The English Maximalista

Anyone who lived in England during the 1980’s will remember Princess Diana’s hair, the New Romantics blasting through the airwaves, and Laura Ashley bombarding our homes and wardrobes with chintzy pastels.

Laura Ashley was — IS — to me, the epitome of English style. When I was setting up my first home, before there was Houzz or Pinterest, I had to reach for my stash of old Laura Ashley catalogs from which to gain some inspiration.

Especially after I moved to the States, when I was a young wife quite homesick for the idea of England. This was before the internet, so I would have to ask my mother back in England to purchase certain items from her local Laura Ashley branch.

Mummy Dearest would then post things over to me, which she would send via surface mail, because that was a lot cheaper than regular mail… especially for heavy or bulky items such as wallpaper or fabrics. If I was lucky, those items would deliver before the 6-8 weeks promised by the Royal Mail.

Crazy to recall those dark days prior to the instant gratification of Amazon Prime!

One time, my dear [now former] sister-in-law and I made a road-trip to the Mall of America in Minnesota, where we — frankly, it was mostly I — splurged on dozens of rolls of Laura Ashley wallpaper from their branch in the mall. A lot of those rolls were in the bargain bin, on sale for only $1 per roll, which I nabbed and filled up the boot of our car.

I certainly didn’t spend more than $75 that day, and that wallpaper went on to cover almost every room in the Victorian farmhouse that my [ex-] husband and I had purchased, a lifetime ago. I lovingly decorated that house, and I loved how it ended up looking, after we were all settled in.

By that time, the Laura Ashley style had evolved from the blowsy florals of the ‘80s to gentler monochromatic prints of the ‘90s and ‘00s. It was enormously enjoyable for me to layer those wallpapers with the second-hand “antique-y” furniture picked up from rummage sales, and tchotchkes found in junk shops, stretching our every penny, personalizing everything I touched.

“Brown furniture” has not been fashionable or desirable for many years, but for some reason, I LOVE it, and have always snapped up pieces at bargain prices. Sometimes refinishing it properly, sometimes simply freshening it up with a can or two of my trusty black spray paint, oftentimes using remnants of wallpaper to line drawers or the backs of cabinets.

Ever since I was a little girl, my favourite colour was black; as I got older and braver, I started to incorporate black into my rooms as much as I dared. Trying to attain a low-key and elegant result, whilst showing the whimsy of my burgeoning personal style. It was such a delightful challenge to make all of my design ideas work in our 1875 home, because I really did NOT know what I was doing, and we really did not have a lot of money!

I think I succeeded in not losing the charm of the house — I loved the results, and we got a lot of compliments on our home.

Granted, many mistakes were made along the way, but they were all valuable lessons. I taught myself to do a lot of DIY in that house. It was so much fun.

Now, many years later, I am still engaged in my love affair with colourful wallpaper, bold textiles, “brown furniture”, and tchotchkes… So. many. tchotchkes.

Although I have graduated from the University of Laura Ashley to some other great English brands, such as Cole & Son, or Farrow & Ball. The latter of whom have great paint, not least because of the charming names of their paint colours!

de Gournay is another classic English wallpaper brand, which is, sadly, beyond my budget. But nevertheless it is super inspiring to see their paper hanging in the homes of other very lucky people. I also love Brunschwig et fils, and Zuber. (Both French, both gorgeous, and both a tad expensive.)

In future blogs, I plan on showcasing the paints and wallpapers I have used in my new house, and share with you my layering design process in the different rooms I have decorated.

I am also considering, down the road, putting together a gallery of past design projects. Sharing with you my own style evolution, along with some of my design mishaps.

In case my enthusiasm isn’t already palpable, I simply adore the way colour adds life to a room (or to an outfit); I love the wealth of texture that wallpapers and textiles bring to a room. Then add to this the layers of one’s belongings, books, and mementos: an entirely personal and unique home is created.

The right balance of colour and pattern can offer a real visual punch to a new visitor, meanwhile creating a place of calm for the homeowner. I look around my own home and all I can feel is The Love within. I wish that for all of you, too.

Lots of love,

M xo