And divine is how artists Bell and Duncan Grant made Charleston, the East Sussex home of the controversial and influential Bloomsbury Group of artists and writers.
The house became an experimental canvas for the decorative arts, with handpainted walls, wallpapers and door panels, brilliantly coloured furniture and textiles, while rainbow-hued lampshades adorned bases made from chunks of old telegraph poles.
Charleston and its gardens, near Lewes, is now a renowned international shrine to the group and on Saturday, October 14, the textiles magazine Selvedge is holding its first textiles fair in the grounds. “It will be the perfect opportunity for visitors to shop from a range of vintage fabrics, covetable haberdashery and skilfully handmade textile treasures,” according to the organisers.
Exhibitors will include Elizabeth Beverley with plant-dyed wool; Bleu Anglais, which sells original Chinese indigo paste-resist patterned cloth; and Project Pico, which specialises in organic underwear.
Another attraction will be the lampshade-making workshops run by textiles designer Cressida Bell, granddaughter of Vanessa Bell, using her print designs for participants’ own creations.
The event runs from 11am-5pm and entry costs £5 via the website or on the door. There is a special discount for a tour of Charleston, for which tickets can be booked via the Charleston Trust website below using the code selvedge10.
