INTRODUCING THE KATIE ALICE SUMMERHOUSE
A collaboration with Scott’s of Thrapston that launched this week at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. I started working with Scott’s last year when they asked me to style their summerhouses at the 2014 Chelsea Flower Show, and after a successful summer of shows for them I was very happy to be asked to work together on creating a summerhouse under my own name this year. The Katie Alice summerhouse is a lovely garden building where you can make the most of it’s versatile 3 meter space in whichever way suits your needs. It makes a fantastic work space or outdoor dining area and could also be used as a yoga or excise room – or anything you fancy really! It’s large, leaded windows let in lots of light and along with the hand-forged black iron fittings give rustic character. Inside the cream walls and high open ceiling also painted in cream, give a wonderful light and airy feel and make it a thoroughly relaxing place to spend time.
ESCAPE TO YOUR SUMMERHOUSE AND LEAVE THE INTERRUPTIONS OF EVERYDAY LIFE TO WAIT FOR YOU WHILE INDULGING IN THE GENTLE SOUNDS OF THE OUTSIDE.
One of my favourite parts of this project was styling the summerhouse ready for the photoshoot and for Chelsea. I wanted to show people my vision for how the space could be used. Vintage shopping was obviously one of the first things on my list so I borrowed a van and dragged my boyfriend up to Lincoln on a Bank Holiday Monday to trawl around the show ground and look at what some people see as a load of old junk all day! Some of my favourite finds were the old French cot which I used as a day bed, a handprinted milk tile with a white wisteria design on it and an old doorframe which I planned to mount onto the wall as a feature.
I also wanted to mix up the vintage with a bit of new as I’ve always felt you can ‘over-vintage’ things. So I picked up the lovely duck egg blue desk lamp from Homebase and my most favourite new thing – the gorgeous chunky knit throw from Lauren Aston who I met at the Country Living Spring Fair back in March. (I’m currently trying to figure out how many of her chunky-knit throws I could squash into my house before it starts to look weird.) I mixed in some Katie Alice products like the large stoneware jug which is a great all year round flowers jug and the new photo frames. And obviously I put some plates on the wall, because lets face it – I always put some plates on the wall.
I also think it’s nice to make some items for your summerhouse where you can – I finally treated myself to one of John Lewis’ funky coloured sewing machines last month and made some cushions which also match the fabric in the photo frames. And I made some lovely rope hanging planters to house my growing indoor plant obsession.
For more information on the Katie Alice summer house you can head over to the Scott’s of Thrapston website where you can also download the full brochure.