Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Homes & Antiques

As the seasons begin to shift, I find I’m increasingly drawn to the comfort of my bedroom. There’s something about the tumble into autumn that calls for calm, cocooning spaces, which is why Kiera Buckley-Jones’ column on creating a restful environment (p22) couldn’t be more timely. She shares five easy decor updates that promise a better night’s sleep – perfect for those looking to wind down and reset. But if slumber takes a backseat to style in your book, see Vivienne Ayers’ guide to statement-making beds, on page 29. From bold headboards to enveloping curtains, a touch of drama can transform even the simplest of rooms into something extraordinary. Our four featured homes this month are full of character, and each entirely distinct. In Lincolnshire, Sarah Davenport’s home (p56) bursts…

Power couple What started as a meeting of minds quickly blossomed into a design dream. Artist and designer Gavin Houghton has teamed up with Villa Bologna (helmed by Sophie and Rowley Edwards) for a joyful collaboration. The result? A collection of hand-crafted vases and plates, brought to life in Villa Bologna’s Maltese workshop. These vases (£380 each) are sure to steal the spotlight. villabolognapottery.com Pull up a pew Matilda, The House Upstairs’ first banquette seating with storage, combines charm with practicality in perfect harmony. Personalise it effortlessly: pick your paint shade and supply your own fabric (or let them help you)! From £1,750. thehouseupstairs.co.uk Candle-lit corners As the nights start to stretch longer and the air turns crisp, there’s no better way to cosy up your evenings than with Nkuku’s…

Fabric Wallpaper Bring the outdoors in and create a calming space by combining landscape paintings and photographs with earthenware pottery. Finish with textured soft furnishings in tones of caramel, chestnut, and moss green…

Sitting at the desk in her home studio, botanical wax artist Annette Marie Townsend has the perfect view from which to contemplate her next project. From here, she looks onto her abundant garden, where deep borders spill verdant greenery over the gravel paths and bees buzz around the tall verbena and flowering hebes. While the alliums were in flower, Annette photographed them in great detail and brought a specimen into her studio to take apart, making a mould of the centre, and templates of the leaves and flowers. Some forget-me-nots were similarly examined and recorded, and she has her eye on the cornflowers next. This careful, almost forensic research is the starting point for Annette’s incredibly detailed sculptures of flowers, plants and sometimes fruit, which she makes from wax. They…

Lawyer Sian Bishop is no stranger to home upheaval, having moved every couple of years and completed a string of renovations. But this house is different – this house has developed roots. ‘The adoption process is lengthy and, before you even get a date for the hearing, you have to provide a photograph of you with members of the family, which goes into a book to welcome your child,’ explains Sian. ‘In our case, that photograph is of me and my cocker spaniel, Arthur, on the front steps of the house. This place is intrinsically linked to my son, Jack, coming into our lives.’ Her Victorian home may be in the centre of Oxford, but you wouldn’t know it. It’s tucked away on the quietest street and is blessed with…

If you’re planning to ‘hit the sack’ after a night on the town, you aren’t, of course, a medieval peasant who was also looking for a good night’s sleep on a bag stuffed with straw or hay. Many early medieval families slept on these mattresses, which they stacked neatly in a tight living space. More surprising, however, is finding how the bed was a communal spot for sleep in many families. Parents lay in the middle, with girls on the mother’s side and boys on the father’s. This was an efficient way to keep warm when textiles were expensive, and a coverlet of wool, linen or hemp did for them all. Bed-sharing continued across centuries; visiting friends or even a servant sometimes climbed in. Strangers often shared a bed at…

Catgill Farm Alongside traditional camping and a clutch of luxe timber pods (including a Swiss Alps-inspired chalet-style pod), Catgill Farm also plays host to two gorgeous bell tents, complete with private patio, hot tub, fire pit, barbecue and pizza oven. Views across the Yorkshire countryside from the tents are phenomenal, and the interiors are eclectic and cosy. Start your day at on-site Cat’s Kitchen for a hearty campers’ breakfast and excellent coffee, then head off to explore the ruins of medieval Bolton Priory and various local walking routes. Round off the day with one of Cat’s stone-baked pizzas under the stars. catgillfarm.co.uk Cuckoo Down Farm Only a stone’s throw from the beaches of south east Devon, you’ll find the lovely glamping site at Cuckoo Down Farm. The Sheaves family has…

