Thursday 8 September 2011

Country Homes of England

From the grand stately homes to the old farmhouses of England, all have one thing in common, a sublime blend of the decorative and the practical. Country traditions and pastimes influence the interior decoration creating inviting, pleasing spaces. Time worn leather armchairs, centuries of polished wood combine with faded tapestries and antique paintings forming a unique patina. Here are a few that have inspired me.   

Above images scanned from BOOK: Writers' Houses by Francesca Premoli-Droulers
Image: LOCATION AGENCY: jjlocations
Above images: 1.PHOTOGRAPHER: Joanna Maclennan 2.& 4.SHOP: Katherine Hooker womens tailoring 3.PHOTOGRAPHER: David Merewether for the Wealden Times 5.KITCHENS: Landmark Kitchens
Above image: MAGAZINE: skona hem
Above image: PHOTOGRAPHER:Nico Morgan - Cottesmore Hunt Lincolnshire
ARTIST: SIR ALFRED JAMES MUNNINGS "Portrait of Mrs. Margaretta Park Frew Riding"
Above images: 1.Photography: Katya de Grunwald 2.& 4.SHOP: Katherine Hooker womens tailoring 3.Hotel: Borgo Santo Pietro Tuscany 5.Painting: Henk Helmantel
Above image: PHOTOGRAPHER: Joanna Maclennan
Above images: LOCATION AGENCY 1st-Option
Above image: SHOP: Teasel England
Above image: jjlocations
Above images: 1.Photography: Katya de Grunwald 2.& 4.SHOP: Katherine Hooker womens tailoring 3.PHOTOGRAPHER: Joanna Maclennan 5.PHOTOGRAPHER: Jan Baldwin
Above image: jjlocations
Above images: 1.Allington Manor hotel Grantham Lincolnshire 2.& 4.SHOP: Katherine Hooker womens tailoring 3.SHOP: An Angel at my Table 5.Image scanned from MAGAZINE: Country Living March 1999
Above image: PAINTING Sir Raymond Greene, DSO, MP, on Horseback, 1919 by Alfred James Munnings
Above image: LOCATION AGENCY: 1st Option


38 comments:

flowers on my table said...

Hi Glenda, I just love the images you have gathered here, so very English. I love the use of Military garments and riding boots in an interior scheme. I love all the blues too. Wonderful! Have a great weekend, love Linda x

AweSomeLiving By Rosita de Jongh said...

What a pleasure to your blog to follow .... beautiful pictures ... Enjoy this very beautiful .... lovely greeting rosita

Anonymous said...

lovely combination of wood, leather and style...then add plaid and I'm so there...thanks for posting these pictures...Mel's Designs from the Cabin...enjoys your blog....Mel

Just White said...

I am so HAPPY that you are back with your amazing posts?
How was the renovation? I bet you are tired!

LOVE from France, Eliana

DomCurieuse said...

So british with my french eyes !

Thilda said...

Looks so lovely! I just came home from GB yesterday! I was in Salisbury, Dorsett and London. I was feeling all the time like; "This is so my country!" I love so many things there!! :)

The enchanted home said...

Glenda, this is just stunning and you captured the essence of elegant refined country life in England so beautifully! I feel like I was whisked away for a few minutes..thank you, I needed that!

lisaroy said...

What a gorgeous post! Whenever I see riding boots and horses, I immediately think of England - and it all just seems so dignified! :)

The Paper Mulberry - Glenda Steel said...

I'm so grateful for all your lovely comments and so thrilled that you adore this styling as much as I do.

Foxanddahlia said...

Stunning, I simply love every image. I love Nico Morgan's photographs, we were at Burghley last week and are off to Blenhiem this weekend.

XXX

Sandra van Doorn said...

oh i think i want a manor now! it’s your fault!
this is so gorgeous, the pictures go so well together, and they are very inspiring indeed;
xo sandra

designchic said...

What a dream country home...adore the aged leather chair, and the scenery...fabulous!!

Anonymous said...

Glenda,

I love all of these images. They remind me of how beautiful England is with her gorgeous landscape and lovely interiors but my favorite is the picture of the darling little dog! He stole the show!

Kris

Anonymous said...

All of those images make me long to move to England. They are so beautiful!
Thank you for the fabulous inspiration.
Have a lovely day.
Sincerely,
Melinda

Greet Lefèvre said...

Glenda,
You are back and you post again one of the most beautiful blogpost ever!!!
I can't take my eyes of this post!!!
Just gorgeous!!!!!!!!!
xx
Greet

Donna Reyne' said...

SO stunning!
I love the rich color palette...the wonderful tweeds and old books really speak to me
The gorgeous room with the teal walls is so inviting!

