Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2024 i The English Home

Welcome to the annual Country Edition, eagerly anticipated by our readers wherever they call home. Perhaps the universal appeal of English country house style is in the romantic notion it evokes – one that conjures mellowing historic houses which have well-worn, comfortable interiors and are set in beautiful, tranquil surroundings that have changed little over time. There’s also something undeniably appealing about the nonchalant informality of country house style. Cecil Beaton wrote of Nancy Lancaster that she had a talent for ‘sprucing up a stately but shabby house and making a grand house less grand’. And it is this unpretentious approach that adds to its very English appeal. There’s an embracing of the love-worn and patinated. A layering of new finds with heirlooms, the precious and practical, as well as…

TIMELY APPEAL To mark his company’s 30th anniversary, sculptor David Harber, renowned for his standout sundials, artworks and water features, has released a limited edition of the brand’s very first piece, the Armillary Sphere. The new Armillary 30 pays homage to the design principles of its predecessor but with a sense of playfulness that allows owners to see how the sundial tells the time, and an interactive element that enables the orb inside to be rotated by a handle. The Armillary 30 comes in antique bronze, verdigris bronze or a mirror-polished stainless steel and with just 30 pieces being sold, each of which can be personalised, it will create an extraordinary focal point in the garden. davidharber.co.uk ENDURING STYLE Relic Interiors, a leading art and antiques business, has its own…

Fabric has multiple powers in interiors – it adds colour, pattern, texture and character. When used in the form of a skirt or deep ruffle, whether to cover an under-sink area or add a final flourish to an upholstered chair or lampshade, it can add a touch of romantic and nostalgic appeal as well as practical benefits. In kitchens and bathrooms fabric skirts bring softness and noise-absorbing properties to the abundance of hard surfaces. Usually with a softly pleated or undulating gathered finish, skirts bring a relaxed feel to interiors – perfect in classic country homes, but also for bringing some of that character to urban spaces too. ‘Cupboard skirts are a quick and cost-effective way to add a layer of warmth, style and texture. Using one to to cover…

Eating in the garden is one of the most joyous treats of summer, so make it special by creating a tablescape inspired by the season. Position a garden table close to the most floral spot in the garden so guests can benefit from a full and colourful border view. Forgo the need for shade as this gathering is a celebration of good weather, just make sure sunhats and sunscreen are available. A jolly yellow block-stripe tablecloth (made from Eston Sunflower fabric by romo.com) sets the scene on the table and is a perfect base for a summer floral centrepiece. Even if the English weather is not on our side, sunflowers will bring a cheery feel to the table. The large heads of the flowers and thick stems require sturdy vases…

SPOTLIGHT ON… Chatsworth & Cutter Brooks When Laura Cavendish, Countess of Burlington, unearthed a sample of forgotten 1850s hand-blocked ivy chintz in the attic textile archives at Chatsworth House, she turned to her friend Amanda Brooks (right), founder of Cotswolds shop and lifestyle brand Cutter Brooks. Working with small artisan suppliers in the UK and India using sustainable organic cottons and linens, this delicate print – which was originally created for the Devonshire family whose country seat is Chatsworth in Derbyshire – now adorns table linen, wallpaper, cushions, lampshades, oven gloves, pyjamas and more as part of The Ivy Print Collection. shop.chatsworth.org; cutterbrooks.com A New Leaf Fanny Shorter’s debut wallpaper Textile designer and illustrator Fanny Shorter has just launched her first retail wallpaper. Mill Oak was originally designed as a…

‘The village was an important stop between London and Cambridge and this was one of the coaching inns’ In dire need of extensive renovation, this 16th-century house in Hertfordshire should have been far from Kate Pinnock’s mind when she was searching for her new home, but its innate charm and intriguing backstory piqued her interest. “It was in the wrong location and I wanted a barn conversion that didn’t need much work done to it, but I walked in the front door and saw the big fireplace and that was it. That’s what made my mind up,” she recalls. When Kate purchased the house five years ago, it was in an awful state, having been empty for a year after the previous tenants did a midnight flit and left all…

