Another Gorgeous Garden

As most long time readers know, I'm obsessed with gardens.  Kind of funny considering how much I hate bugs and even more so spiders.  But as a city dweller, I long to be able to see greenery outside my window and to take a walk in nature whenever I desire.  I do try to take advantage of Central Park but I have to share that with about 18 million other people.  Probably why I fell in love with Bella Pollen's English country garden when I first spied it in Vogue.  You can read the entire article here.  Bella and her husband fell in love with it too when they first saw it but it took many years of work to restore it and the neglected house to an inhabitable state.  I'm sure the final result more than makes up for all the hard work.  Just another reminder to get out and smell the roses this weekend!

Photos by François Halard

Bon Weekend

Here in America, we will be enjoying a long Memorial Day weekend starting today.  The UK will also be observing a Bank Holiday on Monday in preparation of summer.  While my friends down under in Australia are preparing for Autumn. No matter where you live, I hope you will spend some time relaxing outside.  Here's some inspiration to get you started.  Bon Weekend!

All photos via The Life of Polarn Per

High Point 2011: Century Furniture

One of the best parts of High Point Market is seeing how each showroom interprets the season.  Century Furniture also embraced spring in the their main lobby.  It was inspired by the botanical fern print on the sofa above and grew into "a full blown garden" complete with a fountain.  I absolutely fell in love with the covered outdoor chaise below and can't wait to have a terrace so I can order it.  Keep in mind that this is only one part of their huge showroom and it's amazing how much work goes into putting everything together for High Point.  

I always worry about posting too much about one topic or trip but I think there is so much to take away from High Point that I think you will enjoy it.  Even if you think you have no interest in High Point or aren't in the market for new furniture, you can always be inspired by the showrooms.  The room vignettes rival the best I've seen in magazines and I'm always seeing styling ideas to use in my own projects.  There are always great colors too like the blue inside the Hickory Chair cabinet (you could do that yourself) and the green chair at Bunny Williams.  I saw a lot of stripes at Century Furniture and it made me want to come home and paint my walls in stripes or upholster my sofa in stripes.  I hope you will find lots to be inspired by too!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic