Tat London Briefing: The Latest & Greatest
Here we are, trying to lighten your hearts with the ridiculous, the beautiful and the heartfelt, we want to take your minds to country houses, auctions and easter eggs.
Dear People,
Another bevy of bountiful beauties graces the Tat blog this week — we do so enjoy lavishing it with articles I myself would want to read. And not just the ones I’ve written, I might add (though obviously those are divine).
But before we dive into all that, allow me — once again, and without a shred of shame — to sing the praises of the Tat Job Board. It has, without the faintest flicker of exaggeration, become the place to be. We put all our might into attracting the kind of companies one dreams of working with: take the marvellous Pinch, surely one of the leading lights in British design; or Nordic Knots, the coolest name to emerge in the last five years. And now, fresh off the press, we have two new roles from Salvesen Graham — not only one of the most highly regarded interior design studios in the UK, but also newly published authors of A New English Style: Timeless Interiors by Salvesen Graham. So there’s no excuse — give it a whirl.
And while I’m cheerleading, let me also give a rousing push for the Tat Membership (£25 inc vat). I genuinely think it’s a bit of a steal. We want to lavish you with tips, daydreams, and small-but-mighty delights.
And now, allow me to walk you through the Members’ Article — a little something special for those in the inner circle. Further down, you’ll find the freebies — those delicious morsels we scatter like crumbs to keep spirits high and imaginations fed.
Of course, if you’d rather not wait around for this email (and miss some of the time sensitive articles) to nudge you toward our creative content, you’re more than welcome to sign up directly to Tat — right this way.
MEMBERS ARTICLES
Do click on the email to see the full fabulousness of this email.
Here I recite the latest and greatest things I have seen. It's that simple. It's that sexy.
Three Delicious Room Schemes Where Each Piece is £500 or Under
This is a relatively easy feature to get your head around: every piece, regardless of size or provenance, is £500 or under.
Our Little Black Book Of Antique Dealers
We let you in on our 100 or so favourite dealers, this is a gold mine and I mean this with not a sprinkling of exaggeration.
Not A Penny Over: A Hundred Little Domestic Dandies For Under £100
I can’t deny it — this has become harder with each list. I’ve almost certainly tipped over the 100 mark this time, and no doubt a product or two has made a previous appearance. But as I want you to feel this is a gloriously varied and genuinely exciting selection, I didn’t dare cut it down.
Garlands & Green Men: May Day in England
We English have always taken a certain pleasure in marking the beginning of things in eccentric, traditional, handmade ways. The first day of May is no exception and for those with a soft spot for rituals involving ribbons, bells, and greenery (surely all of us?), it’s just about the perfect day. Perhaps only bested by the glorious torch-wielding towns of the South of England on fireworks night.
Homes That Tempt: A Look at the Market’s Best
I should say, The Market's Best is hugely subjective. These are the homes I could see myself in—places that spark the imagination, that make you feel life has more to offer than a one-up, one-down. Perhaps we could see ourselves in a Victorian gate lodge teetering on a perilous edge, or a pinkish farmhouse looking out over fields of bucolic dreams. (It wouldn’t be much of a farmhouse without a field or two.)
Our Picks Of The 30 Best Properties On The Market For £500k & Under
Back with our favourite feature — and yes, we’re house-heavy once again, but really, what did you expect? Property is Tat’s bread, butter, and possibly its clotted cream. This week’s line-up is particularly rich: dramatic entrances, high beams, a touch of faded grandeur.
Perchance to Dream: Homes with Potential
I’m rather surprised this feature has continued — and yet here we are again. Every time I come across one of these houses I think, yes, it’s got potential. You just need to add a kitchen there, perhaps knock down a wall or two, find some new flooring... and so on. All while I sit in my own home, currently hosting bouts of damp and a healthy population of moths.
FREE ARTICLES
Not to brag, but I shall. The Tat team, or rather my colleague Charlotte, has put together a monumentally beautiful list of things to do this May. It’s quite the place to turn if you ever find yourself at a loose end.
From 6pm sharp to fashionably late — a look at how the aesthetically inclined take their evening meal.
Discovering Hay & Beyond: Liberty Nimmo's Recommendations for the 2025 Literary Festival
The wonderful Liberty Nimmo has been kind enough to impart her wisdom on her new neck of the woods — helping you enjoy not only the iconic literary festival, but also Herefordshire and many of its finest sigh
You know how it goes — I spot a few pieces that delight me, slip in a bit of Tat while I’m at it, and we all leave feeling terribly pleased with ourselves.
Rooms with a View: The World's Most Ravishing Hotels, According to Those Who Know
This feature was so well received last time, we thought we’d continue with good cheer. The people we've asked are true connoisseurs of taste: antique dealers, designers, and writers whose eye for the beautiful and unusual I trust implicitly. They’re the ones I turn to for advice on all things aesthetic and, if I’m honest, on most other matters too.
Hartwell House Review: Escaping the Beige, Finding the Sublime
‘Unchanged, you know, like stepping back into the past, to the part of the past that one had loved and enjoyed.’ That, according to Miss Marple, is her verdict on Bertram’s Hotel, the setting of Agatha Christie’s eleventh Miss Marple novel. In today’s parlance, I thought such places no longer existed. But my doubt was firmly shattered after a night at Hartwell House.
After 27 Years, This Treasured Walthamstow Home Is Ready for Its Next Custodian
We take a look around the Walthamstow home of two lifelong collectors — a house full of character, quietly preparing itself for a new custodian. Perhaps we can help in the search.
Until next time.
Loved the places to go near Hay. However your article says Hertfordshire instead of Herefordshire.