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Inspiration

Quiet days

At very busy times with a lot of people trying to read the blog, it can take a while for images to load – they can remain grey. If this occurs, please try again later or make sure you are on a very fast broadband connection! Apologies if this is happening today.

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.

 

 

Best Sellers

  • An English Vision - Traditional Architecture and Decoration for Today - Signed

    Vendor:
    Ben Pentreath
    Regular price £ 45.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 45.00
  • P&H London Souvenir Tea Towel

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 9.50
    Regular price £ 0.00 Sale price £ 9.50
  • 'At Home With Ben' Greeting Cards - Pack of 8

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 8.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 8.50
  • Diana Soap- Basil & Neroli Blossom

    Vendor:
    Bridie Hall
    Regular price £ 22.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 22.50

Latest Arrivals

  • The Parsonage Obelisk

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 2,275.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 2,275.00
  • C19th Polychrome Continental Delft Charger

    Vendor:
    Antique
    Regular price £ 250.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 250.00
    Sold out
  • C18th Blue & White English Delft Charger

    Vendor:
    Antique
    Regular price £ 300.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 300.00
    Sold out
  • Pair of C19th Staffordshire Dogs

    Vendor:
    Antique
    Regular price £ 200.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 200.00
    Sold out
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Best Sellers

  • An English Vision - Traditional Architecture and Decoration for Today - Signed

    Vendor:
    Ben Pentreath
    Regular price £ 45.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 45.00
  • P&H London Souvenir Tea Towel

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 9.50
    Regular price £ 0.00 Sale price £ 9.50
  • 'At Home With Ben' Greeting Cards - Pack of 8

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 8.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 8.50
  • Diana Soap- Basil & Neroli Blossom

    Vendor:
    Bridie Hall
    Regular price £ 22.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 22.50
  • Bloomsbury Tray - Large

    Vendor:
    The Lacquer Company
    Regular price £ 375.00
    Regular price £ 0.00 Sale price £ 375.00
  • P&H Long Luxury Matches

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 10.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 10.50
  • Pastel Box Candle - pack of 12

    Vendor:
    True Grace
    Regular price £ 45.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 45.00
  • The Bible of British Taste: Issue no. 3

    Vendor:
    The Bible of British Taste
    Regular price £ 20.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 20.00
  • Rocque Plan of London, 1746.

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 300.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 300.00
  • French Grand Antique Marble Patterned Paper

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 6.50
    Regular price Sale price £ 6.50
  • The P&H Great Creamware Candlestick

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 350.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 350.00
  • P&H Large Creamware Urn

    Vendor:
    Pentreath & Hall
    Regular price £ 225.00
    Regular price Sale price £ 225.00