A Little Trip to England...

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Now that you are done with all that cooking, you may be craving a little vacation. If you can't get away, you can take a little trip to England without ever getting on a plane. Look no further than Ben Pentreath's new book English Houses. Ben is a renowned architectural and interior designer, writer, shopkeeper and blogger. I adore his blog and his cozy shop in London. I think he has the most exquisite taste. He is a classicist but with a sense of fun and youthfulness. From the moment you open his gorgeous book, you will be transported to some of the most beautiful homes in England. Each one is hand-picked by Ben because they exhibit that iconic English style of architecture and interior design that he loves. Since he is both an architect as well as interior designer, several of his own projects are featured, including his own homes which are located in London and Dorset. At the end of each chapter, he gives us paint colors, wall paper names, furniture and lamp designers, and many other sources that we can use in our own homes. You will learn so much. And you will feel as if you have just gone on a little vacation!

 Here are some of my favorite things about this book --

Ben's London House

I have been admiring this sitting room, via Ben's blog, for years and it was so interesting to learn about the details. It is in a rooftop flat in Bloomsbury in an early Georgian house. In this room Ben used layers of contemporary fabrics, furniture and lighting combined with antique furniture and engravings. He wanted to create a mood that is at once modern and traditional, restful yet richly-colored. The walls are covered in grass cloth and the color comes from the chairs, cushions, ottoman and piles of books.

The map wall features a framed map of John Roque's Cities of London revealing 18th-century London. I love the use of individual framed parts of the map to form a whole.

The master bedroom is papered in Seaweed Lace by Soane Britain

The guest bedroom is papered in William Morris's Willow Bough

The Old Parsonage in Dorset

This is Ben's country home

The walls of the drawing room are painted "Parsonage Pink" by Patrick Baty. The lamps on the table behind the couch and the cushions on the couch add so much pattern and charm to this lovely space. This room makes me want to curl up with a cup of tea and my favorite novel.

The bedroom is painted a velvety olive-brown by Patrick Baty

The kitchen is painted Farrow & Ball's archive color Wet Sand. The Aga stove and the dresser give this country kitchen so much personality.

The book features 10 additional homes belonging to Ben's good friends. They include apartments in London, manor houses in the countryside, and a castle in Cornwall. One of them is a 17th-century country house in Northumberland. I loved learning about the grand stairwell which is "painted a rich sunny yellow to counter the cold Northumbrian light and bring warmth to the heart of the home." Such a good idea! Another home is the London apartment belonging to Lulu Lytle, the owner of Soane Britain. She has used bold colors, patterns and stripes throughout to create a joyful, beautiful environment. Her apartment is a great lesson on not being afraid of color. Her home has a "snug," a small cozy room for relaxing. I had not heard of this term before, but that word says it all. And in Hardy country there is an ancestral manor house with an exquisite conservatory. It is truly gasp-worthy, if there is such a word. Most of us will never have a conservatory, but as Ben says at the end of the book about all these houses: "...each contains a kernel of an idea that is in some way universal, from which you can draw happily and cheerfully -- and, with increasing confidence, make your own." I agree, that conservatory makes me want to have more plants in my house. What all of these houses share is a timelessness and sense of personality that make each space a living and breathing place. This book is filled with ideas on how to accomplish that very thing. It is all about the art of making a home. With the holiday season upon us, this book couldn't be more timely. And it would make a great holiday gift!

Photos via here

Beautiful Gardens and Inspiring Spaces

The window at Nathan Turner decorated by India Hicks for "Legends La Cienega" 

Last week was an inspiring one here in Los Angeles for home and garden enthusiasts. If you are an interior designer then you probably know about the Legends La Cienega event that occurs every year in Los Angeles during the first week of May. The windows of the design stores on La Cienega and Melrose Boulevards are decorated by interior designers and can be viewed for one week. I have gone with friends several times to see the windows. There is always a theme and this year it was "One of a Kind." The designers consistently do a fantastic job and this year was no exception.

The other and much bigger component to the "La Cienega Legends" are the lectures, seminars, conferences and book signings. Two days worth of fascinating and educational design events. This year I was able to attend with my sister who is an interior designer in Greenwich, Ct. I was wowed by all the fascinating information I learned as well as the visual feast put on by everyone involved. What a fun and inspiring two days!

