Foyers

Perhaps because I've lived in so many cold and rainy climates, I've always appreciated foyers as rooms of their own--even when they're really nothing more than a glorified hallway. Now that the trees on my street are shedding at a surprising rate and the temperature is showing signs of dropping, my appreciation for these little spaces is renewed. They are the home's place of greeting, the first point of respite from harsh weather conditions outdoors, and a place to drop keys and kick off heavy boots. I think it's a shame that so much new construction relegates these spaces to the back of the house and renames them "mudrooms". When foyers are treated as rooms worthy of good furniture and a few choice accessories, their charm is increased by the disarray that stray coats and shoes invite. 

Images: The Comforts of Home by Caroline Clifton-Mogg, published by Ryland, Peters & Small 2010. Country Living magazine, October 2010 issue. BBC Homes & Antiques magazine, June 2010 issue. Living etc magazine, August 2010 issue. Inside Out magazine, volume 3.

Film Interiors: Wimbledon

The perfect prescription for a dull Sunday afternoon, Wimbledon is the story of rising tennis star Lizzie (Kirsten Dunst) and aging player Peter (Paul Bettany) who fall in love amid the competitive atmosphere of the games. Though much of the film takes place on the court and in hotel rooms, the small glimpses that we're given into Peter's life (his apartment under renovation and his family's house) leave me wanting to see more. His childhood home in Brighton (above) is the quintessential English country house that combines formal style with a hint of messiness to keep it from being cold. 

The kitchen is clearly the heart of this house, with its large hutch full of blue and white plates. Mom Augusta arranges the day's flower pickings from the garden.

A gorgeous stone fireplace in the dining room -- the mantel covered in silver pieces and pottery.

The tree house -- dad Edward's temporary living quarters.

Peter keeps an apartment in his hometown which seems to have undergone a lot of renovation and then stalled (perhaps because of a losing streak in his career). His living room and kitchen are the only finished rooms, with the rest half lived in and half in boxes.

The first shot of Peter's apartment shows that he has some great pieces to make for a cool space -- French bistro chairs, stained glass lanterns, a whitewashed dresser.

Salvaged etched glass doors and a wooden coat stand continue the French touches.

A file cabinet separates the bedroom from the living room. 

From the bedroom side, we see that the living room is one space that is no longer in transit. A cute corner cabinet and accessories -- such as the pair of vases -- make the room complete.

Here are a few items on the market now (though some of them are more wish-list picks than anything else) that share the essence of their inspiration pieces in Peter's apartment and in his childhood home.

The Riviera Chair from TK Collections.

A multi-colored glass lantern from Place Bellecour.

A French cartonnier or file cabinet from Olivier Fleury Inc.

A trio of bottles from New Dominion Blues.

An open hutch from Cottage Chic.

(Film Images are the property of Working Title Films. Production Designer: Brian Morris. Set Decorator: Caroline Cobbold.)