Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Period Living

MIX AND MATCH Featuring small-scale geometric and dotty designs, these fabrics from Cathy Nordström are perfect for bringing a playful pop of pattern to a sophisticated setting. Where large-scale designs might detract from the architectural details and sculptural furniture, these prints add a decorative touch without overwhelming the scheme. When decorating, don’t be afraid to blend old with new, advises Cathy. ‘Mixing patterns and textiles from different eras is the best way to infuse your home with a sense of timelessness and eclectic charm.’ Right chair upholstered in Marianne fabric in Dove Blue, £130 per m; left in Spotty fabric in Indigo, £126 per m. Loved by homeowners and interior designers alike, blue and white is a timeless pairing for room schemes that is wonderfully versatile. Far from being two-dimensional,…

The Butler-Maddens caught their first glimpse of Carpenter’s Cottage by torchlight, huddled over a tiny screen in a rustic farmhouse in Menorca. It was February and the couple, with baby Lily, were on a no-frills business trip. ‘We design and renovate properties,’ they explain modestly, although they are experts at what they do. ‘It wasn’t part of our plan, but something kept drawing us back to this small, dated cottage.’ On returning to the UK, the couple headed straight to the Cotswolds. A quintessential honeycoloured village welcomed them, but the little red-brick property was nowhere to be found. ‘Back and forth we drove until finally, we saw a tiny footpath signed to Carpenter’s Cottage,’ recalls Laura. Virtually invisible from the road, it peeps out between two cottages, utterly at home…

LIGHT WEAVE Lighting brand Pooky has teamed up with Collaborative Craft Projects – which works with artisan communities throughout Zimbabwe to develop traditional handmade and Fairtrade homeware – on a new four-piece collection of handwoven pendants. Made using sustainably grown and harvested Ilala palm, the designs take inspiration from the local handcrafted baskets and add a lovely natural element to rooms. Choose from the Wonky Wave basket pendant light (pictured), priced £150, with its relaxed organic shape, perfect for country-style interiors, or the more simple and pared-back Serena design, priced £75. A Moroccan mix Inspired by traditional Moroccan tiles, Jardin is a new floor and wall tile design from Porcelain Superstore. Available in two colours – acrisp white and a warming terracotta – the design features a criss-cross base tile…

Kitchen walls establish the foundations of the space, playing a vital role in defining the look and feel of a room. Rather than just settling for plain walls, instead capitalise on the decorative potential that they offer – after all, the walls are the most sizable surface area in a kitchen. The options are endless, from installing wall panelling that accentuates the height of the room, to playing with paint, embracing prints and patterns, to making a decorative feature out of the building materials of your house. Decorating your kitchen walls is a costeffective way to make a bold design statement and can instantly add a new dimension to what may otherwise be an underwhelming space. Top to tail Two-toned walls have seen a surge in popularity in recent years,…

Having a beautiful garden brimming with colour and interest from flowers and foliage through the seasons, is something that many of us aspire to, but it can seem an unachievable dream for those who do not have much time to devote to tending their plot. It is, however, possible to enjoy a garden full of variety, with a rich and vibrant tapestry of plants that require little maintenance, with some careful planning and design. ‘Low maintenance doesn’t have to mean evergreen or sterile,’ explains garden designer Sheila Jack. ‘The key is to include planting choices that are tough, consistent, have numerous seasons of interest and complement each other beautifully.’ Include resilient plants Hardier plants that look after themselves and require little attention are key to achieving low maintenance borders. ‘Avoid…

Comfortable, practical, and brimming with charm, antique farmhouse furniture can suit many styles of interiors, from country to townhouse. Many of the examples we see today were crafted in the mid-19th century before mass production took off. There are also earlier and later pieces; these, such as tables, chairs and dressers, were predominantly made by regional craftsmen using local timbers. Common materials included pine, elm, oak, ash, and sometimes sycamore and yew. Regardless of the size – be it a grand farmhouse table, a small milking stool or a side table – farmhouse furniture, whether in its plain wood or painted state, is characterised by its distinctive patina of a worn and rustic appearance. A country affair Various European countries have a rich history of farmhouse furniture, with French examples…

