lucy explains. “Now, although they are older, the country still draws them back. During the holidays the house comes alive with them and their friends. I love the energy that arrives with them all.”

Lucy spent six months searching for the right property before discovering this historic Essex hall surrounded by a moat and set within five acres of open countryside.

“It used to belong to the Bishops of London,” she explains. The original manor house dates back to the sixteenth century and was extended in the eighteenth century to include a red-brick Georgian facade. “We knew as soon as we drove up to the house that this was the one and we never looked back,” Lucy continues.

“It was tired and in need of renovation, but had the prettiest mix of informal and formal gardens, along with orchards and space for horses. It felt like the perfect spot to raise a young family.” 

ABOVE “I love to spend time in here during the day,” Lucy says of the sitting room. For a similar armchair, try The French Bedroom Company and for a similar rug, try Jennifer Manners.

The painting is by Margaret Thomas.

LEFT The stained glass in the front door and the stone flooring juxtapose perfectly with the contemporary painting by Angela A’Court. The French chest of drawers is from Brownrigg in Tetbury.

In the drawing room, furniture and curtains in neutral hues, designed and sourced by Lucy, are teamed with accents of colour and textures in the form of cushions from William Yeoward (left) and Birdie Fortescue (on the window seat).

The tree decorations are from The White Company.

38 THE ENGLISH HOME

Over the past two decades, Lucy and Ernest have restored the house, turning it into a stylish yet relaxed family space. At the heart of the original sixteenth-century part of the house, a large open-plan kitchen with a dining area has been created by knocking through a smaller kitchen and separate scullery. “The kitchen was one of the first projects we completed in the house and has remained current 18 years on,” says Lucy. “The simple Shaker style and lack of wall units help it to feel less designed and more relaxed. The Aga adds a welcoming ambience, too.”

To add to the inviting mood, particularly at this time of the year, Lucy likes to dress the antique Swedish table in the dining area with her favourite silver, china and linens, together with with plenty

of candles to cast a soft glow over festive family dinners and spontaneous get-togethers with friends.

Leading off the kitchen is the family sitting room, which features a high, vaulted ceiling and a woodburning stove. “I love to sit at the desk at the window to write cards and invitations – the light in here is wonderful and there’s a great view over the rolling countryside,” Lucy says.

The drawing room to the right of the main entrance is a much more formal affair, with plump sofas and welcoming armchairs gathered around a central fireplace. Natural foliage picked from the garden – a fragrant mix of spruce, holly, ivy, eucalyptus and snowberries – graces the mantelpiece, and an imposing Christmas tree is covered in a mix of clear- and mercurised-glass balls.

ABOVE The mantelpiece in the drawing room is decorated with fresh foliage, and coral and shell treasures Lucy has collected over many years. Find similar coral pieces at Georgia Lacey Antiques. The painting above it is by Chloë Lamb.

LEFT Lucy in the kitchen, in front of the trusty Aga.

THE ENGLISH HOME 39

Lucy has layered the perfectly proportioned rooms with texture and colour ABOVE The headboard in the master bedroom is covered in Karoo Soft by de Le Cuona. The bedside lights are Nellie by Pooky and the chests of drawers are from Martin D Johnson.

RIGHT The master bathroom walls are in Sand III and the woodwork is in Sand IV, both by Paint & Paper Library.

The mirror was sourced from Ardingly Antiques & Collectors Fair.

Lucy, formerly a marketing consultant, completed a course at KLC School of Design when the children were little and spent time working with friend Birdie Fortescue before establishing her own interior design consultancy, LVV Designs. “I now work actively on a broad scope of client projects, ranging from whole house renovations to one-off room schemes and regularly source art, antiques and homeware for clients,” she explains.

Throughout her own home, Lucy has layered the perfectly proportioned rooms with texture and colour, using timeless fabrics and wallpapers. Think hand-blocked textiles from Fermoie, Blithfield, Birdie Fortescue and Wicklewood; bold prints from Christopher Farr and Mulberry; and stylish wallpapers from Robert Kime and Veere Grenney.

Several of the dark wood antiques and portraits in the house are inherited from Ernest’s Dutch relatives. Lucy has juxtaposed these with Swedish and French furniture in lighter colours and pieces of modern art. “I am particularly drawn to abstract paintings and antique ceramics such as Italian 

40 THE ENGLISH HOME

passata bowls, glazed confit jars, large antique olive pots, decorative French tableware and vintage linens,” she says. “For me it is all about what catches my eye, never what is in vogue. Our home has developed very naturally and the mix of old and new is something I enjoy.”

The first floor of the three-storey house has been reconfigured to create a master suite with a dressing room and bathroom, as well as two en-suite guest bedrooms. Meanwhile, the four children inhabit the top storey’s attic bedrooms, giving them their own self-contained space.

When they are all back together, Lucy, Ernest and their offspring love to take long walks with their five dogs, and meal times are always elongated affairs. “There is always much debate, discussion and frivolity around the table,” says Lucy. “We have evolved as a family within the house. There is something very special about the sense of space, connection and longevity.”

ABOVE The guest bedroom florals echo the delicate floral patterns on the inherited family china. The painting above the bed is by Kate Rhodes.

LEFT In daughter Saskia’s bedroom the vintage French bed is dressed in cushions and a throw by Birdie Fortescue.

THE ENGLISH HOME 41

Olya confidently mixes genres and eras throughout her home. In the sitting room a coffee table by Anthropologie sits beneath a Jonathan Adler chandelier. The large artwork behind the sofa is

by Francisco HernĂĄndez DĂ­az.

MODERN CLASSIC A smart blend of antique and contemporary pieces creates beautiful yet unexpected layers of decorative interest to this Victorian villa in Kent FEATURE JO LEEVERS PHOTOGRAPHY RACHAEL SMITH

ABOVE A bold garland of foliage and tumbling clusters of paper balls adorning the staircase in the hall juxtaposes with the elegant antique chandelier. Ethiopian woven panels lead the eye upwards.

THE ENGLISH HOME 43

The generous entrance hall is centred around a Victorian mahogany table, polished to a deep sheen. Beneath it, Olya has laid a Tuareg rug as a textural contrast.

The console table and painting are auction finds.

44 THE ENGLISH HOME

V

isitors approaching Olya Lammas’ Victorian villa in Kent as dusk falls will find the entrance atmospherically illuminated by lanterns and fairy lights flickering in the foliage either side of the front door.

Inside, the large central hallway is decorated with clusters of brightly coloured paper honeycomb balls cascading down the bannister and a tall tree festooned with glimmers of gold and red. “This is a time when I break all the conventional decorating rules,” says Olya.

“I like to invent a new festive scheme each year, and this house, with its light walls and dark oak flooring, is the perfect blank canvas. It can accommodate any crazy colour combination that I come up with.”

Olya, her husband Philip and their youngest son Danny, 13, moved into this elegant home three years ago. The couple also have three grown up sons, Alex, Jonny and Sasha. “We weren’t looking for somewhere quite so grand, but once we’d seen this house, it was

hard to consider anything else,” Olya explains. The large windows and its slightly elevated setting were part of its appeal. “It felt quite different to other houses in the area, and the abundance of light reminded me of Mediterranean homes,” she adds.

The couple were also struck by the house’s peaceful setting, which looks out over farmland whilst being within easy reach of the spa town of Tunbridge Wells.

“When we viewed it, all we could hear was birdsong,” Olya says. Then the couple spotted a herd of cattle grazing in the field opposite. “The cows sealed the deal. I had always dreamed of having a classically English view like this,” she says.

Whilst the property’s situation was perfect, within, the house needed plenty of work to bring it up to date, from installing new flooring throughout to rewiring.

Weaving character through its generous spaces could have felt daunting, but Olya took it all in her stride, completing a top-to-bottom redesign. 

ABOVE A rug by Wendy Morrison draws together the natural and warm tones of the inviting sitting room.

LEFT The dark oak floors and pale walls of this Victorian villa provided the perfect setting for Olya’s creative style. The long wooden bench is an antique piece.

THE ENGLISH HOME 45

‘I am continually inspired by antiques because they bring a special energy into a home. They help a room tell a story’ ABOVE LEFT The handsome entrance to Olya and Philip’s Victorian villa.

ABOVE RIGHT In the dining room, an antique French mirror and vintage French dining table are teamed with contemporary chairs.

When the family first moved to this area, Olya worked in fashion, running her own London and Tunbridge Wells boutiques. More recently, she has turned her focus onto interior styling and decoration – a lifelong passion that marries her background in fabrics, layering and colour with a love of antiques and interiors. “Years of working in fashion styling taught me how clothes need to reflect a person’s personality, and the same goes for a home,” she says.

When asked how her ideas are formed, Olya explains that she starts her design process with some quiet reflection. “I take time to ‘absorb’ a room,’” she says. “I try to understand its mood and also think about what I want to achieve, taking into account who will spend time in there and what it will be used for.”

46 THE ENGLISH HOME

After taking in the atmosphere of a room, Olya’s ideas start to flow. “I write down several words that sum up what I want to achieve. For example, for the larger guest bedroom, my words included ‘moody boudoir’.

Then I begin sourcing objects and textures that reflect these words,” she adds. The result in said bedroom is a cossetting space with enveloping deep blue walls, hints of gold in the mirrors and bedside tables, a decadent crystal chandelier and rich textures in the form of a velvet upholstered bed and cushions.

Meanwhile the smaller guest bedroom has been given a lighter, airier, almost coastal feel with delightful blue-and-white Nina Campbell wallpaper and a striking curvaceous upholstered headboard.

“I’m inspired by Kit Kemp’s hotel bedrooms, which

The kitchen island is perfect for gathering around for an impromptu drinks party with close friends. The stools are from Out There Interiors and the pendants are by Tom Dixon.

ABOVE Olya’s starting point for this guest bedroom was the moody blue paint shade. She then added oriental and vintage items to give it layered character.

The throw and side tables are from A House To Love.

RIGHT The family bathroom has a freestanding claw-foot bath.

For a similar bath, try The Cast Iron Bath Company.

exemplify the beauty of decorative layering,” says Olya.

Additional character comes in the form of beehiveshaped chests of drawers serving as bedside tables.

The family’s sitting room, which overlooks the large garden, is resplendent in natural, gold and russet tones and dotted with antiques and art that draw the visitor in. Carefully sourced pieces, both antique and contemporary, sit together contentedly throughout the house and serve as talking points but never overwhelm any one space. Olya has always loved trawling markets and antiques fairs for unusual finds. “As I add layers of decoration to a room, I like to include something quite unexpected,” she says. “My design style doesn’t necessarily slot neatly into one category, yet all the elements work together.”

Antiques, bold artworks and mid-century designs will always be central to Olya’s interiors. “I am continually inspired by antiques because they bring a special energy into a home. They help a room tell a story,” she says. She has a knack of spotting items with character, be it a set of Ethiopian weavings, an oriental vase or dazzling Italian mid-century lighting.

48 THE ENGLISH HOME

Her love of antiques led to her launching a second strand to her interior decorating business, A House To Love. “I’m always coming across interesting objects and furniture, so I began setting aside pieces available to buy,” she says.

Because Olya builds up a room’s style in layers, come the festive period it is simply a matter of adding some special decorative touches. “I treat it as an opportunity to be creative, perhaps with a glass of mulled wine in hand,” she says with a smile.

Olya particularly loves the nostalgia that decorations evoke: “Do you remember how, when you were a child, everything seemed so much brighter, more colourful and joyful at Christmas time? I try to conjure up this spirit,” she says.

Often, when she starts going around the house to take down the decorations, Olya says she feels inspired with fresh design ideas. “If I see that a dark ruby red or a flash of gold looked good in a room, I’ll add a small pop of that colour with a new accessory or painting,” she explains. That way, the creativity of Olya’s style continues to brighten this Victorian home all year round.

ABOVE LEFT In the smaller guest bedroom, chic wallpaper by Nina Campbell is teamed with a burst of russet on the headboard.

ABOVE RIGHT The downstairs cloakroom is papered in an art deco-inspired design.

Orange-spined Penguin paperbacks add colour and interest. The antique sconces are from A House To Love.

LEFT Geometric upholstery and a humorous painting of a dog add unexpected details in the guest bedroom.

THE ENGLISH HOME 49

t CHARACTER A blend of vivid colours and bohemian style characterise this striking Georgian house in West Sussex FEATURE & STYLING MAGGIE COLVIN PHOTOGRAPHY ROBERT SANDERSON

Natural foliage along the mantelpiece is mixed in with a pre-lit garland from Lights4Fun. The pink velvet sofa is from George Smith and the cushions are from Oka. The walls are in a custommixed paint. For a similar colour, try Pink Ground

by Farrow & Ball.

THE ENGLISH HOME 51

The previous owners left two handsome brass lanterns in the entrance hall. The Persian rug came from David Young.

The antique English walnut linen cupboard is a family piece.

W

hen Riv and Marc Ahearne, their son Theo, 12, and Riv’s sons from a previous marriage, Roman and Ivo (now grown up), moved into their handsome Grade II listed Georgian manor house eight years ago, rumour, correctly, had it that Riv had finally settled down after four house moves in seven years. Judging by the perfect symmetry of its impressive facade covered in Virginia creeper, it is easy to see how this delightful property would have lasting appeal.

The house occupies a prime position on a quiet cobbled street in a West Sussex market town, with a large private garden and separate mews house at the rear. With high ceilings, an imposing entrance hall, graceful staircase and large square rooms, every nook and cranny is fused with history. “Disappointingly, we do not know a lot about who lived here,” says Riv, “but it feels as though it has been much-loved over the centuries. It has all the architectural assets of a house of its date, and with so many rooms to decorate, I am in my element.” 

ABOVE LEFT The large painting in the sitting room on the first floor is by Riv’s son, Ivo Beckett.

