Thguj by Soyaleman

BEAUTIFUL OLD HOMES

DECOR ATING & SHOPPING

GARDEN ANTIQUES INSPIRATION & VINTAGE

RENOVATION & MAINTENANCE

PERIODLIVING BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING PERIOD HOMES MAGAZINE

Cottage charm

JULY 2022

Potted success

Period homes and room ideas brimming with character

FREE Gardening book download

WORTH £10.99

Plant perfect containers for a colourful display

PLUS Restore stone flooring Design a stylish boot room Collect antique bottles

BOHO KITCHENS Create an eclectic space that feels individual to you BEAUTIFUL SHUTTERS & BLINDS FOR EVERY ROOM

BASK IN SUMMER

Joyful decorating ideas to bring the garden indoors all year round

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Illustration Sarah Overs Photograph David Lloyd

Editor’s Letter

omes come in all shapes and sizes, but few are as universally admired as the cottage. Originally humble dwellings intended for poorer members of society, who would use the surrounding garden to grow their own crops and medicinal plants, cottages have today become a rural idyll. Cosy, brimming with character, and possessing a uniquely warm and welcoming atmosphere, their appeal seems to transcend all design boundaries. Happily, the look is more of an ethos than a prescribed style, and can translate to houses of every era – as evidenced in our readers’ homes this month, which span two centuries. Each one celebrates the style in its own way, from our cover star – the quintessentially English chocolate-box cottage of Clare Pearne (page 47) – to Anna and Dirk de Glee’s Dutch country home (page 66) filled with antique treasures, and the handcrafted Edwardian house of Chris and Neil Myers, which for many years has been their labour of love (page 24). If you’re looking for key themes shared by cottage-style homes, then focus on nature – as integral features of the landscape, these dwellings tend to reflect the local palette of colours and materials. In addition, remember that cottages are imperfectly perfect, so don’t undermine your home’s character by ironing out every ‘flaw’ and making it too clean-lined. Celebrate original features and restore rather than replace wherever possible. Give your interior a sense of being lived in and having evolved over time by mixing antique and vintage finds with new heritage-inspired designs, and add texture by layering up tactile pieces and pretty fabrics. The most successful cottages also continue the theme to the garden. Even the smallest outdoor space can embrace the look – as seen in this month’s featured garden (page 84), which is a feast for the senses, packed with fragrant flowers. Owners Sharron and James Pashley are masters at container gardening, which inspired us to share our own favourite design ideas for using pots and planters in the garden (page 132). I do hope you like the issue, and if you want to make sure you don’t miss out, then why not subscribe (page 44)? This month when you sign up, you will receive a free Annie Sloan paint set, worth almost £45, featuring Chalk paints, a stencil and paint brush. Enjoy! Melanie Griffiths Editor, Period Living

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Decorating & shopping

Homes

Journal

Potting shed buys

Parasol shopping Add a decorative garden shade to provide some welcome relief

Summer décor ideas

Love at first sight Clare Pearne found the perfect home for the vintage gems which she has collected over the years

While away an afternoon with these pretty yet practical finds

Chris and Neil Myers have created a home full of character and handmade charm

We round up the latest interiors offerings and news

Perfectly crafted

Features

Life in the white house A painstaking renovation saw Anna and Dirk de Glee return the charm to their country home

Discover the latest additions to the Period Living collection at Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co

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A practical space such as a laundry or boot room will make light of everyday tasks

Decorate with terracotta Inject warmth and depth into your home with the sun-baked tones of warmer climes

Cover

Antiques journal Discover the latest trends and hear collectors’ stories

149

Antique bottles Find out about the history behind these collectable gems

Utility room design

Made in Britain Upholsterer Stuart Coote shares the fascinating story of his craft

Bring the garden into your interiors all year round

Collaboration news

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Explore Sissinghurst Discover one of the most famous gardens in England

162

Craft project Make decorative plant labels for your herb pots using vintage metal spoons

Photograph Penelope Wincer Styling Pippa Blenkinsop and Karen Darlow

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90 Advice & inspiration

History of bathrooms

Gardens

Lee Bilson looks at the evolution of our smallest rooms

House journal Discover the latest products for improving your period home

Boho kitchens Create an individual design with these inspiring ideas

107

Blinds and shutters Give your windows the treatment they deserve

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Explore the winner of Period Living’s Small Garden of the Year award for 2021

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Garden journal Products, workshops and places to inspire your plot

123

Drying flowers Discover how to preserve a variety of different blooms

124

Birdbath ideas Create a haven for feathered friends in your garden

Restoring stone floors Expert Roger Hunt advises on the care of this original feature

119

Cottage courtyard charm

Timber framing SPAB’s Douglas Kent on how to repair and maintain

127

Regulars & offers

Your journal We share our readers’ letters and photographs

Subscription offer Subscribe to Period Living and get a free Annie Sloan paint set

150

Free digital book Download your copy of Ultimate Garden Projects, worth £10.99

145

Growing clematis Be inspired by these colourful and scented climbers

132

Container gardening How to use pots and planters to add highlights to every corner of your garden

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Readers’ letters, projects and views on the magazine

STA R

✯ T

COLOUR CLASH We purchased our Victorian townhouse in East Brighton last year and have since been busy renovating and redecorating it. I subscribed to Period Living at the start of the project and have loved hearing the reassuring tales from other homeowners while also gaining lots of interiors inspiration. I loved the blue and yellow kitchen (April issue) and it made me realise how much I needed some sunny cabinets in my life! Jessica Whatley

This month’s star letter writer receives a set of pretty Country teatowels, worth £32, from The Heritage Hare Company

Feature Holly Reaney Images (bottom left) Sanderson; (top right) Polly Eltes; (bottom right) Getty Images

PERFECTLY PETITE The feature on small kitchens in the May issue conjured up so many images of warmth and comfort. After all, the French word for home is ‘le foyer’, which also means the hearth; home is the place where the fire is and the food is prepared – no matter its size. Sometimes it feels as though we have moved a long way from the functional yet cosy kitchens of the past to aspirational reception rooms, filled with soft furnishings and grease-seeking chandeliers, where surely no real cooking can take place. Claire Rugg

POND DIPPING A recent house move brought with it a pond – a feature that has since prompted many a head-scratching moment as my husband and I have no idea what to do with the fish, the blanket weed, the pump, the green algae, the liner, and the idea of oxygenating plants. When I spotted the Sink or Swim article in the April edition, I was so excited. After reading the piece, I went to take a closer look at the plants in my pond and found the beginnings of a new generation of frogs. Your article encouraged me to take a confident step towards being the owner of a garden treasure. Kerry Smith Get in touch: periodliving@futurenet.com

@periodlivingmagazine

@PeriodLivingMag

@period_living Period Living 11

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This July, celebrate the great outdoors with nature-inspired prints and picnic essentials, plus invest in eco-friendly designs

Twilight Ditsy wallpaper, £48 per roll

Feature Alice Humphrys

PLAYFUL PAPERS Inspired by the great outdoors, Joules has teamed up with wallpaper brand Graham & Brown to create a collection of 46 beautifully bold wallpapers and two stunning murals. This new launch is made up of three trends: Contemporary Country, Modern Heritage and Galley – a rustic, coastal look. Capturing the bright colours of nature, you’ll find vibrant,

playful styles; fresh, beach-cottage designs with illustrations that will transport you to the British seaside; trailing blooms and eclectic floral patterns inspired by folklore; plus six cheery designs for kids’ bedrooms and playrooms. The entire range is carbon neutral: all of the production is powered by renewable energy and the designs are printed with waterbased ink on sustainably sourced paper. From £40 per roll. Period Living 13

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News Beach chairs in Paisley, £295 each

STAYCATION PERFECTION Cox & Cox’s new outdoor living accessories are everything you need for the most stylish staycation. Whether enjoying your own garden, taking a picnic in the park or a trip to the coast, the vintage-inspired pieces are practical, comfy and easy to transport. The folding chairs are made from waterresistant premium hardwood and the woven cotton canvas is UV and water resistant, too. The co-ordinating cool bags will keep your picnic nicely chilled, and you can mark your spot with elegant fringed canopies and parasols – the perfect place to gather and take shelter from the summer sun.

Fringed canopy in Paisley, £360

Fabulous cool bag in Blue Stripe, £99

Blackthorn wallpaper in Spring, £129 per roll

Beach chair in Blush Stripe, £295

Lightweight parasol with lemon print, £215

PRELOVED PAINT Green by name and green by nature, Re:mix is the latest eco initiative from paint brand Little Greene. It takes leftover, unwanted and returned paints and reformulates them into a luxurious matt finish for interior walls and ceilings. Upcycling waste paint prevents 60,000 litres of high-quality mineral and organic raw materials from going to waste each year. The paints are available in an initial, limited collection of 20 colours, including many of the brand’s most treasured shades. £28 for 2.5ltrs.

SUMMER BRIGHTS Interior designer Ben Pentreath has collaborated on a second collection for Morris & Co. Named after the Latin for Cornwall, Cornubia is a vibrant story for SS22 celebrating the sights, sounds, patterns and places of the coastal county Ben grew up in. Featuring 18 fabrics and 18 wallpapers, the collection includes the revival of some very old patterns that haven’t been in production for decades – Merton (formerly Eden) and Woodland Weeds. Each nostalgic, yet timeless Morris & Co favourite has been cast in a new light with a cheery colour palette that will bring joy into your home. Wallpaper from £109 per roll; fabric from £90 per m.

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BEST OF BRITISH Two iconic British brands, Fired Earth and Marks & Spencer, have collaborated on a beautifully curated collection of homeware. Taking inspiration from some of Fired Earth’s most popular tile designs, Paris and Marrakech, M&S has reinterpreted these signature patterns, applying them to bedding, cushions and towels. Paris celebrates decadent and elegant Parisian décor with gorgeous inky blues and sage, whereas Marrakech draws on traditional Moroccan patterns in spicy, earthy shades. Using relaxed fabrics, tufted textures and raw edges with intricate detailing, the quality of the range is very much in harmony with the Fired Earth aesthetic.

Towels from £3; bedding sets, from £45; cushions, £35

THE MAK ERS’ MARK ET Celebrating British craftsmanship, Vigour & Skills is a new online platform showcasing a carefully curated edit of home and lifestyle makers with shared values in sustainability, longevity and quality. Products include ceramics, lighting, jewellery, textiles, leather goods and more. Shoppers can get to know the makers and their craft with behind-the-scenes videos that document the production process. Determined to make a difference, Vigour & Skills’ mission is to help reshape how we shop; this isn’t mass-production, these are exceptional, one-off pieces, made from incredible materials, each creation with its own story to tell.

The Blanket in Flora Tartan, £325, by Rachel Carvell-Spedding

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT New sustainable homeware brand Ved Cooks was born out of the pandemic, after founder and chef Verity De Yong noticed how much food waste she was generating with every meal eaten at home. Inspired to repurpose her food scraps, she began to experiment in her kitchen with leftover fruit and vegetable skins, using the pigment to create natural dyes to use on Irish linen. Her range includes napkins, placemats, tablecloths and runners, with a colour palette that follows the change in seasons as different fruit and vegetables come into harvest. From £30 for a set of two napkins. 16 Period Living

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Shopping Vintage gardening tools, from £20, Raj Tent Club A4 gardening essentials print, £14.50, Harriet Watson Risdon & Risdon gardening apron in canvas twill, £145, The Conran Shop

Vegetable garden tin tray, £45, Emma Bridgewater

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Red tweed gloves, £18.99, Burgon & Ball

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Smart Garden 4.5ltr watering can in Violet, £24.99, Dobbies

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Bee print knee pad, £14.35, Purple Holly

le away a summer’ W hi sa

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ide space wi th t r o u ts u o hes y re e

ou fav ed sh

Pott er

Gardener’s tool bag, £32, Sophie Conran

Wooden trug, £26, National Trust Shop

Piccolo seeds, £3.50 per pack, Winter’s Moon Aldsworth potting table, £315, Garden Trading

Feature Alice Humphrys

Bloomsbury herb pots with tray, £30, The White Company

Reclining foldable chair in green stripe, £359.99, Gardenesque

Tin of twine in blue, £7, Nutscene

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Shopping

3m floral sunshade, £850, Raj Tent Club

3m parasol in Natural, £720, Garden Trading

Rendezvous parasol in Fruit Blue, £249.50, Oliver Bonas

Stripe umbrella, £295, The White Company

Hanway garden parasol in Black, £495, Oka

Teal paisley print tassel parasol, £275, Ella James

Large fringed parasol in Antique White, £750, Cox & Cox

Feature Alice Humphrys

Nude and Mustard striped parasol, £255, Rose & Grey

Go undercover

Bill 1 octagonal parasol with William Morris print, from £965, East London Parasols

Take a break from the summer sun to enjoy a little welcome shade, with a decorative garden parasol Period Living 21

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Made in Britain Continuing its partnership of beautiful beds with Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co, Period Living is delighted to share two new designs and the latest brand innovations

hen Period Living launched its partnership with Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co in 2021, it was a new venture for both brands, who share similar values in prizing British-made, high-quality furniture design. Handcrafting the most beautiful metal beds from its Norfolk workshop, Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co is a leading light in British manufacturing. The family business uses only the finest quality materials and puts sustainability at the heart of everything – it is the first iron bed maker in the UK to be certified as carbon neutral, powering its workshop with 100 per cent renewable energy and sourcing its bed slats from FSC certified companies. The team are true experts and master craftsmen, and make investing in this key piece of furniture the exciting experience it should be.

New designs

The Lottie brass and iron bed, from £1,930, is the picture of elegance with its sweeping curves

To accompany the existing Period Living collection of beds – comprising Charlotte, Arthur, Victoria, Albert, Henry and George – two new designs have been launched that are perfect for a period home. With authentic brass details meticulously turned by master craftsmen, Lottie radiates warmth and luxury, and is guaranteed to brighten any room. Timeless and classic, Emma is perfect for those looking for a ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ inspired iron bed, and features a high tailboard that will work perfectly in a larger bedroom. Visit wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk/periodliving to view the full range.

Handmade to order Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co sources materials from as close to the factory as possible, supporting the local economy, and controls the making process from start to finish, diligently inspecting the beds at every stage of construction. Rather than a generic production line, every bed is made to order for its individual owner using a combination of age-old methods enhanced by the latest technology. If the featured designs won’t work in your room, then the brand also offers a bespoke service, so your bed can be truly tailor-made for your needs.

The Emma bed, from £795, has a beautifully sculpted high tailboard and comes in a wide choice of colours

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Collaboration News

Your personal craftsman This spring, the brand launched its new, exclusive Personal Craftsman service. When you buy a signature brass, nickel or copper bed, you will be assigned your very own craftsman, who will shepherd your bed through its entire journey. This means that your bed will be diligently cared for by a named individual from the arrival of the raw materials, through handcrafting it, right up to the day of delivery, at no extra cost.

Ultimate comfort To complement its luxury range of mattresses from Vispring, Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co has launched a new range of its own branded everyday mattresses – bringing quality and affordability together. Handmade in Yorkshire from sustainably sourced natural fibres nestled around a supportive honeycomb pocket sprung unit, the mattresses offer the ultimate in comfort. The new Windsor Blue colourway, seen here on the Elizabeth bed, from £2,540

Fit for royalty

SPECIAL OFFERS Until 10 July 2022, you will receive a free Woolroom Light bedding bundle when you visit the Norfolk showroom and spend over £1,500. The bundle includes a mattress protector, light duvet – perfect for summer sleeping – and two pillows. Made from 100 per cent British wool, the bedding is breathable, sustainable and can be washed on a cool wool wash. From 1 June until 10 July, you can also get £250 off for every £1,000 spent in the Summer Sale. Book an appointment to visit the showroom, and choose your dream bed today.

