The “At-Home” Diaries: Nesting Instincts

Life is opening up ever so slowly but still, our emphasis is at home. As we have all been aware, the home has suddenly become even more meaningful than ever before and how we use our spaces never more important.

Staying at home for such a long period has shifted my eye and how we live and what we use are in front of mind. Living in a big city, before the lockdown life, meant I was often out and about or working long hours; I didn’t cook or entertain very much so the kitchen and what was in it didn’t register all that much to me. Dressing the dining tables and making pretty settings was something I did quickly, without much thought and using the same plain white dishes I have had for twenty years. They are perfectly acceptable as are the all-white linen napkins or the raffia placemats – which change it up a little.

Fast forward to 3 months of breakfasts, lunches and dinners and I am bored.

I don’t like this word as I have always thought it is for us to find solutions to our boredom but in this case, I am and I need to change this. My feeling is I want a vibrant table, a mix of shades and textures – it doesn’t have to match – and it needs to have zing. I want to open the drawers and be excited about the table laying, not simply plonk the same plates and glasses down day after day. Flowers never seem to fail me, or potted plants but when it comes to the tables I have become, “boring”.

In France, I was never like this and always dreamt up new table combinations but since spending more time in London I have become lazy. When you live in an area like Notting Hill it is far too tempting to walk down the hill to many of the adorable restaurants and cafes. Not having access to them has caught me short.

Last week we visited the countryside (the first day out in three months and it was heaven) and the beauty of it blew me away. In England, when it’s right, it can be very, very right. The worn patina, the mix of textures and materials of the buildings made me think about my “all white” obsession. The gardens are in full bloom and the roses, hollyhocks, foxgloves and peonies saturated my senses and reinforced my love of every shade of pink.

I can’t move to the countryside right now but I can swap a small part of my every day to replicate the feelings I had.

This fabulous tablecloth is going outside and these placemats can sit on top. Farewell, white napkins for the time being and what about these in petal to mix it up. I’ll add pink (of course) scented candles in various sizes, like these and posies of roses and herbs to finish.

I forgot the pink china, which will work with the all-white and a few odds and bobs as side plates.

I’ll show you when I’m all set up. xv