In The Moment 03.2020

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iscovering a love for gardening and

styling outdoor spaces coincided when

stylist and author Selina Lake moved

into her current home five years ago.

Prior to this, Selina focused very much

on interiors in her work, writing numerous books on

the topic. While she is still hugely passionate about

beautiful indoor spaces, it was the overgrown back

garden that she and her husband inherited with their

new Surrey home which led her down this new path

• quite literally!
  The garden was the first area they tackled upon
  moving in, and Selina reminisces that despite facing
  a monumental task, those early days clearing weeds
  and debris, together with her husband Dave, are
  some of her happiest times. “We were so excited to
  have a garden again as we previously lived in a flat
  with no outside space,” she explains. “We set to work
  taming the weeds and discovered lots of plants and
  shrubs, and added many new ones too.”

Once the garden was cleared, the pair combined

their skills to transform it into a botanical sanctuary;

Selina employing her styling and sourcing know-how,

with Dave flexing his DIY talents. The shed, which

resides at the bottom of the garden, is a particular

triumph. “We inherited the shed in a very rundown

state – the door was missing and the roof was caving

in,” describes Selina. Over a long weekend, Dave

made a new door and rebuilt the roof, before Selina

set about staining the structure black. “I had been

inspired by black cabins and summerhouses I’d seen

on my travels to Denmark and Sweden, so I used

a Ronseal wood stain called Tudor Black.”

Inside, the shed maintains its rustic charm and an

old wooden cabinet left by the previous owners acts

as the perfect potting bench. “I like to reuse and

recycle where possible,” says Selina, “so a shelf unit

we took down from the kitchen wall found a new

home inside the shed too.” The black exterior of

the shed is a backdrop to vignettes created by Selina

Words: Caroline Rowland/Photography: Ryland, Peters & Small

A transformed garden oasis provides both personal sanctuary

and professional inspiration for styling guru Selina Lake

MY SANCTUARY

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