Nov 18

My country ideal and Christmas

Posted in Celebrations, country style, Uncategorized

If you’re a regular reader of my little blog then you’ll be getting sick of the topic of my hunt for a country house, but I’m still obsessed with the idea. And my obsession is growing as we approach the Christmas season; for me the fantasy of an English-style house and garden surrounded by big trees is very tied up my love of richly decorated rooms, trees (must be real) laden with ornaments and lights, staircases decks with greenery, cosy rooms lit by firelight, wreaths of flowers on the doors and lots of candles. I really can be embarrassingly romantic when it comes to these things! And I know a lot of this doesn’t really fit with a hot Australian Christmas, but it’s just the sort of style I gravitate towards at this time of year. In fact, I’m going to start posting about Christmas decorating next week, because it’s something that I love thinking about, and houses decorated for the season really make me happy!

On that topic, and in an effort to practice time thriftiness, I headed to the new and long overdue Provincial Home Living website, which includes an online store. I had seen in their catalog some cute Christmas stockings, and some stocking hooks, which used to be everywhere but which I’ve struggled to find over the past couple of years.

Only, when I got there the stockings were not in stock. It always surprises me at Christmas time how many awful stockings are around but how few places I see tasteful and attractive stockings for sale. There seem to be an endless array on American websites. So I was happy to see these ones, and I’ll have to check in store to see if I can get my hands on some for this year. As a sidenote, for some reason this year I am feeling traditional and loving red in decoration again. I’ve even ordered some new red cushions and am using red ribbons and paper, which I haven’t liked in years!

Anyway, in my continuing pursuit of a Christmas/ country ideal a girlfriend and I are indulging tomorrow in a little exploration of some country gardens and houses just outside of Melbourne. Here are some of the rooms I’ve been inspired by as I continue dreaming! The first pic is too grand for my country house, but love the architecture and the neutral decor..

Have a great weekend!

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Oct 19

Ebay finds and Blue and White

Posted in blue and white, ebay, fabrics, Hamptons style, Uncategorized
Hello! I know it’s already half-way through the week, but I haven’t had a chance to share any of my ponderings since the weekend. So, I had a bit of a lucky ebay this weekend past and came away with a couple of great things that I have big plans for. The first was this long French-style sofa which was one of my best bargains ever and which I think is going to suit either my barn-style country house (haha - of the future), or if I can stand to let it go, a client’s home.. when it’s delivered I’ll have to see what the proportions are like and how much I fall in love with it!
I also picked up this pair of rustic timber mirrors which I am thinking of using in a bathroom I am working on against white subway tiled walls above twin sinks..
As soon as I saw the sofa above I had a plan in mind, if the sofa stays with me. I want to lime the timber frame to lighten it up a lot then cover it in one of these:
with some white armchairs and cushions in this:
(all fabrics by Ralph Lauren)
I was picturing a rustic British Colonial type of look, with lots of timber pieces, worn tan leather and bare floorboards. I think a cross between British Colonial and Hamptons styles is my ideal, with a touch of French Provincial and English country styles thrown in. Anyway, I had visions of my new blue and white striped sofa sitting in my barn-like room, with something like this behind it- an antique refectory table:
I’d also add in some brass lamps to give it some country warmth (nickel lamps would be too Hamptons, I’m thinking of a look that is more masculine and rustic):
-and lots of stacks of books! All of this pondering got me thinking about how much I love classic ‘Hamptons’ blue and white - but how much I like the slightly more masculine approach to using blue and white - I think of it as more ‘Ralph Lauren’. I think this association began in my mind when I tore these clippings of Ralph Lauren’s home from a magazine years ago:
Very elegant and with a good mix of tastefully worn antiques, fresh white upholstery and linen, dark walls and timbers and comfortable country house style. This is another of my favourite Ralph Lauren rooms, featuring blue and white but not too light and beachy:
This dining room by Michael S Smith (above) mixes blue and white with heavy dark timber pieces in a way that I love..
(Kravet)
Barclay Butera is another designer big on blue and white, and mixing it with a British Colonial sort of look:
I can’t recall the designer of this house (below), but I do love the Hamptons-meets-country-cottage style:
Here are a few blue and white rooms by Victoria Hagan (below).I particularly love the last one (the bedroom), with subtle blue and white paired with a heavy dark timber bed. It could just as easily be in an English country house as in a house by the beach.
This bucolic arrangement by Grant K Gisbson puts me in mind of my dream country house- just a hint of blue and white, but the space and the staircase is the real attraction here!:
Finally, I just love the light the timbers and the huge potted indoor palm for a British Colonial-style home:
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