



It seems as though the whole internet (or at least my very small but special corner) couldn’t stop shrieking about this week’s Season 2 premiere of Downton Abbey in the States. A TV show on Living In? Gasp. But it’s OKAY because no TV is required, thanks to streaming from the PBS website. The British soap opera is just as deliciously addictive as any daytime drama, but since it ratchets up the style quotient to dizzying heights, it gets a pass otherwise withheld from its less elegant alternatives. — Amy Merrick

1. Eugenia Kim Catherine Hat, $379; 2. Edwardian Haircomb, $150; 3. Schonbeck Chandelier, $998; 4. Kate Spade Bracelet, $148; 5. Antique Velvet Sofa, $4800; 6. Brass Andirons, $950; 7. French Gilded Mirror, $299; 8. Kristan Crystal Earrings, $27; 9. Mayfair Alabaster Lamp; 10. Antique Carpet Pillow, $229

*To find out more about the history of English country houses, check out Amy’s Past & Present post about them here!

The second set of stills and another product roundup continue after the jump . . .

Penned by Julian Fellowes of my beloved Gosford Park fame, the upstairs/downstairs English manor house ploy is in full effect. Both the servants and the presiding Crawley family have more than their share of romance and eye-popping scandal; so much, in fact, that your eyes may roll at the absurdity. But don’t let it distract you from the real gem here: the unspeakably beautiful sets and costumes. Keep your eye on them, and you’ll have daydream material for weeks.

1. Canning Jars, $4.50+; 2. Yelloware Mixing Bowl, $85; 3. Vanessa Bruno Silk Striped Top, $400; 4. Farm Table, $1495; 5. Beeswax Candles, $15; 6. Rolling Pin, $85; 7. Red Striped Napkin, $12; 8. Frye Lois Oxfords, $248; 9. Pepper Mill, $325; 10. Matfer Copper Cookware Set, $1200; 11. Cutting Board Oil, $38