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There is a wonderful team of people behind the scenes at Lorfords, many of which you don't get to see. What better way to introduce them than with their top picks in our Lorfords Christmas Gift Guide! From thoughtful gifts to extra seating, we're getting you ready for the festivities.
Toby's top picks include a striking 19th Century Italian enfilade of a bold architectural design and a beautiful pair of 19th Century Tuscan wall sconces, decorated in traditional cream and gilt.
19th Century Italian Painted Enfilade
Pair of 19th Century Tuscan Wall Sconces
Alice's top picks include a classic 1930's design Lloyd Loom sofa in original French grey paintwork and a stylish Modernist textile screen in the manner of Edward Bawden.
Carly's top picks include a large black-and-white image of a Roman emperor in the style of Timney Fowler and a pair of Art Deco armchairs which have recently been reupholstered in an attractive monochrome colour palette.
Large Contemporary Image of a Roman Emperor
Pair of French Art Deco Armchairs
Heidi's top picks include an iconic wicker Harley Davidson motorcycle designed by Tom Dixon and a charming pair of carved oak cherubs dating to circa 1880.
20th Century Tom Dixon Wicker Motorcycle
Pair of 19th Century Carved Cherubs
Rob's top picks include a luxurious blue velvet armchair paired with the perfect Christmas afternoon set-up; a fabulous brass drinks trolley and a Parisian-style silverplate cocktail shaker.
Late 19th Century Blue Velvet Armchair
20th Century French Brass Drinks Trolley
Large Parisian Style Silverplate Cocktail Shaker
Jane's top picks include a comfortable English Country House chaise longue with hidden storage and a charming 20th Century feather-filled carpet cushion.
20th Century English Country House Chaise Longue
20th Century Feather Field Carpet Cushion
Tom's top picks include a wonderful untouched George III secretaire estate cupboard and a superb English club fender of large proportions.
George III Oak Secretaire Estate Cabinet
Large 19th Century Club Fender
Hattie's top picks include an original 19th Century French carpet sofa from the Napoleon III period and a charming pair of silverplate Mr and Mrs napkin rings in their original box.
19th Century French Carpet Sofa
Pair of 20th Century Madame and Monsieur Napkin Rings
Kate's top picks include a wonderfully shaped two-seat sofa featuring a scalloped back, enclosed sides and sloping armrests and a fabulous pair of 20th Century clam shells.
Pair of 20th Century Clam Shells
Eleanor's top picks include a 20th Century lacquer and gilt Chinese screen, depicting cranes and gold-painted bamboo to the reverse, and a stunning 19th Century drop-end red Chesterfield sofa.
20th Century Chinese Lacquer Screen
Steph's top picks include a fine early 19th Century complete circular tree seat from the Regency period, and a late 20th Century print of Liz Hurley by John Stoddart which rests on a stylish lucite and brass display tripod with adjustable blocks.
Regency Circular Wrought Iron Tree Seat
20th Century French Lucite Easel
Late 20th Century Liz Hurley Print by John Stoddart
Sophie's top picks include a 19th Century French chaise longue in pink velvet and a beautiful framed black and white French scenic wallpaper depicting an attractive lakeside scene.
19th Century Upholstered Pink Banquette
Piers' top picks include a fabulous pair of Italian marquetry and ormolu bedside tables and a truly outstanding 19th Century folk art diorama model of Tower Bridge, London.
Pair of Italian Marquetry Bedside Tables
19th Century Model of Tower Bridge
Dave's top picks include a 20th Century coffee table with a drawer and its original key, a lovely example of an early 20th Century Edwardian elbow chair and a stylish 20th Century opaline glass table lamp.
Small 20th Century Coffee Table
Giant Mid-Century Style Opaline Glass Table Lamp
Jordan's top picks include an elegant French Meridienne sofa and in the spirit of the World Cup, a pair of 19th Century medici lions.
19th Century French Meridienne Sofa
19th Century Carved Pair Medici Lions
Chris' top picks include a lovely buttoned and tufted sofa of small proportions and a wonderful large-scale French zinc clock face in its original iron frame.
Small 19th Century Swedish Buttoned Sofa
French 20th Century Zinc Turret Clock Face
Cody's top picks include a lovely English golden oak occasional table with a single drawer and a superb pair of French 18th Century Louis XV bergéres.
19th Century English Golden Oak Occasional Table
Pair of French 18th Century Louis XV Bergeres
Antiques transcend trends; their very survival proves their resilience against the ebb and flow of fashion. And yet, we all know that the best trends return time and time again. Right now, the interiors world is hooked on curves - from scalloped rugs to pendant lights. We explore the majestic beauty of antique Swedish cabinets, and why they're...well, right on trend.
Much of the current dialogue around curved furniture focuses on more contemporary pieces, like kidney-shaped sofas and sculptural coffee tables. The 20th century was undoubtedly a great era of experimentation with shape, and vintage furniture displays some staggering feats of design and engineering. Yet, the Swedes were ahead of the curve (pardon the pun), by a good two centuries.
The straight-lined Gustavian era is perhaps the most famous period of Swedish furniture, yet what came before was beautiful in its own right. The Swedish Rococo period (1750-1775) was nestled between the dramatic Baroque and refined Gustavian years. It’s instantly recognisable for its proliferation of shells, but also for its sinuous curves inspired by nature.
Rococo furniture has an indisputable air of romanticism. It is lighter and more playful than the eras that came before and after it, yet still shows exquisite attention to detail. If you’re looking to create soft and welcoming spaces in your home, look no further than these Swedish antiques. Expertly crafted by Sweden’s pioneering cabinet-makers, the furniture usually sports a painted finish that feels right at home in today’s interiors.
Sometimes, a majestic antique catches your eye but you can’t quite imagine it in your own home. They’re often far more practical than you think, though, particularly when it comes to storage pieces.
In the dining room, it has to be a Swedish cupboard or buffet. This is an entertaining space, so you need furniture that's practical but is also guaranteed to catch the eye of your guests.
Cabinets from the Swedish Rococo period are coveted for their beautifully shaped door panels, sweeping aprons, and graceful cabriole legs. Their defining feature, though, is the pronounced arch of their bonnet tops. This curvaceous silhouette softens any room and offers welcome contrast to a long rectangular dining table.
If you’ve visited any of Sweden’s grand country houses, you may have encountered a floor-to-ceiling wonder in the corner of the room. ‘Kakelugn’ was the name given to the Swedish stoves which afforded them the most efficiently heated houses in Europe by the 19th Century.
Not only were these stoves high-performing, they were stunning pieces of art in their own right. They were covered from top to toe with hand-painted ceramic tiles which complemented the wider décor of the room. These cylindrical stoves were no doubt large, but their corner residence meant they didn’t infringe too much on floor space.
Commissioning your own ‘Kakelugn’ may be a stretch, but corner furniture is a savvy way to add storage in smaller spaces. Their curved silhouette is mostly a preserve of antiques and rarely attempted by modern manufacturers, so they bestow a unique charm on contemporary spaces.
The Swedish corner cabinets in our collection typically feature two cupboards separated by an open mid-section. Their compact silhouette offers both hidden storage and the opportunity to show-off treasured items. Let no space go to waste, and use one of these timeless cupboards for storing kitchenware or board games while softening the lines of a room.
If you’re looking for a lower storage piece for your dining room, choose a Swedish buffet. Often with the same curved profile and graceful panelling as their taller counterparts, buffets also allow for displaying curios and ornaments on top.
Nowhere demands the soft, romantic curves of antique Swedish furniture quite like the bedroom. There’s been plenty of research into the link between our bedroom design and how easy we find it to switch off. Much of this is about creating a gentle, welcoming palette and avoiding overstimulating décor. Equally important, though, is keeping clutter at bay. This is is where storage furniture comes in.