Supplying the royal household for the last six years, Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co holds a Royal Warrant of Appointment by Her Majesty The Queen. To mark this relationship, and to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the brand has launched two new commemorative colours – Windsor Blue and Platinum Grey. As well as being a royal warrant holder, Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co is also the only iron bed company recognised by the Guild of Master Craftsmen and is part of the Made in Britain manufacturing community, which is a protected mark that can only be used by companies who meet exacting criteria. Visit wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk/periodliving to see the full range or call 01485 542516 to speak to a member of the team. Period Living 23

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Left: The porch, with dappled light on a sunny day, is one of Chris’ favourite places to sit and chat to friends Above: Neil’s workshop, the Crooked Shed, which he made himself using a tin roof from a WWII Anderson shelter. A keen salvager, Neil saves every last nail and piece of wood to make and mend things for the house and garden Right: The large tree has a preservation order on it and so had to be taken into consideration when the extension was added in 2004

PERFECTLY CRAFTED Bringing together their love of mending, making and salvaging, Chris and Neil Myers have worked tirelessly to ensure their Edwardian home is welcoming and full of character Words and styling Alice Roberton | Photographs Tamsyn Morgans 24 Period Living

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Edwardian Home

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THE STORY Owners Chris and Neil Myers moved here from Hampstead, London, in 2000. Chris hosts making workshops from home under the name The Cozy Club (thecozyclub.co.uk) and is the author of The Natural Cozy Cottage and other books. Neil is a retired dentist with a penchant for salvaging materials to make improvements to their home. The couple have two grown-up sons Property A detached three-storey house in a Conservation Area in Buckinghamshire. Built in 1904, the house has four bedrooms What they did Chris and Neil have worked hard on the house, inside and out. From knocking rooms together to creating a cottage-style garden. The largest projects include adding an extension and porch, converting the attic to create extra living space, and turning a bedroom into a statement bathroom

ristine white-painted brick and pebbledash walls, a New England-style porch, and a garden filled with roses, hydrangeas, and handmade sheds all point to the hard work Chris and Neil have put into making The Warren their home. From knocking through rooms to clocking up hundreds of hours in the garden, no corner has been left untouched. ‘It looked so unloved when we bought it, but we could see it had huge potential,’ says Chris, who has handmade soft furnishings, restored furniture, and completely transformed an outdoor wilderness into an abundant cottage garden. ‘It helps that Neil is very handy,’ she adds. ‘He makes things out of salvaged materials in his workshop, nicknamed the Crooked Shed, which he made using a tin roof from a WWII Anderson shelter.’ Besides making the best of what was already there, Chris and Neil added an extension. It was originally built in 2004 as a playroom for their sons, but it now resembles a traditional general store, with a loft-style bedroom above, which Chris uses for creative workshops and selling handmade and vintage items. ‘I’d always longed for a porch where I could enjoy my garden and chat to passers-by. It reminds me of growing up in Canada,’ she says. ‘We wanted to design something which looks part of the house, not just a tack-on.’ However, there were challenges. As part of the planning process, the Myers had to navigate a protected tree and persuade a council officer who wasn’t sure about the shiplap cladding. It’s important to Chris that their home offers a warm welcome from the moment visitors come through the gate, so an unsightly concrete drive was replaced with a pebble and brick pathway, which leads to the front door, framed by a handmade scallop-edged pelmet. Chris and Neil decided to interconnect the kitchen, sitting room and dining room by knocking through the walls, starting with the kitchen. ‘It was a hard decision to make as we didn’t want to change the Edwardian look too much; however, it didn’t take anything away from the period of the property. In fact, the view towards the original sitting room fireplace has added to the kitchen.’ To complement the free-

standing units, rustic furniture and double Aga, Chris and Neil added tongue-and-groove boards to the ceiling, a detail which reminds Chris of Canada. ‘We scoured antiques and decorative fairs – like Loseley Park Decorative Home & Salvage Show, The Reclaimed Home Fair and Sunbury Antiques Market – for dressers and shelves. I change the displays here to reflect the seasons,’ explains Chris. The sitting room is light and bright thanks to a large bay window, a full-length glass door, and walls and floors painted in white and stone. The dining room was also opened up to offer a view through to the sitting room, and they added a small salvaged wood-burner to the original tiled fireplace. ‘We found it at a fair in Devon and were told that it once lived on a fishing boat – if only it could talk! We avoid using “new” wherever possible and would rather restore or reuse something that we know will add character to the house,’ adds Chris. Upstairs, cosy bedrooms and bathrooms have all been subject to decorative work. However, the crowning glory is Chris and Neil’s en suite. Pre-extension, it had served as their bedroom. ‘We dreamed of a larger bathroom with a view, so we cleared the room and added a roll-top cast-iron bath in the beautiful bay window. The plumbing was easy but the biggest challenge was how to get the heavy tub upstairs. To save everyone’s backs, we hired professional movers.’ Ensuring no space has gone to waste, the attic was transformed into a third floor, creating an office for Neil, a reading and writing room for Chris and a gorgeous guest bedroom with its own bijou bathroom in the eaves. ‘I’m forever finding something to change or paint, so the job of homemaking is never ending,’ says Chris. Although a work in progress is still in the Myers’ minds, both house and garden have a distinctly finished feel. ‘We once had an unexpected visit from a chap who was born in the house,’ recalls Chris. ‘We invited him in and he said that despite all the changes the house had just the same feel as it did when he lived here.’ High praise indeed.

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Edwardian Home

Above: Even before you’ve set foot in The Warren you are greeted by an idyllic display from the abundant cottage-style garden. A pebble and brick pathway guides you under the rose arch and to the front door Left: Chris Myers on the doorstep of The Warren. The handmade

scallop-edged pelmet, which Chris and Neil painted themselves, and bespoke sign offer a warm welcome and complete the vintage look Below: All of the windows in the house are original. ‘They’re a bit draughty, especially in the winter, but I’d sooner freeze than change them!’ says Chris

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In the heart of the home is the kitchen with its original terracotta tiled floor, freestanding units and a farmhouse table with mismatched chairs. Chris and Neil have picked up a wonderful assortment of shelving at fairs and

markets, which they’ve painted white to tie in with their fresh style. Chris changes the displays to reflect the seasons. A hotchpotch of tiles, including some delft style, create a great backsplash for the blue Aga

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Edwardian Home

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Edwardian Home

Opposite: The dining room was opened up into the kitchen and living room to create one bright, airy space. The table, chairs and accessories are all vintage or antique finds Left: A freestanding sink unit with a double stone basin and decorative shelves with a bounty of blooms give a very country feel Below: A corner of the General Store, also known as The Cozy Club, lies behind the pretty painted porch – part of the extension carried out in 2004. A large shop counter houses textiles and baskets, creating a practical yet pretty display Below left: A butler sink makes easy work of cleaning paintbrushes and muddy boots. Chris made the check skirt to hide the washing machine

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Edwardian Home The original bay windows are dressed with curtains in Colefax & Fowler’s Bowood chintz. An original wooden fireplace is a reminder of the period of the property. Floors painted in Farrow & Ball’s Strong White and walls in Purbeck Stone. Woodwork in Dulux’s Timeless ensures the room feels light.

The sofa is from Sofa.com and Chris covered the Ikea armchair in French linen sheets. One of Chris’ quilts makes an excellent throw. A salvaged wood door made by Neil is framed by books and hides the TV, while a curtain, made by Chris, hides other less attractive sitting room essentials

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Left: This guest bedroom features a floral wallpaper and a cosy sleigh bed. Chris sourced all of the wallpapers in the bedrooms from Colefax & Fowler and Osborne & Little – they are over 20 years old but she still loves them Below left: Walls in Farrow & Ball’s Folly Green and two WWII hospital beds are ready to welcome the grandchildren Below right: A chippy paint chair picks out the green leaves in the wallpaper Bottom: The Aston Matthews cast-iron roll-top bath required movers to get it upstairs. The armchair is covered in Cabbages & Roses’ Hatley fabric. Walls in Purbeck Stone and floors in Strong White, both Farrow & Ball

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Edwardian Home Painted floorboards continue through the house and up into the converted attic. The small desk and comfy chair offer a quiet space to read and write

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Decorating

The spirit of summer

Feature Pippa Blenkinsop

Bring sunshine to your interiors all year round by decorating with a palette and prints that capture the delights of the summer garden FRESHLY PICKED If there’s anywhere in our home that needs to feel joyous and uplifting, it’s the kitchen, especially if it also doubles as a dining space. Wallpaper is a brilliant way to bring instant life to a kitchen-diner; for a summer feeling all year round try a fruity wallpaper in citrus hues, such as Morris & Co’s Simply Morris Fruit design, £120 per roll, which is ripe with lemons and pomegranates.

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ursting with colour and life, the garden is in its full glory during the summer months. With its dramatic range of colours, textures and shapes, it is a fabulous place to seek interior inspiration, helping you to bring life and joy into your home whatever the season. For a lasting impression paint rooms in moodenhancing shades such as yellow, leafy green and hot pink, or paper walls with large-scale florals and lush botanical motifs. Decorating with prints inspired by the textures and tones of the summer garden is sure to keep the spirits lifted even when the sun isn’t shining. Try sinuous chinoiserie designs or those with exotic summer fruits. You can create instant summer magic by styling up a dining setting with a beautiful tablecloth and add statement accessories such as cushions and lampshades; and, of course, don’t forget those fresh garden blooms to finish the look.

SET THE SCENE Left: Create a beautiful setting for a summer tea party by layering up patterned linens, coloured glassware and plenty of fresh flowers, suggests fabric designer Pippa Blacker. ‘I love using my fabrics when entertaining and often choose a strong colour for the tablecloth, perhaps with a pattern that has a feeling of flow and movement to it.’ She advises pairing with linen napkins in smaller prints and softer colours to create a contrast. ‘The look comes together by adding flowers, coloured glass and, if appropriate, coloured candles too,’ she adds. Tablecloth in Leaf Dance in Ochre; teatowels in Wild Flower in Autumn Sun and Walking in Heather in Aqua; chair in Bell Heather in Mint, all £65 per m of linen union.

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Image (right) MaxMax Attenborough Art direction Sara Bird Styling Selina Lake

IN BLOOM Above: While wallpapers and fabrics will make a lasting impression, displays of hot seasonal blooms like dahlias, sunflowers and zinnias offer an easy way to bring summer splendour into the home. There’s no need for a big bouquet – all you require is a few stems showcased in an array of chipped buckets or old florist vases, as seen in this Alitex greenhouse styled by Selina Lake. Create a feature of the flowers by lining them up on a sideboard.

Decorating CAPTURE THE MOMENT Make the most of the warm weather by styling up your garden room for a summer party. Rattan chairs – try Cox & Cox – are sure to bring a holiday feel; layer with cushions in a mix of bright, folksy prints and don’t forget throws to keep cosy when the evening chill sets in. To create an eye-catching table setting, choose coloured glass tumblers that will come to life in the sunlight and display freshly picked floral arrangements in woven baskets for a relaxed country feel.

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Florence wallpaper in Fig Blossom/ Apple/Peony, from £349 per roll. Sofa in Lovelace fabric in Apple/ Paper Lantern, £79 per m, with cushion in Marsha in Powder/Peony/ Magenta, £139 per m. Blinds made in Lady Alford in Apple/Magenta, £89 per m, all The Art of Living Collection by Harlequin x Diane Hill

EMBRACE CHINOISERIE Rooted in the landscapes of East Asia, chinoiserie prints are the perfect way to inject elegance into the home. Artist Diane Hill has collaborated with Harlequin to release a new collection of prints that celebrate the beauty of nature. Based on her handpainted artwork, the collection features myriad blousy blooms offset by a simple geometric inspired by lattice bamboo, all bound by a palette of bright jewel tones. ‘We wanted to inspire people to decorate boldly, unapologetically and to own their room,’ says Diane. ‘A lot of the collection was based on traditional 18th-century designs but we gave it a modern refresh. My favourite print is Florence (pictured on walls) – it feels like a fresh summer’s day.’ 40 Period Living

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Decorating

FLOWER POWER Dining rooms are often treated as occasional spaces that are reserved for entertaining, and as such they are a great place to be bold with décor. If you’re lucky enough to have a room with high ceilings, consider papering wall to wall in a large-scale floral print, such as this Bianca design in Jade, £100 per roll from Manuel Canovas, which is bursting with anemones. Embrace full-on chintz by adding in matching curtains. Period Living 41

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Image Simon Brown Photography

TASTE OF THE MED Upholstering a headboard in a joyful print is a fabulous way to bring a burst of summer into your bedroom without overpowering the space. Full of the delights of the Mediterranean, this Margo linen by Fanny Shorter, £140 per m, features a medley of chrysanthemums, oranges and geraniums in lemon yellow, and is offset beautifully with a soothing, watery wallpaper in a scheme by Kit Kemp.

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Subscribe today and get a free Annie Sloan paint set

WORTH

ABOUT YOUR GIFT Your exclusive gift includes the Tilton paint set, featuring three limited-edition Chalk paints, wax and an inspiration guide, a Countryside Bird stencil and a flat brush

£44.85

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Georgian Cottage The cottage was built in 1830 and extended in the Victorian era. An outdoor seating area allows Clare and Steve – and cockapoo Bungle – to soak up the sun. The bench cushion is from Rowen & Wren and the scatter cushions are from Susie Watson and Sarah Hardaker

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Clare Pearne’s love of vintage treasures began when she was a little girl, but now she and partner Steve have found the perfect setting for them: a cottage with its very own secret garden Karen Darlow | Styling Pippa Blenkinsop | Photographs Penelope Wincer Period Living 47

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nlatching the wooden gate in a high stone wall covered in wisteria, and stepping into a secret garden brimming with flowers marked a turning point in Clare and Steve’s house search, and their lives. As soon as they set eyes on the pretty Georgian cottage and its glorious garden, they instantly knew this should be their new home. Clare and Steve had been looking for a renovated character property with an easily managed garden, room for visiting family and, preferably, in a village with a shop, a pub and on a bus route. No matter that the Georgian cottage home didn’t match the things they’d listed on their househunting wish list, Steve and Clare had fallen for its charms. ‘Our hearts took over and all our previous ‘must-haves’ were immediately forgotten!’ says Clare. ‘There was no going back, it was just a magical situation.’ The pair soon moved in and set about updating the cottage, living in the house as it was rewired and as both the kitchen and bathroom were refurbished. At one stage there was no working kitchen or bathroom and the pair had to rely on kind neighbours and cook on a camping stove. ‘For months we had to walk the plank in the bathroom and bedroom with all the floorboards up, but you soon forget the hardships once it’s finished.’ Steve is a practical and experienced renovator, having restored several properties in France with his brothers in the past, and was very hands-on here too. He stripped out the old kitchen and bathroom to help keep the costs down. The newly fitted bathroom –with its floor now intact – is a relaxing space for a soak in the roll-top tub. The kitchen updates include new cabinets custom-built to Clare’s designs, and installing a wood-burning stove in the fireplace, which is a favourite spot for dog, Bungle. ‘All of the changes were intended to be sympathetic to the cottage’s original features,’ says Clare. ‘The gothic arched windows in the kitchen completely won us over at our first viewing, so the new kitchen was designed to enhance those original features.’ The woodburner has simply provided another good reason to linger in the now-cosy kitchen.

Once the major updates were complete, Clare set about designing and furnishing the interiors. Her skill in curating and displaying her copious collections of vintage treasures and Steve’s sympathetic renovations won the couple the ‘Best Vintage Style’ category in Period Living’s 2021 Home & Garden of the Year awards. Clare says her interest in antiques and vintage items is down to her mother’s influence. ‘Even as a small child I used to love looking round bric-a-brac shops. Instead of spending my pocket money on sweets, I’d save up and buy something I liked,’ she recalls. ‘It started when I was just eight years old and spied a black lacquer box with inlaid mother of pearl decoration. My pocket money didn’t quite stretch, but my mother went back to the shop and bought it for me. That was the start of all my collections.’ With the main cottage finished, Steve moved on to renovate the barn. Previously it had been a storage space for garden tools, but for Clare and Steve it was to provide a handy self-contained annexe. Steve single-handedly transformed the building from a humble stone outhouse into a bright and airy twobedroom guest suite, with accommodation on two floors, two new bathrooms and oak flooring. It was a hard graft but the results are impressive. Clare decided that the décor in the converted barn should complement that in the main cottage, but have a distinct identity. While the cottage interiors are cosy and vintage, the new barn has more rustic, French influences, with a nod to the rural French properties Steve had worked on in the past. There is true beauty in the whitewashed stone walls, and wooden windows and shutters - their simplicity allows the barn to speak for itself, and frames the long views over open farmland. The latest addition also focuses on the beautiful scene outdoors. A new timber-frame conservatory provides another place to sit and admire the views of the garden and fields beyond. Clare has enjoyed furnishing another room and finding space to display treasured pieces with a few more recent bric-a-brac finds added in for good measure. ‘I don’t spend a lot of money on vintage things; it’s all either things that belonged to my mother, that I’ve collected over the years, or just small bits and pieces I’ve come across in junk shops.’ The next big project is to build a replacement for a ramshackle summerhouse that’s almost falling into the stream. Clare’s drawn up some plans for it, and Steve’s on the lookout for suitable materials in a nearby reclamation yard in Glastonbury that could be used to build it. Once it’s up, it will give a new perspective on this special little cottage and its garden, and provide Clare with a good excuse to stop for a tea break on big gardening days. ‘I love our house, but the garden is a great joy. I have worked really hard on it, preserving what was already here, as well as adding lots of new plants. It is always so lovely to see people’s reactions when they walk through the gate and catch sight of our secret garden for the first time. They’re always so surprised and delighted, just like we were that first time we opened the gate.’

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THE STORY Owners Clare Pearne and Steve Pattinson live here with their cockapoo Bungle, and cats. Clare was a dance teacher and Steve an electronics engineer; both are retired Property A two-bedroom Georgian cottage built in 1830, with Victorian additions, including the kitchen in 1892. The cottage is set in a walled garden overlooking fields at the foot of the Quantock Hills in Somerset What they did In the main cottage the couple updated the electrics, fitted a new kitchen and bathroom. Steve converted a small barn in the garden into two-storey accommodation for family, friends and occasional B&B guests. The couple also added a timber-frame conservatory Right and below right: A barn was converted into a guest annexe. Outside is a pretty terrace area. For similar paint to that on the window frame, try Mylands’ Greenstone Below: Bungle steals a cuddle with Clare and Steve in the conservatory. Local joiner Nigel Salter built the timber-frame garden room and Steve laid wood-look tiles from Tile Wise, having already laid underfloor heating from Topps Tiles

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Clare designed the new kitchen with bespoke units made by local cabinetmaker James Taylor of Taylormade kitchens in Isle Brewers, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Fawn. The black hinges and handles are from ironmongery firm Anvil. The kitchen has been designed to complement the beautiful original gothic arched windows – one of the real showstoppers in this little cottage. The floor tiles are the originals, typical of the era. Walls are in Farrow & Ball’s Lime White

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Georgian Cottage

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The round pedestal table came from Nicky Connell Furniture, and the kitchen chairs and small cupboard (just seen) were Ebay finds. The floral china tea cups belonged to Clare’s mother

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Georgian Cottage

Bungle guards his favourite spot by the fire. Clare and Steve added the Charnwood multi-fuel stove and it has brought the room to life, creating a cosy welcome as you see it from the front door

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Georgian Cottage Steve and Clare added a tiny Hobbit wood-burning stove in the living room. It gives out a cosy glow and is sufficient to take the edge of winter chills in the low-ceilinged room. The armchair was an antiques shop find years ago, the round pedestal occasional table was inherited from Clare’s mother, and the woven footstool was a £20 secondhand shop buy. Walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Old White

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Georgian Cottage

Left: Elsie the cat makes herself comfy. For a similar bed, try Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co. The throw is from Susie Watson Designs Above left: The wardrobe cost Clare just £30 in a secondhand shop. Walls are painted in Little Greene’s Deep Gauze Above right: The pink Clarice Cliff china breakfast set on the bedroom windowsill is another of Clare’s lucky finds Right: The sink unit was a secondhand find; Steve inserted the original basin into it and Clare sourced old brass taps from Ebay. The mirror was from a secondhand shop. For a similar bath try the Balmoral double-ended roll-top from Bathshack. Deep window recesses in the thick walls are perfect for garden posies. Woodwork painted in Old White and walls in Lime White, both Farrow & Ball

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At yourservice The real engine room of the home, a well-designed utility, laundry or boot room will help to make light work of everyday tasks

Surface matters

is to install floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, with high-level cupboards, accessible via a step ladder, to house seldom-used items,’ says Richard Moore, design director of Martin Moore. ‘If you have the room, bench seating provides somewhere to sit and change shoes, as well as creating handy storage underneath. Stack appliances, utilise

Above: Hardwearing flooring is a must in utility or boot rooms as they are high-traffic areas that are in frequent use. Durable, and featuring natural striations, solid stone is a lovely flooring choice for a period home provided it is non-porous or has been sealed to protect from staining. For a rustic look, consider limestone tiles that have been tumbled to give a classic flagstone finish, such as these Seasoned Buscot limestone tiles, from £114.48 per m² at Artisans of Devizes, fitted in a beautiful utility space designed by Sims Hilditch.

baskets and add a ceiling laundry pulley to maximise floor space.’ Of course, there’s no reason why your utility shouldn’t be beautiful, too. ‘As smaller rooms, it is fun to make a feature of them with contrasting woodwork and even wallpaper or a pretty curtain,’ says Louisa Greville Williams of Vanrenen GW Designs.

