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November

C o ntents P

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Ar t sp e cial ON THE COVER The drawing room of a London house with an inspiring literary history, decorated by Studio Ashby (pages 168-175), photographed by Paul Massey

Edited by EMILY TOBIN

93 NOTEBOOK Gabby Deeming shows us what has caught her eye this month

FRIEZE MAY NOT BE HAPPENING THIS YEAR, BUT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF GREAT EXHIBITIONS TO VISIT THIS AUTUMN

98 WISE BUYS Heather Green lays out tile designs under £68 a square metre

16 FROM THE EDITOR

TOP 100 + TOP 50

101 NEWS AND VIEWS Art and craft meet in Sarah Myerscough’s The Natural Room collection; Charlotte Crosland’s new single-room interior design service; and Decorex’s virtual reimagination

FROM PAGE 21 Our exclusive guide to the Top 100 Interior Designers in Britain today – from small studios to design heavyweights.

PLUS the Top 50 Garden Designers

107 OUTSIDE INTERESTS What’s new, gardens to visit and Dan Pearson’s latest Japanese project

INSIDER

116 OUT AND ABOUT Laura Normanton’s best buys; plus Belle Rice talks to a member of The List, our online directory of design

81 SHOPPING Gabby Deeming selects a variety of side tables ideal for the bedroom 87 SWATCH Ruth Sleightholme hangs the latest wallcoverings in the great hall of the 17th-century Queen’s House in Greenwich

122 SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Highlights of exhibitors at the fair at Olympia London, W14, on November 2-8 124 BOOKS Lulu Lytle’s world of rattan

TEXT CHRISTABEL CHUBB ANANDA TANDAVA (2020) © MARÍA BERRÍO, COURTESY THE ARTIST AND VICTORIA MIRO

VOLUME 75 NUMBER 10. PHOTOGRAPH: SOPHIA SPRING COVER STORIES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN COLOUR

10 CONTRIBUTORS

November highlights

WHAT’S ON MARÍA BERRÍO: FLOWERED SONGS AND BROKEN CURRENTS OCTOBER 6–NOVEMBER 27

Exploring the theme of the aftermath of a catastrophe, the first UK solo exhibition of the Brooklynbased Colombian artist is at Victoria Miro, W1. María’s work explores the tale of a small Colombian fishing village that has undergone a tragedy. Using layers of Japanese paper to meticulously craft her large-scale works, she depicts scenes of barren homes and grieving women left behind. The exhibition demonstrates the highly personal experience of loss and grief. victoria-miro.com

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 000

FROM PAGE 127 ART SPECIAL Including exhibitions to visit this autumn; art to buy and how to hang it; artists at home; Michaela Yearwood-Dan in her studio; and what the process of decolonising means for museum and gallery collections 151 ART LIFESTYLE In his County Cork studio, Joseph Walsh crafts majestic woodveneer pieces that have turned his family farm into a hub of international innovation HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 7

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EDIT: INTERIORS, GARDENS, STORIES 162 A PERFECT PAIRING Emily Todhunter has combined open-plan living with luxurious materials to reconcile the tastes of the owners of this South Kensington house. By Hatta Byng 168 A NEW CHAPTER The restoration of the house in which JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan has teamed sensitivity to its history with bold use of colour. By Serena Fokschaner 176 ART AND SOUL This Wiltshire house is far from an austere showcase, with 20thcentury pictures and quirky curios giving it a welcoming charm. By Hugh St Clair 184 CALM & COLLECTED In Tobias Vernon’s Somerset cottage, white walls provide a background for creative arrangements of art and eclectic pieces. By James McDonald 8 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

190 EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY Artist Phoebe Dickinson’s house is a testament to what drives and inspires her, from the portraiture on the walls to fabrics amassed over time. By Emily Tobin 196 STILL WATERS Having inherited St Giles House in Dorset, the Earl of Shaftesbury set about restoring its glorious gardens. By Ambra Edwards 204 SALVIA SALVATION Concluding our series on specialist growers, Clare Foster visits Vicki Weston at her Welsh nursery

218 CALL OF THE DESERT Pamela Goodman relishes the splendid isolation of luxury camping in Oman’s Empty Quarter 221 WALK THIS WAY Pamela Goodman experiences the physical and spiritual rewards of a modern pilgrimage in Worcestershire 222 LITTLE GEMS Caroline Bullough has a high time at Val d’Isère’s Refuge de Solaise

EV ERY IS SU E 220 SUBSCRIPTIONS How to subscribe to House & Garden in the UK and the US

F O O D & T R AV E L 209 HEARTY HELPINGS Rowley Leigh’s seasonal recipes are full of rich, ripe f lavours to appease healthy appetites 215 TASTE NOTES Blanche Vaughan’s news and tips for cooks and food lovers

224 SOURCEBOOK Laura Normanton focuses on home accessories 228 STOCKISTS 244 LAST WORD In a new column, Sophie Dahl ponders the meaning of welcome

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CONTRIBUTORS

AN ALBION BATH

JANE HURST | Garden designer Though gardening has long been an interest of Jane’s, it was only when an admirer of her garden in Dorset asked her to design his that she turned her passion into a career. Having obtained a FRICS qualification at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Jane combines her experience of garden design with an understanding of architecture and the importance of consistency between the two. She designed the garden at St Giles House featured in this issue (from page 196). It is a project she is particularly fond of, for which she took inspiration from both the plants that were already in the garden and the surrounding Dorset landscape.

Apollo bath - 2 sizes manufactured

TAKES A LITTLE LONGER

Which plant are you obsessed with at the moment? ‘This year, I have fallen for Salvia curviflora – the mad pink one – and Verbena bonariensis. I like to use my own garden as a place to keep trying out new things.’

SOPHIE DAHL | Writer This issue sees the first in a new series of columns by Sophie, who decided she wanted to be a writer as soon as she learned to read and has published several novels and cookbooks. Her interest in interiors makes her an ideal House & Garden contributor, and she cites the work of Nicky Haslam and Kathryn Ireland as inspiration, ‘Nicky for his exquisite taste and Kathryn for her generous use of pattern.’ When not writing, Sophie can be found looking at vintage wallpaper websites into the night, cooking, listening to Pharoahe Monch and climbing trees in Buckinghamshire with her husband, the singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum, and their two daughters.

This month, she discusses the importance of a warm welcome (on page 244).

EMILY FACCINI | Illustrator Stay warmer in an Albion bath as our Iso-Enamel material will keep your water hotter for longer - and at less than half the weight of cast iron, an Albion bath is easier to locate and install.

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Emily recalls a visit to the Pompidou Centre in Paris at 16 as the moment she thought of becoming an illustrator. After doing an art foundation course at Central Saint Martins, she studied for a BA in Bristol and an MA in Brighton.

She has spent the past 20 years working as an illustrator, contributing to books, magazines and newspapers, including The Telegraph. Her work has enabled her to travel round the world – from research for a cookbook in Chile to designing an olive-oil logo in Puglia and producing an illustrated map of a French garden. She incorporates her fascination for patterns and symmetry in nature into all of her work. For this issue, she illustrated Bedside Manner (from page 81).

Who are you following on Instagram?

‘My favourites include: @madparis; @fondationcartier; @loirelegends; @jeffreyblondes; @soler; @edmund dewaal; and @_nguan_’

WORDS: CHRISTABEL CHUBB. PHOTOGRAPHS: TOM HURST (HURST); MATT EASTON (DAHL); DELFINA FACCINI (FACCINI)

Is there an interior designer whose use of art you admire? ‘I love how both Rita Konig and Ben Pentreath use it in a way that is totally unprecious.’

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Piazza di Spagna, 4 H AT TA B Y N G EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jenny Lister

DEPUTY EDITOR David Nicholls

MANAGING EDITOR/CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Caroline Bullough

CREATIVE DIRECTOR (INTERIORS) Gabby Deeming

PA TO THE EDITOR/EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Christabel Chubb DEPUTY FEATURES EDITOR Elizabeth Metcalfe FEATURES ASSISTANT Rumer Neill DEPUTY DECORATION EDITOR Ruth Sleightholme DECORATION STYLIST Rémy Mishon EDITOR-AT-LARGE Liz Elliot GARDEN EDITOR Clare Foster TRAVEL EDITOR Pamela Goodman FOOD EDITOR Blanche Vaughan DEPUTY CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Sue Gilkes SENIOR SUB-EDITOR Sophie Devlin DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Joshua Monaghan ART EDITOR Eva Farrington PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Owen Gale CONSULTANT EDITOR Susan Crewe CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Lavinia Bolton, Sophie Dahl, Virginia Fraser, Matilda Goad, Fiona Golfar, Rita Konig, Nonie Niesewand, Elizabeth Rees-Jones, Aude de la Conté (France) DIGITAL EDITOR Emily Senior DEPUTY DIGITAL EDITOR Virginia Clark DIGITAL FEATURES WRITER Charlotte McCaughan-Hawes EDITOR, THE LIST Belle Rice EDITOR-AT-LARGE, THE LIST Charlotte Richmond DIGITAL COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Malcolm Attwells DIGITAL OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Helen Placito CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE CALICO CLUB Emily Tobin EVENTS AND MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANT, THE CALICO CLUB Davey Hunter-Jones DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION AND RIGHTS Harriet Wilson EDITORIAL BUSINESS MANAGER Jessica Borges SYNDICATION ENQUIRIES syndication@condenast.co.uk

LORENZO CARDELLI (Rome, 1733–94): the carvings CESARE AGUATTI (Active in Rome in the last quarter of the 18th century): the micro-mosaic panels Sculpted and carved chimneypiece in white Carrara marble with green granite slabs and three oval micro-mosaic plaques The three micro-mosaic plaques: the central plaque depicts the Temple of Saturn and the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum; the left-hand plaque depicts the Temple of Minerva Medica in Rome; and the right-hand plaque depicts the Lucano Bridge at the Villa Adriana in Tivoli.

158 (height) x 214 x 28 cm

Copyright © 2020. House & Garden is published monthly (except a combined issue in July/ August) by The Condé Nast Publications Ltd, Vogue House, Hanover Square, London W1S 1JU. Colour origination by williamslea. Printed in the UK by Walstead Roche. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The title ‘House & Garden’ is registered at the US Patent Office and in Great Britain as a trademark. All merchandise prices are approximate. The Mail Order Protection Scheme does not cover items featured editorially. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rates include delivery and digital editions. Full rates are £59.40 for one year in the UK, £96 for the rest of the world. To place your order call 0844 848 5202 in the UK or +44 (0)1858 438 815. Landline calls to 0844 numbers will cost more than 5p a minute; calls made from mobiles usually cost more. Special offers and exclusive promotions are published in this issue or online at houseandgarden.co.uk. To manage your subscription log onto magazineboutique.co.uk/solo. For subscription enquiries email houseandgarden@subscription. co.uk or mail Condé Nast Britain, Subscriptions Department, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough, LE16 9EF, UK. POST NOTE All editorial enquiries and submissions to HOUSE & GARDEN that require replies must be accompanied by stamped, addressed envelopes. House & Garden is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice (ipso.co.uk/ editors-code-of-practice) and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please see our Editorial Complaints Policy on the Contact Us page of our website or contact us at complaints@ condenast.co.uk or by post to Complaints, Editorial Business Department, The Condé Nast Publications Ltd, Vogue House, Hanover Square, London W1S 1JU. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk. The paper used for this publication is based on renewable wood fibre. The wood these fibres are derived from is sourced from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources. The producing mills are EMAS registered and operate according to the highest environmental and health and safety standards. This magazine is fully recyclable – please log on to recyclenow.com for your local recycling options for paper and board.

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E M M A R E D M AY N E PUBLISHING DIRECTOR PA TO THE PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Freya Hill ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Sophie Catto ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS EUROPE Christopher Daunt, Alexandra Bernard ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTORS Georgina Penney, Marina Connolly ACCOUNT DIRECTORS Lorna Clansey-Gramer, Nichole Mika DIGITAL SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Sayna Blackshaw SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Olivia McHugh, Olivia Capaldi ACCOUNT MANAGER Olivia Barnes HEAD OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Melinda Chandler ART DIRECTOR Joan Hecktermann ART EDITORS Richard Sanapo, Rebecca Gordon-Watkins SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Arta Ghanbari PROJECT COORDINATOR/COPYWRITER Christie Berry EVENTS COORDINATOR Freya Hill US OFFICE Nichole Mika (00 44 20 7152 3838; nichole.mika@condenast.co.uk) MIDDLE EAST Sudarshna Rathore (00 971 444 757 60; sudarshna@iasmedia.com) FAR EAST & ASIA PACIFIC Amy Lok (00 852 3910 6384; amy@asianimedia.com) INDIAN OFFICE Rachna Gulati (00 91 11 2373 0869; rachna.gulati@mediascope.in) GROUP PROPERTY DIRECTOR Fiona Forsyth EXECUTIVE EDITOR Laura Normanton CLASSIFIED DIRECTOR Shelagh Crofts SENIOR CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER Lucy Hrynkiewicz-Sudnik CLASSIFIED SALES EXECUTIVES Ellie Waite, Emily Repetti RESEARCH EXECUTIVE, MEDIA RESEARCH Lauren Hays Wheeler SENIOR DATA MANAGER Tim Westcott MARKETING MANAGER Ella Simpson CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Richard Kingerlee NEWSTRADE MARKETING MANAGER Olivia Streatfield SUBSCRIPTIONS DIRECTOR Patrick Foilleret CREATIVE DESIGN MANAGER Anthea Denning DIRECT MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGERS Brittany Mills, Lucy Rogers-Coltman SUBSCRIPTIONS & EVENTS ASSISTANT Emma Murphy ASSISTANT PROMOTIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER Claudia Long COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Emily Hallie SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLICITY EXECUTIVE Sophie McKeesick PR MANAGER Sophie Mitchell PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Sarah Jenson COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Xenia Dilnot SENIOR PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Dawn Crosby PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Lucy Zini COMMERCIAL, PAPER & DISPLAY PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Martin MacMillan HR DIRECTOR Hazel McIntyre HEAD OF FINANCE Daisy Tam CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Sabine Vandenbroucke CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER Simon Gresham Jones

M A N AG I N G D I R E C T O R ALBERT READ

Wallcovering background: ‘Scallops’ (field mouse grey),

by Aux Abris, linen, from George Spencer Designs

FROM THE EDITOR

I

apprenticeships and more, but they already have 140 design firms signed up to their pledge, keen to make a difference. My sincere hope is that, in years to come, we shall see the successes of United in Design and a collective desire to make change reflected in our lists and our content – highlighting an exciting new band of talent.

This issue is also our annual Art Special. Pictures and decorative objects play a key role in all the houses featured, which includes the one in which JM Barrie created the character of Peter Pan (from page 168). However well designed a house might be, it is the stuff of people’s lives – the books or art they’ve collected and the careful arrangement of these – that bring interiors to life. To help us in this quest, Emily Tobin suggests what to buy now (from page 131) and shows how well-known artists lived with glimpses inside their homes (from page 141), while our features assistant Rumer Neill has canvassed advice on hanging pictures (from page 135).

Finally, we are thrilled to introduce our new columnist Sophie Dahl, who muses on the value of welcome (on page 244). It’s something we’ve all felt less of in this very insular year, but it underpins the content of this magazine: the warmth and generosity that come with making a happy, comfortable and appealing home to enjoy with others

DEAN HEARNE

n March, before lockdown, we assembled a few of the best interior designers and garden designers to be photographed to illustrate our two annual lists – House & Garden’s Top 100 Interior Designers and our Top 50 Garden Designers (up from 25 last year to make it a broader, more useful reference).

At that point, although the threat of Covid-19 was looming, we did not know what was to follow and these lists were scheduled for our June issue. But then our lives changed and we decided to postpone their publication to a time when we’d be starting to look outward and forward again. So here they are (from page 21) – all brilliantly navigating their way through these extraordinary times, doing what they do best.

What you may notice is that our list is very white.

Some of these companies have BAME interior designers, architects and landscape designers in their teams who are doing brilliant work, but Black Lives Matter has drawn our attention – more than ever – to the lack of diversity in the design world.

We as a magazine need to make sure we are seeing work by a more diverse selection of designers. I also feel that House & Garden has a responsibility to help make our industry more open and accessible to a wider group of people, sowing seeds in young people’s minds of the opportunities that are out there and helping them to find a way into the design world. Thankfully, two designers – Sophie Ashby and Alexandria Dauley – have made it easier for the design industry to make change happen with their new initiative, United in Design (unitedindesign.com). As I write, they are still working out the logistics of their ambitious vision for schools outreach, mentoring,

16 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

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100 THE HOUSE & GARDEN TOP

INTERIOR DE SIGNER S 2020 -AND THE TOP 50 GARDEN DE SIGNER S 2020 Portraits SOPHIA SPRING S H O T O N L O C AT I O N AT 1 4 C AV E N D I S H S Q UA R E

In association with

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 21

stylelibrary.com/zoffany @zoffanyfw

VOLUME 1

The Top 100 Interior Designers & Top 50 Garden Designers Join us in celebrating the interior and garden designers whose creativity and talent inspire and inform the pages of House & Garden.

You will notice our list of Top 100 Interiors Designers looks a little different this year. We decided to divide it into three categories, relating to the size of their studios. It is not a reflection of the quality of their work, the level of professionalism or necessarily the scale of a project they can take on. But knowing how big a business you are hiring is can be a helpful way to narrow your search for a designer to suit you and your project.

S M A L L ST U DIO S & S OL O AC T S

ON A BIG GER SCALE

S O M E T I M E S T H E B E S T T H I N G S CA N C O M E I N S M A L L PAC K AG E S – W H E N I T C O M E S T O C R E AT I V I T Y, T H E S E D E S I G N E R S I M P R E S S

B E H O L D S O M E O F T H E H E AV Y W E I G H T S O F T H E I N D U S T R Y , W H I C H H AV E B I G T E A M S T O D R AW U P O N F O R P R O J E C T S L A R G E A N D S M A L L

Adam Bray Ann Boyd Design Bentheim London Berdoulat Carlos Garcia Interiors (New Entry) Caroline Holdaway Design Caroline Riddell Interiors Charlotte Crosland Interiors Chester Jones Christopher Hodsoll Douglas Mackie Design Edward Bulmer Edward Hurst Flora Soames Gavin Houghton Grant White Design Hackett Holland

Harriet Anstruther Studio Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay Joanna Plant Interiors John McCall Interior Design Leveson Design McWhirter Morris Octavia Dickinson (New Entry) Penny Morrison Robert Carslaw Design Rui Ribeiro Studio Sarah Stewart-Smith Susan Deliss Vanrenen GW Designs Virginia Howard Virginia White VSP Interiors William Smalley Woody Clark

Ben Pentreath Bryan O’Sullivan Studio De Rosee Sa Hubert Zandberg Interiors Martin Brudnizki Design Studio Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam Peter Mikic Rose Uniacke Shalini Misra

Sims Hilditch Studio Ashby Studio Reed Taylor Howes Th2 Designs (New Entry) Thorp Design Todhunter Earle Interiors Turner Pocock Waldo Works

T H E G R E AT S THESE INFLUENTIAL DESIGNERS AND STUDIOS NEED LITTLE I N T R O D U C T I O N A N D D E S E RV E A CAT E G O RY O F T H E I R OW N

Alidad David Mlinaric John Minshaw Designs Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi Nicky Haslam

Nina Campbell Robert Kime Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler Veere Grenney Associates Westenholz

TEAM BUILDERS

THE GARDEN EXPERTS

T H E S E S T U D I O S M A Y H AV E M U L T I P L E D E S I G N E R S A N D A N I N F R A S T R U C T U R E T H AT I N C L U D E S I N - H O U S E S P E C I A L I S T S

T H E S E TA L E N T E D C R E AT I V E S I N C L U D E E S TA B L I S H E D P R O F E S S I O N A L S , P R OM I S I NG N EWC OM E R S A N D P R AC T IC E S B O T H L A R G E A N D S M A L L

Beata Heuman BWT (New Entry) Carden Cunietti Caroline Paterson Interiors Cave Interiors Colin Orchard Collett-Zarzycki Faye Toogood Francis Sultana Fran Hickman Design & Interiors Guy Goodfellow Hugh Leslie Design Joanna Wood JR Design K&H Design (New Entry) Kate Guinness Louise Jones Interiors Maddux Creative

Martin Hulbert Design Max Rollitt Melissa Wyndham Interior Design Natalia Miyar Atelier Nicola Harding & Co Olivia Outred Studio Rabih Hage Rachel Chudley Retrouvius Rita Konig Rivière Interiors Salvesen Graham Samantha Todhunter Design Sarah Delaney Design Sigmar Studio Duggan Susie Atkinson Suzy Hoodless Thurstan (New Entry)

Acres Wild Alasdair Cameron Alistair W Baldwin Andy Sturgeon Angela Collins Ann-Marie Powell Arabella Lennox-Boyd Arne Maynard Balston Agius Bunny Guinness Design Butter Wakefield Charlotte Rowe Chris Beardshaw Design Chris Moss Christopher Bradley-Hole Cleve West Dan Pearson Del Buono Gazerwitz Elks-Smith Emily Erlam George Carter Harris Bugg I & J Bannerman James Alexander-Sinclair Jane Brockbank

Jinny Blom Joe Swift Jo Thompson Kim Wilkie Luciano Giubbilei Marcus Barnett Marian Boswall Matthew Keightley Matthew Wilson Mazzullo + Russell McWilliam Studio Nigel Dunnett Pip Morrison Robert Myers Rupert Golby Sarah Price Sara Jane Rothwell Sean Walter Sophie Walker Tania Compton Thomas Hoblyn Tim Rees Tom Stuart-Smith Urquhart & Hunt Xa Tollemache HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 23

SMALL STUDIOS AND SOLO ACTS

If you are looking for plenty of one-to-one contact with the person whose name hangs above the door, you may want to consider one of the many wonderful small-scale interiordesign companies. Some of these are one-man bands, while others have just a modest-sized team. Your decorator may also be bookkeeper and HR manager, but this does not mean their projects will not be completed to the most exacting standards

FROM LEFT Joanna Plant, Carlos Sรกnchez-Garcia, Penny Morrison, Robert Carslaw, Sarah Stewart-Smith, Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay and Adam Bray.

All furniture shown is available from Modernity at 14 Cavendish Square (modernity.se) HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 25

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

A N N B OY D DE S IG N STUDIO Ann (below) has spent the past 20 years working with the interior architect Malcolm Winyard – her ‘right hand, left hand, everything’.

STYLE She excels at creating understated, light and incredibly elegant spaces.

ADDED INSIGHT This studio does not take on a huge number of projects, but Ann admits that she struggles to turn down the opportunity to work on something that is ‘really special’. Get her if you can.

PROJECTS Current commissions include a house for an existing client in Leicestershire and a flat in Kensington Park Gardens, W11.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘It is always so satisfying to find something for a room that is useful, striking and not terribly expensive. I’ve recently discovered Pooky’s “Hattermorn Pendant Light” (£116; pooky.com). I love the chic black one, with its oak laminate interior. It creates a particularly lovely light and is also wonderfully affordable.’ // ann@annboyddesign.com

ANN admits that she struggles to turn down the OPP ORTUNITY t o w o rk o n s o m e t h i n g ‘ R E A L LY S P E C I A L’

RIGHT Adam Bray’s ‘Waver’ rug for Vanderhurd in one of his projects BELOW RIGHT A hallway by David Bentheim features a ‘Pirce’ ceiling light by Artemide and Tibor wallpaper

A D A M B R AY STUDIO Adam heads up a team of four, which includes one other designer.

STYLE Brave and creative with colour, he knows his stuff when it comes to interesting antique pieces.

ADDED INSIGHT Adam also has a shop in Camden, which stocks a beguiling array of antiques as well as his own fabric and furniture designs.

PROJECTS Among current commitments are a Georgian farmhouse near Glyndebourne and a family apartment in Chelsea. //adambray.info

STUDIO David Bentheim is a one-man band with over 30 years of experience.

STYLE Pared-back and contemporary, with unexpected dashes of colour and easy-to-live-with furniture. ‘David has amazing ideas to which at first you often respond, “No, really?” And then it works.’ Marina Dicks, client PROJECTS As well as working on an apartment in Hampstead, David has houses in Notting Hill and Holland Park on the go. // bentheim.co.uk 26 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SOPHIA SPRING; BEN EDWARDS; MICHAEL SINCLAIR

BENTHEIM LONDON

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

B E R D O U L AT STUDIO Patrick Williams and his wife Neri make up Berdoulat. Based in Bath, they source and sell antiques alongside their interior design projects.

STYLE Pleasing combinations of the rough and the smooth, with antiques and architectural salvage set within historically accurate pared-back spaces.

PROJECTS These include a Georgian house in Bath and a former admiral’s house in Falmouth. // berdoulat.co.uk

CAROLINE H O L D AWAY DESIGN STUDIO Caroline collaborates with two part-time designers.

STYLE She is particularly strong on using texture and pattern in ways that enrich rather than overwhelm a room.

Caroline often continues to work with past clients, sourcing antiques and furniture to add to their homes.

ENDORSEMENT ‘Working with Caroline is such a pleasure. She has a wonderful colour sense, but she is also immensely practical and does all the legwork.’ Paul Lyon-Maris, client. // carolineholdaway.com

- N EW E N T RY -

CARLOS GARCIA INTERIORS

CHESTER JONES STUDIO With Chester taking on a largely advisory role these days, his two sons, Toby and Ben, now run the show.

STYLE Sparing, elegant and modern in sensibility; thoughtfully curated with a mix of art and artefacts.

ADDED INSIGHT It really is a family affair: do not be surprised to see beautifully artistic rugs by matriarch Sandy Jones popping up in their designs.

PROJECTS In addition to houses in London, there is a recently completed modernist apartment in Moscow. // chesterjones.com

STUDIO As the sole designer, Carlos Sánchez-Garcia only takes on a small number of projects at a time so he can work closely with each client.

STYLE Classic mixing and matching with plenty of pattern, layered textiles and antiques. Although he is Spanish, his look is very English.

PROJECTS Current work includes a 17th-century manor house in Norfolk, a Victorian terraced house in London and a medieval farmhouse in Suffolk. // carlosgarciainteriors.com

CHARLOTTE CROSLAND INTERIORS

CAROLINE RIDDELL INTERIORS

STUDIO Since launching in 2000, Charlotte has kept her studio small, working with one other designer.

STYLE A layered but crisp look, with good pattern and colour combinations.

PROJECTS Largely in the UK, they currently include a flat on the River Thames and an Arts and Crafts house in Sussex. // charlottecrosland.com

STUDIO Based in London, Caroline set up her own interiors studio in 1999 and works with one other designer.

STYLE Elegant, whether in contemporary or more traditional interiors, but she is not afraid to take chances.

Caroline developed a love of textiles while studying millinery.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I came across Doug Fitch and Hannah McAndrew’s slipware (jugs from £380; fitchand mcandrew.co.uk) last year through an online exhibition. I was very excited to find a pottery studio with contemporary pieces crafted using traditional techniques. We used some of their work in a recent Georgian country house project.’ // carolineriddellinteriors.co.uk

28 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

LEFT Carlos Sánchez-Garcia’s bedroom in Norfolk has a four-poster with curtains in Robert Kime’s ‘Tree Peony’ linen BELOW RIGHT This artfully curated space typifies the work of Chester Jones BOTTOM LEFT An eclectic drawing room in London designed

by Charlotte Crosland

CHRISTOPHER HODSOLL STUDIO Christopher, who heads up a team of three, is the only designer in this Notting Hill business.

STYLE The alternative English look.

Christopher has a wonderful eye for unusual antiques and his projects have an instant lived-in feel. His career in interiors started with an apprenticeship with Geoffrey Bennison.

PROJECTS Christopher undertakes briefs for both residential and commercial work – such as La Gazelle d’Or hotel in Taroudant, Morocco. // hodsoll.com

DOUGLAS M AC K I E DE S IG N STUDIO Douglas’s studio, established in 1995, comprises a tight team that includes three other designers.

STYLE A striking mix of modernity and classicism.

PROJECTS The most recent work has been based in London and includes an apartment in Portland Place, W1, and a Grade II-listed house in Belgravia. // douglasmackie.com

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

F L O R A S OA M E S STUDIO Flora is the principal designer in a team of four.

STYLE Good at adding modern oomph to a country house and no slouch when it comes to decorating in the city either.

ADDED INSIGHT Flora launched a fabric and wallpaper collection last year, with patterns that range from printed florals to smart silk weaves.

PROJECTS Her recent work includes the renovation of an 18th-century manor house and the refurbishment of an early 19th-century house. // florasoames.com

G AV I N HOUGHTON

E D WA R D B U L M E R STUDIO Edward works with one senior designer and a small in-house team.

STYLE He knows how to make the most of the detail and charm of period interiors without making them look like stage sets – they feel right and are liveable.

ADDED INSIGHT He honed his eye under the likes of David Mlinaric and Alec Cobbe.

PROJECTS The studio specialises in historic houses in the country, such as Jacobean Dorfold Hall in Cheshire and Arundel Castle in West Sussex. Edward has also been working on Chelsea and Westminster townhouses. // edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk

ABOVE Edward Bulmer’s award-winning decoration of Pitshill House in Sussex BELOW The restored stables of St Giles House in Dorset, a project by Edward Hurst

STUDIO Sole designer Gavin employs one person in an administrative capacity.

STYLE With lots of wallpaper, lots of colours, lots of cushions and lots of comfort, Gavin has very good ideas on how to make a space work.

PROJECTS Primrose Hill, Chelsea and Oxfordshire are just some of the smart locations in which he has worked of late. // gavinhoughton.co.uk

GRANT WHITE DESIGN STUDIO Grant’s team of five includes two interior designers.

STYLE Incredibly varied – Grant can do simple and clean-lined or over-the-top luxury with equal skill.

PROJECTS The studio has recently taken on new work in South Kensington, Gloucestershire and Mustique – from complete renovations to newbuilds. // grantwhitedesign.com

JAN BALDWIN; PAUL MASSEY; SIMON BROWN; SHANNON TOFTS

H AC K E T T HOLLAND

E D WA R D H U R S T STUDIO Based in Dorset, Edward is an antique dealer who also runs an interiors consultancy business, working closely with one assistant.

STYLE Edward’s erudite knowledge of antiques and brilliant eye for style result in beautiful and balanced interiors.

ADDED INSIGHT One of his first projects was at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire: ‘It was like a lovely game or puzzle, playing with the client’s existing collections.’

PROJECTS Recent work has included restoring architectural detailing and sourcing period furniture for Regency-style houses across the UK. // edwardhurst.com

STUDIO The principal designers in a team of five, Johnny Holland and Jane Hackett are architects as well as interior designers, so you can expect very well thought-out floor plans and an excellent knowledge of vernacular architecture.

PROJECTS Currently working on briefs in London, Dorset and Ibiza.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘These smart “Eco Glazed Brick Slips” (£7.67 each; hesmith.co.uk) are available as both flat rectangular tiles and with curved pistol corners. Made in Stoke, they come in lots of colours and work well on the walls of a larder or shower.’ // hackettholland.co.uk HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 29

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

HARRIET ANSTRUTHER STUDIO STUDIO The sole designer, Harriet (below) works with two part-time design assistants.

STYLE Wonderfully original, always exciting and full of wit. Her background and experience in fashion (she has consulted for the likes of Anna Fendi and Yohji Yamamoto) has influenced her use of colour, composition and silhouette. She has masterminded the renovation of several large houses with a very contemporary eye.

PROJECTS Harriet has been working on several Grade II-listed properties. As well as her interior-design work, she continues to work as a creative consultant (clients have included The Design Museum and Habitat) and on curation projects.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘Spencer Swaffer (spencerswaffer.co.uk) is an antique shop in Arundel, West Sussex, which always has something of beauty and quality. I love the shape and patina of this chair. It is no longer available, but the selection of chairs is particularly good; prices start at £230 for the smaller stools.’ // harrietanstruther.com

BELOW RIGHT A detail of Joanna Plant’s work in a restored farmhouse in Ibiza

HENRI F I T ZW I L L I A M - L AY STUDIO Working with an assistant designer, Henri runs a studio of four.

STYLE Grown-up and modern. She is no stranger to throwing in a bit of unexpected passementerie.

ADDED INSIGHT American-born Henri was a magazine fashion stylist before working for New York stores Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdale’s.

PROJECTS These include a Queen Anne house in Sussex, a rectory in Oxfordshire and a house in the South of France. // henrifitzwilliamlay.com

H A R R I E T ’ S w o rk i s always exciting – her b a c k g r o u n d i n FA S H I O N has inf luenced her use of C O L O U R a nd c omp os i t i o n

J OA N NA P L A N T STUDIO Joanna is the head designer, but all members of the four-person team have design input.

STYLE Structured yet feminine interiors that err on the pared-back side.

ADDED INSIGHT She works closely with her husband Nick, who is one of the design team. Joanna also commissions bespoke furniture and sources fine antiques for projects.

PROJECTS She has recently taken on work in Chiswick and Hampshire. // joannaplantinteriors.com

JOHN MCCALL INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO John is the sole designer in a team of four.

STYLE One of the more established names on this list, John produces work with an assured confidence and has a way of making rooms feel just right.

PROJECTS Briefs range from some of London’s smartest postcodes to Berkshire and as far afield as Massachusetts. // mccalldesign.co.uk 30 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

LEVESON DESIGN

PENNY MORRISON

RUI RIBEIRO STUDIO

STUDIO Cindy Leveson is the head designer of this Battersea-based studio, which employs two junior designers.

STYLE Comfortable and very liveable spaces that celebrate the past.

ADDED INSIGHT On and off for the past 20 years, Cindy has worked on the interior decoration of various parts of the Goodwood estate.

PROJECTS Her current commissions include houses in Hampshire, Yorkshire and Chichester. // levesondesign.com

STUDIO Penny works with one other designer in her team of eight.

STYLE She is unbeatable at creating layers with gorgeous textiles and rich colours, and can make this look work in town as well as in the country.

ADDED INSIGHT Penny’s shop on Langton Street, SW10, is filled with her fabric and lighting designs, as well as accessories for interiors that she has discovered on her travels worldwide. // pennymorrison.com

STUDIO With offices in London and Lisbon, Rui leads a team of four, two of whom are designers.

STYLE Rui’s work is contemporary, calm and always beautifully curated, with a blend of high concept and craft.

PROJECTS Beside his interior-design briefs, Rui is creating a range of furniture and furnishings in collaboration with artisans. A rug collection with Vanderhurd is also in progress. // ruiribeirostudio.com

MCWHIRTER MORRIS

ROBERT C A R S L AW DESIGN

SARAH S T E WA R T - S M I T H

STUDIO Founders Sarah Morris and James McWhirter run a team of four from their studio in Chelsea.

STYLE The interiors they produce are always tasteful and timeless.

ADDED INSIGHT Sarah is a former Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler designer, while James is an experienced antique dealer. They make a formidable pair.

PROJECTS From Italy to the US via the UK and Ireland, McWhirter Morris’s clientele are truly international. // mcwhirtermorris.com

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SOPHIA SPRING; ELSA YOUNG; PAUL MASSEY

O C TAV I A DICKINSON STUDIO Octavia set up her studio in 2016 with her husband Harry Hirsch.

STYLE She is one of a new generation of designers adding a fresh accent to traditional English decorating.

ADDED INSIGHT Octavia has a great pedigree, training under Cindy Leveson and then working for Flora Soames. Her sister Phoebe is an artist and her father is the fine-art dealer Simon Dickinson.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I love the idea of using Joe Hartley’s playful, colourful ceramic “Side Tables” (£820 each; thenewcraftsmen.com) in a traditional setting. Inspired by the shape of the legs on old wooden French country dressers, they modernise a room instantly.’ // octaviadickinson.com

STUDIO Robert established his studio in 1983 and works with one designer.

STYLE Although Robert is fluent in the design and decoration of country houses, there is a crispness to his work that brings a sense of modernity.

ADDED INSIGHT Robert cut his teeth working for revered decorator and antique dealer Christopher Rowley.

PROJECTS Current commitments are taking Robert to London, Surrey and Ireland. // robertcarslaw.com

BELOW A contemporarycountry hybrid kitchen area designed

by Octavia Dickinson

STUDIO Sarah is a one-man band, employing specific teams for each new project that she takes on.

STYLE She has a very individual (and contemporary) eye, and is perfect for clients unafraid to bend design rules.

ENDORSEMENT ‘Sarah is extremely meticulous – the whole project was a massive success.’ Client, April 2016 PROJECTS She is working on a London flat and a 16th-century house in Hertfordshire as well as a Victorian house in Cambridge. // sarahstewartsmith.co.uk

SUSAN DELISS STUDIO In addition to working on interior-design projects, sole designer Susan runs a textiles and accessories business from her two-person studio.

STYLE Bursting with pattern and saturated with colour, her interiors are refreshing and uplifting.

ADDED INSIGHT Susan honed her eye in a previous career as a lawyer, during which work trips doubled as wonderful sourcing opportunities: wood carvings were picked up in Ghana, kilims and silver in Cairo, and suzani runners and ikats in Istanbul.

ENDORSEMENT ‘Her approach is a heady concoction of curator, enabler, therapist, headmistress and tastemaker.

She avoids design clichés and trends, imbuing a house with a feeling of history and personality – one that doesn’t shout but whispers.’ Jeremy Langmead, brand and content director, Mr Porter PROJECTS Commissions recently undertaken by Susan have ranged from a newbuild in Boston to a Georgian house in Perthshire and a family home in the Cotswolds. // susandeliss.com HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 31

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

VSP INTERIORS

WO O DY CLARK

STUDIO Henriette von Stockhausen is at the helm of a four-person team, which includes one other designer.

STYLE Known for her work on large country houses, she is extremely skilled at adding something that is a little unexpected – but always welcome.

PROJECTS Recent commissions for VSP Interiors include impressive properties – from Buckinghamshire estates to Scottish castles. // vspinteriors.com

STUDIO Working alongside one other full-time designer, Woody is based in Cambridgeshire.

STYLE He has long been the go-to man for historic houses that need bringing back to their original splendour.

PROJECTS Ongoing work includes an 18th-century house in Suffolk, an 18thcentury mansion in Ireland and a house in Kent dating from the 15th century. // mail@woodyclark.com

VA N R E N E N GW DE SIGNS STUDIO Designers Sarah Vanrenen and Louisa Greville-Williams captain a team of four from their offices in Berkshire and London.

STYLE Great use of colour and pattern – plus an eye for pieces that look as if they have always been there – make for smart interiors that are a joy to live in.

PROJECTS There are seven projects in full swing, including country houses in various shires, as well as London. // vanrenengwdesigns.com

VIRGINIA H O WA R D STUDIO Based in Chelsea, Virginia also has an architectural draughtsman and an assistant on her team.

STYLE Grown-up and elegant. Some of Virginia’s colour choices and architectural detailing make it clear that she has a soft spot for Soane.

PROJECTS Currently on the go are houses in Dorset, Suffolk and London. // virginiahoward.co.uk

VIRGINIA WHITE

32 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

WILLIAM SMALLEY TOP LEFT An eclectic arrangement of colour and pattern in a bedroom by Vanrenen GW Designs

STUDIO William (above) heads up a team comprising three architects and designers.

STYLE Not strictly a decorator, William creates interiors that reflect his exacting architect’s eye – calm, elegantly proportioned and beautifully precise.

PROJECTS William has 10 projects currently underway, which range from a gallery in Spitalfields to an apartment in Manhattan.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘There is always such a freshness to Muller Van Severen’s work.

I have a pink rocking chair by them in my sitting room and we often use their designs in projects. With this “Rack + Seat” (mullervanseveren.be) piece, I like the implication of the association between sitting down and reading a book.’ // williamsmalley.com

SOPHIA SPRING; TIM BEDDOW

STUDIO Virginia works with a graphic designer and one assistant.

STYLE The architectural bases she favours are contemporary without being austere, and Virginia has a good eye for bold and vibrant fabrics.

ADDED INSIGHT She also has a very successful fabric and furniture business, the Virginia White Collection.

PROJECTS There is plenty keeping Virginia busy at the moment – in New York, London and continental Europe. // virginiawhitecollection.com

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34 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

TEAM BUILDERS Not too small, not too large. For some clients, the studios in this section will be the Top 100’s equivalent of Goldilocks’ third bowl of porridge – ‘just right’. Many of these will have started out as a small studio – like the ones on the previous pages – but will have scaled up to take on more projects. There will be one or two creative chiefs, usually the founders, but there will also be highly skilled designers running their own projects under the watchful eye of their boss

FROM LEFT Rabih Hage, Samantha Todhunter, Olivia Outred, Guy Goodfellow, Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham of Salvesen Graham, and Rita Konig. All furniture shown is available from Modernity at 14 Cavendish Square (modernity.se)

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020 - N EW E N T RY -

BWT STUDIO Established in 2010 and based in west London, this studio has a team of 12, including director Ben Thompson (below) and eight other designers.

