• Tulips in a delft vases in front of an old master painting
    Antiques

    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.

  • Strawberry Hill
    Heritage

    Strawberry Hill

    This wonderful Georgian Gothic Revival villa has been on our list for a while, so we are delighted to be able to share it with you today. It was built for Horace Walpole (Earl of Orford) from 1749 and has the most amazing set of eccentric interiors which would be worthy of a film set. Even in his day they caused a sensation. The peer wanted to create a “little gothic castle” and he incorporated many design elements…

  • Interiors

    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.

  • Antiques

    Snowdrops

    Yesterday’s finer weather has brought out more of the snowdrops in the garden. They are cultivars and we pick one bunch every year, to enjoy indoors. They have a very delicate scent and we have a few different varieties, including a very pretty double. We could not resist the flower brick in the gift shop at Blenheim Palace last year. It’s the creation of renowned Oxfordshire based ceramist Deborah Sears. Her company ISIS Ceramics, makes beautiful pieces in…

  • Antiques

    Staffordshire Dogs

    Our Staffordshire Dog Display team appears to be very sociable and there is always room for one more on the yew table, in the foreground. The Greyhounds, however, insist that the mantelpiece is reserved for sight hounds only. They like to look down on us all. We keep the peace by giving them all a change of scenery and a good dusting now and again. 😂