interior design / interviews / products / art / gardens
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We have been especially impatient this season to see through the rainy weather of spring and have summer underway so we could release our Summer 24 issue. The excitement is down to a refresh of our pages – now three issues in, we have had an overhaul of both our content and look to create something that feels truly at one with both the store and studio, and really supports what we offer at treowe and LFF INTERIORS.
While impatiently waiting for its release, we have begun to bask in the small slithers of light that make their way through our back window all the while eagerly awaiting the days where we can keep the door perpetually open, allowing a free flow of summer breezes and wandering visitors for our first summer on the heath!
Here at treowe and LFF INTERIORS we like to welcome the seasonal tides wherever we can, thinking all the time how we can better let them into our lives through the way we live each day, the designs we create for our clients and, of course, the products we sell, helping to create rituals that return to ground us through each part of the year.
Summer, of course, is a time we spend naturally outdoors – we scrub up our BBQs, whip covers off outdoor furniture and decide it’s time to become a devout gardener once again! This issue we want to introduce you to a few ways you can really indulge in the forthcoming ‘outdoor’ season with garden ideas from Hamilton Cody, a look at the growing popularity of natural swimming pools and how to create the consummate summer garden table.
Lu Fitoussi-Findlay
Brigade House
Brigade Street
SE3 0TW
T: 020 8852 1753
E: store@treowe.co.uk
Published on behalf of LFF Interiors Ltd
Managing Director Richard Woolliams
Editorial Director Fergus McShane
Creative Director
Gareth Evans
For advertising enquiries contact: Commercial Director Gary Turner 07702 881109 gary.turner@newhallpublishing.com
Open House Festival 2024
A celebration of London’s architecture and neighbourhoods
P10 Interiors that sell
The Private Realtor discusses how to sell your property by engaging peoples’ emotions
P14
Not just a pretty shop
The work of LFF INTERIORS, the design studio behind treowe
P16
Mixed metals and earthy tones
How the many shades of brown are reinventing interiors for 2024
P18
Discover the artisan and specialist food offerings local to treowe’s Blackheath showroom
P22
Elevate the look of your garden table for alfresco dining
P26
Our Sommelier
A selection of the best wines to make summer memories
P28 The rise of the natural pool
Take a dip the way nature intended, with a pool that’s a beautiful feature all year round
P32
Read about the sun-soaked brush strokes and inspirations of this talented artist
P38
Create a garden that’s harmonious with nature the Hamilton Cody way
P42 Porta Romana
Sculptural forms and expert finishes abound at this luxury lighting brand, offering you endless customisation
P44
The fascinating history of Brigade House, treowe’s Blackheath home
P48
Make space in your diary for treowe’s exciting summer programme
P50
Lu Fitoussi-Findlay, founder of treowe and LFF INTERIORS, gets her home summer-ready
Take the opportunity to learn more about your local area and the homes within it
From Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 September, homes and buildings across London are opening their doors to allow members of the public the chance to explore and discover more about the area. The event, curated by Open City, also encourages volunteers to give walking tours to impart their knowledge of the buildings and their surroundings.
Open House Festival aims to celebrate London’s architecture, special places and unique neighbourhoods, with free events and open days being held in all 33 boroughs across the festival. Last year’s event saw over 1,000 events taking place across 400 sites, with venues from Grade 1-listed buildings and cathedrals to social housing and purpose-built workspaces opening their doors for the public to explore, and a music festival-inspired garden party taking place at Crystal Palace Bowl.
Organisers have created a list of boroughs to visit on each weekend of the festival to help visitors see as much as possible, although contributors are still free to run events and activities in any borough.
Visit open-city.org.uk/open-house-festival-2024 to find out more.
Raphael Fitoussi-Findlay explains how interiors and his innovative, luxury estate agency, The Private Realtor, can make all the difference when selling your home
Sales are an emotional thing. As humans, we are driven so much by ideals, hopes, the stories we tell ourselves – sometimes knowingly, sometimes subconsciously. We can be almost fully blind to certain aspects of the world should they not speak to us or fit into our narrative. There have been numerous studies on how emotionally driven all our purchasing behaviours are, and this is probably heightened even more so when buying and selling our homes.
People make decisions based on emotion far more than they do on logic and practicality – on average, buyers make a subconscious decision on whether or not a home is for them within the first 20 seconds of walking into a property, so first impressions are key.
To realise the difference your interior can make to selling your home, you only need look as far as your own responses to homes you view, and although making certain changes to your home before selling may not always increase your prices, it will at the very least help with a speedy sale as someone falls in love.
An empty home is always hard to visualise; similarly, a home that is too full of items leaves little space to envisage your own life fitting in. For this reason, creating a story that the buyer wants to be part of is key, and there are certain fixtures, fittings and furnishings that can make all the difference. Often
times just a repaint will give the feeling of new beginnings and a fresh start, enough to get buyers excited about the prospect of moving in.
The hallway or façade to a home is very important, as it is the first part a prospective buyer will see and plays a big part in forming that first impression. Adding warmth and emotion to create a comforting, homely feel makes a buyer more likely to fall for a property.
The Private Realtor places a lot of importance on getting images and videography just right – nowadays, all property searches start online, so the way you showcase your home there is incredibly important. This means the way your home is designed will benefit from some time and attention so it makes the biggest impact possible when someone is browsing online.
