A spot of Arts and Crafts
Feeling far perkier this morning. A perfect English August Bank holiday. Warm sun a blue skies over the green Sussex countryside that Lorraine drove us through on the way to Standen House and Gardens. This is a national trust property called The Arts and Crafts family home. It was the last one built by Philip Webb and William Morris's firm of designers. It is the last in a line that starts with the Red House in Bexleyheath that Bob used to look after, and I stayed at one fateful night many years ago. A beautiful property with breathtaking grounds, that is well worth revisiting. Made us both wish we were busy and had us indulging in fantasies of decorating a new place. The gardens extensive and mysterious. Kept imagining privileged Victorian children wandering about in the grounds having E. Nesbit style adventures. The house lovely, but a bit airless. Full of lovely objects, and art prints, particularly Japanese ones, and Morris & Co. textiles and wall hangings. A gorgeous...