In your bedroom, look to Swedish Rococo commodes and bedside tables to keep essentials close at hand yet out of sight. They usually feature a serpentine form, giving something as simple as drawers a sinuous rippling effect. The flowing lines don’t stop there, as chest furniture offered the opportunity for craftsmen to show off their skills with beautifully scalloped aprons and elaborate curved legs or bracket feet.
The remains of old paint that often cling to Swedish antiques, from neutrals to soft pastels, are the perfect tonic at the end of a busy day. Complete your relaxing bedroom scheme by pairing antique storage pieces with a gently curved stool and a Swedish flatweave rug. When your bedroom ensures both wellbeing and beauty, you can’t go wrong.
A common misconception is that antique furniture is undoubtedly beautiful, but not practical. This underestimates the wealth of innovative design features and expert craftsmanship evident in many antiques, and storage furniture is no exception.
The home office. Somewhere many of us spend a great deal of time, yet often the first to sacrifice good looks for utilitarianism. Antiques offer a plethora of options for injecting character and charm into such a space, including unique desks and chairs. For a statement storage piece, look no further than a Swedish 18th century secretary.
On the outside, these secretaries share many of the decorative features that make Swedish cupboards so alluring; a sweeping bonnet top, elegantly carved door panels, and scalloped or curving feet. So far, so beautiful. But it’s what you find inside that makes these a truly unique addition to any interior.
In the middle of the piece, you will find a sloping section that folds down into a spacious work surface. The perfect size for holding today's laptop and a notebook, these versatile desks allow you to fold away work stress at the end of the day. Behind the desk is often a mixture of miniature drawers, cubby holes, and cupboards within cupboards for stowing stationary and private documents. Above you’ll find a generous cupboard with shelves inside and several drawers below for keeping office items organised.
For a home office that's as welcoming as it is high-performing, pair your secretary with a Swedish Mora Clock. These iconic, beautifully curved clocks will add to the sense of calm while helping you to keep an eye on the time.
Our lookbook ‘ ‘ is here to inspire you to decorate with curved Swedish pieces. If streamlined silhouettes are more your style, we offer an extensive array of Swedish furniture here at Lorfords that spans all periods and tastes.
To learn more about the history behind the beauty, explore our articles on the Swedish Rococo and Gustavian periods.
When the mercury hit 40 back in July, many of us wished our homes were better equipped to deal with extreme heat. While we can’t transform a country cottage or London townhouse into a Provençal chateau overnight, we can still learn some design lessons from Mediterranean interiors.
‘Mediterranean design’ can be difficult to pin down - in part because this style actually borrows from all over the world. And yet certain features make it instantly recognisable, like swathes of natural light, a heady mix of natural materials, and a total embrace of the surrounding landscape.
A common misconception is that it means whitewashed. While you will see plenty of white both inside and out of Mediterranean properties, the true essence of the approach is rooted in colour - a palette inspired by the natural world surrounding the property.
Mediterranean interiors are laid-back yet considered. They're rooted in nature yet they feel contemporary. Below, we discuss a few ways you can bring this look into your own home - whatever the season.
Some are lucky enough to inherit a Mediterranean feel when they move into a property. Ever since the years of the ‘Grand Tour’, British architects have looked beyond our island confines for property inspiration. Archways connecting indoor and outdoor spaces, or courtyard gardens stemming seamlessly from bedrooms or living spaces, provide a natural starting point for Mediterranean-inspired living. It's not all luck of the draw, though, and you can lean into this style through renovating or just decorating.
Mediterranean design relies on organic textures, and this starts at the base level of a space. For example, raw plastered walls, stone flooring and plenty of tiles naturally create a villa feel. Sometimes this is in cool, neutral tones, but not always. Indeed, anyone who visited Portugal this summer will have seen plenty of ‘azujelos’; their iconic royal blue and saffron yellow patterned tiles. Terracotta, too, is at the heart of the Mediterranean look, with its warm earthy tones exuding depth and character.
Terracotta flooring instantly bestows rustic chic on a property, while marble floor and wall tiles bring timeless palatial luxury. However, like with any design device, you can go big or small. Use decorative tiles to create a statement washbasin splashback or to surround a garden fountain or statue, and get your terracotta fix from indoor and outdoor planters.
Throughout the Cotswolds, you’ll often spot sage green shutters in the windows of traditional stone houses. These serve the practical purposes of keeping onlookers and the weather out, but shutters are also synonymous with Mediterranean style. Look to these as a simple way to transform the feel of your home without making any major changes.
As we’ve already mentioned, texture is the crux of Mediterranean design. It relies on natural materials to bring a living, evolving feel to indoor spaces.
Timber is a key ingredient in this, and the more rustic the better. Natural wood brings much-needed warmth to Mediterranean interiors, especially where you do have an abundance of white or neutral shades. Think live edge dining tables and driftwood sculpture, complete with every knot, burl and medallion that speak to their long life.
Similarly, rattan has always brought a sense of warmer shores to our homes. This versatile, strong material is synonymous with laid-back living, whether it's used for a chair or just a lampshade. Rattan and wicker offer a ready canvas for soft furnishings, providing just enough structure while imbuing a space with a welcoming feel.
On that note, linen is your go-to material for softening such a space. The flax plant is native to the eastern Mediterranean, and creates a fabric that’s at once soft and textured - characterised by its raised slubs and flecks. Use a sheer linen for drapes that let dappled light in, or stronger blends for bedding or scatter cushion covers.
The eclectic range of antiques that survive from this corner of the world testify to its diverse history. From furniture to objets d’art, these relics infuse our homes with character and intrigue.
Vernacular Spanish timber tables and benches with heavy, simple joinery ground interiors with their primitive aesthetic and sense of craft. Italian and French armoires, complete with remains of old paint, bring relaxed, farmhouse charm to a bedroom. You can also nod to this style with smaller decorative pieces, like French confit pots with their dripping glaze frozen in time.
Lighting is key to keeping Mediterranean interiors cosy and welcoming in dark winter months. Look to weighty cast iron candelabras and towering candlesticks for magical, atmospheric lighting. For more practical task lighting, choose gilded sconces or table lamps crafted from marble, travertine or ceramic.
We’re fortunate to have a host of sunburst mirrors brightening up our showrooms at the moment. Most originate from Spain or France, and some are by Chaty Vallauris - the Provence-based design house that made the sunburst their iconic legacy. These statement mirrors, with their mesmerising rays and glittering gold leaf, guarantee sunshine on even the bleakest midwinter day.
The Mediterranean embrace of the natural world extends to art and ornaments, too. From giant ammonite fossils to conch shells that whisper of the sea, nature’s sculptures bring a sense of the scale and history of our earth into our homes. They remind us of past travels and encounters and evoke the curiosity of our visitors.
When we think of the Mediterranean, the natural landscape is often the first thing that comes to mind - and not just the sea. From the vivid trails of Bourgainvillia that line Grecian streets, to French fields of lavender, each corner of the Mediterranean has its own chorus of mesmerising flora.
Mediterranean Sea Holly grows wild in this and other parts of the world, but you will also find the spiny plant in some British gardens. Recognisable for its blue, green and violet colours, this herbaceous perennial is as eye-catching as it is low-maintenance.
Olive and bay laurel trees are other staples of Mediterranean gardening, as are citrus trees - although these are better suited to an orangery during the British winter. Watching fruit grow from a mere seed is a rewarding antidote to seemingly endless grey days.
In the kitchen, keep rosemary, sage, or tarragon plants on your windowsill. If they don't spark culinary inspiration, they'll at least waft the scent of the Med your way.
Give your flowers and foliage a fitting home with bold planters. Whether you're drawn to classical stone urns or dramatic metal jardinières, the Mediterranean has plenty to offer in this area, too.
Some of us long for the warmth of a Mediterranean summer all year round, but British reality is… well, quite different.
