British Colonialism is at the heart of my interior style. There's an exotic Romanticism to the Brit abroad, discovering new places, new people and new cultures without the internet to assist.
British Colonial style has two main aspects - West Indies and Anglo-India. Both these varieties feature heavily with dark antique wood. Period furniture in dark stains is very easy to come across and if you're budget won't stretch quite that far many companies are now remaking items in the old style. Flea markets, car boot sales, GumTree and FreeCycle are also the perfect place to find some older, classic pieces for half the price.
With whitewashed walls and open shutters, both rely heavily on sun and good weather. Good weather is something we're not familiar in the UK. So, to bring British Colonial style into your home to suit all seasons consider replacing white walls with rich darker colours - warm teals, french navy, burgundy reds and emerald greens. If you're more of a neutrals person - Don't panic! - Ochres, hessians and shades of grey are perfect too. You could even experiment with a touch of mustard yellow.
Aside from furniture, British Colonial style is highly dependent on accessories. Huge potted plants aren't for everyone, but consider bringing in the natural elements with palm frond fabrics instead. Indian style floor cushions beneath a coffee table or a West-Indies patterned rug can all be sourced online and the hughstreet if you can't afford a fortnight in the Caribbean to chose your home furnishings.
As with everything, the real thing is much nicer than a fake, particularly if it evokes holiday memories. A good half-way point for this is to get messy and start crafting. There are some really brilliant youtube videos on creating your own ethnic prints and then you can be sure its one of a kind, plus it will always mean something to you. Here are two of my favourite tutorials:
Simple Block Printing and
Hand Block Printing Using Wooden Blocks. If you're very artistically adept, you might want to make your own printing blocks. This can be as sophisticated as you like with potatoes and a knife, polystyrene (that's styrofoam for any Americans) and a biro or if you have access to it linoleum or wood with appropriate tools. Fabric paints are available in craft shops and online (Amazon and Ebay are brilliant) in hundreds of colours. Always make sure that the paint will work on your chosen surface and you protect your clothes and work area before beginning: things usually get a little messy.
Check out my
Pinterest page for more inspiration on
British Colonial Style.
