HOUSE NOTES #17
It's been a while, so here's a bumper round-up of news, launches, shopping, and expert interior design tips. There's a lot to get into, so grab a coffee and let's go...
This month we’re looking at game-changing ideas, learning design tips from an award-winning interior designer, and I’m sharing the best places to buy rugs with (below the paywall) the rules of rug styling. It’s long, so treat it like a magazine and dip in and out as time and cake permit.
HOUSEKEEPING
Trinny London Game Changers Day at Beaverbrook House
I was invited to “a day for game-changing women”, by Trinny Woodall of the make-up and skincare brand Trinny London. The invite alone was enough to make me feel special, but the event itself was to celebrate the brand’s first TV ad (I haven’t seen it yet) and to bring together a group of self-employed women, of all ages, under the tagline “I Didn’t Know I Could”.
Well the first thing on the agenda was axe-throwing, and I Definitely Didn’t Know I Could. But it turns out I can. And I did. Never underestimate the power of a group of pre-, peri-, and menopausal women throwing things.
Then there was a session with a life coach. This isn’t usually my scene, but I did glean one key takeaway that I think it’s important we remember: life is a relay race with yourself. When the current version of you reaches the end of their run, you hand the baton over to the next version.
I think it’s a good way of allowing yourself to change course, to admit when things aren’t working, and to move into a new phase. I’ve been thinking about it a lot over the last few days.
During lunch we were educated by clinical nutritionist Dominique Ludwig. Now we all know about the importance of protein, but fibre is the next awareness trend coming our way. Dominique said to forget about fasting and eating only two meals a day (there were several nods of recognition when she said this), and aim for what she calls the triple 30.
That’s 30g protein and 10g fibre at three meals a day. So you reach 90g protein and 30g fibre, which is where we need to roughly be. You can google the exact amounts, but Greek yoghurt with berries, nuts and seeds will do this for breakfast. Her book, which is excellent, has lots of clever tips for finding another 5g of fibre, or protein to add to each meal - half an avocado, an extra handful of berries and that sort of thing. She also reminded us that frozen berries are brilliant and that they are - of course - much cheaper than fresh.
In the afternoon, the first session was run by Deborah Frances White on “How to Own the Room”. This isn’t just for public speakers, as I’d imagined, but also for meetings, presentations and job interviews.
In short - stand on your front foot and open your arms. Putting the weight on the back foot signals to the brain that you feel scared, that the audience is a bunch of predatory lions and you are the gazelle. Your breathing stalls, your voice may wobble and you won’t feel in control. Instead, stand or lean forward and open out your chest. Now you can breathe, speak and you feel instantly more confident.
It really works and, in addition to the relay race I’m adding the mantra “Be More Front Foot” to the list.
Finally, AI. Now I’m no preacher for this, and most of the time, I wish it would just go away. But Trinny is passionate about learning and made the point that it’s coming for everyone, so rather than be left behind, we need to get on board and work out how to make it work for us.
I shared what I learnt from this session with a group of guests from one of my design retreats, and within 24 hours one of them had set up a programme designed to run her staff and organise holidays, sick pay and various other things that I didn’t quite understand but she was very excited about. She spent time studying it, deciding what she needed, and instructing it to sort everything out for her. That’s the sort of AI I’m here for.
Trinny is a fan of Manus, because she says when she asks a question it will ask three questions back so it can provide a better answer, and she says that forces her to think more deeply about what she wants. I have used ChatGPT, but holding my nose as the founder has questionable political values (I’ll leave it there, as this is not that newsletter) and have also found Claude to be useful although not yet capable of picture editing which is what I mostly want.
That said, I had been battling with working out a travel itinerary for one of the days of my May design retreat to Milan and Lake Como (see below) and was toggling between several tabs of train timetables, google maps, metro plans and taxi websites. In a sudden moment of inspiration I asked Claude for advice, saying I wanted to arrive at a certain time, and when I wanted to leave, etc.
Half an hour later I had a printed itinerary of the best route and timings, numbers for a local cab firm, suggestions for where to have lunch on the shores of the Lake (factoring in Monday closing), and a useful tip to take a ferry to the station for the return leg, finishing up with some dinner possibilities back in Milan. Of course I will independently check all the times when I book tickets and tables etc, but at least I will only need to have one tab (brain and computer) open at a time to do so.
As an aside, I used to model for Trinny back in the early days, and I will say that her BFF Cream is a game-changer on its own.
