To paraphrase Jane Austen, ‘it is a truth universally acknowledged, that an interior designer in possession of a good house, must be in want of a whippet.' At least, that's the conclusion you might draw should you find yourself on the interiors section of Instagram. You might spot one stylishly strewn across a David Seyfried sofa, or perhaps you saw one in a Cotswold garden designed by one of our Top 50. They might be poking their long noses out of a Cave Interiors eiderdown, or looking out of a window framed in Beata Heuman fabric curtains–but, no matter where you look, you will eventually stumble upon a whippet.
But why is the dog so very popular with interior designers and tastemakers? It seems on a surface level it must be thanks, in part, to their short, fine fur, which doesn't bring in much mud and doesn't shed too much either. Their temperament also makes them suitable for both city and country dwellings, so they can switch between the two terrains without too much difficulty.
There's also a question of heritage. Whippets were originally bred as a sighthounds, built to cover long distances at high speed, catching prey. Known as ‘ratting’ dogs, both the working and upper classes kept the breed to deal with rodent problems in their houses. Thanks to this, there are countless references to whippets, or small greyhound like dogs, in medieval art.
Later, in the nineteenth century, the whippet saw a resurgence of popularity as hound racing became a more mainstream sport. Favoured in the north of England and Wales, the rest of the country looked at the form of entertainment with derision. It wasn't until the dog started cropping up in portraits of landed gentry that the dog gained more widespread favour. Paintings, such as Batoni's ‘Charles Compton, 7th Earl of Northampton’, for example.
Given this, the dog's streamlined silhouette has entered a kind of art ‘hall of fame’. The breed has come a long way since the first recorded use of the word ‘whippet’ in 1610, a testament to the dog's storied history.
The most famous interior design whippets
In honour of this much loved breed, we've rounded up all the loveliest whippets in the design world. From Charlotte Boundy's Pig, to Luke Edward Hall and Duncan Campbell's Merlin and Dragon.
Luke Edward Hall and Duncan Campbell
Luke Edward Hall and Duncan Campbell chronicle the adventures of their whippets, Merlin and Dragon, on Instagram as often as they do their career successes. Recently they took to the social media platform to announce the arrival of Merlin's puppies, as well as the addition of one of them to their family. Merlin has also been an inspiration for the designs in Luke's new Chateau Orlando collection of clothes and homewares. They have since added another whippet, Dragon, to their family.
Patrick Williams
Patrick Williams, whose practice Berdoulat is named after his parents' house in France, has become a somewhat permanent feature on House & Garden's Top 100. His shop in Bath is the destination for many a design pilgrimage, filled with treasures and trinkets, wines and homewares in abundance. He was an early passenger on the whippet train, breeding several Bedlington Whippet crosses–one of which our features editor, Elizabeth Metcalfe owns.
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Anna Haines
West London based interior designer, Anna Haines is also a fan of the Bedlington Whippet cross. Her dog Enzo frequently appears on her Instagram, cosied up on the sofa or in her bed.
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Carlos Garcia
Interior designer Carlos Garcia owns two very delightful whippets, who occasionally pop up in Instagram posts from his heavenly Norfolk manor house; he has even had one of the delft tiles on his library fireplace made with an image of the dogs.
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Polly Fern
Artist Polly Fern takes inspiration from her own dog, whose silhouette is a motif that runs through her work. Cutting a svelte figure on lampshades, tiles, pen pots and prints, Polly's dogs provide an easy way to introduce the whippet into your house without the commitment.
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Tom and Connie Barton
Founders of Honest Burger, Tom and Connie Barton, spend half their time in a Victorian cottage in Brixton and the other half up in a cosy cabin in Scotland. Their dog, Gelert, travels with them between the two homes.
Chris Graves
One half of Clarence & Graves, Chris's Victorian house in Chiswick is a light filled, airy family home. His dog, Clarence, is seen reclining on the sitting room sofa.
Whippet-inspired homewares to buy now
It's not just the style set taking inspiration from the breed, but the high street too, with Oliver Bonas, Oka, Emma Bridgewater and more adorning items with the dog. Take a look at some of our favourite pieces below.
