This post is based on an email I sent to Tamsin Saungers after I came across her video with House & Garden a few months ago. I’ve watched a lot of videos about home interior design over the years but very few, if any, have wowed me like this one did. I find the objects, furniture, colours… she chose and the way she put everything together is so special.
Initially I couldn’t find the words to describe why I thought it was so magical but then, when rewatching the video, I realised some of the things she says are embodied perfectly in the house. For example, she mentions “everything has a story“, that “I think what we’ve created here is a sum of all our parts” and she also describes her son’s room as “a reflection of his personality and his interests.” I think she summarises it up beautifully towards the end…
“All experience is shaping you and moving you forward. And that’s really what a home is all about. Taking those experiences and those loves, and those connections and filling your home with that. Not what you think you should be doing, or what you’ve seen someone else doing.”
But my favourite quote, which also perfectly encompasses what she’s created, was what her grandfather used to say “Why gild the lily?” which she follows on by saying “[…] a space that is simple and pure and calm.“
My wife and I rented in London for many years until we were lucky to buy a small house in a quiet countryside village nearly 5 years ago. The house is very modest, and it hadn’t been updated much for a while so we’ve been slowly renovating it. Similarly to hers, it also faces onto a garden through big double doors and windows which makes it very airy and bright and was one of the things that made us fall in love with it.
I sent her an email to say a big thank you for her work and for the inspiration she’s provided us. She kindly replied and again said something which I thought was very poignant: “I think I am very lucky to work in an area which allows people a little escapism and to focus on the things that help people live in a better, simpler and hopefully more connected way.” That’s exactly what we’d like.
