With everything at my house focused
on the Brits these days, my oldest and his wife
were here on "holiday" from London,
the speculation on the arrival Will and Kate's baby
at posting time, Kate is in labor!
and the planning of our trip to
merry ole England this fall, I decided
that this week's summer style would focus
Across the Pond...
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| Courtesy of The English Home ~ July/August 2013 |
Our inspiration picture is located in the
village of Wiltshire and is a new home
built to reflect a classic Georgian one.
One of the elements that drew me to this image was
the "duck egg blue" paint. Few people realize what a great
"neutral" color this can be. It blends with greens, reds, blues, I have even seen it paired with pumpkin
tones and it was truly stunning.
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| Benjamin Moore ~ 2051-60 Bird's Egg |
Benjamin Moore's Bird's Egg is the perfect
match to our inspiration room and a very soothing
color on a hot summer day, we are off to a great start.
Now for someplace to sit.
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| Allan Knight ~ Hampton Sofa |
The lines of this Allan Knight sofa are similar
to the English custom design but I like the
loose back cushions as it will make it a
little more comfortable when seated.
Since English homes bring up thoughts of gardening,
how about a grass green sofa fabric?
This Manuel Canovas in 100% cotton keeps our room
bright and cheery.
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| Manuel Canovas ~ Foch in Amande |
Next we need drapery fabric.
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| Jane Churchill ~ Rossana Silk in Pink/Green |
A lovely Jane Churchill fabric,
keeps our theme alive with English Roses.
Because our drapery fabric is softer in
tone than our inspiration picture's darker reds,
I am opting to add brilliant purples,
reds and periwinkle shades,
again from Manuel Canovas.
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| Sultan ~ Fuchsia |
So how are things shaping up?
Time to accessorize!
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| John Constable ~ Harwich, The Low Lighthouse and Beacon Hill |
It is hard to find an English home that
does not feature artwork. If you can't afford an
original painting, there are many on-line shops
that offer everything from reproductions of masterpieces
to original photography available for framing, just choose
a piece that will say something to you
every time you look at it.
Nothing says "English Home" like a
blue and white pitcher filled with hydrangeas!
Or how about a Royal Doulton serving dish for
afternoon tea?
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| Royal Doulton |
I think we have done a jolly good job
on our English Cottage!
Hopefully we have shown you
that Traditional does not have to mean stuffy!
Combine traditional elements like roses and silk with
more contemporary colors and textures and you
have a stylish cottage wherever you reside.
In honor of Princess Kate, this week's charity is
Dedicated to children aged 5-16 who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties,
The Art Room offers art as therapy to help build
self esteem, self confidence and independence.
Be sure to see more on our Across the Pond Pinterest board!
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