The Charm of an English Countryside Courtyard!

At Marvin Gardens, we just love courtyards–they’re beautiful for so many reasons: their green foliage, soft and tunneled lighting and the nook-and-cranny charm they possess simply through being a “hidden” enclave between buildings. COCOCOZY recently featured the lush courtyard of an English hotel that we just had to share. Behold the Lime Wood Hotel. This former country house was recently renovated into a relaxing hotel in the middle of a national forest, COCOCOZY notes. Take a look below for some interesting facts about this landmark structure’s history.

From the Lime Wood Hotel:

Previously a hotel called Parkhill, Lime Wood was purchased by Jim Ratcliffe in 1999.  It was closed in October 2004 when work was begun on its transforming renovation. The original building is a Regency country manor house built on the site of an earlier 13^th Century hunting lodge.  It subsequently became a prep school for Royalty and aristocracy. The architectural additions that we have made to the site were designed by Charles Morris and Ben Pentreath with interiors by David Collins. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed bringing Lime Wood back to life and are thrilled with how our plans have turned out.  We want you to get to know it, to enjoy it and to come back whenever you feel like being spoiled, breathing some fresh forest air, eating delicious food and just getting away.

What do you like about this particular courtyard? Do you have a certain hotel that you like to stay at regularly because of its own quaint courtyard?

Photo Credit: COCOCOZY

Sharing Your Favorite Posts Has Never Been Easier!

If you’re looking for a simpler way to share Marvin Gardens’ posts without having to copy and paste its links every time, then listen up. There’s now a feature at the bottom of every one of our blog posts that allows you to quickly and simply share it with over 200 social networking sites! Follow the 5 steps below and you’re good to go!

1. Click on the title of the post you wish to share.
2. At the bottom of the post click on or hover your mouse over the share box.
3. Scroll down until you find the application you want to share through, or type in the name in the search box and click the icon.
4. Enter your user name and password for the site.
5. Click enter or send (depending on the site) and you’ve shared our post.

And there you have it!

Finding Inspiration in the Spreckels Mansion

Beautiful architecture usually inspires more beautiful art. The Spreckels Mansion is no exception. Located in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco, California and renown for its white limestone façade, this monument has been inspiring designers and artists alike for years.We wanted to take a closer look into the building that many bay-area residents can only hope to get a glimpse into.

From NeoHill:

The Spreckels Mansion was built in 1913 by sugar magnate Adolph Spreckels for his lovely new wife, Alma le Normand de Bretteville. The French Baroque chateau was built on several prime lots overlooking the bay and Golden Gate. Alma was an avid art collector and model – you may recognize her likeness in the Dewey Monument in Union Square – who would later donate the Palace of the Legion of Honor art museum.

The 55-room house remained largely unchanged until Alma’s death in 1968. The current owner, romance novelist Danielle Steele, added the row of hedges that now block curious eyes from trying to peer into the historic mansion.

At Marvin Gardens, we know that inspiration can be found everywhere. What are some buildings that you find most inspiring?

For more information on the Spreckels Mansion, visit NeoHill.

Photo Credit: NeoHill

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