Things I have loved in March
A getaway in the Cotswolds, frilly lampshades, pastel fashion, hallway glow-up protagonists and a glimpse of 90s nostalgia.
1. Cotswolds Hideaway
March started off with a bang with a trip to the Cotswolds with friends. It was on that occasion that I discovered this glorious Airbnb, tucked away in the gorgeous hills of Gloucestershire. The farmhouse is very spacious, sleeps up to 8 people and is kids and pets-friendly. Upon arrival, we were treated to a home-made, freshly baked banana bread. Need I say more?
Although the house is the perfect setting if you are just seeking out total rest in peace and quiet, there are also plenty of things to do in the area, with picturesque Castle Combe and Antique Heaven Tetbury both a stone's throw away (see my Antique shopping guide for a breakdown of the unmissable shops in Tetbury)
2. Kate Friend
It was during that trip that I came across the work of artist and photographer Kate Friend. Her floral nature morte represents portraits of living people close to the artist – a concept I find very intriguing. I am particularly fascinated by her use of colour: so many interesting combinations to take inspiration from!
I came home with her beautifully designed book, available on Amazon at the link below.
☞ Buy Portraits by Kate Friend, £40
3. Gio Ponti Dupe Mirror
One job that has been long on my list has been giving our entrance hall some much-needed love. It’s a fairly long and narrow dwelling, and I have been wanting to add a mirror there for a long time, to open up the space and give an illusion of airyness. I never managed to find something I was quite happy with, until I found this Gio Ponti Dupe mirror from John Lewis. The original (retailed by the Italian brand Gubi) comes with an eye-watering £999 price tag. The John Lewis version retains the mid-century essence, but at a much more pocket-friendly budget (it is currently on sale at only £172! Run, don’t walk)
☞ John Lewis mirror, £172
4. Runner Rug from Ruggable
The second key component of our hallway revamp has been replacing our old and grimy jute rug with a machine washable runner ( a godsend in such a high-traffic area!). We have another Ruggable in our living room and were really impressed with the quality and feel, so decided to double down with another piece from the same collection (called Adeline), but in the Sage colourway (thinking the Ivory would be too delicate and light in that area).
☞ Shop Adeline Sage Runner, £149
Get 10% off using the code THEVENETIANPANTRY10 at chekout
I think it really helped in instantly adding much more character and warmth to the corridor. See for yourself below!
5. From Scratch
Joe and I have recently watched From Scratch, a Netflix series based on the true story from the eponymous memoir written by Tembi Locke – a love story between an American art student on an exchange in Firenze and a Sicilian chef. We were pulled in by the trailer’s scenes of Italy and found ourselves increasingly caring about the two protagonists’ destinies (the fact that it is based on a true story definitely helps). Let me be clear – it’s no masterpiece; there were definitely moments I found a bit too on the nose, and moments where the acting felt a little stiff to me (especially from the Italian love interest, I did find Zoe Saldaña brilliant in her role). Despite all that, I couldn’t help but being endeared by the very accurate portrayal of Italian people (specifically southern Italian) and I found myself weeping at the heart-wrenching finale (hope this isn’t too much of a spoiler!)
6. Pale Pink Coat
Speaking of mediocre but engaging TV series, last year we watched The Girl Before (streaming on the BBC). The main takeaway from the experience has been the lead character’s wardrobe, and in particular, this pink coat number, which I found super chic paired with her beige blouse. At the time, I spent hours on a fruitless online research to find a similar coat. Nada. Until this season Sezane finally decided to release this gorgeous coat, which has exactly the soft, powdery pink I was looking for. Tell me it isn’t the most perfect Spring transitional coat!
☞ Shop Sezane Coat, £370
7. Beaumont Organic Dress
You know what I think would look lovely under that pink coat? This lovely mini dress from Beaumont Organic, one of my go-to slow-fashion British brands. I have quite a few of their pieces in my wardrobe and always look out for their seasonal new collection (their accessories and shoes in particular always catch my eye). The quality is always top-notch, and you know you are investing in clothes that will stay with you for a long time (it helps that their styles are pretty timeless).
You can see in the pic below how I styled it – with one of their classic off-white cardigans, a pair of their leather shoes and lilac socks (more on lilac later on).
