Country & Town House - April 2020

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

APRIL 2020 £3.90

INTERIORS SPECIAL All the updates you need to know

LONELY AS A CLOUD

Why we’re weekending in the Lake District

FLOWER FUSION

Erdem and de Gournay’s match made in heaven

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BRING ME SUNSHINE

There’s nothing more blissful than Italy in springtime

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BORN IN LE BRASSUS

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RAISED AROUND THE WORLD

AU D E M A R S PI G U E T B O U T I Q U E S LO N D O N : S LOA N E S T R E E T · H A R R O D S F I N E WATC H E S AP HOUSE LONDON : NEW BOND STREET

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CONTENTS APRIL 2020

COLUMNS 22 28

THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B falls back in love with sport THE RURBANIST Samantha Cameron’s style essentials

UPFRONT 31 32 34 36 40 42 44 45 46 48 50 52

CLICK PRINT Vintage prints to adorn your home and wardrobe THE EDIT Mariella Tandy’s top ten ITALIANS DO IT BETTER Spring style staples straight from Italy THE MAGPIE Jewellery news LUCIA LOVES Me + Em, your new wardrobe go-to BODY LANGUAGE Olivia Falcon tries the workout of the future BRIGHT YOUNG THING Call Me Loop POWDER ROOM Spring refresh BODY & SOUL Uplifting interiors SPA TREK Gut healing at Kamalaya WELL GROOMED Men’s style news HIGH SOCIETY The best parties, the best people

THE GUIDE 55 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70

THE GUIDE The Other Art Fair at the Old Truman Brewery EVENTS For both town and country THE EXHIBITIONIST The Mayflower’s 400th anniversary in Plymouth ARTIST’S STUDIO Caiti Grove visits sculptor Kevin Francis Gray GOOD READS Great books for kids THE OLYMPIAN Sebastian Coe on the soundtrack to his sporting career ROAD TEST The new Jeep Wrangler SEEDER’S DIGEST Bringing the great outdoors indoors CONVERSATIONS AT SCARFES BAR Charlotte Metcalf meets artist Liza Campbell

FEATURES

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WALL FLOWERS An exclusive look at Erdem and de Gournay’s collaboration WASTE NOT, WANT NOT Arabella Youens investigates sustainable interiors

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www.tasaki.co.uk

170 New Bond Street

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CONTENTS APRIL 2020

FEATURES 84 86

CASTLE IN THE SKY Moët & Chandon’s Épernay hunting lodge STORIES WITHOUT WORDS Lauren Hill meets designer Achille Salvagni

ON DESIGN 93

As London Design Week rolls round, Carole Annett packs the C&TH special interiors section with beautiful ideas for your house and garden. There are fabulous wallpapers and fabrics that prove minimalism is dead, and an expert guide to bringing the outdoors in by designer Louise Bradley. Plus, we take a peek behind the scaffolding of three exciting renovation projects. Take notes, and add to your inspiration scrapbook

FOOD & TRAVEL 125 THE SONG OF ILIOS Lucy Cleland

128 130 132 135 136 137

finds a pair protecting their piece of paradise in Greece THAT’S AMORE Italy in the spring TUSCANY WITH GIOVANNI RASPINI The master jeweller on his beloved home THE WEEKENDER Wordsworth and wellies in the Lake District RESTAURANT REVIEW Revisiting The Grill at The Dorchester GASTRO GOSSIP Fresh food news RECIPE Kimiko Barber’s seveningredient noodles

ON THE MOVE 139 PROPERTY OF THE MONTH A

Cotswold home made for entertaining 140 LET’S MOVE TO BELGRAVIA As

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ON THE COVER Model wears Oleanna dress by ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at net-a-porter, hat by Lock & Co. and earrings by ERDEM. Photography

by Jonty Davies. Fashion direction

by Nicole Smallwood. Hair by Cher Savery using Maria Nila. Makeup by Adam de Cruz using Surratt and ADC Beauty

Julian Fellowes’ latest drama comes to the small screen, Anna Tyzack investigates SW1 142 FIVE OF THE BEST Renovation projects

REGULARS 14 EDITOR’S LETTER 16 CONTRIBUTORS 138 STOCKISTS

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55 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6LX

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24 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 8TX

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24 Brook Street, London, W1K 5DG

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How do you live yours?

Here at Life, we create kitchens to be lived in.

So, come and explore our beautiful showroom and tell us how you live yours.

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Railway Arch 213, Newham Terrace, Hercules Road, Lambeth, London SE1 7DR

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EDITOR’S PICKS

WEAR Masscob’s Copacabana dress shrieks of summer fun ahead

EDITOR’S LETTER

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rdem and de Gournay is the hook up of my wildest dreams.

The prince of prints, beloved by fashionistas everywhere, and the UK’s most sought-after hand-painted wallpaper maker collaborating?

What’s not to love? And while you might need some serious dosh to buy either the collection’s divine tiered Aurelio gown (£3,360) or a heavenly botanical silk wall panel for your boudoir, you can at least fawn over our beautiful fashion pages (p72).

As Design Week rolls around once more, our interiors editor, Carole Annett, is much in demand at various events around town – as guest, host, moderator or speaker. The C&TH House Guest podcast, where Carole sits down for a relaxed chat with everyone from Nina Campbell and Pandora Sykes to Kit Kemp and Kelly Hoppen, is regularly in the top ten design podcasts on iTunes – do take a listen. In the meantime, you can enjoy our special extended interiors section that takes a look at the latest trends, peek through the keyhole

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of some fascinating properties and discovers what chefs really want in a kitchen (p93).

