Page 106 - Homes amp Gardens UK February 2021
P. 106
INSPIRATION
rior to becoming an interior decorator most treasured finds,’ Daniel explains. He adds,
at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, Daniel ‘We are entering an age of repurposing, which is
Slowik managed the company’s something my company was doing when they were
Pantiques division, and it was in this decorating country houses back in the 1950s. Our
capacity that he first met the owner of this Victorian emphasis now, as it was back then, is on couture
terraced town house in south London. ‘She is a decorating – if you refinish a piece beautifully, it will
passionate collector and she would come into the come back to life and last for many years to come.’
Brook Street shop all the time,’ Daniel recalls. He Daniel’s approach to upcycling also applied to the
continues, ‘Twenty years on, she got in touch with me fittings within this house. ‘I’ve increasingly been
via Instagram to say that she and her partner were trumpeting about sustainability and not throwing
downsizing to a house around the corner from their things away when they are perfectly good,’ he
previous home and she wondered if I could help.’ says, citing as an example the property’s existing
As owner and designer strolled from the larger kitchen cabinetry. ‘It had rather unattractive
house to the smaller one, a plan began to emerge as panelled units but we filled elements of the panels
to how a lifetime’s collection could be curated and and repainted everything. We then added beautiful
shown in a new light in this more petite property. reeded knobs, which put our stamp on the room.’
‘From the outset we knew that this wasn’t going to Where new joinery was required, Daniel worked
be a case of acquiring new pieces; rather, it would be with his draughtsmen to create classic designs, such
about re-covering, re-polishing or repainting her as the drawing room’s elegant bookshelves that have →
H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M 105
