Innehållsförteckning för January 2025 från Homes & Antiques

The January issue of Homes & Antiques falls at a fascinating time of year. With one foot firmly in festive traditions and the other looking towards the shiny year ahead, it dances merrily between old and new – something we’re certainly not strangers to. Our three homeowners this issue share in our fondness for this juxtaposition, as they welcome us into their antiques-filled homes, all primed and ready to host loved ones. On the topic of hosting, we’re celebrating the season of entertaining with the best buys to set your table in style on page 20, alongside an exploration of the history of antique candlesticks (p86), which will help to add a touch of heritage to your set-up. This year, I’m uncharacteristically late in wrapping up with my Christmas shopping…

Instant in impact, a cinch to install and capable of instantly tying a room together, rugs represent a joyfully compelling element of interior design. Co-founders of A Rum Fellow, Caroline Lindsell and Dylan O’Shea, are vigorous advocates for beautiful floor coverings, and launched their own handcrafted rug business in 2014. ‘A Rum Fellow was born out of a meeting of minds and a mutual desire to create a design-led brand with strong social principles,’ says Dylan. ‘Caroline and I met when we’d already had careers – hers in fashion and mine in the charity sector. I’d had ideas for a business bubbling for some time, and Caroline was jaded by the quick pace of fashion and wanted to design with longevity at the heart of her creative process.’ A Rum…

Christmas Shopping Brownrigg INTERIORS Kit Kemp Founder and creative director of Kit Kemp Design Studio I first visited Brownrigg when it was based on the King’s Road in London. This was decades ago, but I never forget a good antiques shop! Now, Brownrigg – which is run by Spanish-Anglo duo Jorge PerezMartin and David Gibson – is well ensconced in the Cotswolds town of Tetbury. It’s an enticing shop with creaking floorboards and rickety stairs, and a wonderful range of antiques and decorative pieces that span from the early-17th to the mid-20th century. There is always something intriguing in the shop – and its clever, curated style really sets it apart. I’ve been lucky enough to visit the nearby workshop too, where pieces still requiring work or renovation are hidden…

SIMPLE SOPHISTICATION Light, bright and stylish, this rustic scheme includes vintage and antique furnishings, a simple table setting, and plenty of greenery. Hang wreaths from the chairs and walls, arrange stems in clear glass vases and scatter delicate branches across the table. Opting for chunky wine glasses and white crockery will create an easygoing, laid-back feel, while glowing candles and vintage silver cutlery will add a touch of festive romance. A DELICATE TOUCH Use natural dried flowers and seedhead sprays in your wreath to contrast with the foliage. Subtle tones like these soft creams and browns will help to balance a green scheme. If making your own wreath, take time to ensure a pleasing mix of hues throughout, and combine multiple leaf shapes to create visual interest. If you have…

When Josephine Reich moved into her Copenhagen apartment two years ago, she made a bold decision. ‘There were so many pastels in Danish homes at that time. Everyone wanted pink, delicate yellow and mint-green schemes, and I wanted to buck the trend,’ she says. Instead, when it came to decorating the space, she took inspiration from the German design school Bauhaus, known for its clean, primary colours. ‘I wanted to go for something completely different. I chose to go all-out with colour on the woodwork and floors, and keep the walls more neutral,’ she says. Throughout the one-bedroom apartment, Josephine has chosen a powder-beige for the walls, punctuated with red, green and blue accents. ‘For me, colours are something you can play around with in a home. Painting is so…

The drinks are poured, the nibbles are out and the guests are gathered, but nothing gets a party started quite like playing a vintage record. From the moment the turntable starts to spin and the needle first touches the disc, the ambience of the room instantly changes. Leafing through the sleeves to find an old favourite or a new discovery – the perfect track to suit the mood or moment – is one of life’s simple pleasures. ‘Playing vinyl is immersive,’ says Martin Hughes, a collector of vintage vinyl and director at Wessex Auction Rooms, which holds regular vinyl sales. ‘Choosing a record, the anticipation of the music as you take the record out and set it playing, then enjoying music with friends – it’s a real event. It’s a…

The impossibly fragile, iridescent ceramics made by Belleek represent a fascinating chapter in Irish history. Christened after the pretty village in Fermanagh (now in Northern Ireland) where it is made, the story of Belleek is a heartwarming one of philanthropy and tenacious entrepreneurial vision. It begins in 1849, when John Caldwell Bloomfield inherited his father’s estate, Castle Caldwell, whose tenants were suffering from the aftermath of the Great Famine. Bloomfield – a philanthropist and keen geologist – wanted to help by encouraging local industry and reducing the area’s dependence on agriculture. So, he had his land surveyed, and was delighted to discover that it was rich in feldspar and kaolin: essential ingredients in porcelain manufacture. Seizing the opportunity, Bloomfield enlisted the help of Robert Williams Armstrong, who had worked at…

THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME What first sparked your interest in antiques? I have always loved timeless interiors, with classic shapes and traditional details. I love the look of things that have been well-loved and time-worn. So, when my husband and I bought our first flat, it made sense to explore antiques shops and vintage emporiums before turning to the high street to furnish it. With antiques, you can create an individual look. While there might be a wonderfully relaxed country-house style formula -overstuffed chairs, a mix of patterns, stripes and chintz, and a blend of dark and painted wood – no two spaces look identical when you choose antique furnishings and accessories over time. Tell us about the first antique you bought… The first true antique I bought was…

THE EXHIBITIONS Being There Until 23rd February, The Gallery at No.1 Royal Crescent, Bath Bringing together old and new, this kaleidoscopic exhibition presents four recently acquired Thomas Gainsborough portraits alongside the work of 18 contemporary British artists. ‘Being There’ invites visitors to reflect on the evolution of the artist’s role in society, contemplating how the practice of portraiture has evolved over the past two centuries. The subject of family is a central thread, woven throughout the exhibition. Gainsborough’s family portraits of the upwardly mobile Tugwell family, around which the show is built, exemplify an age-old tradition of portraits commissioned to elevate status and leave a lasting image of oneself. This poses an exciting moment for gallery-goers; it is remarkably rare for a set of four Gainsborough portraits of the same…

Awards season It’s easy to see why Matthew Williamson has just been presented the prestigious Andrew Martin Interior Designer of the Year Award for 2024 (the ‘Oscars of the design world’ to some). His eye for bold shades, confident patterns and a touch of the exotic swims against the tide, offering an aesthetic that’s uniquely ‘Williamson’. matthewwilliamson.com ROLL UP, ROLL UP Step right up to Annika Reed’s latest wallpaper collection, Parade, which walks the tightrope of elegance and jollity in effortless fashion. Including the cheery Balancing Act (in Ochre Stripe, right), you can pick up a 10m roll for £165. annikareed.com Travel the neutral route Neutrals lead the way in 2025, with Earthborn naming Crocky Road as its new paint colour of the year. It’s a warm beige, perfect for…

Little diamond Flor is a distinctive flatweave design with geometric diamond motifs, available in three chic colourways. From £804, pelican-house.com Touch of luxury Bring a soft sheen to your floor with the Kaleidoscope rug in wool and bamboo silk. It’s hand-knotted in Nepal. £1,080, niki-jones.co.uk Cool kelim A team of artisans hand-dye the wool for the Vann rug, giving each piece varied tones and textures. From £440, bazaarvelvet.com…

The work of ceramic artist Björk Haraldsdóttir has never been more in demand, with galleries from Falmouth to Edinburgh queueing up to show her striking sculptures. When we catch up with her in late September, she is on a tight schedule for Oxford Ceramics Fair in October, with two further shows booked in before the end of the year. Then there’s a January deadline for an exhibition in Kingsbridge, before she returns to the Collect Art Fair in February with her main gallery, Cavaliero Finn. Luckily, Björk is happy to put in the hours to keep the pieces coming. She can often be found in her studio in Bridport, Dorset – a short drive from her home – at weekends as well as during the week. ‘It kind of depends…

Rush light and candle holders provided a simple form of lighting in poorer homes for hundreds of years. Rushes were collected from marshland in late summer and the outer skin was peeled, leaving a small strip attached to give support. The rush was then drawn through melted leftover bacon or mutton fat in a ‘grisset’ pan. When dry, the long slender candle could be held in a rush light holder and lit. ‘Rush light holders have a pincertype design. They’re made of iron and fixed into a wooden or iron base and were usually crafted by the local blacksmith,’ explains Tim Bowen of Tim Bowen Antiques. ‘Some were made to hang from a hook fixed into the ceiling or wall.’ The movable side of the pincer sometimes ended in a…

• ‘Vinyl needs to be kept dry – I store mine in lidded plastic boxes, along with anti-damp sachets,’ says Steve Taylor. ‘They need to be stored upright, not flat on top of each other, or the records can warp.’ • ‘The record player you use is important,’ points out Paul Smith. ‘One with a diamond stylus is crucial, and a weighted arm. If you have a ruby or sapphire stylus and an arm that’s not weighted, too much downward force can be applied and the record grooves can be worn down and it can even skip or jump. Players start at around £200 and go up to £1,000 in our shop. Vintage record players – like Dansette ones – are still sought after. You can stack eight singles on…

