Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i The English Home

There is a sense of anticipation in the air as we work on this special edition of The English Home. It’s a heady mix of excitement at socialising outdoors finally being on the agenda following months of lockdown and of the weather looking likely to permit it. So, is your garden ready? However big or small your outdoor space at home, this issue is brimming with ideas for tranforming it into an additional room outdoors that will revitalise how you live, relax and entertain. From the practicalities of choosing new garden furniture (p98), to styling ideas combining function and fun to achieve a cohesive look and set the scene for outdoor living (p70). You’ll also discover our edit of the best picnic accessories (p30) and a deliciously simple recipe from…

SECOND SERVE Handcrafted in Denby’s historic Derbyshire pottery, the Quartz Jade collection is the brand’s second with John Lewis & Partners, and features plates, bowls, mugs and jugs, as well as a candle, diffuser and vase. Denby Quartz Jade, from £10, John Lewis & Partners INDOOR OUTDOOR With a name fit for purpose, the Anywhere sisal-style carpets from Alternative Flooring can also cleverly be made into outdoor rugs from any one of the five designs in the range – perfect for a flooring solution both inside and out. Anywhere Collection, £42.20 a square metre, Alternative Flooring DAYTIME LOUNGING The floral forms, nostalgic stripes and plush buttoned detailing of Graham and Green’s latest offerings are a delightful addition to a naptime nook to uplift and inspire Khatia day bed, £575; Floral…

JO DOWNS When glass designer Jo Downs looks for inspiration for her beautiful pieces, she need glimpse no further than the breathtaking Cornish landscapes surrounding her Launceston studio. She has always been inspired by the coast in particular, with her signature giftware, including dishes, mirrors, vases, coasters and candlesticks, often created in beautiful sea-inspired hues of blue. As well as creating delicate decorative pieces for the home, Downs also undertakes larger architectural and interior commissions, which can be found everywhere from cruise liners and churches to hotels and city offices. This summer sees two new collections take centre stage. The Seascape collection includes sculptural wave stands, art frames and wall-mounted panels inspired by the rippling textures of spring waters. These are available in fresh green tones for Dawn, and soft…

Sustainability and care for the environment are watchwords for today and the furnishings we choose for our homes are part of this story. Some furniture and fabric companies are long-time members of the sustainable movement, others have recently joined. Their aim is to source raw materials with a fully accountable back story. AGEING BEAUTIFULLY Antique and vintage pieces are emerging as significant flag-wavers for the movement. They salute the enduring value of things well-made. Buying at auction and seeking treasures in reclamation yards is an open secret, increasingly shared. Irene Gunter is one interior designer who sources antiques to add panache to her contemporary interiors, and Henriette von Stockausen is another designer who keeps an eye on auction sites and buys antique Howard sofas whenever she finds them. “They were…

Entertaining outside should be a pleasurable and stress-free experience. The addition of home comforts such as heating, lighting and music makes a considerable difference. • Flickering flames have a mesmerising appeal, so it is no surprise that firebowls and firetables are proving popular centrepieces. Recent designs feature both coffee and dining tables with gas-fuelled flames at the centre, enchanting guests and providing warmth. • Outdoor gas heaters now double as stylish floorstanding lamps, whilst wall-hung electric infrared models are sleek, boast programmable timers and remote operation. • Outdoor audio systems bring an extra dimension to time spent in the garden. Compact all-weather speakers can be wall-mounted, attached to trees or sunk into flowerbeds, with some even disguised as rocks to blend seamlessly into their surroundings. Speakers are described either as…

Summer – the ‘sweet season’, as Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey called it – is creeping in, bringing sunshine, warmth, the smell of cut grass, and long drawn-out days. It’s the time of salads, peas and broad beans, when the air is suffused with the perfume of herbs: tarragon, parsley, thyme, mint, rosemary, savory, marjoram, basil and so on. Herbs are a marvel. They’re such amiable, agreeable companions; easy to grow inside or out, and transformative in the kitchen. Just a handful of seeds in a pot, adequate (but not excessive) watering, and light, and you have sources of flavour and delight for months on end. They’re like colours on an artist’s palette, capable of producing almost infinite effects when it comes to cooking. Herbs have been at the heart…