As we continue to try to adjust to a new way of living, Arabella Youens investigates the eco interiors industry SWITCH OFF to find some companies who’ve been advocating It’s Earth Hour sustainability for years, plus new set ups that – rather on 28 March like the fashion industry – allow you to rent pieces instead of buy. Interesting stuff (p80).

Last summer, I saw preservation attempts of a different order. I took my family off to a tiny island off mainland Greece, home to just the owners, a menagerie of animals and a gorgeous guest villa.

They had recently opened up their most precious place to visitors in order to help with the running costs involved in guarding the island against a raft of elements including summer fires. In Greece, the shoreline is considered a public READ Sadie Jones’ The good, and Greek citizens have the right Snakes. Half thriller, to access and use beaches whenever they half coruscating like. The problems arise when barbecues attack on bad parenting or campfires get out of control – fire has ravaged so much of the country (we just don’t hear of it so much). By actually living on the island themselves full time (Maris used to be a photographer in Los Angeles and Maria a banker in New York), it means they are on hand to deal with disaster immediately (p125).

BOOK There’s probably nowhere more beautiful Early bird Hay than Italy in springtime (Covid-19 notwithstanding).

Festival tickets Tuscan resident and famed silver sculptor and jeweller are on sale now.

We will be there Giovanni Raspini reveals his favourite places (p130), on Sunday 24 May Mariella Tandy picks her most stylish Italian fashion finds (p34), and we choose four hotels that offer a @countryandtown delicious slice of la dolce /countryandtownhousemagazine /countryandtownhouse vita at every turn (p128).

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CONTRIBUTORS

GIOVANNI RASPINI

Which household item could you not live without?

A large traditional camino (fireplace) to cook Florentine steak and bruschetta.

Which home would you like to be a fly on the wall in?

I would love to have been in Elvis’s home when The Beatles went to visit him.

Who’s your dream dinner party guest?

Giovanni shows us round his native Tuscany, p130 I queued for four hours for the Rolling Stones concert in Rome, in the July heat. It has to be Mick Jagger.

What’s missing from your home? I love rock music, so I’d have a professional music room where I would play with my group.

JONTY DAVIES

Which household item could you not live without?

Without a doubt my coffee machine.

I absolutely live on caffeine.

Which home would you like to be a fly on the wall in? The Kardashians. Just to witness the madness.

Who’s your dream dinner party guest?

Artist Georgia O’Keeffe and Jonty shoots our photographer Ansel exclusive fashion feature, p72 Adams. They were friends and worked side by side. I adore both their work, and think that dinner would have been fun.

What’s missing from your home? If I could have a studio and a darkroom at home I don’t think anyone would ever see me again.

LAUREN HILL

Which household item could you not live without?

My classic De’Longhi Icona coffee maker makes every morning better.

Which home would you like to be a fly on the wall in? Any of the royal residences to see what’s going on inside at the moment.

Who’s your dream Lauren meets designer Achille Salvagni, p86 dinner party guest? The all-time great female traveller and pilot, Amelia Earhart.

What’s missing from your home? One day, I’m going to have a sprawling, tree-filled garden.

ARABELLA YOUENS

Which household item could you not live without?

A Bialetti Moka hob espresso maker. It knocks the socks off any fancier coffee machines.

Which home would you like to be a fly on the wall in? It’s got to be the White House – it could never be boring.

Who’s your dream dinner party guest?

Arabella investigates William Morris. I also sustainable interiors, p80 think he’d be really pleased about the revival in British craft today.

What’s missing from your home? A dog flap. I get driven nuts having to let the dog out every time he spots a squirrel or cat on his turf.

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A different perspective Some furniture is made for the here and now. Some is built to stand the test of time.

At Neptune, we believe it can do both – look good, and wear well.

Because good design never gets old.

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LUCY CLELAND EDITOR

EDITOR-AT-LARGE ALICE B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHARLOTTE METCALF MANAGING EDITOR AMY WAKEHAM SUB EDITOR BELINDA BAMBER FEATURES ASSISTANT & SUB EDITOR SOFIA TINDALL FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD BEAUTY DIRECTOR NATHALIE ELENI FASHION EDITOR LUCY BOND LUXURY EDITOR LUCIA VAN DER POST INTERIORS EDITOR CAROLE ANNETT EXECUTIVE RETAIL EDITOR MARIELLA TANDY PROPERTY EDITOR ANNA TYZACK MOTORING EDITOR JEREMY TAYLOR ONLINE EDITOR REBECCA COX ONLINE WRITER ELLIE SMITH ONLINE ASSISTANT DANIELLA SAUNDERS ONLINE INTERN DINA NAGAPETYANTS CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PARM BHAMRA PRODUCTION DESIGNER SAMUEL THOMAS ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR ELLIE RIX SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER PANDORA LEWIS ACCOUNT MANAGERS SHANNA WHALEY AND BIANCA MARANEY DIGITAL MANAGER ADAM DEAN TECHNICAL MANAGER HANNAH JOHNSON TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARK PEARSON DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY WIL HARRIS FINANCE CONTROLLER LAUREN HARTLEY SALES & OFFICE MANAGER DAISY ORR-EWING FINANCE DIRECTOR JILL NEWEY PROPERTY & MARKETING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR GEMMA COWLEY GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR TIA GRAHAM MANAGING DIRECTOR JEREMY ISAAC CONTRIBUTING EDITORS STEPHEN BAYLEY, SIMON DE BURTON, FIONA DUNCAN, OLIVIA FALCON, DAISY FINER, LYDIA GARD, AVRIL GROOM, RICHARD HOPTON, EMMA LOVE, MARY LUSSIANA, ANNA PASTERNAK, CAROLINE PHILLIPS, HOLLY RUBENSTEIN, MARCUS SCRIVEN THE EDITOR EDITORIAL@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK FASHION FASHION@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK ADVERTISING ADVERTISING@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK PROPERTY ADVERTISING PROPERTY@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE is a monthly magazine distributed to AB homes in Barnes, Battersea, Bayswater, Belgravia, Brook Green, Chelsea, Chiswick, Clapham, Coombe, Fulham, Holland Park, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Marylebone, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Pimlico, South Kensington, Wandsworth and Wimbledon, as well as being available from leading country and London estate agents. It is also on sale at selected WHSmith, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s stores and independent newsagents nationwide. It has an estimated readership of 150,000. It is available on subscription in the UK for £29.99 per annum. To subscribe online, iPad, iPhone and android all for only £24.99 visit: exacteditions.com/read/ countrytownhouse. For subscription enquiries, please call 020 7384 9011 or email subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk. It is published by Country & Town House Ltd, Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL (tel: 020 7384 9011). Registered number 576850 England and Wales. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons and Sons Ltd, West Midlands. Paper supplied by Gerald Judd. Distribution by Letterbox.