☞ Lois-Cay Organic Cotton Dress in Ecru and Golden Tan, £135.00
☞ Kaia Organic Cotton Cardigan in Sand Marl, £195.00
☞ Ashford Mary Jane Buckle Shoe in Classic Brown, £180.00
8. Frilly Lamps
I recently discovered a new Lampshade brand that I am obsessed with: meet Beauvamp. For quite some time now, I have been thinking about swapping the pendant on our dining table with a cloth shade – inspired by the napkin lamps from Osteria Ca D’Oro Alla Vedova, one of my favourite lunch spots in Venice (which in turn has inspired the decor of the trendy London restaurant Polpo). I have never managed to find similar ones so far, and these aren’t quite the same, but they are pretty close and so sweet! This one in particular seems to perfectly match the pattern on my pantry curtains (which is an Ian Mankin fabric). Some food for thought here…
☞ Pinstripe Tiffany Ruffle Lampshade x The Interiors Yard, £395.00
Other shades that caught my eye from the same brand:
Ruffle Dome Lampshade, £595.00
9. Water Homework Candle
If I had to pick a scent to represent the month of March, it would have to be the Water Candle by Homework – which smells like early spring showers mixed with some green notes. I love burning scented candles at home as I think they add a lovely sense of identity to a space (I use different scents across different rooms) – so much so that it’s one of the things visitors usually comment on when entering my front door. And no one, in my humble opinion, does scents better than Steph and Ross.
Of course, there are plenty of lovely-smelling candles and brands out there, but I think I am particularly wedded to Homework for a number of reasons: I came across them three years ago, when I started my Instagram account, and bonded with Steph (first online, then in person) on our shared background as Graphic Designers. No surprise that their branding is as good as it is! She is also an incredibly talented nose, which, combined with her and her mum’s background in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), translates into truly the most gorgeous scents. I am very picky when it comes to perfumes (I hate anything too sweet or floral), but their scents are all flawless.
But, perhaps more poignantly, the main reason I am so wedded to Homework is because they quite literally featured in my own wedding. Joe and I wanted to create something special as our wedding favours, and decided to ask Steph and Ross to create a bespoke scent for us to capture and immortalise our special day. The brief was to create something that contained Cypress (so quintessential to the Umbrian landscape) and that smelled solemn and ritualistic. That scent, distilled into candles, was the first thing I noticed as I stepped into the little church, and it was what our guests took home as a memory of the day. We also kept aside a generous stash of those special candles at home, so we can burn them on each of our anniversaries for years to come.
It was a long digression to say, I love those guys!
☞ Homework Water Candle, £35
10. Zara Home Kids range
This last item on the list may come slightly out of left field, as we don’t have kids, nor are we expecting, nor – for that matter – are we planning to in the immediate future (not that anyone asked, thankfully). But if I did have kids, you better believe I would buy them every single kitchen-related wooden toy Zara Home has to offer (Pizza oven and sushi set. Need I say more?)
Perhaps it’s a result of my own childhood nostalgia: I used to play “Restaurateur” with my own little kitchen, which was called “Nouvelle Cuisine”, entirely made of plastic, and acid yellow and lilac (a true product of the early 90s). It was equipped with a functioning sink, an oven and a fridge; if you are intrigued, I managed to find the OG television ad here. I was the Chef, and my middle sister (5 years my senior) was appointed Front of House (ironically, even then an accurate reflection of our skill sets).
Or perhaps it is spending more time with my adorable 3-years-old nephew and his mountain of colourful and garish toys that is making me more sensitive to the beauty of these understated Zara home ones. They have absolutely nailed this range, and not just in the wooden toys department: look at these adorable organisers!
☞ Zara Home Wooden Kitchen Toys
☞ Zara Home Circus Paper Hampers
☞ Zara Home Scalloped edge baskets
☞ Zara Home House Folder
Hope you enjoyed this month’s Edit! Drop me a line and let me know what was your favourite item, and most importantly, if you too played with Nouvelle Cuisine (and if so, are you a Front of House or are you the Cook?)
Lovely finds, Martina. I have a jute rug in my sitting room and they just wear away in places where feet tread on them - I’m going to explore Ruggable, I hope they do them in larger sizes. That coat is beautiful. I think you’ve a tiny typo - it’s Beauvamp I think?