‘Look at which pieces will suit a room in terms of style and scale so that they don’t overwhelm each other or the space’Taline Findlater, Olivine Design ‘Don’t be afraid to follow your heart when selecting pieces for your interior’Jo Baring, art historian, curator and writer “Art is fundamental to the success of a room,” says Emma Burns, interior designer and joint managing director of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. “It doesn’t need to be expensive or valuable, but it must mean something to you – art adds layers to a room that you can’t achieve with just paper or paint.” Nor does ‘art’ simply mean traditional paintings. “Explore a variety of mediums, such as photographs, prints, sculptures, textiles as well as paintings, to add depth and texture to your…

This kneeling cushion makes lots of gardening jobs much more comfortable. It also makes a pretty and practical present for a keen gardener – and it could not be easier to make one with our step-by-step instructions. YOU WILL NEED 40cm of 130cm-wide PVC or oilcloth fabric 50cm x 30cm cushion pad About 25cm of 2.5cm-wide cotton webbing, for the handle Matching thread INSTRUCTIONS • Cut two rectangles of the PVC or oilcloth fabric, each measuring 54cm x 33cm. With the right sides of the fabric pieces together, pin and machine stitch along both of the long sides and across one end, making 1cm of allowance for the seam. Turn the cushion cover right side out. • Insert the cushion pad into the fabric cover. Fold under 1.5cm of the fabric…

MADE-TO-ORDER POUFFES The eye-catching pouffes in this image are handmade in Somerset and can be covered in designs from a range of high-end fabric houses, such as Christopher Farr and Manuel Canovas, to introduce a luxurious print on a smaller scale. Alternatively, customers can supply their own fabric. Bespoke pouffe, £645–£695, Village London BOLD SHADES Designed to Jonathan Adler’s stylised vision, this rechargeable LED table lamp comes in four colourful options that highlight the shade’s rippled outline. The mobile light provides nine hours of illumination before it needs recharging on its base. Ripple rechargeable table lamp, Orange, £295, Jonathan Adler BOWLS FULL Renowned food writer and cookery columnist Skye McAlpine is expanding her popular tableware collection with new serving bowls and cake stands – just in time for summer soirées.…

VINTAGE GLAMOUR Create a romantic, dreamy scheme with the addition of a luxurious armchair in the bedroom. A feminine blush pink gently sets the mood while a decadent deep ruffled skirt adds glamorous elegance – amplified by the opulent co-ordinating footstool for ultimate relaxation. Designed by Nina Campbell, who we congratulate on being awarded an OBE for services to British Interior Design and Philanthropy in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List, this scheme is completed with a mirror from her new collection. Handmade in England with an antiqued glass finish, these mirrors add vintage charm and effortless beauty. For further inspiring ways to enhance interiors with fabric skirts, turn to page 74. Mabel chair with valance, £3,874 and Mabel stool with valance-, £2,662, both in Colette linen in Blush; Rose…

Depicting the form, colour and details of plant life, botanicals draw much of their heritage from the carefully studied illustrations produced by Greek botanists several centuries ago, though the Ancient Egyptians captured flora and fauna in more naïve mural form long before that. Over time, botanicals progressed from scientific designs used for research purposes into prints displayed at home as symbols of elegance and refinement, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries. As wallpaper and other mass-produced decorative elements became more common throughout the industrial revolution, botanical and floral motifs increased in popularity, cemented by William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century. These days, the well-being we derive from the natural world has resulted in a renewed love for botanical and biophilic designs. Leaf…

Where do you live? I live in the Cotswolds with my husband Ollie, our 18-month-old son August and our Bedlington-whippet cross, Fox-in-Socks. What kind of house do you live in? It was built in the Edwardian era, around 1906 and was originally used as the village hall before we converted it into our home in 2013. We were newly married and when we saw it, we knew it would make the perfect home. There was so much work to do, but the potential was huge, with its beamed apex ceilings and views out to the meadows. Why do you love living in the country? I love that you can just walk out of the door and feel yourself unwind. It is such a beautiful area, with miles of rolling fields…