Fashion
As someone who hates clothes shopping for myself, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the choices and experience here in London. Turns out, many of these British brands are in fact easily found in the U.S. too — so here’s a round up of some favorites and the everyday fashion sense I’m seeing here….
It’s been a cold dreary but SNOWLESS:( winter here in DC, so it got me thinking of things to share that would give everyone some cheer. From embracing the season a la the “Hygge” craze, to activating straight up denial — here are a few things on my radar to get us through til Spring!!
She’s baaaaack! Well, almost. Set your dials for Friday, Dec. 6th, when The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon) returns for Season 3. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the costumes & a bit about why we’re all so obsessed with this show…..
INTERIORS
I can’t believe it’s been 5 months since we moved to London! It’s been a bigger adjustment than I expected but I’m now starting to think in both “American” and “English” - & it turns out there are some great synergies, like the ones I want to show you now…
Well, THAT was incredible! The first trip I booked when I knew we were moving to England was a pilgrimage to the Bloomsbury group’s home base in Sussex, UK called Charleston Farmhouse. I kept reading about it via my interior design favorites - Kit Kemp, Beata Heuman, & more - and now I see how it IS the jumping off point for so much of inspired English design. Let’s dive in!!
Do you ever stumble upon someone with a new point of view & suddenly all you see is that style? That is the case for me with the new book Decors Barbares: The Enchanting Interiors of Nathalie Farman-Farma (Vendome Press). It sums up so many things I’d been thinking about but didn’t know how to express visually.
Art
I recently had chance to spend a full day in the English countryside for a decorative painting course and thought I’d share some of the lessons I learned not just about “art,” but really about living. With all the news these days, it seems we need things to keep us centered- and this workshop did just that for me. Hope you are well & that these pix and words might give you a lift too….
Well, THAT was incredible! The first trip I booked when I knew we were moving to England was a pilgrimage to the Bloomsbury group’s home base in Sussex, UK called Charleston Farmhouse. I kept reading about it via my interior design favorites - Kit Kemp, Beata Heuman, & more - and now I see how it IS the jumping off point for so much of inspired English design. Let’s dive in!!
INSPIRATION
I’m scrambling & packing for quick trip to U.S., but wanted to put a few amazing things I’ve discovered in London on your radar. Each one deserves a dedicated blog post of its own, but for now I’ll just give you a “taster,” as they say here in U.K. & you can let me know which ones you want me to expand on soon, ok? Enjoy!
I recently had chance to spend a full day in the English countryside for a decorative painting course and thought I’d share some of the lessons I learned not just about “art,” but really about living. With all the news these days, it seems we need things to keep us centered- and this workshop did just that for me. Hope you are well & that these pix and words might give you a lift too….
Hello from London!! It has been WAY too long & I’ve missed everyone - I’ve been deep in the trenches of British decorative arts scene & was apparently not quite ready to come out of my creative cocoon:) But I’m finally settled here & bursting with things I want to share with you this Fall - & beyond.
As a transplanted New Yorker living in Washington DC, I love it when I find other people with similar background. Anna Matthews is a design crush of mine & although we haven’t worked together (yet!), I adore how she creates lovely LIVABLE spaces, especially for families and dogs! A Parsons grad, Anna has a beautiful sense of color and scale — making each of her projects somehow both cheerful and yet sophisticated. DC is lucky to have her:)
I was recently traveling with a friend who is always put together. When we stepped out for the evening, she had complete poise with a great soft gold pouch tucked under her arm, while I had huge bag that could have doubled as a suitcase. Not so cute. I realized that I had been missing an entire category of form & function in my wardrobe: the clutch!
I was recently traveling with a friend who is always put together. When we stepped out for the evening, she had complete poise with a great soft gold pouch tucked under her arm, while I had huge bag that could have doubled as a suitcase. Not so cute. I realized that I had been missing an entire category of form & function in my wardrobe: the clutch!
It’s the time of year when we all need a boost to stay motivated, right? For me, that energy almost always comes from entertainment or infotainment — some way to get out of my own head & think about or LAUGH about something else. I’ve been lucky lately, finding all kinds of stuff to keep me engaged. Check these out & feel free to add your own favorites in the Comments so we can ALL enjoy!
I was planning to post about something totally different when I came across an amazing new shop/service featured in the Sept. issue of House Beautiful & had to spread the word! If you live in Northern California, you may already know about The Well Made Home but it is completely new to me & fills a great hole in the market — offering individuals a custom look with designer fabrics in a way that suits them (ie; shopping affordably from home).
As a transplanted New Yorker living in Washington DC, I love it when I find other people with similar background. Anna Matthews is a design crush of mine & although we haven’t worked together (yet!), I adore how she creates lovely LIVABLE spaces, especially for families and dogs! A Parsons grad, Anna has a beautiful sense of color and scale — making each of her projects somehow both cheerful and yet sophisticated. DC is lucky to have her:)
If you missed the epic Bunny Mellon sale a couple years ago, here’s your chance to ogle another great American collection, which Christie’s and all experts agree could easily be the highest-grossing auction of all time. But much more important than the sheer size of the collection is how clearly personal it is, representing a lifetime of thoughtful collecting by the late David & Peggy Rockefeller who were married for over 50 years.