BACK

Inspiration

Quiet days

Don’t  you love quiet weekends in London? If you are anything like me you anticipated the snowfall last night with a little hint of childlike excitement. Is it, perhaps, the muffled silence of the city under a blanket of snow that we enjoy? Or maybe the white, bright simplicity of the streets and pavements? But needless to say, this morning, when I woke up… Great Ormond Street was under inches of wet muddy slush. The story of our lives, I wonder?

We had a fun evening last night, with some local friends and a breezily cute fellow over from New York from the Paul Smith store; drinks and a lot of laughter around the fire; and today brunch at The Delaunay, which I have to admit I would rather recommend. It was very nice to see David Collins there and to be able to say how much we loved the room, which is particularly beautifully done. But of all the things I enjoyed watching, over delicious plates of kedgeree and eggs benedict, was a wonderful, happy, elderly couple having lunch with their extended family; the grandfather as smart as could be, in suit and blossom pink tie, and his face permanently wreathed in smiles and laughter. I wouldn’t mind being that happy person in forty years time.

Oh dear, then it was back to captions. Who knew how many ways there were to write about bedrooms, for instance? (If you are a little confused, all will be explained in due course; but basically, yes, I’m talking about my book).  I’m beginning to understand what it’s like being an Eskimo describing snow.

Well, the final piece of news I have to confirm is that the chest of drawers is settling in nicely. Sometimes it takes a few days’ absence in the Mountains to come back and know what is right. You can imagine that I was rather surprised, and in a sense happy, to see quite what a controversy that particular chest has caused. What global financial crisis? What Euro meltdown?! Thank goodness for the important things, like a Fornasetti Palladiana chest of drawers.

Here it is this morning, with some rather handsome flame orange tulips that I bought at John and Paul Dawson’s, our friendly Lambs Conduit Street florists, on Friday morning. Don’t they make you dream of spring? Well, they make me long for the Maytime borders at the Old Parsonage. For now, I hope you like the combination with Marianna Kennedy’s blue resin lamp. Available, I should add, from a rather tasteful little shop near you.

 

 

Latest Arrivals

  • PRE-ORDER: An English Vision - Signed Copy

    Vendor:
    Ben Pentreath
    Regular price £ 45.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 45.00
  • A Collection of Grand Tour Specimen Marble Orbs

    Vendor:
    Rebecca Christie-Miller
    Regular price £ 750.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 750.00
1 of 2
1 of 4


Best Sellers

  • L'Horlogere - Wrapping Paper

    Vendor:
    The Pattern Book
    Regular price £ 3.95
    Regular price Sale price £ 3.95
  • Classical Creamware Mug

    Vendor:
    John Julian
    Regular price £ 40.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 40.00
  • Greek Urn Print - Clay II

    Vendor:
    Bridie Hall
    Regular price £ 50.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 50.00
  • P&H Creamware Lidded Urn with Handles

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 265.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 265.00
  • Rocque Plan of London, 1746.

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 300.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 300.00
  • The P&H Ionic Column Table Lamp

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 375.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 375.00
  • P&H Creamware Loving Cup

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 195.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 195.00
  • Diana Soap - Cardamom & Mimosa

    Vendor:
    Bridie Hall
    Regular price £ 22.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 22.50
  • Limited Edition Large Check Throw - Strawberry

    Vendor:
    Ben Pentreath X Johnstons of Elgin
    Regular price £ 304.00
    Regular price £ 380.00 Sale price £ 304.00
    Sale
  • Waste Paper Bin - Black Diamond Daisy

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 73.50
    Regular price £ 105.00 Sale price £ 73.50
    Sale
  • Bloomsbury Tray - Large

    Vendor:
    The Lacquer Company
    Regular price £ 375.00
    Regular price £ 0.00 Sale price £ 375.00
  • Bay & Rosemary Caesar Soap - CALIGULA

    Vendor:
    Bridie Hall
    Regular price £ 8.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 8.50