Today is a scary day, at the back of our garden is a Jehovah Witness building of which they are revamping. The revamp includes cutting away all boundary wall foliage and putting up a 6-foot fence. Bearing in mind that the foliage at the back of our garden includes the oldest, most beautiful wisteria that is 25feet high ( I sit under it in the summer eating breakfast) plus a ton of ivy I fear trouble a head. I don’t want to see my neighbours opposite (sorry neighbours) its like we have a walled garden here, its so private you feel like you are in a secret little secure world and I adore it. My plan A, first talk nicely to builders and try try try to persuade them not to cut down the whole lot as they have done opposite. I kind of tried that not so long ago and I ended up threatening to shoot all of them from my roof top (not good). If that fails, Mungo, Maud and I are chaining ourselves to the fence and I do not care if they call the police. Graham being the practical sensible one who won’t scream, cry, stamp or shoot anyone has suggested I walk the kids along the canal and breakfast at the Tow Path. Heavenly except I know his plan – get her out of the house otherwise trouble will ensue!
Enough about my problems lets talk interiors oh and if there is no post tomorrow I am probably in jail!
I was looking on line at Real Living Magazine recently (a lovely Australian glossy) and came across this Brisbane cottage which struck a cord. Its small and yet its gone dark yay hay, its in a hot hot country and still its gone dark (double yay hay) and more importantly you don’t even register its small as its been beautifully designed. I adore small spaces, I love the intimacy and cosiness of them and if you accessorise as these guys have done with fab colours and cool art then no one, repeat no one will even clock how small the space is.
I’m always on the hunt for art in my pad and need the hugest piece to go on my bedroom wall – if anyone has any ideas please let me know. Back to the cottage – you don’t quite know where to look when you first see the space as the eye is drawn to both the art and the rug and although there is alot going on it doesn’t scream crazy as the colour palette is restricted.
Again a beautiful palette of hues, simple yet totally effective.
I am the biggest fan of turning nooks and disused areas into functioning spaces – under stairs, in hallways anywhere there is a space I will shove a little table and plonk something on it. Take my landing I have a little rug, a yellow chair a painting so it doesn’t feel empty, every area has something.This nook under the stairs is a totally cool home office.
Happy Wednesday, wish me luck!!
Wow! Is this what we are calling small these days!? The kitchen diner area is bigger than most London flats. I’d love to see some real small spaces transform, like studio flats and double rooms.
Good luck!!! I so sympathise, I know exactly what you’re going through…
Thank you
I’m with you in dismay over the loss of the wisteria and ivy…what is it with people and the need to ‘tidy’ the outdoors too much? Don’t they realise they lose the MAGIC! Re. The art, create your own piece maybe? Buy a big ready stretched canvas and apply your lovely principles. Dark, shots of beautiful colour and layers layers layers… fabulous! Good luck with your protest…kind regards, Polly.
Couldn’t agree more, can’t stand neat tidy boring gardens, I want wild, rambling and non perfect ones.
If you live in a Conservation area the trees will have Tree Preservation Orders on them… Failing that just say youve seen a bat or a newt… That pretty much stops any building works
Tried that route regrettably and apparently wisteria isn’t considered a tree. Might try the bat though hadn’t thought of that x
Oh no! Don’t let them do it!
I remember years ago some builders were about to cut down the most glorious 400 year old Ceder of Lebanon tree which was in the middle of the field next to my mums house, much arguing ensued and we ran inside to make a call to their bosses but by the time we came out to tell them the tree was not to be touched (the new developement had been designed around the tree) the bloody jobsworths had cut almost through it and there was no saving it. An ancient thing of absolute beauty gone in 10 minutes.
Terrible, they are nice guys but as they say its their side and chop it down they must
I am seriously challenged with small space in my house and constantly want to knock a wall out so I can have a big square lounge where I can push the furniture into the middle!!
Re the work at the back of your garden, I’m pretty sure they would be amicable if you spoke to them. I find that the JW’s are a pretty mild bunch and try to be amenable with folk and keep the peace. Good luck!
Good luck with the garden Abigail. Sounds like a nightmare and I would be out for blood!! Ok so I needed something beyond huge for my chimney breast wall. Everything I loved that was huge was way out of my price range. So I headed to Cowling and Wilcox in Soho and bought the largest canvas known to man, and cheesed everyone off on the tube in the middle of rush hour. Got staple gun crazy and covered it with a to-die-for fabric from Liberty (think bright pink graffiti meets firework display) which was a “small fortune a metre” but cheap for artwork. It’s obnoxiously huge but looks fabulous. Good luck with the garden and don’t get arrested!! x
Very good idea
Get your own Wisteria! – i know it will take a while to get the same effect but its totally worth it. Also worth trying a couple of chocolate vines -theyre beautiful, really hardy and are very fast growing.
Do you have any preference when it comes to style of art? I quite often like my art with a surreal edge so my place has a fair bit of Michael Sowa. ‘Fowl with pearl necklace’ and ‘Film hound’ are most famous, but i love ‘Sailors’ and ‘Herbert’ best..
Thank you re the art, I should get my own wisteria except I am way to impatient to wait for it to grow and I need something instant that covers 8 metres long and 5 metres high. Shall check out your vines though thank you
I’m also on the hunt for the biggest ever artwork for my bedroom!! if i find out something interesting I’ll let you know!
My neighbours did the same, there was a lovely wall totally covered in Ivy and clematis….. its gone now and there is a wooden boring fence
I love gardens to look unruly and wild, definately looks more natural!!!
Thank you very much
chaining yourself to the wisteria might just be worth jail time! hahaha… glorious, glorious plants, one of my absolute faves as they’re so free spirited & unruly! good luck!
Thank you x
Dear Abigail,
Good luck with the wisteria. I used to live on Graham Rd, so know the area well. By the way, if you are still looking for colour intense abstract art, do come to my Open Studio. I posted an invitation to your Islington Shop recently with the details. I am in Walthamstow Village; a NE artistic enclave and conservation area that’s well worth a visit. Best – Lesley Hynes
Oh dear … chopping down wisteria is one of the biggest garden crimes and should not be allowed. They are so beautiful and can take a while to establish and flower but it’s worth getting one and then feeding it with lots of potash to help it along. Buy one already in flower as flowering can take a while. Jasmine is a very beautiful climber and is quite fast growing and smells divine. Annuals such as cobea scandens (cup and saucer vine) grow very quickly and will flower until first frosts and great for flower arranging (see Sarah Raven’s on-line shopping catalogue)!! They can be found in some garden centres already growing but can be grown from seed if you have the time. Morning glories also annuals cover walls for the summer fairly quickly, Good luck = you have my utmost symathy. Don’t forget honey suckles too – they grow fairly quickly.