Every summer I fall in love with my home all over again.
As the days get warmer it takes on a new lease of life. A fresh personality. Every time I throw open a door or window a bit of magic happens. It’s like the house is stretching out its limbs and letting out a big breath it’s been holding for months.
I’m spending more and more time outdoors and the garden feels like an extension of the house. We worked hard last year – planting roses and putting up a new shed. This year the hard work is paying dividends. The rambling roses are well and truly rambling and make me smile each time I pass. As do my cats, who are certainly adding a whole new element to the garden this year.
I’ve planted a section of summer plants, including cosmos, sweet peas, nigella and dahlias – which are starting to bloom alongside my established plants.
I can’t wait to see how everything changes and develops over the summer.
Indoors, we’re enjoying our newly painted hall and landing – and we’re very slowly hanging our pictures back up. It’s taking ages because we’re having new things framed, old things re-framed and generally re-jigging things. Which takes forever, but is very satisfying.
Remember those bits of wrapping paper I mentioned a couple of months ago? I ordered them, and they’re framed and ready to go. They work brilliantly in the frames from IKEA and totally prove that interesting pictures don’t have to cost the earth.
A word of warning though. The IKEA frames are very flimsy. They’re fine with a £3 piece of wrapping paper, but I wouldn’t trust them with anything really special. We’re sending those things off to be framed by a local professional – which is actually less expensive than you’d think. Especially when you consider the quality of bespoke frames. For us, we’re usually talking about £30-£50 per picture.
Lighter, brighter days are also inspiring me to re-arrange things that have sat still for far too long. Last week I cleared all the clutter from the mantel piece in our study, and replaced it with a simple, seasonal display. The result is refreshing, which is what I need in the room where I sit and write.
What’s been on my interiors radar this month?
First up, this beautiful screen print by Jacqueline Coley. I’ve been admiring it for a while and I’d like it very much!
I have also fallen in love with this fluffy chair from Maison du Monde. There’s a matching bench too.
What are your home notes this month?
The garden is looking gorgeous Lizzie. Those prints look great but getting the better ones professionally done is the right thing to do. You’ll notice the difference.
thank you! I love spending time in the garden it makes me so happy x
I completely know what you mean about the warner weather giving the house a new lease of life – and yours is looking beautiful and summery! I love the wrapping paper you’ve framed and I also really love the screen print by Jacqueline Coley – such great use of colour! 🙂 Philippa x #homeetc
It’s wonderful isn’t it when you can really take advantage of the weather and extend that living space. Gorgeous interiors picks for the month X #HomeEtc
I love Summer at home too. Your garden looks gorgeous. I need to have a little clean up of clutter on shelves too! I may just do that today! Thanks for the inspiration.
#HomeEtc