the english home magazine july 2013
TRANSCRIPT
The
Celebrating the essence of English style
OUTDOOR FEASTS | FABRIC WEAVES | ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Natural SelectionBeautiful decor with wood, stone, linen & silk
QUIETLY COMPOSEDFrom romantic rectory to hillside idyll
Space to relaxSummerhouses,garden rooms,pergolas, and more Sunshine
state of mindFresh colours,laid-back style
The elegant calmof duck egg hues
July 2013 | Issue 101 | £3.90 | UK Edition
THEENGLISH
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CONTENTSJuly 2013
BEAUTIFUL BUYS12 HOME COMFORTSFrom witty accessories to light-enhancing fabrics and floor paint, our edit of buys adds a summer flavour.18 LITTLE LUXURIESIn anticipation of a new Royal arrival, we curate some sweet additions for nurseries and children’s rooms.
ENGLISH HOMES20 A FORTUITOUS DISCOVERYA sensitive restoration returned this dreamy Georgian rectory in an idyllic Suffolk setting to its former glory. 30 PARADISE FOUNDRural peace and fascinating literary connections lend this manor house charm and character in abundance.40 FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGSPicturesque views won a young couple’s hearts and set them on a journey of transformation.48 ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELLIt took nerves of steel to turn a dilapidated property into an inviting vision of classical comfort.56 MY ENGLISH HOME: FIONA FULLERTONFormer Bond girl and actress of stage and screen has made property her new life and love.
ABOVE Pale, clear colours and classic details evoke the elegance of former times in this handsome period manor house, on page 30. RIGHT Capture the essence of summer with fresh natural fabrics and subtle hues, on page 12. LEFT A tired Suffolk rectory has been restored to its former splendour, on page 20.BELOW Choose beautiful gifts to delight a special new arrival, on page 18.
THE ENGLISH HOME 5
ON THE COVER
STYLE INSPIRATION61 FREE-FORM FLORALSPlayful flower decorations to lift a celebratory setting.62 SUNSHINE STATE OF MINDSet a sunny, relaxing mood at home with informal interior styling and uplifting mid-pastel hues.68 CAPTURED IN MOSAICFrom Romanesque art-form to modern-day decorative effect, we chart the versatility of mosaic tiling. 73 COLOUR MASTERCLASS: DUCK EGG HUESNeither blue nor green; neither warm nor cool – used judiciously, duck egg can be endlesssly versatile.82 FRUITS OF THE LOOMUnderstanding of the plethora of styles and textures of fabric weaves informs considered interior buys.88 GLOBAL GATHERERS: OTTOMAN STYLEIn the first of our new series, we chart the far-reaching influences of the exotic Ottoman empire.
FORM & FUNCTION95 ETERNAL FLAMEA sleek, sculptural alternative to the garden fire pit. 96 NATURAL SELECTIONExpert guidance on employing the aesthetic, tactile qualities of wood, stone, natural fibres and paint. 103 UPON THE SUN-BRIGHT WALLSCreate a versatile space to relax and entertain with a garden room, summerhouse, pergola or loggia.114 ENERGY-EFFICIENT PERIOD HOMESBanish draughts and poor heating with expert insights into sensitive ways to ensure a warm welcome.
QUINTESSENTIALLY121 PETER PICKED A PEPPERThe peppery splendour of fresh, crunchy radishes.122 JULY IS…Enjoy the best the month has to offer, from picnics to garden parties, to the culinary uses of edible flowers.130 SUMMER ON A PLATEMake the most of any glimmer of sun with these appetising recipes for unhurried, low-key entertaining.135 THE ART OF INDEPENDENT HOLIDAYSMrs Minerva considers the marriage-improving idea of the occasional separation to enjoy tailored pursuits.146 AUTHENTICALLY ENGLISH: RANGEMASTERStaff writer, Katy Green takes a personal tour of this great British brand in quality kitchen appliances.
REGULARS10 A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGSWriter Maggie Stevenson shares a few of her secrets.58 SUBSCRIBE TO ENJOY A BOTTLE OF PIMM’SOn us, in the newest Blackberry & Elderflower flavour, as well as a fabulous discount of up to 32 per cent. 138 ADDRESS BOOKUseful contacts for key suppliers and brands mentioned inside this issue.139 COMING NEXT MONTHA sneak-preview of the contents of our August issue.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Natural elements
and organic fibres inject a sense of
comfort and calm into interiors, on page 96.
Pale tones and a variety of pretty details create a fresh, informal
feel, on page 62. Venture into the
garden to find light, sun-filled spaces in which to relax and
entertain, on page 103.
6 THE ENGLISH HOME
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A LETTER FROM HOME
Pimm’s on the terrace, picnics by the river, fish and chips by the coast and dinner in the summer house; life becomes altogether more relaxed and leisurely come summertime in England, and I relish every gathering with family and friends. We use our homes so differently in this season, throwing open the French windows and enjoying the great outdoors whenever we can. I have such fond memories from childhood of waking upon an unexpectedly glorious day, to find my parents already up and dashing around packing a portable feast.
My father was always wonderful at instigating such spontaneous adventures; my mother the key to making each actually happen. Sometimes the family would cycle to a scenic spot, more often we would drive farther afield, the car bulging with picnic throws, a hamper packed to the gunnells with goodies, cricket bat and ball (for a game of French tennis) and perhaps a kite. A brolly was always secreted too, of course. The challenge would be to find a secluded woodland clearing, an unpopulated river bank or a pretty hillside spot with a beautiful view that would be ours alone. I always think that there is something about eating food out of doors that makes even the most humble fare seem like a feast. An intriguing location adds yet another element to the sense of occasion, but meals in the garden on a prettily dressed table or under the pergola can easily create the same sense of occasion.
Inside this edition we hope to have captured some of the joy of the season with delicious recipes, thoughts on picnics and tempting ways to create spaces to relax and entertain at home. And if the weather doesn’t play ball? Then we hope the first of our new Global Gatherers series and our Sunshine State of Mind feature offer uplifting, transformative ideas for your interiors to transport you to warmer climes.
With warmest regards,
Kerryn Harper-Cuss, Editor EDIT
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“Life is relaxed and leisurely come
summertime”
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8 THE ENGLISH HOME
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10 THE ENGLISH HOME
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A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS…Margaret Stevenson, consummate interiors and style writer, notes a few special places, from galleries to coffee shops
DESIGN INSPIRATION The Conran Shop in South Kensington is a destination for anyone interested in modern design, but the clever styling ideas in its displays can be applied to traditional interiors, too. Currently you’ll find inspiration for laying beautiful tables, displaying collections and using interesting wall colours as a backdrop for your favourite pictures. I visit the store for a breath of fresh, creative air.
NORTHERN SOUL My perfect weekend would include a visit to an art gallery, a stroll in the countryside, a spot of
shopping and a leisurely lunch. It is not often everything can be squeezed into a weekend but, at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield, all four can fit into a day. You can see outdoor sculptures by big names such as Henry Moore and Anthony Gormley, or admire smaller pieces in the indoor galleries. Drop into the gallery shop where the work of contemporary craftsmen provides a superior retail fix, then recharge your batteries over lunch in a restaurant situated to give a panoramic view of the artistic landscape. It is the perfect day out.
LAKE DISTRICT LOVELINESS One of the loveliest Arts & Crafts houses in the country is Blackwell in the Lake District. Designed by Baillie Scott at the turn of the twentieth century, it was built overlooking Lake Windermere as holiday home for a Manchester industrialist. Its decorative detail has survived more or less intact, and is now beautifully restored.
SENSORY CORNUCOPIA Spitalfields in East London isn’t short of coffee shops, but
one with more character than most can be found in the basement of a former Huguenot
silk weaver’s house in Fournier Street. Town House is actually an
antiques shop, but the stock is a mix of one-off furniture, jewellery
and other tempting things that caught the owner’s magpie eye.
Coffee is served in the house’s old kitchen with cake made from
recipes in an antique cookbook.
Margaret has written books on craft and architectural details. This month, she immersed herself in natural materials to compile the feature on p.96
In the warm July light, these detailed fabrics, bright furnishings and playful accessories invite closer inspection and provide uplifting finishing touches
HOMEtailed fabrics, bright ries invite closer g finishing touches
Comforts
Restful setting Desirable in both classic and country schemes, New England style furnishings have a timeless and understated quality. In this bedroom, the warm tones of the ash bedstead are balanced by rustic accessories and cool white and blue walls. For colder seasons, introduce soft furnishings in warmer tones such as brightly coloured curtains and layers of patterned quilts. Salisbury slatted wooden bedstead, from £299 for a double, Feather & Black
Serving gracefully These floral napkins are almost too gorgeous to use and would certainly create idyllic place settings for garden dining. The nostalgic patterns are suitably in keeping for use at more formal outdoor events.Floral napkins, £10 each, Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture
Bespoke beacon After painting fences, gates and summer houses in just the right shade, finishing touches should complement the colour scheme. These handmade lanterns can be made in any metal or paint colour to ensure a flattering finish to enhance any design.Genghis Gatepost lantern, from £1,452, Charles Edwards
Distinctive presence With its scintillating colour, this velvet sofa has opulent impact and demands to be noticed. Yet the elegant design, with sprung backs and feather-filled cushions, offers classic comfort.Windsor sofa in Raspberry velvet, from £1,695 for a two-seat sofa, Graham and Green
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Beautiful Buys
THE ENGLISH HOME 13
Familiar beauty The cornerstone of the shaker kitchen is functionality, yet the introduction of tongue-and-groove panels sets a backdrop to elevate simple kitchen paraphernalia into a practical homely display.Glazed countertop cupboard from the Real Shaker kitchen range, starting at £1,100 for a cupboard, deVol Kitchens
Follow the leader Children will flock to choose a book to read aloud next to this woolly friend. His shelves are big enough to tidy away even the largest books. What a helpful guest for bedrooms or playrooms alike.Baa-Baa book shelf, £88 each, Rowen & Wren
Canvassing the board Artistically painting patterns or outlines onto a wooden floor is an innovative way to imbue further character. With 132 colours to choose from, one can be as dramatic or subtle as desired.Floor paint in Pavilion Gray; stripes in Cook’s Blue, from £21.50 for 750ml, both Farrow & Ball
Dance of the butterflies Whether spread on a table inside or outside, this smart and finely detailed tablecloth is an eloquent expression of summer’s beauty. Butterflies linen print from the Nordika collection, £49.95 a metre, Peony & Sage
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Beautiful Buys
THE ENGLISH HOME 15
Sporting the look An ace gift that could be a winning match for an avid tennis fan, or possibly a chance to inject a jocular sense of personality to a bare corner. This quirky accessory is made from an original wooden racquet so each will vary slightly, adding to the unique appeal.Vintage tennis racquet mirror, £49.50, Dee Puddy
Sizing up If looking for a wallpaper print to bring a light, bright touch to an expansive wall, a spacious large-scale print can be a more relaxing visual than a busily detailed pattern. Moreover, this blue colouring with green accents adds a buoyant lift to a less formal room.Chenar wallcovering, £49 a roll; curtain in Tinos fabric, £68 a metre, both Osborne & Little
Weatherproof wood Large garden loungers can become a problem to house over winter, so Garpa suggests buying teak furnishings which can be left outside without protection year-round, leaving a blissfully stress-free afternoon of relaxation simply a glint of sunshine away.Catania Comfort Lounger, £775, Garpa
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FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
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Beautiful Buys
16 THE ENGLISH HOME
18 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
GROWING ROOMThis cot grows with your child. It starts as a traditional cot, then becomes a bed by removing the sides and upgrading the mattress, finally turning into a sofa. It is available in two different lengths and carries an additional brass plate engraved with the child’s details.Standard cot in cherry including mattress (L162cm x W87.5cm x H108cm), £2,625, Simon Horn
BEDTIME CUDDLEA nursing mother will
appreciate a comfortable seat in the dark of night.
Upholstered in a sweet print, this chair is an inviting choice that can be updated with
more grown-up fabric at a later date.Grosvenor chair in Jane Churchill Alphabet
Beatrix Potter Pink, £749, Multiyork
HEIRLOOM APPARENTEmbracing craftsmanship for little people, these piggy banks, jewellery and trinket boxes make perfect gifts. They are handcrafted in sycamore with intricate marquetry; we wonder if the new arrival will receive one from a royal relative.Piggy banks, £275; trinket boxes, £360; jewellery boxes, £750, all Linley
SNUGGLE UPA delightful baby blanket will
not only keep baby warm, but will add a dash of colour and
pattern to your child’s nursery. These soft quilts,
made from 200 thread-count Indian cotton, also make
a soft, colourful surface on which your baby can play.
Floral Heart cot quilt (85cm x 85cm), £45, Lulu & Nat
NOCTURNAL FRIENDMade by shaping organic Tibetan wool with soap and water, this charming badger rug is left to dry slowly under the Nepalese sun. Its friendly face is skilfully needle-felted to finish the cosy rug – perfect for any child’s room.
Handmade badger rug (110cm x 65cm), £48.95, Sew Heart Felt
BIRDS IN FLIGHTThe acrobatics of the swallow, as they swoop and soar in the breeze, are recreated by this mobile. Even the faintest flow of air will cause it to rotate, creating a gentle movement that will calm your child and send them off into a peaceful sleep. Handmade in Denmark by a family-run company that has been making exquisite mobiles since 1954, they are beautifully and lovingly built. Flensted swallow mobile, £11.95, Kidsen
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READY STEADY...With wooden wheels and a working steering wheel, not to mention the truck loader at the back for treasures, this sweet
ride-on will provide hours of fun for children zooming around at play times both indoors and out.Moulin Roty truck, £168, Alex and Alexa
Little LuxuriesWith excitement surrounding a new Royal baby, we search for elegant nursery buys
FOR TINY TOESKeep your little one’s toes cosy warm in these
delightful fox felt slippers. Each pair is hand crafted in Kathmandu with a great deal of skill, which has been handed
down over many generations. The non-slip suede soles make them ideal choice for toddlers taking those first steps.
Finlay Fox felt slippers, £23, IndiaCoco
PERSONAL TOUCHCommemorate the day when your (or
someone else’s) baby entered this world with a personalised fine-art
print. This artwork is made to order with the name and date of birth of the child.
New to this World print (W29.7cm x H34cm), £53.62, Fréya Art
Nursery Details
A fortuitousDISCOVERY
A passion for restoration and a long-standing dream proved a heavenly match for the Wrights when they
chanced upon a tired Georgian rectory in Suffolk
M ellow bricks, old sash windows, ancient yews and roses rambling around the door – the rural Georgian rectory embodies the
essence of timeless serenity that lies at the heart of English village life. The Georgian period was a particularly dynamic era for rectory-building, in some part due to the intervention of Queen Anne whose Bounty Act provided funds for the repair and upkeep of clerical dwellings; this was accompanied by a renewed admiration for classical proportions and the cult of the aesthetic. In many ways, the Georgian rectory evokes the very essence of timeless English beauty, encapsulating a special kind of restrained dignity that has inspired some of our greatest writers, artists and thinkers.
For Susie Darvell-Wright, the attraction was strong. Having always had a passion for interior design, she particularly enjoyed the research and investigative aspects of restoring historic houses. “Jonathan and I have renovated several houses over the years,” she admits, “but a Georgian rectory has always been my ultimate dream.” Suffolk was also an attractive location for the couple.
AT HOMESusie Darvell-Wright and Jonathan Wright live in a restored eighteenth-century rectory in the heart of Suffolk, together with Susie’s father, Billy and their two miniature schnauzers, Pebbles and Daisy. Jonathan is a non-executive company director whilst Susie runs their award-winning B&B at the rectory.
20 THE ENGLISH HOME
FEATURE JILL SHEARER PHOTOGRAPHS CHARLOTTE COWARD-WILLIAMS
The cabinetry in the kitchen was designed by Susie to echo the Georgian proportions of the original kitchen, and made by Lavenham Joinery. Susie chose a traditional cream five-oven Aga.
“We knew the area because we had a holiday cottage on the coast at Southwold, but we were not entirely sure that a new rural lifestyle would work for us and Jonathan would have to commute to London, so we didn’t want to be too far away.”
Susie registered her interest with a number of agents in the area, mentioning that she would be particularly interested to hear about any Georgian rectories coming onto the market, without really expecting to hear of anything immediately. However, one morning, not long after Jonathan had left for
London, an estate agent rang to tell Susie that he had not one, but three rectories to show her.
“I was so excited that I jumped in the car there and then,” Susie remembers. “The first two weren’t really suitable, but the third was absolutely fabulous. I knew there were other people waiting to view it so I made an offer there and then. I just knew this was the house I had always wanted.”
Susie’s offer was lower than the asking price, and she and Jonathan hadn’t even put their Surrey house on the market, so she didn’t really expect it to be
22 THE ENGLISH HOME
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE In the
comfortable breakfast room, magnificent
arched double doors lead through to the
pretty garden. The dining room
scheme is based upon the exquisite
handpainted silk wall panels from
de Gournay’s Chinoiserie collection.
accepted and put all thoughts of moving to the back of her mind without mentioning anything to Jonathan. The following day, the agent rang with the news that the rectory was theirs. Susie’s first thought was: “I suppose I had better tell the husband!”
The following day, Susie suggested Jonathan take the day off work to go and view a rectory she had seen. “At that stage, I didn’t actually tell him I’d made an offer. I said I’d had an idea about starting a bed-and-breakfast business. I don’t really know where it came from – I just knew I really wanted that
“I made an offer there and then; I just knew this was the house I had always wanted”
English Country
house and I needed to find a way of selling the idea to Jonathan. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it could work.”
Although it still retained many original Georgian features, the decor was tired, both the plumbing and electrics were antiquated with old brown light switches and lead pipes, and there was obviously a considerable amount of work to be done. Jonathan didn’t immediately see the potential, but Susie somehow managed to persuade him that the expense and upheaval would be worth it. “After some thought, he agreed,” she said. “And we’re still married!”
The house had been owned by a local doctor who had bought it from the Church in the 1970s. “It had to be totally rewired and a new heating system installed, so there was a huge amount of work to be done. “But because not very much had been done to the house over the years, there were lots of original features,” Susie adds. “All the original shutters were there and the old windows had their original Georgian glass. I even discovered the original key to the library door which had been carefully hidden, up on the top of the door frame.”
The couple managed to rent out their Surrey
English Country
24 THE ENGLISH HOME
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE In the elegant drawing room, a pair of sumptuous Chesterfield sofas have been upholstered in a cream damask by Jane Churchill. In a guest bedroom, a handsome gold-painted
French-style chair sits beneath a copy of a classical oil by the eighteenth-century master, Joshua Reynolds.Susie’s commanding grand piano occupies the impressive bay window in the drawing room.