While this style may feel more instinctive in the summer months, it's actually accommodating of all seasons. The trick is textiles - of every kind, in every room. These form a crucial layer in the make-up of any space, but especially in Mediterranean interiors.
Rugs and runners offer welcome respite from cool stone flooring, while window dressings will soften stone or tiled walls. Contrast is key for keeping your surroundings stimulating as well as comfortable; the coarse texture of a hemp rug softened by woollen throws or sheepskin, for instance.
Textiles offer an opportunity to satisfy our cravings for colour on grey days. The Mediterranean basin was once a vibrant trading ground for pigments, and these original colours offer a springboard for decorating. Blend jewel-like indigo blues and malachite greens with earthier tones of ochre and madder red to evoke Mediterranean interiors.
It can be hard to know where to begin when it comes to such a ubiquitous design style. Browse our lookbook to inspire your own Mediterranean journey.
The British, as we are always told, are a reserved people. Along with fish and chips, our stiff upper lip is what we’re most famous for. I must admit that whenever I hear this, I have to remind myself that, within this sweeping statement, they’re talking about me. I don’t know about you but I’ve never considered myself the shy and retiring type, if anything, I’m a bit of a Cavalier. A what, I hear you ask. Let me explain. According to a particular school of thought, we Brits divide into two camps – Roundhead and Cavalier. Students of history will know that these were the opposing sides in the English Civil War – the Parliamentarians aka Roundheads were known for their spartan tastes – banning Christmas carols and anything that looked even remotely pleasurable while, on the other side, the Cavaliers revelled in all that life had to offer and showed it with their big hair, Saville Row tailored uniforms and their all-round flamboyance and love of the good things in life. We have a saying that if someone has a ‘cavalier attitude’ it means they don’t care (like that’s always a bad thing). If ever someone accuses you of that just tell them to stop being such a Roundhead.
Anyway, so the theory goes, these opposing traits have become key aspects of the British character, battling for supremacy in every walk of life like it’s 1642 all over again. As a design historian, one of the things I love is being able to make connections between man-made objects and the wider world. I think, down the centuries, this Roundhead versus Cavalier tension has played out in the way we decorate our homes. Roundheads are all about straight lines and classical order, while Cavaliers are more laissez-faire and letting things go curly. Normally it works pendulum style – think of the florid excesses of High Victorianism being stamped out by William Morris and his smock-wearing acolytes, or those ‘Form Follows Function’ Modernists showing Art Deco exactly what it could do with its decorative flourishes - but occasionally those two forces fight it out at the same time. With this in mind, this week we’re taking a look at the curious affair that was English Rococo.
Rococo, it’s a word you’ll have heard before but what exactly was it? Quite simply, the most self-consciously decorative – cavalier - of all decorative styles. Developed in Louis XIV’s (it was known as “the French taste” in this country) it was the dominant style in northern and central Europe during the first half of the 18th century, affecting all the arts from furniture to fashion and sculpture to ceramics. The word rococo actually began life as a term of ridicule in the 1790s, when the style was already dead and buried. It sounds Italian but actually derives from the French rocaille (pronounced 'rock-eye'), describing the shells and rocks which were used as decoration in shell-rooms and garden grottoes.
There’s nothing straight about Rococo, it’s all about the curve. Flowing lines became obligatory. Think twirly-whirly, think wedding cake decoration, sinuous C and S-scrolls, garlands, ribbons, shells and sea monsters. Familiar objects lose their well-known outlines and, to quote the Bard, suffer a sea-change, into something rich and strange. In Rococo’s surreal world everything swirls, moves and writhes. Designers plundered the natural world for inspiration; crabs, eels, and crustaceans happily rub along with seaweed, mermaids and river gods. Rococo’s essential motif was the cartouche – an amorphous, unformed shape that was somewhere between a jellyfish and the human ear, which could be moulded into any shape. From this basic motif the great French ornemanistes – like Nicolas Pineau, who could take a console table and turn it into an all singing, all dancing gilded extravaganza – produced their extraordinary designs.
Across the channel, the British were grinding their teeth. Paris was the undisputed centre of European fashion and the French luxury trades set trends for all the other European nations. Despite being almost constantly at war with France throughout the 18th century, those thrifty Anglo-Saxon Protestants still craved the exquisite sophistications of the enemy. Rococo arrived in England just at the point when things were getting more square and architectural. Since the 1720s when Lord Burlington had led a campaign to revive the classical splendours of Palladio and Inigo Jones, the Palladian movement had been the dominant force in design. The watchwords were symmetry and balance and, as styles go, it was sober and serious – Roundheaded, even. For some, Rococo’s arrival was looked upon rather like the arrival of a flu pandemic. Frothing with indignation, one commentator had this to say:
They heap cornices, columns, cascades, rushes and rocks in a confused manner, one upon another; and in some corner of this confused chaos, they will place a cupid in great fright, and crown the whole with a festoon of flowers.
The Rococo first inveigled its way into England via the fashionable dining rooms of the aristocracy. Gastronomic success rested not only on the best ingredients, but also on the service, the convivial atmosphere, and the visual interest of the table and eating room. By the 1740s, the best dining tables were groaning with a prince's ransom of rococo silverware: a still-life centre piece or a branching epergne holding flowers and fruit surrounded by a flotilla of tureens, condiment sets and candelabra. The greatest Rococo silversmiths were Paul de Lamerie and Nicholas Crespin (who once found the perfect Rococo shape in a turtle’s shell and so mounted it in silver and turned it into a punch bowl) both of whom specialised in elaborate tableware that were swirling rocaille masterpieces, which must have ruined the taste of the soup for more Palladian-minded diners.
The outstanding English interpreter of Rococo was Matthew (or Matthias) Lock. He was a designer and cabinet-maker who had workshops in Tottenham Court Road but about whose life we know virtually nothing. Lock was an outstanding draftsman who, probably more than anyone else, understood the French style giving it his own, very English, twist. In his fantasy world – best seen on his mirror frames – a riotous assembly takes place; friendly goats confront surprised foxes; monkeys precariously perched monkeys blow bubbles; squirrels admire spring flowers; Chinaman in coolie hots and drooping moustaches cling to trees, the roots of which dissolve into icicles; all among a riot of fountains, shells and running water.
So did, England ‘go Rococo’? Well, for the answer to that, look around. Visit France, or southern Germany, or Austria or northern Italy and you’ll be tripping over Rococo palaces, churches and townhouses, try looking for the same in this country and your search will be in vain. The truth is Rococo made only a brief stay as a fashionable style and only touched the smart and the grand, even then, mostly in the form of small objects – vases, candlesticks, soup tureens, mirrors - rather than whole interiors.
As styles go, Rococo was elegant and charming but insubstantial. This was to sow the seeds of its downfall since it showed a lack of reverence for classical architecture which became unacceptable to the new generation of Rome-inspired architects, like Robert Adam who openly despised it. In fact, what was called Rococo in England bore little resemblance to the rich, creamy, wedding-cake heights it achieved in Europe. Done properly, Rococo was smart, urban and sophisticated it was also expensive and hard to master. Rococo designs demanded that each craftsman be also an outstanding artist as well. That was asking too much. John Betjeman, the great architectural historian, said that political history explains the style’s failure to launch. Because of the Civil War and gradual reform of Parliament, the aristocracy took a greater interest in politics here than on the Continent. Rococo required commitment and we were just too busy with other things. Perhaps it was a victory for the roundheads after all.
Styles never quite come to a full stop. In the early 19th Century the rococo impulse was revived under the flamboyant Prince Regent. Its last hurrah was at the turn of the century with Art Nouveau, when it made a flamboyant if brief return. While the austere geometry of modernism governed much of design thinking during the twentieth century, designers continually returned to organic, natural curves as a source of inspiration in the 1950s, and the psychedelic 1960s.
Fantastical, daring, highly decorative and never, ever sensible, it’s almost impossible not to be charmed by Rococo. There again, as a Cavalier, I suppose I would say that.
