Far from rat race
A move to the country was a new beginning for designer maker Helen Milen. Sharon Dale reports. Pictures by Gary Longbottom.
The phrase “Life begins at 40” was popularised by American psychologist Walter B Pitkin after he chose it for the title of his book, published in 1934. It reveals why middle age is to be celebrated. Longer average life expectancy means that 50 is the new 40, which is why Helen Milen decided on a complete change when she hit her half century. A successful fashion designer, she had lived and worked in London for 30 years when she took the radical decision to move to the country.
She and her New Zealand-born husband
Walton hatched the plan while sitting in a cosy pub in Osmotherley. “My husband asked if I thought I could live up here and I said ‘yes’ and the decision was made. I’m from Teesside and have always loved North Yorkshire. My dad was a cyclist so we often visited the area when we were children,” says Helen, who used to design for top high street brands.
Finding the perfect place was all thanks to her brother who suggested that she should check out the village of Sinnington near Kirkbymoorside. It has a pub, a church, rural walks from the doorstep and a friendly community. The terrace cottage she and Walton bought there didn’t fit all their search criteria but it has proved to be perfect, especially as it has a large garden with a summerhouse that has been converted into a studio for Helen’s new enterprise: Studio Milena.
After taking a course in hand weaving, she discovered a passion and a flair for it and now combines her design skills and love of fabric with making handwoven textiles with a contemporary twist. She produces woven wall art, cushions and accessories including
pouches and bags. Helen weaves with a variety of yarns and fibres to create unexpected textures and colour combinations. The different threads are twisted to produce original yarns, which are often interwoven with silk fabric on her table-top loom to create interesting patterns and colours. “I use chunky rug yarns, plum mohair and fine cotton alongside each other to get a sense of movement into the work,” she says.
Her inspiration comes from a variety of sources including architecture, the Yorkshire countryside and trips back to London to see exhibitions. “I started with a shop on Etsy and did an Etsy Live market in Scarborough and really enjoyed meeting customers and getting feedback so I’ve since done more fairs and events and The Gallery in Malton and Selby’s Antiques and Fine Art in Thornton-le-Dale stock my work,” says Helen, who is preparing to show at the Pop Up of the North designermaker event in Malton from March 19 to
21. She is also taking part in the 2020 North Yorkshire Open Studios event in June.
Having my dog was key to me meeting other villagers when I first
moved here.
Her summerhouse studio has been spruced up to suit its new use as a workspace. There is new cork flooring and a heater and Helen has furnished it with a table for her loom and shelves for her yarns.
The main house didn’t need much work at all as the previous owner was a builder. “He had done a great job. He also made an open-plan living room/kitchen and dining space that has lots of natural light,” says Helen, who was also swayed by the cottage’s homely feel.
Since buying it she and Walton have put much more colour into the property. The orange sofa and Danish armchair reveal the couple’s love of mid-century design while the table in the window belonged to Helen’s grandparents. The dining table topped with reclaimed wood and its mismatched chairs are from Chalk in Malton.
Closer to home, Tony Popek’s antique shop in Kirkbymoorside is now a favourite hunting ground and the cane chair came from there, while the distressed mirror is a treasure she has had for 25 years.
“I love vintage and antique pieces and I had my own stall on Portobello Market. I swapped some vintage textiles for that mirror,” says Helen, who commissioned
joiner Ken Shaw to make bespoke cabinets and shelving. He also panelled the corridor to the back door tongue and groove to make a useful boot room.
The separate sitting room has walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s Purbeck Stone and Wevet along with a leather sofa from Heal’s, a 1950s French lamp and a drinks cabinet from Pickering Antiques.
“The fantastic independent shops in the lovely old market towns around here is another reason why I love living in this area,” says Helen, whose next plan for the cottage is to take out the bedroom ceilings to reveal the original beams.
For those mid-lifers who want to follow in Helen’s footsteps and escape to the country, she suggests getting a dog. Her French bulldog Dries, named after fashion designer Dries Van Noten, has proved invaluable. “Having my dog was key to me meeting other villagers when I first moved here and taking him for walks gets me out of the studio for some fresh air and exercise.”