Pretty yet practical

Right: If you are a keen flower grower then let your utility room double as a space to cut and arrange home-grown blooms, like in this scheme by Vanrenen GW Designs. When it comes to designing a flower room, a large, deep sink is a must for plunging flowers into water, as is ample worktop space for laying out stems into groups ready for arranging. Instead of wall cupboards, consider installing open shelving to store vases – this ensures they are visible and easily accessible while also making for a beautiful display.

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Feature Pippa Blenkinsop Image (left) Adam Carter

hough small spaces, utility, boot and laundry rooms play a vital role within a household, taking the pressure off living spaces and keeping them clutter-free. When it comes to creating an efficient and functional utility room, thorough planning and ample storage is key. ‘The best way to maximise space

Utility NextRooms Month

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Tongue-and-groove panelling painted in a durable, wipeable paint can make a practical wall treatment in boot and utility rooms as they are often exposed to stains and knocks. Opt for an eggshell paint suitable for interior woodwork such as

Little Greene’s Intelligent eggshell, pictured here in Pea Green, £72 for 2.5ltrs. Pair with a built-in seat – handy for changing your shoes while the space underneath can also be used to store boots or picnic hampers. Don’t overlook the wall space, and use it to install hooks and a tall shelf.

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Image Dan Duchars

Clean finish

Images (top left) Paul Raeside; (top right) Brent Darby; (bottom left) Martin Moore/Darren Chung

Utility Rooms

Out of sight

A place for everyone

Cubby holes are a good way of keeping utility rooms organised, but when left as open shelves they can look untidy. Adding in woven baskets will keep the clutter out of sight, plus they are a great way to bring rustic character to a country home or period property. Try John Lewis & Partners for similar storage baskets.

If you have a dog or cat, then consider ways you can make your utility room pet friendly. ‘In addition to your usual storage solutions, you can design a comfortable nook for a pet bed, a dedicated food station and hooks for leads,’ says Tom Howley, design director at Tom Howley. ‘There is also a trend for purpose-built pet showers, ideal for washing muddy paws after a long country walk,’ he adds.

Aiming high

Bespoke beauty

A common sight in traditional laundry rooms, a ceiling laundry pulley is a brilliant way to dry washing on a wet day and has the benefit of freeing up floor space, unlike a standing airer. ‘Fit it above the sink so that wet outerwear can drip dry without leaving puddles on the floor,’ advises Richard Moore, design director at Martin Moore. For a similar ceiling pulley try Cast in Style.

Storage is essential for a practical boot room. ‘Bespoke built-in shelving with coat hooks is a great way to furnish a boot room,’ says Louise Wicksteed, design director at Sims Hilditch. ‘Bespoke joinery may cost a little more, but it means that the design will be perfectly suited to the space. Add seating and storage too; dedicate a storage basket to each member of the family to keep outdoor clothing organised.’ Period Living 63

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Lighten the load When designing a utility, it is important to know how the space will primarily be used. This can then influence your design, as seen in this utility-cum-laundry room. ‘The main purpose of this room is for washing and drying laundry, so we specified two washing machines and two tumble dryers raised in height for ease of use,’ says Louise Eggleston, creative director of Humphrey Munson. ‘Large loads of washing can be transferred straight into one of the tumble dryers rather than bending right down.’ Opposite, to maximise storage, the designers utilised the height of the room by fitting floor-to-ceiling cabinets that can be accessed using a ladder, which runs on a bespoke rail system.

Flexible illumination

Add character

Lighting, especially task lighting, is essential in any practical room. Being limited on space, utility rooms will benefit from flexible lighting, advises Charlie Bowles, director at Original BTC. ‘Lights that can be easily moved, adjusted or angled can effectively control the direction or spread of light. Adjustable rise-and-fall pendants or spotlights help illuminate task areas and supplement natural light.’ This Cobb rise-and-fall pendant costs from £275 at Original BTC.

Cabinetry with solid doors is a great way to keep household essentials out of sight, but if you’re worried about it looking monotonous, why not build in some rustic crate storage? ‘Semi-open storage is very much on trend and these cratestyle drawers add a modern rustic touch while providing the perfect space for storing food, which benefits from air circulation,’ says Ben Burbidge, managing director at Kitchen Makers, who created this stylish scheme.

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LIFE IN THE WHITE HOUSE Anna and Dirk de Glee have painstakingly renovated their pretty country home, adding period features and furnishings to bring back the charm Words and styling Monique van der Pauw | Photographs Ton Bouwer/CocoFeatures.com

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Dutch Country Home Anna and Dirk transformed the kitchen into a bright and airy space, enlarging the windows and installing French doors. The cabinets were already in the house and they were given a new lease of life with cream paint and new ironmongery. The green and white toile de Jouy wallpaper was inspired by Anna’s collection of green and white crockery which takes pride of place in a vintage plate rack. Though the terracotta floor tiles are new, they have a distinctly period feel

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THE STORY Owners Anna, who used to work in fashion retail, and Dirk de Glee, a youth counsellor, have lived here since 2005. They run a B&B in a converted outbuilding on the property. For details, visit bedandbreakfast.nl and search ‘De Wilgenhof’. The couple have two grown-up children and four grandchildren Property A period house, dating from 1840, in a village in Venhuizen in North Holland, the Netherlands What they did They enlarged and refitted the kitchen, added new floor tiles and French doors, as well as a larger window and a chimney. They also updated the bathroom and decorated throughout the house, adding and reinstating period features

ust outside the village, overlooking a meadow with a pond, is a pretty white cottage with white roses scrambling up to a red-tiled roof. Anna and Dirk loved this white house, and had driven past it many times, so when they saw that it was for sale they couldn’t wait to look round. Their first viewing, however, revealed the interiors to be a little less romantic. ‘It was dark, all panelled with dated wooden boards, and it felt a bit claustrophobic,’ says Anna. ‘It was not our taste, but it did have a good atmosphere and we knew right away we could make this our home. And the location was perfect – that’s what we bought it for.’ Fortunately, despite the couple’s initial fears, the house was in a reasonably good condition. ‘We cleaned up, whitewashed the panelling and moved in straight away,’ adds Anna. ‘It’s only once you’re living in a house that the plans start to formulate.’ Over the years, the house had lost all its original period features. ‘We wanted to give it back its old charm, and it’s a process that’s taken years.’ Dirk has done a lot of the work himself, using old, salvaged building materials where possible. He’s taken down the ceilings to reveal old beams, and has added salvaged beams for authenticity elsewhere. The walls have been panelled with planks, and the dark brick walls are now plastered. French doors have been installed in the kitchen, plus a beautiful fireplace and a larger window with period-style fittings above the porcelain sink, providing better views of the garden. On the second floor, which is now accessed by a salvaged staircase, a small shower room was transformed into a large bathroom with a roll-top bath. With each change and addition, the house is becoming increasingly beautiful; it is full of period features and vintage treasures that look as though they have always been here. Anna and Dirk chose the colour scheme together. It’s a striking palette of rural green and daring red that stands out against all the dark wood. ‘That was actually a bit of a coincidence,’ Anna explains. ‘In our previous house we had Laura Ashley floral wallpaper with a green flower and one day I found a cup with exactly the same flower. That was the start of my collection of

green and white tableware. In turn that led to the green and white toile de Jouy wallpaper in this house. We liked the red version for the bathroom.’ The couple painted the bath red to go with it and the warm colour is also reflected in the dining area and the living room. ‘It brightens it up; something is happening in that dining room now,’ says Anna. The brighter colours are complemented by ‘a hint of cream, and a slightly darker shade for the beams. We think pure white is too white, but this is nice and soft.’ The interiors are influenced by English and French country styles in equal measure, and Anna and Dirk love to travel to both countries to source furnishings from charity shops, and brocantes. Anna loves the English cottage look, ‘Dirk does too, our tastes match very well,’ she says. ‘What do I think of when I think of a typical English cottage? A nice wood-burning stove, leather club armchairs, fabrics and wallpaper with flowers and checks, nice tartans and blankets. That sort of cosiness was exactly what we had in mind with this house.’ And her take on French style? ‘It’s sunnier, lighter, more refined than the English look. But we love both styles.’ One of Anna and Dirk’s favourite places for French finds is the gigantic fleamarket in Amiens. It is a great shared passion, searching for beautiful old treasures. ‘We can’t resist it,’ laughs Anna. ‘Sometimes we have to tell ourselves to slow down, because we are always so happy with our finds that we never want to throw anything away.’ Somehow, though, they always manage to find the right place for their special antique finds. ‘When we moved here, the house wasn’t to our liking, but now it’s got all of our treasures in it, the house has gradually turned into a home we’re proud to call our own.’

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Dutch Country Home

Clockwise from top left: Anna and Dirk instantly fell in love with the romantic exterior of the cottage but discovered that the interiors needed some due care and attention; channelling the English cottage look that Anna loves, a circluar table in the kitchen provides an informal dining space and is decorated with a pretty toile de Jouy inspired table cloth and some of Anna’s green and white china along with flowers from the garden; Anna and Dirk in front of their cottage, which they have lovingly renovated to create their dream home

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Dutch Cottage

Left: The dining section of the living room is defined by the bold red paint, which was inspired by the toile de Jouy wallpaper in the bathroom. An antique linen French bedsheet functions as a tablecloth while a large mirror reflects the sparkling light of the antique chandelier This page, clockwise from top left: The living room walls have been panelled with planks for a touch of heritage charm. The scroll-armed sofa was a new purchase; some of Anna and Dirk’s beloved vintage finds alongside flowers from the garden; the small fauteuil club chair was reupholstered with a sage green velvet fabric. The windows were newly installed as part of the renovation; an antique writing desk displays a selection of curios alongside old family photographs Period Living 71

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Clockwise from top left: The panelled wall behind the salvaged staircase is home to some of Dirk’s antique paintings – other parts of the collection can be seen elsewhere in the house; this quiet corner of the bedroom provides the perfect spot to get ready in the morning; Anna and Dirk love to display their vintage finds, and this bathroom vanity is a prime example; Dirk panelled the walls and eaves in the bedroom, adding rustic charm, which is complemented by the wicker bedside table, antique bed and floral fabrics, bedlinen and lampshades Right: The bedroom, like the other rooms in the house, features the original wood flooring. The beams are also an original feature, painted in a cream tone to tie in with the rest of the house’s décor 72 Period Living

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Dutch Cottage

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This bathroom used to only have a very small shower, but Anna and Dirk transformed it into a luxurious space. The red and cream toile de Jouy wallpaper, which also inspired the wall colour in the dining room, sets a classic backdrop alongside Dirk’s handmade panelling. The traditional roll-top bath, painted in the same red shade, makes a bold statement. The bathroom features the same characterful terracotta tiles as the kitchen, bringing warmth and charm in equal measure. An antique stool, towel rack and French shutters complete the look 74 Period Living

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Decorating

From the

earth Inject warmth and depth into your interior with inviting terracotta tones reminiscent of the sun-baked surfaces of warmer climes – from rich reds to burnt orange

Feature Charis White

WARM EMBRACE Create a cocooning feel in the bedroom with terracotta walls and fabrics. George Miller, home designer at Neptune, says the brand’s Burnt Sienna shade, £48 for 2.5ltrs of emulsion, is ‘a versatile hue evocative of sun-warmed rooftops and terracotta planters with spicy earth tones that complement not only cosy spaces, but also light and airy rooms.’ Pair it with bright white to make the room feel crisp and clean. A statement Clemmie headboard in Lara linen in Burnt Sienna, from £510, is the perfect complement.

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or a decorating scheme that conjures the sunbaked walls of ancient civilisations, take inspiration from the earth tones of terracotta. Evocative of North Africa to Italy and South-East Asia, this clay-inspired colour is named from ‘terra cocta’, which in Latin means ‘baked earth’. Terracotta clay is a centuriesold material that has been widely used for sculptures and pots, as well as architectural decoration. Today, terracotta is a giving shade, either playing its part as an accent colour, or as the main backdrop in a decorating scheme. Its generosity of character means that terracotta has the ability to wrap its arms around your home with its all-yearround mood of warmth. This baked earth tone is sometimes interpreted with hints of burnt

orange, chalky plaster pink or rusty reds, but moreover, it represents the richness of the soil from where it originates. ‘In historic interiors, clay mixed into limewash created the first wall paint colour. It was easily found locally, and this availability made it cheap so it was deployed in lesser-status rooms or in servants’ quarters,’ says interior designer Amanda Ransom of Amanda Ransom Design, who specialises in historical interiors. ‘I have just been working on a Grade I-listed early Georgian property where the walls still had their original terracotta-coloured distemper

SPICY ACCENTS Choose a neutral backdrop with panelled walls for an all-year-round decorating scheme, and accent with rich earth tones for a pleasing colour balance. Tactile finishes like velvet, wood and lacquered ceramic enhance the enticing feel. Apadana armless chair in Blood Orange, £895; Housenka table lamp in Red Madder, £295; large Balabac chest of drawers in natural, £995, all Oka. 78 Period Living

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Next Month on the top floor of the house, made from local soil. We associate the colour with the antique – Etruscan pottery or Pompeiian wall paintings – or in rustic interiors.’ Its depth of colour means that terracotta is perfect for the British climate and for northfacing rooms, adding a glow to the darkest of corners and making spaces feel cosy. When it comes to deciding how much terracotta to use in a scheme, Sue Jones, Oka’s co-founder, says: ‘People can be a bit wary of using red as it’s naturally quite a vibrant colour, but I think it all comes down to the tones you choose. Richer shades such as terracotta and blood orange can bring a real sense of warmth to a space. I would suggest using them as accent colours and mixing them with a calming, neutral palette.’ For a light, summery feel, contrast terracotta with a palette of white and off-white linen hues. For richer, jewelbox interiors contrast a terracotta scheme with French Majorelle blues through to indigo and navy. Or for a more casual look, team with upholstery and soft furnishings in paler denim blues. George Miller, home designer at Neptune, suggests taking a tonal approach by ‘choosing other earthy hues that tone down a scheme, resulting in a room that’s calm and soothing.’ While Stefan Ormenisan, founder and creative director of Mind the Gap, says: ‘Terracotta’s rich earthy tones pair beautifully with deep rust or orange for an eclectic North African-inspired interior scheme, or alongside blush pinks and pale stone hues for a fresh contemporary pairing.’ Add personality to a terracotta scheme with pattern using bold geometrics, handblocked floral prints or ikat designs. Weave in texture with antique wood and dark-painted furniture, tactile fabrics such as velvet and linen, and high-gloss lacquered pieces. Accessorise with bold-shaped ceramics and sculptural lamps to really bring the space to life.

ANCIENT TRADITIONS Conjure the creative history of South-East Asia, South America and West Africa with this pleasing ikat-inspired vertical striped pattern wallpaper – Mind the Gap’s take on a traditional pattern found in ancient civilizations throughout the world. When used wall-to-wall in small rooms such as studies or cloakrooms, it creates an immersive experience. Tribal ikat wallpaper in Lava Red, £135 per roll.

COUNTRY HOUSE CHIC Patterned soft furnishings are central to a cosy country living room. Combine the warmth of terracotta walls with the elegance of an upholstered vintage chair in a chinoiserie-style fabric, such as this Tree Poppy design in Red/ Forest, £95 per m at Colefax & Fowler. Accessorise with cushions in Ashmead in Leaf, £89 per m, and Jay Check in Old Blue, £83 per m. Don’t forget to make the most of deep windowsills with tailored window seat cushions.

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MUGHAL INSPIRATION A small-scale floral wallpaper can make a grand statement in a large living room, especially when teamed with a strong contrasting paint. Jaipur Flower in Ruby, £165 per roll by Daydress at Dado Atelier, is a hand-block-printed floral sprig design that takes inspiration from the Mughal flower paintings that line temples and palaces across India. Team with woodwork painted in Beetlenut, £79 for 2.5ltrs of oil eggshell at Paint & Paper Library, for a bold highlight. Grace sofa in Chamonix Blush, from £1,675, Arlo & Jacob; cushions, from £115, Wicklewood; slipper chair, POA, Vaughan Designs; red Chinese rattan chair and wall lights, from a selection, Brownrigg; ottoman, from £1,280, Susan Deliss.

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Next Month OLD MEETS NEW Bare plastered walls add warmth and rustic charm to this scheme with mid-century-inspired furniture by Ercol. A mix of light and dark wood finishes create a beautiful contrast, while soft terracotta curtains add a romantic touch – try Stitched for similar. Siena dining table, £1,200; Heritage chair, £380; Heritage armchair, £490; and Heritage loveseat, from £870.

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BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Below: Add a little 1970s chic to soft furnishings with a crewelwork geometric patterned fabric. Inspired by artisanal embroidery, offering a modern take on chunky stitching, the Perception fabric in Brazilian Rosewood/Shiitake/New Beginnings, £75 per m at Harlequin, is here styled with a bold contemporary vessel for a dramatic effect.

