F4A #5: Steal Their Look - 11 Downing Street Edition
Hundreds of thousands of pounds poorly spent – here's how we'd do it better.
I get it: Remodeling is hard work, and it’s expensive too! A few years ago, my flatmate and I decided it was time to replace our kitchen, which had begun to rot away under a leaky sink. The project was daunting, and even with her partner’s jigsaw and knowledge of woodworking, we spent a combined 80 hours of manual labour tearing the shelves from the wall, assembling a new ensemble, cutting holes for the sink and hob into a broad wooden countertop and drilling it all together. It was a Sisyphean task, but worth it in the end: As we cracked open beers to admire our handiwork (you can see it in the back of this selfie), we promised we would never leave this flat, that the kitchen was too beautiful to be abandoned and that perhaps we would simply grow old and die alongside it (we both moved out within 8 months).
I kind of empathise with Boris and Carrie Johnson here: As I daydream about the pair steaming their carpets and patching holes in the 11 Downing Street walls (my FOIA request on their security deposit is still pending), I know firsthand how hard it can be to stomach saying goodbye to a temporary home you’ve renovated, and the world you built within it with plenty of time and even more money – around 500€ for me, and over £200,000 for the Johnsons according to a leaked invoice published by The Independent this morning.
Their shopping list, however, is even harder to stomach: £3,675 on a drinks trolley, and a £7,000 rug; £3,000 for an antiqued “bevelled mirror all over the wall”; another £3,000 for a centre table; two “little side tables” for £1,500 apiece; and a staggering £15,120 for drawing room sofas. In total, they spent more on wallpaper and new linens than I earned in the last year – all paid by invoice to Soane Britain.
(In a remarkably timed coincidence, the entire staff of Soane Britains offices, showrooms and workshops has a day off of work today to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary. I think it’s quite sweet to see an interiors company invest in their staff like this – I imagine it must be quite hard for their Trainee Rattan Weavers and experienced Metal Polishers to take advantage of the in-house staff discount on £3,000 console tables when they’re offered £10.50 and £12.60 per hour respectively).
At Furniture For All, we believe in one thing: Furniture for all, mainly. If you’re looking to upgrade your own digs without breaking the bank, here’s a cheatsheet on how to Steal Their Look: 11 Downing Street edition.
After the week Johnson has had, I imagine his drinks trolley is the only fully stocked cabinet he has left – for now, at least. Above, you’ll find the Nuryev Trolley, made to resemble one owned by ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev, and purchased for the Johnsons’ drawing room. It clocks in at a clean £3,675. It’s not a perfect replica, but the vintage cart on the right is a steal at just £49 in Ross-on-Wye – I prefer it, anyway, as the brassy gallery edges on the trays look a little less like a wrought iron fence.
I’m not a DJ, but I do take requests: I’m always happy to help find furniture, so let me know what you’re looking for. Reply to this email or send me a message on Twitter what you want, where you are (generally! don’t send me your address – I don’t want it!), and what price point fits your budget, and I’ll see what I can do.
I kind of hate the teal table that the Johnsons chose from Soane’s catalog! The woven rattan is lovely, but the paint job scans as childish and gaudy – it looks like it’s been tipped into a pool of that colourful edible wax with which American candies are often finished. On the right is my personal recommendation: A stunning vintage console (also rattan), with a sleek glass top that’s easy to clean. If you’re deadset on a teal table for your parlor, be my guest – I hear spray paint is cheap.
Pick up the console for £145 in Crawley.
I’ll keep it short and sweet: The Atem Hurricane Wall Light with Candles looks like it could be MacGyvered out of a brassy jewelry dish and an old bottle of Aperol with a hammer, some sandpaper and maybe 45 minutes. There really is no reason for it to clock in at £1,775 apiece. Instead, try these vintage copper candle holders from Belgium. The pair is available on Etsy for £91.42.