No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better...

Saturday, June 11, 2011

At it again


I have written before that my natural instinct is to looks to books as having the answers to everything.  I am busy decorating my little old lady house in my head (the finance and legal bods haven't registered the same sense or urgency), and I am accumulating a small collection of books to help me do this.  I love these books.  They confirm my view that it is cool to be rummaging through flea markets and craft fairs for that special something that speaks to me and will make our old lady house ours.  And they have such pretty pictures...



(if anyone knows where to get this picture of the Queen, I'd love to hear from you :)


This kitchen belongs to Aurelie Mathigot, the crochet queen, who seems to be able to make just about anything with a hook and yarn.


And I love this yellow collection where the grey slate is such a fab backdrop to the blossom and retro kitchen ware that you might not look at twice on its own.



I also crave the simplicity of this kitchen set up.  If and when we ever get this house, I'm planning on plain white cupboards to counter level and shelves on top.


I had vague impressions of this kind of collection for my own sideboard when I bought the Danish vase last week.  But the best thing about Decorate is that it has got me thinking about room plans.  So I have enrolled Mr. P to draw up rooms to scale and cut outs of our furniture so that I can literally play house.  A poor substitute for the real thing, but still...


I love this Ercol-style furniture, and have unearthed a fab nest of tables on John Lewis's website.  A girl can dream...


More cupboards with shelves overhead, this time from a house in Brooklyn...



And finally the clean lines of this house from Perfect English Cottages.


I know there are hundreds of websites out there with just this kind of inspirational content.  And I do look at them.  But to me, there's no substitute for settling down with a cup of tea or a glass or wine to lose myself in these pages.  I love the weight and feel of them, and how the content slowly reveals itself as I flick through.  And I usually have my ipad on hand to search on ebay or look up an idea if the inspiration hits me.  So hooray for books, I say.  It's also a little bit more than that.  In truth, I am having a shocker of a time at work at the moment and burying myself in these books, dreaming about my old lady house by the sea, is just the antidote I need.  If only the money and legal people could get their act together...

C.x

8 comments:

  1. I quite agree, in fact I was looking through Perfect English Cottage only this morning for inspiration. I love that book and also rate The Comforts of Home by Caroline Clifton-Mogg for settling down with that cuppa. Enjoy your research ..

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  2. I do exactly the same! Glad you liked 'Decorate' - I have that on my wishlist. I second a recommendation for 'The Comforts of Home', which is a lovely book.

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  3. Here you go http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Portrait-of-Queen-Elizabeth-Posters_i6019403_.htm

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  4. So sorry you are having a bad time at work, it is good that you have plans and ideas and other things to dwell on. I agree with you about books, I love to browse in book shops and bring books home from the library, but it's not until you actually own a book, that you really start to love it. I am constantly searching for interior design ideas, and like you I do prefer to have the images in my hand to dream over, whilst having something lovely to drink....heaven! Love Linda x

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  5. I know just what you mean about books - happy daydreaming - enjoy the escape

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  6. Hi to you!
    I found you via a comment at nimblefingerssteadyeyebrows and I'm so glad to be here browsing through your posts.
    I know what you mean about mentally decorating a little old lady's house - I have one too in my head, with a little green vintage bicycle propped up outside...aaah. I can but dream.
    Am your newest follower so I don't miss out on any of your lovely ideas.
    If you have the time, do pop over and visit me at my blog - I love a bit of thrift, flea marketry and crafty bits too and would love to know what you think.
    Xx

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  7. i must check out the english cottage!! For some reason your posts arent showing up in my bloglovin. your address is there but the feed isnt coming through. Wondered where you had gone! I will try and delete and refollow ^_^

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  8. Great books! And I do agree one of my fav things to do is go to bookstores or the library. Have to have that special feel of actually holding the book in your hands...

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