COSY SANCTUARY Above: Evoke the relaxing warmth of evening sun on bedroom walls with Middle Buff paint, £56.50 for 2.5ltrs of Intelligent matt emulsion at Little Greene. For the perfect night’s sleep, combine it with a bed plump-full of embroidered white bedlinen. This Elise double duvet cover costs £115, with pillowcases from £30, Secret Linen Store. BATHROOM OASIS Left: Experience the sensation of warm terracotta tiles underfoot in a shower room. Tile floor to ceiling in a Moroccan-inspired herringbone pattern with Marrakesh terracotta brick tiles, from 46p each at The Baked Tile Co, in a mix of darker and lighter shades. Style your bathroom with trailing plants and a Moorish-shaped mirror – the Madrid curved wall mirror at Marks & Spencer is a similar design. 82 Period Living

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COTTAGE COURTYARD CHARM

This rustic wooden chair was created by Erica’s husband John and performs Sharron and James Pashley have created a protected haven bursting a dual role: it provides a peaceful place to sit and enjoy thewith pond and eclectic detailing and an array of pretty planting, winner also a spot to secure the small boat which is used for gathering weeds of Period Living’s Small Garden of the Year 2021

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Country Garden

Opposite: Even the working area of the courtyard has Sharron’s creative touches with an array of vintage finds This image: Sharron takes a moment to enjoy the pergola area adorned with Trachelospermum jasminoides, an absolute favourite for its heavenly fragrance and tiny white flowers in summer

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reated over the past five years by keen gardeners Sharron and James Pashley, the flowerpacked courtyard garden behind their characterful 16th-century cottage in the pretty town of Cranbrook, brims with interest and colour. The transformation from the uninspiring space which was laid to gravel, with a rotting pergola, an area of decking, and a large shed that took up one third of the courtyard, has been undertaken with enthusiasm and knowledge. ‘I have always been a keen gardener, having been inspired by my dad’s love of gardening. This is the second garden that James and I have created together, and it really shines in the summer months,’ says Sharron. James and Sharron met as mature students, studying Medicinal Horticulture at Hadlow College in Kent. Since then, Sharron has put everything that she learnt into practice in their garden and allotment, while James went on to become a horticultural lecturer and teacher, and acts as a consultant for local colleges and the RHS Wisley School of Horticulture. The first step in designing their small garden plot was to lift the gravel and membrane that dominated the space. On doing so, the couple discovered layers of heavy clay and builders’ sharp sand. They mixed this together with lots of organic matter to form a good loam; however, as the house is positioned in the middle of the high street of the medieval market town, the majority of material hidden under the gravel was concrete or shared drainage pipes. ‘The biggest challenge was not having as much soil as we would have liked. We hadn’t anticipated having to grow 75 per cent of our plants in pots, but we’re getting used to container gardening and all the watering and feeding that comes with it,’ explains Sharron. ‘On the plus side, the beauty of gardening in pots is that you can move them around regularly to ensure that the star performers are always in the limelight,’ she adds. After removing the gravel and existing structures, the couple made the decision to use Bradstone carpet stones to create a cobble-effect paving in keeping with the period features of the house. Sharron designed the garden and they

employed the services of local company, Verdant View, to install the hard landscaping. A seating area was created near the house and a new pergola built in the sunniest spot. The final third of the garden was turned into a potting area and housed the elegant yet practical greenhouse. With the structure in place, the planting could begin in earnest. Classic cottage garden favourites, including a mix of roses, hydrangeas, clematis and lavender, formed the backbone to the planting plan and was then infilled with a variety of perennials and annuals dotted throughout. The Grade II-listed wall, which runs the entire length of the garden, provides a sense of antiquity, perfectly suiting Sharron’s love of collecting railway memorabilia and vintage enamel advertising signs, with which she creates small displays. Trachelospermum jasminoides was chosen to adorn the pergola, growing out of chimney pots, and provides a delightful scent on summer evenings. ‘In such a tiny garden every plant has to earn its place, so we chose shrubs that have at least two seasons of interest, and flowers that are both beautiful and highly scented,’ Sharron explains. In the new garden design, you now step out from the kitchen onto a circular patio seating area created from the Bradstone carpet cobbles, flanked by the only three flowerbeds in the courtyard. The largest of the beds, under the kitchen window, is in shade all day long so has a succession of shadetolerant plants through the seasons. These include Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ with its heady winter scent, followed by a profusion of Dicentra spectabilis with Digitalis purpurea, Alchemilla mollis, and Allium ‘Cristophii’, before the summer beauty of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Silver Dollar’ with its dense trusses of creamy-white flowers glowing in the shade, followed by the pink Anemone × hybrida ‘Seranade’ for autumn colour. The two smaller flowerbeds provide a division between the first and second sections of the garden, both containing some taller shrubs to obscure the view to the end of the garden. On the left is the graceful Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ while to the right a conical-shaped bay tree, underplanted with alchemilla, Lychnis coronaria, and white agapanthus, with Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ gently entwining through the other plants in the garden. Lavandula ‘Hidcote’ growing in antique chimney pots flanks these symmetrically shaped beds, while more lavender spills from antique cast-iron mangers hung on the old wall. On the opposite side, the rambling Rosa ‘Maid of Kent’ intertwines with Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’. ‘The rose was a happy accident: we were told it was a climber that would eventually cover a couple of fence panels, but it turned out to be a vigorous rambler that scaled the entire length of the garden within two seasons. James has to give it a serious talking to and a ruthless pruning every autumn to stop it taking over the entire garden,’ Sharron explains with a laugh.

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CountryGardens Garden KEY FACTS Character A courtyard garden with container planting in a cottage garden style and zoned areas Size 3.5m wide x 12m deep, contained by a Grade II-listed wall to one side, which creates a microclimate, and wooden fencing to the other Aspect North-west facing enjoying sunshine from mid-morning and then shade towards the house Soil Layers of heavy clay and builders’ sharp sand, mixed together Owners Sharron and James Pashley live here with their youngest daughter, their Cavachon, Flora, and two cats. Their two eldest daughters have flown the nest House A 16th-century cottage positioned in the middle of the high street of the tiny medieval market town of Cranbrook in Kent Clockwise from above: Areas are zoned for dining and relaxing with containers placed to delineate. You have to get up early to reserve a seat on the sunloungers otherwise Flora or the cats will beat you to it; billowing hanging baskets of pelargoniums and petunias add interest to the vertical planes; the greenhouse may be small but it is put to good use to raise edible and ornamental seedlings for the garden and their allotment; one of Sharron’s vintage enamel signs; decorative detailing abounds in little vignettes; fluffy astilbe is one of the many summer showstoppers in the couple’s garden

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Above left: The couple love to search for garden antiques to add to their plot Above right: Sharron cuts a little posy of Maid of Kent roses

A pair of sunloungers nestle under the cover of the pergola, surrounded by potted plants. ‘It’s like being on holiday, you have to get up early to reserve a seat here otherwise the dog and cats will beat you to it!’ jokes Sharron. It’s easy to see why it’s a popular spot – Rosa ‘James Galway’ climbs across the wall behind the loungers and sun-loving plants fill the gaps, while opposite a pretty metal bench sits in the shade provided by the fence. Hidden from view by the pergola and trellis is the working section of the garden, with its potting bench, small shed and tiny walk-around greenhouse for growing seedlings. Sharron’s collection of much-loved antique railway memorabilia is displayed in this section, and even more plants in pots provide colour and structure, including a large Hydrangea macrophylla, which does well in the shade of the shed. Various clematis are encouraged to wander through the hydrangea and along the wall behind. ‘Being such a tiny garden, we had to accept that we didn’t have the space to have the garden looking amazing for every season, so we chose to focus on spring and summer as that’s when we are outside enjoying the space,’ says Sharron. ‘It’s just our tiny backyard full of things that we love. Until we tentatively opened up for the Cranbrook Garden Safari in the summer of 2020, we had no idea how much pleasure our little garden would bring to other people, too,’ says Sharron. ‘We were thrilled to win Period Living’s Small Garden of the Year 2021 award – it was the absolute icing on the cake.’

Sharron’s tips on courtyard garden design ● In a small garden everything has to perform well. If it doesn’t have maximum impact, be ruthless and remove it. ● Don’t be afraid to use large plants, as this gives the impression of the garden being more spacious. ● Create a sense of unity by planting repeated groupings of the same plants through the garden. ● Our hanging baskets that are dotted around the whole garden are planted identically to each other to provide a sense of continuity. ● Use vertical planting with climbing plants, hanging baskets and troughs. ● Have plenty of backups in pots, that can be slotted into flower beds as spaces appear. ● The advantage of growing in pots is that you can easily move plants around to give your star performers centre stage.

In the area MERRIMENTS GARDENS, Etchingham, East Sussex TN19 7RA. Four-acre RHS partner garden, with colour-themed seasonal borders and a plant centre. Tel: 01580 860666; merriments.co.uk SISSINGHURST CASTLE GARDEN, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AB. Famous garden of rooms created by Vita Sackville-West. Open daily. Entry adult £15, child £7.50. Tel: 01580 710700; nationaltrust.org.uk STAPLEHURST NURSERIES & FRANKIE’S FARM SHOP, Kent TN12 0JT. Nursery specialising in poinsettias, cyclamen and supplying a range of seasonal plants. Tel: 01580 890713; frankiesfarmshop.co.uk

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Country Garden Right: A parasol shades the pretty dining area set for afternoon tea Below: A lovely spot to enjoy the sun, backed by Rosa ‘Maid of Kent’ scrambling across the fence Bottom (from left): Stately mauve Delphinium ‘Dusky Maidens’ adds height; Hollyhocks, such as Alcea rosea ‘Halo Blush’ are a cottage classic; Hydrangea macrophylla are colourful and reliable both in the ground and in containers

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Bathrooms Continuing his series delving into the history of homes, conservation expert Lee Bilson reveals the story behind our smallest rooms

B Below: Morris & Co’s Leicester wallpaper imbues Arts and Crafts style into the bathroom of this late Victorian home Below right: Fitting a basin to an antique wash stand is a clever way to inject period charm into the bathroom

athroom history stretches back further than you might imagine, and while separate rooms for baths and indoor toilets weren’t standard until the mid 20th century, daily ablutions have played a part in our homes throughout history. The earliest bathing rituals had strong religious value, seen as a purifying element for both body and soul, while early toilets were as simple and as practical as possible. It was developing ideas of cleanliness and changing social habits over the centuries that dominated the evolutions of what would become the bathroom, now as integral a space for our homes as any room.

Design evolution Before the advent of the modern bathroom – consisting of shower, bath, basin and toilet – things were far simpler, if a little less accommodating than we know today. In medieval England people used chamberpots and would simply throw their contents through a door or window onto the

street. Wealthier households would use a privy or garderobe – a form of closet–sized room – protruding from a property with an opening for waste, suspended over a moat or ditch. However, more than a mere privy or latrine, the term garderobe can be more accurately applied to a small room for storing valuables including robes. In towns where things needed to be a little more organised, communal privies were common, regularly being located on riversides like many known to have existed along the Thames. Moving on to the more approachable subject of bathing, today many would consider households in the medieval period to be smelly and unclean. However, washing the body was an important part of the lives of prosperous members of medieval society, with many records detailing communal bathing systems similar to those the Romans opted for. A bath was not just for getting clean, it was also seen as a way of ritual purification. Knights even had medicinal baths after jousting, with hollyhock, camomile, or even fennel, bringing to mind the idea of a calming scented bath bomb today. But more commonly people would wash themselves from small basins, filled by special jugs. Homes would often have several basins – one for servants, ones for guests, with the homeowner often having their own personal one. These were

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Images (clockwise from far left) Mark C O’Flaherty; Simon Whitmore; Douglas Gibb; Mary Wadsworth; ©National Trust Images/James Dobson (nationaltrust.org.uk)

CHANGING SPACES

Design History

Right: This bathroom in a Victorian home features luxury Lewis & Wood wallpaper, an antique linen cupboard and a roll-top painted in Farrow & Ball’s Radicchio Below left: The delft-tiled Ireton Bathroom was added to timber Tudor mansion Packwood House in the 1930s. It’s available to visit via the National Trust Below right: The mint green basin in this Edwardian home nods to Deco style

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until the 1770s that the innovation came into its own, with the invention of the S-shaped pipe under the toilet basin to prevent foul smells. You can now correct anyone who tells you that Thomas Crapper designed the first flush toilet!

Industry advances

As with almost every other aspect of our period homes, the ingenuity and advancements of the Industrial Revolution allowed for the mechanisation of the bathroom, with hot water being more readily produced for having a bath in the house, making the art of bathing easier. Attitudes towards bathing and hygiene were on the cusp of change, and technology and the ingenuity of manufacturers would help to cement that. It would be reasonable to suggest that personal hygiene in the earlier decades of the Victorian period was not conducted with the same rigour as today. Victorian men and women would wash arms, hands and faces, as had been done in the centuries prior, but bathing for households was still a relative luxury and reservedly approached. It was under another royal, this time the future Edward VII, that the famed Thomas Crapper would change our homes for ever. In the 1860s, Prince Edward engaged Crapper to construct lavatories in several of the royal palaces, paving the way for his contemporaries like George Jennings, Thomas Twyford, Edward Johns and Henry Doulton, to produce toilets and bathroom sets, very much as we still know them today. It was by this point that advancements in medicine and the understanding of the causes of diseases meant Victorians saw cleaning the body and taking a bath with soap as a necessity for good health in a way never before appreciated.

Improvements for all

By the 20th century the outhouse – or privy – was finally on its way out. By as early as the 1920s, new homes for all levels of society tended to come with inside bathroom and toilets - something we are all very much grateful for! With this, homeowners began to embrace new labour-saving devices and innovations – like developments in gas-lighting and even early washing machines and vacuum cleaning systems. Soon after came the exponential rise of colourful matching suites. The bathroom had become recognised as one of the most important features of the modern home, which meant it now had greater consideration than before in terms of utility and, as Tywfords stated in old adverts, ‘cheerfulness’. Homeowners were now looking to combine hygiene with an atmosphere of colour and comfort, and so all-colour fixtures, as they were known, were incredibly popular, seeing suites in a huge range of colours from pink and lavender blue, to jade green and primrose (a greenish yellow). This approach was deemed at the time to add a note of distinction but has come to be seen as dated. Though, as with most trends, the coloured suite is again gaining favour with a new audience.

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Images (clockwise from top left) ©National Trust Images/James Dobson; Kasia Fiszer; ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey (nationaltrust.org.uk)

so important that they would even be included in wills, being left as valued items. Things got a lot smellier in the Tudor and Jacobean periods, when the notions of hygiene meant bathing was seen as a danger to be avoided. Washing using basins remained, but was carried out with great care, in their minds to avoid opening up one’s pores to the evils of the air. However, as the efforts of filling a bath made it so prohibitive – the process included lining a wooden tub with sheets, collecting buckets of water, heating the water by the fireplace, and then filling the tub – this is likely to have contributed to dissuading people from bathing daily. The only people at this time to have permanent plumbing and luxurious bathrooms were royalty. Henry VIII saw water supply as so important in relation to how long the Court could stay anywhere, that he commissioned an overhaul for all of his greater houses. Although some of the palaces he inherited already contained luxurious bathrooms – as Simon Thurley noted in his book The Royal Palaces of Tudor England: Architecture and Court Life, Edward III’s bathroom at Westminster was supplied with two large bronze taps to bring hot and cold water into the baths. Following the medieval period, the commode became a regular feature in homes, and was used for centuries. It consisted of a box with a seat and a lid covering a porcelain or copper pot to catch the waste, and was often located in private rooms, like bed chambers. Meanwhile, outhouses and privies grew in popularity for those of the middling and lower levels of society. It wasn’t until the Georgian era that the real beginnings of the modern bathroom began to come into existence. While a person might wash their face and hands daily, at the most they would bathe every few weeks or even months. By the end of the 18th century, cleanliness was no longer regarded as a frivolity and once more began to be associated with good health. Famous dandy of the day, Beau Brummel, was a notable advocate of bathing and his affection for cleanliness helped to make it fashionable. The Georgian dressing tables – home to brushes, mirrors, perfumes and jewellery, as they would be today – were called toilettes. Located next to this piece of furniture was often a stand for the centuries-used wash basin. The name of the dressing tables would eventually morph into the modern usage of toilet, for what the Georgians would have called a water closet. However, for all the advancements in our homes before the 18th century, the humble chamberpot or commode didn’t change much. Wealthier homes might have an earth closet, with virtually every dwelling having at least one chamberpot, which would be emptied into a cesspit. But what did people do with the contents? These were collected periodically by ‘night soil men’, and their contents sometimes repurposed as manure. While the first flush toilet was devised in the 16th century by a godson of Elizabeth I, it wasn’t

Design History

Above: With gleaming silver aluminium leaf decoration and red and black features, the Art Deco bathroom at 17th-century Upton House in Warwickshire was created in the late 1920s. It’s open to visitors via the National Trust Above right: Vintage-inspired sanitaryware creates an authentic feel in this bathroom in a Victorian home Right: The marble bathroom in Mrs Greville’s apartment at Edwardian house Polesden Lacey, Surrey, was designed in 1906, styled after those in the Ritz Hotel. It’s open to visitors via the National Trust

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INTO THE BLUE Laura Ashley’s classic-look kitchens by Symphony have been updated in a striking shade of Indigo Blue. The new colour joins a palette of 22 matt-finish hues. Simple and sophisticated, the kitchens are available in seven different tailor-made designs. Each cabinet is crafted from the finest materials, with attention to detail and the latest technology. The Bedale kitchen (below) with its painted panelled doors is inspired by period townhouses. Design features include curved cabinets, chic cornices and built-in bookcases, and there are plenty of finishing touches to choose from to help personalise your dream kitchen. From £8,500.

COLOUR CONTRAST

THE POWER OF PATTERN Tile brand Ca’ Pietra has expanded its popular Cabana collection with four new designs for SS22. Bringing a little continental flair to your walls or floors, or even a patio, the porcelain tiles will bring a welcome dose of sunshine on even the gloomiest of days. Choose from Flamingo Tree, New Orleans (above), Le Marais or Sicily, all £89.70 per m2. The bright and colourful designs pay homage to the vivid patterned tiles found in traditional Caribbean homes.

The latest pendant collection from British manufacturer David Hunt Lighting encompasses the perfect blend of traditional and modern design. Each pendant, with a classic, decorative bell top, has been handpainted with a two-tone scallop pattern. Choose from classic blue and white, green and pink, red and pink, and blue and green, or if you’re after something a bit different, bespoke colour options are also available. From £390.

