British Colonial Celebrations

My heart skipped a beat when I saw these images. Beautifully shot with a quintessential British Colonial meets Out of Africa Safari styling.

Just gorgeous, I've never seen a wedding (I'm presuming it's a wedding) styled like this - I love it.

I can easily spot key elements in these images that David Flint Wood

& India Hicks have used in their homes in a bid to capture a bygone age and give their

homes a hint of a grand historical past.

Note the silver candle sticks, elevated vase using an old book (clever styling trick if you need some height to a vignette), the silver trophy with roses and an old British Union Jack flag.

It looks like the occasion is set in an old barn, this gives the look a casual and rustic feel.

Silver trophies, old books, an old wine decanter used as a vase with roses, these little

vignettes tell a story of upper class English society that is now by and large resided to country estates and period dramas.

Besides being English myself, what I love about these images is their heady romantic and

nostalgic feel. Homage to a bygone era, re-creating the past is a little bit like dressing up for

grown ups. Such fun, such indulgence and the beauty about dressing up in this format is, that you can create and enjoy these still life wonders until you fancy dipping in again to the interiors

dressing up box.

Have to say the old leather picnic case set is divine.

Grand, yet accessible. Not pretentious at all, I love this. Simple, elegant and a little quirky of course, we English do this so well, we are indeed the original design twisters.

Note the beautiful roses in tea pots - so cute.

I can easily imagine these beautiful elements being incorporated into any tropical colonial look. Easy props to pick up at vintage stores, here's a shot of The Kings Retreat that my old friend David Flint Wood has created in the Bahamas - note the similar elements and the trade mark large palm leaves - delightful.

Happy Island Styling.