English Elements Continue in Kent, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, and the Cotswolds.

Do you remember the elements of English design discussed in my earlier posts - the use of antiques and faded fabrics, warm lighting and fireplaces, kitchens that really cook, beloved pets and animals, beautiful gardens, and tea?  The homes in today's post truly demonstrate most of these elements.  See if you agree.

From an October, 1992 issue of House Beautiful, we visit the home of Barrie McIntyre who moved to England from New Zealand as a travel agent, had an eye for detail, and eventually worked for Colefax and Fowler ( a firm whose name should be so familiar to you by now).  He not only designed his own beautiful home and homes for others but became a sort of archivist for Colefax and Fowler chronicling their work before we had the design books we do today.

Primroses on fabrics, prints and plates.

"Symmetrically arranged library" revealing McIntyre's antiques and use of Colefax and Fowler fabrics and wall covering.

Pembroke damask covered sofa with 18th-century engravings of Kentish houses above.  Sweet desk and chair.

Barry McIntyre, homeowner, Colefax and Fowler designer, archivist looking very happy.  (His surroundings sort of look like what my once-organized issues of magazines look like since starting this blog.  But, I'm happy too.)

And here is the requisite beautiful garden with tea on the table.

Teapots and friends.

What looks like a kitchen that is actually used for dining and entertaining.

Sampling of his fabrics and a guest bedroom with toile.  (I love toile and have none in my home - just doesn't work here.  In one of my fantasy houses it would.  The English one of course.)

More faded fabrics, more antiques.

Burford Stripe wallpaper in bathroom.

OK, so we didn't see any "beloved pets" or fireplaces in McIntyre's home, but six out of eight elements is just not bad.

In June1985, Architectural Digest devoted their whole issue to "the English Country House."  First to Buckinghamshire and the home of John and Diane Nutting - Chicheley Hall.

Gilt-framed mirror was made for this drawing room and the portrait to the left (that I sadly cut off a bit) is of the wife of the first owner of Chicheley Hall.

Diane Nutting in front of her private sitting room's fireplace.  She believes this room has the "most beautiful carving in the house."  (By the way, my English fantasy house will have a private sitting room.)

Silk covered walls and faded chintz complement the carved paneling in this room.  Flower arrangements add such freshness here.  (To the right, there is a horse painting that got cut so the Nuttings must love horses too.)

Bedroom with more faded chintz and requisite fireplace.  (Sorry for the blurriness at the top of the image.  Maybe I do need a larger scanner.

Now to the most glorious gardens.  The top image is of their vegetable garden bordered by a path leading to the "adjacent church."  The image below the vegetable garden is of the entrance to the Nutting's private family garden.

Colorful array of roses and campanulas.

I know, I know, no kitchen, but we just know it has one, and it does have all the other elements and is such a pretty house.

Since the Nuttings did not show us their kitchen, here is a very English kitchen from Cote Ouest, August 1995, and a chicken dish that looks wonderful.  (I'm finishing this blog just before dinner time.)  Love the brown glazed pots on top shelf.

And another from the same issue.  Love the flooring in both kitchens.

And another.

And yet another.  Who dares to say my blog is misnamed now, oh children of mine?

This same issue of Cote Ouest  did a feature on the Cotswolds.  Before tucking this magazine back onto its rightful shelf, I thought I would post some of its images here.  I apologize ahead of time for the slight blurriness that occurs at the spine, but the images were so lovely, I couldn't bear to separate them.

These images are all of the Cotswolds, but not of any one house or town.

I tried cutting the building to the left on the fold, but then the whole house lost something.  Again sorry for the poor resolution.

Ditto above comment.

I so want to shop in The March Hare.

Sudeley Castle.

The last really blurry one, but had to show the English horses, riders and damp English countryside.

Note the croquet game on the lawn.

Are we all feeling very English-y yet?  Does anyone want to "pop into the Marsh Goose for a pint" or the Fox Inn for afternoon tea?  My early design aesthetic just loved it all - the shires, the stone houses, the rolling  countryside, the antiques, the horses, the chintz - and part of me still does, but there were rumblings of change about to take place (just not too soon).
Till next time and still more England-
b