The Private Realtor also advises on areas that could help or increase the value of your home with a small initial investment to achieve a maximum return before the property goes on the market. We use highly experienced, editorial photographers and invest enormous effort and money into making sure your house is well-represented with an aspirational feel to attract the right buyers.
The big difference with The Private Realtor is that I focus on engaging the emotions of people, rather than just selling property. Ultimately, I am in the
people business, not the property business. Buyers and sellers have had enough of the usual estate agent sales techniques, and instead, a direct and honest approach, with clear communication and constant availability through one consistent person, being myself, makes the difference. A massive plus of my service is taking the time to fully understand the house and the people both buying and selling to achieve record prices.
Raphael Fitoussi-Findlay, co-founder, The Private Realtor
If you are thinking of selling your home or wish to hear more, you can give me a call.
Mob: 07791 535533
Email: raphael@theprivaterealtor.com
Website: theprivaterealtor.com
Guide price
£2,250,000-£2,500,000
This four-bedroom modern house came to us following a disappointing marketing campaign with a local high street agent. On a recommendation, they switched to The Private Realtor, where I implemented a floor refinish and repaint of key walls and, more importantly, encouraged the vendors to reinstate a number of their artworks and accessories to create a more homely feel, as they had recently moved out. In a matter of weeks, I was able to generate interest and negotiated a sale at a higher level than the asking price of the previous agent.
Hervey Road, Blackheath SE3
Guide price £1,750,000
Another property we recently sold was previously on the market with two big high-street agents in Blackheath, but had received very little interest. The house was newly renovated but lacking interior interest and mostly unfurnished, so we advised the vendor to purchase some furniture and accessories for the ground floor and we virtually staged the bedrooms. Again, I achieved a higher price than the original asking price following a shift in focus to making the interiors really stand out.
Treowe provides the perfect opportunity to act as a ’front of house’, showcasing all the wonderful suppliers and brands we work with and offering a ‘light’ version of interior design and bespoke furniture in the village, but LFF INTERIORS has offered full-service interior design in and around the area for over six years. We specialise in back-to-brick renovations and remodels, taking you from interior architecture to accessories and everything in between – if you have recently moved into a property that needs work or you’re thinking about making some changes, we would love to help!
We create thoughtful, comfortable homes with an emphasis on the quiet luxury that beautiful materiality and a considered colour palette brings to a space. Our rooms feel both special and welcoming all at once, and above all, speak to the people who live in them.
Working with an interior designer ensures you create a home that both serves its purpose through functionality and speaks to you from a design perspective. We interview you and anyone else who will live in the home thoroughly, really finding out how you live and how your house has to perform, as well as what you love and loathe when it comes to colours and finishes. From here we create space plans, floor plans and mood boards to ensure we’re along the right tracks and factoring in everything you’ll need for your scope of work, from arches to plug sockets and
beyond. Once we know the design direction we’re taking and the nuts and bolts of what’s practically needed, we gather samples and start work on renders to help you visualise your new space, alongside drawings for any custom cabinetry or furniture and product lists for budgeting and sign offs. It’s a really enjoyable process, designing a home that’s totally bespoke to you and you can be as involved or as hands off as you would like!
Once revisions are done and designs are signed off, we create full specification documents for your builders, with
instructions, fixtures and fittings lists, elevations and lead times. We can gather quotes on your behalf, too, and look after ordering. We can even bring all your furniture and accessories to site on a single day and install them for you, styling, hanging, piecing together and then taking away all the packaging to leave you with a perfectly finished space!
Why not pop into treowe to discuss your project with Lu, our founder and principal designer? lffinteriors.com / studio@lufitoussifindlay.com / +44 20 8852 1753.
Brown was never a colour we expected to specify with such enthusiasm, but here we are in summer 2024 feeding it into multiple proposals
This is not the somewhat acrid orange-brown of the 70s but rather a soft and mellow mocha, or deep chocolate mixed with supporting acts of textured creams and warm whites to create an interior that feels almost Chanel-like.
These cream and deeper tones are wonderfully versatile and go surprisingly well with a number of more punchy and interesting colour pops, including regal blues, pinks, forest greens and pale turquoise.
As interior tones warm up and we move far, far away from the cool greys and stark whites that became so popular five or so years ago, flowing over the horizon like a late summer sunset are the addition of even warmer shades, with terracottas and burnt siennas as friendly and earthy accents.
These bolder accent options work well to warm up a space even if you do still have greys or cool whites on your walls offering a simple and easy refresh – they also work fabulously well with creams.
Metals are shifting too, with silver starting to reemerge as a serious contender against the brass that
has been dominant for so long. The coolness of a nickel on some of these warmer tones creates a wonderful tension. The dark depths of bronze or beeswax are also surpassing the flat blacks we’ve been seeing for the last few years, which is pleasing as I found the black very flat, but brass starting to take a back seat is something I never thought I’d see! Luckily, bronze and beeswax mix well with brass, as they don’t fight against one another for your attention, the darker metals easily fall back and blend into the overall aesthetic.
This harmonious blend of varying hues with depth rather than the high-contrast palettes we’ve been seeing for so long all lead to a more subtle ambiance, encouraging you to settle and relax into a space that feels more naturalistic, letting these earthy hues have their moment.
This bedroom, designed by LFF INTERIORS last year, is a perfect example of how browns and neutrals work extremely well together, creating a space with a really sumptuous feel, while still remaining grounded.
