From Charleston farmhouse to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, five designers talk toRosanna Morrisabout the favourite places that inspire their work…
For William Morris, it was the riverbanks and meadows surrounding Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire that fuelled his creativity. His timeless Willow Bough pattern owes its design to the trees that grew along the waterways close to his garden. Meanwhile, Edward Bawden was drawn to British towns and cities, as well as the countryside, and his most famous works immortalise London’s landmarks, especially its markets. The hills and vales of Dorset and Sussex were a constant source of inspiration for members of the Bloomsbury Group, so it’s no surprise that some of Vanessa Bell’s most significant paintings are of Studland Beach. For centuries, designers and artists have turned to the world around them as a source of inspiration for their work.
What of today’s artists and designers? Where do they seek inspiration? Are they influenced by the same places as the artists of the past, and what is it about these buildings, cities and streets that sparks creativity?
Helen Parker
Creative director at deVOL
Spitalfields, Lanhydrock and Shugborough Hall
I think the actual building itself is probably the most influential part of any design. I have a particular love of the Georgian houses around Spitalfields in east London. I wander these streets and photograph the coloured doors and peer through the windows and see such atmosphere and style within. The people who live in these houses are very considerate of the history of the buildings and go to great lengths to keep the feel and atmosphere of the original homes. This I find truly inspirational – that people will tirelessly recreate the perfection of those Georgian interiors and do it with such accuracy and care, creating rooms and spaces that are so full of soul and charm.
There is a wonderful shop called Town House on Fournier Street in Spitalfields that sells beautiful and unusual pots, old and new, antiques, oddities and books. It is all housed in one of these beautiful Georgian properties and the experience of walking around it is so special – you can wander around the rooms and go down into the kitchen.
Finding colour inspiration is the most important part of my wanderings, especially in Spitalfields, whereas in places such as Lanhydrock house in Cornwall or Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire it’s the cupboards and fittings that I am most keen to see.
