Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2024 i Homes & Gardens

Having lived in London for nearly twenty years, I can appreciate all that the city has to offer yet I find myself planning regular trips to the countryside in search of the quietude and slower pace of rural living. For me, there’s nothing better than exploring a charming village or getting your heart rate up with a ramble over rolling hills with breathtaking views. This sense of tranquillity has inspired our June issue, which focusses on the beauty of bucolic interiors and the enduring appeal of the great outdoors. For our decorating feature (Chintz Charming, page 46), we look at the revival of chintz to discover the offerings and interpretations of this – often polarising – design style from some favourite fabric and wallpaper houses. We present the new outdoor…

OVER the last five years, the UK’s retail sector has had several challenges to overcome. The pandemic-imposed lockdown, crippling business rates, external political factors and a cost-of-living crisis has led to the closure of 6,000 retail outlets, according to the British Retail Consortium. However, despite these statistics, many brands in the interiors and homeware sector are rethinking their retail strategy as consumers show a desire for local, sustainable and more immersive shopping experiences. A report by Deloitte states that 57% of consumers would be more likely to spend money on locally produced products, while findings from a GlobalData survey outline that 47% of consumers would pay more for products or services that protected the environment. Could a shift in the approach from retailers, in response to this, lead to a…

CHARACTER PIECE This large-scale chintz is based on an original 18th-century fabric depicting the tree of life, a popular motif from that period which symbolises eternal life through the ever-winding branches. Given centre stage on a classically shaped sofa in a grand yet devoid of pattern room, the rich characterful print sings while the modernist lamp adds an unexpected touch. Mariella fabric in Pink/Green, £116m, Colefax and Fowler TULIP FEVER Coromandel Tulip is based on a design found on 18th-century sarongs from the collection of textile collector Karun Thakar. The name references the Coromandel Coast where chintz was produced, while the style of flowers are inspired by European botanical drawings. Coromandel Tulip fabric on Ivory linen, £510m, Karun Thakar x Soane Britain COLOUR COHESION A meandering mid-scale floral design, although…

DESIGN RULES THE beauty of florals in a home is that they make a house feel alive: they remind us of the natural world outside and give it that sense of fluidity and movement. The patterns often include greens, too, which is a colour I’m always drawn towards and crave. ■ I’m attracted to florals because I love pretty, feminine things. But I think you have to balance them out with something bolder and edgier so that they don’t look too flouncy. Our look is intrinsically English but with a bit of an edge – and that’s what keeps it interesting. ■ Chintz and florals were so overdone in the 80s that everyone got sick of them; after that the aesthetic of the 90s was very grey and boring. Now…

A my Spargo was already ahead of the game when she came to redesign a family home in Victoria, Australia, it being her third project in five years for the owners. ‘Having done my client’s barristers’ chambers and their ski lodge in the Victorian Alps, I know them well, which is a huge advantage,’ she explains. The house, built in the late 1800s, had been divided into six units, as post-First World War accommodation, before being restored to a single dwelling in the 1990s and then finally bought by its present owners 25 years ago. With little need for the sort of in-depth meetings usually required with new clients, Amy was able to cut straight to the chase on the redesign. ‘It was more about how they wanted the spaces…

Mercer Island is an idyllic place to spend a childhood and its younger residents often find themselves gravitating back as adults. Such was the case for Katie LeClercq’s client. ‘She had grown up on the island and then moved to Seattle after meeting her husband in California, but she dreamed of coming back to recreate her own childhood,’ says Katie, who runs architecture and interior design firm Studio LeClercq. The clients, a professional couple with three children, bought a plot on the edge of Lake Washington and commissioned Katie to design the architecture and interiors for their new home. ‘The client had found me through Instagram and word of mouth but I also grew up on Mercer Island and it turns out she knew my cousin. It’s a very small…

CENTRE OF ATTENTION For the main bathroom in her country home in New York’s Hudson Valley, interior designer Sara Story’s freestanding shower pays homage to the Victorian needle bath, which was originally conceived for medicinal purposes. The sleek curved glass frame was designed by Sara in collaboration with her architect Dirk Denison and custom built to host Dornbracht plumbing. The Italian Paonazzo marble plinth incorporates an infinity drain and conceals the drainage without having to raise the floor. ‘I love the simple, clean design of a panoramic glass enclosure – it doesn’t impede on the sense of space in the room,’ says Sara. Catchpole & Rye’s La Cage shower, from £16,800, is similar. Project by Sara Story Design BATHING BEAUTY Avoid the temptation to hug fittings to walls in a…

