Chic Salvage

I was invited to a lovely Easter’s eve lunch at the home of a local decorator. I was the guest of someone, and only knew the host slightly, so obviously, had never been to his house or seen his garden.

It was love at first sight! It’s what I would do to my garden and my house, if I had the nerve, and the eye… and of course, the patience to wait out the process. To me, the garden says Rough Luxe, which is sort of my design ideal.

The gardens were a mix of formal plantings like the boxwoods above, but with an unexpected twist, like the blue gates pointing to a sculpture, and then leading out into the meadow beyond. I like this garden now, but I imagine I’d love it even more in June when it’s all leafy and green!

Or this classically shaped urn, standing on a rough pile of flagstones.

How about this painted chair, below a salvaged corbel on an old beam with vines growing up it?

The front entrance to the property is also interesting – the owner has used two old doors in lieu of a gate, but you still get the feeling of a gate.

Inside the gates is a small courtyard, with some personal artifacts, like this miniature Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile , and an old section of a garden gate with some rusted lanterns. I am sure that the new wood will age beautifully along with the rest of the wood..

One of the things that just charmed me was the espaliered evergreen magnolia!

I have never seen this done before and think it’s a great way to have a magnolia on a personal scale!

The owner used some of the magnolia and other branches to make a swag for a post in the garden.

The inside of the house was even more amazing, but I was a very polite guest and didn’t take pictures, or even ask to take pictures, although I know that the house has been published before!