An Edwardian-style conservatory was sympathetically designed and installed by Amdega, with pale Portland-stone flooring by Artisans of Devizes. Pretty ironwork furniture from Raymentwire sits perfectly.
house and they moved into the rectory, without their son Matthew who, at 15 years old, decided he did not want to leave the school and friends and preferred to board at his school in Surrey. This was the first time in Susie’s adult life without children, however her new-found freedom did not last long; shortly after the builders moved in, she received a call from her daughter who was expecting her third child and had to go into hospital. “As well as project-managing the building work, I suddenly had to look after her two older children – a toddler and a baby. There were floorboards up all over the house and dust everywhere – it was a bit of nightmare, but they both thought it was great fun.”
The work was done in stages. The main house took two years to complete, Susie then went on to tackle the garden, which had been totally neglected. “It was such a shame. I had always imagined an old rectory to be set within established gardens complete with yew and box hedges, old-fashioned roses and herbaceous
ABOVE In a further guest bedroom, a pretty but eye-catching floral wallpaper, from Colefax & Fowler, provides a charming backdrop to a pair of armchairs covered in Melton Check, also by Colefax & Fowler.RIGHT The soft damson-hued bedspread from The White Company echoes the tones in the wallpaper; floral linen cushions continue the restful theme.
THE ENGLISH HOME 27
ABOVE LEFT A restored bath with
ball-and-claw feet, from Old Fashioned
Bathrooms, stands beneath a window
onto the garden.ABOVE RIGHT
A blend of luxurious silks add opulence to
this guest room, which features a Victorian
brass bedstead.
borders. I really had to start again from scratch.”Because the rectory was listed, Susie had to liaise
with the local conservation officer about any changes they wanted to make. “We actually had a very good relationship,” she explains. “Because he knows that I always research things thoroughly and have everything made properly, we haven’t really had any problems. The only thing he didn’t agree with us doing was replacing the Victorian windows at the front of the house with the twelve-paned sashes
they would have had originally in Georgian times.”Susie’s bed-and-breakfast business is now in its fifth
year, and she has already won the top AA award for the best accommodation in the country. “What sets us apart is perfectionism and the little personal touches,” Susie explains. “Jonathan and I have stayed in some fantastic – and very expensive – hotels over the years, but in all of them there was often something missing. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved here, and I love the idea of sharing it.”
English Country
28 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
“We have renovated several houses over
the years, but a Georgian rectory was
my ultimate dream”
Paradise FOUND
The joy and beauty to be found in the countryside drew the Smallmans to their rural
home for a life of peace and tranquility
L iving within earshot of a major motorway had a profound effect on Jane Smallman and her husband Tim. Quite simply put, they fell hook, line and sinker for a
beautiful old manor house set in seven acres of serene rurality. “We are passionate about conservation and wildlife and were looking for somewhere really rural to live,” says Jane, explaining why they fell in love with this tranquil property with its vast grounds and an architectural style that happened to remind Tim, quite serendipitously, of his old childhood home.
With six bedrooms and three bathrooms, there was more than enough room to accommodate their children, grandchildren and friends. In fact, the couple’s main concern was what to do with all the extra space that was provided by a cottage in the grounds. “Someone in the village suggested renting it out to the Royal Shakespeare Company in nearby Stratford,” remembers Jane. Since then, actors such as Judi Dench, David Tennant, Ralph Fiennes and Wendy Craig have all enjoyed the seclusion of the Smallmans’ cottage, adding their ‘stardust’ to the magic of the place.
The main house was in good repair but “decoratively not to our taste,” says Tim diplomatically. Grey
AT HOMEJane Smallman and her husband, Tim, a retired company chairman, live in a sixteenth-century manor house near Stratford-upon-Avon, which has Georgian and Victorian additions. Originally, the house was the property of the Marquess of Hertford and a search has revealed that John Hathaway, a direct descendent of Anne Hathaway, once lived there.
30 THE ENGLISH HOME
“This front sitting room is the lightest room in the house. We use it mainly for entertaining,” explains Jane. The armchairs are from Windsor House Antiques Centre.
FEATURE PAT GARRATT PHOTOGRAPHS DAVID GILES
walls allied to grey curtains presented a depressing colour scheme in the public rooms, whilst the laminate worksurface in the kitchen was swiftly replaced with granite. The dark blue Aga was given a classic cream re-spray and a generous island unit installed to bring much-needed extra storage, more work space and an informal breakfast area. Conveniently, the previous owners had re-plumbed and re-wired the house just prior to selling, “so we could move in immediately,” adds Tim.
Some 12 years ago, the couple created a family dining area, which they scooped out of a small courtyard and laundry room. Perhaps the most eye-catching feature of this part of the house is the large picture window behind the Aga, which allows whoever is cooking to gaze over the garden, with its constant bird activity and up the hill to the wildlife pond. “The picture window was the architect’s idea,”
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The vibrant floral,
button-backed sofa, purchased from The Swan at Tetsworth, stands out against a neutral scheme.
An eighteenth-century Welsh oak dining table and Windsor chairs are
an antiques fair find.By merging ground-
and first-floor rooms, a double-height sitting area was created. The log-burner is from The Heat Store in Studley.
A John Lewis sofa has cushions from
Green Dragon Interiors and Vinegar Hill.
32 THE ENGLISH HOME
English Elegant
THE ENGLISH HOME 33
Jane adds. “I had no idea that you could put a window behind an Aga. In place of the flue, which went straight out through the walls, we discovered that we could utilise an existing chimney which goes up through the house.”
The Aga is backed up by a ceramic hob and electric oven following the couple’s discovery that the range cooker’s constant heat could become too much at times. “During the first summer after we arrived, we had a heatwave,” says Tim. “The kitchen became unbearable, so we opted for a hob and oven as a back-up for when the Aga is off.”
Every bathroom in the house had to be replaced. Jane vividly remembers the old green plastic shower in the en-suite. Tim still has memories of dated pink tiles and a lavender-coloured, shag-pile carpet that crept across the floor and climbed the sides of one particularly unfortunate bath. Every bedroom
boasted a washbasin because, says Jane, “During the war, the house was let out to people who were evacuated from Birmingham; it became the equivalent of a boarding house at that time.” All the basins have happily now been removed.
Part of the attraction of the property was the plethora of old oak beams in the oldest rooms. However, their stained, jet-black finish didn’t fit in with the Smallmans’ plans to encourage more light into their home. “We have had three lots of sand-blasters in over the years,” remembers Tim, who was delighted to see the beams returned to their natural, warm shade, and the gloss-painted pine doors dipped and stripped back to their natural state.
Although the couple had inherited some wonderful antiques from Tim’s family, they were aware that too much of this ‘brown’ furniture could darken the house. For advice, they turned to designer friend Liz Morris, who specialises in French painted furniture and has a wonderful eye for soft, faded textiles. Her help was invaluable in steering the couple towards gentle silks and linens for new upholstery, blinds and curtains. The result is a pleasing combination of old and new in most rooms, plus plenty of personal touches to add intrigue and interest. Many items of furniture were found at auction but the couple
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Jane’s collection
of Quimper pottery from Brittany
is displayed in the sitting room.
A picture window behind the Aga lets
light into the kitchen.An island unit was built
to house an induction hob and oven. The
cupboards are painted Stony Ground and the
walls Shaded White, both by Farrow & Ball.
34 THE ENGLISH HOME
English Elegant
ABOVE The unusual tapestry that hangs behind the bed is a portière or door curtain that was hung around a door to stop draughts. It shows an English hunting scene and was bought in France by the couple.
admits that, with the advent of competition from bidders online, it is rare to find a bargain. “But the atmosphere is still exciting,” confirms Jane.
It is clear that the internal layout of the house has changed constantly over the years. Low ceilings and flagstone floors at the rear hint at sixteenth-century origins, whilst the entrance hall, drawing and dining rooms, with their lofty ceilings, are later Georgian or Victorian additions.
Perhaps the most-used area of the house, apart from the kitchen, is the rear sitting room with its central
log-burning stove. The section on one side of the impressive fireplace is furnished with plump sofas and chairs and used for relaxing, reading and watching television, whilst the opposite end is kept uncluttered ready for playing bridge with friends. Here, too, are shelves displaying Jane’s fine collection of colourful Quimper pottery from Brittany. “I first saw it at a local auction house,” says Jane, “and I liked its naivety. It is very different from fine china but I love it.”
Their passion for wildlife inspired the Smallmans to create a garden pond at the rear of the house. “We
English Elegant
THE ENGLISH HOME 37
The result is a pleasing combination of old and new in most rooms
have lots of frogs and newts visiting, along with dragon- and damselflies,” says Jane. “And we put out bird food throughout the year, including summer, which attracts nuthatches, goldfinches and woodpeckers.” As well as watching the wildlife, village life also provides entertainment. The field opposite the house is the venue for the annual village fête and the couple holds a church barbecue every summer on the front lawn as a thank-you to all those who have helped maintain the church.
“Village life is wonderful and there is a great community spirit here,” says Jane. “This is also an incredibly peaceful house. We adore it.”
ABOVE Beautifully carved, the wooden
bed was painted and distressed by Nathan
Scott of Tetbury, adding a touch of
luxury to the spacious master bedroom. The
floral bedspread is from Cologne & Cotton.
LEFT Ancient beams that have been
stripped back to show their texture and
natural colour make a feature in the
guest bathroom.
English Elegant
38 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
AT HOMECathy and Michael Hay live with two dogs and a cat, in an eighteenth-century cottage perched above a village in Somerset. When she is not being granny to grandsons, Lewis and Fergus, Cathy runs a successful bed-and-breakfast business and is an official tour guide at Wells Cathedral, whilst Michael is a recently retired surveyor.
An idyllic hillside location captured the hearts of a newlywed couple; through the years they have sculpted a simple cottage into their dream home
THE ENGLISH HOME 41
From humbleBEGINNINGS
With scented roses tumbling about the front door and fragrant sweet peas clambering up the whitewashed walls, Cathy and Michael Hay’s
idyllic eighteenth-century quarryman’s cottage in Somerset really is the epitome of English rural life. But it wasn’t always quite so picturesque. When work compelled the Hays to move out of London forty years ago, they didn’t really have an ideal house in mind. As a young couple embarking on married life, the mere thought of owning their first home was excitement enough; their driving force was simply to find four walls and a roof they could call their own.
Whilst Michael settled into his new job as a surveyor in nearby Wells, Cathy, then just 25, embarked on a house search. “I only saw two houses and this was the second one,” she admits. The cottage, then just a basic two up two down, had a corrugated-iron roof, concrete floors and a pokey downstairs bathroom. However, its elevated position above a thriving village meant far-reaching views across rolling pasture and woodland; Cathy knew at once it had to be theirs.
“It was a very difficult market back then,” recalls Michael, “The 1970s was the decade in which
The dining room is filled with Cathy’s eclectic pottery collection. This passion for pottery ensures that there is always a pretty jug or vase in which to display garden flowers.
FEATURE MARIA MATTHEWS PHOTOGRAPHS JOHANNA SHELDRAKE
English Charm
THE ENGLISH HOME 43
‘gazumping’ became commonplace. You had to be prepared to pay high and move fast to get what you wanted. We definitely paid over the odds, scraping together funds borrowed from parents…” “But we have never looked back,” Cathy continues. “We had completely fallen head over heels in love with the location and almost didn’t really care what the house itself looked like”.
The couple lived in the diminutive cottage for nearly two years without changing a thing. “It wasn’t terribly comfortable to start with,” Cathy grimaces. “Our hot water came from an ancient rickety Ascot heater and trickled out so interminably slowly that by the time you had filled the bath, it was stone cold!” Gradually they raised enough money to build another two bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs. “We had a bit of a fight with the planners over the position of the new bathroom windows which overlooked a neighbour’s field,” remembers Michael. “We didn’t think the cows would mind, but the authorities had other ideas!” Eventually the planners relented and
LEFT In the kitchen, brightly coloured ceramics jostle for space with Le Creuset cast-iron cookware in the signature Volcanic orange colourway.ABOVE A pair of antique French mirrors lends an air of opulence to this delightful sitting room whilst a faded vintage bedcover, thrown over the sofa, keeps the look relaxed. RIGHT Cathy is skilled at needlepoint and has embroidered many of the cushions scattered around the house.
THE ENGLISH HOME 45
the building work went ahead, transforming the humble dwelling into a proper family home.
Cathy could at last start decorating. Although she does not consider herself a collector, her home is testament to her eye for finding beautiful objects along with her talent for arranging them artfully. Mismatched armchairs and sofas that were inherited from various family members are draped with vintage patchwork quilts, sourced over the years from local antiques shops and flea markets. Fine antique mirrors adorn many walls in the house, lending a faded grandeur to this humble cottage. Most come from Melvin and Sandra Edwards in Wells who specialise in the restoration of French and European mirrors. “It’s my guilty pleasure,” admits Cathy. “I call Sandra and tell her I think I’ve found space for a new mirror and she always unearths something quite amazing that fits the spot perfectly.”
Also dotted liberally around the cottage is her collection of vintage French crystal candelabras
ABOVE Local carpenter Mark Morris customised the blue bedheads whilst vintage candelabra and a gilt mirror add a touch of grandeur to this pretty blue room.RIGHT Cathy loves the opportunity to use pieces from her collection when serving guests. A china tea set made by Foley, bought at an antiques fair, is combined with an heirloom silver jug and a rustic platter.
English Charm
English Charm
46 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
ABOVE LEFT Even in the bathroom there is
a homely welcome with fresh garden flowers
and a selection of reading material. ABOVE RIGHT A matching pair of
vintage, glazed-cotton eiderdowns adorns the
beds in one of the guest rooms. The
headboard, also one of a pair, was cleverly
created from a reclaimed mirror.
and chandeliers, which add a touch of sparkle and movement as the sunlight catches the facets and casts beams of light around the rooms.
It took another fifteen years before a new kitchen came along, complete with Cathy’s beloved red Aga. Their most recent project, just two years ago, was the creation of a new double-height extension to the kitchen, which would never have been possible had they not finally been able to buy the plot of land that bordered their property to the east. For years they had tried to negotiate with the old farmer who, despite being on the friendliest of terms with the couple, was determined not to sell to anyone. “Finally, when the old boy passed away,” Michael continues, “we were able to buy the land which allowed us to totally transform our kitchen as well as create a fabulous terrace from which to enjoy the morning sun. It only took 38 years, but was the most exciting moment in our lives, after having the children!”
Opening their home to paying guests has helped to fund the renovations over the years and Cathy found she adored having the house filled with people. She
still runs a thriving bed-and-breakfast business today and visitors return year after year to enjoy her friendly hospitality and to marvel at her timeless, eclectic taste. A popular piece with her overseas guests in particular is the Welsh dresser in the kitchen, crammed with china, paintings and fresh flowers. “We rescued it from a neighbour who was throwing it out,” says Cathy, “Can you believe it!” At first glance, the objects adorning the cluttered shelves appear quintessentially English, but closer inspection reveals Cathy’s passion for Italian and Portuguese ceramics, placed cheek by jowl with family heirlooms. Fine pieces of Meissen and Limoges sit next to rustic Porches pottery and early hand-painted Emma Bridgewater. It shouldn’t work, but Cathy’s natural flair for mixing different styles, colours and patterns ensures that the result is harmonious and a totally uncontrived ensemble.
“Guests are always asking me how I put it all together, and could I possibly teach them, but I don’t really know how it happens,” explains Cathy with a shrug. “It just happens!”
FEATURE VICTORIA JENKINS PHOTOGRAPHS WILLIAM GODDARD
All’s well thatENDS WELLUnder the careful eye of an experienced
designer, a cottage has been transformed from humble beginnings into a handsome home
Ewa Lewis’s first impressions of the whitewashed cottage that was soon to become her new home were less than promising. In her own words: “it was like
a bombsite.” There was barely a garden, nor a driveway, and she had to negotiate a sea of mud to reach the front door.
Inside, things were scarcely better: the interior of the six-bedroom house was dilapidated and unloved. The kitchen amounted simply to an Aga, a sink, a few poor-quality self-assembly units and a brown linoleum floor. The bathrooms were old and tired, the conservatory – home to a forlorn-looking indoor barbecue – leaked, and virtually the entire interior was painted a dull beige. However, Ewa could see potential in the large rooms of the new house and was particularly drawn to a beautiful two-acre lake which had been created many years ago out of a former quarry.
Ewa was downsizing from a much larger house nearby where she had grown used to the high corniced ceilings and large rooms. It was a wrench after 38 years and she hated house-hunting, so was not approaching the task with much relish. “This was only the second house I had seen,” she remembers.
AT HOMEEwa Lewis, a former journalist and editor lives in a six-bedroom house in Oxfordshire set in ten acres with wonderful views over the Oxfordshire countryside. Ewa shares her home with a cocker spaniel, Piglet, and Otto, an Alsatian. She also runs a boutique bed-and-breakfast, welcoming guests who visit from all over the world.
In the elegant calm of the drawing room, Ewa chose statement swag-and-tail curtains in a fabric from Peter Jones, which were made by a seamstress from Cirencester.
THE ENGLISH HOME 49
ABOVE At the core of the house is the
kitchen, which houses the impressive racing-
green Aga. Simple, bespoke cream units
and teak flooring, complement the Aga,
above which hangs Ewa’s collection of
blue and white china. RIGHT The pretty
breakfast area of the kitchen enjoys views
overlooking the garden. The cross-
backed, wooden dining chairs are from Oka.
“My best friend had actually put in an offer for it, before promptly changing her mind, feeling it was too much to take on with its ten acres of land.”
One of the most striking features was a huge drawing room which ran the entire width of the house, complete with a lovely large open stone fireplace and fabulous views over the lake, and it was that which clinched the decision for Ewa. “The previous owner had also owned a castle in Scotland where first-floor drawing rooms are more usual, and he evidently wanted to create the same feel here,” Ewa explains. “Although this part of the house is essentially modern, it had a lovely old-world feel which I felt I could live with.”
The house had originally started as a two-up, two-down, late 1700s cottage, but this had subsequently been extensively extended in a sympathetic style at various times over the course of the twentieth century. With such a lot of space at her disposal, Ewa felt that she could make the house suitable, with her
antique furniture and porcelain collections, so she took the decision to buy it and move straight in.
For nine months, Ewa lived amongst the dust and rubble as her team of Polish builders first removed a wall that split the entrance hall in two, took out a staircase from the snug as it wasted space, opened up its fireplace and completely renovated the kitchen and the bathrooms, as well as adding a shower room. The vast drawing room was swiftly turned into a palatial bedroom and dressing suite, which Ewa now refers to as her ‘centre of operations’, having imported the bath from her previous home with the new owner’s agreement. “I looked like Miss Havisham with all the dust!” she recalls. “Taking down the wall in the hall was the dirtiest job. For months, my bedroom furniture consisted of a bed and several packing cases.” In the process of moving her four- poster bed, custom-made by a local carpenter for her previous home, a leg came off and disappeared. “So I propped up the bed with a pile of books and
English Classic
50 THE ENGLISH HOME
they are still there four years later!” she laughs. The kitchen was in the original part of the house,
and the British-racing-green Aga was already in situ and worked perfectly. “This was a huge blessing,” says Ewa. “I built the kitchen around it with new hand-built bespoke units painted in cream to replace the basic ones which were there, and took up the linoleum flooring replacing it with a new teak floor.”
