ENGLISH COUNTRY DECORATING
IT’S COMFORTABLE, PERSONAL, AND SURPRISINGLY AMERICAN.
The English country house style, oddly enough crystalized by an American decorator, is as likely to show up in Atlanta and London proper as in the Cotswold countryside. You may be aware of the look without having named it: an upholstered sofa mounded with pillows, a traditional rug, fabric-shaded table lamps, paintings on the walls, a profusion of flowers. THE FIRE IS LIT
or looks as if it has just gone out. There is one formal piece—a French fauteuil or a Regency chest of drawers, perhaps, which is undoubtedly a family heirloom. The curtains are beginning to fade, a bit of bullion fringe was chewed by a dog long gone (there are always dogs). Something modern or, if the house is late Victorian, an Asian inflection may be found in the mix.
Minimalist, it is not. That’s part of its charm, of course; it allows for a bit of eccentricity and clutter. It might be described as pretty. Now a classic decorating approach, the English country house style is based on the layered interiors of old manor houses in the English countryside—it’s the original “shabby chic.” As an American style, it’s often attributed to Nancy Lancaster (1897–1994), the decorator and garden designer born into a wealthy Virginia family who purchased the firm Colefax & Fowler in the 1940s. Partnering with John Fowler, Lancaster brought the look to her own homes and those of her clients. Lancaster felt that informality creates the possibility of relaxation. A room should not be too perfect, otherwise it “becomes a museum and lifeless.” She valued understatement. She mixed periods and styles, used antiques, and included “a touch of nostalgia.” Lancaster is still much-quoted: One nugget is “put an ugly thing in a room to enhance the beauty of the good things.”
ALTHOUGH ENGLISH
manor houses and mansions have more than a 500-year history, the 20th-century interior style is based mostly on Georgian through early-Victorian period ideals. Thus the range of influences from which to choose is wide indeed, from classical Palladian
symmetry to Victorian Gothic romanticism. Whatever the precedent set by the style of the house, these rooms should look as if they’ve been taken for granted by generations of family. The concept is easy for Americans to adopt. Surround an important piece with comfortable upholstered furniture. Add cheery chintz and soft pillows. Bring in potted plants and flowers from the garden. Drink cold gin or hot tea.
The English are unafraid of color. Their rooms are often pastel or floral, but strong colors are used as well: grass green and teal, crimson, burgundy red and dark hunter green, deep blues, and gold. Pattern is embraced, with different designs used on wallpaper, rugs, and upholstery in the same room.
Someday we’ll take a longer look at English kitchens, but for now here’s a bit of easygoing advice: the English kitchen is not a trophy room. Once used by servants, now more likely by family, the kitchen is unpretentious. Look for open shelves, an enameled AGA stove, a table at center for meal prep and informal dining … less self-conscious than American Country, the English country kitchen is utilitarian but has the soft edges of age.
The garden plan is tied to the house and is based on symmetry and balance. Views from windows inside are carefully considered. A formal landscape plan finds a counterpoint in lush displays of heirloom roses, dahlias, lavendar, delphiniums, and peonies.
Americans are less likely than the Brits to embrace wear and tear, but we should try it. Buy good furniture, vintage or new, and then allow it to age. Treasure your things and reuse them, pass them down. Nancy Lancaster looked forward to new fabrics becoming faded by the sun.