The Wainhouse Company is a love letter to British craftsmanship and artistry. Since inception, we’ve cherry picked the best elements of rustic English design to create elegant, country-lite furniture with a sleek urban edge.
In 2024, we decided to refresh how we presented our love letter to the world. What better way to celebrate our art than through the lens of a photographer who captures moments like a visual diary? Lifestyle photographer, Imogen Rosemary, was an obvious choice.
We chose North Devon, an area of outstanding natural beauty, for our Autumn 2024 photoshoot. Perched atop a hill, overlooking a plane of verdant fields and trees ablaze with fiery hues, stood a quintessentially British farmhouse. I couldn't imagine a more perfect setting to rewrite our love letter.
Pictured: Refectory Dining Table, Pine
Choosing the furniture and props
We carefully selected furniture and props that exude timeless charm, effortlessly blending the cosiness of the countryside with the rugged appeal of natural elements. By combining inviting painted pieces with natural wood tones and organic home decor, we created a vignette that was both welcoming and homely, exactly the look we aimed to achieve.
Farmhouse dining chairs and benches
Our Farmhouse Collection's rustic dining chairs and traditional benches take centre stage in this project, embodying the essence of rural design with their rustic charm, natural materials, and cosy ambiance. The relaxed vibe and curved edges of these pieces complemented the dining area perfectly, harmonising with its large open fireplace, exposed stone - a natural feature of the farmhouse, and dark oak beams. For a pop of colour, we painted one of our Farmhouse Slatback Chairs in Farrow & Ball's Sudbury Yellow. Our Fiddle Back Chairs, finished in a rich, dark hue, beautifully bridged the tones of the floor and overhead oak beams.
On site, we showcased a variety of benches, including our new Anna bench—a two-seater sofa bench (or love seat) featuring an elegant, spindled backrest. We also brought two traditional-style benches: one hand-painted in a bold, dark blue, and a smaller bench used in the hallway as a boot room seat. This smaller bench was painted in a beautiful off-white with a subtle yellow tint, harmonising perfectly with the farmhouse's panelled walls, which were painted in Coat Paints ‘Darlington’ which I found so wonderfully charming.
Pictured: Traditional Farmhouse Bench, Pine
Rustic pine dining tables
Pine furniture exudes a natural rustic charm that is both inviting and versatile. Its natural light, golden hue can brighten spaces. When it comes to pine furniture, I do admire the many knots in the wood pattern, I think they give each piece a sense of individuality and add a personal touch into a home. Pine furniture has a natural place inside of an English farmhouse, and for this photoshoot, we used it in abundance.
The main two tables were a Traditional Farmhouse Table, Pine - painted in Farrow and Ball’s Breakfast Room Green and a Refectory Dining Table, Pine - painted in a statement white called Pointing.
Both tables were styled with ceramics, fabrics and organic materials to create an inviting, layered look. The Refectory table, with its classic trestle base and generous proportions, became the perfect canvas for styling seasonal tablescapes. We adorned it with stylish serveware, earthenware pottery, and freshly foraged botanicals that echoed the autumnal colours visible through the cottage windows.
Pictured: Refectory Dining Table, Pine
Rustic, organic props and home decor
When I think of autumn, I partly think about autumn harvests and the array of yellows, oranges and browns. An easy way to incorporate these elements was through the use of organic props - fresh fruits and veg and other seasonal produce such as walnuts, styled amongst candles, earthenware jugs and ceramic serveware. These types of props also made sense for the context of the images we were producing, as they helped create a narrative around gathering, dining and entertaining in the home. The props were carefully curated to complement our furniture while adding depth and visual interest to each scene. Natural materials like cotton throws, woven baskets, and handmade pottery pieces helped reinforce our commitment to artisanal craftsmanship and sustainable design.
Incorporating bold colours
The deep colours of autumn radiate warmth, homeliness, and sanctuary. One of my favourite styled scenes from the photoshoot featured an unapologetically glamorous red console table, painted in Farrow & Ball's Incarnadine—a deep crimson. We styled the vignette with a blend of natural and painted elements, mixing new pieces with antique ones. This bold colour brought a burst of warmth to the otherwise neutral passageway.
Pictured: Larissa Console Table, Oak
A quintessentially British farmhouse
Choosing a farmhouse as the shoot location was really a no-brainer. The property's traditional features—exposed beams, stone walls, and wooden floorboards—provided the perfect backdrop for our furniture, allowing each piece to shine while maintaining an authentic, lived-in atmosphere. The large windows flooded the rooms with natural light, creating an ethereal quality that highlighted the craftsmanship of our pieces. The rustic charm of the location perfectly embodied our brand's ethos of blending traditional country aesthetics with contemporary appeal.
Pictured: Farmhouse Spindle Carver Chair