PREPARE TO BID Before you bid on an auction lot, you’ll need to join an online bidding platform such as the-saleroom.com, or register to bid with an individual auction house, providing personal details and payment method in advance. ENJOY THE PREVIEW Auction previews take place a few days before a sale, when you can visit the auction house in person to see things and talk to specialists. This is not always practical, however, and many auction houses offer virtual viewings or page-turning online catalogues. UNDERSTAND HAMMER PRICE AND ADDITIONAL CHARGES The price you pay when the auctioneer’s hammer comes down is called the ‘hammer price’, which represents a legal transaction between seller and buyer. Bear in mind that each lot is also subject to a Buyer’s Premium charge, plus VAT.…

1 Dean Antiques We regularly come back to Dean Antiques, and rightly so: Dean Gipson’s stock is exceptional, especially for country house tastes. Suited to this style, the company deals a lot in restored and recovered Howard & Sons armchairs and sofas, not to mention imposing Chesterfield sofas straight out of a grand drawing room. deanantiques.co.uk @deanantiques 2 Desired Effect Antiques If you love that British country house aesthetic, pay attention to the antiques sold by Andy Walker in West Yorkshire. Goods date from the 18th century to the mid-20th century, and include floral daybeds, Howard & Sons pieces, country house sofas, and slipper chairs. We’re particularly taken by the William IV ‘Propper’ library armchair from Powderham Castle in Devon (pictured right) – upholstery options are available, too! desiredeffectantiques.com @desiredeffectantiques 3 Miles Griffiths Antiques…

THE GETAWAY Montagu Cottage Make your way to the rural heart of Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland for a restorative break at the newly renovated Montagu Cottage, set within the estate of majestic Drumlanrig Castle. This self-catered property sleeps six, and blends modern luxury with a historic character that befits its 19th-century origins (the building was originally part of the estate’s laundry). The interior is chic and spacious, while outdoors you’ll find an enclosed garden with a patio and views over the Nith Valley, drumlanrigcastle.co.uk THE COURSE Get to grips with stone carving Master the timeless art of working with stone via the experts at London Stone Carving. The next offerings range from a weekend beginners’ stone carving course in London (£300), 6th-7th September, to four-day courses (£500) in Somerset…

How often have you caught yourself wistfully daydreaming about a fresh start in a faraway land? If the crystalline shores of Sicily, the whitewashed villages of Puglia, or the mysterious streets of Naples tug at your imagination, these 12 remarkable homes, curated by interiors writer Marta Galli, are sure to speak to your soul. Tucked away in the lesser-known corners of southern Italy (or ‘Mezzogiorno’, as it’s known by locals), each place is brought to life through the lens of photographer Mike Karlsson Lundgren. From Villa Ruiz, a neoclassical estate restored with utmost reverence, to the rustic, cavernous rooms of architects Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba’s old mill – once used to produce oil for lamps – every home is a quiet storyteller of its own past. ‘Some of the…

Today’s statement beds are rooted in the past. In medieval times, beds made of fabric were the preserve of the rich. ‘Textiles, hangings and tapestries showed the status of the owner,’ explains Sarah Medlam, curator emeritus at the V&A. Before the 16th century, the main element in grand beds was textiles, and this was also for practicality. Noble households moved between houses to demonstrate their power and exert authority, so their furnishings needed to be portable and easily packed up. By the 16th century, when households were more settled, elaborate carved wooden beds came into fashion. Modern beds have evolved, taking inspiration from their predecessors. FOUR-POSTERS AND CANOPY BEDS Function was the main reason that four-poster beds came about. ‘These were designed to retain warmth and provide privacy, key in…

The banks of the River Leie near Ghent in Belgium were often depicted by the Impressionist painters in the renowned artists’ village of Sint-Martens-Latem. It’s a beautiful spot and one that Marie-Catherine Staelens, copywriter, author and fashion buyer, and her partner Jean Pierre Detaeye, who works as an interior architect, can now call home. The house was built after the Second World War, and used to belong to Marie-Catherine’s family, who used it as a holiday home. In 1975, it was renovated in true Seventies style with a wood-panelled kitchen, beams, a brick fireplace and wide picture windows. When Marie-Catherine and Jean Pierre moved to the house in 2021, it had been untouched since then: even down to the carpets. Rather than ripping everything out and modernising it, the couple…

‘I started collecting historical costume in the 1990s. I’m fascinated by the way social change is reflected in the clothes people wear. The earliest pieces in my collection date to the late 1700s – sack back gowns with open fronts. They’re made of silk woven in Spitalfields by refugee Huguenot silk weavers, who fled religious persecution in France and settled in London. I’ve collected fashion from across the decades: everything from the kind of muslin dresses seen in Jane Austen adaptations to 1920s flapper dresses, to the bold geometric designs of the 1960s, influenced by the space age. Originally, what I bought depended on what was available and what I could afford. I was systematic in the way I approached my collecting: everything was arranged in chronological order on rails…

