Gardens, Books, Beachhouses, and Other Lovely Things

Social media is a funny thing. Sometimes it can be nasty, or sometimes it can be just plain crazy! Other times, it can be surprisingly kind. This week, the internationally renowned author and entrepreneur India Hicks suddenly shuttered her business, to the shock of the thousands of people who follow or work with her. But instead of jamming her social media with unwanted vitriol, as is often the case, everyone applauded her effort, energy and inspiration over the years. Kindness flooded the comments.

It was, I think, a quiet acknowledgement that most of us prefer to seek out the niceness of life rather than subscribing to the negativity that social media breeds. I tell you this small story because I've noticed lately that many people are shying away from or even shutting off from social media. I am one. But I have missed the stories, the ideas, the inspiration, the social interaction, the unexpected whimsy and beauty. Many of us in my social circle have gone full circle and returned to old-fashioned email to ping-pong interesting snippets to each other. I even send cards and parcels -- with stamps!

I don't know what the future holds for media, and as a former journalist and magazine editor I'm intrigued to see how we will receive our information once the major players such as Instagram have had their day. Until then, I thought I'd do a little blog post. Because there are lots of lovely things bouncing around – from books to dinnerware, and even a wonderfully dilapidated old beach house (ours), that's breathing new life into our little family, after we decided to buy it on a whim. I hope these bring you joy on this windy Wednesday. And I hope that, wherever you are, beauty and kindness come your way.

(Image above is my favourite spread from a new book outlined below.)

THE GARDENER'S TRAVEL COMPANION TO ENGLAND
A NEW BOOK ABOUT BEAUTIFUL BOTANICAL DESTINATIONS

This new little botanical guide to England (LINK) has been my baby for the past year. (As well as the old beach house that we're slowly restoring.) As with every book I'm involved with, I'm thrilled and deeply grateful that I was able to be part of it. It's a truly beautiful guide, thanks to the efforts of the entire team at Images Publishing. 

I really hope you all like it. It covers everything from glorious under-the-radar gardens and private estates throughout England, to garden museums and festivals, garden hotels, restaurants and pubs with gardens, and many other unusual botanical destinations. There's also an index of garden courses, from photography classes to garden embroidery workshops. 

My favourite section is on hotels – there are so many gorgeous new hotels with kitchen gardens and cutting gardens and restored parterres. If only I could have stayed at them all.

I really hope you enjoy reading it. (I've already ordered a copy for my mother for Christmas.) It's published in early September by Images Publishing, my long-time publisher. For more details, previews and to buy an advance copy in the pre-sales, please go to any of the websites below. 

AMAZON

WH SMITH
READINGS

BOOKTOPIA

NEAR AND FAR
A NEW DESIGN MONOGRAPH FROM LISA FINE

Many people know of textile designer Lisa Fine. Her designs are as sublime as her homes in Paris and Manhattan. (Her beautiful fabrics are available through Nicola Lawrence --  link.) So Lisa's first book has been eagerly awaited by many of us. Titled NEAR AND FAR (a fabulous title!), Lisa chronicles the design of her homes in Dallas, New York, and Paris, and then takes us along as she visits the places and people that have been her greatest sources of inspiration. Among her favored treasures are the Mughal palaces and gardens of India, the 18th-century home of Carl Linnaeus in Sweden, the whitewashed retreat of interior designer John Stefanidis on Patmos, the idyllic country house and garden of London-based designer Penny Morrison, and a storied house in the Tangier Casbah belonging to collectors Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani. 

Evocatively photographed by Miguel Flores-Vianna, it's a treasure trove of design ideas. I've already put it on my Wish List for Christmas. 

Published September 2019. By Vendome.

A TABLE IN VENICE

A BOOK FOR ALL THE SENSES

If there are two places that have been prominent in travel media this year, it's Venice and Capri. (Thanks to Zimmerman for the latter.) If you adore the former, look for Skye McAlpine's stunning book A TABLE IN VENICE. Then, if you can, try and find photos of her new Venetian apartment. It's as lovely as her photography. (The above pix are from Ben Pentreath's social media; he was lucky enough to dine with her in this spectacular space.) 

A Table in Venice is now out in bookstores. I hope Skye begins working on a second book soon. And that her new apartment is in it.

ANNA WEATHERLEY

BEAUTIFUL BOTANICAL DINNERWARE

Have you seen Anna Weatherley's delicious dinnerware? It features some of the prettiest plates around. Anna is based in Washington DC but she is so fond of Australia that she has waived shipping here. 

Look for her gorgeous designs on her website -- link here.

A GARDEN IDYLL IN LONDON

ROSE UNIACKE'S EXTRAORDINARY LONDON HOME

Do you follow Nowness' 'In Residence' videos? If not, search them out -- they feature incredible homes of celebrated architects, designers and artists. My friends and I are always referring each other to their newest videos. 

