Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i The English Home

It’s no secret that the interiors industry bustles with activity at the beginning of a new year, as many of us have considered how we might refresh interiors over the holidays or plan to add new pieces to our homes in the coming months. 2021, filled with hope and promise as we all look forwards, is also perhaps set to be a year in which we make more changes than usual, as many of us have had more time at home to consider what works well and how we might next adapt interiors to suit our changing lifestyles. Our February issue is therefore brimming with ideas for a fresh start. For those rethinking room schemes, our feature showcasing bespoke case studies by interior designers (page 83) explores elegant and functional…

MODERN CLASSIC Bring old and new together for a dynamic, layered and evolved room. Here bright colours combine to provide a youthful, contemporary backdrop to an antique console. Adding a fun layer of contrast is the stool, a new design by Samantha Todhunter for her Warborough Collection of furniture. The Alexander stool alludes to classic Regency rope stools with criss-crossing supports, but in a sleeker, angular design. The vibrant yellow velvet mohair completes the playful yet luxurious approach. Alexander stool, £1,380, Samantha Todhunter…

• For a room with a pitched ceiling, and spaces beneath stairs, commissioning bespoke cupboards with angled doors is the only way to make best use of the whole space. • Cupboards inserted into alcoves beside a chimney breast can be designed to fit seamlessly, their proportions and detailing echoing those of the property’s architecture as a whole. • In small rooms, a slim cupboard that stretches from wall to wall and floor to ceiling will take away very little floor space but add an enormous amount of useful storage. This customised solution can also deal with uneven or asymmetrical walls and be designed to include cupboards for unattractive clutter and shelves on which to display treasured possessions. • Very large rooms require suitably sized furniture, which can be hard…

“Bill Blass, the all-American fashion designer, has been one of my heroes since the beginning of my career. His apartment in New York was the epitome of timeless elegance. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1922, Blass moved to Manhattan at the age of 17 to study fashion, and then served in the US Army during World War II. After working for several well-known New York fashion houses, he set up his own label in 1970, and by the Eighties he was hugely successful. It was an era of maximalism. Both clothing and houses were over-decorated, but Bill Blass’s look was the opposite: no frills, just classic good taste. He was known for casual elegance, combining simple styles with luxurious materials, creating relaxed, chic dresses for powerful working women, and…

From accessories to flooring and furnishings, leatherwork can be employed on a variety of surfaces – its hardwearing and tactile qualities make it ideal for the demands of daily use. For a decorative twist, seek out items made with innovative leather crafts such as embroidery and cut work, along with raised surfaces including embossed, woven and animal-skin effect. In addition to classic dark tones, look to vivid or light-coloured leathers and those displaying detailed patterns and multicoloured effects – such as marble and painted leather – to enrich interiors with characterful features.…

FERMOIE When Tom Helme and Martin Ephson – the school friends who created the modern Farrow & Ball – decided to launch their own fabric company, Fermoie, in 2012, we knew it was going to be something special. Today they design and print signature fabrics and accessories, in, as expected, the prettiest shades and prints. Often the creations have traditional echoes, but all the designs are completely original. Each one is hand-drawn in the studio and then printed in-house using natural pigments and traditional screen-printing to create effects that intrigue. In an exciting move for 2021, Fermoie has begun paper-backing some of its designs, so clients can add its fabrics to walls as well as to soft furnishings. The Astrea design (below) – with its flowing design of stars and…

Neutral interiors are an ever-popular presence, and while there is a lot to be said for colour confidence, a well-considered, curated and harmonised home of natural tones can be deeply interesting and soothing. Consider layers of subtle tones from stone to sand to earthy browns lifted with smudgy, gentle hues of pink, blue and green to bestow a natural highlight. NATURAL TOUCH Textures are an essential factor in all decorating choices, but have particular importance in a pared-back, neutral palette. They provide interest and character and amplify the calm, relaxed and pure feeling. Consider textiles such as linen, cotton and wool in interesting weaves and hues produced by natural plant dyes. Hard surfaces and furniture in wood, and natural flooring in jute, sisal, coir or stone will all coexist happily…

