Penned as Leeds Castle’s best kept secret, the privately owned medieval manor house in Kent opens its doors for booking for the first time in its history in 2018. Battel Hall is tastefully refurbished with a gently modernised period elegance, featuring five bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, three reception rooms and a large dining area. Designer Francesca Rowan Plowden shared her delicious design updates with us, featuring many Jim Lawrence fittings and accessories. Naturally we were thrilled to see our products in such prestigious company, and jumped at the chance to share the images with you too.

If you’re looking for a luxurious escape to the countryside – look no further. Whether celebrating a wedding, reunion or an anniversary Battel Hall provides the perfect setting, with the added benefits of the castle estate nearby. It’s a step back in time with a romantic, eclectic twist that we are desperate to enjoy first hand. Just look at these beautiful walls and headboard combined with the soft glow of our Hanson wall light. The latest private owner, a 1930’s American Heiress named Lady Baillie, had a love for birds, which is echoed throughout this room in the Lewis & Wood Dove wallpaper. It has an almost fairy tale feel – a perfect escape to dream the night away.

The oak panelled dining room seats up to 14 people, conjuring the images of royal feasts and banquets of times gone by. Our Scalloped Wall Lights are not only a nod to the art deco era of Lady Baillie, but they create a soft and mellow atmosphere: just what you need alongside candle light, an open fire and the gentle clinking of glass and cutlery. Antiqued Brass is a strong and stylish material to sit against the oak – a material which originally came from the castle itself.

Ideal for angling as a bedside reading light, the Single Curtis Spotlights sit beautifully in this colourful space. We love the symmetry combined with loud patterns and colour clashes. Farrow & Ball’s Book Room Red creates a dramatic backdrop for our Antiqued Brass finish, and a perfect palette to pop with peacock blue.

The Wisteria Suite brings a touch of modernity, its namesake the stunning sprawl of purple flowers that climbs all over Battel Hall. Spot our Stratford Towel Ring? A perfect example of how to incorporate nickel into your bathroom with style.

Clockwise from left: Hanson Wall Light in Antiqued Brass, Priory Door Lock in Antiqued Brass, Stratford Towel Ring in Nickel, Bromley Backplate with Reeded Door Handle in Antiqued Brass, Curtis Spotlight in Antiqued Brass, Scallop Wall Light in Antiqued Brass.

A thoughtfully designed interior that is respectful of its heritage – something we truly appreciate! For a closer look and a stay at Battel Hall, visit the Leeds Castle website. You can also follow designer Francesca Rowan Plowden on Instagram to see more of her work.

Emma and Camilla are a styling duo who operate under the name Interior Facelift. Far from surgical, their Instagram is bursting with classically romantic décor and tumbling foliage aplenty. Featuring Jim Lawrence lights in Camilla’s own home, we were stunned by their skill in creating atmosphere and individuality to a space. With an aptitude for sourcing unique pieces and a self-professed skill for ‘decluttering and reorganising’ we wanted to learn more about their business and the rooms they transform.

Photographer: Fiona Murray

Camilla’s stunning city home was recently featured in a beautiful article for 25 Beautiful Homes Magazine. Was the styling of your home Interior Facelift’s first project together?

No, our first project together was an Edwardian house in London – the owners had used a developer and an interior designer to update their house but they couldn’t make the sitting room feel cosy and so called us in to add style and individuality.

On your website you talk about how ‘breathing new life’ into a home through styling can be just as effective as starting the whole decoration process from scratch. What is the best starting place for a client when they want to refresh their home?

To work out how they would like to use the room, what they would like to keep in it, (if anything) and what they would like to change. for example, we are currently doing a job in which the client has a wonderful painting above the fireplace which is very special to them so we are designing colours around it and eclectic pieces from our treasure trove of reclaimed goodies to bring the room together.

What would you say is the most transformative step in restyling?

For us, the way to add the greatest impact when restyling is to add a few key features in a room, such as panelling as well as a couple of interesting pieces, perhaps an oversized mirror or some reclaimed doors that then make the room come alive.

What is your top tip for lighting a room?

We would say lighting is one of the most dramatic ways of adding impact and creating an atmosphere in a room. Layering is how we add interest with light, from overhead pendants to wall lights to table lamps.

Where does your flair for design come from?

For Emma life has always been about being visual – she trained as an artist , so colours and attention to detail have been second nature to her for more years than she might care to remember. I (Camilla) lived in Italy for several years, where style and design go hand in hand in effortless fashion.

With a wealth of inspiration on platforms like Instagram, sometimes it seems like a lot of houses can end up looking the same and filled with similar things. How do you tap into adding your own personality into a home?

We are both opposed to the ‘developers look’ where rooms can look bland and lack individuality. Instead, for us it is about layering different textures, making pieces work against each other and mixing reclaimed with new to add interest. The most wonderful part of our job is that we can combine our experience and flair with the client’s personality to make their home truly original.

Which has been the most enjoyable project to design?