STYLE Calming palettes and a good use of natural materials. There is a sense of restraint without sacrificing comfort.

ADDED INSIGHT Ben created the interiors of Heckfield Place, the 18th-century country-house hotel that opened in Hampshire in 2018.

PROJECTS In addition to a Victorian townhouse in London, the studio is undertaking international briefs, such as a family house in the Philippines and an estate in Italy.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I recently came across the “Ours Polaire” armchair, designed

by Jean Royère in the Fifties. It is elegant and very comfortable. The tactility and comfort of the piece mirrors the studio’s design philosophy – you can sink into it after a long day, without having to compromise on aesthetics or craftsmanship. It’s a collector’s piece, though – this one sold at auction in 2014 for over $200,000.’ // bwtlondon.com

RIGHT A Sussex cottage decorated by Beata Heuman with seagrass wallpaper from Abbott + Boyd BOTTOM RIGHT Audrey Carden’s London dining room

B E ATA H E U M A N STUDIO Beata set up her eponymous studio in 2013 and now has a team of six.

STYLE Imaginative and very striking.

Beata’s projects all have a sense of fun.

ADDED INSIGHT Her growing line of products is as creative as her interiors, from a lion-footed chair to a wall light supported by a bronze hand. ‘I want the pieces to make people smile,’ says Beata.

PROJECTS Her current work includes a family home in Germany in addition to four large townhouses in London. // beataheuman.com

STUDIO Led by Audrey Carden and Eleanora Cunietti, this seven-person studio is based in west London.

STYLE Contemporary interiors infused with art and vintage 20th-century finds.

ADDED INSIGHT Eleanora and Audrey joined forces in 1996, after bumping into each other at antique fairs.

PROJECTS They have 12 projects on the go, including a Holland Park townhouse and an estate in the Cotswolds. // carden-cunietti.com 36 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SOPHIA SPRING; PAUL MASSEY, MICHAEL SINCLAIR

CARDEN CUNIETTI

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

CAROLINE P AT E R S O N INTERIORS STUDIO Caroline works with eight other designers at her studio, which was founded in 1987.

STYLE Light, clean lines and predominantly modern. When strong colour is used, she makes it count.

PROJECTS Currently, a Notting Hill townhouse and an 8,000-square-metre palace for the Bahraini royal family. // carolinepatersoninteriors.co.uk

C AV E INTERIORS STUDIO Based in London, Georgina Cave heads up a team of four that includes her daughter, Anouska.

STYLE It could easily be described as ‘contemporary pretty’, but with no shortage of sound design solutions.

ADDED INSIGHT Georgina also runs a shop in Primrose Hill, stocked with a covetable selection of vintage furniture and decorative pieces, as well as eiderdowns by Anouska. // caveinteriors.com

BOTTOM RIGHT A Zaha Hadid ‘Liquid Glacial’ table is the focal point in this room by Francis Sultana

FAY E T O O G O O D STUDIO There are six designers on this multidisciplinary team of 16.

STYLE Faye offers a spare, almost ethereal quality. An artist rather than a decorator in the traditional sense, she is unafraid to challenge the conventions of what a room should look like.

ADDED INSIGHT She has her own furniture range – as intriguing as her interiors – and teamed up with Italian rug brand CC-Tapis to create six designs.

PROJECTS The team is currently focusing on projects in New York and Hampshire. // fayetoogood.com

FRAN HICKMAN DESIGN & INTERIORS STUDIO Fran heads up a team of six designers and an architect based in north-west London.

STYLE The look is bespoke and highly tailored, with a sense of restraint. That said, Fran knows when a bit of leopard print is just the thing a room needs.

ADDED INSIGHT Fran’s approach to design is informed by good stints at Soho House, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler and Waldo Works. // franhickman.com

F R A N C I S S U L TA N A STUDIO There are six other designers working with Francis in his St James’s studio.

Passionately philanthropic, Francis has worked with the Victoria and Albert Museum and the NSPCC, and is the ambassador of culture for Malta (he grew up in Gozo).

STYLE Gutsy, unique and at times outrageous. Francis’s interiors are inextricably linked to the designers and artists he works with at the David Gill Gallery, SW1, where he is the artistic director.

PROJECTS Francis and his team currently have around 15 projects on the go, including a Herefordshire country estate and several family homes in New York.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘Valentin Loellmann’s sculptural furniture is so fresh and exciting, and I love his use of bronze and brass. Each piece feels like a drawing that has come to life. This is “Cabinet/2016” (from £20,000; valentinloellmann.de). I have used his work in all my current projects – I’m slightly obsessed.’ // francissultana.com

COLIN ORCHARD STUDIO Colin and his design team work from his studio in SW3.

STYLE Best known for his country houses, Colin can create grand and gracious interiors whatever the setting.

ADDED INSIGHT Colin trained under the great Imogen Taylor when he worked at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler – his decorating ‘finishing school’.

PROJECTS Decorating commissions underway for Colin at the moment range from a prestigious mansion in New York to a newbuild townhouse in Sydney. // info@colinorchard.com

STUDIO Directors Anthony Collett and Andrzej Zarzycki joined forces in 1988 and now run a studio of six.

STYLE Bold, beautiful and architectural. They have a talent for using colour in exciting and abstract ways.

ADDED INSIGHT Several of the furniture designs by this creative studio are sold through The Invisible Collection.

It has also designed door furniture for Joseph Giles and rugs with Christopher Farr. // collett-zarzycki.com 38 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

PAUL MASSEY

COLLETTZ A R Z YC K I

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

GUY G O ODF E L L OW

HUGH LESLIE DESIGN

STUDIO Guy’s team of 10 includes four interior designers and three architects.

STYLE Perfectly English decorating rooted in tradition. Guy studied architecture and is fluent in classical detail.

ADDED INSIGHT Guy’s own fabrics – his ‘Fez Weave’ is perhaps the best known – are stocked in his charming showroom in Langton Street, SW10.

PROJECTS The studio is currently working on a Grade I-listed house in London, a Palladian villa in Battersea and also a Georgian country house in Oxfordshire. // guygoodfellow.com

STUDIO Chelsea-based Hugh works with two assistants and an architect.

STYLE Sophisticated and elegant, with varied historical references combining to create a timeless look.

ADDED INSIGHT Hugh trained at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler and worked for John Stefanidis and Mlinaric, Henry and Zervudachi – a fine pedigree.

PROJECTS The studio has an international focus – recent work has included a house in Zurich and waterfront home in Maine, along with several projects closer to home in London. // hughleslie.com

BELOW LEFT The kitchen in this K&H Design project features Rose Uniacke’s ‘Plaster Cone’ pendants and Svenskt Tenn fabrics on the chairs BOTTOM RIGHT Fabrics, furniture and quirky colour are teamed expertly

by Kate Guinness

J OA N NA WO O D STUDIO Joanna leads a team of 14, including a mix of interior architects and designers, in her Belgravia studio.

STYLE Joanna has always been determined not to have a specific look, but her studio certainly excels at creating striking contemporary residences.

PROJECTS Recent months have seen them undertaking work on a house in a Gloucestershire village, as well as a flat in London. // joannawood.com

JR DESIGN STUDIO Jane Ormsby Gore works with three designers in her team of six.

STYLE The studio has a wonderful understanding of what makes a house work, a room comfortable and a detail absolutely sing.

ADDED INSIGHT Jane’s career and life is nothing if not storied – from her partying with The Rolling Stones and working at Vogue in the Sixties to honing her eye with the renowned antique dealer Christopher Gibbs. // jrdesign.org

K AT E G U I N N E S S STUDIO Kate works with two other designers in a studio of four people.

STYLE She is adept at creating mood and atmosphere, with an eclectic mix of fabrics and classic furniture shapes.

ADDED INSIGHT Kate started at JR Design, after working in costume and set design for theatre and opera.

PROJECTS Recent work includes a Grade II-listed Georgian farmhouse in Wiltshire and a castle in Yorkshire.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I love Katherine Lloyd’s shell lamps (“Nassa Lamp”, £780; katherinelloyd.co.uk). They are made to order, so you can have something bespoke.’ // kateguinness.co.uk

- N EW E N T RY -

STUDIO Katie Glaister and Henry Miller-Robinson have five designers and architects working with them at their studio in west London.

STYLE There is a confident feel to their interiors, from the choice of materials to the use of pattern. Expect a huge amount of detail.

ADDED INSIGHT Katie and Henry’s different backgrounds feed into their design approach: Katie worked in marketing and sales and Henry in commercial construction.

PROJECTS The studio’s recent work has included a loft apartment in Knightsbridge, a house in Notting Hill and a duplex apartment in Belgravia. // kandhdesign.co.uk 40 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

DEAN HEARNE; SEBASTIAN BÖTTCHER

K&H DESIGN

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The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

LOUISE JONES INTERIORS

MARTIN HULBERT DESIGN

STUDIO There is a team of eight, six of whom are designers.

STYLE A reputation for interiors that are beautifully executed, with a particular feel for the traditional.

ADDED INSIGHT Incredibly varied, from lavishly decorated in the country to sleek and minimal in the city – and the finish is always excellent.

PROJECTS Louise and her team have long-standing relationships with their clients, often working on several houses for them as they move on or buy second homes. Recently, the team’s talent has been admired by the delighted owners of a Scottish estate, a holiday house in Turkey and a townhouse in London. // louisejonesinteriors.com

STUDIO The team of six designers is headed up by Martin Hulbert and Jay Grierson in their south London studio.

STYLE Gentle and elegant and not a bit of glitz or showing off – apart from the interiors of Nobu Monte Carlo restaurant in Monaco, perhaps.

ADDED INSIGHT Particularly known for commercial projects, such as Grove of Narberth hotel and the Chewton Glen Treehouse Suites.

ENDORSEMENT ‘At the start of the project, I spent too much time saying, “No”. If I did it again, I would hand it all over to Martin.’ Client, April 2018 PROJECTS These include a London flat, a house in Pisa and a large property on Corfu. // martinhulbertdesign.com

STUDIO Set up in 2011 by Jo leGleud and Scott Maddux, who head a team of seven in their south London office.

STYLE A rambunctious mix of wit and beautifully designed pieces combined with a clever use of space.

ADDED INSIGHT They love to collaborate with the mural painter Isabelle Day. ‘She is our secret weapon – a gentle soul who works her magic to finesse everything,’ says Scott.

ENDORSEMENT ‘There is something really “wow” about their work.

They are fun but not frivolous and bold but very elegant.’ Tim Butcher, creative director, Fromental PROJECTS The team is currently working round the world – from a house in Highgate to a newbuild in Mustique. // madduxcreative.com 42 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

N ATA L I A M I YA R AT E L I E R STUDIO Natalia heads up a design team of 14, which includes interior architects as well as interior and furniture designers.

STYLE Sharp and tailored, with luxurious textures and finishes. Natalia has a knack for spatial planning, befitting her architectural background.

ADDED INSIGHT Having worked for architecture practices in the US for almost a decade, Natalia moved to London in 2007. She spent more than six years at Helen Green Design before setting up on her own.

PROJECTS The team has been busy working on penthouses, apartments, chalets and villas in London, New York, France and Spain. // nataliamiyar.com

MAX ROLLITT

NICOLA HARDING & CO

STUDIO Max has four designers in his interior-design team and more working on the antiques side of the business.

STYLE His projects are antiquarian tours de force, but he uses colours that make them feel fresh for the 21st century.

ADDED INSIGHT Passionate about patina and proportion, Max also designs furniture, which he sells alongside a handsome selection of antiques from his Hampshire showroom.

ENDORSEMENT ‘Every decision that Max made turned out to be absolutely spot on.’ Client, October 2019 PROJECTS Max currently has a villa on the south coast and a country house in Hertfordshire, as well as a mansion in New England, all in various stages of development. // maxrollitt.com

STUDIO There are 16 designers working with creative director Nicola Harding from her base in west London.

STYLE A distinctive approach to melding the contemporary and the classic to create interiors that feel perfectly right for the 21st-century home. Nicola has a great eye for just the right unusual piece or colour to make a room sing.

ENDORSEMENT ‘When people walk into our house, they get a sense that it is our place. That is down to Nicola’s art of listening and understanding.’ Client, June 2019 PROJECTS Of late, the team has undertaken a Notting Hill Arts and Crafts villa, a Thames-side Victorian mansion and a timber-framed eco newbuild in Surrey. // nicolaharding.com

MELISSA WYNDHAM INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO The four-strong design team has been run by Vanessa Macdonald since 2015 and is based in Chelsea.

STYLE Consistently elegant – perfect for those who want a sophisticated, grown-up interior.

PROJECTS Chalets in Verbier and Courchevel, a farmhouse in Hampshire and apartments in London and New York are testament to the studio’s worldwide focus and popularity beyond the UK. // melissawyndham.com

PAUL MASSEY; MICHAEL SINCLAIR

MADDUX C R E AT I V E

BELOW LEFT Contemporary sitting-room drama from the Maddux Creative team BOTTOM A dining room/ library designed

by Nicola Harding

JULIAN CHICHESTER

JULI AN CH ICH ESTER . COM london

| new york | atlanta

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

OLIVIA OUTRED STUDIO

R A B I H H AG E

STUDIO Working with a team of four, Olivia (below) set up her Notting Hill studio in 2014.

STYLE She has a wonderfully fresh eye and great colour sense, and chooses a diverse mix of pieces that work brilliantly together.

ADDED INSIGHT Olivia learnt her trade from the very best, starting at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler as an assistant to Philip Hooper before moving to Soane.

ENDORSEMENT ‘Olivia is so efficient and calm – and everything is beautifully finished. I wish I changed houses every week in order to have the experience of working with her.’ Client, January 2020 PROJECTS The studio’s work has been largely in London, with projects ranging from a Victorian house to a newbuild and a listed villa.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘Alfred Newall’s bespoke “Bobbin Side Table” from The New Craftsmen (£1,020; thenewcraftsmen.com) is brilliantly versatile as a bedside table, shelves or a hall console, and comes in several colours. I’m hooked.’ // oliviaoutred.com

STUDIO There are five other designers working with Chelsea-based Rabih.

STYLE Architectural, intellectually rigorous and exciting. Rabih creates environments in which good art and iconic designs can look their best.

ADDED INSIGHT In 2013, Rabih was awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite Chevalier for his services to design.

PROJECTS Currently, holiday villas in Finland, a residential development in Liverpool and houses in Belgravia and Belsize Park. // rabih-hage.com

OLIVIA has a fresh eye and great C OLOUR SENSE , and chooses a d i v e rs e m i x o f P I E C E S t h a t w o rk br i lli an tl y toge the r

R AC H E L CHUDLEY STUDIO Rachel now heads a team of six, half of whom are designers.

STYLE Wonderfully offbeat without a sense of trying too hard. Thanks to her distinctive point of view, it comes across as effortless. Rachel often collaborates with her father-in-law – the American paint specialist Donald Kaufman – to develop dramatic colours.

ENDORSEMENT ‘Rachel oozes pure enthusiasm in everything she does, which is delightfully infectious.’ Lucy Tudhope, client. // rachelchudley.com

RETROUVIUS STUDIO Led by Maria Speake, the team numbers 10 (plus three dogs).

STYLE Layered, textured and idiosyncratic. The ingenious incorporation of reused items never ceases to surprise.

ADDED INSIGHT Maria is very keen on commissioning bespoke elements – from laser-etched oak panels by Daniel Heath to curtains handstitched together from vintage fabrics by Lucy Bathurst of Nest. // retrouvius.com

R I TA KO N I G STUDIO Rita heads up a team of four.

STYLE Comfortable, soft-edged and always charming.

ADDED INSIGHT Rita runs one-day workshops from her home in Notting Hill, guiding participants through the essential details of the design process.

PROJECTS The team takes on a mix of residential and commercial projects across England and the US, currently including a New York townhouse and a newbuild in Tennessee. //ritakonig.com 44 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

RIVIÈRE INTERIORS STUDIO Led by Robert and Josyane Young, the studio was incorporated into Robert Young Antiques in 1983.

STYLE The houses they design may evoke a bygone period, but they are expert at subtly introducing the comforts of the present day.

PROJECTS The studio’s recent portfolio comprises a historic bergerie in Provence, two listed Georgian interiors and several other houses in London. // robertyoungantiques.com

S A LV E S E N GRAHAM STUDIO Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham head up a team of nine.

STYLE In their gentle, harmonious and very English interiors, particularly good use is made of patterned fabrics.

ADDED INSIGHT As well as designing products for brands such as The Lacquer Company, David Seyfried and Jennifer Manners, Nicole and Mary run informative one-day workshops on the design process. // salvesengraham.com

SAMANTHA TODHUNTER DESIGN STUDIO Founder Samantha Todhunter captains a four-person team. She has also designed pieces for Collier Webb and The Rug Company.

STYLE There is no shortage of flair here, with Samantha’s gift for introducing a bit of pizzazz by using an unlikely colour or pattern choice.

PROJECTS The team works in the UK and internationally. A Notting Hill villa, a San Francisco townhouse and a listed barn in Dorset are all part of its recent remit. // samanthatodhunter.com

SARAH DELANEY DESIGN STUDIO Sarah has been in the industry for more than 15 years and works with three designers and an architect.

STYLE She brings interiors up to date with wit and a careful eye for balance. Nothing is overdone.

PROJECTS Most recently, Sarah’s work has mainly been located in London and the Cotswolds, and has involved commissions that range from townhouses to manors. // sarahdelaneydesign.co.uk

ABOVE Flea market finds are mixed with contemporary commissions in this Sarah Delaney project RIGHT Playful touches and plenty of texture in a sitting room designed by Studio Duggan

SOPHIA SPRING; ALEXANDER JAMES; MICHAEL SINCLAIR

SIGMAR STUDIO Swede Ebba Thott heads up a team of three designers in west London.

STYLE Offers a cool, restrained and minutely detailed base with top notes of mid-century chic.

ADDED INSIGHT Sigmar also has a shop on the King’s Road, SW3, which is run by co-founder Nina Hertig. This sells a mix of contemporary and midcentury design. //sigmarlondon.com

STUDIO DUGGAN STUDIO Headed up by Tiffany Duggan, the 11-member team has recently moved into a new showroom in Notting Hill.

STYLE Fun, modern and glamorous decorating.

ADDED INSIGHT Last September, Studio Duggan launched its new lifestyle brand, Trove, with an elegant debut bedroom collection.

PROJECTS A newbuild in Hertfordshire, a Grade II-listed property in Henley and a Palladian villa in Hampstead are on the go. // studioduggan.com HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 45

House & Garden Top 100 - 2020 - N EW E N T RY -

T H U R S TA N STUDIO James Thurstan Waterworth (below) has five designers and an architect working with him at his studio, which was established in 2018.

STYLE Carefully considered and not overburdened with too much stuff. However, what is there is always striking.

ADDED INSIGHT James honed his eye working as a designer for Martin Brudnizki and Soho House. He also sells a beautifully curated selection of antique pieces – mainly mid-century – through his website.

PROJECTS A 17th-century masseria in Italy, a newbuild in Greece and various jobs in the UK are underway, including properties for the Duke of Somerset’s estates.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘Carl Aubock’s brass hooks from Sigmar (“Hook 4994”, £230; sigmarlondon.com) are a wonderful example of how to make a mundane product into a beautiful and interesting piece. We are currently using them in projects that range from Portuguese hotels to Georgian family homes.’ // thurstandesign.com

LEFT Susie Atkinson is known for her textured modern interiors BOTTOM LEFT A bedroom designed by Suzy Hoodless

S U S I E AT K I N S O N STUDIO Susie works with a team of two designers from her Fulham base.

STYLE Clean, contemporary and colourful, with a clever use of texture.

ADDED INSIGHT Susie has worked on several Soho House properties, and was once an assistant to Chester Jones.

PROJECTS The studio takes on about five projects at a time. At the moment these include a penthouse in Soho, a Chelsea townhouse and a Thirties motor yacht. // susieatkinson.com

T h u r s t a n’ s s i g n a t u r e STYLE is carefully CONSIDERED and n o t o v e r b u rd e n e d w i t h too much STUFF

46 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SOPHIA SPRING; SIMON BROWN; PAUL MASSEY

SUZY HOODLESS STUDIO Based in west London, Suzy’s team numbers three project managers, a design assistant and a studio manager.

STYLE Engaging, colour-saturated interiors in which 20th- and 21st-century pieces mingle unfettered by rules.

ADDED INSIGHT Suzy started out as an interiors stylist – she did a stint at House & Garden before working for five years at Wallpaper*.

PROJECTS Commissions in progress include an apartment in Mayfair, a 3,000-square-metre house in Hampstead and a listed Georgian house in Shropshire. // suzyhoodless.com

ON A BIGGER SCALE If the names mentioned earlier on this list are like independent boutiques, then the ones that follow should be considered the smartest of department stores. You can expect a wide range of in-house professionals – from architects and furniture designers to landscape architects.

Some of them even have their own building teams

48 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

FROM LEFT Kate Earle and Emily Todhunter of Todhunter Earle Interiors, Bryan O’Sullivan, Sophie Ashby, Claire Sa and Max de Rosee of De Rosee Sa, and Peter Mikic. All furniture shown is available from Modernity at 14 Cavendish Square (modernity.se)

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

B E N P E N T R E AT H

HUBERT ZANDBERG INTERIORS

STUDIO Ben Pentreath, Rob Illingworth and Rupert Cunningham are the directors of this architecturally focused studio, which has three interior designers.

STYLE English, historical and grown-up on the architectural side of the business, while things get more playful when it comes to decorating, particularly in terms of colour.

ADDED INSIGHT Ben is one of the architectural designers working on the Prince of Wales’ model village, Poundbury in Dorset, and is involved with Knockroon, a development on the edge of the Dumfries House Estate, supported by The Prince’s Foundation.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I love the boldness of this “Timbuktu” fabric (shown in thorn apple). It is part of Soane’s recent collection with the incredibly talented fashion designer Duro Olowu (£260 a metre; soane.com). I’m thinking about using it to upholster an armchair in a family manor house in Gloucestershire.’ // benpentreath.com

STUDIO The 17-person team includes six interior architects and eight interior designers led by Hubert Zandberg.

STYLE An appealing eclecticism, which combines vintage, industrial, exotic and contemporary elements in ways that make a room feel truly unique.

ADDED INSIGHT Hubert, who grew up in the semi-arid Karoo region of South Africa, is an inveterate collector – he filled his first cabinet of curiosities with stones and feathers at the age of four – and his work reflects this passion.

PROJECTS From Georgian houses to beach villas, the studio currently has over 20 jobs on the go. // hzinteriors.com

MARTIN BRUDNIZKI DESIGN STUDIO

B R YA N O ’ S U L L I VA N STUDIO This London-based studio founded in 2013 is growing fast, with a New York office recently set up. The 20-strong team includes 19 designers.

STYLE Clean-lined and contemporary with a knack for combining interesting surface materials for a luxurious feel.

ADDED INSIGHT The Irish designer’s background in interiors is impeccable, including stints at David Collins Studio, Martin Brudnizki and Luis Laplace. // bos-studio.com 50 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

DE ROSEE SA STUDIO Max de Rosee and Claire Sa are RIBA-accredited architects, who co-founded this Notting Hill-based practice in 2007. There are 11 designers and architects on the team.

STYLE Expect them to get the spatial design – and the way that a house works – just right, complemented by a gentle approach to furniture and decoration.

PROJECTS While the studio’s most recent work has been based in London, it has also just taken on a commercial project in Portugal. // deroseesa.com

PAO L O MOSCHINO FOR NICHOLAS HASLAM STUDIO Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen lead a team of 36 staff at this interior design studio.

STYLE Whether a property happens to be in the country or the city, they will create an elegant space that has just the right amount of drama.

ADDED INSIGHT There are three highly successful showrooms, all with pieces designed or sourced by Paolo.

PROJECTS Recent briefs have included a penthouse in Miami and chalets in Gstaad, as well as a new commission to revamp a hotel in Sicily for Rocco Forte Hotels. // nicholashaslam.com

PAUL MASSEY

LEFT The bathroom of a Georgian house in London, reconfigured and decorated

by Ben Pentreath

STUDIO With offices in both London and New York, there are more than 65 designers on the team at MBDS. STYLE Old-school glamour – particularly early 20th century and art deco – with a Scandinavian twist.

ADDED INSIGHT Five years ago, Martin set up, with Nicholas Jeanes, the furniture and product design studio And Objects, which has collaborated with the likes of Christopher Farr Cloth.

PROJECTS The majority of work is commercial (including Annabel’s in London), but select private residential commissions are taken on. // mbds.com

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

PETER MIKIC STUDIO Director Peter Mikic leads a 17-strong team – 14 of whom are designers – from his London office.

STYLE Peter does modern, energetic and confident, with the skill to dial the fabulous up or down as required.

ADDED INSIGHT You get a sense of his avant-garde glamour through his made-to-order furniture and lighting.

PROJECTS Diverse work is underway and includes a 16th-century Jacobean manor house in Sussex, an 18th-century chateau in St Tropez and a newbuild in Ibiza. // petermikic.com

EMMA is known for creating peaceful E NG L I S H inter iors and a pared-back approach to C O U N T RY- H O U S E s t y l e

R O S E U N I AC K E STUDIO Based on Pimlico Road, SW1, Rose works with a team of 33, which includes eight interior designers.

STYLE Elegant, calm, restrained yet undeniably glamorous. There is nothing superfluous and very little pattern, but everything is beautiful in itself.

ADDED INSIGHT The shop sells a mix of antique, vintage and contemporary, including the RU Editions collection of furniture, lighting and accessories, and Rose’s fabrics. // roseuniacke.com

STUDIO Shalini has a core team of eight designers plus four non designers in her studio on Lonsdale Road, NW6.

STYLE Forensically detailed and perfectly finished. Shalini is a trained architect and likes to think big. She also makes great use of a retinue of artisan specialists she has worked with for years.

PROJECTS The studio takes on a mix of both commercial and residential work, with recent output ranging from a luxury property in Mayfair to a New Delhi farmhouse. // shalinimisra.com 52 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

ABOVE LEFT Rose Uniacke’s interiors are typified by their elegant restraint

SIMS HILDITCH STUDIO Emma Sims-Hilditch (above) heads up the team that includes 12 designers, and is based in a beautiful converted 17th-century pub in the Cotswolds.

STYLE The Sims Hilditch studio is known for creating peaceful English interiors and bringing a pared-back approach to country-house style.

ADDED INSIGHT Creativity is a family business – Emma’s husband John is the co-founder of furniture and interiors accessories firm Neptune and their daughter, Daisy, is an up-and-coming portrait and landscape artist.

PROJECTS At any one time, the studio can be working on 10-15 projects at different stages of design development. These currently include a beach house in Guernsey and a classical property in Perthshire.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘We recently bought some of artist Jane McCall’s lampshades (from £60 each; bloomsburyrevisited.co.uk) for our Cornish beach house. Inspired by Charleston Farmhouse, they look fantastic and are unique.’ // simshilditch.com

SOPHIA SPRING; LUCAS ALLEN

SHALINI MISRA

1 94 E B U RY S T R E E T B E LG R AV I A LO N D O N S W 1 W 8 U P

+ 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 03 328 95 0 6

W W W.COX LO N D O N .CO M

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

TAY L O R H O W E S STUDIO Based in Knightsbridge, the team of 30 includes 26 designers and is headed up by Karen Howes, who is the co-founder and chief executive.

STYLE Smart, tailored interiors with lashings of hard-edged glitz for a wellheeled international clientele.

PROJECTS From an apartment in Bangladesh to a penthouse in Vietnam, a newbuild in the Cotswolds and a Soho hotel, it is a busy time for the Taylor Howes team. // taylorhowes.co.uk

STUDIO Creative director Sophie Ashby set up her studio in 2013 and she now leads a team of 12 other designers.

STYLE Fun, modern and dynamic, with a great feel for colour and an appreciation of the decorative power of good art and a really good rug.

ADDED INSIGHT Sophie spent four years of her childhood in South Africa, which she says gave her the ‘easy sense of colour’ that can be seen in her work.

PROJECTS Studio Ashby has been working mostly in London on projects such as a family house in Richmond and a penthouse in Covent Garden. // studioashby.com

ABOVE A bold and colourful panelled space

by Studio Ashby BELOW LEFT Studio Reed’s schemes focus on craft, utility and texture RIGHT A typically clean and contemporary look from TH2 Designs

- N EW E N T RY -

TH2 DESIGNS STUDIO Directors Gail Taylor and Sheila El Hadery are supported by five other designers on this 15-strong team.

STYLE Smart, sharp, modern interiors with enough detail to add interest and enough space for the client to add their own individual mark.

ADDED INSIGHT The firm’s furniture collection includes well-priced pieces.

PROJECTS The team is working on a Regency property in Blackheath, a sixbedroom family home in London and a flat in Chelsea. // th2designs.co.uk

THORP DESIGN

STUDIO REED STUDIO Established by Jonathan Reed in 1996, the studio now numbers more than 30, including 10 architectural designers and 10 furnishing designers.

STYLE Carefully curated and handcrafted. This studio is renowned for the way that it involves artisans, artists and makers to create distinctive, one-off interiors favoured by rock stars and royalty alike.

ADDED INSIGHT Jonathan’s earliest interior design commissions were showrooms for Ralph Lauren and Hackett, and there remains a rugged masculinity to his work.

PROJECTS Commissions for penthouses in Mayfair and Westminster are in the wings for the studio, as well as a beach house in Cornwall. // studioreed.com 54 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

STUDIO From her Chelsea office, Philippa Thorp heads up a team of 14, including architects as well as interior and landscape designers.

STYLE Whether it is a country house, a pied-à-terre or a retreat in Thailand, Philippa’s look is impossible to pigeonhole – but you will get a certain elegance and sense of sophistication.

PROJECTS The team has been busy with a flat in Miami, country houses in Oxfordshire and Hampshire, and a mews property in London. // thorp.co.uk

PAUL MASSEY; TOM MANNION/AD FRANCE, REALISATION: MARIE KALT; TH2DESIGNSPHOTOGRAPHY

STUDIO ASHBY

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

WA L D O W O R K S

LEFT The hall of a Surrey Arts and Crafts villa by Todhunter Earle Interiors BOTTOM LEFT Tailored glamour

by Turner Pocock

STUDIO Tom Bartlett (below), Sasha von Meister and Andrew Treverton are the directors of this studio, which employs some 12 designers and architects.

PROJECTS Waldo Works currently has around 12 projects in the pipeline, including the refurbishment of a villa on Mustique and a country house in the Cotswolds.

STYLE A truly modern outlook – projects have pleasing quirks without completely turning their back on the lessons of the past. The studio has a particularly strong architectural point of view.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I really like how the “Arca Chandelier” by Philippe Malouin for Matter Made ($15,050; mattermade.us) reinterprets a very grand chandelier into a set of simple lines and globes,’ says Tom. ‘Philippe consistently designs products that are in one sense strict, but always have a sense of joy or wit. We are currently suspending two of them in the huge library of a project in the Austrian Tyrol – hopefully their scale will fill the centre of the room.’ // waldoworks.com

TODHUNTER EARLE INTERIORS STUDIO Emily Todhunter and Kate Earle have been in the industry for more than 20 years; their team now numbers 16, including nine designers.

STYLE Very tailored and very versatile.

This impressive studio has experience with modern and historical houses alike.

PROJECTS Works in progress include a Dorset newbuild, an Irish castle, an Arts and Crafts manor and an 11-bedroom country house. // todhunterearle.com

STUDIO A team of 11 , which includes nine designers, is headed up by Bunny Turner and Emma Pocock, who set up this London-based firm in 2007.

STYLE This studio makes its mark with punchy colours, excellent joinery and notably good lighting.

PROJECTS A variety of exciting briefs are on the go, including an estate in Berkshire, a terraced family home in London and a ski chalet in Val d’Isère. // turnerpocock.co.uk 56 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SOPHIA SPRING; ALICIA TAYLOR; PAUL MASSEY

TURNER POCOCK

COLLIER WEBB

HANDCRAFTED IN ENGLAND

Mini Shitake Lamp – part of the new Portable Collection

68 Pimlico Road London SW1W 8LS l Second Floor South Dome Design Centre Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XE

www.collierwebb.com Part of The Edward Alexander Group

THE GREATS There are a few interior designers whose reputations transcend the world of decoration and who have become recognisable figures within the broader cultural landscape.

Others have challenged and redefined the rules of design and taste, and created a new way of shaping the places we call home. It is no surprise that many of the names in the previous sections trained at the following design studios

58 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

FROM LEFT Piers von Westenholz, Alidad, Nina Campbell, David Mlinaric, Veere Grenney, John Minshaw, Robert Kime, Roger Jones and Emma Burns of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, Nicky Haslam, and Wendy Nicholls and Philip Hooper of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. All furniture shown available from Modernity at 14 Cavendish Square (modernity.se)

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020 LEFT The walls of Alidad’s London sitting room are handpainted with an Islamic design

J O H N M I N S H AW STUDIO John (below) has been working as a designer for more than 40 years. He is based in London and Oxfordshire and captains a team of four. He has a great network of freelance specialists, too, all of whom have worked with him for at least five years.

Also involved is John’s wife Susie, whom he describes as ‘the one I can do nothing without’.

STYLE ‘As a practice, we are very architectural: we’re not cushion plumpers,’ John once stated. His interiors are pared back and sharp; think texture rather than pattern. A particular strength is giving a contemporary but appropriate treatment to older buildings.

ADDED INSIGHT John has had a lifelong love affair with the arts, studying under the painter Frank Auerbach and the ceramicists Lucie Rie and Hans Coper. He continues to paint in a studio he designed in the grounds of his house in Oxfordshire.

PROJECTS John does not take on a huge number of projects each year – ‘two at a push,’ he says. Most recently, he has completed a 26,000-square-foot newbuild in the Channel Islands and a Queen Anne manor house in Sussex. // johnminshawdesigns.com

A L I DA D STUDIO Alidad heads up a team of 12, including three interior designers and three architectural designers.

STYLE Lavishly detailed, layered and exotic, influenced by a childhood in Iran. Alidad cut his teeth as a specialist in Islamic art and textiles at Sotheby’s.

ADDED INSIGHT Alidad also offers informative masterclass days at his opulent f lat in Mayfair, designed to help those working on their own homes.

PROJECTS At the moment, Alidad’s commissions include a private villa in Croatia, a 19th-century house in London and a 19th-century apartment in Paris. // alidad.com

STUDIO David has been designing interiors since leaving The Bartlett School of Architecture in 1960. He now works with one assistant on an array of projects for clients both new and old.

STYLE Ranges from clean and contemporary to rich and historically correct.

His cue is the building itself. Restraint, balance and an almost unparalleled eye for beauty underpins his interiors.

ADDED INSIGHT This resolutely self-effacing designer’s contribution to interior design in the late 20th century is considerable. Published in 2008, his book Mlinaric on Decorating (Frances Lincoln) is still essential reading for anyone interested in the subject.

PROJECTS Helping turn Admiralty Arch on The Mall, SW1, into a hotel is a vast project now taking up plenty of David’s time, but he is also working on a large Robert Adam house in the Welsh Borders and parts of Rothschild-built Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire. // martin@davidmlinaric.com 60 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SOPHIA SPRING; SIMON BROWN

D AV I D MLINARIC

Vispring makes supremely comfortable beds, and has done since 1901.

Only the finest natural materials, inside and out.

Designed for durability. Crafted for comfort.

Made for the very best sleep.

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

Thank s to the DIVERSE STYLE S of MHZ’s principal d e s i g n e r s, y o u c a n e x p e c t C R E AT I V I T Y a n d i n c r e d i b l e S O P H I S T I CAT I O N

NICKY HASLAM

M L I NA R I C , H E N RY & Z E RV U DAC H I STUDIO Versions of this renowned practice have been going since 1964 when it was established as David Mlinaric, later taking on Hugh Henry (above) and Tino Zervudachi, who became partners. Today, there are also associated offices in New York, Paris and London, the latter of which has eight designers led by Hugh, Tino, Jason Roberts and Laurence Macadam.

STYLE What can’t this studio do? Its portfolio includes grand country in England, cool and restrained in Japan, controlled glitz in New York and earthy in Austria.

Thanks to the diverse styles of the principal designers, you can expect creativity and incredible sophistication – whatever your style.

PROJECTS Currently, MHZ has more than a dozen projects on the go in locations ranging from a chalet in Gstaad to a 17th-century house in London’s Covent Garden and a barn conversion in Berkshire. // mhzlondon.com 62 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

TOP RIGHT A green theme with plenty of stripes in a dining room by Nicky Haslam ABOVE RIGHT The inimitable Nina Campbell’s take on a glamorous apartment in New York

NINA CAMPBELL STUDIO Design doyenne Nina Campbell has a team of 20 behind her, which includes five designers.

STYLE Tailored, layered, elegant and always deeply comfortable.

ADDED INSIGHT Nina is unstoppable – with six books to her name, twice yearly fabric/wallpaper launches with Osborne & Little, and shops on Walton Street, SW3, and at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour selling her own ranges.

PROJECTS These include commercial jobs and houses in Brooklyn and Tuscany. // ninacampbellinteriors.com

SOPHIA SPRING; SIMON UPTON; JOSHUA MCHUGH FROM NINA CAMPBELL INTERIOR DECORATION: ELEGANCE AND EASE BY NINA CAMPBELL AND GILES KIME (RIZZOLI, £45)

STUDIO Nicky runs his projects through Studio QD, set up in 2015 by acolytes Jena Quinn and Lucy Derbyshire.

STYLE Theatrical, opulent and original – rooted in traditional English decorating.

ADDED INSIGHT Last year was a busy one for Nicky, with an exhibition of his design drawings, a book – The Impatient Pen: Printed Matter (Zuleika, £22.99) – as well as cabaret performances at The Pheasantry, SW3, and his 80th birthday.

PROJECTS He has three London jobs on the go, with a clientele that remains a hush-hush who’s who. // studio-qd.com

Design that lasts a lifetime

The House & Garden Top 100 – 2020

V E E R E G R E N N E Y A S S O C I AT E S STUDIO Veere Grenney (below) heads up a design team of 10, including two architects and five designers.

STYLE The studio creates serene settings based on, but not beholden to, the traditions of classical decorating.

ADDED INSIGHT Veere’s big break came when he apprenticed for Mary Fox Linton and David Hicks in the early Eighties. ‘Mary was an extraordinary teacher and David a sort of god. It was the best education,’ he says.

PROJECTS Townhouses in London and New York, and an apartment in Tel Aviv. // veeregrenney.com

ROBERT KIME STUDIO Robert heads up a team of five – including three designers – between a showroom in Ebury Street, SW1, and his head office in Marlborough.

STYLE For Robert it is about ‘putting rooms together’ – rooms that are filled with interesting and beautiful antiques as well as glorious textiles and rugs. His layered, looks-as-though-it-has-alwaysbeen-so aesthetic is hugely influential.

ADDED INSIGHT In his foreword to the 2015 book Robert Kime (Frances Lincoln, £40), Prince Charles noted, ‘You often hear of people who are said to have “a good eye”, but Robert Kime’s must surely be one of the best.’

PROJECTS The studio is working on around 16 projects across Europe, and Robert’s fabrics and antiques side of the business supplies many of those featured in House & Garden’s Top 100 Interior Designers. // robertkime.com

STUDIO Now operating with more than 30 employees, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler was founded in the Thirties, which makes it the longest established interior-decorating firm in Britain. It has eight interior decorators, including Emma Burns, Wendy Nicholls, Roger Jones and Philip Hooper, each running their own teams and projects.

STYLE Can be contemporary or traditional, depending on the client, but it is always executed to perfection. Think balanced and layered, with plenty of specialist painted finishes.

PROJECTS The studio has numerous works underway, including a modernist ski lodge outside Vancouver, a house in Kuwait and a 19th-century townhouse in Belgravia. // sibylcolefax.com 64 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

TOP LEFT A gingham canopied bed at Swangrove in Gloucestershire, decorated by Robert Kime

WESTENHOLZ ANTIQUES & I N T E R I O R D E C O R AT I O N STUDIO Piers von Westenholz is based in Hertfordshire and works with his daughter Victoria, also an interior designer, who is based in London.

STYLE Traditional English country-house decorating for today, underpinned by Piers’ deep knowledge and eye for antiques.

ADDED INSIGHT Piers’ former shop on Pimlico Road, SW1, was a mecca for those looking for beautiful things – he has been described as ‘an improver of English taste’.

