MY FAVORITE DISHES

 If you haven’t noticed, I have an obsession with dishes.  I selected some of my favorites and restyled the cupboard in my butler’s pantry in green and white with gold accents.

CORNER CUPBOARD IN GREEN AND WHITE

The top shelf  has my favorite transferware in green.  I’ve sold off a lot of my vintage dishes but I don’t think I’ll ever part with these green and white dishes.  They actually directed the cupboard styling.  In the center is a large white Italian cachepot and ginger jar salt and pepper.  On the shelf below are some scalloped oyster plates.  I added the pair of green bookends just because they were the right color.

The next shelves hold some of my cabbage leaf collection.  The white luncheon plates are a variation of the green ones.  I have three of these cabbage leaf pedestal dessert stands in graduated sizes.

CABBAGE LEAF CAKE STANDS

The bottom shelf holds more transferware and an ironstone pedestal bowl filled with gold apples, pears and figs.  The demijohn base bowl holds bumble bee napkin rings.

MORE TRANSFERWARE, IRONSTONE COMPOTE AND GOLD ACCENTS

I tied it all together with a selection of gold accents:  figs, apples, pears, bumble bee napkin rings, tassel bookends, artichokes and  weathered furniture finials.

WHAT’S IN BLOOM

 In this summer heat my blooms didn’t disappoint.  It has been an unusally hot and dry start to summer.  I wanted to share what’s in bloom is mid June.  

I found this hanging basket of Calibrachoa outside the grocery store in the almost dead sale section for $5.  I knew I could revive it—and I did.  It’s an annual so I’ll have to look for it next year.

CALIBRACHOA 

I had to look up the name of this perennial.  It’s very low growing with lovely purple/blue blooms.  The bees are feasting on it.  It’s perfect under my bird bath.

WALL GERMANDER

My Evening Primrose is a real fighter.  The aggressive Black Eyed Susans invaded their space.   The Susans were much taller than the Primrose but that feisty plant grew taller and bloomed above the Susans.

EVENING PRIMROSE

I planted this Lamb’s Ear last year and it is thriving.

LAMB’S EAR

My Russian Sage never disappoints.  I’ve been dividing it. And sprinkling it around the beds.  It is unaffected by drought.  Love it.  So easy care.

RUSSIAN SAGE

How does your start of summer garden grow?

BEACHY DECOR WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT THE BEACH

 I don’t live at the beach but I love adding  beachy decor.  

GLASS BEADS, CORAL, SEA LIFE PILLOWS AND SHELLS

Notice the design book in the tray too, BOHEMIAN SOUL, by Valorie Hart.  The author has been my design inspiration for many years.  I followed her blog many years ago and currently follow her Instagram account @visualvamp.   The images by photographer, Sarah Essex Bradley, are of the “Vanishing Interiors of New Orleans”.    I’m really enjoying it.  If you love to scroll through inspiring interiors, follow her on Tumblr too, The Visual Vamp.  Of course garlands of glass beads and some coral look good in the tray too

BOHEMIAN SOUL INTERIOR DESIGN BOOK WITH GLASS BEADS AND CORAL

FAUX CORAL ON A STACK OF BOOKS ON A BOOK SHELF

 

PAINTED BRANCHES IN A SHELL-FILLED CONTAINER ON MY MANTEL

My fireplace is non working so I layered a small cabinet, some “coral” candleholders and a chinoiserie print over it.  Can you see the coral in the print?

CORAL CANDLEHOLDERS AND CORAL REPEATED IN THE CHINOISERIE PRINT

I have six of these framed coral images layered over my windows.

ONE OF SIX FRAMED CORAL IMAGES LAYERED OVER MY WINDOWS

If you’re a regular follower you’ve seen my fabulous faux shell filled with shells.

SHELLS INSIDE A SHELL REFLECTED IN MY MIRRORED TABLE

ONE OF MY SEA LIFE PILLOWS

What do you like to add to your rooms?