Wardrobes designed by LFF INTERIORS with central detailing and partial drawers to elevate the design and make best use of a shallower right-hand alcove
Whether it’s the perfect cake for a new plate or an alfresco indulgence, you’ll find it close by
Fishmonger – 12 Montpelier Vale, Blackheath, London SE3 0TA
A young business but with years of experience, Rockpool was born in 2023 when, using their lengthy time in the industry, three friends decided to start their own journey built on the highest standards. Passionate about fairness and sustainability, Rockpool ensures it provides affordable produce, sourced daily from around the UK, via suppliers who share their values.
Bakery – 44 Tranquil Vale, Blackheath, London SE3 0BD
In 2002, Christophe created Boulangerie Jade to bring authentic French pâtisserie to southeast London. From the team who were finalists in season one of BBC One’s Bake Off: Crème de la Crème, they pride themselves on handmaking everything using the finest ingredients. They also supply their goods to other local eateries and are know for their signature croquembouche!
Butcher – 12 Blackheath Village, Blackheath, London SE3 9LE
Ellis took over the Blackheath Butchers in 2022, offering a pioneering, sustainable whole carcass butchery that prioritises ethical sourcing, minimal waste and exceptional quality with a focus on supporting local farmers and promoting a circular economy.
Every Sunday, 10-2 – Blackheath Station car park, Blackheath, London SE3 9LA
Look out for raw milk, Norfolk-caught brown shrimp, local honey and seasonal specials – including Kentish asparagus in spring and cherries in July. With all the colourful vegetables, along with meat and fish stalls, the car park becomes a hive of activity and a delectable delight each Sunday! It’s also the place to go if you love fresh bread, (with the sourdough proving a particular favourite) and heavenly cakes!
Fishmonger – 26 Royal Hill, Greenwich, London SE10 8RT
Committed to bringing the highest quality fish and seafood to their local community in Royal Hill, Greenwich, via freshly sourced produce from the coastal towns of the UK, the team here bring more than a decade’s worth of expertise and deliver it with a smile. So, whether you consider yourself a newbie or a connoisseur, their counter is bursting with plenty of fish for you to discover.
Butcher – 22 Royal Hill, Greenwich SE10 8RT
Drings in Greenwich is a traditional butcher selling a wide range of high-quality meat, poultry and game. It only uses free-range pork from Blythburgh in Suffolk, its lambs come from the West Country and its Longhorn, Galloway and Red Poll beef is dry-aged on the premises. It also handmakes all its award-winning sausages, burgers, faggots and meatballs every week, so, whatever the season, Drings will have what you need to create great meals.
Bakery – 92-96 Westmount Rd, Eltham, London SE9 1UT
For a slice of France in South East London, it doesn’t get more authentic than Chez Maitre. Serving up honest food – including the awardwinning baguettes (Best Baguette UK 2023) delicious croissants, (Top 10 Finalist UK’s Best Croissant 2023), and more – alongside great coffee. They also host supperclubs to showcase fantastic food from various cultures, reflecting the diversity within the city of London.
Cheesemonger – 26 Royal Hill, Greenwich SE10 8RT
Known locally as Mr Cheese, Michael Jones opened The Cheeseboard in 1985 – aged only 19! Nearly four decades on, he can still be seen behind the counter at the Greenwich shop that churns up more than 100 cheeses – made in small batches at farms in the UK and Europe –plus a selection of dairy products, breads, beers and wines, a larder and even gifts!
15 Montpelier Vale, Blackheath, London. SE3 PTA m 020 8126 1014 k Contact@ehtaccountants.co.uk 1 ehtaccountants.co.uk Services for individuals on high PAYE income, self-employed, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) capital gains tax and more.
Quote Treowe for 30min free consultation
What better excuse to elevate your table game than dining alfresco?
Once the days are longer and hazy summer evenings beckon you into the garden after work and over long weekends, it’s the perfect opportunity to create a little magic atop your garden table.
There’s no need to worry if your outdoor furniture has lost a little love over the winter months. Tablecloths are the perfect answer for furniture that may have been forgotten outside a little too long and are in need of some TLC. An added table light to take you into dusk is another perfect romantic addition to take any forlorn outdoor dining surfaces into more magical pastures. Elongate the evening further with blankets and firepits to make the absolute most of the summer evenings.
Award-winning Milliner Katherine Elizabeth specialises in designer millinery, handmade hats & formal hats for ladies.
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Arlene King from Our Sommelier take us on a curated journey of elegance and refreshment as we look ahead
at the summer season
As summer unfurls its vibrant tapestry, it brings with it an irresistible call to savour the season’s most exquisite wines.
At Our Sommelier, we have expertly curated a collection that captures the very essence of summer, designed to delight the most discerning palates.
White wines reign supreme at this time. Their bright acidity and refreshing fruit notes make them perfect for warm-weather sipping. Take Giusti Sauvignon Nepis, hailing from Italy’s Veneto region. With its lively bouquet of citrus and tropical fruits, it pairs effortlessly with summer salads and seafood.
Rosé wines also find their peak popularity in the summer. The Guy Charbaut Rosé Champagne, with its delicate bubbles and notes of red berries, is ideal for any occasion, from elegant garden parties to intimate sunset toasts. Its subtle complexity complements dishes from charcuterie to fresh strawberries.
