A Touch of Gold

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost..."
                  ~J. R. R. Tolkien

    This week I was looking around my house and realizing how many touches of gold there are in my decor. I love soft creams and muted colours but I also think that to have a touch of gold in a room makes it so much more interesting! Maybe that is why Rachel Ashwell's decor is so captivating. Her rooms are spare with very pastel colours and soft fabrics. The floors are covered in weathered and faded rugs, week old roses sit in a chippy vintage cup, and the walls are usually white. It is all so soft and unassuming -and then there by the window or against a light wall you see... gold! A Florentine gold table will sit quite oblivious to the attention it is attracting and somehow be just the right amount of opulence against this pale backdrop. It fascinates! So many old and lovely things tend to be gold. Gilded frames, ormolu filigree boxes, ornate mirrors with gesso carvings, jewelry and French china. My house is filled with hints of gold...