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At Home with the Baileys

Two years ago, Mark and Sally Bailey, of destination home-ware store Baileys, wrote the international bestseller Recycled Home. Here, Mark and Sally talk about their new book, Simple Home.

What are the differences between your last book, the internationally bestselling Recycled Home and that of the new book, Simple Home?
Our new book has a wider focus – we're still very much into recycling, but this time we also look at crafts, handmade objects and natural cleaning too. The Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi, which translates as poetic simplicity, is the perfect description of the ideals of the Simple Home. It is the chance to get back to basics and feels refreshing, especially at a time when things have a tendency to get over-complicated.

What inspired you to open Baileys?
We wanted to create a place where you can find simple, useful objects that have been well made by people who really know what they're doing. These objects are mixed with unusual vintage pieces and of course our old favourites – rescued and recycled objects. We wanted to present everything in a way that would capture the imagination. At the moment we have a large wooden canoe resting on some wire crates on one of our concrete tables.

Which materials do you most like to work with when decorating?
What we find most exciting is to work with the bare bones of a building – looking at what you've inherited and letting that lead the way you decorate. We feel that this is much better than disguising everything with wallpaper, paint and plaster.

What are the current trends in the world of interiors and which ones do you most adhere to or admire?
Trends really aren't what we're about but strangely we do seem to be very on trend at the moment. Our way of doing things hasn't really wavered over the years. Also, keeping things simple always looks fresh and contemporary with clean lines and unfussy finishes.

How regularly do you update your own home?
We treat our home a bit like a gallery; we're constantly moving things around and experimenting.

What are your favourite sources, apart from your own shop?
Antique markets in the South of France. We stay with friends and go to lots of different markets. It can be tricky fitting everything in the car when it's time to come back.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere – the oddest things can be inspirational. Travel is important too, as are trips to galleries. It's not necessarily just about individual artworks though. The way in which a curator puts an exhibition together, often with unexpected connections, can be really exciting.

How can a simple home best be created whilst also ensuring that it is a warm home?
In the beginning of our book we say that a simple home doesn't mean that it's a minimal home full of hard edges and uncomfortable designer furniture. We're all for piles of cosy woollen blankets and roaring fires.

‘Style’ on a budget is the order of the day; do you have any simple, thrifty style tips for those seeking to recreate your look?
We love beachcombing – driftwood looks good anywhere in the house, but really you never know what you might find – it's very therapeutic too! Just don't take pockets full of pebbles home as it's not good for the beach. Sally is also really into dying things at the moment. Natural dyes are a cheap way of completely transforming the look of fabrics.

One of our favourite concepts in the book is that of 'curating your home'. Could you tell us a little bit more about it?
You can have lots of things – collections of objects that you love – but they don't have to make your home feel cluttered. All museums and galleries have vast archives of things which are stored. Do the same thing at home – keep changing your displays. This keeps you looking at things in a new way too and your home will constantly evolve and change as a result.

Simple Home really seems to be in tune with today's way of living with great advice given on how to clean naturally. Do you follow the same principles in your own home? If so, what are your preferred natural cleaning recipes?
The linen water one featured in the book is a favourite – who knew that vodka could be so good for you?!

Which room in the Simple Home do you deem the most important and what are its main design characteristics?
It goes without saying that the kitchen is the heart of the home BUT we love the living room as a place to kick off your shoes and relax. The main design characteristic would therefore have to be the biggest, comfiest sofa you can fit in (or afford).

How do you see the Baileys' style evolving?
That's fairly tricky to answer as the way we work is quite organic. But making our books has really made us define our philosophy, as well as opening up other people's doors and seeing how they do things. So our style continues to evolve, albeit quietly – it must have as we have used photos of our home in both of our books and it is different in each of them.

How do you find working in a husband and wife team?
Our children Ben and Lucy work with us too so we're really a family team. Mark and I have our own areas of expertise, which complement each other well. Another important thing is that neither of us minds getting up early. There tends to be quite a few 4am starts if you want to be first in the queue at antique markets.