I may be French, but I’ve always liked to decorate in the English country style. While it allows for a variety of take, from formal to more casual, and can include furniture from a variety of different eras, the overall emphasis is firmly on a traditional look, which is in keeping with my personal taste. English style goes beyond fashion, creating interiors that stand the test of time.
My first choice in English country style can fuse furniture from Chippendale to Queen Anne, in woods as varied as mahogany, walnut and pine. These dark woods predominate, but it is also possible to paint the wood or use aged effects. Chairs and sofas can be soft. Feather cushions and pillows should give a worn and worn elegance. Elegant cushions are added in profusion, especially in those seating areas that don’t have nice upholstery, such as window seats, banquettes, or open-backed chairs. Eastern influences can also be thrown into the mix, as the English went through a craze for chinoiserie in the 19th century.
Constructional features may include exposed beams and an oversized fireplace, as well as chair rails and slots, and raised paneling in either wood-finish or glazed fluting. as significant insulation.
If the look is demanding, especially in a dining room or living room, then I would choose damask fabrics or silk fabrics. If the look is more casual, for a large room, living room or bedroom, then linen prints with lots of flowers are my favorite options. Colors should reflect the rolling hills of the English countryside, from the greens of the fields to the yellows and reds of a proper English garden. By adding patterned wallpaper and well-worn oriental rugs, the effect can be quite intrusive, but this only adds to the cosy, lived-in look that results. Walls should be enhanced with portrait paintings or bucolic landscapes, or perhaps old prints with country themes such as hunting, fishing, bird watching, or the coats of arms of landed gentry. The English love dogs, gardens and horses, so you can’t go wrong wandering through antique centers looking for these themed objects.
To achieve the decorative mix that is a hallmark of the English country style, it is necessary to furnish bookshelves, display cases and counter surfaces with family heirlooms, perhaps tea sets in silver, pewter and porcelain, framed photos of loved ones loved ones, correspondence or other tokens with a special meaning. Dried or fresh flowers always have a place on an English mantelpiece.
Wool or cashmere blankets on a sofa or chaise longue in a corner further complete the comfortable lifestyle. So when you invite your friends over for tea with scones and scones, using your Herend china, looking out over your charmingly scruffy drawing room, you’ll enjoy the full effect of English country style.