Probably our most enjoyable project to date has been a house which just needed styling as opposed to building work; we were given free reign to style shelves, consoles, wall art etc – our idea of heaven.

Which has been the most challenging?

We have had one job where the client kept changing their mind with regards to what they wanted – a few mood boards later we got there!

Can you tell us about your dream project?

A project that allows us to use lots of reclaimed features and interesting styling. We are most excited when we can explore our ‘ inside-out’ philosophy….crafting out door spaces so that they flow from the indoor rooms and reflect each other by strategically positioned mirrors and of course magical lighting.

Last but not least, what’s in store next for Interior Facelift?

We are really excited about doing a project in Mallorca – we are planning to use a lot of natural wood and stone with limed walls, rattan pendants and some stunning Jim Lawrence outdoor wall lights. We have already discovered some dusty reclamation yards waiting for our attention!

Harcourt Wall Light in Beeswax, Chalford Pendant Light in Antiqued Brass, Medium Round Rattan Basket

We can’t wait to see this Mallorca project, it sounds divine… Follow Camilla and Emma on Instagram at @Interiorfacelift, and see more of their work on their website.

Hi, my names Millie I’m 14 and I enjoy designing and drawing and do a lot of art in my spare time. I also do cheer leading which I attend every week. I enjoy coming up with new creative ideas to show my family! I take Art, DT, Sociology and History at School.

When I had my first tour about 6 months ago I was very nervous as I haven’t been to a place like this before! I was a bit scared to come at first as I didn’t know my way round the building, but I easily managed to fit in and all the workers are lovely.

Belonging to Suffolk’s prestigious group Stuart Inns, The Old Crown Girton is their first pub located away from the county. Situated in nearby Cambridge, this beautifully styled bar and restaurant stays in keeping with their well-known sophisticated design. With a little more quirk and a little more colour, we knew we had to explore this venue which features many of our lights.

A lot of brands (ourselves included) tend to put a lot of focus on the interior of a home. This is because it’s where we spend most of our time (inside, looking out) but what about when we’re on the outside looking in, realising the exterior is looking a little tired…? This is where a conduit comes in.

We have the perfect solution for transforming those drooping external wires from a nuisance into a stunning external feature. Our favourite way to light up the night is to group lights and create a glowing feature that wouldn’t look out of place indoors. There’s no reason to forsake style for function. Our Antiqued Brass Conduit is a smart way to hide ugly exterior wiring, particularly when combined with our slim Doncaster Wall Light or Bulkhead Light.

We want to make sure our conduit kits are a breeze to install, so here’s an easy “how-to” guide to assembling your own.

1) CHOOSING YOUR LIGHT

Firstly, decide on the style of light you want to connect the conduit to. We have two robust outdoor lighting designs that perfectly match the lightly antiqued brass of the conduit to bring an aged vintage elegance to your home:

• An RHS Garden Product of the Year finalist, the Bulkhead Light is a respectful nod to old ships lighting with a caged, modern twist. Made in solid brass and fully non corrosive, this handsome light will shine no matter what the lovely British weather throws at it!
• The Doncaster LED Light is suited to the smallest of outdoor spaces, but with no shortage of design detail. With an overall depth of just 5.4cm it would sit neatly in even the narrowest of spaces.

(View the entire outdoor lighting collection here)

2) CREATING YOUR KIT

A solution for even the most challenging space… simply add any of the following items to create the perfect industrial conduit solution. Our conduit kits give you the chance to be creative with your outdoor lighting.

The antiqued brass poles can be cut to size for your convenience, but we offer a 1m or 2m kit to purchase.If you are looking to group your lights as above, the Junction Box is a neat answer to even more wiring and a perfect antiqued brass finish to match your kit.

3) OLIVES AND ELBOWS

Please note that we always recommend you fit your lights using a qualified electrician. However, there is no harm in getting to know the tips and tricks behind the conduit so you understand exactly how wonderful this kit really is! If you want to install your new lighting in a problematic area – do not fear – this is all made possible by the conduit elbow. These joints allow your electrician to fix the poles up, down, across and around corners. This means your can achieve whichever look you are after with ease.

We all know the British weather can be temperamental, so we have ensured the conduits are completely safe. This all comes down to the olive. No, not the pitted kind, but a small ring inside the joiners which is crushed on fixture to ensure a watertight seal to protect the precious wiring.

TIP: If you require additional couples and joiners our helpful sales team are happy to advise.

4) FLICKING THE SWITCH

Once you and your electrician have followed the above steps, you are ready to illuminate your home: Jim Lawrence style. If you still have any questions don’t hesitate to call up our knowledgeable customer service team on 01473 826685 and they will happily walk you through the process.

We would love to see any pictures of your completed conduits! Tag your images on Instagram or Twitter with #JimLawrenceMade or email to press@jim-lawrence.co.uk.so we won’t miss out.

Why not take a look at our full range of exterior lighting and door furniture to add the finishing touches to your outdoor design.