PROJECTS A villa in Rome, a Victorian house in Chiswick and a castle in Scotland are just some of the projects happening at the moment. // westenholz.co.uk

SOPHIA SPRING; FRITZ VON DER SCHULENBURG/THE INTERIOR ARCHIVE

S I B Y L C O L E FA X & J OH N F OW L E R

VAUGHAN 020 7349 4600 vaughandesigns.com

Shoreham Table Lamp

E M I LY RICKARD

SOURCE OF STYLE Sustainability is at the heart of the vintage online marketplace VINTERIOR.CO, which promotes recycling, reusing and reloving of stylish furniture.

Two interior designers, who are passionate about responsible design, share their edit from Vinterior’s expertly curated array of mid-century treasures

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT French butcher’s block.

1960’s Temde teak ceiling lamp. Dutch rattan and wood sideboard

by Rohé Noordwolde.

One of a pair of Jindrich Halabala bentwood armchairs.

Bouclé and suede sectional sofa by Cor Germany. All products available from Vinterior.co.

Emily’s project in Brooklyn

HOUSE & GARDEN PARTNERSHIP

FRAN HICKMAN

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT A Vinyl Factory loft in Soho by Fran. Togo set Ducaroy for Ligne Roset.

Brass mirror by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn.

Anglo-Japanese fire screen by EW Godwin.

Cocoon table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962.

Wassily chair

by Marcel Breuer for Gavina. Max Ingrand Pendant light for FontanaArte

EMILY RICKARD Based in Bristol, Emily takes a personal approach to her projects, with a focus on unique, ethical and long-lasting design. Describing her style as a seamless pairing of old and new with a touch of modern bohemian, the interior designer and stylist has a flair for colour and often makes bold design choices that bring rooms alive. Sustainable design is a key principle of her studio, where her team strives to use local materials and up-and-coming artisans wherever possible. Emily’s time in New York always brings a certain edge to projects, and her team’s travels often inspire new ideas, products and materials. emily-rickard.com FRAN HICKMAN Having previously worked for Soho House Group, Fran Hickman set up on her own just over six years ago and has quickly become highly sought-after.

Her projects are at the top end of the market and include the revamp of a Richard Meier house in the Hamptons, the Knightsbridge shop of Emilia Wickstead and a members’ club in Mayfair. Each of Fran’s designs is a creative response to the relationship between people and spaces, and the feelings that a place can evoke. With offices in both London and New York, the studio reduces, reuses and recycles all its materials in-house and is continuously upgrading its sustainability efforts. franhickman.com

THE GARDEN EXPERTS

Gardens have been more important than ever this year, as we have focused on our outside spaces. Selected from a list of highly talented creatives, our Top 50 garden designers include established professionals, promising newcomers and practices both large and small – all producing amazing gardens, from traditional country to contemporary urban

FROM LEFT Arne Maynard, Christopher Bradley-Hole, Arabella Lennox-Boyd, Tom Stuart-Smith, Jinny Blom and Luciano Giubbilei. All furniture shown is available from Modernity at 14 Cavendish Square (modernity.se)

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The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

AC R E S WILD

A N DY STURGEON

Debbie Roberts and Ian Smith have run their hugely successful West Sussex garden-design practice for more than 30 years, and are masters of the art of creating generously planted gardens in a tightly structured framework. Threetimes winner of the Society of Garden Designers Large Residential Garden Award, they also won the Medium Residential Garden Award in 2020 as well as the coveted People’s Choice Award.

WHAT THEY DO BEST Large rural gardens that blend traditional with contemporary elements, particularly in the Sussex and Kent area.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘What we enjoy most are projects in beautiful locations with a strong sense of place and plenty of detail in the design,’ says Debbie. // acreswild.co.uk

A regular star at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Andy is a well known designer of innovative, contemporary gardens. Based in Brighton, he has an international profile spanning more than 30 years, designing gardens in such far-flung places as Russia and Rwanda, as well as throughout the UK. DESIGN ETHOS ‘Good design is mostly about observation and experiences, so travel has shaped my career hugely. Learning from different plant communities, architectural styles and cultural idiosyncrasies is important.’

WHAT’S NEW? Andy is designing a garden for an international flower festival to be held in Guangzhou, China, in November 2021 and is also working on a series of roof gardens at Battersea Power Station. // andysturgeon.com

BELOW LEFT A border designed

by Angela Collins at Bruern Abbey in Oxfordshire BELOW RIGHT Arabella LennoxBoyd’s garden at Gresgarth Hall in Lancashire

ANN-MARIE P OW E L L Having run a thriving practice since 1999, Ann-Marie creates both private and commercial designs ranging from roof terraces to hotel gardens. A judge for the Society of Garden Designers and Landscape Institute Awards, as well as for RHS shows, over the years she has produced several award-winning gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘Our gardens are in the naturalistic style with plantings full of colour and soul. We aim to provide sustainable solutions to encourage wildlife and support the environment wherever possible,’ says Ann-Marie.

WHAT’S NEW? A spa garden at Sopwell House hotel in St Albans and two new areas at RHS Wisley – a World Food Garden and a Wildlife Garden, due to open next year. // ann-mariepowell.com

Based in London and Devon, Alasdair runs a team of highly professional designers who design, build and maintain gardens throughout the UK. His own garden, Silverstone Farm in Devon, was featured in the October 2019 issue of House & Garden.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘Collaboration with the client is key to how we work – it is important to understand what role the garden will play in their lives,’ says Alasdair. ‘We want to ensure that our designs are not only dynamic and beautiful, but work on a practical level, too. They are to be lived in and enjoyed.’ // camerongardens.co.uk

A L I S TA I R W BA L DW I N Working out of Newby Hall in North Yorkshire, Alistair heads up a team of five, who design both private and public projects. Work is undertaken from the Home Counties to Scotland, although focused on County Durham, North Yorkshire and Northumberland.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We hope that our gardens spark joy, while helping to reinterpret the historic relevance of a place through new planting techniques. Subtle qualities of light and colour are important to us, which we use to connect gardens to their wider landscape settings,’ says Alistair. // alistairwbaldwin.co.uk 70 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

ANGELA COLLINS

ARABELLA L E N N O X- B O Y D

From her Cotswolds base, Angela has been designing private gardens across the UK for 25 years. She specialises in a country style that combines naturalism with a fresh take on classic design and a focus on inspiration and purpose.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I’m passionate about plants and colour,’ explains Angela. ‘So I am always keeping a look out for those brilliant varieties that I hope will give my gardens that extra edge. My main priority when creating a garden is to marry it harmoniously to the countryside beyond. I tend to favour billowing and romantic borders punctuated by strong architectural planting.’

WHAT’S NEW? Angela designed the garden at Bruern Abbey in Oxfordshire, featured in the September 2020 issue of House & Garden. // angelacollins.co.uk

A world-renowned horticultural tour de force, Arabella is one of the most accomplished landscape designers of our time. She is based in London and Lancashire, where her own garden at Gresgarth Hall is a wonderful testament to her lifelong work in horticulture and garden design.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Arabella’s deep knowledge of shrubs means that she is adept at creating gardens with structural interest, while her herbaceous borders are legendary.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I find great fulfilment in the design and organisation of spaces to create unexpected views or surprises, and want a garden to be as natural as possible to respect the landscape that envelops it,’ says Arabella. // arabellalennoxboyd.com

EVA NEMETH; ANDREW MONTGOMERY

A L A S DA I R CAMERON

THE HEVENINGHAM COLLECTION STYLISH, ELEGANT IRON FURNITURE CUSTOM MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN

www.heveningham.co.uk sales@heveningham.co.uk +44 (0) 1424 838483

The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

A R N E M AY N A R D

BA L ST ON AG I US

Arne has an impressive and richly varied portfolio of mainly private gardens built up over a quarter of a century, with projects in the UK, US and further afield.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Elegant, timeless country gardens combining romantic planting, green architecture and beautiful details.

WHAT’S NEW? A fabulous private garden in the Hamptons designed for a leading American Broadway producer, which Arne describes as, ‘a garden of layers with selfseeded plants and tumbling roses that soften the edges of the buildings. It’s very much like a theatre set, where views are glimpsed from different angles’.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘I’ve coveted Lilium pyrenaicum for a while now and would like to introduce it to my own knot garden at Allt-y-bela. I love seeing them colonised en masse in light dappled meadow grass.’ // arnemaynard.com

Michael Balston and Marie-Louise Agius teamed up in 2010 and run a practice that is based in Wiltshire and London. With a background in architecture, Michael has many years of experience in the landscape industry, while Marie-Louise is a director of Exbury Gardens in Hampshire.

WHAT THEY DO BEST Beautifully appointed, large private gardens, for which they offer a comprehensive service that spans planning, architecture and landscape design, in addition to garden management.

WHAT’S NEW? An interesting garden for the Maggie’s Centre in Leeds, in conjunction with Heatherwick Studio, was opened in June this year. MarieLouise’s Centenary Garden at Exbury opened in 2019 and recently won a BALI National Landscape Award. // balstonagius.co.uk

BELOW RIGHT Butter Wakefield’s own London garden

BUTTER WA K E F I E L D Baltimore-born and London-based, Butter trained at The English Gardening School and the London College of Garden Design, and also worked at Colefax and Fowler before she set up her business. She won the Society of Garden Designers Small Residential Garden Award in 2020. Her own garden in west London, filled with colour, scent and topiary, is a showcase for her design.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Stylish city gardens that are purposeful, creative and designed to be lived in.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘Our USP is the highly personal and bespoke service we offer each client – and our unswerving attention to detail,’ says Butter. // butterwakefield.co.uk

BUNNY GUINNESS DESIGN Bunny has been creating gardens for over 40 years and now works with her daughter Unity, who is also a qualified landscape architect (both above). Bunny (who did a horticulture degree before qualifying as a landscape architect) is also known to many through her regular appearances as a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We work in a very personal way. When we visit clients for the first time, we spend the whole day with them, sketching out ideas on a survey plan for them to criticise, and then amending until we are all happy with the design,’ explains Bunny.

WHAT’S NEW? A garden at Thyme hotel near Lechlade, Mary Berry’s new garden and a Horatio’s Garden for the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries in Oswestry.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘Keder polytunnels – great for self sufficiency; creating my own YouTube channel; and Aloysia polystachya for home-brewed tea.’ // bunnyguinness.com 72 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

CHARLOTTE R OW E As an accomplished designer, Charlotte has created gardens, roof terraces and landscapes in the UK and overseas.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Chic urban gardens with generous planting and contemporary styling, designed to optimise the available space.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘My aim is to make gardens and landscapes with good bone structure and careful detailing to stand the test of time.’ // charlotterowe.com

CHRIS B E A R D S H AW

CLEVE WEST A multi-award-winning designer, Cleve creates imaginative landscapes that have put him at the forefront of garden design in this country. His site-specific creations – led by nature – draw out the unique characteristics of each place, with a very strong emphasis on sustainability at their heart.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘Increasingly, I’m taking on projects where nature can have more of a say – even in smaller, urban gardens,’ explains Cleve.

WHAT’S NEW? Published this year is Cleve’s latest book The Garden of Vegan (Pimpernel Press, £20). // clevewest.com

A winner of 13 gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Chris is a highprofile designer. A very knowledgeable plantsman, he combines horticultural expertise with a flair for spatial design.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘Working with a brief crafted from architectural references, site history, individual personality and horticultural opportunity, we develop a strong thematic narrative to create a theatrical experience that delights the senses and resonates with the emotions,’ says Chris. // chrisbeardshaw.com

CHRIS MOSS

SOPHIA SPRING; SIMON BROWN; SHUTTERSTOCK; ANDREW MONTGOMERY; RICHARD BLOOM

Having set up his design studio in 2004, Chris now has clients all over the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

He and his team have hands-on experience of garden construction and an extensive knowledge of plants.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Gardens that combine traditional and modern elements in an imaginative, stylish way.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We believe in quiet, intuitive design with a fresh, contemporary approach.’ // chrismossgardens.com

CHRISTOPHER B R A D L E Y- H O L E Originally an architect, Christopher retrained in the Nineties as a landscape designer and is now one of the country’s leading designers.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Strong, often minimal, modernist designs, with an architectural framework and natural materials showcasing textural plantings.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I focus on revealing the natural grain of the garden, and connecting it with the wider landscape.’ // christopherbradley-hole.co.uk

BELOW LEFT Dan Pearson’s own garden in Somerset BELOW RIGHT A garden near Winchester by Helen Elks-Smith

DEL BUONO GA Z E RW I T Z Tommaso del Buono and Paul Gazerwitz have been in partnership for 20 years and create gardens in the UK, Europe and the US. Based mainly in London, they have a second office in Florence.

WHAT THEY DO BEST They offer an instinctive response to each site, designing smart, beautifully detailed private gardens with strong, green architecture.

WHAT’S NEW? Their garden for the refurbished Cashel Palace Hotel in County Tipperary, Ireland, is due to open in 2021. They are also working on the master plan for an expanded market garden at Daylesford Organic’s headquarters in Gloucestershire and an exciting island project in Venice. // delbuono-gazerwitz.co.uk

ELKS-SMITH

DA N P E A R S O N Winner of the House & Garden Garden Designer of the Year award in 2019, Dan is one of the UK’s most successful designers. His beautifully crafted gardens, in both the private and public realms, are characterised by an innate sensitivity to place and a light-handed approach to design.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Dan is known for his bold, painterly and naturalistic planting compositions, which connect architecture, people and landscape.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We make sustainable landscapes with the aim of inspiring people to re-engage with the environment around them,’ says Dan. WHAT’S NEW? At the Amanyangyun resort near Shanghai, he has created the landscape for the hotel and gardens for its 44 villas. Dan has installed a planting scheme at Belsay Hall, Northumberland, and designed a new rose garden at Lowther Castle in Cumbria, which opened this summer. His work for the Delos area at Sissinghurst Castle, in Kent, is due to open officially next year. // danpearsonstudio.com

Based in the New Forest, Helen ElksSmith works mainly in the south east of England, creating designs of all sizes, from small town courtyards to family gardens. She won a silver-gilt medal for the Warner’s Distillery Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We undertake a limited number of projects each year, paying attention to detail and ensuring that quality and creativity underpin every stage of the design process.’ // elks-smith.co.uk

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The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

E M I LY E R L A M Working from a small studio in Clerkenwell, Emily (below) has been designing since 2008 and is making her name with her beautifully planted gardens. Over the years, Emily has won several accolades from the Society of Garden Designers including, most recently, the Planting Design award for her own garden in Norfolk in 2019.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Large country gardens that never feel overdesigned.

WHAT’S NEW Emily has recently launched an online shop with an eclectic array of garden products. The carefully curated selection ranges from tools and furniture to practical yet stylish clothing, with the emphasis on simplicity and quality.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I focus on developing the mood of a space by responding to each building and environment, and take a light-impact approach,’ says Emily.

LATEST PRODUCT Emily designed the simple ‘Barn Chair’ (£295; betterthings garden.co.uk). Handmade in oak, it folds away when not in use. // erlamstudio.com

BELOW RIGHT A Harris Bugg design for a country estate in Oxfordshire BOTTOM RIGHT The garden at Trematon Castle in Cornwall by Isabel and Julian Bannerman

HARRIS BUGG Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg joined forces in 2017 and are already achieving big things. Currently working on the kitchen garden at RHS Bridgewater (due to open in 2021) and a large project at the National Trust’s Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, they also have several private gardens in their growing portfolio.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We consider gardens to be emotional spaces and believe that each one should have many layers to peel back,’ says Charlotte. // harrisbugg.com

I & J BANNERMAN Husband-and-wife team Isabel and Julian Bannerman have been working together since 1983. They have a distinctive style epitomised by their own former gardens at Hanham Court, near Bath, and Trematon Castle, in Cornwall. They moved to Somerset last year and are now creating a new garden there.

WHAT THEY DO BEST Drawing the magic out of a place, with romantic planting and theatrical garden buildings.

WHAT’S NEW? A garden for an outpost of the 5 Hertford Street members’ club, due to open next year in New York. // bannermandesign.com

GEORGE CARTER Running a small practice in Norfolk, George has been designing gardens for many years. As a garden historian, he has extensive experience of the restoration and the reconstruction of historic gardens, but is equally at home designing London plots.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Elegant, formal gardens with topiary framework inspired by the geometry of traditional 17th-century designs, and beautifully designed structures and ornaments, such as trellis, summerhouses and gates, which bring the garden to life.

WHAT’S NEW? Planting for double borders at Thenford Gardens, in Northamptonshire, a reflecting pool at Somerleyton Hall, in Suffolk, and terrace planting at the Hotel de la Ville in Rome. // georgecartergardens.co.uk 74 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

JA M E S ALEXANDERSINCLAIR Having designed gardens for many years, James is chairman of the RHS Gardens Committee and a member of the RHS Council. He has a wide portfolio of private projects, but has kept his design practice small and still works in a hands-on way. James also writes and lectures on gardens.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘If I manage to create gardens that make people, plants and (most) wildlife happy, I’m doing my job properly.’ // jamesalexandersinclair.com

JA N E BROCKBANK For the past 20 years, Jane has been making gardens in and around London and further afield. With a background in fine art, she has built a reputation for dynamic planting, with an emphasis on how plants co-exist in nature.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Mediumsized, family gardens with imaginative, non-formulaic planting combinations set against a contemporary framework. // janebrockbank.com

BELOW LEFT A design for a London garden

by Jinny Blom

JOE SWIF T

JO THOMPSON

Joe is well known as a TV presenter, but he also designs gardens under his own name and for design company Modular, which he co-founded. His portfolio of mainly private urban projects also includes community spaces, such as the Horatio’s Garden at Stoke Mandeville.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I design contemporary, sustainable spaces that seamlessly combine function and aesthetics. Our team is capable of taking on the whole process from design to build and is very focused on delivering great gardens within budget,’ says Joe. // joeswift.co.uk

Celebrating 20 years in the business, Jo runs a team of eight. A string of successful gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show has raised her profile and she now designs for private clients in the UK and further afield, including the US. WHAT SHE DOES BEST Jo is known for her soft, romantic plantings that are attuned to each garden’s location.

WHAT’S NEW? She has recently launched a bespoke mail-order bulb subscription service called Colour My Garden (colourmygarden.co.uk). // jothompson-garden-design.co.uk

KIM WILKIE Describing himself as a ‘strategic and conceptual landscape consultant’, Kim (below) collaborates with architects and landscape architects on projects that focus on land ecology and conservation, particularly the relationship between man and landscape.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Regenerative farming combined with human settlement – smallholdings and country estates where both gardens and landscape are productive.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘As a landscape architect, I try to understand the memories and associations embedded in a place and the natural flow of people, land, water and climate.’

WHAT’S NEW? An updated edition of Kim’s thought-provoking book Led by the Land was published last year (Pimpernel Press, £35). // kimwilkie.com

JINNY BLOM

SOPHIA SPRING; ANDREW MONTGOMERY

As one of the country’s most prominent garden designers, Jinny takes a multidisciplinary approach, which embraces architecture, conservation and art, with a strong holistic thread.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Clever allencompassing plans for large estates, combining beautiful, formal gardens with thoughtful land management.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I dig deep into the DNA of each tract of land, working to reveal and enhance its true identity and natural diversity.’ // jinnyblom.com

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The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

M AT T H E W KEIGHTLEY

An Italian designer based in the UK for more than 20 years, Luciano has made his name creating sleek, top-end urban gardens. His current portfolio is more diverse, embracing larger-scale landscapes and a naturalistic planting style.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Luciano is admired for creating private gardens with an understated elegance, often influenced by classical Italian design.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘My motivation is to create multi-layered environments where culture and nature are in close communication. Exploring and nurturing a sustained dialogue with architects, artists, plantsmen and craftsmen is key.’

WHAT’S NEW? Luciano is developing projects in Tuscany, Formentera and Dallas, and plans include planting a large perennial garden in Virginia. He is also working on a design for the walled garden at Raby Castle, County Durham. // lucianogiubbilei.com

Designing and building distinctive modern gardens under the name of Rosebank Landscaping, Matthew has both public and private clients in the UK and abroad. He has also designed several award-winning gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Shows.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I offer inspiring and expertly crafted gardens, and enjoy finding the balance between function and aesthetic, between innovation and tradition, and between complex and understated,’ says Matthew.

WHAT’S NEW? An appearance on Main Avenue at the 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with a garden he is designing for the Royal Army Medical Corps. // rosebanklandscaping.co.uk

MARCUS BARNETT Established in 2004, this studio has an international reputation for designing public and private landscapes, and has won three RHS Chelsea gold medals.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Super-stylish, contemporary design using a refined palette of materials in combination with richly textured planting schemes.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘Our passion is to create gardens that are seductive and absorbing in their visual beauty, with a slowly unfolding story,’ says Marcus.

‘We create places to inhabit and enjoy.’ // marcusbarnett.com

MARIAN B O S WA L L Established in 2004, Marian’s practice is known for creative, thoughtful design – often in historic settings. Her portfolio includes the public gardens at both Charleston, in Sussex, and Chevening House, in Kent, which are balanced by private projects around the country.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Beautiful contextual planting informed by naturally occurring plant communities.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘The most important part of my work is to listen to the client – and to the land,’ says Marian. // marianboswall.com 76 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

M AT T H E W WILSON Known to many as a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, Matthew is a former curator of RHS Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in Yorkshire. He was also managing director of Clifton Nurseries before leaving to set up his own design business in 2016. Projects range from creating master plans for National Trust and English Heritage landscapes to designing private gardens nationwide.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘The relationship with the client is as important as understanding the spirit of the place,’ says Matthew. ‘I want the design process to be an enjoyable and inspirational one.’ // matthewwilsongardens.com

MAZZULLO + RUSSELL Between them, Emma Mazzullo and Libby Russell have more than 50 years’ experience in prestigious landscapedesign projects. They create mainly private gardens in the UK, but also abroad, particularly the Mediterranean.

WHAT THEY DO BEST Beautifully crafted gardens with impeccable landscaping designed by Emma, as well as intricate planting by Libby.

EXCITING PLANTS Co-chair of the RHS nepeta trials, Libby loves dusky pink Nepeta racemosa ‘Amelia’ (right) and Nepeta nuda ‘Romany Dusk’, with its mauve flowers on dark vertical stems. // mazzullorusselllandscapedesign.com

ABOVE This garden in the Chilterns was devised by McWilliam Studio

MCWILLIAM STUDIO Led by Gavin McWilliam in collaboration with Andrew Wilson, the team at McWilliam Studio is highly experienced and creates slick, contemporary private gardens, mainly in the south east. They have designed several successful gardens for RHS Chelsea Flower Shows, as well as striking show gardens for the Singapore Garden Festival and Beijing Expo.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We are interested in delivering memorable places and also experiences through our designs. We aim to create carefully tailored landscapes defined by sharply detailed construction, experimentation and inspirational planting design,’ explains Gavin. // mcwilliamstudio.com

NIGEL DUNNETT As well as being the professor of planting design and urban horticulture at the University of Sheffield, Nigel has designed a number of innovative planting schemes for public landscapes – including Trentham Gardens, in Stoke-on-Trent, and the Barbican, EC2.

He also works on private gardens.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘My work integrates ecology and horticulture to achieve lowinput but high-impact landscapes that are dynamic, diverse and tuned in to nature,’ says Nigel. ‘I aim to create an unforgettable enhanced natural experience and to support the wider ecosystem.’ // nigeldunnett.com

GAP PHOTOS/MAXINE ADCOCK

LUCIANO GIUBBILEI

Fine settings for fine dining

info@gazeburvill.com 01420 588444

@gazeburvill

You are Seated at the Top Table www.gazeburvill.com

The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers – 2020

S A R A JA N E ROTHWELL

LEFT A corner of Pip Morrison and Kim Wilkie’s garden in Hampshire

Sara Jane Rothwell established London Garden Designer in 2003, creating private gardens ranging from tiny roof terraces to lush, green family spaces.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Completely experienced in dealing with awkward London plots, she relishes each site’s challenges, from slopes to deep shade.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We want our clients to engage with their garden and enjoy what we have created for them,’ says Sara Jane. // londongardendesigner.com

S E A N WA L T E R Known as co-founder of the successful Buckinghamshire nursery The Plant Specialist, Sean also designs private gardens round the UK. WHAT HE DOES BEST Sean’s work is primarily plant-led, fuelled by his vast knowledge and access to plants that he knows work well in each garden setting.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘My design principle is that a garden is a space for plants: structural ones provide a framework, softened by herbaceous perennials and grasses.’ // theplantspecialist.co.uk

PIP MORRISON Previously in business with Mary Keen, Pip now works solo, with projects both private and public round the UK. He is also developing his own garden in Hampshire with partner Kim Wilkie.

WHAT HE DOES BEST The largescale landscapes of historic houses, where he can peel back the layers and provide highly tuned planting schemes that are sensitive to each location.

WHAT’S NEW? A garden for Maggie’s Oxford and a two-acre walled garden at Auckland Castle in County Durham. // pip@pipmorrison.co.uk

ROBERT MYERS Running his busy landscape practice from offices in Cambridge and Worcestershire, Robert works on some 30 projects at a time – juggling private gardens with high-profile public work.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Elegant, contemporary gardens, often in culturally or historically significant settings.

WHAT’S NEW? Robert is designing the Florence Nightingale Garden at the 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

He is also working on the restoration of Clandon Park House for the National Trust. // robertmyers-associates.co.uk

RUPERT GOLBY Based in the Cotswolds, Rupert designs private gardens for clients around the country. He trained at RHS Wisley and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and with the late Rosemary Verey.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Beautifully planted gardens in traditional settings, often reworking old gardens within their existing framework, imposing the lightest of touches on the landscape.

WHAT’S NEW? A garden for the opera house at Nevill Holt in Leicestershire. // rupert.golby@gmail.com 78 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SARAH PRICE With a training in fine art, Sarah (below) is particularly well known for her exquisite planting at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20, for the 2012 Olympics. Based in Monmouthshire, she designs gardens that reflect her life-long love of nature.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Painterly, plant-filled landscapes with a light, instinctive touch that beautifully bridges the gap between wild and cultivated.

WHAT’S NEW? Therapeutic gardens are central to Sarah’s work – her garden at Maggie’s Southampton has recently been completed and she is creating a Horatio’s Garden in Cardiff, which is due to open in 2021.

LATEST DISCOVERY ‘Osti copper trowels are beautiful, with strong sharp edges that make them effortless to use’ (‘Nada’, €39.90; ostijarej.com). // sarahpricelandscapes.com

The House & Garden Top 50 G arden Designers - 2020

S O P H I E WA L K E R

TIM REES

An art history graduate, Sophie then studied horticulture, plant science and garden design. She is married to the artist Anish Kapoor and has collaborated on projects, such as landscaping around his sculpture at the Dutch De Pont Museum.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Sophie likes to embrace the relationship between architecture and landscape, bridging the gap between art and horticulture. // sophiewalkerstudio.com

Prior to setting up his practice in 2005, Kew-trained Tim worked with Brita von Schoenaich and was course director of garden design at the Inchbald School of Design. Projects range from small London gardens to large country estates, as well as gardens in the Mediterranean.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We use contrast – light and colour, scale variation, or contemporary sculpture in a historic site – to develop personality and provide a counterpoint in the cultural narrative,’ says Tim. // treesassociates.com

TA N I A C O M P T O N

URQUHART & HUNT Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt run a small team based in Bruton, Somerset and worked with Piet Oudolf to projectmanage his perennial meadow at Hauser & Wirth Somerset gallery. Their eclectic portfolio includes small private gardens as well as the restoration of the walled kitchen garden at Fulham Palace, SW6.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We love to bring nature into our gardens and strive to connect the earth, plants, people and ecology.’ says Adam. // urquharthunt.com

Trained at The English Gardening School, Tania was the garden editor of House & Garden for 12 years. She left in 2004 in order to focus on garden design.

Her garden at Spilsbury in Wiltshire is sometimes open to the public.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘I generally fit in with in-house teams – long-term projects to which I annually return in order to add to extravagantly and, eventually, subtract,’ explains Tania. // taniacompton.co.uk

T H O M A S H O B LY N Thomas has a passion for plants – he trained at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – and an agricultural background underpins his horticultural knowledge.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Large farms or estates requiring a mix of formal planting, woodland management and meadows.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We specialise in classic landscape design for contemporary lifestyles,’ says Thomas. // thomashoblyn.com

SOPHIA SPRING; ANDREW MONTGOMERY

T O M S T UA R T SMITH With an international reputation as one of the UK’s foremost landscape designers, Tom runs a team of 15, creating both public and private gardens in Britain and abroad.

WHAT HE DOES BEST Large-scale, richly textured perennial planting that is both sustainable and beautiful.

DESIGN ETHOS ‘We seek to create landscapes that offer a rich, multi-layered experience, and also to forge connections between people and place,’ says Tom. WHAT’S NEW? Tom has designed the principal spaces for the RHS Bridgewater Garden, due to open in 2021, and recently finished the Hepworth Wakefield gallery garden. He plans to create a new space for community and therapeutic gardening at the Serge Hill project, based at his home in Hertfordshire. // tomstuartsmith.co.uk

X A T OL L E M AC H E ABOVE ‘Aluminium Chair with Arms’, £520, from the Helmingham Collection by Xa Tollemache

Based in Suffolk, where her own garden at Helmingham Hall is open to the public, Xa (above) has been designing private gardens for more than 20 years.

WHAT SHE DOES BEST Large gardens with good bones, traditional herbaceous borders and elegant lavender-and-roses planting.

WHAT’S NEW? Xa’s Global Growth Vegetable Garden at RHS Hyde Hall in Essex opened last year, and current projects include a large London garden and a seaside garden in Southwold. She has also designed a range of smart garden furniture under the Helmingham name, including chairs, tables and loungers made from powder-coated aluminium (from £475; xa-tollemache.co.uk). // xa-tollemache.co.uk HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 79

Matki-ONE Pivot Contemporary style, technical innovation. Shower Doors beautifully engineered in the UK

F O R A B R O C H U R E A N D N E A R E S T B AT H R O O M S P E C I A L I S T C A L L 01 4 5 4 3 2 8 811 | W W W. M AT K I . C O. U K | M AT K I P L C , B R I S TO L B S 3 7 5 P L

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GABBY DEEMING selects a variety of side tables ideal for the bedroom ILLUSTRATIONS EMILY FACCINI

1 Sungkai wood ‘Avalon Large Bedside Table’ (lime white), 70 x 63.5 x 41cm, £1,100, from Trove. 2 Cane and synthetic weave ‘Toulouse Side Table’ (peppermint), 70 x 48 x 36cm, £195, from Ceraudo. 3 European white oak ‘Barrel Stool/Side Table’, by Philippe Malouin for SCP, 44 x 32cm square, £845, from SCP. 4 Oak ‘Jesse Leaning Table’, 63.6 x 36 x 35cm, £70, from Habitat. 5 ‘The Rattan Belmont Bedside Table’ (azure), 60 x 49cm square, £3,500, from Soane. 6 Oak and rattan ‘Agatha Table’ (brushed oak), 63 x 40cm diameter, £245, from Loaf

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 81

INSIDER | SHOPPING

1 ‘Mambo Metal Bedside Table’ (gun metal), by AM.PM, 50 x 43 x 41cm, £245, from La Redoute.

2 Iron ‘Table Oolong’ (grey), by Eva Schildt for Svenskt Tenn, 77 x 62 x 49cm, €1,040, from Svenskt Tenn.

3 Oak ‘Shalstone Bedside Table’, by Ercol for John Lewis, 49 x 38cm square, £275, from John Lewis.

4 Steel, leather and glass ‘Toulouse Side Table’ (red/aged mirror), 60 x 54.4 x 72.2cm, £1,615, from Julian Chichester. 5 Powder-coated steel ‘Nikkeby Chest of 2 Drawers’ (grey-green), 70 x 46cm square, £55, from Ikea.

6 Metal ‘Three-Tier Display Side Table’ (slate grey), 72 x 46.5 x 51cm, £130, from Rockett St George

82 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

INSIDER | SHOPPING

1 Oak ‘Tanjina Side Table’ (peacock), 61 x 61cm diameter, £1,690, from William Yeoward.

2 Oak and stone ‘The Sidney Side Table’ (natural oak/black stone), 65 x 60 x 45cm, £1,650, from Susie Atkinson. 3 Teak and brass ‘MID057B Bedside Table with Round Pulls’ (putty), 72 x 69 x 46cm, £1,079, from Chelsea Textiles. 4 Oak ‘Tambour Side Table’ with hidden drawer (natural oak), 60 x 60 x 44cm, £1,404, from Knowles & Christou. 5 Hardwood ‘Classic Bedside Chest (021)’ with brass ring handles (rodin grey/antique bronze), 67 x 50 x 36cm, £1,450, from Leporello. 6 Oak ‘Harpley Side Table’, 69 x 37cm square, £178, from Rowen & Wren. For suppliers’ details, see Stockists page

84 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

by

Sophie Paterson

Hand-Painted and Hand-Embroidered Wallcoverings London | New York | Paris | Hong Kong | Dubai fromental.co.uk @fromentaldesign Wallcovering: Olive Grove in Tuscan Fromental by Sophie Paterson @sophiepatersoninteriors Photo Credit: Ray Main Photographer

AUTUMN REIGN RUTH SLEIGHTHOLME displays the latest wallcovering designs in the great hall of the 17th-century Queen’s House in Greenwich

TOP ROW FROM LEFT ‘Montacute’ (city grey/fig grey), by Zoffany, 53cm wide, £115 a 10-metre roll, from Style Library. ‘Rebecca’s Garden’ (sky),

by Wayne Pate, 68cm wide, $67.50 a yard, from Studio Four NYC. ‘Kuba Cloth’ (charcoal), paper-backed raffia, 93cm wide, £81 a metre, from Phillip Jeffries. BOTTOM ROW FROM LEFT ‘Iris and Stripe’, 90cm wide, £97 a square metre, from Iksel. ‘Fern Negative’ (slate), 53cm wide, £216 a 10-metre roll, from Mond Designs. ‘Scrolling Acanthus Frond’ (sepia), 52cm wide, £320 a 10-metre roll, from Soane. ‘Borracha’ (tormenta), hand-marbled paper, £125 a square metre, from Berdoulat. ‘Battle Great Wood’ (hay), 52cm wide, £300 a 10-metre roll, from Lindsay Alker PHOTOGRAPHS YUKI SUGIURA

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 87

DECORATING | SWATCH

FROM LEFT ‘Mockingbirds’ (cobalt and indigo on grey), wood-block printed domino paper, £121 a 71 x 51cm sheet, from James Randolph Rogers & Co. ‘Willow Bough’ (pink/leaf green), by Morris & Co with Ben Pentreath, 52cm wide, £65 a 10-metre roll, from Style Library. ‘Garden of Serica’ (egyptian blue), paper-backed textile, 125cm wide, £248 a metre, from Anna Glover. ‘Ikat Bokhara’ (emerald), 52cm wide, £135 a 10-metre roll, from GP & J Baker. ‘Bettina’ (brook), 68cm wide, £225 a 5-yard roll; ‘Sunniva’ (harvest), 68cm wide, £235 a 5-yard roll; both from Lake August 88 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

Search Graham&Brown in the App Store to see our wallpapers on your walls

WALLPAPER and PAINT • MADE for EACH OTHER

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DECORATING | SWATCH

FROM LEFT ‘Lily of the Valley’ (valley green), 53cm wide, £165 a 10-metre roll, from Annika Reed Studio. ‘Rainbow Chevron’, 48cm wide, £155 a 10-metre roll, from Ottoline. ‘Lace Brocade’ (duck egg and green), by Reginald Warner, 52cm wide, £1,060 a 10-metre roll, from Gainsborough.

‘Jardine’ (red), 68cm wide, £125 a metre, from Colefax and Fowler. ‘Jester Caprice’ (cream), by Schumacher, 68cm wide, £511 a 4.5 yard roll, from Turnell & Gigon. ‘Pome’ (from left: buttercup, dusky pink), 60cm wide, £140 a 9-metre roll, from Ceraudo. ‘Lucky Leaf ’ (clover lawn), 53cm wide, £140 a metre, from CommonRoom. For suppliers’ details, see Stockists page 90 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

STU DIO K ITCHEN DES IGN by CH ARLIE SMALLBONE

The Metallics Collection 4b Ledbury Mews North Notting Hill London W11 2AF 020 7566 6794 ledburystudio.com

INSIDER | SHOPPING

‘Redford’ rattan cabinet, by Shrimps x Habitat, 80 x 60 x 30cm, £195, from Habitat

Terracotta and raffia ‘Bobbled Table Lamp with Shade’ (tan/ black), 43 x 30cm shade diameter, £195, from Rose & Grey Hardwood-framed ‘Pryce Club Chair’, covered in ‘New Regency’ (pearl), 66 x 93 x 97cm, £4,305 as seen, from Ralph Lauren Home

GABBY DEEMING shows us what has caught her eye this month

‘Black Dog’ beaded wooden stool (red/green/blue), 44 x 33cm diameter, €850, from CSAO

From top: ‘Nabati’ and ‘Khada’ terracotta dishes,

by Caravane x Bouchra Boudoua, 29cm diameter, £125 each, from Caravane

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 93

INSIDER | SHOPPING

‘T-Red Thalia’ stoneware pot, by Freya Bramble Carter x Studio Krokalia, 33 x 27cm diameter, £650, from 8 Holland Street

Mouth-blown glass, walnut and brass ‘Cocoon Light’, 38 x 30cm diameter, £1,250 as seen, from Curiousa & Curiousa

Beech and MDF ‘Scalloped Bedside Table’ (claret red), 66 x 60 x 42cm, £1,704, from Vanrenen GW Designs

‘Moon Sun’ brass and ash wood candleholder, by Malin Appelgren for The Shop Floor Project, 30cm high, £175, from The Shop Floor Project

Beech-framed ‘Editors Chaise’, 86 x 130 x 70cm, £2,200 excluding fabric, from David Seyfried; covered in ‘Nantes’ (indigo), cotton, £126 a metre, from Lewis & Wood

94 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

AUTUMN SALE

SALE ENDS 31ST OCTOBER 2020 HANDMADE IN THE UK VIRTUAL HOME VISITS MON-SUN SHOWROOMS NATIONWIDE Request a free brochure 0800 389 6938 harveyjones.com

INSIDER | SHOPPING

‘Constance’ beech-framed headboard, by Joanna Plant for Ensemblier, 135 x 183 x 10cm, £7,335 excluding fabric, from Ensemblier; covered in ‘Damas Chinois’ (bleu vert), silk, £334 a metre, from Claremont ‘Oak and Brass Stacking Chair’ (waxed/oiled), 82 x 57 x 55cm, £1,324.80, from Rupert Bevan

Viscose/silk ‘Barbed Wire Bouquet Quilted Eiderdown’,

by Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, 140 x 205cm, £625, from Amara

‘Triple Bird’ ceramic candlestick (green, yellow and pink),

by Claudia Rankin, 31 x 14 x 11cm, £420, from Wilson Stephens & Jones

Linen ‘Lula Embroidered Tape’ (black), by Schumacher, 10cm wide, £186 a metre, from Turnell & Gigon.

For suppliers’ details, see Stockists page

96 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

Otelie Collection romo.com

INSIDER | SHOPPING

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WISE BUYS

Tiles HEATHER GREEN lays out designs under £68 a square metre

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98 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

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FOR SUPPLIERS’ DETAILS, SEE STOCKISTS PAGE

ALL PRICES ARE PER SQUARE METRE

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1 Ceramic bevelled ‘Deep Metro’ (green), 10 x 20cm, £25.45, from Victoria Plum. 2 Ceramic ‘Palette’ (butterscotch), 20cm square, £10, from Johnson Tiles Factory Outlet. 3 Ceramic ‘Sombra’ (pink), 7.7 x 30.5cm, £26.95, from Tiles 360. 4 Porcelain ‘Arthouse Leaf’ (cobalt blue/white), 18.5cm square, £48.33, from Porcelain Superstore. 5 Porcelain ‘Vaporetto Burano’ (grass), 25cm square, £29.92, from Claybrook. 6 Porcelain ‘Lily Hex’ (summer yellow), 19.8 x 22.8cm, £44.77, from Tiles Direct. 7 Ceramic ‘Reflections’ (blue sky), 15cm square, £21.99, from CTD Tiles. 8 Terracotta ‘Bouquet’ (cream with flower pattern), £67.50; and ‘Mexican White’ (cream), £43.20; both 10.5cm square, from Milagros

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles

FAIR AUTUMN

ONLINE ADVANCE TICKET BOOKING ONLY

22-25 October 2020

Evolution London Battersea Park Learn more at decorativefair.com

ANTIQUES AND 20TH CENTURY DESIGN FOR INTERIOR DECORATION If you are unable to visit we have an interactive 360ยบ virtual tour of the fair and offer a shopping service for both trade and private buyers

news and views

By ELIZABETH METCALFE

Super natural

Cristián Mohaded’s striking woven creations are one of the highlights of Sarah Myerscough’s The Natural Room collection, in which traditional processes are elevated by their use in contemporary artworks

CRISTIÁN MOHADED STUDIO

‘I

t all starts with materials for me,’ says Argentinan Cristián Mohaded, one of the 22 international designers and makers whose work was due to be exhibited at PAD this month as part of Sarah Myerscough’s The Natural Room collection. As with so many events this year, PAD has been postponed (until October 2021), but Sarah is presenting the collection online and (at the time of going to press) is also planning to have a physical exhibition at her gallery in White Hart Lane, SW13 until October 17.