Feature Alice Humphrys

BRASS BEAUTY Prized for its inherent warmth and character, brass is ideal for use in wet environments as it never rusts. With a weightier feel and higher-quality appearance than lower-cost metals, brass fixtures and fittings are a solid investment that is worth every penny. This metallic accent is synonymous with boutique hotels and, according to design experts, is set to be a big trend for 2022. Invincible wallmounted basin mixer in Living Brass, £716.40, Matki. Period Living 95

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Lofty dreams Maximise your home’s footprint without impacting on the garden by turning empty roof space into a cosy bedroom

Can I convert my loft?

The suitability of your loft primarily depends on the available head height. There needs to be at least 220cm of room between the bottom of the ridge timbers and the top of the ceiling joists. Once the floor and roof are insulated, this will leave approximately 190cm of headroom. If there is less available head height than this, there are two rather costly options: raise the roof,

which requires planning permission, or lower the ceiling in the rooms below.

What will it cost? The cost of extending into the roof space will vary depending on the style of loft conversion, the work involved, and the price of materials and fittings. ‘Expect to pay anything from £40,000 for a basic single room with Velux-style windows,’ says Daniel Kerley, company director at Loft Living, ‘A rear dormer conversion with en-suite shower room would be around £55,000.’ Be sure to get at least two quotes from different contractors for comparison and check the specifications closely to ensure they cover the job in its entirety.

Do I need planning permission? Most loft conversions don’t require planning permission. You can add up to 40 cubic metres of space to a terraced house and 50 cubic metres to a detached or semi-detached property under

permitted development. This also includes dormers. If you live in an attached property, however, it’s likely that you’ll need a party wall agreement before you can start. You can hire a party wall surveyor who will be able to look after this for you. The main exceptions to the above rules are for houses in Conversation Areas or those that are listed. Houses that are located in a Conservation Area may be limited on the type of loft conversion that can be created. A listed home will require listed building consent for any additions or alterations. For more information visit planningportal.co.uk.

How long does it take The length of a project will vary based on complexity and your existing roof. ‘Once the design has been finalised and any permissions have been obtained, the build itself typically takes between eight and 12 weeks,’ says Daniel. ‘This would get the project to the point of Left: Windows are a key part of making a loft conversion feel bright and airy. Consider rooflights with an automatic sensor to remove the worry about accidentally leaving them open when it starts raining Right: Converting the loft into a bedroom can transform the way you use your home, creating a sanctuary for yourself or for visiting guests

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Feature Holly Reaney Additional Words Daisy Jeffery Images (left) Veronica Rodriguez (right) Polly Eltes

he need for an extra bedroom is one of the main driving forces for moving house. Whether your family has outgrown your current set-up or if you’re hoping to add a guest bedroom so you can host visitors, converting the loft is one of the most cost-effective ways to add extra space to your home. While you can use your loft conversion to create a home office, studio or living area, creating an extra bedroom (especially with an en suite) tends to offer the best return on investment.

Loft Conversions

readiness for decoration, which would probably add another couple of weeks to works.’ However, unlike a groundfloor extension, a loft is less disruptive. ‘We try to leave the house completely unchanged up to the point that we are ready to fit the new staircase (about three weeks before the end of the project). This keeps disruption to a minimum as the house remains usable. But unfortunately, there is no getting around the noise,’ Daniel adds.

Bringing in light The most common solution is to insert rooflights between the rafters, following the roof pitch. ‘Try combining several roof windows. In doing so you can create panoramic views and bring in twice the daylight. Explore sloping, fixed and vertical combinations,’ says Jolanda de Gooijer, senior regional product manager of windows at Velux. If the home is in a Conservation Area or the property is listed, standard rooflights are not typically considered

acceptable. Consider ‘conservation’ designs, which are based on original Victorian metal rooflights and sit more flush with the roofline. Another option for some projects is to install a dormer window. ‘This design creates more usable indoor space, while also increasing the amount of natural daylight,’ says Jolanda. There are a number of styles available – from the classic flat-roof design through to cottage-style pitched constructions. Cottage style is more sympathetic for period properties but doesn’t provide as much usable space. When opting for any form of roof windows, it is worth considering a design that features a sensor. This will automatically open the window when the room is getting too warm and then close it again on detecting rain. If the style of the property permits, think about installing full-length glazed doors along a gable wall and pair with a Juliet balcony to maximise the amount of light and space.

Insulating the roof There are two choices: insulation can be applied over the rafters, known as a ‘warm roof’; or you can use the ‘cold roof’ method to insulate between and beneath the rafters – often with a plasterboard covering – leaving a 50mm gap between the rafters and the roof tiles to allow air flow. The floor of the loft will also need soundproofing, which at the very least involves filling the void between the floor and joists with acoustic insulation. This is usually achieved with mineral-wool.

Fitting a bathroom If a bathroom is to be installed, consider the location of the existing services. It should be relatively simple to add hot and cold water by branching this off the existing plumbing from either the boiler or the floor below using flexible plastic plumbing; the same will apply for existing soil pipes. However, it may be necessary to upgrade your existing boiler. Period Living 97

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Kitchen Design

Bohemian rhapsody Create a beautiful, individual kitchen that embraces the spirit of boho-living with these inspiring designs Feature Holly Reaney

Image Brent Darby

oho kitchen design is all about expressing your individual style and personality. There is no textbook guide to the look, as it should reflect your own experiences and tastes – though it is often characterised by a creative, laid-back feel. ‘Boho kitchen décor is the reflection of your travelling memories, both around the world and your own locale. It should embody your passions, the way you like to entertain and how you want

to share your personal space with family and friends,’ says Ana Maria Torres, interior designer and founder of At Architects. ‘When designing a boho kitchen, take a moment to explore and curate your own colour palette. Mix materials and shapes, combine vintage and modern furniture, and layer eclectic patterns.’ A foil to the sleek, minimalist look seen in so many homes, a bohemian kitchen is one that celebrates individuality, tying different looks together.

Bold hues Above: One of the best things about bohemian design is the freedom that it offers, especially in terms of colour. While earthy shades set a calming tone, bright hues find themselves equally at home. ‘An eclectic kitchen filled with vintage furniture, patterned textiles and pretty crockery all pop against a vibrant wall colour such as Little Greene’s warming Marigold shade,’ recommends Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene. Period Living 99

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Image (top left) designed by Alison Kandler; (right) Darren Chung

Bright ideas Above: Boho kitchen décor thrives on colour and light. One of the best ways to add more colour is to incorporate a painted kitchen island – like this red design, which pops against the white cabinetry. ‘When I create a kitchen, I like to mix memories with colours to bring joy and happiness,’ says Alison Kandler, founder of Alison Kandler Interior Design. ‘This kitchen is my own and I wanted to bring in everything I love: a painted floor, bright colours, whimsical hardware, and my favourite fleamarket finds. The colour palette was inspired by the French blue Lacanche range and Raoul Textiles cushion fabric. What really makes this kitchen special, though, is the skylights, as natural light is the best way to show off bright colours.’

Light relief Right: Lighting is one of the cornerstones of any kitchen design – done well it can transform your room. Ceiling lights will almost certainly be central to your scheme, but don’t overlook the potential offered by auxiliary lighting. Opting for vintageinspired wall lights, rather than original pieces, means you can achieve the heritage look without the challenges of ensuring that the electrics meet current safety regulations. We love the characterful wall lamps in this kitchen designed by British Standard by Plain English. Cabinets start at £535. 100 Period Living

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Kitchen Design Aged beauty Be sure to incorporate your home’s existing characteristics into your design – after all, they are beautiful features that should be celebrated. Orange plaster-effect walls are the perfect complement to original stone flooring in this kitchen, while a reclaimed terracotta tile splashback adds a traditional edge to the subtly bohemian scheme.

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Checked out Characterful checquerboard flooring is the perfect partner for a boho kitchen. Opting for a monochromatic scheme will let the other elements of your space sing. This Parisian chequer marble flooring, £90 per m2 from Floors of Stone, also brings a luxury edge. ‘The quartz veining in these tiles gives each one their own piece of character, setting them apart from the rest,’ says Molly Platts from Floors of Stone. If using a bold pattern on the floor, keep the rest of the décor to a more restricted palette.

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Kitchen Design Harmonious design Right: Bohemian style is a great choice for openplan kitchens. Incorporate tactile fabrics and decorative accents to help soften the functional aspects of the room. In this space, a breakfast bar provides a physical separation between the kitchen and living areas. However, it has been paired with two Celine bar stools in a white bouclé fabric, £139 each from Cult Furniture, which bring softness and comfort to the scheme. Don’t forget characterful details, such as a row of antique candlesticks on open shelving, and plenty of verdant houseplants.

Vintage touches Above: Embrace the laid-back, ever-changing nature of boho design by incorporating freestanding furniture into your space; this could be a single pantry cupboard or a complete kitchen. Mix and match colours and styles to create a unique design and accessorise with pieces that mean something to you; childhood treasures, family heirlooms and vintage finds all have their place.

Image (top left) Douglas Gibb

Curated scheme Right: You can’t create a boho look overnight; instead, it must grow organically. ‘You are looking to create somewhere that inspires eclecticism and layers of interest, but not so carefully curated that it feels like a museum,’ says Helen Parker, Devol’s creative director. Let yourself be drawn to pieces, rather than seeking out items that instantly scream ‘boho’. Why not combine several looks to create a space unique to you? Channel vintage vibes with frilled lampshades, lace tablecloths and faded kilims, or for a more modern look incorporate industrial elements into the scheme. Period Living 103

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Artistic impression Left: If you are looking for a way to make your mark, pick up a paint brush and personalise the design. With the right formula, every surface can be decorated to create your own unique look. Here, splashback tiles have been painted in Annie Sloan’s Burgundy and decorated with handpainted floral motifs in Scandinavian Pink, Napoleonic Blue and Athenian Black, all from £6.95 for 120ml of Chalk Paint. The geometric floor pattern was achieved with Athenian Black; the walls are in Greek Blue; and the chairs are in Napoleonic Blue, finished with a chalk paint lacquer, £24.95.

Nature’s intention Above: Celebration of the natural world is a key tenet of bohemian style, so bring the outside in by incorporating houseplants into your scheme. Display hanging plants from the ceiling and place pots full of tumbling aromatic herbs on shelves to bring the boho look to life. Join the recent trend of replacing fixed wall cabinetry with open shelving to create the perfect stage for showcasing favourite decorative features, alongside practical pieces such as colourful glassware and vintage cups.

Left: When designing a kitchen, the focus tends to be on cabinetry and flooring; however, soft furnishings should not be overlooked, as it is the finishing touches that truly make a space. Rugs are a great way to bring warmth, colour and texture to a scheme. This Kasbah rug in Ink, £138 from Weaver Green, is made from recycled plastic bottles and is machine washable and stain resistant, making it ideal for the kitchen.

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Image (top right) Colin Poole

Cut a rug

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Blinds and Shutters

Lightand shade

Be inspired to give your windows the treatment they deserve with this selection of practical and stylish blinds and shutters

indow treatments are integral to the way a room feels and functions. Providing control over light and privacy, as well as an extra layer of insulation, blinds and shutters are practical yet beautiful solutions. Having them made-to-measure is the best way to ensure they perform effectively, and many companies offer an in-home measuring and fitting service. If buying online, you can do this yourself, but precision is key. For blinds, there are two methods of fitting – recessed and exact. ‘For “recess”, measure in three places for the width and the drop, and then use the smallest measurements,’ says Oliver Hudson, director at Blinds by Post. ‘For “exact”, use the largest measurements, and measure the drop from where the top of the headrail will attach to the wall.’ When it comes to shutters, there is less flexibility, so while you can measure yourself – California Shutters offers in-depth guides – it’s best to get professional assistance.

Feature Pippa Blenkinsop

Feature frames Above: If you’re lucky enough to have a period home with original solid wood shutters, then be sure to celebrate them. If they have a natural wood finish then take care to preserve this; alternatively, if they have already been painted, try highlighting them with a statement shade. ‘Painting wooden window shutters allows for almost floor-to-ceiling colour

without taking a bold shade onto the walls,’ says Andy Greenall, head of design at Paint & Paper Library. ‘To make the most of detailing on the shutters, opt for a satin finish such as Architects’ Satinwood which, as well as being practical and durable, offers a 30 to 35 per cent sheen level, which will highlight the panelling and create a beautiful light-reflecting surface.’ To recreate this look, try Teal, from £34.for 750ml. Period Living 107

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Timeless print Roman blinds bring warmth and texture to practical spaces like kitchens, which can run the risk of feeling cold. For a look that will endure over the years, you can’t go wrong with a timeless geometric fabric, such as Kiftsgate in Ink, £100 per m from James Hare, which is hand-screen-printed.

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Blinds and Shutters

Feature florals Left: If you want to bring wow-factor to a space then consider a decorative Roman blind. Available in an array of eye-catching fabrics, they can create a beautiful focal point, especially in spaces with neutral walls or where scope for wall art may be limited. Guaranteed to turn heads in a living room, this Lady Alford fabric in Sky/ Magenta, £89 per m, was designed by Diane Hill for her new fabric and wallpaper collection with Harlequin.

Colour match Right: Featuring adjustable louvres, plantation shutters give you total control over light and privacy. ‘Easy to wipe clean, they can also allow in considerably more light than undressed windows, as the louvres reflect light onto the ceiling making the room feel brighter,’ says Livia Gusman from Just Shutters. ‘We suggest a 76mm louvre being a starting point rising right up to the elegant 114mm louvre,’ she adds. Furthermore, shutters are available in a range of colours to complement your décor as well as colour-matched to certain paint shades. Pictured in its bespoke Horizon colourway, these Coastal shutters cost £2,184 from Just Shutters.

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Bathing beauty Above: Available full-height, tier-on-tier or café-style, shutters are brilliant for bathrooms, offering the ability to alter light levels without compromising on privacy. However, when selecting window dressings for the bathroom, it is important to consider material as wood can warp in moist areas. ‘For bathrooms and wet rooms, we recommend choosing vinyl shutters or faux-wood Venetian blinds,’ says Yvonne Keal, senior product manager at Hillarys. ‘Both mimic the look of real wood but will withstand moisture – giving you the best of both worlds.’ These Henley waterproof shutters cost from £379 per m2 at Hillarys. 110 Period Living

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Blinds and Shutters

Blending in Above: As Roman blinds can be made in any fabric, they can be used to complement any decorating scheme. If you have a richly patterned wallpaper, consider a plain fabric in a coordinating shade, as demonstrated in this beautiful bathroom by Warner House. Blinds in its Lilou Leaf fabric, £65 per m, accentuate the green tones in its Amoli Fern wallpaper, £80 per roll. If using a fabric window treatment in a bathroom, opt for a water-resistant finish and ensure the space is well ventilated.

Go with the grain Right: Featuring adjustable louvres held together by tapes or cords, Venetian blinds are the go-to option if you want to have total control over light levels. More affordable than shutters, natural wood designs are a sophisticated choice for living rooms and bedrooms, while faux-wood uPVC finishes can withstand the high moisture levels in kitchens and bathrooms. If you’re looking to add a touch of natural charm to a country kitchen, then these basswood blinds in a light wood finish, prices on application from PT Blinds, are a great choice. Period Living 111

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Sleeping beauty When opting for bedroom blinds, be sure to also consider the lining. ‘Black-out blinds help to banish sunlight and are a popular choice for bedrooms, as they ensure that the sun won’t disturb slumber while also offering privacy,’ says Leah Aspinall, head of creative at Blinds2Go. The perfect finishing touch to an elegant sanctuary, these Chinoiserie Duck Egg roller blinds cost from £124.84 at Blinds2Go.

The perfect fit Right: Windows are a huge part of the character of a period property, and to preserve this it’s important that they are given sympathetic window treatments. Opting for a made-to-measure service will ensure that blinds or shutters can be designed to fit around the architecture of your home, even if your windows are shaped or curved. These Waterberry vinyl shutters from Thomas Sanderson cost from £672 per m2, including measuring and fitting.

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Renovation

History underfoot Stone flooring can last for centuries when properly cared for. Discover how to restore and clean this precious original feature

Avoid over-cleaning an original stone floor, as this can strip away the patina of years of use. You should also avoid lifting the stones unless it is absolutely necessary

Feature Roger Hunt, author of Old House Handbook

ften obtained from local quarries, flooring stone is dense and durable and was chosen because it could easily be split to form flagstones or tiles. Original floors are beautiful and increasingly rare so should not be disturbed without good reason; any work that is needed should be done by a craftsperson with appropriate knowledge. Where a building is listed, listed building consent may be required before undertaking work. The local authority conservation officer should be able to give advice and might suggest tradespeople who can help.

Image Colin Poole

How to restore ‘Every floor is different and needs to be looked at as an individual project,’ explains Andrew Churchman, a contractor specialising in conservation. ‘Old stone floors were always designed to allow for the passage of moisture, so don’t try to stop that process. The minute the floor is prevented from breathing – for example, by laying concrete and installing a damp-proof membrane – you will start causing problems and the moisture will migrate to the walls, creating a damp environment within the home.’ Ron Lowe, of conservation contractor Bakers of Danbury, agrees and emphasises that lifting an original stone floor should be the last resort. In all cases, it’s important to record the floor before any work is done. ‘Take photographs, record the positions of the stones and note what they’ve been laid on.’ Andrew stresses that care and sensitivity is needed to remove flagstones. ‘If a stone is cracked or wobbling, rake out the surrounding joints so you can get sufficient leverage underneath the stone to pry-bar it out. Levering onto the stones on either side

can potentially cause problems so put a piece of carpet or something similar under the pry bar to act as a cushion. If a stone is difficult to get out, it’s probably best left alone.’ In some cases wobbling stones can be rebedded without removing them. ‘If the joint is sufficiently wide, it may be possible to introduce a lime grout under the stone to stop it wobbling,’ explains Andrew. ‘A broken flagstone can sometimes be glued back together with an epoxy resin.’ Where part of a flagstone has been damaged, it may be possible to ‘indent’ or cut out the section and replace it with a matching piece of stone. ‘It’s what’s called an honest repair,’ says Ron. ‘In some cases, lime mortar may be used in place of stone; if the

joints are also lime mortar then this approach won’t be too unsightly.’ When relaying flagstones, Andrew generally suggests using the same bedding material that was used originally. ‘A lot of the time that’s dry earth, which functions very well. Alternatively, bed stones down on sharp sand. With lighter-weight stones, lay them on quite a wet lime mortar so they can be squeezed down.’ The bed must be smooth, notes Ron. ‘Make sure there are no stones or hard lumps underneath.’ The bed should also be solid. ‘If you “dot and dab” the mortar, there’s a likelihood that putting a heavy weight on the stone could cause it to fracture.’ The way the joints between the stones are pointed is equally Period Living 115

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floor is pointed, finish the stone with a couple of coats of beeswax.’