Old books are a particular love and Ewa installed new shelving and bookcases throughout the house. Books line the newly-enlarged hall, and the cosy snug where the original front door once stood. One of Ewa’s particular abilities is a flair for creating a warm, inviting atmosphere with rich fabrics and wallpaper
in pretty, classic prints. The old leaking conservatory has now become Ewa’s dining room for, as she points out: “The conservatory windows reflect candlelight beautifully creating a cosy atmosphere.”
“I love the traditional English country-house look,” she continues. “Much of my furniture came from my former husband’s family and is mainly Georgian and Regency, whilst some of my collections we bought when we were newly married. Some years ago I ran an interior design company with Lavinia Dargie; pieces such as my Canasta sofas came from contacts formed at that time.”
The garden, though, proved to be the biggest challenge. “Both the front and back gardens were
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT The formal dining room features a custom-made mahogany dining table, and chairs upholstered in Clover in Juniper by Marvic Textiles.In the snug, Ewa had bookshelves custom built for her extensive collection. An eighteenth century Swedish rocking horse in the hall.In the drawing room, a Canasta chair is in Nina Campbell fabric.
English Classic
THE ENGLISH HOME 53
basically mudflat,” Ewa explains. Over the past five years, lawns have gradually been laid, neat gravel paths established, and a small orchard and a courtyard garden planted with low hedges of lavender and box, trailing ivy and honeysuckle. “I had never realised that the garden is the most expensive room you can have,” Ewa laughs. “My companion, Brian, whom I met five years ago, has done most of the work on the large garden himself, but before I met him everything was becoming quite onerous.”
“This house was a real impulse buy,” she admits. “It is really far too big for me now that my children have their own homes, which is why I like to share it.” Ewa also confesses that she is looking forward to entertaining her grandchildren here; with such a large garden there is plenty of space for them to run around, as well as a boat on the lake, from which they can watch hundreds of fish jumping from the water on balmy summer evenings. This magical pastoral scene will make quite an impression.
ABOVE LEFT In Ewa’s en-suite bathroom, she
arranged for her beloved bath to be
brought from her previous house.
ABOVE RIGHT In a guest bedroom, the
walls are papered in a vintage GP & J Baker
pattern, the rolls of which Ewa has had for 40 years and recently
rediscovered.
FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
With such a lot of space at her disposal, Ewa felt she could make the house lovely with her antique furniture and porcelain collections
54 THE ENGLISH HOME
English Classic
A downstairs guest room, decorated in calming shades of blue, features a soft bedspread by Warner Fabrics and a Colefax & Fowler wallpaper.
AT HOME WITH
Fiona Fullerton
She’s the ex-Bond girl turned property expert, interior designer and writer to whom home means a warm welcome, nothing too fussy and plenty of books
FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
FEA
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FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK THE ENGLISH HOME 57
Fiona Fullerton is somewhat of a polymath. Having been a successful actress for 30 years – she was
a Bond girl opposite Roger Moore in A View To A Kill and starred with Nigel Havers in The Charmer – she gave it up to devote her skills to another project close to her heart: property. Today, she is a landlady, writer and author and lives in the Cotswolds with businessman husband Neil and their daughter Lucy, 17, while son James, 23, lives in London.
Where do you live and why?I live in a house that was originally two cottages that were built in 1660 and later made into one house by a vicar. Since then, it’s had Georgian and Victorian elevations as well as twentieth-century additions. We’ve been here for 14 years and it’s very much home. When we bought it, the house looked sad; it needed a lot of TLC. Drainage, the roof, the chimneys all needed replacing. We’ve been reworking the interior to make it a very comfortable family house and redecorated over the years but, as it’s such a big property with eight bedrooms, it’s an ongoing project. We’re right on the Thames, which is lovely, and there’s a big coach house that we did up as an entertaining barn. The children have parties there, which is great fun. The real beauty is the creamy Cotswold stone, although it takes quite a lot of maintaining because it tends to crumble. In fact, we’ve got a walled garden that has lost seven metres because of all the rain we had last year.
It may be an obvious question, but why the Cotswolds?I have always been in love with this area; as far back as I can remember. I had a very peripatetic childhood; my father was in the British army so we moved a lot all over the world. I never had any roots. When I met my second husband Neil, I lived in Chelsea and he was in Surrey, but both he and I felt very drawn to this area. It’s such an exquisite place to live; it’s tranquil and I find the landscape rather breathtaking. I’ve finally found my roots and have created roots for my children. I think it’s important for them to always have a place to call home: somewhere they can come back to. James has left
home but he’s still got his bedroom here. His room is exactly as he left it – a tip!
Are you forever making changes at home?I always seem to be re-hanging paintings to appreciate them in a new light. Otherwise I don’t change much. Ours is a traditional English country house with a modern twist. It’s very comfortable – that’s the main thing. It has more of a farmhouse feel to it because it’s so higgledy-piggledy and has evolved over the years.
Do you like things out on surfaces or do you tuck things away?I like things out and about. I’m not a minimalist at all. I love accessories and a lot of books. The playroom, which is just off the kitchen, used to be the old village hall so it’s a huge room and full of books. I think books lend a fantastic atmosphere to a room along with family photos. This is my favourite room of them all. The shape of it, the dimensions, the height of the ceiling all make for a very lovely room indeed. It’s spacious but cosy.
Do you like to keep lots of things or are you good at having a clear out?I do like a good chucking-out session. We have a rule: one in and one out. Every now and then I’ll have a bit of a purge and, when I do, you find you don’t even notice it’s gone.
How important are fresh flowers for you?I can’t afford to have them in every room of the house but I love them in the kitchen. When I’m entertaining, however, I’ll go to town. I’ve just bought armfuls of fresh tulips today, funnily enough.
How do you instantly brighten up a room?By changing the cushions. You can refresh a room each season just by using different accessories. In winter, I’ll put red velvet throws on the sofas and then in summer, you can have it cool with creams and beiges.
What is a valued home possession?If ever I had any spare cash when I was younger, I’d treat myself and go to the auction houses in London. There’s an oil painting I bought in the early eighties of two enormous shire horses pulling a cart through a ford. It’s a very beautiful rural
scene. When I was living in London, I wished I was living in the country and it gave me comfort. It means a lot to me.
Is your former career as an actress evident anywhere in the house? In my office. There are theatre posters all over the walls of the plays and musicals I did. This is where vanity rules! I’m very proud I had my name above the title of many West End productions. Then there’s a picture of me in the hot tub with Roger Moore and a picture of me as Eliza Doolittle with a dirty face… So they couldn’t be more different.
Today, you’re a landlady and a businesswoman. What is that like?I have enough properties to keep me running ragged. They’re mainly in Oxford but I have a few in London, because that’s where I started investing in 1994. My niche market is one-bedroom flats for young professionals. I do them up to a very high spec. I also bit the bullet and bought a couple of houses for students – even though I’d written endlessly about how you should never, ever invest in student accommodation. In fact, it’s been marvellous. The other week I went round to one of the houses to deliver a new microwave and a Chinese girl sheepishly came up to me and said, ‘Is it true you were a Bond girl?’ I think the agent must have told her. It’s cringingly embarrassing – I’m 56! – but I think they’re rather chuffed their landlady is an old Bond girl.
Do you have pets?We have a Spaniel called Spencer and a very naughty long-haired Jack Russell called Archie. They’re best of friends but as both are 12-years-old, they’re becoming elderly gentleman. I think animals are very important to a home. I couldn’t imagine this old place without dogs.
And finally, what should no English home be without?The first thing your guests see when they walk into your home is hugely important; they should immediately feel comfortable. I like a warm welcome.
• Fiona Fullerton’s latest publication: Dear Fiona – Letters from a Suspected Soviet Spy, £19.95, Waterside Press, is available now
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STYLE INSPIRATIONDecorate with duck egg hues | Mosaic tiling | Ottoman design inspiration
FREE-FORM FLORALSLarge dinner parties, family celebrations or wedding breakfasts are all enlivened with flowers to decorate the dining table. Many hosts opt for a fairly regimented layout of floral arrangements, keeping to a limited colour choice, but for gatherings with a more informal air, do consider a more vibrant, free-form approach. A fluid line of vases and vessels, holding a vivid amalgam of flower varieties, sets a jolly, uplifting mood, particularly when accompanied by bold napkins It is perfect for less solemn occasions. If you must take a theme, let the season be your guide. This beautiful setting was created by the talented team at David Austin Roses.
28 pages of design and decorating advice
STATE OF MINDBright pastels with a little bit of clutter and a healthy dollop of pattern create a sense of ease at home: perfect for an enticing, holiday flavour all year round
Create an atmosphere of leisured cosiness at home and it is almost impossible not to feel your heart rate drop as you cross the threshold. We all
know that colour has an intrinsic power to lift our spirits and yet, oh, how timid so many of us are in venturing beyond the pale. Uplifting hues can be enjoyed in a tentative fashion… A dash of duck egg, a smattering of spearmint, a smudge of Wedgwood in the form of accessories against reassuring neutrals. And everyone can throw in a smidgen of pink to add a rosy aspect to any setting. Those of a more adventurous persuasion will reap maximum benefits and set a positively holiday flavour all year round with healthy dollops of colour on walls and painted furniture. Informality in decor is, of course, equally essential. It is so much easier to relax when the odd dribble from an unruly teapot is not a concern. There are quite a few ways to inject decorative sunshine: For alluring utility kitchenware try Labour and Wait, for aluminium kettles try Army & Navy and camping stores. Chapel chairs, used here as kitchen chairs, need tracking down from vintage specialists, but occasionally crop up on eBay. Hicks & Hicks sells some lovely nauticalia, and Dorset Gifts is a fabulous online resource for model boats.
64 THE ENGLISH HOME
FROM LEFT As sure as eggs is eggs…A little kitchen clutter creates a homely mood and this retro swirly egg holder makes a virtue of the fact that eggs are actually best kept at room temperature rather than in the fridge. Add the freshest to the top of the spiral and take from the bottom to use neatly in date order.Egg Spiral, holds 20 eggs, £24.95, The Handpicked Collection
Holiday flavour Seaside imagery instantly adds a note of escapism but is best not overdone. A painterly jug like this, with illustrative images of English beach huts, is a charming detail for the kitchen table. The perfect size to hold milk, it is also a lovely way to serve cream to drizzle over your
strawberries for breakfast or pudding.Gisela Graham Shoreline ceramic cream jug, 12cm, £8.99, The Contemporary Home
Feminine filigree We all wish we could stumble across the perfect antique or vintage piece to finish a scheme but sometimes time (and patience) is limited. This sweet filigree picture frame has a good antiqued finish to easily fool at longer range and is such an unusual design that it would make a very attractive addition atop a chest of drawers or dressing table to bring a note of femininity.Brocante filigree frame (picture not included), 35cm high to hold picture size 8” x 10”, £27.50, An Angel at My Table
Variations on a theme Painting kitchen chairs in tonal variation suits the informal home and jollies up unloved pieces. Annie Sloan’s latest book Colour Recipes for Painted Furniture and More (from which this idea is taken) is a brilliant source of inspiration and, most importantly, the essential ‘how to’ information for creating painted looks that last.Published by Cico, it costs £14.99
Design Directions
“O’er the glad waters of the dark blue sea, Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free, Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam, Survey our empire, and behold our home!”From The Corsair by Lord Byron, poet (1788-1824)
Mish mash charms Art can be precious, or sentimental or both, but for laid-back living it should not be preciously displayed. Blend subject matter, mix stylistic technique, play with scale and use a range of media. Then, hang together in a way that looks uncontrived even if it actually took hours of planning. Swanson Celadon flat-weave rug, 180 x 250cm, £1,063, Roger Oates
There are
Everlasting flowers This delightfully vintage-effect wallpaper has a thirties feel but is actually a reworking of an original Victorian design. Briar Rose was found in a house in the north of England as part of a bedspread that dates back to the Victorian era. The print, which incorporates briar roses and blackberries, offers classic English allure to transport you back to a bygone age. Briar Rose, in two colourways, £79.90 a roll, Jean Monro, Turnell & Gigon
ABOVE Companionable collection Whilst regimented collections of identical or near-identical pieces look graphically attractive for the classic or more modern interior, they jar within the informal home. But if the idea of curating a completely random mix of items in an artistic way is daunting choose a subtle ‘theme’ of material instead. A collection of differently coloured and differently shaped vessels works together here by dint of sharing glass as the common denominator. A limited colour palette is also useful but the two smoke-grey bottles really help to ground the grouping against a soft white background.Set of seven recycled bottle vases, £55, from the new Weekending collection, An Angel at My Table
RIGHT A punch of personality Take the concept of the multi-coloured tiled splashback one step further with a themed mix of pictorial tiles. Welbeck Tiles offers lovely ranges to allow experimentation including nostalgic and also patriotic selections. It could offer the perfect quirky touch for a small area of wallcovering in the loo or utility room and is guaranteed to raise a smile. There are some 19 tile designs to mix and match to create a unique montage. The tiles are traditionally made in small batches in a workshop in Cornwall.1953 Vintage collection, available in two sizes of tiles: 6.75cm and 13.5cm, from £7 each, Welbeck Tiles
FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK THE ENGLISH HOME 67
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Interior designer April Russell likes to use mosaic in projects, as it can create a decorative link between a bedroom and en-suite, with the design picking out a pattern from the bedlinen, for example. She also adds that she likes “the historical aspect of mosaic, and how a range of colours and textures enhance the space.”
This ancient art form has adorned English homes for thousands of years, and remains a luxurious decoration today – from simple but effective bathroom patterns to adventurous art works
CAPTURED INMosaic
THE ENGLISH HOME 69
Specialist Subject
With its origins in the Eastern and Latin cultures, mosaic may not be immediately
associated with English interior design, however, it is a decorative medium that has been used in this country for thousands of years. Today, it is used in many ways, from dazzling contemporary fashions by companys such as Bizazza and RIM Tile and Mosaic Boutique; as a simple yet decorative alternative to larger tiles on walls and floors; to create beautiful textural works of art; and in more traditional guises that reflect the historical influences of creating pictoral scenes from fragments of stone.
The art was introduced to England by the Romans, who used mosaic on floors, often to capture scenes from history or daily life. It was also a symbol of wealth and rich romans afforded personalised designs to decorate their villas. Evidence of Roman mosaic exist in sites across the country, including Fishbourne Roman Palace and Chedworth Villa in Gloucestershire. In addition to Roman designs, mosaic also saw a resurgence during the Victorian era. The Pre-Raphaelite movement and those inspired by the Roman and Islamic mosaics they had seen on the Grand Tour were instrumental in this revival. Many glass manufacturers sprung up in England during this period, including the London-based firms of Clayton & Bell and Rust & Co, and L Oppenheimer Ltd in Manchester. Italian glass maker Antonio Salviati, who created a new technique to mass-produce glass mosaic tiles, also established a workshop in Britain. Mosaics from these firms can still be seen in St Paul’s Cathedral, The Houses of Parliament and King’s College, Cambridge.
METHOD AND MATERIALSA mosaic is created by combining small pieces of material together to form a pattern, or a pictorial representation. Many of the earliest examples of mosaic used whole items such as pebbles, shells or ceramic cones to create decorative designs on columns, floors, or small objects.
The Romans introduced the method of cutting pieces of stone to create a mosaic. While these individual pieces, called tesserae (the singular tessera is more
commonly known in plural form tesserae) were originally made from stone, these days the term applies to all forms of mosaic materials, ranging from precious metals to plastics. The majority of tesserae are made from organic materials: metals, gem stones, glass, mother of pearl, stone and ceramic are all commonly used in modern mosaics. “Acrylic can be used for mosaic,” comments Jenny Wasson, creative co-ordinator for Original Style, “and is often filled with other materials such as pebbles to good effect.” A current trend in art mosaic is to use recycled broken ceramics and found objects, transforming the discarded into art.
The original method for compiling a mosaic would be to create it in situ, building up the decoration directly on the surface, such as a floor or a wall. Whilst this technique is still used by some, other
methods have been developed which allow the mosaic to be constructed off-site. The individual pieces are joined together on a mesh backing, or they are glued face down onto a piece of paper or a piece of film. With mesh backing, the tesserae remain on the backing which is secured to the surface using an adhesive. With the paper or film method, the facing is peeled away once the mosaic has been secured in position. However the mosaic is applied to the wall, it must be sealed with grout as the final touch.
SHAPELY FEATURESTraditional tesserae are square in shape and come in various sizes, generally ranging from between 1 and 5 square centimetres. The shapes have evolved over time though, and now it is possible to buy rectangular, hexagonal or
An Italian master mosaicist took a week to create this Koi Carp panel forParis Ceramics, carefully putting each tessera into place, piece by piece.
Rather than creating an elaborate design, mosaic can been used to
simple, yet pretty effect. Tranquility mosaic, £21.60 per
sheet, Original Style.
70 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
Specialist Subject
circular mosaic tiles. Another development is the listello mosaic tile, a long and thin tesserae of approximately 1cm x 10cm. These can be used either horizontally, as a decorative border, or vertically, to cover an area such as a splashback or above a sink.
An increasingly popular alternative to the flat mosaic made popular during the Victorian era is to create a 3D effect with rectangular tesserae. The mosaic can be compiled from a mixture of polished, matt, textured and smooth pieces which are assembled in a geometric pattern. The tesserae can be various sizes, even made from different materials such as glass, metal and stone. The differences in thickness and finish means some tesserae stand proud of the surface, creating shadow, reflection and texture.
ARTISTIC MEDIUMAs well as using mosaic as a decorative technique, skilled artists create mosaic works of art. Some mosaics use such small tesserae and produce a piece so finely detailed that it can look like a painting. This micro-mosaic technique was developed in the Vatican in the nineteenth century and was used to decorate furniture and jewellery as well as
create framed panels that could be hung on a wall. In contrast, a technique called opus sectile uses larger non-uniform shapes cut from the material, such as marble or stone, to create a design. With this method, the pattern in the material can be used to bring texture, light and shadow to the piece, rather than using different tones or colours in the tesserae to create the effect.
Although the twentieth century mosaic workshops may have closed, there is still a great deal of interest in making mosaic art. Gary Drostle is chairman of the British Association for Modern Mosaic, which has around 400 members, many of whom are professional mosaic artists. Many mosaic artists use a special kind of tesserae, called smalti, in their work. This is an opaque coloured glass which has a faceted finish when cut, explains Drostle. Some smalti come with a layer of gold leaf secured just under the top layer of glass, ideal for opulent designs. “Mosaics can be used on any surface as long as it is smooth,” explains Jenny Wasson, “even a gentle curve can take mosaic effectively.” Gary Drostle agrees: “Mosaic is organic, fluid. It can be used running down a stairwell, on a curved wall, or on risers on a staircase.” Artists
can produce mosaics laid onto a panel which hangs on the wall like a painting. Others produce mosaic-covered sculptures that can be displayed inside or outside the home. These types of mosaic are portable and are ideal for people who want to take their mosaics with them when they move, rather than having to leave these ornate works of art behind.
