With the opening of our newly refurbished Lawns Rooms, we were keen to find out a little more about the soft furnishings and accessories that were hand-picked by our designer, Lucy. Alongside pastel hues and up-cycled furniture, our fifteen bedrooms incorporate key pieces, such as rattan head boards, heavy linen curtains and handwoven rugs, from the luxury home accessory brand Birdie Fortescue.
Lucy and Birdie worked closely to bring Lucy's vision for the Lawns Rooms to life. Read more about Birdie's love of interiors and inspiration below.
"The overall concept for this project was to create a home away from home - the feel of a private house where rooms seamlessly blend into one other, whilst each having their own individual character. Bold and colourful rattan furniture is combined with luxurious curtains and cushions in block printed linens with coordinating lamps and lampshades, handwoven rugs and decorative throws. Each design and colour palette has been carefully layered to create an overall look that is both calming and considered." Birdie Fortescue
We love Holt, of course, but what made you think of choosing Holt when picking a spot for a shop?
As a Norfolk-based brand, we are so pleased to be part of the Holt community amongst a multitude of wonderful independent businesses. The stunning architecture, wide range of quality shops and charming side streets made it the perfect place for us to open a shop. When we first saw The Barn tucked behind The Feather’s Hotel we immediately fell in love with it. The proportions and space are perfect for showcasing our products and we are thrilled to have a physical space for our customers where they can see and feel the quality of our collections.
Where did your journey in interiors begin? Is there a memory that you see as the ‘seed’ to the brand?
My passion for interiors stemmed from my time at Colefax and Fowler working under the wonderful Imogen Taylor, who in turn had been an assistant to the founder, John Fowler. These incredibly informative years were invaluable and Imogen’s knowledge and kindness gave me the confidence to set up on my own as an interior designer and antiques dealer five years later. In 2014 I took on a Victorian warehouse in Burnham Market and, as the space was so large, I decided to transform the shop into an interiors destination where antique furniture could sit alongside homeware and art - this is when the brand as it is known today emerged.
Is there a particular product/fabric that you most enjoy working with?
We design across the spectrum of interiors from soft furnishings to accessories and furniture. My first love was textiles though, in particular block printed designs, which was the foundation of our homeware brand. I love to layer print, weave and different textures and build collections around these incorporating rugs, lighting, furniture and decorative accessories.
Which social media accounts do you find inspiration in?
Cosmo Brockway, Cabana, Tat London, Carlos Sánchez-García, Beata Heuman, The World of Interiors
When booking a stay in the UK, do you look for tranquillity at the coast or in the country?
The coast is particularly special to me so I would favour this. The Norfolk beaches are phenomenal and you can never tire of them - Holkham, Brancaster and Burnham Overy Staithe are a few of my go-tos.
You can only choose one room to decorate. Would you choose a dining room, living room or bedroom?
I think a Living Room provides the most scope for variety depending on how you or your clients choose to live. It’s a chance to incorporate the widest variety of components from art, furniture whether antique or contemporary, rugs and other soft furnishings. I love to play with various combinations of print, texture and colour, and living rooms provide the perfect opportunity to do this.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a Sunday morning?
Without fail a dog walk on the beach with my pug Nancy! We are so lucky to live in North Norfolk close to the coast - the coastline always surprises and each day is unique.
Where do you find your biggest inspiration?
I take almost all of my inspiration from my travels, whether that be in the UK or abroad. You can find inspiration even from the smallest detail on your doorstep as well as from architecture, decoration and landscape across the globe. A few of my past and upcoming collections have taken inspiration from Japanese design and motifs, Florence’s faded frescoes, 18th Century French prints and Lisbon’s decorative arts. I am so lucky to work with craftspeople around the world to bring my designs to life through traditional practices and artisanal making methods, and to personally source Limited Edition pieces and antiques for customers and clients.
To find out more about our newly refurbished bedrooms and check availability, click here.