The sofas are from Sofa.com and the walls are painted in Cooking Apple Green

by Farrow & Ball.

ABOVE RIGHT An antique bench, decorated with Moroccan cushions, is tucked below the staircase in the hall.

RIGHT Above the antique Chinese table in the drawing room, is a portrait by Ivo of his brother Theo.

THE ENGLISH HOME 53

‘I do love that multi-coloured, saucy Bohemian look. I’m sure holidays in Tangier and lots of trips to France have inspired my style’ ABOVE LEFT The walls in the dining room are painted in Spearmint by Little Greene and the dining table is from Oka. ABOVE RIGHT Golden Lion tree decorations from Cox & Cox stand guard on each place setting in the dining room.

The previous owners had skilfully negotiated the problems of dealing with a listed building and invested in quality improvements. “They were interior designers, so every built-in cupboard was immaculately designed and every component, even down to the light switches and crystal door handles, was high quality,” explains Riv. “When we moved in, there was nothing major to do. The bones were good, just the colours and carpets were a little oldfashioned, as you would expect.”

Riv is a passionate homemaker who positively embraces constant decorative changes, and the arrival of Christmas and New Year is a perfect excuse to give each room a facelift. This winter she has adventurously even included a new colour scheme to rejuvenate the drawing room.

54 THE ENGLISH HOME

Owning a well-stocked garden helpfully provides Riv with large bundles of fresh foliage to adorn the house decoratively at this time of year, weaving fairy lights through it all as she works her way around the house. “Battery lights have become my secret agent for adding sparkle,” she explains. “They put lively energy into dark corners, and I stretch them along shelves and around wreaths mixed in with fresh foliage. I am quite addicted to those LED chunky church candles, too. Unlike real candles there is no danger of pools of wax marking the antiques and they are incredibly realistic too.”

Full of energy and artistic flair, Riv has transformed the interiors of her property into a welcoming family home in an eclectic, witty way, yet is always thinking of new improvements to make. “Nothing remains the

same for long,” she explains. “I enjoy making endless tweaks and changes.”

The most significant improvement made to the house recently has been creating an open-plan kitchen, snug and dining room, which has hugely increased the amount of light flowing into these spaces and brings everyone together. The kitchen used to be quite cut off, but now it has been opened up, Riv appreciates being able to stand in the kitchen and overlook the snug and dining room. “We all tend to live in this space now,” she explains. “The dining table is everybody’s favourite place to open up their laptop and sit and chat. So when I am working in the kitchen, I no longer miss out on conversations between the boys, my husband and friends.”

The open-plan kitchen has also, fortunately, proved to be a great space for parties. “Christmas and New Year are equally important party times for us as Marc has a birthday on New Year’s Day, so we are almost guaranteed to stage two separate parties.”

ABOVE The handmade kitchen cabinetry is painted in Pearl Colour Mid and the walls provide a gentle contrast in Olive Oil, both by Little Greene. The Christmas cake and mince pies in a tin all came from Bettys.

LEFT Riv standing outside the front door with Cavalier King Charles spaniel Odee. The door is painted in Blue Verditer by Little Greene. The wreath is

by Gisela Graham.

THE ENGLISH HOME 55

ABOVE Decorated in soft neutral tones and florals, the master bedroom has a feminine feel. The curtain fabric is Elizabeth by Ernest & Matilda and the armchair is covered in Cameo Roses by Kate Forman. The walls are painted in China Clay Deep by Little Greene.

RIGHT TruGlow pillar candles from Lights4Fun on the shelf above the mirror shed a romantic glow in this bathroom.

The woodwork is painted in Salix by Little Greene.

Riv loves nothing more than sourcing pieces for her home wherever she happens to be, from souks in Marrakesh to second-hand markets in Normandy and antiques fairs in Sussex, and the fruits of her successful shopping trips give her home its vibrant, eclectic character. “I have to say I do love that multi-coloured, saucy Bohemian look and I’m sure holidays in Tangier and lots of trips to France have inspired my style,” she says.

One of Riv’s first ideas was to paint the house in South of France colours. “I started with the dining room, which I painted in a rich Côte d’Azur turquoise,” she explains. Now, though, the turquoise has been replaced with a soft, lighter shade of greyblue. The drawing room is painted a pale pink plaster and has two sofas facing each other that Riv has had re-covered in deep pink velvet and pink and orange stripes. “Having a father who was an ardent art collector trained my eye and gave me a confidence to experiment with bright colours,” says Riv. It seems the artistic gene has been inherited by the next generation, too, as one of Riv’s boys, Ivo, is now a painter, following in his artist father Robert Beckett’s footsteps. Walls in various parts of the house are graced with paintings from all three men, as well as many bought by Marc and Riv. “We still cannot resist

56 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE The ivy-clad red-brick symmetrical facade of the eighteenth-century Georgian house faces onto the square of the quintessentially English market town in which it is set.

TOP The bedside table (left) in this guest bedroom is from Sally Wells near Midhurst, the lamp is from One World in Haslemere, the quilt is from Sarah K. The artwork is by Julian Bailey RA.

an art gallery opening,” she says. “Even though we both know we have run out of hanging space.”

Evidence of Riv’s courage and dexterity in using colour is particularly noticeable in the hall, where the ornate coving, beams, arches, pillars and door frames have been picked out in a blue/green. The walls are in a much lighter shade of the same hue.

In contrast, the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom have both been decorated in softer, more soothing colours, and filled with painted vintage furniture to create a classically comfortable mood.

Comfort and a relaxed atmosphere are important ingredients in Riv’s home-making format, particularly on the first floor, where a large, low-beamed sitting room, painted a rich olive green, has been turned into a television room furnished with two sumptuously inviting sofas and a rocking chair. Leading off Riv and Marc’s bedroom suite, this is the cosiest, most restful room of all and is where the family gathers for informal celebration drinks and nibbles over the festive period.

“One reason I like this house so much is that it reminds me of the house I grew up in, in London. The stairs and the hall have the same generous proportions.

It is a brilliant place for parties of all ages and we can sit 14 around the dining room table,” Riv says.

THE ENGLISH HOME 57

THINKING

Early planning for the season’s celebrations in this Sussex cottage allows every detail of the arrangements to be enjoyed to the full FEATURE CELIA RUFEY PHOTOGRAPHY JODY STEWART

58 THE ENGLISH HOME

THIS PAGE Greenery collected in the garden room. The small building needed considerable restoration, including laying a new floor.

The walls are painted in Troubled Water by Autentico. Baskets and a wooden trug hold the leaves, berries and flowers that Carla weaves into her wreaths.

OPPOSITE The kitchen has been updated with new wood flooring and new cabinetry painted in Troubled Water by Autentico.

The table in the dining room is nineteenthcentury American and the vintage chandelier overhead is English and retains its original green paint. Carla made the stocking on the chair from a piece of vintage French linen.

L

ate summer finds Carla Walls in her cottage garden in Sussex with the festive season on her mind. She is assessing the hydrangeas and deciding if it is time to cut and dry the flowerheads for the wreaths she makes. “By September I’m also keeping an eye on the rosehips in the garden and scouting for fir cones,” she explains, “and in the first weeks of November I’m picking holly before the birds take all the berries. I have to get ready early because I also have to decorate the shop that I share.”

The shop is Garden House Antiques in Petworth, a small town in the South Downs famous for boasting over 30 arts and antiques dealers. It is where Carla sells antique textiles, lace, English and American quilts, costume and small decorative furniture.

Wanting to have a home where she could relax, as a change from living above the shop, Carla moved to the Grade II listed Regency cottage in 2017. It is her personal space for entertaining friends, her adult

children Benjamin and Samantha, and her five grandchildren, away from the distractions of the business. The two-bedroom cottage, dating from around 1820, was designed as accommodation for servants working in the great house next door.

One feature that distinguishes the cottage is its rare bow sash window.

There were no structural concerns to address when Carla bought the cottage, but there were a number of decorative ones – in particular a loud red carpet laid everywhere. The cottage could scarcely have asked for a new owner more in tune with its age and style and with access to furniture and decorative pieces that reflect its status.

The red carpet was taken up and a wood floor laid in the open-plan sitting and dining room as well as into the kitchen. Meanwhile, neutral carpet was fitted on the stairs and in one of the two bedrooms, keeping the original planked oak floors uncovered in the main bedroom and the bathroom. Walls 

ABOVE LEFT The candlesticks on the table are early English pewter and the plates are French porcelain.

ABOVE RIGHT A nineteenth-century English tea caddy in the style of a house is an unusual feature on the pine dresser, which also holds collections of English pewter and spongeware.

THE ENGLISH HOME 61

ABOVE Flooring and wall colour run through the dining and sitting rooms, making the most of space and light.

Walls are in Silver

by Autentico. Carla takes care to choose a Christmas tree that fits the space provided by the deep bow windowsill and plants it in a brass bucket.

RIGHT The English demi-lune side table in the dining room with an American watercolour of a family above it illustrates the partnership of English and American pieces that runs through the cottage.

painted in silvery off-white are the consistent backdrop throughout the cottage and, as Carla had planned, these changes have made all the rooms appear more spacious and much lighter.

The worktops in the kitchen at the back of the cottage were serviceable, so Carla kept them and employed a local joiner to make new cupboards to fit beneath. In addition, vintage cupboards fitted to the walls were given a new lease of life with help from daughter Samantha, a decorative painter, who provided advice on the best paint products to use on cabinets and other areas of the cottage, inside and out.

In common with many dealers in antiques, Carla can name and date almost every piece of furniture, picture and textile in the house and remember where she found them. These include a number of American pieces, such as the braided rag rug in front of the fireplace in the sitting room which dates from around 1920.

Detail counts for much in the cottage and amongst items gathered on a side table in the dining area is a picture that is easy to overlook until Carla points it out. A tiny doll’s jacket in wool has been treated as 

62 THE ENGLISH HOME

The enchanting portrait above the fireplace dates from 1810–1820, the same era as the cottage and, though typically Regency in style, is the work of an American artist.

“The fabric on the girls’ dresses is similar to the quality used in England,” Carla explains, “but the shape of the bonnets is different.”

A bold quilt from the United States is Carla’s choice of bedcover for the winter season in this bedroom. She made the stocking from a French quilt remnant. Three early English samplers on the wall date from 1780 to 1820, so span the same era as the cottage.

64 THE ENGLISH HOME

‘Many of my friends who haven’t time to inhabit antiques fairs like I do value the little things I make or find for them’

a work of art and placed by Carla in a handsome maple frame. She loves miniatures and giving them individual recognition is something she does often.

It is another of her inspired ideas that comes into its own when she is thinking about the festive season and birthday gifts for friends.

She also happens to be a fantastic needlewoman who cherishes every fragment of antique textile that comes her way and makes good use of them all. Some of the treasures she makes are given as gifts, others she sells in the shop. The idea for her lavender-filled strawberries (below right) came from three tiny Victorian pin cushions she purchased at an antiques fair. “I unpicked one of the cushions and it was filled with silver sand to prevent the pins from rusting. And that gave me the pattern that I copy.”

“I love the idea of the 12 days of Christmas, as it also spans New Year,” Carla reveals. She enjoys every aspect of the preparations, including adding atmosphere that lasts throughout winter by decorating the cottage with candles, vases of bay and spruce and everything handmade, including the bowl of fabric fruit on the mantelpiece to the angel on top of the tree. She loves hunting out special presents too. “Many of my friends who haven’t time to inhabit antiques fairs like I do value the little things I make or find for them.”

The cottage is too small for Carla to invite her family to stay over the festive period. “But we have found our own way round this dilemma,” she says. “On New Year’s Eve, I host a buffet lunch in the cottage for the family, including my five grandchildren. After we’ve eaten, a tradition has established for the two youngest to stay on with me so that the others can party into the night. There is something very special about tucking grandchildren into a big bed under a beautiful old quilt. When they are asleep, I reflect on the fun we have all had, then I raise a glass and welcome in the New Year listening to Big Ben strike the midnight hour on the radio.”

ABOVE The bathroom boasts its original oak floor and a bath that dates from around 1900, now finished with grey enamel paint.

LEFT Carla’s lavender-filled strawberries, made in velvet and antique cotton fragments, are based on Victorian pin cushions.

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Celebrating over 50 Years 1968-2019 Traditional Joiners using modern machinery & techniques.

Makers of Hardwood and Accoya™ Windows, Doors and Staircases Established in 1968, Croxford’s remain a family owned business committed to the finest quality craftsmanship which includes hand made hardwood doors, timber windows, staircases and bi-fold/patio doors.

You will find our work all over the UK. We supply for both commercial and private projects from the most modest new build/renovations to the most elegant of stately homes. Our timber doors and

windows not only look good and wear well, but with the option of traditional or modern hardware and highly efficient double glazed units they also help you save energy. Please call or visit our website for more information.

CROXFORD’S Joinery Manufacturers & Woodturners Est. 1968

Tel: 01484 850892 Web: www.croxfords.co.uk Croxfords, Meltham Joinery Works, New Street, Meltham, Holmfirth HD9 5NT

66 THE ENGLISH HOME

STYLE INSPIRATION

Our special section dedicated to design and decorating inspiration begins here

TIMELESS QUALITY

PHOTOGRAPH © SEBASTIAN DEVENISH

The rich, dark colour of this painted panelling is the perfect foil for a gloriously classic wall light in solid brass with an antique finish. Its articulated adjustable arm is handy for perfectly positioning to illuminate reading a book in bed. Match an elegant pleated lampshade to bedding for quiet sophistication – the perfect mood for a dreamy night.