How to replace When repairing or laying a new floor there are two options: reclaimed or new stone. ‘Reclaimed floors tend to be more expensive than new floors because of their age and history and, of course, their limited supply,’ says Andy Brindle of stone supplier Natural Stone Consulting. He also notes that reclaimed floors tend to be thicker than new floors, which could affect floor levels. ‘Genuine reclaimed stone floors tend to have an uncalibrated thickness ranging from 25mm to 80mm.’ According to Andy, some specialists are able to calibrate the thickness of a reclaimed stone to approximately 30mm by removing the back of the material by machine and keeping the stone’s original face. ‘A new stone floor tends to be supplied in either 15mm or 20mm thickness, making installation easier,’ he adds. New ‘antiqued’ stone flooring replicates the surface and edge detail of a reclaimed floor. ‘The most authentic designs are produced using

natural stone with skilled craftsmen employing traditional techniques to finish the floors to complement the erosion and patina found on reclaimed stones,’ says Andy.

Useful contacts ANDREW CHURCHMAN - contractor

specialising in conservation. Tel: 01773 821576; andrewchurchman.co.uk BAKERS OF DANBURY - conservation contractor. Tel: 01245 225876; bakersofdanbury.co.uk LIME GREEN - lime supplier. Tel: 0800 538 5746; lime-green.co.uk MIKE WYE & ASSOCIATES - lime materials. Tel 01409 281644; mikewye.co.uk NATURAL STONE CONSULTING - stone supplier. Tel: 0333 444 8899; naturalstoneconsulting.co.uk SALVO - architectural salvage directory. salvoweb.com SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS (SPAB) - free advice line and

Caring for Old Floors publication. Tel: 020 7377 1644; spab.org.uk. STONE FEDERATION OF GREAT BRITAIN

- information on stone. Tel: 01303 856123; stonefed.org.uk TY-MAWR - lime and associated products. Tel: 01874 611350; lime.org.uk

Left: Original flagstone floors are a beautiful and practical feature for a kitchen This image: If adding a new stone floor to a period home, then consider one with a characterful antiqued finish

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Images (left) Brent Darby; (right) Kasia Fiszer

important. ‘If it’s a flagstone floor with plenty of depth and width to the joints, then it’s best to use a lime putty and sharp sand mix, and maybe add a pozzolan (a material such as ash and brick dust that helps lime mortars set more rapidly),’ advises Andrew. ‘If the floor has a lot of foot traffic, then a hydraulic lime such as NHL 2 or 3.5 might be suitable, but every floor must be considered separately.’ To avoid removing the characterful patina of age and causing irreversible damage, stone floors should only be cleaned when it is absolutely necessary – and never aggressively. ‘If a covering of lino has been stuck down to the floor, get as much of it off as you can by hand using scrapers; steam cleaning techniques may also be effective. Sugar soap and a stiff scrubbing brush can help,’ suggests Andrew. To finish stone flooring, Andrew advises using boiled linseed oil, applied very thinly with a rag in anything up to four coats before pointing the joints. ‘To test whether the finish is sufficient and will protect the stone, tip a teaspoon full of water onto the surface; if the water beads, there is sufficient oil – never apply it too thickly. Once the

Advertorial Left: A full-width opening between the kitchen and oak-frame extension perfectly joins the new with the old

Crafted in oak C

Below: Generous glazing and a vaulted ceiling with oak trusses bring space, light and character to this home

Below left: The expertly crafted oak-frame extension perfectly complements this charming period property

Discover how Oakwrights created one family’s dream home extension in oak haracterised by its rich patina and unique graining, oak is a favourite building material, particularly when it comes to extending a period property. Homeowners Phil and Lucy wanted to add light and space to their home with a characterful extension that would complement their existing cottage. Challenged with the aim of extending the kitchen to create a relaxed living area and TV room with an indoor/outdoor feel, Oakwrights’ designer George Allen responded with a light-filled plan that would breathe new life into Phil and Lucy’s home. Incorporating a fullheight glazed gable end,

bi-fold doors and a solid pitched slate roof with rooflights helped to make the addition bright and airy. The extension was sited against an existing stone wall, giving space to house the TV and a hub for the furniture, while the fulllength opening between the kitchen and extension ensured a natural flow between the two spaces.

Top tips for extending Oakwrights’ regional design consultant Zoe Grey shares her expert advice on extending an older property ● Layout – assess the flow of your property, between rooms and from inside-out, to help identify the best position for the cut-through and your new doors.

Legislation – not only do many extensions require planning permission, but you will also have to meet modern building regulation requirements. In June 2022 these will be changing, regarding glazing as a rule not to exceed 100 per cent of the floor area. ● Wall size – when creating a living room, consider incorporating a full-height wall if you plan to house a TV or piece of art. It also allows you to tie in exposed materials from your existing property. ● Lanterns – if considering an orangery-style extension with a lantern roof, think about incorporating ●

opening vents, especially electronic ones, which are perfect as you can open them with an easy switch. ● Largesse – consider the size of rooms in your house and how they work for you. It is likely that you are going to want to match their scale so that your new addition complements your existing home. ● Sustainability – oak is a renewable building material, perfect for the eco-conscious homeowner. For more information on oak-frame extensions, call 01432 353 353 or visit oakwrights.co.uk/ extensions

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Renovation

In the frame Douglas Kent focuses on common issues with timber framing, and how to fix them

imber frames not only provide the structural skeleton of many old houses but bring a special quality and character. Oak was widely used for framing, although ash and elm were not uncommon. Timber framing is sometimes assumed to be a liability but is remarkably durable, as testified by the survival of many historic examples. Issues may occur, though are frequently avoidable.

Investigating issues Problems generally come down to poor maintenance or unsuitable alterations. This can cause dampness and decay from beetle or insect attack – for example, where protective render is removed or comprises cement rather than lime – or distortion, from overloading or where timbers have been cut or removed. The construction and condition of a timber frame must be properly understood before attempting its repair. Assess the condition from visual inspection and careful probing with a sharp tool, paying particular attention to joints. Where framing is concealed, non-destructive testing may be useful (such as infrared thermography, microdrilling or fibre optic surveying). Never automatically remove plaster or panel infillings.

Image Jeremy Phillips

What to consider

Exposing concealed timbers may be unwise, especially where plaster is historic and could feature wall paintings. It can even be anachronistic in terms of other features. Little is gained from exposing

a beam boxed-in during the Georgian period if the room also features contemporary fireplaces and windows. Timbers should not be replaced needlessly or distorted frames necessarily straightened. Where serious decay exists, a section of matching new timber can frequently be scarfed in. Generally, this should be ‘green’ (unseasoned) but not freshly felled. Use fully seasoned timber for complex repairs to carved work. Treat the cause of any active decay first (dampness or poor ventilation) rather than deploying chemicals indiscriminately.

Rotten cill plates A cill plate is the horizontal bottom section of a timber frame and it usually sits on a masonry plinth. Often exposed to high levels of moisture, cill plates are the part of the frame that most commonly decays. Partial or total renewal may be needed, sometimes bolting together face-to-face more than one thickness of new timber. If other solutions are limited, it may be sensible to raise the plinth height to minimise future deterioration. When rebuilding a plinth and a damp-proof course (DPC) is felt justified, try not to place this under the cill plate, but lower down in the masonry.

Fixing decayed posts When cill plates decay, the feet of the frame posts and studs standing on them can suffer too. Rotten ends may be cut back and replaced with new timber scarfed on and held with pegs or stainless-steel bolts. The new timber should be selected

carefully to minimise twisting. Where only tenons have rotted, false ones (‘slip tenons’) can be inserted into sound posts or studs.

Filling shakes or holes Shakes (splits) in timbers are rarely of structural significance but may let rainwater penetrate externally. As with empty mortices or peg holes, they can be filled with timber inserts or packed with well-haired lime mortar and limewashed. Internal shakes may be left unfilled. Minimising temperature and humidity fluctuations will help stop them opening up. Timber inserts can also be pieced in when part of a timber face has rotted away. Concealed holes may be filled with adhesive mixed with sawdust.

Getting the best finish

New timber will soon blend in without tinting although limewash can be used to help unify the appearance or to cover old timber disfigured by small shakes and nail holes. The exception

is where existing timbers are darkened, in which case the surface might be left or re-blackened. Beeswax polish, rather than varnish, will enhance the appearance of old, unpainted timbers internally, if needed. Chemical strippers may remove unwanted black coatings, though it may be preferable to overpaint them with a finish such as linseed emulsion. This is because it is all too easy to unwittingly cause damage to the surfaces of old timbers or even to destroy traces of early decoration. In the past, timbers inside houses were often painted. Historic paint can sometimes survive under layers. Avoid sandblasting. Douglas Kent is technical and research director at the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). For further guidance on the care and repair of old homes visit spab.org.uk or call the free SPAB helpline on 020 7456 0916 (9.30am– 12.30pm weekdays with support from Historic England). Period Living 119

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FLOR AL ART

MINI DIGGERS The National Trust has joined forces with Burgeon & Ball to create the fun ‘Get Me Gardening’ children’s tool collection, which includes spades, forks, watering cans, gloves and buckets. Whether they’re digging for worms, making mud pies, or helping with the veg patch, this set will inspire any budding gardeners to get close to nature, muck in and have fun outside. Made from FSC wood, the tools are super strong and well made, but not too heavy for little hands – they’re just the right size for age 6+. From £8.99.

Start your own collection of beautiful floral pressings with this oak-veneer flower press. Handmade in London by JamJar Edit, the design features an engraved Californian poppy. Priced £95, the waxed wooden press comes complete with 10 sheets of reusable blotting paper and card, and is held in place with sturdy brass fittings.

HANGING AROUND

Feature Alice Humphrys

Made from a sturdy steel frame with a synthetic rattan weave complete with showerproof, padded grey cushions, this Frampton hanging egg chair, £595 at The Cotswold Company, is the ultimate in outdoor relaxation. It cocoons you as it sways gently in the breeze, and is the perfect comfy spot to get lost in your favourite book on a summer’s day.

HISTORY RECLAIMED An 18th-century landscape garden, Painshill in Cobham, Surrey, was created by aristocrat Charles Hamilton as a living painting. It is instrumental in influencing garden design around the world, and well worth a visit for its fascinating history. Neglect during World War II left the garden buildings derelict and the grounds became a wilderness. Following a campaign to save it, a huge restoration project began in the 1980s. Today, Painshill can be seen as the living work of art that Hamilton intended. Enjoy beautiful vistas and dramatic garden buildings, stroll around the Serpentine Lake and two-acre vineyard, and discover the ruined abbey – there is much to explore. Open daily; adults £10; book in advance at painshill.co.uk. Period Living 121

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Everlasting blooms Learn how to dry flowers to make a beautiful decorative display in your home

rying flowers is such a wonderful way to preserve garden blooms – or even a cherished bouquet – and enable you to display them in your home. While pressing flowers in a book or flower press is an age-old craft that has been practised for centuries, if you want to use them in an arrangement then they need to keep their shape. As flowers naturally contain a lot of moisture, if not properly dried out, they will develop mould and eventually rot. Casting dried flowers in resin is a way to make them last indefinitely, and a popular craft project. Otherwise, you should expect an arrangement to last a few years with good care.

The best methods There are several ways to dry flowers, and the best method will depend on the type of flower you’re working with. For example, flowers with small and robust heads, such as hydrangeas, lavender and gypsophila, respond well to being air dried, as their lower moisture content enables them to be successfully dried out over a longer period. Meanwhile, larger, denser flowers with multiple petal layers, such as roses, tulips and chrysanthemums, are good candidates for drying with heat. More delicate blooms, such as dahlias, pansies and peonies, are best dried with the addition of a desiccant, to speed up the process. Unfortunately, you may find that not all flowers dry well, but it’s fun to experiment with different varieties.

Feature Melanie Griffiths Image Getty Images

How to air dry flowers Though the simplest method, air drying takes a lot longer than other methods; however, it is the best way to preserve the flowers’ shape. Bear in mind that the colours are prone to fading, giving them a vintage feel. ● To air dry your flowers, first select the best examples. They should ideally have only just bloomed. ● You will need to remove the leaves and any foliage from the stems below the flowers, and trim the stems. ● Arrange a few of the flowers together and fasten tightly at the end of the

stems with a rubber band or twine. Bear in mind that larger bouquets won’t dry as easily, and you will need to split them up into smaller sections. ● Hang your flowers upside down – to do this, attach the stems with string to a hook, nail or coat hanger. ● Place the flowers in a dry, dark, warm place, such as inside a large cupboard or in the loft. Direct sunlight can fade the flowers. ● It should take a few weeks for the flowers to dry out – check on them occasionally to see if they are ready. They should be dry and rigid, and rustle when you move them. Once your flowers are dry, you can take them down and display them. It’s a good idea to spritz them with a fine mist of hairspray, which will help to preserve them and add a gentle sheen. Avoid displaying your dried flowers next to a heat source or in bright light.

Speeding up the process Drying flowers is not always a quick process, but there are ways to speed things up. One of the best methods is to place the blooms into a bowl of desiccant, which will help to draw out water more quickly. Silica gel is the best product for this job – protect your skin when working with silica. Drying your flowers using desiccant will be quicker than simply air drying them, taking as little as a few days. You can use this on its own, or speed up the process in the microwave –

which is the best way to preserve the flowers’ vibrant colours. ● To do this, first remove the leaves and any foliage from the stems below the flowers, and trim the stems. ● Wearing gloves, fill the base of a microwaveable container with a layer of silica gel (around an inch), and lay your flowers on top. You will only be able to dry a few at a time, and it’s best to only group flowers of the same type, so they don’t dry out at different rates. ● Carefully pour more silica gel over the top of the flowers until they are covered by a layer of about an inch. ● Place the container in the microwave and heat them in one-minute intervals until they are dry. You will need to check the flowers between each interval so that you don’t burn them. ● Once the flowers are fully dried out, loosely cover the container and leave to cool for at least an hour – ideally 24 hours to allow them time to set. ● Gently remove the flowers from the gel, taking care not to damage the petals. Use a fine brush to remove any remaining silica gel particles. You can also dry flowers in an oven or range cooker at a low temperature of 80-90°C – however, the flowers are more prone to petal loss and shrivelling. To do this, arrange the flowers on a wire rack placed over a baking tray and bake for 1-2 hours, checking them regularly. Once the flowers are dry, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Period Living 123

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Splashing about

very garden, whether large or small, has space for a birdbath. Therefore, it should be an integral part of your garden’s design – even a saucer of water placed on a table or in a quiet corner can make a huge difference. As with all living things, a constant source of water is essential for the well-being of our feathered friends. Not only does it provide a space to drink, but it offers the opportunity for

them to bathe and keep their feathers healthy. Bathing loosens the dirt and makes it easier for birds to preen – a process that allows them to distribute the natural oils that keep their feathers waterproof and their bodies warm. When adding a birdbath to your garden, cleanliness is key. Just like us, birds won’t bathe in a dirty bath. ‘The water should be changed every day to remove droppings, algae, dead leaves and other debris. The birdbath

itself should be given a thorough clean once a week or so, the same as your bird feeders and tables,’ says Anna Feeney from the RSPB. ‘Scrub it well to remove algae and other dirt, and then give it a clean with a diluted household disinfectant or a birdbath cleaner. As with cleaning bird feeders, there’s a small risk of infections transmitting to people, so be sure to clean the birdbath outside, using dedicated tools, and wearing protective gloves.’

Up in the trees Below: A hanging birdbath is a great option for a small garden. The birds will love it too, as the elevated position makes them feel less vulnerable to a surprise attack. If you don’t have any suitable trees in your garden, consider suspending a birdbath from a hanging basket bracket. Position in a shady spot and you’ll soon have a flock of feathered friends coming to take advantage of their new spa facilities.

Ancient-effect salt glaze birdbath with detachable top, £299.99, Gardenesque

Perfectly placed Above: Position is a key factor in ensuring that your birdbath gets used. Firstly, place it in a shady part of the garden, as this will keep the water fresher and cooler and reduce the amount of evaporation on hotter days. Secondly, opt for a location that offers plenty of shelter. Bathing is a vulnerable time for birds, as they are focused on preening rather than predators. Choose a spot close to trees and prickly bushes, which will offer a safe space for the birds to survey the scene before bathing and escape to if necessary.

Aged metal hanging birdbath, £21.95, Sarah Raven

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Add a birdbath to your garden to create a haven for feathered friends

Next Month Maggiore birdbath, £19.99, CJ Wildlife

On the level

Standing in the shallows

Above: As well as a pedestal or hanging design, think about adding a ground-level birdbath to your garden. ‘These are great for ground-feeding birds like robins, blackbirds and thrushes, who prefer being close to the ground,’ says Claire Smith, director of product and partnerships at CJ Wildlife. ‘However, a birdbath on the ground presents the increased risk of predation. To counter this, place it in a spot near an opening, corner or hedgerow, where the birds have the best chance of flying away if needed.’

Below: Depth is an essential consideration when selecting a birdbath. ‘To allow different species to bathe safely, we advise between one to four inches deep. It is important that the birdbath has sloping sides, rough surfaces and perches for the birds to grip onto and not slip,’ adds Claire. If you already have a birdbath but it’s too deep then you can add a few large stones to create a shallower space. Think about adding a few smaller stones to the shallow parts too, as this will provide a spot for bees and butterflies to land and drink.

