In conversation with Louise Wicksteed at Sims Hilditch

Ahead of her collaborative project with Philip Mould gallery, we caught up with Sims Hilditch design director Louise Wicksteed, who gave us an insight into her interior design must do’s (and don’ts). We chatted about the Sims Hilditch style, their ethos that distances itself from trends and the benefits of using local craftspeople.

Louise, we have been admiring your work for so long! Where do you begin when working on a new project? And how would you describe the ‘timeless, English style’ that you are known for?

"Thank you! Well our aim is to create interiors which will stand the test of time using the finest materials and makers, both physically and in terms of enduring style. In all projects we begin by examining the building’s heritage and natural surroundings, considering how we might incorporate this sympathetically into our design.

Repurposing and reusing antiques and our clients’ existing furniture is a great way to nod to timeless English style. This gives pieces that are often steeped in English history a new lease of life.  Additionally, paints by Farrow & Ball tend to work well in traditional and contemporary English homes alike. We love their range of timeless whites. These work well as a beautiful backdrop to more punchy shades which can be used on furniture and joinery, such as De Nimes."

Your renovations often reveal natural, handcrafted pieces.

"Yes, we love to feature natural materials which are locally sourced in our interiors. Reclaimed wooden and stone flooring work well in kitchens, hallways and boot rooms and sisal carpet is great for sitting and bedrooms. We also retain much of a building’s existing material where possible if it has historic value."

You work on a wide variety of renovations, from manor houses to town houses full of natural character. How do you recommend adding character to a younger property?

"The key to creating character in a home is to ensure the interior feels that it has evolved over time. Layering an interior using a variety of textures, patterns and colours is a great way to achieve this. Each element works together to make the room burst with life. Incorporating antiques into a newer home is also a key consideration, as they bring gravitas and history to the design."

Family life is often at the forefront of your home renovation designs. What are your key essentials for creating a family space that also works for entertaining?

"An open plan sitting, dining and kitchen area is the ideal solution for creating a social space designed for entertaining. In many traditional homes, the kitchen is often cut-off from the rest of the house, making it difficult to host guests or socialise with family while preparing a meal. Knocking through the wall between a kitchen and sitting/dining area and sectioning off each space with a kitchen island is the ideal solution. Placing stools at the island creates an informal space for guests or family members to sit before the meal is served."

What do you focus on when designing a contemporary feel whilst retaining or adding character?

"The key to creating a contemporary style in a home while retaining character is to choose a carefully balanced blend of sharp lines, metal finishes and punchy colours and pair these with a selection of antiques. This might include artwork, furniture or even family heirlooms like a grandfather clock. The challenge here can be to maintain a curated, layered look while avoiding clutter."

It often pays to ‘go bold’ but it can be hard to know where to start. What are your tips on creating eye-catching interiors without overwhelming the space?

"Accent colours are a great way to be bold in your interior, without overwhelming it. A sofa upholstered in a bright colour, or lampshades and cushions in a yellow, red, or pink bring life to your interior in pleasing statements when threaded throughout a room with a neutral backdrop. For those tempted to be brave and opt for contrasting colours in a room, we recommend using the colour wheel for guidance. Typically, colours which sit on opposite sides of the colour wheel are contrasting but work well together (like blue and orange).

Do you have any tips for bringing light into a room and at the same time, attempting to create a cosy, warm feel?

"Layered lighting allows a variety of moods to be created in one room. This tends to be made up of floor, wall and overhead lighting. We often attach all light fixtures in a sitting or entertaining room to a 5 amp dimmer switch. This can be controlled from a single point, allowing the mood of the room to be altered easily."

What do you find inspires you the most when you start working on a project?

"Design inspiration comes from all around us. In particular, the English countryside, a building's history and heritage inspire our designs."

Do you have any favourite antiques pieces that you have used in any recent projects?

"We repurposed a beautiful commode in our Chelsea Townhouse project, into a vanity for the downstairs cloakroom."

What is the best way to add handcrafted pieces to a home?