Copyright © 2020 Country & Town House Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Materials are accepted on the understanding that no liability is incurred for safe custody. The publisher cannot be responsible for unsolicited material.

All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. Whilst every care is taken to ensure information is correct at time of going to press, it is subject to change, and C&TH Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors.

Country & Town House is a member of CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England)

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COLUMN

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Dancing to Franc Moody. francmoody.com

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Reading Vintage Roger: Letters from the P.O.W Years by Roger Mortimer.

Constable, £16.99

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WHITE POWDER Slinky and snug. perfectmoment.com

THE GOOD LIFE

THIS MONTH I’LL BE Listening to Conflicted, a podcast about the Middle East by a jihadi turned MI6 agent, and a former trainee monk. messageheard. com

most magical of all Maldivian resorts). Over the holidays, Mr Love, my tennis goddess (and all-round goddess) friend Laura Bailey and I signed up for lessons. We hadn’t realised the clever Soneva team had enlisted a very special coach: Jonas Björkman, former number one doubles and number four singles player in the world with nine Grand Slams under his belt and known to be the nicest, most entertaining guy on the circuit. We had a ball.

Now to find an equally starry situation in London. Anyone got Federer’s number?

ALL THIS SPORT makes me increasingly aware of my ageing carcass! Up until now, I’ve never had a bad back. But over the past few months, something’s up. And I have a sneaking suspicion that yoga is the culprit. love Or rather the way I practise yoga – relying on my natural flexibility rather than using my core.

So, I tried a session with Nahid de Belgeonne, who has created her own technique called The Human Method; a combination of yoga, somatic movement, breathwork and meditation. ‘Keeping our spines “ juicy” is essential to maintaining a radiant body,’ explains Nahid. ‘It allows us to move more freely while keeping us active and healthy by increasing blood flow to all areas of the body, including the brain.’ I found it to be gentle, nurturing and eye-opening; I was suddenly aware of my overactive nervous system, while trying to learn new positive habits. Rather than my usual fast-paced vinyasa flow, I did a lot of lying on the floor surrounded with cushions and props and covered in a blanket. I may have had a little sleep – somewhat illicit on a Wednesday afternoon. But after the session with Nahid, my back felt less angry and the world looked brighter.

I’ll be ‘back’ for more. n

LU XU RY & N ECESSIT Y

Alice B-B on falling in with sport again

‘I

T SOUNDS DAFT. Explaining skiing to a powder virgin: buckle-up into seriously uncomfortable boots, stick those plastic boots onto long waxed planks, get yanked up a mountain, come back down as fast as you can without killing yourself. So why is there nothing more pleasing than soaring down a mountain, more meditative than being in the zone while breathing the freshest of air, more connecting with family and friends as you egg each other on, or more thrilling than waking up to find a world covered in fresh snow? It’s such a simple and innocent pleasure – one I’m so glad to have rediscovered after a 15-year gap. Oh, and the reward at the end of a run is hot chocolate (with rum). And for dinner there’s a pot of boiling hot cheese. Not so daft now, huh?

I’VE FALLEN IN LOVE with tennis. My schoolgirl groundstrokes got a massaging this winter at Soneva Fushi (the

PULL A MOONIE Shine bright. noorfares.com

PLANT POWER Razor sharp. thedrug.store

JUICY SPINE Mindful movement. thehuman method.co.uk

SLAM IT Anyone for tennis? soneva.com

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Dream away.

Rest assured.

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INSPIRATIONAL FURNITURE LONDON | 555 Kings Road | Chelsea | London | SW6 2EB | 020 7610 6626 NEWCASTLE | 21 Clayton Road | Jesmond | Newcastle upon Tyne | NE2 4RP | 0191 281 3443

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INTERVIEW

THE RURBANIST

Samantha Cameron on rising early, tidying too much and her style essentials cocktails and food are just as good.

Best thing a cabbie has ever said to you? Make sure you get to know your teenage daughter’s friends really well!

What never fails to bring a smile to your face? My favourite view: the Camel Estuary and Brea Hill from Trebetherick in Cornwall.

What item in your wardrobe do you wear the most? I am never without my essentials; a machine-washable dress, a navy blue jumper, white T-shirt, blazer (with shoulder pads) and tailored trousers. I will always give my wardrobe a refresh with seasonal staples – my go-to at the moment is the India dress from the new Cefinn collection.