The photo above is of the window at Nathan Turner decorated by India Hicks. She created a fantasy room for the well-travelled home-owner. It represents a lovingly curated space filled with souvenirs from far-flung locations. You could easily spin a narrative based on this space. What interesting conversations there would be about all these objects.

Her well-appointed coffee table

India Hicks was at the store to show her new fashion line which includes scarves, handbags and accessories.  

Mecox Gardens

Mecox Gardens is one of my favorite stores on La Cienega. It always makes me think of summer, casual living and outdoor entertaining. They have everything you would need to decorate a beach house. When we visited last week the place was jumping. In the back room there was a trunk show for interior designer Mark Sikes' new clothing line. And in the front room Will Taylor, an interior designer from London, talked about his design career in England and new book which is about to be published. He has a popular blog Bright Bazaar. 

Suzanne Rheinstein's Hollyhock 

Will was on the panel of design bloggers that kicked off the first event which was held at Suzanne Rheinstein's beautiful store Hollyhock.  Hollyhock is one of the loveliest stores in Los Angeles. Antiques are combined with carefully curated objects, art work and ravishing fabrics. Suzanne was signing copies of her newest book Rooms for Living. We gathered on her outdoor patio for a bloggers' breakfast and panel discussion. It was a spirited affair moderated by Newell Turner, the former editor-in-chief of House Beautiful. The bloggers were asked to give their opinions on many different design trends. 

This generated a lot of laughter as the bloggers held up paddles saying either "Love" or "Hate. They weighed in on the following home decor concepts:

Banana leaf print, macrame wall hangings, black walls, round copper pendant lighting, chalkboard walls, sheepskin seating, white tulip tables, entertainment wall units, tufting, green velvet, sliding barn doors, skirted round tables, sunburst mirrors, peacock chairs, zebra rugs, black and white checkered floors, all white kitchens, Staffordshire dogs, Windsor chairs, succulents, the great room, cement floors, ginger jars, layered rugs, tufted headboards, and faux flowers.

There were many diverse opinions but the one that generated total agreement was "faux flowers." They were universally disliked!

A lovely little vignette in the back room of Hollyhock

Of course we couldn't forget about the windows and luckily when we went over to Melrose Place for lunch we saw the window that was decorated for Waterworks. It was created by interior designer Schuyler Samperton. Her theme was "The Past Perfected" and was an ode to "one of a kind women." The spirit of Vita Sackville-West loomed large here. It's amazing how a creative use of objects, colors, textiles, lighting, flowers and whimsy can convey such a strong sense of place. I felt as if I were in the English countryside. The designer's goal was to create a "refuge of a creative spirit where history is revered, inspiration flourishes and dreams come to life." This was my favorite window. By the way, I had to photograph the windows from inside as the glare was too strong to take a photo through the glass!

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And just in case the garden lovers felt left out, there was a design event for them as well. This was the weekend for Garden Conservancy Open Days in Los Angeles. It featured beautiful and intimate gardens in Santa Monica and Brentwood. They were filled with inspiration. Nothing lavish or showy in these gardens. Just beautiful garden moments that were created with enormous attention to detail. These were gardens we could all relate to. Each was an inviting, green haven. Take a look at a few of these serene and inspiring outdoor spaces.  

What a stimulating few days here in Los Angeles! Ideas flowed all around us and it was very exciting to be among so many vibrant and creative people. If you love home and garden design, be sure to sign up for one or both of these events next year.  

The Love of a House

The drawing room of interior designer Penny Morrison's 1790 Welsh home 

Whenever I read an article about someone finding the perfect house because it speaks to them and they feel connected, I always think of E.M. Forster's 1910 novel Howards End. At the heart of that book is the love a house. Ruth Wilcox deeply loves Howards End, her family home in the English countryside, and instinctively knows that her friend Margaret Schlegel shares her connection to it. She subsequently scribbles a note leaving the house to Miss Schlegel. Of course, upon her death the family tears up the note, ignoring her wishes. But, in the end, Margaret Schlegel gets the house. Somehow it was meant to be hers and she is its spiritual heir. Many of us have had the experience of finding a house that we love. We sense a certain something, a quality that is hard to define. We feel a connection and we are at home. I recently read about two very inspiring instances of this happening, one in Wales and the other in Scotland.