Sharon Lee Johnson said...

I love the look of English country homes. Worn leather, slightly scuffed antiques, muddy boots and the ubiquitous dogs. You captured the essence perfectly. I loved the picture of the beagle pack being the proud new owner of a very sweet beagle pup myself. x Sharon

RDA Pony Tales said...

What a beautiful blog you have Glenda. I live in the countryside in Northumberland. My old house has many paintings of horses and hounds on the walls. I have wooden floors, riding boots drying by the aga and old chairs draped with vintage Welsh blankets.
Unfortunately, it does not look as wonderful as in these fabulous images!.... but thank you for giving me lots of inspiration!
Abby x

Wendy Paula said...

So nostalgic, so beautiful and all the lovely things I miss about England.
Hope your renovations went well Glenda:)
Wendy x

Ann said...

Very British...
very beautiful with the fabrics and landscapes.

Dawne Boynton Polis said...

So good to see a post from you again! Although I'm a Francophile, I do so love the look of English country, and the images you have chosen will give me plenty to dream about tonight. And thanks for giving such good photo credits. Glenda.
Dawne

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

This is a superb collection! So evocative. All the things we love. Doesn't that Irish Setter melt your heart?

Anonymous said...

Ces photos sont magnifiques!
J'adore ce cottage!
C'est so british!
Tous ces objets anciens qui rappellent l'Ă©poque de Jane Austen!
I LOVE ALL!!!
Bises

Anna at the Doll House said...

This is just the mix of England I would have pictured in my home thoughts from abroad. And the hotel in Lincolnshire would be my dream place to stay, when I come visiting.

You have really tugged at my heart-strings with this post Glenda.

Anna

manon 21 said...

Une belle balade dans la campagne anglaise,tes choix me plaisent beaucoup.

Belle rentrée

manon

the fishermans cottage said...

Beautiful, love the colours today.. wonderful mix of textures which is always a favourite of mine, love visiting your inspiring blog :) x

sagolikflora said...

Love this blogg!!!! Always tresures for the eye. Big inspiration and I cant wait for next update :) keep on the great work. Big hug fr sweden

Le Style said...

This is so gorgeous!
Happy weekend,

Warm greetings

Maison de lin said...

Hello,

This blogspot is just perfect, I find no words for this...

Have a nice weekend
JĂ©rĂ´me

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

All so gorgeous...but my favorites have to be the awesome floors and that precious puppy dog. Hope you are having a relaxing weekend. Hugs. Mona

Susan T said...

Ah Glenda you manage to press all the right buttons - just back from our extended hols in Scotland - we so needed the break but as soon as I settled in I missed home, despite the glorious setting and fairly decent weather I felt a warm glow as soon as we crossed to boundary to England again. I am now playing catch up with a vengeance, and visiting all the blogs I missed. When I read yours I smiled and then smiled some more. You have such a way of putting things together - to create stunning posts, not for you a few cushions with Union Jacks, sumptious tweeds in divine colours, little vignettes of the flavours of English life - truly beautiful my friend.

I do hope that your renovations went as planned. I will be in touch lovely lady. Have a relaxing Sunday. Love n Hugs - Sue xx

quintessence said...

Beautiful photography and such a well-timed post with the transition into Autumn! I'd love to curl up in the large leather arm chair with that cashmere throw and a good book right about now. Thank you for a lovely post!

helen tilston said...

Glenda, truly magnificent! I would love to live in a place such as this for a week and just read and make soup and of course catch up on beautiful blogs such as yours.
Helen xx

Julie @ followyourheartwoodworking said...

I love your blog and the beautiful photos you post. I'm in Canada, my parents immigrated from England in the 50s and I just love the old homes there. Thanks for taking the time to find such lovely photos to share with us in blogland.

rachel@Acts of Life said...

You have such wonderful and inspiring pictures. I can only dream of living somewhere like the location pictures you post. I notice in a lot of the English home pictures there are portraits of people hanging. Is it common in English decor to have portraits of random people in your home or are they usually someone related to the family? I thoroughly enjoy reading through your blog...thanks for becoming a follower of my blog as well.

Rachel~

Rachel~

The Paper Mulberry - Glenda Steel said...

Thank you so much Rachel! As for the pictures of people, I think on a whole they would tend to be a mixture of both family portraits the have been inherited and collected artworks. Warmest wishes Glenda

therelishedroost said...

wonderful post...Just found your blog.. I love it!!!

kim at northerncalstyle. said...

This is the loveliest post! Just finding it through Ivy Clad. Amazing mix of textures, colors and eye candy! Beautiful.