HB Edit - Edition 12
Sharing the things on my ebay watch list that I don't have the space or money for, but wish I did.
One of the biggest range of price-points since launching HB Edit, with something for everyone. And a look at a fantastically whimsical Classical addition to a 16th century Welsh farmhouse.
Perhaps it’s because of the severely limited storage space in my flat, but I often find myself looking for wall-mounted shelves, cupboards and consoles that look definitively non-IKEA. This is a recent find, which would look great in a bathroom. Easy to install, upgrade (paint) and very affordable.
One thing that you can’t be sure of on eBay is structural integrity of the items listed. This mid-century rattan sofa is a case in point: while it’s super smart - decorative without being too fussy - it could be a bit wobbly. But at the right price you could make do; I’ve already received a reduced offer from the seller, so go forth and bid.
I get very excited when I come across good architectural ‘salvage’ on eBay. This marble slab is very pretty and with a smart bevelled edge. This - to me - is the perfect size table top for an outdoor area on the smaller side. And with metal trestle legs, it would be very chic.
‘Not the usual aesthetic fodder,’ I hear you say. But isn’t this the definition of eBay gold? The seller is selling off an entire commercial kitchen in parts, and if I had the space, a stainless steel island would be just the thing. I’m picturing big Mallorcan ceramics on the lower shelf, and the odd practical pan for good measure.
As a certified lamp addict, I cannot physically stop myself from searching for more. This is a very simple and refined floor lamp, with just the right amount of wrought iron detailing to make it interesting. It’s mid-century without looking dated; in other words, it’s timeless.
This is very me. It’s giving a certain Jasper Conran-on-a-budget energy, which I am a huge fan of. Whilst still expensive, this is what I would call a ‘proper antique’ that could really elevate a room. It’s technically a silver table, but there is just the spot for it in my sitting room as a side table. Alas the bursar (me) won’t allow it.
Donald Judd meets Alpine chic? I think so. I like these hall chairs a lot, and despite the marks, I think they would be fantastic in any hall or entry way. And the trefoil opening in the back of the chairs is so pretty.
This is where I’ll lose some of you. But I have recently rewatched Pride and Prejudice (Kiera version, obvs) and this beauty looks like it could be straight out of Netherfield Hall. It feels very Caroline Bingley, if you know what I mean? I love the shape, the ebonised and gilded finish, and while expensive, it’s certainly a one-off. Decorator friends, please find a home for this!
Feature: for each edition, I will feature a person, object, room or place that inspires me.
This week I am writing about Craig Hamilton’s Welsh farmhouse.
I was reminded of this incredible house by Emile Rascal on Instagram, who has recently shared images from the House and Garden story back in 2023. Hamilton is one of the nation’s greatest Classicist architects. He has lovingly restored a remote farmhouse, and added an extension with enough columns to rival the Parthenon.
Whilst Hamilton’s furnishings are a bit too Victorian for me, I think the way in which the different parts of the house connect, flow and speak to each other is genius. Houses have always evolved over time, and despite my purist tendencies, I am often drawn to the parts of a building that show the passage of time. Although built not in chronological order here, that tradition makes these very different spaces - a Welsh vernacular farmhouse and a Classical wing - somehow sit wonderfully side by side, and has created a home unlike any other I have seen.
While no doubt meticulously researched, designed and planned, the house sort of looks like an fantastical and idealised version of a Classical building, that could have been sketched on the back of an envelope while daydreaming: it’s that symmetrical and indulgent. It’s the sort of thing I used to do when I was younger (and truth be told, still do); drawing floorplans for a future home, or sketching a folly’s façade à la the Temple of the Four Winds. It’s evocative of a time when buildings were constructed purely for pleasure or for spectacle; dream-like and magical.
And what’s not to like about escaping into that dream-like state of mind every now and then?
More anon!
Instagram: @hugobeazley
Postal address: 97 Regency Street, London, SW1P 4AL