A beautiful life
Cabbages & Roses has always been an expression of the things that I have found most enchanting. It is a manifestation of halcyon days, of summers spent picnicking in bucolic England, of rambling coastal walks overlooking seas twinkling in the evening light, and of winter nights curled up by a log fire with a pile of books and all the accoutrements of cosiness. Moreover, it has always been about friendship and about the gathering together of people, for ‘living life beautifully’ denotes not only one’s immediate aesthetic surroundings but a generosity of spirit and hospitality and the warmth that friends and family bring to a scene just by being there and taking part.
1. The cosiness of Christina’s cottage near Bath inspires and informs her business 2.The selection of simmer hats, antique oars and striped tops remind visitors of riverside picnics 3. The patio garden of Christina’s London apartment is an inviting spot, featuring a tablecloth in the new print, Amelia
I have always advocated that homes need to be filled with more than just lovely things. To be really beautiful, they must be lived-in, with the ‘things’ complementing the human stories that run through them.
4. Christina’s design assistant and protégé, Violet Buchanan, shares the Cabbages & Roses aesthetic, which can be seen in her delightful apartment, featuring striped and floral fabrics and vintage shelves 5. Artboxes by Christina’s friend Natalie Meyjes, are inspired by fairytales
When I first started Cabbages & Roses – without any idea of business, it must be conceded – it was always my maxim to sell only those things that I loved. Of course, this principle has meant having to bid sad farewells to pieces that come to feel like old friends at times. However, the joyful aspect of it as a guiding idea is that everything inevitably and invariably goes to homes in which they will be equally appreciated.
6. Christina’s design assistant and protégé, Violet Buchanan, shares the Cabbages & Roses aesthetic, which can be seen in her delightful apartment, featuring striped and floral fabrics and vintage shelves 7. Artboxes by Christina’s friend Natalie Meyjes, are inspired by fairytales Right: Violet’s brother Angus Buchanan, a set designer, has quirky details, such as plants in fire buckets, in his west London apartment
My new book is intended as an homage to some of those people I am fortunate to know, that I’ve been inspired by, and, moreover, who have had the courage to forfeit conventional wisdom and construct a life and work around their homes (mine grew, unequivocally, from my own vegetable patch; it could not be more homespun if it tried). I hope that this book will propel and encourage others who fantasise about creating a life informed and inspired by where they live and by the brilliant people that they know.
Cabbages & Roses: Living Life Beautifully, by Christina Strutt, with photography by Simon Brown, is published by CICO Books, priced £25.
1. The cosiness of Christina’s cottage near Bath inspires and informs her business 2.The selection of simmer hats, antique oars and striped tops remind visitors of riverside picnics 3. The patio garden of Christina’s London apartment is an inviting spot, featuring a tablecloth in the new print, Amelia I have always advocated that homes need to be filled with more than just lovely things. To be really beautiful, they must be lived-in, with the ‘things’ complementing the human stories that run through them.
4. Christina’s design assistant and protégé, Violet Buchanan, shares the Cabbages & Roses aesthetic, which can be seen in her delightful apartment, featuring striped and floral fabrics and vintage shelves 5. Artboxes by Christina’s friend Natalie Meyjes, are inspired by fairytalesWhen I first started Cabbages & Roses – without any idea of business, it must be conceded – it was always my maxim to sell only those things that I loved. Of course, this principle has meant having to bid sad farewells to pieces that come to feel like old friends at times. However, the joyful aspect of it as a guiding idea is that everything inevitably and invariably goes to homes in which they will be equally appreciated.
6. Christina’s design assistant and protégé, Violet Buchanan, shares the Cabbages & Roses aesthetic, which can be seen in her delightful apartment, featuring striped and floral fabrics and vintage shelves 7. Artboxes by Christina’s friend Natalie Meyjes, are inspired by fairytales Right: Violet’s brother Angus Buchanan, a set designer, has quirky details, such as plants in fire buckets, in his west London apartmentMy new book is intended as an homage to some of those people I am fortunate to know, that I’ve been inspired by, and, moreover, who have had the courage to forfeit conventional wisdom and construct a life and work around their homes (mine grew, unequivocally, from my own vegetable patch; it could not be more homespun if it tried). I hope that this book will propel and encourage others who fantasise about creating a life informed and inspired by where they live and by the brilliant people that they know.
Cabbages & Roses: Living Life Beautifully, by Christina Strutt, with photography by Simon Brown, is published by CICO Books, priced £25.