The latest design trend for summer is here and I have zero qualms about it. Coastal Grandmother is more than just a decor fad though, and has saturated all facets of lifestyle. Aspirational yet still attainable, it's the perfect inspiration for a relaxed, effortless, and chic summer. "You know the Coastal Grandmother. She wakes up early in her white linen-covered bed, seaside sunlight streaming in. “Siri, play ‘The Big Chill’ soundtrack,” she commands, listening to it in her marble bathroom while applying Vintner’s Daughter face oil. Eager to get to the farmer’s market—it’s peony season, after all—she puts on a crisp light-blue button-up shirt, white jeans and a straw hat. Oversized, the shirt qualifies as a “shent,” the portmanteau of “shirt” and “tent” adopted by the Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten to describe her own relaxed tops. With a Provençal market basket, Coastal Grandmother is good to go. She hops into her vintage Range Rover and heads out to begin her satisfying, Sancerre-punctuated day. Embrace the style with white linen for everything from slipcovers to button ups. Al fresco dining utilizing your nicest stemware and shades of blue everywhere bring a touch of the Hamptons home. Hydrangeas are a key floral element, a quick tip to refresh wilted hydrangeas: submerge the flower under room temperature water. The blooms will soak up the hydration and revitalize.
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Growing up in Holland, MI, every May the town was absorbed in preparation and celebration of Tulip Time. This annual festival celebrates the Dutch culture of the founding settlers and every year massive fields of tulips bloom and wooden shoes are retrieved from storage. Being neither Dutch nor prone to enjoy historical festivals as a child, I grew up annoyed at the very site of a tulip. But now as an adult, geographically removed from the claustrophobic tourist crowds of Tulip Time, these bulbs now have a soft spot for me as a harbinger of springtime. One of the more interesting anecdotes about tulips and the Dutch was Tulip Mania, a period where tulips, imported from Persia, were so wildly popular that they had economic impact. From wikipedia: Tulip mania (Dutch: tulpenmanie) was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels, with the major acceleration starting in 1634 and then dramatically collapsing in February 1637. It is generally considered to have been the first recorded speculative bubble or asset bubble in history. In many ways, the tulip mania was more of a then-unknown socio-economic phenomenon than a significant economic crisis. It had no critical influence on the prosperity of the Dutch Republic, which was one of the world's leading economic and financial powers in the 17th century, with the highest per capita income in the world from about 1600 to about 1720.[4][5][6] The term "tulip mania" is now often used metaphorically to refer to any large economic bubble when asset prices deviate from intrinsic values." That does sound somewhat familiar to something(bitcoin). Born from this mania was a unique vessel to display these valuable blooms, the Dutch Tulip Vase, also called a Pyramid Vase. Tulip vases can be round, square or oval and they are made in different sizes; the big ones have multiple floors and consist of loose stackable sections. At every level of the vase, one can insert flowers into each of the spouts. The big tulip vases were used to decorate the hearth during the summer and the smaller vases would be placed on the table on a festive occasion. Here are a few of my favorites: If you have any interest in acquiring one of your own, Etsy has quite a few options, or you can get one modeled after those in the Rijksmuseum at their gift shop.
As we head into the deeper days of winter, I think it is so important to surround yourself with reminders that spring will return. For me, plants and florals are the best reminders, and we are approaching prime bulb season. Although forcing bulbs indoors may make the plant go dormant after it blooms, and therefore unlikely to thrive in your garden, for an apartment dweller with a somewhat black thumb I feel no guilt. I get to enjoy watching it grow and blossom, and when my poor plant maintenance starts to wither the blossoms it's almost already spent anyways. While red amaryllis are definitely very Christmas-y, they do come in other shades. I am partial to a big shallow bowl filled with white blooms, it looks like spring has been served on your coffee table. I like this little tableau where they used both amaryllis and paperwhites, in winter white. Amaryllis give the height and drama, while the paperwhites and a delicate touch and an incredible fragrance. The rough terracotta pot and the earthenware dish are also classic containers if you are going for a more "English cottage" look, which who am I kidding, is all I am ever after.
