top of page
THE PARLOUR ESSAYS
The Parlour Essays are short observational pieces on colour, interiors and their place in history and society. They examine the choices of material, function, or ornament that shaped domestic life.
The focus is on the ordinary as much as the grand, on details that reveal larger patterns. Read together, they offer a view of design as part of society.
DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS
The Annual Christmas Panic.
Sometimes less is more. The panic before Christmas rarely rewards as greatly as it promises, and smaller gestures can make for greater joy.
THE VICTORIAN PARLOUR AT CHRISTMAS
Light, ivy, and a little theatricality: striving for the perfect Christmas. The same now as it was then. Happy Christmas to one and all.
THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE
A Study in Use, not Decoration. The House during Christmas will reveal what works, and what does not. Nothing tells us more than a full house, bustling with life and strife. It is at Christmas that we realise whether our homes function well or could do with some help.
FEATURED ESSAYS
THE COLOURED COMPASS
A Guide to Colour for All Aspects
COLOUR FOR A NORTH-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part I.
Lean into the light. North-facing rooms require careful handling, very different from other aspects. The light is cool and even, and the colours need to carry warmth without any help.
COLOUR FOR AN EAST-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part II.
East greets the sunrise. With brightness in the morning and softness in the afternoon, east-facing rooms can handle vibrancy and cheerfulness.
COLOUR FOR A SOUTH-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part III. The light in south-facing rooms is the best gift a house can get. They are the super models of light. But with strong light, comes great responsibility.
COLOUR FOR A WEST-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part IV.
Dinner by the fire. Mercurial and changeable, the light in west-facing rooms needs warmth in the mornings and radiance in the evenings.
Search
COLOUR FOR A NORTH-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part I.
Lean into the light. North-facing rooms require careful handling, very different from other aspects. The light is cool and even, and the colours need to carry warmth without any help.
COLOUR FOR AN EAST-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part II.
East greets the sunrise. With brightness in the morning and softness in the afternoon, east-facing rooms can handle vibrancy and cheerfulness.
COLOUR FOR A SOUTH-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part III. The light in south-facing rooms is the best gift a house can get. They are the super models of light. But with strong light, comes great responsibility.
COLOUR FOR A WEST-FACING ROOM
The Colour Compass: Part IV.
Dinner by the fire. Mercurial and changeable, the light in west-facing rooms needs warmth in the mornings and radiance in the evenings.
THE DANGERS OF PLASTIC PAINT
Just because it sticks, doesn't mean it belongs. Old houses have been around for longer than plastic paint. Just because we can use it, does not mean it is right for period homes.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
The Victorians' love for deception in interiors. The Victorians loved to fake it. Marble, lacquer, expensive woods, trompe-lœil; they used great skill to pretend they could have it all without the price tag.
THE GREEN DEATH
Demise by beauty. Arsenic is know for being a deadly poison, but it was once used for wallpapers, paint, clothing, toys and even sweets. The colour green was in vogue but being fashionable could kill you.
bottom of page