This workroom space is simple in concept and yet filled with colour and loads of ideas - I absolutely love the blue on the brick which is a colour called Gardeners Bothy from Fired Earth.

I'm back again after almost a ten day hiatus - my apologies. Our house has been a whirlwind of activity in recent weeks. We've taken advantage of the excellent grant scheme's currently available and have had attic and cavity insulation put in - thanks to Munster Insulation, whom we highly recommend for their fast and professional service. We've also upgraded our boiler and heating controls - it has made the world of difference. I can now set to have water heated at certain hour - if already hot - it won't kick in but if cooled it will so now I have hot water at the ready without waiting hours for the emmersion to do it's job.
We've also re-painted our sitting room - the same deep orange it was but now the surround in the fireplace has been painted a high gloss white and we've added coving and a ceiling medallion - giving it an overall more finished and refined look. I'll post some images soon.

In the kitchen they've used Delphine wallpaper from Nina Campbell above the white tiled area - I love the eclectic mix of vintage plates and utensils and the open shelves with a mix of storage containers.
In the meantime - I'm once again drawing inspiration from Country Living magazine for colours and combinations. In their September issue they have a wonderful feature story called A Blush with Bloomsbury - taking decorating inspriration from the Charleston farmhouse in East Sussex that was the meeting place of the Bloomsbury Group for some 50 years.

Using a solid band of colour around the bedoom is an effective way of introducing subtle colour. The Swedish style bed has been given hand-painted details and the mix of textiles makes it feel well loved and lived in.

These fabulous blue hydrangeas look stunning on this distressed chest of drawers - all my favourite blues!

The story was photographed by Emma Lee and styled by Caroline Reeves and Ben Kendrick. While I have yet to visit Charleston myself, it is on my extensive list of places to go and things to see - you can check out more at http://www.charleston.org.uk

Nantucket Looms, An Island Tradition

Many years ago, back in the summer of 1988 - between my freshman and sophomore years in college - I worked on Nantucket Island. We had lived on Nantucket as a family back in the late 70's having moved there from England in 1976 - it happened to be one of the coldest winters ever and the ocean froze - yes it froze all the way from the island to the mainland. Anyway, that's another story and I've got to get my mother to dig out photos of my father and brother walking on the ocean to show you sometime.

That summer in 1988- I worked at Nantucket Looms. At that time it was further down Main Street in a building now occupied by Ralph Lauren - but this summer - after a little hiatus in another location - the Looms has returned to Main Street in a beautiful building that suits the business perfectly. It was now two weeks ago that I was out on the island on my annual visit back to the states and luckily when I popped into the store I was able to briefly meet the owner Liz Winship, who has remained a great friend for all these years.

I loved my summer working here as I learned so much not only about retail and products but also how to deal with a variety of customers which gave me the training for the sales job I now do today. Learning at a young age how to work with a wide range of personalities helps you indefinitely for a future of working, living and coping with all kind of people.

The products sold at Nantucket Looms continue to have the same quality and unique aesthetic from all those years ago and that's why they are such a popular shop to visit every year. Many are hand made whether it's painting or collages, rugs, hats or their own beautiful throws and scarves made on the looms upstairs.

In recent years Liz has also developed a thriving interior design business as part of the shop and it's no wonder as she has a great eye for putting together spaces (her own house was featured in my book - At Home in Nantucket, Chronicle, 2004 - so I'll be sure to post that soon just so you can see the wonderful combination of elements she has used throughout her home).

What I find so effective in the way she displays everything is that products are not lumped in mass on shelves and tables. You feel, as a customer, like you are getting a unique one of a kind piece - not just plucking something off a shelf with a whole group of the same thing.

Walking through the space - you are not going to find a repetition of the same grouping of products in another place in the store - it's like a kind of treasure hunt as each area highlights a different range and this effective way of treating the products makes you take the time to walk around carefully to be sure you haven't missed anything.

The space is open and inviting and I love the high ceilings and the building itself has great character.

I loved this simple piece using sand and shells in the shape of the island.

Thought these woven bags were wonderful - great for storing scarves or soft toys in a child's room or even as a chic waste basket

If you are on Nantucket Island anytime soon, be sure to stop by Nantucket Looms - it is open year round so no matter what time of year you head out there - you'll still get to enjoy the shop.

American Artist - Charley Harper

Wings of the World, 1996 (Acrylic painting and serigraph)

Last summer, when visiting America, I came across the work of Charley Harper - an American artist who lived from 1922-2007. I've fallen in love with his unique style and delightful depiction of animals and birds. This year I had a calendar of his work along with a postcard desk calendar - of which all these illustrations have been taken from - copyright 2009 Estate of Charley Harper.
According to the write up included in the desk calendar "he came across his love of nature as a child growing up in rural West Virginia and developed his inimitable, bold style while a student at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the Art Students League in New York City."

Quailsafe, 1983 (Acrylic painting and serigraph)

"Perhaps best known for his illustrations for The Golden Book of Biology, a children's book published in the 1960's, he first earned acclaim and decade earlier as a commercial illustrator for numerous publications. As demand for his work's grew, he went on to have a successful business producing limited edition silkscreens."

Mystery of the Missing Migrants, 1990 (Acrylic painting and lithograph)

I love his use of colour and particularly find his pieces showing a flock or group of birds the most interesting and visually powerful.

KOALAkoala, 1980 (Acrylic painting and serigraph)

And yet I get a great delight from his individual animals depicted in his unique minimal realist style.

Homecoming, 2006 (Acrylic painting and serigraph)

Eastern Kingbirds, 1960 (Serigraph)

Cheeky Chippy, 1972 (Acrylic painting and serigraph)

In describing his method of depicting wildlife - Harper once said, "I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced........;and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe."

Box Seat, 1983 (Acrylic painting and lithograph)

Birdfeeders, 1968 (Acrylic painting and lithograph)

I'm so inspired by his work I'd love to design a room around them - thought about framing all these postcards in white frames around the walls in my office - they'd continually bring me joy and inspiration. And I truly love all of them in their own way - but do particularly love the ones with loads of color like Wings of the World (at the top) or Mystery of the Missing Migrants but then when looking for websites to refer you to, I found these three images below on the Internet which are so different and as well and group a wide range of different subject matters together.

Thankfully, you can purchase reproductions, posters, limited editions of Charley's work online - through the website - Charley Harper Prints - there's an endless selection of his work available in a range of sizes featuring all sorts of animals and bird life.

Asian Tiger, depicted above, and Visit my Website, below, are just two of hundreds available.

You can also check out his website - Charley Harpers Art Studio, where there are even more including some interesting posters he's done - I especially loved the one created for Glacier National Park in Alaska. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be re-visiting him as I'm completely hooked!!!