ASK MR MERRIDEW
Home help from our resident under butler
QMy daughter tells me that I should have some animal print in my life as it’s apparently ‘having a moment’. How should I respond?
Angela, Salisbury
I would approach with caution and avoid making any sudden movements or loud noises. Just as you would shy away from wearing leopard print top to toe (unless you’re going the full Elizabeth Taylor), when decorating less will always be more – a scarf here, a cushion there.
Which goes somewhat against the current wisdom that hails animal print as ‘the new neutral’ – the school of thought being its widespread use makes it less threatening. That’s not a school you or I went to, though, Angela. A flash of animal print, like the glimpse of a big cat lurking in the trees, should just catch the eye, prompting a spontaneous gasp of appreciation and nothing more. Blanket coverage risks turning the big cat’s roar into a kitten’s mew.
The trick, for those of a nervous disposition, is to do one of two things. Either work with one of the less dangerous species you’d encounter roaming the pampas – zebra or giraffe perhaps – or play with colour and scale to stay safe yet stylish. Worked in blue, say, and with the motif distorted into more of a decorative splodge would mean you should have nothing to fear.
QI’ve noticed a lot of interesting patterned glass recently and I rather like it. Might it be a bit too industrial in my period home, though? And how does one go about finding it?
Sandi, Folkestone
what you’ve been seeing is called reeded glass, which comes finished with fluted, vertical lines that can make you wonder if you’ve donned the wrong specs. You see it used a lot commercially on Crittall-style screens and internal doors in cafés and restaurants. Increasingly, it’s being used to bring a ‘domestic industrial’ mood to homes, so I think it can be easily justified in your period property as it provides an alternative to the classic Shaker look. Sourcing wise, your friendly local glazier can help. Ask for reeded or fluted glass and they’ll know what you mean. For inspiration, try
Design Plus London – a company specialising in interior finishes and who supply reeded and cross-reed glass to consumers and the trade.
QMy hallway needs a seating area to encourage visitors to follow my new no shoes policy. Someone in my village has some reclaimed cinema seats in their hall and I wondered where I could source some. Or if they might work in my cottage? If not, what would you suggest?
Maggie, Oxford
TWO words, Maggie. Think again. Even when fully refurbished, cinema seats are lumpy, increasingly hard-to-come-by and overpriced. what’s more, you can never be quite sure where they’ve been. I can see their foldaway attractions in a narrow space, but all too often they end up a dumping ground for coats and dog leads and a trap for wayward fingers. A settle might be preferable, something with modern lines but a crafted feel that would honour the style of your cottage. Ercol’s Originals love seat (below) is a modern classic that works in myriad settings. Slightly more affordable, Lombok’s Arbor bench (£580) has elegant lines and a handmade look. Much more useful, neither will make that annoying flippy-flappy noise every time you get up from putting your wellies on.
QI don’t like my stairs, especially the bottom step, and need advice on what to do with them. The spindles are painted black and the walls are in an off-white, stone colour.
Kate, London
FROM the picture supplied, I’m baffled by your specific hatred for the bottom step. For me, there’s a wider issue with the carpet itself, whose colour I’d call ‘yesterday’s porridge’. Being fitted skirting-to-skirting does it no favours either. Rip it out at your earliest opportunity, give the stairs a couple of coats of floor paint to match the skirting, then put a statement runner top of your wish list. Your paint choices suggest you like to keep things tonal, but please move away from oatmeal. Stairs can always take some colour and pattern, so go for classic stripes but in a brave colourway. Or look at Alternative Flooring’s Quirky B collection, which has fresh takes on geometrics and Fair Isle patterns that are bold enough to glean guest compliments while still being a pleasure to live with.