Childhood Dreams

 Predominately I am influenced by English Country style. This started at a young age and I am still greatly influenced by the dreams of my childhood. As a little girl I adored Beatrix Potter and desperately wanted to live in Lucinda and Jane's Dollhouse, or in Mrs. Tiggywinkle's meticulously maintained underground cottage. After reading The Wind in the Willows I began to prefer something a little more grown up, such as Toad Hall. My fascination went outdoors when The Secret Garden introduced me to the stewardship of nature. As a young woman I became obsessed with the classics and that adoration has not waned. These elements from my past have been the keystones in  the creation of my own little world.

My Dream Home

 

I will never outgrow this delightful tale.

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The domestically inclined should read this book.

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                 Hardwick House is believed to be the inspiration for the original illustration of Toad Hall in the children's classic, The Wind in the Willows. Photo by Andy Stephenson.

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I carried my love for The Secret Garden into adulthood-my youngest daughter's first name is Mary's surname.

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The magical garden at Hidcote.

 

                                        

 

A Gertrude Jekyll rose thriving at Brambly.

                                       

 

English provincial life captures my imagination.Middlemarch is my all-time favorite novel.Oh, how I wish I could be more like Dorthea Brooke.

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Lower Slaughter would be a lovely place to call home.

 

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I would love to have a flock of sheep.Unfortunately, mountain lions are abundant in my area and they love to eat sheep.

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Bye-Bye Blooms

We are saying goodbye to our blooms as fall quickly comes upon us. We had this window box built just so we could enjoy an abundance of cascading petunias throughout the summer.

 

The window box wraps around the bay window. Providing a panoramic floral display from inside.

 

 

We usually plant geraniums or petunias in our urns.

 

 

Which elements of your garden will you miss the most this fall and winter?

 

 

Kitchen Revisited

In the past I posted areas of my kitchen individually. The following photos show Brambly's quirky kitchen in its entirety.

Farmhouse sink and copper faucet.

 



Plate Rack




We put a small sink in a marble topped, antique cabinet.




The baking counter is on casters.

 



Breakfast Room



My favorite chair in the corner of the breakfast room.



View of the refrigerator.



Television Cabinet



The long view.

 

Linking to: "Wow Us Wednesdays" at Savvy Southern Style

Parlor Makeover

Here are some before and after photos of a hotel parlor I offered to spruce up for a friend. The room was large, dark, cold and needed to be visually warmed up.

I selected paints that brought out the natural colors of the stone fireplace. I bought rolls and rolls of painters' tape to create a tone-on-tone stripe around the room.

 

My husband and I removed the blue furniture and replaced it with other pieces from around the hotel. It wasn't in the budget to purchase new items, but there was still quite a bit to work with on site.

 

 

The photos show how the parlor was set for autumn dinners last year. The fireside dining became very popular with dinner guests. The final result was well worth the effort.

 

 

 

Linking to: "Time Travel Thursday" at The Brambleberry Cottage