Cabbages & Roses Living Life Beautifully by Christina Strutt

Being a blogger, every once in awhile an opportunity comes along that I am truly honored to be a part of.

This is one of them.  CICO Books asked me to take part in the blog tour for the book

Cabbages & Roses

Living Life Beautifully

by Christina Strutt

Living Life Beautifuly tells the story of how Christina Strutt founded legendary fabric company, Cabbages & Roses. The images in this book take you on a tour through the Cabbages & Roses shop in London, Christina’s countryside home, her newly acquired city apartment, and into the homes of a few of her close friends.

This book is simply amazing. The images in this book are all so beautiful and the story behind Cabbages & Roses, with the friendships created, is truly inspiring.

I had the pleasure of asking Christina Strutt a few questions and I was delighted to hear more about her and this new book.

  Q. You said that Cabbages & Roses has always been an expression of the things that you have found most enchanting throughout life, which includes friendship and the gathering together of friends and family. Would you say that the people dear to you were the main source of inspiration when you  were writing your book?

  A. YES DEFINITELY.   THE POINT OF THE BOOK WAS TO EXPLAIN THAT HAPPILY SOMETIMES WORK CAN INFLUENCE LIFE AND LIFE CAN INFLUENCE WORK AND MANY OF MY FRIENDS LIFE THIS LIFE.   CABBAGES & ROSES CERTAINLY FILTERS THROUGH EVERY ASPECT OF DAILY LIFE AND CREATING FOR THE COMPANY IS DONE MOSTLY SUBCONCIOUSLY THROUGH OUT THE DAY THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.

  Q.I loved the story about you imagining opening up a little shop in a building on Langton street while waiting for your daughter. Not even a year later, a dear friend told you she had seen the perfect shop for you.   That building  became the first Cabbages & Roses shop.  You have since moved to new premises in Chelsea’s Syndey Street. Do you ever miss that first shop?

  A.YES, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE NEW BOOK!  WE MAY RE-OPEN LANGTON STREET, AS IT REALLY IS A DEAR SHOP AND AS USUAL THINGS OUTGROW THEIR SPACE SO WE MAY HAVE TO RE-OCCUPY

   Q.  Do you think you will ever open up a Cabbages & Roses shop in the United States, or elsewhere? I think that would be terrific!   

    A. NOTHING WOULD GIVE ME MORE PLEASURE – ESPECIALLY AS MY DAUGHTER KATE NOW LIVES IN NEW YORK.    WE ARE MAKING PLANS AND COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS ALL THE TIME SO WHO KNOWS!!!

  Q. I Love the gun-metal gray walls in your shop.  They are a striking backdrop against all of the white of your displays and your beautiful fabrics.  What made you decide to go with such a bold color?  

  A. WE ONCE EMPLOYED A LOVELY VISUAL MERCHANDISER CALLED JADE LOVEJOY AND SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CHOOSING THIS COLOUR – IT HAS REMAINED A FAVOURITE EVER SINCE.

   Q. In the book, you take us into the colorful and lively home of Bridgette Buchanan, your business partner and friend. Bridgette’s style is often quite different from your style, but do you think there are any particular similarities? 

     A. I THINK THAT PEOPLE FEED OFF EACHOTHER’S THOUGHTS AND WHEN YOU WORK TOGETHER THERE IS GIVE AND TAKE AND INDIVIDUAL TASTES MERGE AND MINGLE.    WHEN WE WENT OUR OWN WAYS, I THINK THAT WE TOOK WHAT WE EACH HAD AND DEVELOPED IT.  BRIGETTE FAVOURS COLOUR – I (AT THE MOMENT) LIKE THE CALMNESS OF OUR FADED HUES – I AM INCLINED TO FALL DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH WHATEVER I AM WORKING WITH AT THE MOMENT – THE NEW HOME SHOP IS CURRENTLY DISPLAYING OUR BEAUTIFUL’MARY’ FABRIC WITH ITS GENTLE COLOUR – SOON WE WILL CHANGE THE DISPLAY TO PINKS – I WILL MOST PROBABLY LOVE PINK BEYOND ALL ELSE FOR A WEEK OR TWO!

  Q.  We also get a look into the homes of a few other friends: Bridgette Buchanan’s daughter, Violet’s cozy and collected apartment; as well as Bridgette Buchanan’s son, Angus, a gifted set designer’s eclectic basement apartment; the enchanting home and garden of artist friend, Natalie Meyjes; and lastly the compelling home of Maureen Doherty, who is the owner of Egg.   All of the homes are unique and special in their  own way.  What made you decide to focus on these particular homes in the book?

   A. I WANTED TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO’S LIFE AND WORK WERE INTERMINGLED OR CERTAINLY INFLUENCED ONE OR THE OTHER.  THESE FIVE PEOPLE WERE FIRST AND FOREMOST IN MY MIND BECAUSE EACH IS SO VERY DIFFERENT FROM MY HOMES, AND EACH OTHER’S HOMES.   I THINK THAT THE DISPARATE CHOICES MAKE FOR INTERESTING READING.

   Q. The newest addition to your beautiful home, Brook Cottage is your stunning white Scandinavian style studio built above the stable. It overlooks the same vegetable garden that gave rise to Cabbages & Roses.  Would you say this is your favorite room in the cottage, or do you have a favorite?

   A. IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE ROOMS, I HAVE SINCE SWAPPED OFFICES WITH MY HUSBAND WHO IS NICELY ESCONCED IN THERE!    IT LOOKS VERY VERY DIFFERENT NOW!    I FELT EXTRAVAGANT THAT THE BEAUTIFUL SPACE WAS OCCUPIED ONLY NOW AND THEN AS I WAS SO BUSY IN LONDON SETTING UP OUR NEW SHOPS.    NOW MY WORK SPACE IS CLOSER TO THE HOUSE AND DOUBLES UP AS A FAMILY SITTING ROOM.  I HAVE SOME WORK TO DO ON IT BUT I EXPECT IT WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHED AT SOME STAGE VERY SOON!

   Q.  The last chapter, London Calling, is all about your little home away from home in a London apartment. It is simply charming, and the garden looks just lovely.  Do you spend more time here or at Brook Cottage?

   A. HEARTBREAKINGLY YES I DO SPEND MORE TIME IN LONDON THAT IN THE COUNTRY.    THIS IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WHEREVER I LAY MY HEAD IS DECORATED IN MY OWN STYLE – IT WOULD BE TOO AWFUL TO HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME AWAY FROM HOME AND HAVE TO LIVE IN A SPACE THAT WAS ALIEN TO MY SENSIBILITIES!

 Thank you Christina Strutt for taking the time to answer my questions! What a delight it has been.

Thank you, CICO Books for this amazing opportunity, and thank you all for stopping by today, I hope I have inspired you to pickup a copy of this wonderful book.

Emily

Living Life Beautifully by Christina Strutt (photography by Simon Brown) is published by CICO Books and is available fromrylandpeters.com