So exactly what kind of home lends itself to being undecorated? And is it possible to live in a room where the paper peels around you? John admits that he did a lot of ‘invisible’ work to create a living environment, which is of course something to keep in mind if you’re looking to preserve the walls as you explore them. The line between glamorous and shabby is very fine. On an aesthetic level, it ultimately boils down to whether there is a strong visual identity somewhere, which you can’t help but surrender to. For John, it was the realization that he could not create anything more perfect; It has served as the best taste of everyone who has lived there since the 18th century. Conservationist Tim Whittaker, a former specialist in historic buildings at the National Trust and former director of the Spitalfields Trust, approached him. A 17th century Cumbrian farmhouse With equal respect for what was there, preserving the original gypsum floors and plastered walls that represent, quite literally, layers of history.
Generally speaking, older buildings lend themselves well to understated decor because their quaintness gives them a strong sense of place. As interior designer Patrick Williams, founder of Bardaulatpoints out: ‘In the past, interior design was very much integrated into the architecture of the building and was part and parcel of it. Along with temporary furnishings, interior design had its roots in fixed institutions such as decorative moldings in plaster and wood,’ he says. ‘These carry an atmosphere with them, setting a tone for the spaces they encompass.’ The best kind of period buildings, he adds, are the ones that haven’t been messed with. ‘I know I don’t feel alone when entering a period property – and by that I mean not messed with or over “restored” – there’s just something about it. Right,’ says Patrick. ‘Is it driven by the comfort that one associates with the connection to the past, and previous generations of people who may have lived there? maybe. Or are they bound up in small, less obvious details, such as the radius of a corner, the sound of your footsteps on the floorboards, the play of light on a slightly blurred surface, the simple texture of a handrail, a worn tread or a dip in the center of a threshold?’ He questions. ‘I believe that all these elements, however large or small, immediately abstract or imperceptibly subtle, influence the response within our body and mind.’ By this logic, a historic interior, as you can see, is not only about aesthetics and charm – but also something more spiritual.
