The Tempus on Charlton Hall Estate: wacky and deliciously luxurious

Countryside

The eccentric The Tempus opened just before summer and has become a hotspot in Northumberland: reservations are a must. Charlton Hall itself, with large rooms and nearly ninety beds, has long been a popular venue for romantic weddings 'in the countryside'. ‘But with a twist’, says Jo Ainsley, design director at Jeffreys Interiors in Edinburgh, Scotland. She signed for the interior design of the historic estate. 'Five years ago, we transformed the estate from historic house to extraordinary hotel. We knew then that the farmhouses on the estate would one day also become a boutique hotel with bistro. The crazy thing is that The Tempus had already existed in my head since then, as the factor that was going to connect everything on the estate. We even already bought the antique Indian arches from an antique dealer, which now separate the bar and restaurant.' The Tempus was already there, at least in her imagination, and only needed to be brought to life.

Wonderland

Just like 'Wonderland', which was discovered under similarly undulating lawns by a little girl who, bored yet curious, decided to chase a white rabbit. Lewis Caroll's 1865 fairy tale 'Alice in Wonderland' is certainly an inspiration, confesses Ainsley. ‘Why do it the way everyone else does? 'Surely it's wonderful to take a rebellious approach? Or as Alice would say, 'entirely bonkers', or crackpot.' That certainly succeeded in the design for The Tempus. The name refers to the Latin word for 'time', with which this world spot seems to want to play a game. 'A visit to The Tempus should feel like a journey, 'down the rabbit hole, so to speak' in which you find yourself for a moment in another world.' From the rolling, magical landscape to the luxurious and lavish atmosphere inside.

'A visit to The Tempus should feel like a journey, 'down the rabbit hole, so to speak' in which you find yourself in another world for a while.'

Unique mix

Ainsley and her team chose different atmospheres within the same design. For example, the orangery is lighter and airier in atmosphere, where the colourful mix of designs and patterns miraculously still form a whole. From graphic black and white to floral, from stripes to cubes and a huge diamond pattern on the floor, and from panoramas on the wall to - like in Caroll's fairy tale - animals popping up everywhere: from dodos to monkeys. Coloured braided bistro chairs combine effortlessly with benches upholstered in velvet and armchairs with linen upholstery. Above the bar, drinking glasses are in a sleek brass ceiling rack; on the table, everything is peony pink, from the crockery to the Peugeot pepper mills. 'We looked for that unique mix of materials, colours and patterns to express the atmosphere. The same goes for the choice of furniture. Satelliets woven bistro chairs are durable in use, look luxurious but also affordable. They contrast nicely with the custom-made kidney-shaped benches in the bar, both in design and budget.'

Orangery

The old Indian doors provide the transition from the light atmosphere of the orangery to the warm and luxurious excess of the bar. Birch trunks - from the estate itself - with red tree leaves refer to the fairytale forest here, deep gemstone tones such as turquoise, burgundy and dark purple enhance that effect. The cubes of the 'checkerboard' design of the upholstered armchairs in the orangery are echoed in the reception desk in the bar. That custom-made wooden furniture is covered on the sides with - unusual - coloured veneer in a block pattern. On top is a top of Arabescato marble: unique, luxurious and a little crazy. And that makes The Tempus the perfect place to disappear into for a very long time and forget about time. From a long walk to a late lunch to a cocktail in the bar.