Joanna Wood
Rosie Paterson talks to the interior designer about life in Belgravia and changing her mind about Constable
Where do you live in London?
I have a mews house in Belgravia, behind my shop [25, Elizabeth Street, SW1]. I’ve been there for four years and I designed and built it myself from the ground up. It’s completely contemporary, whereas, in the Cotswolds, I have a 1720s William and Mary-style house so I have the fun of living in both.
What do you like about living in Belgravia?
I’ve lived in Belgravia really since my early twenties. Curiously, it’s a village. People come and go of course, but there’s a number of stalwarts who have been here for forever and it’s held together partly because so much of it was built by [master builder Thomas] Cubitt and the Grosvenor estate, so the integrity of the place is held together in a really attractive and charming way.
As well as the people, I think it’s got the most wonderful, independent shops. Motcomb Street, Pimlico Road, Elizabeth Street… you don’t have shops like that on every high street. Another thing is the farmers’ market on Pimlico Road, which I helped set up with David Linley [2nd Earl of Snowdon] about 20 years ago. It’s an important part of that village spirit [every Saturday, 9am to 1pm].
Is there a particular part of London or shop that you look forward to visiting at Christmas time?
Absolutely yes. Unequivocally, Fortnum & Mason. People come from all over the world to look at the windows. They’re the most famous windows on the planet.
Ever since I was a tiny child, I’ve gone there to buy a Christmas pudding and mince pies and the nuts and the sugared almonds and the dates and crystallised fruits… which I absolutely hate, but tradition dictates you must have on the table. I still do it with children. We make the trip every single year. I don’t think I’ve ever missed a visit, even in lockdown.
The packaging is so wonderful, isn’t it? I adore decorative tins. They are a bit like a copy of COUNTRY LIFE, you can’t chuck them away. I’ve got seeds in the tins, and vegetables and beans, nails and screws and biscuits. I’ve got the grandest garage you’ve ever seen, with stacks of Fortnums tins.
Where do you like to shop in London? The Piccadilly Arcade, on the same side of the road as Fortnum & Mason. My absolute favourite shop is Santa Maria Novella. It sells the best pot pourri in the world, made to a recipe that dates back three centuries, which comes in a special, lined bag so it doesn’t lose any moisture. It’s the best secret in the world.
There’s also St James’s Art Books and New & Lingwood, where Father Christmas buys socks for everyone in the most exotic colours, such as emerald green and egg-yolk yellow. Across the road is Aesop, which sells the most expensive and best dog shampoo in the world. There’s nothing wrong with lunch at Oswald’s [Club, 25, Albemarle Street, W1], and the new Charlie’s at Brown’s hotel, run by the amazing Jesus Adorno who used to work at Le Caprice.
The other place that’s brilliant for Christmas shopping is Trevor Pickett [10–12,
Burlington Gardens, W1]. A really lovely, oldfashioned jeweller has just moved off the arcade and into the shop, so you can find presents there for absolutely everyone. Trevor will be holding court in the run up to Christmas with his famous purple ribbon. He’s the most fantastic person.
‘I’ve got the grandest garage you’ve ever seen, with stacks of Fortnums tins’
If you were in charge for a day, what is the one thing you would change about London? The traffic. I’d like to be in charge of changing all the traffic because I’m sure I could do it better. Otherwise, I absolutely love London. I’m a big theatregoer and a great supporter of the Royal Opera House.
I’m a friend of the Royal Academy, too, and the new Constable exhibition is amazing. I’ve never been a fan, he’s been on too many chocolate boxes, but I’ve changed my mind. The man is a genius.