Timeless interiors dressed for summer
SEASONAL IDEAS
• Sarah Raven’s tips for cut flowers
• Dreamy English summer escapes
• Discover the wild beauty of Devon
Outdoor entertaining Kitchens, fire pits, luxury fabrics, and more
Georgian family Charm
Filled with cherished pieces and a showcase of a distinguished career, designer Anthony Paine’s Georgian home blends classical elegance with warmth and wit
FEATURE HELEN FRIPP PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLING CLAIRE WORTHY
RIGHT Little Greene’s Slaked Lime was chosen for the woodwork to echo the stained glass in the expansive bay window of the sitting room, where much of the furniture was designed by Anthony for renowned tailor Gieves & Hawkes’ flagship stores.
Cover to COVER
Former publishers Kathryn Court and Michael Stephenson undertook a thoughtful renovation of their listed London home, creating a revitalised space that tells a captivating story
FEATURE EMMA J PAGE PHOTOGRAPHY RACHAEL SMITH
ABOVE Kathryn sits in a favourite armchair inherited with a house she previously bought in Putnam County, New York State. The artwork Ground Sea by Allin Braund, 1958, was purchased at a Mallams auction. The two objects on the mantel are Native American: the bowl from Wyoming and the bird from New Mexico.
Furnished with collected pieces and antique finds, the ground floor sitting room features original shutters. Walls in Bath Stone by Little Greene are the perfect foil for a set of pictures from the studio of the American artist Thomas Eakins. The portrait at the top is of Walt Whitman.
including
Walls in Edward Bulmer Natural Paint’s Ethereal Blue lend an uplifting feel to the sitting room. The sofa in Guy Goodfellow Collection’s Fez Weave has been layered with cushions in fabrics
GP & J Baker’s iconic floral design, Magnolia, which was a starting point for the whole scheme. Mary and Alec bought the artwork above the fireplace in Asia.
A traveller’s TALE
Transformed with colour, pattern and cherished pieces, this traditional country home speaks to a life lived across the globe
FEATURE CHARLOTTE DUNFORD PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN BOND
NATURE In tune with NATURAL SPECTACLE
Enjoy the tasty harvests and beautiful sights of July
FEATURE KATY MCLEAN
July sees the peak of lavender season, when it bursts into a fragrant haze of violetpurple blooms. At its most spectacular in cultivated fields, lavender is grown for the essential oils used in soothing beauty and wellness products, prized for their calming and sleep-inducing qualities. Across the Cotswolds, Kent and Hampshire, many lavender farms open to visitors while the flowers are in bloom, offering the chance to wander among the scented rows before harvest begins. The flowers are later distilled into oils for balms, soaps and room sprays, while dried petals are used in deliciously scented pillow bags. Lavender can also be used in cooking, lending a delicate floral note to sugars, cakes and biscuits.
NATURE TO SPOT
Gatdens are abuzz with visiting bees and butterflies as plentiful flowers offer up their sweet nectar. Among the most endearing of visitors is the Hummingbird hawkmoth, which migrates to England from southern Europe for the summer. It is a day moth, so it can be seen hovering above flowers just like a hummingbird, with its burnt orange rings fluttering so quickly they generate an audible hum. They are most attracted to nectar-rich flowers with tubular or flared shapes. Plant a variety of colours – purples always attract pollinators, but mix in pinks, reds and white, too.
HARVEST CHERRY TOMATOES
Freshly picked tomatoes, warmed by the sun, must be among one of the simplest joys and delicacies of summer. Early cherry tomatoes will begin to ripen in July, providing an chance to savour this seasonal flavour – larger varieties will grow more slowly, needing more time to develop and ripen. Pick them as they turn to their final colour – whether golden yellow, orange or deep red. Some of the best varieties for ensuring an early harvest, when grown in a sunny spot, are:
• Sungold – an intensely sweet fruit that quickly turns a striking orange.
• Red Alert – famed for an astonishingly quick ripening, guaranteed to offer a plentiful harvest in July.
• Gold Nugget – a dwarf variety that produces a thick-skinned golden yellow tomato for early harvest.
• Lizzano – naturally blight-resistant, this variety is good for patio containers. ■
