Cupcakes & Potting Sheds

Have had a hectic week, being school holidays here. Found this gorgeous pic via Mr Craig Markham.

FIRMDALE HOTELS has won a silver medal at this years CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW for its POTTING SHED DREAM stand. Kit Kemp (Firmdale Design Director) worked with Bloomsbury Flowers to create a display which had to based around afternoon tea.

What is it about potting sheds that keeps us posting pictures of them? Bring on spring!

The Orange Orchard

My orange, mandarin, lime and tangerine trees are full of fruit but are about half the size of these ones. The grapefruit and lemons even smaller, but I am inspired to set up a table like this amongst them. Just gorgeous - I can almost smell the citrus in the air.

Goodbye, Wanda The Whale

I have just come in from a very sad event. A baby sperm whale we named Wanda stranded herself on the beach right in front of our cottages this afternoon. My sister, who works for National Parks, was there and my brother-in-law Mark, spent the afternoon wetting her down. Unfortunately nothing could be done to save her - she had cut herself on the rocks and was clearly in distress so the vet decided to euthenise her.

It was a wonderful thing to see the whole village out there willing her on but it seemed nature had other ideas.

Photographs to Inspire

I am doing some advertising mock ups for a travel-related thing and I was thinking, 'of all the photographers I could use for this, Hugh Stewart would be perfect'. So I went over to his website to look at his latest work and there it all is. J.Crew, British Vogue, Aussie Vogue, interiors, portraits... love it all.

I loved working with Hugh for his easy going nature and his New Zealand accent, which he still has despite living abroad for a very long time.

Most of all, I love the quirky personalities that he captures, even when he's shooting high fashion. It's very Australasian.

Shutter Bug

These shutters in "Sirena", above and below, have fabric inserts which let in filtered light and fold back on themselves.

These shutters in the new Seafarers Cottages are painted paneled pine and are designed to block out the street light at night.

My favourite window treatment would have to be the shutter. In our two small beach houses we chose to have shutters made for the windows instead of curtains because they create such a wonderfully coastal vibe.

Shutters in France

When I think of shutters I think of France. These traditional style shutters I photographed on the Ile de Re, which is just off the west coast. I love the pale colours, a palette that is prescribed by the local government.

The Original Vintage Girl

The second in the series of women who have influenced my views on interior design is Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic.

In 1989, when most of us were thinking modern, she was recycling and upcycling old and discarded decorative items, showing us that there was a certain laid back glamour we could all attain, with a bit of elbow grease. This English woman, transplanted in California, took up where Laura Ashley had left off, mixing that shabby, very british aesthetic with a touch of faded French je ne sais quoi.

Ever since then, I have been painting furniture white, moving on more recently to bolder colours. I have mixed unmatched chairs, planted old fashioned roses and re-invented old chandeliers. Well worn Louis chairs in faded colours are still in the top ten and vintage linen is still doing the rounds.... I think even Martha Stewart owes a lot to this stylish girl.

I had wondered what had become of her until recently when I saw her (now not so) new book at the gift fair. All I can say is the last copy I had left in the shop - that I had hoped to take home - was stolen. By a very style-conscious thief!