IN 1966, Oliver Messel (1904-78), one of Britain's foremost stage designers, retreated to the Caribbean island of Barbados following a punishing theatre season. He was three decades into a stellar career that had seen him, among other things, disguise countryside pillboxes as haystacks, castles and cafés in the Second World War. Aged 62 and suffering from recurring arthritis, he would have been forgiven for taking early retirement or, at least, slowing down-but Barbados proved exactly the tonic he needed. He largely remained on the island-and on neighbouring Mustique-until his death 12 years later, designing and creating nine houses on the former and 18 on the latter, in spite of the fact that he had no formal architectural training. One such project, Fustic House, in the Barbadian parish of St Lucy, was described by former COUNTRY LIFE Architectural Editor Jeremy Musson (author of Fustic House & Estate-A Messel Masterpiece) as 'something out of a dream... one of those rare places, which once seen, is never forgotten' (COUNTRY LIFE, January 26, 2011).
Unsurprisingly, Messel's houses often took on theatrical qualities-proscenium arches replaced with open walls, gently curved, giant windows, and bi-fold shuttered doors. They were stage sets in their own right-beautiful to look at and look out from. Neither did the multi-hyphenate artist shy away from colour, inspired as he was by the saturated, tropical hues of the landscapes around him. 'Messel Green'-as it's now known-was its user's trademark, the 'Barbie Pink' of its day, daubed on shutters, ornamental bridges, awnings and woodwork.
Denne historien er fra December 06, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra December 06, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