Cristián has used hand-woven simbol – a plant fibre from his rural home province of Catamarca in the north west of the country – to create a trio of suspended, elliptical three-metre-high towers. ‘I like exploring the opportunities that materials can give me,’ says the designer, who founded his studio in Cristián with his Floating 2011 and has also experimented with Towers, handmade by concrete and discarded carpet. Having simbol weavers in studied at the University of Córdoba in his native Argentina Argentina, Cristián now splits his time between Buenos Aires and Milan.

‘Collaboration is key in my work,’ says Cristián, who joined forces for this project with Lorenzo Reyes, a traditional simbol weaver in Catamarca with over 30 years’ experience. ‘Usually the simbol knitters make small pieces, such as baskets for fruit and vegetables, but I pushed Lorenzo to try something huge,’ explains Cristián. ‘I want to show through my designs how traditional materials and techniques can be used in a contemporary, yet respectful way.’ Each ball takes at least a day to make, with

Lorenzo and a small team of weavers knitting the natural fibres together to create surprisingly robust structures. ‘Simbol is quite weak in its raw form, but weaving transforms it,’ says Cristián.

‘Lorenzo has magic hands.’

The Natural Room brings together creatives who explore the natural environment through their processes and pieces.

Alongside Cristián’s Floating Towers, there are willow pieces by the Derbyshire-based sculptor Laura Ellen Bacon, rice-straw sculptures by the Japanese artist Arko and vessels by Ernst Gamperl, which are made from fallen or decaying oak trees. ‘We want to elevate these materials,’ says Sarah. ‘By bringing these traditional processes into contemporary design, it gives them a whole new lease of life.’ sarahmyerscough.com HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 101

INSIDER | NEWS

I n t ro d uc i n g Hollow Tree Studio Freya St Johnston Greenhill transforms antique ceramic bowls into washbasins. It is a simple but delightful idea. ‘I love the ones with flaws – slight misprints in the motifs, a splash of colour out of place, bubbles in the glaze,’ says the Somerset-based creative, who set up Hollow Tree Studio in 2019. With a background in PR, she had always collected antique bowls, which she would find at fairs and auctions. The business started when Freya was helping a friend with her downstairs loo and suggested converting a pretty, floral Twenties bowl into a sink. Soon friends of friends started commissioning her. ‘I’ve found real pleasure in mixing practical skills with the recycling of an apparently obsolete, but beautiful object,’ says Freya. Clients can send her their own bowls to convert, or choose from her expertly curated selection. ‘I love the fact each bowl has a story,’ she adds. From £140; hollowtreestudio.uk

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Lockdown inspired the interior designer Charlotte Crosland to launch a single-room design service, aimed at those who wanted to make some tweaks rather than embark on a whole-house renovation. Thanks to the popularity of the service, Charlotte has decided to make it a permanent fixture of her business.

Clients send over four images of the room in question along with a short explanation of what inspires them, what they would like to change and what they want to keep. Charlotte then responds with a quote, before providing a set of moodboards, specifications and drawings that you can pass on to a builder. Prices start at £500 for a cloakroom; charlottecrosland.com

DRIVING AMBITION Maker&Son’s fleet of showroom vans have come into their own over the past few months. The company specialises in relaxed English-made sofas and armchairs (including ‘Song’, from £3,495, above). Set up in 2018 by father-and-son duo Alex Willcock and Felix Conran, it launched a by-appointment service last year. Its vans, clad from f loor to ceiling in sweet-chestnut shingles, are large enough to accommodate an armchair ready for you to try. The team can also help to measure up your space and devise a furniture layout.

To book a mobile showroom visit, email enquiries@makerandson.com or visit makerandson.com

DECOREX GOES ONLINE THIS YEAR’S DECOREX WILL BE A VIRTUAL EVENT ON NOVEMBER 3-5. HEAD TO THE WEBSITE TO DISCOVER NEW PRODUCTS, LEARN AND NETWORK WITH THE INTERIOR DESIGN INDUSTRY. DECOREX.COM

Winning designs For a fourth year, House & Garden has worked with interior-design school KLC to offer a fully funded place on its year-long Certificate Residential Interior Design Course. From almost 60 entries, the judges – KLC principal Jenny Gibbs, course leader Ally Wates and House & Garden editor Hatta Byng – chose a shortlist of five entrants, who were invited to present their designs over Zoom for the ground floor of a specified country cottage. Rebecca Kitchin’s was the winning submission (right). ‘The attractive palette and choice of materials and furniture were spot on, while her moodboards and sketches were a delight,’ says Jenny. ‘Interior design is a long-held ambition of mine,’ says Rebecca, a chartered building surveyor who began the course this September. ‘Having a funded place at KLC is something I want to grab with both hands.’ Leila Tinne was the runner-up, while Charlotte Stephenson and Hugo Loynes were highly commended – all will receive a discount on the course. ‘It was incredibly challenging to pick the winner,’ says Jenny. klc.co.uk 102 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

Designed by House & Garden Handcrafted by Arlo & Jacob Reflecting over 70 years of the best in design and decoration, the House & Garden Collection is handcrafted in Britain

by Arlo & Jacob.

Holmes Sofa, from ÂŁ1120 03300 945 855 Islington | Fulham | Marlow Bristol | Harrogate arloandjacob.com

C O L L E C T I O N

THIS PAGE Curtains in ‘Palampore’ in archive, ‘Hugo’ sofa in ‘Downham’ in antique rose and ‘Matilda’ ottoman in ‘Cusco’ in teal OPPOSITE TOP Wallpaper, roman blind and ‘Bailey’ loveseat in ‘Mustique’ in jungle OPPOSITE BOTTOM Curtains and roman blind in ‘Balmoral’ in olive

HOUSE & GARDEN PARTNERSHIP

Woven with history Distinguished fabric company Warner House is celebrating its revival with a range of wallpapers, paints, furniture, curtains and home accessories designed to complement its beautiful textiles

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s fabric companies go, few have quite as distinguished a history as Warner House.

Founded in 1870 and recently relaunched by husband and wife duo Lee and Emma Clarke, who have given the British brand a new lease of life, Warner quickly established a reputation as one of the country’s finest silk weavers. The firm produced exquisite fabrics for many royal coronations and its illustrious customers included the Palace of Westminster, RMS Titanic and even The White House. As its range expanded over the years to include pretty chintzes and printed designs, it also began to attract attention from the great and the good of the interior design world, counting Sibyl Colefax, Nancy Lancaster and Syrie Maugham among its clients.

But over the last four decades, under different ownership, the company had moved further away from its origins. ‘It was very sad that it had this amazing archive and incredible history, which was gradually dwindling away,’ says the new co-owner, Lee. ‘I thought it would be fantastic to bring it back to life.’ More than 600 fabrics from the brand’s archive have now been revived to create a lively, yet timeless collection – the majority of which are printed – including ikats, toile de Jouy and classic chintzy florals, but there is also a strong range of plains, as well as cut velvets, jacquards and intricate wovens.

The printed fabrics – all of which are produced in Europe – come in two qualities, a linen-cotton blend and a luxurious cotton velvet. The wool plains are made from leftover fabrics recycled from the fashion industry, while the linens are woven in Scotland and the cotton velvets are from Lancashire. There is also a range of outdoor fabrics, including stripes, plains and iconic Warner patterns, allowing a a seamless transition between the indoors and out.

To complement the fabric collection, Warner House has, for the first time, extended its offering to include paints, wallpapers, trimmings, upholstered furniture and made-to-measure blinds and curtains, as well as cushions and lampshades. For a maximalist look, some wallpapers directly match fabrics, while the paint colours have been specifically chosen to coordinate with those used in the fabric designs.

The collection is available to order online through Warner House’s new website. For those in need of a guiding hand, the ‘Inspiration’ section of this offers cleverly devised, curated moodboards, showing which fabrics work best with different paints, trims and furniture. You can also talk through decorating dilemmas with a member of the design team and receive expert advice tailored to you. ‘We have such knowledge and skills and we want to share this with our customers,’ Lee says.

Printed linens cost from £55 a metre; wallpapers start at £80 for a 10 metre roll; paints are £50 for 2.5 litres and furniture prices start at £595 for an ottoman. warner-house.com

Destinations OUR DEFINITIVE TRAVEL GUIDE

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Destinations covers everything readers need to know to inspire their travels in 2021

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outside interests

By CLARE FOSTER Dan Pearson with Tokachi’s head gardener Midori Shintani (right) and assistant head gardener Shintaro Sasagawa

Dan Pearson’s Japanese project

Tokachi Millennium Forest

KICHI NORO

F

or 20 years, Dan Pearson has been working on a project that is the apotheosis of his approach to gardening and design. The Tokachi Millennium Forest on Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, covers nearly 1,000 acres. In 2000, Dan was asked to collaborate with Japanese landscape architect Fumiaki Takano to develop the area. With a brief to introduce spaces that had more intimacy in them, Dan started working on a plan that now includes woodland areas, a perennial meadow garden, productive gardens and landforms. ‘The plan was about revealing the place, about steering nature and being inf luenced by its aesthetics and systems,’ he explains. ‘Close observation of nature and respect for the landscape is very much a part of Japanese culture and philosophy, so these gardens are all about editing, manipulating and enhancing nature.’

Co-written by Tokachi’s head gardener, Midori Shintani, Dan’s new book about the project, Tokachi Millennium Forest, is a fascinating account of the making and continued development of the garden. For readers in the UK, there is much to learn. The

climate in Hokkaido is similar to northern Europe (if a little colder in winter), with four distinct seasons, and many of the plants that grow wild there are cultivated in the West.

In the huge Meadow Garden, Dan’s approach was to reframe native plants with introduced non-natives, taking the lead from foliage shapes and flower colour in the forest to ensure that the aesthetic felt right. ‘It was important that all the plants we introduced were in the spirit of the vegetation that already existed,’ writes Dan. ‘Though I was deliberately heightening the intensity of the aesthetic in the Meadow Garden, I wanted the plants from overseas to feel as if they were meant to be in each other’s company.’

He developed a series of plant mixes to use in the meadow, many of which are pictured in the book and also listed in an appendix, so that readers can examine in detail the use of different plant communities. Bridging the cultural, design and gardening practices of East and West, the Tokachi project embodies a new strand of naturalistic, sustainable gardening that could be used as a model for garden design the world over.

‘Tokachi Millennium Forest: Pioneering a New Way of Gardening with Nature’ (Filbert Press, £40) | danpearsonstudio.com HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 107

INSIDER | NEWS

S Q UA R E U P Designed to brighten up a windowsill or balcony, Jule Paysage’s planters are made to order and come in more than 10 subtly different colourways and five sizes. They are handmade in Paris from polished ceramic tiles. Shown here is ‘Yves’ in Majorelle blue, which pays homage to that iconic garden in Marrakech. Sizes range from 16 x 15 x 15.5cm (€120) to 32 x 33 x 32cm (€480). en.julepaysage.com

Healing spaces

Three of a kind: Trugs

The galvanised steel ‘Kitchen Garden Trug’, based on a Fifties design, measures 11 x 45 x 32cm (excluding the handle) and costs £24.99. crocus.co.uk

P E TA L S B Y P O S T Launched by garden designer Jo Thompson, Colour My Garden is a flower-bulb subscription service that provides a year’s worth of bulbs. Choose from four different plans – from ‘Window Boxes’ (£159) up to ‘Medium Garden’ (£799) – and bulbs will be delivered in March, May, September and November, at the times when you should be planting them. colourmygarden.co.uk

The new Maggie’s Centre at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds was opened earlier this year, with stylish planting designed by Balston Agius to complement an innovative garden-building by Heatherwick Studio. The building itself was designed to incorporate garden elements into its structure, conceived as a series of huge planters, with planting extending up to a roof terrace and framing the entrance. The base of each of the planters serves to create a distinct enclosed space for visitors, softened with leafy planting inspired by Yorkshire woodlands. Maggie’s Centres are open to cancer patients and their families, while the gardens are also open to the public and can be visited free of charge. maggies.org

Hand-woven from English bulrushes, this ‘Trug’ with brown leather handles measures 8 x 50 x 25cm and costs £102. rushmatters.co.uk 108 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

JULIA LEAKEY; HUFTON + CROW

This deep ‘Garden Basket’ is made from steam-bent sweet chestnut, held together with copper and bronze nails. It measures 14 x 33 x 26.5cm and costs £75. shop.claudia deyongdesigns.com

INSIDER | NEWS

W O N D E R S F O R WA L L S These beautiful ‘Garden Wall Brackets’ were designed for Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler by the plantsman and garden designer Alexander Hoyle. Based on an original design by John Fowler, the brackets are designed to support potted plants and would suit any outdoor or transitional garden space. Each bracket measures 30.5 x 38 x 23cm and costs £250, with 10 per cent of the prof its from the initial run to be donated to the Garden Museum. alexanderhoyle.co.uk

Garden of the month Catch up on garden visiting this autumn and enjoy places that were closed earlier in the year. With over 10 acres, Aberglasney Gardens in Carmarthenshire have much to entice the autumn visitor, with lateflowering dahlias and salvias in addition to nerines, colchicums and other autumn bulbs. A large stand of Clerodendrum bungei blooms until the first frosts, while there is plenty of autumn colour in the surrounding woodland. Open daily from October 26 to February 28, 10.30am-4pm; admission £9.50 (children free). aberglasney.org

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NIGEL MCCALL

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HOUSE & GARDEN PARTNERSHIP

Deck the halls Celebrating 20 years of the annual Spirit of Christmas Fair, this year’s event on November 2-8 at Olympia London will provide a safe environment for an unmissable shopping experience

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ear on year, Christmas provides a certain familiarity as we pursue cherished annual traditions; visiting family and friends, creating spectacular feasts and enjoying festive entertainment. This time round, there is a heightened anticipation for the excitement that Christmas brings, as we recognise that time with our loved ones has become more precious than ever.

Celebrating two decades of being a part of these very traditions, the Spirit of Christmas Fair returns to Olympia London, W14, on November 2-8 for its 20th anniversary edition. The Fair is committed to creating a safe shopping environment to ensure an enjoyable visit and, in line with government and local authority guidance, a variety of measures will be introduced. These include temperature checks upon arrival, staggered entry time slots with wider aisles to ensure social distancing and enhanced cleaning with hand sanitisers available throughout the Fair.

Attendees can expect to shop the best of small artisan traders and British businesses – all hand-picked for their quality and

originality. The spirit of giving is ever more present when supporting these independent businesses, which offer a lovingly curated selection of goods. Presents, treats and Christmas entertaining are all covered, from beautifully hand-crafted ceramics to festive homeware and decorations. Shop an array of independent fashion boutiques, artisan-made jewellery and an extensive food and drinks hall to bring together your ideal Christmas celebration in the convenience of one safe space.

As the season for us to come together with those close to us draws near, choosing presents is made easy at the home of Christmas shopping. For loved ones young or old, there is a special gift to be found – explore British-made goods and the ever-expanding selection of sustainable traders, independent makers and eco-friendly boutiques. With thousands of products from these unique brands, the Spirit of Christmas Fair presents the perfect opportunity to explore beyond the high street, meet the makers behind the beautiful array of products and shop in confidence in the comfort of one safe space.

READER OFFER The Spirit of Christmas Fair takes place at Olympia London, W14, on November 2-8, 2020. House & Garden readers can enjoy special discounted tickets from £18.38 (25 per cent off). Simply quote ‘NOVHG’ when booking your tickets online at spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk. £2.50 transaction fee applies. 25 per cent discount applies to on-the-door prices. The advance box office closes at 11.59pm on November 1, 2020.

OUT AND ABOUT Latest launches… chic showrooms… hot buys…

LAURA NORMANTON takes note

Clamming up Based on the shape of a clam shell, with a scalloped top enclosing an LED uplighter, the new ‘Plaster Shell Uplighter’ from Rose Uniacke measures 24 x 31 x 12cm and costs £870. 020 7730 7050; roseuniacke.com

Laura at the George Smith showroom in the King’s Road, SW6

Side effects

Tuft love

By Joana Vasconcelos for Roche Bobois, the design for this striking new ‘Sinapse’ tufted rug was taken from an original drawing and printed on polyamide. The smaller of two sizes measures 200 x 300cm and costs £2,220. roche-bobois.com

Custom design Simon Taylor Furniture created this bespoke ‘Shaker’ kitchen for a Georgian house: the design works in harmony with the rest of the period property, while incorporating the latest appliances.

The units are painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Purbeck Stone’ and the central island in ‘Mole’s Breath’, which complement the ‘Andromeda White Granite’ worktops. A similar kitchen costs from £35,000. 01296 488207; simon-taylor.co.uk

READER TICKET OFFER The Spirit of Christmas Fair will return to Olympia London, W14 from November 2-8. House & Garden readers can buy discounted extra tickets from £18.38 (25 per cent off the on-the-door prices). Quote ‘HGNOVPREV’ when you book at spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk* 116 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

PHOTOGRAPH: JOSHUA MONAGHAN. LAURA WEARS 'PRINCE OF WALES BIANCA' WOOL JACKET (£820); 'PRINCE OF WALES PLEATED ANGIE' WOOL TROUSERS (£460); AND 'LION BADGE' FLOCK COTTON SWEATSHIRT (£185); ALL FROM BELLA FREUD (BELLAFREUD.COM). HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY CLOVER WOOTTON. *ADVANCE BOX OFFICE CLOSES AT 11.59PM ON NOVEMBER 1

Davidson’s new Wanderlust collection features six colourful lacquered tables in three sizes and 12 shades. Shown here are the ‘Kite’ table in jaipur and the ‘Cylinder’ table in sahara. They measure 72 x 90cm diameter and cost £5,544 each. See them at Davidson’s new showroom at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, SW10. 020 7751 5537; davidsonlondon.com

AN EMPORIUM OF TREASURES FOR YOUR HOME B AT H • B AYS WAT E R • N OT T I N G H I L L • P R I M R O S E H I L L W W W. G R A H A M A N D G R E E N . C O . U K

INSIDER | NEWS

Set in stone take a seat Online marketplace Vinterior is a great place for sourcing antique and vintage furniture online.

These stylish midcentury Italian armchairs by Giò Ponti cost £4,720 for the pair. They measure 90 x 82 x 80cm and have a 44cm seat height. vinterior.co

Caesarstone has launched four new dark quartz surfaces, including ‘Oxidian’ seen here. Ideal for kitchens and bathrooms, these are hardwearing and offer a practical choice as they are stain-, scratch- and heat-resistant.

‘Oxidian’ costs from £550 a square metre. caesarstone.co.uk

on the WALL Mandarin Stone’s ‘Bazaar Pallazzo’ glazed tiles feature a painted pattern on terracotta. They are handmade, so each one is unique, giving them a subtly rustic look. The 15cm-square tiles cost £3.74 each. 01600 715444; mandarinstone.com

Parisian chic The contemporary carpet and rug designer Deirdre Dyson has opened a gallery in St Germain, Paris. Her first space outside London, it sits among art galleries and antique dealers in the creative heart of the city. It has a simple and elegant aesthetic, with stone walls and floors, on which the rugs are beautifully displayed. deirdredyson.com

Natural beauties Ochre has launched ‘Ochre Wild’, a new collection of handcrafted rugs made from natural fibres and dyes.

Shown below is the linen and jute ‘Palace Pink’ rug (£8,160). Also pictured are the oval ‘Cosmos Chandelier’ (£9,840), ‘Sable Chair’ (£1,596) and ‘Tudor’ trestle table (£14,508), all from Ochre. 020 7096 7372; ochre.net

Part of the ‘Rattan Hurlingham’ collection made by Soane in its Leicestershire workshop, this bookcase has a cane frame, diamond-lattice side and back panels and shelves clad in woven matting. Shown in rhubarb, it measures 87.5 x 178.5 x 43cm and costs £6,600. 020 7730 6400; soane.com 118 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

ROBERTA VALERIO

Book smart

Exceptional British made wood stoves for the home.

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charnwood

INSIDER | NEWS

Designer insight C ORAL & HIVE Top table Designed by G & O Buratti for Porada, the new ‘Alan’ table is also available with a rectangular top and in different finishes – marble and wood as well as glass. This version is 72cm high with a 160cm-diameter top, £5,874. 020 3155 3065; porada.it

The List member Jeannine Birch talks to Belle Rice about her company, which sells beautiful artisanal rugs, hand woven in South Africa, India and Pakistan

Flowers for floors The latest collection of rugs from Amy Kent is a collaboration with the f lorist Willow Crossley and includes designs inspired by the seasons. Seen here is ‘Spring’. Made of wool and silk, the hand-knotted rugs cost £820 a square metre. 01666 715151; amykent.co.uk

Glass art The large-scale ‘Fossil’ mirror from Cox London has handsculpted coral-like elements in jesmonite and an antiqued glass. Measuring 183 x 30 x 13.5cm, it costs £19,800.

020 3328 9506; coxlondon.com

‘O

riginally, I had the idea of starting a company based around natural craft pieces sourced from my homeland, South Africa. My husband Liam and I started with rugs in 2016, but we never expanded beyond that because I became very involved with the makers. I felt so connected to the looms and the weavers that, when our original manufacturing partner went under, we decided to rebuild the factory. We started with six weavers and now have 17 – our own team in South Africa, plus three family-owned looms in India and Pakistan. The natural fibres are hand-spun after being washed, dyed and hung in the sunshine; this creates imperfectly perfect textures for the designs. Our creative artisans produce exquisite rugs and tapestries that would work well in homes round the world.

120 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

Visit The List today to find a design professional near you. Or perhaps you are a design professional and would like to join The List? Sign up now to be a part of it. Call 020 7152 3639, or email belle.rice@condenast.co.uk.

ALUN CALLENDER

Light metal I like the fusion of the metal structure and woven paper rush-cord seat on the new ‘Echoes’ armchair, designed

by Christophe Pillet for Flexform. Available in a number of metal finishes, including burnished, as seen here, the chair measures 76 x 64 x 61cm and costs €1,961. flexform.it/en

Autumn

SAVINGS

NEWS | SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

‘Heirloom Angel Caroline’ hand-painted tin, resin and papier-mâché candle holder, £78, from Bourne Home. bournehome.com

Cotton poplin ‘Blue Check Shirt’, £70, from Fleet London. fleetlondon.co.uk

‘Micro 2in1 Chopper Balance Bike’ with detachable stabilising wheel (blue), £109.95, from Micro Scooters. micro-scooters.co.uk

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

‘Victorian Luxury Christmas Crackers’, £36 for six, from Nancy & Betty Studio. nancyandbetty.com

LAURA NORMANTON selects highlights of the Spirit of Christmas Fair, in association with House & Garden, at Olympia London, W14, on November 2-8.

Visit spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk for stand numbers and the full list of 700 exhibitors

Mother and Baby Humpback Whales watercolour, 42 x 29.7cm, £175, from Esmay Luck. esmayluckart.com

‘Salmon Spiral’ limited-edition, signed, screenprinted earthenware plate, 37cm diameter, £135, from Tom Rooth. tomrooth.com

‘Concrete’ table accessories, from £5 for ‘Concrete Hexagon Coaster’, from The Abstract Bee. theabstractbee.com

‘Lunesilk’ silk/bamboo Oxford pillow slip (oyster catcher), £50, from Lune Living. luneliving.com

122 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

Exclusive reader offer

* £2.50 TRANSACTION FEE APPLIES. 25 PER CENT DISCOUNT APPLIES TO ON-THE-DOOR PRICES. ADVANCE BOX OFFICE CLOSES AT 11.59PM ON NOVEMBER 1. PHOTOGRAPH: DOMINIC WALTER

House & Garden readers can buy special discounted tickets from £18.38 (25 per cent off)*. Quote ‘NOVREADER’ when booking online at spiritof christmasfair.co.uk.

‘Rosse Drops’ 18ct-gold vermeil on sterling silver earrings (gold), £40, from Lulu B Jewellery. lulub.co.uk

‘Sapling Climate Positive British Vodka’, £30 for 70cl, from Sapling Spirits. saplingspirits.com

‘Porcelain White’ body scrub, £10 for 120g, from Sevin London. sevinlondon.co.uk

‘Stella Waxed Italian Linen Placemat’ (marine blue), 38cm square, £22, from Rebecca Udall. rebeccaudall.com

Two-litre ‘Hobnail Crystal Jug’ (underlay aquamarine), £95, from So Souk. sosouk.co.uk

Earthenware ‘Arthur and Ryan Mug’, 8.5cm diameter, £20, from Killy & Co. killyandco.com

‘Raw Keto Cacao Macaroons’, £5.90 for 120g, from Cru8. cru8foods.co.uk

Cotton ‘Blue Floral Hand Woven Rug’, 150 x 100cm, £120, from Sarah.K. sarahk.co.uk

‘Coastal Lime’ scented mineral- and coconut-wax candle, 27cl, £38, from Collingwood of Somerset. collingwoodofsomerset.co. uk HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 123

INSIDER | BOOKS

Words and Pictures R AT TA N: A WO R L D O F ELEGANCE AND CHARM B Y L U L U LY T L E ( R I Z Z O L I , £ 5 0 )

I

cannot remember the last time a book inspired me to take instant action. But I had only got as far as the end of the first chapter of this well-written and beautifully illustrated book about rattan furnishings when I felt impelled to get up from my desk to fetch a wicker chair from the summer house so that I could have it in my office.

Wicker is a generic term used to describe anything woven from natural fibres, such as willow, rush, reed and hazel.

Rattan, a fast-growing South-East Asian climbing vine, is one of the most durable and eco-friendly of these fibres. It has been used to make all manner of things over the years, from tea trolleys and cake stands to balloon baskets and aeroplane seats. The author of this persuasive paean is Lulu Lytle, perfectly described in the foreword (by Mitchell Owens, decorative arts editor of Architectural Digest) as ‘lively, wide-smiling, endlessly curious’. Lulu is co-founder of Soane, a company that designs furnishings and fabrics, all of which are made in the UK by artisans and craftsmen using traditional methods.

Many of the brand’s most recognisable products are made from rattan, including ‘The Rattan Ripple Console’ and ‘The Rattan Venus Chair’. In 2010, the firm that made them – Britain’s last surviving rattan workshop – went into administration. Soane stepped in, bought the raw materials and machinery and re-employed the two craftsmen, who were still working entirely by hand, steaming the thickest rattan canes to make frames and soaking the finer ones for weaving.

Rattan is having a moment. In this country, Soane flies the flag for contemporary designs, while in France, Atelier Vime produces equally desirable pieces, as well as selling covetable examples of old wicker furniture. The book is well timed in terms of fashion, but Lulu’s love of rattan goes back to childhood and a portrait of the grandfather she never met, sitting at ease in a rattan armchair. By her late teens, she had started collecting antique examples, her prize purchase a child’s cart with a fabric canopy.

Her enthusiasm shines through on every page, in chapters that cover the history of wicker furniture – elaborately woven stools were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, and iconic 20th-century designs were created out of natural fibres, such as Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel’s 1959 ‘Hanging Egg Chair’ and Tom Dixon’s 1988 ‘S Chair’.

Lulu also explores how decorators from Madeleine Castaing and Billy Baldwin to Axel Vervoordt and Studio Peregalli have used this material to add levity, informality and a touch of the exotic to their interiors. She quotes the Italian architect Renzo Mongiardino, who once said, ‘No room is complete without wicker, because the secret of decoration lies in the mix of the high and the low’, and Sister Parish, who would regularly enquire whether a person ‘understood wicker’, this being a marker of aesthetic sophistication.

FROM TOP Antique rattan chairs The illustrations are a joy, and include some in designer John Saladino’s garden wonderfully evocative paintings and old photoin California. Elizabeth Taylor in the 1959 film Suddenly, Last Summer. graphs, as well as more recent rooms, gardens Cecil Beaton and David Hockney and sun-dappled terraces, all furnished with at Beaton’s Wiltshire house in 1969. rattan. Little wonder I had to rush out and The evolution of the wicker chair retrieve my own example, now upgraded with from 1850 to 1934, with Auguste an orange velvet cushion. Ros Byam Shaw Renoir’s painting By the Seashore 124 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SOFAS . BEDS . CHAIRS www.love-your-home.co.uk

loveyourhomeuk

Happy D.2 Plus. Design and technology perfectly combined.

The perfect combination of iconic design and innovative technology: the bathroom classic Happy D.2 Plus with harmoniously rounded corners in new variants. The unique Duravit technologies like the patented c-bonded open up new, individual solutions.

Design by sieger design. For more bathroom design visit www.duravit.co.uk

A r t sp e c ial Edited by EMILY TOBIN

FRIEZE MAY NOT BE HAPPENING THIS YEAR, BUT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF GREAT EXHIBITIONS TO VISIT THIS AUTUMN

ANANDA TANDAVA (2020) © MARÍA BERRÍO, COURTESY THE ARTIST AND VICTORIA MIRO

TEXT CHRISTABEL CHUBB

November highlights

WHAT’S ON MARÍA BERRÍO: FLOWERED SONGS AND BROKEN CURRENTS OCTOBER 6–NOVEMBER 27

Exploring the theme of the aftermath of a catastrophe, the first UK solo exhibition of the Brooklynbased Colombian artist is at Victoria Miro, W1. María’s work explores the tale of a small Colombian fishing village that has undergone a tragedy. Using layers of Japanese paper to meticulously craft her large-scale works, she depicts scenes of barren homes and grieving women left behind. The exhibition demonstrates the highly personal experience of loss and grief. victoria-miro.com

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 127

ART SPECIAL | WHAT’S ON

R O B E R T T AV E N E R – S H A P E , PAT T E R N , T E X T U R E OCTOBER 3–31

UNEARTHED: PHOTOGRAPHY’S ROOTS N O V E M B E R 1 1 – M AY 9

This exhibition at Eastbourne’s Emma Mason Gallery will mark 100 years since Robert Tavener was born in Hampstead. He worked for 50 years as a printmaker and teacher, and illustrated many magazine covers for House & Garden in the Sixties. He once said, ‘In the diverse and complex world of artists’ prints, I have tried to keep three or perhaps four qualities paramount. These are design, colour, draughtsmanship, together with an awareness of the disciplines of autographic printmaking.’ emmamason.co.uk

Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21, presents its first major photography exhibition, tracing the history of the medium through depictions of nature. Arranged chronologically, the exhibition will showcase works by photographers as diverse as William Henry Fox Talbot and Robert Mapplethorpe. Expect to see examples of early Victorian botanical photography, including works by the first female photographer, Anna Atkins, some of which are being displayed publicly for the first time. dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Cornelia Parker explores the blurred lines between reality and illusion in this upcoming exhibition of prints at Cristea Roberts Gallery, SW1. With the photogravure process, Cornelia uses glass objects to cast shadows onto a chemically coated plate; each finished print appears as a photographic positive.

These new works feature various domestic objects – such as wine glasses, coffee pots, medicine bottles and salt shakers – using compositions that create a trompe l’oeil and highlight the beauty of such inanimate objects. cristearoberts.com ZANELE MUHOLI NOVEMBER 5–MARCH 7

R A S H I D J O H N S O N : WAV E S OCTOBER 6–DECEMBER 23

American artist Rashid Johnson is exhibiting across both Hauser & Wirth spaces on Savile Row, W1. In his work, Rashid explores themes of art history, individual and shared cultural identities, personal narratives, literature, philosophy, materiality and critical history, employing a wide range of media and techniques. Often making use of quotidian objects and materials, Rashid references his childhood and the collective aspects of African-American intellectual history and cultural identity. hauserwirth.com A L F R E D WA L L I S OCTOBER 24–JANUARY 3

Having spent the majority of his life working as a deep-sea fisherman in Cornwall, Alfred Wallis turned to painting in 1925, when he was in his seventies, following the death of his wife. His expressive paintings and drawings capture his experiences at sea and became a channel through which he could express his grief. This exhibition at Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge will centre on three beautiful, rarely seen sketchbooks dating from the last year of the artist’s life. kettlesyard.co.uk 128 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

T R A C E Y E M I N / E D VA R D M U N C H : THE LONELINESS OF THE SOUL NOVEMBER 15–FEBRUARY 28

This show at the Royal Academy of Arts, W1, pays homage to Tracey Emin’s appreciation for the pioneering expressionist Edvard Munch. ‘I’ve been in love with this man since I was 18,’ she says, explaining the inspiration for works that highlight her wide range of skills as an artist. The exhibition will also feature work by Munch. royalacademy.org.uk

This show at Tate Modern, SE1, represents the first major survey of work by the South African visual activist Zanele Muholi to be held in a UK art gallery.

Zanele uses photography to tell narratives from the LGBTQIA+ community.

The exhibition will present works spanning the entirety of the artist’s career and will examine themes such as prejudice, gender, sexuality, love and intimacy, among many other politically charged topics. Zanele’s photography is bold and often confrontational, but also tender and beautiful. tate.org.uk

J E N N I F E R PAC K E R PA I N T I N G S A N D D R AW I N G S NOVEMBER 18–MARCH 2021

The Serpentine, W2, is holding Jennifer Packer’s first solo survey exhibition in Europe. The New York-based artist is known for her distinctive use of colour, and her large-scale paintings and drawings allude to the emotional and physical fragility of life.

Her subjects range from intimate portraits to floral still-lifes. Say Her Name (pictured) is a tribute to Sandra Bland, who died in police custody in 2015. It depicts funeral bouquets – a reference to the loss Jennifer feels as a result of institutional violence against black Americans in the US. serpentinegalleries.org

TWO STANDING BROKEN MEN (2019) © RASHID JOHNSON, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND HAUSER & WIRTH; ECLIPSE (2020) BY CORNELIA PARKER; BESTER I, MAYOTTE (2015) © ZANELE MUHOLI, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND STEVENSON, CAPE TOWN/JOHANNESBURG AND YANCEY RICHARDSON, NEW YORK; SAY HER NAME (2017) BY JENNIFER PACKER, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST, CORVI-MORA, LONDON AND SIKKEMA JENKINS & CO, NEW YORK, PHOTO: MATT GRUBB

C O R N E L I A PA R K E R : T H R O U G H A G L A S S D A R K LY OCTOBER 23–NOVEMBER 21

TRULY UNIQUE KITCHENS THAT DEFY CONVENTION E XT R EM E -D ES I G N . C O.U K 0 2 0 33 69 6 02 9

ART SPECIAL | BUYING ART

BUYING ART

EMILY TOBIN recommends eye-catching works to consider adding to your collection C L A R E WO O D S Collage for the Parting 2, from a series of 20 unique collages with hand-painting, paper and image, 32.9 x 26.9cm, £1,200. cristearoberts.com

JOHN MCLEAN Hammerpost, aquatint, edition of 27, 42 x 61cm, £900. flowersgallery.com F L AV I E AU D I Fluid Rock 39, dichroic glass, 20 x 23cm diameter, £6,500. flavieaudi.com SHAAN SYED Boustrophedon 1, oil on linen, 140 x 101.5cm, £7,200. freehouse54.com

DA R BY M I L B R A I T H Loneliness, oil on linen, 35.6 x 50.8cm, $2,000. projetpangee.com HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 131

ART SPECIAL | BUYING ART JA K E C U RT I S Study of an Iris Storrington, giclée print, 50.8 x 61cm, £840 (including postage). jakecurtis.co.uk

ROE ETHRIDGE Erjona for Dazed & Confused, C-type print, edition of 25, 55 x 42cm, £600. ica.art

ELLIE M AC G A R RY Eggs in Bed, oil on flax, 170x 150cm, £350. elliemacgarry.com

PETRA BÖRNER Couvert, RA Edition screenprint, 61 x 44cm, £500. roy.ac/raeditions

M E R I KO K E B B E R H A N U Untitled XLVI, acrylic on canvas, 152.4 x 96.5cm, $16,000. addisfineart.com 132 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

J OY YA M U S A N G I E Where I was Invisible, giclée print, edition of 20, A1, £495. united80brixton.com

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ART SPECIAL | HANGING

H OW to HANG a PICTURE Having acquired an artwork you love, you are faced with the dilemma of where and how to hang it. RUMER NEILL presents a selection of expert guidance to help you through the process – from where best in a room to place a picture, to some nifty tricks of the trade ILLUSTRATIONS CHIARA BRAZZALE

U S I N G T H E S PA C E É Think about the practicalities of the room. A small picture can be lost on a large wall, while a more substantial artwork could dominate a room. Freddie de Rougemont, a specialist in the Old Masters Group at Christie’s London, advises, ‘The impact of an artwork, however grand, can be greatly reduced if it is unsuited to the space.’ É Consider what will surround the artwork and how the light will fall in the room during the day. Do you want the art to be the focal point, or would you prefer it to be placed more subtly? Bear in mind sight lines and what you want to see first when you enter the room. É Don’t be afraid to hang a picture somewhere surprising. As David Macdonald, head of Sotheby’s UK single-owner sales, notes, ‘The relationship you have with a piece should be central: the decoration around it secondary.’ Contemporary pieces can look brilliant in traditionally decorated rooms and vice versa.

W H E R E TO H A N G YO U R P I C T U R E É As a rule of thumb, hanging pictures at eye level is a safe option. This generally means positioning the picture so its midpoint is 57-60 inches from the floor, depending on the ceiling height of the room – and your height, of course. É Obviously, as with any rule, some flexibility is necessary – you may have other artworks to manoeuvre around, or an inconveniently placed mantelpiece.

If the picture’s midpoint is not exactly at eye level, don’t panic: go with your instincts and hang it where it feels natural. In fact, Freddie advises against using tape measures at all and suggests ‘trusting your eye’. É What if you are hanging several pictures? ‘It’s generally sensible to hang your largest picture first and work around it,’ says Freddie. Visualise how you want the completed wall to look and play around with a few arrangements laid out on the floor before you start to make any holes in the wall.

T H I N G S T O AV O I D É Never position a picture in direct sunlight, as this will damage it irreversibly. This is particularly important for works on paper, but applies to all artwork. The interior designer Martin Brudnizki suggests using picture lights, such as those by Hogarth Lighting (hogarthlighting.co.uk) or TM Lighting (tmlighting.com), to illuminate key pieces.

Spotlights and angled ceiling lights work well, too. É Art advisor Arianne Piper says, ‘No glass will safeguard from direct sunlight, but consider UV-protected glass for art in frames.’ Museum glass is preferable but expensive. É Think about the conditions of the room. Due to their humid and hot environments, kitchens and bathrooms are not always ideal places to hang art. Similarly, above a radiator or fireplace might not be the best spot.

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 135

ART SPECIAL | HANGING

C R E AT I N G A S A L O N WA L L É Originating in 17th-century Paris, the salon wall – a wall on which a number of pictures of varying mediums and sizes are hung next to each other – has had something of a renaissance in recent years. You need only look to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition for a lesson in brilliant salon-style hanging. É When planning a salon wall, lay out all your pictures on the floor first, to see how they work together and get an idea of spacing. Remember, you will need to break the line of the wall, so avoid hanging them in neat rows as this looks dull. É The selection of art should not be too carefully considered but feel as though it has been collected over many years. As John Swarbrooke, specialist in Impressionist and Modern Art at Simon Dickinson gallery, SW1, notes, ‘Balance is key – combine monochromatic and colourful pictures, abstract and figurative works, older and contemporary pieces.’ This helps the hanging to feel natural. Make sure the frames look good together, otherwise this can distract from the artwork.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE É If you have bespoke walls or precious wallpaper, Arianne recommends installing an invisible hanging system. These nifty railings mean you avoid drilling into the wall and causing damage. Peak Rock (peak rock.com) has a good, affordable range; the J Rail system is ideal for heavy works. É When it comes to DIY hanging, Chloe Ballin of Sims Reed Gallery, SW1, says, ‘Rules are made to be broken. We love the hanging at Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, where there are pictures hanging at all sorts of heights, including footstool height and eye level for children. Why not rehang every once in a while to create new space and refresh the room.’ É For a mark-free wall, John advises using Post-it notes rather than pencil to mark out the edges of the picture frame and where you plan to place your hooks

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TO DIY OR TO ENLIST A PROFESSIONAL? É Using the services of a professional picture hanger is a worthwhile investment. They can hang a huge number in a day and you can be sure that each and every one will be hung perfectly, with no unwanted holes or markings on the wall. É However, if you are itching to get the hammer and nails out, be sure to have a spirit level to hand, or a laser spirit level, which will allow for extra precision. Luke Duncan, associate director at Cristea Roberts Gallery, SW1, says, ‘Don’t hang your picture on string or wire. It’s better to work a bit harder at the start with a spirit level and then install your picture directly on two hooks or screws.’ String or wire will not fully support the picture and, as the picture can move around, it will rarely sit perfectly straight. É Luke also points out that, ‘Heavy works should always be hung by a professional. If you can’t carry it yourself, don’t try and hang it yourself.’

