Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2016 i The English Home

Author Henry James captured our desires for this season to perfection when he wrote: “Summer afternoon, summer afternoon, to me those have always been the most beautiful words in the English language”. This phrase immediately brings to mind a deliciously carefree, languorous time filled with laughter and appetising food. We hope to have captured this mood in this edition with our ideas for al fresco entertaining and informal garden parties, and to provide inspiration for adding a soothing focal point to the garden in the form of a rill, a fountain or even a natural swimming pool. Our Blurring the boundaries feature (page 104) offers insights into some of the ways experts can help you to subtly remodel or extend your home to create a greater connection with the outdoors.…

With summer, come thoughts of travel in search of culture, adventure and, of course, sunshine. Travel themes crop up regularly in interiors – from map motifs to vintage luggage – and add character to the home. They might even inspire the next voyage – or at the very least, satisfy a yearning to discover a new corner of the globe.…

PURSUITS Pressing flowers Savour the beauty of summer, long after blooms have faded from the garden, by picking flowers at their peak and pressing them. Dating back to Roman times and popular during the Victorian and Edwardian eras, flower pressing is enjoying a renaissance as a new generation takes up this traditional craft to create bespoke homewares, cards and framed mementoes. For best results, cut flowers soon after the morning dew has evaporated and choose finer blooms such as delphiniums, pansies and violas. Press them whilst freshly cut by placing in a flower press or between the pages of a book for a week. Once pressed, the flowers can be used to make greetings cards, art or as decorative découpage on furniture or homeware, well sealed with varnish. Diary –…

Mesmerising and utterly gorgeous, A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains is a mural on silk that evokes the drama and poetry of an undulating mountain landscape. Based on an ancient scroll painting for a Song dynasty emperor, de Gournay has added several new colourways to the original one of turquoise and yellow, including this spectacular ‘Delft’ colourway. It is a harmony of Chinoiserie, Chinese porcelain and the European penchant for blue and white. A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains, Delft on bleached white dyed silk, from £917 a panel, de Gournay…

The French word toile means cloth and nothing more, but textile lovers in the English-speaking world have adopted the word as shorthand for the single-colour scenic textiles first printed on cotton using engraved copperplates. We often add the words ‘de Jouy’ from the famous factory at Jouy-en-Josas near Versailles, where some of the most significant of these textiles were first designed and printed in 1770. Although toiles were also produced in many other French towns, notably Nantes, toiles de Jouy were the stars in their day and are still the ones most often reproduced now. Copperplate printing was admired from the outset for the fine lines and delicate detail that no other method of printing could rival. It was a method developed by Dublin-based Francis Nixon in 1752, from the…

Achieving an uplifting sense of light and space is high on the wish list of many a homeowner. Indeed, the history of architectural design demonstrates man’s long-standing desire to achieve a pleasing flow between indoor and outdoor space and have as much light flooding into a home as possible. The Romans would use an oculus opening in a dome to fill interiors with light – the most famous example of this being the Pantheon in Rome. These were arguably the precursors to the glazed roof lantern. Medieval-era cloisters, such as the one at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, and the widespread use of loggias across Italy demonstrate the allure of partially enclosed walkways and seating areas. These were designed to be integral to the main edifice and were forerunners to today’s…

The expert vision of interior design practice, Sims Hilditch, has transformed a rudimentary utility room into a light, airy space, perfect for gathering and arranging cut flowers. The gentility of an English country garden is captured with this charming rose-print wallpaper, whilst the crisp white woodwork enhances the feeling of light in the room. The shapely fixtures and fittings, from pendant lighting to ornate shelf brackets and a swan-neck tap, complete the sense of refinement. For similar wallpaper try Colefax and Fowler…

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From resplendent range cookers to gleaming kitchenalia, a kitchen can benefit from a few colourful additions. To create greater interest, combine colour with texture – for example, many raised wall tiles come in an array of matching colours, whilst for softer texture, velvet cushions provide a strokeable flash of pattern on kitchen chairs or window seats. For less colour commitment, bring out decorative cooking equipment, tablelinen and ceramics for a colourful interlude every now and then.…

Beautifully finished rooms are full of sophisticated details and thoughtful touches which elevate them to the extraordinary. From adding a gorgeous trim to cushions or upholstery to edging shelves in a colour, a little extra panache can complete a room and add a layer of luxury. Elements of a room which can often be overlooked, such as door knobs or even doors themselves, can benefit from a little more thought and added adornment, transforming them from the functional to the decorative. Interior designers naturally consider these elements to be as important as the main decoration of a room, and ensure that every component is the perfect choice and has been thoroughly considered. Here, Jane Churchill, Katharine Pooley, Joanna Wood, Paolo Moschino, Jenny Blanc and Nicky Haslam each divulge some secrets…

Seizing the chance to rush outdoors and dine in the sunshine as soon as the sun makes an appearance is a British tradition. Once blue skies, and family and friends, have arrived, al fresco dining can be a quick and easy affair. For a casual occasion, separate outdoor tableware might seem rather extravagant and, in any case, crisp white porcelain makes vibrant summer dishes look appetising as well as going with any tablelinen. It is, however, useful to have extra serveware – a few wooden platters are perfect for a relaxed ‘help yourself’ spread. ICTC Olivewood Serveware – found at John Lewis – and Grain & Knot both have platter ranges fashioned to show off the character of the wood. For a smarter gathering, try personalised platters from The Oak…

