Mid September - a feast for the senses!

With the countryside ripe from the late summer sun and the hint of the crisp new season to come our senses are filled with delicious new textures and fragrances. I adore this time of year and love to bring the inspiration of early Autumn into our home. The smell of woodsmoke, subtle shades of misted berries and branches, the warmth of blankets and throws all add to the cosiness that this season brings. With a soft colour palette of Mist, Hay, Fog, Bark, Elderberry, Twig, Spice and Pebble it is a restful retreat for the coming Autumn months. Here are a few of my favourite finds:

Above image: photograph by The Paper Mulberry of a gorgeous new discovery - Mi-Septembre! Divine hand made linen sachets from Paris filled with a sublime perfume so soft and enveloping it conjures up freshly mown hay warmed by the sun, Autumn spices of cinnamon and star anise and has the merest hint of creamy, spiced hot chocolate - SUBLIME!!!I adore the rustic coconut shell toggle and leather cord, perfect for hanging these sachets from a pretty coat hanger or vintage hook. 

Above image: photograph by The Paper Mulberry of a gorgeous new discovery - Mi-Septembre! The sachet above (on a fireplace in one of our guest bedrooms)is from their "Coco Blanc" collection with the delicious fragrance captured within the most divine crisp white, rustic linen. Place them on top of pillows for a subtle way to fragrance bedlinen and a lovely warm welcome for any house guest!

Above images: 1. The White Company - heavenly "Cliveden" throw and cushion in natural 2.Mi-Septembre divinely perfumed sachets from France 3.Stunning photography of Carl Bengtsson at Skarp Agent 4. The Paper Mulberry suggested Autumn 2012 colour palette 1

Above image: The White Company, their gorgeous new range of Ercol furniture and new seasons interior accessories

 Above image: The White Company Autumn 2012 range of throws and cushions    

Above image: photograph by The Paper Mulberry - divinely fragranced sachets from Mi-Septembre Paris! A wonderful way to subtly perfume linens when the weather is too cold to line dry. The gathered sachet in the front of my laundry basket is from the Mi-Septembre "Coco Gris" Collection and the white linen mini pillow is from the "Coco Blanc" Collection

Above images: 1.Plumo "Tweedy Knit Socks" 2.Mi-Septembre divinely perfumed sachet trio from France "Coco Blanc" Collection 3.Trend forecast by Edelkoort 4.Mi-Septembre spices 5.Plumo "Dusty Rose Suede String" 6.The Paper Mulberry suggested Autumn 2012 colour palette 2

Above image: Mi-Septembre! Divine hand made linen sachets from Paris filled with a sublime perfume so soft and enveloping to me it conjures up freshly mown hay warmed by the sun, Autumn spices of cinnamon and star anise and has the merest hint of creamy, spiced hot chocolate!

Above image: H&M chunky knit throw

Above images: 1.& 4. Christine Bauer photography 2.The Paper Mulberry images of our home 3.Photographer Carl Bengtsson at Skarp 5.The Paper Mulberry suggested Autumn 2012 colour palette 3

Above image: The Paper Mulberry living room fireplace in our previous home 

Above image:The White Company "Clarendon" washed silk quilt and cushion in Heather 

Above image: The White Company, their gorgeous new range of Ercol furniture and new seasons interior accessories

Above image: "Coco Blanc Collection" from Mi-Septembre Divine hand made linen sachets from Paris filled with a sublime perfume perfect for the kitchen linen drawer!

Above images:1.Scottish basketmaker Lise Bech crafting the most beautiful baskets from sweetly scented willow 2.Mark Hartley Landscape Architects 3.Photographer Carl Bengtsson at Skarp Agent 4.Mi-Septembre divinely perfumed linen sachet from their "Coco Gris" Collection 5.The Paper Mulberry suggested Autumn 2012 colour palette 4

 Above image: The White Company, their gorgeous new range of Ercol furniture and new seasons interior accessories

Above image: Mi-Septembre divinely perfumed linen sachet from Paris - the "Coco Gris" Collection 

to order your own Mi-Septembre beautifully gift boxed sachets you can by online at: http://www.mi-septembre.fr/en/ with a promotion on shipping until the end of September who could resist!

