From stylish bar carts to flea market finds, here's a look at our brand new interiors books out this month.
In Faded Glamour, Pearl Lowe shares her passion for all things vintage and romantic, while Rachel Ashwell channels Marie Antoinette in jeans and a cowboy hat with Couture Prairie. Colour addicts can explore the history and meaning of colour across the globe in Rockett St George Extraordinary Interiors In Colour, and Ros Byam Shaw's Living with Colour celebrates the iconic shades of Farrow & Ball. Once you've finished redecorating the house top-to-bottom, treat yourself to a classic cocktail from one of Emily Henson's chic drinks stations!
How to define Faded Glamour? Think of rooms that are elegant yet whimsical at the same time. Precious pieces of antique furniture that have become slightly battered over decades while holding their allure become all the more charming when playfully juxtaposed with a more contemporary, colourful piece from a flea market.
Everyone included here, friends from London and Somerset – all great creatives – has their own unique interpretation of faded glamour, but as different as each house is, I can honestly say there isn’t one that I wouldn’t happily call my home.
Forget 50 shades of grey – this is 50 shades of green. John Bassam’s home contains a symphony of green akin to being in a woodland or jungle. The plants conjure up a feeling of calm and of being at one with nature.
The roof terrace provides a peaceful haven from the busy streets of Marrakech. The vibrant pink walls create a cocooning vibe and match the surrounding terracotta rooftops. From this spot you can hear the bustle of the town and the calls to prayer, all while nestled in a secluded rooftop sanctuary.
In recent years the idea of recycling and repurposing has made it to the mainstream – at long last! If you favour the weathered, industrial look, there are a few options for creating a cart. Look for recycled glasses, often recognizable thanks to their wobbly and green-tinged finish, or collect pretty jam/preserve jars with rims thin enough to comfortably drink from.
To create a sense of a warm and breezy far-flung destination, design yourself a dazzling bar filled with gleaming golds and exotic pattern. The showstopping blue wallpaper here dictated a blue colour scheme with metallic highlights and a yellow accent colour in the shape of a fruit bowl and glassware. A coherent colour palette makes a cart look polished and professional.
The double-height breakfast area is, as you would expect, beautiful, comfortable, functional, and furnished with serendipitous flea-market finds. The stag’s head was inherited with the property, hat and all—very much part of the cowboy tradition.
Farrow & Ball paint is easy to spot even without the help of a label. First there are the colours: inimitable tones of off-white, stone and taupe, misty greys and blues, elusive greens, dusty pinks and so on for 132 shades of every stripe in the rainbow.
Not one is harsh, obvious or bland. All are what you might call ‘off-colours’, knocked back and subtle – the sort you could stare at for a long time, colours you could happily set up home with. The same paint in the same choice of colours is used for the wallpapers, making them just as distinctive and instantly recognizable.
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