Stately style
If your dreams of a house in the country have not yet been realised, why not introduce some country charm into your home
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Your support makes all the difference.Amongst the chaotic trends of animal and suzani prints, stripes, tassels, velvets and novelty lamp shades is something of the English country home. Stately homes throughout the UK have always honoured the clashing of chintz and chinoiserie, perfected the layering of Millefleurs and Agra rugs and relied on the sense of occasion brought to a space by a dimpled, curling, Queen Anne-style winged armchair, be it in original Morris & Co or new season House of Hackney.
If your dreams of a house in the country have not yet been realised, why not introduce some country charm into your home through small but impactful accents? Below are some suggestions that might tickle your fancy… (aga, folly, dogs and Hunter wellies not included.)
As is typical in any English home, let’s start with tea. A good tea set goes a long way when emulating the country home aesthetic. Not only is the very process of pausing for tea quintessentially, although not exclusively, English, some of the most beautiful teaware is made on British soil, and in Stoke-on-Trent in particular. Heritage pottery brand, Burleigh, has been manufacturing traditional tea sets since 1851 in its original pottery, Middleport. As good for display as it is for use, Burleighware is available in the globally-renowned blue and white pattern, as well as more contemporary greens, purples and black. Having experienced almost no changes to its manufacturing techniques, starting your Burleigh collection is a step in the right direction if its the country home aesthetic you’re after.
Next, is the joyous, treacly work of illustrator and designer, Isla Simpson. When she is not writing online features for House & Garden as contributing editor, Simpson is creating glorious period-inspired art prints, hand painted candles and mirrors be-wreathed in ivy, seaweed and chintz. The handcrafted details are irresistible, and provide the perfect combination of the country home aesthetic and the skilful craft we look for in such special pieces for the home. Don’t forget to browse Simpon’s website or Etsy page next time you’re organising a dinner party – her place cards are absolute must-haves!
For more of a statement, wallpaper is a great place to start. Replicate original Tudor panelling with Trompe L’Oeil wall covering or echo the 18th century Chinoiserie wallpapers with many modern options. Andrew Martin’s Trompe L’Oeil wallpaper offering is vast, providing a range of options fit for the grandest of country homes. From faux Old Masters gallery walls to long-forgotten library bookshelves and exquisite “wooden” panelling, give your home the gravitas and heft of a stately space with a cheeky trick of the eye.
In the bedroom, layer floral prints in cosy colours for a space that feels like an English summer all year long. Yellows, reds, blues and greens, embroidered, block-printed or woven, in cottons, silks and linens. Don’t worry about book-matching fabrics, unless you’re talking about your curtains and valances, in which case – match. Caravane, a French homewares brand which has recently opened a new retail space at Coal Drops Yard, offers a range of counterpanes that will quickly enable you to perfect this layered aesthetic. They are available in a range of colourful, Indian block-printed fabrics, which you can also buy as cushion covers. Also, Caravane is the only brand I have seen in recent years to successfully pull off the low-key tassel. Berets off to you!
Finally, a new and completely unprecedented collaboration between Sofa Workshop and the V&A means that gorgeous, period-style upholstered furniture is available on the high street. The new launch is archive-inspired at its core, not only reworking pattern swatches from the V&A’s vaults into new fabrics, but also taking stylistic inspiration for the sofas, armchairs and footstools themselves from the pre-Georgian furniture archives. The jaunty arms of the Walpole, for example, are reminiscent of the iconic Knole silhouette.
So whether you live in the city or the country, add some stately charm to your living space with these key buys.
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