A 'Little' English Hideaway

Good morning, Everyone!

Hope you all had a great Mother's Day weekend and are all revitalized to start another busy week!

I've spent some time over the weekend clearing and sorting.......again!  I have a stash of tearouts from old magazines that I will never part with.  I've been tearing out memorable pics for years........long before blogging and pinterest, so I am going to share some with you occasionally and I'm starting today with a little hunting lodge in a "bucolic valley" somewhere in England.  What's so exciting about that, you ask?

Well, besides its innate charm, it happens to be the very small getaway of Anthony and Jennifer Little.......the renowned co-founder and creative director of Osborne and Little, the world famous fabric and wallpaper company.

The Littles fell in love with this dark, cold and cheerless lichen-covered lodge knowing full well what it's potential was.

So, they set about cheering it up and adding their own English country charm.  Since it's situated beside a river, it seemed only logical to use a nature theme and furnished it not only with appropriate wallpapers and fabrics, but added antique fishing rods, stuffed birds and botanical prints.

Being as small as it is, Anthony enlarged it by changing a few things about.  See his list of size enhancing ideas below.

Enjoy!

Photos by Brian Harrison/Red Cover

Friday's Featured Friends

Hope all you Moms have a most wonderful Mother's Day this weekend!

Pinterest

Something Blue.........

Hi Everyone,

Did you know that the blue and white color scheme is the most popular color scheme of all?  Who knew?

I just discovered this little tidbit since I began blogging........and I must say, I have fallen in love with it.  We don't see a lot of blue and white interiors here on the east coast......perhaps because our winters are so long and blue is such a cool color..........it is more popular here in summer homes and cottages, but our winter homes seem to be filled with warmer colors.

Of course, blue and white isn't relegated to interiors only, it looks fabulous on anything!!  Any shade of blue against white is striking and graphic.........absolutely gorgeous!

And I dare to say, with all the beautiful creations by decorators, architects, artists, fashion designers and the elite creators in this world, the most beautiful blue and white creations come from nature!  Here are a few of my blue and white favorites from my Pinterest page.

Let me know what you think of the color blue!

Enjoy!!

Michael Whaley

Toile and transferware

House Beautiful

How serene and beautiful is this?

Inge Friebel illustations

Alex Grotto linen

What a beauty!

Glass

Old Belgian Ledgers

Hand painted walls by Lillian Williams

A beautiful creature!!

Quilt exhibition

Mary Cassatt

Elizabeth Locke Brooch

Seashell

Seashells

Blue, white and gold brooch

Morning glory with dew drops

Blue starfish in Tahiti and notice blue ombre sky

Beautiful blue eyes!

Pinterest

Kelli Ford's Southampton Guest Cottage

Hi there!

Look at the setting for this cottage on Shinnecock Bay in Long Island, NY!  Isn't it stunning?

Formerly owned by Carolyne Roehm, it is now the guest cottage for interior designer Kelli Ford who summers across the street.

After admiring the 5 bedroom cottage for years, it finally came up for sale and Kelli and her husband snapped it up to use as a retreat/guest cottage, while keeping the future of their two young girls in mind as a way to bring them back after leaving home.

Kelli happens to be one half of the design firm KirstenKelli Designs that she shares with her sister.

Carolyne (the previous owner), had done the living room in blue delft tiles and the bathroom in the dark blue.  Kelli and Kirsten picked up on that and carried on with their vision of the cottage and added their own touches in the form of beautiful fabrics, wonderful colors and accessories.

To see more of this fabulous getaway, check out the current issue of Veranda.

Enjoy!

Veranda via Curbed

The Hamptons Home and Gardens of Charlotte Moss

Good morning, Everyone!

It's looking like it's going to be another beautiful day here on the Island.........the sun is shining and I am anxious to get out into our backyard and start on the springtime garden chores.........so much to do!

But, I wanted to share the Hampton's home and garden of Charlotte Moss, probably my favorite designer of all...........she is such an interesting lady with seemingly limitless talent and energy.

I received her book about collage art for my birthday in February and I've been making some collages since then.........I, too, have been a magazine fiend since I was a teenager, so I have more than my share of source material..........

When I came upon her Hampton's gardens in the latest issue of Veranda, I thought you might like to see them and her home there.

She certainly knows how to live a full life, as she has a number of homes, has published numerous books, is famous for her impeccable taste and interior designs, travels frequently and is self-publishing a book on the gardens of France, is very involved with charitable fundraisers, has her own fabric and furniture line and still has time to socialize, entertain, make collages and indulge in her real passion - gardening!

I know she has household help and assistants for her many projects, but she amazes me with her energy!

Enjoy!

Her reading corner overlooking her garden!  She has time to read, too?

Screened porch

Sleeping porch.

Library

Guest room over the garage.

A small view of her selection of floral vessels

Charlotte's potting room - her favorite room in the house where she does all her own floral arrangements!

Images 1, 2 Hamptons Magazine, Image 3 - 5 Elle Decor

Images 6 - 11 Hampton Magazine, Image 12 Pinterest

Images 13 - 16 Veranda