This Month Vittoriano Rastelli/Getty Images; Master the Art; Monty Rakusen/Getty Images; School of Stuff The act of decorating metal, glass, wood and other materials with gold leaf is a dying art, but if you fancy getting to grips with the technique, several places in the UK offer the opportunity to channel your inner Midas. The two main methods of gilding – water gilding and oil gilding – differ in the way the gold leaf is applied (water gilding is the more labour-intensive, complicated technique, and produces finer results) and most courses will offer an overview of both. At West Dean College’s Sussex campus, for example, the five-day Traditional Gilding Techniques course (£697) provides a grounding in both methods, including the chance to water-gild a small frame and to develop oil-gilding…

Fabric Wallpaper Use checked and striped prints as accents to ground the more complex elements of a scheme. Ben Pentreath’s reimagining of Morris & Co prints adds an unexpected twist that fizzes with modernity…

Gather your closest friends and family; Pierre Sauvage’s covetable new coffee-table book is overflowing with inspiration for hosting with style. A muse for crafting memorable experiences, How They Entertain draws back the curtain on 20 eclectic global tastemakers’ homes, revealing the decor, tablescapes and flower arrangements one might find if invited for dinner. Inside, you’ll discover a whole host of arresting combinations. Rebecca de Ravenel’s light and airy Portuguese haven pairs azulejo tiles with yellow irises and lemons; Remy Renzullo’s apartment marries antique Chinese porcelain and Regency furniture; and Isabelle de Borchgrave’s inspired Belgian artist’s studio contrasts sculptural paper chandeliers with bright, billowing tulips. It’s easy to pick and mix your favourite morsels to transform your own table. Beyond the feast for your eyes, each tastemaker presents mouthwatering recipes, serving…

A fter years of travelling for work, Aurélie Debiève was looking for a place to settle down in the countryside. Buying her first home was something she’d been dreaming of for a long time, and it was in the Pays d’Auge, a region she loves for its rolling landscapes, that she finally concentrated her search. ‘I prefer to be inland rather than by the sea, even though we’re only 10 minutes from coastal Honfleur,’ she says. ‘I like feeling isolated, with the forest at the end of our path.’ Despite the dated decor, she immediately felt at home. ‘The space, at 140 square metres, is just perfect. Big enough for entertaining family and friends, but not too huge for maintenance,’ she says. 'I love the cosy cottage feel, with small…

The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London’s Hyde Park promoted Britain as the leader in industrial excellence, and technology as the key to a better future. Six million visitors came to Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace to be captivated and astonished by the wonders on display, from the Kohinoor diamond to a fax machine, a flushing lavatory and tinned food. The event also super-charged a change in attitudes to this accelerating industrial progress, and the yawning dislocation between its products and the people engaged in their making. Notable among its critics were the architect AWN Pugin, then engaged in designing the interior of the Houses of Parliament, the writer John Ruskin, and William Morris, soon to be prime mover in establishing the Arts and Crafts movement. He refused to attend. His…

400BC The earliest candle holder that’s been discovered is a clay one that dates back to 400BC. But candles were possibly used as early as 3000BC by the Ancient Egyptians, who used beeswax for lighting. The first widely used candles were made from animal-based tallow or fat. 13th century Candle making became a guild craft in England and France. Beeswax candles burned much more cleanly and created less smoke than animal fat, but they were expensive and beyond the reach of most, apart from churches and the very rich. 1600s During the 1600s, silver was the most common choice for candlesticks and produced a sturdier form than the brass versions that came after. Late 18th century The late 18th century saw the use of sheets of metal being stamped and…

1. Coupe de grâce Estimate €20,000-€25,000 Sold €49,200 Over a period of 15 years, the late Swiss collector Francis Meyer amassed 228 pieces of turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau glass created by the great French makers, Émile Gallé and the Daum brothers, whose workshops were in Nancy, Alsace Lorraine. Meyer kept his unique collection at home in Bienne, Switzerland, where only a few connoisseurs were invited to view it. Over time, the collection’s reputation grew and it became one of the most important in Europe, as Sotheby’s Paris specialist Cécile Tajan explains: ‘Through their formal research, technical prowess and wide-ranging sources of inspiration, the works in the Francis Meyer collection were among the finest illustrations of the revival of art glass initiated by Émile Gallé and the Daum brothers at the beginning…

Herefordshire A glorious 60-mile loop around Herefordshire’s rivers, hills, historic pubs, ruined castles, holy wells, tiny churches and ancient orchards, the Golden Valley Pilgrim Way may have been designed with pilgrims in mind, but it’s just as rewarding for secular hikers. Beginning and ending at Hereford Cathedral (a shorter, 30-mile circuit is also possible), this week-long path weaves a spectacular course through the Wye Valley, Golden Valley and the lower reaches of the Black Mountains. Choose cosy B&Bs or sleep in atmospheric churches along the way for added adventure. abbeydoredeanery.org Scottish Borders Stringing together four great ruined abbeys in southern Scotland – Kelso, Jedburgh, Melrose and Dryburgh – amid five days of walking, the Borders Abbeys Way works as well in winter as it does in summer. Crunching through frost…