For those who prefer a richer experience, the M’Hudi Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc from South Africa provides a perfect balance of opulence and freshness. Its layers of ripe pear, honey and a hint of oak make it a superb match for grilled summer fare. Enjoy our selection – more than just a drink, each is a luxurious experience to elevate your summer moments. Cheers to an unforgettable season.
A blend of wines from the following terroirs: Chardonnay from Bisseuil and Pinot Noir from Avenay Val d’Or creates champagne with an expressive nose. Intense when aired, it releases notes of fresh raspberry and strawberry, but also citrus fruits such as pink grapefruit and blood orange. In the mouth, the attack is lively and powerful, the palate slightly tannic and full-bodied; the whole offers a beautiful structure. This champagne leaves an intensely fruity sensation with its seductive notes of red fruit, which continue over a long-lasting finish.
An Italian fresh and crispy dry wine, on the nose it is intense and complex, with pleasant elegance. Fresh notes of exotic fruit ‘mixed’ with herbaceous scents – lime, pineapple, green apple, pink grapefruit, gooseberry, cedar and tropical fruit are followed by mint, basil, green pepper and elderflower. In the mouth, it transmits a freshness and crunchiness, supporting a balanced alcohol content. The elegant body makes it a captivating and pleasant drink. The finish is fresh for a long time on a citrus and savoury base.
A broad, barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc with orchard fruits and a hint of wood spice. M’hudi’s take on this classic French grape is intentionally rich, vast. The grapes are dry farmed which preserves the aromatics in the Stellenbosch sun. The wine is fermented, then matured for ten months in 500-litre oak barrels to produce a textured white. There are flavours of stewed apple, lemon pith, quince, pineapple and dried apricot, while the natural high acidity of the grape complements the rich body to leave a long, refreshing finish.
Here at Our Sommelier, our services cover: wine deliveries, in-house sommelier services for private events, wine tastings for private bookings or corporations, luxury-presented wine gifts, expert advice on wine fridges and cabinets, and advice on fine and rare vintage wines for collecting or for your home cellar. oursommelier.com
These hazy summer months return our focus to the garden and what better way to create a picturesque focal point and practical way to cool down than a pool that’s at one with nature
Wild swimming has seen an increase in popularity in recent years, with various health benefits being lauded, as well as the opportunity to swim in a pool without a large number of chemicals potentially harming your skin, health and the environment. Now, there are a range of companies that will create this experience for you in the privacy of your own garden, installing natural pools that have just as much business being part of your garden when the weather turns as they do when the sun shines down.
For the responsible and aesthetically minded garden owner, the environmental impact is diminished by the extinction of pool chemicals. The role that chemicals usually play in keeping a conventional swimming pool clean is instead carried out by the microorganisms that exist in equilibrium in a natural pool, which uses the natural purifying properties of plants and microorganisms to keep the pool clean and clear.
If you’re not yet convinced and imagine slipping into cool water a little too fast, having encountered a sludgy, green pool step, it may reassure you to know there is a little bit of manmade assistance at play. Although microorganisms do an excellent job controlling the growth of slippery algae, the water is filtered through shingle and other mediums using a small pump, and this, alongside plants that remove nutrients as they grow, ensures water with all the clarity of a clear spring pool, waiting for sunny days to tempt keen swimmers.
As the plants are doing so much of the work for you, there isn’t much left for the pool keeper to do! Natural pools require far less maintenance than their chemical cousins. Your main task will be lazily skimming the surface for leaves on a quiet afternoon. Little and often is the mantra of the natural pool owner and isn’t that the best kind of garden maintenance? Should you not want to take on even the smallest task, preferring to
Although summer is when we covet a pool the most, natural pools change with the seasons
on the winter setting to balance out energy use for the warmer months when they have to work hard. Your part to play comes in preparation for winter, as it’s time to cut back the summer plant growth and tidy things up before too much vegetation falls into the water making the mircoorganisms’ job of keeping the water clear far more difficult.
reap the rewards of lounging by your natural pool, there are companies that will take the responsibility off your hands, offering maintenance and yearly inspections, so your poolside position is all the more relaxed.
But it’s not all about relaxation – any children present gain an invaluable watery classroom with the introduction of a natural pool and it doesn’t stop at learning the doggy paddle. The lessons found in the nature and plants around the pool’s edge are enough to cancel forest school for at least a term.
Although the summer months are when we covet a pool the most, natural pools change with the seasons much the same as the landscape around them. Most pumps have ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ settings to maintain the water quality, no matter what the weather. During the winter, ponds are dormant, with animals and plants taking a rest after a busy period. Your natural pool is the same, and therefore, pumps mostly turn themselves off
As the weather does cool, it is possible to heat the water, although there is a certain level of ambient warmth in the initial throes of autumn and many find natural pools warmer than they expected without the input of external heat sources. In the summer, water in the shallow areas of the pool heats up quickly in the sun, creating a perfectly pleasant temperature for swimming without any pipework or heating systems. If all this talk of idyllic swimming is convincing you a natural swimming pool is just the outdoor addition you need, there is good news. It’s rare for a natural pool to need planning permission, unless you are in a listed property or your garden makes up part of any green-belt area. However, you will need to consider protected trees near any intended pool site, and of course, where you get most of your sun!
Other than that, the garden is your oyster and you can create a natural swimming haven to cherish year in year out, whether you’re enjoying a dip or admiring it as part of beautiful landscaping.