The introduction of a sophisticated water feature can enormously enhance the enjoyment of a beautiful English garden, not only because of its importance as a vital lifesource for wildlife, but also for its ever-changing therapeutic display. There are several creative ways in which water can be introduced into any size of garden or outdoor space and – with careful planning – it can be easily maintained. WATER AS ART A simple sculpture or bowl may be all that is required, and such structures offer versatility in size, from a simple bubble pool sited on a terrace to a grand sculpture taking centre stage on a majestic lawn. Artist David Harber’s first garden sculptures were based on sundials. His collection also now includes sculptural water features, inspired by the energy of…

Sometimes a new design flavour floats gently into our peripheral vision rather than appearing everywhere one looks. Wondrous wisps of clouds as a stylistic motif have appeared in exactly this way. Fornasetti's wallpaper was earliest to drift into our consciousness, Front London's rug was next and when we saw Julian Chichester's dreamy bespoke finish on a bedside table, the celestial calling was confirmed.…

Create a dramatic statement in the bathroom with bold colours. For an eye-catching central focus, paint the bath exterior in a striking shade, or, for a more subtle impression, opt for a patterned ceramic basin in multicolours, which offers scope to bring in other colours elsewhere in the scheme. Alternatively, add colour highlights with a vivid occasional chair or bathroom light or dabble with bright decoration in the form of a smattering of pretty accessories, to lift the mood.…

Lucy Yeomans was the editor of Harpers & Queen [which she relaunched as Harper’s Bazaar in 2009] for 12 years before being appointed global content director of online fashion phenomenon, Net-a-Porter in 2012. Since then, she has launched Net-a-Porter’s online magazine, The Edit, followed by the bi-monthly print magazine Porter a couple of years later, to much acclaim. She is editor-in-chief of both these publications. Lucy shares a loft apartment in London and an old rectory in Gloucestershire with her partner, the artist Jason Brooks, and their four-year-old daughter Red. Did your parents influence your style? My father loved antiques and I always remember him saying to me, “If you grow out of them, you can always auction them off at Christie’s”; something which has very much stayed with me.…

Whilst there is something quite beautiful about unadorned, architecturally pleasing windows making their own unique detail for a room, it is hard to dismiss the many benefits of window dressings. They not only add softness, comfort, warmth and privacy to a home, but can also help to tie up a colour scheme or inject colour into an otherwise neutral palette. If uncertain about which type of window treatment would suit a room, gleaning information from interiors magazines or consulting a designer is a good place to start. Window furniture companies are producing ever more sleek, minimalist pole-and-track systems, so being in tune with current trends avoids reverting to ideas that may have moved on in terms of interior style. Knowing the importance of curtains and blinds to a home, interior…

INSTANT UPDATE Take Jenny Blanc’s advice and transform existing furniture by changing the handles, whether to give a piece of furniture a new lease of life or to update it for a new room scheme. Chloe Alberry says, “We like to present door knobs as the jewellery of the house, not just as functional hardware”. This statement is certainly borne out in her shop on London’s Portobello Road, which is a veritable Aladdin’s cave of door and cabinet furniture. Filled with a glorious, eclectic range of colourful and interesting handles and knobs, it is the perfect place to find that certain something to add a personal twist or colour accent to a room. chloealberry.com ALL THE TRIMMINGS Designers Guild has a vast collection of trimmings and tiebacks to add that…

FABRICS I love the faded linen damasks from Le Gracieux at Tissus d’Hélène. WALLPAPER Thibaut – an American company updating traditional papers, but using strength of colour and design. Menswear Resource is my favourite collection; in particular, I like the Maduri paisley print. PAINT Sanderson’s ‘Beige Shadow’ is a great colour. It looks like an ‘old white’ in a country house. FURNITURE Vidal in Shropshire manufactures to our designs and produces very high quality finishes. They follow our designs accurately and take part in the design process. FLOORING Christine Vanderhurd offers updated bespoke dhurries in a great palette. Robert Stephenson in Elystan Street has a great mix of old and new rugs and is superb to deal with. ANTIQUES Julia Boston has great taste and a very good eye. I’ve…

Every garden party needs well-considered drinks to serve. Crisp wines and fizz are essential, as is at least one non-alcoholic option, such as a fruit-juice-based punch. Here, Alison Buchanan, associate director and wine buyer at independent wine merchant and Royal Warrant holder Corney & Barrow, recommends a range of delicious wine choices for al fresco dining. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT • Champagne Delamotte Brut NV, £29.95 This champagne is delicious as an aperitif on its own or perhaps served with cheese straws. • Wiston Estate Blanc de Blancs West Sussex 2010, £39.95 Super-crisp and elegant, this has a freshness which will work well with a classic coronation chicken or crisp barbecued chicken. • Wiston Estate Rosé Brut West Sussex 2010, £35.95 Decadent in colour and very alluring, this sparkling rosé…

Ashwood Carpentry Tel 01522 821811 ashwoodcarpentry-joinery.co.uk Bernard Thorp & Co Tel 020 7352 5745 bernardthorp.co.uk Boeme Design Tel 01483 217716 boeme.co.uk Cashmere Goose Tel 01252 844143 cashmeregoose.co.uk Catherine Coombes Flowers Tel 01794 368879 catherinecoombesflowers.co.uk Cherfold Cottage Flowers Tel 07944 804382 cherfoldcottageflowers.com Churchill Upholstery Tel 01608 658139 churchillupholstery.co.uk The Dining Room Shop Tel 020 8878 1020 barnesvillage.com Hudson Homes & Interiors Tel 01428 651196 hudsonhomesandinteriors.com Hursley Workroom Tel 07900 221871 hursley-workroom.co.uk Ian Adam-Smith Tel 01428 644644 ianadam-smith.co.uk Jane McIntyre Design Tel 01962 853882 janemcintyredesign.com Leaf Architecture Tel 01858 462045 leaf-architecture.co.uk Original Style Tel 01392 473000 originalstyle.com Stovax Tel 01392 474000 stovax.com…