Kate is lovingly filling her country home in Devon with antique finds. She reveals why she prefers taking a slow-paced approach to sourcing and what home means to her.
How would you describe your interiors style?
Romantic, layered and English eccentric. I’ve always been a country girl at heart, so things in my home are a little rustic and worn around the edges. I don’t like things too polished or finished. I live in a four-storey Georgian townhouse that has shifted substantially over the years. None of the floors are level and all the windows are on a slant. I have no choice but to embrace the imperfect.
How do you use antiques in your home?
I think antiques give a home soul and heart. My house is almost entirely decorated with vintage and antique furniture. I love using vintage fabrics, which I collect without an end use in mind. Eventually they become cushions, blinds, quilts or table cloths. Textiles are a great way of bringing vintage into your home as it’s generally a low-commitment choice. I also collect ceramics, glass and silverware.
What do you love most about buying antiques?
I love the slow-paced nature of decorating with antiques. Instagram can make it feel like everyone is renovating and decorating an entire home within six months. It’s such an unrealistic narrative. Homes can (and should) take decades to finish. I spent two years searching for the perfect dining chairs and I finally stumbled across some that I loved in an online auction catalogue a few months ago.
What does home mean to you?
I am a true homebody, and love being at home more than anywhere else in the world. I’m a compulsive host. In fact, one of the reasons I bought this house was that it lends itself so well to weekend house parties. I’m fanatical about making everything as cosy as possible and I love how ‘at home’ my friends and family feel in my house.
