DE S IGN CENTRE
for corralling canine members of the family when necessary and choosing breeds such as cockapoos that don’t moult) there was much discussion of how and why dogs are such an important ingredient in any happy home. “They transform a space,” said Hammond Giles. Dogs, she believes, achieve the canine equivalent of humanising a house, especially those that are quite formal. Kit Kemp, the creative dynamo behind Firmdale Hotels, who has had four generations of cavalier King Charles spaniels, concurs with this view. “A dog makes a house feel like a home; being greeted by a multitude of wagging tails always lifts my heart.” Dogs also bring significant joy at the Design Centre where they aren’t just welcomed but positively encouraged; canine companions of customers and interior designers can often be spotted in and around the domes, or visitors are warmly greeted by various hounds based in the showrooms. They include Twix, a new furry arrival in Tim Page Carpets, Lucy, a black and white spaniel in StudioTex and Daisy, a cockapoo in Rubelli. Charlie, a parson russell terrier belonging to the Design Centre’s creative director Arabella McNie, goes on every shoot. Dogs are celebrated, too, in many of the collections
from leading design houses; the artist Holly Frean has designed fabrics and wallcoverings for Andrew Martin featuring assorted breeds that are also available on cushions. They also feature in designs from Pierre Frey, Julian Chichester, Mulberry Home, Scion at Sanderson, Schumacher and MindTheGap. The other paradigm shift that has taken place in
recent years has been the arrival of dog beds that are smart enough to fit seamlessly into the most stylish parts of the house. Historically, it’s been an area where there have been few concessions to aesthetics (think moulded plastic and garish colours). However, the launch of design-led brands such as Charley Chau, by sisters Christine and Jenny Chau have been inspired by a desire to create beds that were more than just functional. In the Chau sisters’ case, they hand sewed their first designs for their own dogs Charley and Anna and the results were not not only supremely comfortable but also deeply pleasing to look at. Christine, who studied interior design at Chelsea College of Art, has observed fashion brands move into pet furniture but believes that ergonomics, good quality fabrics, timeless good looks and longevity are more important than fleeting fashion statements. Another key to successfully integrating a dog into a
house requires more persistence and discipline – dog training. No matter how many rules are implemented and child gates fitted, the reality is that a well-behaved dog will make far fewer demands on an interior than an unruly hound that is unable to take no for an answer.
THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: The unmistakably elegant silhouette of a whippet captured in a screen-printed artwork by Julian Chichester; interior designer Gavin Houghton with his dogs Jack and Jill. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: interior designer and antique dealer Max Rollitt poses with pointer Ginny; Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s Lucy Hammond Giles, with cavalier King Charles spaniel Storm perching on her kitchen table; Andrew Martin’s collection of canine cushions with illustrations by Holly Frean
-32-
© Stacey Bewkes / At Home in the English Countryside: Designers and their dogs (Rizzoli)
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
