Salvage hunter’s eye for a bargain

Sally Coulthard is a best-selling author of homes and lifestyle books including Shed Chic. Her new venture, Huts & Hideaways (www.hutsandhideaways.co.uk), makes child-sized, bespoke shepherds huts for children using traditional techniques and child-friendly eco materials. She lives near Hovingham in North Yorkshire, with her husband James and two young daughters.

Q: Describe your style? (interiors)

I suppose I’m quite traditional really. I love period interiors, especially the Georgian and Regency eras – it’s that wonderful mix of simplicity, elegance and understated luxury. Historian Dan Cruickshank’s house in Spitalfields is a cracker. I’m no purist, however. My ideal interior would have the bones of a Georgian interior – the cornicing, the hob-grate fireplace, the sash windows and shutters, a simple colour scheme of authentic period colours, and then livened up with some gorgeous 20th century vintage fabrics and paintings. I’m also really drawn to the ’20s and ’30s, especially the Bloomsbury group, for inspiration – it’s a really strong period for British art and design. I picked up a portrait at an auction recently, of an artist called Percy Padden. He designed many of the iconic posters from that era for the Underground and the Royal Mail – it’s one of my favourite things.

Q: What is your favourite piece of furniture and why?

My father is a wonderful craftsman. After he retired from education, he set himself up as a furniture maker. He always used to make us things for us when we were children. One Christmas, he made a beautiful model of our Victorian townhouse, complete with opening windows which concealed little advent presents behind. I treasure it and keep it on display all year. Now my girls enjoy the advent house as much as I did.

Q: Where does your inspiration come from?

I read. I’m a compulsive buyer of interiors magazines and books. I especially like books about period interiors and design history. For years I’ve been cutting photographs out of magazines and making scrapbooks of interior design and garden ideas – there’s no shame in taking someone else’s good idea and adapting it to your own house or outside space. I’m also lucky in that I’m surrounded by creative friends.

Q: Where do you shop for homeware?

I rarely go shopping these days. If I need something for the house the first port of call is always eBay. From chandeliers to cushion fabric, I buy almost everything either vintage, antique or second-hand. If we do need things that can only be bought new, I’ve got my stock of usual haunts – Ikea for cookware and crockery, TKMaxx for bed linen and candles, and the Olive Branch in Easingwold for good gift ideas.

Q: Are there any designers/collections you’re excited about right now?

I’ve married someone who loves the outdoors and he’s passed that enthusiasm onto me. I’m designing a formal garden at the moment and I keep coming back to Piet Oudolf’s designs for inspiration. I think his gardens are stunning. Scampston Hall near Malton were very forward thinking to get him to design their walled garden almost a decade ago.

Q: Where is you ideal home?

Here. North Yorkshire is just a breathtaking county. We’re lucky enough to have found our dream house and location. Pity it’s still a wreck but we’re getting there... slowly.

Q: Your interiors wish list?

How long have you got? Our whole house needs restoring so the list would go on for hours. However, I am doing the dining room at the moment, so I need some wide reclaimed floorboards, Georgian alcove cupboards, brass picture lights and some lovely paintings to go on the wall.

Q: What’s the best item you’ve ever bought for your home?

I’m a compulsive salvage hunter so my favourite items in the house are those I’ve either rescued from a skip or bought for a song. My current best buy is a Regency hob-grate fireplace for the dining room. It was another eBay bargain – I had to collect it from Sunderland but it only cost me £150. I’m got visions of a noisy family Christmas dinner around the table with the fire roaring in the background.

Q: How do you relax at the end of the day?

Bath the children, glass of wine, meal with husband and a potter around my veg patch or feet up in front of the TV.