Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2021 i The English Home

I always think of March as a key month for planning to refresh interiors for spring. A time to find inspiration and ideas to put into place as the days lengthen. Over the past year, our homes have had so many roles to play and we’ve expected more than ever from them. They’ve had to inspire our daily lives, provide a space for us to relax and feel secure in, as well as become workplaces and even temporary classrooms. We may feel that we’ve used every inch of space as a result, or that some updates could help our interiors fulfil so many different functions. Our feature on kitchen design looks at the lifestyle of the household in order to plan a scheme to perfectly suit and, indeed, enhance it…

Gently rejuvenate interiors by taking inspiration from nature with pure whites, tender greens, creamy yellows and duck egg blues for an effortlessly fresh mood. Bring in tactile beauty with furnishings and accessories crafted from natural materials, including carved woods and pure linen. Continue the theme with subtle seasonal patterns such as leafy trellis prints and spring bird motifs.…

Colour choices for interiors rarely stand still and recent decades have seen the fall of magnolia, a love affair with taupe, and more than a decade of grey in all its moods. Deeper shades are confidently in the mix too, but off-whites and soft neutrals remain the bedrock of home decorating as every paint chart makes plain. Whilst many of us have been turning to richer, darker colours in recent years, light colours are still the essential backdrop to everyday living, and seem to be even more so at a time when a large majority of us have been confined to our homes. David Mottershead, founder and managing director of paint company Little Greene, noted early on in the pandemic that people had begun buying warmer off-whites. “It was as…

There is something inherently cheering about rhubarb. It may be its lively colour – pink-going-on-red. It may be its flavour – sharp, crisp, bright. It may be because it’s the first edible thing to come along after the quiet months of winter. Rhubarb is the herald of spring, if not actually spring itself. We think – I think – of rhubarb as a fruit, whereas, technically speaking it’s a vegetable, or so the real experts say. In fact, to settle an argument as to the exact nature of rhubarb, in 1947 a customs court ruling in the US reclassified it as a fruit. Perhaps they were confused by the example set by keen vegetable gardener Thomas Jefferson, who advocated eating the leaves as if they were spinach. I don’t advise…

A peaceful and refreshing night’s sleep is widely acknowledged as key to our overall wellbeing. Getting the recommended eight hours a night is said to bring myriad physical and mental health benefits, including boosting the immune system, improving memory and reducing stress. With March being National Bed Month, run yearly by the UK’s advisory body The Sleep Council, our thoughts turn to the many ways we can help ensure a perfect night’s sleep. These range from creating a restful sanctuary, to taking our sleep needs more seriously or investing in a new bed or mattress. For those seeking to sustain or improve the quality of their slumber, there really are myriad options available. ADDRESSING SLEEP NEEDS To a greater or lesser extent, sleep is a physiological requirement for all of…

Reviving surfaces, forgotten corners and furnishings with a good dust and clean is a satisfying annual ritual. Make the prospect more desirable with well-made tools for the job, such as natural feather dusters and soft cleaning cloths. To retain the feeling of calm well after spring cleaning has finished, take note of where extra storage would improve the sense of order within a room. To avoid compromising a particular scheme, invest in cleverly designed beautiful storage that is charming to behold day after day.…

LEVEL OF DISTINCTION Creating contrast helps to bring depth, richness and character to a scheme. Here, walls painted a bitter chocolate hue provide a dramatically distinct backdrop to textiles from Colefax and Fowler’s new spring collection. The cushions, with their rich colours and intricate crewel work pattern, are showcased as works of art when set against the deeply dark paint. Cushions in Somerton, £159 a metre, and all fabrics, Colefax and Fowler. Discover more of the new collections in our April issue.…

CONSERVATORY A conservatory should be predominantly glazed with over 75 per cent of the roof glazed, and a delicate frame – whether timber, metal or UPVC. ORANGERY An orangery is a more substantial structure than a conservatory having pilasters, an inset roof and less glazing. GREENHOUSE Designed for growing plants, these structures are single glazed. They can be freestanding in a desired spot in the garden – ideally near a vegetable patch or kitchen garden, but can be abutted to the house and have sliding doors adjoining the home for easy access. GARDEN ROOMS A separate structure built in the garden – this could house a sitting room for teenagers, provide a home office, a gym or a place for pastimes, from art to music. As with any external addition…

Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 150g caster sugar 2 large rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 8cm sections 300ml whipping cream 60g icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp vanilla extract 80g flaked almonds, lightly toasted METHOD • Combine the caster sugar with 300ml water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat until the sugar has dissolved into a clear syrup. • Reduce the syrup to a steady simmer and add the rhubarb sections. Cover and simmer over low heat until the rhubarb is tender to the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes. Take off the heat. • In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract to soft peaks. • To serve, divide the whipped cream mixture between bowls and spoon the warm rhubarb (and…

