Soul food

When you live in a large, noisy, over-crowded city, views like these are like eating your Mom's roast chicken, curling up on the sofa with the one you love, catching up with a good friend, a massage for your mind.

All taken in the amazing Lake District on a perfect summer weekend.

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(Images: All PPT)



Secret gardens

Can't resisit a little more on the subject of special, hideaway places at home. Who isn't tempted by a secret garden? A place to get lost among trees and flowers, with birds and butterflies for company. And a few special people too.

Imagine a perfect day.

It starts with a pre-brunch stroll under the arbour...


























Then you follow a hydrangea-lined path to brunch in your vintage greenhouse...

A late-afternoon snooze in the sunshine...

The day ends with dinner hidden among the trees...

When can you come over?

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(Images: Architectural Digest, l'elegance du herisson, The Secret Garden, Sandy Koepke Interior Design)

Escaping at home

I love the idea of a small space somewhere at home whose main purpose isn't wrapped up in cooking, eating, sleeping, watching or all the doing that goes on at home. A place that's more for just enjoying and being. Maybe it's a place that's just for you. Maybe you share it with others. Either way it's somewhere to escape to - for thinking, reading, hiding, plotting and planning, or all of those with someone special as well as chatting, laughing, tea-drinking, reminiscing and debating.

I've been thinking about spaces and how to use them a lot recently as we're house hunting. These are some of the special spots, which look perfect to escape to, that I've found online.

A view, lots of cushions and it's tea time...

Cozy, sunlit and flowers on the table...

 

My favourite because it's a real nook in the snug sense of the word, it's surrounded by books and the view is, I think, of Paris...



A shady spot in a courtyard...

Most of the spaces I've chosen involve a view or being outdoors and books are an important feature. Clearly some of my must-haves. Could I re-create a space like one of these in a new home somewhere?

And here is one just for fun - we should always be dreaming after all.

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(Images: Perfect Hideaways, Architectural Digest, Unknown, Samode Hotels, Architectural Digest)