My favourite is Rose Uniacke's extraordinary London home – quite possibly one of the most glamorous interiors in the English capital. She calls it "a monastery meets Venetian palazzo". It's difficult to believe it's in the middle of London. The best part? Her hidden courtyard garden, which has a secret door built into the brickwork. 

The link to Rose's residence is HERE. 

(The music is as mesmerising as the videography.)

BOTANICAL EMBROIDERY

THE NEXT BIG SEWING TREND? 

Architectural Digest has recently published an article asking if botanical embroidery is the next big thing in sewing circles? Many people I know, including my sister-in-law, have been practising this for years, but they tend to be quiet achievers, so hopefully AD's story will push this gorgeous art form to the fore.

AD's story focused on Olga Prinku, who takes real flowers and weaves them into ornate embroidery filled with petals and other things foraged from gardens and forests. What she and all these other botanical embroiderers do is simply magical. And to think that all it takes is tulle and a few dried flowers...

Find out more on Olga's instagram HERE or Architectural Digest HERE

MAE IN MAUVE

AN UNUSUAL BEIRUT ABODE

Recently I stumbled across a house in Architectural Digest that was unlike anything I'd seen for years. It was the grand Beirut home of Mae Daouk, and it was notable for the colour mauve -- or lilac, as it's being marketed as the moment. 

Purple has never been a big colour in design -- I think it's a hue that grows on people as they get older, particularly with gardeners who see it in salvias and other flowers. But this year, it's making a glamorous comeback. Lilac -- especially that luminous shade of silvery lilac you see in evening skies -- is everywhere I look at the moment. So much so, that we have decided to do our new kitchen in our new (old) beach house in lilac. But I love Mae's place -- anyone who pairs purple with Schiaparelli pink deserves a gold medal.

The link to Mae's home in Architectural Digest is HERE

ZIMMERMAN'S NEW COLLECTION

(FLORALS AND FRILLS)

Someone who is utterly mad about mauve is Zimmerman, the Australian fashion label famous for its femininity and frills. If you caught all the fuss about Zimmerman's new store on Capri last week, you'll know this label puts on seriously glamorous soirees. But its launch parties are nothing compared to its summer dresses. These are a few I snapped in-store last week. If you can't afford the eye-watering price tags, there are two Outlet stores, and both are fantastic for finding sophisticated Zimmerman frocks for bargain prices.

www.zimmermannwear.com

THE LOSS OF MIN HOGG

VALE A GREAT LADY

Many of us were devastated to read the news of the death of legendary magazine editor Min Hogg last week. During her editorship of The World of Interiors, Min was responsible for publishing some of the most brilliant magazine stories in the design world. Her own homes, above, were just as stylish. She will be missed.

The New York Times' wonderful obituary about Min is HERE.

DIOR EXTRAORDINARIE 

HOW DIOR ARCHIVES A DRESS

If you're one of the fortunate ones who saw the Dior exhibition at the V&A in London this year, then you'll adore this video from the New York Times. It shows the attention to detail that goes into archiving Dior's precious dresses. Even Monsieur Dior would have been happy with this level of care, I think.

LINK HERE

FINALLY...
OUR NEW LIFE -- IN A VERY OLD BEACH HOUSE

I've been quiet on social media for a few months. There are many reasons. A few lingering health issues. A book deadline. Mentoring my wonderful authors. (One may already have a book deal.) And writing a new book. But perhaps the biggest reason for our quiet life is an old beach house we bought, in a spur-of-the-moment decision, four days before Christmas. 

We didn't know we wanted to live by the beach until we starting renting an interim townhouse, waiting for our city place to be finished. Then we fell in love -- with a house by the sea.

We saw a slightly run-down old house on our nightly dog walk, made an offer, and the rest is renovation history. Six months of dust, hammers, drills, plans, revised plans, tradespeople (actually we're doing most of the work, due to the miniscule budget), visits from friends and from our wonderful architect Virginia Blue, and -- best of all -- blissful evening strolls along one of the most beautiful esplanades in the world. 

Not a day goes by that we don't say thanks for our new life. Our new life in a lovely old house.

Restoring a house is a long process. Our books are still everywhere, the tables are still cluttered with things that have no home (there is little storage here), the paint colours, fixtures and fittings are still being determined (lilac and cornflower blue are the forerunners, inspired by the cover of the new book), and the garden is a disaster!

But oh, how we love it.

I hope to post some pix on Instagram soon. When things look a little more presentable. In the meantime, if you ever want to say hello, just email me (the old-fashioned way!) or dm on Instagram -- I'll always try and reply.

Until next time, wishing you all a wonderful week, from our little family at the beach.