"Hand-painted wallpaper and or tiles is a great way to incorporate handcrafted items into your interior. We love to use wallpaper by de Gournay and tiles by Marlborough Tiles. A great way to champion handcrafted pieces, is to research local artists in your area and incorporate their art into your home. This might be a painting of the landscape of your local area, or some beautiful ornaments or crockery that speaks to you in some way. A plate wall is a lovely way to display crockery."

Our furniture brand Lorfords Contemporary produces traditionally constructed and upholstered furniture in our Cotswold studio. Made in Britain with sustainability at the core, do you feel that handcrafted British furniture is the future?

"Absolutely. At Sims Hilditch, we champion the highest quality in terms of the products and materials we use. We love to work with companies that share these values.

Small artisans and independent brands are often made up of smaller teams who are passionate about their brand. They are incredibly knowledgeable about what they do, making them real experts in their field. These handcrafted techniques are steeped in history, so it is important to support these artisans. These skills could die out if there is no longer a demand. What’s more, these techniques often produce the highest quality pieces which will last for generations."

For more information on Sims Hilditch interiors click here.

To read more from L-Shaped on interior design, please click here for our interiors section.

*Images courtesy of Sims Hilditch.

“Nature is our muse. It is a source of constant inspiration.”

(Image by Helen Cathcart)

It was a delight to be able to sit down with Milly and Bell, two very talented and eco-conscious women. Milly Hibbert is head of brand and retail development at Thyme* and Bertioli, while Bell Hutley is a London-based artist and designer. Known for her darkly romantic aesthetic and use of colour inspired by nature and folklore, Bell was the perfect partner for mother and daughter team, Milly and Caryn Hibbert, when designing their new tableware range. This talented team are driven by their love for the environment around them. And with that, their hope to preserve nature's fragile eco-systems for generations to come.

Bertioli is a brand inspired by nature. Caryn and Milly design simple yet beautiful products for everyday living that inspire connection with the land and nourish both people and planet. The Bertioli & Bell Hutley collaboration was born from a shared desire to tell the story of nature’s pollinators and to celebrate their magic. This collection of limited edition tableware, illustrated by Bell and Caryn, and designed by Milly, celebrates these vital partnerships between flora and fauna.

A trip down memory lane

The species that their designs have focused on are indigenous to Great Britain, as familiar to us as a farmyard scene or rolling green hills. The Tiger Moth with stingy nettles, Dragonflies and Water Lilies and Sea Buckthorn for the Brimstone Butterfly surround us here in the British countryside. We know them well; spending many youthful hours skipping after moths and butterflies whilst (mostly) avoiding the nettle patches.

Their beautiful and natural designs will create an element of nostalgia for many of you, whilst reminding us too of the here and now. Our responsibility is to protect these delicate species and the nature that surrounds us, whilst being lucky enough to enjoy the beauty in these locally designed homewares.

So Milly and Bell, tell us a little about how the Bertioli & Bell Hutley collaboration came about.

Milly – “We had admired each other’s brands for a while. I knew of her designs and Bell, likewise, knew of Thyme and Bertioli. We messaged each other and we were looking at stocking a few of Bell’s products in the shop as we felt her illustrations would go really well with our lines. But it became clear that we could do more. The creative sparks flew and we aligned quite quickly.

Bell then came down to see us here at Thyme* (in Southrop, Gloucestershire) and our processes aligned really well – from a brand and personal perspective, there is a real passion for nature so the collaboration felt really natural. The design process became one team and we flowed really well.”

The tableware designs are beautiful, can you talk me through the inspiration for the designs?

Milly – “We used what we had in the gardens and farm here to be inspired. Seeing the butterflies flutter past the window here at Thyme felt like we were on to something. We came up with a number of ideas and then settled on our final three pairs.”

Bell – “It was really nice to be able to design tableware around botanicals and species that have had a bit of a bad press. Nettles and moths - they don’t really have the best reputations! So hopefully we are giving them a new lease of life through our designs.”

Image by Helen Cathcart

The botanical habitat designs beautifully complement the species you focus on- Tiger Moth, Brimstone Butterfly and the Dragonfly. How did you come up with the idea to design these as eco systems?

Milly – “With all our products, they are about inspiring a collection with, and a love of nature. There is also a bit of creative license. They are not scientific drawings but a meeting in the middle of creativity and nature. We hope to engage people in the stories of the botanicals and species. We came up with the three pairs and started with what we could see here at Thyme. Bell did some sketches first, and then we added our sketches and it grew from there.”

