MY LIFE IN TEN...
Interior designer Emily Todhunter gives us a glimpse of her life
THE INTERIOR DESIGNER THROWS LIGHT ON THE THINGS SHE LOVES
1. John Fowler and David Hicks are two of my design heroes. They pushed boundaries and their brilliant use of colour still influences interiors now.
2. One small luxury I can’t live without is cotton sateen bed linen from Gayle Warwick. The quality is exceptional, even guests remark on it.
3. My favourite wallpaper is Anna Maria in the Parchment colourway from George Spencer, a very special hand-block printed floral.
4. One design idea I wish everyone understood is that a dark room will have much more impact if the decoration goes darker. Trying to make a dark room light never works.
5. My favourite interiors shop is Guinevere on London’s King’s Road for its extraordinary mix of old and new furniture, textiles and rugs.
6. Cressida Bell is a designer I rate as supertalented. I love her patterns and the way she treads her own path without compromising.
7. My favourite garden is The Old Rectory, Farnborough, designed by my mother, Caroline Todhunter, and recently voted one of the most loved gardens in England.
8. Among pieces I own, the old barrel organ given to me by my grandmother is very special. It has been with me since childhood and in every place I’ve lived, even New York.
9. My favourite dinner-party dish salutes my Greek husband. Kakavia is a hearty one-pot fisherman’s stew mixing a variety of fish with tomatoes, herbs and wine.
10. The best meals I’ve enjoyed are at Le Manoir aux Quat’saisons, during the years I designed the restaurant for Raymond Blanc.