Wes Anderson Archives at The Design Museum
I have written about my love of the Wes Anderson canon many times before, so it will come as no surprise that I went to visit the exhibition of his film-making archive currently on at the Design Museum. I had seen two previous exhibitions about his movies (on Isle of Dogs and The French Dispatch) and thoroughly enjoyed them. I will say off the bat that this one is an expensive day out – tickets are £26 – and I was left feeling a little disappointed. However, I think that’s the fault of the Design Museum, rather than the material. It was just a collection of static items in different rooms and I was expecting a bit more ambition, with recreations of some of the sets to really bring the archives to life, as in the shows I’d seen before.
For the French Dispatch exhibition at 180 The Strand, the curators had meticulously recreated some of the rooms from the film: the café was made over to resemble La Sans Blague and the eponymous magazine’s offices were also rebuilt fir visitors to wander around. They did a similar thing for Isle of Dogs – and while there wouldn’t have been space at The Design Museum (or wouldn’t there – it’s so vast?) it all felt somewhat lacking.
However, the gift shop is great – and isn’t that often the way? If you are a true fan then go. I did enjoy it, but it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be.
Also, I would like a martini vending machine like this in my kitchen, please.
Design Retreats
I have emailed you on this already, but a reminder that if you want to join me in Milan (and Como) in May, or Turin in the autumn, now is the moment to get in touch as I am confirming bookings and hotel beds. Due to a cancellation I have two places left for Milan. If you feel like running away (don’t we all) and nourishing body and soul with incredible interiors inspiration, then this is your chance. We have exclusive visits to Casa Fornasetti, and the Liberty Printing Mill on the shores of Lake Como, followed by lunch as detailed above. Lunch on the shores of Lake Como! In May! Imagine!
We will be taking a private tour of the Villa Necchi, exploring the vintage markets and sipping Campari in the famous Camparino bar. I will also be holding an interior design masterclass. Invest in yourself (or your business – it may even be deductible!) and come and join us.
If you have been feeling stuck or not sure what’s next then a trip away with like-minded women who will lift you up while visiting places you wouldn’t otherwise get to see then this is the trip for you.
If those dates don’t work then come to my house in Turin in either September (four days) or October (three days) for workshops, shopping and making new friends.
The Milan trip is a fantastic itinerary and I’m excited for you to experience it, so contact me to reserve your place. The cost includes all accommodation, trips, workshops, food, drink and local transport. All you have to do is get yourself to the hotel. Payment is split into instalments, if that helps, too. Hit the button for the full programme and contact details. We all deserve a treat. And, judging by my previous guests’ WhatsApp chat (which stays active forever) you never know where a Spring trip to Milan could lead.
MY INTERIOR LIFE: Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Beth, Director of Imperfect Interiors, an award-winning interior design studio. From period townhouses to modern city apartments and historic country homes, our focus is always on listening to our clients and creating unique and atmospheric spaces for them. We recently launched a range of nine sustainably made paint colours and a range of semi-bespoke furniture in collaboration with Pilgrim House which you can find here.
What’s your top design tip?
Don’t copy the first thing you see in a magazine, as your home will not reflect you, or how you will live in it. Look at the architecture and embrace the atmosphere of your house, but also think about how you want to feel there as well as how you want it to look. Considering all five senses is very important…
If I gave you £150, what would you buy for your house and for yourself?
Always vintage ceramics - I have quite a collection, and they are never precious or valuable. The thrill of the chase is the fun bit! Bric-a-brac shops in the countryside are always the best places to find them, too.
What would you rush to save from your burning house (assuming the family is already safe)?
Our son’s artwork - it ranges from a painting that he did aged 2 to quite a selection of ceramics and photography that he is still making now.
Tell us the best thing you’ve ever bought for your home.
It was actually the plot of land that we bought before our house even existed - the Victorian shell had originally been a dairy and was where the cows were milked, but it had been used as a double-glazing workshop and was derelict when we bought it. We did a whirlwind nine-month build to convert it into our home, which was filmed by Grand Designs.
What’s your cocktail of choice?
I do like a Spicy Margarita.
What’s the soundtrack to your favourite room?
Not sure if this is what you mean, but I do love a bit of Jazz and listen to it in my office all day and in the evenings. John Coltrane is a favourite, also Raye and anything disco/funk adjacent.
Own up to your screen time total so far this week.
More than usual as we have just launched our furniture collaboration, so I have spent a lot of time on Instagram. I don’t even know how to check my screen time though, I’m afraid - I’m a bit of a luddite.
What do you wish you had designed or could own?
I would really love to own a vintage car - a 1970s Porsche or a Karmann Ghia would be lovely. I don’t know if I would feel really self-conscious driving one though - I’m not at all flashy.
Do you have a favourite design period? And why?
I love elements from most design periods, so it’s probably easier to say which ones I don’t like: the 1980s generally, the Memphis group more specifically. I like softness and curves, so anything in primary colours, with mirrors/chrome or that looks uncomfortable is definitely not my thing.
Has that influenced your own style?
