Dressing Up

When I first saw this gorgeous centre spread in Emma Bridgewater’s Christmas (2013) catalogue I wanted to buy everything and display it on my own lovely old oak dresser.  Not only that but my next instinct was to rush out and buy some F&B paint and completely refurbish this lovely piece of furniture of mine.  Fortunately common sense prevailed as I realised the vast expense and time involved at, what is traditionally, an already expensive and busy time of year.  It quickly occurred to me that I could create my own display from the vast collection of crockery, candle votives and other bits and pieces that I already owned.

Following Emma’s theme I gathered together all of my black and white china.  This included a pair of Tintin mugs that I had had as a present and were much too nice to use; a set of six dinner plates and six side plates from M&S; a lovely cheese platter which again was a present; various white jugs; a coffee cup and saucer with black writing; a Zara cereal bowl; a Wedgwood cruet set; a pair of white china oil and vinegar bottles and my white china butter dish.  To this collection I added various glass and metal votives, my lovely black and white wooden farmyard animals and my miniature Newport alarm clock.  I set these against a backdrop of grey Ikea pasta dishes and added a dash of colour with my stunning grey stone chicken with his red comb and wattle, my hand painted wooden pepper mill and some seasonal fresh flowers.  You might say that my dresser doesn’t have the exuberance of the EB centrefold but that image inspired me to make the most of what I had.  A lot of the items were either hiding in various cupboards and never used, or on display, but not in a particularly relevant way.  It is often all too easy to buy new rather than utilise what we already own and I was pleased that I didn’t fall into that trap on this particular occasion. I should add, though, that I was inspired to buy some of Emma’s “Black Wallpaper Dove Candles” as Christmas gifts for friends.  For more information about the Emma Bridgewater Toast & Marmalade range visit http://www.emmabridgewater.co.uk

If you’ve always aspired to have a dresser of your own but don’t have the room then Emma Bridgewater might well have the solution. In conjunction with Sanderson she has created a statement wallpaper design, The Dresser. It is digitally printed and conjures up Emma’s much loved dresser at home. Go to https://www.sanderson-uk.com to view the full range of wallpapers and complementary fabrics.