8 minute read
REAL HOME
POMP&
GRANDEUR
Want to hold a Christmas like no other? This stunning property in Binfield has everything you need for one to remember
Ablaze against the green and pleasant fields of Berkshire, the large country house and park that makes up Benetfeld is as bold on the outside as it is welcoming on the inside. Push through the front door and all is not what it seems; gleaming chandeliers hang above modish furnishings, pop art embellishes the 18th century walls, and patchwork quilts counterbalance kenspeckle electric guitars. Experiential, immersive and extraordinary: Benetfeld is no ordinary luxury house.
Built from the same vivid red bricks which construct the Royal Albert Hall, this eccentric and luxurious country house close to Windsor is the venture of a born artist whose compositions live throughout every room. Grown from military abode to family legacy, personality dazzles around every corner, charisma beams through each floor-to-ceiling window.
Heralding the past whilst looking to the future, Benetfeld’s unique collection of objets d’art journeys through the world, taking guests on a ride through some of the globe’s most stirring cultures and events. Even so, calm ensues throughout; the floodlit orangery kitchen makes cooking and informal breakfasts (or cocktails) an a air of beauty, while the enormous ballroom welcomes relaxed togetherness. Sweeping staircases, intricate detail and jungle like house plants; here is a country house where grand repose awaits.
Just ten miles from Windsor, Christmas is the perfect time to take a tour of Windsor Castle’s royal exhibitions. Just over the
river, Eton’s Museum of Antiquities will satiate the curiosity of all family members. It’s a stunning property, so we just had to speak to its owners to find out more…
Q Can you give us an overview of Benetfeld’s history?
A Benetfeld is a 1775 Grade II listed country manor house. The history of the surrounding area also has a tale of many greats. The local inn, Stag and Hounds, is a stone’s throw from Benetfeld. It was said to be a royal hunting lodge visited by King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, being originally at the very centre of Windsor Great Park.
Q What is the first thing that catches your eye when arriving at the location?
A The Georgian grandeur, symmetry and boldness of the building unifies with classical Old England and an innovative and contemporary clean interior space. With enormous sash windows and whitewashed walls, it is simultaneously a clean canvas and ready-made set full of magnificent objects. It is filled with a private collection of object d’art, historical antiques, furniture and visual art from some of the world’s leading contemporary artists.
Q Are there plenty of examples of the past meeting the present?
A It is a creative, immersive space of modern contemporary art framed by an 18th century mansion. Benetfeld remains a homage to great international artistry and transitions from classical to modern art, design and photography.
Q How would you describe the bedrooms?
A Each bedroom has its own identity to reflect the guests’ choice, character and preference. There is the Oriental Bedroom, The Boudoir Bedroom, Art Deco Bedroom, Princess Bedroom, Movie Bedroom, Georgian Bedroom, Retro Bedroom, and Writers Bedroom (where the feng shui in the house says a writer should sit).
Q Is there plenty of space to entertain?
A Absolutely! There is a large ballroom with plenty of space to relax and entertain. Within the ballroom sits an oval dining table that can seat up to 20 guests. The grand staircase has a pool table which makes for the perfect entertaining space for a cocktail or two before or after dinner. There is a casual breakfast room for informal dining.
Q What does the parkland garden o er?
A Two cast Atlas Cedars dominate the large parkland, between which lies a stone path landscaped with topiaries. The parkland garden o ers incredible views over the local landscape, with woodlands where dears frolic and pheasants call. The majestic redwood, oaks, willow, among other beautiful trees within the garden, o er strategically located benches placed in sanctuary spaces visited by all the local English birds and wildlife one would expect. There is a traditional long lawn for croquet and badminton on a sunny day. There is a large decking space and patio sheltered by olive groves and a dining table for entertaining, made atmospheric with festoon lighting and fire pits.
Q Is the location perfect?
A Located in Binfield, Berkshire, only an hour from London and half an hour from
Heathrow International Airport, Benetfeld makes for the perfect weekend getaway or long retreat. Benetfeld is 20 minutes from Windsor and 15 minutes from Ascot racecourse. It’s central to multiple golf courses including Wentworth and Polo Clubs including Guards Polo Club and Royal Berkshire Polo club. There’s plenty of local hiking paths, countryside cycling paths, local fisheries, guest friendly golf clubs for all levels and, of course, classic English countryside pubs.
Q This will be appearing in our December issue, so is Benetfeld a place that could make someone’s Christmas truly special?
A Of course! Benetfeld makes for an incredible house for many celebrations and especially Christmas. The atmosphere when decorated complements the grandeur of the house and it’s the perfect setting for a banquet and feast.
Benetfeld is available to rent exclusively via Unique Homestays. See more at uniquehomestays.com
HENRY HOLLAND
Lighten
Henry Holland moves further into homeware with a new collection of lamps
Words PEARL BOYD
This new collection of ceramic pieces was hand-built by Henry Holland and his small team of ceramicists. As an extension of his signature nerikomi technique, a process of stacking di erent coloured clays on top of each other, Henry designed his first capsule of floor and table lights that brings this look to a new area.
“Lighting felt like an exciting next step for us at the studio, moving our ceramic work on to something quite unexpected for the home,” he explains. “I started to explore what a Henry Holland Studio lamp could look like by combining existing shapes and forms in the main ceramics collection, drawing from our vases, dinnerware and planters, and building new silhouettes for each base.”
The fashion designer launched his first ceramics collection during the pandemic and the new lamps sit alongside a collection of plates, bowls and vessels. “My aim was to create pieces with dramatic scale that would become central talking-point pieces for a room. As with all of our other collections, it was important for us to retain our process of working with artisanal makers in the UK and so we worked with a frame maker, furniture designer and lampshade maker to create all of the various elements by hand. Working with numerous processes on a single piece really reminded me of the work involved in making fashion pieces, with a team of creative skill sets all coming together to create the final designs.”
The table lamp base is based on the idea of stacking balls. “I’ve always been a fan of the bobbin technique used in wooden furniture and I started toying with the idea of creating ceramic spheres that would stack – like an abacus – over a solid oak frame to form the base of the lamp and create a similar silhouette. Instead of uniformity, however, I’ve mixed di erent sizes here which I think gives this a unique profile and makes a strong stand-alone statement.”
A similar technique was used to create a side table. “Admittedly this isn’t lighting, but I got carried away when designing
UP
and thought that the ceramic lamp bases could translate very well as a side table. It was an experiment, but one that I’m excited to explore further as we look to develop what other furniture pieces we could potentially create in the future.”
A range of ceramic lamps create a di erent kind of light from the glow of a linen lampshade. “These slender ceramic lamps are designed to cast light upwards on walls and ceilings, and to give a contrast to the wider shade designs in the collection which take up a bit more space. Made entirely of ceramic, I picture these pieces at either side of a bed to create a relaxed lighting scheme when turned on, but also to act as interesting sculptures when not in use.”
And the collection’s largest piece is a floor lamp. “The big boy. I love the impact of this lamp and that it can just stand on its own as a piece of sculpture within a space. The irregularity of the di erent shaped marbled spheres draws the eye and the bespoke linen shade reflects the curvaceous profile while casting a relaxing, warming glow. The ceramic glaze also reflects the light beautifully.”
The collection is available exclusively at henryhollandstudio.com and Sister by Studio Ashby