Robert Kime is a legendary British interior decorator and antiques dealer, who includes the Prince of Wales as one of clients. His style is a layered, complex gathering of treasures from around the world, and of all eras. I am always most curious to see the homes of those designers that I admire the most. I have found that most designers treat their own homes with more flexibility, a willingness to attempt new things that shows a playful side not always captured in magazine spreads of million dollar projects. Look at those gorgeous rugs. His design mantra is, ‘Every room begins with the rug.’ It's such a wonderful way to define a space visually without taking up any extra room, like the addition of a furniture piece or divider would. The blue of this sitting room is so pretty, it reminds me a bit of wedgewood china.
As I am sure you have endlessly heard, 2020 was an extraordinary year. And while the are innumerable ways that people coped with the trials of living in "unprecedented times," I escaped into books. This year my library grew as I threw myself into my reading list. I'd like to share with 5 books that have, really, nothing in common other than I loved them, with the hope that you may derive some of the pleasure I enjoyed through reading them. Read on and I'll share my thoughts with you!
It's cold. It's dark. There's nothing to do except stay at home and binge watch Netflix's The Crown. And if you have been watching the latest season of the show then you will have been as excited I was the season is the introduction of Diana Spencer and all the glorious 80's fashion. The 1980's often gets lambasted as an era of crispy hair and acid wash, but beyond that it was a glamorous time when people seemed to have FUN with fashion. It was playful and so much less affected than what came next in the 90's. The "too cool" to care attitude of grunge wasn't around yet. So in that vein, let's dive in to all the wonderfully fun and cozy sweaters that the Peoples' Princess wore and get inspired for winter looks plus where to get them.
This Floral Friday is a little different. Instead of featuring a florist or type of flower, I wanted to share how to use florals (and loads of greenery!) in Christmas decor without it looking like a mall display. Neidpath Castle in the Scottish Borders is a perfect example of how to make your home look festive without filling it with poinsettias. And, of course, we have to have a peek into all the castle rooms! Now occupied by Lulu Benson and her family, the Scottish castle is currently in use as a venue and vacation rental. Lulu has an artistic background as a framer and boutique retail owner, and uses that creative energy in her home. Pictured above is Lulu and her daughter on their way to collect winter greenery from the arboretum. I would like to have an arboretum filled with foliage for picking. Her two little spaniels are called Truffle and Twiglet. Read on to see how she uses her foraged goods to create a magical Christmas scene.
Jessica Chastain has had a long collaborative relationship Ralph Lauren beyond fashion. Her home in New York is also heavily influenced by his signature aesthetic and packed with RL treasures. I find the English Country elements of it so cozy this time of year. And those suede textured walls in the living room are fantastic, I am so curious as to what they feel like! Plaids, brown furniture, rich texture, and intentionally mismatched patterns make even the grandest home approachable. And a roaring fire in what seems to be every room also helps. I'd love to sit in that blue wing-chair, toss one of those kilim pillows on that garden stool to rest my feet, and read.
While i'm dreaming of travel again, I am keeping myself inspired by researching my next adventures. And Paris is never a wrong choice. For places to stay, the latest collaborative effort of Luke Edward Hall is an Art Deco French dream. Saturated colors, luxe textures, and Hall's distinctive artwork abound in this fantastical hotel.
Hooked on Houses has a great write up on the Practical Magic house. If I could live in any movie house this would be it. The kitchen in the whitewashed Victorian is and will always be my dream kitchen.
This recipe looks amazing, and I'm planning on making it for dinner this weekend. I'm so ready for fall recipes, summer is great but autumn food is better! Prosciutto apple and sage butter chicken with cider pan sauce. 10 New October books from T&C. The "Jewels That Made History: 101 Stones, Myths, and Legends" looks especially intriguing. |