Last book you read? Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I’m also excited to read The Mirror and the Light by her too.

Most valuable piece of advice you’ve received?

Never be afraid to ask for advice, people are very generous with time and knowledge.

What brings out the worst in you and why?

My home looking messy and chaotic – I’m a perennial tidier. My husband and children get really annoyed when I put stuff away in the kitchen before we’ve even used it.

What are Saturday afternoons made for?

Saturday mornings are always active. We spend quite a lot of time cooking lunch, then I normally relax in front of the telly or spend time catching up on work and admin.

Signature dish? Fish curry. I’d cook it for my friends from my early twenties, who I never see enough.

Where was the last place you ‘discovered’?

Where’s home for you? For the last 20 years

we have split our lives between Ladbroke Grove (where I was born) and our cottage near Chipping Norton. My office and the children’s schools are in London, but we have a whole other life in the country at the weekends.

Where do you go to lose yourself? I try to go on a cross country run every weekend. I don’t listen to music as I like being on my own, listening to the birds singing.

Daily ritual? I’m an early riser. I like to have my bath when the house is still quiet and maybe do a bit of yoga before I get the children up in the morning for school.

Favourite secret place in London for a good night out? Kitty Fisher’s in Shepherd

Market now has a sister restaurant in Covent Garden called Cora Pearl. It’s got a slightly different atmosphere, but the

FROM ABOVE: Samantha’s current go-to Cefinn India dress, £340; Cora Pearl is one of Samantha’s favourite restaurants; Hilary Mantel’s awardwinning Wolf Hall; St Enodoc Church in Trebetherick, Cornwall

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; EVA SALVI

Half Moon Bay in Antigua. There’s a café there called the Beach Bum Bar and Grill. The owners are lovely and they make delicious mahi mahi wraps. cefinn.com n

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EDIT ED BY M A R I E L L A TA N DY

STYLE BEAUTY JEWELLERY PA RT I E S

UP FRONT

PHOTO: MATCHES FASHION

CLICK PRINT Journalist and street-style star JJ Martin launched her fashion label La DoubleJ in 2015, working with top Italian textile manufacturers to use reissued vintage prints from their archives.

More recently, the Milanbased brand, known for its vibrant prints and use of colour, has expanded to include pieces for your home, too. Jennifer Jane dress, £655. The latest collection of clothing and homeware is all available at matchesfashion.com

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UP FRONT

The

EDIT This month’s top ten.

By Mariella Tandy

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HALF A CENTURY OF STYLE

TAKE THE PLUNGE

Sportmax celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a limited-edition collection including coats with its signature garment stitch, a classic technique added to ultra-modern silhouettes. £1,125. sportmax.com

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Mary Katrantzou has launched Mary Mare, a new resort collection that features many of her prints from the last decade. Sicilia swimsuit, £375; Cannes dress, £1,480. marykatrantzou.com

T H R E E O F T H E B E S T… V I L L A S

OWNER’S VILLA, Delaire Graff Estate, South Africa Designed by David Collins Studio, the villa encompasses over 660 sq/m, and features works by some of Africa’s top artists, curated by owner Laurence Graff. £POA. delaire.co.za

CHATEAU LES CARRASSES, France Hide away from modern life at historic Château Les Carrasses, home of several elegant villas. L’Oliveraie is one of its finest, with two bedrooms, a terrace and a pool.

From €680 per night. lescarrasses.com

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SONEVA FUSHI, Maldives Set among lush tropical forest, and steps away from the beach, Soneva Fushi’s two new Maldivian villa residences have been designed to exist in perfect harmony with their unspoiled setting. £POA. soneva.com

THROWING SHADE For its first collaboration in half a century, Persol has worked with much-loved French fashion house APC on three colour variants of its iconic 649 sunglasses, originally designed in 1957 for tram drivers in Turin. £232. apc.fr

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TAKE THREE

SPRING SCENTS

DOWN TO EARTH

For World Earth Day, Joseph has created a limited-edition run of 50 organic cotton bags, with all proceeds going to One Tree Planted. From £195. joseph-fashion.com

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TRUE ROMANCE

LALIQUE Soleil Lalique eau de parfum, £100. harrods.com

Theodora Warre’s newest collection is inspired by antique French-Victorian jewellery. Combining her signature gypsy aesthetic with Victorian design, it draws on the romance of the era’s jewellery. Blue topaz earrings, £245. theodorawarre.eu

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For natural skincare that packs a punch, Tata Harper’s Supernaturals 2.0 collection uses the latest in green technology. Eye Balm, £165. tataharper.com

ACQUA DI PARMA Note di Colonia V eau de cologne, £350. harrods.com

7 ERMANNO SCERVINO Eau de parfum, £93. debenhams.com

BACK TO NATURE

WATCH OUT

Loretta Caponi is known for its exquisite detailing and signature embroidery. As well as its bespoke pieces, the beautiful ready-to-wear line should be on your radar. Dress, £485. matchesfashion.com

SADDLE UP

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This season, Penelope Chilvers’ collection was inspired by a trip to Argentina and incorporates new styles that are inspired by the country and its Gaucho culture. Hand woven mules, £199. penelopechilvers.com

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STRAW WOMAN

The Story bag from Alexander McQueen can be worn across the body or carried as a clutch. It comes in raffia for summer 2020. £1,650. alexandermcqueen.com

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GET THE GLOW

Inspired by the Mediterranean light, Dolce & Gabbana’s Solar Glow Ultra-Light bronzing powder will enhance your natural healthy glow anytime, anywhere. Summer in a stroke. £53. harrods.com April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 33

