I start and end my day on Instagram scrolling, taking screen shots, emailing my latest finds to my designer, children and Stretch. Often I get no replies or at least not as quickly as I would like. ie THIS IS URGENT- DO YOU LIKE THIS CHAIR???

Sometimes they surprise me and do respond quickly, ie for the above:

No

Who needs to read about China and  Iran, when you can look at the latest in chandeliers and bookcases? It’s just a different kind of news.

Before I brush my teeth in the morning, I check to see what my new ‘friends’  are up to.

What’s Remy Renzullio posting? Ahh, rocking the rattan…

Where could this Voutsa wallpaper work (minus dog)?

Can I copy Connolly’s King’s Yellow?

Oh, what a glorious shade of pink!

Here she is working the Kyle Minogue look- design addicts are famous for going off piste.

And here’s our story –

the Insider’s Guide to London with a spotlight on design. You can never have too many chandeliers. Talk about a subject dear to my newly obsessed heart. I would have done it for free- which I basically did. Lol

When I visit people’s houses/apartments, I often ask to use the bathroom. Then I sneak off and take an ‘inspiration snap’. Again, my designer, children and Stretch are likely to get random photos from me 24/7 when I spot something I like.

A cool pink resin table? How did I not think of that?!

I sometimes write articles for regional magazine Connecticut Cottages & Gardens – basically looking at strangers’ pretty houses, a legitimate form of snooping. In one interview I fall in love with a woman’s jewel box of a house on Belle Island off Rowayton Ct. Sigh. I can so easily see myself in her big fluffy bed, waking up to views of  Long Island Sound. She tells me how she feels like she’s on a permanent vacation. I nod. That’s so what I need in my life right now.

Sometimes, she adds, she gets up in the morning and goes kayaking. I forget that I am meant to be interviewing this woman. Instead, I picture myself – maybe about ten years ago when I was more carefree and going outside didn’t involve 100 degree sun block, a huge floppy hat and a Sunbrella kaftan – anyway, I am  carefree and kayaking off into the horizon with suntanned, toned arms.  This house is so me.

Stretch called me the other day and found me in a state of bliss.

I have spotted the most gorgeous piece of material at Guy Goodfellow’s.  I’m going to make it into a throw and hang it on our living room sofa. Excuse me Miss, does this come in a wallpaper? God, this is great.

Stretch is a patient man. He must be hoping that when these projects are finished, I will return to the person he once knew- a person who read the newspaper, novels, had opinions about what was going on in the world beyond the current craze for all things rattan.

Maybe I’ll look for my local Interiors Anonymous group. Imagine all the other design addicts I will meet.  I promise we will NOT talk about the latest in chandeliers and bookcases.

May 2019

The post A Woman Obsessed appeared first on Elena Bowes.

A native Australian, Claire had been living in London for several  years and her hectic lifestyle was getting to her. She needed a change.

My homeopath showed me this image on her phone – a beautiful stone house in a field with a walnut tree and piercing blue skies and my homeopath said my face completely changed.

Claire followed the path of her homeopath (as only a true creative-in-crisis could) and swapped Lesbos for London. Some people actually do live the dream.

I just love the authenticity and the simplicity and the rawness of the whole thing.

Luckily for us, Claire has brought some of her favourite things back from Greece to a fair in Notting Hill- today and Saturday only. So if you’re into purity, light, simplicity and detail – that’s Claire’s mantra – run don’t walk to The Hand Sale in Notting Hill.

The fair is showing the works of 30 craftsmen and artisans. Lovely handcrafted pieces of jewellery, organic skincare products, ceramics, cashmere, clothing, fabrics, antiques and kitchenware are crying to be bought and loved.

May, 2016

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