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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
A post shared by Adam Bray(@adambraydesigns) on Jan 30, 2018 at 1:57am PST
Featured Image: Matt Jones, Unsplash