Asthall Manor’s owner Rosie Pearson started something incredible in 2000, which has grown into the extraordinary exhibition we see today. It is more than just an outdoor gallery. It is a series of installations that speak to us without words, connecting people to their surroundings and allowing them to experience the captivating tension between garden and stone.
Every other year, sculptures have adorned the gardens at Asthall Manor for on form since the turn of the century. In 2016, the exhibition expanded into the river meadow for the first time, cutting meandering paths through the wild grassland and giving visitors surprising long-distance views of the sculpture. It was also in the same year the ballroom and indoor spaces were furnished in collaboration with Lorfords Antiques for the first time.
Since 2006, on form has been curated by Anna Greenacre. We caught up with Anna as she prepares for the 2022 exhibition which opens on 12 June and ends on 10 July.
“There are so many factors involved. Primarily, it is about creating a balance between new sculptors and previous exhibitors, and also finding new ways of showing the work within the landscape and the buildings. It is always one of my fears that we might not live up to the last exhibition, but somehow we do and I believe this year is no exception.
As a team we are always looking for fresh ideas and this year we are really excited to be showing 35 sculptors at Asthall, 6 of whom are coming from Europe.”
“Thank you! Creating a sense of fun and surprise for our visitors is one of my top priorities. I want to find spots which make the sculptures zing both in isolation and in relation to other exhibits and their surroundings.
The natural world of the garden both contrasts with and complements the carved stone. Sculptures bring contours, texture and intrigue whilst the garden’s plants and trees have a lovely way of softening and framing each piece. The combination will, I hope, provoke thought and conversation as well as simple aesthetic enjoyment.”
“I really do! Once the process of creating a new exhibition begins, I start dreaming about the placements of sculpture, quite literally. We have giant maps of the garden, river meadow and churchyard, and of the interior spaces in the church, office and ballroom. These are a wonderful visual aid. And when I get stuck or overloaded with ideas I walk through the familiar but still magical landscape and imagine the sculptures in situ.
I try to be mindful of scale, stone colours, the play of light and shadow, and the relationship of the sculptures to the garden and Cotswold architecture.”
“350 stone sculptures to enjoy for a start! I don’t know of any other show which installs hundreds of stone sculptures for just a month. We have giant clouds, origami animals, a feast of vegetable-inspired sculptures and so much more, both figurative and abstract. We want to delight, surprise and engage our visitors and because of our “do touch” policy our visitors are encouraged to stroke, smell, and feel the ancient surface of each stone. This multi-sensory experience affects people in deep-rooted and unexpected ways which can be really quite emotional.
Alongside the exhibition itself, there will be Garden Talks as well as walks with sculptors, gardeners, the curator, and geologist Philip Powell plus painting workshops with Kieran Stiles. There’s lots going on."
“Yes, we are paying homage to the intensely physical and dusty life of the stone-carver. On my studio visits over the last 6 months, I have been collecting hammers, chisels, models, buckets, gloves, shells, seeds, postcards, and even a marvellous pair of size 12 boots to help create a sense of what it is like in a studio. There will also be the ubiquitous wood burner stove, chipped mugs and all-important tea and coffee!”
"First, ask yourself what you want the sculpture to do. Should it draw the eye down the garden, break up the space or simply be something to look out on?
Don’t assume it needs to go in the middle of your lawn or patio. Sculpture works well in flower beds, on a garden table or against a wall or hedge.
Scale is important, but small gardens don’t have to mean small sculptures. A large piece can add a sense of energy and fun to a space.
Think about light. This is especially important for wall reliefs. In the right place, the sun can act as a natural spotlight.
Enlist friends or family to help you work out the best spot. Think about views from a distance, but also about being up close. Stone is tactile, and sculpture is made to be touched; make sure it’s accessible."
To visit on form, you can book tickets here. Ticket bookings are essential (unless you are a season ticket holder).
A series of special events, from stone-carving workshops to dance, will enhance the on form experience. Please refer to the events page for updates on this programme.
https://www.onformsculpture.co.uk/whats-on-list/
An absolute must is the Potting Shed Café, in Asthall Manor’s walled garden, featuring food inspired by the vegetable garden. Adding another exciting element, there is also the Madhatter Bookshop in the swimming pool pavilion.
Our in-house restorer Dave knows all there is to know about restoring antiques and repairing any damage. He plays a crucial role in sustaining the life of our stock and making sure it can survive for future generations. He shares his dos and don'ts for materials we often encounter in the antiques world.
Dave says… ‘Caned seats and backs, as well as whole wicker pieces, gradually disintegrate over time with heavy use. If you have buttons on the back of a pair of trousers, for example, they will snag and aggravate the cane until one day – ping! The woven part will come loose. There are a few things you can do, however, to keep cane or wicker pieces in tip-top condition.’
DO: Treat the wicker to strengthen it. You can use a clear lacquer or shellac to do this, but be sure to read the specifications of your product carefully as not to affect the colour of the piece. A good quality clear shellac will put a sheen on the wicker without affecting the colour. This will help the cane to last longer and avoid fraying or breakages.
DON’T: Use a wicker piece to support heavy loads. You might think a very heavy box on a caned side chair works for a temporary storage solution, but this will gradually weaken the tautness of the cane.
DO: Use cushions. This will help to reduce the daily stress on a cane or wicker seat.
DON’T: Drag fully wicker pieces around, like a bamboo dressing table for instance. These pieces are usually only fixed with nails and pins, so a lot of dragging and heavy-handedness will weaken them. Lift the pieces up and move them instead.
You might have inherited a lovely Georgian or Victorian piece, with stunning colour and patina. How do you keep it looking that good?
DO: Use a wax diluted with a little white spirit to treat the piece. Do this a couple of times a year to preserve the finish.
DON’T: Expose it to direct sunlight or a very warm part of the home. This is how antiques fade and lose their striking depth of colour.
DO: Use a lint-free cloth to dust your antiques. This way, you won’t scratch the polish.
DON’T: Surround a great piece of brown furniture with plant pots or other water hazards. Watermarks are the devil for brown furniture and must be avoided at all costs.
Not sure why it is worth restoring an old piece of wooden furniture? Read our case, 'In defence of brown furniture' here.
In most cases, you want to consult a professional when it comes to upholstered furniture because there are considerable risks with it. However, Dave advises…
DO: Inspect the frame before you start taking anything off. Make sure the legs are intact and check for wobbles in the frame.
DON’T: Do anything in haste. In some cases, the upholstery will be keeping the whole thing together. This is where a risk assessment is very important.
Intricate veneers are often what makes a classic piece of antique furniture so beguiling. But after a long life this applied decoration can start to lift off. What can you do?
DO: Cut a small square or rectangle where the damage is and patch repair it, then match the colour after.
DON’T: Cut veneers in funny shapes! Matching it after will be a nightmare.
DO: If the lifting veneer is one piece, lift it up and glue underneath then put it back down. Run a flat knife along where it is lifting to see how extensive the problem is – there’s no point in patch repairing bit after bit, you may as well do it in one go!
DON’T: Attempt to patch repair if there are bits missing entirely or splintered. You will need to replace the whole thing.
Gilding gives anything from a commode to a mirror a majestic opulence. How do you keep it looking so good?
DO: Take care to match the exact colour of the gold leaf if you are going to touch up the gilding. Believe it or not, there are lots of shades of gold!
DON’T: Transport gilt antiques carelessly. Logistics is where most damage to gilding is done.
Dave's final piece of advice when it comes to tackling restoration:
‘If you are going to take up restoration or repair your own pieces, it is going to take a lot of patience. You need to juggle several skills. A risk assessment needs to be carried out for every piece, and you must think ahead.’
Restoring antiques and other furniture is key to an eco-friendly approach to interiors. Read our article 'Sustainable antiques for soulful homes'.