Pimlico Solid Brass wall light, £300; Trinity 25cm shade in Ivory Silk, £47.40, David Hunt Lighting

THE ENGLISH HOME 67

Return ROARING of the TWENTIES Bring a little indulgence to interiors by combining modern elements with an aesthetic that has been popular for 100 years

W

ith a new decade dawning, we are set to enter the twenties once more. The 1920s were a time of change, optimism, prosperity and celebration after the First World War; a time when the world was recovering, rebuilding and pushing forward with a need for hope and a desire for fun, frivolity and exuberance. The Roaring Twenties saw new technologies and a modern way of life develop. The Jazz Age (a term thought to be coined by F Scott Fitzgerald) and a golden era for Hollywood saw a glamorous lifestyle celebrated in popular culture and art deco reaching its pinnacle.

With this in mind, it is not hard to see why touches of 1920s style have been pervading interiors of late – perhaps our souls are seeking an uplift from the glamour and escapism this decadent era offered as a contrast to the events on the current political stage.

Distinctive elements of this style include art deco, with shimmering metallics, symmetrical geometric designs and glamorous detailing, alongside the more decorative and considered elements of the Arts and Crafts movement. Both aspects of this period still resonate today and are able to blend with more modern touches to create rooms that allude to the mood and aesthetic of the twenties without being devout to it, feeling current and refreshed for 2020.

Pattern & colour OPPOSITE Sunray Pink Rug, hand-knotted Tibetan wool and silk, available in various sizes. Prices start from £4,688 (1.83m x 1.22m) or £2,100 a square metre, by Mary Katrantzou for The Rug Company

ABOVE Wallpaper, Art Deco in Rose Gold, £50 roll, Graham & Brown

Perhaps the most distinctive components of 1920s design are the patterns used for walls and fabrics. Chevrons, zigzags and geometric formations were popular and work well in today’s collections, too. Interlocking motifs – particularly square or key designs – strike the right note as well as more intricate patterns. Curvier shapes such as sun rays and fans can also be used in a stylised manner. THE ENGLISH HOME 69

Aspects of the slightly later Hollywood Regency movement of the 1930s, such as palm leaves, can offer more fluidity in designs, as can glamorous feathers. Those drawn more to Arts and Crafts style might seek botanical motifs, still with a strong rhythm to the repeat, but more organic and softer than chicer art deco designs.

Metallic finishes are often used to highlight designs, adding elegance and flair. Wallpapers might feature a textural element, with golds and silvers bringing a contrast in colour and touch, whether in a foil, flock or beading. Marquetry was also a popular technique used in the 1920s for creating decorative wall coverings and lends itself beautifully to radiating star or sunray designs in particular.

Colours for an updated twenties look can be varied.

Blush pinks add a soft feminine glamour and work well with contemporary rose-gold finishes, which are growing ever popular.

Other gentle naturals or muted tones of blue and green suit the Arts and Crafts style. For a stronger art deco aesthetic, golds contrast wonderfully with monotone black-and-white palettes for a Gatsby-inspired scheme – a perfect backdrop for celebrations, suitable for dining rooms.

The updated twist on twenties style allows for freedom in colour palettes and mixing patterns and styles. A stylised Jazz Age geometric design can be balanced with a more detailed classic embroidery or contemporary pieces of furniture. For a subtle nod, using an art-deco-style wallpaper in panelling on wardrobes, to line a bookcase or in alcoves will add a touch of panache. Or balance out a heavier use of pattern on walls or in soft furnishings with plain fabrics or furniture with a different aesthetic so the overall feel is not too overwhelming.  ABOVE RIGHT Wallpaper on panels, Feather Fan, £85 a roll, Icons collection, Cole & Son BELOW RIGHT Wallpapers (from left): Taisho Deco; Seizo, £74 a roll; Oblique Mini, £74 per roll; D’Arcy, £70 per roll; Conway, £80 a roll; Seizo Raku, £74 a roll, all The Muse collection, Zoffany BELOW Wallpaper, Orlena, £65 a roll; curtains, Orlena, £49 a metre; blind, Lucette, £29 a metre; chaise, Dentella, £39 a metre; chair, Momentum Issoria, £64 a metre, all Paloma collection, Harlequin

Wallcovering, Astor, Shale Green, £64 a metre; headboards, Charleston, Teal/Orange, £75 a metre; throws, Maddox Stripe, Blue/Multi, £80 a metre; cushions (from back): Beauchamp Velvet, Fontainebleau, £50 a metre; Fitzrovia, Blue/Multi, £120 a metre; Charleston, Teal/Orange, £75 a metre, all James Hare

THE ENGLISH HOME 71

Curtain, Camille Rosedust, ÂŁ75 a metre; bedspreads, Delano Rosedust (on top) and Luxor Cameo, both ÂŁ34 a metre, all Astoria collection, ILIV

Furniture & finishes

To add splendour to the striking patterns of the era, opulent finishes and textures play a pivotal role in enhancing a more exuberant yet refined mood. Tassels and trims evoke the look of a flapper girl’s dress, whether a deep bullion fringe on a sofa or elegantly beaded and luxurious tassel tie-backs, adding some passementerie brings frivolity and fun to pieces. Furniture covered in velvet and silk fabrics bring extra shimmer and richness to a scheme, allowing art deco patterns to shine.

Mirrored furniture is a key element of this aesthetic and can be a simple but impactful way to evoke a 1920s mood in a bedroom or glamorous dressing area as well as a sitting room.

Craftsmanship is a hallmark of the era – marquetry details or carved, embossed, specialist finishes such as lacquering or gilt might also feature on a statement piece of furniture – perhaps a stylised drinks cabinet or sideboard. Of course, it is important not to overwhelm a space with too many elements, but a few thoughtful details add the right note of 1920s decadence and can be contrasted against cleaner lines and plainer aspects, too. 

ABOVE LEFT Baxter chairs with bullion fringe, £2,395 each; Petal mirror, £1,150; Jacques two-tier accent table, £995, all Jonathan Adler ABOVE RIGHT Trims (from left): Chevron Braid, Pink, £37 a metre; Narrow Rope, Pink, £16 a metre; Tassel Tie Back (05449-07), Pink, £325 each; Tassel Fringe, Pink, £42 a metre; Cushion, Tyndall, Pale Pink, £105 a metre, trimmed in Cut Ruche, Pink, £32 a metre, all Colefax and Fowler RIGHT Gatsby three-drawer chest, £845; Greta cocktail chair, £450, both Feather & Black

THE ENGLISH HOME 73

Add touches of exuberant glamour and decadent ambience in the form of excessively long fringing on lampshades on floor and table lamps or striking feature pendants, with chain fringing adding a further modern twist to a scheme.

For a more pared-back but no less chic mood, classic art-deco-style pendants or wall lights in crystal or glass add grandeur and elegance. Look to wall-hung versions for adding some glitz to a bathroom.

Other accessories that help evoke 1920s spirit include art-deco-style screens or a display of ostrich feathers in place of flowers. Interior designer Katharine Pooley’s pop-up Gatsby Suite at Turnell & Gigon’s showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour was full of playful and harmonious details, including a magnificent display of feathers on the mantelpiece, crystal lighting, geometric patterns on rugs and beautiful passementerie details, including beading designs on walls. “It is impossible in my mind not to love the clean lines and timeless elegance of the art deco period,” Pooley says. “The vitality, unapologetic opulence and positive energy of this period is infectious, and I draw inspiration from this era more than any other.”

Taking the best and most beautiful elements of the period and combining them with other styles and contemporary ideas creates an evolved look that is full of intrigue and thrills.

74 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE LEFT Silky Champagne fringed lanpshade, £229, Mint & May ABOVE RIGHT Eichholtz Fringe Chandelier, £2,355, Sweetpea & Willow RIGHT A detail of Katharine Pooley’s pop-up Gatsby Suite at Turnell & Gigon last year.

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN PHOTOGRAPHS P70 (COLE & SON) © JON DAY; (HARLEQUIN) © ANDY GORE; P72 (ILIV) © PRODOTO; P73 (FEATHER & BLACK) © DAVID GARCIA; P74 (KATHERINE POOLEY) © RAY MAIN

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Whether its traditional or classic, fitted or freestanding, our kitchens are refreshingly different, and with a unique range of painted, timber, distressed, vintage and industrial finishes, we’ve a kitchen style that’s perfect for your home.

If you’re looking for a truely bespoke kitchen to reflect your individual style, visit our showroom at Moreton in Marsh in the heart of the Cotswolds or register online for a brochure.

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At Appletree Bespoke Timber Buildings Limited we specialise in creating high quality bespoke shepherd huts, alongside other timber buildings. Our family run business focuses on giving customers a friendly, bespoke service resulting in high quality, bespoke buildings which will stand the test of time.

Appletree Bespoke Timber Buildings 01953 850072 | info@appletreebespoke.co.uk www.appletreebespoke.co.uk

76 THE ENGLISH HOME

NEW YEAR

HONOURS LIST

2020

ILLUSTRATION © LINA LISICHKA/SHUTTERSTOCK

Discover the brands and people considered by The English Home to be most deserving of our annual accolades and see who came top in our Readers’ Vote

THE ENGLISH HOME 77

ABOVE LEFT Wallpapers from the Melsetter collection, Morris & Co ABOVE MIDDLE Foreground cushion in Newill Embroidery, Antique/Carmine, £135 a metre, Morris & Co

78 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE RIGHT Curtains in Theodosia, Grey, £75 a metre, Morris & Co RIGHT Wallpaper, Melsetter, Indigo/Sage, from £295 for a three-metre panel, Morris & Co

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The beautiful Melsetter collection was created as a celebration of the considerable talents and work of May Morris, whose standing as one of Britain’s most influential figures in English embroidery has long been overshadowed by dint of her lineage, being William Morris’s youngest daughter.

Featuring seven embroideries, seven prints and 10 wallpapers, the intricate designs in the collection deftly appeal to both traditional and contemporary tastes, and offer faithful copies of archive documents as well as reinterpretations of original designs.

We particularly love the Melsetter wallpaper (right), a fresco-effect print inspired by original bed hangings created by May for her father’s bed in 1893. It is available in two colourways and in three-metre-width panels as standard, or four-metre-widths at special request. Fabric is also available, in three colourways.

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From archival reinterpretations to eco-conscious developments, our favourite designs have strong stories

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Fabrics & wallcoverings

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IAN MANKIN The team at Ian Mankin has taken some truly laudable steps in the manufacture of textiles, described by our Editor-in-Chief, Kerryn HarperCuss as “game changing” within the industry.

Firstly, the brand, which weaves all its fabrics in the family-owned mill in Lancashire, launched a Zero Waste collection, challenging its design team to create limited-run designs with surplus and end-of-stock yarns. It then made the hugely significant decision to ensure that all of the natural 100 per cent cotton yarns that it sources are either certified organic or recycled.

It was also the first mill in the UK to receive certified Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) status from the Soil Association, a significant marker of an important shift in awareness of environmental impact in production.

The brand’s most recent 1485 collection, created in association with the Landmark Trust, completes a remarkable year.

BELOW Ian Mankin’s 1485 collection features 34 fabrics and eight braids inspired by The Landmark Trust’s UK buildings built between 1485 and 1603 and uses only natural and recycled yarns.

ABOVE Wallpaper, Bargello, Parham, £715 a roll, Fromental

FROMENTAL Perfect for lovers of the new maximalism, this dramatic and intricate Bargello wallpaper from Fromental has a vibrant contemporary appeal, yet works surprisingly well with classical elements. This is due, in no small part, to the fact that it takes its inspiration from traditional flame-stitch embroidery, which is believed to have emerged in Italy in the 1600s. Indeed, the name Bargello relates to a series of chairs in the Bargello Palace in Florence, Italy which feature such needlepoint.

Available in eight colourways, the design was created in collaboration with Milan-based American interior designer Eric Egan. The original hand-painted design is printed onto wide-width cartridge wallpaper. THE ENGLISH HOME 79

FERMOIE Whilst the fabrics in the latest collection from this very English fabric brand all reference the past, they are far from historic in appearance. The three new hand-drawn designs are all printed using traditional methods in fresh, contemporary colourways and are designed to work together for effortless layering.

Shell Grotto (below) is the most decorative and distinctive of the three new designs. The carefully observed details of shells and their placement in symmetrical patterns depict the naive floral shapes that were intricately crafted with seashells by our forebears in magical shell grottos centuries ago. We find the swirling mosaic repeat pattern mesmerising.

BELOW Armchair, Shell Grotto, Yellow (SHEL-002); fabric swatch, Green (SHEL-004), both £110 a metre, Fermoie

BRAQUENIÉ AT PIERRE FREY Featuring a dazzling array of exquisite fabrics, the Comptoir d’Orient collection by Braquenié brought archive documents up to date, showcasing a luxurious level of detailing and exciting colour combinations. The impressive embroidery used for Ahmedabad (not shown) was certainly one of the highlights of the collection.

Designed to be an ode to exoticism, a major theme in eighteenth-century decorative arts, the collection embraced over 10 different techniques to create printed velvets, rich tapestries, fine embroideries and quality weaves. The result is a hugely tempting and tactile collection that appeals to both traditional and contemporary interior tastes.

80 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE Nelumbo, Nénuphar, £362.40; Aristote, Goyave, £216; Zelina, Petale, £134.40; Semi Kalambar, Alizarine, £156; Okinawa, Hotensia, £122.40; L’Exotique, Terracotta, £194.40, all prices a metre, Braquenié at Pierre Frey

BENJAMIN MOORE With the launch of Century, Benjamin Moore brings a tantalising development in paint technology which it describes as “the world’s first Soft Touch Matte Finish paint”. The result is an emulsion available in 75 colours with incredible depth of pigmentation.

“Years of research has yielded an intricately balanced formula that is produced in small batches,” explains Helen Shaw, director of Benjamin Moore. “Every tin is produced in the same Benjamin Moore workshop and is delivered pre-mixed and sealed, to maintain the level of pigment and one-of-a-kind finish. The aim of Century was to give not only a premium level of colour but a tactile finish, to create depth and dimension within any space.”

