Sunday, January 31, 2010

Dorset, UK: The New Forest

We left for Dorset earlier this week for a 3 day getaway. The first day we spent walking in The New Forest, an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land Like much of England, the New Forest was originally woodland, but parts were cleared for cultivation from the Bronze Age onwards. The New Forest was created as a royal forest by William I in about 1079 for the private hunting of mainly deer. It was created at the expense of more than 20 small settlements/farms The New Forest Pony is one of the indigenous horse breeds of the British Isles, and is one of the New Forest's most famous attractions. They are everywhere wandering the forest and are quite tame (in that they don't run away when you walk by).

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Artist: Antony Micallef

Here are 3 portrait artists whom I quite like. Marlene Dumas... Yuko Nasu... and Antony Micallef...

Monday, January 18, 2010

Victoria and Albert Museum

The V&A has just opened up its new Renaissance and Medieval wing.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Reclaimed Goods

We have begun our purchasing of reclaimed pieces that we will put back in our house. There are different sites that people get rid of stuff on for a varying range of prices and reclaim shops. We sit and wait for good stuff for cheap! Yesterday we bought this cast iron bedroom fireplace. I thought it was one of the prettiest I had seen out there, and definitely the cheapest! The owner had bought and restored it for one of his bedrooms that lost the fireplace when his loft went in. It is currently leaning against the wall so we will have to knock the hole out of the wall where the original fireplace has been bricked over. I also discovered a great article about a woman who had restored a Victorian house and runs it as The Victorian Villa Bed and Breakfast. I love the shots of some of the rooms and the fireplace and wardrobe in the room above. She calls this room her "Pink Room" at the B&B. I had never seen such a large fireplace with a mirror above. Then I found this for very cheap on a used site. I am not sure about it yet...whether the look is too much or not. Next I found these 6 Victorian chairs along with... this Victorian table. I had seen that somewhere before. I found this painting by Sir John Lavery of The Prime Minister at Lossiemouth, 1933. Same table. Not sure about that either. I think the long wooden table in the blog before is more practical for a narrow terrace house. I do love this picture I found of a traditional Victorian kitchen. I had talked it over with Nigel about having a big range cooker and a large wooden table as a work surface, but we both agreed the counter space would hide the dishwasher and washing machine. Hey, I might like the look, but the Victorian era took an immense amount of labour to run a house! This is the B&B's kitchen and more the feel we will probably have with a range cooker and wood tops. And this in their dining room! And of course a Belfast sink (like the one pictured above). Ours of course was very cheap because it came ripped out of a house that was having all the original features torn out. Nigel has decided to keep the beers in it. I have just found a pair of these chandeliers for very cheap. I think we might nab those if we can! And this for £4! Not too close to us though. Hmmm. That might take half a day to reach. I like the traditional Victorian cluttered decor look, but have realised in a small house minimalist is the key to feeling like you have space. We are still on the lookout for our cast iron bath and two high water cisterns for our toilets.