WALL PAPER: where more at home than in London?

Thousands of gallons later I am still a great supporter of Papers & Paints' Not Totally White. The milky emulsion allows a feeling of crisp cleanliness while preserving a hint of warmth. The perfet canvas for layers of subtle interior design. But England's tradition in wall papers is such that they never make a complete exit from the trendy magazines. The weather calls for an illusion of warmth in this country and lath & plaster walls - specially typical of London's historic houses, can always do with an extra little bit of "help". Logic is never far behind good interior design choices. So where to source your papers if you have time only for a couple of pit stops? Cole & Son (I am still waiting for a chance to use one of the Fornasetti papers). Recently I have discovered the smart and understated collections by Phillip Jeffries. Check out the linens: trendy and timeless is a difficult combination to achieve and Leo's Luxe Linens do it for me. Adding warmth in the Winter yet looking suitably fresh in the Summer, linen is a winner once again in my book.

TRADITIONAL DESIGN: a contemporary twist

Some clients have extremely contemporary tastes while others prefer traditional space layout, antique furniture and ornate fabrics and wall papers. One of my current jobs falls in the latter of these categories. The room I am using as an example is a traditional dining room. The following are some of the suggestions I put forward to place the client's taste for traditional full length curtains, chandeliers etc. within a more contemporary framework. A Victorian style mahogany dining table and matching chairs were previously purchased by the client and will clearly be the most prominent items of furniture in the room.

A traditional Cole & Son wall paper (dusty pink grey with silver pattern) sets the early 20th century tone.

Porta Romana's Lartigue ceiling light brings a slightly contemporary twist to the equation.

The crinkled silk like dark fabric from Villa Nova (top colourway) adds drama and sets the background for the tieback in nickel to stand out.

The Fabricant pole (gun metal paint finish, not black as shown in the picture) tilts the balance back towards a more traditional take on window dressing and so does the

matching tieback (part of the 2009 Fabricant collection).

A possible alternative to the above

pole and tieback could have been


this Fabricant plain timber pole with

simple cap ends


and a Jason d'Souza clear tieback