Every Autumn, my desire to move to a country cottage deepens and with it comes thoughts on how best to decorate. I had every intention of sharing with you some of the country-inspired earth tones and textural burgundy browns that are emerging for interiors. But, the power of the colour palette I mentioned in Interior Design Directions for 2024 has, rather like an irresistible Lewis & Wood vine, taken hold here at blog HQ.
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From every angle, A La Ronde is an 18th-century circular home that thrills. Its 16-sided exterior belies a theatrical 8-sided interior complete with shell grotto and sea views beyond. To describe it as a cottage doesn’t quite cover it and although it shares some of the decorative DNA of a folly, this doesn’t entirely do it justice either. Quirky it most certainly is, and therefore very much my kind of wonderful. So here are a few highlights from my tour of this National Trust treasure …
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Borders are back. In paper form for walls, but also as textiles for upholstery and soft furnishings. They are increasingly becoming a focal point in schemes, giving interior designers the edge in more ways than one. Knowing how much to use and where is a matter of interpretation, but knowing where to source is key. Adored by interior designers worldwide, top British textile designer Pink House by Rebecca Cole has become the go-to name for bespoke and vintage textile borders.
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A very Happy New Year to you. I hope you had a peaceful and happy Christmas. As is tradition, the blog is looking forward to some of the interior design directions that have been catching my eye for 2024. On the list are some sweet feel-good colourways, new designers, bespoke muralists and antiques. And just when we need it most, high street stores have arrived like the cavalry with some terrific design to layer up our homes.
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Whimsical interior design ideas as mooted on my Interior Design Directions 2023 post have now well and truly arrived. This quirky, interior design style that transcends the generations is what some might consider a much needed, mood-boosting tonic. With a playful sense of humour, design companies are putting us back in touch with our inner child, suggesting that decorating with cartoon and storybook designs isn’t just for the nursery.
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Not since the 1970s when Laura Ashley’s love affair with all things Victorian/Edwardian has there been quite so much interest in this decorative era. Ruth Eaton, Coco Conran, Anna Mason and Sarah Vanrenen are in the vanguard of fashion and interior designers creating a new age of elegance for the 21st Century. To find out what is so appealing about late 19th/early 20th Century design, the blog invites you to visit The National Trust’s Lanhydrock House in Cornwall.
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A Somerset antiques dealer has not only been catching the eye of fellow antique dealers but is now feted by several A-list architectural and interior designers who cross the world to visit Rebecca Christie-Miller’s showroom near Bruton. What makes Rebecca’s style stand out is her intuitive eye for the antique designs decorators might be after but also because she seeks to source new to the market pieces that have been in the same family for generations. So it was high time the blog paid Rebecca Christie-Miller Antiques a visit…
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With inspiring art as well as luxurious woollen textile designs and dark wood antiques, Pembrokeshire offers interior design a unique weave of Welsh style. The longish journey to this coastal region of West Wales makes the arrival (and lack of crowds) all the sweeter. You can be assured of incredible colour and light, from textural landscapes with medieval field patterns to pretty wildflower hedgerows and colourfully painted buildings. And that’s not to mention some of the best sandy beaches in the UK …
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“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again” is the hauntingly evocative first line of Daphne du Maurier’s novel Rebecca. So many authors, artists and designers have been captivated by the Cornish coast both for its magical coves and for its colour and light. Inspired by a recent trip to this part of the country, the blog pays its yearly homage to coastal decorating ideas with a tour of some of the fairy tale castles, country houses and follies that hug the British coastline.
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Stripe lovers may be pleased to hear that they are on top form and in good shape this year. Stripes are one of those deceptively simple patterns that can create a myriad of arresting moods and styles. Their geometry allows for playful interior design, from circus tent ceilings to the subtle (but powerful) pattern play of styling a horizontal next to a perpendicular stripe. Whether you are looking for a classical Regency stripe or for something more contemporary, here are a few exciting fabric and wallpaper designs that have been catching my eye.
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Charis White Interiors 