Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2020 i The English Home

Our November edition marks the fading of autumn and preparations for winter. A time to celebrate the mellow days and rich colours that come with the end of the season. This issue contains inspiration for making the best of November by enjoying evenings in the garden (page 127) and savouring delicious seasonal vegetables and dishes with the advice of our eminent food columnist Matthew Fort (page 124). In a year when our homes have taken on a new significance, it feels particularly poignant to be preparing to get cosy and create a cocoon for the months ahead. Our feature Layers of Warmth (page 88) is an evocative guide that details how to add new elements to existing schemes to ensure comfort and warmth, in both town and country settings. For…

PURSUITS Intricate Beauty of Linocut In the right hands, linoleum can be used to produce intricate artworks and charming patterns to adorn the home. In the printmaking technique of linocut, tools are used to carve patterns, pictures and lines into linoleum (often mounted on wood) to achieve different textures, resulting in a raised surface that can be inked and printed. Invented in the nineteenth century as a floor covering, linoleum became popular for printmaking in the twentieth century, with Picasso and Matisse both partaking. Easy to try at home, especially for those already planning homemade Christmas cards, linocut kits are available from art and craft shops as well as online. Expert advice for linocut novices includes keeping tools sharp and investing in a quality soft rubber roller to ensure a…

WINTER JEWELS In addition to adding colour and sculptural beauty simply arranged in a pitcher, rosehips possess health benefits and are a versatile culinary ingredient. These vibrant seedpods come in shades from pale apricot to zesty orange and ruby red, and are commonly found on native wild rose bushes, rather than modern cultivated varieties. Rosehips provide a lovely treat for birds through late autumn and winter, so do spare some for feathered friends. These tasty jewels are a rich source of Vitamin C – ideal for helping to fend off colds – and can be used for teas, jellies, syrups and vinegars, infusing a sweet and tangy flavour. Search online for recipes – we particularly like the sound of River Cottage’s syrup to drizzle over rice pudding or porridge. rivercottage.net…

There is something to be said for clean and elegant forms bringing an effortless ease not only to interior schemes, but also to create an uncluttered and peaceful feeling in our minds. For an enduring smart mood, look for sleek designs featuring unexpected colours and interesting tactile textures. Items with eye-catching profiles and engaging details can work in both town and country interiors to instil a chic tone.…

STUART INTERIORS It is always a real pleasure to see traditional craftsmanship at its finest, and there is plenty to impress when looking through the portfolio of Stuart Interiors, which specialises in oak joinery. The family-run company was established over 40 years ago by Jerry Fisher and Peter Russell, who have more recently been joined by the next generation with Jerry’s daughter Rebecca and Peter’s son Jake now driving the business forward. Over the years Jerry and Peter have amassed an impressive wealth of knowledge in period manufacture and interior design, which has taken them all over the world completing specialist developments. What really sets them apart is their work on bespoke projects, where they create interior joinery schemes that exactly match clients’ requirements. This can be anything from panelled…

Moving to the country happened quite spontaneously for antique dealer and interior designer, Max Rollitt. The catalyst came in 2009, when Max and his wife, movement therapist Jane Watson, decided they needed more space for their young sons. “We were living in a very nice townhouse in the centre of Winchester, but the backyard was the size of a postage stamp,” Max says. “I’ve got four boys – Laurie, Ed, Alfie and Will, now 32, 21, 20 and 17 respectively – with three living at home at the time, and they all needed to run around. We hadn’t planned it at all, but I persuaded Jane to have a look in the country.” Having worked in theatre around the world, Jane was used to the bright lights of big cities.…

WALL FLOWER Far from shrinking into the background, this bold floral pattern makes quite the impact. Such a maximalist look may not be for the faint hearted, yet the wrap-around pattern provides cohesion for the eye and the sense of a cosseting embrace. This design is from the archives of historic British fabric company Warner, which in its 150th anniversary year has been acquired by the founders of Clarke & Clarke, Lee and Emma Clarke. The duo are relaunching the brand as Warner House with an extensive offering of wallpapers, fabrics, paint, furniture and accessories. (See overleaf for more inspiration on using wallpaper.) Afansa wallpaper, £95 a roll, and fabric, £55 a metre, both Warner House…

Back in 1972, in the village of Niton on the Isle of Wight, Charnwood Stoves founder Alfred Wells and two of his sons – John and Alistair – sat talking beside an open fire. Little did they realise then that, half a century on, their small engineering firm would grow to become a market leader. The idea the trio came up with that night was to create the compact, efficient wood-burning stove that would subsequently become Charnwood’s cornerstone product. Fuelled by rapidly rising oil prices and a plentiful supply of affordable wood as Dutch elm disease ravaged the UK, the stoves were soon in huge demand. New designs followed, but, to this day, the company’s products continue to embody the Wells’ original inspiration of combining traditional values with forward-looking technology…