Image by Helen Cathcart

Milly, Bertioli have a commitment to “1% for the planet”, please tell us a little about that?

Milly – “We wanted to give back to what has inspired us. ‘1% for the planet’ is a big global movement, there are a number of brands who have signed up to it.  It is a community of likeminded businesses who give 1% of revenue to environmental causes. This figure allows us to donate significantly, whilst also allowing our business to grow, and ultimately therefore, to donate more. We can choose which organisations and charities to work with and we have worked with a number of them.

This year, our focus is on working with a project close to us - the West Oxfordshire Bird Project. We also work with Plantlife, who work across the country to educate and enable people to preserve meadows as the UK’s most bio-diverse habitat.”

Your mission - to consolidate the idea that in nurturing nature, we nurture ourselves – is one that we all feel a connection to. It’s a mission that works for both Bertioli and Bell too, which is why this collaboration works so well. So, what’s next for Bertioli, and Bell Hutley?

Milly – “We have got many things in the pipeline. I’d love to build on what Bell and I have created here together. In the meantime, we have a few launches in the pipeline – stepping into the interiors world is next. Our ambition for Bertioli is to create a whole collection of connections to nature in the home. We want to take that into all parts of the home – wallpapers and upholstery fabrics, in addition to homeware and beauty. It’s important for us to build on the relationships we’ve created with like-minded brands.”

Bell – “My aim is to continue telling stories through art. Anything beyond the canvas, whether it’s a tablecloth or lampshade, I’m always trying to create new ideas. I love interiors but I’m also writing a children’s book and creating collections around that. I want to push myself and my creativity through the storytelling. I’d love to continue working with like-minded and inspiring brands, I learn so much from it and feel incredibly lucky to be working in what I love!”

To browse or find out more about the Bertioli & Bell Hutley tableware collection, please click here.

*Bertioli is the sister brand of Thyme. Nestled in a Cotswold village, Thyme is a quintessential English country destination. A collection of restored 17th Century farm buildings, houses and cottages, Thyme is a boutique hotel, with on-site restaurant and spa.

More about the Bertioli & Bell Hutley collaboration

In recent years, the fragility of nature has been put at the forefront of conversation, with species decline and habitat loss at the heart. One of the key concerns has been around the health of pollinators and the crucial role that they play in every ecosystem.

With this collaborative collection, we bring together the distinctive illustrations by Bell and Caryn to celebrate pollinators and highlight their relationships with both common and unique plantlife. This will hopefully inspire conversation around the table and a deeper connection to nature.

“Bertioli’s mission is to consolidate the idea that in nurturing nature, we nurture ourselves.” Caryn Hibbert.

"That's the beauty of garden design in a way. Longevity is there in the plan and the structure and everything else changes all the time - whether you want it to or not." Legendary duo Isabel and Julian Bannerman are garden designers by appointment to The Prince of Wales. Their accolades include the majestic gardens at Highgrove, Trematon Castle and Houghton Hall. We had the privilege of asking Isabel about all things garden design.

The beautiful gardens at Trematon Castle, Cornwall

Q: You left Trematon Castle in Cornwall in 2019, having transformed its landscape. What different gardening concerns come with a coastal setting? 

A: Well, wind is the main one. It was very windy! You have to adopt a trial and error approach. We plant euphorbias and they literally blow out of the ground, so it’s a matter of seeing what will stay put. Because Trematon was a castle it was surrounded by walls and that makes it worse because the wind forms eddies and currents. It was a dramatic but lovely setting.

We used to stay at Arundel Castle when we were working there. They don’t have any central heating upstairs so you have to have a wood fire in your bedroom which is really romantic and lovely.

Q: Your third book is coming out soon. What will we learn? 

A: Our first book was about our work - lots of people didn't actually know what we did all day. Our second book was about making the garden at Trematon and scent. The third, this book, is basically an anthology of smell literature. It also offers a lot of science about scent and pollination.

The Walled Garden at Houghton Hall, Norfolk

Q: Having worked on so many iconic houses all over the country, does any one in particular hold a special place in your memory? 

