DESIGN IDEAS FOR YOUR WALLS

Many years ago I visited friends who had a flat in Rome. The flat was in an ancient palazzo and was completely white apart from the prints and 17th and 18th century paintings on the walls. The effect has always remained in my memory as something wonderful. Even the frames were white, not something that aways works, but close hanging of prints seems to be coming back as a great look. What you hang on the wall can make a room and this was the proof. The only colour was the art and the people, the furniture was white too.......The hall was close hung with black and white 18th century architectural prints which lead into the most beautiful large drawing room hung with fabulous paintings.

I have always close hung pictures and prints at home and we have also done it in the country. It works both in a town house and a country house. In the shop we do the same.

Here in English designer Anouska Hempel's country house  the walls are covered in marvellous framed antique prints as shown in the April issue of Architectural Digest.

The bathroom is also hung with antique sporting prints

Below old framed photographs surround the mirror in our bathroom in the country

An assortment of travel prints are hung above the bath  in this image from the May issue of House & Garden showing an English country house

A curious collection of framed braces and suspenders, part of a 19th century French travelling sales man's collection make for a great look, shown here in our house in the country. Framed in hand painted cream and pale blue frames.

For that all British, or to be more precise, Scottish look,  these coloured 19th century prints of Scottish Clansmen framed in faux rosewood frames with ebonised corner pieces with ivory coloured pyramids would make great decoration. To see them all click on the image below

and if you feel that a little more of that classic English look is what you are after we have a set of twelve 18th century armourial prints framed in ebonised frames

ANTIQUES ARE GREEN..........

On Tuesday morning we were invited by Kate Slesinger, publishing director of  House & Garden to the launch of their Trend Report given by Carole Annett and Julia Page. It was a time to catch up on what is happening in the outside world...........it was a great presentation and very interesting.



Green and Recycling is in and can be stylish, great news for an antiques dealer, these were words that warmed my heart, as after all recycling furniture, pictures and objets d'art are what all antiques dealers do.....

Louis XV Commode by Guillaume Schwingkens c 1750 

From the house, to furniture, clothes and food, organic and sustainable is the way forward.  This is where the old or antique is able to shine. Almost always organic, and due to it's value and artistic merit less likely to be thrown away,  antiques are in a semi permanent state of being recycled.

I have always believed that furniture and paintings are only temporally given to us to enjoy and maintain for a period of time, that they don't really belong to any one, we are just custodians until it is time for them to move on.

London is freezing cold but sunny, there seem to be more people around and today we had a wonderful and glamourous American in the shop. She bought a very chic Deco dressing table and was such fun. What a joy it is when fun, nice people come in.

Despite the cold there are signs of  spring in the garden................