LEFT Wild Caraway Soft Touch Matt Finish Paint, £125 for 3.78L (£11 for a 118ml tester pot) Century

by Benjamin Moore RIGHT Thistle Soft Touch Matt Finish Paint, Century by Benjamin Moore

PHOTOGRAPHS P78 © ANDY GORE; P80 (BRAQUENIÉ) © YVES DURONSOY; (FERMOIE) © DEBORAH HUSK P81 (BENJAMIN MOORE) © JOHNNY MILLER

BALINEUM Balineum’s Tube-Lined Decorative Tiles collection offers a 21st-century update to the art deco and art nouveau patterned ceramic tiles of yesteryear. Embellished with raised piping detail synonymous with their historic counterparts, the tiles are made by hand. After being decorated with a thin line of clay to create the pattern, they are brushed with different coloured glazes between the ridges to reveal the designs in their bold decorative form.

Designed to correspond with the brand’s Hanley solid colour tiles, the Tube-Lined collection can be used in a number of ways – from a simple inlaid border to a decorative ‘tapestry’ set within a tiled wall.

Patterns and sizes can be created in any combination of the 30 glaze colours. It is also possible to create bespoke designs, playing with scale, translating wallpaper or fabric motifs or other pattern elements. 

RIGHT Tube-Lined Tiles (by size): Liner (30mm x 126mm), £57.60 a square metre or £7.20 each; Half Square (63mm x 126mm), £1,270.08 a square metre or £10.08 each; Square (126mm x 126mm), £1,088.64 a square metre or £17.28 each; Scallop (82mm x 156mm), £898.56 a square metre or £11.52 each; Half Circle (82mm x 41mm), £2.05 each, all Balineum

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We consider the most striking and innovative projects that combine style and substance in the hardest-working room in the home

BLAKES LONDON This bespoke project, known as the 6ixteen kitchen, won our attention for the smart reworking by Blakes London of a project it installed just over six years ago. It updated the original dark-blue painted cabinetry by repainting it in Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke, and upgraded the backboards of the wall units with dusty-pink tiles in a herringbone pattern. It also installed brassfinish handles to replace the original stainless steel hardware, as well as a brass ladder rail to enable access to the top cupboards.

“The end result is a highly on-trend, seemingly brand-new kitchen, however, the core of the kitchen, including worktops and cabinets and flooring, all remain the same,” a spokesperson explained.

FAR LEFT Blakes London’s reworking of the original kitchen is a more sustainable solution to installing an entirely new one.

LEFT Adding a ladder allows tall storage to be used to make use of the space offered by the high ceilings.

6ixteen kitchen, £45,000, Blakes London

PHOTOGRAPH (LANSERRING) © BEN REEVES

LANSERRING In this chic family kitchen, the joy is as much in what is hidden as in what is on display. The design is an essay in using not only top quality materials and innovative build techniques, but also in the wellconsidered use of concealed storage and technology to create a deceptively simple and understated space. The hand-painted cabinetry, finished with recessed brushedbrass finger pulls, conceals both a pantry and a breakfast cabinet either side of the room in a pleasing, symmetrical layout. A hidden ceiling extractor fan and stone shelf with brass-lined ventilation cut-out point to use of intelligent integrated solutions.

RIGHT Dark cabinetry, marble island, patinated metal splashback and herringbone flooring create a smart, streamlined family kitchen.

Barnes kitchen, from £60,000, Lanserring 82 THE ENGLISH HOME

deVOL Customising kitchen designs reaches new levels with deVOL’s additional offering of a hand-painted service.

In-house artist Rosie Briggs can bring to life any number of designs on the backboards of the brand’s Curiosity Cupboards in colours to suit a unique scheme. Clients can choose from preexisting patterns, such as a traditional chinoiserie or a trompe l’oeil, or opt to commission a truly one-off design working with Briggs and Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL. LEFT The decorative service is from £1,000 for the hand-painted finish on the backboard of a cupboard, shown here in the Rambling Wild Roses design (plus £100 a day for bespoke designs). Curiosity Cupboard (plain), from £1,800 (68.5cm x 210cm x 48cm), deVOL

NAKED KITCHENS Constructed from White American Oak, chosen for its beautifully soft colour and unique grain pattern, this Stanhoe Kitchen collection was created to marry the sense of sleek freestanding furniture with the practicality of a built-in kitchen.

Subtle details such as traditional box joints and dovetail side joints in the drawer construction feature alongside large-scale focal points such as the floating shelving to ensure a cohesive and elegantly simple overall look. Precision cutting of the oak means that each drawer front in this project was cut from the same piece to ensure a consistency of colour and a pleasing repetition of grain pattern that reflects the impeccable attention to detail from Naked Kitchens’ design team.  RIGHT The minimalist feel of the Stanhoe kitchen belies its complex detail and precisionengineered craftsmanship.

From £35,000, Naked Kitchens

Scultpure, art or lighting? One would be forgiven for asking. In fact, German-born Margit Wittig is a sculptor and artist who studied figurative sculpture, stone carving and metalwork. She also trained as a physiotherapist and her observations of the human form inspire her figurative bronze and resin sculptural elements.

Having launched her exquisite, handcrafted lamps in 2006, Wittig has expanded her offering to include mirrors, screens, candles and sculptures. Clients can choose from a number of elements – such as hand-blown glass, resins and bronze heads – so Wittig can create personal, truly bespoke pieces.

LEFT Table lamp, £950; selection of floor lamps made with resin, glass and silver-leaf components, featuring Wittig’s signature portraits, from £2,400; mirror frame, hand-cast in layers of resin and finished in gold, £2,850, all bespoke, Margit Wittig

Home details From lighting to door furniture, we highlight the standout details that make for polished and original interiors

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SAMUEL & SONS A family-run business for more than three-quarters of a century, this American brand has long been a secret resource for interior designers. Samuel & Sons has designed more than 15,000 trims in materials as diverse as hand-blown glass, cultured pearls, exotic woods and various grasses amongst exquisite silks and hand-embroidered passementerie.

Remarkably, all of its products are in stock for immediate delivery, whilst many can be admired in showrooms around the globe, including at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, London. Its latest collection, Antoinette, comprises sumptuous borders reminiscent of eighteenth-century French embroidery with lustrous threads on matt linen in contemporary palettes.

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LEFT & RIGHT The Antoinette border in Sapphire 04 (bottom left and right) and Tearose 03 (above left), both £108 a metre, Samuel & Sons 84 THE ENGLISH HOME

PHOTOGRAPH © SIMON BROWN

MARGIT WITTIG

OCHRE There is an understated elegance and glamour at the heart of Ochre’s designs.

The all-female design team, who founded the company in 1996, have built a reputation for a focus on form, luxurious materials and fluid yet exacting pieces that exude a mood of calm, and their latest collection of lighting, furniture and accessories is no exception.

We love the leather-clad frame of the Wisp table, but particularly want to spotlight the brand’s latest lighting, including the Aquarelles chandelier (left) which features horsehair shades and porcelain drops. This is a functional object with the appeal of an artwork. This is a collection for those craving statement pieces with a discreet glamour and an emphasis on craftsmanship. Every piece creates a talking point and is a delight to use every day.

LEFT Aquarelles chandelier (20cm), £1,140; Wisp table with shelf (70cm),£1,752; Snooze chair (76cm x 104cm x 92cm), £3,162 (excluding fabric), all Ochre

SAMUEL HEATH Having produced fine, solid brassware from its headquarters in Birmingham for over two centuries, Samuel Heath is a brand that prides itself on innovative design as well as its heritage.

Known today for its hand-crafted bathroom fittings and architectural hardware, its latest collection of three contemporary door levers – Landmark, Bauhaus and Reeded – echoes the core principles at the heart of the brand’s manufacturing ethos.

These are simple, functional forms in fine materials, made with the utmost attention to detail. Each handle is formed from solid brass and handpolished to create a flawless finish before undergoing high-quality electroplating.

The handles are then carefully assembled and hand-checked.

The new collection is available in 60 different finishes and grip options, so that each handle is customisable to suit a wide range of interiors. The result is a sleek contemporary design, meticulously executed. 

ABOVE (Clockwise from top): P6040 Landmark lever in brushed gold and antique brass; P6044 Bauhaus lever in stainless steel and matt black; P6046 Reeded lever in nickel and natural brass, all from £433, Samuel Heath LEFT P6044 Bauhaus lever in matt black and natural brass, from £433, Samuel Heath

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Furniture

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Our winners honour quality materials, solve storage problems and offer a heart-warming marriage of style and social enterprise

PINCH Creating pieces with a quiet aesthetic that celebrate the materials from which they are made and offer an enduring allure is the hallmark of Pinch. Its recent launch of 15 pieces – crafted in celebration of its 15th anniversary – was a joy to behold, from the shapely Christo bed (left) to the perfectly proportioned velvet-covered Roubel sofa with its art deco echoes, which also won our Editor’s Choice award at Decorex.

LEFT The Christo bed comes as a bedstead or as a four-poster design, in either solid European oak or solid black American walnut, both with a clear oil finish. From £6,850 for the bedstead, Pinch

JUSTIN VAN BREDA Known for his updated take on classic English style, Justin Van Breda’s customisable furniture comprises over 400 pieces, designed since his company launched in 2002. His new Cape Weaver Collection of rattan and cane furniture and accessories by prominent international designers such as Nina Campbell, Nicky Haslam and Veere Grenney is hand-woven by the Cape Town Society for the Blind in South Africa. Coming from Cape Town himself, Justin grew up with pieces including laundry baskets and dog beds created by the charity in his family home.

RIGHT Justin’s Octagon Cabinet, £3,500 FAR RIGHT The Nina Campbell Mirror, £1,995; The Nina Campbell Urn, £1,350; All made to order, Justin Van Breda

86 THE ENGLISH HOME

NEPTUNE The Chawton collection answers an interiors need that has been wanting in many homes: solidly built, freestanding storage that is flexible enough to work for a range of rooms and purposes – from a bookcase in a sitting room to unfitted kitchen cabinetry. The range can be styled to suit homes that are classic or contemporary, added to as needs change and can be bespoke-painted in any of Neptune’s edited palette of colours.

PHOTOGRAPH (PINCH) © JAMES MERRELL

LEFT Base cabinet drawers, £1,425; Triple Height Cabinet Open, £800; Single Height Cabinet Open, £380; Ladder £485, all from the Chawton collection, Neptune

FLORA SOAMES Having set up her interior design practice in 2009, Flora Soames has already established herself as a talent in creating quintessentially English interiors with a youthful twist.

She has also made her first foray into fabric and wallpaper design, launching five fabric designs with a strong nod to heritage patterns, including handscreen-printed linens and elegant weaves, and a wallpaper in a complex, 15-colour meticulously hand-blocked floral design. All are printed and woven in British mills using traditional methods.

ABOVE Interior designer Flora Soames.

FAR LEFT Enid’s Garland, Original, £328 a metre LEFT Chartwell Weave, Pink, £224 a metre

Ones to watch

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We consider the rising stars in the field of interiors whose work caught our eye

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NICHOLA TAYLORSON We are already rather taken with the debut collection, launched just a few months ago, from this young textile designer. After studying Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design at Leeds University, Taylorson travelled to Mumbai where she learnt about the traditional craft techniques of mud printing and natural dyeing, now prevalent in her designs. The raised embroideries on many of her pieces are by artisans in Jaipur and lend a wonderful tactile and hand-crafted quality to her fabrics, which are all printed on 100 per cent linen.

No wonder her fabrics are part of the discerning range at The Fabric Collective.

ABOVE Nichola Taylorson, a talent to watch.

LEFT A selection of fabrics and cushions from Nichola Taylorson’s collection. Fabrics, £90 a metre; embroidered fabrics, £150 a metre; cushions from £45, all Nichola Taylorson

SARAH VANRENEN Interior designer Sarah Vanrenen’s recent Dahlia fabric design captured our hearts. With an expressive combination of colour and artistic floral designs, the fabric has a lively, painterly quality. Clearly inspired by her mother Penny Morrison’s eye for pattern, colour and fabric, Vanrenen is making a name for herself in her own right with imaginative fabrics, furniture, lighting and interior design, worked on in collaboration with childhood friend Louisa Greville Williams.

Particular favourites from the Vanrenen GW designs are the tulipwood lampbases hand-painted in faux tortiseshell and faux malachite (see page 15).  ABOVE Dahlia, Yellow, £162.64 a metre, Sarah Vanrenen for Penny Morrison THE ENGLISH HOME 87

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88 THE ENGLISH HOME

READERS’ VOTE

Favourite British brands Visitors to The English Home website voted for their best-loved brands. Here, we present the 10 most popular in descending order

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GOLD AWARD EMMA BRIDGEWATER

With legions of fans on both sides of the Atlantic as well as members of the Lifetime Collectors’ Club across the nation filling their kitchen dressers with Emma Bridgewater’s instantly recognisable pottery, it is perhaps little surprise this was the brand voted into first place in The English Home’s first-ever online vote for Favourite British Brands.

Bridgewater’s brand story is not only one of powerful business success but also a heart-warming journey of personal endeavour. She started the business from her kitchen table, setting up production in Stoke--on-Trent in 1985, with her husband and business partner Matthew Rice at her side, and today her pottery produces 1.7 million pieces every year, each of which is touched by 30 pairs of hands, from pouring to painting to packaging, before it attains final pride of place in someone’s home. 

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ABOVE LEFT The Christmas Brights collection features multi-coloured stars, reindeer and Christmas trees. ABOVE RIGHT Tiny mugs, jugs and cups to use as Christmas decorations. RIGHT The Winterberry range is charming for the festive table. All Emma Bridgewater.

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S T Y L I S H R E T R E AT S I N T H E U K ’ S H OT T E S T L O C AT I O N S From raising the flag on your own private island to watching the stars over the sea from your hot tub, Boutique Retreats specialise in unique, stylish properties that celebrate their surroundings whilst embracing luxurious living.