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At the border between England and Wales sits one of the prettiest houses you will ever see, owned by English interior decorator Penny Morrison. After reading a bit about this talented designer, I learned that "prettiness" is one of the hallmarks of her design style. The story of how she came to own and restore her house in Wales is in the most recent issue of Elle Decor. The story is fascinating and the photos definitely fall into the category of "eye candy." I got the feeling that this house spoke to her and she instinctively knew it was meant to be hers.

The boxwood-lined front drive leading to the front of the house

Penny and her husband stumbled upon the house by accident 26 years ago and, although everything needed to be done, they fell in love with the building and its setting. It was basically uninhabitable, but they were thrilled that it was an historic property unspoiled by renovation. They set about restoring the house while retaining its basic structure. Their goal was for every ground-floor room to open onto the garden. Lovely idea! They furnished the entire house, using Penny's beautiful fabric and wallpaper line. The result is a very pretty home that embraces nature.  

The library with curtains made out of fabric designed by Penny Morrison

The dining room with french doors leading out to the garden

The upstairs landing

The guest bath

A guest bedroom with headboard and canopy covered in a linen by Penny Morrison

And the beautiful views. Don't you love a house that feels at one with its setting?
Go here to read more.

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Even more romantic in terms of falling in love with a house is when the property is a ruin and someone sets out to save it. In this case the ruin was a sixteenth-century castle in Scotland, definitely raising the enchantment factor up a couple of notches. The intrepid couple who bought it could see the promise and were not daunted by the task ahead. They had always dreamt of living in a castle. 

Ballone Castle, a sixteenth-century tower house overlooking Moray Firth in Scotland

 This is what happened when Lachlan and Annie Stewart, the founders of Anta, discovered a dilapidated castle that hadn't been lived in for 125 years and set about restoring it. Anta is the Scottish design and architecture firm known for its silk and woolen tweeds and tartans, handmade pottery, and architecture celebrating Scottish vernacular. I found their story here and was fascinated by the scope of what this couple did.

Construction underway

The corner of the castle, which now houses the kitchen, had no roof and one part of the building was propped up on a single stone. The couple lived in a large hut adjoining the ruin while construction took place. They puzzled out how to rebuild what was originally there by finding clues throughout the building. There was one piece of each architectural feature left which showed them how it would have looked. They also studied the history of Scottish castles and their patterns in order to come up with architectural plans.

The project took four years

One of six bedrooms, all of which are accessed by steep and narrow staircases

 The dining area with its thick walls and distinctive windows. The light is gorgeous and I love the touch of tartan plaid, undoubtedly made by Anta.

The finished castle and its magnificent setting, just magical
Go here to read more

The 1992 film of Howards End

There's always a touch of magic that goes into any love affair with a house. Somehow the heart gets involved and all bets are off. I'm always inspired when I read about someone taking on such a labor of love. Especially when they do the research to keep it authentic, preserve a sense of history, and create the house of their dreams.

The Art of Making a Home

Every now and then a book comes out that captures the feeling of home and hearth that many of us crave around the holiday season. A book that is perfect to give to our literary, homebody, and design-addicted friends, as well as ourselves. A book that is a place to escape from the holiday madness. This year the book that hits all the right notes for a cozily domestic and inspiring read is Novel Interiors by Lisa Borgnes Giramonti. Its theme is "living in enchanted rooms inspired by literature." That description alone has me running out to buy copies for all of my friends.

If there's anyone who knows a thing or two about making a warm and welcoming home, it is Lisa Borgnes Giramonti. She has been writing about it and inspiring us to do just that on her beautiful blog A Bloomsbury Life for years. Her new design book "Novel Interiors" has just been released and for those of us who love her blog, it is an occasion to rejoice. I know Lisa and from the first day we met at a book reading by Dominque Browning in Santa Monica -- we just gravitated towards each other -- she has been an inspiring and supportive friend. We bonded over our passion for Bloomsbury and English literature and have gotten together many times to exchange books and ideas. She is a treasure!

Photos from "Novel Interiors" that illustrate Lisa's design philosophy inspired by classic literature 

These rooms convey a cheerful domesticity

If I could think of one concept to describe Lisa's blog, and hence her book, it would be how to live a meaningful life. One way she has personally done this is by creating warm and happy homes wherever she has lived, homes that are inspired by great literature. "Novel Interiors" is all about that idea. Like many of us who love to read, Lisa has discovered many truths from classic novels. And one of those is that a cheerfully and warmly designed home can add to a happy life. In her new book, she gives us hundreds of design ideas to accomplish this. As she writes, "Don't underestimate how important these details can be to your life. Happiness has a wonderful way of reverberating outward -- when you are surrounded by things that bring you a deep sense of well-being, everyone around you feels better also."

