London calling.

Finally!  In a move only I could do, I misplaced my laptop for just over a week.  Whatevs--I'm back in the saddle now.  

London was a really great trip.  We saw The Play That Goes Wrong and A Winter's Tale.  We hit the V&A Museum, the British Museum and the John Soane Museum.  We did some sight seeing and shopping.   Oh, and our hotel was lovely.

It was a Marriott in this building, the old County Hall.  It is freshly renovated and the wallpaper was perfection.  The bowlers and umbrellas lined the halls, the penguin covers were in the elevator lobby, and the map of London was in the room's entryway and bathroom.

Design highlights--

The floors at the V&A Museum made me want a worn-soft stone mosaic floor stat.  

The John Soane museum really is a must see (and its free).  

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and Liberty!!

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Arthur Liberty opened his shop during 1875 selling ornaments, fabric and objets d'art from Japan and the East.  The business grew and added furniture and carpets--the basement was known as the Eastern Bazaar--and later clothing.  Liberty is probably most famour for its art nouveau influence (fun fact--Art Nouveau is referred to as "Stile Liberty" in Italy) and its roll in the arts and crafts movement.  Mr. Liberty was pretty genius with designer collaborations, including William Morris (which is what I always think of).  

When London was decided on, I was dead set at making it to Liberty and grabbing some fabric.  (I also wanted a silk scarf, but couldn't swallow the $300.  Le sigh.)  

The cotton fabric at Liberty is so amazingly soft.  It is some proprietary weave that Liberty came up with to mimic silk but it is 100% cotton.  I bought some handkerchiefs, and a few yards to hoard.  (You can grab Liberty fabrics state-side at Purl Soho.)

[upholstery weight velvet]

There are 2 home floors, which were soooo good.  And very British.

I really wanted some pillows....

We also bought some flowers at the most adorbs shop on the street level there--I just told the florist what I liked, and told her I wanted to spend £20, and she whipped up a bouquet (a hostess gift--we were dining at a friends house that night).  Why aren't there any florist shops like that here? The selection was great (garden roses, anemones, wax flowers).  

Some of you probably remember the Liberty - Target capsule collection from a few years ago.  The current collab is with Uniqlo on the clothing side, and with Meri Meri for party ware!  I really want the Liberty puffer, and I could totally handle a little tea party playdate with all the adorable paper goods.

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Chat soon.