Toast of Beauty

A small package, neatly wrapped in cellophane, and sent via Royal Mail from London arrived recently here in Museville -

I hadn't ordered anything, so I was quite curious.

It looked like a book - with its cover of beautifully photographed persimmons -- but upon further inspection, it was actually a catalog. A beautiful catalog - and the cover simply read:

Toast

house & home

...the simple things.

With its bound, thick pages, it felt more like a book than a catalog. Upon opening it, the differences between this beauty and my usual catalogs was clearly and immediately evident.

The catalog is stunning.


The layout is beautiful and so Artistic.



The photography is phenomenal.


I found myself perusing it as an Art book, rather than a catalog for home goods.

The next day, a second package, identical in wrapping arrived, but different in cover - another treat from the UK - This cover was of an azure sky dotted with ethereal clouds bathed in the soft gold of the sun -- which was setting over a calm indigo sea. It was simply labeled

Toast

...cobalt sea, red earth, west wind

I couldn't wait to open the pages, and my heart skipped a beat when I did - an ancient stone building with beautifully worn shutters and a terracotta roof with a viney green bower serving as a shady canopy over the flat roof of the garage were there waiting... with poetry written in a font of artistic handwriting at the bottom of the page --

Winter is past
and rain over and gone
The flowers appear on the earth
The time of the singing birds is come
--Erika in Chania.

Shot is Greece, the photographers, Jonathan West, Jenny Zarins and mojo photography ingeniously included the locals in some of the photographs - making the pictures look like family portraits with the past and present magically caught within the same moment in time.

The scenery is just breathtaking.

And once again, I forgot that this was a catalog for shopping because I was caught in the spell of the Artistry and beauty that I found within ... page after gorgeous page.

I'm sure many already know about this little gem, but if you don't - do yourself the favor and go to their website and request the catalogs.

You will be oh, so glad that you did.

http://www.toast.co.uk/

Front Row Seats...

What a pity flowers can utter no sound!

A singing rose, a whispering violet, a murmuring honeysuckle,

— oh, what a rare and exquisite miracle would these be!"

--Henry Ward Beecher

If gardens were music

-- beautiful on its own, to be sure --

the addition of a gorgeous bench would be akin to

adding a soulful violin to the piece.

There is something
wildly romantic
about benches that

time

&

the elements

have weathered

to perfection

over

the

years...

The artistic and melodious curves of

the beautifully aged metal arms

gently swirl

in their

slow

dance

with Father Time.

Looking like flowers themselves...



or the perfect piece of Art...



A garden bench
is the exclamation point
at the end of what seemed to be an absolutely perfect statement
before



...and now would be so utterly pale without it.

My heart is hooked on old garden benches.


See what other bloggers are hooked on at Julia's hooked on Friday party over at
Hooked on Houses...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Have a wonderful weekend
and if you celebrate it, a lovely Easter.

Sirens of the Sea...

Come with me

to the sea...

Where time is suspended ...

Cares float away one by one on the cool ocean breeze ...

The light dances across the water and through your soul ...

The salt air clears your mind...

Food tastes better ...

Your spirits are lifted

and seabirds soar in silence above the sun-flecked crests of rolling waves...

The rich, yet intangible treasures

wait for you

...seaside.

photos scanned from Taschen's book: Seaside Interiors

My Perfect Sunday in a Village in France...

In my perfect Sunday fantasy, in a small French Village, a soft sea breeze would gently move through the crystals of the chandelier above my head, causing them to chime quietly ... gently luring me from the twilight of sleep. I'd wake up nestled within a heavenly feather bed in a delicious, softly sun-washed room furnished in pieces with the most interesting history and gorgeous patina.

After a long shower and a slow breakfast of fresh pastries and endless coffee, I'd head out the front door into the gorgeous morning.

Greeted by the singing of birds and the intoxicating scents of Spring, I'd head out on my bicycle ...

Slowly peddling through the village, taking in the beauty only antiquity can bring to the soul...


The morning sun bathing everything in the softest and most luxurious shades of gold...




A small antique store beckons, and of course I oblige...


Happy hours are spent perusing treasures of the past...


Entertaining thoughts of their history -- and being moved by their beauty.



Looking into the faces and the objects of strangers' pasts, I continue my wonderful hunt for treasure...

Since the basket on my bicycle is my new found treasures' only way home, they must be trinkets of proper size... a perfect decanter that will not only hold the most delicious ruby red when needed, but will dance with the light as it pours in from the southeast facing window of my kitchen each morning...

A keeper of time -- a perfect birthday gift for Poor Tired Husband - and more linens for me... ahhhh.

Soft fringe hangs in the pools of light as I head out the door of antiques, back into the present day...

...which, in my fantasy destination is as just as old or older as most things within the shop...

A quick stop by the farmer's market for some flowers and beautiful produce needed for tonight's dinner...

Not a care in the world as I slowly peddle back through the village towards home as the sun begins its decent ...

My perfect Sunday

-- I wish it really could be mine --

everyday.

Photo credit: From the store "Bliss" photos 1 & 7 - 9, from flickr photos 2 - 6 & 10 - 15.

Jack is Back... and Looking Fab!

The British flag -- or Union Jack was introduced to the world in 1606. It has popped up in some form or another in the fashion world for good or for ill for as long as I can remember.

Recently I've been seeing it pop up within beautiful interior designs -

...and I am absolutely loving it.

Here, the flag is seen on designer Dan Marty's pillows in his LA showroom

and again seen here on this primitive bench (sitting on a gorgeous herringbone wood floor!) in a stylish flat in the UK.

I love this shot -- a simple and faded union jack leaning on the wall in the corner next to a panel of gorgeous old tin ceiling tiles used as wall art - love it, love it. love it all.



Another faded flag resting against a white wall behind an antique lamp post -- it looks great in this home. If you notice, there are antlers on the far wall, and that seems to be a popular and gorgeous accompaniment to the union jack in many vignettes I've seen lately.



Another great use - as a rug.
It's gorgeous in this calm and lovely white room.



Photographer James Merrell captures a Union Jack chaise lounge sitting underneath a striking pair of antlers perfectly showcased on a wall of black.

Bookend Union Jack pillows make a serious setting more playful.

Faded Glory.

A washed out Union Jack flaps gently in the breeze underneath a set of sun-bleached antlers. It's a great pop of color against all of the gorgeous grey.

A confetti of mini Union Jacks are a nice contrast to the soft patina of the antique wall of shutters.

What's that I see across the room in this beautiful London home? (That is after I pull my eyes away from that drop dead gorgeous mirror above the sofa - gimme!)

Offering the only color in this sublime seating area, the Union Jack rug is the star of the show.

A lone baby Union Jack brightens up a potting shed ...

Yep... yet another fabulous British Invasion.

I'll have a heaping helping, if you please!

What about you?

Got Jack?

photo credit: 1. Dan Marty Design, 2, 3 & 7 1st Option Representation 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 & 11 Jllocations

See what other bloggers are hooked on this week at Julia's hooked on Friday party over at Hooked on Houses!

Wordless Wednesday - Dreamweaver of Gardenly Delights

If my heart's desire could magically be woven into reality, Museville's tapestry of outdoor living spaces would materialize into a dreamy place like this:

See other bloggers' dreamy places and beautiful things beyond words at this week's Wordless Wednesday.

Photo credits: Mad Mogensen in Elle Decor Italy, Veranda, Country Living, Jasper, Country Living