TWO Book Reviews: Shades Of Grey And New Small Garden

Have you been good this year?!! Are you looking for Christmas present ideas? Here are my last two Modern Country book recommendations for your Christmas list this year.. I have one for inside and one for outside!

The first is Shades of Gray by Kate Watson-Smyth (published by Ryland, Peters and Small). Now I have to be honest and say that when I first heard of this book, I was tempted to roll my eyes: Not another person getting on the grey bandwagon....but then I actually saw it for myself and was utterly converted! Please give it a try!

Imagine all your favourite Modern Country Style interior photos in one place, with specific paint ideas, advice and inspiration....that's Shades Of Grey in a nutshell. 

There's very little boring grey in here (which is what initially worried me) but there is LOTS of gorgeous, subtle greyed hues. Plus plenty of description of real paints, leading you to want to read every last word to make sure all inspiration is squeezed from the pages.

The second book is utterly lovely Amazon bestseller New Small Garden by Noel Kingsbury (photographs by Maayke de Ridder). This is published by Frances Lincoln who have produced so many completely gorgeous gardening books. 

New Small Garden has all you'd expect in a book about gorgeous small gardens - plant list, top tips, stunning photos.....BUT what I think marks it out from the crowd is the quality of the ideas. Noel Kingsbury's knowledge is vast and he shares it very generously.

There are so many tips I'll be taking and using as we plan and design our own garden. There are charts comparing plants' seasonal performances, for example, helping you to minimise the amount of time you have deteriorating foliage on show. Then are masterclasses to teach you about plants' structure over time. 

In a small garden, it's vital that you make every square inch count and New Small Garden really takes that idea to the next level by teaching you how to effectively layer plants. 

Shades Of Grey and New Small Garden are two very different books but both utterly Modern Country. Click through to Amazon now - You'll love 'em!!

Farrow and Ball front doors Christmas Style!

Aaaah, yes, my lovelies, we must take a foray into the golden world of Christmas front doors painted with Farrow and Ball colours. When decked with seasonal decorations and surrounded with festive finery, the Farrow and Ball paints make these front doors come into a whole new life of their own.... (click the links to be taken to my own Farrow and Ball paint colour case studies)...

These first few Christmas front doors are in Farrow and Ball Pigeon, a colour that works beautifully on front doors, giving a soft grey-green effect.

Next up is Farrow and Ball Railings, which is perfect for defining lovely wreaths hanging on front doors at this Christmassy time of year...

Farrow and Ball French Gray always appear MUCH lighter when used externally; for example on these gorgeous front door, French Gray reads as a very pale green. Be warned!! Farrow and Ball paint colours change drastically in sunlight!

If the dark hues of Railings scare you off, and you want something a little more contemporary for your Christmas front door, consider Farrow and Ball Down Pipe. 

Farrow and Ball Powder Blue is a classic case of a very strong colour when used internally, reading as a gorgeous muted shade on a sunlit front door....

And lastly, for a classic Christmas Farrow and Ball front door look, try Farrow and Ball Card Room Green....

All these Farrow and Ball paint shades look gorgeous on Christmas front doors, don't they? But have I left out any of your favourite Farrow and Ball colours? Let me know....

Images via:

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Twelve Christmas Front Door Ideas!

Wasn't the Walnut Farm Christmas front door gorgeous? Here's another version of that festive front door loveliness...

And, you lucky things, here are twelve more gorgeously festive Christmas front door ideas for you....

So whether you're going with a wreath...

...lanterns...

...fairy lights...

...baubles aplenty....

...or a full on Santa outfit!!....

....may your front door be as merry and bright as these this Christmas!

Images via:

Follow Modern Country Style's board Christmas: Modern Country on Pinterest.

Christmas At Walnuts Farm!!

You must have come across this gorgeous home - it's been in so many magazines. It's called Walnuts Farm, owned by Bella and Nick Ivins, who have just had a fantastic new book published, called The New Homesteader (published by Ryland Peters & Small, photography by Nick Ivins), all about creating a self-sufficient home farm, growing your own produce and raising livestock.....and its a cracker!

As you might expect from such a commercially savvy pair, this isn't your run-of-the-mill book about farming. This is farming Modern Country Style! Just take a look at the outside of the farmhouse, painted with Farrow and Ball Pigeon, and beautifully decorated for Christmas.....

The New Homesteader is packed with gorgeous recipes...

...photos of the whole house and garden to drool over... 

...and Bella and Nick Ivins' own story, this book will keep you going for a long, long time....

Images via Walnuts Farm

Book Reivew: Farrow and Ball How To Decorate

Living, as we do, in a period home that is most definitely a project in progress, I'm always on the lookout for the most gorgeous, most inspirational, most beautiful books for me to devour, and, happily, I can then pass the details of the best of those on to you - just in time for Father Christmas to pick them up for your stocking!

Today, I bring you Farrow and Ball's new book How To Decorate. As a girl obsessed with paint colours, this is way up there in my dream book category.

Floor in the delicious Farrow and Ball Shaded White

Farrow and Ball Railings gives a sultry look

Typical of all Farrow and Ball's products, How To Decorate exquisitely presented, with a mix of glossy photographs, brown paper info pages and incredibly informative text but it's in no way just a collection of pretty pictures. 

French kitchen in Farrow and Ball Black Blue and Manor House Gray

Farrow and Ball Cinder Rose with Black Blue accent door

The authors, Charlotte Cosby (Head of Creative) and Joa Studholme  (Colour Expert), clearly know exactly what they are talking about so that the book doesn't feels like an extended Farrow and Ball advertorial.

Walls in Farrow and Ball Nancy's Blushes

Farrow and Ball Ammonite with woodwork in Mole's Breath

Their depth of knowledge and enthusiasm for the power of colour is infectious. I guarantee that you'll find yourself wanting to pick up a paintbrush before you've finished the first chapter!

Woodwork in Farrow and Ball Drop Cloth, walls in Shadow White

Kitchen in Farrow and Ball Breakfast Room Green

Divided into three parts: Where To Start (looking at factors that should influence your decisions), The Manual (which colours look best where and why) and The Directory (technical information), this will be a book that you dip into again and again and again. How To Decorate has been published to coincide with Farrow and Ball's 70th anniversary, this is a brand that has earned its stripes.