Photoshoot Diary: The Bylaugh Story

7th March 2019

We feel very privileged to have been able to work in some incredible locations for our photoshoots and this season’s Mulaayam shoot was no exception. For four days we were kindly hosted by Ben and Helen Budworth, Publisher and Managing Director of The Lady and new owners of Bylaugh Hall.

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Birdie Fortescue Journal | The Bylaugh Story

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Bylaugh is an intriguing house with a tumultuous history that has seen it stripped of its assets, requisitioned, ruined and partially restored before finally falling into sympathetic hands in recent years. The house was built to fulfil the much contested instructions of a family will to a design that, although innovative, was not in the style originally prescribed. The house that was eventually built by Charles Barry Jr and Robert Richardson Banks bore a striking resemblance to Barry Sr’s Highclere Castle (of Downton Abbey fame) and was surrounded by expansive woods and parkland overlooking the Wensum Valley.

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In its heyday Bylaugh was one of the largest estates in Norfolk but by the advent of the First World War its future was becoming uncertain. In the years following the end of the war the estate was auctioned off, with the house occupied by various families before being requisitioned as the headquarters of the 100 Bomber Support Group. It was at Bylaugh that the first Allied Bombing Raid was planned and the first mission which took off from nearby Swanton Morley on 29th June 1942 was attended by both Winston Churchill and the President of the United States of America, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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Birdie Fortescue Journal | The Byalugh Story

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The period following the Second World War saw the end of a great many houses across the country as social and economic structures shifted. In 1950 a demolition sale was held at Bylaugh after which the building was de-roofed and stripped of its remaining contents and architectural features. For the next forty years the house gradually fell into an increasing state of ruination and by 1990 it was nothing more than a gutted, windowless shell. In 1990 Bylaugh was sold again and partially restored but the project remained largely unfinished.

Ben and Helen Budworth’s acquisition of Bylaugh represents one of the most exciting chapters in the building’s history. With a thorough program of sympathetic work already underway, the house has now become home to the specialist recruitment division of The Lady. Future plans will see the house developed into a centre of excellence for the training and accreditation of staff, an extension to The Lady brand, along with sumptuously appointed holiday accommodation.

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The charm of the house at this point in its life cycle is that it is a palimpsest of remarkable clarity. As work continues to sympathetically restore and mend, every layer of the building’s history is clear to see. From the supporting steel framework jutting out of the ruined block to the exposed brick structure of the internal arches and the layers of original paint visible under successive finishes. The beauty of the building today lies in its scarred imperfections.

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To be able to shoot in such an extraordinary building was an absolute privilege and we are so thankful to Ben and Helen for their kindness.

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We look forward to observing a much happier chapter in Bylaugh’s history.

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VIEW LOOKBOOK

Whether you are a dab hand with a brush or planning to get someone in, here are a few ideas of ways to enhance your space using our new paints.

Color swatches labeled with names from 'Birdie Fortescue' collection by Fenwick & Tilbrook.

Dining table setting with floral arrangement, candles, and plates in a room with a framed artwork on the wall.

Light and dark

Console table with decorative items against a green wall with floral artwork

This is a classic look for two reasons. Aesthetically speaking, splitting your wall into two distinct shades of light and dark – in this case, Nar above and Bure below – creates a sense of height and space in the room. The darker tone helps to ground the room while the brighter shade creates lightness and lifts the eye. From a practical perspective, the darker colour on the dado rail and wainscoting is also more forgiving for the wear and tear that our homes endure. It is also a very effective way to showcase paler coloured items of furniture like our Marble Top Crackle Console Table. We used our Coloured Wall Lights to link the lighter wall back to the rich tones of our Varuna Hand Tufted Trellis Wool Rug.

Handy hint: Rather than testing a paint colour directly on your walls, apply it to an A4-sized sheet of art card. That way you can audition the colour around your room and see how it changes with the light. You can also hold the painted card against your existing furnishings to test how they work together – and take the colour out with you when shopping for the room.

Beyond the pale

For those who think pale colours are a bit too safe or dull, please think again. For when used correctly they can create a wonderful space that is both warm and engaging. Here we have embraced the lightness, by using a combination of our Waveney paint above and Tud below. These hues provide a calm backdrop against which exquisite patterns like our Dumaloq Suzani can truly shine. The icing on the cake in this scheme is the sophisticated stripe of our Felipe Border pasted directly above the dado rail. Notice how it picks up on the accent colours within the Namda Felted Rug, and our Lattice Crewel Work Cushion.

Handy hint: Wallpaper borders are an easy way to create character and add a sense of structure to a plain room. If you are planning to paint a room just one colour, consider how a well-chosen border might add that extra something along your skirting boards and around the perimeter of your door frames.

Paper and paint

Here at Birdie HQ we love a patterned wallpaper but we also appreciate how four walls of it can feel a bit much. This is where a well-chosen paint comes into its own. For this scheme we combined the small-scale geometric tile pattern of our Sintra wallpaper with the deep calming

tones of our Wissey paint. The pair work wonderfully together creating a space that feels layered and considered. A bolder style such as this sits well with plainer pieces like our Abacus Floor Lamp and a treasured antique like this French 1970s Ulphostered Armchair, helping to bring out their sculptural qualities. Just a few judicious pops of pattern like our Crewel Work Cushion and the paintings of Lucy Innes Williams are all that is needed to complete the look.

Handy hint: When choosing your paint colours remember to consider how they will look against your flooring. For a more seamless look you may want to paint your walls and skirting boards the same colour. This works well in smaller spaces where you want to maximise the sense of space. However painting the skirting boards a different colour can be useful for balancing the transition from walls to floor – and adds an extra layer of interest to your scheme.

Gallery walls

Blue and red dining room with Fenwick and Tilbrook painted walls

If you own a very special piece of art, why not let it lead your paint scheme? Remember, you do not require clinically white walls to show pictures at their best. All you need is a sensitive eye and some thought as to what colours speak to you in the work and how they might translate into your room. This will ensure that your décor is complimenting not competing with your art. In our dining room, a rather splendid print by Keith Haring inspired our choice of Thurne for the richly painted dado and wainscoting, while we used Burn for the walls to allow the artwork space to breathe. Thurne’s bold red colour continues as an accent in the scheme from our Pumpkin Candlesticks and Ladder Stripe Napkins to our colourful Ziggurat Kilim Rug which provides a wonderful grounding for the space.

Handy hint: When your project is complete, be sure to transfer any small paint leftovers into a jam jar. This will come in very useful for touching up any future bumps or scrapes in the paintwork – and the paint will keep better as there is less air in the jar than the original tin. Should you find that you have a lot of paint left over, consider using it to paint the inside of a cupboard or an old piece of furniture that would appreciate the boost.

Neatly made bed with decorative pillows in a bedroom setting.

Which paint colour best suits my style?

Whether you’re drawn to soft, timeless neutrals or rich, characterful hues, our new paint collection has been carefully curated to bring warmth, depth, and individuality to your home. Each shade has been thoughtfully blended in collaboration with Fenwick and Tillbrook to harmonise beautifully with our furniture, lighting, and accessories - making it easy to create a cohesive and inspiring interior.

From grounding dark tones to uplifting pale shades, these paints offer endless possibilities to refresh and transform your home. Explore the collection today and discover the perfect colour to complement your style - available exclusively from Birdie Fortescue.