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UP FRONT S T Y L E

ITALIANS DO IT BETTER

VERSACE Coin hair clip, £170

Spring staples direct from Italy. Chosen by Mariella Tandy

FENDI Safari jacket, £2,790 PRADA Dress, £1,950

BLAZÉ MILANO Everyday blazer, £1,350

Inspired by classic menswear silhouettes, Giuliva Heritage Collection echoes past times when generations invested in impeccably made items in beautiful hard-wearing fabrics designed to last a lifetime. Daphne dress, £456

VALENTINO Straw and lace sun hat, £568

MISSONI Striped knitted trousers, £750

MIU MIU Embellished denim skirt, £1,535 MARNI Satin sandals, £550

GUCCI Jacquard skirt, £1,350

BOTTEGA VENETA Cassette bag, £2,090

SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS

ILLESTEVA Eldridge sunglasses, £225

FERRAGAMO Multi-coloured hoodie, £1,245

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Chimneypieces | Lighting | Furniture 020 7730 2122 | jamb.co.uk

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UP FRONT

DIOR ET MOI

J E W E L L E R Y

THE MAGPIE

Inspired by romantic jewellery – known as ‘toi et moi’ in France – Victoire de Castellane, Creative Director at Dior Haute Joaillerie, has dreamed up Dior et Moi, a new jewellery collection that brings together both exceptional and semi-precious stones. The collection is limited to 39 pieces, including bangles, rings and necklaces. One of de Castellane’s favourite stones, the opal, takes pride of place in the form of a huge pendant.

The collection represents a new step forward for the house and also features enamels, semi-precious stones, asymmetric pieces and between-finger rings. £POA. dior.com

Mariella Tandy discovers gilded wrist candy and Dior’s latest collection

I

taly has a rich tradition of beautiful gold jewellery and exquisite craftsmanship. Six different Italian jewellery houses have interpreted and redefined the classic gold bracelet for the new decade. Here’s my pick of the best from this season’s collections, which will see you through the 2020s in style.

1

Delfina Delettrez

Known for her elegant yet playful designs, Delfina Delettrez’s classic triple band rings and bracelets have been updated this season with diamond, rhodolite and pearl.

Pink-gold cuff, £7,328. matchesfashion.com

2

Pomellato

Fusing beautiful architectural silhouettes with horse-inspired shapes, Pomellato’s latest Fantina collection is inspired by equestriennes. The gold bracelet is a perfectly honed sculpture in its own right. Bracelet in rose gold and diamonds, £13,850. pomellato.com

3

Bulgari

B.zero1 Rock is the brand’s latest iteration of its B.Zero1 range. It’s inspired by the heritage Bulgari Tubogas choker, which dates back to the 80s. Eighteen carat yellow gold bracelet with studded spiral and pavé diamonds, £12,900. bulgari.com

4

Buccellati

The shape of the Buccellati cut diamond consists of 57 facets, in which every facet is mirrored to create stones that really capture the light.

A statement cuff if ever there was one.

Sterlizia bracelet, £POA. buccellati.com

5

Fope

Fope is known for gold jewellery that’s designed to flex, thanks to the clever addition of tiny gold springs that sit between each link. The new Panorama 18 carat gold mesh is a wider, flattened chain with diamond-set gold bars. From £6,370. fope.com

6

Vhernier

The much-loved Calla collection from Vhernier fuses beautiful design with the ease of dayto-night wearability.

Choose between rose gold, white gold and yellow gold designs, or titanium with diamond detailing. From £1,800. vhernier.com

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UP FRONT

Q & A

MY STYLE

Event dressing? My Usisi jumpsuit (main picture).

I’ll be wearing it next to a friend’s wedding.

Stressful dressing? Shoes! I hate very high heels. I would much rather be in trainers.

Wardrobe failsafes? I love a suit for any occasion. I have a wonderful little collection, including an incredible white tie suit by Anderson & Sheppard, which is a copy of one of Marlene Dietrich’s, and a Solero-yellow double-breasted version by Jessica K. Everyday uniform? I work in PR and I’m an ambassador for Young Epilepsy, a charity for children with epilepsy. Day-to-day I’m casual with no make-up and predominantly live in sportswear, a Michael Kors bodysuit or silk trousers by Serena Bute.

Style crushes? Marlene Dietrich, Alexa Chung (left) and Laura Bailey.

Power dressing? I always feel invincible in any Galvan London pieces, whether it’s one of its chic structured jumpsuits or a sequin dress.

Holiday essentials? Mini dresses from De La Vali. They come

in fabulous prints that always look amazing with tanned legs, and Rebecca de Ravenel earrings.

Lounge lizard? I love Deeba London silk pyjamas for breakfast in bed and snuggles with my blue whippet Maisie.

Finishing touches? Celine sunglasses and an Usisi handbag.

Country walk? A gorgeous Nadya Shah cape, or my Dad’s jumper and muddy wellies.

Secret labels? Eleanor Balfour has the most stunning dresses and shirt and trouser combos, and Valle & Vik has fabulous silk pieces.