The unparalleled joys of creativity offer calm, respite and a more mindful approach to life. Engaging in an attention-absorbing process has long been highlighted as beneficial to well-being. In its February 2021 policy brief, the Crafts Council pointed to an increase in the amount of time contributed to creative groups during 2020, and to the creation of the National Centre for Creative Health. The latter was formed in response to a report detailing how the creative process helps increase well-being, with testimonies from Grayson Perry amongst others. For several designers and craftspeople, lockdown allowed time for personal and professional growth. Over the next few pages we learn how the changes that played out on the world stage have shaped the career paths of a number of creatives. Plus we provide…

SPOTLIGHT ON… Escapism At Home Finding a sense of escapism at home has never been more important. How to achieve this soothing sense of openness, freedom and possibility varies from person to person, such as adding a focal point to draw the eye down the full length of the garden, or placing mirrors opposite each other making narrow hallways and other tight spaces feel vast. A bespoke approach ensures maximum delight. Dating back to ancient Greece, the art of trompe l’oeil has long been used to extend a feeling of space beyond four walls. Ornate Renaissance ceilings that seem to soar skywards achieve an awe-inspiring sense of calming space. On a smaller scale at home, a clever window-view mural like this one (above) by artist Andrea Haase at Wallsauce enables…

From natural stone to painted ceramic designs, tiles have long been used to create practical yet decorative surfaces in the home. Nowadays, with myriad shapes, sizes, colours and configurations on offer, it is easier than ever to enliven a decorating scheme with tiles. “Tile options have come a long way from the utilitarian choices our grandparents were faced with,” Rob Whitaker, creative director at Claybrook, says. “Decorative patterns in bold hues for floors sit happily alongside wall tiles that burst with eye-catching colours or are in natural materials in interesting shapes.” Here we look at ways this practical and beautiful medium can be used throughout the home. WONDER WALLS In a kitchen, select tile designs that balance aesthetics with functionality, bearing in mind that smooth-surfaced tiles will be easier to…

Keeping clutter at bay and outside essentials close at hand requires thought and adequate storage. Often overlooked, adding in storage solutions can make a significant difference to the look and feel of any garden area, especially if these spots are frequently used. • Ottomans and trunks come in a range of different sizes and can double up as additional seating or handy side tables. Often made from synthetic rattan, they are available with easy-glide hinged or lift off lids and have zip-up, watertight linings for added protection. • Many modular lounge sets feature storage units. Often deeper and more generous than a trunk or footstool, they sit neatly between sofas or within armrests. • Garden shelving units are a relatively new patio feature. Replicating the open shelving used in many…

The Museum of the Home (formerly The Geffrye Museum) is due to reopen in May after an £18.1 million renovation. The London venue features homes through time. museumofthehome. org.uk Glyndebourne’s opera festival returns from 20 May until 29 August with Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Verdi’s Luisa Miller, Rossini’s Il turco in Italia and Janáˇcek’s Kát’a Kabanová, plus Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde semi-staged with a full orchestra. glyndebourne.com Enjoy exceptional artworks from the comfort of home by viewing The Viking Cruises British Art Prize online virtual exhibition of shortlisted art from 14 May to 10 June. This major new national contest is open to artists of all levels. thevikingcruises britishartprize.co.uk…

As outdoor spaces will be essential for safe socialising, take the opportunity to make meeting friends and family fun-filled occasions. Whether gathering in the garden or elsewhere for a picnic, bright accessories will add a playful touch – outdoor cushions and fold-out chairs in jaunty fabrics, a striking outdoor rug, and solar lights to keep things going past dusk. Bring a cordless radio to provide ambience, garden games for everyone to join in and serve up a portable feast, lemonade, and perhaps a cocktail or two.…