BUY NOW Celtic and Roman coins Values in the coin market are almost entirely driven by condition, and even small differences can have a dramatic impact on price. Three examples of the same coin illustrated in one of our recent sales ranged from £11,000-£2,600. Why such a leap? The only difference was condition. British coins will always lead the market in this country, and the standard series from the 17th-20th centuries are going to be an attractive proposition. For something a bit different, Celtic tribal coins provide a tangible connection to Britain’s earliest coinage, while Roman versions are an excellent entry point, and often surprisingly affordable. Whatever your budget, simply buy the best example you can afford; it will hold its value, and bring you greater pleasure as a collector.…

Last April, Brett Tryner, director of Fine Art at Cheffins in Cambridge, took an intriguing call from a potential client. She had a collection of Tirzah Garwood artworks in her possession – could she have them valued? ‘Automatically, you suspect that it’s too good to be true, as the majority of Garwood’s archive is owned by the family,’ says Brett, ‘but we met in the office and it quickly became clear that her collection was authentic.’ Like many art lovers, he had recently been to see the exhibition, ‘Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious’, at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, which ran from November 2024 to May 2025. The solo retrospective traced her journey from growing up in Eastbourne to studying at Eastbourne School of Art, where she met her future husband, Eric…

Circadian rhythm relies on a clear definition of light and dark, so a good black-out blind is imperative With the changing seasons comes a familiar pull: the quiet urge to slow down and hibernate in our homes. While the National Sleep Foundation recommends between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, the ever-present lure of scrolling and streaming can make true rest elusive. That’s why creating a peaceful environment in your bedroom has never been more essential. The choices you make when decorating your space can have a lasting impact on both cognitive and physical health, but a few thoughtful design adjustments will make all the difference. 1 MATERIAL MATTERS When choosing textiles, embrace natural, breathable fibres for your mattress, duvet, pillows and sheets, as these help to regulate body…

A 1970s Yamaha G2 baby grand piano typically makes around £3,000 at auction. So why was one sold recently for over £1.7m? The simple answer: provenance. The piano belonged to Freddy Mercury, and was the instrument on which he composed some of his most famous songs. More than 100,000 fans from across the globe flocked to see the pre-auction exhibition at Sotheby’s in 2023, which included everything from the bangle Mercury wore in the Bohemian Rhapsody video, to a pink marble-topped mini-bar (with matching stools). The sale raised over £40m. ‘When you know an object’s history – who it has belonged to or where it has previously been sold – that unique story takes it into another dimension,’ explains Jane Tennant, a director of Tennants Auctioneers. ‘For some buyers, provenance…

Cornishware: as English as a Morris Minor, a village green or a pint of bitter down the local, the distinctive blue and white banded pottery has graced the nation’s kitchens and dining tables for most of the 20th century. I’m delighted to report that it is still in production today, under new management based in Somerset and Stoke-on-Trent. Research by Dr Iain Hambling, the T.G.Green & Co Ltd historian, museum curator and collector, suggests that the original design dates back to at least 1923. Despite its evocative name, Cornishware originally hailed from Derbyshire. Plain-banded, white slipware was popular in Victorian and Edwardian households. However, as professional cooks vanished from middleclass homes in the 1920s, decorative kitchenware became increasingly desirable, especially since the lady of the house was now in charge…

Neat, hand-written labels adorn the drawers of a handsome kitchen cabinet in Fairhaven – a holiday home nestled into the narrow streets of Newlyn, in south west Cornwall. They spell out intriguing words such as, ‘Koekyes’, ‘Bieslook’ and ‘Zeep’ – Dutch for ‘cookies,’ ‘chives,’ and ‘soap’. The cabinet in question is a late-Victorian pine design, bought from a market near Delft, where it started out as a kitchen fitting before being used in a local shop. Life has come full circle for the cabinet, which now houses the stylish sink (and equally covetable kitchenware). It’s surely a worthy final chapter for this well-travelled piece, in a building that’s undergone its own transformations: from fish store, to chapel, to dubious flats and, at last, to a boutique self-catering escape. The building…

After the heat and holidays of summer, a breeze of expectation blows through the auction world as the busy autumn season gets underway. All around the country, leading regional auction houses will prepare catalogues, organise previews and answer questions that come from interested parties. Jane Tennant, director of family firm Tennants in Leyburn, Yorkshire, describes the buzz: ‘Traditionally, autumn has always been a fantastic time for top tier auctions. Inevitably, people have been away or relaxing with their families over summer, but in September there’s a “back to school”, “back to business” feeling.’ Across the board, the most popular collecting fields will be well represented, from pictures, porcelain and objets d’art to furniture, rugs and jewellery. The emphasis is on quality and craftsmanship, with estimates beginning at £150 and going…