This beautiful little porcelain bowl (it’s just the right size for me to hold cupped in my hands) was the start of what is now a small collection of bowls made by local potters. I love the coppery tones of the glaze and the interesting texture, created by scratching into the glaze before firing.
On bright afternoons the sun streams through the white cotton roman blinds in my kitchen and makes these silk cherry blossom branches (which I display in a plain tall glass vase mixed with bare branches) glow. I never get tired of how pretty these look — plus, as I’m so terrible with plants, it gives me the illusion of nature!
I recently invested in a set of white Sophie Conran dishes, which are so beautifully designed that they make even a bowl of muesli in the morning an occasion. Just lovely to use.
I picked up this fragment of driftwood from the shore of the lake in northern Ontario where my mum and step dad lived for years before their recent move back into town. It reminds me of summer days spent canoeing at dusk, sunny afternoons paddling about in the shallows, and listening to the haunting cry of loons late at night.
Several years ago Andrew and I visited London, where I found this lovely old skittle in an antique shop on Portobello Road. The proprietor was a sweet and shy man — I remember he had a sign above his tiny counter that read, “All prices are final as the owner is not emotionally equipped to haggle.”
I feel lucky to be a visual person as I find inspiration all around me, from films, books and magazines to the way the afternoon light falls on a glass of water. There’s so much beauty around us — all we have to do is pay attention. I have a favourite quote by the French writer Colette that’s become a bit of a motto for me: “Be happy. It’s one way of being wise.” I think it’s a good way to live one’s life.
Last August 2009 I did a guest post for Holly of the lovely decor8 blog about my favourite things, and (after the interest shown in my home after my recent LoftLife profile) I thought I'd post it here for you again. You can see the original post on decor8 here, too.
(the photographs are by me)