Home Has never been so major.
I don’t have a favourite.
There are some homes I have lived in that didn’t have me jumping for joy and others which felt heaven-sent. We have moved many times and I suspect will continue to do so. Change makes me feel alive and creating interiors for us is part of that. Where we are now is one of my most-loved homes and I feel very happy and grateful to be here right now. If I had to experience lockdown anywhere; where I am is perfect.
Why?
Our apartment is in Notting Hill and of all the areas I have lived in London; this is my absolute number one. The neighbourhood is vibrant, well serviced and charming with a touch of originality and gritty. Architecturally very pretty, the wide streets and many communal gardens make for a haven in such a metropolis like London. Our apartment is open plan upstairs adjoining a terrace which, leads to a communal garden. It’s full of light and what I like most of all is cooking in the kitchen and being able to see through our living area to the gardens beyond. Once we saw the outside space we didn’t notice much else before deciding.
It’s an old building, one of the oldest in the hood, which means ornate cornices, fireplaces and ceilings reaching forever. I like that and have learned that volume is everything when it comes to urban living. I chose the living room furniture carefully as unlike a house with many rooms, there is nowhere to manoeuver or stash an unwanted piece. Casual seating was my priority and despite the English weather I planned for any large entertaining to happen on the terrace outside; the rest in the kitchen. So far the “entertaining” hasn’t eventuated but after lockdown, the first thing I’m having is a party. Friends, music and dancing; I can’t wait.
Having new furniture is the dream but with that must sit the familiar objects. That’s what makes an interior work – a mixture of old and new, sentimental and memory triggering. Wherever I glance around this space I can trigger one of “our” life stories simply by looking and I find this, especially now, comforting. We will have adventures again, make discoveries and find treasures and I think more than ever we will tailor-make our future plans with more thought and care than ever before.
And there must be flowers and /or plants. My greatest indulgence and the one thing I am sourcing madly during this isolation life. I don’t want to go without as the way blooms make me feel is worth every penny; uplifted, happy and almost as if life is normal. Small wins mean great things right now. Every morning I clip a little on the terrace – tidy up the stragglers – and watch for the latest blooms. The tulips in the deepest plum were beautiful and now I wait for the David Austin roses to open and the climbing hydrangeas to bloom. The Hellebores did themselves proud but are just about done; that’s ok because we have lilac blooming in our garden. As one beauty fades another takes precedence; how amazing is nature?
Did I appreciate home in the same way before?
I have always been a homebody and felt more comfortable at home than anywhere else. My viewpoint is our home is our castle and should be the place we feel happiest and most grounded in. Creating a home, however simple, is one of the joys in life and a beautiful way to document the journey. Whether you swap houses like outfits or prefer to settle and grow into one with time, our homes are everything.
I appreciate mine more than ever and if anything I would spend more time pottering around and enhancing the interiors. With more time on my hands, I have dreamt up lots of ideas.
I’ll stop now – there is so much more to say – and save it for another day. xv
