Boathouse vs. Hither Hills Studio

I've just returned from a few days in Sydney, during which I indulged in one of my favourite pastimes - a trip to the bedlinen floor of David Jones. Imagine my surprise when I encountered a rather expensive throw cushion which appeared to be made from paint-spattered overalls and another apparently fashioned from patched denim. Further inspection revealed that these were from the Hither Hills Studio collection of Ralph Lauren Home from 2007. Sorry if this collection is 'so last year' to most people, but I've been living in a bit of a bubble up till now when it comes to design. Anyway, when I later looked at the collection on the website, I kind of liked the way it combines the rough bespattered and patched fabrics with a faded tea-stained floral, blue and white stripes, and natural materials such as wicker and leather. The video on the website is pretty cool too. The image below gives a limited impression of the look, and is from Apartment Therapy, which a few months ago asked for responses to the Hither Hills Studio collection, with mixed (generally unfavourable) reactions.

Another aspect of this collection I liked was the fact that it captured the kind of beachy atmosphere that I would like here in my boatshed (albeit on a massive budget which I don't have). The collection's blurb reads as follows: 'A weathered oceanfront retreat with an inviting, free-spirited vibe echoes its seaside surroundings with shades of indigo and a natural material palette'. What's not to like about the tufted sofa, leather chairs and wicker basket below?




Also, I was initially delighted to find a 'Boathouse' linen collection on the website as well, which I naturally thought would fit my boatshed aesthetic. However, I was quite dismayed to find that it combines a baby pink, a green gingham, a madras check, a chino and a beige floral in ways which I never want to see in my boatshed. And the cushion with the boathouse drawing? Yuk! For all its supposed staginess and preppy pretension, give me Hither Hills any day, Ralph.