MOSAIC MARVELSVisit ancient displays of mosaic and discover more about this historic art
British Association of Modern MosaicKnowledgeable resource for all things mosaic. Includes details on courses to learn and improve mosaic-making skills. bamm.org.uk
Chedworth Roman VillaNational Trust property with a beautiful restored mosaic floor, fourth century. nationaltrust.org.uk/chedworth-roman-villa
Shell Grotto, MargateMore than four million shells decorate the walls of this subterranean cavern, whose origins and use are still a mystery.shellgrotto.co.uk
Joy of Shards Mosaic ResourceAn extensive information site, detailing mosaic art across the world. Includes a detailed list of where to find them in the UK.thejoyofshards.co.uk
LEFT This impressive mosaic of female dancer pouring water is a custom-made piece that replicates a detail of a Roman mosaic in the Carthage National Museum in Tunisia. Made from marble and limestone tesserae, it is a ‘curved’ mosaic, and it can take eight working days to complete one square metre. £2,650 a square metre, or £3,180 as shown, from luxury surfaces specialist De Ferranti.RIGHT An archaeologist working on uncovering a mosaic at Chedworth Roman Villa, in Gloucestershire. This National Trust property is one of the largest ruins of a Romano-British villa in the country and would have been home to some of the wealthiest Romans in England during the fourth century.
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COLOUR MASTERCLASS
Duck EggPART THREE: Soothing, calm and restful, duck egg is a popular colour for all rooms. Neither deliberately warm nor overtly cool, and sitting
midway between blue and green, it is also alluringly versatile
JOANNA WOODOwner and director of Joanna Trading: International Interior Design Practice
One of the leading names in interior design, Wood has built her reputation over 25 years. In addition to her own practice, Joanna Trading, Wood is also a partner in a number of interiors businesses. Along with textile printer Stephen Lewis, she founded Lewis & Wood,
known for character prints on fabric and papers. Wood is also a partner in upholstery and furniture specialists Lawson Wood. She more recently co-founded the lighting company, Phillips and Wood and also has her own shop selling gifts and home accessories.
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Colour Masterclass
ABOVE LEFT Wood wanted the unusual feature bed to be the main focus. A cream fabric, Liso in Champagne, from Isle Mill, provided a contrast to the duck egg walls.
ABOVE RIGHT The bed drapes are lined in Polo, from Linwood, in a duck egg colour to add further contrast and to surround the sleeper in the soothing colour.
I think that ‘duck egg’ is such a wonderful description of this colour. It can mean different things to different people and the joy is that it is a chameleon colour and takes on the reflection of whatever is closest to it – so it works equally well with fresh pistachio greens as with red-toned blues. It is also a great colour because it is neither masculine nor feminine, so it provides quite a calm and soothing base. It is a fantastic colour for hanging art on, so I have also used it a lot in drawing rooms.
You should be mindful of light when choosing a colour, but do bear in mind that in good old England, we can have bright, snowy light, or cloudy grey skies, to golden warm sunshine. The important thing is to layer light sources to create the right effect, and also include appropriate task lighting.
In this bedroom project, I have used Quench the Gloom by Paint & Paper Library, which is neither blue nor green. It is in a city on the third floor, and I wanted something restful, which was light and not too overpowering. Duck egg is a colour that soothes the brain... in some ways you could say it is becoming the new beige as it is so gentle and accessible. I can’t think of anywhere that I would not use it. It is incredibly easy to match as there are so many fabrics, but tweedy fabrics with a weave showing several shades are good. We have used Zimmer & Rohde’s Tunis (1286-583) on the chairs. It can also handle being paired with bold colours; here it works well with both bright chartreuse green and the strongest Schiaparelli pink. I would avoid a bright red, though and I am not sure I would put black with it.
I adore a scheme that harks back to the 30s and 40s where duck egg and chocolate brown were a big fashion. Cut through with cream, it is simply
beautiful. What I love is that all shades, from the crispest white through to ivory, buttermilk and creams, look fabulous. You can even go to caramels, or as dark as deep chocolate brown, and you simply cannot go wrong. Just keep layering and layering and it will look gorgeous.
All woods will work well; I have never had a wood that looks wrong with duck egg. In terms of metals, my preference is for bronze or nickel, but gold and brass can also look good.
In this bedroom, the four-poster bed is a big statement – I really wanted that contrast, which is why I used a creamy fabric, Isle Mill’s Liso in Champagne (LIS037), lined with Linwood’s Polo in Duck Egg (LF1031C 34) for a cosseting touch. I then created a safe haven of crisp white sheets, which have a great sense of luxury and comfort. What I find most successful in this room is the marriage of contemporary and classic: from the antique lacquered Indian chest of drawers to the super-modern, specially commissioned Japanese glass sculpture.
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This bathroom uses a slightly more greenish celadon colour than pure duck egg. We chose it as it picked up on a celadon colour used in the Manuel Canovas toile in the adjoining bedroom. The interesting thing about using a green or blue, or a hybrid of the two, is that no matter how light or dark you take the colour, it will remain a blue or green. Other colours such as red will change to a pink when lighter, or a burgundy when much darker, making them a difficult colour to work with. Blue and green tones go with almost anything, and provide a great base.
This particular paint, Celadon by Zoffany, is a very sympathetic colour and shows off everything around it, but we kept everything quite neutral to allow the colour to do the talking. Natural stone, white tiles and polished metals are the perfect complement. I think if we had used something like a terracotta it would have looked too themed, or try-hard; limestone or slate are ideal partners to this colour.
This room was tricky to colour since there is no natural light, and it is also quite a narrow space. As the colour would only be seen under artificial light, it was important to view the colours in these conditions. A difficulty we face with low-energy bulbs is that they do not pick up the full lighting spectrum as halogen would, so you really must see how the light affects the colour. For a fresh and calming effect, you need the purity of the colour, whether it is more blue or green, but take care not to edge towards greyer tones.
OLIVER STEERManaging director, Oliver Steer Interior Designers & Architects
Combining a specialism in architecture with interior design, Steer creates classic schemes with an attention to detail and a love of fine craftsmanship.
A fresh celadon green duck egg colour creates a feeling of light,
calm and space in this narrow en suite.
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ROS BYAM SHAW Interiors writer and author
Ros Byam Shaw is a respected interiors journalist who has also authored a number of books, including several that focus on English interiors. The featured project is taken
from her book, Farrow & Ball: Living with Colour which offers inspirational ideas and advice on Farrow & Ball colour palettes for both town and country homes.
Duck egg is a subtle colour and sits right on the cusp between green and blue. Some people may actually disagree over what a true duck egg shade is; some think it is blue while others edge more towards green. In this dining room, that leads into a kitchen, Teresa’s Green from Farrow & Ball has been used and I would say it is a green shade, but equally it can look blue; it sits right in the middle. It is also on the midpoint between the blue cast of natural northern light and the yellow glow of tungsten bulbs. This can make it difficult to choose the perfect shade. Although you should try to test colours in different lights, colour can look different all the time, so I am a firm believer in trusting your instinct. If I like a colour then I trust
I will like it in the day and at night. What is lovely about duck egg is that although it is between blue and green, two traditionally cool shades, it is actually a very warm colour. It is gentle and not challenging, and you can create a calm, peaceful scheme that is not too scary. It looks lovely with an off-white, but opt for those with warmer undertones, not cool greys. Red-based whites such as Pointing (used here), Joa’s White and Archive, or creamy yellows such as White Tie would be ideal. Duck eggs also work really well with browns. Almost any shade of brown will look nice as the complementary colours on the colour wheel are browns and oranges. This means that it works well with most woods, making it ideal for
period or contemporary interiors. For a modern approach use it with shades of coral or orange. Equally, it is an elegant colour when used in Georgian properties and although I think it is a fresh, clean choice for a kitchen, it is so versatile that it makes a lovely choice for a drawing room, too.
I particularly like how it has been used here, on feature woodwork. If the fitted cupboard doors were painted in the same off-white as the walls you would hardly notice them, however, using Teresa’s Green on the doors and mantle shelf gently highlights them. Calling attention, but not in a strident way. If the cupboards were not a feature, then the black expanse of the fireplace might be too dominant.
Used to highlight feature woodwork, Teresa’s Green sits on the midpoint between green and blue.
TOP David Oliver of Paint & Paper Library describes Reef as “more aqua than green,” and suggests that it looks good with sharp woodwork. £35 for 2.5l flat emulsion“With its delicate shades of green and yellow, Celadon is remarkably versatile. It looks particularly fresh against white in kitchens and bathrooms,” says Rob Whitaker, brand director at Fired Earth. £34 for 2.5l elements emulsionManaging director of Little Greene, David Mottershead, advises: “Celesetial Blue is the perfect colour for bringing the outdoors in.” £32.50 for 2.5l absolute matt emulsion
MIDDLE Dominic Mylands, managing director of Mylands, reveals that the soft blue of Beaufort Gardens was “inspired by Wedgwood’s beautiful pottery, and was first created for an elegant interior located in this Knightsbridge Street.” £31.50 for 2.5l marble matt emulsion Nina Campbell says “Duck egg is hugely prominent in my upcoming collection for September.”Farrow & Ball’s Pale Powder is a colour that she says works best for her when decorating in this colour: “It is very easy to work with and a slightly softer shade, which for paint, I think is important.” £34.50 for 2.5l estate emulsion
BOTTOM Francesca’s Paints’ Pistachio is designer Jenny Blanc’s favourite duck egg hue: “It is a light, serene shade of greeny, blue with a cool, powdery finish. It complements antique whites, soft browns and teal blues.” £41.25 for 2.5l eco emulsionJustine Fox from Clarity InColour, a consultant on Earthborn’s new colour collection, advises, “When you paint walls and ceilings in Shallows, it creates an ethereal atmosphere, perfect for clearing the mind.” £31 for 2.5l claypaintQuench the Gloom by Paint & Paper Library used in Joanna Wood’s bedroom project on page 74. £35 for 2.5l flat emulsion
RECOMMENDED PAINTS
Colour Masterclass
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TOP LEFT Contemporary graphic patterns feel rather more classic in a calm palette of duck egg and creams. Curtain, Stanmore Felt, £170 a metre; square cushion, Floral Portrait, £180 a metre; all fabrics shown from Zimmer + Rohde TOP RIGHT A beautiful, painterly effect captures ethereal hues of both blue and green. Reflections wallpaper, £32 a roll, Sanderson BOTTOM LEFT Clean and fresh, duck egg is a popular choice for kitchens. Here, it looks fantastic against dark woods, but would work equally well with white painted cabinetry. Handmade Valencia tiles in Opal, £149.94 a square metre, Fired Earth BOTTOM RIGHT Such a versatile colour, duck egg lends itself to pretty country charm, too, in these lovely printed linens. Clarisse fabrics, from £27.50 a metre, Clarke & Clarke
TEXTURAL TONESAdd soft, soothing colour with gentle duck egg papers, fabrics and tiles
Colour Masterclass
80 THE ENGLISH HOME NEXT ISSUE: SHELL PINK
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Plain weaves, with their even distribution of warp and weft, are hardwearing and suitable for a range of applications. Linen weaves, from £70 a metre, Blithfield
FRUITS OF THE LOOMThe abundance and great variety of skilfully woven fabrics available today bears testimony to thousands of years of innovation and creativity
Fabric Weaves
THE ENGLISH HOME 83
A t the dawn of prehistory, when hunter-gatherers may have been eating berries and slaying woolly
mammoths, they were indisputably engaged in a key activity that human society also requires: they were inventing weaving. Examples of early woven linen and wool cloth, discovered in countries as far apart as China and Peru, demonstrate their astonishing levels of invention. We now have textiles of breathtaking range and complexity, but they are still close relatives of these seminal weaves in which one set of threads, the warp, is interlaced at right angles by another set, the weft. At its simplest, all looms hold long warp threads parallel and under tension, and a heddle raises and lowers these threads in sequence so that weft threads can be carried through by a shuttle.
All textiles were woven by hand before the Industrial Revolution, and hand-weaving is still a vibrant craft. Weavers had traditional songs that helped maintain a rhythm that guaranteed evenness as they pressed down on the treadle, pulled the shuttle string to left or right and pulled back the reed which packs down each row. Female hand-weavers were employed in mills as late as the 1950s, particularly for velvet, as smaller hands were suited to the delicate task of cutting the pile. Two women hand-wove silk velvet for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robe, making twice what was needed as a guarantee, but also so that neither woman would know which length was used.
A MATTER OF WARP AND WEFTThe jacquard loom, designed by Joseph Marie Jacquard in around 1801, introduced sets of punched cards that controlled every thread in the warp. It revolutionised the weaving of elaborate patterns and only required a single weaver
to control the weft, throwing the shuttle across with its appropriate colours. Its computerised descendant is the loom, weaving complex patterns today. The dobby loom, designed around 40 years later, raises yarns as groups, and is still employed for all simple weaves.
The appearance of a weave depends on the proportion of the warp or weft that is on the surface of the cloth. Many of today’s textiles are versions of a handful of weave structures that have developed over centuries. Plain weave repeats a sequence of interlacing warp and weft, with the weft yarn going over one warp thread and under the next across the width of the loom. “A plain balanced weave, if closely woven in quality yarn, can claim to be the most hardwearing weave structure as there is less movement and therefore less friction between the yarns,” says John Kitching of Northcroft Fabrics. If the warp yarn is fine cotton and the weft a thicker cotton, plain weave will produce canvas or, with an even thicker weft, the ribbed weave known as repp. Linen union is a plain weave traditionally with a cotton warp and linen weft. Others include taffeta and gingham, most fabric on which designs are printed and, of course, the sheets on our beds. A plain weave looks the same on both sides.
Twill is a simple weave in which the warp thread skips over several weft threads and under one in a stepped sequence which creates a pattern of diagonal ridges known as a wale. Denim is one well-known twill. Herringbone, a variant of twill, has the diagonal running one way then back on itself, giving the distinctive shape of herrings’ bones.
Satin is a weave structure worked in silk, cotton, wool and synthetics. It is described as a warp-faced textile because long floats of tightly packed warp yarn are caught at intervals by irregularly
PAISLEY PATTERNPaisley designs are a perennial favourite in interiors, and where the paisley design is woven into the fabric, rather than printed, it is often done so on a punch-card jacquard loom first designed in 1801. Heritage Pearl, wool/cotton mix, 150cm wide, £183.60 a metre, de Le Cuona
HERRINGBONE STRIPEHerringbone is a derivation of a twill weave which draws on the interplay between warp and weft. It affords great variety in colour and texture. Tabriz, warp yarn in graduated colours to produce an ombré effect, £69 a metre, Osborne & Little
PLAINLY WOVENDepending on the fibre, plain weaves can be used for the most delicate of silks or the toughest of canvas fabrics.This collection comprises a mix of designs printed onto plain weaves, as well as designs woven into fabric on a jacquard loom. Calcott collection, from £38.90 a metre, Linwood
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stepped weft yarns giving a smooth, light-reflective surface. Except in silk, satin’s smooth face makes it surprisingly resistant to abrasion, and wool satin can be an excellent upholstery cloth. Satin weave is malleable and will follow contours, for instance, in upholstery.
Damask is a compound jacquard weave combining a background of warp-faced satin with the design featured in matt weft-faced areas. The variation in light-reflection illuminates the pattern. Damasks are woven in silk, cotton, wool, linen or in combinations of these with many examples suitable for curtains and upholstery.
Velvets are woven with an extra warp for the pile set between two fabrics woven face to face and cut apart at the front of the loom. The v-type has pile yarn going under one weft, and the w-type passes pile yarn under one weft, over one and under another, binding it firmly into the backing. Although this is preferred for upholstery, the v-type is also hardwearing when the pile is sufficiently dense. Velvet can be woven in cotton, linen, mohair, silk or acrylic. Corduroy is woven with alternating bands of cut and
uncut wefts, giving its distinctive rib. Chenille looks confusingly like velvet, but isn’t a weave structure but a type of yarn. Pile fibres are caught between two yarns which are then twisted together and the furry pile sticks out in all directions earning it a name that means caterpillar in French. Chenille can be woven plain or twill and is a constituent yarn in many complex jacquards. Lesser qualities can crush on upholstery.
YARN QUALITYWhen choosing furnishing fabrics, the structure is secondary to the quality and quantity of yarn packed into the weave. Cotton, linen, wool and viscose are all woven alone and in combination, sometimes with polyester and modacrylic for added strength or fire retardancy. Silk has extraordinary tensile strength but low resistance to abrasion and is seldom chosen for more than decorative upholstery.
The great variety of woven textiles we have now gained momentum from the end of the 1980s, with the introduction of computer-aided manufacture. A weave design can now be sent to the most
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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Contemporary designers employ computer technology to deliver sophisticated weaves, once out of reach of the average consumer. Sheers and structures, Momentum collection, from £33 a metre, HarlequinVelvets are versatile weaves, although a dense pile is necessary for upholstery purposes. Cut-velvets are becoming increasingly popular. Plaza, Metro Velvets collection, suitable for both upholstery and curtaining, from £59 a metre, Clarke & Clarke
Beautiful damask (on the curtaining) is a compound jacquard weave, combining a satin background with a matt foreground, culminating in an exquisite sheen. Foster damask, £105 a metre, Zimmer + RohdeAlthough possessing tensile strength, silk wears fairly quickly, whatever the weave, and should be reserved for light use or decorative purposes. Position away from direct sunlight, or line, if curtaining. Spitalfields, based on an eighteenth century design, £116 a metre, Northcroft Fabrics
Fabric Weaves
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advanced jacquard looms straight from the designer’s computer. But nothing can replace the skill of a weave designer, says textile historian, Mary Schoeser. “The weave designer needs to be a mathematician, an artist, an engineer, even an architect, because textiles must be structurally sound.”
New yarns are one of the major influences on weaves being designed
today. “The mills call them fancy yarns,” says Sue Hardie, design director at Osborne & Little, “and these include bouclé yarns, ones with variegated slubs, and others that are space-dyed. They all give variety, depth and texture to our tweeds and ombré weaves.” Style influences picked and mixed from world cultures are currently focusing on geometric patterns including ikat and
flamestitch. “We are designing a lot of cut velvets in geometric patterns,” says Claire Vallis, design director at Harlequin, “and we’re playing with lustre yarns, as well as seeking out recycled and sustainable yarns.” Of course, weave designers will never stop finding ingenious new ways to manipulate warp and weft but, as our ancestors discovered, there is no escaping its essential discipline.
