Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2025 i Homes & Antiques

Tell us what inspires you in this issue of H&A. Tag @homes_antiques on Instagram or use the email address, right When it comes to decorating my home, I tend to follow a ‘stick with what you know’ approach. Over time, I’ve learned that my west-facing living room thrives in warm tones; I’ve found the perfect plaster pink (and I’m not shy about using it); and my love for panelling is unwavering. But one thing I’ve always avoided? Dark colours. That is, until Kiera Buckley-Jones came along with a wave of deep, dramatic inspiration that unexpectedly has me reaching for a paintbrush and rethinking everything (p20). If you’ve ever worried that rich shades might overwhelm a space, consider this autumn decorating special your cue to step just a little outside your comfort zone.…

Pumpkin spice As the leaves begin to fall, there’s a new way to bring warmth indoors this season – and it’s not just in your latte. This autumn, Benjamin Moore is embracing the pumpkin spice colour trend, infusing interiors with earthy hues that echo the beauty of nature. Shown here is Golden Bark (from £38.50 per 0.94l of eggshell), with accents of Lyons Red, Monticello Rose and Townsend Harbor Brown. Colour drench with one enveloping shade, or layer together for a rich, dimensional look. benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Better together To celebrate its fifth birthday, sustainable interiors platform Haines is unveiling a bold and colourful new collaboration in October. Haines Curates sees 11 designers come together to create limited-edition fabrics, wallpapers, and rugs – each crafted from a palette thoughtfully chosen by founder…

Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian homes are prized for their charm and character. keen to respect a property’s heritage while adapting it for life today, but how do you balance updates with authenticity? It starts with research. Knowing the key design elements of each era is essential before making restoration or decorating decisions. Homes have changed gradually over time, influenced by shifting fashions and lifestyles. ‘Each period has its own architectural rhythm,’ points out interior designer Laura Stephens (laurastephens.co.uk). ‘There’s a romance to these buildings; they offer a sense of history and craftsmanship that’s often missing in modern builds. For many of my clients, living in a period home is about preserving that narrative, while gently writing their own chapter.’ Louis Platman, curator and research manager at the Museum of the…

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the brainchild of Prince Albert and civil servant Henry Cole, and this impressive spectacle sowed the seeds for the V&A. The exhibition captured the public’s imagination with its displays of design and manufacturing. It paved the way for a new museum devoted to art and science, the Museum of Manufactures, with the profits from the exhibition used to buy exhibits. This was the V&A’s first incarnation, opening in 1852 with Henry Cole at its helm. Located on Pall Mall, its eclectic collection was intended to enlighten the public about smart design. But it soon started to outgrow its home, so it was decided to site a permanent museum in Prince Albert’s new South Kensington cultural quarter. The South Kensington Museum opened in 1857, with…

Material shortages, state-controlled production, and communist rule defined nearly every aspect of post-war life in Poland. While these factors inevitably shaped the country’s creative industries, Polish post-war design is far from devoid of aesthetic appeal or technological innovation. These days, it’s widely seen as worthy of a place in modern homes and collections. Many objects conceived and produced in mid-20th century Poland are anything but dull. They exemplify how designers and artists used imagination, creativity, and ingenuity to craft functional, visually striking items while adhering to state-imposed constraints. For collectors from outside Poland’s borders, it provides ‘a chance to discover a lesser-known chapter of design history created by outstanding artists from behind the Iron Curtain,’ says Beata Bochińska. An art historian and collector, Beata is also president of The Bochinski…

‘Whitby jet is a rare British gemstone,’ says Sarah Steele, a gemmologist with a lifelong passion for this mysterious black stone. Whitby’s coastline is unique in the UK in being a source of jet, but – despite a commonly repeated claim – it’s not made of fossilized monkey puzzle trees, stresses Sarah. ‘People like to imagine a prehistoric Whitby covered in monkey puzzle trees, but jet is created from the fossilized wood of many different ancient species,’ she says. 180m years of heat and pressure in Whitby’s marine environment worked their magic to compress the timber and turn it into jet. Whitby’s last jet mines closed more than 100 years ago, but it’s still possible to find fragments scattered on the shoreline today – the products of coastal erosion. ‘We…

