My Country Life: Edward Bulmer

Edward Bulmer is an interior designer by training and one of Britain’s leading architectural historians, specialising in the restoration of historic buildings. He is the founder of Edward Bulmer Natural Paint and an exponent of practical sustainability in everyday living. His architectural and decorative commissions include work at Althorp, Goodwood House, Chequers and Chevening. His first book, The Colourful Past: Edward Bulmer and the English Country House, is out now, from Rizzoli. He lives with his family in Herefordshire.

Were you brought up in the country? And did you always know you’d
return?
Yes, Herefordshire has always exercised a hold over me!

Can you describe your house?
My present home is a red-brick William and Mary house surrounded by ornamental fish ponds.

Why did you choose this location?
It was close to an area of woodland my family owns. Houses of this sort are not plentiful in this county and we liked that it had not been restored or had the outbuildings converted.

What’s the view from your study?
I look out onto a straight-edged fish pond fed by the River Arrow beyond. There is a small footbridge on which a kingfisher often perches.

How would you describe the style of your house?
It’s home. It is practical and comfortable but not overscaled. It works hard for us – we use it to photograph our natural paint colours and we receive group tours.

How do your surroundings influence your work?
My surroundings are farmland. What I farm with my neighbours is mainly pasture with good organic matter and reasonable wildlife habitat. It is free draining but prone to flooding. Land management offers us an opportunity to mitigate some of the worst effects of climate change, which the world is currently choosing to ignore. Even my farm has higher carbon emissions than my paint business. So I aim to manage the land to reverse this and have a positive effect for nature and my neighbours.

How did your paint collection come into being?
I was working with Goodwood House in 2003 on a project with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. As I researched colours that matched the historic stories of the buildings and paid homage to the delicate nature of their surroundings, I found there was something missing. So I created my own collection. Edward Bulmer Natural Paint is non-toxic, using gentle chemistry and plant-based ingredients. We are committed to a campaign of cleaning up the paint industry, one tin at a time.

How is the social scene different in the country to that in the city?
Society in the country is what you choose – there is time to get to know people well round here. We are three to four hours from London, so those that move here usually do it knowing that what they have chosen is a way of life, not a weekend retreat.

Is there a house that you covet?
I’m living in it!

Which are your favourite pubs and restaurants in the area?
The Cider Barn in Pembridge is a 450-year-old restaurant that celebrates Herefordshire’s produce. And the Riverside at Aymestrey is all about sustainable seed-to-plate dining.

What are your favourite country pursuits?
Living here. Building a garden. Spending time on the river and in the woods.

Which are your favourite shops and markets?
The antique markets in Presteigne and Leominster – you can always find something unexpected.

What do you love most about where you live?
It is where we raised our children and it feels like home. And it continues to keep me busy: there are plenty of projects I would still like to achieve.

Edward Bulmer Paint

Pictures from top: Edward Bulmer in his London studio; his Herefordshire house; the main bedroom; and the small dining room. Photographs by Anna Bachelor and Paul Whitbread