The Late Spring Edit
A painting I've fallen in love with, cute summer clothes, fun accessories & three hotels I'd love to stay in
Firstly, let me offer an explanation for why this is my first Edit in three months. Somehow, April, May and now June have completely flown by in a blur; three of my busiest ever months as a freelancer. I realised yesterday that this is the first time I’ve had a full week at home since the beginning of April! Between travels, shoots, edits, and features and reviews to write, something has had to give and sadly my Substack has taken a hit. I’ve prioritised keeping up with my Postcards from interview series (free for everyone to read) and monthly travel & work diaries, but these Edits are just so time-consuming that I’ve had to make them seasonal, rather than monthly. Hopefully, if I commit to less, I can make them even more full of inspiration for you!
Over the past few months, I’ve been jotting down names of brands, saving links and creating a huge saved folder on my Instagram everytime something caught my eye. Over time, some of these things that caught my eye have become irrelevant, but many of them have ended up right here, in this Edit. There are three hotels I’d love to stay at (all in Europe), four summer dresses I’m coveted (so far, I have refrained from purchasing), two hand-painted vases I’ve fallen in love with, and oodles of interiors inspiration (which is particularly of relevance as I’m about to embark on a huge, messy renovation of the downstairs of my home).
Let’s jump straight in …
How have I only just discovered Lorna Murray’s beautifully elegant hats? An Australian designer committed to craftsmanship, Lorna’s natural grass headpieces all feature her distinctive pleating, creating hats that can effortlessly be packed in your suitcase. I love the thought of wafting around my garden in one of these beauties, knowing that I can also take it along with me on my travels. I love all her colourful designs, but would probably opt for a more neutral Nara Island Capri Hat or Medina Luxe Capri hat for myself. UK stockists include Liberty.
Stella Weatherall is one of my favourite British interior designers for her use of colour, pattern and antique textiles. As I embark on a renovation project of my own (which is going to be a budget-friendly long slog) I dream of being able to enlist Stella to help me transform my home. This cloakroom popped up on my Instagram feed recently and completely stopped me in my tracks. If I had a downstairs loo, this is exactly how I’d decorate it. I may not have the space to add the red and pink cloakroom of my dreams, but something I’m taking from this is inspiration for my upstairs landing, which we’ll be wallpapering. I’ll be painting the ceiling with a bold pop of green to bring out the green in the pattern, similar to what Stella has done here.
How sweet is this armchair, designed by another interior designer I admire, Laura Stephens?! The Scroll Armchair, the debut design from Parlour by Laura Stephens, was inspired by a 1930’s chair unearthed in an antique shop, reimagined for contemporary living. I’d love this chair for my living room, in a bespoke fabric — Laura offers five beautiful colourways including this fun red and blue but you can also supply your own material.
I’ve admired Gillian Steven’s designs for some time now, yet sadly always from afar. Honestly, I’d wear every single monochomatic whimsical piece from her collections, but I’ve fallen head over heels for these completely impractical white ruffle shorts that I’d completely ruin while flouncing around my garden. If you need convincing, they have an elasticated drawstring waist (I’m slowly transitioning to a wardrobe full of elasticated waistbands!).
Molly Mahon’s block printed designs have been on my radar for a while, but I’ve completely fallen for her new Botanica fabric. The tulip design is so simple, yet works so well across both wallpaper and fabric. The two colourways shown below are available across both, plus an additional black and emerald option for the wallpaper, which gives me real Swedish summer house vibes when paired with red in the styled shots on Molly’s website. I love how you could choose just one statement piece, such as a pink tulip sofa, or mix and match the fabric and wallpaper for a bolder design.
These haven’t launched yet online, so keep your eyes peeled, but Folie Chambre x Studio Kettle new tote bag collab really is the perfect sized everyday bag! Studio Kettle have recently designed for the likes of Toast, now coming together with fellow Yorkshire-based brand Folie Chambre to create their biggest ever tote. It’s big enough to throw all your daily essentials in (and would also be the perfect bag to take on a plane and shove under the seat in front!), crafted from wax cotton and has a secure pouch for valuables. There will be two colours to choose from — the ‘paper-bag’ option with bright red handles is my favourite.
