Innehållsförteckning för September 2017 från Victoria

September has always seemed a month of dramatic change to me. Summer is over, school has started, and we are headed into fall. When I was a child, the shift from carefree vacation days to rigidly structured hours seemed the most dreadful way to spend time. With adulthood came certain freedoms, and one I happily embraced was choosing to use September days for travel. I have found that this transition month allows me to avoid the summer heat and masses of other travelers while experiencing beautiful destinations and making valuable memories. England is always on my short list of places to explore more fully. This issue is filled with stories to charm you and perhaps inspire your adventures. From a look inside a family’s treasured house outside London, to Bath…

I have a friend whose living room is dominated by two expensive, overstuffed sofas that flank a coffee table like the pair of lions on the steps of the New York Public Library. They are show sofas, not intended for naps or Popsicle-eating children. Their spotless, perfectly slipcovered backs rise flawlessly above high, down-filled cushions that seem too good to sit upon without asking their permission. It is a beautiful room, large and light-struck, overlooking a harbor full of sailboats in the summertime. The walls are hung with watercolors. Baskets of ferns catch the sun. Still, there is something roped-off and intimidating about the room—as if the furniture were more important than the people in it. “Your sofas scare me,” I tease my friend, who laughs as she follows me…

The quaint brick dwelling nestled on the northern edge of the quintessentially English village of Nassington had lapsed into disrepair when Nicola Homan and her husband bought it at auction in 2011. Encircled by open fields, the former stationmaster’s house had served a working railway until the 1960s. The couple proceeded through a meticulous restoration, using elements such as reclaimed brick flooring and stripped pine doors, to preserve a sense of authenticity. When the focus turned to illuminating the spaces, Nicola worked with Phil Jacques, an expert on antique-fixture restoration, to find and install hardware that suited the structure’s age and design. The collaboration would prove to be fortuitous. “I realized how reasonably priced the lights were, as opposed to modern fittings,” says Nicola. “I had a eureka moment and…

“EVERY NEW SEARCH IS A VOYAGE TO THE INDIES, A QUEST FOR BURIED TREASURE, A JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE RAINBOW.” —Vincent Starrett At the Newark International Antiques & Collectors Fair, two hours outside of London in the East Midlands of England, excitement is nearly as tangible as the heirlooms brimming from seemingly endless trails of vendors. Considered by many enthusiasts to be the crown jewel among European markets, this event is presented six times annually at the Newark & Nottinghamshire Showground in Winthrop. For enthusiasts who wish to visit the renowned shopping mecca, planning ahead will maximize the enjoyment of covering the immense fairground. Each exhibition spans two days, but experts advise arriving early on the opening Thursday to peruse the most extensive inventory. Although festivities officially begin…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 13–14: For more information about author and teacher Phyllis Theroux, visit her website, nightwriters.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Page 15 : To learn more about Carolyne Roehm, visit her website, carolyneroehm.com. VISIONS OF CELADON Page 17 : Stella Works: Lace-Pressed Handmade Pottery Dinner Plate in celadon green, $25, Lace-Pressed Handmade Pottery Salad Plate in celadon green, $19–$27; stellancworks@gmail.com, etsy.com/shop/StellaNCWorks. Cumbria Crystal: Windermere Small Wine glass, £85; +44 01229 584 400, cumbriacrystal.com. Wallace: Antique Baroque 65-piece Flatware Set, $199.99; 800-264-0758, lifetimesterling.com. Page 18 : Prints Charming Soho: Naples Italian Linen Wine Bottle Gift Bag, $10, Paris France Linen Wine Bottle Gift Bag, $10, Ferrara Italy Canvas Double Wine Bottle Gift Bag, $15; 571-214-9586 or sales@printscharmingsoho.com, printscharmingsoho.com. Rachel Ashwell: Cluny Lace King White Bed Skirt, $208, Embroidered Hem King Flat Sheet, $128, Embroidered…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite September features: Romantic Sojourns Edwardian architect Harold Ainsworth Peto, designer of Iford Manor’s resplendent gardens, filled them with the Old-World beauty of statuary and remnants from antiquity. A Literary Legacy The memorable characters of beloved author Jane Austen and her observances on the social mores of her day live on in her continued influence of generations of writers. An Unforgettable Journey All aboard Scotland’s Jacobite Steam Train witness the unfettered beauty of sun-dappled lochs, castles, and moors in a cavalcade of tranquility. Fit for Nobility With nearly a millennium of history, Belvoir Castle stands on a fine tradition—one that it shares with the public through verdant gardens and public tours. We love your ideas! Do you have any suggestions about something…

