Liberty.

I am having a Liberty moment.

The first time I visited this divine department store, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. In my dreams, department stores are magical places, abundant with unique ideas and inspirational displays, but for the most part, even the special ones like Harvey Nicks, are minimalist showpieces for designer fodder. But Liberty is a very English treasure, and you find yourself holding your breath as you move from room to oh so beautiful room filled with things you couldn’t begin to imagine.

Based on Regent Street in London,  the more famous of the buildings that house this prestigious department store, Tudor House, was built in the 1920’s at the height of the eras fashion for Tudor revival. Built from the timbers of two ships, the store oozes the history it is steeped in, and takes shopping beyond the element of necessity to something that can only be described as an "experience".

Known worldwide for its fabrics, (with good reason), Liberty’s most famous cotton, Tana Lawn, was ubiqtuos in the seventies (Smocked dress anyone?)  and is deservedly, enjoying a revival…

So imagine if you will, dear readers, a fabulous mix of Liberty of London print cushions on a shabby old velvet sofa with a multi-coloured crocheted square blanket to snuggle up with and a fabulous gilt framed Pre-Raphelite painting to up the pattern quota, and there you have it: eclectic, glorious, English bliss.

It works for me.