Former fashion director, writer and shopkeeper Amanda Brooks has had not one but two very successful careers, spanning the worlds of fashion and interior design. A sabbatical year spent in the English countryside in 2012 at Fairgreen Farm, her husband, artist Christopher Brooks’ family home, became a permanent relocation. Away from the hustle and bustle of New York City, the appeal of a different, simpler lifestyle was hard to resist. Rather than altering the layers of time and personality of a house that’s been in her husband’s family for generations, she’s preserved all that and made it personal. She kept most of the interiors intact and brought in her own unique brand of American comfort, intuitive sense of pattern and appreciation of color.
She documented life on Fairgreen Farm throughout the seasons in a third book, Farm From Home, which is sadly out of print and available only digitally here. The publication of her book coincided with the launch of Amanda’s next passion project, a home wares boutique in Stow-on-the-Wold called Cutter Brooks. The idea behind her shop was to design a store that feels like home, her English home, and since its opening in 2018 it has become a favorite destination for design lovers in England and beyond. Just like her home, her shop is a beautiful mix of fashion and decorative items carefully sourced from artisans all around Europe. There’s a certain nostalgia, a love and respect of things past that inspires admiration. I’m sure you’ll be delighted to see House and Garden UK feature a story about Amanda’s favorite Christmas decorations.
Photography : Owen Gale
