Colonial style house gift required...not sure where to start

[bobkate]

Not strictly S & B I know but figured I'd give it a shot. Friends are moving into their new pad in a few weeks and when I asked what style she was hoping to do the house in, she said she likes the colonial look...i.e plantation shutters, etc.
I'd like to get them a house warming present that would fit with this style, so they'd actually like it but I've no idea what I could get as, other than the shutters, I have no idea what this 'look' comprises of. Has anyone got any bright ideas or could point me in the right direction please. Thanks

Budget?

www.lombok.co.uk would be a pretty good place to start, and www.indiahicks.com/properties/ to get the general idea.

Personally I would go for scented candles or something consumable. If you only have the vaguest idea of her style it might be quite difficult to buy a slam-dunk present.

Budget wise up to about £40 I suppose. Thanks for the links, will have a look now. Didn't even think of scented candles so thanks for that. For some reason I was thinking of something like a cushion/photo frame but as you say, probably better to get something less style led.

Had a quick look at the India Hicks website and seen that she does some products for crabtree and evelyn such as ...this room diffuser which I think looks lovely. Maybe just the ticket....thanks v much

The spiderlily scent in that range is lovely!

a palm? and I think hurricane lamp type things, M&S have some nice ones in at the moment.

what the FUCK is colonioal style
she sounds liek a wanker

Hm. Some sugar cane and a whip? Spices and manacles?

yup
branding tool

"Colonial style"? Flippin' Colonial style? Maybe a copy of Andre Levy's Long Song? Some chains?

Or yes, a hurricane lamp would be nice if you don't want to offend her...

I think this means the American colonial style, rather than the Prince Harry one.

???

She's far from a wanker!!! I imagine she's seen some images in magazines that have been described as colonial. As mippy said I think it's probably the bahamas / island life colonial style as opposed to any other sort. Thanks Sarimillie for the comment about the spiderlily scent.

Oh, because that's morally acceptable?

Mind you, we shouldn't really throw stones in our own glass house. Still, what an inspiration for home decoration.

No of course it's not, but feel free to think I'm a wanker too. I'm not, I know I'm not.
I was simply trying to get an idea for a small gift that they would like in their new home, that's all.
If you've been offended I apologise.

Oh dear, don't be sad, I didn't mean to growl at you. I just think it's wanky when style magazines etc wax all lyrical about a fantasy version of a Colonial lifestyle and past which conveniently ignores the fact that it was built on unimaginable suffering.

But so is our life here and now, so don't mind me, I'll just be bitter and cynical over here in my own comfortably exploitative hypocritical corner.

Thanks for that . I can go to bed safe in the knowledge that I can stick my head back in S & B without being shouted at

Unless I make some other terribly un pc blunder of course

I always understood 'colonial' in this context to mean the American pilgrim type houses? You know, where posh people live in Cape Cod. Or something. I just go to IKEA like everyone else.

Did the other lady ever turn up?

Hi Olivia - well I didn't ever see her...maybe she has I don't know but I'm here, putting my foot in it!!!
Mippy - yep I think I had something out of the OC or the Hamptons in my head but I'm sadly lacking on the OC funds!