An exploration of Charleston House & Gardens
Journal
Charleston farmhouse | Image sourced from Pinterest
Charleston farmhouse | Image sourced from Pinterest
Charleston farmhouse | Image sourced from Pinterest
Charleston colour Meadow by James Dunlop
The colours of Bloomsbury
Emerging in the early 20th century, the Bloomsbury Group of painters, writers, and thinkers cultivated a bohemian way of life and revolutionary style, in response to the reserved society of Edwardian England.
Influenced by classical frescoes, Cubism, Post-Impressionism, and the Arts & Crafts movement, art critic Roger Fry facilitated the Group’s Omega Workshops, from 1913-19. The Workshops sought to translate these European design principles into furnishings for English homes, as Roger Fry believed that “it is time that the spirit of fun was introduced into furniture and into fabrics. We have suffered too long from the dull and the stupidly serious.”
As conscientious objectors, artists Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, and writer David Garnett were directed to contribute to the First World War effort by finding ‘work of national importance.’ Thus, in 1916 they moved to Charleston farmhouse, Sussex, to live and work on the farm where they would remain for the next 64 years.
The Bloomsbury style, immortalized by the now-museum Charleston House & Gardens, continues to influence contemporary design by inspiring the work of creatives like fashion designer Kim Jones, interior designer Beata Heuman, and decorative painter Tess Newall. Read on to discover how you can evoke the Bloomsbury spirit in your space and learn the history of James Dunlop’s namesake print.
The entrance to Charleston Farmhouse | Image sourced from Pinterest
The Bloomsbury palette
The Bloomsbury palette
Usurping their affairs with each other, was the Bloomsbury’s love affair with colour. Upon moving to Charleston Vanessa Bell whitewashed every room, creating a blank canvas for unique colour combinations in unexpected places.
Collisions of dusky blues, artichoke greens, damask rose, burnt orange, mustard, mauve, deep damson, and aubergine were painted on every imaginable surface, from fireplaces to doors and lampshades.
This moody yet uplifting palette and celebration of craft are central to the Bloomsbury aesthetic and testament to their rebellion against the austere society that bound them. And it is this creative expression that has imbued Charleston with the whimsical flair beloved for the past century.
Charleston farmhouse | Image sourced from Pinterest
Decorative motifs
Decorative motifs
In a time of limited means but abundant creative spirit, the Group revived their interiors and salvaged pieces of furniture, not only with washes of colours but decorative motifs and patterns.
Where Duncan Grant painted figurative motifs such as arrows, arcs, circles, squares, and crosshatches on mantels and textiles, Vanessa Bell painted floral chains along windowsills, reimagining natural forms and exquisite Roman frescoes in refreshing colours. By championing collaboration Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant imparted the fluid expression of their personal marks on their country residence and brought the Bloomsbury aesthetic to its peak.
In a society driven by our digital lives and mass-production, it’s no surprise that our own desire for visual optimism and handcrafted pieces continues to build momentum within the interiors industry. By pairing colour with patterned textiles and mural wallcoverings you can invite a similarly joyful mood into your spaces.
The Garden at Charleston | Image sourced from Pinterest
Charleston by James Dunlop
Charleston by James Dunlop
Charleston, James Dunlop’s painterly floral, was inspired by the work of the Bloomsbury Group and named in homage to the artist’s residence. Composed of gestural brushstrokes and botanical motifs, the design brings a whimsical garden scene to life and invites positive energy into residential spaces. The sketch-like quality of the artist’s hand is replicated through screen printing onto a soft cotton-linen textile.
Lampshades first appeared in the late 17th century when public lanterns – oil lamps with reflectors and several wicks – were installed in the centre of streets. Industrialisation in the 19th century led to gas lighting becoming the norm, however, there were many drawbacks and in 1879 Thomas Ediso...