The rococo style, defined by its sinuous curves and natural beauty, swept through Europe in the 18th Century. Sweden was then something of a remote northern outpost, but its craftsmen were not to be underestimated. The Swedish Rococo period saw a new royal couple take to the throne and the Swedes' elegant take on the style flourish.
Sweden’s artistic ‘golden age’ spanned three design periods, which naturally followed fashions in Europe’s cultural heartlands. The dramatic Baroque period (1650-1750) gave way to Rococo (1750-1775), which was followed by the refined Gustavian era (1775-1810). All of these styles were influenced by trends in France and England but came later to Sweden due to its location and comparatively small population.
Several events sparked Sweden’s design prowess in the 18th Century. King Karl XII’s wars came to an end in 1718, ushering in a new period of peace and prosperity. Sweden’s upper and middle classes were eager to beautify their homes, and those with the money to do so indulged in lavish interior decoration. Secondly, the Swedish government announced a ban on imported furniture in 1731. In the early part of the 18th Century, Sweden relied heavily on imports from England and France. This measure intended to support native craftsmen and encourage domestic excellence, a move that certainly paid off. Lastly, the fall of the Caroleans brought new royals to the throne. King Adolf Frederik and Queen Lovisa Ulrika of Prussia were a fashionable young couple, influenced by the ideals of the French Enlightenment.
When rococo arrived in Sweden around 1750, the style had already been thriving in France for 20-30 years. The architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger was overseeing the build of The Royal Palace at Stockholm when he died in 1728, leaving the project incomplete. Luckily for Sweden’s cultural legacy, Tessin had chosen his successor wisely. He left the commission to his promising young student, Carl Hårleman. Hårleman demonstrated a mastery of architecture and became one of the most influential figures of the 1700s. Indeed, the grandest manifestations of the rococo style were in Sweden's great palaces.
Hårleman needed to complete and furnish The Royal Palace in Stockholm for the needs of King Adolf and Queen Lovisa. He largely followed Tessin’s designs, except in one crucial respect. Tessin’s plan revolved around the baroque style, but Hårleman – with a keen eye on fashions in France – adapted it to incorporate the new rococo trend. This was not necessarily a drastic change; we sometimes describe the rococo style as the final expression of baroque. Indeed, the late baroque period had already moved away from overly dark and imposing furniture. Softer designs, often with a painted finish, were increasingly popular. This transitional phase paved the way for rococo to take centre stage.
Queen Lovisa was far from a passive patron; she was one of Europe’s leading cultural monarchs and favoured the playful rococo style. Fortunately, The Royal Palace had many, many rooms to fill. French cabinet-makers came over to contribute designs and teach Swedish craftsmen their skills. One of Hårleman’s major contributions to Swedish cultural history was his insistence on educating others and subsequent generations in order to spread techniques and skills.
At Drottningholm, where the royal couple resided until their new palace was ready, designers refurbished parts of the palace in the rococo taste. A major, and often overlooked, element of Swedish Rococo design was the chinoiserie style. The Swedish East India Company was formed in 1731, sparking enthusiasm for all things oriental. The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm, designed for Queen Lovisa’s birthday, is a fantastical palace in itself that combines European Rococo with exotic eastern taste. Examples of classic Swedish Rococo furniture adorn the rooms at Drottningholm to this day.
Rococo is certainly heavy with ornament and celebrates beauty for beauty's sake, but not without thought. The word rococo combines two French words: coquille (shell) and rocaille (stone). Nature’s innate beauty is certainly at the heart of this hedonistic style. Rococo reflects the natural world in both form and decoration. It has a gentle fluidity and embraces asymmetrical shapes and ornament. Any right-angles are softened with rounded corners to create welcoming designs.
We also recognise the rococo style for its decorative motifs. Popular iconography included shells - the style’s namesake - as well as dragons’ wings, vegetation and floral tendrils. Swedish Rococo mirrors demonstrate the many elements of this style beautifully. They feature elaborate gilded foliate frames and shell crestings. The master Swedish mirror-maker Johan Åkerblad spanned both the rococo and Gustavian styles during his career with great success. Surviving mirrors attributed to Åkerblad provoke great excitement today.
Swedish architects and designers naturally drew from French and English designs, but they also put their own stamp on the rococo style. Over in France, Louis XV's interpretation of rococo was at the frivolous and elaborate end of the spectrum. Meanwhile, the style propounded by leading architects such as Hårleman maintained the Swedish sense of refinement and conservatism.
Swedish Rococo cabinets feature pronounced bonnet-tops and doors with gracefully shaped panels. Chairs and tables exhibit beautifully carved friezes and rest on cabriole legs. The Swedish Rococo chair is one of the most famous chair designs in history and the model is still very desirable today. These chairs have simple carved wood frames, and the most popular design has an open fiddle-shaped back with a single gently carved splat. Many examples of rococo chairs remain today in Sweden's great palaces and country houses.
Sweden’s painted furniture defines its legacy, and the Rococo period was no different. We are fond of Swedish antiques for their pastel colour palettes, yet the popularity of black-painted rococo furniture is less well-known. Craftsmen also adopted rich and exotic Chinese hues, so a diverse range of painted furniture survives from this period. There is always a difference between furniture produced in Stockholm, Sweden's capital and cultural centre, and country pieces. Stockholm rococo pieces might have more finesse, but country versions with those tell-tale rococo curves are charming in their own way.
The transition from rococo to Gustavian was similarly subtle to that of late baroque to rococo. Queen Lovisa's place in the royal household continued, as she served as Queen Mother to King Gustav. In addition, many prominent designers of the rococo era fused old and new fashions in their designs. It wasn’t until the end of the 18th Century that rococo's distinctive curves fully gave way to straight-lined neoclassicism.
Design in Sweden underwent exciting development and change throughout the 18th Century. The result is a plethora of stunning antiques, offering furniture and decorative pieces for every taste. Swedish Rococo furniture and furnishings are an excellent choice for today’s home. The graceful curves and fresh paint colours make rococo suitable for traditional and contemporary interiors alike. The soft femininity of the style is perfect for a bedroom or dressing room, whilst the flora and fauna themes lend themselves to a conservatory or orangery setting.
Browse our collection of Swedish Rococo antiques here and all of our rococo-style pieces here. View our lookbook 'Sinuous curves' for a little inspiration.
The English country house is one of the most enduring and celebrated styles in the interior design lexicon. This scheme is hard to pin down because it doesn’t follow a fixed set of rules. Nonetheless, its powerful influence is blatant at every turn - whether you are conscious of it or not.
The country house interior is full of paradoxes. It feels quintessentially English, yet an American developed the scheme. The country house style is far from limited to England and celebrates cultures all over the world. Even the term ‘country’ house is no longer defining. In our recent interview with Turner Pocock, the interior design duo observed that this style is now as sought after for decorating London townhouses as it is for country piles.
Country house rooms are vibrant yet refined. They are curated yet lawless. Spaces look beautiful, yet they are inviting and comfortable. These wonderfully juxtaposed layers define the English country house interior.
Grand English interiors often feel as old as time, which is an integral part of their charm. It is one of this scheme's great ironies of this scheme, then, that the style was only formally realised in the early 20th Century. The new approach to interiors glorified an old rural golden age and was the culmination of interwar sentiment. The bare bones of the style date back further, of course, with Georgian interiors laying the foundations. The stage was already set, but we owe one American lady an enormous debt for bringing the country house style to the fore.
In the 1940s, an American heiress was busy forging valuable connections in Britain. Nancy Lancaster was a prolific socialite who felt such a strong affiliation with England that she renounced her American citizenship in 1948. It was in this same year that she bought Colefax & Fowler, London’s leading interior decorating studio at the time. Together with John Fowler, Nancy began to spread the country house style through English interiors.