We spoke to Lotta Teale, a talented artist who works with Panter & Hall to showcase her artwork
What led you to make the move to art after a successful law career?
I’d always been torn between building a career in painting and something more academic, and had always intended at some point to concentrate properly on art. An illness made me realise I had to get on with this, and then a few years later an opportunity came up to give it a proper go. At first it was just for a year to see how it went, but I found when I did consultancy work alongside, I just longed to get back to painting. I now do some pro bono work on animal law, which I very much enjoy, but my main commitment is to painting.
It often involves light touching an object or place in a particular way, something I find beautiful
How has your career developed since you decided to focus on art?
Initially, I thought of it purely in terms of trying to get as good as I could, without thinking about selling my work – just focused on work every day to make the best paintings I could. I entered open exhibitions and competitions and started getting into them within the first year. During the pandemic, I started being approached by a few people about buying work online, I set up a website and began selling quite well – I think a lot of artists found it a good time to build connections directly with collectors, as people were stuck at home. Gradually, galleries started getting in touch. In 2021, I won the British Art Prize sponsored by Panter & Hall, an award for which I was given a solo show at their gallery, and this really made a difference in terms of building a reputation. I stayed on with Panter & Hall and other galleries approached me, and I’ve gradually developed a pattern of a solo show in a gallery once a year with smaller direct sales and mixed exhibitions throughout the year.
What inspires your work?
It’s hard to articulate – it’s finding something that pops for me. It often involves light touching an object or place in a particular way, something I find beautiful. I often search for hours for the composition I want to paint, be it out in the street or arranging and rearranging a still life. I’ve learned that unless I have confidence that the composition is strong, it just won’t work out and is not worth spending the time on. As I go about my day-to-day life, I am always thinking about it, taking photos of locations to come back to, scouring supermarkets for particularly beautiful fruit. I keep a list and gradually work through them.
What are you most proud of so far in your career?
I think rather than being proud of winning something or any type of recognition, I’m most proud of some of the individual paintings I’ve done that I’m pleased with.
You’ve lived in many different places around the world, which has been your favourite and why?
Sierra Leone. Despite the horrendous suffering people had been through during the conflict, most people managed to put a smile on their face, appreciate what they had and those around them, and get on with living life. It is a vibrant, vivifying place with beauty and tragedy in equal measure. I lived there for about seven years and have cherished friends and memories.
How have the different places you’ve lived influenced your work?
I think working for so long as a lawyer on extremely difficult and upsetting problems – the war crimes court in Sierra Leone, or forced marriage in Northern Pakistan, for example – frees me up to paint what I feel like painting instinctively, to paint beauty and not to try to evoke the sadness and complexity of the world. It gives me a confidence I think I wouldn’t have had if I’d stayed in London where I might have been drawn to more conceptual work. In practical terms, I always paint from life, so I paint what is around me in the places I live, be it Thai temples in Bangkok, or the golden stone and purple hills of Jerusalem, or artichoke season in Tuscany, so where I live is, in a literal sense, the essence of my paintings. I always use natural light, so this also comes across, whether the cold light of London interiors or the warm sunshine of winter in North Cyprus. I think in terms of artistic style though, my home is still with English artists of the early 20th century, on which I was brought up.
We understand you mainly paint oil paintings – are there any other mediums you enjoy?
I do enjoy watercolours – before I was painting full time it was easy to transport watercolours on work trips, so I would take it with me, but I’ve done very little since I’ve been painting full time, as I always have my oils with me, so I don’t feel the need. I should perhaps do it more.
Has your artistic style changed over time?
I’m not sure it’s changed substantially, but I hope I’ve improved. I focus more on edges, with mixed success, and I think I’m able to paint light with more subtlety than I was able to previously. Over the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to paint in places with full sunshine almost all the time, so I’m more confident with outdoor painting and rays of light than previously. Recently, I’ve been enjoying doing more back-lit work.
What’s your ideal working environment?
I love a ray of sunshine. It would be really nice if it would just keep still. Whether landscapes, interiors or still lives, I love the vivacity of working in direct sunshine, or at least with a beam of light, but it’s always destined to frustration as it’s gone in a flash.
What’s the process when someone commissions a painting from you, from start to finish?
People come to me with an idea, I think about what colours and compositions might work and we have some back and forth by email. If they want me to paint something belonging to them I need to have it in
person in front of me, so that can be a challenge, but usually people like the existing props I have and I will add to them with something easy to get hold of, such as a particular type of fruit or alcohol bottle. Then I put together a contract so that we’re all on the same page with what to expect. If they want to go ahead, we agree on a time frame and they make a 50 per cent down payment. Once I’ve gathered the props and built a composition, I send a photo of the composition to them, we agree any tweaks, and then I start painting. Once the painting is complete, I send a photo and they have the opportunity to make small suggestions that may be possible depending on what they are. I try my best with the painting, but if I’m not happy with it I refund the full amount. If I’m happy but they’re not, then I keep the 50 per cent and the painting and they don’t pay the remainder. For paintings of more general appeal, it may not be necessary to have a contract and the various formalities. For houses, I usually go to see their house but occasionally paint from a photograph, depending on the photo.
