How to add Soft Industrial elements to your home: An Antique School Clock

Hello, you. Come on in out of the cold.

Well, I say out of the cold, but I do believe it's the feeling rather mild, in my little spot in the Cotswolds. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that I felt sunshine this week.

Real warmth on my back.

Although Mr Modern Country insists otherwise, I say that the 1st of March is the beginning of Spring. Which means that today is the last day of winter.

And look, here are some photos of one of my very favourite things. Ever.

Ever, ever, ever.

It's an antique school clock. A definite note of Soft Industrial.

 I love thinking of its previous life. I wonder how many children have looked at it longingly, waiting for hometime, willing those hands to move faster.

It's not a gigantic one like the pretties in my last post but it's certainly large by most clock standards.

Large enough to be a real statement, which is what I'd hoped for. Not a clock with a photo of rust stuck on it like my first attempt.

It's been lovingly restored by a specialist, and given snazzy new modern workings, while maintaining its outside wondrousness.

Yup, this baby has had its innards removed purposefully. All the cogs and whirrables are gone and have been replaced with a simple Quartz mechanism, accessed through the original hatch at the bottom. Which means there is much, much less to go wrong.

It has a mahogany outer casing with gorgeous brass detailing.

And I love the shape of the clock hands.

And, of course, I love the way the clock proudly declares that it was Made In London, England. 

I've had such a lovely morning today. All. On. My. Own.

Yes, the children are back to school. No one has chicken pox any longer.

I've had a good tidy up. A good read. A good bit of oboe practice. A potter in the garden. And now a lovely chat with you.

And all before lunch.

Busy. But in a languorously relaxing way. Just a bit of this and a bit of that. Whatever takes my fancy today.

I thought I needed a day or so to rest after quite a hectic few weeks, what with the holidays finished and spotty, ill little ones back to school.

So I plan on taking it easy all day.

Aaahhhhh.....

Well, at least until the hoardes come home.

Modern Country Christmas: Cinnamon & Heart Garland

Hi gorgeous! 

Look, I've put our first decoration up....

{Yes, just one. Don't laugh...it's a start, right?}

And it's not just any old decoration, you know, it's my heart and cinnamon wreath that I showed you how to make here, if you'd like a peep.

It has pride of place in our dining room.

{Notice it's up high...out of reach of little hands...}

Have you seen our dining room? I whizzed through it on here in a fit of blogging exuberance when it was first decorated a few months ago but I think in the New Year, I can show you in more detail.

{Would you like that?}

  

These photos were a nightmare to take.

It threw my camera into a tizz.

{And it threw me a bit too....}

The camera didn't know where to focus....in the mirror or out of the mirror...

I currently have a point and shoot Canon and, while it's great for what it is, it's thoroughly automated so it's hard to make manual adjustments for situations like this.

Let's just say there were a lot of photos in the edit pile...

Now, for Christmas, I hope to be getting a new digital SLR. I'm still unsure about which one to get. I would SO like to hear your recommendations.

  

How much should I spend? What features should I particularly look for? What should I avoid?

And most importantly...

What colour should it be?

{That was a joke...honest...}

But I'd be very grateful for your thoughts...

Anyway...back to the heart and cinnamon garland. I'm so pleased with how it looks there. I love this style for this time of year: simple, homely and warm. The smell of the cinnamon is gorgeous. Perfect for a Modern Country Christmas, don't you think?

I think I'll want to leave it there after Christmas.

{Do you think I could get away with that?}

No doubt I'll want to leave the tinsel up too.

And the lights...

Not to mention the tree...

I'm linking to my favourite parties in my sidebar.

Jan Constantine's Union Jack cushion

On my grandmother's settle in the dining room is a cushion. Not just any old cushion. It's a Jan Constantine Union Jack cushion! Wooooh!

Jan Constantine's cushions are lovely, lovely, gorgeous and scrumptious! Yes, I like them... A LOT! The Union Jack cushion is my favourite of all her lovely designs (although I am prepared to admit a slight bias given that I'm writing here in England!).

