Without risk of sounding like too much of a scrooge, I’m quite happy to not have a Christmas tree in our house this year. No fights over the fairy, no lights to untangle, no needles to vacuum. I love the tree; I love the scent and the sparkle, I love the magic it brings into the home. But I don’t love the stress and the mess and the bother. So, this year, we’ll enjoy other people’s beautiful trees, on their car roofs, in their homes, through their windows.
Posts from December 2018
hotel, tonight
December 27, 2018
This room feels a little like a hotel room, maybe it is one, but I do love the cloud wallpaper. It has the essence of a black and white film, maybe the twister scene in the first part of The Wizard of Oz. I find the light so elegant, and I love the deep chocolate of the walls. If you need me, I’ll be in room 203.
she sells, sea shells
December 27, 2018
My cousin’s engagement ring was designed around a small shell that she and her husband found on the beach one day. He’s given her more splendid rings since, but I imagine she treasures that one the most. I really like a mix of natural shell and metal in jewellery, I think it makes for an interesting juxtaposition. Luiny is a company that uses various shells and pearls in their designs, like these striking earrings. I kind of love these ones, too.
red stripe
December 27, 2018
I firmly believe, and not just because it’s Christmastime, that candy cane stripes are a must in every wardrobe. There’s a playfulness, a sense of humour, to red and white stripes. I’m pretty into this cashmere tracksuit from Madeleine Thompson. It’s over-the-top for a jaunt to the gym, which is why I’d wear it out to dinner. With a top knot and flats. Because, why not?
pearl white
December 27, 2018
Amaryllis
December 27, 2018
fancy dress
December 21, 2018
Some people swoon at the sight of a beautifully stacked book shelf, others get excited when they see artichokes with plump heads. For me, it’s dresses, exquisite, dreamy ones, that send me to my land of fancy. These two frocks, Christian Dior Couture, (SS17) are pure fantasy. The tulle neck and barely-there-pink sash; the perfect applique of flowers. I love how the bird, and nest of bees and flowers look like they’ve sprung from the model’s curls. Everything about this is so romantic and theatrical. Just to know that such dresses exist makes me happy.
far and away
December 21, 2018
The lovely people who own Gaspard on Queen Street told me about the Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites in the Aran Islands, and one look sent it to the top of my ‘places I want to go’ list. The island itself, “a raw limestone slab in the wild Atlantic” looks breathtaking, and the suites, spartan and beautifully considered, look like somewhere you go to read, breath and reflect. I hear the food at the restaurant is simple, fresh and exquisite. Really, let’s go. And let’s buy a lot of very beautiful jumpers while we’re there.
deck the halls
December 19, 2018
What a decadent idea, to plonk a Christmas tree in the bedroom! Erin Swift, over at fancy New York City based decorating service, Holiday Workroom, says no room is off-limits to baubles and wreaths. “I’m loving installing decorative elements in some unexpected places, like garland over headboards and a wreath in the bathroom.” she says. Mistletoe in the guest loo, my personal favourite.
red
December 18, 2018
Once in a pink moon, I get a manicure, and I almost always opt for short, red nails. I’ve thought about other colours, but I always return to red. Classic red, no shimmer no sparkle. I don’t like the idea of shellac, which means I get two, maybe three days tops with red nails. And that’s as long as I need. By the fourth day, I’m done with it. It’s like a costume party for my talons. So fun to get dressed up, and such a relief to be back in your own skin again.