The English Home November 2019

November feels like autumn proper: dark evenings, chillier mornings and perfect excuses to drink hot chocolate and eat nourishing casseroles and roast dinners. It’s a time to relish a very different set of rituals to those enjoyed during summer months, whether that be walking through leaf-strewn woodland, gathering around the fire or luxuriating in a hot bath with scented oils. Feature Editor Eve Middleton’s evocative focus on life at home in the kitchen and garden at this time of year (page 134) should certainly help to set the mood. Regular readers of The English Home will know that we champion timeless style above trends and that the magazine has always had an inclination to characterful country looks. However, the team is also hugely admiring of softly modern interiors, light and…

Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting a panel discussion at the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. It took iconic British fabrics as its focus, and I was joined by interior designer Henry Prideaux, head of design at Morris & Co Rebecca Craig, and Lisa Montague, CEO of Walker Greenbank (which counts Zoffany and Sanderson as well as Morris & Co amongst its brands). We considered the ways in which historic prints are being reimagined and revisited for today. It was fascinating, too, to learn that William Morris’ original designs are being used with great flair and passion in interiors in Scandinavia and Japan, as well as with a new generation of decorators in Britain. It’s exciting to see what might once have been considered as ‘traditional’ designs being used in…

KATHARINE POOLEY Interior designer with a design studio and luxury boutique. See one of her beautiful designs on page 102. What do you enjoy most about your job? Two things. Firstly, the travel. I have projects on the go around the world and in some of the most culturally rich and beautiful places. Secondly, the creative freedom. It is amazingly fortunate to have found clients who put their trust in my ideas. What has been a highlight of your career so far? Being named ‘Most Influential Designer in Asia’ this year has been a wonderful moment. There have been a few projects now for different Royal families which has been humbling and exciting in equal measure! What is your favourite seasonal pursuit in November? I love woodland walks, bonfires in…

From bejewelled tints to variations of russets, autumn’s seasonal palette has a diverse array of colours that can enhance interiors in different ways. For a smart scheme, add sophisticated depth and drama with accents in forest greens, deep clarets and rich plum tones. To suffuse interiors with notions of glamour, opt for metallic textures in mottled bronzes, ruddy coppers and dark golds that will lend surfaces and accessories a sense of modern elegance.…

Woodland motifs provide a characterful allusion to nature and help ground interior schemes with a reassuring and familiar quality. Leaf details provide a polished finishing touch to hardware and lighting whilst mural-style wallpaper delivers a more immersive, sensory atmosphere. Other classic emblems of the forest afford decorative accessories a distinct country flavour and bring an enchanting air to proceedings.…

The clean-lined slender forms of contemporary furnishings are beautifully functional and practical for the scale of a townhouse or city apartment. Channel a luxurious classic-modern look with polished metalwork, mirrored glass and sumptuous velvet. To round off a refined scheme, create a graceful balance of timeless and modern features with a scattering of iridescent details and decorative fabrics and accessories.…