English Country Inspiration

Settling into our new old carriage house in the country seems a perfect excuse to revisit our favorite country interiors.


Nancy Lancaster, the American tastemaker who helped define what we think of today as the English Country aesthetic, created this room for herself in the 1970’s. After many years residing in some of the finest homes in England, this arbiter of style took for herself a cluster of outbuildings on her former estate at Haseley Court, and fashioned this summer sitting room cum library from an old orangery. The rich warm color scheme, the patterns and textures, the jumbled prints, masses of books, and bunches of wildflowers; all combine here to brilliant effect. Inspired by the components of this gracious interior we hope to achieve a similar atmosphere for our own library/sitting area. Be sure to check back soon to see just how this image influences our own decorating efforts.

Image from Nancy Lancaster: English Country House Style.

Architectural Treasures at Auction

When England’s greatest country estate cleans house no ordinary tag sale will do, which is why October 5 – 7 Sotheby’s will be hosting a sale of over 1,000 lots containing 20,000 objects removed from the store rooms of Chatsworth House.


This magnificent estate in Derbyshire has served for centuries as the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, including the famous Georgiana as portrayed by Keira Knightly in the 2008 film The Duchess. Chatsworth House itself is no stranger to the silver screen having appeared in numerous films, most notably as Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice also staring Ms. Knightly.


While the sale includes mountains of furniture, china, glass, and fine art the most eagerly anticipated items are rare antique architectural elements salvaged from among the many castles, manors, and estates owned by the family over the centuries, including this eclectic grab bag of beautiful gilt-gesso architectural fragments dating from the late 17th and 18th centuries.


Among the rare fixtures and fittings are many long forgotten elements salvaged from Devonshire House, the palatial London residence designed for the family in 1733 by the great English architect William Kent. Once the epicenter of English society this “lost palace of London” was demolished in 1925 with many of the finest interior flourishes, including this pair of Kent designed brackets, making their way to the attics of Chatsworth where they lay forgotten and collecting dust for nearly a century.


The rediscovery of these artifacts provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of England’s architectural heritage as Kent’s work is now only to be seen in important preserved historical buildings. Aside from the 18th century a broad scope of historical English design periods are represented including this beautiful collection of 15th century carved oak Gothic tracery fragments that would look incredibly chic and romantic simply displayed and enjoyed as works of art.


Among all the grand and imposing antiques we were especially taken with this unusual little pair of charming late 17th century carved oak candle wall sconces in the form of flowering crocuses with beautifully aged patina.

Photos via Sotheby’s

Serious Shabby Chic

Looking something like the setting for a modern day Charles Dickens novel, the drawing room of Crowsley Park in Oxfordshire, England as it appeared in a 1980’s edition of World of Interiors, is a wildly organic yet honest interpretation of the English shabby chic aesthetic.

This grand mansion, once in a state of near ruin, was let to a pair of architects free of charge on the condition they prevent further dilapidation. While the structure was stabilized and made habitable no cosmetic alterations were made; as evidenced by the un-patched nail holes in the eighteenth century paneling where previous layers of decoration were stripped away. The result is a raw yet imposing space that appears to have been filled over time with a mix of random vintage furnishings and found objects. A cozy wingchair, an old tufted sofa, and a textural wicker piece find themselves clustered around the grand marble mantle while a simple 1960’s paper lantern hangs from the incredible ceiling. Stacks of firewood, books, dried flowers, baskets, driftwood, and other seemingly random objects accessorize the room as an elegant pair of antique portraits flank the fireplace.

Though the space might seem wild and chaotic it certainly gives the sense of a well-used and well-loved room. I credit this hauntingly romantic image as the source of my habit of incorporating found objects into my own interiors. Out walking I often pick up twigs, moss, flowers, driftwood, shells, sea glass, or pebbles that catch my eye. You may have noticed many of the aforementioned elements in a previous post where I filled a hurricane glass with shells, seed pods, and sea glass, as well as utilizing a piece of driftwood and a few hydrangea blooms dried from last summer’s garden.
Photos by James Wedge