Last week a blogger friend of mine (Kate F!) casually mentioned she was reading The Remains of the Day on a rainy afternoon. What?! Way to be an awesome, collected and cool grownup. Rainy afternoons I can normally be found carrying armloads of groceries in paper bags home without an umbrella or chasing after missed buses, again with an umbrella. I am not a grownup and Kate clearly is.
But that doesn’t stop me from loving The Remains of the Day, a real true grownup movie (and book) if ever there was one. Subtle, sweetly playful and lonely; it’s neither a sweeping romance nor a spellbinding drama but manages to be both in it’s own thoughtful, measured way.
Taking place in the years just before and after world war two in an English rural estate, the story follows that of Stevens the butler and the head housekeeper, Miss Kenton. I’ve always been a sucker for the whole upstairs/downstairs dynamic and Remains of the Day doesn’t disappoint. The servant’s quarters are warm and homey and the house itself is the peak of dignified British country style. Beautiful floral textiles upstairs and down!
[image above, clockwise from top left: maple mirror $649,silver coffee set $128, chinoiserie wallpaper panels, teal throw $45, lamp $175, grandfather clock $183, votive holder $49, sofa $3498, dinner bell $6]
Aside from the undeniable fact that Darlington manor is a countryside dream come true, the interiors are a really inspiring combination of feminine prints and strong, bold furniture. The movie packs a wallop, you’re going along, minding your own business and while you weren’t paying attention, it’s quietly torn your heart out. It’s almost enough to make a girl want to shout from the rooftops if she’s been secretly pining away for someone. But hey, if you don’t, make sure you have an amazing English estate to nurse your lonely heart in.
[image above, clockwise from top left: scalloped mirror $98,swing arm wall lamp $129, Schumacher “hot house” fabric, four-poster bed $7675, vintage bakelite telephone $95, fireplace mantel $312, slipper chair $284]