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Curzon velvet, on the chair and throw, combines two tones of viscose in the pile, giving a mottled pin-stripe effect. Curtains in Rosebery wool satin have exceptional drape and the fabric is also suitable for upholstery. Both fabrics, £91 a metre, ZoffanyHerringbone and jacquard weaves, as well as velvets in various guises, are now part of the repertoire of most fabric houses. From £64 a metre, Colefax and FowlerCombining printed
plain weaves with patterned weaves can result in an interesting, textured decorative effect. Fabrics from the Marwood Collection, from £69 a metre, GP & J BakerPelham features a sophisticated blend of silk with linen, for curtains, blinds and cushions, in 30 different colourways. £34 a metre, James HareThis contemporary-shaped sofa is covered in a tweed-influenced fabric. Soumak (cushions in Tabriz and Bukhara), all £69 a metre, Osborne & Little
The Ottoman Empire lasted for six centuries and, at its height, spanned three continents. No wonder its sophisticated art and craft, exported to Europe, exerted such a strong influence on English interiors
PART I: OTTOMAN INSPIRATION
Global Gatherers
Working in harmony together: a hand-embroidered Uzbeki suzani cushion, an antique kilim and a curtain in a fabric developed from an original Ottoman embroidery. Noile silk curtains in Osh, £214 a metre, Robert Kime
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It must have been an extraordinary sight: vast trains of camel caravans carrying silk, spices, tea, porcelain, furs, grain, amber and more, converging on the city of Istanbul, capital of
the Islamic Ottoman Empire and crossroads of trade between East and West. The empire was vast, powerful and a melting pot of different religions, exerting huge influence over the Balkans, the Middle East and beyond. From a small Anatolian state in the early fourteenth century, it had conquered, expanded and flourished, until reaching a glorious peak in the middle of the sixteenth century.
If the sheer scale and might of the Ottoman Empire were breathtaking, so were its cultural achievements. What we now recognise as a distinctly Ottoman style, in fact, evolved from a multitude of influences, including their own nomadic, central Asian origins, the folk styles of neighbouring cultures and trade with China and the Italian city states of Genoa and Venice. During the reign of Suleiman I, known as the Magnificent (and, incidentally, the richest and most powerful monarch in Europe at the time), artistic culture was at its height. From illuminated manuscripts to rugs, textiles, ceramic vessels and tiles, thousands of court artists, known as the Ehl-i Hiref (Community of the Talented), created splendid works of art that demonstrated a unique blend of Islamic, European and Turkish traditions.
ENTERPRISING BEGINNINGSThe patronage of the court set the tone for all aspects of Ottoman culture; designs produced for the sultan spread throughout the empire and influenced neighbouring countries. Foreign trade became an important source of income; France was granted trade rights with the Ottomans in 1534 and in 1581, Queen Elizabeth I granted letters patent to the ‘Turkey Company’ to trade with the eastern Mediterranean. Later reorganised as the Levant Company, its merchants had the monopoly of English trade with Istanbul, Smyrna and Aleppo. A document of the time states: ‘The commodities they bringe from those partes are all sortes of Spices, Rawe Silke, Appoticarie drugs, India blewe, and Cotton Woll, as also yarne and cloaths made thereof, Galles, Currants, Sweet Oyle, Sope, Quiltes, Carpete.’ For the few in England who could afford them, Ottoman imports became a great symbol of wealth and status.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Inspired by Moroccan
textiles, this hand-embroidered cushion works well when used in a modern context. Izar Cushion in chartreuse by
Niki Jones, £85, Pomegranate
Interior designer Alidad has drawn on his extensive knowledge of Ottoman designs to create a collection of fabrics for Chelsea Textiles. This hand-embroidered linen/cotton mix features tulips and hyacinths within a trelliswork pattern.Shayla, £458 a metre, Chelsea TextilesThis ceramic lamp base with its array of stars shows an
Ottoman influence, but would look equally at home in a classically-styled room, too. Brompton ceramic table lamp, £140, with 40cm shade in red Isabelle linen, £102.20, Jim LawrenceThe Ottomans were masters of floral patterning. This design is a contemporary appliqué embroidery. Nossos design (made to order), £319 a metre, Victoria Bain
The Ottoman Empire
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TEXTILE INFLUENCESAmong the most prized of the Ottoman goods were silks and other textiles, instantly recognisable by their large-scale, stylised motifs, often highlighted by metal threadwork. An abundance of stylised flowers – tulips, carnations, hyacinths, honeysuckles, roses, and rosebuds – characterised the designs, explains Alidad, a leading interior designer originally from Iran, who has designed a collection of Ottoman-inspired fabrics. “There were floral ateliers that produced the designs, which were then applied to different materials, such as textiles, tiles and metalwork. It was – and is – a very cohesive and powerful art, unlike that of anywhere else,” he explains. Among the most spectacular textiles were suzanis – elaborate silk embroideries produced by girls living in the oasis cities of the central Asian silk road as part of their dowries. Another typical textile was the ikat, a resist-dyed textile in which the pattern is tied and dyed into the warp or weft threads (or both) prior to weaving. The most popular Ottoman fabric designs included flowers with wavy, vertical stems and blooming palmettes, large-scale lattices, and the ‘saz’ style, featuring distinctive jagged edges on leaves and flowers.
Hand-knotted Ottoman rugs had been exported to Europe from the fourteenth century, highly sought after for churches and palaces – and depicted in many famous paintings of the day by the likes of Hans Holbein the Younger and Lorenzo Lotto. They were generally knotted in brightly coloured wool and boasted a rich vocabulary of images, from vases, trees,
stars, animals and flowers to abstract geometric shapes, often a rectangular field with octagons, square frames and strapwork. Another typically Ottoman art form that found its way to Europe was Iznik pottery, made from white fritware and decorated with intricate designs in brilliant underglaze colours, and named after the small rural town in western Anatolia where the pottery was made. Patronised by the Ottoman court, Iznik ware was among the finest in the Islamic world. As well as vases, flasks, dishes and the like, tiles were another influential form of Ottoman ceramics, made in Iznik and elsewhere, to decorate mosques and other important buildings. Because Islam strongly discouraged the depiction of humans and other living creatures in religious
LEFT TO RIGHT Turkish textile artist
Alev Saglam is inspired by the architectural details of Ottoman
buildings, and often uses designs from tiles
for her sumptuous cushions. These
bolsters feature hand-beaded silk and seed
glass beads.Bespoke hand-beaded silk bolster cushions by Alev Saglam for Saffron
Interior Arts, £POAThe twining florals of this bold black-and-
white pattern make an impact without being overpowering. It is a
look that co-ordinates easily with
sophisticated, contemporary neutrals.
The new Castelle range, £79 for a
double duvet, ChristyThe fan-shaped
carnation is a design that is absolutely
typical of the golden age of Ottoman art
and design. Bunny sofa, from
£7,700, Soane
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settings, the tiles made great use of calligraphy, intricate geometric patterns and scrolling arabesque motifs, in a dazzling display of colour and pattern.
TRANSCENDING THE AGESIt is no wonder then, with such riches of decorative arts and crafts, the likes of which had never been seen before in this country, that the Ottoman style began to exert an influence. It reached a peak in the nineteenth century, when the trend for all things Eastern was present in fine art, opera, literature and interior design. Frederic Leighton, the English painter, sculptor and Royal Academician, lived in London’s Holland Park – his house, the Leighton House Museum – features the magnificent Arab Hall,
RIGHT In homage to her homeland, Turkish-born designer Esti Barnes has created a collection of six rugs featuring traditional motifs from the Ottoman period, inspired by stone architraves on mosques, flowing calligraphy and the luxurious textiles displayed at Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace.Ottomania Bocha rug, £648 a sq m, Top Floor
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which is filled with his extensive collection of Iznik tiles. The museum is one of the most prolific (and opulent) examples of Ottoman-inspired interiors.
Today, few would recreate an entirely Ottoman interior, yet elements of this glorious style – a rug, a painted lamp base, an inlaid side table, a floral cushion cover – have become so familiar that they blend easily with the most traditional English elements of a room. We would probably not even consider the ‘ottoman’ stool – which developed from the divan, a long, backless seat often found in the privy council of the Ottoman court – to be anything other than western. Very recently, the fashion in interiors (as always, following that of the catwalk) has led towards embellishment, rich embroidery and intricate, arabesque and floral patterning to the extent that this, combined with a fascination for ‘folk’ styles and hand-crafted pieces, has inexorably created an emerging style, one that has even been termed the new ‘Ottomania’. From a Middle Eastern-inspired rug to a duvet cover, a pair of curtains to the upholstery of a sofa or armchair, the look can be classic, modern or timeless, simple or complex, as intricate as the original sixteenth century floral embroidery, or as pared down as an arabesque.
DECORATIVE STYLE“For the last eight to ten years there has been a rediscovery of the beauty of Ottoman art, particularly from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries – the flowering period,” says Alidad. “It relates well to European art because there is a simplicity to some of the motifs that can be incorporated beautifully. You can take an individual Ottoman motif and base a repeating pattern around it.” Alidad loves the exquisite fabrics: “There are a lot of very beautiful Ottoman embroideries, and I like to use them as scatter cushions or tablecloths, combined with plain fabrics.” The same goes for eminent designer Robert Kime, who is known for his Ottoman-inspired weaves, embroideries and ikats. “I use suzani embroideries as an alternative to standard weaves for upholstery and also as wall hangings,” he says. “Uzbeki silk ikats are also a favourite, and are at their best when made up as lampshades for antique lamp bases. Decorative items such as inlay tables and mashrabiya [wooden screens] complete the look.” It is a strong, impressive look and, as Kime concludes: “Allusions to the exotic and mysterious East fill a room with a richness, colour and texture which simply cannot be found anywhere else.”
This geometric pattern adds interest without being overly dramatic.Ottoman tiles in light jade, dark jade and dark grey on white, with Iberian border, from £5.23 a tile, Original Style
The Ottoman Empire
FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK THE ENGLISH HOME 93
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The Iznic collection from Harlequin, featuring zig zags, arabesques and floral motifs, was inspired by Moorish textiles and ceramics.Chair in Kasuri 7568, £62 a metre; cushion in Memi 7548, £62 a metre; lampshade in Hazan 7574, £56 a metre, all HarlequinThese exquisite, hand-painted
plates have been adapted from ancient Persian designs.Isphahan Range of tableware, available in sets of four, from £130 for starter plates, OKAMade and painted in a geometric pattern by skilled artisans, this chest has the look of traditional Islamic tilework.Dowry box, £195, Loaf
ETERNAL FLAMEAt this time of year, the desire to enjoy long evenings outdoors is stronger than ever, yet with midges, mosquitoes, a nippy breeze and the inevitable odd cloud, such soirées can be far from idyllic. Knee-rugs and pashminas can keep off the chill, and burning a candle scented with a strong-smelling herb such as citronella, basil or lemon balm will help keep insects away from exposed ankles and wrists. To complete the setting, try an outdoor fire, which will provide both warmth and illumination as dusk settles. Wood- or charcoal-burning fires are a traditional choice, but many contemporary pieces can run on clean-burning fire gels or bioethylene fuels, meaning guests won’t return home with clothes thick with the aroma of woodsmoke.Polished steel, granite and puddlestone fire table, £13,128, David Harber
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FORM & FUNCTIONNatural elements for decor | Elegant garden structures | Eco-efficient period style
19 pages of advice upon considered purchases
NATURAL SELECTIONMaterials that come from the earth have individuality and an enduring appeal, so capture the unique aesthetic and tactile qualities of natural products to enhance a home
These elegantly proportioned benches show how stone looks beautiful inside as well as out. The Pietra Laro stone complements the colour scheme and flatters the floor. Italian Basalt bench top, from £107 a sq metre; Pietra Laro Beige legs, from £67 a sq metre, both Stone Age
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In grand interiors, stone is used architecturally for staircases and columns, but its great variety of colour and form means that it can be applied to a range of household spaces from floors, walls and kitchen worktops, to furniture and fire surrounds. Most stone for interiors is imported from Europe and beyond, with inexpensive stone coming from as far afield as India, China and Brazil. Of the home-produced varieties, golden Bath stone and greyish Portland stone are the most prized and costly but slate, quarried in Wales, Cumbria and Cornwall, is cheaper and, because it is naturally laminated, splitting easily into flat sheets, it can be made into floor tiles, worktops and hearthstones.
Different varieties have an intrinsic style. Mike Johnson of English Fireplaces says, “Limestone has a warmth of mood and a modern look. Marble is colder, traditional and more masculine, while rough and granular sandstone looks more at home in the country than the city.” Travertine, a less expensive form of limestone, has a pitted surface.
“These pits are part of the beauty of the stone,” says Leila Roberts of Fired Earth, “but they require filling to stabilise its honeycomb structure.” Limestone, travertine and marble can be finished in different ways to give a polished, satin, antiqued or time-worn effect. For floors with a genuine aged look consider reclaimed stone. This is usually taken from buildings during demolition or refurbishment and may be re-cut to reduce the thickness making it suitable for rooms with underfloor heating while retaining the signs of age and wear. In some situations, terracotta can be a substitute for stone. Made from clay fired in a kiln, this has a warm, earthy appearance with variations of texture and shading that make each tile individual.
Cast stone, sometimes known as faux or reconstituted stone, is made from ground limestone, sand, cement and water pressed into moulds to produce architectural stonework, fireplaces, garden ornaments, and furniture. It makes economical use of stone minimising waste and is considerably cheaper to buy.
ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM Tumbled limestone adds character to this kitchen. Shire Aged tiles, £84 a sq metre from IndigenousStone can also be used to
fashion a fine dining table. Table, £765, chairs £309 each, Vale Garden RoomsVersaille marble surround, reproduces a classic design. £1,260, English Fireplaces
VERSATILE STONE
These Blonde Bar antique limetone flags, reclaimed from a 19th century house in France, add aged character. £594 a sq metre, Lapicida
Natural Material
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When choosing interior furnishing fabrics and flooring, the way they feel to the touch is at least as important as their colour and pattern. We want flooring that feels resilient underfoot and bedlinen that promises comfort and sound sleep. Though hi-tech synthetic fibres are constantly refined to improve appearance and performance, for many decorators natural fibres will always be the first choice. Produced by plants and animals they are renewable, sustainable and recyclable with characteristics that have earned them a place in our homes.
Silk is one of the most luxurious natural fibres and is woven to produce cloth in a variety of textures in weights. It drapes well and comes in a spectrum of colours. “Silk appears almost alive because no single fibre is uniform,” says Saffron Hare of silk producer James Hare. “In cross-section the thread forms a triangular ‘prism’ which intensifies the effect of
colour and gives it profound depth.” Silk can also be used as a wallcovering and companies such as James Hare and James Brindley can back their fabrics with paper for the purpose.
Other luxurious fabrics made from animal fibres include cashmere, mohair and alpaca, but less expensive and much more extensively used is sheep’s wool. Warm, hardwearing, resilient and naturally flame retardant, it is made into carpets, rugs and fabrics for upholstery and curtains, cushions and throws. Tweeds and plaids in traditional colourways abound – we particularly admire Teasel’s modern alternatives. Fine woollen paisleys and damasks from De Le Cuona and Johnstons of Elgin are elegant, too.
The plant fibres most frequently used for furnishing fabrics are cotton and linen, used individually or in combination. Cotton is strong, soft, relatively inexpensive and uniquely versatile, being
ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM This Sisal Oriental rug from Crucial Trading is edged with a coloured border. £56 a sq metre, with edging £25.60 a linear metre
The pattern of these Bukhara linen curtains from Lewis & Wood is inspired by the ikat tradition in Middle Eastern textiles. £76.80 a metre
DIVERSE FIBRES
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT For the ultimate indulgence choose silk. Anais Sand double duvet cover, £352, and Sienna ivory bedspread, £600, both GingerlilyThis Masai Oatmeal striped rug is woven in strips from wool then joined by hand. 185cm x 125cm, £1,200 Roger OatesOpt for pure linen for sophisticated dining. Tablecloth, £55, and napkins, £10 each, both Inchyra
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suitable for a range of fabrics from muslin to velvet. It dyes well and prints successfully, offering huge potential for design. The heavy use of fertiliser and pesticide in cotton farming impacts on the environment, but one way to offset this is to buy organic or recycled cotton fabrics. Malabar offers organic cotton plain weave and velvet fabrics and Baker Lifestyle produces the Opera collection of recycled cotton plain weaves. “Cotton production is so labour- and resource-intensive,” says Val Healy of Baker Lifestyle, “that recycling the waste product is common sense.”
Like cotton, linen is hardwearing and versatile but stiffer in texture and more prone to creasing, though some linen fabrics, especially those used for bedding, are now treated to reduce this effect. “Washed linen has a super, soft handle,” says Chrissie Rucker of The White
Company, “and it only gets better with age.” Although its production is less harmful to the environment than cotton, organic options are available. Try Ada & Ina for organic linen fabric and bedlinen.
Plant fibres are not confined to fabrics; they have been used for hundreds of years to make flooring. Home-grown rush flooring, woven in the traditional fashion by companies such as The Waveney Rush Industry and Rush Matters, is beautiful and resonant for period homes. Imported flooring materials are cheaper but each variety possesses different qualities, so pick the right one for your needs. “In busy areas, naturally hardwearing sisal and coir cope with wear and tear,” advises Dawn Mallett of Crucial Trading, “but for a bedroom that receives the least amount of footfall, affordable yet soft and silky jute is an excellent choice.”
TOP LEFT Silk curtains embroidered with a tree design gives a contemporary freshness. Orchard silk curtain in Plover, £90 a metre; Moiré chair covering, £65 a metre; Parasol Stripe cushion, £55 a metre, all Orchard Silks collection by James Hare
ABOVE Break with tradition and opt for wool tweed in a brilliant colour. Chair upholstered in two classic checks from Linwood’s Drummond collection, interior of the chair, LF1416/4 Alvie, and exterior, LF1419/5 Fionn, both £69.90 a metre
Crisp cotton linen, always looks inviting. Lilac Dogtooth duvet
cover, £50; pillowcase £14; Eugenie flat sheet,
£55; pillowcase, £25, all Cologne & Cotton
Wood is the original multi-purpose medium for building and furnishing a home. Strong enough to form supporting structures from floor joists to roof trusses, its versatility makes it the ideal material to construct the staircase, fashion the doors, frame the windows, panel the walls and furnish the interior, too.
Wood floors have a timelessness that allows them to fit equally well in contemporary and traditional interiors. They are durable, warm, both in tone and to the touch, and develop character with the passage of time. If your home lacks floors that reflect its age or traditional style, one way to acquire this is to install reclaimed flooring. “Old wood has a patina built up over decades of use and shows evidence of the floor’s past life,” says Steve Payne of Victorian Woodworks. “Antique grade is the finest of our floors and sometimes the boards bear marks from the pit saws and hand adzes used before mechanised wood production.” Some reclaimed flooring is produced from beams, joists and other old timbers but while it has the deep, mellow colour and hardness that comes with age, it won’t have the gleam of an antique floor. Prices vary but reclaimed flooring is rarely cheaper than new.
