Nancy Lancaster's Yellow Room and Bowie at Sotheby's

I heard that the Colefax and Fowler Mayfair office which was the home to Nancy Lancaster was going to shut down during summer so I made a point of going to see it before I went away on holiday.
These are the pics I took in June.

This two pics are the room just before you enter the famous yellow room on the 1st floor.

As this is an actual showroom for the antique division of the design firm, this famous Yellow Room tends to always look so different.  ( Please click on link for other pictures by another visitor.)

This corner is on the ground floor and what doesn't come across very well is the trim and the execution of the fabric covered walls.

This is the latest window by Charlotte Olympia.

So I thought today I had to go to see the famous yellow room one more time.

They had this sign out and the lady inside says that it will close around October so if you are in London please do go and have a look around as one isn't sure what it will become after the showroom closes.

I took some more random photos for your viewing.

This room is on the ground floor and I am not sure what its original purpose used to be.

My friend and I got to go into the garden which is usually closed off but as it has been so hot the last few days they had opened the doors.

This space is not special on its own merit but more wondrous when taking into account the location.

Some lovely garden furniture and accessories also available for sale.

This staircase is the rear entrance from the garden to the famous yellow room.

Once again the yellow room looking different but yet always the same.
There is a sale being held in the showroom so it is holding a lot of product.

But still beautiful.

I took a friend for a tour after lunch with me and as expected she loved it.

We also went to have a look at the David Bowie pieces at Sotheby's.

His pictures on the wall were beautiful and I now forget who they were taken by.

His art was surprisingly bourgeois and wouldn't have looked out of place at a wealthy white collar worker's home.

Sorry for the slack editing but if I try and make it look professional which this blog isn't then I wouldn't publish it and there are times when I just want to share some posts I think some of you may like without me yapping as I have nothing to add except for - ain't it lovely!

Have a lovely weekend x

Lovely London Day Out

I was only going to have a quick morning coffee with a friend.
But then I thought while I was in the area I would go to West Elm. The American store opened less than a year ago and I hadn't had the chance  to check out their furniture.  I got their catalog and wanted to see a mid century bar cart with brass legs in person.

I wanted to buy the cardboard white decorations but 
they weren't for sale.   Why is it that half the time
 I just want what isn't for sale in the stores?

The scale of all the items were so big and definitely for American homes as the bar cart was the size of some European dining tables.

We then went next door to Heal's and saw this dog bone bench.
The colorful seating for childern next to it was nice and 
thought it might make nice chairs for parties but 
it didn't carry a child like price tag.

Managed to leave the stores without a purchase and decided that we were hungry and headed to Soho through Bedford Square which at one stage was a new build housing development over a hundred years ago of course.

After lunch we decided to have another quick coffee and general chit chat about life while people watching
at the outside table at the legendary Bar Italia which was made easier with overhead outdoor heating.

The shot of caffeine would have been wasted going home so we decided to head to the Moroni exhibition at the Royal Academy 
but en route decided to check out the latest addition to the 
Firmdale group of hotels - the Ham Yard Hotel.

If you haven't been - run don't walk.

As with most hotels of this group they tend to have a comfy library area with an honesty bar.

The owner of the hotel group Kit Kemp is also an interior designer so she always add her own touch to the decor. The ikat lamp shade for the library ladder floor lamp is fun.