Lotta Teale will be exhibiting her work through the Panter & Hall exhibition at Treowe on 18 July 2024, from 7pm to 9pm. Her artwork is available through Panter & Hall. Please visit panterandhall.com
“I
I’ve been lucky enough to paint in places with full sunshine almost all the time
Gardens are becoming more important than ever. Hamilton Cody Garden Design shares the secret to gardening in harmony with nature
If there is one thing we have all learnt in the last few years, it is how much we all need our outdoor space. Through challenging times, those of us lucky enough to have a garden understood the huge value it brings to our lives. Spending time outside and feeling close to nature made an enormous difference to our wellbeing. Since then, the movement towards nature-friendly gardens has been building. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show recently showcased many gardens with similar themes. Some of them were quite extreme and others less so, but they all explored a more nature-based aesthetic and gave us many things to think about.
As garden designers, we are inspired and encouraged by the move away from the traditional formal layout and towards a more naturalistic landscape, along with the desire for people to get ‘hands on’ and to learn more. It is exciting for us to see a garden that is loved and enjoyed by the family, while also providing important habitats for wildlife.
Living in the city, the need to have the natural world up close and personal is extraordinarily strong. It is no accident that many people have extended the rear of their properties to create light, open-plan living spaces, often with sizeable glass doors and windows overlooking the garden. With so much glazing, the
Above
Accessorise a garden to create destination points to enjoy
garden is always on show, meaning that the house and the garden are more connected than ever.
What does this mean in terms of the design of your garden? Perhaps the planting is brought right up to the house, bedding the building into the landscape and bringing nature as close as possible. Meandering paths may give a sense of space and ease as they weave through the planting, revealing the garden slowly. Surfaces are often natural and textural – simple materials laid with minimal impact. Clay pavers, gravel,
timber and rusty metal are popular. If there is a lawn, it will be species rich and allowed to grow long in places. Plants are carefully chosen. The aim is to create a tapestry of plants that complement each other and create a community that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also a haven for wildlife. Different zones with varying light and moisture levels will guide the selection. Shaded areas will mimic woodland communities, species from all over the world coming together to form a company of plants that work
1
Give wisteria a summer prune, cutting long shoots back to 20cm.
4
Sow biennials such as foxgloves and honesty so that you can enjoy their flowers next year.
2
Cut back perennials such as hardy geraniums and water to encourage fresh foliage and flowers.
5
List perennials that will need dividing or moving in the autumn.
3
Prune late-spring- and earlysummer-flowering shrubs after flowering by thinning out old stems.
6
Order spring-flowering bulbs ready for autumn planting.
well with each other. Open, drier areas may lend themselves to a meadow style, a collection of native and ornamental perennials and grasses combining to attract a range of pollinators and beneficial insects. No one wants a messy garden, but having a few areas, tucked away where leaves can be left to decay can make a significant difference to many species. Micro habitats can be included, such as a sculptural stack of logs that can rot down or a post with drilled holes to provide nest sites for solitary bees. However small the garden, there is always room for a micro pond, a bowl for birds to bathe and drink and water plants to grow.
Edible plants such as herbs can be integrated and space to grow fruit and vegetables is no longer relegated to the rear of the garden. These are areas to be celebrated and enjoyed as part of the main space. Rainwater capture is key – water butts to store water and permeable terraces and paths to drain into the ground. Slowing the progress of water is helpful for our own plots but also for the wider landscape.
Lastly, attention to the soil. With our increasingly erratic climate, we now understand that soil health is vital to achieve a thriving, resilient landscape. A wellfunctioning soil can store vast amounts of water over wet winters, releasing it slowly to the benefit of plants through the drier summer months. Avoiding the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides in favour of building the soil microbiome with quality composts, compost extracts and mulches is a great place to start. What we are describing is regenerative gardening –gardening in harmony with nature. The aim is to create a more balanced environment where natural predators can manage insect and fungal pests, ensuring that the garden is a healthier and more disease-resistant place.
As you may have noticed, we are quite passionate about creating beautiful, nature-rich and resilient gardens. We love designing spaces that function well on many levels – gorgeous gardens in which to relax and have fun, but which are also attractive, holistic havens for wildlife. If you want to chat about how we can help you with your garden, then please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.
Hamilton Cody Garden Design is a design team consisting of Jane Hamilton and Julia Cody. They have been working together, creating beautiful gardens, for the last 15 years. Between them, they have a wealth of experience designing gardens of all scales and budgets.
Mob: 07764 939601 or 07718 068447
Email: info@hamiltoncody.co.uk
Website: hamiltoncody.co.uk
This
luxury lighting brand offers a wealth of expertise and choice to illuminate your home, which
is why we return to it again and
again
Afavourite for our LFF Interiors projects, Porta Romana has over 35 years’ experience in creating detailed and different lighting, with much of its creative workforce on site in its UK workshop.
Having amazing creatives close at hand means there’s no end of possibilities when it comes to mixing and matching the Porta Romana product range. Every piece is made to order, which enables it to be fully customisable. Almost all its lighting offering can have different glazes, lampshades, even wiring to suit the room it’s destined for.
From its outset in 1988 in a tiny London workshop, Porta Romana has always produced inspiring and individual pieces, offering real showstoppers that can make a room, but also all those supporting acts, which may be less showy but still so needed to create a beautifully complete lighting plan. With glass blowers, metalworkers, ceramicists and more, it’s no wonder each and every collection is inspiring.