Whether you’re after something beautifully bijou or large and luxurious, a long weekend or a two-week summer holiday, our carefully boutique-retreats.co.uk

selected properties will take your breath away.

+44 (0)1872 553 491 enquiries@boutique-retreats.co.uk

We know how good getaways should be.

SILVER AWARD IAN MANKIN Think of timeless ticking fabric – that stalwart of both classic and country English interiors – and it is virtually impossible not to think of Ian Mankin, the brand. Ian Mankin, the man, and founder, was embedded in the world of British design long before he opened his first fabric shop in 1983, having already worked in textiles, designing clothes for Michael Caine and the Beatles, as seen on the cover of their album Revolver. Today, his legacy of creating enduring fabrics in natural materials continues from the brand’s manufacturing base in Lancashire where recent innovations in eco-credentials abound (see page 79).

BRONZE AWARD FERMOIE Historical decorator (and former decoration consultant to the National Trust) Tom Helme and his business partner Martin Ephson launched Fermoie in 2012, six years after selling another English brand they had brought to the pinnacle of its success – Farrow & Ball.

Having also trained as an interior designer under the esteemed David Mlinaric, Helme’s love of early printed textiles from around the globe, pattern, colour and the enjoyment of traditional printing methods can be seen in all that Fermoie creates.  ABOVE LEFT & RIGHT Ian Mankin’s new 1485 collection was created in collaboration with the Landmark Trust. Fabrics from £39.50 a metre

RIGHT Walling in Green Savernake SAVE-004, £120 a metre; chair in Sicily SICI-001, £110 a metre; Bedwyn lampshade in Euphorbia, £150 a metre, all Fermoie

THE ENGLISH HOME 91

4 AGA

Famed in the genre of English literature coined ‘Aga sagas’ as well as for its approval by admired bakers such as Mary Berry, the Aga has become an emblem of the quintessentially English country kitchen. Designed in its first incarnation for his own home in 1923 by the award-winning Swedish physicist Gustaf Dalen, and manufactured for purchase from 1929, Agas are still made in Britain today in Ketley, Shropshire.

5 BURLEIGH POTTERY

Burleigh is said to be the last pottery in the world using the skilled practice of hand-applied tissue transfer printing, which involves the creation of delicate copper-plate printing onto very fine tissue paper. The tissue is hand-applied and hand-cut to each individual piece, then gently washed away, leaving the printed design in place.

This British heritage skill has been recognised and employed in recent collaborations with Ralph Lauren and Soho Home.

6 CORNISHWARE

Launched in the Victorian era, this brand became a household name, loved for its iconic blue-and-white stripes. Transition to modern manufacturing proved challenging. The business closed in 2007 but rescued by Charles Rickards, Paul Burston and Perry Haydn Taylor, whose team is determinedly bringing hand-painted production back to the West Country. Look out for the green backstamps that denote the new Made in England products.

7 ABRAHAM MOON & SONS

Founded in 1837 in Yorkshire, Moon (as the brand is known) boasts one of Britain’s last vertical woollen mills – meaning it completes all processes on one site – transforming raw wool into high-quality, natural fabrics. Renowned in the 1990s for producing fabrics for the luxury apparel market including Paul Smith and Burberry, the company purchased Bronte Tweeds in 2009 and today its interiors range of fabrics and throws is equally desirable.

8 COLE & SON

Guardian of an archive of 350 screen-print designs, 1,800 blockprint designs, including those by AW Pugin for the Palace of Westminster, and important original drawings of designs for historic houses including Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, Cole & Son has an incredible heritage. It combines this with modern-day passion for innovative wallpaper production techniques and is known for its characterful British aesthetic.

9 GEORGE SMITH

Making every fine piece of furniture at its workshops in Newcastle, craftsmanship is at the heart of this brand, named after the celebrated Regency furniture designer known for his exacting standards. Born in 1786, George Smith became lauded for his wide-ranging influence and his work at The Royal Pavilion in Brighton and as the Prince Regent’s ‘upholsterer extraordinary’.

The company is still inspired by many of his original drawings but also ensures that pieces are aligned to the way we live today.

10 ESSE ABOVE Cornishware mugs come in five sizes, from £8. The 10oz and 12 oz mugs come in up to 10 striped colourways including blue and white.

TOP RIGHT The Aga cooker’s multiple protective coats of gleaming vitreous enamel take three days to apply.

92 THE ENGLISH HOME

Warming homes across the nation is the specialism of this Lancashire-based brand with a heritage dating back 165 years. It creates wood-burning and electric stoves, cookers that double as stoves, and enamelled range cookers which have been relied upon in kitchens across the nation, from Scottish bothies to Royal households, River Cottage HQ and at The Savoy hotel.

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THE ENGLISH HOME 93

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FAR LEFT The late William Yeoward in his trademark blue and white.

LEFT Pieces from the Autumn/Winter 2019 collection, including Ajita fabric on the sofa and the Tanjina side table in Forest

by William Yeoward, still trading today.

Lifetime achievement illia

eo ard

Often described as a ‘creative force’, William Yeoward was an energetic polymath with an innate flair for distinctive, alluring interiors, fabrics, wallpapers, furniture, accessories and crystalware. His passion for detail was exemplified in the quality, craftsmanship and beauty of each piece created for his brand and fufilled his mantra that “good design must be practical, elegant and above all comfortable”.

Yeoward championed the use of colour in interiors, earning a deserved reputation for using blue in particular to chic effect.

His room schemes consistently featured a glorious assortment of patterns and his unerring eye would pick out interesting colour combinations that others might miss.

In an interview with The English Home, he commented that adding a dash of unexpected colour to a room could bring it to life, likening the effect to a wellconsidered wardrobe, adding that he was 94 THE ENGLISH HOME

wearing “a blue suit with a white shirt and a bright yellow belt – how smart is that?”.

Conversations with Yeoward were always a joy: full of insightful expertise and witty personal musings. He laughed that having a “faux polar bear” as part of his Christmas decorations was a necessity as “a real one would be rather awkward, don’t you think?”

He was also modest in admission to being one of the first to mix patterns on upholstered seating, which he said was simply because “I never seemed to have enough of anything, so it was make-do-andmend... but now everyone’s doing it.” His sage advice was that money was not always the answer in design – that ingenuity and a deep understanding of what you were aiming to achieve were the key.

Yeoward initially worked closely with Tricia Guild, then as an interior decorator in his own right (Margaret Thatcher was just one of his high-level clients), before opening

his first store on the King’s Road in 1985, from when he focussed on his own design commissions and curating antiques.

Over the years, he expanded his business to supply bespoke furniture, upholstery, lighting, tableware and his beloved crystal range, then fabrics and wallpapers, and more latterly rugs and cushions. He wrote six books covering decorating and entertaining, and must surely have been one of the best hosts that dinner party guests could hope for.

Even the personal challenges set by being diagnosed with cancer could not slow his indefatigable spirit, spurring him on to set up a charity – Screw Cancer – to help others facing the same confusing and uncertain time.

With his charity and immense body of work, he leaves a legacy that continues in the safe hands of his trusted team and the inspiring insights he generously shared.

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN & KERRYN HARPER-CUSS PORTRAIT © STEVIE ROBERTS

This posthumous award seeks to honour a multi-talented, inspirational and much-loved innovator who inspired so many, left a huge design legacy and is greatly missed

Clare Mosley

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y THE FUTURE Des ele

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Bold, bright colours look set to be popular for bathrooms in the years ahead.

The Copper Bateau Bath (1500mm) with enamel interior and painted exterior (Pure & Original paint in Butterscotch), ÂŁ7,200; The Solheim Silver Nickel bath filler on standpipes with floorplate in Silver Nickel, ÂŁ2,280, both Catchpole & Rye

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Bathrooms

Balancing the practical and the aesthetic is of primary consideration in this most functional of rooms in the home.

The popularity of bespoke finishes is set to continue according to James Lentaigne, creative director of Drummonds, who cites antique bronze as a new favourite, asserting that green marble works “extremely well with brassware and accessories in warm brass tones or dark antique finishes”.

Meanwhile, Duncan Yardley, Perrin & Rowe’s design director, says, “There has been a considerable increase in metallic finishes such as satin brass or aged brass, and beautiful brushed metal finishes such as pewter.” Adam Daniels, head of design at Samuel Heath, adds that “rustic metal finishes such as unlacquered brass, bronze and matt black” should also be considered for use in the bathroom.

A key design direction for bathrooms is bolder colour. “There is a move away from organic metal-based finishes to brighter colour,” says Tony O’Donnell, managing director of Catchpole & Rye. Daniels, too, draws attention to “more use of colour in bathrooms”.

“Decorative motifs, strong colours and confidence to blend the traditional with the contemporary,” will be areas of focus, says Yardley, who adds that waterproof wallpaper will be a product to watch. This is an opinion shared

by Louise Ashdown, head of design at West One Bathrooms, whose predictions for 2020 onwards include “greater use of the 5th and 6th walls [ceiling and flooring] by wallpapering the entirety of a room. We offer wallpaper by Wall & Decò that is not only entirely waterproof but also durable enough to use on floors.”

Environmental concerns are also rising to the fore. “Our clients, and the industry as a whole, are becoming increasingly aware of water sustainability,” says Lentaigne, who points to the growing popularity of ranges designed to meet strict laws where water usage is concerned.

“Water quality and usage is increasingly being considered as part of the overall home design,” agrees Daniels. “We would like to see more clients take up options from premium manufacturers that can offer quality approval to the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS), and can also limit water consumption.” 

ABOVE Green marble is a prevalent direction for 2020.

Here, Verde Luana and Verde St Denis marbles adorn the walls and floor. Interior design by Steven Gambrel.

Chessleton Antique Brass shower plate thermo & 2 Way, from £1,896, and all other brassware, Drummonds LEFT Consider brass as a material for hardware.

Wall-Mounted Basin Filler V7K17-3XF in Urban Brass with Matt Lacquer, from £1,502, Samuel Heath

THE ENGLISH HOME 97

Sustainability

Consumer demand for increased transparency in products we buy will continue to rise, according to furniture designer and maker Sebastian Cox, whose work with sustainable British woods has seen him create award-winning designs. “I think people will become increasingly confident in asking their suppliers where things come from,” he says, further highlighting organic production in textiles as an area to watch. Cox cites Ian Mankin as an example to follow as it was the first cotton weaving mill in the UK to receive certified Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) status from the Soil Association. “Too much fabric has too large an impact and this isn’t considered in the interiors sector properly,” he says.

Interior designer Nicola Harding, founder of Harding & Read, advocates companies that have a social and an environmental ethos. “Elvis & Kresse are a great example of this,” she says.

“They they make products, including rugs and footstools, out of waste such as leather offcuts from the fashion industry, and they also give half their profits to charity.”

Victoria Meale, creative director of Victoria Meale Design, highlights the use of materials for the purposes of aesthetics, particularly “textures such as grasses and coirs”, whilst Harding notes recycling as an area of interest. “There are some great examples of rugs made out of waste plastic bottles (Jennifer Manners Design) and tableware made out of recycled smart phones (Pentatonic),” she says. Cox, meanwhile, points to innovation, saying: “I’d like to see more products from companies using biofacture; algae, mycelium and bacterially grown cellulose are all being harnessed to make products.”

Sustainable building materials, too, are being addressed. “Priority should be given to local, natural and healthy low-embodied carbon 98 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE LEFT Sustainable British timber has been used to create this award-winning design.

The Sebastian Cox kitchen, from £15,000, deVOL ABOVE & RIGHT Interior designer Victoria Meale points to the use of objects in natural materials as a key design direction for 2020. In the living space (above) she has used wood Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs, an oak Pinch table and rattan Ay Illuminate lampshades. Meanwhile, a birch Secto Design pendant light and oak Pinch bedside table add to this bedroom scheme (right).

materials such as traditional lime plasters, organic paints, local stone, brick and timber products,” says Gary Clark, chair of the Sustainable Futures Group at The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Beginning to make changes can be as simple as “thinking creatively about what you already have – channel the ‘make-do and mend’ thinking of our grandparents,” says Harding, whose sentiments are echoed by Meale’s feeling that “there will become more of a resurgence of skilled restorers” to further strengthen the field. 

This project by Harding & Read showcases founder Nicola Harding’s use of repurposed materials, including a reclaimed wood worktop and splashback and reworked wall tiles.

Home offices Versatile design solutions are the way forward for home offices, according to interior designer Pippa Paton. “As we see the increasing desire for ‘work/life balance’ driving ever more flexible portfolio working [where an individual has more than one strand to their career], homes need to be increasingly multi-purpose and multi-functional spaces that allow for working and living to co-exist,” she explains. “Consider clever storage that prioritises maximising the available height of a space and avoids spreading out by going upwards instead of outwards.”

Emma Sims-Hilditch, creative director at Sims Hilditch, agrees. “Given the demand for remote working, home offices are becoming increasingly more important. Retaining a balance between function and design is key to enabling productivity,” she says. “Demand for modern technologies are a key driver for continuously looking at new ways to design home offices which look beautiful yet are extremely functional. Previously we have used mirrored screens, or bespoke bookcases with hidden television cabinets inserted.” This is a view further emphasised by interior designer Susie Atkinson’s observation of “wireless and paperless offices” as a focus for homeowners in the new decade.

Bringing together aesthetics with practical applications also rings true for Jennifer Jarvis, senior designer at Helen Green Design. “Think of your study as a creative space and not just a functional one,” she says. “Incorporate elements of concealed storage for functionality, but also open, illuminated shelves to display objects, clustered into groups.”