HOUSE & GARDEN’S T R I E D -A N D TRUSTED HANGERS

1 Arianne Piper ariannepiper.com 2 ADi Solutions groupadi.com 3 Hang My Art hangmyart.co.uk 4 Martinspeed martinspeed.com 5 Jacek Lojek (in-house at builders/decorators Lethbridge London) lethbridgelondon.co.uk

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ART SPECIAL | ON DECORATING

Interior designer RACHEL CHUDLEY

on

ART IN INTERIORS ILLUSTRATION ALEXIS BRUCHON

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rt, design and craft can be difficult to differentiate, and are also often in conflict with one another. The idea of an interior decorator assessing the merit of a work of art by whether it will ‘go with the red of the sofa’ has gone a long way to establish divisions between these worlds. This can result in a hesitance – on the part of decorators and people doing up their own home – to approach the art world and a fear of being judged. In reality, art is all around us, in many forms and walks of life, and readily available to everyone.

As a designer, I’ve had the privilege of visiting artists and makers in their studios and it is one of the highlights of my job. However, this access can be enjoyed by anyone interested in art – starting at degree shows and small galleries across the country. You can learn so much from looking and listening to artists, starting life-long relationships and exposing more people to an artist’s work. Local artists can be found everywhere, and they deserve our interest and support more than ever.

Working with artists at every stage of a project gives a unique perspective to spaces that could otherwise be seen in a linear way.

Our studio is made up of artists as well as designers and every job we work on is a collaboration that benefits from this mix. Investing in art can have a similar effect on your house: you are bringing a new view on the world into your home with the colours, shapes, forms and ideas from the artist’s work. Items traditionally thought of as craft can do the same. It can be hugely satisfying asking an artist or artisan to make something: you will end up with an heirloom.

You can’t go wrong if you choose art because you love it. When something holds emotional currency for you, what does it matter if its financial value increases or not? If renovating a place from scratch, try designing a room around your favourite work of art. And if you are adding a newly found piece, think of where in the room you will get the most joy from seeing it. This is an excuse to look at a space differently. Which other elements already there work with it? What 138 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

can you do to play off it and give new context to a familiar room?

We often go to The Cob Gallery, NW1, with clients to meet exciting up-and-coming artists. I try to plan these trips at the start of our projects, as they can inform and affect the overall concept of a house.

In one room we worked on, the starting point was a work of art over a fireplace and we designed out from that point. Even the colours and perspective lines of the bespoke rug in front of it drew you towards it, with other elements of the room echoing and paying homage to it.

Sometimes we get to design homes that already include incredible art collections. This is a joy, but it can also be difficult. Once I was challenged with hanging a pair of Marilyn Monroe prints by Andy Warhol. Knowing that wherever we hung them would dominate and change the rest of the room, I opted to hang them opposite each other above a doorway in a narrow corridor. In this position, the faces offer a reward to anyone who happens to glance up, giving a very different message to if they had been hung in the middle of the room.

I see interior design as conducting and curating without the real pressures of public curation. There is so much fun to be had in pulling together works of art and brilliant design for a personal home rather than a public space – a freedom to be playful. Your home is not a museum; the artwork you bring into it will add layers of narrative and beauty to your personal story rachelchudley.com

PHOTOGRAPH: MICHAEL SINCLAIR. ALEXIS BRUCHON IS REPRESENTED BY ARTIST PARTNERS

Working with artists at every stage of a project gives a unique perspective to spaces that could otherwise be seen in a linear way

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Ar t i s t s a t HOME

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TEXT EMILY TOBIN

C Y T W O M B LY I N R O M E Following a trip to Europe and North Africa with his fellow American artist Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly settled in Rome in 1957. He later moved into a 17th-century palazzo on Via di Monserrato.

‘In private he is like his art,’ said his niece Marion Franchetti. ‘Entering one of his homes is like entering one of his paintings, the same prevalence of white and void spaces, of the essentiality of presences, with little furniture save for ancient f loors full of signs of passage and old rustic chairs placed in some corner, like sculptures.’ This image was shot for a feature on the artist in Vogue in 1966 by Horst P Horst, one of the towering figures of 20th-century fashion photography.

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ART SPECIAL | ARTISTS AT HOME

C L AU D E M O N E T I N G I V E R N Y Claude Monet first spotted this house Giverny from a train window. By 1890, he was prosperous enough to buy the property, which he had been renting, along with the surrounding land, and he went on to document the gardens in some of his most famous paintings. Giverny was a manifestation of his relationship with colour and pattern. At the artist’s funeral, a black cloth was draped across his coffin, only to be removed by his friend, the politician Georges Clemenceau, who declared ‘No black for Monet!’ and replaced it with a floral cloth.

LUCIAN FREUD IN LONDON The art critic Martin Gayford has described his experience of being painted by Lucian Freud as ‘somewhere between transcendental meditation and a visit to the barbers’. These sittings took place at 138 Kensington Church Street, W8, a Georgian house with stripped-back plaster walls. These were hung with the artist’s collection of works by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable, Frank Auerbach and Francis Bacon. Freud’s impressive art collection has been disbanded since his death in 2011 and given over to the nation, according to his wishes.

FONDATION CLAUDE MONET; LUCIAN FREUD WITH FRANK AUERBACH’S SEATED FEMALE NUDE AND HIS DOG ELI, 2010 (PHOTO)/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES; STEFAN RUIZ; TARAN WILKHU; HOWARD HODGKIN IMAGE COURTESY OF SOTHEBY’S; RAY WILLIAMS

CHARLESTON IN E AST SUSSEX Charleston was the rural outpost for the Bloomsbury group. For 64 years, the farm was home to a ménage of friends, lovers and partners whose romantic affairs, sexual f luidity and experimental living arrangements would prove as enthralling as their creative output. As Vanessa Bell’s daughter Angelica Garnett wrote, Charleston was conceived as ‘a spiritual refuge from the tougher aspects of the outside world’.

J E F F KO O N S I N N E W YO R K Jeff Koons’ Upper East Side bedroom is painted salmon pink – an appropriately sensual shade, given that virtually every artwork in the room somehow celebrates desire and sexuality. This is no ordinary art collection – the walls are hung with paintings by Nicolas Poussin, Pablo Picasso and René Magritte.

Works by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Édouard Manet and Salvador Dalí reputedly adorn other rooms.

D AV I D H O C K N E Y I N L O N D O N In 1969, David Hockney charged the artist and decorator Mo McDermott with sprucing up his Notting Hill flat. The results, which were published in the June 1969 issue of House & Garden, notably included several wooden cutout trees. ‘I’ve been working on this idea for a year now,’ Mo explained in the article. ‘In fact, they take up most of my time these days. David saw some of my early prototypes and asked me to make “a forest” for his own f lat.’

H O WA R D H O D G K I N I N L O N D O N The Bloomsbury house of Howard Hodgkin was a maximalist expression of his collecting habits. It was filled with Iznik tiles, 17th-century Persian rug fragments, Baroque wall mirrors and a cavalcade of other objects that came and went over the years. The artist described himself as ‘a registered sufferer’ when it came to collecting works of art.

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ART SPECIAL | ARTISTS AT HOME

GILBERT & GEORGE IN LONDON The collaborative art duo Gilbert Prousch and George Passmore have been part of the fabric of Spitalfields since the late Sixties. With their penchant for eating at the same establishments day in, day out in their distinctive suits, they are very much locals. The have spent the past 50 years restoring their 18th-century Huguenot house on Fournier Street, E1.

P EG GY G U G G E N H E I M I N V E N I C E Palazzo Venier dei Leoni was commissioned by the Venier family in 1749, though only one of its planned five storeys was built. Peggy Guggenheim bought the building on Venice’s Grand Canal in 1949 and, two years later, opened her home and art collection to the public. ‘My motto was, “Buy a picture a day” and I lived up to it,’ she wrote in her autobiography. She is shown here with a silver bedhead made for her by Alexander Calder.

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RIKARD ÖSTERLUND; DAVID MONTGOMERY/GETTY IMAGES; TONY VACCARO/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES; GIANNI FERRARI/COVER/GETTY IMAGES; THE ARAB HALL, LEIGHTON HOUSE MUSEUM/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES; GERAINT LEWIS; ROBERT RECK (FROM AD MARCH 2002)

BA R BA R A H E PWO RT H I N ST I V E S With the Second World War looming, Barbara Hepworth and her husband Ben Nicholson evacuated to St Ives in Cornwall. She bought Trewyn in 1949; after their divorce two years later, she continued to live and work there until her death in 1975. ‘It is completely perfect for me’, she wrote to Philip James, director of art at the Arts Council, in August 1949. ‘This relationship between figure and landscape is vitally important to me,’ she wrote. ‘I cannot feel it in the city.’

FREDERIC LEIGHTON IN LONDON There are few places in London more gloriously decadent than Leighton House. Built in Holland Park to the specific requirements of the Victorian artist Frederic Leighton, it was developed as a house and studio over a period of 30 years until his death in 1896. His sisters wrote in a letter to The Times that he had created it ‘for his own artistic delight’.

S A LVA D O R D A L Í I N P O R T L L I G AT In 1930, Salvador Dalí bought a small fishing hut in the Spanish village of Portlligat, not far from where he first met his muse and wife, Gala. Over the next 40 years, the artist turned the hut into a suitably eccentric labyrinthine structure, which he described as ‘the ideal place for my work. Everything fits to make it so; time goes more slowly and each hour has its proper dimension. There is a geological peacefulness: it is a unique planetary case’.

D E R E K JA R M A N I N D U N G E N E S S The artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman moved into a house near Dungeness power station in Kent shortly after he was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1986. The garden at Prospect Cottage, as the house was called, became a vital salve during his illness. It gave him solace and energy and enabled him to continue working – even after Aids robbed him of his sight.

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE IN NEW MEXICO ‘As soon as I saw it, I knew I must have it,’ said Georgia O’Keeffe of Ghost Ranch, her house in New Mexico. ‘I wish you could see what I see out the window,’ she wrote to the painter Arthur Garfield Dove. ‘The earth pink and yellow cliffs to the north… pink and purple hills in front and the scrubby fine dull green cedars – and a feeling of much space – it is a very beautiful world’ HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 145

PHOTOGRAPHS JOSHUA MONAGHAN

ART SPECIAL | ARTISTS IN THEIR STUDIO

Artists in their studio

MICHAELA YEARWOOD -DAN

Emily Tobin meets the artist, whose colourful work reflects her interest in subjects as diverse as the natural world and Siri’s opinions of her art

PHOTOGRAPH OF DUENDE BY DENIZ GUZEL

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ichaela Yearwood-Dan’s paintings sing with colour and feeling. She calls them ‘cathartic releases’. Her east London studio is packed with these large-scale abstract works, each of which provides a window into her personal experiences. Femininity, love and heartbreak play their part, as do themes of class, race and gender. But, in examining these ideas, Michaela borrows freely from all areas of life – there are gold hoop earrings, acrylic nails, extracts from text messages she has drafted but not sent, and almost always plants and floral motifs. These are unashamedly beautiful paintings by an artist who revels in method and technique as much as concept and aesthetic.

Michaela uses thick impasto layers of textured paint, which give her work a luxurious feel. Much of what she is creating at the moment pushes against intellectualised ideas of beauty defined by men, but there is also humour. A recent body of work was built around asking Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, for answers to some of life’s more complicated questions – such as ‘Siri, are you my friend?’ and ‘Siri, what do you think about my art?’ ‘The world we live in is serious enough,’ explains Michaela. ‘We really need

to make a conscious effort for things not to be sad and dreary.’

Much of her work is overlaid with inscriptions – taken from notes jotted down on her phone, from conversations with friends, or song lyrics. The interplay between concealment and revelation is a constant in Michaela’s paintings. ‘I want people to spend time with my work,’ she says. ‘So some pieces of text are visible and others are not. I’ve intentionally made it so you can’t read everything.’

Michaela attributes the omnipresence of nature in her work partly to her mother, an avid plant collector whom she dubs ‘the queen of clippings’, partly to the ‘calm, quiet and beautiful’ cemetery opposite where she grew up in south London, and partly to the Caribbean, which is where her parents are from and which she describes as ‘one big garden’. Though she once painted figures, over time people have gradually left Michaela’s canvases. Now the only nod to figuration is the portrait format in which she paints. During lockdown she began working with clay, handbuilding ceramic vessels and overlaying them with text and colour.

Later this year, her work will be on show in Nottingham as part of the group show Laced, which will bring together six women ‘tied together by a shared ancestry but working in different ways’ ‘Laced’ will be at New Art Exchange, Nottingham, from November 21 to March 14; nae.org.uk | Michaela Yearwood-Dan is represented by Tiwani Contemporary; tiwani.co.uk

OPPOSITE PAGE Michaela in her studio in east London. TOP FROM LEFT A detail from her painting Wake Up. Her ceramic vessel A Hypnotic Strange Delight is overlaid with text and colour. Her painting Duende. Colourful canvasses in the studio HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 147

ART SPECIAL | REPORT

R E F R A M I N G H I S T O RY As Britain’s museums and galleries face up to the truths about the provenance of some of their objects, HETTIE JUDAH considers what the process of decolonising means for their collections ILLUSTRATION AVANI TANYA

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n 1897, British forces attacked Benin City (in what is now Nigeria). ‘Thousands of people were gunned to death, the whole place was burnt down and the soldiers involved enriched themselves: took loot and sold it on,’ says Professor Dan Hicks, the curator of world archaeology at Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum. Today, objects acquired as a result of that violent event ‘are in over 250 museums internationally’.

The thousands of looted sculptures and plaques known as the Benin Bronzes include artworks dating from the 13th century. The Nigerian government has asked for their return. Museums are finally taking heed, among them the Pitt Rivers. ‘We’ve never needed world-culture museums more,’ says Dan. ‘But that doesn’t mean that the objects in them have to have been taken by soldiers in the 19th century. The work of restitution for me is also about saving the anthropological museum as a project – something I care a great deal about.’

By what path did artworks and objects arrive in our museum collections? Who acquired them and how? How are they categorised and why? What stories might they tell and why should we care? How might you decolonise a museum? Three years ago, the art historian Alice Procter launched the Uncomfortable Art Tours, asking just such questions about works in six London museums. ‘We talk about provenance – if they were acquired through violence, or looting, or taken in the context of colonial theft or invasion,’ says Alice. ‘It’s important to introduce people to those histories and show how those stories have become part of the museum collection.’

In her book The Whole Picture, Alice explores the history of Tippoo’s Tiger at the Victoria & Albert Museum, George Stubbs’s The Kongouro from New Holland at the National Maritime Museum and a diamond in the Louvre, illuminating their connections to war, conquest and empire. She discusses how artists have found alternative ways of framing the museums’ unspoken histories.

The colonial wealth behind Britain’s great museums moulded their aims, attitudes and inherent hierarchy. It informed the paternalistic mission of imposing names and categories on every kind of thing, and of educating the British public. ‘Decolonising is a broad concept,’ says Alice. ‘It’s not just saying, “These objects were stolen: send them away.” It’s about asking why they were taken, how they have been displayed, how they have been used to tell different stories over time.’

It matters who is telling the story and who is responsible for the archives. Those running Britain’s museums, galleries and libraries are not representative of the general population; in 2014, a survey by the Office for National Statistics found that over 97 per cent of employees in the sector were white. Until recently, few institutions felt compelled to ask uncomfortable questions about their own collections.

Sara Wajid, head of engagement at the Museum of London,

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founded Museum Detox – an organisation for BAME cultural workers – in 2015. At that time, she was working at the National Maritime Museum. ‘I was senior enough that I was never in meetings with other people of colour,’ she recalls. As a result, she felt alone in sensing the bias within the museum’s telling of history.

‘The problems lie at the heart of the collections: these wrongheaded perspectives are on gallery walls, because the nature of the collections dictate that,’ she says. ‘When you ask a curator to tell a story, they’ll say it depends what’s in the collection.’ The worldview according to which a collection was amassed influences the stories it will tell: it takes conscious effort to push back.

While at the National Maritime Museum, Sara says, she worked in particular with ‘documentation and oil paintings that celebrate the achievements of the East India Company. Of course, it’s a British museum and that is what has been collected: not the experience of subjugated people and the victims of Empire’.

When trying to discuss this at work, she felt powerless, a lone voice. Museum Detox started as an informal network, but has gone on to advocate for and advise BAME museum workers, and to support them in questioning their own institutions.

The National Trust curator Charlotte Holmes became involved with Museum Detox in 2016. ‘The opportunity to meet colleagues – other black people, who have a similar experience – was like a breath of fresh air,’ she says. ‘I didn’t realise all the racialised behaviours I’d become accustomed to that had gone unacknowledged in my career. You get to a point where you think you’re the only person, or that you must be imagining your own discomfort.’

Discussing the representation of people of colour in museum collections – often through a colonial lens, if at all – Charlotte became convinced that not only could the sector’s status quo be challenged, but it was also historically important to do so.

At the National Trust, says Charlotte, ‘we have a responsibility to tell the history that you can’t see. How were these properties funded? What do the beautiful things that we see tell us about global trade and the violence behind it? All of a sudden, all these products, plants and objects started coming from all over the world to Britain, but that wasn’t a passive process’.

Some objects have more troubled histories than others. Since 2004, some British institutions, including the Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers, have been returning human remains of indigenous peoples. But restitution is only a fragment of this story. For Alice, decolonising is also a process of enrichment: an opportunity to piece together a more complete history of the art and artefacts in our museums Uncomfortable Art Tours: the exhibitionist.org | Museum Detox: museumdetox.org | The V&A Artists in Residence scheme supports artists, designers and creative practitioners to undertake research, develop public programmes and create work inspired by the museum’s collections; vam.ac.uk

© VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON. THE WHOLE PICTURE: THE COLONIAL STORY OF THE ART IN OUR MUSEUMS & WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT BY ALICE PROCTER (CASSELL, £16.99). DAN HICKS’ BOOK THE BRUTISH MUSEUMS: THE BENIN BRONZES, COLONIAL VIOLENCE AND CULTURAL RESTITUTION (PLUTO PRESS, £20) WILL BE PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2021

This illustration, Tipu’s Dream, was inspired by objects in the V&A’s South Asian collection. Many are associated with Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore in India.

After Tipu was killed by the British East India Company army in 1799, his treasures were divided among the soldiers; most are now held by UK museums HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 149

PORTRAIT OF BEATA HEUMAN BY CHRIS GLOAG; PAUL MASSEY; RACHEL WHITING

lifestyle

LEARNING C U RV E S In his County Cork studio, JOSEPH WALSH bends nature to his will, crafting majestic pieces that have turned his family farm into a hub of innovation for makers all over the world TEXT DAVID NICHOLLS | PHOTOGRAPHS MARK LUSCOMBE-WHYTE

In the former hay store on his family’s farm, Joseph displays two of his works: Lilium II (left) and Lilium III (right). Both were made using layers of wood veneer to create sinuous curved forms

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ART SPECIAL | LIFESTYLE

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oseph Walsh’s family has inhabited the same fertile slice of land in Fartha, County Cork, since the early 18th century. They were tenant farmers, later awarded the freehold to what has, over the years, grown to 150 acres. He says, however, that his ancestors first came to this part of the world long before that. Records show that a number of Walshes (literally, ‘Welshmen’) crossed the Irish Sea in the 13th century to help build a Cistercian abbey in nearby Tracton.

More than 800 years later, the designer would make his own significant contribution to one of the local churches that eventually replaced the abbey centuries after it was destroyed.

At the age of 21, just two years after setting up his own furniture-making studio, Joseph was commissioned by a brave and forward-thinking priest, Father George Murphy, to create sanctuary furniture as part of the restoration of the church, which dates from the 19th century. When Joseph takes me to see these striking pieces, I meet one of the parishioners.

‘Joseph’s done very well, hasn’t he?’ she says. ‘Did you know some duke or prince in England paid him tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds for a chair?’

Joseph learnt of those ancient Cork Walshes in 2015, when he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from University College Cork, which also presented him with a family tree. By that point, his work had become famous well beyond his county and country, and was exhibited all over the world. The chair that the parishioner mentioned is likely a reference THIS PAGE ANTICLOCKWISE FROM TOP Fartha Wood Mural painted by Ed Miliano is a striking backdrop for Richard Ginori porcelain and a 1906 gramophone in the parlour of the farmhouse.

In the attic, a wood-panelled bedroom features a portrait of the craftsman Masaki Kondo by Raoul de Gendre. The 18th-century house and farm buildings are arranged around a courtyard.

OPPOSITE Joseph on the original red-painted wooden settle in the kitchen, with the Detroit-based artist Chris Schanck

There is a sense of a shared purpose, similar to what the men who once farmed this land might have felt

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ART SPECIAL | LIFESTYLE

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Joseph has assembled a team of specialist makers from all over the world. The designer with his friend Eamon O’Neill on Resurrection, the latter’s fishing boat in Kinsale. Joseph designed sanctuary furniture for Sacred Heart Church in Minane Bridge nearby

to the two dozen ‘Enignum’ chairs that Joseph made for the Great Dining Room at Chatsworth House in 2017, having received a commission from the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The Duke once said that they did use the chairs, but added, ‘I expect that some day they will become regarded as too important to risk being damaged.’

Joseph is self-taught and left formal education before he had reached his teenage years. This is not a subject that he is particularly interested in discussing, explaining simply that he is ‘better at learning than at complying’ and that he has ‘always had a curiosity and thirst for information’. His childhood was one of exploring and experimenting with the tools he would find on the farm. He tinkered with agricultural machinery and made his first dresser at the age of 12. When he was in his late teens, he began working with bent wood – a skill that he learnt from a boat builder in nearby Kinsale. ‘It opened up so many possibilities,’ he says.

For the past 20 years, Joseph has been ushering the 18thcentury farm buildings into the next stage of their evolution, and today they are a centre for designing, making and exhibiting his work. The house in which his grandfather was born is now used as a place for meetings and a staff canteen. Across the courtyard, the former potato stores have become an office, gallery and studio space. Beyond a field is a former hay store in which monumental-scale pieces are made by hand; the vast proportions of the building has allowed a socially distant working environment since long before the term has existed.

And the team has been busy over the unsettling spring and summer this year. The studio’s projects have long lead times and there were existing commissions to fill; new projects came in and, with them, the promise of many more months of work for Joseph’s employees.

The work is extraordinary, with layer upon layer of wood veneer forming structures that twist, turn and spiral in ways that seem to defy the laws of physics. A series of large-scale

Joseph (centre) in the studio with members of the design team (from left): Javier Alvarez, Laurance Liu, Lucille Bonnard and Martin McGloin

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ART SPECIAL | LIFESTYLE sculptures comes under the category of ‘Magnus’; one-off, site-specific creations – which are the mainstay of the studio – sit within the ‘Opus’ collection; more domestic pieces are part of the ‘Dommus’ portfolio of work. The Latin names that Joseph gives his creations might seem self-consciously lofty if it were not for the fact that they are genuinely majestic things to behold.

Each begins life as a free-form sketch: fluid, continuous lines of pencil on paper that call to mind the seance-induced spirit drawings of the Victorian period. Developments in technology have made it easier to interpret these otherworldly scribbles into three-dimensional forms, which are later turned into small models, then refined and eventually scaled up to the final size.

He has hired makers and technicians from around the country and around the world: Japan and Taiwan, Germany, France, Canada and beyond. And there is a real sense of a shared purpose, a drive towards a common goal similar to what the men who once farmed this land might have felt.

Joseph says that, when he was a child, all the farm workers used to come in from the field to have lunch together and he wanted to recreate that atmosphere. Twice a week, Una Crosbie, who runs a local café in Kinsale, brings lunch to the

ABOVE Constructing a ‘Luminoria’ table, commissioned by a private client in New York. RIGHT A scale model in olive ash of the ‘Enignum VIII’ bed, which was also created for Chatsworth 156 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Flowing sketches in pencil are the starting point for many of Joseph’s designs, which are then modelled in wood.

Gabriel Hielscher and Jonathan Otter inspecting ash timber in the workshop.

An ‘Enignum’ chair made from ebonised walnut – two dozen were commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire for the Great Dining Room at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire

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ART SPECIAL | LIFESTYLE cottage-cum-canteen for all of the makers, technicians and administrative staff to share. ‘It’s hard to keep up a workplace disagreement when you’re asking someone to pass the salt,’ Joseph explains. At one o’clock, drawn by the aroma of shepherd’s pie wafting across the yard, the team wind their way from their stations for lunch.

Over the three days that the photographer Mark and I spent with Joseph, it struck me that although he seems a fairly private person – far more f luent when speaking about anything other than himself – he is also someone who values and nurtures social connections. He has a knack for gathering people together to share their ideas and experiences.

In September 2017, he launched Making In, an annual one-day event held at the farm, to discuss and celebrate design, art, craft and architecture. There are seminars led by creatives from all over the world and guests come from far and wide (and many from just up the road). Last year, the local hotels were completely booked out, creating a buzz in the community and a boon for the local economy. This year’s event will no doubt be different – smaller, and possibly filmed so that those who are unable to travel can still participate – but it will go ahead.

When Joseph, Mark and I went for dinner in Kinsale on our last night, I noticed that many of the people we encountered seemed to know who Joseph was; there were plenty of nods of the head, hellos and quick chats. I couldn’t decide if it was because the designer is something of a local celebrity or if Kinsale is such a small town that everyone seems to know everyone else. Perhaps it is a bit of both Joseph Walsh: josephwalshstudio.com

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ANTICLOCKWISE FROM TOP Making In is an annual gathering of creatives hosted by the studio – seen here is Clio, a sculpture by Manolo Valdés. The ruins of Ringrone Castle, where Joseph has been working on an arboretum for the past five years. A communal lunch outside with members of the team, including Una Crosbie, Gabriel, Lucille and Jonathan

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Former fashion designer Pascale Smets (centre) favours foraged foliage when she decorates her Victorian rectory in Suffolk for Christmas

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EDIT I n s p i ra t i o n a l I N T E R I O R S , b e a u t i f u l G A R D E N S , fascinating people, compelling stories

F rom A PERFECT PA I R I N G Pa g e 1 6 2

MICHAEL SINCLAIR

An inviting corner of the smart open-plan sitting room in a London house transformed

by Emily Todhunter

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EXTENSION AND GARDEN A small seating area on the ground floor and the kitchen/dining space on the upper level look out onto the garden created by Tania Compton

TEXT HATTA BYNG | PHOTOGRAPHS MICHAEL SINCLAIR

A perfect pairing Emily Todhunter of Todhunter Earle Interiors has combined open-plan living with luxurious materials – a style she refers to as maximalist contemporary – to reconcile the tastes of the owners of this South Kensington house

DINING AREA Ochre’s ‘Celestial Pebble’ lights hang above the table, on which are oil and vinegar bottles by Lucie Rie. The bird sculptures are by Bridget McCrum

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ENTRANCE HALL (this page) Panelling in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Down Pipe’ surrounds an upholstered niche with a painting by Marzia Colonna.

KITCHEN Units by Orwells Furniture were given a faux-metallic finish and paired with ‘Super White’ quartzite for the work surfaces and wall behind the hob. SITTING ROOM (opposite) Cushions by Susan Deliss brighten a sofa designed by Todhunter Earle. An ottoman in a Vaughan fabric and a rug from Alton-Brooke link the area with the red-velvet walls in the study beyond

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hen the couple who own this house met, the now-husband had owned the property for some years. It was a charming Georgian-style cottage built in the Nineties in a gap between the tall, stucco-fronted houses that typify South Kensington. His wife talks of an interior of chintz, gingham and swags – a style that he felt very comfortable with but that was not really her. Despite growing up with a mother who was an antique dealer, her natural inclination is for something more pared down.

Having decided that it was time to make some changes, the couple’s initial brief to their architects was for modest improvements. But then they brought in interior designer Emily Todhunter to have a look, and the project became a whole lot bigger. ‘The budget doubled, but we went, “Wow’’,’ says the wife, who has known Emily since prep school. ‘We hadn’t set out for a wow outcome, but Emily’s ideas made complete sense. It has brought us a different lifestyle in London – we are now at home a lot more, as it’s a place we really want to be. It doesn’t feel like we are living in a city.’

Emily’s initial thoughts were scribbled on the back of a sick bag on a plane – they had come to her on a trip to Spain – and she rang the owners immediately. In the original layout, the kitchen was tucked away in the basement, with no outlook and felt removed from the rest of the house.

‘The wife is a fantastic cook and I could see it just didn’t work for her,’ explains Emily, who liaised with the architects Flower Michelin to radically transform the plan. The stairs were in the middle of the building, making it a house of two separate halves, and there were three individual gardens or outdoor spaces. They pushed the back of the house out into the garden by three metres and moved the kitchen upstairs, so that it now looks out over the garden – recently redesigned by Tania Compton. Importantly, the entertaining and living spaces are now all on one floor. Two staircases at either end of the long, narrow house replace the central staircase and have hugely improved the flow.

The Georgian cottage feel has been replaced by something airy, open plan and distinctly modern, but also layered and comfortable. ‘I’m a chucker and only keep things that are useful or beautiful,’ says the wife. ‘My husband keeps everything and it stays where he puts it down. He was convinced we were creating a minimalist, Milanese art gallery.’

But between them, they have discovered a style that suits them both, aided sensitively by Emily. She describes it as maximalist contemporary. There is certainly a sense of luxury – cherry-coloured velvet on the walls behind the 164 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

SPARE ROOM (right) An emeraldgreen velvet throw picks up on the accents of Fromental’s ‘Florent’ wallpaper. The bedside table is from Lorfords and the lamp from Pooky.

MAIN BEDROOM (below and opposite) Opening onto the courtyard with its sculptural water feature by Jordi Raga, this room is decorated in restful shades of pink. A velvet headboard sits against walls in a silk wallcovering by de Gournay. The bench from Lorfords is upholstered in ‘Garsington’ in rosewood by Guy Goodfellow

wife’s desk, a Bill Amberg leather handrail on the bronze banisters in the entrance hall, a faux-metallic paint effect on the kitchen cupboards, an onyx bath and basins set against silk walls in the main bathroom, a Fromental wallpaper in the jewel-box of a spare room. The list goes on.

The wife’s reference for the main sitting room was a set design she had seen at the opera – its sumptuous velvets and rich colours are echoed in the fabrics of the large L-shaped sofa and cushions, and the red rug from Alton-Brooke. The house is an art gallery of sorts. The husband inherited art and both were keen collectors long before they met – not necessarily expensive pieces but things that caught their eye.

For each room, they started with two paintings. In the sitting room, it was two pictures ‘we knew made our hearts sing’ – one by Joan Zuckerman, a family friend, which hangs over the chimneypiece, and facing it, a panel that came from the wife’s mother. These are mixed with works by Lynn Chadwick, Lucie Rie and Bridget McCrum, among others, which sit on tables, plinths and shelves that run the length of the sitting room. At first, they struggled to find a place where the lighting was right for a piece by Edmund de Waal that was a birthday present; it now sits protected on a shelf of the glass table beside the sofa, perfectly lit by a skylight.

One of their favourite places to shop is Messums in Wiltshire.

‘We tend to return to the same artists,’ the wife explains.

Another favourite in London is 8 Holland Street: ‘Owner Tobias Vernon’s energy and eye is very clever.’

The big commission for this house was the monumental sculpture and water feature that fills the central courtyard.

The Spanish sculptor Jordi Raga was 25 at the time and had never created a water feature before, so it was a bold move to work with him. ‘We wanted to see and hear the water,’ she says. It took a 60-tonne crane to get the main sculpture in, and the 1,000 numbered hexagonal marble pieces that surround it were carried in by hand. They are thrilled with the outcome, which can be seen from almost every room.

For the husband, this project was a large leap of faith. But such was its success, they are now selling their house in the country and building a new one from scratch, working with Jonathan Tuckey Design and Emily. ‘We realised how much we enjoy the intellectual stimulation and creativity of being in a room with lots of specialists and experts in their field,’ says the wife. It is early days yet, but they already talk of it being one of the most inspiring, motivating processes they have been through. I look forward to the end result Todhunter Earle: todhunterearle.com | Flower Michelin: flowermichelin.com | Tania Compton: taniacompton.co.uk 166 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

The Georgian cottage feel has been replaced by something airy, open plan and distinctly modern, but also layered and comfortable

DRAWING ROOM (this page) The wicker sofas are from 1stdibs. A painting of the house’s conservatory by Alison Pullen was commissioned via Byard Art in Cambridge. GAMES ROOM (opposite) The oak dining table, made by Sir William Bentley Billiards, opens up to become a billiards table. A sofa from Sedilia and a custom cabinet from Pinch contrast with panelling painted in ‘SC227’ by Papers & Paints. The William Morris-inspired bespoke rug is from Parsua

A new chapter TEXT SERENA FOKSCHANER PHOTOGRAPHS PAUL MASSEY | LOCATIONS EDITOR LIZ ELLIOT

The imaginative restoration of the house in which JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan has teamed sensitivity to its history, including several literary allusions, with a strong approach to colour and design details HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 169

‘The history of this house is so interesting – the new owners wanted to reference that.

Everything had to be imaginative and bold, with lots of pattern and colour’ DRAWING ROOM Panelling in ‘Glass V’ by Paint & Paper Library tones with cabinets from Lorfords Antiques. To evoke the room’s Edwardian heyday, interior designer Sophie Ashby layered patterns on new and antique furniture. The footstool was embroidered by Fine Cell Work in a homage to Peter Pan, references to which are also concealed in a games table by Hugh Miller. Chairs from Howe are covered in GP & J Baker’s ‘Meadow Fruit Velvet’

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KITCHEN (both pages) In the once-Dickensian basement kitchen, the new owners were allowed to remove part of a wall to bring light to the space.

The ‘Camembert Chairs’ are from Howe and the ceiling light is by Allied Maker. Under the cast-glass floor of the drawing room above, one corner has become a sociable spot, with armchairs from Atelier Ellis covered in ‘Strawberry Thief ’ by Morris & Co. Bespoke shelving for ceramics houses Phil Rogers’ Set of 80 Guinomi from the Goldmark Gallery. Cupboards by Plain English are teamed with a Calacatta Viola marble splashback

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ost of us would balk at the many restrictions of living in a Grade II*listed property in which not one single detail (door handles included) can be changed without permission. The residents of this west London townhouse think differently. That is because their Regency villa, screened from the busy Bayswater Road by high walls, is something of a literary landmark. It is here, at a desk overlooking the oaks and cascading horse chestnuts of Kensington Gardens, that JM Barrie sat down to write his story about a boy who would not grow up.

Like Peter Pan, this is a house suspended in time. Its last owners, the Young family, lived here for almost 90 years.

Theirs was an intellectual and artistic household. They installed bookshelves and entertained like-minded intelligentsia in the panelled drawing room, but left the interior alone. Visiting for the first time in 2015, the current owners discovered an intriguing time warp of flagstoned passages, snug parlours and below-stairs servants’ quarters unchanged since Barrie’s day. Even the authorial loo remained intact.

They were keen it remained that way, says Giles Quarme, the architect commissioned to restore the building. ‘It’s an unusual house: my job was to preserve its quirks,’ says Giles, an historic buildings expert whose practice has won awards for its work at Althorp House in Northamptonshire and Glynde Place in Sussex. Modern comforts, including new bathrooms and central heating, were needed for the family of five. But elsewhere, they trod lightly to conserve this rare example of ‘a vanished, upper-middle-class way of life’, he explains.

It was not just Barrie who was inspired by the house. His wife, the actress Mary Ansell (who later ran off with a much younger novelist), was a flamboyant decorator who transformed the interior. ‘The house was built in the 19th century for a plantsman who worked in the local market garden. It was an ordinary home, until Mrs Barrie gave it an Edwardian makeover,’ says Giles. All the chimneypieces and grates, the cast-iron staircase to the garden, the door furniture and original floorboards, basins and floor tiles have been individually restored by specialist craftsmen across the country.

When they began work, the builders discovered a scrap of wallpaper hidden behind the paintwork. William Morris’s ‘Willow’ pattern was the catalyst for vivid new decoration

by Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby. ‘The history of this house is so interesting – my clients wanted to reference that. Everything had to be imaginative and bold, with lots of pattern and colour,’ says Sophie, who chose hand-blocked wallpapers and fabrics to evoke the property’s Edwardian heyday.

For the bedrooms, each with its own fireplace, she found HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 173

MAIN BATHROOM The original washbasin has been restored. ‘Jennifer’ wall lights from The Urban Electric Co enhance the Edwardian feel.

MAIN BEDROOM (right) Wallpaper by de Gournay and a four-poster by Collier Webb were chosen to echo the whimsical details installed by Mrs Barrie. The headboard is covered in ‘Bargello’ from Gainsborough, teamed with bed curtains in Claremont’s ‘Armure Cannele’ silk. SPARE ROOM (below right) The bedcover is in ‘Nantes’ by Lewis & Wood. The blind is in ‘Crewelwork’ by Bennison and the wallpaper is Quercus & Co’s ‘Tempest’

deep fireside chairs and Arts and Crafts bedsteads. Like her predecessors, she looked to the park for ideas: clouds scurry across wallpaper; a console is wreathed in bronze oak leaves; in the music room, tree murals add Neverland-ish charm.

We tread Mrs Barrie’s dramatic staircase to the main bedroom. The original plasterwork, which frames the entrance to the bathroom like a proscenium arch, is echoed in the curves of the four-poster and scrolling foliage of the wallpaper.

The Barries’ marriage has always been shrouded in speculation, says Giles, who thinks that a door, covered in wallpaper by the last owners, may have led to a separate bedroom used by the author. Next door, a corner room has a sash window that opens onto a diminutive balcony repainted in its original olive green. It does not take much imagination to picture a moonlit boy, dressed in ‘skeleton leaves’, alighting here.

Rehearsals for the stage play of Peter Pan were held in the dining room, where Barrie made the actor who first played Nana observe and mimic his own dog, Porthos, a St Bernard nearly as large as the author. Next door, Mrs Barrie knocked through three small rooms to create the drawing room, which features one of the first conservatories to be built in London.

Restoration revealed that the panelling was made of plaster rather than wood ‘for reasons of economy’, says Giles.

When the carpet was lifted, a cast-glass floor underneath was exposed for probably the first time in almost a century.

Part of the heavy structure had been damaged, so a craftsman was commissioned to make a mould of the original to ensure old blends into new. ‘Mrs Barrie added the floor to bring light to the kitchen downstairs,’ says Giles. ‘I also think it was a risqué joke. For servants to be able to see up the skirts of their employers in those days would have been scandalous.’

After the Barries divorced in 1909, the house was sold.

Later, their friend the sculptress Kathleen Bruce, the widow of Scott of the Antarctic, moved in with her son Peter Scott, Barrie’s godson. Her second husband was the MP Edward Hilton Young. Their visitors included TE Lawrence, John Betjeman and the architects Alison and Peter Smithson, who designed the unusual Brutalist extension at the back. In the Seventies, the house was listed, saving it from redevelopment.

Today, it feels like a relic of an older, less frenetic London.

One of the few changes the last owners made was to embed slivers of mirror in the brickwork, to mimic the sparkle of Tinker Bell’s wings. The new owners have added their own homage to Barrie’s creation. In the drawing room, opening the drawer of a walnut games table by Hugh Miller reveals a carving of a tiny Peter Pan. It marks the start of a new chapter in the history of this wonderfully idiosyncratic home Giles Quarme: quarme.com Studio Ashby: studioashby.com HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 175

ART AND SOUL It may be packed with paintings, but this Wiltshire house is far from an austere showcase, with 20th-century pictures, quirky curios and treasured heirlooms giving it a welcoming charm TEXT HUGH ST CLAIR | PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON BROWN | LOCATIONS EDITOR LIZ ELLIOT

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SITTING ROOM (both pages) Walls painted in ‘Setting Plaster’ by Farrow & Ball provide a background for mounted insect specimens and artwork collected by the house’s owners, artist Sarah Graham and art dealer James HollandHibbert. A painting by Edward Burra hangs above the bolection moulded chimneypiece from Jamb.