Baluster birdbath in Portland, £195, Haddonstone

Material matters

Echoes ceramic birdbath, £28.99, RSPB Shop

Above: When it comes to the material and design of your birdbath, weight should be a key factor. Heavier pieces are harder to move and clean, but can stand up to wind in exposed gardens. Aesthetically, stone is the classic choice but it is weighty. Ceramic has a similar appearance but a lighter constitution. Glass and metal have become increasingly popular as they channel a more modern, minimalist look. Period Living 125

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Gardens In time clematis will cover pergolas, arches or poles, giving a colourful show against the sky. Keep in mind that they twine their leaf petiole around suitably sized structures, ideally 1.9cm or less

All

entwined Plants that grow on vertical structures are useful for bringing beauty to a different dimension – adding height, acting as camouflage, creating shade, providing privacy or adding scent on another level – and queen of the climbers is clematis Words and photographs Leigh Clapp Period Living 127

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limbers, vines or creepers are plants that naturally grow on vertical structures through their ability to sucker or entwine with stems and tendrils. They are an important feature and can be used in a variety of ways, from scrambling over a pergola or archway and clothing a trellis or fence to wandering through trees. Climbers are particularly valuable in small gardens as they take up little ground space and can be grown in containers. By covering surfaces they provide shelter for insects and sometimes birds, and many of the flowers attract pollinators, too. ‘There is nearly an endless choice of climbers, so there is a plant for all occasions, able to suit any aspect or style,’ says Jack Aldridge, second year diploma student at RHS Garden Wisley, a woody plant enthusiast with a keen interest in climbers. The popular, showy and perennial clematis offer a wide range from which to select, with varying flower sizes and shapes, from tiny bells to large dinner plates, myriad colours, and different flowering times. Grown mostly for their blooms, some can be in flower 10 months of the year while there are others that only bloom once. Flowering periods differ with winter and spring, early summer, and late summer and autumn. Size is also a key factor as herbaceous clematis grow to between 75cm and 1.5m tall – some are very vigorous, while others are smaller and more compact.

The best way to grow Clematis can transform an outdoor space of any size, adorning fences, walls, arches, obelisks or tunnels, scrambling up trees or winding their way through other plants. Herbaceous clematis are grown through plant supports or nearby shrubs

while climbing types need a trellis or wire attached to the surface with a gap of about 2.5cm. Viticella varieties are easy to start with, have a great colour range, tolerate different locations and enjoy a long flowering period. Consider the space you want them to cover to help with your selection and then choose the colours you like. Some could be too vigorous and become a nuisance in a small space.

When and where to plant Spring or early to mid autumn are the best times to plant clematis. If you buy them in containers through summer, plant them out immediately. Clematis like their roots in the shade and top growth in the sun. ‘Don’t grow clematis on a south-facing wall; the base of the wall must have a cool root system,’ advises world-renowned clematis grower and breeder Raymond Evison. ‘Clematis also need the micro-climate from other plants, formed by growing through another shrub, such as a rose, which will give a burst of flowering at the same time. I like them in herbaceous borders and letting them run up into other plant material. Take a look at your borders in August and note any gaps,’ Raymond adds. They need moisture-retentive, well-drained, fertile soil, in a sunny spot, although there are some varieties that tolerate shade. Add plenty of organic matter when planting and ensure that the top of its roots are 5-6cm deeper than when it was growing in the nursery pot.

How to grow in containers Clematis grow well in pots and there are varieties such as the Boulevard Series that are especially bred to be more compact in their habit, longer

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Gardens

Clockwise from top left: These attractive painted obelisk supports echo the pair of conifers that also draw the eye in this flower and edibles formal garden. You could have all the same variety of clematis or choose different ones that harmonise or contrast; clematis casually climbing through an apple tree is charming in a cottage garden among a medley of foliage and flowers; orchestrated roses, clematis and perennials create a rhythm along the flint wall, each colour richly harmonious in a classic scheme of pinks, blues and purples; choose two varieties for double the impact; swathed as a curtain to frame the mirror gives the illusion of looking through a window in this lovely vignette

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Clematis are superb on arches with their pliable stems. You can plant one or two on each side, and the best varieties to use are the vigorous and taller cultivars

flowering and easier to prune – you’ll just need to remove the top growth at the end of February to early March. ‘Select the strong, dark colours such as deep reds, dark blues, purples and whites for sunny positions, while for shadier places or a patio garden opt for pale pinks, pale blues and mauve flowered options,’ recommends Raymond. Use pots that are at least 45cm wide and deep, have good drainage, and potting on compost, like John Innes No.2 or 3. Avoid plastic or thin- walled pots, as they will heat up too much in summer. ‘Make sure that the container is kept well watered through spring and summer and the plant has a shady root system. Clematis are boring in winter, so partner with shallow-rooted bedding or low-growing plants such as ajuga, and early bulbs to give interest and colour,’ Raymond continues.

How to care for clematis They are thirsty and hungry plants, so water regularly until established and feed them a tomato or rose fertiliser during the peak spring and early

summer months. Guiding stems to spread evenly over their support can help flowering. When it comes to pruning, clematis are divided into three groups: Group 1 – early flowering in winter and spring on the previous year’s growth and can be pruned or just tidied up by removing old or damaged stems after flowering. Group 2 –large-flowered hybrids with showstopping blooms in spring and summer that also grow on the previous year’s growth. These need to be pruned in February or March, reducing the growth by a third to ensure a good display. Cut away weak, damaged growth and cut stems to just above the strongest buds. Pruning after the first flush will also encourage a second flowering. Group 3 – the late-flowering clematis, such as viticella, produce flowers on the current season’s growth and are pruned in February or March. You can propagate from cuttings in spring to late summer, by layering late winter to spring, or from collected seed and possibly create something new.

Troubleshooting Ensure you buy good healthy plants, with at least two to three basal stems. If you don’t plant clematis at the correct depth the plant can get clematis wilt. Don’t be tempted to plant a clematis to cover a dead tree as this can become a host to disease, such as honey fungus. Non-flowering can be a problem with clematis; however, this can usually be rectified with the correct pruning approach. There are a few diseases that are generally caused by not providing the right conditions, water-stress, wind damage, or poor, shallow soil. Pruning below slime flux symptoms, for example, should allow the plant to re-shoot.

Good companions Clematis pair with all types of plants, whether cottage-style roses and perennials, annuals around their base, trees or shrubs. Roses are a classic companion, and select varieties that flower at the same time and ideally are pruned at the same time, too, as they will be intertwined. Growing through trees is another pictureperfect vignette – whether an early-flowering montana against pink and white crab apple blossom, or a high summer jewel-toned choice against the foil of a deep evergreen.

Useful sources RAYMOND EVISON CLEMATIS – 60 years breeding and

developing clematis, sold on the website and available in garden centres worldwide (raymondevisonclematis.com) TAYLOR CLEMATIS NURSERY – over 400 varieties and multiple RHS Gold Medalists (taylorsclematis.co.uk) TYNINGS PLANTS – specialises in climbers, including clematis and honeysuckle (tyningsplants.co.uk) HAYLOFT PLANTS – online plant nursery, specialising in rare, unusual and exciting plants (hayloft.co.uk) 130 Period Living

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Gardens R

NIOBE – deep claret flowers

HAKU OOKAN – striking large purple flowers

FLORIDA ‘SIEBOLDII’ – abundant

early spring to autumn; pruning group two

through summer; pruning group two

flowers followed by fluffy seedheads; pruning group three

DIAMANTINA – repeat-flowering double, each flower lasts up to four weeks; pruning group two

OOH LA LA – compact, free-flowering variety, grows well in shade; pruning group three

RHAPSODY - light perfume, purple colour intensifies as it ages; pruning group two

DANCING KING – lilac flowers late spring to autumn, compact habit; pruning group two

VICKI – compact, ideal for smaller

DIANA’S DELIGHT – ideal for

gardens, Boulevard collection; pruning group three

containers, repeat-flowering; pruning group two Period Living 131

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POTTED

perfection

Use a variety of containers to add beautiful highlights to all areas of your garden, bringing rich textures, bright colours and fresh display ideas to your plot Feature Jean Vernon 132 Period Living

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Container Gardening

ontainer gardening is the perfect way to make small but powerful changes to your plot. Each planter can showcase a single type of plant for a dramatic effect, or a mix of plants to create a seasonal display and longer-lasting focal point. With the right placement, compost and feeding regime, you can grow pretty much any plant in a pot. This means you can incorporate plants with vastly different growing needs, such as those that prefer acidic soil or specialist plant food, into your planting scheme. The best approach to container gardening is to view each pot as a miniature garden in its own right. Within the small area you should have height, colour and texture. Choose plants for the way they grow, whether sun seeking or tumbling over the sides of the container, the colour of their foliage and flowering prowess. Get the combination right and a patio planter can be awash with colour and interest all summer long. However, there is no set recipe – plant for drama, scent and vibrancy or try the tapestry effect for a softer look. Of course, plants are only half the story when it comes to growing in pots. The right container can add structure, depth and texture to your design while also making your floral displays shine.

Rich pickings

Images (left) Whichford Pottery; (right top and bottom) Getty Images

Left: Most gardeners have an eclectic mix of pots and planters around their garden. For the best effect, group similar materials and colours together and arrange in different heights and sizes to create a tiered effect. If you are buying new containers then think about blending the colours with your home, the local stone, or your colour scheme – it helps to tie everything together and gives a more established feel to the overall design. ‘The great advantage of container planting is that arrangements can be changed or added to according to a whim, depending on what is looking good, or the season. New pots or plants can find a home among old favourites,’ explains Jim Keeling of Whichford Pottery.

Set the stage Left and above: If you have some steps, a wall, or shelving, make them into stunning features with containers. You don’t need to spend a fortune: a redundant ladder makes a great tiered display unit – move the pots around to keep those that are looking their best at eye level. Take inspiration from the Victorian trend of auricular theatres and use pots of the same size and material to create harmony in your tiered display. ‘In my own garden, containers give me the flexibility to let my imagination run riot. I over plant and allow trailing plants to weave a tapestry of colour and texture,’ says award-winning gardener Geoff Stonebanks, whose garden is almost completely comprised of container-grown plants. Period Living 133

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Desert inspiration Right: Not all potted displays are high maintenance. A selection of fully hardy succulents in a shallow pot creates an excellent year-round, low-effort display. Choose succulents with colourful foliage such as houseleeks, also known as sempervivums, and low-growing sedums. Some varieties also flower, adding a new season of interest. Good drainage, a sunny spot and gritty compost are important for these plants, but they require minimal additional attention. ‘Set yourself up for success and place crocks, rather than gravel, over the container’s drainage hole as gravel can quickly become clogged with repeated watering,’ advises Jim Keeling.

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Images (top left) Andrew Sydenham/Country Life; (left and right) Getty Images

Gardens

Ring in the seasons

Cook’s friend

Left: Flexibility is one of the key benefits of container gardening as you can move the pots around. By planting a variety of pots with stunning flowers, such as tulips, cannas, dahlias, lilies or other summer beauties, you can bring them on until they are perfect and then swap them into the display when the previous planters start to flag. This will enable you to keep your garden looking full of life throughout the seasons.

Above: Some of the easiest plants to grow in pots are herbs. If you only have a tiny garden or balcony, choose two or three herbs that you love to eat and plant them in a pretty pot or planter. Coriander, basil and parsley can be grown in smaller pots and harvested until you have used them up. On the other hand, shrubby herbs like rosemary and sage will need a larger planter because they will continue to grow and live for many years. Period Living 135

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All abuzz Above: Supporting crucial pollinators is essential and a few pots filled with nectar- and pollen-rich plants can make all the difference. Look for blooms with single petals and open centres as this makes it easy for pollinators to land and harvest the pollen. Examples include borage, echium and echinacea as well as some roses and dahlias. Fuchsias are a container garden favourite, and also are particularly rich in nectar, which attracts the longer-tongued bumblebees.

Classical design Above: Container gardening is not just about flowers; foliage plants can create a fabulous display too. An elegant piece of topiary can become almost statuesque in the garden, creating a dramatic focal point. You can use a pair of topiary sculptures to accentuate a doorway, or several potted topiary balls to delineate a staircase or along the edge of a path or garden rill, creating a dramatic effect.

Left: For a large pot, choose a careful combination of plants to create a beautifully balanced display. Think about how they work together as well as how they look in their own right. ‘In any complex planting, be it large or small, we follow the same principles. We divide the choice of plants into three categories to establish the form and structure of the planting,’ explains Jim Keeling of Whichford Pottery. ‘First, we choose the centrepiece, which must, above all, have height. Then we surround this with a “midriff” of upright plants of medium height. Finally, we choose low-growing or trailing plants to go against the rim, fitting in below the midriff. In this way, we construct a pyramid of plants. These principles need to be adapted according to the proposed position of the pot; for instance, if we are designing for a spot against a wall, the centrepiece will be put at the back to start with, rather than in the middle,’ he adds. 136 Period Living

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Images (top left) Polly Eltes; (top right) Howard Walker; (left) Nicola Stocken

Garden showstopper

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The secret life of

chaırs Upholsterer Stuart Coote shares the story of his craft – and the strange history hidden within our seats

Words and photographs Suzy Bennett

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Made in Britain

Opposite: Stuart at the entrance to his workshop accompanied by Eno, his Whippet/Bedlington terrier puppy. The collection of late 19th-century and early 20thcentury chairs are due to be repaired and reupholstered This image: Stuart’s trusty 1970s industrial ‘walking foot’ Singer sewing machine, which he uses to prevent ‘work creep’ when sewing together two pieces of fabric

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uring his 30-year career as an upholsterer, Stuart Coote has found lots of strange things down the back of the sofa. Many items you might expect – coins, crochet hooks, cannabis, cutlery from TV dinners – but oddities he’s discovered inside antiques include an 1899 front page article about the Boer War, medals and ‘saucy underwear, concealed in a place it wouldn’t be found, presumably as a key turned unexpectedly in a lock… ‘Taking apart people’s furniture gives a real insight into the way they live – and often what they eat for dinner,’ jokes Stuart. ‘It’s also a chance to walk with the ghosts of the past.’ In a tradition spanning centuries, upholsterers have signed their work and left secret messages to each other from beyond the grave. On one 1920s chair, a frustrated craftsman had scribed ‘Couldn’t get symmetry right here.’ Stuart’s cheeky riposte? ‘Don’t know what you mean. Had no trouble.’ Finding Stuart’s workshop, on the outskirts of the Dartmoor town of Chagford, is easy. Just tune your ear to the distant sound of his chamber music, follow it past pretty thatched cottages and the lichen-encrusted medieval church of St Michael’s, to a cobbled courtyard. Here, Bach merges with the boing of compression springs, the whirr of a sewing machine, or the creaking sound of webbing being stretched until it twangs with a perfect B-flat. Stuart’s workshop is a lofty Georgian coaching stable with thick granite walls, double-height doors, original stone floors and owl windows. Occasionally, when he’s working late, a pipistrelle bat from the colony in the barn next door keeps him company, once even crawling across his worktop. The town’s artisan baker, potter and a felt-maker work in the surrounding stables. Inside, as your eyes adjust to the shadows, a riot of colour, form and texture emerges. ‘It’s picturesque Dickensian disorder,’ Stuart says. There are bags stuffed full with horsehair, shredded coconut husks and dried grass, used for padding. Rafters are strung with casters, clamps and rickety rattan chairs. Tools, tassels and twine line the walls, while shelves are lain with rolls of delicate silks, sumptuous damasks,

slubby linens, soft wools and hard-wearing hessian. The scent of leather and freshly planed oak fills the air. Stuart’s faithful companion Eno, snoozes peacefully by the heater in a tattered mahogany armchair. Stuart shows off some of his equipment: hyper-sensitive scales for weighing feathers; a lingerie ‘overlocker’ dating from the late 1950s, which he uses for sewing delicate fabrics; and a cast-iron pot for boiling animal glue. ‘I use it because it’s reversible and some customers like things to be truly authentic, but boiled hooves and horns are bilious things to work with,’ he says. Windowsills are crammed with hand-labelled pots containing a vast array of potent-looking liquids: French polishes, oils, dyes and woodworm treatments. ‘I often say I’m only in this for the solvent abuse,’ he jokes. ‘I don’t mind ending the day feeling a bit floaty.’ Stuart’s interest in furniture grew at art college. He schooled himself the basics, then taught for five years, before opening his business, Grove Upholstery, in Peterborough, and subsequently Dartmoor. Resoundingly old-school – Stuart has no website or social media feed and barely uses email, preferring his landline – his methods are similarly traditional. ‘I try to use the techniques of the period of the piece I’m working on,’ he says. This means different stitching, tension, seat firmness and materials. Georgian pieces demand wool and linen; if he’s working on a Victorian seat, it calls for jute and cotton. Stuart’s most memorable antique pieces include a 1640 walnut chair, two original 1770 Chippendale Cockpen armchairs and 18 painted Italian chairs from the early 1700s – four of which turned out to be fakes. ‘They were excellent copies and had me fooled until I got inside them,’ he says. Quirky modern commissions have included chopper motorbike seats for a gang of Hells Angels, fitted furniture for an Airstream trailer and a chair covered entirely in scouring pads, ‘which was softer than you’d think’. He also makes furniture from scratch, such as headboards, footstools, sofas and copies of original chairs. He even made his own mattress. Stuart loves Georgian furniture for its ‘perfect proportions’, Victorian ‘for the curliness and pomp’ and the ‘very Scandi’ look of Arne Jacobsen. ‘I like fabric to be true to the period of the chair itself, but I also love very audacious modern fabric on antique furniture because it bucks the trend of endless dusky rose velvet and damasks,’ he says. Stuart is also a fan of today’s industrial fashion for leaving chairs artfully stripped back. ‘It flags up the very craft of upholstery and furniture making. People get to appreciate the secret life of chairs, 80 per cent of which is usually hidden from view.’ For anyone thinking of sending a piece of furniture to be reupholstered, Stuart has a word of warning: ‘Beware of mid-century seating. It’s the most capacious and easiest to lose things down the back of. In this business, it’s finders keepers.’ Stuart can be contacted on 01647 432379

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Made in Britain

Above: Using a long needle, Stuart digs through hessian to spread horsehair evenly along a crest rail on a Victorian armchair. The webbing, compression springs, coconut fibre and lining fabrics on his workbench are used to give structure and support to chairs Far left: Stuart stretches cotton and jute webbing across the back of a chair using a webbing strainer and hammer Left: Tools of the trade (from left): a compass for marking curves and circles in fabrics; a spoon gouge for decorative carving and digging holes in frames to bury the edges of trimming; two staple removers; a pair of small Chinese scissors for snipping threads; tacks and a magnetic upholsterer’s hammer

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Clockwise from top left: A late 19th-century armchair awaits a new cushion and a family name to be carved on it; braiding on a rococo crest rail of a Florentine side chair; Stuart holds compression springs; puppy Eno sits in a mid-century gentleman’s armchair; detail of a scroll arm; spools of thread; a newly upholstered armchair; a box of antique castors, which Stuart uses to match with missing ones

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EXPLORING THE PAST An exhibition highlighting the absurd humour of cartoonist and illustrator William Heath Robinson launched earlier this summer at the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner, London as part of its celebrations for his 150th birthday. Running until 4 September, The Humour of William Heath Robinson features a chronological cross-section of his ironic observations, including the comically convoluted contraptions that made him a household name. Charting the development of both his style and range of subject matter between 1905 and 1943, the display is sure to raise a smile and evoke fond memories.

