Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i The English Home

Two stalwarts of the English country house, chintzes and checks, are also perfect partners. The rhythmic structure of a pretty gingham harmonises with the loose freedom of florals. Both offer a romantic, feminine feel that can be fully embraced in a palette of pastels and fresh whites and are so classic that the look is not overly dainty; it is soft, pleasing and has come to be expected in a country home. While ruffles, bows and flounces heighten the romance, modernity can be infused by playing with scale - a large check looks rather striking and contemporary, and a ditsy print quite chic.…

Heart of the matter HENRIETTE VON STOCKHAUSEN – VSP INTERIORS A core part of the country house is the kitchen. In my opinion, the first thing to consider when decorating a country kitchen is how you can make it feel like a room and not just a practical space. Treat it like a drawing room or principal bedroom; pay attention to fabrics, lighting and comfort as well as practicality and suitability to lifestyle. By doing this, the kitchen will feel more inviting. I adore incorporating antiques like dressers along with picture lights, fine art and furnishings that one wouldn’t expect to see in a kitchen so that it feels more like a room. Add antique rugs to soften the space and help with unwanted echoes in larger spaces, unless you…

Inspired by animals that are at home in the countryside, these designs create a charming connection to rural life. Whether living in pastoral parts or simply drawn to this decorative theme, a subtle approach to animal prints keeps a stylish mood. Look to elegant bird and bucolic patterns, alongside timeless natural motifs – such as hexagon beehive shapes. For practical and decorative buys, simple silhouettes capture a contemporary elegance. Not to forget our beloved pets themselves – with tactile and smart creature comforts to delight.…

SITTING PRETTY A tiled floor is a practical choice for a country kitchen dining area, particularly one with four-legged, muddy-pawed occupants. It can be a decorative feature too, bringing flair underfoot. This smart application of patterned tiles and a border, inset rather than to the edge of the room, cleverly designates the area for the dining table, giving it a sense of identity within a large space. Set the scene for a charming breakfast with a classic oak dining table and rattan-back chairs, padded for comfort; pour a fresh coffee and serve toast fresh from the Aga. Elkstone Mellow Oak chair £195; Elkstone Mellow Oak round pedestal dining table, £599, The Cotswold Company. For similar tiles, try Floors of Stone…

Country bathrooms may be large or small, traditional or contemporary, but one thing they all have in common is a strong connection with the natural world. Making the most of scenery will often be the starting point for the design of the room, perhaps by placing a bath near the window so that the view may be quietly enjoyed. Another factor is the relationship to the architecture of the house, with characterful features such as a fireplace or a beamed ceiling becoming an intrinsic part of a thoughtful scheme. Tradition may be emphasised with the use of period-style fixtures and fittings, but modern elements, whether subtle or bold, can also enhance the space. A well-planned country bathroom will also include pleasing textures and plentiful storage, so that a sense of…

FOREVER FLOWERS Encapsulate the memories of favourite summer blooms with bespoke floral art. Pressed flowers create beautiful pictures and note cards. Once confident with the technique, use them to decorate home-made candles, paperweights and placemats. For the best results, pick flowers in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Look for petals that are flat – in August, cosmos, zinnias and asters work well. Larger multi-layered August flowers, such as dahlias, roses and lilies, can be pressed but take a bit more teasing to spread the petals and will not retain their original shape. Wood flower press, medium, £65, Blue Brontide…

STYLISH STONEWARE Whether enjoying an impromptu lunch in the garden or a simple supper in the kitchen, Sophie Conran’s fine stoneware collection (right) has an elegant fluted shape to effortlessly elevate the mood of everyday dining. Traditionally crafted, it features a dappled glaze that adds a relaxed finish to each piece. Dappled White Fluted tableware, from £33; Cornflower Tree of Life duvet cover, from £125, all Sophie Conran WOVEN WITH FLAIR These tactile baskets are handmade by women in a small Kenyan craft collective. Perfect for housing potted plants, the sturdy designs are also ideal for kitchen storage. Group several baskets together to maximise the colourful and textural impact. Kuzuia fluoro pink and natural woven storage baskets, available in three sizes, from £16, Ibbi ARTFUL EMBROIDERY Classically viewed as a…

LET’S GO TO... Step inside the beautifully curated interiors store ND on the Green, on London’s King’s Road, and it will come as no surprise that it is the brainchild of interior designer Natascha Dartnall, hence the name. Offering antiques, paintings, soft furnishings and more from small independent makers and experts, ND On The Green is an Aladdin’s cave of beautiful, rare things. So, if seeking a refreshing antidote to the high street, visit this artisan-lover’s dream shop to find some characterful pieces to update interiors. nd-studios.co.uk WISH LIST Ever since Emily Stewart and Sarah Serocold joined forces in 2017 to create Hill & May, the company has gone from strength to strength with their eclectic range of lamp bases and shades. The pair choose their own fabrics, colours, trims…

Unable to resist the sleeping beauty of a walled garden, former London dwellers Lindsay Cuthill and husband Charlie Harman found themselves making the move to a sleepy Cotswold valley back in 2009. The head of Savills country house department, Lindsay has seen many an alluring rural home, but when the time came to buy one of their own, the couple made an unexpected choice. “It is actually a 1960s building and was utterly unprepossessing at first sight,” Lindsay explains. A giant leap from the picturesque miniature manor seen today. Rather than buy a ‘bells and whistles’ period property, the duo “impetuously” snapped up the house after seeing it online. “We booked to see it the following weekend and offered on the Monday. We never looked at another house and moved…

The English country house aesthetic blends practicality and refinement in a relaxed but considered manner. Here old and new can sit together companionably: exposed beams full of character can be juxtaposed with the latest wallpapers; tumbled stone floors, so practical for rural life, can be softened with an antique rug; and plaster walls can provide a simple backdrop to curtains in the latest embroideries and exuberant floral prints. The mood should exude relaxed confidence with layers of colour, pattern and textures, creating a rich tapestry. Country houses suit natural patterns – botanicals and florals abound – combined with eclectic prints and woven plains for weight and texture. Consider diverse patterns on walls, floors and soft furnishings as well as accessories for harmonious clashing to create an informal, lived-in appeal that…

Throughout the history of art, there has remained an enduring appeal in the painting of floral compositions since those first representations of lotus flowers by the Ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago. Over the centuries, and throughout all the major periods in art, flowers have been represented by everyone from Botticelli and Klimt, Monet and Van Gogh and artists like Georgia O’Keefe, who established a career with florals as her primary subject matter. Also partial to a bloom or two in their extensive collection of 20th-century paintings are Daniel and Stella Callaghan, owners of the prestigious art gallery Callaghans of Shrewsbury. During the 35-year history of Callaghans, they have seen the enduring appeal of florals as a subject matter, buying and selling pieces across the world and garnering a reputation…

How did you find your home? My partner had seen the property on the market online a couple of years before we decided to move to the area. We had been unsuccessfully searching in Cornwall for about a year, but the day we decided to set our sights on South Devon (where my partner grew up), this property came back on the market. It’s a very old, semidetached, one-bedroom house which made up two of six ‘hovels’ in a row backing onto burgage plots. We viewed it once in the winter, made an offer, then everything was put on hold because of Covid. We moved the following summer. What made you choose your home and garden? The view! We are tucked in between back gardens with big views of the…