A: We’d always loved Houghton before we even got to work there, so that was very exciting. Architecturally it is fabulous. Also, we used to stay at Arundel Castle when we were working there. They don’t have any central heating upstairs so you have to have a wood fire in your bedroom which is really romantic and lovely – so Arundel sticks in my mind.

Q: Working and living together with Julian, do you ever disagree on designs for a project? How do you overcome that? 

A: *laughs* we have LOADS of disagreements. I mean it’s part of the process actually. I think it’s the reason we are quite good value for money in some ways. We argue things through a lot, so presumably the ultimate solution is the best because one of us has given in to the other!

Q: So, do you have quite different styles? 

A: On one level not at all. But on another level… I’m much more environmentally concerned. I’m much more organic than Julian. We're of slightly different generations, he’s ten years older than I am and I think that makes a difference. Also, he’s probably braver. You know, he’s just that much more confident.

Q: On that note, how do you think the approach to garden design is going to evolve in light of environmental concerns in the near future? 

A: Oh, I think a lot. I hope there will be a lot less mowing of everything. It has already started though, in Hyde Park they changed that in the 90s. I think the industry has got to change, plants are like cheap clothes at the moment- throwaway things.

We did this courtyard on Hertford Street that's a bit like the Sir John Soane museum - lots of plaster casts on the wall and a fireplace and stuff. We’ve actually done several gardens in London like that. They’re more like outdoor rooms.

Q: You design some huge grounds for your projects. For those with smaller city or town gardens, is it possible to bring grander features into a smaller space? Or is a completely different approach necessary from the get-go? 

A: It is different, obviously. We did this courtyard on Hertford Street that's a bit like the Sir John Soane museum - lots of plaster casts on the wall and a fireplace and stuff. We’ve actually done several gardens in London like that. They’re more like outdoor rooms. That works very well in smaller gardens which are basically an extension of the house. But that’s what we’re trying to do in the big gardens too – make places for people to live in. This is sometimes more difficult in a big garden if anything.

A courtyard garden on Hertford Street in London, designed by the Bannermans.

Q: With grand country house gardens, do you bear in mind their interiors and the social and historical context when planning the garden design?

A: They’re definitely integrated. It’s all about how the garden and the house connect and how you live in those two spaces. It’s changing a lot, I find it a bit sad that everybody now wants to turn a barn into something else. Personally, I like lost dusty places to stay like that. There’s a bit of a compulsion to convert everything into something.

Q: How do you ensure longevity in garden design? How do you know what is right for the client now will be right in ten years? It's certainly a big element in interior design... 

A: Well, it’s different with gardens in that they go on getting better if they are well-designed. That's the beauty of garden design in a way. Longevity is there in the plan and the structure and everything else changes all the time - whether you want it to or not. Gardens are constantly evolving. But you do want to get the basics, those bones, right from the beginning.

Q: I know you're fond of an obelisk... when it comes to garden ornaments, are there certain garden features that you come back to time and time again - no matter what the setting is?

A: Sort of, yes. Big coppers and big planters are generally always good… Sorry, my mind is flooding with things I don’t like! We always keep an eye out for nice benches and coppers. Strange planters are usually a good thing. We don’t like statues *laughs*, they’re mostly pretty awful.

Q: What will we find you and Julian doing when you are doing nothing to do with gardens at all? 

A: Ooo. I suppose we drink and eat a lot! We like visiting churches and architecture. We read a lot. Going to antiques shops is another big pastime of ours.

 

 

 

Isabel's latest book, 'The Star-Nosed Mole: An Anthology of Scented Garden Writing,' will be published next month.

Inspired by the majestic landscapes created by the Bannermans? Shop our garden antiques.

Read all of our Q&As on L-Shaped.

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.

The historical context

Several events sparked Sweden’s design prowess in the 18^th 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 18^th 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.

Swedish Rococo in the royal 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.

The Chinese pavilion on the grounds of the Royal Palace at Drottningholm.

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.

Nature's ornament

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.

The Swedish take on Rococo

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 18^th Century that rococo's distinctive curves fully gave way to straight-lined neoclassicism.

Rococo for today's home

Design in Sweden underwent exciting development and change throughout the 18^th 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.