HB Edit - Edition 34
Sharing the things on my ebay watch list that I don't have the space or money for, but wish I did.
HB Edit goes global. This edition is written from a sun-lounger in Indonesia (sorry to brag). While my brain is still firmly routed in antique English furniture (with plenty of bargains to be had), my body has been soaking up the sunshine and appreciating the beauty that is in front of me. This week’s feature is a small departure from my room / object / person formula, and a little more reflective than usual, but I hope you enjoy.
I am a sucker for this shape. It feels structured, masculine, and both chair and rush seat give a lovely texture and patina to any space - even against this grey-washed herringbone in the image (**retch**), they add warmth. And I think 5 can be useful! Perhaps you have space for 4 at your table, and need a chair in a bedroom or landing. A good price, and a timeless design. Big yes.
Brass rope twist, you say? Add to cart. I think this is beautiful and interesting - drawing on trends without being ‘trendy.’ The perfect centrepiece for candlelit dinner parties, or even a wedding present if your friends are at that stage. Super chic.
There’s something in the waters about Arts & Crafts. I find myself increasingly drawn to this period, which pains the Georgian purist within me. But variety is the spice of life, and this beautiful pewter lamp in amongst antique gems of other eras would be the ultimate hallmark of a ‘layered’ and ‘storied’ home. I love the bolt details, and think it would look perfect with any of my favourite Hum London lampshades.
This fabric is both a stripe, and something more interesting, which I think is so clever from Schumacher. It feels both timeless and modern, and of course like the rest of the world, I love brown (although please let’s not all have totally tonal houses, it’s just so boring). Almost 4 metres, and a great price! What a steal.
This is more on the ‘antique-y’ side for most people, but I think the legs on this tilt-top breakfast table are so pretty. They feel rather modern for the period of this piece, which is what I love. It’s a useful size alongside a sofa, particularly if you live in a larger house in the countryside that could take a piece of this period. J’adore.
I can’t tell you how useful a single chair is. I recently did some consultancy for a client, and you would be amazed how much a single chair can transform a space, making it feel both decorated and lived in. Perhaps you don’t have enough room for a bigger piece of furniture? Perhaps it’s a hallway or landing where the purpose of the space feels difficult to know how to ‘furnish’? Perhaps you have a desk, but hate ergonomic desk-chairs (me too)? Enter: the single antique chair picked up for pennies. This is a beauty, and would add character to any space. Buy at once, bargain hunters!
Feature: for each edition, I will feature a person, object, room or place that inspires me.
This week, I am shamelessly writing from a sun-lounger in Indonesia. Sorry, not sorry.
Having left my full-time ‘corporate’ job at the end of February, I am on a bit of an adventure before getting stuck into my own business, full time. And while this has given me plenty of time to do big blue-sky thinking, it has also meant I have been somewhat detached from the constant bombardment of images, trends and videos that usually dominate my algorithm. In the spirit of this break from the everyday, I thought I would keep this week’s feature brief, and a little off-topic.
Something I have noticed on my travels - across Java and Lombok - is a particular planting pattern that has caught my eye. Perhaps it’s a hangover from Ryan Murphy’s Love Story, which I am sure, dear Reader, has had you in a chokehold also.
I have to confess that, unlike Calvin Klein in the 90s, I am not a huge fan of white orchids (the Love Story lore is that Calvin only allowed white orchids in the New York office - any colour was strictly forbidden). While they are very familiar to me - my grandmother’s conservatory on the Isle of Wight was home to many incredible orchids, and my own mum has an impressive collection of this hardy plant - they are not my go to. Sadly for me, they can give off a ‘last-minute-petrol-station-gift-for-your-weekend-host’ vibe. Sorry mum.
However - the way they are grown in Indonesia is worth commenting on. The technique is simple: half a coconut shell is attached to the trunk of a tree - often at eye-level for maximum impact - which creates a sort of floating container. Planted up with orchids, the roots really take off, and the added height gives the plant a whimsical, dramatic effect. It’s really striking on a visual level, but it also is an apt metaphor for the way in which one living thing can support another. Neither tree nor orchid is too worried about taking credit for this beauty, but rather they quietly work together, in harmony, to contribute to something greater.
As I start my own venture, I am naturally thinking about my position in the marketplace, and have found my brain to be hard-wired for competition. But this natural collaboration is a nice reminder that it’s not always about being the sole genius, and that greatness and beauty can come from partnership. I think that’s rather lovely.
More anon!
Instagram: @hugobeazley
Postal address: 97 Regency Street, London, SW1P 4AL
I’m not usually a fan of orchids either, but in their (more or less) natural habitat… gorgeous. (As are the set of 5 chairs and the tilt top table. If only we weren’t house moving!)
Make sure you don’t get sun burnt!