Artist’s impression Play with patterns and contrasting dark and light paint on walls, woodwork and architectural details, scatter mismatched cushions, and turn your house into a work of art. Taking inspiration from Charleston House, the former home of the Bloomsbury Group and a haven for art and progressive ideas, forgo rigid rules and fill your home with everything you love. Dress tabletops with foliage-filled vases and ornaments, layer rugs and cushions, and mix classic and more contemporary pieces for a colourful, imaginative and timeless look that is entirely your own. Pictured are The Lounge Co Bronwyn 3-seater sofa, £1,995, and footstool, £495, both seen in Woodland Moss; Acanthus lamp, £249, and Celesta rug, £189, all Furniture Village. A PLACE TO PERCH Influenced by the organic shapes found in nature, this…

Jackie and David Sneddon’s substantial Monmouthshire farmhouse was once home to the chief steward of nearby Raglan Castle. When newly built, the property would have been considered modern, well-appointed and highly-desirable, but the ensuing three centuries had not been kind. ‘It was in such a poor state when we first viewed it,’ says Jackie. ‘It was damp, decrepit, unmodernised and infested with vermin and pests. On the upside, it was in a gloriously peaceful position, and had so much potential.’ Jackie, David and their blended family of five teens had been settled in nearby Monmouth, but the couple were keen to move somewhere quieter. ‘I couldn’t find anything big enough, until I spotted this and saw that the attic could possibly be converted into two extra bedrooms. The house was…

When we think of silk, we tend to imagine a textile as lustrous as the pearl earring in Vermeer’s painting; not glittering – or ostentatious – like gold, but with a luminosity that speaks of wealth and sophistication. In modern interiors, a whisper of silk can imbue a room with textural elegance, subtle iridescence or reflective highlights that intrigue the eye. Created from the cocoons of silk moths, silk has long-held associations with transformation and rebirth. Each cocoon produces a single thread of around 900 metres. Collection and spinning are dexterous and timeconsuming and artisan skill is rightly reflected in the more exclusive nature of pure silk cloth; however, modern blends featuring other natural fibres, such as cotton, linen or wool, give much of the lustre at less cost. The…

Bathrooms place significant demand on their flooring. The choice of floor covering must be able to withstand the testing conditions of high moisture and humidity levels without these affecting its appearance or performance. Slip resistance is also key. From elegant stone and colourful tiles to warm wood, there is a flooring option to suit every style of bathroom and age of home. Crafted in clay Terracotta has been used underfoot for centuries and is famed for its impressive durability. Perfect for the bathroom, terracotta tiles are naturally impervious to mould; however, they need sealing every few years to ensure they remain waterproof and to prevent decay. Alternatively, these porcelain anti-slip Marrakesh bricks in Light Matt, £72 per m² from The Baked Tile Co, emulate the look and are also mouldresistant…

Adding style and proportion to interiors, decorative plaster mouldings vary from simple cornices to highly ornate ceiling centres and other adornments. Early cornices were ‘run’ in situ using mortar or lime putty to fashion a seamless ceiling decoration, sometimes embellished with ‘enrichments’ cast separately in moulds. After fibrous plaster was patented in 1856, decorative pieces were made in the workshop; using a mixture of hessian fibres and plaster of paris cast in a mould and reinforced with timber from behind, these were fixed into position on site. How to repair The most common source of damage to plaster mouldings is moisture, says Russell Brewis of Artisan Plastercraft. ‘This can be dampness over time or a water episode, such as a flood or burst pipe. Old plaster can also be compromised…

Despite its name, the peace lily is not a member of the lily family. Rather, it gets its name from its white lily-like blooms, which resemble flags heralding peace. The peace lily is not just loved for its good looks – it is also renowned for its air purifying qualities. ‘In fact, NASA praises its ability to remove pollutants and toxins from the air,’ says Jo Lambell, founder of Beards & Daisies. ‘For this reason, it is a fantastic plant to pop on your bedside table, as the clean air can positively impact your sleep quality.’ While traditional lilies are infamous for being highly toxic to pets, the peace lily does not have the same effect – while still poisonous, ingestion will not prove fatal. It should not, however, be…

