Georgie Coleridge Cole’s Little Black Book Of Interiors
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Glassware
I first came across Cumbrian Crystal at The Wedding Present Company when my husband and I were getting married, but they were too expensive to put on our list. A decade later I bought them for my husband for our anniversary. They’ve been used in Downtown Abbey, Jackie, Casino Royale – they’re a classic.
By my bed, we use the gorgeous Murano tumblers from Rebecca Udall. Her colours and patterns are so pretty. My favourite glass jug is the Klimchi Hobnail. On the high street, H&M Home does great glassware.
Rugs
Katharine Paravicini sourced dhurrie rugs for one of my children’s bedrooms and our family home. They’re totally bespoke in terms of sizes and colour combination, and they really tie a room together. They’re surprisingly reasonable, too. For smarter carpets, it’s worth going to somewhere like Carpet Base, choosing a nice silk and having it invisibly stitched to whatever size you like. For jute rugs, H&M Home and Ikea have lots of options.
Mirrors
The right mirror can really bring a room together. Who isn’t a fan of bobbin or the wavy styles around right now? My downstairs mirror was from Balineum – it was a massive treat. Elsewhere in my house I have lots of OKA mirrors. The sorrel is a great one to look at – I have it in my bathroom. For installing mirrored walls or backsplashes I really recommend a man called Tyrone – call him on 07957 346745.
Lighting
Such an important part of any scheme, lighting needs careful consideration. Tread carefully with spotlights – electricians love to fit endless spots, but actually, you can create a far better atmosphere without them or with different circuits, at least. When it comes to hardware, I tend to gravitate towards brass. For my own home, I used mainly Vaughan and some pieces from Pooky. I also splurged on a pair of lamps from Rosanna Lonsdale (they’re so elegant and chic) and also Richard Taylor – his designs are like pieces of art, just incredible!
Furniture
I love console tables – both behind the sofa and in a hallway. A kitchen looks better with furniture in it, too – it makes it more of a welcoming living space. My dining chairs and bar stools are from Cheeky Chairs – they have a range of styles, colours and fabrics. They are totally bespoke and padded, which adds warmth and comfort – plus, their customer service is unrivalled!
If you’re looking for investment sofas and armchairs, Lorfords and David Seyfried are the places to go to. I have a couple of forever pieces from them, and the rest are from Sofa.com, which are hard to beat. If you’re looking for reasonable furniture that you don’t plan on having forever – in a playroom, for example – then somewhere like Maison Du Monde is worth a look.
All my beds are from Button and Sprung and all our bedlinen is from Secret Linen Store – the 600 thread count sets are heaven. For mattress toppers go to Mitre – they supply some of the best hotels in the UK.
Antiques
Like everyone, I love to combine the old and the new – plus, hunting for antiques is so satisfying; they’re a lot more reasonable than buying new and it’s far better for the planet. Lots of dealers list their items on eBay and I also use The Hoarde and Vinterior. I found all my dining chairs online and had them reupholstered by Andre Upholstery. We also have several other small chairs I’ve found in antique markets, such as Kempton, all of which have been reupholstered.
Art
I don’t claim to know a lot about art, but I do know what I like. My biggest purchase was by Jack Frame – it was an investment, but I don’t regret it for a second. I’m also hugely excited by the work of Kristin Gaudio Endsley – I have a few of her paintings. I’m a big fan of Rebecca Morris and Chris Rivers, too – I’ll be saving for a while to buy one of his pieces, but it’s something to work towards!
Decorative Accessories
There are tons of home accessories available on the high street – so it’s an area of your home where you really don’t need to spend a fortune to get the desired effect. Zara Home and Marks & Spencer are usually worth a look and my ornamental gold pears, which are a personal favourite, are from Sainsbury’s! What I’ve learnt is to buy in pairs or threes – it’s more striking when you repeat.
My large shell vases from Ferm Living are in my bathroom. I’ve always bought my photo frames from Addison Ross and I love its trays, too – I’m very excited about our collaboration with them, which is out in November. The colours are incredible. For cushions, I really rate OKA and Birdie Fortescue.
I do like the table to look beautiful when we’re entertaining and so I source my plates from Birdie Fortescue and my tableware from Mrs Alice.
Maintenance
I’m big on maintaining my house – I’m pretty anal – everything has a place and I’m endlessly getting chips and marks patched up in the hope it’ll last better. I have a seriously professional carpet cleaner called John Fitzsimmons from Fabriclean, who I really rate.
Also, a big shout out to Ryszard Malachowski. I went for a very soft and impractical blue marble in my kitchen. It has chipped and cracked, and I’ve just had it repaired, repolished and generally reconditioned by him – he’s done the most incredible job. I’d do it all over again – so long as Ryszard never retires!
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