- Oct 22, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 1, 2024
I once had the privilege of assisting Max Egger on a shoot for World of Interiors. It was undoubtedly one of the most audacious shoots I've been a part of. While my approach as a stylist leaned towards the easy, if it was easy, it was my shoot. Max embraced a creative chaos that brought the scenes to life in a thrilling way. His willingness to push boundaries and craft a narrative through his styling left a lasting impression on me. Since then, he's worked with de Gournay and Flora Soames, amassing one of the great CVs.
As much as I enjoy sharing my perspective, Tat's future lies in spotlighting the voices I admire, with the occasional two-pence of my own. That's why I'm especially proud to have Max here, sharing his impeccable taste and terrific choices of favourite antiques.
Flora Soames, Pair Of Cushions Made From 1920's English Glazed Floral Chintz With Moiré Piping And Scallop Fringe, £1,500 (Ex VAT)
This beautiful antique chintz, sourced and then transformed by Flora into a pair of generously voluptuous cushions, is a wonderful way of bringing a small amount of something old or pattern needed for a space to give it visual balance.
8 Holland Street, A Set Of Six ‘Ahmedabad Dining Chairs’ Designed By George Nakashima, 1964, £48,000
I always find a curved back one of the most comfortable shapes for a dining chair. Great for slumping back when you’re full of fine food (or beans on toast).
I never knew of the days when your char (or any) pate would come in a decorative porcelain dish. Beautiful for trinkets, a collection of small, curated items or even as a stand-alone object. I feel certain we won’t be feeling this way about GU pots in 100 years.
Too beautiful for a bedroom where only I can observe it. I want this for my entrance hall to be admired by all. Top with lamps and fill the drawers with dog leads, poo bags, hats, scarves and gloves.
Marble is always delicious. Faux gives more room for playing with colour combinations. Although I know little about architecture I am always drawn to a classical silhouette.
Wonderful combination of lines and materials here. I love it when a light shows it’s working and makes the cable part of the design.
Room dividers and screens have never really had a “come back’. They’re an excellent way to divide up a space where a wall would be too much or impossible. Also great for street-level windows if you want a sense of privacy without curtains or gag net curtains. There’s a beautiful tactility to this slattered one from Breton Brut.
My childhood county of Essex is much mired by it’s popular profile of nail bars and BMW dealerships. This may be true, but it has much more to offer. Hitchens expertly captures it’s multi layered arable landscapes and often ominous sky. This painting would be the perfect way keep the best part of my birthplace with me.
I like to own art that makes me say to myself, ‘I could probably do that.’ Subsequently discovering that, of course, I can’t is how I stay humble.
Generally, I find the Gothic Revival too overwhelming and grandiose. This early 19th-century chimneypiece is so breathtaking, though, that I must have it. I think it's best to install it as the centrepiece of a minimalist sitting room. Add a small collection of unremarkable objects along the shelf, and the room is complete.
Just something casual to keep my keys in by the front door.
Red and amber light are meant to be the most flattering for your skin, so I’ll be taking this with me wherever I go. I love the raw, unfinished quality of the amber set in still-molten-looking metal.
I’ll need an impressive trousseau in order to hold it’s own against this cupboard of dreams.
The glass here is sufficiently antiqued to flatter any visage. Blue and white are an eternal combination, and classic Georgian design brings understated elegance.
There are drawers below and a secretaire up top. This arrangement is perfect if you don’t have room for a separate office. I love the warm honey tones of the wood and the contrast of curve details against the block elements of the frame.
Beautiful, subtle colours are layered with licking flame florals, a divine combination that’s full of interest but could be styled with ease.
Always have something too grand for a space and make sure it’s somewhat impractical. My partner brought me back a selection of children’s toys and gimmick rubbers from Japan, which I think will look just right here.
I am often drawn to the tactile warmth that tapestries bring to a wall. Although in the 16th century, I enjoy the enlarged scale floral motif and lack of a wimple-wearing figure, which gives this a more contemporary spirit.
Nothing more valuable than a side table that can double as a seat when you have more than usual guests. As with so many of the pieces I’ve selected for this feature, I’m drawn to the tactility of the materials used.
Second screen, I’m clearly imagining myself living in an unconverted barn. Toile de jouy and check are staples of The World of Interiors (the magazine where I began my career) as it was when Min Hogg and Rupert Thomas were editors. This weathered and well-loved piece embodies the spirit of that now past time.
Log cabin quilting is a charming style, and the colours in this version are perfection. It is excellent for jazzing up a bed or constructing a cushion fort roof.
High sides help to create elegant lines and keep out drafts on this English settee. An excellent combination!
The Window, Montenegro Console Table in Carrara Marble & Granite by Ettore Sottsass for Ultima Edizone, $18,000
As a stylist, I am always looking for a surface to arrange and rearrange all the odds and sods I’ve collected over the years. Marble always brings a weight and calming energy to interior spaces.
Laying a table is boring to me. I hate all the pretentious fuss of 15 pieces of cutlery, expertly folded napkins, bows, chargers, 9 different glasses, and on and on. Therefore, a table you don’t want to cover is just my ticket. Add some rough linen napkins with a selection of mismatched candles, and you’re done.
I love a bit of Egyptian revival and the curved seats are excellent for your bum.
Every autumn, my mother nags me to take echinacea drops to help support my immune system. It tastes disgusting, so I need this Venetian goblet to turn this miserable experience into a pleasurable one.
I don’t knit, and I don’t pick apples. I’ve never kept a cutting garden or delivered freshly baked muffins to a new neighbour. BUT I WOULD DO ALL OF THESE THINGS IF I ONLY OWNED THIS BASKET!
I just don’t know where to store all my old Dutch linen! Enter Cafiero Select.
Elliot always has a expertly curated selection of extraordinary ancient objects. I recently fell in love with a Roman thumb he had, sadly, now sold. I’ve moved on to lusting after this Etruscan paw instead.
I really want these, Charlie. They will look great hung above the bath. Can you let me know the best price? Thanks!
Carlton’s Kings Road store is a veritable trove of gorgeous lighting. This example's leafy panache will bring an elegant whimsy to my entrance hall.
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