Lancaster herself inherited several properties that she wanted to respectfully maintain but also move on to suit her own tastes. Her innate flair for interiors became obvious through her work on her homes, those of friends, and those of Colefax clients. Nancy seized old English tropes and injected fun and imagination into them. Design movement was one of her key principles. For her, it was important that a room felt lived in and had space to evolve. This timeless feel became absolutely integral to the country house look.
Nancy Lancaster was not the architect of the English country house style. In fact, there wasn't one. Rather, numerous factors contributed to the style's evolution over centuries. The heiress, however, was the major facilitator needed to bring the style to the fore. Her key contribution was making the English home comfortable. She brought American luxuries like carpeted floors and central heating to grand old mansions, without detracting from their authentic value.
Colefax & Fowler shot to new prominence under Lancaster’s direction. She and John were a design force to be reckoned with and the company’s reputation flourished. Colefax & Fowler decorated Chequers and the Audience Room at Buckingham Palace, to name a few iconic interiors.
This interior style does not abide by any fixed rules and celebrates individualism. However, a certain essence makes the scheme feel familiar and recognisable. Comfort and easy living are integral; not only should a country house interior appear lived in- it should also BE lived in. The result is inevitably slightly dishevelled which is very much part of the charm- something John Fowler called ‘pleasing decay.’ Perhaps the reason this approach to interiors remains so unerringly popular is its forgiving nature. The house should feel like a home as opposed to a showroom. Parties, children, and dogs are all welcome.
Classic deep-seated upholstery of the sort that rose to prominence in the 19th Century is front and centre of country house interiors. Antique frames from the Queen Anne, Georgian and Victorian periods still appeal today, often upgraded with fresh upholstery. More is more, and you needn't limit upholstery to living areas. A cosy armchair in the bedroom provides a classic country home feel. In general, a range of seating of all shapes and sizes is key to crafting a welcoming space.
Classic antique pieces are the bread and butter of an English country house interior. Commodes, chest furniture, large cabinets, and other such timeless pieces provide useful storage and a traditional look. Layering time periods is key, and antiques will take pride of place in any successful scheme to make it feel established. Indeed, inherited possessions were at the core of these interiors when they first emerged. Country house interiors shouldn't feel like a showhome where you have carefully planned and sourced. Acquire pieces that you love and when it comes to styling them mismatching will only add to their charm.
Bookcases often form the architecture of a country house living or drawing room. Whether it’s a majestic breakfront piece, built-in shelves, or a matching pair of low-lying cabinets, bookcases are indispensable for achieving this look. Besides providing a beautiful piece of furniture, having treasured books and collectables close at hand and on display gives the country house its lived-in look.
Certainly one of the best things about the English country house style is its room for personality and eccentricity. Nancy Lancaster herself saw this as crucial: 'One needs light and shade because if every piece is perfect the room becomes a museum and lifeless.' Indeed, the origins of country house style were in florals, chintz, and china. For some, these details now feel dated and passé. However this is an unapologetic style, and there is plenty of room for ‘Granny chic.’ We all have antiques or collectables that we love in spite of them being a bit ‘kitsch.’ Souvenirs from our travels, our grandparents’ silver, Staffordshire pottery, an old family portrait… this maximalist interior scheme embraces it all and is better for it.
Much of the success of this scheme is in the details. Whether it’s a ball and claw foot, a fabulous gilded frame with the red bole showing through, or the blue and white patterns of a ginger jar, these decorative and intriguing accents draw the eye and make a space feel exciting.
The English country house style is far from drab and dreary; it is actually often daring and eclectic. When Nancy Lancaster bought a set of rooms above Colefax & Fowler on London’s Avery Row in the 1950s, John Fowler encouraged her to paint the drawing room bright yellow. The famous ‘Yellow Room’ set the tone for grand living rooms and is far from dull. Floral fabrics, plentiful wall art, and opulent chandeliers all complement the yellow beautifully. Colour has always been at the heart of the English country house style and it is becoming even more prominent in today's interiors.
Statement antiques, upholstery, bright colours, and due prominence to books and collections. The final key ingredient in this scheme is textiles. Not only do they bring colour and pattern to rooms, but textiles also give the English country house its crucial homely feel.
Rugs, runners, and carpets are vital for rooms with wooden or stone floors. There’s an increasing urge to bring far-flung destinations into our homes at the moment and fabrics are a brilliant way to achieve this. Our collection includes Swedish flatweaves, beautiful kilims, and vast carpet rugs.
Bedrooms ought to be the most comfortable and welcoming spaces in the home. Soften a traditional four-poster bed with antique linens galore- maximalism is the only way with furnishings. Pillows, quilts, bedspreads, and throws will make a bedroom feel charming and loved. Blending plenty of materials helps to achieve the layered tapestry that typifies an English country interior.
Contemporary designers have grabbed the reigns of the English country house style and are steering it in a new direction. The essence of the style will likely stand forever, but it's sufficiently versatile to welcome new interpretations. These adaptations and variations on this scheme reflect the powerful appeal of country house interiors and the desire to make them work with modern requirements.
Those who wish to live a less cluttered life can pare this style back and go for fewer but just as impactful pieces. When styling a smaller house or apartment, colourful paint, gallery walls and sconces will bring character whilst saving space. However, don’t fear large statement pieces either because playing with scale can transform a space. When it comes to bringing colour and vibrancy, the outdoors is your untapped resource. Bringing foliage and flowers indoors has a transformative effect on an interior.
Whilst grand English houses may have provided the original canvas for this style, today it is achievable in pretty much any home. This versatility is a testament to the design ideals at the heart of the country house style. It encourages fun and colour, it mixes historical pieces with new influences, and it reflects our human nature to seek joy and comfort.
Get inspired with our lookbook, 'Life well lived.'
The 18th Century writer Savary des Brulons described marquetry as 'paintings in wood.' He refers to the process of creating a decorative image by applying thin pieces of wood over the surface of an object. This intricate process can transform a piece of furniture into a masterpiece.
The Italians were the first to use marquetry in the 13th Century, but the Dutch perfected and spread the art throughout Europe. The first English examples arrived in the Stuart period and it was in full swing by the late 17th Century. Over in France, Louis XIV was keen not to miss out on this new European trend, ordered a Marqueters Guild be set up in 1743.
In Britain, its popularity would ebb and flow but England's love affair with neoclassicism produced some particularly stunning examples. Thomas Chippendale, along with his force of about 50 artisans, was an undisputed master of marquetry.
He collaborated with Robert Adam on the interiors of Harewood House, which still holds brilliant examples of his furniture. Chippendale's Diana and Minerva commode is particularly famous and featured beautifully intricate marquetry on a satinwood ground. His marquetry writing desk, now housed at Temple Newsham, is perhaps one of the most important pieces in English furniture history.
Exquisite cabinet-making
Very thin layers were key, so craftsmen often used veneers or very thin sheets of material like hardwood. Having planned a design, they would then cut these layers into the necessary shapes and glue them to the surface. With painstaking care, this would bring the desired pattern to life. Most impressively, cabinet-makers carried out this complex and technical process by hand for centuries.
Using a variety of different woods was key to colour differentiation and creating a striking decorative effect. Cabinet-makers favoured maple, oak, mahogany, and satinwood for their rich and varied hues. Walnut often formed the background, because its richness allowed the lighter woods to stand out.
Marquetry created a range of imagery, from foliate borders to whimsical pastoral scenes. Generally, floral marquetry represents an earlier period and arabesque a later period. Floral involves acanthus foliate decoration, vines, flowers, and sometimes birds. Arabesque, or seaweed marquetry, generally only used two kinds of wood- holly for the decoration and walnut for the background. This method relied not so much on colour but on extremely fine scrollwork and other controlled decoration.
There is sometimes confusion between 'marquetry,' 'inlay,' and 'boulle.' The results can look very similar, but marquetry does not rely at all on the surface to form the desired image. Inlays use a recess in the surface to input another material, such as bone.
