TALK SHOP: Louise Roe // Founder of Sharland ENGLAND
ABOUT LOUISE
Louise Roe has helmed one of our most favorite Instagram accounts in the interiors world for years, her eponymous @louiseroehome is a showstopper, curated to a T. An editor in a past life, Roe has worked in the fashion and lifestyle industry for over 15 years. As a former fashion editor-at-large for Glamour magazine, Roe has also written for Vogue, Elle, The Telegraph and House & Garden magazine. After a decade living in Los Angeles working in broadcasting, Louise and her family moved back to London. She founded Sharland England at the end of 2021, after a long-term love affair with all things rattan, and we’ve found ourselves smitten with her smart take on the classics. We were so excited to sit down with Louise, and hope you enjoy our latest Talk Shop!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Very traditionally English!
How did you get interested in interiors:
My background is in fashion journalism, so I have always had an adoration for all things aesthetically beautiful and hand-crafted.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My great granny, Marjorie Sharland. Even though I never met her, I grew up surrounded by her antique furniture and rattan, and the stories my Mum would tell about her glamorous parties, inspired my whole feeling of nostalgic entertaining, which informs my brand, Sharland England.
Secondly, the stacks of fashion magazines I collected as a teenager, many of which I still have in my childhood bedroom closet. I do miss the anticipation of waiting for a magazine issue to drop, going to buy it, and poring over the pages. Those images, both the shoots and the ad campaigns, made me want to go into an industry where I could create and craft something.
Lastly, I would say a handful of old-school interior designers, number one being the late Robert Kime. His eye was exquisite, and a mix of antiques and rich textiles made every home feel lived in, as well as elegant.
How did you start your company, and what is your favorite thing about what you do:
We had recently moved back to the English countryside after a decade in LA, working in the media. Renovating a gorgeous old Georgian rectory, I think I felt more aesthetically inspired than I had for a long time. We were discovering original mosaics under concrete slabs and restoring them, finding old floorboards underneath 90’s carpets. It was brilliant! During the first Covid lockdown, I had the idea to launch a rattan and tabletop brand, where everything was handmade and designed to be mixed with each other. I did a lot of research and spoke to as many peers in the industry who would give me their time and advice. I will never forget their generosity. Then almost two years later, I launched!
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
There are many women I credit as mentors, number one is an incredible author named Tasmina Perry. She gave me my first job at InStyle magazine out of university, and 20 years later we still meet regularly and swap ideas. I think she has written about 20 bestsellers since!
What does your home say about you:
On first look, probably that I’m a 90-year-old granny - ha! On second look, perhaps that I’m an alcoholic with a penchant for Negronis…We have two or three cocktail carts!
Where do you find inspiration:
Old interior books that I find on Etsy and eBay - so many are out of print, which is great because then you don’t find the images anywhere online. However, I do also love looking on Pinterest and Instagram for small brands, antique dealers, and interior designers. Lastly, I would say London. I have lived here a long time and still discover new cobbled streets or hidden mews, with the most beautiful architecture and little shops or galleries. I do love this city.
Who are your style icons:
Al McGraw, and Inès de la Fressange.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Great cocktails, low lighting, and a very pretty table. The food part I am rubbish at, but as long as the takeout is good, everyone is happy!
Do you collect anything:
Antiques
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
The Land Gardeners, Toby Worthington (for incredible historical anecdotes), Jo Rodgers, her writing - even just a caption - transports you off to a happy land.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I try to think about how rooms will look one after the other, rather than just on their own. For example, you can see from one room through four rooms in our home in London, and each wall colour is different but complements the one before.
What are you working on right now:
Sharland England’s Christmas campaign and I have just finished designing our new rattan collection, which will be ready in the New Year. I am also still working in TV, on the fashion side of work!
Wardrobe staples:
Loafers, cropped jeans, a cashmere jumper, blazer.
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
It’s hard to pick! I love what Schumacher offers, and Veere Grenney’s collection of both wallpaper and fabric there.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Nina Campbell said, ‘finish decorating, then have a party, spill the red wine, don’t worry about it, and enjoy living in the house!’
Best career advice you ever received:
My Dad told me when I was 11, and I remember the conversation very clearly, that I would have my own company. I of course said no I won’t, but he has always been my guide since then, encouraging and supporting me.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
My antique bureau desk was an investment, but I sit at it every day and just adore it. I save on art: I buy what I like the look of, usually from eBay, and remove the frame from oils on canvas, or I’ll find an old frame and restyle it.
Your greatest extravagance:
I am about to splash out on an antique red marble fireplace, but I cannot resist…
Favorite places to shop for home:
The village of Petworth is a hive of antiques but also such a charming spot to wander around: you can also visit the stately home Petworth House, while you’re there.
Most prized possession and why:
Photos of my daughters - and hubby - in antique silver frames I usually pick up at the flea market. They are dotted all over the house.
Your interiors motto:
Nothing too new or too shiny, I love homes to feel lived-in, layered, and luxurious, but not too perfect.
Your life motto:
Never expect anything. It was my Grandfather’s motto, and the way he lived it, was to appreciate everything you have rather than assuming you’ll get more.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
It can be overwhelming with all the images flying in front of us every day, so my advice is to create a moodboard, or an album on your phone, with images and colours you love, to keep you on track.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Mexican
Drink: Gin & tonic
Film: High Society
Hotel: Gleneagles, Scotland
City: London
Bedding: Parachute
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Early grey with milk and sugar, and Oat milk latte
Playlist: My Sharland England playlist, on Spotify. My husband made it and I play it all the time.
Weekend Activity: Farmer’s market, playing by the pond with the children, a country pub, very low key.
Design Book: Decors Barbares, Nathalie Farman-Farma