Well, we're heading for Autumn but hopefully there'll be a little taste of Indian Summer before we get there. I've been away for a month or so and want to tell you a bit about where I've been. Nowhere particularly exotic - The Algarve, Portugal.......but extremely hot, enjoyable, lazy, greedy and generally gorgeous all round.

At home, I'm a big fan of modernism with splashes of colour, but the villa myself and family stayed in this year was packed with antiques and old charm character, so I'll share a couple of corners of it with you.

As you enter the porch, you are immediately greeted by the smell of antiques - but not in a bad way! So many times on entering a holiday villa, we all experience that huge sense of disappointment!? You pay so much for the privilege and very often wouldn't board your dog there. Well there was no such feeling in this beautiful house. The wrought iron and glass doors on the hall were striking and clearly made by a craftsman locally. Peppered around, were objects clearly loved by the owners -  little secondhand shop finds or pieces from home and market places.

This quirky little bedroom wasn't actually occupied by us and I thought it was ever so slightly haunted, but that's just me.I couldn't resist shooting the little ,totally genuine shabby chic hole in the old, quality wool rug, revealing the original, rustic, terracotta flooring underneath.

These next shots show coming down into the living space. The beautiful gold brocade rope handrail was charmingand the walls filled with original oil paintings, depicting both local fishing scenes and other holiday destinations.

Finally, heading upstairs to the bedrooms on the next floor, the furniture was equally beautiful and a delicate use of eclecicism, with the inclusion of a contemporary acrylics on canvas painting to match the bedding was a lovely touch. Next blog, I'll take you outside.xx