Who should decorate Nottingham Cottage?

House & Garden UK 

The cottage Prince Harry & Meghan Markle will call home and who we think should decorate it

Last year Clarence House announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would marry in Spring 2018, with the couple set to live in Nottingham Cottage, the idyllic Christopher Wren designed house in the grounds of Kensington Palace that has been Prince Harry’s bachelor pad since it was vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for whom it also served as a first marital home.

But the big question is, of the wealth of wonderful interior designers currently working in the UK, who is the best person to decorate it for them? Judging by an earlier piece we published on Meghan Markle’s Toronto apartment, her tastes are contemporary and she likes comfortable, neutral spaces.

So in honour of their engagement and her imminent move to the UK, these are the interior designers who we think would best fit the bill. The ones with a certain cool, who know how to balance the old and the new with style and flair.

Who should decorate Nottingham Cottage?

Rose Uniacke

The queen of refined, sophisticated interiors, Rose Uniacke’s serene colour palette and exquisite eye for antiques may appeal. She is also the interior designer of choice for that other branch of British royalty, the Beckhams.

Victorian Bohemianism meets the 21st century. Once home to Oscar Wilde, an E. W. Godwin aesthetic movement artist’s studio reimagined. Thrilled to be featured in @archdigest this month. Thank you @amytastley @adaesthete@alevasseur1 @allysonmcdermottstudio #aestheticmovement #roseuniacke #design #interiors

A post shared by Rose Uniacke(@roseuniacke) on Dec 12, 2017 at 11:00am PST

Christopher Howe

If you want a decorator whose work typifys the moment in British decorating, Christopher Howe is your man. The respected antique dealer and furniture designer only recently began to branch into interior design. We’d love to see how this worked out.

Warm & textural on a nice cold winter’s night like this. The living room of our #howeinteriors project in Bray, featured in February's issue of @houseandgardenuk. At the centre of the room, an antique bobbin leg stool covered in woven Swedish stripe to put your feet up, in the background our Turkish table lamp with handmade silk shade, to the left the #madebyhowe Foxhound settee in antique green linen, a cane Albini, a little C18th green velvet covered stool and an (always in stock) #madebyhowe steel Fan Table. The Geo IV sofa sits against the background of brick infilled timber frame wall, dating back to the C17th origins of the house. ⠀

A post shared by Howe London(@howelondon) on Feb 25, 2018 at 11:03am PST

Harriet Anstruther

Harriet Anstruther’s style is old school English with a laid-back attitude and a subdued colour palette. Her interiors have a certain prettiness that has echoes of Megan’s Toronto apartment.

Nearly there Rich! @gasperrico On site today. Art installs blowing my mind. @smallwoodarchitects @ciarallangley @clara_tent @graciejholt @henrykinman @theworldofinteriors @houseandgardenuk @vanityfairuk @bethanryder

A post shared by Harriet Anstruther(@harrietanstrutherstudio) on Apr 20, 2017 at 10:51am PDT

Rita Konig

Having worked between London and New York for most of her career our columnist Rita Konig treads the balance between North American comfort and English wit. We think this could be an interesting match.

A good way to bring a bespoke kitchen feel to off-the-peg units is to fit a custom counter that’s a bit thicker than standard. Also, giving an island a different top to the rest of the kitchen means there’s not acres of the same surface. We’ll be covering kitchen design at my Complete House workshop on Thursday. If you have building work planned you should consider coming – my aim is to help you avoid those mistakes that might not be obvious straight away but, once noticed, will niggle at you for years 😱- don’t miss it! #itwillbefuntoo #thecompletehouse #ritakoniginteriors #ritasays #linkinbio 📷@ericpiasecki

A post shared by Rita Konig(@ritakonig) on Feb 26, 2018 at 2:03am PST

Stephan Eicker

Stephan Eicker’s work is uplifting, comfortable and atmospheric. ‘I am inspired by classicism but always like to give a modern edge to a space, without making it overpowering.’ We love pretty much everything he does.

Summer Day #hamptons #quogue #plants #nature #linen #cushion #eickerdesign

A post shared by Eicker Design(@eickerdesign) on Aug 1, 2016 at 10:11am PDT

Beata Heuman

If they want something a little more creative and playful, Swedish-born UK-based Beata Heuman is one of the coolest young decorators working in the UK right now. Scandinavian attention to detail coupled with English whimsy. Imaginative, lovely interiors.

So thrilled that @julianchich chose our Palm Drop for their beautiful Lillie sofa 👌, email info@beataheuman.com for fabric samples 👍

A post shared by Beata Heuman(@beataheuman) on May 16, 2018 at 8:00am PDT

Emma Burns of Sybil Colefax & John Fowler

If we were in the market for a quintessentially English cottage Emma Burns of legendary British decorating institution Sybil Colefax & John Fowler is the woman we would want to decorate it. Take her own house (below) as a case in point.

London apartment by Emma Burns 2008 #interiors #luxury #sibylcolefaxandjohnfowler #emmaburns #fabrics #colour #antiques #paint #upholstery @sibylcolefax @violetburns

A post shared by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler(@sibylcolefax) on Apr 23, 2018 at 2:34am PDT

Robert Kime

Robert Kime is one of the country’s most eminent decorators and has worked on homes for numerous members of the Royal family including Prince Charles. Known for his eclectic schemes that make formal rooms livable and inviting, his signature look couples significant antiques with traditional textiles.

From the base of the stairwell, the entrance hall continues though the archway, which has been given extra emphasis with a pair of wooden plant stands, towards the south facing terrace. The staircase leads to a landing and an upstairs hall with bedrooms to the left and right #robertkime #interiordesign #interiors #interiorstyling

A post shared by Robert Kime(@robertkime) on Apr 9, 2018 at 9:17am PDT

Ben Pentreath

Renowned for creating a distinctive, playful style that draws inspiration from historical interiors of every period and infuses them with a fresh modern sensibility, the architect and designer Ben Pentreath has worked on homes for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Could Harry and Meghan be next?

New turquoise blue bedroom in the morning sun 🧡(the colour is Cambridge Blue by @papersandpaints @delhispearman )

A post shared by Ben Pentreath(@benpentreath) on Apr 22, 2018 at 11:49pm PDT

Adam Bray

Adam Bray’s work is luxurious, eclectic, unpretentious and based on a deep interest in comfort and practicality that we think could appeal to the stylish young couple.

Installing our ‘waver’ design flat weave in Hackney today, available to order in a variety of colours from the gorgeous @vanderhurd ….

A post shared by Adam Bray(@adambraydesigns) on Jan 30, 2018 at 1:57am PST

Featured Image: Matt Jones, Unsplash