Adding soft touches, such as “wallpaper to the back of joinery” is a countenance offered by SimsHilditch, who also notes that “linen wallpaper in studies is a great way to soften a room and add another layer of texture”. Whilst Atkinson points to “softer tones, especially blues, natural earthy tones, russets, and warm shades of ochre and pink” as being key for the year ahead. ABOVE A neutral-based palette combined with subtle, rich colours, such as royal blue, creates the perfect balance for a working space. Combine concealed storage with open shelving to hide unsightly items from view and have more inspiring objects on display.

Interior design by Helen Green Design, £POA OPPOSITE The need for technology in a home office need not mean it cannot be beautiful as well as functional.

Interior design by Sims Hilditch, from £20,000 for a similar room design

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Conservatories & extensions “We are experiencing a desire to return to the values of previous eras,” says Nick Bashford, managing director of Marston & Langinger. He suggests there is a need to switch off from our busy digital lives, pointing to an increased use of conservatories to create a “quiet, relaxing space”.

Karen Bell, sales director of David Salisbury agrees. “We are seeing a resurgence [in popularity] of plant-filled spaces to provide a more tranquil setting that brings the garden into the home,” she says. Tom Barry, managing director of Hartley Botanic, suggests this may also be due to more and more consumers wanting to grow their own produce “as an invested lifestyle choice – whether for food provenance, organic production or to reduce air miles”.

In terms of the structures themselves, James Upton, managing director of Westbury Garden Rooms, says, “People are moving towards orangeries or flat-roof extensions with a roof lantern.” Bell highlights a growing demand for bi-fold doors to maximising visual flow between indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as standalone annexes for self-contained living spaces. “We are increasingly designing orangery-style extensions with a perimeter-style flat roof,” she explains.

Upton cites eco-friendly materials as a key design direction, with timber at the forefront, This is a sentiment also echoed by Bell, who highlights work carried out by the Window Wood Alliance (WWA) to promote the virtues of timber as the only truly sustainable building material. “There is still opportunity to develop further attractive construction materials that capture and store solar energy,” says Bashford.

“The challenge for the future is to develop products that do not compromise the aesthetics of a timeless, glazed structure, yet enhance its abilty to self-climate control, using free energy.” 102 THE ENGLISH HOME

ABOVE LEFT Creating a quiet, relaxing space is increasingly a priority.

Conservatory in Wood Sage, from £3,000 a square metre, Marston & Langinger ABOVE RIGHT This orangery extension sits comfortably at the rear of this home in London.

Its sense of presence is reinforced by its striking black finish.

From £45,000, Westbury Garden Rooms RIGHT Home-grown produce is becoming a key factor in choosing a garden structure.

Made-to-order conservatory, £POA, Hartley Botanic LEFT The use of bi-fold doors and orangery-style extensions helps create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Conservatories and orangeries from £40,000, David Salisbury

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Dressing rooms “As craft takes a more prominent role in the furniture design industry, we are seeing techniques, processes and thinking from other craft-based industries increasing in prominence and significance in our designs,” says Alex Beaugeard of Lanserring. “We are constantly seeking to take our cues from these sectors and have found that craft within the fashion industry in particular resonates very strongly with our brand ethos.”

Beaugeard cites “an appetite to create spaces rich in craft, narrative and nuance” as a driving force for 2020. “I have seen some really interesting textures taking their cues from agricultural-style textures and tooling,” he explains. “The deep rich textures feel as at home on a piece of contemporary sculpture as they do within a beautiful interior.”

The role of the dressing room within the home has seen a subtle shift, he further expounds, outlining that “dressing rooms appear to be spaces that are now being promoted from simply being efficient or well organised – they are starting to be designed to meet needs beyond the functional. Understanding our clients’ relationships with their garments, jewellery and art helps us develop products and environments that are special enough to elicit an emotional rather than a purely functional relationship.”

“As a relatively private area, dressing rooms are the perfect place to indulge creative design ideas,” says Rima Proudfoot, director of The White Kitchen Company. “Most of our clients invest in a luxurious island to give that boutique look. Plush carpet and sleek full-length cabinetry in calm colours can also help to create a clean, relaxing space. Shaker-style units are the most popular, and lacquered-oak interiors look particularly spectacular with internal lighting; the sharp lines and simplicity of the frames lend themselves to almost any style.”

For those looking to add further personal touches, Beaugeard states: “I would simply encompass changes through art or sculpture.

The positive emotional impact of surrounding yourself with thoughtful expressions of beauty cannot be overstated.”

104 THE ENGLISH HOME

TOP Dressing rooms are increasingly being seen as somewhere to indulge in rich textures and opulent finishes as well as being functional spaces.

Esquisse by Lanserring and Jenny Packham, from £60,000, Lanserring

ABOVE Investing in an island and plush carpet creates a luxurious, boutique look in a dressing room.

Bespoke hand-painted solid wood dressing room with lacquered oak interiors, £21,364, The White Kitchen Company

The life-enhancing properties of technology in the home are undeniable, and although the idea of implementing them can seem daunting, happily the reality is far different.

“Large-scale systems, ranging from audio, lighting and security, need not occupy untoward space, but instead can be seamlessly incorporated with any number of solutions,” says Dan Eades, director at Environ, a technology, electrical and building management systems company.

Full integration with interior design is the way forward and the process should always focus on the needs of the homeowner and their property.

“From a homeowner’s perspective, it’s very important that it’s about them choosing the right technology that fits their home,” Eades says.

“It’s about focusing on exactly what the user wants to achieve in any of their projects. Good responsive design and integration of other trades – such as interior design, architectural design, and structural design – is key,” he explains. As an example, he cites ensuring an interior designer knows when and where technology is being installed. “That way the interior design doesn’t compromise the technology, and conversely the technology doesn’t compromise the interior design,” he adds.

Looking to the future, Eades highlights audio systems as an area of focus. “The way people consume movies and music in this day and age is very much on an iPad or an iPhone with headphones,” he explains. “There’s an opportunity for people to understand what can be achieved when there’s really high-end audio involved, whether that’s surround sound or a really good pair of freestanding speakers that sound amazing. The joy of listening to music as it was intended and as it was recorded is something I’d like to see more of.”

There are many options these days for speakers – some of which can be absolutely gigantic – when integrated into the interior design at an early stage. They can be made to look like a statement piece, or they can be hidden to suit the client’s needs.”

For those searching for a starting point, Eades suggests visiting the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association’s website (cedia.co.uk).

“It is our governing organisation and has a lot of resources, case studies and information,” he says.

Should there be time and opportunity, Eades advises getting a free consultation. “Have a face-to-face conversation as it’s so much better than online,” says Eades.

ABOVE Seamless tech integration can reap dividends, even in bathrooms. This multi-award-winning project by Environ features a large wall-hung mirror from Agath with an integrated television screen that disappears when turned off. Amina speakers are plastered into the ceiling for zero aesthetic intrusion, whilst the seven circuits of lights are individually controllable via a Lutron lighting control system for the perfect mood setting, regardless of the time of day.

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON PHOTOGRAPHS P97 (DRUMMONDS) © ERIC PIASECKI. P102 (MARSTON & LANGINGER) © AMANDA D’ARCY; (WESTBURY) © DARREN CHUNG; (HARTLEY BOTANIC) © L TEN PHOTOGRAPHY. P104 (THE WHITE KITCHEN COMPANY) © RUSSELL VALENTINE.

Home technology

THE ENGLISH HOME 105

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QUINTESSENTIALLY

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

CALM & CONTEMPLATION

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON

After the busyness of the festive season, taking a quiet moment to pen hand-written correspondence is a welcome pause come January. Create an inviting corner in the home with stylish fabrics and pleasing accessories to stimulate all the senses.

Chair, Cinchona, Pampas Grass, £190 a metre; throw, Kea, Jade, £128 a metre; lampshade, Strie, Pink, £156 a metre, all George Spencer Designs

THE ENGLISH HOME 107

ment e at or with moods

Cocktail parties

B

e they large or small, social gatherings give a convivial structure to the festive season with New Year’s Eve undoubtedly a highlight. Creating opportunities to spend time with loved ones lifts the heart and spirits amidst both the dark nights and the drop in temperature.

Setting the scene

TOP Swoon Lovelace bar cart, £399; The Arts champagne saucers in Purple/Gold, £35 for two; The Arts tumblers, £25 for two; The Arts optic carafe, £30; Tom Dixon Tank Decanter, £110, all John Lewis & Partners ABOVE Frost Fair ceramics by Rebecca Edelman, from £85; paper chain garland kits, £18, all The Shop Floor Project

108 THE ENGLISH HOME

The glamour and appeal of hosting an elegant drinks gathering can be found in setting the scene as well as in enjoying the event itself.

To create a truly special sense of occasion, begin by creating a focal point to draw both the eye and guests to the hub of the action. Stylist and Bar Cart Style author Emily Henson suggests starting with “a decadent bar cart in gold or silver, perhaps with marble or mirrored shelves”, before adding glassware and cocktail accoutrements with a personal touch, such as “a selection of delicate Champagne coupes – maybe vintage finds – and some dainty bar accessories like glass straws and beaded coasters”.

Other pieces of furniture, such as sideboards or console tables, can also be employed for their aesthetic as well as practical potential. Much in the same way that creating a tablescape for dinner parties affords opportunity to play with scale and height, arranging objets d’art alongside trays of nibbles and delicate silverware can bring variety and a playfulness in creating a new tableau.

Magnify the visual impact by offsetting the whole scheme against the backdrop of a mirrored

surface or by placing a decorative mirror at a low level on the wall above the surface.

Finishing touches

Though cocktail parties may be synonymous with sophistication, they should also be imbued with warmth. At this time of year decorations, such as handmade paper chains or repurposed Christmas tree baubles artfully arranged, add charm and personality.

Soft lighting, too, is of paramount importance for scene-setting. “Muted lighting is essential for creating the mood,” notes Henson, “so dim the overhead lights and add some candlesticks in amongst your bottles.”

Specialist cocktail equipment, whilst not a prerequisite, can be helpful in perfecting the art of cocktail making. Consider buying a spirit measure for accuracy when mixing.

The drinks

Finally, keeping it simple is as good a reason as any for selecting which drinks to serve, Henson advises. “If it’s a special occasion, put a bottle of bubbles on ice for a classic gin and fizz cocktail such as the supremely chic French 75 – gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and sugar,” she says. “And a classic coupe or saucer is surely the most elegant of all cocktail glasses. They’re ideal for Champagne cocktails, of course, but they also work well for straight-up drinks.” A simple recipe will also allow ample time to focus on guests.

Create an impactful backdrop with a mirror, a floral arrangement and highly polished accessories and glassware.

V&A Palm goblet (Small), £9.90; Alsace Nickel bottle cooler, £45, Piette Glass Jar (Tall), £75, Aldgrove Candelabra £1,125, all India Jane

Cosy suppers

O

n a cold winter’s night a cosy kitchen supper can be incredibly cheering. Regardless of the excesses and indulgences of the festive season, sharing a nourishing meal prepared with love and care is an ideal scenario for prompting conversation with the closest of friends around the kitchen table.

Though an informal and intimate occasion lends itself to low-key celebration, the selection of elements that make up a snug and welcoming evening spent in the heart of the home requires thoughtful planning to best address the comfort of guests and to set the mood. As the star of the show, the table and tableware are undoubtedly of primary importance. Bear in mind, too, that whilst some may argue a formal seating plan harks back to dinner parties of old, there is a great deal to be said for a gentle guiding hand to create the right group dynamic. Try subtle signposting in the form of hand-written placecards, and opt for inexpensive thoughtful touches such as small gifts at each setting.

Similarly, the selection and placement of tableware can bring a sense of occasion to sit comfortably alongside the cosy ambience of

ABOVE An impactful main course is a source of visual and delicious comfort.

Christmas Tree Cocotte in Basil, £249, Staub LEFT Party games provide levity at the end of the night.

Christmas Bingo, £12, Laura Ashley OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Have a selection of glassware at hand for different wines and water, as well as for aperitifs and post-prandial drinks.

Glasses (from left to right): Shiraz; Bordeaux; Tempranillo; Pinot Noir; Zinfandel, all £45 for a set of two; Water, £25 for a set of two, all Riedel Carefully curated tableware elevates the familliar to a new level.

Cream Swirl Earthenware, dinner plate, £135; bowl £115; condiment bowl, £55, all Pentreath & Hall Hand-written placecards add a personalised touch and steer guests to the right seat.

Gold Foiled Falling Flower placecards, £19.50 for a packet of 12, Summerill & Bishop

an evening in. The layering of charger plates, dinner plates and dessert bowls adds an elegant note to proceedings without being a stretch too far from relaxed informality.

On the menu

When it comes to recipe choice, opting for a minimum-fuss, maximum-impact central dish adds to the convivial mood when placed in the middle of the table. Few things are as welcoming as the scent and sight of a bronzed roast chicken peeking from a pleasingly solidy cast-iron dish.

By her own admission, Nigella Lawson writing in her cook book Kitchen notes that “… for me, a chicken remains the basic unit of the home.

I don’t really feel like a kitchen is mine until I’ve cooked a chicken there”. Her instructions for those wishing to create a plain roast chicken are to “…count on giving it 20 minutes per 500g at 200°C/gas mark 6 plus 20 minutes overall, although I sometimes leave out the 20 minutes overall part and roast the chicken in a hotter oven at 220°C/gas mark 7”. Food writer Diana Henry’s tome A Bird in the Hand: Chicken Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood has variations aplenty, whilst non-meat eaters will appreciate Anna Jones’s vegetarian cookbook The Modern Cook’s Year.

To follow, a party game or two alongside pudding or cheese provides an opportunity to cement new-found or strengthen existing bonds. Board games or a quick-fire round of 20 questions will keep everyone on their toes. 

THE ENGLISH HOME 111

In an English kitchen

F

rom traditional feasts to party indulgences, the festive season is a time to enjoy menu planning and conjuring special edible treats for occasions such as New Year’s Eve. Come the new year, thoughts may turn to simpler dishes and heartier winter sustenance. It could also be time to experiment with something new.

