Get the Lowe down
Romantic chic and cool rock ‘n roll in a Somerset mansion
SINGER–turned-fashion designer Pearl Lowe is renowned for her quirky, individual style – so it’s no surprise she dances to her own tune with her decor choices too.
Her home – a rambling 11-bedroom Georgian mansion in Somerset – showcases her trademark blend of grand, romantic chic and cool rock ‘n roll.
“Many people regard my style as ‘eclectic’,” observes London-born Pearl. “That’s fine by me, I don’t believe there should be any rules – unless you want your house to be a hotel,” the 49-year-old declares with a smile.
She sums up her style as “faded glamour” – also the title of her new book, which celebrates her approach to decor and creating spaces she loves.
Faded Glamour also gives us a glimpse into the homes of designer friends, including Solange Azagury-Partridge, Alice Temperley and Sera Hersham Loftus.
There are colourful living rooms, intimate bedrooms, and plush bathrooms which showcase the many different ways ‘faded glamour’ can be interpreted.
“I’d say it’s a gloriously decadent yet well-lived-in decorating style. I think of rooms that are elegant yet whimsical,” says Pearl.
She shares her own home with her musician husband, Danny Goffey (of the Nineties band Supergrass), and their children Alfie, 23, Frankie 20, and Betty, 15. Her daughter, model Daisy, 31, is a regular visitor too.
Throughout the property, Pearl has deftly mixed precious pieces of antique furniture with contemporary colourful pieces from flea markets, and 1950s plastic retro.
Wear-and-tear and the patina of age aren’t hidden. Instead, they’re revered and deliberately embraced.
“To me, an object that was once the height of elegance but is a bit battered has far more allure than something new,” says Pearl.
As a designer, she draws inspiration from many quarters: art, film, photography, music, travel and – above all – her friends, especially Rachel Ashwell, the designer and writer who introduced us to ‘shabby chic’ in the Nineties.
Rachel, says Pearl, “taught me how to create spaces that are not just decadent and stylish, but deliciously inviting and alluringly comfortable”.
Here, we take a sneak peek at some of the homes bringing ‘faded glamour’ to life...