One Day...

I would love to enjoy a relaxing weekend at Babington House in Somerset with Mr. Cooper. It's just a shame about the huge price tag! It really is the ultimate in English Country-Chic. Just look at the glamour injected into the bedroom below by the beautiful chandelier. So romantic!

And there is a Cow Shed Spa! Bliss!

One day!

(Photos - Babington House, Telegraph, Vougue Magazine)

Wish List

(Neo -Traditionalist)

I LOVE this pink sofa! It is on my wish list...

The sofa above is called 'Bluebell' and is from sofa.com. It's very similar to the pink beauty at the top. Sofa.com have a huge range of fabrics to choose from OR you can have a bespoke sofa made up in your choice of fabrics. Having visited their showroom, and through knowing a few people who have purchased from them, I can vouch for their quality and value. A three seater Bluebell starts at £890...for once something on my wish list doesn't have to cost a fortune! Woohoo!

Stripes

I am starting to think about how we are going to decorate our office. I am really loving the idea of simple stripes in either horizontal or vertical to create impact in the room. We have started to collect a few pieces of art and I think the contrasting background of stripes would help to show them off well. Take a look.

TORI MELLOTT'S APARTMENT (DOMINO MAG) IN NYC

I LOVE THIS LOOK - SO STYLISH!

STRIPES IN ELLE DECOR MAGAZINE...

AND STRIPES ARE USED BY THE FIRMDALE HOTEL GROUP - MY FAVOURITE HOTELS EVER!

OUTSIDE AT THE CHARLOTTE STREET HOTEL IN LONDON...

AND IN THEIR INTERIORS!

 (IMAGES ALL FIRMDALE)

SOME OTHERS I LIKE...

 (LIVING ETC)

 (LONNY)

(HOMES AND GARDENS)

 (HOUSE BEAUTIFUL)

 (HOUSE BEAUTIFUL)

Lots of ideas! What do you think?

North Yorkshire Coast

Yesterday Mr. Cooper had a meeting in Scarborough, so I took the opportunity to explore the coastline of North Yorkshire. I was really surprised by how beautiful it was and how busy everywhere was. Scarborough and Whitby were packed, even on a Thursday! Wilf and I had a really long walk along part of a coastal path called The Cleveland Way...it was lovely and the sun was shining which made it perfect! I've been busy searching for a little holiday rental around Robin Hood's Bay/Whitby so we can have a weekend away. I haven't found 'the one' yet but I'll let you know when I do.

I made some Lime curd this afternoon as a little treat for Mr. C. It was really easy to make and tastes delicious! Yum, yum.

Lime Curd - makes 1 x 350ml jar

75g unsalted butter

3 large eggs

75g caster sugar

4 limes, juiced

Zest of 1 lime

Melt the butter in a pan, add all the other ingredients and whisk over a gentle heat until it forms a custard. Fill the jar and allow to cool before putting the lid on and putting in the fridege. Yum! 

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Walk-in wardrobe

I have longed for a walk-in wardrobe for as long as I can remember. Inspired by Carrie Bradshaw and her amazing closet on the equally amazing Sex And The City, we have turned our small box room into a wardrobe!

If only I had some of Carrie's clothes to fill it!

My wardrobe was built by my dad,

with a little help from Wilf!

We undercoated it in white and then painted it in Farrow & Ball's Oval Room Blue, for which I used the blue used for Carrie's closet as inspiration. We have a his and hers wardrobe on opposite sides. The wardrobes are now finished, I just need to buy some storage boxes and baskets for the shelves, and have some draws built!

The finished product!

Photo's -  Grazia Daily and my i phone.

Cupcake Heaven

After a hectic weekend Mr. Cooper and I have decided to have a romance themed evening! I arrived home to find a love letter posted through the letterbox, and after a lovely dinner we decided to make our favourite cupcakes (red velvet). We then snuggled infront of the fire, watched TV and enjoyed a mug of tea and a cupcake...bliss!