January is host to the annual Veganuary event (veganuary.com), when participants are encouraged to go vegan for 31 days – but perhaps just trying a few new plant-based dishes could be a welcome addition to health and palate.

Elsewhere, Dry January provides encouragement to abstain from alcohol for the month, whilst The Samaritans’ Brew Monday, which takes place on 20 January, is a fundraising event connecting people sociably via a cup of tea and a chat (samaritans.org/Brew-Monday). For those seeking to extend traditional celebrations a little longer, taking the time on 25 January to raise a wee dram to the haggis on Burns Night will be even more pleasurable when accompanied by the requisite neeps and tatties.

Seasonal ingredients FRUIT & VEGETABLES Bramley apples Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Celeriac Chestnuts Clementines Fennel Purple sprouting broccoli Salsify Swede

ABOVE Purple sprouting broccoli brings colour to January dishes.

RIGHT Light, bright fresh fennel.

BELOW Delightful seasonal chestnuts in their natural state.

112 THE ENGLISH HOME

FROM LAND & SEA Goose Pheasant Queen scallops Whelk Wild duck

A party cheese board Matthew Hall, a director and fourth-generation cheesemaker at Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, shares his thoughts on creating a cheeseboard to serve at a party

“Putting together a cheese platter is a great way to get creative and make something that’s really visually pleasing for your party. Start by placing the bigger items on the board first, and build colour, texture and layers around them. Height is very visually effective, so consider stacking some items, and using larger but fewer pieces of cheese.

Grouping garnishes – so there are big blocks of colour around the board – has great impact too.

I also like to have plenty of knives at the ready, with a mix of soft- and hard-cheese knives for ease.

“Having a variety of crackers and biscuits is always important, and is a really easy way to add different colours and textures – cheese is very personal, with everyone enjoying different combinations, so having that range is always a good idea. Palate cleansers, too, are key: most people go with grapes and apples. Though these work, they can be a bit dull – try adding something unusual like roquito peppers, which work especially well to cut through creamy cheeses.

“For New Year’s Eve, or for gatherings with lots of people, stick to ‘the rule of three’: choose a hard, a soft and a blue, but make the cheeses you choose exciting and your guests will be happy. I’d suggest switching away from the classic Cheddar, Stilton and Brie, and opting for some exciting, complex British options. Try Trotter Hill, a Lancashire cheese that matches well with fruit cake; Blacksticks Blue, a bright orange cheese with deep rich blue veins that’s great as a centrepiece (and that I especially love with robust ginger biscuits); and Kidderton Ash, a delicate goat’s cheese with a softness that perfectly balances with the sweetness of cranberry sauce.

“When it comes to enjoying cheese, I believe that it should always be served at room temperature. If you serve cheese straight from the fridge, you don’t experience the true flavour profile, so take your cheeses out of the fridge at least an hour before you intend to serve them.

“Platters aside, bear in mind also that cheese is such a versatile product. I eat it every day, and how I eat it changes most days as I like to experiment with different flavour combinations – there are so many varieties that you could consider pairing with steak or fish, or vegetables, or with a variety of wines and beers.” butlerscheeses.co.uk 

Try ringing the changes when it comes to laying out the cheeseboard. Adding a new flavour profile in the form of crackers, chutneys and fruit can reap dividends

The brand new Winter Garden at Wakehurst in Sussex

In an English garden Clare Foggett, Editor of our sister magazine The English Garden, advises how to maximise enjoyment in the garden this month

C

old, crisp, sunny January days can be glorious when spent in an exceptional winter garden filled with inspirational displays of some of the season’s most vibrant plants. At Wakehurst in Sussex (opposite), a new winter garden offers immersive swathes of planting with fragrant witch hazel, vivid dogwood and drifts of heather (kew.org/ wakehurst). Cambridge University Botanic Garden (botanic.cam. ac.uk) and nearby Anglesey Abbey (nationaltrust.org.uk/angleseyabbey-gardens-and-lode-mill) both boast superb winter gardens, as does Bodnant in North Wales (nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden).

In bloom

Winter Sculpture Exhibition The Royal Horticultural Society’s garden in Rosemoor, Devon (above), hosts an annual sculpture trail each winter – the garden’s wintry planting providing the perfect backdrop to take in the nuances of the pieces on display, all sourced from artists based in the UK. Look out for the kinetic sculpture by Stan Jankowski in copper and brass and George Hider’s metal animals and birds.

Until 31 January 2020; rhs.org.uk/rosemoor LEFT Cambridge University Botanic Garden is a delight on a frosty yet sunny winter’s day.

RIGHT Start forcing rhubarb for a crop in early spring.

BELOW LEFT Witch hazel brings colour and scent to the garden in winter.

Time to plant IN THE GREENHOUSE Get ready for spring and the sowing ahead: sort and clean pots and seed trays, scrub last year’s pencil from labels and sort through seed tins organising packets into sowing-date order.

OUTDOORS/IN THE BORDER Look back at photos taken of the garden in summer and plan seed and summer bulb purchases to fill gaps. Keep an eye on any tender summer flowering bulbs and tubers being over-wintered. They may need lightly misting with water to prevent them from drying out.

VEGETABLES Start to force a clump of rhubarb by covering it with a terracotta forcer that excludes light. Some gardeners also surround the forcer with a few generous forkfuls of manure for insulation. In the dark, warm conditions inside, the clump will sprout pale, tender stems, ready to pull when they reach the top of the container.

Plan the new year’s crop rotation, mapping out which areas will grow brassicas, legumes, onions, potatoes and root crops. Moving these groups around the plot each year helps stop pest and disease problems building up in one spot.

THE ENGLISH HOME 115

FEATURE EVE MIDDLETON PHOTOGRAPHS P110 (STAUB) © OLIVER BRACHT. P112 (BROCCOLI) © ANNA Q/SHUTTERSTOCK; (FENNEL) © SABINO PARENTE/SHUTTERSTOCK; © PILIPPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK. P114 (ROSEMOOR) © JASON INGRAM; (CUBG) © HOWARD RICE; (RHUBARB) © STELLAN STEPHENSON/SHUTTERSTOCK; (WITCH HAZEL © IANREDDING/SHUTTERSTOCK.

January is about subtle pleasures such as bergenias, the glossyleaved perennials also known as elephant’s ears, that often change from green to striking shades of maroon and burgundy in winter.

Coronilla glauca ‘Citrina’ is a beautiful shrub bearing pea-like pale yellow flowers with divine fragrance. Witch hazels also produce their scented spidery flowers this month.

N

W E

DECORATING GUIDE 2020

DE I 0 2 GU 0 2 IGN

S DE

INTERIOR DESIGN

Versatile pink 2 1

CREATING THE PERFECT ENGLISH HOME

SUCCESS WITH COLOUR

4

PROFESSIONAL DESIGN TIPS

Comprehensive guide to choosing & using perfect tones

3 5

4 7

6

8

Collating moodboards & planning layouts

9

Ranging from an almost neutral plaster pink to mid tones of rose and peony to lively corals and vibrant fuchsias, pink has many characters The colour seemed to be having a ‘moment’ a couple of years ago and its popularity has not waned, with tones of blush sweeping into interiors in beguiling combinations and myriad styles Feminine, floral schemes naturally suit the delicate romance of rose pinks, but pink can also be smart, sophisticated and punchy It provides a graceful counterbalance to grey decor; adds dynamic contrast to greens and blues; and produces classical echoes with yellow, also suited to fresh, uplifting rooms WHICH HUE? The choice of pink will tend to set the mood and energy for the room Shades differ so vastly, each creating its own ambience and tone To avoid a saccharine look, steer away from pinks that tend to have a blue base note and evoke the feel of a young girl’s bedroom Pinks with a yellow or muted brown undertone have a far more grown-up effect Earthy plaster tones are barely pink but an almost nude colour that can provide a soft introduction to using pink and, alongside cosseting hues of beige and brown, result in a warming, neutral look Or they can be prettied up with accents in deeper pinks or smudgy blues which, being soft, gentle and slightly dirty tones, suit quiet, restful spaces Edward Bulmer Natural Paint’s Cuisse de Nymphe Emue is popular for this look For a deeper shade, Farrow & Ball’s Sulking Room Pink has a moodier appeal Petal pinks instantly feel more feminine and bring a brighter approach If desired, they are perfect for a more romantic country look full of charm think ditsy patterns, faded antique linens and rose prints Alternatively, used in a more graphic way, for instance contrasted against whites and greys, they can look modern and crisp Teaming green with mid-pink tones creates a striking combination Bold botanical motifs in a deep evergreen hue can be exquisite against a rose backdrop Blues, from deep navy to powder blue, work well with most tones of pink; particularly interesting is contrasting sky blue with a deep coral pink A ‘hot palette’ – including pinks, reds, oranges or yellows – whilst usually avoided due to the thought that these colours clash, can produce bright and dynamic, or rich and comforting results when the right balance is used Pink can provide a classic backdrop to traditional furniture whose warm wood, antique brass and gold tones sit comfortably with most shades For a contemporary lift, try cooler nickel and silver finishes and geometric patterns And for the eternal romantic, pink will always look perfect on florals  1 Wa lpaper, Batali, Pink, £79 a roll, and all fabrics, Jane Churchill 2 Wa lpaper, Tre lis, Pink Sand, £356 a roll, No9 Thompson 3 (From top): Espin llo Hot Pink Patchwork cushion, £45; Espinillo Hot Pink Oxford pillowcase, £15; Espinillo Pink throw, £75, all Clarissa Hulse 4 Manor collection, Pale Pink Series, Anna French 5 Blind, Margot, Pink, £78 a metre, Kate Forman

6 Chair and curtains, Merabu, £140 a metre, and all other fabrics, Travers 7 Wall, Josephine, £25 for 1l Cha ky Interior Matt, M&L Paints 8 Bespokeupholstered fu l bed in Embroidered Pink Rosebud Linen, from £1,995, and all other fabrics and furniture, Susie Watson Designs 9 Chair upholstered in Rivoli, Rose Ancien, £78 a metre, and cushion fabrics, all Manuel Canovas

HE ENGLI H HOME 79

CARLOS GARCÍA

How to use pattern successfully

DECORATING ADVICE

Using pattern Adding focal points Attention to details Incorporating antiques

PLUS INTERIOR DESIGNER CASE STUDIES & I

Nina Campbell, Joanna Wood, Veere Grenney, Guy Go Katharine Pooley, Emily Todhunter, Kit Kemp & many

The founder of Carlos Garcia Interiors explains the importance of pattern in the home and summarises his considerations when employing beautiful prints

ABOVE Carlos loves Middle Eastern fabrics, chinoiserie, pattern and plenty of bold colour. Here a golden yellow armchair looks striking amidst the blend of pattern and antique furniture.

RIGHT Here, classic English country house fabrics are eftly combined with icier hued tones rmer c imes.

GHT An zani for

BUY YOUR CO ONLINE WITH REE POSTAGE

What does the addition of pattern give to an interior? And why is pattern an important element to introduce?

My aim when decorating a house is to transform it into a home.

Pattern adds warmth, softens, makes wide spaces feel cosier, rooms feel comfortable and it can be an economical way of filling a room without much in it.

Do you have favourite types of pattern, and why?

I can’t conceive of a room without pattern. I love pattern.

I’m terribly fond of small geometric patterns. I also like patterned weaves as they provide both pattern and texture.

When adding patterns to a room, where do you start? For example, with the colour, the mood, the period of the room?

Wendy Nicholls [a director at Sybil Colefax & John Fowler] once told me houses tell you what they want. I wholeheartedly concur.

Listen to a house/room and you’ll know what to do. If starting with a blank canvas, I always begin with walls, whether colour

or pattern, and build up from there. Otherwise an existing object – a rug, a painting, etc – may be a good departing point to inform the rest of the design.

Do you have any personal rules for using pattern. For example, odd numbers of different patterns, never mix X and Y, etc?

I tend to mix antique and new patterned textiles to add a lived-in feel and I always introduce a stripe in a room to let pattern ‘breathe’. I sometimes use a profusion of small geometric patterns to bring ‘order’.

What helps different patterns sit comfortably together?

And are there ever any that will never be friends?

Ideally, although not necessarily, I maintain an almost imperceptible thread running through. One small area of a pattern can inform the next. However, I tend to throw in something ever so slightly dissonant to add interest and/or wit, to take seriousness away. 

THE ENGLI H HOME 15

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Interior Design is the ultimate guide dedicated to helping readers create their perfect English home. From the publishers of The English Home magazine, it features invaluable advice from some of Britain’s finest designers and interiors experts on success with colour, pattern, design details, focal points & more.

Order online with free postage or purchase your copy at WHSmith and other good retailers

Visit chelseamagazines.com/interiors

INTENTIONS This new year be inspired to set simple and worthwhile objectives.

We have selected 10 ideas that can be achieved with little effort involved, or by making different choices to result in rewarding outcomes

T

he advent of a new year brings with it an opportunity to reflect and renew, to set sights on how we could bring more joy to the way we live. Rather than setting a ‘resolution’ – which can feel overwhelming – creating a smaller, less pressured, ‘intention’ can reap big rewards.

It could be a newly planted window box to provide a cheery welcome every time we return home, a new ritual that brings a moment of calm to an otherwise busy day, or the gratification of finally organising something personally meaningful such as a family photo album.

Taking time to dream and scheme is all part of the process, so the perfect place to start could be by creating a space dedicated to gathering inspiration and ideas.

Who knows what positive changes 2020 will bring? 

THE ENGLISH HOME 117

Emma Sims-Hilditch advocates refreshing the position of accessories each season. To achieve maximum creativity without fear, Emma says: “Photograph your room before rearranging – if all fails, you will be able to put the room back to how you have enjoyed it before.” Interior design by Sims Hilditch.