In the eighteenth century, Thomas Chippendale crafted cabinetry and furniture that today fetches millions at auction, as his influence continues to imprint décor the world over. “I had always wanted to do a Chinoiserie room even before I saw the famous Claydon House in Buckinghamshire,” says Carolyne Roehm. “During the eighteenth century, it was very much in vogue, and I particularly loved the way Chippendale incorporated it into his furniture designs.” And what better than a collection of blue-and-white to tie it all together? During her travels, Carolyne takes note of the beauty of finer details. Culling these aspects helps her, as a decorator, breathe fresh appeal into centuries-old spaces while honoring their past. Intricate designs overhead, such as those created by Robert Adam, are remarkable. “I just love his…

“THROUGHOUT ALL MY LIFE AND WITH ALL MY HEART I SHALL STRIVE TO BE WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST.” —Queen Elizabeth II “THE HOLIEST OF ALL HOLIDAYS ARE THOSE KEPT BY OURSELVES IN SILENCE AND APART.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow…

With its towering trees and lush plantings—a verdant counterpoint to elegant colonnades, pools, and sculptures—Peto Garden brings echoes of the Italian Renaissance to the pastoral slopes of Iford Manor. The medieval hall, built as early as the sixteenth century near the English town of Bradford-on-Avon, overlooks the River Frome and a sprawling valley beyond. From April through October, guests find inspiration along the hillside, where tours and special events leave a lasting impression. Influenced by lengthy sojourns to Italy, Edwardian architect Harold Ainsworth Peto sought a property where he could cultivate styles observed abroad. He found his Eden in the county of Wiltshire; the country estate was his home from 1899 to 1933. In keeping with the ornamental horticulture of ancient Rome, Peto believed that blending architecture with nature…

…

hen my English maternal grandmother ventured to Canada as a young teen, being a teenager was not a concept one embraced in those Edwardian days; she considered herself a young woman. When my great-grandmother learned that her daughter had come down with diphtheria, she moved lock, stock, and barrel to the colonies in a stoic passion to protect her from certain death. She assumed Canada was still a struggling nation with antiquated life skills, populated with the great unwashed. A Lady’s lady, the skills my great-grandmother used in caring for the gentry she used also in raising her four daughters. A widow of high Anglican background, conviction, and strength who saw the mobilization of troops in preparation for the First World War, she was determined that none of her daughters…

The Barton family’s circa-1820 brick dwelling nestles into a serene pastoral setting, belying its proximity to bustling London, only an hour away. And although it shares a county with the magnificent Windsor Castle, its simplicity speaks just as eloquently as the castle’s grandness. Originally serving as staff quarters for the larger property next door, the house, along with stables and a cart shed, was converted in the 1960s by a couple looking toward retirement. Upon glimpsing interiors that had not been updated for more than thirty years, Freya and Alex quickly became aware of the scope of the project. Undeterred by the unusual one-room-deep layout they liken to a train carriage, they were willing to overlook obvious flaws because of the enviable assets: original beams, high ceilings, and solid brickwork.…

Just as an architect’s blueprints direct a work crew in the construction of a home, an artist’s concept drawing guides a craftsman in the creation of the beautiful stained-glass structures that shine in cathedrals throughout the world. Called cartoons—a word that derives from the Latin carta, meaning paper—they are the genesis of these elaborate showpieces. The central design element, known as a medallion, most often features religious or historical figures, such as John the Baptist, or a notable event, like the Crucifixion of Christ. Drawings were done with graphite on tracing paper, thin enough to allow light to pass through, and tended to be monochromatic for the same reason. Watercolor paints, which kept the graphite from rubbing off, were sometimes added to the illustrations. Several years ago, Ari Millner, owner…

A QUEEN’S CELEBRATION Lemon and Currant Scones Makes 8 to 10 2¼ cups all-purpose flour¼ cup sugar1 tablespoon baking powder½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground cardamom5 tablespoons cold butter, cubed3 ounces cold cream cheese, cubed½ cup currants1 teaspoon lemon zest⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whippingcream, divided1 large eggClotted cream (for serving)Strawberry jam (for serving) 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and cream cheese until mixture is crumbly. Stir in currants and lemon zest. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together ⅔ cup cream and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. 4. On a lightly floured surface, turn…