Trend you’ll be embracing? Fashion rental platforms, I’ve just discovered Hurr Collective and My Wardrobe HQ. Style cheats? A Chanel handbag, Alexander McQueen trainers, and Reformation dresses for any wedding or party. Just don’t put them in the washing machine! humfleming; youngepilepsy.org.uk n

1 Jessica K trousers, £203; jacket £265 2 Valle & Vik The Flirt shirt, £245 3 Alexander McQueen sneakers, £360 4 Celine sunglasses, £330 5 Rebecca de Ravenel Linda three-drop earrings, £228 6 Galvan London Stargaze dress, £1,195 7 Serena Bute The Serena trouser, £490 8 Michael Kors bodysuit, £550 9 De La Vali Christabel dress, £265 10 Usisi Consti bag, £390

SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS; PHOTO: REX FEATURES

Hum Fleming shares her style secrets

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Timeless elegance to have and to hold for generations

Grace Han.indd 1

13 Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge, SW3 1NQ 020 8001 4621 | gracehan.shop | @gracehanglobal

21/02/2020 10:17

UP FRONT

LIFE’S LIT TLE LU XURIES

L U X U R Y

LUCIA LOVES

Me + Em is the secret to a stylish wardrobe, says Lucia van der Post

M

e + Em was started by Clare Hornby as recently as 2009. A mere 11 years later and it’s already the go-to brand for many working women. Hornby discovered a niche she was determined to fill: ‘I wanted to provide amazing quality with great attention to detail at a price that others couldn’t match. We do this by cutting out the wholesaler – we do everything ourselves and sell directly to the customer, either online or through a small selection of our own shops.’

Every garment has to pass what she calls the three ‘Fs’ test: flattering, functional and fashionable. She doesn’t aim to do what you might call directional clothing, more the sort of clothes FROM TOP: Me + Em is loved for its style

that are in tune with the times but can happily be worn to the school gate, a board room meeting or and substance; its first handbag comes in almost any office. different sizes for all occasions; trousers They’re smart are the brand’s calling card without being too corporate.

In fact, many fans come to the brand via its trousers (when Kirsty Wark wore a pair on television the website almost crashed). They do wide-legged and cigarette styles, both of which can easily be paired with trainers or high heels.

Her other obsession is creating clothes that can be styled myriad different ways. If you buy a pair of trousers there will be a Me + Em shirt, sweater and jacket that works with it.

While Me + Em rose to fame on the cut of its trousers, in the S/S ’20 collection there is also a clutch of dresses, such as a crisp all-white design and a pretty black and white spotted midi, as well as printed styles. It’s also launching its first handbag this season, and if you want the perfect spring blouse check out its frilly broderie anglaise-trimmed version.

If you’re looking for a stylish, easy-to-wear wardrobe that lasts from work to the weekend with ease, Me + Em should be your new go-to. meandem.com n

GOING FOR GOLD Sir John Soane’s Museum, tucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, is a brilliant source of presents.

Jeweller Lucy Priest has just launched a range that’s handfinished in Hatton Garden and based on the architectural fragments that adorn the museum’s walls. This Goddess pendant is based on a cast from the Temple of Vespasian in the Roman Forum. £225. soane.org

SOFTLY DOES IT I’m loving Madeleine Thompson’s collection of cashmere jumpers this season. Besides some jaunty, striped designs, she also has some that are deliciously ruffled, instantly turning a simple jumper into a statement piece.

Kandil jumper, £298. madeleine-thompson.com

PACK IT IN The Outlierman is an Italian company that makes beautiful travelling bags and accessories for the discerning motorist.

Customers can now design their own luggage set of four or more styles through its Tailor Made Lab. From €5,000. theoutlierman.com

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FURNITURE

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UP FRONT

MIND & M ATT ER

INVEST Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum The cool girl’s beauty secret, this multicorrectional skin powerhouse plumps, moisturises and brightens. £175. net-a-porter.com

R E V I E W

BODY LANGUAGE Olivia Falcon tries the workout of the future

T

here are two tribes of people on Instagram: the gym bunnies and the sofa sloths. Until recently I was in the latter camp. I don’t enjoy exercise at all – it’s a chore, or so I thought. A recent trip to Lanserhof at The Arts Club, a high-tech medical gym, has rather inspired me. This place takes the energyboosting principles of the cult Lanserhof spas in Austria and Germany (loved by the likes of Victoria Beckham) and turbo charges it with virtual reality exercise equipment, intravenous infusions in joint-soothing infrared-heated chairs, and a restaurant that makes carbfree eating so delicious you don’t feel you’re missing out at all. I was scheduled for a half-day session, but enjoyed it so much that they practically had to drag me out at dusk.

This is the UK’s most exclusive and expensive gym – memberships start at a bottom-clenching £6,500 per year.

But I guess you can’t put a price on improving health, and boy does this place deliver. I started in the basement, an Iron Man-style bunker that has a MRI machine offering full body composition analysis, (in some cases this has been a life-saver, picking up aneurysms and early signs of cancer), before heading over to the Movement Lab. Here, I was tagged at key points over my legs and hips and filmed running to analyse my gait (which was surprisingly

on-point). Across the hall in the Spine Lab, I swivelled on the robotic metal frames of the Centaur machine that measures core stability by tilting the body into unusual positions. It felt more like a game than a test, but the discreet staff were taking notes. These were seamlessly fed to the personal trainer upstairs, who handed me a workout routine on a microchipped card that I tapped on the machines for precise instructions.

Gyms usually make me feel nauseous but this one looks like an art gallery and smells like a spa. My remit was to strengthen my weaker left side, improve my posture and burn fat so it was straight onto the treadmill for a parachute sprint that uses a harness to increase resistance and get the heart pumping. To tone up my tummy, I climbed on to Icaros (above), a virtual reality core-strengthening contraption that simulates hand gliding through an alpine valley – you have to use your pelvis and abs to move the machine. Afterwards I felt the burn, but what a ride – it felt akin to flying. This gym reaches the parts others don’t. Save up, blow the budget and go. You won’t be disappointed.

