Bear with me. I’m having a little flight of fancy…
My Husband often puts his heads in his hands and looks at me with dismay when I show him the houses I think we should buy or the modular sofas I think would look amazing in our new fantasy home. “When will you get a grip on reality?” he asks me regularly. In my head: DON’T CRUSH MY DREAMS.
We’re looking for a new home at the moment and the market is dead – actually we did see a humdinger of a project this weekend but someone pledged the asking price before they’d even set foot in it! It’s frustratingly slow going, so I’m having to make do with creating mood boards and imagining what I’ll do when I finally get my hands on a paint brush. Apart from a keen interest in houses that live at least two price brackets above us, I also have trouble really nailing down what my favourite decorating style is. A neighbour once visited my home and said “I like it! Very eclectic. Very shabby errr…. No, not chic… that’s not it…” Hmmm. I do like the cosy, object stuffed, shabby look it must be said but I also like the whimsical vintage plate, Sky McAlpine vibe, a modern airy feel with enormous Crittle windows (have you seen how much they are?!), gothic kitsch is always a winner, as is the classic old English house look a la Ben Pentreath, oh, and I do like the idea of a whitewashed Anne with an ‘e’ style house with lovely polished copper accents.
I wish I had a distinctive theme that I could stick to, but I’m just too fickle. I really do need three or four different houses to decorate. In the meantime, I’ve decided a very practical person to channel for interior inspo is heyday Princess Margaret. You, know late 50’s early 60’s glamour, London apartment/beach house in Mustique feel. In fact, I’m smoking a cheroot and wearing a questionable swimming cap right now. Next week, I’m sure I’ll be excited about painted wooden floors and patchwork quilts again, but for now I’m going full on HRH.
The London residence.
Clockwise from top left: Striped Table Runner, £19.99, H&M (this is the link for the table cloth but I’ve seen the runner in store) Pierre-Joseph Redouté Flowers Book, £85.44, Taschen, Mirror, £48, Anthropologie, Violet Ida Perfume, from £75, Miller Harris Velvet Chair, £799, Swoon Cushions,£40 each, Raj Tent Club Vase, £39, Beaumonde Chest of Drawers, around $2,498 Tracey Boyd for Anthropologie (US site) I am very annoyed that most of British designer Tracey Boyd’s furniture isn’t readily available in the UK. Am going to lobby… and then ask for a 90% sale. There are some items on the UK site here.
My muse: Princess Margaret
The beach house. Team with mimosas and mimosa.
Clockwise from top left: Chair, £250, Raj Tent Club (I would have these inside) Raffia Lampshade, £132, Matilda Goad, Shell Mirror, £17.99, H&M (great in a bathroom!) Palm Leaf Throw, £25, Erica Davies for QVC (love the pink contrast). Handbag (HRH Mags would have loved this) £25, Topshop, Sideboard, $2,298, Tracey Boyd for Anthropolgie, Glass Decanter, £28, Oliver Bonas, Lucite Drawer Handle, from £4.77 each, Etsy (was thinking you could up-cycle an Ikea chest of drawers with these for a Tracey Boyd feel) Lamp base, £295, Matilda Goad