I admired this cushion for about three years before I took the plunge and bought it. I was worried my children would pick at it, you see. It is very pickable with its yummy blanket stitching so I would be somewhat sympathetic beneath my veneer of fury but so far all is well...

It is made from thick 100% wool felt and the quality really shows when compared to another supposedly 100% wool felt cushion I have. This is warm, luxurious and heavy.The other is considerably less weighty and slightly shiny. Not so good.

The colours are intensely pigmented. Rich dragon's blood red and gunmetal grey. This was the first ever high end Union Jack cushion I saw. Way before they were all the rage.

The intricate scarlet and white stitching is done by hand and is beautiful.

They are so soft and huggy, and not at all scratchy as you might think wool would be.

If you, too, are in love then check out her website for more objects of desire.

I love the whole Union Jack thang. But how much interior patriotism is too much? I saw another lovey Union Jack cushion today that caught my eye but I managed to walk away! Two or three bits, nice. Four or more, a bit tacky? What do you think?

Candlesticks.....

Did you notice any new additions to the dining room fireplace photos?

I'm guessing not, unless you are extremely observant, so I will spill the beans...

I am the proud owner of these two towering candlesticks. They have been cast using some kind of concrete-looking composite and are verrrry and comfortingly (for a fire-holder, at any rate) heavy.

I bought these at Relics, which is one of my favourite shops for browsing gorgeous paint colours. We got our radiator covers from there and occasionally they stock other home delights too. Relics even has a basket full of toys, should you be so foolish as to take your children in their while you browse (ahem...yes, that's me!).


I love their rough elegance.

I've been on the eye for some BIG candlesticks for a while, rejecting some for being too spindly and others for looking too 'country manor'. These definitely cling to to the industrial edge of Modern Country Style and are juuuuuust right!


Not that I am in any way encouraging the winter to come round faster buuuuut I am looking forward to having lots of candles lit in our dining room at Christmas time, spilling their warm glow over the four walls. Aaaaaaaah.....

Now I must stop before I got all watery-eyed and nostalgic!

Linking to Faded Charm's White Wednesday.

Fire, fire....

The fireplace in our dining room is a strange kind of beast. It was a gas fire attached to the wall with a to-orange pine fire surround also attached to the wall. There was no backing of any description so the gap between the fire and the surround was just plain wall, painted cream to look like a backplate. The previous owners had planned to tile the hearth and so the plinths (is that the right term?) of the surround had been raised to make room for the tiles, which were never laid.

So much, so wrong!

The pine surround was handmade and the fire was a good one so I wanted to keep them both if possible. I rather liked the existing grey stone hearth so we had the plinths (still not sure!) lowered to sit on the stone.

I didn't want any orange pine so paint the wood gloss white. Nice and crisp against the Gregory's Den walls.

The wall between the wood and the fireplace caused endless discussions (in my head!). Should it be the greyish colour of the walls? Or white to match the mantelpiece? Or...or.... *head explodes*

I decided on matte black and it's a choice that I'm soooo glad I plumped for. This is a room that we may structurally alter in the future so I was keen not to do work that we would then have to undo in the medium term. Often, that can mean ending up compromising but in this case it was a very workable solution. Hurrah!!

I'm linking this post to Metamophosis Monday and The Diy Showoff.. Come and join in!



 

Perfectly upcycled...

I adore these lamps, fashioned from large bobbins used in industrial mills. I love the beautiful patina, made possible only through years of use.

I love the fact that they have had years of hard, unseen work and now have had their beauty exposed for all to see.
The bobbin is solid wood with metal bands around the top and base.


Could there be a more fantastic example of upcycling? They suit their new function perfectly and have been given a whole new lease of life.


I bought them from the Country Living Fair but a quick search online brought up The Vintage Look and from this lovely shop where you can buy something very similar.


Completely scrumptious....

I'm linking up with Margo's Jumkin Journal Industrial Party.