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© MEL YATES
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SHOPPING LIST
1. Pineapple table runner, £58, Anthropologie, 1-4 New Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com 2. Cushion covers, from £16, OKA, 26-27 Milsom Street, Bath; www.oka.com 3. Jarrell duvet cover, from £188, Anthropologie, 1-4 New Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com 4. Rugs and runners, from £45, Graham and Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk 5. Fela tasseled sconce, £138, Anthropologie, 1-4 New Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com 6. Seat pads, from £32, Graham and Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk 7. Moroccan pouffe, from £78, Haus, Bath; www.hauslife.co.uk
© MEL YATES
Barely there, warm, earthy neutrals are a safe, calming option. For the past few years, grey has dominated the neutral interiors palette, but sandy, oatmeal, stonewashed shades are back, and proving to be anything but boring. “Dulux’s colour of the year, Spiced Honey, has set the tone for these warm neutrals, but you’ve really got to make sure you’re adding lots of visual interest with texture and interplay of materials so you don’t end up in a beige box,” says Kate Thomson, owner of Bath-based online business Haus, which sources furnishings from makers around the world – from handloomed Turkish cotton throws, to handmade cushions and pouffes from Morocco, India and Ghana. “Our fringed cushions are really textural, so they can add lots of interest to a neutral scheme. Wherever possible, I use women’s co-operatives. Most of my products are made from traditional techniques; for instance, the mudcloth cushions from Ghana are created using handwoven material which is then coloured with fermented mud (and are then thoroughly washed!).” You’ll find yet more natural hues at Marjorie Minnie – a Bath-based online business, run by designer/ maker Gabrielle Durnford, who, from her home studio in Odd Down, designs and hand-finishes heirloom products, such as blankets, cushions and soft toys, from highquality yarns. And Debbie Picken, the owner of Blue Lizard Textiles, thinks sustainability and natural materials will be very popular for the season ahead, with a move towards more fiery neutrals and pure white. “With soft furnishings, you can constantly update your interior space without spending too much money,” says Debbie, who makes all of her cushion covers to order from her studio on the top floor of her house on the northern slopes of Bath. “It’s a great way of reflecting your taste and personality.” At Graham and Green on Walcot Street, we personally love the neutral-meets-pastel pieces. “We offer a hugely eclectic selection of soft furnishings – from velvet and linen cushions, to statement patterned bedspreads and handwoven rugs,” says Kate Vincent, marketing manager. “We work with people all around the globe to find and create unique designs to give our customers something a little different.”