Andre-Charles Boulle, a prolific cabinet-maker in the court of Louis XIV, created 'boulle marquetry.' This technique achieved even more elaborate decoration out of brass, tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, and other inlays.
Marquetry naturally evolved as more materials and tools became available, but its decorative power has never truly fallen from fashion. Today, carpenters and furniture designers draw on legendary examples from the likes of Chippendale to create modern masterpieces.
View some fine marquetry pieces from our collection here.
'Work from home.’ It’s the phrase that has defined the last ten months or so of our lives. Whether or not home has always been the natural habitat for your work, many have rushed to transform part of their house into a workspace. The Lorfords collection is full of unique pieces that will bring your dream Mid Century Modern home office to life.
Studies show that the more personal control we have over our office space, the happier we are. The ability to get creative with our workspace and have our favourite furnishings close at hand is a silver lining of the current circumstances.
One of the biggest challenges of staying at home has been drawing a line between work time and our personal lives. This gives you all the more reason to invest in your office space and create an environment you want to spend all day in, before returning to those parts of your home that you associate with relaxing.
Calm, uncluttered surroundings encourage efficiency and productivity. This can be difficult to achieve at home, but by dedicating a space for work you are halfway there, and Mid Century Modern design will do the rest.
It can be easy to feel as though you are ‘playing office’ whilst working from home, so it’s important to get creative with your space and invest in it. Stylish and useful furniture is conducive to your productivity, as well as your happiness.
Media and popular culture have made Mid Century design an object of fascination. From the smooth teak and glass of the Mad Men office to the contemporary prints and low chairs of Miranda Priestley’s office in The Devil Wears Prada, the understated glamour of a Mid Century Modern office is well-known.
The post-war period was a new age of prosperity, and many migrated to urban and suburban areas. After the horrors of war, there was a desire for more human, organic and natural design. Inspiration was sought from America and Scandinavia, and designers eagerly embraced new materials like plywood and plastic. Manufacturers had machinery and mass production at their disposal, so luckily many fantastic pieces survive today.
Furnishing newly built homes and smaller living spaces saw design take on new priorities, and functionality was a top priority. Designers didn’t skimp on style, however, and the iconic designs they brought to life have timeless appeal.
Designers of the Mid Century Modern period wanted to make furniture accessible to everyone, not just the very wealthy. The contributors to this new democratic style were many, including Arne Jacobsen and Harry Bertoia. Ray and Charles Eames were the design power couple of their day, and it's their executive desk that graces Don Draper's office in Mad Men.
Far from dull, design in this period was full of juxtapositions. Designs were extremely varied, and you might struggle to spot what a marshmallow sofa and a teak sideboard have in common. However, there were certain principles that united these designers in their plight: fine craftsmanship, quality, and chic style.
The straight-lined silhouettes of Mid Century Modern furniture make it the perfect choice for an office. Manufacturers of the period, such as Herman Miller, focussed in on office furniture and produced desks, chairs, and savvy storage solutions. George Nelson was a key mover and shaker in Mid Century Modern design. His iconic Storagewall design captured attention far and wide and he is credited with designing the first L-Shaped desk.
There’s more to working life than a desk and a chair. Nobody wants to work amongst empty cups of tea and a teetering stack of paperwork, but many of us do. It may be a cliché, but it’s difficult to argue with the concept of ‘tidy desk, tidy mind.’
It's often unrealistic to reimagine a whole room of the home in one style, but a few key pieces will transform a space. Credenzas and sideboards were already furniture stalwarts, but they were revolutionised in this period. Fitting unobtrusively against the wall, they provide storage and a surface for display. Most importantly, a sideboard or low cabinet means you can keep stress-inducing clutter out of sight.
When it comes to designing an office space, the mood can tend towards the clinical. Mid Century Modern is the perfect antidote to monotony because designers reinterpreted basic furniture with innovation and creative flair. Designers made chairs that were lower and broader, often supported on splayed UFO-style legs. They made many office-style chairs, with reclining and swivel functions. You've got your pick when it comes to desk chairs and should indulge in a big upholstered armchair for when you need a break.
Lighting was the major triumph of Mid Century design, and designs are famous and sought-after today. From practical floor lamps to Sciolari's spectacular sputnik light, lighting is the ultimate flourish for a 20th Century home office. Maison Charles’ iconic palm standard lamps demonstrate how natural forms were embraced in this period, and they make a great statement in an office setting.
20th Century design was far from solely utilitarian. Designs from this period were full of creative flair, and this should be reflected in a Mid Century Modern office. This was the heyday of faux tortoiseshell, glass, contrasting woods, bright colour, and abstract art. Adorn a brass and glass coffee table with a lucite magazine holder, or fabulous colourful glasswork by Val Saint Lambert.
There’s no point in working in a space that won’t inspire creativity and progress. Surround yourself with fabulous contemporary art and sculpture that makes you feel content and calm. Colour and character are key to boosting your mood in a long working day. This was an age of bold and pioneering design, and by surrounding yourself with examples of it you encourage the same in your work endeavours.
Whatever your personal style, there is something to love in this spectacular period of design. Mid Century Modern pieces have the power to transform a space into the perfect home office. For further inspiration, have a browse of our lookbook: Office Envy.
No point in British history had such a profound and lasting impact on furniture design as the Georgian period. Let's take a closer look at this towering legacy.
The Georgian period counts for over a century of English history. Four consecutive George’s were on the throne, and it was a time of relative stability.
Beginning with George I and ending with George IV, Georgian England encompassed a wide range of design styles. The enduring legacy, however, is one of sturdy and high-quality furniture that exudes elegance.
There’s a certain vitality to the Georgian period, reflected in its furniture and other antiques. Democracy was growing and it was a time of relative peace and prosperity. This was the era when games tables came to the fore, and interiors revolved around entertaining. Grand homes, such as Chiswick House, needed furnishings for entertaining guests for days at a time. Pieces had to be functional, but also on-trend, and cabinet-makers delivered to that brief.
The ‘early Georgian’ period refers to the reigns of George I and George II. Under George I, the elegant furniture of Queen Anne continued, whilst Rococo style flourished under George II.
The ‘late Georgian’ period correlates with George III, who reigned from 1760 to 1820. This was the heyday of Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton and neoclassicism took off. George IV, as Prince Regent, reigned on behalf of his father for the last nine years before taking over as King.
George IV pioneered the well-known Regency style. Our previous blog explored the Regency in-depth, so we will focus on the prior period in this article.
Georgian furniture did not just make use of mahogany as a material- the timber dictated design in this period. This exotic wood was not a new discovery; designers had long admired it and used it for the finest of pieces.
The timber of choice up until this point was walnut, but several factors side-lined it in favour of mahogany. England had been heavily reliant on France for importing walnut, until France banned its export in 1720. Shortly after, in 1721, Sir Robert Walpole as British Prime Minister lifted the tax on mahogany.
Thus, the mahogany revolution began, offering an indispensable resource to the cabinet-makers of the 18th Century. The timber was sourced mostly from Jamaica at first, and then Honduras.
This wood was durable and tough, with a very fine grain that resisted scratches and bumps. Mahogany blended seamlessly with ornament and lent itself well to the elegance that defined this period of furniture design.
Mahogany wasn't the only exotic timber coveted in this period; designers also exalted the boldly striped figuring of rosewood and satinwood.
Both the excellence of furniture in this period as well as its varying styles are down to the master cabinet-makers of Georgian England.
The Georgian period saw a growth of the middle and lower upper class in England. This created a thirst for possessions and furniture, which provided a strong market for the cabinet-maker. And what an era for cabinet-making it was!