France - orders over 20 euros free shipping

European Union (Including the UK) - orders over 40 euros free shipping

United States & Canada - orders over 66.88 euros free shipping

For more information on anything shown in the above images please click on the names under each photograph to go through to their web sites. The colour swatches featured are my suggestions for accent shades and do not relate to specific paints unless otherwise stated, but I'm sure your favourite paint companies would be happy to suggest matches!

As always, if I have featured your photograph and you would rather I didn't, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will remove it with my sincerest apologies. 

With warmest wishes

 

Last Days of Summer

An Old English Farmhouse Restoration update:

After 14 years restoring this old Elizabethan house (dating from around the early 1500's) it is so exciting to see the rooms finally coming together! At times the work has been an 'uphill' struggle, but after all the long hours of toil, this 500 year old house is suddenly ready for the finishing touches that will make a home.  It is a complete joy to see fresh flowers, treasured photo's and possessions filling each room.  Here are a few pictures of one of the finished guest bedrooms and bathroom.

One of the newly restored bedrooms:

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - a guest bedroom: The fireplace has an original Georgian hob grate of cast iron with decorative mouldings of sea creatures and lion's heads (sorry for my bad photography which may not show it!) I cleaned away layers of paint with a wire brush before polishing with black shoe polish and a toothbrush! Quite a few hours of hard work but we're really pleased with the results. The woodwork is painted in Laura Ashley 'Ivory' eggshell with the walls in 'Antique White' emulsion from B & Q The grey willow wreath on the fireplace was from Heals

 Above image: The Paper Mulberry - a guest bedroom: my Husband made the cabinet which is painted in Laura Ashley 'Ivory' eggshell  glass door knobs also from Laura Ashley the wall mirror is vintage. I had intended to shorten the curtains (made from unbleached loomstate cotton) but I loved the puddled drape! 

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - a guest bedroom

The Bathroom

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: we tiled the  bathroom with plain white gloss ceramic tiles on the walls with a white rustic, tumbled travertine marble floor and co-ordinating white tumbled travertine mosaic tiles on the plinth(which hides the plumbing!) The vintage glass pot contains white stones fragranced with The White Company's 'Seychelles' oil which is one of my favourites! The porcelain rose also holds the fragrance oil. I'm pleased to say that the woodworm in the oak beam is now treated and gone!!!

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: the tongue and grove panelling on the bath is painted in Farrow and Ball 'Stony Ground' shade 211 with the bench painted in Farrow and Ball 'Shaded White 201 The floors on this level are made from limecrete (a 1500's version of concrete) making it impossible to conceal any pipework. In the bathroom the pipes and waste for the bath, basin and toilet are concealed within the wood panelling.

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: the tongue and grove bench is painted in Farrow and Ball 'Shaded White 201

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: we tiled the  walls with plain white gloss ceramic tile and white rustic, tumbled travertine marble on the floor with underfloor heating for the chillier months! The tongue and grove bench (which also conceals the pipework for the bath and shower) is painted in Farrow and Ball 'Shaded White 201

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: the bathroom accessories are from Samuel Heath ('Curzon' Collection)

Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: I filled a tall florists glass cylinder vase with seashells. The floors are white rustic, tumbled travertine marble and the skirting board is painted in Farrow and Ball 'Shaded White 201 eggshell. We tiled the bathroom ourselves to preserve the uneven floor and walls that we love so much! It took me quite a few hours to do the grouting and although it may not be perfect I do now appreciate the back braking work that professional tilers go through!

  Above image: The Paper Mulberry - the bathroom: the waffle shower curtain is held back with grey tassel. We painted the tongue and grove storage cupboard and skirting in Farrow and Ball 'Shaded White 201 eggshell with crackle glazed porcelain knobs on the cupboard doors

With warmest wishes