Different species of timber have different aesthetics and currently oak, a durable hardwood with a distinctive grain and warm colour, is the wood most used for flooring, but its appeal doesn’t end there. In the kitchen, its close grain and hard texture make it a practical choice
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Wide, engineered boards are practical and will not shrink, even in areas with underfloor heating. The Nautilus collection, available in 22 colours from Victorian WoodworksUse an oil-rich, water-repelling wood such as iroko in kitchens. Worktop from deVOLWood can possess a wonderful, pared-back
feel, and can be crafted to fit into any area, large or small. Unit by Plain EnglishRestored antique wood floorboards give a feeling of authenticity. Ruskin Chantilly, from £480 a sq metre, Victorian WoodworksEnjoy the beauty of wood with a Hemingway ash. Oak veneer bureau, £1,100, and matching chair, £299, both John Lewis
TIMELESS WOOD
for worktops, however, it is not maintenance-free and should be oiled to protect against staining and one should always use a chopping board for food preparation and trivets with pans.
Matching the right timber to the job is an art perfected by traditional furniture makers and chair producer Sitting Firm still employs a mix of largely indigenous timbers in the time-honoured way. “Our Windsor chairs are produced using a single piece of elm, oak or walnut for the seat and ash, which is good for turning and bending, for the back and legs,” says director Dave Green.
If you are buying new wood flooring or furniture, look for timber with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) approval to ensure it comes from a responsibly managed source. Alternatively, consider flooring made from bamboo. Strictly a grass, bamboo is a fast growing plant and therefore sustainable as well as being moisture resistant, hardwearing and reasonably priced.
Natural Material
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The perceived negative effect of some paint ingredients on health and the environment has led to interest in eco and natural paints. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), the gases given off by some paint solvents, have been the focus of concern. Not only do they emit an unpleasant smell on application but they can continue to off-gas (emit gas into the atmosphere) for two or three years.
Following a European directive enforced in 2012, the level of VOCs permitted in household paints has been reduced. Some manufacturers have reduced levels further than that prescribed, and others, such as Earthborn and Ecos Organic Paints, claim
zero per cent VOCs. Although VOCs are controlled, some noxious chemicals are still present in paints, albeit in very small quantities.
Makers of natural paints formulate products to eliminate synthetic chemicals as far as possible, substituting them with natural materials such as plant oils, cellulose, earth pigments and clays. This can affect the performance, ease of application and limit the range of colours available, but as Ian West of Ecos Organic Paints says: “Our range of 120 standard colours and 800 more available to order satisfies most people.” Little Greene and Fired Earth also use pigment to colour paint. FE
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TOP TO BOTTOM Natural paints use pigment rather than dyes for colouring. Many manufacturers produce paint that is completely free from VOCs. Paints from Earthborn, from front to back: Teacup, Shallows, Cupboard Love and SeagullA bold blue works as a foil to the neutral tones of the floor and furniture. Jubilee Blue, Fired EarthPastel shades from Little Greene make a subtle combination: Chest, French Grey; wall, Lead; chair, Dark Lead, £17 a litre
ESSENTIAL PAINT
A blue-and-white scheme works best in a bright room. Walls, Sky Blue Natural Emulsion, £61 for 2.5l, and woodwork Fine White Natural Oil Eggshell, £20 for 750ml, both Pots of Paint
Natural Material
FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK THE ENGLISH HOME 101
UPON THE SUN BRIGHT WALLSWith the promise of hazy afternoons and balmy evenings ahead, summer is the season of parties and soirées. Whether entertaining on a grand scale or partaking of tea for two, permanent garden rooms allow for enjoyment of the garden from inside and out
A multifunctional pool house, sited adjacent to an outdoor pool, can provide a flexible space for relaxing and entertaining. Here Stephanie Dunning Interior Design has devised a room that can be enjoyed throughout the year.
Outdoor Living
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George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf found inspiration in one; the
original WI had their first ever meeting in one – the quintessential summerhouse has long been an integral part of English garden design. Its history as an entertaining space can be traced back to the fifteenth century, and today it is the ultimate paean to the season: a structure often built solely for enjoyment and use during the warmer summer months.
ROOMS WITH A VIEW Picturesque structures whose designs date back to the Victorians are, for many, the epitome of summerhouse styling, with the National Trust garden at Hidcote sporting a fine example for those seeking inspiration. Whilst timber remains the most enduring buildiing material, grandiose orangeries, that stood resplendent within Georgian estates and payed homage to formal entertaining, are also an option, as are more compact Victorian-inspired stone or brick-built follies and stand-alone glazed rooms. As a rough guide, a simple summerhouse should not require planning permission as long as it does not exceed a height of 2.5m or a maximum footprint of 30 sq m, although rules vary depending on position and function. Whilst, in terms of cost, pre-fabricated designs can cost as little as £3,000, but require installation; bespoke designs start
at around £8,000-10,000, but prices can soon soar dependent on materials and scale.
PERFECT SETTINGSThe summerhouse can be positioned anywhere within the garden, but do consider proximity and access to the house for ease of use and, as Julia Berrie of Scotts of Thrapston says: “Give thought to the best position for enjoying the most attractive view of garden and home.” North-facing rooms tend to be shady, whilst those to the south remain sunny throughout the day, but for the best of both worlds, strive for a south-west facing location. If investing in a smaller structure, Poppy Squire of Garden Affairs suggests, “A revolving base is ideal for catching the rays all day long.” She also advises “placing a summerhouse under trees will create shade and a more secluded feel, but be prepared to regularly remove leaves from roofs to prevent damage, especially if you choose a cedar roof.” Consider, too, a terrace or patio, so guests can bask in the sun or retreat inside.
THE COMFORT FACTOR Today’s summerhouses can feature high-grade insulation and double-glazing throughout, thus allowing for all-year round living. Squire recommends “choosing an upgraded insulation option” that will include a temperature relay, allowing you to control fluctuations and thus maintaining comfort levels.
GARDEN ROOMS
It is hard to deny the romantic appeal of a traditional stone-built summerhouse. Portland composite stone table, £595; Monaco wrought iron chairs, £85, Kit Stone
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT With its decorative lead cathedral roof and generous dimensions, this commanding summerhouse is ideal for larger gatherings. Airlie Summerhouse in Cricket, £18,456, HSP Garden BuildingsUse an orangery as a place in which to entertain and to overwinter plants. £POA, HaddonstoneAn elegantly proportioned structure provides a focal point in a formal setting. Bespoke summerhouse, £POA, Norton Garden StructuresThis octagonal structure is ideal for smaller gardens whilst still allowing room for up to six people. Prima Vera summerhouse, from £3,040, Garden AffairsThis rectangular design seats up to ten. The Sun Ray Garden Room, from £5800, Scott of Thrapston
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Today’s conservatory has its roots in both the grand entertaining spaces of the freestanding Georgian orangery and the Victorian glasshouse where one propagated plants or received guests on a summer’s day. Whilst this versatile room is now regarded as an integral part of our living space, it still remains the ideal entertaining space, not just for summer, but all-year round.
DESIGNS ON LIVINGThe all-glazed conservatory is traditionally separated from the house by a door and, whilst a viable option for some, most are now looking to open up this light-enhancing space to the home. However, if all-glass structures do not appeal, then the more formal orangery, with its classic mix of solid and glazed walls plus overhead lantern, bridges the gap between conventional extension and glass conservatory.
In terms of size, there is no pre-determined ratio, so look to its function for guidance, and scale accordingly to complement existing architecture. Restrictions, however, will apply if you wish to remain within permitted development rights. Rectangular structures tend to offer greater internal flexibility and, when considering position, bear in mind that additions not sited at the rear of a property may require planning permission. North- or south-facing builds may also be subject to extremes of temperature. Bespoke companies will advise on
all planning, design and build issues. Prices start at around £10,000 for mid-range designs, while high-end designs can easily exceed £35,000. Alitex suggests “allowing around £2,000-2,500 a sq metre.”
AN INVITING SPACE The conservatory kitchen-diner, living or family room is by nature a sociable space, and ideal for summer soirées. However, a successful layout depends on careful consideration of its relationship to adjoining areas and access. As Nick Bashford of Alitex suggests: “The flow to and from the space should be seamless and not awkward for you or your guests.”
Maintaining a single floor-level and using the same decor and detailing throughout makes for a coherent and inviting environment, whilst creating varying seating areas instills interest and caters for both small and large groups. Flooring should be practical, such as stone or tile, however, do soften with secured rugs for added comfort. A versatile lighting scheme of wall, pendant and table lamps is best employed to evoke various moods. Jonathan Hey of Westbury Garden Rooms adds: “exterior illumination will also make the outside feel comfortable and welcoming.” As the garden is the conservatory’s biggest asset, Malbrook suggests, “opening up to the garden using sets of folding sliding doors.” For an easy to maintain, pristine outlook, consider self-cleaning glass.
UNDER GLASS
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RIGHT, TOP Simple or formal geometric shapes will often prove the most versatile when furnishing entertaining spaces, Do ask about innovative glazing solutions for glare and heat management.Bespoke orangeries, prices start at £40,000, Westbury Garden RoomsRIGHT, BELOW Entering through generously proportioned double doors instantly draws the eye to the garden and entices guests into this light-filled space. Bespoke glass garden room, £POA, Marston and Langinger
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT If a conservatory occupies more than 50 per cent of a plot, it will need planning permission. Bespoke conservatory, from £2,500 a sq metre, AlitexOpen up a room to the garden folding, sliding doors, which allow you to enjoy warm weather. Bespoke garden room structures, from £35,000, Malbrook A statement chandelier adds grandeur and accentuates classical conservatory design.From £30,000, Vale Garden Houses
A classic combination of side and roof blinds will allow temperature and sun glare control. Original French Pinoleum blinds in Antique Linen, £150 a sq m, Appeal Shading
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For those looking to take a refreshing plunge on a hot summer’s day or to gather beside the pool during warmer evenings, a pool house within metres of the water’s edge is a glamorous addition. Beloved of old Hollywood’s movie elite, its romantic facade belies a functional nature to accommodate storage, bathing and entertaining needs. Those wishing to extend the season can opt for a more formal pool enclosure.
WATERSIDE RETREATWith pool houses ranging from basic storage units to multi-room entertaining spaces and guest accommodation, planning permission will inevitably be dependent on design and scale. Grandiose stone and brick pool houses were traditionally built to echo the architecture of the residence, however simpler timber structures are gaining in appeal, due to their propensity to fall within permitted development. Berrie adds, “Any pool room needs to blend with its surroundings and complement the actual pool – so look to get the aesthetics right.”
ROOM TO RELAXA single-room timber structure or summerhouse may be all you require to stow poolside paraphernalia and provide a place to change, seek refuge from the sun or simply relax and enjoy the view. However, if you require the comforts of home, then
relaying power and services is a must. “It is also a good idea to incorporate a shower room and toilet facility to save trips back to the house,” says Squire. Those with restricted space could consider InGarden’s outdoor showers. Alternatively, a gazebo provides a simple open-air solution for those summer parties, with Crown Pavilion’s cedar and redwood structures including integral seating and dining areas, plus outdoor kitchens.
More substantial structures allow for the luxury of separate changing, relaxing and entertaining areas, plus a dedicated pump and filter room.
UNDER COVER For a year-round solution, a dedicated structure can be built to enclose any size or shape of pool. Conservatory and orangery-based designs will flood your enclosure with light, but must adhere to rules regarding planning permission and should always be sympathetic to the architecture and proportion of the original house. “It is also important to consider not only how it looks, but how it will perform; correct air handling and heating are essential to eliminate condensation and ensure comfort,” says Hey. Consider incorporating entertaining areas as well as facilities, and consider the connection to outside spaces, perhaps with the installation of sliding-door systems.
MAKING A SPLASH
This Edwardian-inspired summerhouse provides privacy, whilst bi-fold doors open up to maximise space. Chelsea summerhouse, from £10,644, HSP Garden Buildings
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Bespoke designs will ensure every poolside requirement is met. Bespoke timber pool house, £12,000, Scotts of ThrapstonThe natural light and formal architecture offered by the adaptable orangery makes it a popular choice
for enclosing large pools. Orangery, from £40,000, Westbury Garden RoomsSliding panels on the walls and roof of this structure open up the indoor pool to the garden. Part of a larger project, Yiangou ArchitectsOutside, opt for level, non-slip surfaces and do ensure that
there is adequate lighting. Ballanstone Tumbled Limestone, from £35.80 a sq metre, Mandarin StoneWet guests mean damp furnishings, so look to cover loungers, seating and cushions in specialists outdoor fabrics. Patio Coast collection, from £38.50 a metre, Jab Anstoetz
Outdoor Living
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For those wishing to simply spend time in the garden, modest structures may be more open to the elements but provide invaluable shade and shelter from the summer sun and when entertaining alfresco. They can also be used to create stunning focal points within the garden.
ATTRACTIVE ADDITIONSOften less permanent and less costly additions to the garden, ornamental structures, such as timber or metal pergolas, pagodas, loggias, gazebos, arches and arbours, should not require planning permission. However, those opting for substantial stone or brick structures should consult permitted development rules. Choice of structure will usually be determined by plot size and whilst many regard such additions as ideal for smaller urban or cottage gardens, they also work well as one of many elements within larger grounds. However, in all cases, do adhere to the proportion and style of the surrounding area; and when positioning, consider usage and garden aspect. Those dining alfresco should consider accessibility to the house, however, a secluded corner may
be preferable for a relaxing retreat for two. Monitor the sun at varying times to establish definite sunny and shaded areas or, ideally, a combination of the two.
SHADY DAYSPressure-treated timber or metal arches and pergolas are available as lean-to or independent structures and can be adorned with living scent and colour. Hilary Thurman, of Garden Requisites, advises: “Never skimp on structure size to allow enough width and depth for plants to grow and flourish.” She also recommends, “a combination of roses, twining plants such as clematis and golden hop, and colourful annuals, such as morning glory and sweet peas.” For definitive shading, consider arbours and pagodas or link home and garden with a verandah or Italianate loggia. Traditionally constructed using structural stone and timber, all-timber versions of this continental cousin may prove less imposing in case of more modest homes. Try joinery companies, such as English Garden Joinery, for bespoke designs or take a look at Agriframes lightweight metal and rattan loggia.
OUTSIDE SPACES
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Timber-framed building specialists such as Oak Masters and Border Oak supply a range of open-sided timber structures which may be enhanced with some carefully chosen accessories. Lanterns, from £12, Sainsbury’sFit a swing seat under the eaves of a verandah and you have the perfect setting for a little quiet contemplation. Romance fabric collection, from £14 a metre, Clarke & Clarke
This oval colonial-style gazebo is made from maintenance-free materials. Gazebo with a two-tier pagoda roof, £13,995, Kingwell ProjectsCladding a metal gazebo in a canopy of climbers turns a simple structure into a magical, leafy outdoor room – team with a garden table and chairs for a summer tea party. Gothic gazebo, £245.50, AgriframesChairs made from all-weather aluminum. Otey club chairs, McKinnon and Harris
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Carefully considered improvements can vastly improve the comfort and
sustainability of a period home without compromising its
historic integrity
C an one live comfortably in a period home? Warm and dry, without paying ridiculously high
energy bills? The answer is yes, absolutely. In fact, updating older properties to be as sustainable as possible is vital. In England alone, there are 750,000 historic houses (built before 1850), and a further four million that were built in Victorian and Edwardian times. At around one fifth of our total housing stock, these are not just the houses of the past, but also our homes of the present and the future. It is eminently possible to improve both the sustainability and efficiency of old homes whilst at the same time retaining their traditional charm and historic integrity.
FIRST STEPS“It is essential to get to know your home,” says Jonathan Garlick, technical officer at the Society for the Protection of Ancient
Buildings. “Understand how and with what materials it was originally built, and what changes have been made to it over the years. Old houses need to ‘breathe’, just like a person; you can’t insulate a damp house, so you must deal with any such issues to start with.”
Once you know your property inside out, it is time to investigate its weak points. In an older house, these tend to be draughty windows, doors and floors, and roofs and walls through which heat may escape. This may seem self-evident, but Jonathan recommends commissioning a professional test for air-tightness and heat loss – these are non-invasive and cost around £300. Best done on a cold, clear winter’s night, the results will show you instantly which areas have the most serious problems, helping to focus time and money spent most effectively. After insulating your loft (see below), deal with
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draughts first, as they tend to cause much faster heat loss. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, however; each area will need to be addressed an individual basis. “Try to link up your thinking so that you carry out improvements at the same time as repairs,” suggests Garlick. “And whatever you do, it should be of high quality and aesthetically pleasing.”
UP IN THE LOFTNumber one on almost anyone’s list of eco adaptations must be insulating the loft, says Marianne Suhr, historic buildings surveyor and co-author of a new book Old House Eco Handbook (Frances Lincoln, £30). “Use 300mm of quilt insulation, and retain some ventilation in your loft space to avoid condensation; this can be quite technical, so you should thoroughly investigate the best way,” she says. The insulating properties of different
materials are similar, Suhr explains, however natural fabrics, such as sheep’s wool and hemp, have the ability to absorb water vapour and release it, which is often beneficial in older properties. “If you can afford them, use natural materials, but if not, using a cheaper quilt is still a good idea. Check the loft regularly for signs of condensation, mould and small animals.”
WINDOW TREATMENTOriginal, textured-glass windows are beautiful, but they do allow heat to escape. For windows that you open regularly, the answer is good draughtproofing, in the form of a specialist seal fitted into a cut-in rebate (compression seals for hinged windows; wipers for sliding sashes) – but probably not a surface-mounted, DIY self-adhesive strip, as these tend to fail. For windows that seldom opened, secondary glazing
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Compared with an open fire a wood-burning stove pushes out a great deal more heat and looks just right in a period setting. This Salisbury stove by Chesney’s has an efficiency rating of around 84.5 per cent.A handsome pole wrapped in a soft suede and full-length curtains add a smart contemporary edge to an exterior doorway, whilst keeping draughts at bay. 180cm-long pole wrapped in suede vole, with bobbin finials, Walcot House. Curtains in Beauvallon linen, Rapture & Wright.Radiators work more efficiently when placed on internal walls rather than under windows. Long-legged ornate polished radiator, The Old Radiator Company.This classic brass wall light has been fitted with an integrated LED long-life bulb for energy efficiency. Boathouse light in antiqued brass finish, Jim Lawrence. A sympathetically designed porch added to a Victorian house adds character and keeps out the cold.
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is ideal, dramatically improving both airtightness and heat loss through the glass. It is possible to buy glass or clear plastic panels that fix to the window frame with a slim magnetic strip. These are easy to remove and barely noticeable. Suhr also recommends the traditional method: heavy, floor-to-ceiling blinds or curtains, perhaps with a thermal lining, and fitted close to the wall so draughts can’t escape around the sides. Meanwhile, well fitting timber shutters can be more effective than double glazing. Alastair Dick-Cleland, project co-ordinator for The Landmark Trust, suggests: “When repairing old shutters, avoid acid dipping; chemical stripping by hand is better; you may have to sand or plane a little timber away but it is really worth it. Search salvage yards for fittings, or buy good reproduction ones.” If your property does not already have period shutters in situ, consider adding a pair that complement the character of your home. Garlick recommends glazed shutters, which can be left closed during the winter while still allowing light through.
