Interiors Inspiration: Long Farm

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This new house in rural Suffolk was designed by British architect Lucy Marston to reference old English farmhouses. Sitting high among a group of existing farm buildings, the exterior features red brickwork and a steep gabled roof, facing east across salt marshes and open fields, towards the sea.
Internally, the vernacular references continue with whitewashed brickwork, exposed beams, a super-sized inglenook, window sills deep enough to sit on and a large kitchen table, seating ten. I particularly like the muted colour palette and the way the chartreuse yellow in the bedroom and bathroom complement the crops in the fields. Strangely, I also like the carpets in the living room and bedrooms. It’s good to see that the owners of this stylish house have kept it cosy and comfortable; I’m sure that the result is a very happy and contented home.

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Studio Tour: Rose Choules

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Rose Choules creates the most beautiful handmade moccasins from her studio in North Cornwall. I visited recently to explore the space and to find out more about her work.
For Rose the power of art and craft is life changing; she is that rare artisan who has dedicated herself to a hand-made life and who describes her work as the transference of love from one human who makes an item, to another who wears it. “For me this is the spice of life” she says, “and what I dedicate my everyday to.”
Rose designs two collections of moccasins a year and each pair are made to order in her workshop. My favourites are the mixed suede and leather fringed ankle boots for autumn/winter 13 and the cute mini children’s versions. Rose also teaches moccasin making workshops, in London and at her studio – something that I would love to have a go at! She is currently running a number of unique workshops in Saskatoon, Canada, as part of the newly formed Young Artisans Co-operative. The aim of these special workshops is to help find a way in which craft can be used to alleviate poverty.
To see more of Rose’s inspiring work, please visit her new website.

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Summer dresses: Rennes

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I was going to show you an Autumn/Winter collection today, but the weather is pretty amazing in the West Country right now and looking at woolly jumpers doesn’t seem appropriate. So let’s just enjoy the breezy simplicity of these handmade dresses by Rennes instead.
Rennes is a small sewing house based in Boston, Massachusetts. From start to finish Julia Okun drafts, cuts, and sews every piece in the collection, placing attention on small details, unique materials, and quality of craftsmanship. The company is inspired by simplicity and the belief that making an item by hand creates community. I love this idea and Julia’s dresses (and bags) are my kind of everyday wear.

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Inspiration: Barbara Hepworth’s Garden

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Last week I took a trip to St Ives and visited the Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden. This is one of my favourite things to do in St Ives as it always seems like a little oasis of calm in the middle of the busy seaside town. The museum and garden are based at Barbara’s own home, the delightful Trewyn Studios, so you can see the sculptures in the environment in which they were created and nosy around her former studio. It is a magical place with huge modernist pieces in bronze, stone and wood as well as smaller paintings, drawings and archive material on display. It’s a great place to take kids but also somewhere you could happily spend a quiet afternoon alone, reading a good book and soaking up the atmosphere. I thoroughly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area…

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