Her ideas for a more stately and traditional look

As she has written on her blog, the books she has loved in her life have shaped the person she is today. They have influenced her personal style, especially the way she decorates her home. In "Novel Interiors," Lisa shares with us "the beautiful moments" from her favorite books and how they can be recreated in our homes. The photographs by Ivan Terestchenko of houses and their interiors are gorgeous and the quotes from Lisa's favorite books are inspiring and plentiful. According to her, many of us nesters want our rooms to feel cozy and warm, or chic and glamorous, or earthy and natural. It all depends on who we are. We want our homes to reflect ourselves. This book will show us how. And for the bibliophiles amongst us, aren't we always looking for a good book to read? Lisa's book will help us accomplish that as well.

The book is divided into chapters: "Shall I Put the Kettle On?," "Remembrance of Things Past," Living au Naturel," "Oh, the Glamour of it All," "Anything Goes," and "Sometimes a Fantasy." Each chapter guides us through the settings of more than sixty literary classics and shows us how they can inspire our decorating style. Here's the introduction to "Shall I Put the Kettle On?" --

"In the classic novels of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and others, home sweet home is a well-worn sanctuary where the furniture is a bit threadbare, the kitchen has yet to be tidied up from breakfast, and a cheerful domesticity reigns over all. Woven into the architecture of these richly detailed worlds are countless lessons on how to live simply and meaningfully. When in doubt, keep it comfortable, they tell us. Embrace the charms of disorder. Go ahead and let the stitches show. And don't ever underestimate the power of a good armchair."

Elements of a glamorous design

After reading this book, you will be inspired by how easy and satisfying it is to create a warm environment for yourself and your family by paying attention to the little things -- such as having fresh flowers in a favorite vase and placing them in a spot that catches the afternoon light or putting out an earthy tea kettle in the kitchen next to mugs and tea accoutrements signaling afternoon tea. There is also the idea of a drinks tray for mixing that evening cocktail. It's the details that make all the difference.

A drinks tray adds a note of hospitality and graciousness to a room

You will also be delighted by how many great book suggestions Lisa makes. I always seem to be on the hunt for a good book. Lisa's anthology is excellent and emphasizes the classics, including some titles you may not have heard of. I will be searching for Lark Rises to Candleford by Flora Thompson, Loving by Henry Green, and Vainglory by Ronald Firbank. So get ready to be ordering some new books as well as rearranging a cozy corner or two around your house. You will be inspired to find the perfect spot to read one of these books, brew that perfect pot of tea, make an evening cocktail, and create some beautiful moments of your own! Go here to order a copy.

Photo by Megan Taylor

Lisa signing my book at her book launch in Beverly Hills

A Thousand Little Daily Wonders...

Edith Wharton

This summer biographies have taken over my study. I have been reading about some very inspiring women: Vita Sackville-West, Virginia Woolf and Edith Wharton, to name a few. Their stories are as thrilling as any of their novels. They were visionaries and adventurers, original thinkers and risk-takers. Recently I have been reading about one of the most fascinating: Edith Wharton. Her intellect, energy, and lifelong curiosity were legendary. She was a master storyteller, chronicler of American society, and a supremely gifted writer. This woman was a force to be reckoned with.

Here are some of the highlights:

1866: At age four, the American writer Edith Wharton was taken by her parents for an extended visit to Europe where they stayed until 1872. By the time she was 18 she had lived half her life in Europe and could speak four languages.

1897: Her first book, The Decoration of Houses, written with the Boston architect Ogden Codman, was published by Scribners. Wharton was as passionate and knowledgeable about architecture and interior design as she was about writing novels. Hugely successful, this book had a major impact on interior design both in America and Europe.

1901: Edith purchased a 113-acre property in Lenox, Mass. and began building The Mount, a classical estate modeled after Belton House in England. Edith designed and supervised the building of the house and gardens, using what she had learned from her years of living in Europe. She lived there from 1902-1911. During that time, she entertained many prominent writers, artists and politicians including President Theodore Roosevelt, writer Henry James, diplomat Walter Berry, landscape designer Beatrix Ferrand and sculptor Daniel French. And it is where she wrote The House of Mirth.

