Kate, of the gorgeous Instagram account Ivy Lane London, has been an aesthetic muse of ours ever since discovering her beautiful account a few months ago. We were delighted when she agreed to be featured on the Sea to Skye blog, sharing about her life in England and some of her favorite places to escape for a weekend getaway in the country.
A bit about myself...
I was born and raised around an hour north of Manhattan in the beautiful Hudson River Valley, but I always loved all things British, and moved to London a bit over two years ago. My fiance and I both adore living here, and the UK is now very much our home! We've recently adopted a kitten, which has been a delight.
What to wear for the weekend...
For a weekend in London, my go-to outfit is a cashmere sweater dress, tall black Stuart Weitzman boots, my Max Mara camel coat and Saint Laurent Sac de Jour bag. For a country escape, I'd wear my indestructible Le Chameau wellies, jeans, a chunky knit sweater, and my navy hooded raincoat from Lighthouse -- it has a cheerful check print inside, but can stand up to downpours! And I'd pack a pretty dress from Zimmermann or Doen if we had a nice dinner booked.
Interior design styles...
I'm forever inspired by English manor houses -- the best ones convey a sense of lived-in elegance. I love the mixture of textures and colours, and the effect of art and antiques gathered over the course of decades (or centuries). For our own home, which we rent, I mostly stick with neutral colours and clean lines. For art, I love antique botanical prints, and we've started collecting 19th century oil landscapes, which you can buy at good prices on auction sites like The Saleroom. My favourite piece of decor is our antique Venetian mirror, which my sister bought me last year for my 30th birthday.
What reading to bring for a getaway...
For a weekend in the country, you can't go wrong with The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard or The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse. For those who like mysteries, I'm currently enjoying "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" by P.D. James. For magazines, Town & Country UK has always been my favourite -- it's only published four times a year, but it's so dreamy and timeless that I save my copies.
England or Scotland for a getaway...
Do I have to choose!? Two of our favourite trips have been walking in Cornwall (England) and visiting whisky distilleries in Islay (Scotland). For a quick weekend out of London, I'd recommend staying at The Manor House in Wiltshire, Gravetye Manor in Sussex, or Cliveden in Berkshire. If you are venturing to Scotland, I'd recommend Inverlochy Castle Hotel, where we recently had an incredible stay, and one of the best hotel dinners of my life.
Follow Ivy Lane London for more of Kate's inspiring snapshots