Enjoy the scent of lavender to help unwind before bed. Meadowlands Lavender, Bergamot & Basil candle, from £35, Zoe Glencross Cover the eyes and drift off in elegant style. Connie Silk Charmeuse Eye Mask, £65, Liberty Wake up at the same time every day with soothing light-filled mornings Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 Wake up to Daylight SAD Light, £109, John Lewis & Partners Improve sleep quality with a gentle spritz of this lavender, camomile and vetiver-infused mist. Deep Sleep pillow spray, £19.50, This Works Help regulate body temperature by keeping feet warm in cosy cashmere bed socks. Cashmere bed socks, £36, Soho Home…

SHADES OF SPRING Inspired by intertwined ribbon seen on village maypoles in spring, these new hand-painted glazed wall tiles are available in four shade options to add a lightness of touch. Festive Ribbon tiles, £8.94 each, Claybrook Studio TAPPING INTO STYLE The sleek design of the Oscar wall-mounted tap, with a single cross-head mixer that controls both hot and cold water, is perfect for bringing a touch of luxury to smaller spaces in either a gold or brushed-gold finish. Oscar tap in Brushed Gold, £540; Bryony Basin, £900, both London Basin Company EXOTIC TEXTILES Drawing inspiration from Persia and Western Anatolia, designer Birdie Fortescue’s Spring-Summer 2021 textiles include botanical forms and block-printed borders inspired by Damascus tiles. Scallop placemat, £17.50; Cabbage dinner plate, £21; Saral side plate, £10; Floral Napkin,…

HILL & MAY It was whilst searching for beautiful lampshades for their own homes that friends Emily Stewart and Sarah Serocold realised there was a gap in the market for well-priced, unique designs. They decided to explore whether it was possible to design and handmake their creations in collaboration with skilled artisans, and before long they were taking orders from friends, and Hill & May was born. Though the company is relatively young, the duo have clearly tapped into a popular market. The brand’s impressive collection of lampshades is made from a range of its own fabrics which are all printed by hand on to silks and linens. These can be custom-made into any size, shape or quantity, allowing Hill & May to work on both residential and larger hotel…

Family dynamics change as children grow and a love affair with a house can wane in the process. It sometimes takes a real shake-up to reignite the passion first felt for a family home, and such was the case with this four-storey Victorian terraced property in West London. Its owners, Jane and John, had bought and renovated it as newlyweds, but now, with three children aged 15, 14 and nine, plus a dog, they were finding its layout lacked the flexibility they needed. “The children had got to the point where they wanted their own space, but we all lived in the family room off the kitchen, while the large double reception room on the first floor was very rarely used,” Jane says. ‘Once the main pieces were in place…

As one of the hardest-working rooms in the home, used day and night and by all members of the household, a kitchen needs to be not only practical but beautiful too, to make spending time there enjoyable. Often, the lifestyle of the homeowner and the way the kitchen is primarily used will dictate its layout, content and decoration. Keeping this in mind as the first consideration when planning a kitchen will ensure it functions and is a pleasure to spend time in for all who use it. Here we look at five different styles to enhance the heart of the home. Everything in its place This calm and orderly approach to the kitchen keeps it as a functional, yet elegant space. Clever storage hides gadgets, appliances and cookware, leaving just…

BLOSSOMING FORTH Bursting with life, cheer and positivity, the blossom to be found on hedgerows and trees at this time of year marks the start of spring and offers a taste of the floral bounty to come. Blackthorn is one of the first to put on a display with its pretty white petals blooming in March and April, with apple trees soon following suit. Pinker hues from cherry blossom bring delight in April and May. Gather bunches to fill vases or pitchers with an exuberant arrangement of flowers, or fashion into a wreath to add a sweet, fragrant and welcoming springtime adornment to a front door. We further celebrate spring’s floral delights in the final instalment of ‘The Seasonal Home’ series in our forthcoming April issue.…

“About 15 years ago, I was very lucky to stay in one of the houses Oliver Messel designed on Mustique, and that got me interested in him and his journey. Messel went to the Slade School of Art in the early 1920s and started off as a painter, got into set and costume design for theatre and opera, then worked on Hollywood films in the glamorous age of the silver screen. He designed Vivien Leigh’s costumes for Caesar and Cleopatra in 1945 and was nominated for an Oscar for his work on Suddenly Last Summer in 1959. He was also a portrait painter, an illustrator and a fabric designer. In 1966, he moved to Barbados and started a new career as an architect and interior designer. It is Messel’s architecture…