I have to admit I know nothing about Polish artist Ludwik Stasiak, nor his Poppies painting from around 1900. I simply stumbled across it and fell head over heels in love. I’m now obsessed with the thought of finding a print and framing it for my bedside wall. Any leads welcome (or if any of you can recommend similar paintings).
An artist whose work I can link you to is US-based Carolyn Misterek. I stumbled on this particular piece (I’m just obsessed with pops of red at the moment!) via Blumenhaus’s Instagram, but all her work is delightful. All her work focuses around nature and florals, with both original oil paintings and prints available for purchase. This piece is available as fine art giclee print.
If Only If’s latest limited edition collection showcases a selection of their popular nightgowns in black cotton poplin. I especially love the Nera Vita dress, which I would genuinely wear everywhere during the summer months — it’s way too pretty to be relegated to the bedroom. It’s one of those dresses that are ideal for throwing in your suitcase and wafting around in on a hot holiday, taking you directly from the beach to the bar.
PSA, Skall Studio are currently in sale with some really good prices on previous winter pieces! I treated myself to a pointelle top, but was also distracted by the beautifully crafted garments in their summer collection. The Tallulah dress with its cut-out embroidery is a favourite, but there are just so many pieces to choose from, all works of art to wear.
Run don’t walk — there’s only one bespoke vase left in the small collection Kimia Amini created for Burnt Fen. Sadly my favourite (this sunburst design) has sold, but there’s still one vessel remaining for displaying your Burnt Fen (or homegrown) blooms in all their glory.
I’ve developed a crush on absolutely everything US brand Loeffler Randall design. From dresses to shoes to bags, every piece is like a little piece of art, beautifully crafted and with folky influences throughout their collections. I’ve spotted several stylish people wearing their Lotus dress (pictured below) and think it would be such a perfect garment for everything from summer weddings to shoulder-season travels.
I own a lovely little jewellery plate from Liv and Dom, but really wish I could get my hands on one of their statement urns. Pictured below is their Fire and Light urn, which was made specifically for Ffern’s Artefacts store to celebrate the four Celtic fire festivals/phases of the year. The level of detail in the design is exquisite, featuring references of Imbolc, Beltane, Lunasa and Samhain. This has now sadly sold, but take a look at Ffern’s store for more thoughtfully designed bespoke artefacts from British makers.
Just one more dress I have my eye on …. I have several pieces from Linen Fox, and they just get better with age, as linen is wont to do. This beautifully simple dress features a deep v-neck with a delicate lace trim, and is just an effortless piece for throwing on day or night. It’s pretty high up my wish list right now.
Located on the edge of a fjord in rural Norway, Hotel Sundal is very much my cup of tea. There’s a sauna by the water for warming up between cold dips, a wild garden complete with greenhouse, and characterful interiors bursting with Nordic charm. Owners Caroline and Harold (and their dog, Frøya) have revitalised this hotel dating back to 1889, adding a fresh burst of life into the ten cosy bedrooms.
Now if you know me, you’ll know I’m always looking for somewhere to stay that is literally right on the water. I also visited the Greek isle of Syros a couple of years ago and would love to return to see more. Syros Seaside House popped up on my Instagram feed recently, immediately captivating me when I spotted its private access to the sea. Inside, the interiors have that neoclassic charm typical of Syros, but it’s really all about that waterfront terrace with a ladder directly into the depths. I’d be swimming first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Ever since visiting the Costa Brava for work a few years ago I have been itching to return to the area and see more. Off Grid Girona, located in the heart of the Catalonia countryside looks like the perfect base to hire a car and explore nearby villages and coves. This 17th-century masia has been lovingly renovated to retain its original character, operating more of a guest house than a hotel (which I always love). There are ten en-suite bedrooms and a self-contained barn to choose from, a beautiful garden to wander around, pool to relax beside, and a menu bursting with local produce.