EARLY AWAKENING Use a greenhouse to bring forth a burst of spring cheer in late winter. Hartley Botanic suggests bulbs can be forced to put on an early display of bright colour from midwinter onwards, naming tulips, narcissus, hyacinths and crocus as prime candidates for rousing out of season. Note that forcing bulbs does exhaust them so they may need to be discarded after blooming has finished. For hints and tips visit hartley-botanic.co.uk…

Nature and her soothing green foliage have been appreciated more than ever over the past year. Restorative, uplifting and calming to the eye, it is no surprise that more homeowners are looking to surround themselves with greenery indoors. Dramatic growth in UK houseplant sales in 2020 – up 82 per cent year on year according to the UK’s Garden Centre Association – and continuing popularity with leading interior designers are clear indicators that leafy plants occupy a special place in our hearts and homes. We consulted industry experts to discover exactly why we need to feel close to nature and how we can choose and display indoor plants successfully at home. CONNECTING WITH NATURE The latest interiors collections show that botanicals remain the leading source for design inspiration. But why…

In 2005, two terraces of modest late-Georgian houses in Whitechapel, once part of the Royal London Hospital estate, seemed destined for demolition. These small houses were built between 1809 and 1815, for lower-middle-class families. Their first residents included a surgeon who prepared for his day’s work at the hospital here, a sea captain sojourning between passages, a plumber, a shopkeeper and a Chelsea pensioner who surely spent hours at the window watching life pass by in the bustling streets. These same terraced houses told a rather more forlorn story when they came to Tim Whittaker’s attention. Derelict and uninhabited for more than 15 years – their remaining windows guarded by security screens – the houses, their history and the crumbling walls traced by former occupants stood on the brink of…

There really is no end to the advantages of choosing custom pieces rather than standardised, off-the-peg furnishings. Bespoke solutions are, by their very nature, unique, and can be created using unusual materials, colours or patterns to offer a striking visual style that stands out from the everyday. Specially designed furniture and furnishings can be crafted to blend in seamlessly with their surroundings, matching architectural features and proportions as if they had been part of the property from the start. In addition to which, they make the most of every inch of space, whether it be from wall to wall or floor to ceiling, and can accommodate wonky walls, asymmetrical rooms, sloping ceilings and odd layouts. In small rooms bespoke storage can help conceal clutter, provide display options and give the…

The icing on the cake when it comes to interiors, passementerie adds a layer of decorative detail and a tailored, professional finish to soft furnishings. From braids, fringes and tassels to pom-poms, beads and embroidered borders, there is an abundance of trimmings to choose from. Whether seeking to inject contrast, create unity between different pattern choices or enliven a plain fabric, adding a trim to window treatments, upholstery, cushions and lampshades imbues a scheme with a sense of opulence and personalised character. Here we look at the many ways to give interiors a special finishing touch. Chic additions One of the easiest and most effective ways to use passementerie to add flair is on cushions. Tape, both narrow and wide, can be used to create the outline of a square,…

I have just drawn three oblongs on a blank page in my gardening diary. I call it a diary, but, in truth it’s more a set of random jottings with dates attached. Be that as it may, those three oblongs are signs of hope, of the future, of the cheery optimism that must flower in the bosom of every vegetable grower. Each one represents a bed to be seeded at the appropriate time in the growing season to come. To be honest, just at the moment my vegetable beds look singularly inert, as if they couldn’t be bothered to get up this morning. But ... but ... but beneath that dozy surface things are stirring, even if I can’t see them. Preparations are under way. Compost has been loaded on…

All plants need tender, loving care to thrive. These tell-tale signs can help identify a plant’s needs PROBLEM: LEAVES ARE DROPPING Likely cause: Seasonality – Some plants shed leaves during winter to conserve energy and regrow in spring. Restricted roots – if a large number of roots are protruding from the pot base, it is time to replant in a slightly larger pot. Under or overwatering – if the soil below the top inch is dry, the plant needs more water. If the soil is moist and the base of the leaves are yellow, drain off any standing water and allow the plant to dry out for a week or so. PROBLEM: PALE AND DROOPY FOLIAGE Likely cause: Lack of daylight – move the plant to a brighter spot, but…