Friday 30 May 2014

FRIDAY FLOWERS...


PHOTOS:SOPHIA HOME

Apologies dear readers for my absence this week….a busy time juggling work projects, but with a day off today to explore some ancient conserved wild flower meadows and a picnic in a restored 17th Century barn with girlfriends.…more of that on the blog over the next few days! Along with a delicious summer recipe or two.  It is then off to Stockholm later in the week for a girl's trip with my mother and sister, which I look forward very much to sharing with you too!


What are your plans for the weekend?
We shall be enjoying the improved weather in the garden, and the company of two of our children and their friends down to stay from London…always a gorgeous treat to have them home!  




So with Friday flowers in the form of these lovely pink Geraniums that I am enjoying in the dining-room, I wish you all a fun, happy and relaxed weekend! 

Sophia xx

Monday 26 May 2014

A FAVOURITE FOODIE FIND...





There is food shopping and there is food shopping….ideally not the harassed, stressful trolley dash around the supermarket, but a relaxed, enjoyable, easy on the eye and feast for the senses form of food shopping at an inspiring venue whose values for local, fresh and organic are key. That in a perfect world, is probably what most of us foodies would strive to do always.  

Here at home, we aim to eat as much local produce as we can.  We have an excellent organic butcher on a local farm near to us, I grow much of our own vegetables in the kitchen garden and I try to visit our farmer's market most weeks….it involves quite a bit of to-ing and fro-ing though and I am not totally purist and end up often making visits for day to day essentials from a certain well known supermarket beginning with W!



Imagine though if you had a farmer's market right on your doorstep which sold everything a foodie could dream of, competitively priced, top quality, all in one place, and all produced and grown within a few miles radius, all under one roof, and most importantly, open six days a week!  

 Such was the brainchild of one woman who in 2002, frustrated by the sporadic or at best only weekly farmer's markets in the area, decided to take over a derelict goods shed at Kent's Canterbury West Station.  




Now transformed in to a fabulous food warehouse with a stunning variety of locally grown organic and free range vegetables, meat, sustainable fish, local artisan cheeses, wines, a delicatessen, and freshly baked bread…..



A great restaurant serving delicious lunches and dinners with produce strictly from the market….




A cafe serving delicious coffee, which was something we enjoyed on a visit to Canterbury the other morning which is about an hour away from where we live….I just wish it was nearer!









Definitely one for your Kent address book…
THE GOODS SHED….Station Road West, Canterbury, Kent CT2 8AN

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Wishing you all a very happy week ahead!

Sophia xx






Friday 23 May 2014

FRIDAY FLOWERS...

PICTURES: SOPHIA HOME

My Friday flowers are the first pickings of the beautiful 'Bowl of Beauty' Peonies from the garden, arranged simply in a jug with gorgeous Allium 'Purple Sensation'….








Brightening a busy day, before a lovely long three day weekend, here in the UK….





Wishing you all a very happy, fun and relaxing weekend, whatever you have planned….and thank you so much for reading me, and for all your lovely, kind recent comments which I so appreciate! 

Sophia xx


Tuesday 20 May 2014

LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT...



Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a little obsessed with lighting!
  I spent countless hours planning the electrics and lighting when we designed and built our home in recent years, and with client projects, I always feel that even the most beautiful scheme is never complete without the right level of lighting…practicality is vital of course, but atmospheric is just as important and can really make or break the final feel and comfort in a room.



The same feel and comfort of good atmospheric lighting applies to outdoor living too, and following on from my last post on enjoying the outdoors now the weather is finer,  I wanted to share some thoughts on outdoor lighting. 
Here at home, we have installed a powerful light that projects light right up the trunk and in to the tree canopy of a beautiful Oak tree in the middle of our drive, and I have placed simple white solar lights around the pond and small string solar fairy lights around some box balls on the deck….even in our unreliable climate and usual lack of sun, all these solar lights have been surprisingly successful!  In time, there are other specimen trees and areas that I would like to highlight too...







However, as is often the case, it is the simple, natural ideas that are the best….and I shall be looking to lanterns and some simple diy candle ideas to light up our outdoors eating this summer.
There is nothing quite like candle light is there?


ALL PICTURES VIA PINTEREST


















How do you light up your evenings al fresco?










Wishing you a very happy Tuesday evening….

Sophia xx


For help and advice on lighting, and any other aspect of designing your dream interior, please contact me via:
www.sophiawadsworthinteriors.co.uk


Thursday 15 May 2014

LOOKING FORWARD TO...
...OUTDOOR LIVING!

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME


Sunshine, blue skies and temperatures set to be pretty good here in the UK this weekend….could this be the start of summer?  After a busy week so far, I am looking forward to a relaxed and sociable weekend ahead, and spending as much time as possible outside. 

 The last week has flown by (sorry to my regular readers for lack of blog posts!) with a fabulous 30 year school reunion in London last Saturday night….a very special evening being reunited with some great friends from the past, many of whom I hadn't seen for all this time.  It is funny how a common bond can bring friendships back together again, and the years just disappear and you pick up where you left off?  A happy event!
In amongst design projects, it was back up to town yesterday for the 'Spirit of Summer Fair' at Olympia, for some fantastic design inspiration and of course, a little retail therapy with a daughter who has great stamina for these things!  Phew….always love and need my regular London fixes, but after a long day on the hoof, I am always pleased to get back to the clean, calm, peace of our little slice of rural Kent and relax!





So, outdoor living….is that something you long for, as days get sunnier and evenings get warmer?




With pictures taken in the garden this morning, I leave you with some of the 'outdoor living' here at home that I am enjoying…







On the deck...




The first gorgeous scent of Lavender…





Overlooking the annual 'maternity ward' beyond the garden…




Anticipating some meals 'al fresco'…



And drinks under the shade of the new pergola we back breakingly constructed the other weekend!






Edible violas….ready for summer salads.

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

The kitchen garden underway….looking forward to the season's fresh, new produce.







Longing for the scent and sight of the first pink Roses…beautiful 'Sweet Hermione'.



Enjoying the last of the tulips…



 While busily planting up new pots and hanging baskets…





Yes, summer could finally be here…
time to clean up that bar-b-q I think!

Wishing you a happy and sunny few days,
wherever you may be?

Sophia xx

Friday 9 May 2014

'LE PETIT JARDIN'….

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

Tucked away in quiet pedestrianised 'Chapel Place' in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, can be found a favourite little shop of mine,



For a dose of garden boutique loveliness, there is no place like it….




Beautifully styled, with a wonderful collection of stylish garden ornaments, tools, furniture, plants and pots…



Along with gorgeous finds for the home too…




It is the perfect place to pick up that special gift for any garden and home loving friend….




With a wonderful, tempting array of goodies…it is hard to not come away with at least a little something for oneself too!





For me it was one of these fab grey washed, handwoven cloches that made its way home with me this morning…..perfect for the kitchen garden!




 So if you ever find yourself in the beautiful Spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, do pop in to this delightful garden and lifestyle store….'Le Petit Jardin' or click on the link to see their equally inspiring and lovely online shop.

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Wishing you all a very happy weekend!

Sophia xx