Springtime on the patio

The Scottish spring kept us waiting until two days ago when it arrived in all its glory, sunny and warm. The patio was swept, the garden table scrubbed and the wicker chairs brought outside. It was time for our first al fresco dining this season. These last days have been heavenly, mainly spent on the patio under a cherry tree in full bloom. That's where I am at this moment, with a cup of coffee, books and magazines. In a recent blog post the tree was getting ready to bloom and then one morning I saw it through our son's bedroom window and it felt as if it had exploded. Sublime!

These days I'm reading The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia by American novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux. It's his first travelogue, first published in 1975. I had meant to read Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town but then I thought it best to read his travel books in chronological order - perhaps a foolish decision on my part with the latter being his twelfth! In The Great Railway Bazaar we travel with Theroux by rail through Asia, starting with the Direct-Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul. His style is wonderful and witty. He had me cracking up at regular intervals and frequently quoting him in my notebook. Before the end of chapter two I had realised that I would have to put my notebook aside if I were to finish the book before Christmas.

Speaking of Istanbul. I'm virtually on my way there from China, with the help of historian Sam Willis and the BBC Player. On BBC Four they are showing The Silk Road, where Willis takes us through Central Asia to Istanbul and Venice. On the programme's website you can view a photo diary of his journey. In the latest episode he was on Registan Square in the ancient city of Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, where he met craftsmen making tiles used for the restoration of the Bibi Khanum Mosque. It was fascinating. In the city of Khiva, farther west, he sat down with his guide to enjoy a meal in gorgeously decorated kitchenware. Even the flatbread had a pattern!

I don't post my Instagram images on my blog but today I had to make an exception, to preserve a precious moment. Yesterday I took the photo below with my tablet, just when my daughter and I were about to sit down to enjoy our lunch - a long lunch on the patio (she's studying at home these days; taking her final exams). It pictured the mood perfectly. I love how overexposed it looks and how there seems to be a blank space beyond the patio, instead of the ivy-covered garden wall.

Have a wonderful day!

Our lunch table (from my Instagram account, taken yesterday)

Interior design: built-in nooks

This summer my admiration for built-in nooks has reached a whole new level. I think it started with an Ibizan house tour in Elle Decoration UK  that I shared in a blog post in June. From then on these types of nooks were demanding my attention everywhere; also the textiles, the covers and cushions chosen to make them comfortable. I have a French issue of Elle Decoration from last summer that is filled with built-in nooks. It has been on my table this summer and I just had to take a few photos for the blog. You see, I look at my blog as a diary. I don't write one, by that I mean the dear diary type, but I note down things in my journals all the time. The visual part is very important to me as well and I like being able to store these images on the blog for others to enjoy but also for myself to look them up later.

Let us start with a few nooks that appeared in a feature on Scorcialupi, a holiday rental in the Italian region of Puglia. I find the outdoor living area above absolutely stunning. The two indoor ones below are also neat.

1-3: Scorcialupi, Elle Decoration (French), July/August 2014, pp. 108-117/Christian Schaulin

As much as I like the nook below, with its harmonious colour palette, I'm not sure I would want one in my outdoor dining area, especially if I were entertaining. If one person has to stand up then others have to move or make space. However, this kind of rustic style is right up my alley and I like how the industrial Tolix chairs create contrast (this photo only shows one clearly). The nook belongs to a beautiful and stylish home on the Greek island of Mykonos.

4: Mykonos house tour, Elle Decoration (French), July/August 2014, pp. 130-141/Giorgio Baroni

Stylish bohemian vibes in Ibiza

On Saturday the latest issue of Elle Decoration UK arrived in the mail and the house tour I fell flat for was a 300-year-old finca with stylish bohemian vibes, in a remote area of Ibiza. It doesn't happen often that I more or less like every single room when viewing homes in magazines, but I have been just a tad obsessed with this one (that top image is now decorating my desktop). The feature, Where the cicadas sing, was photographed by Sunna and Marc Van Praag. I had to snap a few photos to share with you, of the corners in this home that make my heart sing.

The rustic part of the house especially appeals to me, like these ornate built-in seating nooks next to the kitchen (not shown in the magazine). This look feels so inviting. The dining area connects with the sitting area and also has a built-in nook. The nooks have a mix of textiles, cushions and covers in solid colours and with patterns. The home is inspired by the owners' travels and there are quite many global finds. I'm fascinated by that lamp between the nooks (hence the detail photo to the left) but it doesn't say in the article where it comes from.

Rustic sitting area with a fireplace and a built-in nook

Other decorative objects that caught my attention were the ornate vases on the table below and on the stairs, and also beautiful rugs throughout the house.

The bathroom has arched original walls and stylish Spanish tiles. Don't get me started on the rug! I had to include the outdoor living area with the swimming pool. To see the rest of the house you need to get yourself a copy of the issue!

For those who aren't familiar with Ibiza, it's a Spanish island, part of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Since I can remember Ibiza has always been associated with partying and nightlife, a quality that has never attracted me to any destination. But I have always been fascinated with its small villages and quiet resorts, and its mix of cultures, which is why Ibiza is on my to-visit list. There is this one old blog post, Colours of Ibiza, by María of EclecChic that shows exactly what it is that lures me to the island.

There is one more feature in the July 2015 issue of Elle Decoration UK that deserves a mention. It's an article about architect and designer Alexander Girard (1907-1993). The Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein is planning an exhibition of his work in 2016. (The museum is located right in the corner where Germany, Switzerland and France meet.) Here is a link to Alexander Girard's design for Vitra - I love his matchboxes.

images by me | credit: Elle Decoration UK, July 2015, Where the cicadas sing, pp. 98-107 · Sunna and Mark Van Praag