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

by the yummy, yummy Hummingbird Bakery

60g unsalted Butter

150g caster Sugar

1 egg

10g coco Powder

20ml red food colouring 

Half teaspoon vanilla extract

120ml buttermilk

150g plain flour

half teaspoon salt

half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 and a half teaspoons white wine vinegar

1) Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

2) In another bowl mix a paste using the coco, red food colouring and vanilla and then add to the butter mixture. Mix until it is evenly combined.

3)Add the egg, buttermilk and flour and beat until everything is well incorporated.

4) Mix in the salt, bicarbonate of soda and white wine vinegar and give the mixture a good beat for a couple of minutes.

5) Spoon the mixture into paper cases until two-thirds full.

6) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the sponge bounces back when touched.

7) Cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

300g icing sugar

50g unsalted butter

125g cream cheese

1) Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer until it comes together and is well mixed.

2) Add the cream cheese and beat at a medium to high speed until light and fluffy (5 minutes), but be careful not to overbeat as it can quickly become runny.

And here they are...

Not quite as professional looking as the Hummingbird Bakery Picture at the top of my post...but really tasty!

Happy Weekend

We are having a family weekend. The In-Laws are here for a few days. I've been baking this afternoon, and the weather is meant to be good so I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in a good long walk and picnic. It has been windy today, and the leaves have been blowing around which can only mean one thing...autumn is almost here! I love walking the dog with Mr. Cooper in the woods with a thick layer of crunchy leaves under foot, a jacket on to keep snug and a flask of hot chocolate and homemade cake in my bag. Autumn is so pretty.

(Photo - Dennis Macdonald)

I'm also hoping to be able to get some internet browsing done because look...

Our wallpaper is up (thanks dad), so I need to find some furniture and order our new light switch and plug sockets. I'm so excited to have almost finished the guest room. I LOVE the wallpaper, it looks even better than I had hoped! If only we had a decent camera, my i phone doesn't do it justice!

(Sparks Direct)

This is the light switch I have my eye on (the plug sockets match). I'm not a huge fan of the white plastic one that is currently in the guest room. I think that this Nickel Dolly Switch will complement the look I am hoping to achieve with this room - a home from home with a touch of glamour.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Hallway

Our hall storage cupboard is just about finished now. Here is a sneaky peak at how it's looking. My dad has built it out of mainly reclaimed boards, and I have painted it in Farrow & Ball's Elephants Breath. I'm going to have a cushion made for the top of the bench and then it's done. Thanks dad!

Day two of chandelliers

For Valentines day this year I was lucky enough to be whisked off to a beautiful Cow Byre (Small converted barn) on the estate of Temple Guiting Manor in the Cotswolds. It was built out of golden Cotswold Stone and had a small landscaped garden, complete with topiary trees shaped like animals!

Inside the Byre, there was a beautiful chandelier hanging over the open plan kitchen/living area. The chain had a piece of rope attached to it which really added to the rustic charm, and helped the chandelier match its surroundings. 

Next door was the fabulous Temple Guiting Barn by Sophie Conran which we were lucky enough to have a tour around by the estate manager. The barn is built in a L shape with a courtyard garden to the front which leads on to...

a formal garden beyond.

I wasn't able to take any of my own photos of the interior (which was amazing) except for this sneaky shot of the living area.

The above room looks like this when taken by a professional! Look at the beautiful chandelier! I love it!

The bedrooms were no let down on the Chandelier front either...

The Sophie Conran barn would be such a lovely place to have a friends & family gathering. The kitchen would be the perfect place to eat, drink and be merry. It is a narrow room with a wall of glass that opens out onto the courtyard. It's really unusual as it totally goes against the open plan, huge square kitchen trend, but it is such an effective idea. The kitchen itself had ice white units with thick brilliant white Corian work surfaces.

Anyway, back to reality...I'm not sure we will ever be able to afford to stay in the Sophie Conran barn, but the Cow Byre was perfect and very romantic. We were able to eat, drink and be merry in the little kitchen area of our cozy barn, which had a smaller brilliant white Corian topped kitchen of its own. It was perfect for cooking a lovely lamb roast dinner while Mr. Cooper watched the rugby. Yum, yum!

Photos by me, Mr & Mrs Smith and Country Life.