My garden is winding down. As we head into late autumn, the glory days are all gone: the peas and broad beans, courgettes, French beans, beetroots, potatoes and tomatoes, the gooseberries and blackcurrants, and above all the greengages. What a year is was for greengages – scented as honeysuckle and as sweet as honey itself. Comice pears, too – the ones that the rude winds of August didn’t shake from the branches. Grated quinces are resting quietly in tall glass jars, with sugar and almonds and brown rum. Come January the steeped juices will have turned golden amber and be ready to be strained off and announced at the table as ‘quince ratafia’ – a delicious liqueur – with suitable ceremony. I also have a few jars of sliced courgettes…

As autumn settles in, golden details come into their own. Glistening surfaces in lighter gold tones shine soft light around the room with an uplifting aura, whereas darker golden notes, which nod towards the bronze end of the scale, enrich schemes with a notion of glamour. Layered throughout interiors, gold is a timeless tone that brings a cohesive harmony, so it is an ideal colour for hardware, lighting and furnishings. Place smaller accessories in prime view to showcase golden patterns, shapes and textures as the mellow seasonal days unfold.…

When did your love of antiques begin? My mum had an interiors shop selling antiques and fabrics to all the ladies of Winchester, so I was introduced to the world of antiques from a young age. I used to help out in the shop and spent my holidays and weekends hunting for antiques with her. She came from a fashion background, so understood about colour and design, but was also a fantastic saleswoman. What were your first steps to becoming an antique dealer yourself? I studied furniture design at Rycotewood College in Thame and then did an apprenticeship in furniture restoration at Frearson & Hewlett, a highly regarded local workshop. It gave me a real appreciation for craftsmanship and a passion for patina. In 1993, I took over my mum’s…

Wallpaper is a versatile medium that has a transformative effect on a room. Though it requires more investment and commitment than a quick lick of paint, the impact of wallpaper pays dividends, especially when this decorative medium is used with panache and a little creativity. From matching, or contrasting, with fabrics, highlighting architectural features and adding flair to shelves or furniture through to mural-like scenes or applying pattern to the ceiling, wallpaper can transform a room, adding colour, pattern and character. Here we share some unusual, imaginative and interesting ways to work with papers that make the investment and effort worth every penny and moment. Stripe it right Stripes are an effective choice for chic walls and can be used in myriad ways. From wide and bold to narrow and…

Whilst a bathroom is without doubt a utilitarian space, it need not be solely decorated in neutrals to be a soothing sanctuary in which to relax and unwind. In fact, opting for a bold wallpaper or an unusually shaped basin can gladden the eye, bring joy to the soul and promote a feeling of well-being. From feature lighting to striking surface finishes and statement sanitary and brassware, we look at ways to add depth and drama to this most personal of spaces. FREESTANDING BATHS One of the most successful and immediate ways of creating instant impact is to install an eye-catching freestanding bath. Often the centrepiece of a large bathroom, a cast-iron roll-top bath is not only ideal for relaxing in after a long day but it can also become…

FURNITURE THE DINING CHAIR COMPANY Tel 020 7259 0422 diningchair.co.uk THE ODD CHAIR COMPANY Tel 01772 691777 theoddchaircompany.com THE SOFA & CHAIR COMPANY Tel 020 8993 4415 thesofaandchair.co.uk BESPOKE FURNITURE MAKERS CLOCK HOUSE FURNITURE Tel 01620 842870 clockhouse-furniture.co.uk DAVID SEYFRIED Tel 020 7823 3848 davidseyfried.com GOSLING LTD Tel 020 7498 8335 tgosling.com I & JL BROWN Tel 01432 851991 ijlbrown.com JACK TRENCH Tel 020 8885 6444 jacktrench.co.uk JULIAN CHICHESTER Tel 020 7622 2928 julianchichester.com NEJ STEVENSON Tel 024 7654 4662 nejstevenson.co.uk PETER HALL & SON Tel 01539 821633 peter-hall.co.uk PETREL FURNITURE Tel 07812 348517 petrelfurniture.com RUPERT BEVAN Tel 020 7731 1919 rupertbevan.com SIMON ORRELL DESIGNS Tel 020 7371 9339 simonorrelldesigns.com TAMARISK Tel 01451 821636 tamariskdesigns.co.uk ANTIQUES BROWNRIGG INTERIORS & DECORATIVE ANTIQUES Tel 01666 500887 brownrigg-interiors.co.uk GUINEVERE Tel 020 7736 2917…