Victoria, Albert and Frederic

I have spent enough time in London visiting and attending school that I feel like I've seen most of the popular museums and monuments.  This trip focused on some of the smaller, lesser known museums and yet I know there is still so much to discover in London.

After Maltby Street, I headed toward South Kensington to go to the Victoria and Albert Museum and was disappointed that I came a little too early in the month to visit the British Design exhibit. 

I wandered through the court yard and the building is absolutely gorgeous.  I saw a couple of exhibits that I liked but I enjoyed rambling through the large museum.

I would love to own this bookcase.

I love miniatures.  There is something very romantic about wearing the portrait of the person you love.  A little showy but love is allowed to be showy sometimes.

I walked through Kensington and saw this sign.

I shouldn't have been surprised but I was.  And I was jealous because the cheese store is much cooler than any I've seen in the states.  Maybe the Brits take their cheese more seriously.

My destination was the house of Frederic Leighton in Holland Park.  I remember seeing Flaming June in college and developed an appreciation for the Pre-Raphaelites. 

Lord Leighton's home is beautiful.  The home was mostly lit by natural light and it was an overcast day so the pictures are dark.  I just loved his use of color and the tiles reminded me of being in Spain.

This area on the second floor looked out on the first floor.  I loved the detail and was trying to show it through the light coming in from down below.

I was struck by the use of the blue tiles through the house.  It was such a gorgeous complement to many of his paintings.