Cotswolds Calling
Last winter we traded Houston for the English countryside, spending the holidays in the Cotswolds and ringing in the New Year surrounded by gardens, farmland, and centuries of history. The whole trip was picturesque and truly captured the Christmas spirit: slow mornings, storybook villages, and lots of time to simply take it all in. My cup was filled in every way.
I came home with one takeaway I keep returning to: that beauty so often lives in stillness and storytelling. Months later, that idea is still shaping my work, from the patterns I reach for to the table I designed this spring for Virginia Tablescapes. I'm so excited to finally share the places and details I haven't stopped thinking about since.
A leisurely morning in the Cotswolds with coffee in hand and nowhere we needed to be!
Centuries underfoot: stone floors checkered and softened by hundreds of years of use.
Design Inspiration
So much of what moved me was underfoot and overhead: stone floors checkered and softened by hundreds of years of use, honey colored limestone, timbered ceilings, rooms that wear their age proudly. Nothing felt precious or untouchable. The English are wonderful at letting patina do the talking, and it reminded me why I believe investments for the home should be made to grow old gracefully.
Pattern was the other thread. Hand-blocked florals, woven textiles from village makers, and layer upon layer of print used with such confidence. Those ideas followed me home and found their way into the table I designed for this spring's Virginia Tablescapes fundraiser in support of Little Hands Virginia. You can read about that table here.
Nose to the glass at the British Museum. My favorite kind of sightseeing!
Design inspiration at every turn: beautiful craftsmanship, gilded details, pieces made by hand, and pattern used with such confidence. I came home with pages of notes!
The Thyme Hotel
Our home in the Cotswolds was Thyme, a family-run estate that greeted us with an immersive experience shaped by nature and centuries of history. Black sheep roam the meadow as you drive in, and the welcome only grows warmer from there. The dewy air in the mornings and the brisk cold in the evenings kept us near a rolling fire in every corner of the estate, with the familiar aroma of oak and apple wood smoke clinging to our coats at the end of each day. Between the food, the gardens, and the company of fellow guests ringing in the New Year, our stay was nothing short of hospitable and memorable.
As a designer, I was especially taken with the work of founder Caryn Hibbert. Her collection of hand-blocked floral and woodland prints, each inspired by her own watercolors, appears throughout the estate, from wallpaper to upholstery to bed linens. The care she has poured into every detail is felt in every room, and it is a beautiful lesson in what happens when a home tells one story. I was delighted to bring a few of her prints home with me.
A look around Thyme, our home away from home: the coziest library, centuries-old beams, and rooms layered in the softest tones. Collected over time, never overdone. My kind of place.
Tucked into the gardens at Thyme, where weathered edges only add to the charm.
A Few of Our Favorite Stops
In Stow-on-the-Wold we visited St. Edward's Church to see its famous yew-tree door. As a longtime fan of The Lord of the Rings, I was thrilled to learn the door is said to have inspired the Doors of Durin, and even more thrilled to realize we were standing in the very spot. A short drive brought us to Burford for lunch at The Lamb Inn, featured in the Michelin Guide, and all the storybook charm that village has to offer, from antique shops to galleries. We wandered the grounds of Warwick Castle, and back at Thyme, a warm coffee at the Ox Barn was a small pleasure all its own.
We barely scratched the surface of the region, and I am already keeping a list for a return visit, ideally when the gardens are in full bloom.
Wandering the grounds of Warwick Castle, where every turret seems to have a story to tell.
Well fed and well caffeinated: a Michelin Guide lunch at The Lamb Inn in Burford, then a slow coffee at the Ox Barn back at Thyme. The Cotswolds took good care of us.
Bibury
We visited many villages, but Bibury in Gloucestershire left the most lasting impression. We spent an afternoon learning about the local history and craft traditions, and I fell hard for the work of the makers there. A few purchases were shipped home, including a swan vase by Louise and Colin Hawkins, the artists behind Loco Glass. Supporting local artists is something I carry into my work at home, and it felt just as important an ocean away. Every handmade piece we brought back holds the story of the person who made it, and that is exactly the kind of thing that makes a house feel like a home.
One Last Stop: London
The final leg of our trip was a scenic drive to London for a few more days of theatre, galleries, and museums. The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert were pure design study for me, and I came home equally inspired and rejuvenated. If this adventure taught me anything, it’s to leave room in every project, and every season, for the pause. The best homes, like the best trips, need a little unhurried space to breathe. More soon on where all of this inspiration is headed!
