Even if it's not a style of architecture or period you like, a decorator has to have a feel for a house's personality and try not to fight against it. I like to get the juice out of a house and not spoil it.

I had learnt from going to Houghton that to make a room quiet, to make it harmonious, you never wanted to have only one 'mouvement' thng like the Savonnerie rug that would stand out. You must have 'mouvement' everywhere.

In restoring a house one must first realize its period, feel its personality and try to bring out its good points.

Scale is of prime importance and I think that oversized scale is better than undersized scale.

I like to preserve simplicity rahter than over-polishing. Fashions are changeable. Taste is in realizing the essence of a place.

I've always liked a formal layout and informal planting," she explained. "First get the structure right, like the bones in a face, then plant it like a crowded shoe. If you have a strong layout, you can let the plants seed themselves all over the place. Haphazard, unexpected... I like to be surprised by a garden.

I've lived too long and I've lived too well.