OPEN DOORSAddressing the problems of draughty doors can make a surprising difference to a home’s energy efficiency. Check that external doors fit well into their frames, and fit seals (as for windows) where necessary. Cover keyholes, letter slots and cat flaps, and add an old-fashioned ‘sausage dog’ if the bottom edge is still draughty. A long thick curtain inside the door, hung from a fixed or hinged rod, will also work wonders or, for a more permanent solution, consider adding an internal, glazed vestibule door to create an airlock. This is often very appropriate in a Victorian or Edwardian property in which the front door opens onto a long hallway. Adding a porch has the same effect as well as providing extra space for items such as boots or coats – although one should consider how this will enhance the historic nature of a property.
FLOOR WORK Is the ground floor solid (tiles, bricks or flags laid on compacted earth) or suspended (wooden boards nailed to timber joists, with ventilation beneath)? If one has an old solid floor, then fitted carpets, rubber-backed underlay and
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Original timber sash windows and doors add to the appeal of a period property and, if well maintained, can enhance its value. The original Georgian windows in this house were renovated by Ventrolla, who also installed new casement windows and bespoke period-style doors.Natural seagrass is both breathable and durable. Seagrass Natural, Urbane Living. Modern infill panels have been replaced with hemp and lime in this 16th century timber-framed house.A pelmet can reduce drafts and prevent warm air disappearing behind curtains. Pelmet in Cow Parsley by Vanessa Arbuthnott.Hang blinds close to windows so draughts cannot escape around the edges and where possible, consider using insulating lining. Blinds in Plain Linen 19 (Pigeon) and curtains in Simple Ticking Detail 38 from Vanessa Arbuthnott’s Hand Printed Collection.
sheet flooring should be removed, as these will trap moisture. Once dried out, this type of floor may need no further work, though if dampness continues, check for blocked rainwater gullies and leaking drainage pipes close to the house. Alternatively, it is possible that the ground level outside has risen – perhaps due to garden work or laying a new path or drive. To keep the house free of damp, it should always be lower than the internal floor.
Where the solid floor has been taken up and replaced with a concrete slab topped with tiles or stone flags, it can feel very cold (concrete is a conductor, whilst earth is an insulator). If it is only a thin layer of concrete, it may be possible to dig it up and replace it with insulation and underfloor heating incorporated in a new floor. More recent concrete floors, however, are much thicker and perhaps even have steel reinforcement; removal is likely to be too invasive, so the best plan may be to replace the cold tiles
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or slabs with either a wooden floor, or a carpet with thermal underlay.
“It’s good to have wind whistling below your suspended timber floor; this aids the evaporation of moisture from the timber and supporting structures,” Garlick explains. It is important, however, that the floor itself is as airtight as possible. Don’t be tempted to block up air grilles on outside walls; instead, a fitted carpet with a thermal underlay is perfect, or else – if you prefer the original timber boards – seal any gaps at the base of the skirting with foam strips, a bead of silicon mastic or thin slivers of matching timber. To fill gaps between floorboards use fillets of balsa wood or lengths of string, which can be stained, glued and pushed into place. If there is access underneath the boards (via a cellar or crawl space), or the boards are going to be lifted, add insulation such as foil-faced foam board, wood fibreboard or quilt.
SOLID WALLSModern cavity walls are relatively simple to insulate; unfortunately, the same does not apply to older, solid walls. This is a complex, even controversial, area. Experts are still in the early stages of working out how insulation affects old buildings. Because old walls need to ‘breathe’, it is
important to find a compatible product, since modern systems can trap moisture and cause damp. Thick stone walls heat up and cool down slowly, so in this case it may be a good idea to leave a low, background heat on all the time is Garlick’s advice. Adding timber panelling inside should also help reduce heat loss (this should have an air gap behind).
ADDING HEATOpen fires may look gorgeous, but they are hugely inefficient. Wood-burning stoves, on the other hand, are a more efficient and sustainable way to heat an old house. If considering installing a stove, choose a registered contractor – poorly fitted stoves are a major cause of fires in old houses, especially thatched ones. If retaining open fireplaces, minimise draughts up the flue when there is no fire, either with a register grate (these have a flap at the back for this) or, in an inglenook, a canopy with butterfly valves. A chimney ‘balloon’ is an option when fires are only lit on the odd occasion.
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FROM ABOVE LEFT Adding a porch is a tried-and-tested way of draft-proofing a front door. Bespoke hardwood and glazed porch, designed and constructed by HSP Garden Buildings.The delicate sliding sash windows of this Grade II Listed Victorian home
have been sympathetically restored and renovated by Ventrolla.Well fitted timber shutters can make a huge difference to insulation reducing heat loss by up to 60 per cent. Solid elm shutters in light-oak stain, The California Company.
FURTHER INFORMATIONAABC: The Register of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation Tel 0161 832 0666; aabc-register.co.ukCadw: The Welsh Government’s historic environment service cadw.wales.gov.ukCARE: The Conservation Accreditation Register for Engineers careregister.org.ukEnglish Heritage Tel 0870 333 1181; english-heritage.org.ukThe Georgian Group Tel 087 1750 2936; georgiangroup.org.ukHistoric Scotland Tel 0131 668 8600; historic-scotland.gov.ukThe Landmark Trust Tel 01628 825920; landmarktrust.org.ukListed Property Owners Club Tel 01795 844939; lpoc.co.ukNational Heritage Training Group Tel 01342 326171; nhtg.org.ukRIBA: The Royal Institute of British ArchitectsTel 020 7580 5533; architecture.comRICS: The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Tel 024 7686 8555; rics.orgThe Scottish Lime Centre Trust Tel 01383 872 722; scotlime.orgSPAB: The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings Tel 020 7377 1644; spab.org.ukSPAB Technical Advice Line Tel 020 7456 0916 (Mon – Thurs, 09:30am – 12:30pm)Ty-Mawr Tel 01874 611350; lime.org.ukThe Victorian Society Tel 020 8994 1019; victoriansociety.org.uk
Marianne Suhr and Roger Hunt are running a one-day course on 16 November on improving the energy efficiency of old houses. For more information, go to spab.org.uk/homeowners
PETER PICKED A PEPPERPacked full of flavour and with a satisfying crunchy texture, it is no wonder that the peppery radish is a favourite treat of Peter Rabbit. At just one calorie a radish, they make a perfect guilt-free snack for us, too. A versatile ingredient, in season from April through to October, radishes can be cooked and used in a variety of dishes, from a roasted side dish or tangy chutney to a healthy stir-fry. However, they are often most appetising simply served with salt and buttered bread, or as a hero ingredient in fresh summer salads. They are a quick growing vegetable, taking only 25 days from seed to table; just ensure a naughty little bunny does not get to them first... Sign up to our monthly newsletter at theenglishhome.co.uk for a delicious recipe idea and visit loveradish.co.uk for more information about British radishes
QUINTESSENTIALLYHome life in July | Summer recipes | The art of independent holidays
14 pages of home life and tradition
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A proper china tea set brings an air of celebration and ceremony to proceedings for a nostalgic riverbank picnic.
July is...Relaxing in a shady spot on the riverbank, indulging in sweet and savoury morsels spread upon a sun-bleached picnic blanket, children running to the next outdoor adventure, leaving dry land to row gently downriver...
Swap hot drinks for a refreshing tipple of home-made iced tea served with fresh slices of lemon.
The romance of riverside picnicking is heightened with vintage fabrics.
Classic tales and a straw sunhat make for a deliciously lazy
summer’s afternoon.
A swing and climbing rope in one equals double the fun, and a carved message adds to the magic ride. Monkey Swing, Green Oak Furniture.
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Although picnics are often a spontaneous activity prompted by the good fortune of a gloriously sunny afternoon, they are best enjoyed when the food on offer is suitably considered and the equipment for transportation well planned. This begins with ensuring care is taken in food preparation so that the array of mouthwatering delights is safe to eat. When transporting cold food, pack items from the fridge at the very last minute and keep them separate to other foodstuffs and drinks in a separate coolbox, which should be around a quarter filled with ice. Keep the coolbox in the shade and only open it when you are serving the food. Once the food has been served, do not leave it out in the open longer than an hour before consuming it, and if transporting hot food, ensure it is kept in a separate insulated container and follow the same rules as for cold food with regards to opening the container and serving the food.
Clever packing means less weight to carry;
tiffin tins are a popular way to conserve space by housing several different types of food in a handy stack. John Lewis offers both stainless-steel and melamine options, and for a selection of containers that provide resourceful answers to outdoor dining, Lakeland has an array of reasonably priced solutions, such as a handy drinks dispenser that will keep drinks icy-cold.
The vagaries of the English weather aside, perhaps the quickest way to ruin a picnic is to pack a basket that is too heavy and awkward for the distance it will need to be carried. Meltons’ luxury mobile picnic hamper is versatile and manoeuvrable on flat terrain. Or, if your destination is hilly, picnic backpacks make light work of carrying the essentials, Picnicware.co.uk has a
wide selection of backpack designs, holding crockery and cutlery for up to four people.
SUGGESTED PICNIC FARE• Chilled pea soup: delicious on a hot day. • Vegetable samosas: a moreish hit with everyone, not just vegetarians. • Homemade pink lemonade: a perennial favourite with children and grown ups, too. • Hearty pork pies: a classic accompaniment to a moutain of crisp, fresh salad.
• Shortbread biscuits: a perfect way to round off the afternoon, dunked in a cup of tea.
Pack a feast Make sure every picnic is a success with careful preparations and practical transport suitable for a veritable banquet of delicious treats
Explorers’ tracksChoose an inspiring location and let excitment ensue as one and all go in search of a favourable picnic spotThe freedom of a picnic is, of course, that it can be enjoyed almost anywhere, whether you elect to feast overlooking far-flung fields dotted with nodding wild red poppies or perched atop the pinnacle of a hill in command of a spectacular view. Successful picnicking is not just about the obvious considerations, such as comfort and shade, but also about making the most of the great outdoors for a prolonged period. Picnics are a wonderful opportunity to bring different generations together, however parents of tiny tots may be justfiably concerned about hazards such as water and wildlife, so check out the area for potential dangers before you begin. Aside from the reassuring familiarity of tried-and-tested favourite spots, there is an added exhilaration to the prospect of uncharted territory and new terrains waiting to be explored. Happily, there are a number of helpful websites offering a host of excellent picnic locations, all of which have been highly rated either for their natural or historic beauty. Amongst our favourites are English Heritage’s pick of Top 10 Places to Picnic, Visit Britain’s list of Top 10 picnic spots in the UK, and The National Trust’s excellent website where simply searching ‘picnic’ prompts a plethora of picnic-friendly locations to choose from, countrywide. For a selection of recommended picnic locations, try: english-heritage.org.uk; nationaltrust.org.uk and visitbritain.com
An essential part of post-picnic entertainment must surely be a pleasurable afternoon of games, especially if there are children in tow. Classic options suitable for every age – and degree of fitness and enthusiasm – include rounders, badminton and cricket, both French and the more familiar English variety. Young adults, who may wish to rise to more of a challenge might enjoy Kubb, a wooden lawn game which is also sometimes known as Viking’s Chess, which requires a little more in the way of skill and strategy; sets are availble from the Burford Garden Company. For less ‘organised’ games, bring quoits or a frisbee. Croquet offers excellent – often highly competitive – fun, however a flat, grassy area is essential and mallets are heavy for carrying any distance, so this option may be best reserved for picnics in the park with the car nearby. Try Not on the High Street.com for an extensive selection of classic games.
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Wicker baskets are unparallelled for timeless charm. English afternoon
tea basket, £284, The Somerset Willow Company.
Cushion long spiky grass with a thick blanket.
Outdoor square rug, £120; Kubu picnic basket, £60,
both The White Company.
MESSING ABOUT ON THE RIVERChoose a riverside vantage point for this summer’s finest sailing and rowing events
A scorching day, glittering water and all the drama of a British regatta – these are the ingredients for a spectacular summer’s day out. For those less keen on watersports, there are always plenty of land-based activities on hand, including family-friendly entertainment, stalls selling crafts, food and sailing paraphernalia along with music and fireworks. Amongst this summer’s most popular events are: • Cowes Week (3rd-10th August); one of the world’s biggest sailing regattas.• Henley Royal Regatta, (3rd-7th July); a highlight of the social and sporting year.• Henri Lloyd Falmouth Week (9th-18th August); includes a display by the world-famous Red Arrows. • Port of Plymouth Regatta (20th-28th July); an event that promises ‘something for everyone’ overlooking the excellent sailing waters of Plymouth Sound. • Fowey Royal Regatta (18th-24th August): a picturesque setting for Cornwall’s eagerly anticipated sailing event.
The River Stour has been associated with boat hire since the nineteenth century, and a trip down river provides an idyllic view of ‘Constable’s river’. For more info visit, dedhamboathouse.co.uk
Entertaining outsideImaginative flourishes and an enticing ambience will have guests lingering in the garden long after sunset
Personal invites are a welcoming touch. The seasonal
design seen here is from Honeytree Publishing.
One of the many pleasures of entertaining alfresco, is starting out with a blank canvas. Inside, interior decor often sets a definitive tone that dictates a certain style, whereas outside in the garden, there is more freedom to experiment and take your cues from the exuberance and informality of the natural world. Grand decorations are not required for pulling off lavish effects; on the contrary, when carefully employed, creative and quirky touches can result in an aesthetic finish with impressive panache.
DECORATIONSThe table centrepiece is often the place where the eye first alights as guests arrive. A classic way to create a relaxed yet elegant arrangement is to display seasonal foliage in groups of variously sized glass vessels. For a more contemporary effect, display single flower stems in champagne glasses using food colouring to dye the water, although be aware that if these are left for long periods, petals may change colour – especially pretty and effective with carnations. Incorporating natural elements will help to highlight the alfresco surroundings: herbs mixed in with a few freshly cut garden blooms make a sophisticated fragrant addition to floral arrangements. Sliced citrus fruits bring another dimension of vibrancy to vases of flowers; position these with the sliced edge facing outwards, either using vase liners or a smaller vase inside a larger one.
To create a centrepiece with height, cover a ball of florists’ foam with bright flowers and balance this on a glass pillar candlestick holder (do not cover the
section that sits on the pillar). This looks particularly lovely as a symmetrical pairing. For a selection of different sized glass pillars try Marks & Spencer.
Take full advantage of any opportunity to hang decorations above or near the table; Cox & Cox has a lovely selection of outdoor decorations including wirework chandeliers and mini hanging bottles. A busy tabletop display often looks best with crisp white tableware. For a stylish final touch, simplify the seating decorations by tying a single flower and a neatly written name card to the back of chairs with a strip of ribbon or lace.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONSHeat and insects are concerns that need to be anticipated well in advance of daytime gatherings. Investing in a well-made parasol will pay dividends for many years to come. Andara’s patterned and lined parasols make pretty coverings and these are also waterproof, so will shelter guests from unexpected showers. As a reasonably priced temporary alternative, pop-up gazebos and marquees are useful for shading larger numbers of people.
Hanging wasp traps will help deter unwelcome airborne intruders; the clear glass catchers available from The White Company will not draw unnecessary attention to these inevitable summer pests. A few strategically placed citronella candles will keep away midges and mosquitos as the sun goes down; try Baileys Home & Garden for their range of natural orange and citronella soy candles.
As twilight unfolds into evening, light walkways with outdoor fairy lights and solar garden lights; (Hayes Garden World carry a varied selection), whilst candles become vital for lighting, atmosphere and warmth. Create strength in numbers by placing as many tealights as possible on circular mirrorred serving trays at the centre of the table, or fill a number of randomly sized glass bottles with lamp oil and wicks. To provide elevated lighting, An Angel at my Table offers outdoor tiered candlestands. More substantial warmth should be provided with outdoor heaters and firepits.
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A mixture of rustic and elegant vessels creates a tasteful, casual mood. Styling, Ebury Home and Garden; vintage china, Roses All Over; cake, Tempting Cake; Wire Chandelier, Rayment Wire.
There are few things as uplifting as the sight of the garden awash with the myriad hues of butterflies as they flicker against a pristine blue backdrop descending on flowers like confetti at a wedding. It is an increasingly unfamiliar spectacle. Last year’s wet summer was the worst on record for most of our native species and scientists involved in their conservation are facing the reality that there may be fewer butterflies in Britain than at any time since man first encountered these delicate denizens of the sky.
National population monitoring began in 1976 and I can recall frequently seeing species as a teenager that I rarely, if ever, come across today. They are not yet rare, but when did you last see a Painted Lady, Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, a Peacock or the once ubiquitous Small Tortoiseshell? Even numbers of the so-called ‘Cabbage White’ have dropped by over half.
But it is not all bad news. The subtly beautiful Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), for example, with its gently graded suede and, with the female only, pale yellow wing markings, almost doubled in number last year and it is possible to help by creating local pollination spots in our gardens with strategic planting to create a butterfly banquet. Summer flowers like alyssum, buddleia, candytuft, cornflowers, lavender, sweet william and herbs such as marjoram, rosemary and thyme will all help. Holly, ivy, cabbage, nasturtium, cuckooflower, blackthorn and any long grasses can also provide an invaluable source of food for caterpillars. Think twice, about removing all the nettles from your garden; these are the main food source for five of our domestic species. You’ll then be able to enjoy the rest of the summer watching numerous visitors enjoying a round of nectar on you…
• Read Tim’s blog, Nature Through the Lens, at the-gray-gallery.blogspot.co.uk
The Gatekeeper butterfly, also known as the ‘Hedge Brown’, appears mid summer, basking upon flowers with its wings open.
Through the kitchen window
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With a keen eye and insightful knowledge, photographer Tim James narrates the fascinating habits of our garden creatures
Edible flowersDiscover the delights of using seasonal flowers with expert tips from culinary director of Heckfield Place, Skye Gyngell
From programmes such as Masterchef to The Great British Bake-Off, we have seen an increase in the use of edible flowers across our television screens – a clear reflection of the frequency of these versatile ingredients in the menus of top restaurants. Esteemed chef Skye Gyngell extols the colour, flavour and impact of edible flowers.
COMMON & GARDEN VARIETIESGyngell advocates selecting flowers from the garden (check varieties are edible before using); apart from the fact that it is illegal to pick certain wild flowers, there is no guarantee that plants found in the wild have not been in contact with pesticides. Gyngell’s pick of garden blooms includes roses and nasturtiums, both of which add a peppery flavour to summer salads. “For a dish to really make guests smile, I make a simple salad of buffalo mozzarella, slices of melon with rose syrup and the palest pink rose petals.”
PREPARATION“The simplest way to prepare edible flowers for use is to wash them very gently in a bowl of cool water and pat
dry carefully using a clean, dry cloth,“ she advises. “Loosely pack the flowers between kitchen paper and store in the fridge until ready to use.”
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Many vegetable flowers, such as the
yellow blooms of rocket, will bring
vibrance to salads.
SKYE’S SUGAR ROSE PETALS
180g of caster sugar 80mls of water Rose petals Icing sugar to coat
• Combine the water and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a ‘hard-ball’ stage (250-265˚F on a sugar thermometer).
