London-based interior designer Emma Ainscough has become renowned for her distinctive feminine and whimsical style, earning her a firm place on House & Garden’s coveted Rising Star list in 2023. Working on a range of exciting projects in and around London, Emma is perhaps best-recognised for her collaboration on fairytale cottage Charlotte’s Folly on the Bradford Estates in Shropshire; whose iconic red-and-white checkerboard kitchen and “granny-core” children's bedroom have gone viral in the press and on social media. Here, I spend some time with her to learn more about the brains behind the beauty of Charlotte's Folly.
What attracted you to come and work on the Charlotte’s Folly project?
The project was fairly unique in that the property was a very blank canvas for creativity. It hadn’t been touched (inside and out!) for many years, so was in desperate need of a full overhaul throughout. Due to the future use of the house being a holiday rental, along with Eliza and Alexander's ambition to create something new, exciting and inviting to future occupants, there was an opportunity to be really creative here. I was invited up for a site visit and Eliza gave me a great tour of the beautiful Estates, and it quickly became clear that this would be a really fun project to work on and make my own.
What was your vision for the space? Or what inspired you?
It was that initial site visit and Estates tour which provided my initial inspiration. Set in such beautiful countryside, Eliza was keen to highlight that aspect, so it was important for me to reference that in my designs. Nature and the surrounding views became a real pivot to ground the schemes of Charlotte’s Folly. I was keen to make the house colourful, but kept coming back to those earthy tones to ensure everything tied together well and provided a whimsical haven in this remote spot of Shropshire.
How would you describe your style? Has this changed at all?
I think my style is always evolving, however there is a constant thread of my desire to create stimulating, playful and layered interiors. Colour plays a huge part in my work, and Charlotte’s Folly was the perfect opportunity to hone in on that skill of layering up different colours and patterns – I was able to experiment in ways which I’m often not given the creative freedom to do. The result of this was hopefully bold and liveable in equal parts and has stirred a lot of interest for equally colourful schemes since, which is always a joyful brief to be given.
Were there any elements that you absolutely had to include here?
As soon as I entered what is now the 'green' bedroom in the eaves of the house, I instantly envisioned Living Quarter’s 'Creeping Toadflax’ wallpaper in here, and built my scheme around it. It’s the perfect whimsical design which suits going up and over the ceiling due to its non-directional pattern. It just felt like the ideal room for it; referencing the views outside and bringing nature in.
Were there any parts of the design process that were particularly challenging?
The blue bedroom was a tricky space. I first discovered it as a long, very thin room, with structural chimney breasts creating some awkward corners of dead space, and a lack of depth to create a practical layout. I couldn’t steal any space from adjoining rooms, so had to work with what we had. I decided to lean into the "small but perfectly formed" concept by adding in a partition wall with a large arched opening, creating a bed nook space that houses a superking bed and nothing else. We then took one of those awkward alcoves surrounding a chimney breast and built in some shelving to look like it had always been there, which acts as bedside table space for books and a water glass. The remaining half of the room outside of the bed nook houses a dressing area and a log burner, giving cosy vibes of breakfast in bed overlooking your very own log burner just through the arch. It was a tricky space to get right but it’s a definite highlight of the house now.
What would you say is your favourite room / design choice?
I think it has to be the green bedroom in the eaves. There is something a little magical to me about twin beds, and I was determined for them to be antique! It took a while to find the perfect pair but eventually I found them and knew they’d be a timeless and important anchor in the room. I love mixing old and new and I didn’t want this twin bedroom to feel too childlike, so this rich and characterful pair really help to ground the space in a more sophisticated way than twin beds can often feel. I added the upholstery panels to the headboard to add that soft and luxurious element, in a beautiful apple green velvet. The Creeping Toadflax wallpaper which I’ve mentioned already was a complete design favourite and the perfect backdrop in here. The dressing table between the beds is a vintage kidney shaped dressing table I found on eBay and is actually identical to one I had as a child (serious nostalgia!), so I had a lot of fun commissioning the transformation with an upholsterer, using a simple affordable stripe. We also created a matching stool to pair with it. It all feels so whimsical and other worldly in there; I’ve honed in on the small space to create a cosy retreat which is hopefully equally inviting to children and adults.
Did you have any favourite brands that you worked with for this project?
Howe’s Bourne St fabric and wallpaper collection is a favourite of mine and I managed to squeeze two wallpapers into Charlotte’s Folly from here. The blue bedroom with the cosy bed nook features their Folies Bergere Blue Ribbon wallpaper which really makes the space. I also put their Little F paper in the downstairs loo which is very sweet and, again, references nature in a subtle way.
If you were to describe Charlotte’s Folly to someone, how would you do so?
An exciting space full of subtle elements of surprise, to delight and inspire. The spaces are small but cleverly planned to enhance a stay, and the bold designs offer a whimsical, other-worldly experience where you can soak up nature and quickly forget about the real world! It has often been described back to me by people staying there as a "fairytale for grown ups" and I can’t really argue with that!
With thanks to Emma Ainscough for the words, and Chris Horwood for the profile shots.
Feeling inspired? Take a tour of Charlotte's Folly, read our Designer insider piece with property owner Seamus Shanks, or peruse our full collection of design-led escapes.
