We spent a very quiet, sleepy weekend at home with our lovely cuddly baby. We had brunch with relatively new friends on Saturday (they are amazing and hopefully will become very close friends) and then spent the rest of the weekend soaking up the sunny weather on the beach and going for family walks. I make a big effort to leave my phone at home, or on airplane mode, and to be present. I know that sounds like such a cliché but it was really wonderful! It also gave us a chance to reflect on what we’re up to here and I’m so excited for what this year has in store, I know that I have said this before but working on this blog is my dream project and I am grateful for your being here and reading!!!
We moved into an office last week, so thrilling! Now we’re able to really divide our time between work and family/relaxation time. This is increasingly important for us; I love sharing our lives and in fact plan to share quite a bit more in the coming months but, I also recognize how important it is to have undivided, uninterrupted time with our little guy, without a phone in hand or an e-mail to answer. Nothing gives me more pleasure than kicking around just the three of us. We had a family nap on saturday afternoon and it definitely felt like one of those “this is the whole point of life” moments.
I promise that we’re bringing a lot more than table settings to this brand, but I LOVE the blue spot cloth from my dear friend India Amory and have been meaning to show you for ages, so bear with me! I have set it up in two very different ways, dinner & brunch, to demonstrate its versatility. I also have it in our office as our desk cloth — an instant room brightener. P.S. if you haven’t discovered Highcamp Gardenias yet, they are extraordinary and very elegant — such a luxurious present to send (in my view reasonable considering how much it costs to send simple cut flowers, too).
Charleston is just starting to warm up. The balmy winter air is one of the reasons I so love living here. We dine on the porch most of the year; I love being outside and surrounded by these white flowers which remind me of England in spring. Also, I fell in love with this skirt this time last year and have worn it about ten thousand times (here it is in a slightly darker variation which I also love) note that we’re using our Matouk placemats and napkins again 😉 And last, these votives are so chic I think and look like they could have been collected somewhere a touch more exotic.
People often ask us about these plates, they were my grandmother’s. Honestly I think they might be old Williams-Sonoma but because she was such a collector, they appear more exotic. Coincidentally, Williams-Sonoma just released this collection which I find similar and which will age well, I really like them! I’m planning to do a post on some of my favorite things I have from her collection and where to find similar items now!! I hope that sounds interesting!
Next we have a very casual brunch/breakfast set up. One thing we always try to do when we have guests to stay is to set the breakfast table the night before so that guests who wake up early feel looked after. These are my go to placemats for breakfast and lunch and are great staples and it’s easy to throw some potted plants on the table if you’re out of cut flowers.
This is a quick rendition but for guests, I would put out granola and cereal, peanut butter, jam and butter and then add the fresh goods in the morning: eggs, bacon, pastries, juice, coffee…
Regardless, this tablecloth is such a pretty one to add to your collection and will work in so many different set ups! xxx