Period Living February 2021

Lxtending a period home can be a divisive issue. Many people believe older properties must be adapted to make them work for 21st-century living, but some would argue that they are architectural relics and, as such, should be preserved intact for the benefit of future generations. I’ve often heard the suggestion that if a period property doesn’t meet your needs then, rather than enlarging it to suit your lifestyle, you should simply move on. I can’t say I entirely agree with that sentiment, but I do think a line needs to be drawn somewhere – it feels wrong to destroy a home’s character with an over-large, unsympathetic addition. Of course, if you belong to the pro-extending camp, then you will likely have an opinion on the way it should look…

PERFECTLY PLANNED Thank you so much for the beautiful illustration that came with the December issue. I thought you might like to see how I made use of mine. It was perfect to slip into the front cover of my Christmas Recipes folder (I didn’t even need to trim it to size). A good reason to sort out those recipes at the same time. Julia Ritchie SEASONAL SPLENDOUR We loved seeing Olympia Koutra’s festive mantelpiece (above) on Instagram. She’s filled it with colourful candles and candlesticks, inspired by the Merry & Bright decorating ideas in our December issue. If you’ve also been inspired, be sure to share your decorating photos with us on social media. SEW HOMELY Having only recently subscribed to Period Living, I wanted to share my recent projects, including an embroidery of…

Feature Pippa Blenkinsop Bedroom beautiful Winter is the time for snuggling up, so why not treat yourself to some luxurious bedding to create that special sanctuary? Brilliantly timed, Morris & Co has added two designs to its bedlinen collection. Inspired by the embroidery work of Morris’ daughter May, this Seasons by May design, from £22 for a pillowcase, features a trellis of parakeets and stylised roses against a warm saffron backdrop – the perfect antidote to winter blues. Don’t miss Capturing the magic and dream-like quality of nature, the work of Cornish artist Rebecca Polyblank will form the basis of an exciting solo exhibition at St Ives’ New Craftsman Gallery. Discover an array of sculptures and mixed media paintings created with foraged hedgerow specimens, which celebrate Rebecca’s endless fascination with the Cornish landscape. Open…

How did the Greencombe collection come about? There are certain things in life that give us that magical feeling: getting married; taking a walk in nature; and another one for me is block printing. It’s an addiction! This collection sums up everything I find so beautiful about the great outdoors, from primroses signalling the start of spring to the colourful blooms in India. We named it Greencombe, which felt fitting as we photographed it in a beautiful house down in a verdant valley; there was something really romantic about the location. The collection has been brewing for a long time, so I’m excited to finally launch it. I had a long trip to India back in January 2020, just before lockdown, so that we could test the blocks which had been…