The Experts' Experts

COUNTRY LIFE'S Top 100 designers and architects reveal the outstanding specialists on whom they rely

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TO misquote the poet John Donne, no architect or designer is an island: collaboration is pivotal to successful houses, their interiors and the gardens that surround them. It's not only what you know, but who you know; joiners, restorers, specialist nurseries, art dealers, plasterers. The best outcomes rely on where you look for inspiration, too, from people and places to books and buildings. That's why we have asked, for the second year, some of the experts featured in our Top 100 (March 12) to plunder their lists of contacts, well as their libraries and memories, to share the names of the specialists whose breadth and depth of experience make all the difference to a project—so they can make a difference to yours. GK

Christian Fleming,

Fleming Architects

Craftspeople Carpenter and joiner Tom Rennie ([e-mail]) is ludicrously skilled. He sought us out after hearing that everything in our house, from cupboards to turned posts, is made of ash.

Furniture I admire Sir Edwin Lutyens's granddaughter Candia Lutyens (www.lutyens-furniture.com) for pieces that have a distinctively Lutyens flavour.

Antique dealer I love anything with a dent and a bash in it, so wandering around a reclamation yard—such as English Salvage in Herefordshire (www.englishsalvage.co.uk)—is where I'm happiest.

Biggest inspiration He might hate me, or love me, for saying this, but Ben Pentreath (www.benpentreath.com). We recently worked on a project together and I felt that my way of thinking was very similar to his—I'm just far less talented!