MAKE SOMETHING FOR THE HOME Using fabric scraps or garden flowers to make something lasting to cherish is wonderfully satisfying. Fiona Pullen, founder of The Sewing Directory and craft author, explains that many projects can be made with less than a metre of fabric. “Cushion covers are a great place to start. Other projects suitable for beginners include table runners or mats, oven gloves or fabric boxes.”

Alternatively, Bex Partridge, floral artist and founder of Botanical Tales, details how to design a dried flower wreath with just five to seven ingredients. “The foliage should make up roughly 60 per cent of the wreath. The filler should be another 30 per cent and, finally, the showstopper, which will be your main bloom, should make up roughly 10 per cent.”

Buy from a local business

ABOVE To create a dried-flower wreath, Partridge says, “Work with a natural wreath base – easily bought online or simply wind a length of natural vine around itself a few times. Then gradually build up the wreath by feeding the base of the materials through the vine base.”

CURATE A SHELF OR AN AREA OF THE HOME DIFFERENTLY

Shopping at local craft emporiums supports local trade and makes the most of native resources.

“Makers can dig their own clay, grow their own willow and fell their own trees, all from their doorsteps, which is helping to tackle the growing climate issues,” says Seamus Green, owner of North Somerset design boutique Midgley Green.

To support local shops, the Just A Card enterprise fosters the idea that buying one small item helps businesses survive. Visit justacard.org to find out more. Alternatively, discover a nationwide directory for local interiors and garden businesses at makeitbritish.co.uk or visit thedesigntrust.co.uk to peruse its favourite independent craft and design shops. If seeking to buy art, visit ownart.org.uk to search countrywide listings of local art galleries. 

“When rearranging a shelf to appreciate items in a new light, try not to overly match items,” suggests interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch. “Keep things simple and use various textures and heights. Greenery – such as herbs and foliage – can be a great way to seamlessly blend the outdoors and indoors.

“Easy-to-rearrange objects include artwork placed on open shelves or bookcases, wicker baskets under console tables (filled with blankets and colourful cushions), candles and holders (regrouping and playing with varied heights). Some more unusual combinations are ferns placed alongside old books in bookcases, recipe books in vintage trugs on open shelves and large vintage sieves used as decorative objects in kitchens.”

RIGHT A selection of Midgley Green handmade pieces. Supporting the work of local makers can help indigenous crafts survive. “For example, traditional regional baskets, such as the Sussex trug, Cumbria swill or Devon stave basket,” suggests Daniel Carpenter of the Heritage Craft Association’s (HCA) Red List of Endangered Crafts.

THE ENGLISH HOME 119

CREATE A NEW RITUAL SAVOUR A CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE… ...from a beautiful cup and saucer – see Burleigh’s collaboration with Ralph Lauren, and Spode’s Pure Morris collection. Try cliftoncoffee.co.uk for speciality British coffee.

FEED THE BIRDS… ...that visit the garden. The RSPB recommends putting food out for birds all year round. Check rspb.org.uk to find out what is safe for them to eat.

Remember to provide clean water, too.

CONNECT TO THE SEASONS… ...by using evocative scents. Fragrance expert Rachel Vosper suggests “uplifting floral scents such as freesia, lily of the valley and fresh violets for spring; in summer, bergamot, magnolia and honeysuckle to transport to an English garden; come autumn, sandalwood, cedar and amber offer warming woody scents; in winter, opt for deep and spicy ginger, rosewood and musk”.

RIGHT Farringdon Bird Feeder, £15, Garden Trading

SUPPORT EMERGING ARTISTS AND ARTISANS The artisanal talents of the next generation need help to flourish. As Daniel Carpenter, representative of the Heritage Craft Association’s Red List of Endangered Crafts, explains, switching shopping habits can “help save our traditional knowledge, skills and practices”.

FIND ARTWORK • rca.ac.uk The Royal College of Art’s annual secret sale includes students’ work • newbloodart.com A curation of artwork from emerging artists • degreeart.com Online gallery of student and graduate artwork FIND ARTISANS • redlist.heritagecrafts.org.uk A valuable directory of crafts needing most help to survive • graduatecollection.co.uk Homeware produced by graduate designers

120 THE ENGLISH HOME

• theartworkersguild.org A body of more than 350 artists, craftspeople and architects • themakers.directory Nationwide listing of makers • artshread.com A showcase of work by design and art students from over 100 countries • craftfoxmarket.co.uk Fledgling London makers • aerende.co.uk Socially valuable shopping • etsy.com Offers makers from around the world RIGHT Graduates’ work can rapidly become covetable, for example, Charlotte Cory’s wallpaper designs, some of which have already been shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Wallpaper, At The Art Gallery, Charcoal, £125 a roll, Charlotte Cory for graduatecollection.co.uk



THE ENGLISH HOME 121

Update windowsills with attractive windowboxes filled with edible herbs and pretty blooms. For a similar garden trough, visit rhsplants.co.uk

REFRESH THE HOME EXTERIOR WITH A WINDOWBOX A windowbox with hardy herbs is essential for the cook in winter months.

EQUIPMENT: Ceramic windowbox Crocks (shards of pottery) Potting compost Rosemary

Sage Bay Silver ragwort 2 x narcissi

• Cover the drainage holes in the bottom of the windowbox with a few crocks so they do not become blocked with potting compost.

• Scoop potting compost into the windowbox, filling it about half full.

Level the surface.

• Soak the root balls of all the plants (apart from the narcissi) in water for about 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the rosemary, loosening the roots with your fingers if it is pot bound. Place in the windowbox, pushing it down slightly so that it sits upright.

• Plant the sage in the same way.

• Plant the bay and the silver ragwort, again pushing them down so the surface of the root balls is about 2.5cm below the rim of the box.

• Add a little more potting compost around the plants to hold them firmly in place.

• Dig a hole in the potting compost behind the herbs by hand, and carefully plant the narcissi, pushing them down into the potting compost so they stand upright. Firm the potting compost around them.

• Keep the potting compost moist but not too wet. Remove the narcissi once they have flowered, deadhead and plant out in the garden. Once the herbs start to grow in spring, the windowbox will fill out well.

The Winter Garden by Emma Hardy, published by CICO Books (£12.99).

Bring memories to life Creating a photo album provides an inspiring reminder of special times.

“Successful photo albums tell a story,” says Nick Smith, owner of The Bespoke Album Company. For this to happen, it is important to ensure an ‘effortless flow’ so anyone leafing through can follow the narrative.

“It’s useful to think of your album like a magazine or book,” Smith says.

“Consider what sections you want to include and group your photographs by themes and events. Colour is also an inventive way to plan your album, creating a palette of photos makes a beautiful looking design.” To bring experiences alive, Smith suggests not limiting the album to photos. “Add treasured birthday or Christmas cards, letters and theatre tickets to your album.” ABOVE “A mix and match of portrait, landscape and square photos can create an interesting album – especially if you are using older photographs,” says Nick Smith.

Natural Oatmeal linen photo album, from £82, The Bespoke Album Company

THE ENGLISH HOME 123

Help to curb carbon emissions by planting trees. Ensure that trees planted are native broad leaf species and help preserve the UK’s environment and biodiversity. Peter Dowle, awardwinning tree specialist and founder of Howle Hill Nursery, advises: • Good soil preparation is key; always add a pest-free soil conditioner to open up the soil.

• Water little and often throughout year one – from mid-April to September.

• Watering must be regular – once to twice a week, and do not allow the soil to dry out.

• Monitor leaf size. This will indicate how well the tree is doing.

• When establishing a new tree, look for extension growth on the branches – this shows that the roots and head are in unison.

ABOVE “I would always select a tree that offers at least two seasonal celebrations,” Peter Dowle advises. “For example, a styrax japonicus will give the most wonderful display of beautiful hanging snowdrop-like scented flowers in May, but will also provide a solid, butter-yellow autumnal display and exciting pendant seeds running up the branches like beautifully formed pear-drop earrings.”

124 THE ENGLISH HOME

To expand a recipe repertoire, and encourage meat-free-Monday suppers, Clodagh McKenna, renowned chef and author of Clodagh’s Suppers, suggests, “I love a chickpea curry with spinach, garlic and ginger cooked in coconut milk, or a seasonal wild mushroom and thyme risotto is utterly delicious – you can also swap the mushrooms for butternut squash and sage.”

If keen to try making homemade bread, McKenna recommends starting with her recipe for rosemary soda bread or making sourdough as, “Once you have a sourdough starter and you’ve practised it a few times, it becomes easier”. To stock the store cupboard with homemade delights, she advocates preserved lemons or “Pickling carrots in cider vinegar, fennel seeds, bay leaves, coriander seeds and dried chilli.”

ABOVE Enliven salads and pasta with preserved lemons. McKenna suggests sprinkling one teaspoon of salt into a sterilised jar, pressing a layer of five lemon quarters on top, then covering with two teaspoons of salt, a couple of peppercorns, coriander seeds, a bay leaf and a clove – repeating the process to fill the jar. Push two halves of a cinnamon stick down the jar’s sides and pour the juice of five lemons in. Seal and put in a cool, dark place for three weeks before using.

FEATURE SUZANNA LE GROVE PHOTOGRAPHS P117 © RADIUS IMAGES/ALAMY. P118 © ALUN CALLENDER. P119 (WREATH) © TAGSTOCK1/ISTOCKPHOTO; P120 © DEBBIE PATTERSON/CICO BOOKS. P121 © BESPOKE ALBUM COMPANY. P124 © COUNTRY BROCANTE. P125 © (LEMONS) PINKYBIRD/ ISTOCK; (TREE SHOOTS) © LOVELYDAY12/ISTOCK

Try a new recipe

PLANT A TREE

Seek out events such as The Country Brocante’s fairs (see below for website) which showcases antique and vintage homeware, decorative interiors, French and English furniture alongside artisan makers and new designers.

BUY OFFLINE With the possibility of being drawn towards something wonderful, spend an enjoyable day browsing antiques specialists and makers’ fairs for lovingly crafted designs.

FAIRS • craftscouncil.org.uk Nationwide crafts events • handmadeinbritain.co.uk Shows in Oxfordshire and London • bctf.co.uk The British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate • breezefair.org Art and makers event in Cornwall • craftsatboveytracey.co.uk Set in Devon and one of the biggest craft fairs in Europe • thecountrybrocante.co.uk A romantic blend of English and French design

MARKETS • ukcraftfairs.com A list of craft fairs and courses up and down the country • list.co.uk Details of farmers, food and artisan markets offering crafts as well COUNTRY EVENTS • ruralcraftsassociation.co.uk Large, prestigious country shows selling crafts • ukcountyshows.co.uk Crafts on offer at smaller rural shows

LONDON EVENTS • londoncraftweek.com A week of special events from 27 April to 3 May 2020 • solocraftfair.com Shows throughout the year in South London ANTIQUES & VINTAGE HUNTING • iafc.co.uk Antiques and collectors’ fairs throughout the country • vintassion.com Includes a vintage markets, fairs and events finder

THE ENGLISH HOME 125

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Unique lampshades crafted from exquisite vintage silk sarees, hand block-printed voiles and shibori dyed silk.

Call 07973 922943 or visit www.samarkanddesign.com to see full range

To advertise in the English Home Directory please call +44 (0) 20 7349 3700 or email: info@chelseamagazines.com

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

GIFTS

FURNISHINGS

Gorgeous gifts to give or receive

Beautifully made jewellery books that hold earrings, necklaces or rings.

Designed to sit elegantly on top of a dressing table or easily pop into a suitcase for travelling.

To see our full range, large palette of colours available and for details of where to buy visit

www.littleshopof.co.uk/currentstockists Call 02033 711522 or search Little Book of Earrings Avoid inferior copies. Always insist on the original.

Accessories shown are not included

GIFTS

Fine Tapestries, Cushions & Home Accessories +44 (0)1865 741144

www.hinesofoxford.com Browse online • Phone for a Catalogue • Visit our Showrooms

ACCESSORIES COME AND SEE US OR BROWSE ONLINE

1 BEDFORD CORNER SOUTH PARADE CHISWICK W4 1LD

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

HARDWARE AND IRONMONGERY

ANTIQUES

Hingstons Of Wilton Purveyors of Antiques and decorative items (est.1976)

B A S ED IN T H E BE AUT IFU L S H R O PSH I R E HI L L S IN TH E TOW N O F CH U RC H ST R E T T O N W E ARE A PERIO D H A RDWA R E A N D T RA DI TI ONA L IRON MO N GERY CO M PA N Y S U PPLY ING T H E PUBL IC AN D T R A DE .

WE C OV E R ALL T Y P E S OF B LAC KSM I T H I NG , STA I NE D GLAS S A N D WOODWOR K K E E P I N G T H E O LD T RA D I T IO N S ALI V E , AL O NG W I T H OU R OWN U N IQU E D E SIG N S .

T: 01722 742263 E: nick@hingstons-antiques.co.uk THE DOO R KN O C KE R COM PA N Y H IGH S TRE E T , CH U RCH S T R E T T O N , S H RO P S H I RE WW W.TH E D OOR KN OC KERCOM PA N Y. CO , U K

The Old Bell House, 2 Shaftesbury Road, Wilton, Salisbury, SP20DR

www.hingstons-antiques.co.uk

BEDS The First Carbon Neutral Iron Bed Maker

Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co.

Hand made in Norfolk. Guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Winter Sale starts December 26th 01485 542516 view our full range at

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

STRIDING INTO THE NEW YEAR

Whether revelling in festivities or indulging in blissful do-nothing days, take time to rebalance and revitalise for the new year with brisk, head-clearing walks.

Creating a cosy corner to wrap up and pull on wellies encourages the most reluctant rambler, not least when the atmosphere is imbued with a woodland scent.

Diffuser, £27; votive candle, £12; large candle, £20, all Woodland Walk, The White Company

130 THE ENGLISH HOME