5 ways to inject colour into September
and live in the moment in this beautiful month
September is one of my favourite months of the year. Here in the UK we still have some remnants of summer remaining, but the leaves are just beginning to turn and there’s a sense of gentle anticipation that cosy evenings by the fire are not too far away. However, I am not one for wishing time away - life is short and I believe in enjoying each season and moment as it arrives. With that in mind, I’ve written about five colourful things that are helping me to find joy and make the most of this beautiful month.
1. Drinking tea from the perfect mug
Colour makes me happy. I feel my insides smile when I see combinations of colours that simply work. I can’t describe how I know; I just feel it. It’s an instinct I rely on a lot in my work as an interior designer and I love helping others to find colours that spark the same feeling for them in their homes.
A while back, I came across Heidi Clover’s ceramics and art and I was immediately drawn in by the colours of her pots. Like all good ceramicists, her pieces sell out quickly and I knew I would have to get on her mailing list and act fast when she had a new batch of pots for sale.
I’m pleased to say that last week I was successful and I may have discovered the perfect tea mugs. They are large (400ml), feel perfectly weighted in your hand and sing joy in their colour combinations. I bought two mugs and my tea tastes better when I’m drinking it out of them.
There are four types of tea I drink at the moment:
Yorkshire (breakfast) tea with milk - always my first drink of the day
Earl Grey - with or without milk depending on my mood but only ever in the afternoon.
Hoji cha - a Japanese green tea that has been roasted which I might drink in the evening.
Mint tea - I leave the bag in and drink before bed.
Pausing to sit and drink a cup of tea is a ritual for me. It’s a time to think and notice what is going on around me. I’m sure it works with coffee too!
2. Sky watching
Since moving into my new studio space at the top of my house, I spend a lot of time watching the sky. That might sound quite strange, but the view from up here is always changing and I particularly like observing the way the sky and the clouds move throughout the day. I will often get up before sunrise just so I can watch the light emerge from this elevated position.
Early on a clear September morning, the sky has a magical quality to it. It changes colour every few minutes and each time I look up from my screen there is a new hue to observe. It’s 6:13am as I write this passage and in the past 20 minutes I’ve seen a spectrum of beautiful pinks and purples and blues which mean it’s taking me longer than it should to write this. I don’t mind though, watching the sky grounds me and sets me up for the day.
As far as activities go it’s free, inspiring and always different. Try it and see if it brings you a little bit of joy for September.
3. Margo Selby’s sample sale
Margo Selby is one of my favourite textile designers and artists. She uses colour and pattern in a vibrant and exciting way and I have quite a few pieces by her in my home. The cushions and rugs won’t fail to enhance even the darkest space, but Margo also has a fabulous range of towels and bed linen which feature her designs too.
What’s even better is that this month she is holding a sample sale in September.