Memberships from £6,500 a year.

40 Dover Street, London. theartsclub.co.uk n

HEAL Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Accumax A must for any type of eruption, be it a period-related breakout or mid-life menopausal spots.

It’s packed with broccoli extract for clearer skin in four to six weeks. £42. editorslist.co.uk

TRAIN Bala Bangles Fire up your workout with these functional and decorative arm and leg weights that target muscles to define and strengthen your body. £50. conranshop.co.uk

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Steal the spotlight.

With a starring role in many a red carpet-ready skin care ritual, Dr Sebagh Supreme Maintenance Youth Serum contains 95% active ingredients— the highest concentration of any skin care product—that target signs of premature ageing, including Resveratrol, Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and three powerful peptides to repair, boost collagen and restore radiance.

Available in-store and at drsebagh.com

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UP FRONT

Q & A

BRIGHT YOUNG THING

Nathalie Eleni catches up with singer and songwriter Call Me Loop Describe your sound? I call it sassy,

emotive, electronic pop. But this year my music is a little more Eighties synth-leaning than my previous releases.

What’s your sense of style?

Dressing up is such a fun part of my shoots and shows. Day-to-day I’m usually more low-key; quite sporty and androgynous.

But when I’m performing, I love to mix that with a more fashionable and feminine vibe, maybe pairing a suit with sparkly heels.

What’s been your favourite gig to date?

All three of my London shows. There’s nothing like your own show – it’s the most amazing feeling knowing that everyone in the room is there for you and your music.

TEAM Make-up: nathalieeleni_beauty Hair: callyborghair Photo: rvds

You wrote the Pussycat Dolls’ recent comeback single React. What was that like? React is my first song as a writer for

other artists. To have written it for an iconic girl band that I grew up listening to is just mind-blowing.

What can we expect from you in 2020?

GET THE LOOK

Bring spring skin to life with warm bronze and terracotta tones

1 2 3 4 5

Apply Chanel Le Vernis in Giallo Napoli to your nails. £22. chanel.com

Enhance your complexion with a soft bronze tone using RéVive Bronzé Supéreiur Self-Tan Booster. £80. harrods.com For healthy looking, perked up pink lips apply Dior Lip Glow hydrating lip balm in lilac. £28. dior.com

Swirl Guerlain Terracotta highlighting stick on the high points of your face for a ‘lit from within’ glow. £35. guerlain.com

Clark’s Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream will bring a radiance to your skin with its glycolic acid and algae extracts. £92. spacenk.com

My new single Downhill From Here is out this month. My new songs are very synonymous with my previous tracks in terms of messaging and tone of voice; they’re personal and empowering.

Daily beauty routine? I use Cetaphil cleanser in the shower morning and night, then Vichy Mineral 89 serum. A few nights a week I’ll use Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules before my moisturiser. And I put Revitalash on my lashes before bed, as it makes them grow so long. My must-have for performing live is layering Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on top of my lipstick.

Downhill From Here is out now. callmeloop n

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B E A U T Y

POWDER ROOM

FLAWLESS FACE

April’s beauty musthaves. By Nathalie Eleni HOT OFF THE PRESS GET THE GLOW WITH THESE NEW SKINCARE SAVIOURS

1 Clé de Peau Beauté La Crème makes skin glow beyond words. £700. harrods.com 2 Elénzia Anti-Aging Eye Contour cream visibly reduces the appearance and signs of aging such as fatigue, wrinkles, dark circles and laxity. £55. elenzia.com 3 Dr David Jack has created a trio of three primarycoloured ‘face paint’ masks for all skin needs. Red is for treating oily and acne-prone skin, blue is for dry skin and rosacea, and yellow is for pigmented skin. £139 each. drdavidjack.com

TEAM: Photo: rvds Make-up: nathalieeleni_beauty Hair: Chloe Sandoz Model: mariaclalima Top, Amanda Wakeley; earrings, Lark & Berry

HOURGLASS Vanish Airbrush concealer. £32. spacenk.com

YSL Pure Shots Light Up serum. £59. yslbeauty.co.uk

TREAT YOURSELF

Salon64 isn’t just a beauty destination; it’s also an exclusive members’ club where you can unwind with a coffee or cocktail while enjoying a range of treatments. It’s great for hosting birthdays or other celebrations, and its location in the heart of Soho makes it ideal for getting ready before a night out. salon64.co.uk

MEDIK8 Hydr8 B5 Intense. £55. medik8.com

THREE OF THE BEST

HAIR CARE TREATS SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS

1 Bardot Lift + Volume Spray

Who doesn’t want blonde bombshell locks? £19. fenwick.co.uk 2 Foamie Aloe You Vera Much Shampoo Bar The eco way to lather up. £4.30. cosmeterie.co.uk 3 Iles Formula Haute Performance Hair Mask For full effect, leave on for 15 minutes after shampooing, then rinse. Sleek. £63. net-a-porter.com April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 45

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UP FRONT W E L L N E S S

BODY & SOUL

CHECK IN

Invest in uplifting interiors, says Camilla Hewitt

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he home is a retreat from the outside world, a sanctuary to relax, re-energise and socialise, which is why the wellness industry is turning its focus to healthier living spaces.

From uplifting fragrances to calming paint colours and oxygen-boosting house plants, your home offers a wealth of wellbeing opportunities that can provide the same level of self-care as exercising or meditating.