1904: Her book Italian Villas and Their Gardens was published. This was a series of articles on Italian architecture and gardens commissioned by Century Magazine. She traveled to Italy and drove all around the countryside looking at villas and doing extensive research. The articles came out in book form with illustrations by her friend the artist Maxfield Parrish.

1905: Her novel The House of Mirth was published in serial form. When it came out in book form, it was an instant bestseller and stayed on the bestseller list until 1906. It established Edith Wharton as America's most admired writer.

1911: She left the Mount for good and moved to France where she lived for the rest of her life. When World War I broke out, Edith put aside her writing and became involved in the war efforts.

1915: She organized the Children of Flanders Rescue Committee to aid Belgian orphans during the war. She also worked to aid tubercular soldiers and visited front lines and battle areas with her lifelong friend Walter Berry.

1916: She was recognized by France for her war efforts and made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, the highest honor that France could award any civilian. She was recognized for "having given all possible assistance to refugees from those areas of France and Belgium invaded by the enemy."

1920:  Her 12th novel The Age of Innocence was published and awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

1923:  She was the first woman to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Yale University

1937:  By the time of her death she had written over a dozen works of non-fiction (design, architecture, travel, memoirs) as well as at least 40 books of fiction (novels, novellas, and short stories). Some of the most famous are: The House of Mirth, Age of Innocence, Ethan Frome, The Custom of the Country, Summer, The Buccaneers, and Old New York.

At age 74 she called herself "an incorrigible life-lover and life-wanderer and adventurer." 

She mused about "this wonderful adventure of living." 

She wrote in her memoir:

"Life is the saddest thing there is, next to death; and yet there are always new countries to see, new books to read, a thousand little daily wonders to marvel at and rejoice in..." 

FASCINATING DETAIL:  She spent the mornings writing in bed, tossing the pages onto the floor for her secretary Anna Bahlmann to type.


LOVE OF HER LIFE:  Walter Berry. Although she had a short love affair with Morton Fullerton during the final years of her marriage to Teddy Wharton, she called Walter Berry "the love of all my life."

Curious and always interested in the world, Edith Wharton lived a full life. She was an adventurer, brilliant and bold, unafraid to take risks and tackle big projects. Luckily for us, she wrote many literary masterpieces that will live on forever. They speak to us because she was so wise about the human heart. Everyone can relate to the heartbreak she describes. She also built The Mount, another creation that will live on forever and a place we can visit and feel her presence. If you haven't been and find yourself in Lenox, Massachusetts, be sure to visit! Go here to find out more.

Now I need to find out about Walter Berry, the "love of all her life"?!! Who exactly was he? 

I would love to know which women writers inspire you?

A Touch of Tartan

"And proud she was of heart, when clad / In crimson stockings, tartan plaid..."

-- William Wordsworth, "Memorials of a Tour in Scotland"

I have to admit, I am starting to get a little excited about fall. Do you feel that way?

And right now tartan looks really good to me. I love these rooms decorated with plaid. They feel fresh, crisp, tailored, and very cozy. All the qualities of of fall. In my opinion, many rooms can benefit from a touch of tartan. It adds a warmth and welcoming quality to a space. For some reason, tartan always makes us feel good.

Anta plates

Recently I discovered Anta of Scotland, a company that has been around for  25 years and specializes in contemporary Scottish home decor. It was founded by Annie and Lachlan Stewart in in the north of Scotland to produce their contemporary twist on old tartans, using antique weaving machines. They make fabrics, throws, furniture, rugs, stoneware and accessories. Everything from Anta is made in Scotland. The woolen yarn used for the carpets and tweeds is sourced in the Western Isles and is woven in the Borders. The artisans at Anta paint tartan on ceramics for their stoneware collection. Take a look at their entire collection online. You will be impressed with the quality and charming look of their products.

Couches, pillows and throws

More pillows

Rugs

Beautiful throws

Luscious fabrics! A small couch in one of these plaids would warm up any room.

Tartan ceramics

Teapots

Accessories

Anta's Highland showroom

Take a look at their entire collection online. It will have you dreaming of a trip to Scotland and maybe adding a touch of tartan plaid to your home.

All photos via here