Thomas Chippendale was the first on the Georgian furniture scene in London, the centre of high society. Entrepreneurial by nature, he is widely regarded as one of the finest furniture designers in English history. In 1754, he found some fame with The Gentleman and Cabinet- Maker's Dictionary. With numerous reprints and editions, this pattern book was sourced by fellow cabinet-makers, architects and noble gentleman.
Chippendale was a man who found inspiration and wonder in everything he saw. He drew upon French Rococo style, more classic French style, the Gothic and the Chinese. The Chippendale legacy is aligned with English Rococo style, though he spanned so many styles with ease. William Kent was another designer who enthusiastically embraced Rococo as well as Palladianism.
Chippendale catered to swelling demand for functional yet stylish furniture. He accepted commissions to provide interiors totally in the Chippendale style for wealthy households. Chippendale pieces are famous; the camelback sofa, ribbonback chairs, and shell and acanthus decoration feature heavily. Collectors exalt his chairs, sofas, mirrors, and serving tables as some of the finest furniture in the world. He was known for bold brass hardware, fretwork moulding and cabriole legs with ball and claw feet.
‘Country Chippendale’ and ‘Irish Chippendale’ emerged in the second half of the 18th Century. Rural craftsmen emulated his designs, using native woods rather than mahogany. These are wonderful pieces in their own right, but the quality does not compare with his original designs.
Where Chippendale pushed the boundaries, experimenting with new fashions, other designers brought furniture back to basics. Hepplewhite and Sheraton later joined Chippendale as key players in the furniture design of this period. The combined influence of these three men upon English furniture was nothing short of monumental.
As we move into the mid-late Georgian period, neoclassicism begins to dominate furniture design. These designers were of the 'Grand Tour' generation and drew inspiration from Greek antiquity. Robert Adams was undoubtedly the most significant proponent of English neoclassicism. Along with his brother James, the Adams' personal take on Palladian architecture and furniture sent shockwaves through design circles.
Chippendale became aware that change was underfoot, and so he took neoclassicism and ran with it. Some of his greatest successes were in this later period, and the neoclassical Harewood House is still home to some of his best furniture designs.
However, neoclassicism was Hepplewhite and Sheraton's guiding principle from the outset. Despite his huge legacy, George Hepplewhite the man is something of a mystery. He died in 1786, leaving his estate and business to his widow, Alice Hepplewhite. Alice carried on under her own name: A. Hepplewhite & Co. It was his widow who published The Cabinet-Maker and Upholster's Guide in 1788. This book would catapult Hepplewhite to the centre of furniture design.
Hepplewhite pieces draw upon French neoclassicism under Louis XV and Louis XVI. This pair of French salon chairs exhibit his style perfectly.
Hepplewhite was the 'master of the sideboard,' and his designs were light, well-proportioned and beautifully polished. You might recognise them for their splayed feet and stunning inlay decorations.
Chippendale and Hepplewhite had passed on before Thomas Sheraton arrived on the London furniture scene in 1790. He very much continued in Hepplewhite's vein, and the beholder can confuse the two men's pieces. However, Sheraton pieces went the extra mile when it came to refinement. Known for his rectilinear shapes and often opting for straight or tapering legs, Sheraton used neoclassical motifs such as reeding and rosettes.
And so, as the Georgian period came to an end, Hepplewhite and Sheraton finished up on a neoclassical note. Their ornament was in contrasting woods and beautiful inlaid decoration. Hence, in the evolution of the Georgian period, you witness a trajectory that builds up to extravagant heights before cooling down to simpler designs.
Despite the multitude of styles in this period, the majority had durability and beauty in common. For this reason, Georgian antiques have survived in high numbers and are still very desirable.
It was a widely emulated style for many years, particularly in the 19th Century. Although reproductions are still covetable in their own right, look out for the differences.
England and France revived Georgian design in the 20th Century, as the English Country House style emerged. Over in America, the Georgian legacy gave rise to Federal style. This is fashion that has truly stood the test of time and continues to influence interior design trends to this day.
Georgian tables, chairs, lighting, and cabinets adapt easily to the modern home. The pieces are unobtrusive and showcase the finest craftsmanship.
Lorfords is home to lovely Georgian pieces, which will ease seamlessly into your interior. Browse our lookbook ‘Georgian Golden Age' to breathe new life into your home.
Believe it or not, autumn is fast approaching. Summer has been a bit of a fleeting presence this year... but as the nights draw in, there's no need to abandon the garden.
Interior design increasingly blurs the boundary between interiors and exteriors, bringing more of the outdoors into our homes. Not only is it good for our wellbeing, but it can create a stunning look. Bringing the outside inside encourages an eclectic mix of shapes and colours which will set your interiors apart.
Being able to be somewhat outside, but within your private home, reflects Ancient Greek courtyards which were the centre of family life. Less rigid divides between outside and inside spaces is liberating. Enjoy long, relaxed evenings this autumn without being exposed to the elements.
Our decorative antiques will infuse a sense of escapism into your home, whether you are longing for Parisian cafés, the Greek islands, or the Amalfi Coast. The right combination of textures and colours in a conservatory, orangery or foyer will revolutionise your interiors.
Natural materials such as rattan and wicker are a winning choice for an al fresco inspired living space. Vanquish your end of summer blues with a natural colour palette of greens, blues and pastels.
Statues are a bold but rewarding element in a large indoor space. Decorative and symbolic, they have been integral to interior and exterior design since Ancient Rome and Greece.
Statues which might typically be imagined in the garden can look equally majestic in an airy, open part of your home. Whether they are near pristine or very weathered, statues of any condition radiate splendour and loftiness. Representations of the human form look particularly striking with plenty of natural light, in amongst lots of indoor plants.
Statues and sculpture are a palpable talking point and should always be front and centre. If you are feeling a little weary of an interior after lockdown, they offer the key to transforming a space.
Think big to transform your interior into an earthy haven: French doors, wall panels and even large gates can look amazing indoors. Antique garden elements do not have to be used for their original purpose; this is an opportunity to abandon the rules and create a truly unique look.
If your taste is more subtle, smaller details can bring just as much charm and tranquillity. Consider fossils, cornucopia imagery and botanical or wildlife lithographs and engravings. Seashells are an attractive way to accessorise, enhancing interiors with their pearlescent colours.
The vast majority of garden antiques are easily be repurposed for indoors. Planters are wonderfully decorative in their own right, and terracotta gives your home warm colour and a sense of abroad. A selection of pots in a similar colour palette, some indoors and some outdoors, create continuity between the spaces.
The garden furniture you relied upon to get through the last few months is often just as attractive indoors. Bistro style tables and chairs with cushions create a courtyard setting, perfect for relaxed hosting or enjoying some peace and quiet.
Of course, these styles are more common in warmer climates than Britain. Statues, terracotta, metal and wicker furniture... all beautiful furniture, but perhaps don't bring to mind the most comfortable living situation. Fear not, this style is about creating the illusion of being outdoors, as opposed to freezing your way through the winter.
Reconcile outdoor elements with an indoor setting by making good use of textiles. Go overboard on rugs, throws and cushions to soften the edges of your conservatory, orangery or summer house. Plenty of blankets and a Swedish flatweave rug will make sure you stay warm on autumnal evenings whilst enjoying interiors which prolong the summer.
Choose textiles in vibrant patterns and colours to compliment the muted tones of planters, architectural elements and statues. Warmth is also achieved through lighting and the right antique light fittings are guaranteed to give a sense of the outdoors. A few lanterns are perfect for a soft glow and will make you feel like you’re on a beachfront, not in your living room or conservatory.
At Lorfords we pride ourselves on the decorative and garden antiques which make up our collection. Our accessories and artwork allow you to take small steps towards interiors inspired by nature. Make more of a statement with our large scale pieces, which will transform your home into an Ancient Roman garden.
However much you want to embrace the outdoors, our showrooms and shop are guaranteed to provide the inspiration.
Visit our lookbook, 'Blur the divide,' to browse the selection of antiques featured.