A dramatic kitchen room set

It’s been a while since I shared a room set, and today is the last of the main room sets at this year’s Ideal Home Show. But it’s not the last of the room sets from that show as there were some more, bonus, room sets towards the back of the show. They were smaller but all bathrooms and kitchens so there’ll be some more to ogle at at some point.

Looking through my pictures though I was surprised I’d not already shared this one, as it’s a beauty. And totally my colours. Sadly it’s too dark for our kitchen space, and we don’t actually need a new kitchen having replaced ours only in 2013. But a girl can lust, can’t she?

And when it’s as gorgeous as that, the answer to my question is obviously yes!

Earlier in the year “mixed metallics” was a thing, and maybe still is, but this kitchen is the best example I’ve found of that trend. Copper and brass mix together with ease, and while my natural inclination would be to scrinch my nose up at the thought of those together, they go a lot better than I ever imagined.

The stools though, aren’t they great? And the integrated breakfast bar is done well and I can see this being a really flexible and social space.

In fact, when can I move in?

The metallics also lift the dark coloured units, and I think more of us should have some decorative areas in our functional spaces, because if we don’t like the look of somewhere we’re fickle things aren’t we and avoid spending time there. And in a space like this, that’d be a real shame.

So, what do you think - hit or miss for this dark and earthy with mixed metallics kitchen?

The Rose Garden at Parcevall Hall

Today I’m sharing a burst of sunshine, both literally as it was a glorious day for my visit and because it’s great to look around an independent garden.  I think there’s some real gems out there and we often overlook these, unless we already know them or they’re close by.  I discovered Parcevall Hall as I was scouring maps of the local area on our trip to Yorkshire to see what was close by.  It wasn’t that far away, as the crow flies, but in reality it was more up and down than I expected as it’s in Wharfedale in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  I don’t know about you but I find driving on steep and windy country roads exhausting, less than walking obviously, but tiring nonetheless given the additional concentration needed.

It was worth it though, as the gardens didn’t disappoint.  I’ve plenty of photos to share from here and some will no doubt brighten up the chillier days ahead, and I’ll not apologise for sharing some more sunshine when I think we need it. To buck the trend I’m not starting at the beginning of our visit either, instead starting with the Rose Garden, which at the end of June was full of the heady scent of roses, a scent that until our trip to the Loire I didn’t get.

The garden was set out symmetrically, its paths willing you to wander around.  There were places to stop and enjoy the garden, but with so much to explore we didn’t pause as much as perhaps we would have if I hadn’t already planned for us to go to RHS Harlow Carr in the afternoon, and squeeze in an afternoon tea at Betty’s - I told you I’d packed it in, didn’t I?

But taking some time to wander around and enjoy the roses was just what we needed, and there were certainly plenty to see and smell, all types and colours too.  There were roses with tightly packed petals and more open, relaxed roses.  Pinks, whites and reds the most prominent colours.  And, oh the smell in the sunshine, heavenly.

Even then I remember thinking it wouldn’t be a garden I’d look forward to dead-heading, there were just so many blooms. You’ll see though that the garden looks no worse for a few decaying roses, and of course if everything was dead-headed there’d be no rose hips. 

I normally favour roses with plenty of petals, but in this garden these delicate pink edged blooms caught my eye, and so my journey into the world of roses, with this rose with its more wild rose style flowers knocking me for six.  

And look. Proof, that a garden can still look pretty and be enjoyed when it’s not perfect. The photo above shows every stage of flowering for a rose, and if there was a rosehip I’d have a full house! 

That’s pretty reassuring, isn’t it? 

A mermaid's tale, and some great planting

This might not be the post for a chillier day, but never mind, we can just imagine the sunshine can’t we? In fact when I saw this garden at Gardeners’ World Live in Birmingham earlier this year it wasn’t such a nice day either. But that didn’t stop me admiring the planting and pulling my cardy just a little bit tighter after the thought of being on the beach on a cooler day.

There’s nothing wrong with being on a beach on a chilly day, it can be just as nice to have the place more to yourself just as long as you’re dressed correctly. A bit like anything really, having the right clothes - or feeling that you do - makes a lot of things feel better.

It is the planting in this garden that I’m a fan of and the detail which really does give the feeling of being close to the beach. The wooden fence, the grasses swaying in the wind and the cool colour palette.

While the mermaid was billed as the star of the show, I wasn’t that taken by her, and personally I think the space would have worked just as well without her. I’m not much of a mermaid person (you might have already guessed that) but the rest of the space is calming and beautiful.

Even the treasure chest was fine by me, its planting helped continue the theme in what could have been an empty space. And those pebbles, with the chive-like flowers.

I was a fan of the wooden planks used as a path - a great way to add texture, especially surrounded by the pebbles. And saving walking too far on the pebbles too, which is always hard work isn’t it?

But overall what makes this garden work for me is the detailed and coordinated colours of the planting, from the purple sage, the chive-like flowers, the astrantias, grasses and sea holly. It just works, doesn’t it?