I invited myself to Lou Harvey’s magnificent home on The Ridge. “We want to do a story on your house,” I announced. She accepted my request, and I arrived at 3pm.
She opened something white and chilled, with a reputable label. This was followed by something unmentionable and horrible I had found at the back of my fridge.
See our picture gallery below.
At the end of our “meeting” we proudly acknowledged that we had not sat and gossiped all afternoon. “Of course not!” exclaimed Lou in horror. “We were too busy talking about ourselves!”Another fascinating evening with Lou…and that’s why I love going there – pure fascination.
Lou Harvey is renowned for her range of accessories and soft furnishings, and her brand is synonymous with cutting edge design, style, fashion and functionality.
As we were enjoying the crisp night air, her two dogs, Frankie and Lola, were doing their utmost to make any conversation difficult. I can only describe them as goldfish with legs, and they adore their “mother’s” attention.
This happens all over her beautiful outdoor furniture. Unperturbed, Lou lets them go mad, “These are loose covers, we just throw them in the wash!” she pardons.
Lou has this amazing knack of combining contemporary classic with a bit of bling. She admits to claiming “instant ancestors”.
“I love visiting the antique market in Paris. My new acquisition is Nikolas,” she says pointing to a very beautiful painting of a young man who has now been invited into her home as an ancestor. Who he is or where he comes from is irrelevant, he is exquisite.
And just when I think that everything in this house is impossibly bling and “juj” I find three garden gnomes, all the way from Germany, eye-balling me.
A passion for gnomes
“I have a passion for gnomes,” confessed Lou quite openly. Well, that was unexpected!
Never one to do things in small doses, Lou has already travelled to 12 countries in the past year, to source product and see clients. Her name is known internationally with her goods being sold in exotic locations like the Bahamas.
“I shop like I own Stuttafords,” she laughs. “I don’t buy one of anything – I buy 20!” And her garage is testament to that. “I buy things that I never put into my house. Friend’s keep telling me to have a garage sale, but I won’t!”
Lou was busy putting together a beautiful Cecile and Boyd Four Poster Bed in her guest room. And Izzy, her daughter, has the most exquisite antique French bed.
“Et, toi, Lou?” I ask in my hazy schoolgirl French, expecting something breathtaking in her room.
“Me, no, I just have a great mattress!”
Oh, well, never mind, I’m sure if we fish around in the garage we’ll find something for you!
Useful info: Visit Lou Harvey online.