I might not have been to the manor house born, but that’s never stopped me from being “a princess and the pea” kind of girl.  Luxury is my middle name and when I travel I like nothing more than to be pampered and preened over in a manner to which I’d like to grow accustomed.  Traveling over 2 weeks of every month around England and Europe with my antique shopping tour company The Antiques Diva & Co, I’ve slept in hundreds of beds across Britain and the continent.  And perhaps none have been as welcoming and comfortable or as down-right unpretentiously luxurious as The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club in Castle Combe.

This 48-room hotel divided amongst a stately country house and a series of stone cottages and mews is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group.  Surrounded by 365 acres of secluded parklands, an Italian garden and an 18-hole Peter Alliss-designed golf course, The Manor House had me at hello.

The building dates back to the 14th Century and if these walls could talk they would tell tales of the 17th century fires which ravaged its halls, Jacobean plots, and would even divulge details of a dalliance with William Shakespeare.  It’s rumored that Falstaff, the most intriguing character in the play Henry IV, was based upon the real life Lord of The Manor House Sir John Falstaff himself.  Hidden amongst the 18th century friezes in the drawing room is a carved bust of this lovable rogue.

Recent guests are just as enchanting as those of yesteryear.  Care to sleep in a bed vacated by Jude Law? Or Gwyneth Paltrow?  Perhaps you’d rather pull yourself up to the bar in the very same oak-paneled room where Margaret Thatcher wrote her memoir? Staying in hotels where the possibility of bumping into a celebrity on a discreet getaway always catches my fancy. While gourmet dining in the hotel’s Michelin-starred Bybrook Restaurant, named after the river crossing the estate, my eyes scanned the room in search of Madge or Kate.  I wasn’t picky – any celebrity would do.  I’d just missed the entire crew from Steven Spielberg’s film War Horse who’d literally taken over the entire property and village during the filming of last year’s epic hit.  Of course this wasn’t the first time the property had smiled for a Golden Globe debut.  Ever since The Manor House appeared in the 1967 classic Dr Doolittle, Hollywood has had its eyes on Castle Combe.

Situated on the southern-most edge of the Cotswolds, Castle Combe is one of the prettiest villages in England with its honey colored stone houses and archetypical gently rolling hills, The Manor House Hotel & Golf Club is so quintessentially English, so warm and inviting, that a slumber in their hallowed halls makes anyone feel like they were to the manor house born.

More information about The Manor House Hotel & Golf Club can be found at www.manorhouse.co.uk or via email at enquiries@manorhouse.co.uk  Or read my recent article in Antique Shops & Designers magazine issue #9.

Toma Clark Hanies
The Antiques Diva®
If you have inquiries on our Antique Shopping Tours ~ click here

It's National Flag Day today and in the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.  In celebration we thought it would be fun to show this Pictorial State Flower Wall Map up for grabs along with other Wall Art items available

Rare circa 1900 wall map of the United States and it's State Flowers that has been lovingly reproduced on canvas - 49 states with the exclusion of Hawaii are all represented ~ Brilliant colors and fine rendering ~ Overall size: 24"h x 36"w  Features 2 brass grommets - one on either end at the corners and stitched edges.

Happy Flag Day!

Sometimes it can be hard to find inspiration, when I have one of those days I often turned to nature.
What a better way to find inspiration then MotherNature…she offers an endless amount of inspiration
for color, pattern and textures. So next time you are looking for inspiration for a paint color, a
couch texture or accessories and you find yourself stumped, turn to nature you might be surprised what you find.
At Second Shout Out we have lots of vintage and antique items that are part of "mother Nature",
beautiful old coral and clam shells, to natural turtle shells, and old weathered planks from the l
ong island shore made into fun bright summer reclaimed signs.

Source for Photos: Pinterest & Tumblr

Francisca Wolters
Vintage Lifestyle Contributor
Visit Bee and Mason's vintage home accents

Gustavian style is marked by grayed pastels, lots of whites and creams, painted furniture, clean simple lines, and fabulous lighting.  Swedish Country style is Gustavian, but at it’s most informal.  Lots of whites and lots of rustic. This style is rather austere and not overly ornamented.  Lots of leggy furniture, bleached wood, and reflective surfaces/mirrors.  The more formal version of Gustavian features a bit more color, lots of reflective surfaces, and crystal chandeliers. What kind of fabrics, you ask?  Linen, raw silk, and simple checked cotton. With the exception of the occasional light floral, checks are the only patterns used in the Gustavian or Swedish style.

What appeals to most about the Gustavian style is the dramatic juxtaposition between the informal and the formal, the comfortable and the refined,  the elegant and the rustic.  And the gorgeous chandeliers, of course!  This week  you will be able to shop this beautiful Antique Swedish and Gustavian collection, every piece is authentic antique and ships from Sweden so please allow 4 to 6 weeks arrival.  Below is a preview of whats to come.

Antique and Vintage Furniture
Vintage Lifestyle Destination