MY FAVOURITE THINGS

 
Such a beautiful short film we had to share... 
Have a lovely weekend, filled with lots of your favourite things! :)  

( Written by Lola )

HAMPTON'S RETREAT

Like most, we love to peep inside other people's houses.

To make sure we do it in the most tasteful manner ( of course ), we love magazines such as Elle Decoration, Dwell, Livingetc, Vogue Living and House and Garden, who kindly let us satisfy our curiosity without having to resort to binoculars ( just kidding! ).

The November issue of House and Garden features the Hampton's hideway of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay husband Chris Martin, a spacious and light retreat in East Hampton, set within walking distance of the ocean.

Working herself with builder and architectural designer Michael Minkoff, Paltrow went over fabric swatches and design resources while Minkoff transformed the skeleton of the house, adding a few bedrooms so all the close family could stay over.

A fan of minimalistic spaces and cool neutral colours, the whole house is a serene, clutter-free zone. Featuring some pieces of her art collection, the interiors are light and airy and decorated mostly in soft pastel colours, with the exception of daughter Apple's bright pink bedroom, the black powder room, and the spacious black cabinet kitchen.

Our favourites? Besides Tord Boontje's 'Blossom' chandelier and Tom Dixon's 'Mirror Ball' pendants, being nature and fitness fans, what we love best is the beautiful outdoor space, complete with apple orchard, canopied garden hammock, pool house and personal fitness studio for yoga and pilates, which Paltrow makes use of on a daily basis.

( Written by Lola, Photographed by Eric Cahan for House and Garden )

EARTHY BLOOMS

Being city dwellers, any contact with nature is very welcome indeed, so a bunch of gorgeous flowers is an absolute must.
Although nobody needs a great number of vessels to proudly display their blooms, where decoration is concerned, we're practically obsessed about pots and vases, and no matter what, always seem to be on the look out for another beautiful piece to add to our collection, be it vintage or a brand new one.

Our absolute favourites are the ones by Jonathan Adler, especially the Relief collection, a line of earthy pots and vases inspired by everything in nature and wonderfully glazed in muted hues such as olive, jade, duckling (a rich caffe latte colour), and white.
Besides his beautiful vases, also look out for the Menagerie and Utopia lines... The first a 60's inspired all white geometric animal collection, and the latter a quirky line of home accessories such as decanters, teapots and mugs reminiscent of Alexander Girard's work.

( Written and Photographed by Lola )

NOTES OF FANCY

We love the great outdoors... Planting something beautiful and watching it grow, breathing in the fresh air while listening to the sound of birds.

To make the most of the outdoorsy experience, Smythson has, among its vast collection of notebooks, one especially dedicated to those of us who quite like the idea of being green-fingered (whether or not we succeed at it is another matter altogether!).
Suitably titled 'Gardening Notes', the emerald-green notebook is cleverly indexed and divided into themes such as 'roses', 'herbaceous', 'pots and terrace', 'bulbs', 'greenhouse', and so on, letting you write your notes in a neat and organized way.
Be it a bunch of flowers or a tree, in a garden or window-box, it's certainly a positive way to welcome the sunny season.

( Written by Lola / Photo courtesy of Smythson )