The curtains are in Fermoie’s ‘Rabanna’ cotton

DINING ROOM A set of prints of John Rocques’ 1746 Map of London is displayed on walls painted in ‘Green Ground’ by Farrow & Ball. The panel of Central Asian ikat fabric above the door was from the antique textile dealer Joss Graham. Leatherupholstered dining chairs, designed in 1927 by Kaare Klint, surround a Regency rosewood table

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‘I like bathrooms not to look like bathrooms – they should be places of sanctuary, full of books and lovely things’ MAIN BATHROOM Old camel blankets from Robert Kime were repurposed as curtains here and in the adjoining bedroom. Sarah’s drawing of a goliath beetle makes a statement. MAIN BEDROOM Joss Graham supplied the Bokhara wall hanging, kantha bedcover and Berber rug. Reproduction insect prints by EA Séguy hang on the walls

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OPPOSITE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT On the landing, more reproduction prints by EA Séguy – part of a series from c1928 – hang above an antique French sofa with its original upholstery. Sarah and James’s daughter Daisy running in the meadow. A framed leaf, hand painted on tussar silk from Orissa in eastern India, hangs above the bath, which has views out over the garden through the arched window. On the terrace, colourful tablecloths brighten a wooden dining table and chairs by Gaze Burvill, providing a relaxed setting for meals with family and friends

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ummy, quick, look,’ shouts Sarah Graham’s six-year-old daughter as she carefully carries a beetle in from the garden of their 18th-century house. Sarah is obviously delighted that her daughter shares her fascination with beetles, ladybirds and spiders. A celebrated painter of exotic plants, f lowers and insects in large scale, she has just taken delivery of a new monograph of her work following a recent exhibition in London, which she proudly shows to her interested daughter.

Sarah and her husband, art dealer James Holland-Hibbert, and their two young daughters have enjoyed the summer holidays in their Wiltshire village house surrounded by good mid-20th-century British art and Sarah’s collection of antique prints of insects and flowers, which provide inspiration for her.

James lived here before they were married and now wonders why, as a single man, he chose a house with five bedrooms. ‘But it seemed manageable, with decent-sized rooms and no dark corridors or huge open-plan areas,’ he says. Built for the property manager of a large local estate, the building is two rooms deep, all arranged around a central double-height hall with windows front to back. Most of the changes James made were cosmetic. He removed all the fitted carpets and was excited to find the original elm floorboards in good condition underneath. The seamless extension to the drawing room – built in the Seventies – did not have these old boards, so he took them from one of the bedrooms, which he then recarpeted. An ugly chimneypiece in the drawing room was replaced with a bolection moulded stone surround.

Sarah, whom he met in London, grew up only a few miles from the house and longed to have a place in the area. They both share a love of walking round the ancient sites of Salisbury Plain and they collect works by artists who have a connection with the area.

Landscapes by David Inshaw, William Nicholson, Robin Tanner and Freya Wood hang in the couple’s bedroom. ‘It’s all about purpose and provenance relevant to us,’ explains Sarah.

Adjoining their bedroom is a large bathroom, where two of their favourite pieces take pride of place. On one side of the claw-foot bath in the centre of the room is an etching by Lucian Freud of his stepson and, on the other, a pen and ink drawing of a goliath beetle from one of Sarah’s first exhibitions in the early 2000s.

The curtains are made from camel blankets that remind Sarah of her travels.‘I like bathrooms not to look like bathrooms, but rather rooms that happen to have a bath in them,’ she says. ‘They should be places of sanctuary, full of books and lovely things.’

James collects what he describes as ‘timeless and sophisticated Georgian and Arts and Crafts furniture’, which he likes to mix with lighting and pictures from the past 100 years. In the kitchen, an early 20th-century Heal’s table with ladder-back chairs by Ernest Gimson is placed under a Damien Hirst spot painting. For the dining room, James found six leather chairs by the 20th-century Danish designer Kaare Klint to go with a round Regency rosewood table, which Sarah had inherited. In general, however, explains Sarah, ‘James has worked on the bones of the house and I the flesh, the clutter.’

They also enlisted the help of the interior designer Camilla Guinness, who was invited to rummage through a cupboard stuffed full of antique textiles and find uses for them round the house. Camilla also brought in some African Kuba cloths to hang in the drawing room, on a wall adjacent to paintings by Edward Burra and Graham Sutherland – an artist who has strongly influenced Sarah’s work. They painted the drawing room walls in ‘Setting Plaster’ by Farrow & Ball, chosen because it is ‘warm,

This is a house arranged in a relaxed, unselfconscious way, where there is always something interesting to look at – whatever age you are flattering on the complexion and good against strong-coloured pictures’, says Sarah. The other rooms in the house are also painted in soft hues: the dining room in willow green and the upstairs rooms a pale camel. ‘This neutral background makes it easier to move the pictures around,’ explains James. By way of contrast, the television room is painted a bright post-box red.

As I leave, Sarah’s daughter shows me a vitrine full of amber obsidian and smoky quartz. This is a house arranged in a relaxed, unselfconscious way, where there is always something interesting to look at – whatever age you are Camilla Guinness Interiors: camilla@camillaguinness.com.

Sarah’s work is featured in the recently published book ‘Sarah Graham’ by Ruth Guilding (Ridinghouse, £35) HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 183

CALM & COLLECTED TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS JAMES MCDONALD | LOCATIONS EDITOR LIZ ELLIOT

SITTING ROOM (both pages) A red plastic armchair by Vico Magistretti for Artemide and an ashanti stool are arranged beside the chimneypiece; above it hangs a study for a screen print by Sandra Blow. Ceramics, books and cactus-shaped candles line the shelves

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Gallerist Tobias Vernon’s cottage in Somerset is a study in juxtaposition, with white walls throughout providing a background for his creative arrangements of art and eclectic pieces

A Fifties oak and rope armchair attributed to Paolo Buffa and Vitra’s remake of Isamu Noguchi’s 1951 ‘Akari 10A’ f loor lamp stand below a black and white oil painting by Swedish artist Bo Beskow. Moroccan and vintage Swedish wool rugs add colour and texture

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ABOVE FROM LEFT Tufted cotton cushions from François Gilles stand out on a ‘Maralunga Sofa’ by Vico Magistretti for Cassina found on 1stdibs; the white oiled-oak coffee table with a ceramic top is by Åke Holm. Tobias and his dog Pablo fetch the papers

ABOVE FROM LEFT A ceramic owl sculpture by Cornish artist Ken Spooner sits on a mahogany console given to Tobias by his uncle.

Kitchen units painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Dutch Orange’ contrast with ‘Circa’ industrial rubber flooring in forest green by Polymax

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KITCHEN An old oak desk serves as a table, with seating provided by a Fifties Orkney oak armchair with woven hood, an Ikea plastic ‘Janinge’ chair and an Arts and Crafts-style rush-seated chair. A Sixties mirror by FontanaArte hangs above the original bread oven

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sked when his Somerset cottage was built, Tobias Vernon hands me a plastic tray that he bought in the local post office. It is decorated with an illustration of a handful of village houses, one of which happens to be his, describing them as ‘17th century with 19th-century casement windows, a plank door and a tiled roof ’. Tobias took on the lease for this estate cottage in Mells last year and uses it for weekend breaks, after weekdays running his 8 Holland Street gallery in London and its sister shop in Bath.

At work, Tobias is a curator but, here, the cottage reveals the mindset of a young collector. There are no Gainsboroughs nor signs of the romantic if patrician English country-house look. And while anyone can use brilliant white wall paint, Tobias displays a hard-to-pindown but recognisable gift for collecting and arranging.

The effect is cohesive and personal, a chorus of the charming and the amusing – right down to the green rubber floor in the kitchen, with its raised coin-like pattern.

Tobias was born in St Ives and, aged four, moved with his family to a Georgian house in Devon, which his mother ‘was constantly doing up’. But the family frequently returned to St Ives to visit their holiday house there, and his parents enjoyed collecting ceramics and Cornish 20th-century art, including works by Bryan Pearce and Tony O’Malley. ‘Seeing works by the likes of Alfred Wallis, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson at Tate St Ives gallery by Porthmeor Beach, in the Nineties, was enlightening,’ says Tobias. Later, reading history of art at Trinity College, Cambridge, Tobias’s passion for seeing art in collectors’ homes developed. He visited Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, and the former homes of Peggy Guggenheim in Venice and Charles and Ray Eames in Los Angeles. He went on to work for the interior designer Virginia Howard and, in spring 2018, set up 8 Holland Street in Kensington.

Today, Tobias also offers a furniture- and an art-buying service, along with interior-design consultancy.

His non-hierarchical attitude to art was applied to the two-up two-down cottage. It consists of a tiny hallway, a kitchen and dining room to the right and a sitting room to the left, where there is a door to a small staircase leading up to a bathroom and two bedrooms. Explaining his approach, Tobias says, ‘I left the walls uneven, which suits the vernacular of this house. Laying sisal on the floor costs a lot less than putting down hard flooring. And rugs work brilliantly on top of sisal. The old “granny shelf ” around the top of the sitting room was already here, but painted white it gives the room more definition architecturally.’

He painted the existing kitchen cupboards in Farrow & Ball’s vibrant ‘Dutch Orange’ and his Habitat four-poster bed a grass green. While the sofa is opposite the chimneypiece and the kitchen table in front of the stove, in other regards the feeling is asymmetric.

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TOBIAS displays a hard-to-pin-down but recognisable GIFT for collecting and ARRANGING. The effect is cohesive and PERSONAL ‘Instead of making everything perfect, I focused on incorporating artwork I already had,’ he says. ‘I bought the Alexander Calder-inspired mobile from the MoMA museum shop in New York when I was 10. And I found the painted ceramic frieze of people squashing grapes with their feet – now over the kitchen mantelpiece – in a Somerset market a few years ago. The owl sculpture on the table in the hall is by the Cornish artist Ken Spooner – I acquired it five years ago from Far & Wild in Perranporth.’

Tobias favours simple box frames painted white or stained charcoal, as well as polished or matt aluminium frames. ‘I like textures and that interplay of different materials.’ If on a budget, he recommends buying prints, etchings and gallery posters, and framing them simply with a border – or float-mounted if a print – to avoid them looking too flat. The unsigned screen print above the chimneypiece was bought rolled up from Sandra Blow’s St Ives studio. ‘It is the most beautiful piece I own.’

While one can feel the influences of British modernism, Tobias also has a keen eye for the European. He found the ‘Maralunga Sofa’, designed in 1973 by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, at the online shop 1stdibs: ‘It’s compact and incredibly comfortable, with back cushions that fold over at the top to give that television-chair feel. I aim for the sculptural, defined and playful.’ One of the sitting room rugs is Swedish, a 1928 design by the influential textile designer Märta Måås-Fjetterström.

Tobias has succeeded in retaining the cottage’s simple rustic character, while at the same time making it feel spontaneous and contemporarily nostalgic. ‘I like the contrast of a West African ashanti stool with a green Ikea tray table,’ he says. Jessica Smith of Flower & Land, near Bath, has helped him plant borders and a yard garden: ‘So it all feels happy-making and uplifting now.’

What might he have done differently given a bigger budget? ‘I would track down an original woven-cane floor lamp by the Finnish designer Paavo Tynell, which I saw on a sourcing trip to Copenhagen and fell in love with’ 8 Holland Street: 8hollandstreet.com

BEDROOM An Ian McKeever etching and a Svenskt Tenn brass candle sconce hang above Tobias’s childhood Habitat bed, now painted Farrow & Ball’s ‘Emerald Green’. The hand-woven linen throw is by Catarina Riccabona; the oil paintings are by Emma Alcock

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Every picture tells a story

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Artist Phoebe Dickinson’s south London home is a testament to what drives and inspires her, from the portraiture on the walls to the cherished fabrics and pieces of furniture amassed over time TEXT EMILY TOBIN | PHOTOGRAPHS PAUL MASSEY

KITCHEN Cupboards by DeVol in ‘Pantry Blue’, topped with Vitruvius marble, are combined with freestanding pieces, including a cabinet from Arcadia Antiques. On it stands a lamp by Penny Morrison and a plaster bust – a wedding present from sculptor and gallerist Raffaello Romanelli. Above the sofa, by Phoebe’s interiordesigner sister Octavia Dickinson, hangs a 3D collage by Phoebe in the style of Joseph Cornell.

The cushions are in a fabric from Soane

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T

he walls of the London house owned by artist Phoebe Dickinson and her husband Luke are filled with paintings, each with a story. Some she painted, others she has sat for and many are the work of friends.

‘The portrait of us in the sitting room was a very generous wedding present from my teacher Nick Bashall. I am looking serious, because he had a mirror behind him as he painted and I was watching every brush stroke, so I could learn from him,’ she explains.

Phoebe is known for her portraiture. In 2013, she appeared on the Sky Arts TV show Portrait Artist of the Year and, in 2018, she was chosen for the BP Portrait Award for her commission of the Cholmondeley children, which shows the three young sitters in William Kent’s sumptuously decorated stone hall at Houghton Hall in Norfolk.

Phoebe’s studio at the top of the house is packed to the brim with everything from sensitive still lifes to landscapes painted en plein air and vast oils of the great and the good.

‘One aspect I love about my job is the houses I get to visit,’ she says. ‘I draw inspiration from them, not just for my paintings and the art I see there – they also give me ideas of what to do with rooms in my own house.’

Also very helpful is the fact that Phoebe’s sister, Octavia Dickinson, is an interior designer. The pair bought the house together 15 years ago and lived there with their younger brother and a string of friends. ‘It was quite studenty to begin with,’ says Phoebe. ‘The kitchen was tiny and the plastic was peeling off the counters.’ It was not until she and Luke got married – and their various friends moved out – that they were able to extend the kitchen and install far-fromstudenty DeVol units. They also turned the attic into a studio.

Over the years, Phoebe and Octavia assembled a medley of printed fabrics – many from Penny Morrison – and used them to great effect. Meanwhile, Phoebe and Luke have spent a lot of time happily trawling Ebay, stalls at The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair at Battersea Park and the antique shops of Tetbury to furnish the house. ‘Each year, the house has got better and better,’ says Phoebe. They recently called on Octavia in a more official capacity for help with refreshing their bedroom. They commissioned specialist decorator Cornelia Faulkner to paint the walls with a drag effect, then added the pièce de résistance – a bed tester, with a combination of Claremont, Nicole Fabre and Soane textiles.

At the start of this year, Phoebe and Luke took their two daughters to Phoebe’s parents’ house in Gloucestershire for a short stay, packing just an overnight bag. Soon afterwards, lockdown struck and they found themselves living out the pandemic in the country. Their Battersea home was already on the market and, a few weeks later, they found a house in a nearby village. So with little fanfare and not much chance to say goodbye, they have left London permanently. Thankfully, the paintings that tell the story of their life up until now will shortly arrive at their new home, and its walls will soon be a sea of beautifully curated pictures. With Phoebe’s artist’s eye and input from her sister, the new house will surely be a finely executed celebration of an entire family’s talents

KITCHEN (top) A table from Brownrigg in Tetbury is paired with antique chairs from Westenholz. Above the chimneypiece is a painting

by Phoebe flanked by antique sconces and plates by the South African ceramicist Hylton Nel. DRAWING ROOM (above and opposite) The etching of a zedonk is by artist friend Hugo Wilson. Above the sofa is Nick Bashall’s portrait of Phoebe and Luke. An ottoman in Penny Morrison’s ‘Killi’ linen echoes the warm tones of a Robert Kime trim on the curtains and a terracotta sculpture by Domenica de Ferranti 192 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

‘One aspect I love about my job is the houses I get to visit. I draw inspiration from them about what to do with my own rooms’

STUDIO Paintings from Phoebe’s travels and her collection of frames fill this space at the top of the house. SPARE ROOM A nude by friend Rosalie Watkins hangs beside curtains in Penny Morrison’s ‘Haveli’ linen. BATHROOM A pretty floral fabric by Claremont was used to make the gathered curtains and matching bath panels. The artwork above the taps is an antique sailor’s love charm. GARDEN Phoebe and Luke found the antique metal table in Tetbury. A mirror on the back wall reflects the light and makes the space feel larger 194 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

MAIN BEDROOM Walls painted with a drag effect are the backdrop for a bed tester in ‘South’ from Claremont, edged in Soane’s ‘Old Flax’ in azure and lined with ‘Chancy’ in chaya by Nicole Fabre Designs. The pale pink quilt adds to the layered effect. The stool at the end of the bed is in Le Manach’s ‘Plumettes’ cotton in celeste.

A painting by Daisy Perkins hangs above the bedside table sourced in Tetbury

Built in the 17th century, St Giles House is set in several hundred acres of beautiful parkland.

The serpentine lake was created by the 4th Earl of Shaftesbury in the 18th century, embracing the then fashionable naturalistic landscape garden style. In the past decade, the current Earl has dredged the lake and cleared trees to restore the original views

STILL WATERS

Having inherited St Giles House in tragic circumstances, the Earl of Shaftesbury set about its restoration and enlisted the help of Jane Hurst to revive its neglected gardens in a sustainable way TEXT AMBRA EDWARDS | PHOTOGRAPHS ANDREW MONTGOMERY

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THIS PAGE Originally laid out in 1902, the sunken garden has perennial borders designed by Jane Hurst, backed by cubes of copper beech on the terrace. OPPOSITE The statue of Anteros, a twin of the Eros statue in Piccadilly, was erected as a memorial to the 7th Earl 198 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

O

n a summer morning in 2005, Nick Ashley-Cooper stood on the dilapidated terrace of his ancestral home, St Giles House in rural Dorset, and confronted his future. Abandoned for half a century, that terrace was a sea of wildflowers. Lawns had turned to rippling meadows. Stonework crumbled under the weight of ivy. But the many trees planted by his conservationist father had prospered; the populations of butterflies and owls he nurtured had thrived. It was ravishing.

In 2004, Nick’s father was murdered. Then, within months, his elder brother died of a heart attack, aged just 27. Suddenly Nick was tabloid fodder: the tattooed New York DJ who was now, inconceivably, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury. Along with a 5,500-acre estate, he had inherited a 17th-century house on the Heritage at Risk Register, surrounded by a neglected park. The follies were collapsing. The once sparkling serpentine lake had silted up. Yet this hauntingly poetic scene of decay could move sharp-eyed historians to rhapsodies of melancholy, while local people treasured the Sleeping Beauty in their midst.

The young Earl proposed to his girlfriend Dinah on the terrace, took himself off to business school and, by 2015, this indomitable pair had raised millions and were winning awards for their imaginative restoration of the house. But how to approach the garden? And which garden? Since Anthony Ashley-Cooper, later 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, had begun his new house in 1651, the garden had been made and remade many times over. So which of its many stories should they choose to tell?

The first Earl had risen to power by judiciously changing sides throughout the Civil War – a flexibility reflected in his garden. He was passionate about his fruit trees, at a

time when growing fruit was part of the Commonwealth mission to recreate Eden on Earth. (Apples were believed to offer both physical and spiritual nourishment.) Conversely, the garden’s most distinctive feature was a grand beech avenue – a royal fashion popularised by Charles II. The 3rd Earl’s garden was equally perplexing. Known as the Philosopher Earl, he has been hailed as the John the Baptist of the English landscape garden, writing in praise of ‘things of a natural kind’ and all ‘the horrid graces of the Wilderness’. His garden, however, remained conventional and formal – yews and hollies clipped into pyramids and spheres, and neatly maintained grass plats.

It was the 4th Earl who embraced the new naturalistic landscape style, creating a serpentine lake, reducing the great beech avenue to scattered clumps of trees, bringing the greensward sweeping up to the house and bedecking the grounds with all manner of follies. This was a time when gardens became vehicles for political propaganda, and as the Earl and his wife Susannah were something of a power couple at the heart of 18th-century Whig politics, it is likely that these follies carried anti-establishment messages that were well understood by their friends.

On the other hand, they made delightful destinations for a picnic or a boat trip. Among them were pretty pavilions, including one devoted to Shakespeare; little islands reached by boat or – the height of fashion – by ‘Chinese’ bridges; a romantic ruined castle; and secluded ‘seats’ furnished with ‘books in hanging glass cases’, according to the Reverend Richard Pococke who visited in 1754.

Star billing – for this was very much garden theatre – went to Susannah’s shell grotto. Restored in 2013-4, it is breathtaking – a scene of underwater enchantment, artfully lit from above and encrusted with ‘a great profusion of most beautiful shells, petrifications and

The borders in the sunken garden continue to provide interest right through the winter, with graceful movement from tall mauve Verbena bonariensis and white Japanese anemones, soft texture in mounds of purple sage and pale Stipa tenuissima, and structure and drama in the fiery foliage of Cotinus ‘Grace’

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THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Alchemilla mollis and silvery Stachys byzantina showcase the flowers of Aster ‘Mönch’.

The exterior of the 18th-century shell grotto and its beautifully restored interior. A stone bridge spans the canal that feeds into the lake.

OPPOSITE The façade of St Giles House framed by an avenue of beech trees, which has been uprooted and replanted over the centuries 202 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

corals’, the largest and most exotic sent from Jamaica.

The 4th Earl and Susannah spent a fortune ridding their garden of all traces of formality. Their descendants spent the next two centuries putting it back. A raised terrace appeared around the house, the avenue was reinstated and, in 1902, a sunken garden was dug out to the east of the house. Filled with bright bedding plants, it featured four grass quadrants around a central fountain designed to be admired from a perimeter path – a last hurrah, before two World Wars called time on great houses like St Giles.

It was not until the Sixties that the family finally decamped. ‘There was a magic about that time of abandonment,’ recalls Nick. ‘And we wanted to honour it.’ So in restoring the house, Nick eschewed exact reconstruction, preferring to illustrate its cycles of splendour and decay.

The same applied outside. Nick had neither the appetite nor the budget to recreate an 18th-century rococo garden; what was needed was a garden for now – one that was achievable and practical. Architectural historians had criticised the 1st Earl’s unfussy red-brick house as pennypinching in the name of Good Taste. To Nick, this seemed a virtue; indeed it became a guiding principle. Key historic features would be restored as time and money allowed, but anything new must be simple and easy to maintain.

Garden designer Jane Hurst arrived on site in March 2013 to find the sunken garden filled in, the paths reinstated and time short. She had just three months to transform an empty space into a romantic backdrop for the garden’s first wedding, scheduled for June. (Henceforth this was how St Giles would earn its keep.) The water pressure, the head gardener informed her, was lamentable, which meant the garden had to survive without regular irrigation. The surrounding yew hedges, bonsai-ed by deer, offered negligible protection from the wind. And the perimeter beds, designed to balance planting within the quadrants, were too narrow for the large, architectural

plants she originally had in mind. These were deployed instead in bold new borders on the western side of the house and in the dazzling plantings featuring vibrant, hot colours in the stable yard.

Inspired by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll, Jane chose a palette of what she calls ‘bomb-proof ’ plants of interesting texture, creating a sweep of colour from warm reds and purples by the house to whites and misty pastels, which could dissolve into the landscape at the avenue end. Lamb’s ears and purple sage were encouraged to spill on to the path, and she made a virtue of the breezy conditions by introducing Japanese anemones and grasses, which dance in the wind. The past few years have brought heat and drought conditions previously unheard of in damp, green Dorset: the garden has sailed through, looking beautiful well into November, when the last big, red, semi-translucent leaves drop from Cotinus ‘Grace’.

Rather than place high-maintenance pots on the terrace, Jane planted cubes of copper beech, mirroring the castellated parapet of the house. More beech forms stud the lawns south of it. The grass is left to grow long in summer, creating a contrast of shaggy and clipped, and recalling the ‘beautiful disorder’ of the wilderness years. ‘The most magical moment in gardens is on the cusp of chaos, just before everything goes too far and collapses into a mess,’ says Jane. ‘The terrace was never more beautiful than when it was a meadow but, sadly, it’s not a practical proposition.’

‘We cannot cling to the past,’ says Nick. ‘We have to garden in a way that is sustainable, that looks to the future, that can survive with minimal inputs and that doesn’t harm the birds and butterflies so close to my father’s heart. It might not be exactly what people expect to see at a historic house – but so much the better’ St Giles House: stgileshouse.com Jane Hurst: janehurstgardendesign.com

THIS PAGE Salvia ‘La Mancha’ has creamy white flowers tinged with coral pink. OPPOSITE Salvia x jamensis ‘California Sunset’ is a recent introduction, blooming from July to November

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GARDEN SERIE S: Part 7 THE PLANT COLLECTORS

Salvia salvation PHOTOGRAPHS SABINA RÃœBER

Concluding our series on specialist growers, CLARE FOSTER visits Vicki Weston, whose Welsh nursery is a vibrant testament to the 20 years that she has devoted to cultivating and promoting salvias

V

ersatile, elegant and very much in vogue, the so-called New World salvias from Mexico, Central and South America are excellent plants for the latter part of the year. In the UK, we grow many of the European species, such as S. nemorosa, which flower in late spring and early summer, as well as the common herbal sage, S. officinalis, and others – both annual and perennial. The species from the Americas, however, are slightly different. Generally, they are more tender than the European plants (but some are from high altitudes and therefore tougher), flowering from early summer right into the autumn in a much wider colour spectrum – from crimson red and carmine pink to true, vivid blue.

‘They are so fashionable at the moment and they are such good plants,’ says Vicki Weston, who grows a large collection of salvias at her nursery in Wales.

‘They’re very low maintenance, drought tolerant, long flowering and all good for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.’

Vicki fell in love with salvias when she opened a herb nursery on her husband’s family farm on the Isle of Wight 20 years ago.

She had trained and worked as a professional cellist, but a spinalcord tumour diagnosed just after the birth of her third child cut her musical career short: ‘I was suddenly in a wheelchair, but I knew I would go mad if I couldn’t be outside, so I started gardening – at first on my knees – just going at my own speed.’ By this time, she was a single parent and had moved to Yorkshire, where she started to sell plants from her garden on Ebay. ‘I’m extremely determined, or obstinate – I’m not sure which – I just kept going, and the plants kept going.’

Seven years ago, Vicki moved to Ceredigion in West Wales, along with her beloved collection of 6,000 plants. Her interest in salvias has snowballed and she now has about 75 species and cultivars, which she sells by mail order from her website.

Some of the cultivars she recommends, such as the deep purple ‘Amistad’, are new to cultivation but already well known.

‘Someone found ‘Amistad’ at a plant fair in Argentina and it’s now one of the most widely seen salvias in the world,’ she says. ‘Hot Lips’ is also popular, with small, aromatic leaves and delicate, bi-coloured crimson-and-white blooms from June until the first frosts. The tender species flower the latest and some can even be in bloom at Christmas if grown in pots. Vicki

recommends varieties such as S. fulgens, the Mexican scarlet sage or the striking rust-red S. confertiflora for Christmas colour. S. involucrata ‘Mulberry Jam’, with its showy deep pink f lowers (or indeed any of the New World salvias), can also be container-grown to maximise autumn flowering time.

‘The colours are so diverse, with yellows, pinks and apricots as well as purples, blues and reds,’ Vicki says. Of the blues, she recommends S. patens and its cultivar ‘Cambridge Blue’, which have huge, intense-hued blooms. She also mentions the late-flowering S. corrugata from Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, and the brilliant S. sagittata with huge, arrowshaped leaves and electric-blue flowers, which grows at 10,000 feet in the Andes. S. uliginosa is an elegant plant for the back of a border, reaching 1.2 metres, with wavy stems and hundreds of china-blue blooms, while S. ‘African Sky’ is a bushy, sturdy plant with tall spires of pretty blue-andwhite flowers. Other colours are also widely represented at Vicki’s regular exhibits at local plant fairs, which include cultivars derived from both S. x jamensis and S. microphylla – from the rich crimson ‘Royal Bumble’ and fragrant velvety purple ‘Nachtvlinder’ to peachy pink ‘California Sunset’ and creamy white ‘La Mancha’.

Growing salvias is easy, but they need the right conditions to thrive. ‘They’re often hardier than people think – the RHS hardiness zones tend to be pessimistic,’ says Vicki. ‘I grew a lot of salvias in East Yorkshire and you would be surprised at what survived there.’

Often, soil and micro-climate can be as critical as geography.

Without exception, they need a well-drained soil and a sunny spot. The soil is the most important element, so if you have a heavy soil, dig in plenty of grit before planting. ‘They don’t need much care while they are growing, but deadhead often to keep them flowering for as long as possible – and after they have flowered, don’t hurry to cut them back, Vicki advises. ‘They’re like penstemons and shouldn’t be cut back until spring, when they start shooting from the base.’

The other plus point with the New World salvias is that it is easy to take cuttings from them, which is a wise thing to do with the more tender varieties that you are afraid of losing over the winter. ‘Making softwood cuttings can be done any time through the summer,’ Vicki says. ‘Cut any new, nonflowering shoot and plant into a 50:50 mix of multipurpose compost and perlite, and they should root easily’ Westons Salvias: westonssalvias.co.uk

THIS PAGE Vicki Weston at her nursery in West Wales. OPPOSITE TOP ROW FROM LEFT Salvia ‘Cambridge Blue’ has large hooded gentian-blue flowers. The mauve blooms of S. ‘So Cool Pale Blue’. S. ‘Mulberry Jam’ has striking, lipstick-pink flowers. MIDDLE ROW Salvia oxyphora, fuzzy Bolivian sage. S. ‘African Sky’ produces plentiful pale blue blooms. The unusual bi-coloured flowers of S. ‘Hot Lips’.

BOTTOM ROW Popular new variety S. ‘Amistad’. S. ‘Royal Bumble’ flowers from August to October. The china-blue blooms of S. uliginosa 206 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

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Hearty helpings FOOD & DRINKS EDITOR BLANCHE VAUGHAN | PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON BAJADA

It is not always the most cheerful of months, as the days get shorter and the cold draught of winter enters the soul, but November is a joyous time for the cook. As the weather takes a turn for the worse, food becomes more important. There is no more light grazing on tomatoes and hummus, but a need for proper nourishment. Luckily, the larder is still full. The winter diet of stews and thick soups is still novel and autumn fruit and game are in abundance. It is a time for rich, ripe f lavours and robust rib ticklers to appease healthy appetites. All recipes serve 6

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CELERY AND CHESTNUT SOUP WITH ONION BREAD Now that a possible legacy of lockdown is that we have all been turned into bakers, it may be insulting to offer a recipe for such a simple soda bread. It is, however, well tasty and a good foil for the velvety soup, which can, of course, be enjoyed with any bread.

For the bread  4 onions  50g butter  300g white unbleached flour  1tsp (scant level) bicarbonate of soda  230ml buttermilk or kefir For the soup  1 large celery  1 onion  25g unsalted butter, plus extra if needed  200g potatoes, peeled and cubed  400g cooked chestnuts  1 litre milk, plus extra if needed  2 bay leaves  1 lemon, juice (optional)

1 For the bread, peel the onions, cut away the root and slice thinly. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and let the onions sweat down very slowly without letting them colour as long as possible.

Once they finally become golden, tender and slightly sweet, remove from the heat and leave to cool.

2 Heat the oven to 230°C/fan oven 210°C/mark 8.

Sieve the dry ingredients plus 1tsp salt into a large bowl and mix in the cooled onions. Make a well in the middle and pour in most of the buttermilk (about 210ml). Using your fingers, bring the flour into the buttermilk and mix gently until it forms a soft mass.

Add the rest of the milk if needed; otherwise gather the dough up into a cylinder.

3 Divide into six. Gently roll these into rounds and place on a floured baking tray. Make a little cross in each top and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/mark 6

and then cook for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

4 Remove the top leaves from the celery, but cut the remainder thinly across the stalks and wash thoroughly. Peel and slice the onion. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the celery and onion, and let them sweat gently for 20 minutes.

5 Add the potatoes and chestnuts to the pan. Add 1tsp each of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cover with the milk, add the bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 30 minutes. Make sure the potatoes are completely cooked and then blend in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. Add extra milk if the soup has become too thick – it should have a lovely velvety consistency.

It might need extra salt and a little squeeze of lemon juice. A little butter can be blitzed in at the last moment to enrich the soup. Serve very hot with the rolls alongside.

FOOD & TRAVEL | RECIPES

VENISON CHILLI Allegedly created by President Lyndon B Johnson when he was told he had to cut down on cholesterol, this is a cracking way to cook venison, the gamey flavour well offset by the not-too-fiery chilli. The accompaniments of sour cream, tortillas and chopped spring onions are near essential. The dried chillies give an earthy, richer dimension to the chilli heat: which ones you deploy are not, frankly, critical.

2 dried ancho chillies 1 dessertspoon cumin seeds X 1 onion, finely chopped X 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped X 2 fresh chillies, finely chopped X 100ml sunflower or similar oil X 1.5kg diced stewing venison X 1tsp chilli powder X 500g tin chopped tomatoes X 1 dessertspoon dried (or fresh chopped) oregano X X

To serve X Pilaf rice and sour cream X 6 spring onions, chopped X Bunch fresh coriander X Tortilla chips or other crackers

1 Soak the dried chillies in a bowl of cold water. In a heavy, large, dry casserole dish, roast the cumin seeds on a high heat until they give off a strong, toasty aroma. Pour these seeds into a mortar or blender and grind to a powder.

2 In the casserole, stew the onion, garlic and fresh and dried chillies with 2tbsp of the oil. Remove from the heat. In a separate frying pan, fry the venison in batches in 2tbsp oil, colouring each side and then adding to the aromatics in the casserole.

Once all the meat is sealed, add the chilli powder,

tomatoes and oregano to the casserole, with just enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer and skim off any scum that rises to the top and, later in the cooking process, any oil or fat.

3 The stew will need 2½ hours to cook properly and it will be improved by being cooked the day before and then being reheated for 30 minutes before serving the next day. The meat should be beginning to break up into a ragu. Serve with pilaf rice, a bowl of sour cream, a bowl of spring onions, the coriander and the tortilla chips.

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ESCAROLE, PEAR AND ROQUEFORT SALAD A favourite of mine from my Kensington Place days. I have seen many variations over the past 30 years, but this is the original version. If no escarole is available, endives make a good substitute. Other blue cheeses lack the ripping acidity that makes this such a hit.

1 large head escarole 3 large ripe pears, peeled  1 lemon, juice  150g Roquefort cheese  1tbsp red wine vinegar  4tbsp best olive oil, plus extra if needed  

1 Split the escarole in half, down through the root, and split in half again. Cut away the root and stalk and then separate all the leaves. Wash in a large bowl of very cold water and then spin-dry before filling a large salad bowl.

2 Roll the pears in the lemon juice. Halve them and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon. Then slice them not too thinly and return them to the lemon juice. Spread them out over the salad. Cut the

Roquefort as best you can and then distribute the pieces in turn.

3 Sprinkle ½tsp sea salt, ½tsp coarsely milled black pepper and the vinegar into the salad, and then add the olive oil. With a sharp knife, cut down into the salad and turn the leaves in the process.

Keep going until thoroughly mixed. Taste the leaves – they may need more seasoning, or a bit more oil for lubrication.

FOOD & TRAVEL | RECIPES

SQUASH AND SWISS CHARD LASAGNE This ticks a lot of boxes, being vegetarian, easy to prepare in advance and good for large numbers – either as a main in its own right or as a side dish. I like to make it the day before eating. You will need a rectangular deep oven dish, about 18 x 28cm and 6-8cm high.

For the squash and chard X 1 squash (such as butternut, onion or hubbard) about 1kg X 8 cloves X 2 star anise X 10 black peppercorns X 1tsp allspice X ½tsp nutmeg X 4tbsp olive oil X 100g amaretti biscuits X 100ml double cream X 1kg Swiss chard with thick white stems X 1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest For the béchamel sauce X 100g unsalted butter X 60g plain flour X 500ml milk X 1 onion, thinly sliced X 6 cloves X 2 bay leaves X 150ml double cream For the lasagne X 300g dry lasagne sheets X 50g Parmesan, grated

1 To cook the squash mixture, heat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/mark 6. Halve the squash, remove the seeds and cut into eight segments.

Grind the cloves, star anise and peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and mix with the allspice and nutmeg. Sprinkle the flesh of the squash on a baking tray with the spices, season generously with salt and sprinkle with 2tbsp olive oil. Roast the squash in the oven for 1½ hours or until tender. When cooled, scoop the flesh off the skin and blend in a food processor with the amaretti biscuits and cream. The purée should retain a bit of texture.

2 Wash the chard well before pulling the leaves off the white stalks. Cut the stalks diagonally into 5mm slices and toss in the lemon juice and zest.

Cut the leaves into thick ribbons. Heat 2tbsp olive oil in a wide sauté pan or similar and add the stalks with ½tsp salt. Cook on a moderate heat until they start to wilt and soften. Add the shredded leaves and cook for five minutes, so the leaves wilt but remain a bright green. Drain in a colander.

3 To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavybottomed saucepan. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to make a sandy roux. After 2 minutes, add a small amount of the milk and stir well to make a smooth paste. Add the remaining

milk and, changing to a wire whisk, stir very well until the mixture comes to a simmer. Season with a good 1tsp salt and add the onion, cloves and bay leaves, and then simmer very gently for 20-30 minutes, taking care that the sauce does not catch.

(I usually diffuse the heat with the help of a castiron frying pan.) Add the double cream and then strain the sauce into a bowl.

4 To bring it all together, pour a thin layer of the white sauce on the bottom of the dish and then a layer of uncooked lasagne sheets. Cover with half the chard mixture and then pour over another quarter of the sauce. Cover with lasagne sheets and then half the squash mixture. Cover with more lasagne, then the remainder of the chard, some more of the white sauce, then more lasagne, more squash, more lasagne and – finally – the remainder of the white sauce.

5 Sprinkle with Parmesan and then cover with foil. Bake in a medium-hot oven (200°C/fan oven 180°C/mark 6) for 20 minutes before reducing to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/mark 3 and cooking for another 30 minutes. Turn the oven up to 220°C/ fan oven 200°C/mark 7, remove the foil and give the lasagne a final burnishing to a golden brown.

Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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FOOD & TRAVEL | RECIPES

DARK GINGER CAKE This is an old Elizabeth David favourite. My mother would serve this with a good Cheddar and an apple, and being a good and faithful son, I have followed her excellent example. Be careful not to overcook it: the moist texture of the loaf is important. Also, don’t stint on the ginger – I usually add a little bit of the preserved ginger syrup to the batter.

125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing  125g dark muscovado sugar  2 eggs  225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting  280g black treacle  60g sultanas  60g preserved ginger in syrup, finely sliced  2tsp ground ginger  2tbsp milk  ½tsp bicarbonate of soda 

1 Heat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/mark 3.

Butter and flour a 15cm loaf tin at least 8cm tall.

2 Beat the butter and sugar together, until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs. Now add the flour, pour in the treacle and add the sultanas (dusted with a little flour, so that they are dry), then the sliced ginger and the ground ginger. Finally, the milk should be very slightly warmed and the

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bicarbonate of soda stirred into it. Add this to the cake mixture.

3 Turn the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the oven on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Then turn the oven down to 150°C/fan oven 130°C/mark 2, cover the top of the cake with a piece of buttered greaseproof paper and leave in the oven for another 45 minutes m

FOOD & TRAVEL | NEWS

Taste Notes OUR FOOD EDITOR BLANCHE VAUGHAN SHARES HER NEWS, REVIEWS AND TIPS FOR COOKS AND FOOD LOVERS

seasonal recipe

TOFFEE APPLES FOR BONFIRE NIGHT

ELLA NURSE

This childhood treat is easy to make and fun to eat – bonfire or not. Make the most of the many UK-grown apples available at this time of year; I like to use small, Cox’s-like Herefordshire Russets for this, for a good ratio of toffee to apple. Serves 6 Ingredients X 6 small apples X Oil, for greasing X 225g demerara sugar X 1tsp white wine vinegar X 1tbsp golden syrup X 30g butter X ½tsp vanilla extract X 100g hazelnuts, finely chopped

1 Wash the apples and remove the stalks. Skewer each apple with a wooden stick, pushed down through the core. Lightly oil a baking tray.

2 Dissolve the sugar in 110ml water in a pan over a moderate heat. When dissolved, add the vinegar, syrup and butter. Bring the mixture to the boil and boil rapidly for about 8-10 minutes. If you have a jam thermometer, the temperature at hardcrack stage will be 140°C. Otherwise, you can test it by putting a drop in a glass of cold water – if it hardens to a ball it is ready; if it is still soft and

tacky, it will need longer. Be careful not to burn the mixture otherwise it will taste very bitter.

3 When the toffee is ready, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Put the chopped nuts on a flat plate. Dip each apple into the toffee using the stick and twist around to cover completely. Allow the excess toffee to drip off before rolling the apples in the chopped nuts.

