{two lovely things: green & white}

. . . two lovely things: wallpapered cabinets & beautiful bunches of narcissi and it's beginning to look a lot like spring . . .


{images: patrick cline for lonny magazine & gingerlily flowers}

{two lovely things: open shelves & elegant black}

. . . while lately have been favouring wallpapered cabinets, {especially in romantic spring florals}, had forgotten how classically beautiful shades of onyx and midnight can be for showcasing stacks of beautiful books and antiques, or a collection of everyday dishware and fine china, and adore how strikingly lovely the palest pink of the roses and stacks of gold-rimmed teacups look against such a background . . .

{p.s.} more black shelving


{images: 1 - patrick cline for lonny; 2 - high gloss}

{décor inspiration: always chandeliers}

. . . if you have been reading for a while, you will know about a certain and enduring love for chandeliers, and whether in a quaint café or a cozy british pub, an ultra modern living room or a château in the french countryside, things always seem to look a little better under the romantic glow of a chandelier, and this beautiful antique is pure and simple elegance . . .


{photography by patrick cline for lonny magazine}

{a beautiful new week & the winner is . . .}

. . . hello again! . . . after a luxuriously relaxing weekend, it's a beautiful new week, and you may have remembered, a million years ago, shortly before the holidays, there was a lovely give-away for a glittering and impossibly elegant crystal necklace, and in the flurry of fairy lights and falling snow, hadn't a chance to find out who the winner is until now . . . and so, utterly delighted to announce that the winner is . . . rachel in rome, italy . . .

*** congratulations, rachel! ***

a warm thank you to everyone who entered & hope your week is off to a perfect start, xo

{images: flower magazine via mary ruffle; photography by patrick cline for lonny; domino magazine}

{the first exciting news of the new year}

. . . hello again! . . . had mentioned much, much earlier there would be fun news today . . . and so, a little fashionably late, {and those on twitter may have already heard}, but in case you haven't . . . as you know, have loved lonny magazine since the premiere issue over two years ago, but absolutely adore the current issue most of all, for it contains the most beautiful feature . . .






{a few of my favourite things}

thanks ever so much to ellie and everyone at lonny -- and to you, of course -- for always making everything so much more fun xo

{images: lonny}

{holiday inspiration: a blue christmas}

. . . on mornings when the snow softly dances and falls from wintry overcast skies, always imagine the holidays in shades of teal and turquoise, or an utterly perfect shade of tiffany's blue that intermingles most beautifully with vintage mirrors and silver etched trays, holiday hors d'œuvre and monogrammed tumblers . . .

{images: photography by patrick cline for the holiday issue of lonny magazine}

{décor inspiration: sheer opulence}

. . . while it may be wonderful to explore the possibilities in the clean lines of minimalist and modern interiors, at the end of it all, it always comes back to the luxe warmth and sheer opulence of intricate inlaid floors and elegant chaises, breathtaking wall murals and tufted chesterfields, delicately carved and paneled walls and gold & crystal chandeliers, enveloped by yards of pooling drapery and autumn evenings spent perched on leopard print cushions by fire . . .

{images: the diversion project; lonny via greige; flickr via julia; elle decor via greige; nicholas haslam, sheer opulence via from the right bank; brabourne farm; trouvais; rdujour; lilac and grey; lonny}

{colour inspiration: dusky taupe}

. . . afternoons are still wonderfully bright, but evenings are beginning to arrive earlier, and with them, a surprising briskness to unaccustomed summer skin, and already this past weekend, faux fur stoles and soft cashmere scarves and the longing for luxuriously warm textures, velvet and tweed and satin-trimmed coverlets -- and even warmer hues and tones, featherstone and champagne and deliriously lovely shades of dusky taupe . . .

{images: 1 - photography by nastasha; 2 - elle decor via mochatini; 3 - lonny magazine; 4 - simply seductive; 5 - country style magazine (australian) via daily imprint; 6 - a glamorous little side project}

{at home with: rachel ashwell}

. . . a late hazy august morning, sipping coffee and falling in love with the soft, understated elegance of rachel ashwell's london flat, where every room feels like a dreamy and languid late-summer's afternoon enveloped in a soft and delicate light and the warmth of shades of palest pink and bits of gold . . .

{p.s.} also: august sunrise

{images: via lonny}

{inspiration: a little refinement}

. . . keep coming back again and again to this stunning carved mirror and console -- such a beautiful place to keep candles and candelabras and fresh summery bouquets . . .

{image: photography by patrick cline for lonny magazine june/july 2010}

{currently reading: lonny magazine}

. . . hello! an overcast thursday afternoon and how the week has flown, but bright days await, and even brighter dreams & plans . . . dashing out the door, but leaving you with a few favourites from the latest issue of lonny . . .

hope you're having a wonderful week,
xo

{images: photography by patrick cline for lonny magazine; via lynn via twitter}