I’VE been travelling to Maine for more than a decade, seduced by its relaxed lifestyle, friendly people, beautiful scenery and wonderfully comfortable clapboard homes, some of whose interiors I’ve been fortunate enough to design. These days, it’s a regular haunt for me, both for work and pleasure. ■ Maine always ticks the boxes for shopping, browsing, being in nature and eating well. For inspiration, Downeast Art & Antiques Show at Blue Hill is a once-a-year must visit for me. This antiques show is full to the brim of fabulous pieces. I once even bumped into a long-lost cousin there selling some great objects. The key is to get in super early before the treasures get snapped up. ■ The Claremont Hotel at Southwest Harbor (top left) is a particular favourite…

LIVING HISTORY In its latest homage to heritage, Little Greene presents National Trust Papers IV, the fourth edition of patterns derived from National Trust properties. Merging 250 years of decoration with modern tastes, this collection introduces eight historic patterns refreshed in vibrant colourways. With techniques ranging from classic surface printing to innovative digital processes, the selection showcases exotic birds, elegant florals and Chinese motifs – like Bamboo Floral in Heat, £127 a roll, pictured, a design inspired by wallpaper fragments found in Dorset’s Kingston Lacy Estate. CERAMIC HERITAGE Reviving the art of historic ceramics, Emily Mitchell’s Tyg cup, £225, stands tall in the world of artisanal craftsmanship. Inspired by her passion for narrative and the evocative stories of everyday objects, this piece is a nod to early English delftware. Handcrafted…

A AELFRED Launched in 2022 by Nina Hertig, also co-founder of interior design studio and gallery Sigmar, Aelfred is a trove of iconic furniture, ceramics, glass and lighting. Everything in the collection has been hand-picked and sourced from Denmark. Twentieth-century rosewood dining tables and credenzas sit amidst glass cocktail sets and primitive (but pretty) oil paintings. Perfect for those seeking usable 20th-century pieces that are undoubtedly appreciating design collectibles. aelfred.co.uk APPLEY HOARE ANTIQUES For Appley, the founder of Appley Hoare, it’s all about the joys of acquiring and selling French country antiques. ‘I feel privileged to be involved with these marvellous old pieces which have been passed down to us by the dedicated and talented craftspeople of the past,’ she says. Appley’s love for French antiquities began whilst…

MODERN MAKEOVER To create an impression that an interior has evolved organically over time is one thing in an old country house, but it’s quite another challenge in a new-build apartment. Here it is necessary to work that much harder and be more inventive – or braver, depending on the point of view – with the design approach. Studio Ashby skilfully combined antiques, handcrafted pieces and designs from Sister by Studio Ashby to put together this dining room in Lancer Square, a short stroll from Kensington Palace. ‘The studio’s design concept looked to celebrate the rich history of the Royal Borough while capturing its contemporary style and vitality,’ explains founder Sophie Ashby. TURN A CORNER Use clever design to carve out a space for dining within an open-plan living room.…

A TWIST ON TRADITION Invest in a characterful classic with this new bench from John Lewis & Partners. Conceived by one of its in-house designers, Matt Steels, the shape is inspired by a visit he took to a 16th-century walled garden in Yorkshire and further research into quintessentially British garden decor. The Squiggle fuses classic with contemporary, as an archetypal-looking bench is embellished with a playful wiggly edge. Built from durable FSC-certified acacia, the piece will make a charming addition to your garden for many years to come, all for the very reasonable price of £349. THE FINISHING LINE Stripes abound this season in juicy shades of tangerine and raspberry CATCH THE LIGHT Go for portable lighting that looks as pretty indoors as it does out. For something more sleek,…

NEW TRADITION Kitchen specialist Plain English is admired for its designs inspired by the atmosphere of ‘below stairs’ areas of grand country houses of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its latest collection, Kew, is true to form, this time influenced by the Georgian kitchen at Kew Palace and featuring arched doors on the double cupboards and a substantial centrepiece preparation table made from English sycamore. Kitchen prices from £70,000. FANTASY ISLAND Based in Florence, long known for its metalworking traditions, Officine Gullo offers a range of professional-level range cookers and appliances, including the Isola kitchen island. Available with gas burners or induction top, pasta cooker, steamer, lava stone barbecue, fry top, sink, food-prep zones and more, the island also includes plenty of cupboard space and room for built-in appliances, making…

PEELED PEACHES WITH PROSCIUTTO, BURRATA & BASIL SERVES 2 3 ripe peaches – yellow and white are good1 large ball of burrataSalt, to taste4 slices of prosciuttoA handful of basil leavesExtra virgin olive oil, for drizzling ■ Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Remove it from the heat and gently drop in the peaches. Leave them for 10 seconds or so, then remove them with a spoon. Peel the skins away and discard. Slice them in half, then remove the stones. ■ Tear the burrata in two. Place a half on each plate and sprinkle with salt. Arrange the ham and peaches around the burrata, tear the basil leaves over and drizzle with oil. ■ Serve, with bread on the side. CREAMY NETTLE RISOTTO SERVES 4 A…

