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John Singer Sargent at the Tate
At the turn of the last century, to have one’s portrait painted by John Singer Sargent was to say that you had arrived. And now a new exhibition at the Tate has arrived, from Boston, celebrating his work alongside fabulous costumes contemporary to this era. Wealthy and successful individuals chose Singer-Sargent to portray them as they wished to be seen; self assured, attractive, and elegant . They often came from ‘new’ money, the wives and children of businessmen…
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Delft Vases and Tulips
It is almost a month until the official start of Spring but things are already waking up in the garden and we look forward to some warmer days. We have snowdrops, daffodils, camellias in bloom and the cherry blossom is starting to appear. These delft vases are perfect for displaying tulips and bring some joy to this corner of a bedroom.
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Raynham Hall
Raynham Hall is a wonderful 17th and 18th century house which is still in private ownership. The Marquess and Marchioness Townsend live there and this little character came out to greet us when we visited for a tour a couple of years ago. The interiors of the house were gorgeous and full of treasures but no internal photography was allowed. However, there is a wonderful book about it by Michael Ridgdill, if you would like to see more.…
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Finding Inspiration in Robert Kime
Having fun in London today looking at wallpaper and fabrics for our renovation project. So difficult to choose as there are lots of considerations, not just colour, texture and pattern. English Interior Style should appear as if it has come together, rather than been put together but that’s easier said than done. Love this impromptu photo taken by the very patient Mr ITES in Robert Kime interiors on the Pimlico Road.
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Cupids and Cherubs
‘Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind’ – William Shakespeare Wishing all our wonderful followers a Happy Valentine’s Day with this collection of Cupids and Cherubs collated from our archives
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The Fifth Wife
There are no known records of exactly when Catherine Howard was born but it was on this day in 1542 that she died, with a single blow from the executioners axe, on Tower Green. The young queen had made the mistake of having an affair with a favourite of her husband King Henry VIII, one Thomas Culpeper. What made this decision fatal for the pair was that they were indiscreet and their enemies made the King aware. It…
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Bedside Manners
One of the joys of visiting different historic houses and stately piles around the country is seeing how different owners or custodians style their interiors, exteriors and gardens. Our post today allows us to compare notes on just one small element of grand house style… Yes folks, it’s the turn of the BEDSIDE TABLE. Here are some nice examples of this small but essential piece of furniture all of which have been paired with a complimentary lamp. We…
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Flowers from the garden
Sunday is our planning day and the diaries are getting busy with visits, exhibitions and events that we can’t wait to share with you all. We’re also catching up with some other chores today so are keeping things simple with a post of flowers we picked from the garden this morning. We hope you are all having a relaxing weekend. Love from the girls at ITES! Personalised vase from Emma Bridgewater.
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Entangled Pasts at the Royal Academy
They say every picture tells a story so perhaps an art exhibition is an anthology of works with the objective of looking at a subject from many and varied perspectives. This is certainly true of the new ‘Entangled Pasts’ which opened last week at the RA. It tackles the difficult and complex subject of Britain’s colonial history through art. I made the most of my lunch break yesterday, and popped in with the aim of finally seeing Dido…
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An English Woman Abroad
In the 17th and 18th centuries young gentlemen were encouraged to take a tour of Europe in order to complete their education and broaden their horizons. It enabled them to discover the cultural wonders of Europe and perhaps to sow a few wild oats before settling down to a respectable adult life. But what about their sisters? Did they sit meekly at home practising their accomplishments? Well, not always, as we discovered recently at Basildon Park. This painting…
