Katie Shillingford home tour

Back in the Spring, film photographer Katharine Peachey and I visited the East London home of one of my oldest friends, Katie Shillingford, who lives with her music producer husband, Alex Dromgoole, and two year old daughter, Mila. Katie and I went to school together and then she went on to study at Central Saint Martins and Camberwell College of Arts. At this point, it was very clear that she was headed for an incredibly successful career in the fashion world, which now seems like an understatement. The current Fashion Director at Another magazine and the contributing Senior Fashion Editor at Dazed and Confused magazine: Katie’s fashion stylist skills are just extraordinary.

As a teenager and student, I always admired Katie’s ability to turn her bedroom into an eclectic and super cool interior, bursting at the seams with clothes, curios, pictures, photos, ornaments and furniture. Today, however, Katie and Alex have pared their style right back; almost an antidote to the crazy, hectic schedules they both manage. In Katie’s own words: “Over time my taste has refined, life has got really hectic and full, and so I don’t want to surround myself with all that stuff.”

Since Katharine shot their home, the couple have bought and moved to a huge barn project in the countryside, so when we visited they were getting ready to move, and they don’t feel that they ever really “finished off” their home, after doing an extensive renovation of the period property: “Mila arrived, our jobs took over and we never got round to styling it in the way that we had planned. I haven’t even put any pictures up since I hung the first one incorrectly,” jokes Alex.

Now that they are moving on, Katie still likes the idea of keeping the beautiful blank canvas that they did create in their London home: “I like to have a clear canvas so I can add the things that I love. The inside of a home naturally evolves and that’s why we kept it white so we could add to it over time.” The couple chose grey as a “neutral highlight” to emphasise the wonderful period features throughout their home because that was the colour Katie loved during that particular fashion season. Her own beautiful wedding dress designed by Gareth Pugh, which is currently exhibited in the V&A’s Wedding Dresses show, was pale grey.

When we sit down together to talk about their home – on the sofa I remember so well from Katie’s parents’ home – it is very clear that the couple take an equal part in the decision making process: “Katie panics about the decisions and I make the decisions,” states Alex. “But Alex has to agree with me,” Katie quickly interjects. Sounds familiar to me. They reel off a list of their favourite interiors shops that they frequent: Past Caring, Chase and Sorrenson, Fandango, SCP, as well as trawling eBay and searching for 1930’s Art Deco or mid-century furniture. So much in their home has a memory attached, which reflects Katie’s work as a stylist; every shoot begins with a story: “I like things for what they are or for what they have meant to us.”

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

The colour grey is a neutral highlight throughout the house as that was Katie’s favourite colour that season. It brings cohesion to the whole home, perfect for the couple’s lovely pieces to shine.  The space is simply furnished with furniture that has a story to it, which reflects Katie’s work as a very successful fashion stylist.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

The sofa on the left was in Katie’s family home and they had it recovered: “I have so many memories of home, sitting on this sofa, watching TV, being with friends or family.”

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

The newspaper cutting on the mantelpiece was a wedding present: “I wanted to get married by the time I was 30 so we married on July 29th and I turned 30 the next day. Diana and Charles married on the same date.” In the fireplace sits a present from Katie’s best friend and British designer, Gareth Pugh. Before Mila’s birth, a baby shower was planned, which never actually happened as she arrived a bit early. However, Gareth made this nappy cake for Katie (underneath the dress is a stack of nappies). It’s perhaps a bit more extravagant than your average nappy cake as the dress, made by Gareth, is a replica of one of his designs from that season’s dress collection.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

The gorgeous lamp is from one of the couple’s favourite shops, Past Caring. Sitting next to it is their wedding picture – Katie’s wedding dress, designed by Gareth Pugh, is now showing in the V&A.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

The desk was a good eBay find as it fits perfectly in this alcove. They usually search for Art Deco or mid-century furniture on eBay.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

Alex’s favourite piece in the house is this kitchen bench made out of scaffold planks. They completely reconfigured these rooms to make one large kitchen and sitting room when they did the renovation works.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

Another reason the couple furnished their home so simply is that they quickly realised when they had Mila, that nothing was safe from her little hands: “The bedside table was cleared of anything the moment she was old enough to grab stuff.” They bought the bedspread in Laos, where they went on their honeymoon.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

Katie and Alex both said that they like to change their furniture to meet their current needs. They reupholstered this beautiful piece of family furniture that sits under their bedroom window.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

When they began the renovation works, Alex was so pleased when they ripped out the ensuite, that was previously in the corner of their bedroom, as they exposed this brick on the back wall.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

When I ask Katie what she thinks makes a beautiful interior, she very quickly responds that it’s all about the details like the taps, radiators, light switches: “Taps were a really big thing for us.” These taps are from Lefroy Brooks.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

“We were worried about having a bath in the bedroom but it has worked out really well and I love it.  It’s also great with a baby as there is so much space to bathe her,” Katie explains.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

The pretty pink chair in the bedroom was Alex’s grandmother’s, which he painted to help restore it.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

Mila’s lovely nursery.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

Mid-century furniture works perfectly to create a stylish, child-friendly space.

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

London home of Katie Shillingford, Fashion Editor Dazed and Confused magazine | Apartment Apothecary

Katie on their roof terrace.

A special thank you to Katharine for these beautiful medium format film photographs – be sure to check out more of her beautiful interiors shoots. Thank you to Katie and Alex, too, for a lovely Sunday morning spent with them. As they move on and away from this, their first family home, they want to take with them what they have learnt from this project and the inspiration that came from the fifteenth century farmhouse in France, where Alex proposed to Katie. I can not wait to see the results.

Katy x

 

Greek island interiors

I am off on my hols this week so taking a little bloggy break too – I will be back on September 1st with the very first instalment of our exciting new blog series, Styling the Seasons (remember, we’d love YOU to take part, just click on the link to find out more). Very excited to see everyone’s pics and what September means to you; it is, without a doubt, my favourite month of the year.

In the mean time, we’re off to Skopelos, a Greek island, for a friend’s wedding and making a holiday out of it, too. I want to share one of my favourite Greek island homes that is owned by hotelier, Costas Psychas, off the coast of Therassia, an islet in Greece’s Aegean Sea. It is a secluded, peaceful spot that is reflected in the interior that is quite beautiful in its simplicity. We won’t be staying anywhere quite as spectacular but the white and blue beauty of the Greek islands will hopefully deliver me home in September feeling refreshed and ready for new beginnings.

All images are from Elle Decor and photographed by William Abranowicz.

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Greek island interiors by Apartment Apothecary

Happy holidays everyone!

Katy x

 

 

New England style wedding venue

Ok, I will admit I have been thinking about a wedding venue…maybe just a thought or two. My general tendency to peruse other people’s homes, coupled with a new awareness of wedding venues, led me to Foster House. Set in beautiful Kent, lies this New England style clapboard house that is used as a photography and films location, as well as a wedding venue. It’s all so pretty that I wanted to show it to you today but I definitely won’t be getting married here – far too expensive!

The ceremonies take place in the barn below…

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

The barn looks out onto this beautiful meadow, where you can pitch a marquee.

I love the exterior of the main house; I’ve always been a big fan of new England clapboard houses with wrap around porches. The interior is typical of the style too – all white walls, scrubbed wooden floors and rustic furniture.

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

There is also an idyllic summer house on the grounds…

Summer house interior

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

New England style wedding venue Foster House www.apartmentapothecary.com

The search continues…

Katy x

 

Tiny house

When I was a little girl I used to dream of one day owning an enormous house with different wings, stables, a pool and all that jazz.

Now, I think about that dream and instead of swooning I think about how complicated owning a large property can be. Today I strive for simplicity and pared down living; I hate being lumbered with clutter and too much stuff. I want the ease of owning a small home and being able to enjoy that home as much as possible, rather than constantly striving for something bigger and better. I also really like the idea of having a small space that I could make as beautiful as possible, which is far more achievable than having a big house that always has bits you never get round to sorting out.

When I saw the pictures of today’s ‘tiny house’, which is located in rural Oregon I immediately fell in love with the simple, minimal way of living that the family of four who live here must enjoy. Jules and I often talk about selling up and moving to a teeny house in the country with space to grow food and a workshop for Jules to pursue his love of carpentry. If someone offered me this house I would jump at the chance!

Who needs a million and one rooms when you’ve got a gorgeous, rustic interior and clever storage solutions and the big outdoors on your doorstep? Not me.

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com
What do you think? Small but perfectly formed or large and difficult to maintain?

Katy x

 

Photographs by Lincoln Barbour and all images from Mechant Design blog.

 

The Folly

The Folly is a luxury holiday home in the Cotswolds that I got to snoop around with film photographer, Katharine Peachey. Originally owned by a member of Cold Play, the house doesn’t have the traditional country decor you might expect.

Two cottages knocked into one, there is a modern extension, which adds space and light. It is set in its own grounds with tennis courts, an annexe and is surrounded by fields of horses. It’s the perfect country home to spend the winter in as you are welcomed by a roaring wood burning stove, open fires and an Aga. There are lots of sumptuous textiles and sofas in the two sitting rooms and the upstairs is warm, cosy and filled with interesting knick-knacks. The attic has been converted into the most wonderful bedroom suite and the bathroom, with its copper freestanding bath, was my favourite room in the whole house.

Katharine took these fabulous shots, which capture the unique interior perfectly. She has recently launched a new website to showcase her portfolio of photography projects and collections. Obviously, the interiors gallery is my favourite but take a look to judge for yourself…

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

The Folly | The Cotswolds country house | Apartment Apothecary

Do pop over to Katharine’s new site to check out more of her work and some of the other houses we have toured together.

Katy x