Mary Graham and Nicole Salvesen of Salvesen Graham are focused on creating authentic Future Heritage interiors – classically beautiful and carefully curated homes that will feel stylish and comfortable now and in years to come.

Ahead of our Home & Interiors auction on 27 September, we asked Mary and Nicole to pick their favourite lots going under the hammer and how they would style them.

A creative interior design studio with clients in the UK and across the globe, Salvesen Graham was established in 2013 by founders Mary Graham and Nicole Salvesen.

Offering a comprehensive design service that creates beautifully classic and carefully curated spaces for a variety of residential and commercial clients, Salvesen Graham is renowned for its Future Heritage approach to design. Find out more.

Lot 180

A decorative rosewood and later marquetry inlaid architectural tea caddy

The architectural detailing of this tea caddy is very charming, as it elevates what can be seen as a simple object. We often find that our clients have existing tea caddies, which make brilliant decorative objects for the home. The size and proportions of this specific caddy are appealing as it could be stacked with other larger pieces or on top of books and isn't too deep to fit on top of a mantel piece.

How we'd style it: The humble tea caddy can be used in several ways around the home. On a hall table as a decorative object that doubles up as key storage or on a mantel piece as added decoration.

Lot 54

A Queen Anne walnut and featherbanded 'double-domed' bureau cabinet

We often like to use larger pieces of furniture to balance out a room where layout and necessity may have required a more fitted, painted element of joinery elsewhere. I love the additional detail on the glass of this bureau and the bun feet, which add a layer of interest. The domed top softens the look of the piece, and the height would be perfect for a room with tall ceilings.

How we'd style it: This bureau would be a beautiful addition to a large bedroom, adding height and providing extra storage. One could also place it in a corner of a drawing room where the domed top could be used as a drink’s cabinet or for storage. We often leave the desk section open and add a lamp or use it to display a tray of glasses.

Lot 114

A collection of late 18th/early 19th century Chinese blue and white plates and dishes

Blue and white China is incredibly versatile, and it is rare that a project of ours doesn’t feature them in a decorative sense. This collection features a number of different plates, including a set of nine that could either be used to fill a china cabinet, plate rack, or hung on the wall.

How we'd style it: We love the idea of using the entire collection in one space for impact - perhaps covering the walls of a bathroom where plates make for decorative art on the walls.

Lot 175

A rare early 19th century Tunbridge ware painted whitewood novelty lighthouse writing compendium

We are always delighted to unearth unique pieces and to place them in our clients homes, which we either find in their personal collections or have sourced from an auction. This lighthouse writing compendium is a perfect example of that. Though the original use might not be relevant for our lives today, it makes the piece no less appealing as a decorative object, making the home feel unique and considered with pieces having been collected over time.

How we'd style it: We might place this piece on the corner of a desk or on a shelf in a study as a nod to its original use but repurposing it as a decorative object, bringing life to a scheme.

Lot 250

An impressive Tabriz carpet

We often find ourselves looking for a large rug for various projects and this particular one has great scale and colour to suit a variety of schemes for a drawing room or hallway. We like to use a mix of more traditional rugs and modern interpretations across different rooms to add variety throughout a home. A rug like this can add authenticity to a space, where perhaps the majority of the other furniture is newer.

How we'd style it: We would use this rug in a hallway adding a circular table on top and a wonderful floral display, or as the central flooring grounding the seating area of a drawing room.

Lot 359

A walnut 'Eileen' desk designed by Sir Terence Conran

The nature of an English interior is that is feels collected over time rather than overly matching so it is important to include pieces from different eras within any room. The clever proportions, scale and design of this Terence Conran piece ensures it would complement another period piece very well and add intrigue to a room.

How we'd style it: This desk would sit well in a Georgian home as it follows the same ideas of proportion and would be a touch of simplicity in a more decorative room, such as a cosy sitting room, where the desk could double up as both desk and sofa table with a lamp sitting on top.

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Browse all lots in our sale from fine clocks and giltwood mirrors to 20th century tapestries.