• Remove from the heat and stir until the sugar begins to form crystals.
• Using tweezers, gently coat the petals one-by-one in the mixture. Once coated, leave the petals to rest on parchment paper and allow them to sit uncovered until they have hardened.
• Just before they are completely dry, dip the petals in the icing sugar, ensuring they are well covered.
• Set aside in a cool dry place until completely crystallised – typically, this will take around 24 hours.
SummerplateON A
Make the most of any warm summer days and balmy evenings with alfresco gatherings to enjoy mouthwatering seasonal fare
A Perfect Day For a Picnic
THE ENGLISH HOME 131
There is little to beat the simple pleasure of dining in the open air – whether at a rustic garden table on the terrace or on a blanket spread out
on the lawn beneath the dappled shade of tree. Colours, scents and flavours are all heightened in bright sunshine, under clear summer skies. Relaxed informality is key; keep ingredients fresh and simple, prepare what you can in advance and ensure dishes are easy to serve and dip into with a minimum of cutlery and fuss.
POTTED CRAB WITH MELBA TOAST
The buttery goodness harmonises with the creamy, succulent crab and fiery paprika, making a winning combination with a hint of the seaside. Melba toast works wonderfully, adding just the right amount of crunch and texture. Keep the potted crab chilled until just before serving to prevent it softening too much and the butter from melting.
Serves 2
75g unsalted butter1 shallot, finely diced200g crab meat (white and brown)Freshly squeezed juice and finely grated zest of ½ lemonGood pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves2–4 slices medium-sliced white breadSea salt and freshly ground black pepper
ASPARAGUS & SALMON FRITTATA
You can find hot-smoked salmon fillets in most supermarkets. If you can’t find them, a poached salmon fillet works just as well, or you could also try it with smoked trout for a different flavour.
Serves 6
200g trimmed asparagus 6 large eggs2 tbsp cream cheeseFinely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon 150g hot-smoked salmon, broken into bite-sized chunksHandful of chopped fresh dill (or parsley, if you prefer)2 shallots, dicedOlive oil, for fryingSea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the asparagus for about 1½–2 minutes, until just tender. Drain, then immediately plunge the asparagus into iced water to refresh. Drain again and leave to dry.• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, salt and black pepper. Stir in the salmon, most of the herbs, and the blanched asparagus.• Preheat the grill to high. Heat a little olive oil in a 23cm oven-proof frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent, but do not brown. Pour the frittata mixture over the shallots and make sure the asparagus is evenly distributed and lying flat in the pan. Cook for about 4–5 minutes. • Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the frittata, then transfer the frying pan to under the hot grill and cook for a further 4–5 minutes, until golden on top and puffed around the sides. • Remove from the heat and allow to cool before running a spatula around the edge and removing from the pan. Slice into wedges to serve.
• Melt a knob of the butter in a frying pan set over low heat and add the chopped shallot. • Very gently sweat down the shallot until it is translucent, but do not brown. • Leave to one side to cool.• In a mixing bowl, combine the crab meat, lemon juice, a little grated zest, the paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper. • Once the shallot has cooled, stir it into the crab mixture and divide between two ramekins. • Using the same pan you sweated the shallot in, melt the remaining butter very gently. Once runny, pour the butter over the crab to cover in a thin layer. • As the butter sets, press a few parsley leaves in flat for decorative effect. • Place the ramekins in the fridge for a few hours to set.
To make the Melba toast• Toast the pieces of bread lightly under the grill on both sides. • Remove from the heat and cut away the crusts with a sharp knife. • With the bread flat on a work surface, slice the bread in half horizonally, sliding the knife between the toasted edges, and open up the slice like a book. • Cut each piece into four triangles, then place them under the grill again, un-toasted side up, to brown slightly and curl up. • Allow to cool before serving with the potted crab.
Melba toast was named for the Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, the stage name of Helen Porter Mitchell. It is claimed the toast was created for her in 1897 by chef and fan Auguste Escoffier when she was unwell. Escoffier also created the peach Melba dessert in her honour.
A cool, refreshing terrine is perfect for outdoor eating as it can be prepared in advance and makes a delicious, sophisticated focal point for elegant summer dining.
Serves 8
36 asparagus spears (long, thin and tender work best)2 large bunches of chard or spinach100g broad beans1 knob of butter3 bulbs fennel, sliced1 shallot, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced2 star anise1 tsp coriander seeds8 sheets of leaf gelatine400g goat’s cheeseFreshly squeezed juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemonSea salt and freshly ground black pepperA small bag of micro-herbs, to serve
For the mint oilBunch of fresh mint3–4 tbsps virgin olive oil
SUMMER TERRINE DRIZZLED WITH MINT OIL
• Bring 750ml of salted water to the boil. Drop the asparagus and broad beans in and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon, refresh in ice-cold water, then leave to dry. Retain the boiling water to blanch the chard.• Remove the stems from the chard and blanch for 30 seconds in the boiling water. Shock in cold water before placing in a paper towel-lined sieve or strainer until all the liquid has been removed. Retain the water you have cooked the vegetables in.• Melt the butter in a very large heavy-based saucepan set over a low heat and add the fennel, shallot and garlic. Sweat until translucent, but do not brown. Add the star anise and coriander seeds along with the boiling water from blanching the vegetables and top up with another 750ml or so. You should have approximately 1.5 litres of liquid. Simmer for 45 minutes, after which the fennel stock should have reduced considerably. Strain the liquid and leave to cool a little.• Soak the gelatine leaves in warm water until floppy. Shake the water off the softened leaves and add them to the tepid fennel stock, stirring until dissolved.• Line a 25cm x 6cm terrine mould with clingfilm, leaving enough excess clingfilm to fold over the top. • Remove and discard the rind from the goat’s cheese, if there is any, and place the cheese in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add the lemon juice and zest and cream together with a fork.• Now start building the terrine. Layer the bottom of the mould evenly with half of the chard, making sure it is compressed down and pushed well into the corners. On top of the chard, lay 12 asparagus spears, tip to tail. Spread half of the goat’s cheese over the top and press down so the cheese falls between the asparagus spears. Layer on half the broad beans, making sure they lie flat. Now pour in enough of the fennel stock jelly to just cover the layers in the mould. • Place the terrine in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to allow the jelly to firm up before repeating the layering process, starting again with the chard and finishing with the jelly. By this point, the mould should be full. Cover the terrine with the overhanging clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least six hours to set fully.
To make the mint oil• Simply whizz the herbs in an electric herb chopper or blender with a glug of olive oil to a rough purée. Add this to the rest of the olive oil with a good pinch of salt and decant into a bottle. Leave overnight to infuse and shake well before serving.• Keep the terrine in the mould until ready to serve so it is easier to transport. To serve, remove the terrine from the mould by lifting it out by the clingfilm. • Serve with some micro-herbs to garnish and a drizzle of mint oil.
132 THE ENGLISH HOME
A Perfect Day For a Picnic
FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK THE ENGLISH HOME 133
RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART
This delicious, decadent tart consists of creamy chocolate wrapped in a light pastry, with a hint of raspberry to add seasonal dimension. This can be made the day before an event and kept in the fridge, but make sure you serve it at room temperature to allow the chocolate to relax ever so slightly so that it will melt in the mouth.
Serves 8
For the pastry:250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting100g icing sugarPinch of sea salt200g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature2 egg yolks
For the filling:250ml whipping cream200g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces1 tsp vanilla extract1 tbsp chocolate liqueur 25g butter, cubed200g fresh raspberries
• To make the pastry, place the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl, stir together, then add the softened cubes of butter. Using your fingers, lightly rub the ingredients together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Now add the egg yolks into the centre of the mix and, using a spatula, work the mixture from the edge of the bowl into the middle until it forms a lovely firm dough. If the mixture seems too dry, you may need to add a tiny amount of water, half a tablespoon or so. • On a floured surface knead the dough lightly until it is shiny and smooth, then wrap it in clingfilm and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. • Once chilled, roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface to a rough circle about 3mm thick and use it to line a prepared 23cm loose-based tart pan. Cut off excess pastry around the edge, then chill for a further hour in the fridge (or 20 minutes in the freezer also works). • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. • In a saucepan set over gentle heat, very slowly bring the cream to boiling point then remove from the heat and add the dark chocolate. Use a large whisk to gently stir until the chocolate is melted, then add the vanilla extract and chocolate liqueur.
• Stir in the butter, a little at a time, until it has melted, then leave the mixture to one side to cool.• Prick the chilled pastry case all over with a fork. Line the case with baking parchment and weigh down with baking beans and place in the preheated oven to cook blind for 15 minutes. Cover the edges with kitchen foil if they start to over-brown. • Remove the parchment and beans and cook in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Leave the tart on a wire rack to cool. • Once cool, scatter half the raspberries into the pastry case and squish down with your finger before pouring over the thick
chocolate ganache to fill the case. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving, giving the ganache a chance to set somewhat. • Serve with the remaining raspberries sprinkled over the top.
READER OFFERRecipes taken from A Perfect Day For a Picnic by Tori Finch with photographs by Georgia Glynn-Smith, published by Ryland Peters and Small in hardback at £16.99. Readers of The English Home may purchase a copy at the special price of £14.99, including free p&p. Telephone 01256 302699 and quote the reference GLR 7YV. All photographs © Ryland Peters & Small. Visit rylandpeters.com
Mrs Minerva Writes...
RIGHT Mrs M’s perfect holiday involves
relaxing with a seaweed wrap, eyes
closed under a cooling eye mask rather than staring into
an arid landscape atop a Landrover
under a torrid heat (as Mr M prefers).
This is traditionally the time of year when the holiday brochures come out and Mr M and I have rather different ideas of what makes a relaxing break. Neither
of us is perhaps best known for our modern approach to life, but I feel there are times when one must embrace the new and try things a different way. This, however, can lead to moments of discord where once there was a kind of harmony.
I have to be honest here; if I am forced to spend another rainy summer in Scotland watching him up to his knees in water waiting for something to tug on his line, I think I might go a little bonkers. In turn, I suspect that if he has to sit through another dinner in a five-star hotel listening as a waiter asks obsequiously if “sir is really sure he would like Tabasco sauce with his lobster?” I fear he might run screaming from the dining room.
Whilst we are compatible in many ways – Mr M learned early on to give in and agree at the first sign of a disagreement – holidays have long been a sticking point. Mr M is as passionate about wildlife as he is intolerant of people, and if his time away does not involve stumbling upon something lesser-spotted, then he can get terribly grouchy. I, on the other hand, work terribly hard organising various committees and keeping people up to date on the way things should be done and therefore feel a holiday should be an absolute break. I do not wish to shiver in a freezing cottage trying to cook dinner on an unfamiliar and often inadequate cooker. Why would I when I could stay at home and cook?
So, this year we have made a momentous decision and one that I think may change the course of our relationship for years to come. The children and staff became rather concerned when they got wind that something was up, and apparently reached the conclusion that we were separating. We are not, of course, but we are going to be going our separate ways for a couple of weeks in August.
Since we made this decision, we have both been an awful lot happier. In fact, it has given our relationship a new lease of life. We have become interested in each other’s plans and preferences. Previously, we have disagreed hugely on the natural world, for example. I feel strongly that one was never meant to encounter a lion unless in a zoo or wildlife park – and then only under sufferance – whilst Mr M believes wholeheartedly that seaweed belongs in the sea, not as part of a luxury body wrap or on a dinner plate.
So, for one year only, we are going to plough lone furrows. He is considering a once-in-a-lifetime safari and I am off to a delicious eco spa. Each evening we sit companionably in the drawing room poring over brochures or looking up trips on the world-wide web.
Mr M has few ambitions in life, but those he does harbour include getting up close and personal with polar bears or a pod of orcas in the Arctic, and photographing any of the big cats in their natural surroundings – a jaguar in Central America being top
INDEPENDENT HOLIDAYSPassionate about quintessential English customs, our incognito columnist reminds us how to do the best things in life in the most elegant fashion, always with a twinkle in her eye
The art of
THE ENGLISH HOME 135
Mrs Minerva Writes...
of his list. Apparently the neighbours’ enormous Maine Coon cat doesn’t count.
Choosing a holiday is always rather difficult because one is hoping to have the very best two weeks possible and there is that nagging fear that one might get it wrong and make a mistake. Mr M feels the same way, so I introduced him to Trip Advisor, on the basis that he could read what other people thought of a similar trip. It did not go well. “How can I take the advice of a fellow who does not understand the nature of a compound adjective?” he asked sadly, “or take seriously, a woman who believes it is fair to shout at waiters?” Personally, I rather like reading other people’s thoughts on a place and it makes me feel rather reassured to see candid photos. After all, anyone with any talent in photography can make even a hovel look appealing, whereas those with no talent show things exactly as they are.
Mr M eventually decided on a trip to Kenya. It was the mix of rhinos, big cats, hippos, giraffe and gazelle that swung it for him. However, I saw how utterly terrified he looked at all the immunisations required, so I am not sure how he will actually fare if faced with the harsh realities of the trip.
Mr M was very clear on one thing; he wanted to travel responsibly. By this, I do not mean making sure he does not lose his passport. Instead he wanted to give back and, with this in mind, has ensured he is travelling with a company that has a Fair Trade policy and donates part of the cost of the trip to conservation projects. He is currently also considering a volunteering project as part of the trip.
As I do not wish to ruin the current peace that pervades our home, I decided not to point out that he has never once volunteered to do the washing-up or make up extra beds when guests are expected. I considered volunteering projects here in Britain that were designed to help the environment, but in the end decided against it simply because I am clearly in need of total relaxation. Perhaps next year.
I am off to Cornwall to stay at a delicious eco spa and hotel. I, too, care about the environment and feel I can do my bit whilst I am away. With this in mind I am taking the train, rather than driving, and am not going to buy anything new for the trip.
Well, perhaps just one pair of shoes – after all, Mr M has had to invest in some new clothes because vintage
tweed will not cut it in Africa, and I have to say, he does
look terribly fetching in khaki…
No wildlife holiday is quite complete without a pair of
high-quality binoculars.CL Companion binoculars, 8 x 30, in
sand-brown, £800, Swarovski Optik
HOLIDAY PREPARATIONSMeticulous planning and a suitable wardrobe will guarantee a holiday executed with panache
When choosing my UK trip, I researched it online at Sawdays’ brilliant site (sawdays.co.uk). The company awards special status to owners of hotels and holiday cottages based on their environmental credentials. It makes it terribly easy to choose somewhere that is not only good to stay at, but good for the planet, too. I think I actually might enjoy choosing a holiday as much as I enjoy going on one, which is why I found the site so useful. In fact, I am rather inspired to become a vegetarian, having seen some of the lovely meat-free properties listed on the site. Mr M is ignoring this and putting it down to one of my whims.
AT HOME WITH THE ENVIRONMENT
As a treat, I have bought Mr M a subscription to Wild Travel magazine. I felt if he were going to travel into the realms of the unknown he ought to gen up a bit first. I have to admit to being rather taken with the magazine myself. It is full of sumptious photography and is an incredibly interesting read. In fact, it is so fascinating I put down my copy of Vogue because I came across an engrossing feature on elephants. Personally, I found the travel advice very useful, indeed as it formed the basis of the various lists I am furnishing Mr M with whilst he is away. After all, I do need him to come back in one piece. Trial subscription to Wild Travel – enjoy 3 issues for just £3. Visit subscriptionsave.co.uk
WILD TIMES
A holiday would not be complete without a new pair of shoes. However, because I am determined
my holiday will be eco and ethical, I am determined my new shoes should be too. This year I am
completely in love these slippers from Penelope Chilvers shoes. Penelope Chilvers is well known for
its care for the environment and all packaging is made from recycled materials.Primrose Floral Dandy Slippers,
£295, penelopechilvers.com
SHOE SHOPPING
136 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE ADDRESS BOOK
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138 THE ENGLISH HOME138 THE ENGLISH HOME
ADDRESS BOOKA da & Ina
Tel 01795 532684 linenfabrics.co.uk Aga Tel 0845 712 5207 agaliving.com Agriframes Tel 0845 260 4450 agriframes.co.uk Alex and Alexa Tel 0845 838 1331 alexandalexa.com Alitex Tel 01730 826900 alitex.co.uk Amdega Tel 0800 652 7590 amdega.co.uk An Angel at my Table Tel 0845 200 0723 anangelatmytable.com Andara Tel 020 7736 8204 andarahome.co.uk Annie Sloan Paints Tel 01865 247296 anniesloan.com Antisans of Devizes Tel 01380 720007 artisansofdevizes.com Appeal Shading Tel 0800 975 5757 appealshading.com April Russell Tel 020 3055 0090 aprilrussell.com Army & Navy Tel 01702 344181 armynavystores.co.uk
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138 THE ENGLISH HOME
ON SALE 3 JULY 2013Our August issue is all about redressing that hectic life balance with cosseting details and ‘living the dream’ at home
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• Slow life’s frantic tempo: head for the hills; move to the coast, or just introduce elements of the good life at home
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Coming next month
From the very first range cooker in 1830 to today’s high-quality contemporary ovens, Rangemaster has prided itself on innovation and quality for over 200 years
AUTHENTICALLY ENGLISH
Although their production methods may have evolved over the past
200 years, attention to detail, quality and the importance of innovation have remained at the forefront of Rangemaster’s values. Modern range cookers that cater for the demands of busy family life, keen cooks and the style-conscious are produced in the original Royal Leamington Spa factory, where the first range cooker was invented in 1830.
Originated by William Flavel, the cast-iron Kitchener could roast, boil, bake and warm using the same heat source. In 1951, Flavel’s son, Sidney, exhibited it at the Great Exhibition in Kensington Palace. It
was admired by Queen Victoria and over the next century won awards and was installed in many households, including those of Edward VII and the King of Italy.
Today’s customers can choose from over 700 product variations to meet their requirements. A range of new technologies from glide-out grills, griddles, wok burners and induction hobs enable a sophisiticated level of cooking, while remaining eco-efficient.
These contemporary cookers require modern manufacturing, however marketing manager Holly Johnson explains, “There has been a lot of investment at the factory to ensure we can continue to manufacture in the UK.”
Some 600 people work alongside robots who transform sheets of stainless steel into completed ovens.
Walking through the factory, it is evident that quality is paramount as everything is inspected for flaws and checked for durability. The welding, for example, is spot checked at least once a day and is so good that the steel will tear before the welding. Beyond this, the cookers are tested by resident home economist, Alison Baker, who trials recipes and puts each part of the oven through its paces. Continuing a tradition for innovation she also works alongside development teams devising new ideas for range cooking.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT The Elise SE, from £2,430, offers high-capacity cooking along with traditional
design details. The original Kitchener,
invented by William Flavel, has pride of
place in the reception at the Leamington Spa
factory where it was first made.
Today, deliveries of steel are made twice a
day to keep up with prodcution. Here, a
lorry makes a delivery in 1946. During the
second world war, the factory and its
machines were used to make munitions.
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