At Home with Charlotte Bland
Charlotte, a photographer specialising in interiors, food, and travel using natural light and film, resides in a charming Victorian terraced house.
Nestled in the serene Dulwich Village, south east London, Charlotte Bland's home exudes a charm that seamlessly merges with the lush greenery surrounding it. This picturesque neighbourhood, just a stone's throw away from the bustling heart of London, offers a sanctuary with its quaint shops, parks, and verdant woods—a haven where returning home feels like a retreat.
We sat down with Charlotte and asked her a few questions about colour and design, the home's unique warmth and her beloved rescue cat, Tiny Cat.
Describe your home’s personality:
Calm and sunny sums it up. It’s full of natural light and with greenery front and back, the sun creates these beautiful shadows that move around the house throughout the day. I shoot a lot there, especially cookbooks, and the light in the house has become integral to my work.
Favourite space or room in the home? And what’s your most loved season?
I have two favourite views. One is from the bedroom, where the view looks out on a huge cherry tree that fills the windows with pink blossoms in the spring and green leaves for much of the year.
The other is the view from the kitchen at the back of the house, out through the garden. It is densely planted and very green and is like a changeable piece of art. At the end of the garden is a crab apple tree that in spring has fuchsia pink blossoms - It makes the kitchen glow pink for a few days every year, a brilliant reminder that summer is on the way.
How important is colour in your life and interiors?
I often shoot a lot of colour in my work but at home prefer a much more muted palette of monochrome with beige, brown and green and the odd addition of something stronger. My dad was an architect and instilled in me from a young age the power of a bit of red in a room so I always have a few bright red items around the house like the red powder coated candlestick my mum gave me as a child and a red Corin Mellor plywood tray on my ottoman.
What furniture item could you never part with?
Please can I keep two?! The old, pine dining table that belonged to my husband’s great grandparents is a pretty special piece. Perfectly worn, with wide planks and a large drawer at one end that holds our table linen, it’s seen generations of his family eat around it and has lived variously in Hampshire, Chelsea, Berkshire and now Dulwich.
The other piece is a small Victorian armchair that my mum found at an auction and I rebuilt from the frame up for my City and Guilds qualification in upholstery. It has hand-tied springs in the seat and is incredibly comfortable with a top cover of Bute bouclé fabric. I made it many years ago and both the fabric and the inner of the chair have aged so well, I had very good upholstery teachers!
Go-to recipe for a lazy night?
My friend Paola’s cherry tomato spaghetti, or as she describes it “the easiest and most delicious pasta in the world”. I cook this at least once a week and the leftovers make a fantastic breakfast.
In essence, Charlotte Bland's home is a reflection of her artistic sensibilities, her reverence for heritage, and her commitment to creating spaces that are both functional and inspiring.
Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
200g long thin pasta (spaghetti or linguine)
1 punnet (about 250g) sweet, very ripe cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp good olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp granulated sugar (optional)
Handful of chopped Italian parsley (optional)
Extra olive oil for finishing
