It has been said that a bad day in London is still better than a good day anywhere else. Perhaps this is due to the resilience of the British people and in the proud way they carry themselves. There is simply something about traditional British style that will never fade. It is an understated, powerful influence that exudes elegance and unites those who have felt its reach. As a city laden with history on every corner, we explore the existential identity that is intrinsic to classic English culture in heritage and as seen today.

Bookish adventures

One cannot fathom a world without English literature. Without the words of literary geniuses such as Shakespeare and Jane Austen, the world would be a very different place. Literature is an integral part of English history and is preserved through elegant and unique bookstores around the country, particularly in London.

Daunt Books offers a glimpse back into Edwardian England with a store originally built in 1910. At the heart of the shop is a long, galleried room which features a beautiful arched Window, partly glazed with stained glass. The room is lined with books arranged principally by country, no matter the nature of the content, which offers a beautiful browsing experience for a reader with wanderlust. While you sit in this quintessential English shop with rain pattering on the window outside, you can transport yourself to faraway lands.

If you want to go to the root of England’s literary culture, take the time to explore Hatchards. As the oldest bookshop in the United Kingdom, established in 1797, Hatchards has held its iconic 187 Piccadilly address for more than two centuries. Within its storied walls, literary, political, artistic and social tastemakers have found their words of inspiration. It is more than just a bookstore, it is an historic British institution.

With history stemming as far back as 1903, Foyles flagship bookstore at Charing Cross has been around longer than many countries. Foyles has forged through two world wars, and today remains one of England’s most loved literary destinations. The long-running family business now boasts four London locations, each designed to reflect its local neighbourhood. While you may find differences in decor, each Foyles store has become famous for an extensive range of fiction, the arts and children's books. It’s always the right time to find your own fairytale at Foyles.

There are few things more British than books and phone boxes; the Lewisham Micro Library is a bit of both. A classic British phone box has been transformed into an entirely free mini library. All they ask is if you take a book to read, you replace it with a book of your own. Thus, the Lewisham Micro Library has created a rotating selection of books curated by passersby. If you’re looking for a quick stop to pick up a new read, this is for you.

Rosewood London is located in Holborn in the heart of the capital.

A window of opportunity

Let’s start from the beginning, 1906 to be exact. The place was London, England, the man was Harry Gordon Selfridge, Sr., and the result was retail sensation Selfridge’s. The late American retail magnate like all great visionaries saw a gap in the market. Mr. Selfridge glamorized the concept of shopping for pleasure rather than necessity and curated a retail experience unlike any other. Up until this point, window displays, let alone window-shopping, were seemingly non-existent in London. Mr. Selfridge drew customers into his store through his elaborate displays and knowingly changed the landscape for luxury shopping throughout the entire city.

In 2016, the coveted title of “Window Display Designer” still only belongs to a few talented designers in the world, many of which made their name in London’s very own windows. Take Emily Forgot for example; the budding graphic designer has been made famous for her creations with brands like Vertu and Harrods. Forgot’s designs can now be found in windows around the world. Another of the city’s most notorious window designers is Kyle Bean. The innovator has done displays for the likes of Diesel, Gucci and Casio, to name a few. Since demand continues to grow and store windows are limited commodities, competition has become fierce. Every up-and-coming artist and designer wants their work flashed all over London’s high streets.

These storefront exhibitions have become a quintessential part of London culture. While the presentations and their designs continue to rotate, the idea itself has become timeless. A stroll down any major London street has evolved into a showcase of the creative talents behind the city’s best brands. From where it all started in Selfridge’s on Oxford Street, to Harrods in Knightsbridge and Liberty London on Regent St, department stores are in a continuous crusade to capture the attention of London shoppers.

In addition to these pioneers of attention-grabbing storefronts, other retail contenders for the window display crown include Topshop in Oxford Circus or Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly. For a true taste of Britain’s best window display creations, plan your trip over the Christmas season when all retailers are out for the best festive display of the year.

Behind the beautiful end product we see from the street, there are entire teams dedicated to creating these public masterpieces. To craft a timeless window display in 2016 collaborations with artists, brands and celebrities all come into play.

Much like a first impression, these displays set the tone for the rest of your relationship with the store. It goes beyond the brand merely showcasing new pieces; it has turned into a collective effort accounted for by many moving parts. Not only do these designs have to capture the shopper’s eye, but media attention has become of the utmost importance as well. Print and digital news outlets, especially during holiday season, rank window displays based on their ability to grab that significant second-look from Londoners passing by. It has evolved much past a showcase of what’s inside the store; it’s a testament to the brand’s capacity to innovate. This form of public presentation has become solidified as part of London’s history and is an integral reason for how the city became a world-class shopping destination.

An Englishman’s home is his castle

There is no truer place to discover British style than through the design of an authentic home. Although it is highly unadvisable to knock on doors and ask for a look inside strangers’ abodes, there are other places you can delve into this aspect of culture. As with all things, British home style has evolved over the years and classic British interior design has been adapted to fit modern tastes.

Those who want to learn how this alchemy takes place can visit the studios of top British interior designers who are known for their sensibility and skill in bringing a subtle thread of tasteful British classicism into contemporary design – or simply commission them to transform one’s own home, if pockets are deep enough. If not looking for an entire room overhaul most designers, such as the recommendations below, also create individual and unique interior products such as fabrics, wallpapers, and furniture enabling fans to curate their own interior look.

When picturing the interior tastes found in traditional homes around England there are a few things that most likely come to mind. Traditional drapery in place of blinds, equine art, panelled walls, and lead glass windows, just to name a few. These quintessential elements of British interior design speak to the culture in many ways. Equine art, for example, becomes a historical testimony to the prominence of equestrian culture in England. Most British-made furnishings come with a reputation that alludes to quality and detail. While these intentions speak to older British traditions, the same high standards have made their way into modern designs today.

Take Helen Green Design, for example, the acclaimed interior designer combines modern and traditional elements of British style though minimalist color palettes mixed with intricate upholstery and rich woods. Helen Green Design’s Belgravia studio is the exemplary experience for a look inside classically modern British interior design. Nicky Haslam, on the other hand, illustrates a different aspect of British culture. His firm NH Design has been responsible for curating the homes of rock and roll superstars like Mick Jagger and Ringo Starr. The studio uses period relics, classic floral prints, and striking works of art as old-school accents to a modern and understated style. NH Design is perfectly set in the Notting Hill neighborhood.

To seek insight into British interior design in a general sense. A stroll around the Chelsea, Knightsbridge, South Kensington and Sloane Square areas leads to many exquisite design studios.

Take David Collins Studio, for example, the acclaimed interior design studio encapsulates British class in their residential designs. It is a refined, understated luxury. The kind of design that requires full attention to notice its intricate beauty. The designers and architects here are behind some of the world’s most glamorous interiors and draw inspiration from a traditional British style, which they transform it to suit our evolved lifestyles. Michael Reeves has also managed to accomplish the same feat. The interior designer tones down historical British flair into the minimalistic style we all look for today.

Although these designers have transformed tradition into modernity, there are those who keep the emphasis on tradition very much intact. Spencer-Churchill Designs manages to respect historic character and architecture whilst incorporating technology. Meaning an interior that looks entirely English, but with all of the modern applications modern home-dwellers desperately need.

Rosewood London is located in Holborn in the heart of the capital.