4 Place the apples on the oiled baking tray and leave to cool and harden. They will be ready to eat in just a matter of minutes.

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FOOD & TRAVEL | NEWS Eastern promise

Native & Co is a jewel box of a store, selling beautifully handcrafted kitchenware and ceramics from Japan. Japanese artisans are meticulous in their choice of materials for specific jobs: you will find clay rice pots, porcelain pestles and mortars, and hagane highcarbon steel knives. I would love a collection of their slim porcelain ‘Flower Vases with Wooden Base’ (£36 each) for the dining table, or some ‘Kami’ wooden cups (from £45 each). nativeandco.com

PRIME CUTS

Blanche Vaughan at Native & Co in Kensington Park Road, W11

Eat less and eat better is my mantra when it comes to meat. Online butcher Farmison & Co delivers free-range, pasture-fed, dry-aged heritage beef, pork, lamb and game from the Yorkshire Dales – meat of such superior quality and taste, it makes eating it a treat. Their skilled butchers provide an astonishing range of cuts, from tomahawk steaks to Argentinianstyle Picanha rump joint. Or, for ease of preparation, an oven-ready range includes beef Wellington, fennel and lemon spatchcock chickens and sensational steak-and-bonemarrow burgers. farmison.com

R i s i n g sta r s

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FIZZ WITH A TWIST Smith Hayne Methode Traditionelle Cider is my new aperitif of choice. A small number of bottles are produced for each vintage – picked, pressed and bottled by hand from a 12-acre orchard in Devon. A secondary fermentation in the bottle produces a medium-dry, sparkling drink, which is unfiltered and unpasteurised. The champagne of ciders, it is perfect on its own or to accompany light dishes; £10 for 750ml. scrattingscraftcidershop.co.uk

TARAN WILKHU; GOSIA BAKER

Even if you have not caught the homemade sourdough bug, you will find Gilchesters flour brings a new life and health to your baking.

Unlike most highly processed flour, which has been stripped of flavour and nutrients (making it harder to digest), Gilchesters’ range is made from stone-ground heritage grains and produced in a mixed farm/conservation environment. The rye, spelt, emmer and einkorn flours are tastier and healthier, and can be used as a substitute for refined white flour in cakes, pastry and sauces. Emmer flour costs from £3.75 for 1.5kg. gilchesters.com

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FOOD & TRAVEL | SOUTHERN OMAN

OPPOSITE Combining a stay at Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara – set on its own private beach (bottom right) – with a bespoke mobile camping trip offers the opportunity to explore the desert landscape of Rub Al Khali and sleep under the stars

Call of the desert

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n early February this year, just as the first murmurings of Covid-19 were reaching UK shores, I spent two nights camping in southern Oman – partly in the vast wilderness of Rub Al Khali, known more familiarly as the Empty Quarter, and partly on a remote beach east of Salalah. At the time, those wide open spaces and warm, unblemished skies felt like a purging of winter – a perfect tonic for the grey, cold, dark confinement of London in the gloomiest month of the year. Little did I know that, by mid summer, a sense of purging was going to be one of the most desirable commodities a traveller could wish for, and that it was not just the English winter that we would need an antidote for.

After countless telephone calls and Zoom meetings with industry experts during lockdown, it seems that new trends have emerged in the way we all wish to travel in the future – particularly in the short term, until a vaccine is found or the virus has been eradicated. Leading the way is a desire for the great outdoors, for off-the-beaten-track experiences with family or friends far removed from hugger-mugger cities, crowded beaches or busy tourist honeypots.

So my Omani days – and nights – spent continuously outside (apart from the few hours we were in a car) seem more prescient than ever and Oman Expeditions, the small outfit that oversaw the camping logistics, perfectly poised to deliver that great escape. Sean Nelson, ex-Royal Marine and ex-officer in the Sultanate’s Desert Regiment, has good camping pedigree in Oman, having first founded Hud Hud Travels for private luxury camping trips before selling this and launching Oman Expeditions. His latest collaboration is with Anantara’s Al Baleed Resort in Salalah – Oman’s second city, capital of the southern region of Dhofar – with which he has teamed up to offer bespoke camping trips for guests wishing to top or tail a beach holiday (and the Anantara is on the most wonderful stretch of sandy shoreline) with an adventure.

The drive from Salalah to the Empty Quarter is a long one – metalled road giving way first to stony track and finally to shifting, sinking sand over the course of six hours, horizons stretching to the infinite, the signs of life few and far between, save for the odd desert town or settlement and the occasional camel train. But the journey is broken with short detours: to

inspect the area’s frankincense trees; to share coffee with local Bedouins; or to picnic in the shade. By late afternoon, we have penetrated the otherworldliness of the Empty Quarter, the sea of sand dunes that rolls relentlessly through the southern third of the Arabian peninsula, flouting borders between Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The logistics team has arrived ahead to set up the tents in a picture-perfect spot between two high ridges of sand. The sun dips towards the horizon, shadows lengthen and colours, saturated with golden evening light, fade and flatten as the first stars appear in the night sky.

We drink gin and tonics, sitting on cushions by a makeshift fire pit in the sand, then we eat fresh pea soup and barbecued kingfish at a white-clothed table – wrapped in blankets all the while, as the heat of the day cools to a desert chill. My tent, which comes with an adjoining bucket shower and longdrop loo, is beautifully appointed, but a canvas canopy seems second best to the great outdoors. So Sean’s team pulls my mattress outside under a frame of blousy linen and a sky that pops with shooting stars.

We retrace our steps after sunrise the next day, camp struck, bags packed, heading out of the desert and back down to the coast. Mine is a whistle-stop tour, but there is no set time limit to Oman Expeditions’ camping trips. The rationale back in February was that most guests would choose four nights of hotel swagger at the Al Baleed Resort Salalah and two nights of rough-luxe camping, but this may have changed in the post-lockdown world.

Perhaps, it will have even reversed. Budget is the only determining factor in how long or short a camping trip might be and for those who can, a minimum three-night trip would be best, diluting the car journeys and allowing for more time in each camping spot.

Certainly, by the time we reach a perfectly deserted bay – one of many that punctuate the remote, barren coastline somewhere near Mirbat – it seems heart-breaking to have less than 24 hours to enjoy it. My bed is a mattress on the beach, my lullaby the sound of the waves, my night light an almost entirely full moon. We swim and snorkel at sunset and sunrise, and eat again like kings and queens. There has been no Wi-Fi for two days, we are disconnected, unplugged and filled with fresh air – blissfully unaware that we might have just had the holiday of the future.

Ways and Means Pamela Goodman visited Oman as a guest of Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk). Camping in the Empty Quarter and on the coast is available between October and April, as part of a stay at Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara (anantara.com). Four nights cost from £4,365 per person, including two nights in a Garden View Pool Villa at the resort, half board, two nights all-inclusive luxury mobile camping with Oman Expeditions and all f lights 218 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

GETTY IMAGES/ACHIM THOMAE; ALAMY STOCK PHOTO/JÜRGEN FEUERER; AWL IMAGES/JON ARNOLD; STOCKSY/MAURO GRIGOLLO

PAMELA GOODMAN RELISHES THE SENSE OF FREEDOM AND SPLENDID ISOLATION THAT COMES WITH LUXURY CAMPING IN OMAN’S EMPTY QUARTER AND SUGGESTS IT MAY BE THE IDEAL KIND OF ADVENTURE FOR OUR TIMES

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FOOD & TRAVEL | WORCESTERSHIRE

FROM LEFT The vaulted ceiling of Great Malvern Priory. Worcester Cathedral overlooks the River Severn

Walk this way KEEN TO GET HER WALKING BOOTS ON AGAIN, PAMELA GOODMAN EXPERIENCES THE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL REWARDS OF A MODERN PILGRIMAGE FROM GREAT MALVERN PRIORY TO WORCESTER CATHEDRAL

ALAMY/DESIGN PICS INC; ALAMY/ROBERT HARDING

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n 2014, Guy Hayward co-founded The British Pilgrimage Trust, a charity with the goal ‘to make pilgrimage in the British landscape attractive and open to all’. This summer, just as the UK was emerging from lockdown, his book Britain’s Pilgrim Places, co-authored by academic and fellow pilgrim Nick MayhewSmith, was published. My introduction to Guy, through mutual friends, seemed like a fortuitous coincidence – not just because my feet were twitching to get walking again, but also because our collective focus as travellers has, as a result of the pandemic, been unexpectedly redirected to home shores.

We meet in Malvern, the Worcestershire spa town that hugs the eastern flank of the eponymous range of hills, with the simple aim of walking the 12-mile pilgrimage route from Great Malvern Priory to Worcester Cathedral.

I am a little wary of any religious input that might be required of me along the way, belonging to that lapsed Christian category where faith comes and goes a bit. ‘Pilgrim’ feels like a loaded word. But as we walk and talk, Guy, who is no religious nut himself, describes pilgrimage as a physical renewal as much as a spiritual one, which can be undertaken by both the faithful and faithless. ‘Bring your own beliefs,’ he says, quoting the motto of The Pilgrimage Trust, occasionally bursting into song with a professional mastery that hints at his choral scholarship to the University of Cambridge and his alter ego as one half of the cabaret duo Bounder & Cad. Great Malvern Priory – once a medieval Benedictine monastery, now an Anglican parish church – is still encumbered by Covid-19 regulations when we visit. But Reverend Rod Corke gives us a private tour, taking in the magnificent 15th-century stained-glass windows (second only to those in York

Minster in terms of survival and national importance), the finest collection of medieval floor tiles and the tomb of Walcher of Malvern, a renowned mathematician and astronomer who was Prior here from 1091 until his death in 1135. CS Lewis, who was educated at Malvern College and allegedly took inspiration from the town’s gas lamps for his opening description of Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, describes the Priory as the first beautiful building he saw.

When Guy and I stop for a picnic in the Old Hills, having walked out through the town, past Madresfield church and court, over stiles and across fields of cows and dwindling asparagus, it is the only moment in the day when we can see the priory behind us and Worcester Cathedral ahead – a goal we reach by mid-afternoon just as the doors are closing. But there is time enough to absorb the intense loveliness of this mighty cathedral, to pay homage to St Wulfstan – the last of the Anglo Saxon saints, the first Bishop of Worcester and (appropriately for modern times) an early abolitionist of the Bristol slave trade, whose remains lie somewhere unknown within the building. King John is buried here, too, as well as the skeleton of a 15th-century pilgrim, discovered during excavation works in 1986.

There has been a gentle rhythm to the day – a blend of walking and easy conversation overlaid with a greater awareness that so much of Britain’s rich culture and history is rooted in its sacred places. Perhaps it is easier than I thought to be a pilgrim The British Pilgrimage Trust: britishpilgrimage.org. ‘Britain’s Pilgrim Places: The First Complete Guide to Every Spiritual Treasure’ by Nick Mayhew-Smith and Guy Hayward (Lifestyle Press, £19.99) is an illustrated compendium of holy places in England, Scotland and Wales, plus the routes and pathways linking them HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 221

FOOD & TRAVEL | FRENCH ALPS

little gems

Le Refuge de Solaise

FROM LEFT The hotel was converted from a cable-car station. A bedroom.

The restaurant has panoramic views down to Val d’Isère

MORE THAN 2,500FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL, CAROLINE BULLOUGH ENJOYS THE VIEWS FROM FRANCE’S HIGHEST HOTEL AND SKIING ON ITS SURROUNDING VIRGIN SNOW

M

222 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

sickness and disrupted sleep patterns are possible side effects (though neither I nor my husband suffered from either). But, more significantly, an unpassable road in winter means guests – and their luggage – must ascend and descend on the Solaise bubble lift. The lift service ends at 4.30pm so, except for Wednesdays and Saturdays when it reopens in the evening, the opportunities to explore Val d’Isère’s many restaurants and bars at night are limited.

Thankfully, restorative après ski options are near at hand, whether it is a treatment in the spa or leisurely lengths of the 25-metre pool. And, in the hotel restaurant, dinner – including large sharing platters and salads, and hearty grilled meat and fish dishes – is accompanied by a lightshow of snowplough headlamps and lasers dancing across the mountains.

Ways and means Caroline Bullough visited Val d’Isère as a guest of Le Refuge de Solaise (lerefuge-valdisere.com) and Ski Solutions (skisolutions.com), which offers seven nights from £1,440, B&B, including flights and transfers. For information about Val d’Isère, visit valdisere.com

CHRISTOPHE HASSEL

ost skiers have, at least once, experienced the magic of finding themselves on a deserted slope at the end of the day, when even the pisteurs have made their way home. The silence, the expanse of space, the sense that you are a tiny spot of colour in a white world. But it is especially magical to feel that rare sense of peace as the sun rises, or under an inky, star-dotted sky. What makes a stay at Le Refuge de Solaise so memorable is that you can relish moments like these throughout your trip. Converted from a disused cable-car station, the Refuge is proud of its position as France’s highest hotel. Guests have slopeside access to Val d’Isère’s 300km of runs (including the chance to ski fresh tracks on its immaculately groomed runs) and benefit from unrestricted views of the snowy peaks and valley.

There are 16 rooms and four apartments, plus – in a nod to the mountainrefuge concept – a smart dormitory that sleeps up to 14. While there are allusions to Savoyard style in the expanses of well-seasoned wood and exposed stonework, the interiors are not overburdened by Alpine clichés.

Designer Bérénice Grégoire has lifted the olive and grey palette in the bedrooms with checks and multicoloured, geometric weaves. Bathrooms are spacious but cocooning, with roll-top baths and walk-in showers. (I was particularly taken by the disarming cosiness of the separate wood-panelled loo.)

But the views are really what this hotel is all about and they dominate the rooms, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the pristine white panorama.

In the breakfast room, the mountain views are equally distracting, but there is strong competition from the butter-and-chocolate-rich patisserie produced by the hotel’s pastry chef (bread comes up the mountain daily).

It’s help-yourself, but stylishly done. The fridge filled with yogurts, cheeses, charcuterie and fruit juice is Smeg, the coffee machine Nespresso and the selection of teas by Mariage Frères.

Staying at 2,551 metres does present some unique challenges. Altitude

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Don’t miss our edit of the best once-in-a-lifetime holidays to book in 2021, perfect for those celebrating a special milestone, birthday, anniversary, honeymoon or planning multigenerational trips with grandparents and grandchildren in tow. From private islands, stylish villas and far-flung adventures in nature to 130-day cruises around the world – be inspired to reboot your bucket list.

SOURCEBOOK Home accessories

LAURA NORMANTON highlights the latest decorative pieces – from artisan-crafted mirrors to smart tableware and colourful cushions

IN FOCUS MIRRORS SIMPLE PLEASURES Suitable for everyday use, the ‘Lewes’ collection from Neptune is made from hardwearing stoneware with a glossy, pale grey glaze and gently rippled surface. From £5 for a 10cm dipping bowl. neptune.com

TIME TO REFLECT Beaumont & Fletcher’s mirrors are hand carved and gilded by skilled artisans.

This ‘Panelled Mirror’ (170 x 125cm) is £5,725. 020 7352 5594; beaumontandfletcher.com

CLASSICAL STYLE

SUNNY DELIGHT Graham and Green’s new ‘Solstice Gold’ mirror has chrome-plated steel rays in an antiqued gold finish. It has a 93cm diameter and costs £175. grahamandgreen.co.uk

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SIMON ELDON; JOHN HAMMOND; JAMES MERRELL; JACK NEVILLE

Jamb’s circular ‘Bucranium’ mirror measures 99.5 x 91cm and is available with convex glass, as seen here (£5,520), or f lat glass (£4,560).

020 7730 2122; jamb.co.uk

K E E P I T N E AT This smart ‘Waste Bin’ from Trove measures 29 x 23cm square and costs £120. thetrove.co.uk

KITCHEN SYNC Smeg has added the slate grey colour to its iconic range of pastelcoloured kitchen accessories. The ‘50’s Retro Style Aesthetic’ kettle (pictured) and matching two-slot toaster cost £139.95 each. smeglondon.com

B U L B I N S P I R AT I O N The 14.5cm-diameter ‘White Folia Bulb Vase’ from Wedgwood is made from white china detailed with linear leaf formations narrowing towards the top of the vase. It costs £55. 01782 282651; wedgwood.com

AFFORDABLE ART Heal’s is a good source of inexpensive wall art.

This print of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s In Italian (1983), by King & McGaw, comes in two sizes.

The 42 x 38cm version costs £75, including the black ash frame. 0333 212 1915; heals.com

W E L L M AT C H E D The ‘Andaman’ collection from Balineum is an easy way to smarten up a bathroom. Made from sustainably sourced rattan, this small tray costs £25, the storage tumblers £9 and £12, and the tissue box £22. 020 7431 9364; balineum.co.uk

MONOCHROME MAGIC I love simple checks – this ‘Woodhouse Check’ tea towel in black and white from Tori Murphy costs £30.

An oven glove in the same fabric costs £33. 01773 711128; torimurphy.com

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SHome O accessories URCEBOOK IN FOCUS SCENTS

RAISE A GLASS

I TA L I A N F L A I R

‘Lotus’ is an elegant new tumbler in Lalique crystal; £55. lalique.com

Add colour to your table with ‘Oriente Italiano Cipria’ dinner plates from Richard Ginori.

The 26.5cm plates cost £132 for a pair.

020 7730 1234; harrods.com | richardginori1735.com

TA L K O F T H E TO W N Jo Malone London’s ‘Townhouse’ collection of candles in ceramic containers features six new fragrances, from ‘Wild Berry & Bramble’ to ‘Pastel Macaroons’. A 300g candle costs £90. jomalone.co.uk

FLORAL MOTIFS Gayle Warwick’s pretty collection of bed and table linen includes these ‘Victoria’ linen napkins with hand-embroidered flowers. They measure 56cm square and cost £120 each. 020 7493 5567; gaylewarwick.com

THE RIGHT NOTES The new plug-in ‘Wall Diffuser’ (£90) from Diptyque is a compact choice that will fill a room with fragrance. A scented insert costs £30. diptyqueparis.co.uk

New to The White Company, this ‘Midnight’ candle costs £20 for 140g (approximately 33 hours burn time). 020 3758 9222; thewhitecompany.com

226 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

HOME BIRDS Individually drawn bird designs, taken from early wood carvings, decorate Julian Chichester’s ‘Verre Églomisé’ placemats. A set of eight costs £600. 020 7622 2928; julianchichester.com

ENRICO CONTI; KARINE FABY

LITTLE BEAUTIES

IN FOCUS : CUSHIONS BRIGHT IDEA

F R E N C H FA N CY

IN THE PINK

Combining the joyful botanical print ‘Carnival’ – one of Christopher Farr Cloth’s best-selling designs – with its colourful striped ‘Peace & Love’ design on the reverse, this bold cushion is finished with a smart trim detail. It measures 56cm square and costs £250. 020 7349 0888; christopherfarrcloth.com

Handmade in the UK in wool with a duck-feather inner, the 50cm-square ‘Soft Wool Cushion in Blue French Stripe’ from Cox & Cox has a subtle chevron pattern and a blue double stripe; £60.

0330 333 2123; coxandcox.co.uk

I spotted this delicate ‘Narikala’ cushion from Andrew Martin in The Wedding Present Company’s showroom in Lots Road, SW10, where there is a thoughtful collection of gift ideas for engaged couples displayed in room sets.

The 55cm-square cushion costs £79. andrewmartin.co.uk | weddingpresentco.com

STRIKING CONTRAST

ANIMAL MAGIC

Vanderhurd has a varied selection of cushions. Shown above is the hand-embroidered ‘Waver’ design in raffia on charcoal, which measures 50cm square and costs £610.

020 7313 5400; vanderhurd.com

This embroidered ‘Red Indian Wedding Cushion’ from Susie Watson Designs is made from linen with cotton and linen appliqués. It measures 40 x 55cm and costs £78, including the pad. 0344 980 8185; susiewatsondesigns.co.uk

STRIPE ACTION Handwoven on a backstrap loom in Myanmar, these cotton ‘Yuzana’ cushions from Wayzgoose have a woven detail on a white background. They measure 48cm square and cost £65, including a duck-feather pad. wayzgoose.uk

HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2020 227

STO CKIST S Merchandise from these companies is featured editorially in this issue.

Information is checked at the time of going to press, but House & Garden cannot guarantee that prices will not change or that items will be in stock at the time of publication

8 HOLLAND STREET 8hollandstreet.com A AMARA 0800 587 7645; amara.com ANNA GLOVER 020 8050 9317; annaglover.co.uk ANNIKA REED STUDIO 07595 182179; annikareed.com B BERDOULAT berdoulat.co.uk C CARAVANE 020 7486 5233; caravane.fr CERAUDO ceraudo.com CHELSEA TEXTILES 020 7584 5544; chelseatextiles.com CLAREMONT 020 7581 9575; claremontfurnishing.com CLAYBROOK 020 7052 1555; claybrookstudio.co.uk COLEFAX AND FOWLER 020 8874 6484; colefax.com COMMONROOM 07900 006309; commonroom.co CSAO csao.fr CTD TILES 0800 014 2994; ctdtiles.co.uk CURIOUSA & CURIOUSA 01629 826284; curiousaandcuriousa.co.uk D DAVID SEYFRIED 020 7823 3848; davidseyfried.com E ENSEMBLIER LONDON 07841 261220; ensemblierlondon.com G GAINSBOROUGH 01787 372081; gainsborough.co.uk GP & J BAKER 020 7351 7760; gpjbaker.com H HABITAT 0844 499 1122; habitat.co.uk

I IKEA 020 3645 0000; ikea.com IKSEL 020 7351 4414; iksel.com J JAMES RANDOLPH ROGERS & CO 07950 451721; jamesrandolphrogers.com JOHN LEWIS 0845 604 9049; johnlewis.com JOHNSON TILES FACTORY OUTLET 01782 524040; outlet.johnson-tiles.com JULIAN CHICHESTER 020 7622 2928; julianchichester.com K KNOWLES & CHRISTOU 020 7352 7000; knowles-christou.com L LAKE AUGUST lakeaugust.com LA REDOUTE laredoute.co.uk LEPORELLO 01483 284109; leporello.co.uk LEWIS & WOOD 020 7751 4554; lewisandwood.co.uk LINDSAY ALKER lindsayalker.com LOAF 020 3141 8300; loaf.com M MILAGROS 020 7613 0876; milagros.co.uk MOND DESIGNS mond-designs.com O OTTOLINE ottoline.co.uk P PHILLIP JEFFRIES 0844 800 2522; phillipjeffries.com PORCELAIN SUPERSTORE 0330 094 0304; porcelainsuperstore.co.uk

R RALPH LAUREN HOME 020 7535 4600; ralphlaurenhome.com ROCKETT ST GEORGE 01444 253391; rockettstgeorge.co.uk ROSE & GREY 01619 268763; roseandgrey.co.uk ROWEN & WREN 01276 451077; rowenandwren.co.uk RUPERT BEVAN 020 7731 1919; rupertbevan.com S SCP 020 7739 1869; scp.co.uk THE SHOP FLOOR PROJECT 01229 584537; theshopfloorproject.com SOANE 020 7730 6400; soane.co.uk STUDIO FOUR NYC studiofournyc.com STYLE LIBRARY 020 3903 3700; stylelibrary.com SUSIE ATKINSON 020 7835 5525; susieatkinson.com SVENSKT TENN svenskttenn.se T TILES360 0345 646 0877; tiles360.co.uk TILES DIRECT 0113 253 0005; tiles-direct.com TROVE thetrove.co.uk TURNELL & GIGON 020 7259 7280; turnellandgigongroup.com V VANRENEN GW DESIGNS 020 7371 8465; vanrenengwdesigns.com VICTORIA PLUM victoriaplum.com W WILLIAM YEOWARD 020 7349 7821; williamyeoward.com WILSON STEPHENS & JONES 020 7221 5265; wilsonstephensandjones.com

Below are The List members who have appeared in this issue.

Go to houseandgarden.co.uk/the-list to see their complete profiles

AMY KENT | CAESARSTONE | CHARLOTTE CROSLAND INTERIORS CLAUDIA DE YONG | CLAYBROOK STUDIO | COLLIER WEBB COMMONROOM | CORAL & HIVE | DAVID SEYFRIED | DAVIDSON LONDON | DEIRDRE DYSON | FERMOIE | FROMENTAL | GAZE BURVILL GEORGE SMITH | JAMB | JOANNA PLANT INTERIORS | PINCH RACHEL CHUDLEY | ROBERT KIME | RUPERT BEVAN | SEDILIA SIBYL COLEFAX & JOHN FOWLER | STUDIO ASHBY | STUDIO KROKALIA | SUSAN DELISS | SUSIE ATKINSON | TM LIGHTING TODHUNTER EARLE | VANRENEN GW DESIGNS | VAUGHAN

228 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

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AT YOUR LEISURE From playrooms to polo pitches, the perfect family home comes with enough amenities to keep everybody amused

SELHAM HOUSE, WEST SUSSEX

W

hen buying a family house, often it’s the added extras that make it really special.

Leisure facilities such as a swimming pool, a tennis court, a spa or a cinema room can, depending on your own family’s preferences and habits, become as much of a well-loved hub as the kitchen or the living room. Obviously, there’s always the possibility of installing these features yourself, but having them already in situ [I^M[ UWVMa \QUM IVL M

This grandly proportioned property is in the heart of the South Downs, between Petworth and Midhurst. Built around the turn of the last GIRXYV] MX LEW FIHVSSQW EW [IPP EW WXEJJ ¾EXW E secondary house and two cottages. £6.5 million.

Knight Frank: 020 7861 1065

Selham House in West Sussex already has a head start when it comes to amenity value, as it’s situated in the middle of the South Downs National Park. Surrounded by an expanse of open countryside, it’s perfect for walkers, horse-riders and cyclists. Set on nearly 20 acres of land, the imposing country house also has an outdoor swimming pool and a tennis court.

Ockwells Manor in Cox Green, Berkshire is another property that would be perfect for a large family, and is steeped in history.

Pevsner described this 15th-century L_MTTQVO I[ »\PM UW[\ ZMÅVML IVL \PM UW[\ sophisticated timber-framed mansion in England’, and it has some remarkable period features, from the Jacobean staircase to the 17th-century panelling.

The great hall, with its high vaulted ceiling IVL QUXW[QVO [\WVM ÅZMXTIKM Q[ I _WVLMZN]T space for entertaining on a grand scale. The

THE GRANGE, SURREY

A seven-bedroom Regency country house with 15 acres of stunning gardens and paddocks, conveniently located within two miles of Cobham village and train station. There’s a walled garden, a pool, croquet lawn, stables, and a tennis and basketball court. £5.5 million.

Sotheby’s International Realty: 01932 860537

HAMSTONE HOUSE, SURREY

7YVVSYRHIH F] IMKLX EGVIW SJ KVSYRHW XLMW QEKRM½GIRX +VEHI -- PMWXIH QERSV WMXW MR XLI TVMZEXI 7X +ISVKI´W ,MPP IWXEXI FSVHIVIH F] XLI STIR WTEGIW SJ XLI KSPJ GSYVWI 8LIVI EVI gym and spa facilities, as well as an indoor swimming pool. £16 million.

Beauchamp Estates: 020 7499 7722

THE DELL HOUSE, HERTFORDSHIRE

This newly built house is located just outside the popular village of Radlett, in over three acres of grounds. With six bedrooms, it’s been designed for family living – the large contemporary kitchen has a generous island unit, and opens out on to the garden and swimming pool. £8 million.

Knight Frank: 020 7861 1065

LEA HOUSE, HAMPSHIRE

With views across the 7SPIRX XS[EVHW XLI -WPI SJ ;MKLX XLMW +ISVKMER WX]PI house is half a mile from 0]QMRKXSR XS[R -X GSQIW with a state-of-the-art spa complex, with an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and air-conditioned gym. £8.5 million.

Savills: 020 7409 8881

EARLS TERRACE, W8

Despite being in the middle of London, there’s no shortage of outside space at this Kensington townhouse.

There’s a 90-foot rear garden as well as access to the communal gardens of Edwardes Square. It’s also close to both Kensington High Street and Holland Park, so there’s lots to do GPSWI F] QMPPMSR Russell Simpson: 020 7225 0277

UPPER PHILLIMORE GARDENS, W8

Located on one of London’s most sought-after streets, this detached Kensington townhouse is grandly TVSTSVXMSRIH EX WUYEVI JIIX [MXL FIHVSSQW ERH E LSWX SJ EQIRMXMIW including a cinema room, TSSP ERH KEVEKI QMPPMSR John D Wood and Co: 020 3369 4322

occupants of the master bedroom can keep an eye on proceedings, as the dressing room opens out on to a minstrel’s gallery, although with seven further bedrooms to choose from, you may prefer a more restful place to sleep. Outside, there’s plenty to keep everybody busy, especially if they’re into horses – there are paddocks, a circular riding track and a polo pitch.

If you’ve always wanted to live close to the sea, Lea House near the market town of Lymington in Hampshire is a spectacular example of a coastal estate. With views across

WOODBROOK PLACE, CHESHIRE

Set in the popular village of Alderley Edge, this six-bedroom house has been designed with family living in mind. It’s got E FMK FIEQIH OMXGLIR TPIRX] SJ PMKLX ½PPIH living areas and large terraces that are perfect for dining alfresco, with an outdoor ½VITPEGI ERH TM^^E SZIR QMPPMSR Jackson-Stops: 01625 540340

OCKWELLS MANOR, BERKSHIRE

This nine-bedroom house near Maidenhead dates back to the 15th century, with plenty of original period details, such as a set of exquisite stainedglass windows. It’s set in 42 acres, which include a topiary garden, a tennis court and a swimming pool. Offers in excess of £10 million.

Knight Frank: 020 7861 1065

the Solent towards the Isle of Wight, this Georgian-style house sits in 36 acres, and possesses every imaginable leisure facility.

There’s a state-of-the-art spa complex with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, an air-conditioned gym and even a tennis court. Children will adore exploring the extensive gardens – especially when they come across the astro-turfed adventure playground, complete with a tree house and a zip wire.

The house is lovely too, but with so many diversions on your doorstep, you might spend rather less time in it than you’d thought.

ALDERBURY HOUSE, HAMPSHIRE

Three miles from Salisbury, this Grade II*-listed Georgian house is surrounded by 33 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland.

With a swimming pool and tennis court, it also has a separate three-bedroom cottage on the grounds.

Offers over £5 million.

Savills: 020 7016 3820

BYAM STREET, SW6

This four-bedroom period townhouse in Fulham has been recently updated – there’s a brand-new cinema room and generously proportioned living areas designed for family living.

Available to rent for £2,000 a week.

Dexters: 020 7386 7386

CONDENASTJOHANSENS.COM LAS ISLAS, COLOMBIA

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A COLLECTION OF 54 HIGH-END APARTMENTS IN THE HEART OF MARYLEBONE A range of luxury 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses superbly located immediately off Marylebone High Street with balconies, terraces, concierge and underground parking available.

This exciting new development is located within walking distance of an array of shops, restaurants and cafes, Selfridges, numerous underground stations and a short distance from Regent’s Park and Hyde Park.

PRICES FROM £2.75m to £9.98m Main Agent

NOTEBOOK A round-up of the latest property news, at home and abroad

REIGNING IN SPAIN ART IN RESIDENCE

For the ultimate in industrial chic, The Pickle Factory launches this month at London Square Bermondsey – a range of highly individual apartments occupying the buildings where Branston Pickle was once made. A short walk from fashionable Bermondsey Street and London Bridge, this substantial new development is set in landscaped gardens, which will also include art studios and galleries for Tannery Arts, a local charity working with emerging artists. An exhibition celebrating the talent nurtured by the charity is currently being staged in the sales suite at London Square Bermondsey. Apartments from £670,000.

For more information, visit www.londonsquare.co.uk

This spectacular modern villa is set in La Zagaleta, a private nature reserve spread across the foothills of the Ronda Mountains, just a few kilometres from the coast of Marbella.

Winding mountain roads connect the residents to the estate’s QER] EQIRMXMIW MRGPYHMRK X[S KSPJ GSYVWIW XIRRMW GSYVXW ½WLMRK lakes, and a heliport. This property is the jewel in the crown – at over 14,000 square feet, it has nine bedrooms, vast entertaining ERH PMZMRK WTEGIW IPIKERX KEVHIRW ERH MXW S[R MR½RMX] TSSP [MXL stunning views of the Mediterranean. €23 million.

For more information, visit www.aylesford.com

HIGH STYLE AND HISTORY INTERIORS EXPERTISE

The process of designing, building and decorating a house is notoriously challenging, which is why the property developers Octagon have introduced a new in-house interior-design service for their clients, enabling a streamlined service from concept to completion. From XLIMV VMZIVWMHI SJ½GIW SZIVPSSOMRK the Thames and Hampton Court Palace, the dedicated design team can create tailorQEHI WGLIQIW XLEX VI¾IGX the client’s individual taste and style, drawing on their 40 years’ experience of building new homes across London and the surrounding areas.

For more information, visit www.octagon.co.uk

Following the redevelopment of Television Centre – the BBC’s JSVQIV LSQI MR ;LMXI 'MX] ¯ WSQI SJ XLI GSYRXV]´W ½RIWX MRXIVMSV designers and architects have decorated the premium apartments, giving each a unique character. Suzy Hoodless and Waldo Works are the latest names to transform these singular spaces. Design details include this marble-clad master bathroom, and each apartment has at least two private terraces. From £3 million.

For more information, visit www.televisioncentre.com

ASPIR ATIONAL HOMES FROM AN INSPIR ATIONAL COMPAN Y Recognised as pioneers of luxury housebuilding, Octagon has an unrivalled reputation for building and restoring homes throughout London and the Home Counties.

Our in-house team of architects have been designing award winning homes for over 40 years, combining classical exteriors, beautifully landscaped gardens and contemporary interiors to create truly remarkable properties.

From extensive refurbishment and restoration of Listed homes, to state-of-the-art new builds and elegant interior design, Octagon offer clients the complete turnkey service, from concept through to completion.

The current Octagon collection includes spacious family homes in prime locations, with prices starting from £625,000 – rising to over £20 million.

Contact our team for more information on our award winning homes and service.

020 8481 7500 | OCTAGON.CO.UK

256 NOVEMBER 2020 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK

www.theheadboardworkshop.co.uk or call us on 01291 628216

Please turn the page to view Supplement

VOL 05.

2020

Country House

WHAT TO BUY FOR YOUR HOME / COUNTRY HOUSES AND GARDENS TO VISIT THREE DECORATING SCHEMES FOR AN INVITING FAMILY KITCHEN ROOMS WITH A VIEW / RUSTIC INTERIORS IN FRANCE, SWEDEN AND AUSTRIA

A different perspective Some furniture is made for the here and now.

Some is built to stand the test of time.

At Neptune, we believe that the best can do both.

Because good design never gets old.

Book an appointment to chat to one of our friendly designers – on us. neptune.com

89 – 91 PIMLICO ROAD, LONDON SW1W 8PH

TEL: 020 7493 2231

SIBYLCOLEFA X.COM

C O U N T RY H O US E

During the past few months while creating this supplement, I – like many of our readers, I suspect – have been guilty of mid-afternoon lapses of attention, in which my eyes drift to the birds that hop from branch to branch of the London plane tree outside my sitting-room window. Like many of you, I have also had to cancel the weekends away, the weddings or the trips that would have enlivened the summer months. With this in mind, there is plenty of escapism in the following pages, alongside decorating and shopping inspiration for life in the country.

We examine iterations of the country house abroad and the appealing aspects of rustic style that can be borrowed to great effect, wherever your house might be. We look at – and through – windows: how architects seek to frame expansive views; how barn conversions can be designed to bring in more light; and how we can use interior decoration to harmonise a room with the garden outside. We also recommend 12 not-so-well-known British houses and gardens, which are well worth a visit now that we can, thankfully, enjoy doing so once more.

RUTH SLEIGHTHOLME EDITOR, COUNTRY HOUSE

C ON T E N T S

Editor’s letter

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IN PRAISE OF… Architects David Roy and Ptolemy Dean celebrate the materials that define the British country house

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ROOMS WITH A VIEW Ruth Sleightholme selects country windows large and small, from elaborate to minimalist, and considers their relationship to the landscape beyond

24

NOTEBOOK Rémy Mishon presents stylish furniture and home accessories to enliven any country house interior

27

ANOTHER COUNTRY Elizabeth Metcalfe highlights attractive elements of French, Swedish and Austrian rustic vernacular

39

THE INSIDER’S ROAD TRIP Christopher Stocks and Clare Foster seek out great British country houses and gardens to visit

47

A TALE OF THREE KITCHENS Three interior designers present schemes for the same room – a family kitchen in a Jacobean house

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A COUNTRY HOUSE BATHROOM Ruth Sleightholme tells how an interpretation of chinoiserie wall panels found at Houghton Hall became the starting point for a pretty bathroom

VOL 05.

2020

Country House

WHAT TO BUY FOR YOUR HOME / COUNTRY HOUSES AND GARDENS TO VISIT THREE DECORATING SCHEMES FOR AN INVITING FAMILY KITCHEN ROOMS WITH A VIEW / RUSTIC INTERIORS IN FRANCE, SWEDEN AND AUSTRIA

STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

On the cover: a Provençal bedroom decorated by Jocelyne Sibuet, photographed by Paul Massey Editor Hatta Byng Supplement Editor Ruth Sleightholme Art Director Jennifer Lister Deputy Art Director Joshua Monaghan Art Editor Eva Farrington Photography Editor Owen Gale Chief Sub-editor Sophie Devlin Sub-editor Sue Gilkes Publishing Director Emma Redmayne Associate Publisher Sophie Catto Associate Publishers Europe Chris Daunt, Alexandra Bernard Advertisement Directors Georgina Penney, Marina Connolly Account Directors Lorna Clansey-Gramer, Nichole Mika Digital Senior Account Director Sayna Blackshaw Senior Account Managers Olivia McHugh, Olivia Capaldi Account Manager Olivia Barnes Head of Special Projects Melinda Chandler Special Projects Art Director Joan Hecktermann Special Projects Arts Editors Richard Sanapo, Rebecca Gordon-Watkins Special Projects Editor Arta Ghanbari Project Coordinator/Copywriter Christie Berry

14 05

CLASSIC UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE MADE IN ENGLAND

INFO@DAVIDSEYFRIED.COM WWW. DAVIDSEYFRIED.COM 105 DESIGN CENTRE CHELSEA HARBOUR LONDON SW10 0XE 020 7823 3848

C O U N T RY H O US E

IN PRAISE OF… Two leading architects celebrate the familiar building materials that have come to define the British country house, lending each of its many forms a local character shaped by its surroundings

…BRICK

by David Roy David Roy, director of James Gorst Architects, shares his love of a material that for him ‘hovers between the poetic and the monotonously dull’ – at once intimately vernacular and completely universal

ILLUSTRATION: JAMES GORST ARCHITECTS

The brick is the most human of building materials. Once fired, its dimensions and weight fit comfortably into the palm, resulting in a standardised unit of infinite flexibility. Traditionally made by hand, bricks bear the imprint of their maker in their surface texture. Displaying unique characteristics defined by location and mineral content, they carry the story of the erosion of local rock over the millennia. The very act of moulding this material connects man to the earth and ties us to our most ancient human stories.

Psychologically, the material takes us on a tour of the grand cities of Europe and beyond. We are reminded of the English garden walls of country houses and rows of terraces from north London to Northumberland. We are transported to the towering brick churches of Germany, to the cool façades of Amsterdam, the bell towers of Italy and the scorched red alcázars of Spain.

The brick hovers between the poetic and the monotonously dull.

In 2011, we built Brick House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, using a handmade brick sourced 50 miles to the west. Red clay has been excavated from that site almost continually since Tudor times.

The bricks were formed directly behind the clay fields by four lads, each producing slight variations to the standard. Jack’s

were crisp, while Noah’s were rather wobbly. But, when they were lifted into courses, these idiosyncrasies accumulated to give the walls sensuality, texture and identity.

Traditional brickwork has a unique capacity to be used inventively through changes in bond, mortar and jointing, and in the right hands it can also observe the rigour of the grid to achieve a crisp contemporary form. For a house that we are currently building, we have chosen a smaller, Tudor-sized brick, and have developed a facing bond that I call a Double English Cross Bond.

This uses significantly more headers in the wall, which increases the tonal variation in the brickwork – the square ‘headers’ of handmade bricks being more textured than the long ‘stretchers’.

The aim is to soften the elevations of the building, not through form but through a stippling technique.

As an architectural practice, we are drawn to brick because it is an honest, familiar material that will endure. Now, in the face of a global crisis, the reassuring qualities of brick will continue to be employed, and if used wisely, enjoyed. During times of uncertainty, it seems, we retreat to what we know.

