Category: Gardens

Theatrical interiors at Knole

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As you arrive at the 600-year-old estate in Kent, herds of meandering deer create a majestic overture for visitors to Knole. Cleverly theatrical in its presentation, Knole offers not only the history of its unique sofa design but also sumptuous ‘showrooms’ of Jacobean interiors. Originally a Bishop’s palace and then a popular hunting ground for King Henry VIII, this Dutch gabled country house has been owned for the past 400 years by the influential Sackville-West family.

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Town and country life in Reading

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Reading isn’t just the Berkshire town that has missed out (4 times) on being awarded city status. Renowned for its annual music festival and IT industry, Reading was where Oscar Wilde was famously incarcerated but is perhaps less well known for its new film studios and connection to King Henry I? It is as a desirable place to live though that is maybe what makes Reading one of the UK’s best-kept secrets.

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Heritage style with a twist

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Heritage interior style with its old school sustainable approach to interiors is a perennial favourite here at blog HQ. At its core, it encompasses an appreciation of traditional craftsmanship and design history. Not only am I drawn to the work of some top interior designers who do this look so well but also by some new ingredients that are giving it a 21st-century twist.

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Crathes Castle in the Scottish Highlands

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Welcome to 16th century Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire. If you are curious about the heritage of Scottish tower houses, passionate about topiary and painted ceilings inspired by the Renaissance, you won’t be disappointed. My anticipation for coming across something special at Crathes was piqued further when an American tourist commented that the gardens at Crathes Castle “were way better” than the gardens he had just visited at *Balmoral.

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Cornish coastal style

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A spring tide brings an early promise of summer and with it, a sea spray of Cornish coastal style. If you have read my blog before, you will know that it’s this time of year when the blog becomes powerless to the tidal charms of coastal interior design. With inspiration from textile and interior designers, from 20th century artists and from quirky landmark architecture, the blog has succumbed once again to the beauty of the British coastline …

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Time for a tablecloth?

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The wonderfully distracting art of tablescaping has been growing in popularity for some time but there’s one particular ingredient of this art that’s causing a bit of a stir. It may not exactly be a ‘tablecloth revolution’ but the way we approach setting the table is changing. Is the humble tablecloth ‘back’ (it’s only been around since 100 AD!) and be the micro trend that has the potential to become something bigger in 2025? What is certain is that it offers delightful styling opportunities as well as a civilised way of setting the world to rights.

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The White Door Brocante at West Green House Gardens, 24 April 2025

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There are all sorts of ways to source vintage and antiques. But making a day of it in the walled garden of an 18th century manor house has to be one of the most enjoyable ways to go shopping. Elise McGreevy-Harris’ next White Door Brocante will be taking place on Thursday 24 April 2025 in the romantic wisteria-clad greenhouses and orchard at West Green House Gardens in North Hampshire. Spring should be in full swing by then – just the ticket for a good day out!

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Interior design directions 2025

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A very Happy New Year to you. I hope you had a restful and peaceful Christmas. As is the blog’s tradition, this is the day that I share patterns of interior design directions that have caught my eye for 2025. This year, heritage design, along with bucolic evocations of the countryside, are top stories for interiors. From designer high street collaborations to independent designers and a burgeoning wealth of influential vintage and antique dealers, 2025 is shaping up nicely.

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West Dean College, house and garden

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If the idea of staying in a centuries old English manor house appeals, then look no further than the bucolic West Sussex parkland of West Dean College of Arts, Design, Crafts and Conservation. Edward James (1907-1984), a 20th century socialite and patron to Salvador Dali, set up a foundation to ensure his family home became a centre for teaching conservation and the creative arts. The Grade II Listed gardens are now open to the public and visitors can stay in the house.

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A New Age of Elegance

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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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