A Letter from Home

At last summer is in full swing… and come what may weatherwise, I intend to relish every minute. For years my husband and I would plan travels abroad with adventurous aims but something changed when we moved to our countryside home. Living where we do now, I can honestly say that every weekend feels like a little holiday. As one of my neighbours said, “why spend hours in airports when I have all this at home.” I do not pretend that I have lost my love of travel. But I do suspect that all those adventures (and age, of course) have helped me come to appreciate that there are few places as fine as England in which to experience the changing of the seasons.

Summer in England to me means breezy weather, open windows, and lush green gardens bursting with blooms; even if they do go hand in hand with a healthy splash of rain. And I believe our seasons also impact on the way we decorate our homes. While some countries live with fairly set interiors all year round, the English love to refresh and experiment and engage in a continual evolution. Discerning homeowners such as Vanessa Arbuthnott lead the way in showing how to use the uplifting effects of wallpaper to best effect while using bolder tones such as pinks and reds (as on page 54) echoes floral borders. However you invite the season indoors, I wish you a lovely summer.

With warmest regards

Kerryn Harper-Cuss, Editor