James Gorst Architects: jamesgorstarchitects.com 07

C O U N T RY H O US E

…LIMESTONE

by Ptolemy Dean Ptolemy Dean, an architect who specialises in historical buildings, praises a native stone ‘made from the shells of billions of crustaceans accumulated under a lost ocean’ – an undeniable link between a building and its geography

One of the greatest geological gifts given to England has been the broad swathe of Oolitic limestone that sweeps up and across the southern half of this island from the Purbeck coast in Dorset, up through the Cotswolds, across to Northamptonshire and towards Lincolnshire, where it eventually peters out and disappears. It changes colour and texture throughout this belt: hard and white on the Isle of Portland, dark and golden brown like the inside of a Crunchie bar at Hornton in Oxfordshire. As local stones were traditionally used close to their source, it is possible to identify where you are from the colour and texture of the surrounding buildings. One can also encounter the limestone belt quite suddenly, for instance just off the A1 at Stamford, where the red brick of the Midlands abruptly gives way to the golden honey colour of the stone.

Limestone is relatively easy to cut and carve, and has therefore given rise to some of our finest buildings. Lincoln Cathedral is built of it, and so are the cathedrals of Gloucester, Winchester and Salisbury. Canterbury and Rochester cathedrals had to source their limestone from Caen in Normandy, as none was accessible

any closer. Limestone has a texture that allows it to weather beautifully. It enhances all types of architecture, from the gothic to the classical. The terraces of Bath, cascading down the valley sides of the River Avon, would not be quite the same were they built of London’s buff stock bricks.

Geologically, this is a stone made from the shells of billions of crustaceans accumulated under a lost ocean. This gives it a resistance to weathering and a patina of texture and colour that can bring real beauty to even the plain flank walls of farm buildings.

But to get the very best from limestone, it needs to be carefully laid in compatible soft lime mortars. Rather like vegetables that are poorly prepared, limestone cut by a machine and laid in regular blocks between grey cementious mortars will have little opportunity to demonstrate its best qualities. Building with limestone today is not just a matter of style – it requires the same level of skill and craft that was so amply applied by our forebears.

Ptolemy Dean Architects: ptolemydean.co.uk 08

ILLUSTRATION: PTOLEMY DEAN

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587 - 589 Kings Road, London, SW6 2EH 0207 384 1004 | sales@georgesmith.com | georgesmith.com

C O U N T RY H O US E

ROOMS WITH A VIEW Unlike their city cousins, country houses can usually claim some kind of beautiful view – be it a formal garden or a windswept moor. It is worth making sure that framing this is among your priorities. RUTH SLEIGHTHOLME selects country windows large and small, elaborate and minimal, and looks at their relationship to the landscape beyond and to the room they are part of

1

RICHARD POWERS

PA N O RA M I C D I N I N G A R E A This covered dining area in Provence, designed by Andrzej Zarzycki, opens directly onto the picturesque countryside. The protective stone walls on all the other sides make this indoor-outdoor space feel like a room of its own, while the simple, full-length white curtains frame the opening like an elegant picture window. collett-zarzycki.com

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C O U N T RY H O US E

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T U D O R STO N E W I N D OW

The original 19th-century barn doors have been retained in this characterful conversion, celebrating their scale and patina. Tall metal-framed French windows have been added behind them, allowing the doors to be kept open much of the time and filling the space with light. On the exterior, the new frames and older woodwork around them are both painted an unobtrusive sage green to blend in with each other and the rural setting. pippapatondesign.co.uk

In the bedroom of this 16th-century English manor house, Douglas Mackie has opted for an understated and contemporary scheme in soft, soothing shades of grey and lilac so that the four sets of stone-framed, leaded casement windows and the views they offer of the countryside are the undisputed focal point. A generous but simple suede-upholstered chaise longue is well appointed for a leisurely contemplation of the vista beyond. douglasmackie.com

JAN BALDWIN; ELSA YOUNG

DOUBLE DOORS

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A N T IQU E S | I N T ER IOR S | BE SPOK E MA X ROL L I T T.C OM

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GA R D E N B R E A K FA ST ROOM

STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

In this California breakfast room designed by Studio Shamshiri for the actress Anne Hathaway, a picture window with two pairs of triple-pane ‘flankers’ runs across the full length of the banquette seating, between fully glazed doors onto the garden and veranda.

With leafy views on three sides, the room feels linked to the garden and landscape beyond. Green-painted woodwork, a bleached timber ceiling and verdure wallpaper between the batons – ‘Cotswolds Sky’ by Susan Harter Muralpapers – complete the impression of outdoor dining. studioshamshiri.com susanharter.com

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FOR THE FIN ES T CONS ERVAT OR IE S , O RA N G ERI ES A ND RO OF LIG HT S

+44( 0) 1476 56 44 33 w w w.valegardenhouses.com

C O U N T RY H O US E

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RICHARD POWERS

F LO O R-TO - C E I L I N G G L A Z I N G John Wardle Architects has brilliantly showcased the drama of the Tasmanian landscape with this steel and timber-framed building. Architectural glazing stretches to the peak of the asymmetric roofline and all the Hans J Wegner ‘GE-375’ chairs are arranged to take in views of the bay. johnwardlearchitects.com

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A SIMPLE VIEW

In this country kitchen decorated by Nicola Harding & Co, the shutters for the Venetian window create a pleasing shape when closed, as the semicircular top of the central arch peeps out above them. Throughout this house, the window frames were painted a shade darker than the walls to ensure they do not distract from the view. Here, they are a shade lighter than the cabinetry, the handles of which are picked up on by brass pendant lights. nicolaharding.com

Sunlight floods into this bedroom at Carskiey House on the Mull of Kintyre, owned by Tom Helme of British fabric company Fermoie, through the original Edwardian teak sash windows. These have been left uncurtained, with the window frames, shutters and surrounding woodwork painted a simple white. A martini table and two armchairs, complete with throws, make it the perfect spot for an evening whisky while admiring views over the spectacular coastal scenery. fermoie.com

PAUL MASSEY; DAVIDE LOVATTI

S H A P E LY W I N D OW S

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S P I RA L- G L A Z E D E XT E N S I O N

MICHAEL SINCLAIR

A spiral of glass tops this garden-room extension at Slackwood Farm in Lancashire, giving its views panoramic potential. The front of the room has f loor-to-ceiling glazing, but as the base height of the window swoops up towards the back of the space, anyone sitting there feels protected by the curved slate walls, which still allow for a 360-degree view and plentiful light. paularcherdesign.co.uk

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Design that lasts a lifetime

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S O F T G R E E N WO O DWO R K

C R I S P W I N D OW D R E S S I N G

In one of the bedrooms in his Queen Anne house in Herefordshire, Edward Bulmer has painted the elegant sash windows in two tones of green – ‘Verdigris’ and ‘Sea Green’ – from his own paint company and topped them with elaborate crown pediments with an oriental feel. This adds drama to the way they frame the landscaped gardens outside and links them with the delicate 18th-century hand-painted Chinese wallpaper panels within. edwardbulmerinteriordesign.co.uk

Grey-green and cream is a sophisticated colour palette for the country, as it does not try to compete with the vibrant greens beyond the window. Veere Grenney has created a crisp frame for these tall, elegant windows using a flat pelmet with a decorative edge and pleated curtains, softened with a green brush trim. A comfortable armchair teamed with a table and lamp is an ideal arrangement for a window with a lovely view. veeregrenney.com

LUCAS ALLEN; DAVID OLIVER

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earth tones

wallpaperdirect.com designerpaint.com Make your home your own.

C O U N T RY H O US E

‘Junction II’ cotton, silk, nylon cord and chenille wall hanging, 115 x 55cm, $2,000, from Meg Mary Marie. megmary marie.com

Ceramic ‘Kaskad Lamp Seashell’ (from left: seashell, moss, rust), €399 each, from Schneid. schneidstudio.com

‘Salvesen Graham Sofa’, £2,655 excluding fabric, from Salvesen Graham; upholstered in ‘Plain Cotton’ (L-202), £120 a metre, from Fermoie; trimmed in ‘8” Orsay Silk Bullion Fringe’, £198 a metre, from Samuel & Sons. salvesengraham.com | fermoie.com | samuelandsons.com

Lacquered beech, cane and glass ‘Ilaria Side Table’ (ocean), £420, from Ceraudo. ceraudo.com

NOTEBOOK RÉMY MISHON presents eye-catching furniture and home accessories that will elevate any country-house decorating scheme Fifties brass and glass ‘Occasional Table’, by Livio Berrone, £2,800, from 8 Holland Street. 8holland street.com Ash and sisal ‘Charlotte Perriand Style Sisal Rope Armchair’, £1,150, from Ground One Six. groundonesix.com

Palm and silk ‘Giant Baobab Lamp’ (acid yellow and teal), by Samarkand Design and Ilala, £995, from Samarkand Design. samarkanddesign.com

Hand-painted ceramic ‘Main Tiles’ (from top: blue, blush), by Lisa Hardy, 15cm square, £45 each, from Edit58. edit58.com

‘14” Blue Cream’ cotton lampshade, £135, from Alice Palmer & Co. alicepalmer.co

‘Archives II’ wallpaper (366), 46cm wide, £505 a 10-metre roll, from Zuber. zuber.fr

Stoneware clay ‘Sun Storage Pot’, by Makita, £480, from Wondering People. wonderingpeople.com

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FOR

Discover the Wilderie Collection CLARKE-CLARKE.COM @clarke_clarke_interiors

S T Y L E L I B R A R Y. C O M / M O R R I S & C O #MORRISXBENPENTREATH @WMORRISANDCO

C O U N T RY H O US E

ANOTHER COUNTRY From a pine-clad lodge in the Austrian Alps to a quaint chartreuse house in south-west France, country houses around the world often have a particular set of characteristics that distinguish them from other vernaculars. ELIZABETH METCALFE visits three European countries to examine some appealing distinctive features of their rustic style

SIMON BROWN; PAUL MASSEY; SIMON UPTON; DANA OZOLLAPA. STYLING: ASA COPPARSTAD

ABOVE FROM LEFT A Swedish farmhouse bedroom by Lars Bolander. Textile dealer Susan Deliss’s house in Burgundy. A petit salon in south-west France.

BELOW Susan Deliss’s French country kitchen. The dining area at Anne-Marie Midy’s house in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. A traditional Swedish kakelugn stove

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AUST R I A

GET THE LOOK Pine ‘Painted Marriage ‘Love Heart Jura Dining Chest’ (c1830), £3,500, Chair’ (c1930), £890 for six, from Robert Young Antiques. from The Home Bothy. robertyoungantiques.com homebothy.co.uk

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MICHAEL SINCLAIR

This three-storey newbuild has many of the hallmarks of a traditional Austrian jagdhaus (hunting lodge) – a steeply pitched roof, dormer windows and a pine-clad interior. Situated in the Northern Limestone Alps and designed by architect Peter Helletzgruber and interior designer Tino Zervudachi, the house blends into the landscape. The natural hues and textures of the wood set the tone for an interior featuring plank-lined walls and exposed beams. This is a vernacular that embraces simplicity and comfort, complemented here by deep armchairs, colourful kilims and painted furniture. mhzlondon.com 1 Pine boards on the floor and walls create a rustic and informal backdrop for the upholstered furniture in this living area. An antique kilim – one of many in the house – adds to the layered feel.

2 Outside, the wide overhanging eaves are designed to provide protection from snow and rain for the wrap-around veranda below.

3 A pair of hand-painted 18th-century wooden beds with carved headboards – an example of local Bauernmalerei folk art – offer a harmonious contrast with the plain pine walls.

4 Antique bauernstuhl chairs, typical of the region, were chosen for the dining area of the lodge. A traditional tall, tiled kachelöfen stove provides warmth as well as being an elegant focal point.

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SWEDEN

GET THE LOOK ‘Pair of Swedish Brass Gustavian ‘18th-Century Wall Sconces’, £455 for the Period Cupboard’, pair, from Tat London. £2,800, from Lorfords. tat-london.co.uk lorfordsantiques.com

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SIMON BROWN; DANA OZOLLAPA. STYLING: ASA COPPARSTAD

A defining characteristic of this Swedish countryside vernacular is the exterior colour of the houses, which are traditionally painted in falun red. The coppery pigment, which came from a mine in Dalarna, started to become popular in the 17th and 18th centuries when it was used on smaller wooden mansions to imitate brick; the tough linseed-oil-based paint also acts as an effective barrier against the harsh winter weather. Inside, the aesthetic is relaxed and inviting, achieved through light and airy interiors and attractive decorative details, such as stencilled motifs and simple wooden panelling.

1 Designer Lars Bolander’s farmhouse, built in the 1800s on an island off the Swedish coast, is typical of the style, with its 1780 ceramic-tile kakelugn stove, white walls and Gustavian furniture.

2 The exterior of this house is in falu or falun red, a colour that has traditionally been used for painting wooden buildings in Sweden but is now more commonly found in the country than in towns.

3 In Lars’ sitting room, the muted palette continues, with gentle colour introduced through a chair upholstered in a large red check. The antique Swedish bathtub sofa – one of the oldest pieces in the house – was designed to accommodate crinolines.

4 Inside, the falun red-painted house has a pared-back charm with pretty stencilled motifs on the walls and plain wooden furniture.

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2

Countryside vernaculars vary as you move across France – you will find everything from grand chateaux to more humble farmhouses.

But there are elements of French country-house style that have become well-known and have been widely adopted outside France – Bergère armchairs, gingham checks, toile de Jouy and damask.

One of the most charming house styles is the chartreuse, which is typical of the Dordogne region in south-west France. Dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, these buildings are long and low, often with just a single storey (see 1 & 2).

1 The kitchen in this 17th-century chartreuse house – featured in Ros Byam Shaw’s recently reissued book Perfect French Country* – is what you would expect, with a checked gingham tablecloth, terracotta floor tiles and baskets for market day.

2 Shutters frame the windows of this chartreuse house. Each room spans the width of it, with windows sited opposite each other.

3 A yellow Pierre Frey design, used for the walls, bed canopy and curtains, contrasts beautifully with the rich red carpet in the bedroom of a Provence house by designer Jocelyne Sibuet.

4 The bold combination of floral patterns in this Provençal bedroom, also decorated by Jocelyne, is balanced by the simplicity of the wooden four-poster bed and pale caned bench.

GET THE LOOK Hand-carved teak ‘Sofa with ‘Guirlandes de Fleurs’ (blue), linen, £155 a metre, Caned Back’, £1,665 as from Antoinette Poisson. seen, from Chelsea Textiles. antoinettepoisson.com chelseatextiles.com

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PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL MASSEY. *PERFECT FRENCH COUNTRY: INSPIRATIONAL INTERIORS FROM RURAL FRANCE BY ROS BYAM SHAW WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAN BALDWIN (RYLAND PETERS & SMALL, £30)

FRANCE

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GROWING COMFORT

GETTY

Choosing the perfect bed and bedding to match – which appeals to our individual needs for a good night’s rest as well as our tastes and decorating style – is no mean feat. We present some of the best makers and showrooms to end your search

VISPRING Introducing ‘Caroline’, a limited-edition bed from luxury bedmaker Vispring, which combines the tradition and comfort of a Vispring bed, with a contemporary twist. The bed is handmade in the UK using natural materials, such as silky bamboo, fleecy alpaca and TencelTM – a super soft fibre that’s made from the pulp of sustainably grown trees. Vispring has also introduced a new specially designed headboard which has removable pillows for resting, reading and a peaceful night’s sleep. ‘Caroline’ is sold exclusively at its showroom in Harrods. vispring.com

GETTY

HOUSE & GARDEN PARTNERSHIP

GAYLE WARWICK The new ‘Lotus’ collection of bed and table linen from Gayle Warwick is designed to allow the flexibility of mixing and matching colour and pattern. Easy to incorporate in a variety of interiors – from soft colours for a beach retreat to rich hues for a country house or playful patterns for a children’s room – the aim of the collection is to create a layered look. Pictured here is the block printed ‘Confetti’ in cornflower blue on organic cotton percale, matched with ‘Les Jours’ hand-embroidered pillow cases and a ‘Boutis’ blanket cover in indigo. All available online or at its Chelsea showroom. gaylewarwick.com

GETTY

WESTEND BED COMPANY Available exclusively from the Westend Bed Company, the stylish range from luxury French brand Treca Interiors Paris showcases the country’s fine craftsmanship capabilities. Treca has developed a reputation for quality across the globe for nearly a century, selecting quality materials to ensure its handmade mattresses give outstanding comfort and support night after night. There is also the ability to choose personal specifications and dimensions, with upholstery from the Pierre Frey collection. Browse the Treca collection at the showroom in Sheen. westendbedcompany.com

GETTY

HOUSE & GARDEN PARTNERSHIP

HAREMLIQUE ISTANBUL Pairing inspiration from the modern city of Istanbul with the opulence of Ottoman design, Haremlique Istanbul brings the essence of Turkish design to your home through its collection of luxury linens and textiles. Using high-quality materials such as Egyptian and finely combed cotton, its elegant, unique designs are produced in Turkey using local artisans skills and can be personalised or made-to-measure for that perfect finishing touch. Haremlique Istanbul’s collections are now available in the UK exclusively through Harrods. haremlique.com

SOFAS . BEDS . CHAIRS www.love-your-home.co.uk

loveyourhomeuk

C O U N T RY H O US E

THE INSIDER’S ROAD TRIP Venturing off the beaten track, CHRISTOPHER STOCKS seeks out British country houses that are well worth a visit, while CLARE FOSTER recommends beautiful gardens to explore THE HOUSES

THE GARDENS

[1] LONGFORD CASTLE, WILTSHIRE [2] GRAYSON PERRY’S A HOUSE FOR ESSEX [3] CLOUDS HILL, DORSET [4] FARLEYS HOUSE, EAST SUSSEX [5] THE PINEAPPLE, CENTRAL SCOTLAND [6] PENRHYN CASTLE, GWYNEDD

[1] COTHAY MANOR, SOMERSET [2] HERGEST CROFT, HEREFORDSHIRE [3] CAMBO, FIFE [4] RADCOT HOUSE, OXFORDSHIRE [5] FEERINGBURY MANOR, ESSEX [6] FAIRLIGHT END, EAST SUSSEX

ROBIN HUTT

The sloping contemporary garden at Fairlight End features naturalistic planting with sweeping views over the Sussex Weald

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THE INSIDER’S R OA D T R I P : HOUSES

[ 2 ] G R AY S O N P E R R Y ’ S A HOUSE FOR E SSEX, Essex

[ 1 ] L O N G F O R D CA S T L E , Wiltshire This spectacular Elizabethan house was built in the late 1500s for the Swedish-born heiress Helena Snakenborg and her husband Sir Thomas Gorges, a second cousin of Anne Boleyn. Originally triangular in plan, with round towers at each corner, and extended in the 19th century, it stands in meadows by the meandering River Avon south of Salisbury.

Since 1717, it has been the country seat of the Bouverie family, Earls of Radnor. Small group tours from March to September can be booked through The National Gallery, offering a chance to see the sumptuously decorated interiors as well as one of the finest private art collections, including works by Van Dyck, Gainsborough and Frans Hals. nationalgallery.org.uk/events

[3] CLOUDS HILL, Dorset

[ 4 ] FA R L E Y S H O U S E , E a s t S u s s e x

TE Lawrence had a complex relationship with the fame he won during the First World War as Lawrence of Arabia. In 1922, he ducked out of the spotlight, enlisting in the RAF under a false name. The following year, he joined the Tank Corps and was stationed at Bovington Camp in Dorset. Remote, peaceful and without running water or electricity, this tiny cottage near Wareham suited him down to the ground. He decorated it in eccentric style, with a bedroom lined in aluminium foil and a leather-covered bed in the centre of the book room. Lawrence was mad about speed, but it was to be the death of him when he lost control of his motorbike on a nearby road in 1935.

He was just 46 years old. nationaltrust.org.uk/clouds-hill

Not far from Charleston, that decorative apotheosis of the Bloomsbury Group, is an equally artistic farmhouse, though of a more modernist bent. Farleys House, at Muddles Green in East Sussex, was the home of the glamorous American photographer and Vogue model Lee Miller and her English husband Roland Penrose, the Surrealist painter, biographer and co-founder of the ICA. They bought Farleys in 1949 and, over the next 35 years, they welcomed many of the most famous artists of their day, from Picasso and Joan Miró to Max Ernst and Man Ray. Today the house – its walls filled (and in some cases painted) with art – is open each Sunday from April to October. farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk

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GIANT PEACH DESIGN; JACK HOBHOUSE; LEE MILLER ARCHIVES; NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/JAMES DOBSON

Since 2006, the pop philosopher Alain de Botton has commissioned eight different architects to build contemporary holiday houses all over the country under his scheme Living Architecture. Particularly winsome is A House for Essex, devised by Grayson Perry with FAT Architecture. Clad in green tiles and overlooking the estuary of the River Stour, it resembles a medieval illumination of a child’s Wendy house, with eye-popping interiors to match. Grayson calls the house ‘a chapel to the history of Essex’. Its detailed iconography tells the story of fictional everywoman Julie Cope, with tapestries, sculptures and a f lying motorbike. living-architecture.co.uk

The Art of Darkness 5810 Black Tempal, one of four exciting new dark surfaces from Caesarstone.

Unique surfaces for your kitchen and bathroom.

www.caesarstone.co.uk 0800 – 158 – 8088 info@caesarstone.co.uk

C O U N T RY H O US E

[5] THE PINEAPPLE , Central Scotland

[6] PENRHYN CASTLE, Gwynedd

Since 1965, The Landmark Trust has rescued hundreds of historic buildings and converted them into atmospheric holiday lets, but none is as spectacular as The Pineapple, near Falkirk. This beautifully constructed folly was built in the late 18th century for John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, as a summerhouse in the large walled garden of Dunmore House.

Taking the shape of a giant stone pineapple, 37 feet high, it is thought to commemorate the Earl’s retirement from his post as Governor of Virginia, where pineapples had become a popular architectural decoration. Guests stay in the bothies that flank the pineapple itself, decorated in comfortably classic Landmark Trust style. landmarktrust.org.uk

A rare example of a short-lived fashion for neo-Norman architecture, Penrhyn was built between 1820 and 1837 for George Hay Dawkins-Pennant. He had inherited extensive estates in North Wales, including the biggest slate quarry in the world, as well as plantations in Jamaica. Vast, gloomy and surely rather frightening to live in, Penrhyn was designed by Thomas Hopper, who filled its rooms with a riot of geometric carving and plasterwork better suited to a cathedral than to a domestic interior. Dawkins-Pennant sourced many of the materials from his estates. The house has a slate state bed, intended for Queen Victoria; she refused to sleep in it, saying it reminded her of a tombstone. nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle

[ 1 ] C O T H AY M A N O R , S o m e r s e t

[2] HERGEST CROFT GARDENS, Herefordshire

Around a fabulous 14th-century moated manor house on the Somerset/Devon border, romantic gardens are laid out in a series of hedged or walled rooms. Expertly gardened by the owner, each enclosed space invites exploration. You will find surprises around every corner, from secret courtyards to delightful cottage-garden borders and a riverside walk. Areas of formality, including yew topiary and an avenue of mophead robinias, contrast with wilder, more relaxed planting.

According to local legend, red and white roses were planted here to celebrate the end of the Wars of the Roses, and you can still see the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York f lowering in the garden today. cothaymanor.co.uk

Set in the Welsh Marches with views of the Malvern Hills, Hergest Croft is a wonderful garden to visit at this time of year, with more than 5,000 rare trees and shrubs. It holds a National Collection of maples, including some rare specimens brought back from China in the Eighties. These trees are a brilliant spectacle, as they turn vibrant shades of red, ochre and yellow in the autumn. A secluded valley is planted with over 30 acres of exotic trees and giant rhododendrons, while herbaceous borders and a kitchen garden make this an interesting place to visit in other seasons too. Look out for the biannual plant fair on October 11. hergest.co.uk

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ANGUS BREMNER; NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/ARNHEL DE SERRA; ELLEN ROONEY

THE INSIDER’S R OA D T R I P : GARDENS

Chimneypieces | Lighting | Furniture 020 7730 2122 | jamb.co.uk

[3] CAMB O, Fife

[4] RAD C OT HOUSE , Oxfordshire

Open daily, this garden near St Andrews is a joy to visit at any time of year, but there are two particular seasonal highlights that are well worth looking out for. In late winter, the snowdrops take centre stage, with more than 350 delicate varieties carpeting the woodland surrounding the gardens. Then in late summer, the recently created prairie garden comes into its own, with hundreds of North American plants and grasses creating a colourful, dynamic spectacle. A 2.5-acre Georgian walled garden is built around the delightful Cambo Burn, with impressive herbaceous borders, an ornamental potager and new cutting garden, while the Stables Visitor Centre includes a café and a shop. cambogardens.org.uk

Radcot House, near Faringdon, is a brilliant autumn garden, but open to the public only very occasionally through the National Garden Scheme. However, it is worth making a note of the dates – listed on the NGS website – just to see what the owners have achieved. Based on an interplay of contrasts, the garden contains areas of calm and clarity, set against areas of dense, exuberant planting. A hedged room with a serene pool leads through to the perennial garden, where the display is designed to come to its peak in autumn, with perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses arranged in interlinking sweeps for maximum drama. Set out around a handsome Cotswold stone manor house, the gardens invite exploration. ngs.org.uk

[ 5 ] F E E R I NG B U RY M A NOR , E ss ex

[ 6 ] FA I R L I G H T E N D , E a s t S u s s e x

Although they look as if they have been here for hundreds of years, the gardens at Feeringbury Manor have been created over the past 40 years around a 14th-century manor house.

With two ponds and the River Blackwater running through the gardens, there are many different habitats, and although a yew framework provides structure, the planting is lush and informal. The garden is open frequently through the NGS, including several dates in the autumn. It is a particularly wonderful sight in spring with glorious blossom, a jewelled lawn and many varieties of tulip. Later on, the herbaceous borders come to the fore, with a collection of Michaelmas daisies brightening up the latter part of the year. ngs.org.uk

Fairlight End, near Hastings, is a contemporary garden with flower meadows, kitchen garden and interesting planting, with sweeping views to the English Channel. Steeply sloping in all directions, the site has been described by its owner as ‘odd, wonky and windswept’. Garden designer Ian Kitson came up with an ingenious method for terracing the space, using a sinuous Corten steel retaining wall to divide two areas. Linking the garden to the Sussex Weald countryside beyond, the planting is relaxed and naturalistic, focused on texture and movement, and planted in zones that envelop paths and steps rather than in traditional borders. The garden is open for the NGS and by appointment. fairlightend.co.uk | ngs.org.uk

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MARCUS HARPUR; JACQUI HURST; ROBIN HUTT

C O U N T RY H O US E

Designed by House & Garden Handcrafted by Arlo & Jacob Reflecting over 70 years of the best in design and decoration, the House & Garden Collection is handcrafted in Britain

by Arlo & Jacob.

Holmes Sofa, from ÂŁ1120 03300 945 855 Islington | Fulham | Marlow Bristol | Harrogate arloandjacob.com

C O L L E C T I O N

C O U N T RY H O US E

A TALE OF THREE KITCHENS In the spirit of healthy competition, we set out to see what three interior designers would do when presented with the same room. We provided a bare-bones sketch of a large, high-ceilinged room in a Jacobean country house and invited them to design a kitchen for a family. We asked each designer a deceptively simple question: what would you do? And we have shown you how to recreate the look

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PORTRAIT: AP WILDING. ILLUSTRATION: LIAM WALES

No

OLIVIA OUTRED

First to devise a scheme is Olivia Outred. Having cut her teeth as a designer with Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler and at Soane, Olivia brings a tailored and stylish look to her projects, uplifted with unexpected elements and well-chosen colour. oliviaoutred.com We imagined that this family would like to congregate SHE SAYS: ‘We would start by installing reclaimed around a huge table, so dreamed of commissioning the floor tiles in faded black and white marble, laid out in a specialists at Atelier Vime to make an enormous bespoke diamond pattern. These are inspired by traditional Jacotable – a sunburst design in split cane with two reeded bean interiors, such as the Marble Hall at Hatfield House. oval pedestal bases – surrounding it with balloon-back Jacobean houses tend to have ornate, highly decorated chairs from Howe that have easy-to-wash loose covers in interiors, often with intricately painted ceilings. We would white linen with a frilled edge. We wanted this room to commission an artist such as Cressida Bell to paint this feel like a social and welcoming space, with a surprising, ceiling, drawing the eye up to its soaring height. fun and non-conformist furniture selection, while at the We would reinstate a large stone chimneypiece at the same time working as a fully operational kitchen. The far end of the room and open up a second doorway to the main things we have kept from our fictitious family’s right of the chimney breast, to match that on the left. existing possessions are the large painting by Patrick We would choose a chalky green matt emulsion for the Heron that hangs above the chimneypiece, and the fresh walls and honed Carrara marble for work surfaces and flowers cut from their kitchen garden.’ tall splashbacks, which would be shaped in a soft wave.

We would install handmade tulipwood cabinets, painted WE SAY: Of the three designers, Olivia is the only one a soft shade of pink, with in-frame shaker doors and oakwho moved the cooker out of the fireplace, which is veneered interiors. Some sections – which are out of instead the focal point of a small ‘sitting room’ group of view in this illustration – would have a curtain hung on sofa and chairs – a generous and inviting extra space. a thin polished nickel pole instead of a door.

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SET THE SCENE

‘Light Olive Green’ paint, £49.50 for 2.5 litres emulsion, from Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk

Plaster ‘Hilary Chandelier’, from $18,000, from Stephen Antonson. stephenantonson.com

NO 1 OLIVIA OUTRED Seagrass and oak ‘Rope Chair’, by Adrien Audoux and Frida Minet, £3,000, from Béton Brut. betonbrut.co.uk

‘Elizabethan Style Limestone Fire Surround’, £7,800, from Westland London. westlandlondon.com

‘Trafalgar’ brass cabinet handle (antique silver), £110, from Collier Webb. collierwebb.com

‘Antique Pottery Plate’ (green), 21cm diameter, £360 for set of 8, from Susan Deliss. susandeliss.com

‘Palmyre’ (original), by Le Manach, cotton, £218 a metre, from Pierre Frey. pierrefrey.com

‘Katzsic’ beech-framed sofa, £6,336 excluding fabric, from Max Rollitt. maxrollitt.com

‘Dalliance’ linen wall hanging based on a 17th-century tapestry, 160 x 130cm, £1,250, from Zardi & Zardi. zardiandzardi.co.uk

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DAVE GIBBONS; GARETH HACKER; KREG HOLT; NIALL MCDIARMID

‘LB 1518’ wall-mounted mixer tap (silver nickel), £718, from Lefroy Brooks. uk.lefroy brooks.com

PICKETT.CO.UK

10-12 BURLINGTON GARDENS, LONDON W1S 3EY 149 SLOANE STREET & SLOANE TERRACE, LONDON SW1X 9BZ +44 (0) 20 7493 8939

C O U N T RY H O US E

The next to be invited into this imaginary kitchen is Patrick Williams of Berdoulat. Patrick has impressed us with his sensitive eye for materials and building processes, and his way of eschewing stylistic traits in order to let a building’s history speak. berdoulat.co.uk

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No

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furniture in their own right. From our own collection we would use a base cupboard below the window that would house a dishwasher and bins. The dishwasher door opens to the side – this enables the dishes to be stacked inside while maintaining a good flow around the space.

It would have a Welsh slate top for pastry work.

We have placed our own ‘Cook’s Table’ in the centre of the room and our ‘Sink Unit’ against the right-hand wall. The table would have an oak top and painted base, with porcelain plug sockets set into the side. The sink unit would have zinc sinks integrated into a surround and splashback, set on a Douglas fir base, with a drying rack above. The cupboard to the right of the range cooker would house a fridge-freezer, behind wide matchboard planks with fine pencil-bead detail. Finally, this kitchen made us think of our French antique grandfather clock – we sourced ours from a fantastic brocante in south-west France run by our friends Didier and Sylvette Gefflaut.

Didier restores clocks like this one and hand paints traditional designs on them.’

WE SAY: There is so much functionality hidden within these seemingly traditional pieces of furniture that this kitchen would be a pleasure to live with. Beautiful attention is given to the materials and finishes.

PORTRAIT: PAUL WHITBREAD. ILLUSTRATION: LUCY WELLMAN & BERDOULAT STUDIO

HE SAYS: ‘We were thrilled that the brief is to create a kitchen, as kitchens are our favourite spaces to design.

We would start by removing all elements that are not part of the historic fabric of the building. We would install this brilliant flooring product that looks like a flagstone, but is in fact moulded concrete. We would butt the flags against each other and use a dry grout mix that is brushed into the gaps, making for the correct look and feel of an old flagstone floor.

The walls and ceilings would all be re-skimmed in one-coat restoration plaster – when applied with the right degree of ‘wibble’, it looks just like a 19th-century lime skim. It dries to a lovely putty colour, and we like to seal it with clear beeswax and leave it as the final finish, with all the tonal variances across the surface. The fireplace would house an Everhot range cooker. Black (or close to it) is the only colour, in my opinion. Above this, white Delft tiles. We work with Carol Francis at Francis Ceramics, who makes these tiles exactly as they were produced in the 18th century. We have created a blend with them that includes tiles in five slightly different whites, giving a beautiful tonal variation in the glazes.

We believe that kitchens should be thought about in the same way one might think about a sitting room, so we go for freestanding ‘ingredients’ that are pieces of

C O U N T RY H O US E

SET THE SCENE N O 2 B E R D O U L AT Restored antique grandfather clock, from €180 for similar, from Didier Gefflaut Antiques. didier.gefflaut@orange.fr

Stoneware ‘Dinner Set’, by Lydia Hardwick with Berdoulat, from £30 for a 21cmdiameter side plate, from Berdoulat. berdoulat.co.uk ‘Large Wide Pleat’ porcelain pendant light (white), £220, from DeVol. devolkitchens.co.uk

‘Replica’ cement and concrete flagstones (grey/blue), £56.40 a square metre, from Castle Reclamation. castlereclamation.com

‘Fluted Copper Canele Mould’, by De Buyer, £15, from Divertimenti. divertimenti.co.uk

‘Brunetum’ porcelain rotary light switch (chestnut brown), £67, from Katy Paty. katypaty.com

Steel ‘Everhot 110+’ range cooker (black), from £9,265, from Everhot. everhot.co.uk

‘Berdoulat Green’ special order paint, £47.95 for 2.5 litres estate emulsion, from Farrow & Ball. farrow-ball.com

Douglas fir and Welsh slate ‘Sink Unit’ (aged douglas fir), made to measure, £3,500 a linear metre, from Berdoulat. berdoulat.co.uk

‘Strathmore’ brass wall lantern (antique), £247.50, from Richard Hathaway Lighting. richard hathawaylighting.co.uk

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3

No

VSP INTERIORS, WITH ARTICHOKE

Last but not least to address our fictitious kitchen is Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors.

An expert in grand country houses in particular, Henriette designs poised, elegant rooms with grandeur and flair, delicately mixing in antiques so that not a thing looks out of place. Here, she has collaborated with the Somerset-based kitchen brand Artichoke. vspinteriors.com | artichoke-ltd.com shapes of the dark, period furniture will create a sharp SHE SAYS: ‘I love working with Artichoke and do so on contrast. The gleaming brass and bold royal blue of the most of my projects. I feel strongly that it is necessary range cooker, the large porcelain lamp and the cherryand makes sense to combine forces with kitchen experts red leather bar stools will bring the space to life. These – it is such a specialised area and they really are masters colours are reflected in the more muted palette of the at combining practicality, usability and beautiful aesstriped linen blind and antique carpet. In shape, the thetics, together with amazing vision. wicker lampshade from Soane and reclaimed terracotta The remodelling of this room would take its inspitiles echo the forms of the architecture; in material, ration from Jacobean innovations in plasterwork, such they would bring texture and a warm, rustic quality to as the bone-coloured painted panelling of Knole in Kent the room. The clean-cut pewter worktops can be seen as and Chastleton House in Oxfordshire – the ceiling of the fresh and contemporary, while also creating an insightlatter’s long gallery is a fine example to follow. Here, we ful link to the period in which the house was built, when would add a barrelled ceiling; the room would widen as pewter was commonly used to make kitchenware.’ we come down from the ceiling, giving its tall volume a pleasing architectural form – in keeping with the period WE SAY: Henriette’s response to the brief draws on her of the building, yet sympathetic to our age’s preference knowledge to bring together many diverse historical for restrained, less formal spaces. We would install references. The weaving of traditional Jacobean plasterdoors with crisp, flat joinery in the same vein. work and pewter worktops into a somewhat pared-back Against the soft oak of the joinery and the panelling aesthetic shows remarkable vision. painted in close tones of plaster and bone, the geometric

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PORTRAIT: STEVE KELYNACK. ILLUSTRATION: LESLIE-JON VICKORY

C O U N T RY H O US E

Are you transforming your house or garden?

Look no further than The List by House & Garden,

PAUL MASSEY

your indispensable guide to the design world

INTERIOR DESIGNERS, LANDSCAPE GARDENERS, LIGHTING, FURNITURE, UPHOLSTERY, AND MORE.. thelist.houseandgarden.com

C O U N T RY H O US E

SET THE SCENE

Brass and oak ‘Canteen’ pot filler (nickel), £2,040, from Waterworks. waterworks.com

‘The Rattan Petal Hanging Light’, 44cm diameter, £2,300, from Soane. soane.co.uk

‘Tazuna’, cotton/ linen, £147 a metre, from Robert Kime. robertkime.com

NO 3 VSP INTERIORS, WITH ARTICHOKE

‘Losanga’ ceramic tiles, £586 a square metre, from Balineum. balineum.co.uk

Brass ‘The Avon Wall Light’, from £1,200, from Soane. soane.co.uk ‘Tawny’ paint, £49.50 for 2.5 litres emulsion, from Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk

Steel, brass and leather ‘The Crillon Stool’ (rose/ antique), from £3,300, from Soane. soane.co.uk

Reclaimed terracotta ‘Antique Loire Hexagons’ floor tiles, £125 a square metre, from Heritage Ceramics. heritage ceramics.co.uk

SLOAN T HOWARD

‘C237’ brass handle, £19.50, from Optimum Brasses. optimum brasses.co.uk

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G R E AT HOM E S M A DE G R E AT E R Award-winning residential construction and project management

Project designed and managed by Wilben Developments Ltd.

Main Contractor – Markstone Construction UK Ltd

markstone.co.uk

House & Garden magazine would like to thank Markstone Construction for their collaboration on all exhibition and fair projects in 2019 and 2020

C O U N T RY H O US E

A COUNTRY HOUSE BATHROOM RUTH SLEIGHTHOLME considers how an interpretation of the antique chinoiserie wall panels in the grand cabinet room at Houghton Hall in Norfolk has become the starting point for an elegant and pretty bathroom

TOP RIGHT The original chinoiserie panels in the cabinet room. LEFT De Gournay’s reproduction of the design with an apricot pink ground, accented by woodwork in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Breakfast Room Green’

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SIMON BROWN

In 2018, Rose Cholmondeley contacted the historical wallpaper specialists de Gournay about an extraordinary discovery. She wished to discuss the elaborate chinoiserie wallpaper that decorated the cabinet room of Houghton Hall, the stately home in Norfolk of which she is chatelaine. Namely, that she had found three unused panels of the same set packed away in an attic. These had lain there for 230 years, unexposed to light and air. It was a remarkable find, and a testament to the effect of the elements on historical furnishings: these attic panels remained a bright and dashing blue, with vivid pink, red and gold painted accents, which had faded almost to monochrome in the cabinet room panels.

Rose and de Gournay decided that they would reproduce the panels in the original, strong blue found in the attic, in the beautifully colour-sapped antique variation from the cabinet room, and a third colourway, to begin life as an installation in Rose’s own bathroom – a rather austere black and white room that she was keen to revive.

Initially, explained Rose, she had wanted an emerald green ground for the bathroom but, feeling it was a little strong, they opted for a soft, slightly apricot pink, accented with woodwork in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Breakfast Room Green’. She took the blackpainted floor to a softer brown, then went shopping for antiques – something of a favourite pastime for Rose. The freestanding bath (chosen for its generous length) was found at Mongers Architectural Salvage of Hingham; the wall lights with pretty red silk shades came from Vaughan, and just about everything else was sourced online from various antique shops. ‘The nice thing about a chinoiserie pattern,’ remarks Rose, ‘is that it gives you something to look at as you relax in the bath – the beautiful peacock above the fireplace draws the eye and is the most frequent focus of my admiration.’ de Gournay: degournay.com