I really like old things. Mixing up inexpensive ‘found’ objects that have tactile and contrasting textures - old green glass wine bottles with rustic pottery, antique foxed mirrors with slightly battered wooden frames, and mid-century oil paintings. The contrast brings depth and is a great way to add atmosphere when you are decorating with new furniture.
What’s one thing you do for your mental well-being.
Sitting outside in the sun at lunchtime always makes me really happy. And I try not to work at the weekends, although that hasn’t been the case for the past couple of months.
What’s the ugly thing in your house that you can’t bring yourself to throw away?
I don’t know that there is anything ugly that is on show, except the air fryer when it is being used. The ugly stuff gets hidden away in cupboards.
Plan B. If this wasn’t your job, what would you be doing?
I have a really strong sense of smell and can’t walk past a rose without sniffing it - it’s a bit of a family joke at this point. So the idea of being a ‘nose’ and creating perfume is very appealing to me.
What’s your trade secret?
Such a good question - I like to think that its my ability to read between the lines and to pick up on the things that my clients don’t actually say but that I sense. So much of being an interior designer is about how good you are at listening, being diplomatic, intuitive and patient. It’s such a personal thing to be invited into someone’s private life when you are designing their home, so I always try to respect that.
If you could renovate/redesign one public building/hotel anywhere in the world, what would you choose and what would you do?
I really think that most hospitals and doctors’ surgeries are pretty depressing from a design perspective - colour, natural light levels and views are all so important mentally if you are ill and stuck looking at the same four walls for weeks on end. Obviously not as important as the physical treatment that you receive, but it would be great to see more consideration of that when they are being designed or renovated.
Tell us five things that are either on your radar (new products that have caught your eye), or on your wishlist (small or large), or design classics that are always worth the investment.
1) We have been using a piece of plyboard on trestle legs as our dining table since we moved into our house, initially due to lack of funds. But I would love to replace that with an old oak refectory table - something with lots of knocks and character…
2) The freestanding wooden pantry from our collaboration with Pilgrim House would look really nice in my kitchen, painted in Figgy Pudding from our paint range!
3) I am hoping to launch a range of fabrics in the next year and love the imperfections that you find in Indian block printed designs, so I am hoping to upholster a Nix ottoman in some offcuts that I have saved.
4) As well as vintage ceramics, I also struggle not to collect oil paintings, and I’m really looking forward to visiting McCully & Crane the next time I can get down to Rye in East Sussex.
5) And I am looking forward to adding these backless mirrors to all of our bathrooms - they can be made in any size and painted in any colour and I designed them so that you can add a heated pad to the back of the mirror to stop them steaming up. Essential first thing in the morning.
This monthly post is mostly free with some extra juice below the paywall. Today that includes styling tips for rugs as well as details of what I have bought, wanted, watched, eaten and read. To read that and a weekly post that will teach you all about finding your interior design style and answering your design dilemmas you can sign up at the button below.
SHOPPING
9 BEST RUGS
There are so many gorgeous rugs around and they can really finish off a room. A battered old Persian looks wonderful on a polished concrete floor or a set of reclaimed terracotta tiles. A modern geometric works beautifully on floorboards with antique furniture, while a classic Berber will sit well in a maximalist scheme. Below are some good ones. And below that, for paid subscribers, are some tips on styling as well as what I have bought, read and watched over the last couple of months.
A jute rug brings texture to a neutral interior, can sit on carpet and under smaller rugs.
Always check out the Stockholm collection first at Ikea, as it’s more fashion forward. This also comes in a fabulous green version. I wish I had room for both.
It’s made from polypropeline, but feels soft underfoot and if you need a large rug and have been worried about cost, then this is the place to come. If you want wool, then the Diano is one of several options.
Made from 100 per cent recycled polyester, this rug went viral after several interior designers (including Beata Heuman) used it in projects. I have it under my dining table in Italy, where the pattern does a grand job of hiding focaccia crumbs.
5) TATE & DARBY LEOPARD BORDER
Rugs mostly made in India and Morocco, with both new and vintage designs available. They will take inquiries for bespoke sizes, too.
All their rugs are made from recycled plastic bottles and have the look and feel of wool. Everyone is paid fairly and the factories are independently inspected.
Scandinavian cool fused with timeless classics, this is a great place to start when looking for main character energy.
A partnership between an art historian and a former designer with De Gournay was always going to result in something special, and so it has proved. Hard to choose a favourite.
Harder to find one I don’t like here. Lots of choice in wool and kilim and great mix of modern designs in a more muted colour palette.
For more homewares, check out my shop and find styling tips on rugs below the paywall.
For styling tips on rugs and my pick of Substack reads as well as what I have been watching, reading, buying and eating, you can become a paid subscriber below.