Finally, I’m on the hunt for cute wall lights for kitchen and living room (talk about leaping before you can crawl — I won’t be in the position to buy the pretty things for our renovation for quite a while!) and came across these lovely red rattan designs by Hastshilp. These little rattan shades are also available in neutral tones, and can be used for both wall fittings and lamp bases. Cute!
I’ve read quite a lot since my last Edit; here’s a short review of all the books I’ve read over the past few months. Affiliate links below.
Solace House by Will Maclean (pr copy)
I had mixed feelings about this book. It’s very slow and meandering at the beginning, but once it gets going I was completely sucked in and stayed up late to finish it, completely gripped. It’s best to go in not knowing too much, but the basic plot is that a young man find a summer job clearing out a mysterious old house with a group of other students. When they unearth the journals of the hoarder who lived there, all that they know about the world is challenged. I didn’t love how the author wrote very two-dimensional female characters, and any comparisons with The Secret History are completely not relevant — I’d say it reminded me more of a book I love called Night Film and even a little bit of Piranesi (because it’s all about the mysterious, other-worldly house). It’s one of those books that now I know the ending I want to read all over again.
This was a wonderful read. Brutally sad (I cried several times) and beautifully written. It tells the story of a young woman who grew up in a small Thai island and survived the Boxing Day tsunami, particularly focusing on her grief at losing someone very close to her in the tragedy. Alternate chapters focus on her life six years later, living in NYC, reflecting on both the wonderful memories of her childhood and her grief, as Hurricane Sandy batters the city. If you loved how Richard Powers wrote about the ocean in Playground, you’ll devour this. It made me completely fall in love with the sea (and manta rays).
We Hexed the Moon by Mollyhall Seeley
As someone who is always attracted to witchy stories of teenage girls (think The Craft) I thought I’d love this tale of a group of friends who accidentally hex the moon, removing it from the sky to take the form of a teenage girl that only they can see. It’s a fun read, and I enjoyed the different perspectives of each of the girls, but it wasn’t very memorable.
The Summer Boy by Philippe Besson (pr copy)
A beautifully written memoir of one summer in the author’s life, when a fleeting friendship abruptly ended. Philippe describes a summer the year I was born (1985) when the French isle of Ile de Re wasn’t yet the holiday hotspot it is now. His family spent their summers there with friends, and this particular year Philippe is drawn to a new boy on the island — until he mysteriously disappears forever. Although the writing is gorgeous, I wanted more from the plot, which wasn’t very memorable.
The Bitter Water of the Lake by Giulia Caminito
This is the story of a girl growing up in poverty in the suburbs of Rome, whose mother strives to find a better life for her children. They move to a beautiful lakeside town outside the city, where the protagonist comes of age while tackling her feelings of always being an outsider. I think its the first book I’ve read by an Italian author, and definitely the first that focuses on the disparity of wealth in the country. The author’s note was of particular interest, as she explains the book is loosely based on the lives of three different women including herself.
Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu
I’m trying to make myself wait until books come out in paperback, so this had been on my list to read since its release last year. It’s an engrossing story of the friendship between two women, from their first meeting as young girls to their adult lives trying to make it in the art world in New York. It’s wonderfully written, perfectly chronicling how friendships can evolve over time.
The Leveret by Anna Goldreich (pr copy)
One of my favourite books of the year so far, The Leveret is the story of two women grieving a pregnancy loss who move to the remote countryside. While one finds a leveret (a baby hare) and descends slowly into madness treating it like a child, the other grieves not only her unborn child but her partner. It’s beautifully, hauntingly, poetically written.
