BACK

Inspiration

The Desmond Guinnesses

A friend emailed me this morning with a copy of the Sunday Telegraph’s ‘20 Best Interiors Blogs‘. It turns out I’m number 4 on the list, goodness, I thought, how exciting… before realising that they are alphabetically arranged (so I am glad that, unlike school, first names come first).

Nonetheless it occurred to me that perhaps there should therefore be a blog about interiors. Enough about my grey mood yesterday; enough about the European crisis. Perhaps we all need a bit of escapism right now?

For real interiors daydreaming, can I recommend my pen-friend Katy Elliott’s engrossing musings on restoring her 18th century Marblehead house; or, more escapist still, the brilliant ‘Peak of Chic‘ that still provides the real inspiration to the power that is Bridie?

In the meantime, do you recall a little while ago I wrote about Horst’s Book of Houses, Gardens, People? At the time, I promised to write one day about my favourite house of all in the book, Leixlip Castle in Ireland. I haven’t forgotten.  But I have finally got around to taking some photographs.  They really speak for themselves, as of course does Horst’s brilliant text: “It is the great house of Irish fiction, with grandoise ground-floor salons and high-ceilinged bedrooms, hunters and ponies grazing behind park railings rusty suits of armour in the stables, and geese ranging free over the lawn”. Are you transported yet?

But could we have a moment to delight in the wine-bottle dark walls, and pure white joinery, in the hall; in the brilliant clarity of the library, with its leather book-lined shelves, Irish mahogany furniture, and ticking upholstery (perfectly matching the Guinness-blue eyes); or in the vivid scarlet walls of the sitting room? We could. Perfect. I do not know more inspirational rooms.

Buy your copy here. Time to start saving.

 

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

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