Holly wood comes to Sydney

The fireplace in Jim and Robyn Holts dining area is stacked full of holly wood from Lynwood Farm (you'll see it below) - quite a cute thing as Jim is an actor and Robyn is Robyn Holt of The Renovators fame and currently appearing on The Circle (plus lots of other exciting things.......you'll have to google them both, there is too much to tell for a little one year old shi tzu).
The house is enormously stylish, not surprising considering Robyn's involvement in the magazine fashion & design world, and Jim's creativity and love of collecting.

THEY love going to visit the Holts - not only is the house full of inspiration, it's full of comfort, laughter and - as HE always says - seriously delicious things to eat, Jim is a great cook.

Robyn in front of a marvellous big jar of Autumn leaves........fabulous!

A formidable collection of fashion photographs, reflecting Robyn's years in the magazine industry.

You can see the holly wood here in the fireplace

The Holts have A LOT of pretty things bought back from their time spent in Russia during Robyn's tenure as CEO of Conde Nast there. How pretty is this china ?

Jim in the library - he is quite the Chekhov authority. 

Their beautiful courtyard. 

Robyn and Jim having tea in the courtyard with Cameron Kimber

The perfect sponge cake.......delish!

Autumnal leaves for the front door

de gournay

SHE says one of the most exciting days when THEY were building this house was when the de Gournay wallpaper went up in the guest loo /gents /cloakroom /powder room or whatever you like to call it. The vanity was copied exactly from a Georgian table but given longer legs. Pretty painted waste paper bin from Pigotts Store

The open top basket was bought from Sibyl Connolly in Dublin (years ago) immediately upon being told by Ms Connolly that Hubert de Givenchy  had bought a swath of these baskets. ............SHE insists SHE is not shallow!

bronte house

 My very tall and dark haired friends Georgie and Bronte live in what THEY think is the most wonderful garden in Sydney at Bronte House, an important colonial house made terribly pretty and comfortable by their mother Clare Strang. It's a winning combination; house, garden, pretty things, two handsome poodles and a warm welcome. The garden has been nutured and reinvigorated by the very clever Myles Baldwin.

Bronte and Georgie  

Clare with Georgie in the Drawing Room

Clare loves a birdie birdie - the garden is full of them, she thought she would also bring them inside. They are on trays, fabric, wallpaper and in porcelain - ALL totally beguiling.

Georgie and friend Zorro in the Pink Room with the most charming Cockatoo fabric by Brunschwig

Georgie sitting beside a pretty decoupage tray from  John Derian in New York. SHE says you  m u s t  check him out.

Sun room, fun room.

We all love the sun room. In the winter we lie on the underfloor heating which keeps us very snug........ keeps THEM very snug too I suppose . 

In the Summer the windows slide open with fly screens so it's nice and airy. The views in here are quite wonderful for THEM and I can keep a good close eye on whats happening outside too.

 HE and I always like to get a clear view up the drive to see when someone is coming.

HER newest favourite things are the beautifully written cook books by Nigel Slater. He is such a dear. THEY both love his eponymous TV show also.

I think I've told you before about Bella and pretty chairs

Here, close at hand, are HER fave gardening catalogues Frogmore Gardens and Lambley Nursery  

Bella and I are exhausted, today we have.....kept John company while trimming that nice straight hedge at the cottage (you can see it in the distance below); visited our neighbours cows and calves (don't tell THEM); gave that green rug on the sofa a good thrashing, then conked out in our favourite room. 

That's what Bella and I call a blissful day at Lynwood.

We think HE was hoping to conk out here too (note how the cushions are all ready) but we got there first !

Tall, blond and handsome

If you thought Rupert Brook was gorgeous (he of WW1 poetic fame, one of the gilded youth of England) wait until you meet my friend Brooks from Sydney.

Here Brooks shows that he is as elegantly languid as the original.

Brooks leads a very different life to me - apart from being taken for waterside walks, he is lucky enough to have two fathers ! Here is one of them, Simon Cary.

Here is his very chic drawing room.

I suspect the coffee table was especially designed for Brooks.

The perfect Sydney courtyard.

Will someone  p l e a s e  rub my tummy ?

and once again, another waterside walk in Sydney, this  time with his other father, Howard Steeves and below enjoying the beautiful Pittwater sunset. Imagine being taken to Palm Beach for the weekend !

I think Brooks knows he is on the way to visit me at Lynwood ! 

Have you ever seen such a wide smile ?

Finally home, exhausted !