This one isn’t for anyone squeamish — there’s a fair bit of body horror. I mostly enjoyed reading it, but it felt quite clunky and like it needed a thorough edit. It’s the story of an archaeobotanist whose life begins to unravel when she arrives on the site of a dig excavating ancient bog bodies found preserved amongst flowers. This side of the story really interested me (including her flashbacks to what might have happened to the bodies) but becomes pretty irrelevant later in the book. I did enjoy the sub-plot of her childhood memories of a strange experience with her sister and what this has to do with the literal flowers growing from her body, but everything starts to unravel a bit too much and I was left wondering how much of the story was to be taken literally.
Another book that I loved, Jean is a recent release focusing on a teenage boy at a boarding school in the Sussex countryside for troubled young men. He embarks on a clandestine relationship with another student while navigating everything he finds difficult in life. The scenes describing the English countryside in summertime are particulary beautiful. I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.
This was a re-read of a book I read and loved when it was first released a few years ago. I think it might actually be one of my favourite books. Again, it’s so beautifully written with gorgeous descriptions of the French countryside (I love books with a strong sense of place). It tells the story of a young woman whose week WOOFing in south-west France results in a toxic relationship with her much older host, and her subsequent travels around the south of France.
Hunger & Thirst by Claire Fuller
I really thought I’d love this book after enjoying a couple of Claire Fuller’s previous titles and being intrigued with the creepy theme (a teenage girl in the care system joins a squat and takes on her new friend’s terrible dare with deadly consequences that haunt her future) but it just fell flat for me. I found it dull, completely lost interest and never finished it. It’s still sat by my bed over a month after starting it, and I sadly think I won’t bother picking it back up.
Body Double by Hanna Johansson
I loved Hanna Johansson’s debut, Antiquity so immediately ordered her new book when I read about its release. This did pick up towards the end of the novel, but I found it very slow and quite dull. There are two different stories being told — one of the by-chance meeting of two women, one of whom begins to slowly take over the other’s life and the story of a lonely transcriber who feels like she’s vanishing from the world. It felt like it would work better as an art house film than a book.
Queen Mab by Emily McBride (pr copy)
I really enjoyed this tale of a woman’s descent in post-partum pscychosis, as she becomes more and more convinced that either her baby or herself have been replaced by fairy changelings. It’s very well written, although shifts in perspective between first person in some of the earlier chapters and third for the majority of the book were quite jarring. I loved all the references to changelings in literature, and found myself deeply caring about the protagonist, frustrated that those close to her didn’t seem to realise she needed help.
Looking for books to read over the summer that are ideal for long lazy days beside the sea or for lounging in your garden? Take Sunbathing by Isobel Beech in your suitcase if you’re visiting the Italian countryside this year, or Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje if Croatia is on your travel radar. As mentioned in my reviews above, Paul by Daisy Lafarge is one of my favourite summer reads, especially if you’re travelling in south-west France. Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews is ideal for reading on a Barcelona balcony during a hot, sweaty heatwave. Voyeur by Francesca Reece should accompany you to the south of France’s beaches, while Female, Nude by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett or Antiquity by Hanna Johansson are the perfect companions for Greek island getaways. Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave transported me to both humid Paris and the Norfolk broads. The Paper Palace by Miranda Corley Heller made me yearn for Cape Cod summers that I’ve quite obviously never experienced (grown-up The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes). Give Me Everything You’ve Got by Imogen Crimp, Amy & Lan by Sadie Jones and The Ophelia Girls by Jane Healey transport me to summer in the British countryside, while The All-Night Sun by Diane Zinna and Waist Deep by Linnea Maja Ernst are ideal reads if spending midsummer in one of the Nordic lands.
Thanks for reading! I’m writing another Diary for June, which will be published at the end of the month, and have five wonderfully inspiring women lined up for the next few Postcards from interviews. I’m also planning on sharing my hotel highlights of the first half of 2026 very soon. I may not be sticking to a regular posting cycle, but I promise to continue writing and sharing my travel stories every time I head someplace new.
Emma xx
I just got a LM hat and love it! I actually ended up getting a kids size which fits perfectly!
loveee everything in here! Always am so inspired by your edits 🫶🏻