Flora and Fauna

Throughout the summer the impenetrable wall of flax stood tall between the cottage and the beach. It sheltered us from the wind and obscured the ever present threat of the sea. The pohutukawa arched overhead providing shade and softly scattered it’s circus red stamen amongst the pages of my book. A crowd of insects hummed above the carpet of dandelions which we didn't have the heart to mow and the bellbirds punctuated the lazy hours with their silvery chimes.
After feeling so nurtured by nature this summer it seems appropriate to reflect on the special role of nature in design and decoration.
Our setting at Haunt this month is reminiscent of a naturalist’s den.
The elegant Sheraton armchair is decorated with charming illustrative paintwork depicting arcadian floral designs in the rococo manner. The early 19th century French trumeau is unusually and whimsically encrusted with gilt moths whilst layered green paint clings like lichen to the iron table base below. The serpentine scrolls of the wrought iron confectioner's table recall those of an unfurling vine.
Ever since the walls of a humble cave in Lascaux were scribbled upon with decorative intent we have been using the inherent beauty of nature as our decorative palette. Nature provides an abundant lexicon of motif which we joyously employ to beautify the environments we dwell in.
We paper our walls with botanical prints, embellish textiles with floral embroidery and admire the deftly rendered natural images which decorate myriad furnishings throughout history. We invite the outdoors indoors and in doing so, one would hope, remind ourselves to take special care of this delicately balanced and infinitely complex natural world, this teeming festival of life, our planet, our home.