BATHED IN BEAUTY Often, bathrooms are decorated with practical concerns in mind, rarely straying from sleek, easy-to-clean surfaces. Here elements usually seen in living rooms have been brought together to create a decorative, indulgent bathroom. Large-scale floral fabric covers the walls and ceiling, providing a delightful pattern to look at whilst luxuriating in the bath. A repurposed antique console creates a bespoke, luxurious vanity, lighting choices and framed pictures add another layer of comfort and decadence, whilst a rug offers warmth and pattern underfoot. Still perfectly practical, yet utterly enticing. Indian Arbre fabric, £210 a metre, Schumacher…

PLAYFUL WITH PATTERN Textile designer and interior decorator, Susan Deliss “I like to bring a space alive with a sophisticated combination of pattern and colour, from figurative and floral motifs, to stripes and geometrics. Patterned tiles are great as they are big on personality, but they can dominate a room. As a tiled area is relatively permanent, I always advise clients to think twice about using anything too fashionable. Antique tiles are difficult to source, but if you can get them, use them as the key style element and design the rest of the room around them. I like to enhance a room’s sense of function using patterned tiles – I had antique-looking Delft-style tiles painted with Norfolk terriers for a US client’s mud room and dog shower. A single…

Extending the time that can be spent outside and providing a spectacle to be seen from within the house, illuminating the garden is a project every homeowner should consider. • The emergence of low-voltage LED lighting has led to an ever-growing variety of outdoor lighting products that are easy and safe to install. Add different layers of lighting in the garden to create the desired ambience come nightfall. • Professional lighting designs are tailored to suit individual spaces and can be as simple or complex and multi-layered as desired. Ideal for highlighting existing and previously unrecognised outdoor features, they offer the perfect balance between atmospheric and practical lighting solutions. • Automated lighting systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with the majority being controlled remotely through smart phones and handheld devices. Individual…

NATURAL INSPIRATION Each design in Elizabeth Ockford’s new Floral wallpaper collection is named after inspiring women – from Gertrude Jekyll to Kamala Harris. The inspiration behind ‘Marianne’ (shown here) is Victorian botanical artist Marianne North, whose work is displayed at Kew Gardens. We think it provides the perfect excuse to indulge in an artistic endeavour, whether sketching, painting, photography or simply pressing flowers for sweet mementoes of the season. Take the time to appreciate the natural beauty of flowers, leaves, grasses and trees as a creative outlet that will soothe the soul. Wallpaper, Marianne, Noir, £145 a roll, Elizabeth Ockford…

My grandparents were always entertaining, as were my parents, as am I. It must be in our blood. I always enjoy our parties. I have fun setting the table in various ways, moving locations, and thinking up new decorations. Whether a simple supper, lively lunch, or formal black-tie gala, every celebration should always feel, in my opinion, like a family affair. I recruit as many of my children as I can to help, however they can, both in the setting up and, I am afraid, the taking down. Or even just covering a cake in roses. One trick I’ve picked up over the years is to incorporate something specific from my surroundings to give the occasion a native flair. At home in the Bahamas, for example, it’s a table sprinkled…

CRAFTS COUNCIL National charity for craft, with directories and information on supporting and engaging with makers and courses. craftscouncil.org.uk WEST DEAN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND CONSERVATION This internationally recognised institution in West Sussex offers short courses, degrees and diplomas in arts, crafts and conservation. westdean.org.uk MIDLANDS ART CENTRE Located near Birmingham and offering a wealth of classes from ceramics to painting and print. macbirmingham.co.uk NEW BREWERY ARTS Cirencester-based centre in the heart of the Cotswolds with classes and courses available online and in person. newbreweryarts.org.uk…

We hope this issue has brought plenty of inspiration for making life outdoors, whether as a household or for meeting loved ones, beautiful and functional. We could not resist this final, rather indulgent idea of an outdoor living room, complete with a comfortable sofa for the ultimate place to unwind al fresco. Using masonry paint to decorate and create a defined room scheme truly makes this an alluring outdoor space. Here the rich green unites indoors with out, an affinity further amplified with natural textures such as linen, painted tree stumps for side tables, and pot plants and rustic wood finishes. Recreate a similar style in a decked or paved area beneath a pergola, painting walls or fences in a confident, statement colour to delineate the room. Walls in Puck,…