1. Feline charms Estimate £1,000-£15,000 Sold £13,776 A pottery charger, naively decorated with a cat, caused a stir at Roseberys’ Fine & Decorative sale earlier this summer. The English delftware was made at Brislington Pottery, near Bristol, in the late 17th century, having been consigned from a private collection. Ceramics and glass specialist, James Quarterman, comments: ‘Brislington delftware is rare, and much of what does survive is already in institutions or private collections. It’s not easy to find at auction, compared to other types of English pottery.’ The Dutch developed Delftware in the 16th century as an affordable rival to expensive blue and white porcelain imported from China. Pieces were shaped using inexpensive earthenware clay, then dipped in a thick white glaze, before being hand-decorated. The simple technique soon spread…

BUY NOW Traditional landscape paintings I’ve long been a big fan of landscape works, and now is the perfect time to buy some superb examples at very reasonable prices. We live in increasingly urban environments, and I find that these rural paintings bring you closer to nature; they can provide a calming presence, as well as being extremely decorative. Indeed, this restorative quality was a contributing factor in the vast range of naturalistic depictions of countryside settings in 17th-century Holland. Even these early works can now be acquired relatively cheaply, as demonstrated by this idyllic pastoral scene (above), attributed to the Dutch artist Frederick de Moucheron, likely inspired by the artist’s travels in Italy. There has rarely been a better moment to invest. SELL NOW Views of India The growth…

Deep shades aren’t off-limits in any space; they can work beautifully in rooms designed for relaxation and retreat Embarking on a full home overhaul can often feel overwhelming, and the fear of making the wrong choice can very easily lead to decision paralysis. In an effort to avoid costly mistakes, many of us play it safe, opting for neutral walls and a versatile cream or grey sofa. In doing so, we miss out on a world of bold combinations. Dark colours, in particular, are often considered intimidating. Yet, when used thoughtfully, they create spaces that are not only warm and welcoming, but also deeply atmospheric. Just as the night sky makes stars appear more luminous, rich, dark tones can highlight your furniture and accessories, allowing them to shine. 1 CHOOSING HUES…

1 Hide appliances Conceal modern tech behind a curtain – it’s a great way to introduce some vintage prettiness to a kitchen or utility room. You can choose an heirloom fabric (such as this design by Abigail Borg) with colours and patterns that suit the era of your house. Hang using a simple wire system. 2 Give trad a twist Combine reproduction or reclaimed sanitaryware, fixtures and fittings with heritage paint colours for a traditional, period feel. Introduce a fun wallpaper in a quirky contemporary pattern for a modern twist, like Sarah Latham at Etons of Bath has done in this Georgian cloakroom. 3 Restore radiators Should you have original column radiators, have them flushed out then sandblasted to remove old paint and rust, returning them to their former glory.…

Entering the decorative artist Natasha Mann’s five-bedroom Edwardian home is like stepping into a jewellery box – full of vibrant colours and exquisite patterns. Natasha, who lives here with her husband and five children, was attracted to the house in south east London by its original period features. ‘There were beautiful fireplaces, and I loved the geometric black and white tiles in the hallway,’ she says. The couple moved in 10 years ago, and the house has provided the perfect canvas for Natasha’s wonderfully intricate work. She became interested in North African and Andalusian decorative art as a teenager on family holidays. ‘I always appreciated their buildings,’ she says. ‘I liked that Moroccan homes in old cities have beautiful tiles and woodwork.’ Having completed an Arabic and French degree at…

