An equally striking, if less widely known, example can be found in Suffolk at Alvedon Hall. Acquired in the 19th century by the Guinness family, the house presents a familiar European facade. Inside, however, its rooms draw on Mughal and broadly Islamic forms, with carved surfaces, domes and richly layered ornamentation creating an atmosphere far removed from the English countryside.
If the Victorian appetite for Islamic art found its most dramatic expression in a room like this, its legacy today is more diffuse, and perhaps all the more interesting for it, especially when it comes to textiles. As Alidad explains, ‘When I started my career as a decorator in the 1980s, Ottoman Textiles and Turkish designs were not as widely known as today. There is something inherently timeless about motifs such as stylized tulips or carnations that can be incorporated into decorative schemes very easily.’
In fact cloth was the first and most important point of contact. As Susan Delis notes, they ‘traded and transited easily through the Ottoman world, Persia and Mughal India’, quickly finding their way into the British interior. His influence extended beyond fabric. She points out that Iznik tiles and Seljuk motifs shaped the work of figures such as William Morris and William de Morgan, and their patterns continue to resonate today. More recently, ‘simple zelij tiles in stunning Moroccan colors have become a decorative staple in many UK interiors, combining very effectively with classical and more contemporary styles.’
For Susan, the connection to Islamic art is also personal. ‘My first experience of it was at the age of eight, when my art historian aunt showed me Persian illuminated manuscripts for the first time,’ she says. That initial visit continues to inform his work. ‘Islamic patterns and colours, often locally rather than commercially produced textiles, heavily influence my work, as do the traditions of hospitality, warmth and harmony that underpin these interiors.’ Her home, a modernist building in Notting Hill, reflects this sensibility, with a studio set around a courtyard planted with figs, roses and citrus, inspired by the idea of a private garden enclosed within the home.
