gathering spriggs

Book Review : At Home With Country

 

 

 

 

 

Dear friends. Today I have a momentous occasion to share with you... My first book review from one of my favorite style setters, Christina Strutt of London's Cabbages & Roses. Include with that a beautiful introduction from THE Tricia Foley (whose own home is featured in the book) and I am in English Country heaven! At Home with Country is a formidable publication that has stirred my heart, memories of yesteryear and my love for all things peacefully romantic. But it is the spirit of Strutt's Cabbages & Roses and its quiet whispers of domesticity in uncertain times that causes it to rise above your ordinary decorating book. In Christina's own words: "Cabbages & Roses has stood its ground for the ten years it has been alive. We have gently grown and expanded, whispering rather than shouting, quietly infiltrating lives and homes throughout the world in the nicest possible way."

In doing so, Christina has traveled the globe in search of homes to share which she has treated with this delicate design philosophy.  These beautifully adorned places however wouldn't be represented properly without the dreamy images of Edina van der Wyck. From the American East Coast to British Country homes (even a houseboat) to a New York loft or a Dutch Farming community Strutt's style graces these homes with "quiet infiltration".

One of my personal favorites was her own home at Brook Cottage with its bespoke touches and the evidence of a real, lived in quality. Strutt makes no qualms sharing with us the everyday usability of her own home and how she transforms it from dog friendly everyday to dinner party formal.  These lovely peeks into the homes of real people with down to earth hospitality are what establish this publication as a superlative read.  And this open door policy throughout its pages create an invitation for readers of all style sensibilities with tips on incorporating bits of country into many possible scenarios, so you too can be At Home with Country. 

At Home with Country by Christina Strutt. CICO Books, $29.95; www.cicobooks.com

Photo Credit: Edina van der Wyck

Spring Themed Murally Accents

  

 

Good Monday Morning!!!  How was your weekend?? Restful? Productive? I am so excited to be painting my home after many weeks of this. My assistant is coming over today to help me get started on the whole downstairs.  So after many months of looking at paint chips and making samples for myself, I am finally ready to do my own home! Yay! And I have a boatload of DIY projects in store in the coming weeks if I can disciplined and focused to do them all. But one thing I have been thinking of is a mural accent wall. I have painted murals for many of my clients for years but never for myself. Here is a collection of images that are inspiring me today.

So what about you?? Could you do a mural accent wall- with paint or paper?

Blessings,

images: 1,2,4,and 6- house beautiful, 3 skona hem, 5 casa sugar

Shop Around the Corner: Nell Designs

 

 

Yay! Its Friday.... Although I am in the middle of finishing up a huge project this week, my eyes are on the prize of a lovely weekend. How about you any plans this weekend?? Do tell....

If you need something fun and colorful to peruse, how about this wonderfully whimsical company, Nell Designs.

Happy Weekend, Lovelies!

Flower Power

 

Good Morning glories!! How about a little flower power to get energized today?? I thought I would switch things up a bit and insert some strong pattern into g.s after a few days of spare rooms and natural palettes. I came across the work of Lisa Bengtsson last night and recognized some of her work and images that I know have made it around the web, (apt. therapy for sure). Then I discovered she is Swedish! Funny, after my Swedish Country post yesterday! I must be instantly attracted to Swedish design. Lisa's work however is far from traditional but there is something magical in it. What do you think?? In fact, these images I chose today are some of her more tame designs. For more color and pattern check out her portfolio. (dont you love the floral ceiling paper???)

images: lisa bengtsson

What does Modern Country mean to you?

So what do you think?? What makes a modern country interior today in 2010? Seems like a lot of white, with clean open surfaces, paired with a few choice natural elements to me. But is it something more than that? In our technological age, do we need something simple, soft and natural to come home to? What do you think??

images: 1&2 -home life, 3&4 australian home beautiful (scanned by me) 5,6,7-gap interiors

Beauty from Australian Home Beautiful

Happy Tuesday my lovely spriggs of beauty! Its nothing short of beautiful sunshine here and I am off to have lunch with a new friend and her newborn. It feels good to be at a place of rest and enjoyment of the beauty of Spring, new beginnings and new friendships! But first I have a little eye candy to share with you because you also bring sunshine into my heart! You may remember my magazine swap with Marie. Well, I am finally around to sharing my favorite and inspirational rooms with you. They are all from Australian Home Beautiful, which I believe is my new chocolate!! SO many wonderful pastel and dreamy feminine spaces that make my heart pitter patter. Hope you like them too! Doesn't this last image make you want to paint your floors peach with a floral motif?? LOVE! 

images: photographed by me via home beautiful.au

Shop Around the Corner: Bountiful

 

 
  

 

 

 

Happy Thursday ! Happy Easter and Happy Passover! Blessing to you all. Today will be my last blog posting for the long holiday weekend but will be back on Monday. I am starting my Spring Break on Monday but will have some special guest bloggers and fun things for you all next week. So I leave you with my Shop Around the Corner this week, Bountiful. This beautiful shop in Venice, California has it all! I hope to go someday because if it is anything like the images on their website, it will be paradise. I especially like their China Closet section where many of these images came from. Aren't they wonderful inspiration for your holiday table?? I love the abundance of flowers and bright white beachy tones. 

So do you have any plans for the weekend?? I will be off to visit my husband's family in Indiana and then the rest of the week in Chicago. So see you next week!!

Blessings, 

images: bountiful

All White with Colorful Cushions

 

 

 

  

 

Have you ever dreamt in all white? (even if it is a little impractical- i can hardly imagine my dog in these spaces) But I do dream in white. But I have a secret love affair with color and so I would need some punches here and there. And I love the ease of toss pillows. So here are a few rooms in that vein. My favorite is the second image. Spicy yet feminine. And I would throw in some of these  pillows from Print Fresh to go along even though these were from a couple of years ago! How about you? How do you feel about toss pillows? Any favorite brands I should watch for as I go shopping next week??

images: mary ruffle, 1st option, my scandinavian retreat / gap interiors, pillows: print fresh, gap interiors

  

English Cottage Floral Arrangements

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing lovelier than a sweet arrangement of posies in second hand housewares! I really adore little English garden arrangements in teacups, bottles and cream and sugar vases. How about you?

images: hey zee, such pretty things and last four scanned from Country Home May 2008

   
 

Creamy Dreamy Spring Romance

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Monday Morning!! Wow. How was your weekend?? I feel rested and refreshed, after spending the weekend alone, with just my dog Domino. My husband was out of town, and although he was missed, I was able to work on some projects and really get ready for Spring. You may have noticed some Spring cleaning changes around here at GS too. I feel like I just went to the salon and returned with a dramatic new do to show off. lol! But in all seriousness, I was inspired by the above images to transform the look of this little blog with my new favorite color palette. Thank YOU too for being my constant source of inspiration and imagination!! What did you do to get inspired this weekend?

images: top collage:  painted white (alice w.) etsy (get the look), apartment therapy, 2 sara norris photography, 3 canadian cottage, 4 claudia kay photography, 5 dreamy whites