Feature Alice Roberton Images JTGrafix/Getty Images; The Heath Robinson Museum

Testing artificial teeth in a modern tooth works, 1929

Nathan has created a layered look in his dressing area with French treasures

A stand-out bed creates a good foundation for a French-style bedroom – here a decorative upholstered bedhead makes the perfect statement

CHATEAU CHIC Textile designer Nathan Wilder reveals how he’s brought French style to his listed Norwich home Why do you love French antiques? In the 1990s I lived in Paris and my partner at the time was an antiques dealer, so we visited brocantes and vide greniers. I fell in love with large mirrors, rococo plasterwork and brocade fabrics – the French look is so sumptuous and romantic. What do they bring to a space? They give a sense of opulence, grandeur and elegance, and evoke

TALKING SHOP Opened in 2019 by Period Living’s renovation expert Roger Hunt and his wife Elizabeth, the Pulborough Exchange in West Sussex is a consignment shop selling high-quality, used household goods. Following the principle that ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ the store offers everything from furniture, china and silverware through to art, kitchenware and linens. (thepulborough exchange.co.uk)

memories from a bygone era of decadent living. I find that creating vignettes of mixed pieces, like the one in my dressing area, offers a layered feast for the eyes. What pieces make a good foundation? For a bedroom, a decorative upholstered or wooden carved bed is a must. As a huge fan of French mirrors, I would advise an ornate piece with foxed glass. If you have the ceiling height, a chandelier adds wow-factor – when the sun catches the crystals, lovely patterns of light are thrown onto the walls. Follow Nathan @frenchandwilder FUN OF THE FAIR The Somerset Textiles and Fabric Brocante, at Horton Village Hall near Ilminster, is a new event that brings together a hand-selected roster of 18 of the country’s best textile traders. Expect to find a wealth of English and French textiles and fabrics, linens, quilts, toile, lace trimmings, dress fabrics and costume. 2 July, free entry; an early arrival is advised. (thewasherwoman.blogspot.com)

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FUTURE ANTIQUES James Gooch, proprietor of Doe & Hope and dealer on BBC1’s The Bidding Room, has nurtured a unique collaboration with artist and sculptor Beth Carter to bring antiques and contemporary art together What is it about Beth’s work that works so well with antiques? I think because much of Beth’s work is steeped in mythology it has one foot in the deep past and the other firmly in the here and now. Her use of traditional materials, such as bronze, means there are no issues of colour or textures clashing with older items. Her pieces are timeless and truly have the potential to be antiques of the future. Clockwise from top: Beth Carter in her studio; James Gooch; the Doe & Hope showroom; Clockwork Elephant, bronze, edition 4 of 15, £2,250; Buck Rabbit, bronze resin and jesmonite, edition 5 of 15, £3,340

ANYONE FOR CROQUET?

With long summer afternoons on the horizon, has the question of where to buy a good croquet set crossed your mind? Alexander Hallett of Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers offers advice ‘This iconic British summer game was popularised in the 1850s and 1860s by John Jaques II, who manufactured and sold croquet sets of his own design, so for originality

I’d go for this historic brand. Many sets have seen a lot of use so it’s important to make sure that none of the hoops are badly bent or the mallets damaged, or that any parts are missing. Older, larger sets are popular and so command a higher price, but you can pick up a good mid century example for £100-£200. As well as being a sustainable way of buying, I love playing with a set that has brought joy to others before me.’

What are your thoughts on mixing contemporary art with antiques? I think it shows a maturity in a collector or buyer that can see the depth of beauty in both contemporary art and antiques. By mixing newer pieces with old you can see a visible timeline – and not just a contrast but also common themes running through. Do you have any tips for mixing the two? I don’t think one can advise someone else on how they should mix because ultimately their eye is unique to them. That said, it helps to buy what you love on instinct and try not to overthink a purchase. In my opinion, anything made with head, hand and heart is worth buying. (doeandhope.com/pages/ beth-carter-doe-hope)

A Jaques eight-mallet croquet set, late 19th century, complete with hoops, posts, balls and mallet, all on a fitted stand. Sold for £850 by Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers

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Antiques Focus

Bottled up Alice Roberton unearths the history behind antique bottles and discusses their decorative appeal

Feature Alice Roberton

he handmade quality of British bottles made pre-1920 holds huge aesthetic appeal, yet it is their history of having survived mass tipping, burying and subsequent unearthing that makes them so interesting. With major glassworks dotted around the country’s industrial cities, bottles were made to hold a variety of liquids, from beers, sodas and medicines to inks and poisons. Cleverly embossed to bear the retailer’s name and product details, this toughened way of labelling has gone on to help collectors pin bottles to a time, and place, in history. The bottle industry changed post-1920s with the introduction of automatic bottling machines, a development that saw the standardisation of bottles and the loss of their handmade charm – later bottles subsequently don’t hold as much interest, or value. With bottles made in their millions there was huge waste. Municipal rubbish collections only came about in late Victorian times when ‘destructors’ – giant crushing machines – began to appear. Before this time people disposed of rubbish almost anywhere and it was common for quarries and ponds to be filled with detritus. Coming from a place of ‘needs must’, the poor would scavenge for pieces to use or sell ahead of them being capped off, usually with clay. It’s thought that an interest in the laborious task of digging started circa 1970 – the act of burying both helped to preserve and make items hard to excavate. Marcus Pennington is an avid collector, sometimes digger and periodic dealer. ‘The interest in antique bottles is firmly on the rise and there are tonnes of specialist groups online – encouraging younger people into the hobbies of digging and

collecting,’ he says. ‘Although I have come across some valuable pieces in digs, it’s the aesthetic and history that appeals to me most.’ Marcus also makes a key point: ‘It should be stressed that today sites can only be dug with the correct permission.’ If navigating the world of bottle digging isn’t for you, then tapping into the UK’s wealth of specialist sellers and events is a good starting point. Be warned, though, the stakes are high and a 1650s ‘Shaft and Globe’ wine bottle or a 1900s cobalt blue ‘Codd’ marble bottle could fetch five figures. If it’s the gentle curves, tactile embossing or enchanting colour of Victorian bottles that piques your interest, then a trip to your local vintage fair with a pocket full of change should secure a purchase. Andrew Pickering, owner of Bottle Boy Antiques (@bottle_boy _antiques), began specialising in Victorian bottles around five years ago, and today his bottles are largely bought for home styling or by florists, wedding planners and set designers. ‘My pieces come from bottle dumps throughout the UK and range in date from the 1860s to the 1930s,’ he says. ‘I’m at the affordable end of the market with prices starting at £1 for a small Victorian bottle.’ Photographer and stylist Tamsyn Morgans buys bottles from Andrew at the Arthur Swallow Fairs’ Decorative Home & Salvage Shows. ‘I tend to use them en masse for single stems or tiny posies on a mantelpiece or shelf. They also work well hung with a piece of wire,’ she says. ‘I particularly love the liquid blue colour and the wording; I have bottles that say ‘Boots Chemists’, ‘Lung Tonic’ and ‘Peace’s Infants Preservative.’ Bottles marked ‘Poison’ often feature braille, which I find fascinating.’

Above: The contents of one hand-dug 6ft-deep hole on an 1870s Victorian rubbish dump, Marcus Pennington Below: Victorian bottles with heavy embossing, a hardwearing form of labelling, found at Arthur Swallow Fairs’ Decorative

Home & Salvage Shows, Tamsyn Morgans Bottom: A selection of finds from the 1780s through to the 1890s. Featuring some early black glass and an 1870s example of the iconic Codd bottle (with marble), Marcus Pennington

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Free book download

he beauty of gardening is that there is something new to see and do in each and every season. Whether that’s tending to a brimming pot of hyacinths and daffodils in spring or making some incredible DIY furniture to add extra seating to your summer patio. Even autumn and winter have their own special jobs, despite the traditional ‘peak’ season coming to a

close. The leaves changing and falling gives you the opportunity to make leaf mould, which can be used as a soil improver in the years ahead. And, of course, winter means it’s time to get festive with decorations made from foliage. So, download your free digital copy of Ultimate Garden Projects and be inspired to tackle something in the garden, no matter the time of year.

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Period Living is giving away a free digital copy of Ultimate Garden Projects to every reader – worth £10.99*

Exploring Heritage

The brainchild of Vita SackvilleWest and her husband Harold Nicolson, the gardens at Sissinghurst are among the most famous in England

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Sleeping beauty It’s hard not to have sympathy with the naysayers. The Sissinghurst that Vita found was a series of decrepit buildings, scattered across a six-acre garden striated by ruined Elizabethan walls. However, Vita did not see an overgrown wasteland, instead it was a ‘Sleeping Beauty’, waiting to be

woken by true love. Vita was particularly drawn to the Tudor tower at the garden’s heart, with its 78 steps leading to a giddy view of the Kentish Weald. Vita soon won Harold round, too. Despite their unconventional marriage, their synergy was never more apparent than in the garden that they designed together at Sissinghurst. Harold had a genius for hard-landscaping. He began to make sense of this muddle of a property, working round the dilapidated Tudor walls and tower; planning a layout of horticultural ‘rooms’ that Vita would plant to perfection. He delighted in retaining the ruins; she used their fine red bricks and romantic apertures to show off rambling plants. His was a vision of vistas and focal points; hers a desire to ‘cram, cram, cram’ with breathtaking 360-degree lavishness: soft pink ‘Albertine’ climbing overhead; spearmint-smelling pennyroyal crushed underfoot; forget-me-nots, pansies and pinks encircling every lingering step. Together, they forged a masterpiece.

Above and right: Roses are a defining feature of Sissinghurst. One of Vita’s favourite plants, she incorporated over 300 varieties of old rose into the five acres of planted garden

Vita’s ‘darling’ The garden was Vita’s ‘darling’ and as long as she lived, the National Trust would never lay a finger on it. However, by the end of her life, she had relented and in 1967, five years after her death, it was entrusted with continuing her legacy. Over the last half a century, it has successfully done so, innovating while treasuring the same elements that defined the original garden. ‘Open the aged door to the Rose Garden in June or July, and you almost fall backwards with a sensory explosion,’ says head gardener Troy Scott Smith.

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ummer has arrived and it has brought with it a stunning floral display in the gardens of Sissinghurst Castle. The dazzling roses, for which the garden is renowned, are in full bloom and filling the air with their sweet perfume. Even their names are evocative, for example: ‘Souvenir du Docteur Jamain’, an old plant of dark and melancholy red; the many-petalled ‘Great Maiden’s Blush’; and velvety ‘Gallica’, which might even be a remnant of an Elizabethan garden that once flourished here. The writer Vita Sackville-West, who spent 30 years crafting this garden, adored traditional roses. ‘There is nothing scrimpy or stingy about them,’ she wrote. ‘They have a generosity which is as desirable in plants as in people.’ They looked, she thought, as if plucked from a medieval tapestry. When Vita first laid eyes on this patch of Kent in 1930, it was love at first sight. Others demurred – not least her 12-year-old son Nigel, accompanying her as she viewed the property. ‘I think we shall be happy in this place,’ she told him, unfazed as they cast their eyes over a scruffy, if genteel, wilderness. Even her husband, the diplomat Harold Nicolson, expressed healthy scepticism.

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It can’t be an easy job, respecting the history of one of England’s best-loved gardens while ensuring its longevity and dynamism. Strangely enough, Troy says, he never feels restricted. ‘Vita was a unique, special, bisexual, semi-aristocratic person; I’m a Northern male from a different time. But the common language of gardens and flowers is uniting.’ That balance of past and present is exemplified in two recent undertakings. Among Vita’s myriad blooms, she planted 300 varieties of old rose. ‘One of our side-projects is to bring back some of the missing ones,’ Troy says. ‘We’ve planted over 500 roses in the last several years, reinstating within that 100-plus varieties. ‘The next 80 varieties will be trickier. We’ll be searching for them at places such as Mottisfont in Hampshire, which has the national rose collection. There’s also a nursery in Sangerhausen full of forgotten roses.’

that the rampant wild flowers had reclaimed ancient ruins on this Greek isle. Try as they might, their attempts to recreate the landscape fell victim to heavy clay soil and a colder climate. However, a seven-year programme has seen the Trust working to realise Vita and Harold’s vision of a Delos garden in the Kent countryside. ‘We’ve raised the ground by building south-facing terraced walls so the plants will all get a good bit of sun,’ Troy explains. For Vita, past and present merged. She was entranced by Sissinghurst’s history, built as a hunting palace in the 1560s – the tower was for ladies to watch their men pursuing deer. Gradually aggrandised into a moated palace, it even attracted Queen Elizabeth I to stay for a few days in 1573. Vita was even more thrilled to discover that one of her ancestors was linked to the house.

Mediterranean vision

Vita’s devotion to the garden was also, perhaps, an attempt to fill a gaping hole. She’d been brought up at Knole, one of England’s largest country houses – now also in the care of the National Trust. An only child, Vita should have inherited her ancestral home: but she was a woman. House and title passed to an uncle, a loss she mourned her whole life. The couple could but dream of emulating the privilege of Vita’s childhood. They would never,

The second undertaking has been more challenging. The couple were inveterate travellers. Following their marriage in 1913, they lived in Constantinople (modern Istanbul). When work took Harold to Teheran, Vita visited often, writing Passenger to Teheran about her experiences. However, it was a cruise to Delos that inspired their future garden design. The pair loved the way

Scarcity of funds

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Images (clockwise from top left) ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler; ©National Trust Images/Eva Nemeth; ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler; ©National Trust Images/John Hammond

Above left: One of Harold’s romantic vistas, the Nuttery features a statue of Bacchus, Greek god of wine Above right: Over half a century on from the original plans, the National Trust has managed to realise Vita and Harold’s dream of the Greek Delosinspired part of the gardens

Exploring Heritage of course, do without chauffeur or cook. Help in the garden, though, was more sparse: Jack Vass headed a small team on either side of the war. Vita, especially, was hands on. In one of the gardening columns she wrote for The Observer, she berated a gentleman from Sussex who accused her of being an armchair gardener: ‘For the last forty years of my life I have broken my back, my finger-nails, and sometimes my heart, in the practical pursuit of my favourite occupation…’ A scarcity of funds also meant compromise: paving in the Spring Garden was concrete, dyed in gold and green (replaced by the Trust with Yorkstone). When Vita – a novelist and poet won the Hawthornden Prize for Imaginative Literature in 1933, she used the money to populate her azalea bank. She and Harold undoubtedly exuded a whiff of snobbery. On opening the garden to the public in 1938, they termed visitors ‘the Shillingses’ in honour of the entrance fee. Yet she eschewed the Edwardian pomp that defined her class. Her Cottage Garden – one of the most copied of all – pays tribute to flower borders of poor villagers, exuberant of colour, magnificent in summer.

that fly over to the lakes; swifts and swallows predating upon aphids; the hedgehog seen snaffling supper the other evening. If he has a favourite place, then it’s the orchard with the coolness from the trees, the beautiful blossom and branches laden with fruit. He also loves Harold’s vistas. ‘You’ve got a statue of Bacchus in the Nuttery and a Bacchante statue at the end of the Lime Walk, looking at each other. I think of Harold and Vita whenever I see them.’ From July 23-October 31, Sissinghurst Castle Garden will host a specially commissioned exhibition by artist Charlotte Smithson, blending design, craft and botany. Charlotte’s installations encompass a love of place and nature, echoing Vita and Harold’s philosophy: nationaltrust.org. uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

Below: The panoramic aerial view of the gardens from the tower means there’s nowhere to hide when it comes to planting, pruning and straight lines Bottom: This room in the tower was Vita’s sanctum where she wrote her books, poetry and gardening articles

Writing retreat In the tower room where she wrote – which was so private that even family members were discouraged – newness was anathema; Vita surrounded herself with aged possessions. Visitors today see it more or less as on the day of her death. Troy often ascends the tower: ‘I don’t know of any other garden you can look down on in such a way. You can’t hide anything; any mistake, any gap in borders or kink in the hedge shows up massively.’ He’s working to future-proof Sissinghurst; to increase biodiversity – insects; songbirds; geese

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Craft

Making a mark

Create decorative plant labels for your herb pots or kitchen garden using pretty vintage spoons

aking your own plant labels is a wonderful way to personalise your garden, and looks particularly effective in a potted herb or vegetable garden. These labelled spoons are long lasting and will add a culinary feel to your plot. You can find vintage metal spoons at charity shops and fleamarkets – for best results choose ornate designs. 1. Print out the herb names, sized to fit the bowl of the spoon, leaving about ½ cm around each word. 2. To get the names onto the spoon, use a transfer medium

– try Annie Sloan’s Image Medium – following the manufacturer’s instructions, apply three thin coats on top of each name to create a clear plastic-like film. 3. When dry, remove the original backing paper from the names by soaking in water and rubbing off the back. Let dry. 4. Position and glue on to the spoons using the transfer medium, with the names facing the right way up. Once placed correctly seal with a further coat of transfer medium or, if to be used outside, a clear lacquer. Allow to thoroughly dry overnight, before positioning in its designated pot.

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Feature Sara Bird Image David Brittain

YOU WILL NEED: ● Vintage metal spoons ● Image transfer medium ● Paintbrush ● Printer and paper

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