Captain's Farm

Am running very late today, as I've had a stack of chores left over from the weekend to finish before heading back to work tomorrow! This 18th-century farmhouse in Connecticut is one of my all-time favourites. The Owner uses it as weekender, commuting up from New York every Friday night. He's spent the last 25 years developing the garden, & I am totally smitten with this vision of bucolic loveliness.

Brick walks define areas in the main garden. Apple trees, climbing Hydrangeas & old Roses along with other blooming perennials, create the effect of an English cottage garden.

Low clipped English Box hedges enclose the vegie garden.

Here a herbaceous border of Irises, Daisies and clover spill over an old wooden rail fence.

A fabulous contrast of silver foliage plants, along with more English Box hedging, Geraniums & Peony Roses line a meandering garden path.

Laurels trees stand beside the three 19th-century barns that join to form the guesthouse.

Images: Architectural Digest

Recipe for Relaxation

Find one old country farm in need of renovation. Add lots of white paint & pre-loved furniture.

And glass doors in the living room to let in lots of light.

Place an abundance of magazines & books everywhere.

And have fresh flowers from the garden in every room.

Chop lots of wood for the new combustion fire.

Ensure there are plenty of cups on hand for good coffee.

Give the old kitchen a face-lift, but don't be too precious.

Browse the local antique stores for some interesting pieces & add to kitchen.

Use white linens in the master bedroom with just a splash of colour.

Add warm cashmere throws for those chilly nights.

Repeat in the guest bedroom.

Add good side lamps for snuggling in bed with a favourite book.

Update the bathroom with some simple cabinetry & tiles.

And place some fresh lavender lovingly on the sink.

Make a simple deck, add a barbeque & table & chairs.

Find an amazing view.

Mass plant in the garden.

Make sure original old trees are carefully tended.

Add a bench to the garden for contemplation & replenishment of your soul.

Give Daisy & the girls from the local Feed Store a new home.

And a little house where they'll reward you with lots of fresh eggs.

Finally, most weekends, add family, friends, good wine & great food. Mix well. Serve immediately.

Images: Flickr (Red-Scooter)

Colour My World

How gorgeous are these 2 beach cottages in the Bahamas! Ostentatious McMansions they're not, just honest, fun places to relax & enjoy.

Here's Tree House with its pretty balcony......

and turquoise & white shutters & french doors....

love the surprise of the chandelier in the dining room....

and the simple white kitchen....

and the turquoise bed & bench in the bedroom & the white-washed beams....

and the cute little bedroom tucked under the eaves.

Now here's Doll House, so cute in pink & white.....

with the pink kitchen curtains gently blowing in the breeze....

a splash of pink on the patio door.....

and more pink & crisp white......

Images Bridland Real Estate

While I don't think Doll House would suit the boys Fishing & Footy weekends away, I just couldn't resist it! Two delightful little gems to escape to.

Living Simply

No tricked-up seaside McMansions here in the sleepy little Spanish fishing village of Cadaques, about an hour's drive from Barcelona. And that's exactly what attracted Tami & Anders Christiansen when they were looking for a weekend house to give them a break from their busy life running an Interior Design business in Copenhagen.

Wandering around the steep & winding streets one weekend, they saw a For Sale sign on a derelict house perched on a cliff overlooking the harbour & a week later they were the new Owners. Only few minor structural jobs needed to be done before they moved in & then it was just a question of lots of fresh paint & filling the home with pieces purchased mainly from second-hand stores along the Costa Brava. They really have achieved a fantastic sense of ambience & relaxed living using an eclectic mix of pieces in this gorgeous little retreat.

Throwing the shutters open on these windows allows the light to spill into the dining room.

Confidently hanging a small chandelier in this room along with all the quirky pieces, shows a strong sense of proportion & style.

Relaxing pieces of old furniture, soft cushions & a couple of very elegant busts thrown together form a gorgeous vignette.

Tami's used the same fabric accents on all the cushions throughout the house to give the space a stylish sense of continuity.

Bare brick floors & scrubbed wooden boards make for easy & relaxed living.

A small side-table sits beautifully in a corner holding a plant in a terracotta pot & family photos.

Again unusual & quirky pieces are scattered throughout the house to create a fabulous sense of ambience.

An old piece of wrought iron fencing adds a decorative touch to the little open fireplace.

Symmetrical placing of these topiaries in the the Living Room on an old milk-washed table.

Low stone plastered walls in the house have had a coat of paint to freshen them up & provide extra shelving.

An old Spanish armoire was rebuilt to serve as a kitchen pantry cupboard.

A close-up shot of the kitchen armoire.

Some of the rooms were awkward shapes, so Tami used simple furnishings & higher decorative pieces as accents.

A small old desk provides a place to read or catch up with some writing.

The steep, windy street outside the cottage.

Views of the harbour from the Dining room window.

Life in Cadaques still revolves around the fishing industry.

All images Hearst (photographer Andreas Von Einsiedel)