Hydrangea Hill Cottage: textiles

I can't resist the story of a woman who starts a cottage industry from her home.....working alone at her kitchen table. The likes of Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Jane Forman, Annie Selke, Lilly Pulitzer and many, many others come to mind. But, today I would like to share the work of Christina Strutt, whose work I have been following for several years.

Today's post could have been titled 'The Books of Christina Strutt', 'The Textiles of Christina Strutt', 'The Vintage Chic of Christina Strutt', or an assortment of other titles, but I just happened to have a Country Home magazine that I was browsing through recently and came upon her home, so I will include her personal haven along with some of her creations.

As a stay at home mom with two young children, and a former Vogue stylist, living in a 600 year old, golden colored stone cottage outside of Bath, England, Christina avidly collected vintage fabrics and collectibles years ago. What she couldn't find, she produced herself.

However, she carried it further and began designing textiles at her kitchen table just over ten years ago. Amazing what she has accomplished in that amount of time. She is now the founder and owner of the British retailer, Cabbages and Roses, has authored several books on vintage style, sewing and developing your own vintage, romantic look and continues to design. Her products are sold within the Jigsaw stores in England and, of course, her books are sold everywhere.

Her combination of soft florals, checks, stripes and toiles is timeless and endlessly cosy and welcoming. Her collection of reds only increases the warmth of the rooms.......in our long, cold east coast Canadian winters, springs and falls, I, too, have many shades of red in our rooms.....our climate demands it!

See her online shop at http://www.cabbagesandroses.com/

Enjoy!