Porch Envy, Leather Laundry Bins, The Big Squeeze, Giant Grape Lamps, Brick Moulds & Chapati Boards!

Porch Envy, Leather Laundry Bins, The Big Squeeze, Giant Grape Lamps, Brick Moulds & Chapati Boards! We arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, just after hurricane Dorian had swept out of town and were very happy to see that the damage appeared to be minimal. Neat piles of branches and a few sandbags the only evidence that she had passed through - they are very organised in these parts! The Southern states are sub-tropical and I have never felt humidity like it - the air is stifling and I am just about getting used to feeling damp every minute! The architecture in the historic district of downtown Charleston is stunning - huge wooden houses with wrap-around porches on every level, supported by neo-classical columns, abound. Substantial yet elegant, I definitely have porch envy!   Shop Now - Leather Laundry Basket - £235.00 Just before I left we received our first consignment of leather laundry baskets, which are a luxury but I beg your indulgence for a moment while I explain. I actually purchased one of these - in chestnut  - for my own bathroom about 8 months ago. I have hitherto only owned the raffia/cane variety however when I discovered these gorgeous, chic, leather boxes complete with washable lining, I had to own one. Now they are expensive and I could have managed perfectly well with my old one however I had just had the bathroom redecorated and laid a new marble tiled floor in cream and so this was to be the icing on the cake. I have not regretted this purchase for a moment - one uses a laundry basket constantly and this is the finest that money can buy. It brings me joy on a daily basis and what else can one say? And so I have decided to share my happiness and offer these sublime, yet practical beasts at Roullier White in a choice of either black of chestnut. They are large - so big enough for a family - and will house two sets of bedding without a murmur. They are sturdy, minimal and totally chic and, for design enthusiasts like me, they will add a certain je ne sais quoi to your interior. Shop Now - Glass Lemon Squeezer - £12.00 I have been searching for an American style juice squeezer for decades. The classic 1940's design is utilitarian and made from thick class with a squeezer on top and jug beneath with measurements stamped into the sides for when one is following a recipe. Importing something like this from the US is simply too costly as the shipping, duty and dollar conversion make them ridiculously expensive so I had quite given up hope. However this week my prayers were answered as I found the perfect example - in Denmark of all places! It is everything that I have ever wanted and the perfect lemon/orange/lime squeezer, with classic good looks teamed with practical, efficient design. The juice goes straight into the jug and is ready to pour - I can't quite believe my luck!! Shop Now - Recycled Glass Grape Lamps - Large - From £250 We had a slight mix-up this week when the order for our 'grape cluster glass lamp's (from the Syrian glassworks just outside Damascus) was mixed up on route and we received a new giant sized version instead! Fortunately these are absolutely spectacular and the size of a small dog and so I have decided that this was meant to be and placed them in the window. These statement pieces can be used as both a table lamp or hung from the ceiling as a pendant light (they have an integral hook for this) and really scream style. Shop Now - Glass Candle Holder - Choice of 4 Colours - £20.00 Things are still very hard in Syria however the families are doing well and we get regular updates which is lovely. I have added two new colour-ways - a stunning and rather purist minimal clear glass lamp and an opulent combination of berry, green and amber 'glass grapes'. They have also designed a beautiful single glass candlestick holder in rich colours of green, aqua and yellow which will look divine in the evenings now that the nights are beginning to draw in. Shop Now - Brick Mould With Handle - £17.00 I was thrilled to discover a company importing vintage Indian artefacts recently and we have just taken delivery of the first tranche this week. I have chosen the most beautiful brick moulds which were used to make clay bricks but are little works of art in their own right. Made by hand, use them for plants, bathroom accessories like soap and sponges, for condiments and sauces on the table or basically for anything else that your imagination dictates. Each is completely unique and has been used to create a home somewhere on the subcontinent! Shop Now - Wooden Chapati Board - £24.00 Another magical purchase are our chapati boards. These very thick, round boards are used to fashion the circular chapati flatbread that is a staple of Indian cuisine. Each one is again unique and bears the patina of years of daily use. I think these are incredibly special and I like to think of the family that has used it before me. I am simply a custodian. We are now in Savannah, a laid back city with a rather gothic beauty as all the oak trees are dripping with Spanish Moss. This is neither Spanish nor moss but actually a member of the pineapple family and has a symbiotic relationship with these ancient trees - some as old as 250 years here! I adore the incredibly good manners and kindness of the people of The South - if you want to cross the road (anywhere at all) people will just stop their cars and wave you across and I have yet to hear a car horn! I had imagined this laid back gentility to be consigned to the history books however it is alive and well and much appreciated our party. We are travelling across to one of the islands today to enjoy the beach and to swim and then we have reservations at a wonderful restaurant specialising in the local 'low country' cuisine where I hope to try Catfish and Hoppin' John. I have already enjoyed a rather posh version of grits, which was lovely, and she-crab soup which contains a lot of sherry and cream! My favourite Southern delicacy so fat is Coconut Cream Pie which is so delicious it should carry a health warning! Have a smashing w/e and I shall write to you from Atlanta next w/e with news of some local, East Dulwich, talent debuting here in Georgia!  So, as they say in these parts, it's time to put the chairs in the wagon! Michaelx Copyright © *2017* *Roullier White LTD*, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 125 Lordship Lane East Dulwich London SE22 8HU Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list View this email in your browser