Catherine

The famous British interior designer, William Morris, stated, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” I grew up in houses full of stuff. Having travelled and lived in different cultures, countries and cities, my parents amassed an adhoc collection of original African masks and beads, English china including Toby jugs and mixed it with other collections such as Italian ruby red glassware. And they continue to collect. My mother has a Welsh dresser absolutely full

Christian Dior stated that,"white is pure and simple and matches with everything'. There are apparently over 1000 different shades of white from what our French painter called 'l'hopital blanc' to warm ivory tones and various tints and hints of blue, grey and pink. White is generally seen as symbolising purity, cleanliness and serenity. However; it can add a sterile and cold feel to a space leaving it stark and depressing. The featured photograph is from Neptune, a wonderful interior supply store that uses a warm ivory white against soft beiges and taupes with great effect.   What Shade of

Like most people, I love the idea of a big house with lovely open space but we seem to fill it with more 'stuff'! A chic New York one-bedroom apartment for five years was the game-changer as they say in the US. We had to give away lovely furniture and decor to be able to accommodate what we had. Fast forward, and we bought a larger two-bedroom German apartment and for a while, loved the room to move. After two years, it felt as if we were rattling around the place and starting to fill it with things again.

Next week's weather is autumnal - when a strange melancholy arrives as leaves drop and the sun weakens as if apologising for losing interest. Winter coats are appearing in store window displays accompanied by socks, boots, hats and gloves. Most of us are crying ... Nooooo! Not being a fan of the dark and damp, I seek to create what the English call, a 'cosy' interior atmosphere or the Germans call 'bequem'. This doesn't mean you have to go for deep browns and greens, unless you love them and also if they are important according to Feng Shui practice -

With the Amazon forests burning and the ice caps prematurely melting, we need to honour Mother Nature. I am trying to reduce my use of plastic - not easy and I think before I buy that t-shirt and recycle where I can. Considering that a fundamental rule of Feng Shui is to declutter, it is also about our throw-away society, something I have also been guilty of. One friend is teaching us about non-plastic alternatives, another about re-using fashion and avoiding non-biodegradable fabrics. It may seem like the latest fad but it aligns with the harmony of yin and