Andrew and Sarah Hills, the visionaries behind the brand, have a startlingly high benchmark for their
products and add a makers’ mark to each item as proof of its heritage. It ensures these lights and lamps will have pride of place in their owners’ home for years to come, turning into real heirloom pieces over time.
Sustainability also plays a huge part in Porta Romana’s design and production processes, which is something that always makes us happy! A lot of thought is put into the creative and manufacturing methods at all stages, from how and where the products are made to what they are made from and even the way each piece reaches its eventual destination, making sure environmental impact is reduced as much as possible.
Further to consciously making decisions with sustainability in mind, Porta Romana also offers a brilliant upcycling club. This gives customers the chance to get pieces refurbished – for example, by replacing the wiring, a lampshade or updating the finish – or, if this is not possible, the team offers part exchange for a new piece or will donate to charity on your behalf.
26 September, 6.30pm-8pm
In the first of our range of interiorsfocused talks, join the Porta Romana team at treowe on 26 September for an exciting workshop that will help you learn about where and when to use light and how it can affect a space.
The 1837 tithe survey, which shows many houses on the site of what is now Brigade Street and Tranquil Passage, reveals that Lord Dartmouth owned all the land in the immediate area at that time. By the 1850s, there were 31 properties, with perhaps 150 inhabitants. By 1866, the number of dwellings was reduced to nine, and except for the old library building, none of the buildings in the area today were built before the 1870s.
The first mention of what later became Brigade House came on Saturday 24 September 1870, when the Woolwich Gazette reported “the contract for erecting a fire brigade station at Blackheath, for the use of that district, was signed at the Metropolitan Board on Friday.” The Blackheath station opened in 1872 with one officer and two men and had a tall lookout tower used for practise and drying hoses.
Between the 17th and early 19th centuries, all fire engines and crews in the United Kingdom were provided by voluntary bodies, parish authorities or insurance companies. Often, the only hope in the event of a fire was that neighbours would turn out to save possessions and that there was a water supply nearby. The government created the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1866, and at the time Blackheath’s station opened, London’s brigade consisted of 377 men. The staff numbers at Blackheath station soon grew to one officer and 12 men, and by May 1872, the brigade could turn out with horses harnessed and ready for action in three minutes and 30 seconds.
Located in the heart of Blackheath, Brigade House is the charming Victorian building that treowe calls home. House historian Rebecca Merrifield recently delved into its fascinating history…
Opposite Brigade House in 1905 Below The 1837 tithe survey map of Blackheath
The 1881 census shows three firemen and their families living at the station: the Bradleys, the Gardners and the Deakins. On Saturday 22 April 1882, the South London Observer reported “a destructive fire broke out at the rear of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Station, Blackheath. It originated on the premises of Mr S Hopkins, cabinetmaker, in Tranquil Passage, and although assistance was so near at hand, the flames quickly obtained a strong hold… little time elapsed before the property was laid in a heap of ruins.”
By 1891, a new group of firemen were living at Blackheath fire station. Fireman William Bliss was 48, his wife Sarah was 46, and their eight children were between the ages of two and 18. Fireman Frederick
Blanchard was 26 and his wife Emily was 21. Several single firemen also lived at the station: Charles Tupling, 40; Charles Barrow, 27; Alfred Le Meur, 26; Sidney Cook, 23; and James Higgins, 28.
On Friday 12 October 1900, the BrockleyNews reported on the sad death of 14-year-old William Henry Parsons, son of John Parsons, head of the Blackheath fire brigade. William was working for Mr Stanbridge, a grocer, of 26 Montpelier Vale, when on 29 August, one of the wheels came off his truck and the handle struck him ‘violently’ behind the left knee. Almost one month later, William had an operation at the nearby Miller hospital, where he died due to heart failure, thought to have been caused by fright.
In July 1908, the Lewisham Borough News reported on the building of a new fire station on Charlton Road, which was to house a motorised fire engine. “We understand that the Blackheath station, where calls are very few, will probably then be closed. As the new building will only be about a mile and a quarter away, the district should be quite as well covered, though the firemen at Blackheath – where horses are still in vogue – are somewhat sceptical.”
The station closed the following year, and Mr Ebenezer Smith began using the building to store furniture for his removals and furnishings business. In 1910, Lord Dartmouth remained the landowner and the building was still leased to the London County Council, who sublet to Ebenezer on a 21-year lease at £55 per year. The ground floor, which had been the
engine house where horses were kept, was used by Ebenezer as a garage. It had a cobbled floor and double gates to the front and rear.
In October 1928, London County Council’s Improvements Committee recommended that the leasehold interest for the old fire station be sold to Ebenezer at £750. Ebenezer died in April 1933, leaving everything to his wife Mary, daughter Margaret and son (and fellow house furnisher) Ralph. Ralph may have continued using Brigade House to store furnishings, creating a tradition of interiors businesses at Brigade House that was revived by the opening of treowe in 2023.
Have you ever wondered about the stories your home has to tell? Rebecca produces impeccably researched and beautifully presented house history storybooks and wall prints for you to treasure and share. Explore the house history packages on Rebecca’s website and add a free set of personalised greetings cards to your order with the code: TREOWE. See pursuingthepast.co.uk/househistories
Records revealing the history of Brigade House, researched by
Top right A page from the 1881 census listing the residents of Brigade Street and the fire station
The
Borough News in October 1928 reports on the sale of Brigade House to
Join Rebecca in-store on 12 September for an exclusive workshop to help you uncover the stories of your own period home. Book your spot here (spaces are limited to 10-15 people): treowe.co.uk/find-your-homes-history
We really hope to see you walk through our door more often than not, which is why, as well as our events and workshops, we have a membership for those of you that are as enamoured with beautiful homes as we are!