Walking is a daily ritual for textile artist Sarah Becvar. Every morning, she ambles the footpaths and fields of her family’s farm nestled in the Weald of Sussex, immersing herself in the sights, sounds and scents of nature. ‘I love my morning walk; it allows time to plan for the day and clears my head, but most of all I enjoy looking along the hedgerows to see which flowers are out,’ says Sarah. Over the years she has come to recognise what blooms from season to season. ‘It’s exciting spotting something that has suddenly come into flower, such as the stitchwort, dog rose or honeysuckle – you often smell the honeysuckle before you see it. I’ve always been surrounded and fascinated by wildflowers.’ Having grown up on the farm,…

Despite having lived in some of the grandest residences, in the mid-1980s, Sir Edward Heath, aged 69, was house-hunting for the first time. Like any prospective homeowner, he had a tick list: it had to be close to London, as he was still an MP, but not too far from the sea – Heath was a renowned yachtsman; it also had to feel cosy but be spacious enough for entertaining. It was Robert Key MP, Sir Edward’s one-time parliamentary secretary, who found the perfect match: Arundells, tucked away in Salisbury’s leafy Cathedral Close. The only downside was it lay 20 miles from the coast. Unsure, Sir Edward drove down for a look, but it only took a glimpse through the car window for him to fall for it. Who…

While life has, for the most part, returned to normal after the pandemic, there is one change that has remained for many – working from home. A recent survey by the Office of National Statistics* highlighted that around 40 per cent of those surveyed had worked from home at some point during the previous seven days – an increase from 12 per cent in 2019. While a space on the kitchen table might have sufficed during lockdown, a permanent working from home arrangement calls for a dedicated office area. ‘When designing your work space, it is important to create an interior with a clear point of difference from the rest of your home, all the while not losing those touches that make your home so comforting,’ explains Shelley Cochrane, accessories…

Jane King’s garden is filled with a luxuriant planting palette that presents a rich and varied display as the year slowly moves towards a change in the seasons. It is a combination that she describes as ‘contemporary classical,’ indicating the different areas surrounding the handsome Victorian house. With a lovely colour scheme that varies through the seasons, the garden is anchored throughout the year with deep maroon tones in both foliage and flowers. In late summer through to autumn, dahlias shine out under dappled shade from mature trees and shrubs, with showstoppers such as candy pink ‘Otto’s Thrill’ and tangerine ‘David Howard’ set against the richly deep tones of a mix of burgundy varieties, including ‘Karma Choc’ and ‘Nuit d’Eté’. Planting is layered to support the infill, from the canopies…

Dressing windows requires an eye for choosing the right style and size of curtain or blind, to selecting the perfect colour and pattern. ‘Fulllength curtains give you the opportunity to have a large, bold print and make a statement, but if your window is small, go for a blind with a small print, as it won’t take up unnecessary space,’ advises fabric designer Penny Morrison. Here we look at some of the different options available. Double trouble Whenever you are bringing a new fabric into a scheme, it is important to consider the texture of the material in addition to its looks. Velvet has been loved for centuries and will instantly imbue a room with a luxurious finish. Doubling up with velvet blinds and curtains will add a cocooning feel…

Dating back centuries, leaded lights are often a defining and aesthetically pleasing feature of many old houses. Used in eras before large sheets of glass could be produced, they are windows comprising panels made with small glass ‘quarries’ held together within a matrix of H-section lead strips called ‘cames’. The panels are set into ‘lights’, or spaces, either directly or using a frame. Thin, rigid metal bars support and secure panels in all but the smallest openings. Glazed panels are fixed to the bars with lead strips, copper wire or metal wedges. Fixing broken glazing Cracked or broken glass can be replaced in situ on a small scale. To do this, the cames are bent back to remove the old glass, new pieces are inserted and the leadwork re-formed. New…