At Charleston Farmhouse They Loved to Paint ... Everything!

Art to live with from a fascinating family in 20th-century Sussex, England

Virginia Woolf

In May I joined a webinar, Charleston Farmhouse. I’ve always wanted to visit this home of early 20th century artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant where they painted surfaces everywhere, doors, firewood boxes, curtains and tabletops. And of course, Virginia Woolf’s book covers.

Vanessa Bell’s decoration for her sister’s novel, published in 1931

Virginia was Vanessa’s sister. Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s home, Monk’s House, was less than 10 miles from Charleston. I should add here that Vanessa’s husband Clive, a writer and art critic, also lived at Charleston with Vanessa and Duncan. I mention all this just to hint at the fascinating story of the talented, tangled extended family that became known as Bloomsbury.

Below is a photo of Charleston Farmhouse showing the studio window on the top left that was added for Vanessa Bell in 1939.

Charleston Farmhouse, East Sussex, England

Inside, the patterns, colors and furnishings in this farmhouse are said to give today’s visitor an uplifting, welcoming feeling. The matte paint they loved to use doesn’t appear as lifeless as you might expect. It energizes, such as in a yellow wall that’s over-painted with green.

Clive Bell’s study 1916; Duncan Grant’s fabric design for The Queen Mary, 1936; Vanessa Bell’s oil on canvas, “View of Charleston Pond” c.1919, detail.

I find this inspiring. Why not decorate the space you live in with the materials you have and the colors you love? Vanessa and Duncan even decorated (painted designs on) the houses they rented.

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant at Asheham, 1912

Below is a small pillow from my mother’s house. The pattern resembles Vanessa’s designs (c. 1915) for the Omega Workshops, where the artists’ mission was to sell original, modern furnishings to people of everyday income.

My mother’s small pillow

One of the presenters of the Selvedge Magazine webinar, Annie Sloan, offered advice to any hesitant artist-crafter. She said,

Just do it. Walk away. Come back the next day. It may be wonderful!

The Waves book cover

“Charleston Farmhouse” was a ticketed webinar by Selvedge Magazine Selvedge.org, May 13, 2021.

Selvedge Magazine

Photos: Richard Shone's "Bloomsbury Portraits"; Christopher Reed's "Bloomsbury Rooms"; "Charleston" by Quentin Bell and Virginia Nicholson; pillow photo by Deda Edney