Our Bronze Membership is free of charge and offers you 5% off all treowe products, a £5 voucher on your birthday (because birthdays should always be celebrated) and early bird access to events and workshops.
Our Marble Membership is £15.50 a month and gives you 10% off all treowe products, £15 birthday credit, the treowe magazine delivered to your door four times a year, one workshop ticket a year plus event and interiors support.
Sign up in store or online and find full T&Cs at treowe.co.uk
Newhall Publishing x treowe
4 July
7pm-9pm
Members
To celebrate the launch of our Summer 24 issue, and summer in general, join us for an evening of drinks at treowe. Members are invited to drop in and grab the latest issue hot off the press! It’s a great opportunity for informal chats about projects and finishes with some of our wonderful suppliers, as well as our studio staff!
Panter & Hall
18 July (private exhibition)
18 July-8 August (exhibition)
7pm-9pm
Free
If you have empty walls to fill or a keen interest in original art, join us for the private view of our summer exhibition with Mayfair gallery, Panter & Hall. Be the first to see beautiful works from treowe’s pick of four impressive artists – Sophie Dickens, Siân Hopkinson, Tom Hoar and Lotta Teale. The gallery owners will also be on hand to discuss all things art and hanging!
Bethan Wynhams
4 September
6.30pm-8.30pm
£50
Artist and surface pattern designer Bethan Wyn Williams comes to treowe to share a little of her creative dust with would-be pattern painters. Bethan specialises in handcrafting exquisite, intricately detailed repeating pattern designs for luxury textiles, wallpaper and home accessories. Her beautifully coloured and detailed work has been noted by collaborators and exhibitions such as Fortnum & Mason, the Contemporary Craft Fair and Mayfair jeweller Garrard.
Bethan takes inspiration from the landscape of her native rural North Wales, as well as the dramatic embellishment of the Arts and Crafts movement – she aims to encapsulate the magic of the natural world. You will be taking inspiration from a run of beautiful flowers, provided with all the materials you need to create some stunning designs under Bethan’s expert guidance.
Rebecca from Pursuing the Past
12 September
6.30pm-8.30pm
£40
Ever wondered who walked through your home in years gone by?
Rebecca from historical research agency Pursuing the Past comes to treowe to tell us how we can start to uncover the secrets in our house’s past. Rebecca will go through the first steps to finding the hidden stories of your home. So you can begin the research yourself – who knows what stories you may uncover!
Porta Romana
26 September
6.30pm-8pm
£35
Lighting is a hugely important part of any interior plan and Porta Romana is an excellent supplier we work with for full-service projects as well as the store. With a beautiful selection of designs that have a huge array of finishes, which can be mixed and matched throughout its collection, it can also create bespoke lighting, and maybe most importantly, holds a wealth of knowledge when it comes to discussing lighting plans. Learn about the difference of light, where and when to use it and how it can affect both your space and you in this, the first of our interiorsfocused talks.
To book, see updates and get more information, please visit us instore or at treowe.co.uk
As many people have a summer wardrobe, I have a summer ‘housedrobe’. That’s not a word of course – maybe it should be, though it sounds much too heavy to fully describe the light and airy dousing my rooms get for the summer months. A little like a house is dressed up for Christmas, I like to dress mine for summer. Cushion covers are changed, tablecloths come out, alongside jugs, colourful dishes, cotton sheets and zesty scented candles – The White Company’s Wild Mint is one of my favourite summer scents.
Once they have had a thorough shine up, light and cheerful glassware is promoted out of the cupboards and added to shelves in the kitchen, so the sun can play through the glass, whilst others sit in bedrooms holding garden flowers. Food covers are placed over lemons, giving that French farmhouse feel, and blankets, lamps and cushions are added to the garden, ready for friends or early-morning cups of tea. It seems that in the summer when the days start to get hot, the best time to fully enjoy a cup of tea is in those cool hours of the morning as the sun has just come up, listening to the birds sing about their grand aspirations for the day ahead.
However, this year there will be no dressing, as almost all things house related will be tucked into newspaper and into storage boxes for a nine-month stint where I become my own client. We are currently packing up
Lu Fitoussi-Findlay prepares for the season ahead – it’s a wonderful time of year to capture the essence of summer and bring it into your home
to move into a rental as we set to work renovating a new home in Blackheath. It is very much a needs-must affair and all the summery extras are a little too extra to fit in our temporary accommodation whilst the build progresses.
This time next year, we will be in a more settled place, and with any luck, I’ll be picking zinnias – a much rising star of the garden that I feel is hot on the heels of our beloved dahlia, with so many different varieties – in our establishing garden, dropping them into unpacked and polished glasswear for the sun to play through.
In the meantime, I hope I have inspired you to carry the torch and get your home ready for summer 24.
If you love all things home or are planning a renovation yourself, listen to When The Dust Settles, a podcast from Lu covering all things renovation and interiors, as well as her real-time renovation diary. From layout to lighting, rugs to glazing, it’s all there with topic-specific episodes that are a wealth of information for anyone thinking about embarking on their own project. Available on Apple, Spotify and all major podcast players.