flights of fancy
A touch of whimsy can bring wonder and romance to your home, says Frances Childs
WE’rE all prone to bouts of nostalgia — and now we can indulge them in our interiors. Because designers are flirting with whimsy.
In the 19th century, the Napoleonic Wars created a vogue for tented- style rooms. Kingston Lacy in Dorset, now a National Trust property, boasted a sumptuous tented bedroom. The striped fabrics and undulating paint on walls and ceiling were designed to mimic an elaborate canvas.
Interior designer Caroline De Cabarrus ( hotspurdesign.com) has long been fascinated by the magic of mirage.
‘I like to be in a room where you can instantly escape from the grey streets into one’s own chosen story book,’ says Caroline, who has created rooms full of fun and fantasy for several of her clients.
‘I love the effect of trompe l’oeil murals. One of my clients wanted to be reminded of his childhood in Egypt so I transformed his bedroom into a desert scene with pyramids and sand, stretching into the distance.’
Muralist Mel Holmes has seen an increase in demand for murals of wooded glades and open skies ( ‘I’m receiving commissions for paintings that mean something to my clients, a place they love for example, or an airy expanse of sky above them on the dining room ceiling,’ he says. ‘People aren’t bothered by what anyone else thinks.’
Designers report that more and more clients are expressing their whims and fancies through their interiors.
‘People want their homes to have a sense of magic,’ says interior designer Vanessa Brady ( vanessa-brady.com). ‘ Floral fabrics are popular because they’re reminiscent of a gentler age. There’s a thirst for colour, pattern and beautiful workmanship.’
Which means the work of William Morris, the Victorian artist who celebrated the glories of nature with intricate prints, is popular again. You can adopt his designs in all sorts of ways. Morris’s Strawberry Thief is available as upholstery (Little Lady Sofa £1,349,
sofaworkshop.com) or wallpaper (£65 per roll, johnlewis.com).
His work continues to influence designers today. Elizabeth Ockford, the wallpaper designer, whose delicate watercolours, many inspired by the gardens around her Sussex home, says: ‘Morris set the bar. He was a master craftsman and purist. There are Morris designs I will never tire of.’
Ockford’s romantic red/cream Ardingly wallpaper is £ 60 per roll, thepaper Original art, whether it be mural, sculpture, painting or photography is more and more sought after, says Vanessa Brady. ‘People want to have objects around them that say something about who they are,’ she says. Photographer Natalie Dybisz who works under the name Miss Anelia, creates opulent scenes, beautiful women in fabulous silks and satins, in extraordinary surroundings. ‘I try to create timeless beauty in my work,’ she says. (Swan Lake Limited Edition Small Miss Aniela £365, saatchiart.com). It’s a look that’s been inspired, according to interior designer Joanna Wood ( joannawood.com) by femininity. ‘ I think women are feeling empowered. They want gorgeous, whimsical, interiors. Vivid pinks, blues, florals, as well as butterfly and bee motifs are re-appearing alongside velvet, silk and ornate pieces,’ (Dora Chaise Longue £1,049, outthereinteriors.com).
Those who like their furnishings with a story can look to antiques, which are more eco-friendly than their High Street equivalents. For fairytale romance, nothing beats a four-poster bed. Try the mahogany Twenties four poster, £875 from sellingantiques.com.
Like the best fairytales, the allure of whimsical interiors is in the irresistible combination of the beautiful with the unexpected and unconventional.