1. I start my day with my spring smoothie: pear, spinach, banana and ginger, which I whizz up in my Nutribullet. I love cooking – I used to be a pastry chef – and eat mainly a plant-based diet. 2. I love a good browse in Lorfords, which has such an inspirational collection of antiques and accessories. It’s based in an old bus garage in the heart of Tetbury. 3. I love Neptune’s headquarters in Bath; it’s in an old tram shed which has been lovingly developed into a store that makes you feel like you’re walking into a home. It also has a brilliant restaurant, JAQ at The Provenist. 4. There’s a great walk, the Cotswold Way, that starts just across the road from our design studio in Cold…

COLOUR OF THE MONTH ‘Saxony hovers between blue and green in hue and has an intense but not ponderous richness; it’s serious but is designed to be comfortingly enveloping. For me this colour suits an evening room when one wants a space that heralds nightfall and looks inviting in lamp light. Reddy tones on the yellow side will nestle into our Saxony mood and it provides a good backdrop to natural weaves.’ EDWARD BULMER, founder, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint 1. ‘This client had a great collection of objects and art, so we wanted to design a backdrop that allowed these to shine. By using a rich colour like Paint & Paper Library’s Kigali it allowed the library to have its own identity.’ CLAIRE SÁ, co-founder and director, De Rosee Sa…

FOR thousands of years the human hand has taken a simple material dug from the ground and fashioned it into objects of beauty and necessity. We are, of course, talking about clay. The earliest known artefacts made from it were not bowls or tools as one might imagine, but expressive statuettes. Despite this millennia of creative endeavour, for a long time in modern society pottery was seen as a ‘lesser’ art form than its sculpture and painting cousins and was given short shrift by the lofty art world. However, for the past decade or so, this has been rapidly changing and we can confidently declare that the role of ceramics in fine art is no longer emerging but has very much arrived. ‘Thankfully, people are finally realising the value of…

AHH, the smell of freshly cut grass. Gazing out into the meadow. Sun on your face, the fresh scent of farm animals. Yes, even farm animals can bring well… true joy! Without a doubt, I am a city girl, having grown up in the concrete jungle of New York. A term I use quite affectionately. But there’s just something about that country escape and all the feels it brings. I feel blessed to have grown up with a mind open to experiencing different environments in life. My appreciation for having my fingers in country garden dirt is just as enriching as having my hands full of a hot chopped cheese sandwich from my favourite New York City delicatessen. The truth is, it’s all about your mindset. That too, is how…

Country interiors are often defined by muted palettes, but this Surrey home is imbued with a joyful interior full of kaleidoscopic colour, thanks to interior design studio Olivine Design. The clients, a family with three young children, had moved out of London looking for a property with more space. They found this seven-bedroom house, which is around 30 years old but was in need of updating. ‘They were attracted to it because is it spacious and filled with light’, says Victoria Gray, co-founder of Olivine Design with Taline Findlater, who were tasked with renovating the interior. ‘The architecture and proportions of the rooms are wonderful, but it was a bit of a white box – there was nothing quirky or interesting.’ With a brief to inject character and personality to…

1 WALLED, WILD AND WISTFUL Garden design by Tom Stuart-Smith Tom’s design for Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire, ‘blends informal wild flowers and grasses with more structural clipped yews and beech – favoured by nesting birds – together with trees and roses creating intimate spaces for garden visitors and wildlife. Hedgehogs frequently nestle undisturbed throughout their winter hibernation. The garden has been designed to provide interest all year and is divided into four areas that each reach their peak at different points throughout the seasons. There is always a part of the garden that is flowering, fruiting or sculptural.’ The nature and longevity of flowering plants attracts an abundance of insects: ladybirds, aphids, beetles, butterflies and bees, many from the estate’s own hives. 2 BEST OF BOTH Garden design by Ann-Marie…

1 A COUNTRY AFFAIR Evoke old manor house grandeur by following Sims Hilditch’s lead. According to studio director Gemma Holsgrove, key ingredients for this look include robust tongue and groove panelling, a Belfast sink and a nature-inspired colour palette. ‘The central table is a practical place to offload items at the end of a long walk,’ says Gemma. Bespoke cabinets in Lichen estate eggshell, £74 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Red Deer 5 Arms chandelier, £2,015, Clock House Furniture. Jane wall sconces, £479 each, Visual Comfort & Co. Nimes porcelain floor tiles, from £80sq m, Artisans of Devizes. For a similar bespoke table, try Titchmarsh & Goodwin. Project by Sims Hilditch. 2 HOSE DOWN Purpose built dog showers are hugely desirable. Add a dog crate for drying off afterwards and…