A romantic interior is not necessarily one which sets the scene for romance (though that may be a by-product), but one which conjures up emotions similar to that of love. Nostalgia, fondness, calm, and contentment are some of the feelings that sit in the middle of the ‘interior design / romance’ Venn diagram. What gives a room this sensibility is arguably a subjective thing. A quick survey throws up many interesting answers. For House & Garden contributor Ros Byam Shaw it’s ‘that irresistible Game of Thrones frisson of a medieval tower with gothic windows and stone tracery; an open fire described as burning fragrant pine cones and applewood; candles in candelabra reflecting in the diamond pane glass of the arched windows, one of which has a deep window seat set into the thick stone walls’ that evokes a dream-like, romantic image.
The interior designer Nicky Haslam’s idea of a romantic room contains many of the same elements – namely ‘deep shadows and low lights, unopened books by the fireside and overblown pink roses’. Others are either more personal – ‘unopened letters and the smell of used tennis balls’ or far less commonly found in an interior – ‘the sound of doves cooing’. For Nina Campbell, it’s all about lighting: ‘soft lighting as opposed to harsh lighting, is most the important thing, the rest can be dealt with but bad lighting is very hard to come back from!’, she says. Despite these personal preferences, there are some generally-accepted things which make for a ‘romantic’ room. Flowers – whether real or printed onto fabrics – are one of them, airy, flowing curtains another. Lighting, as we have learned, is also key here: one is certainly looking prettier and feeling more relaxed under the soft flicker of candlelight than the fluorescent lighting of a hospital, for example.
With Valentine’s day upon us, we take a trip through the House & Garden archive to find the rooms that most perfectly capture this spirit.
