You're my rock of Gibraltar

When I saw a Pinterest competition hosted by Love Chic Living to put together a board based on one of Cunard's Mediterranean destinations. There are some amazing places from Italy to Portugal but I instantly chose Gibraltar.

Standing at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea is Gibraltar. A curious place at the southern end of Spain and just across the short crossing to Morocco, a little British enclave that I visited some years ago.

It is an intriguing place, a melting pot of cultures and influences. It is so strange to be in Spain and then pass through passport control and be in surroundings that feels so English with red phone boxes, an M&S store, fish and chip shops and British police - all in a beautiful Mediterranean setting. I was taken with Gibraltar and all its quirkiness - the rock from which views are spectacular, the cheeky Barbary monkeys that will jump on your shoulders, the cable cars and the busy Straits of Gibraltar full of all sorts of seafaring vessels. 

My board reflects the mixture of influences to the area - lots of Mediterranean, a bit of bohemian kasbah thrown in nodding to Morocco and of course Rule Britannia. An eclectic mix, which is what I like in my home. 


Follow Happy Homebird's board Gibraltar on Pinterest.

I like bright and happy colours so many of the Mediterranean colours are perfect. Warm pinks and different hues of yellow. Contrasted with blues that reflect the shades of the beautiful warm Mediterranean Sea. Pink printed fabrics, yellow cushions and accessories such as seashell and lanterns that remind me of a bustling medina quarter, flickering from with a secret doorway. 

Clashing colours is the go, items of furniture painted in a mixture of colours and rugs with colourful patterns. The more colours the better and light voiles fluttering in a gentle breeze across the window. A place to relax and unwind.

A few items to remind of Great Britain, perhaps some framed Union Jack postcards or some bunting. 

Fretwork and lace, patterned layers adding texture and depth to a room.

Geometric patterns and diverse items. Old meets new.

Glassware, a sea green lamp made from glass made on Gibraltar. Items collected at the local market. 

Of course being by the sea and with the Strait of Gibraltar being such an important body of water - it connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean, there is a hint of nautical in here too. Europe and Africa are under 8 miles apart at the narrowest point so you can see why there is a mixture of the cultures. 

Flora and fauna inspired items feature in my collection. Flower and fruit patterns and succulents in terracotta pots in the window. Vintage botanical pictures to brighten an entrance. 

Kitchen wares with fish on make me feel like rustling up a healthy lunch and then sprinkling herbs on which have been grown in the terraced area. Heady scents fill the air and are carried to my bedroom where the floral patterns make me think of bougainvillea. The Mediterranean to me is health and vitality, relax, move slower and appreciate everything around you. My items on the board make me feel chilled out, anything goes. 

Now, there's a knock on my beautiful green door. Do come in for a glass of wine....