Sarah Steele found her first piece of jet on the beach when she was seven years old. It’s still possible to find fragments today, as the products of coastal erosion. ‘When it’s wet, there are a lot of black stones on Whitby beach, so you need to know what you’re looking for,’ she smiles. Several of Whitby’s jewellery shops will help verify if you have found a piece of jet and not a lump of rock. They also offer bespoke design and handcrafting services, so visitors can create a unique and special piece of jewellery from their lucky coastal find. Archie Steele, one of the town’s contemporary jet workers, explains what’s involved: ‘We start with a conversation – does a customer want the jet cut and polished to a high…

Sixty years ago, philanthropist John Smith and his wife, Christian, set up the Landmark Trust in a bid to rescue places of historical interest deemed too lowly by other charitable bodies, and offer them up for short stays. One of these historic gems, in the heart of east London’s Spitalfields, is 13 Princelet Street – a smart yet unassuming Georgian brick terrace, built in 1719. Turning into the street from buzzing Brick Lane is a culture shock akin to stumbling through the wardrobe and entering Narnia. It’s easy to see why Princelet Street is used as a film location – it’s as if time has frozen, and this feeling is further apparent as you step through the door of number 13 and into the hallway. As the house sleeps six,…

Fabric Wallpaper Chinoiserie wallpaper in deep tones brings instant drama and atmosphere to a dining room. Pair with plush velvet upholstery and animal print accents to create a cocooning, theatrical space that truly comes alive by candlelight…

Sitting in her sunny kitchen overlooking the Thames-side garden she came to know in the 1930s, Marthe Armitage concedes that it’s not an easy house to leave. ‘I was nine years old when my parents moved to a house a few doors along, and we came to know the Armitage family who lived here at the time.’ The father, Joseph Armitage, was a successful architectural carver; among his clientele were eminent architects of the day, such as Edwin Lutyens. The National Trust’s oak leaf emblem is one of his best-known designs – the result of winning a competition in 1936. After Marthe left school, she went to Chelsea School of Art (now part of University of the Arts London), where she learnt to draw and decided to be a painter.…

Eight years ago, fashion designer Isabela Capeto closed the doors of her apartment in Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro, and moved into a property overlooking one of the city’s most iconic landmarks: the Sugarloaf Mountain. What grabbed her first was, of course, the mesmerising scene, but she also fell in love with the original features of the 1940s building, including the parquet floors, high ceilings and the light that floods in through the large windows. ‘I’ve always dreamed of living in front of this view,’ she says. ‘I think it’s such a luxury to look out on this picture postcard setting from my living room. When I found this apartment, I was enchanted by the many possibilities of this generous space. Today, I live here on my own, but I’m always…

As with any other market, demand for antiques fluctuates. Taste changes over time, and what was once fashionable – and expensive – falls out of popularity. For several years now, I’ve been following the market in Victorian Staffordshire figures (those produced between 1837 and 1901) with interest. In the 1960s-1980s, these became increasingly sought after. Vast collections were amassed by the great and the good (the popular historian, Cecil Woodham-Smith, had a notable array), often displayed grouped en masse against dark walls. Much of this popularity, I think, had to do with the renewed interest in the Victorian age, a period in architecture, style, and design that, until the 1960s, had been largely ignored – and even ridiculed. Then, fake ‘Staffordshire’ figures began to flood the market, many mass-produced in…

Burrow Hill Apple picking goes hand in hand with cider season, and Burrow Hill in Somerset is a wonderful place to celebrate both. Its orchards play host to more than 100 varieties of vintage cider apples, such as Brown Snout, Stoke Red, Harry Masters and Kingston Black, all grown organically to create a selection of apple-based drinks, from cider and cider brandy to pomona (a richly flavoured apple spirit). Alongside these, there are Morello cherries, elderflowers, plums, quince, lavender, and 20 varieties of perry pear. Pop in to take the trail around the orchard, or book in advance and join a guided walk or tasting. somersetciderbrandy.com Pitmedden Garden It’s believed there have been apple trees growing at this lovely garden in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, since 1603. The orchard at Pitmedden today,…