DON’T BE A SNOB, CARRIE! YOU’VE GOT JOHN LEWIS ALL WRONG

Some basic rules for being a modern, British prime minister’s wife/girlfriend/ life partner.

1. Support our NHS workers.

2. Adore dogs.

3. Never, ever EVER slag off the John Lewis home department.

Carrie Symonds clearly hasn’t read the playbook properly. Talking to Tatler magazine, Carrie has revealed how she is getting rid of Theresa May’s “John Lewis furniture nightmare”.

Am I alone in feeling slightly irked? To the uninitiated, some of John Lewis’s stock might seem a bit safe and suburban, but anyone with half an eye for detail, heritage, quality and the timelessly chic will know the icon as a homeware stalwart, a blonde-wood heaven where an honest sense of place and dependability pervades.

Established more than 150 years ago, John Lewis remains a future-facing purveyor of William Morris wallpapers, Tom Dixon candles and the same Ercol, steambent wood couch that occupies this writer’s sitting room.

Beyond the boring corner sofas, you’ll find hygge, Scandi-cosy throws and rugs; solid, parquet wood-fronted sideboards; Dieter Ramsish own-brand electrical goods; and wild, Sanderson print cushions. If Carrie wants snazzy wallpaper, there’s the floral “Tulipa Stellata” by Designers Guild for £205 a roll.

Certainly, there are more cutting-edge furniture stores, but with a price point between Habitat and the Conran Shop, John Lewis’s collaborative commitment to good, British design is impressive.

Launched in 2012, the John Lewis Design Collective venture nurtures a curated roster of international designers. House by John Lewis employs the expertise of Theo Williams – designer for Alessi, Lexon, and Prada.

And today, John Lewis is offering virtual appointments with its team of Home Design Stylists and is even providing a furniture rental service. Unfortunately for Carrie, it isn’t renting out tenthousand-quida-roll wallpaper, just yet.