1

EQUIP YOUR KITCHEN

HECKFIELD PLACE, HAMPSHIRE

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Visual triggers play a vital role in a kitchen, so keep shelves stocked with fresh produce, from farm-shop fruit to healing herbs, to inspire you to eat well. Your crockery can also encourage healthier eating habits – using smaller tableware is a simple way to be more mindful of portion size, for example. It’s also the perfect excuse to invest in new stoneware and ceramics from Mesa Clay. mesaclay.com

2

POT SOME PLANTS

As well as looking good, house plants can pack a punch when it comes to health benefits.

The air-purifying qualities of the Peace Lily and the Aloe Vera plant combat chemicals commonly found in household cleaning products. Visit patchplants.com to bring a breath of fresh air into your home.

4

3

2

BEAT THE BLUES

Biophilic design (the use of natural materials and colours to bring a sense of connection with nature) is trending in everything from paint colours to furniture. If you’re feeling stressed, choose blue hues; they create a sense of stability and still a busy mind.

4

SLEEP SOUNDLY

The comforting feeling of a weighted blanket is known as ‘deep pressure touch’, which studies have found stimulates the release of serotonin in the body. This hormone, generally associated with happiness, regulates brain functions such as stress and anxiety. It’s one of the reasons these blankets can be helpful for treating insomnia and reducing restlessness. John Lewis’ own brand blanket comes in a calming grey. johnlewis.co.uk

5

FIND YOUR FRAGRANCE

Fragrance is a key element of the wellbeing-athome movement. Wellness brand Anatome has finely tuned a collection of therapeutic essential oils and crystal diffusers, designed not only to smell good but also to support emotional health.

Different blends promote sleep, strength, concentration or confidence. anatome.co

Combining the grandeur of a Georgian manor with the informality of a modern farmhouse, Heckfield Place has been lovingly restored from its historic origins and rewoven into 400 acres of secluded Hampshire landscape. Capturing the warmth of a country home, the house has been reimagined using local materials, local craftsmanship and antiques relevant to the building’s history. Each of the rooms has a unique design and colour palette developed in response to its position within the house and its view; subtle tones of blush rose, forest green and grey allow magnificent parkland views to create all the drama necessary. Heckfield is also home to the Little Bothy Spa, where the emphasis is on a deep connection with the natural surroundings. Inspired by the arboretum at Heckfield Place, Wildsmith Skin uses the finest nutrient-rich botanicals and latest in plant-derived bioactives in the massages and facials. Guests also have access to three studios for personal training, yoga and pilates, and a movement studio from lifestyle specialists Bodyism, making it the perfect place to workout and unwind.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £350 a night. heckfieldplace.com

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CATCHPOLE & RYE KENT ENGLAND

EXCLUSIVE

LUXURY

BATHROOMS

L O N D O N • T U N B R I D G E W ELL S • A S H F O R D

T. 020 7351 0940

www.catchpoleandrye.com

The Copper Bateau (1500mm) - Painted Exterior with Enamel Interior

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UP FRONT

W E L L N E S S

SPA TREK

Kamalaya’s new gut programme can set you on a path to a happy tummy – and mind, says Lucy Cleland

C

hanging a habit for good is probably the most difficult obstacle people have to overcome when it comes to improving your health. My bad habits? A daily latte (or two), a weakness for Dairy Milk of an evening, and because I feel tired most days and my office is a repository for salty snacks, it’s all too easy to munch my way through an afternoon, while my little head devil rubs his hands with glee.

The only hope of resetting things (at least for a while) is to remove myself entirely from my daily rituals – and so late last year, I stepped into the lemongrass and citrusscented air of Kamalaya on Koh Samui to try out their new gut programme.

When we are stressed our body is in fight or flight mode, enlisting hormones such as cortisol to keep us on high alert; these in turn draw on the strength of glands such as the thyroid and adrenal that – during prolonged periods of stress – then tire and deplete. As the hormonal cavalry tries to keep up with this stressed state, it means that other areas get neglected, digestion being one of them. The symptoms of this can be anything from IBS to sudden food intolerances.

Kamalaya’s programme can offer the first steps to reversing this (to properly heal a leaky gut can take three months or more). Firstly, cutting out any potential aggravators such as wheat, gluten, dairy, alcohol and caffeine helps calm the digestive system. Thankfully, the food at Kamalaya is so delicious, you’ll never know what you’re missing – heaped bowls of fresh or steamed vegetables (fruit is best avoided) for breakfast, dolloped with pumpkin houmous and drizzled with apple cider vinegar (a great digestive aid) and extra virgin olive oil; lunch might be a garden salad with Thai herbs and a side of grilled tuna; supper, you might fancy an emerald green silky soup of green veg spiced up with coriander, lemongrass, ginger and lime.

The treatments are all devised to stimulate the gut and rid it of anything that’s just been sitting there, so there’s lots of colon massages and stretching; yoga helps rinse the organs; pranayama classes help focus the mind and teaches you tricks to use when you’re stressed; acupuncture calms the nervous system. Though, to be honest, I did miss a few more of the nurturing, hands-on type treatments such as full body massages with ladles of warm oils.

Did I kick my bad habits for good? No, not entirely, but a week is never long enough. I have though switched to skimmed milk and dark chocolate. Small steps, but worthy ones, plus seven days of resting, swimming and time out in a jungle paradise is worth its weight in Kamalaya gold.

BOOK IT: Healing Holidays offers a seven-night Enriched Gut programme from £3,995pp full board with flights and transfers. 020 3372 6447. healingholidays.com n

IT TAKES GUTS Jet Candy, a homeopathic remedy to stave off jetlag (£19.99. jet-candy.com). BRING Loose yoga-type clothing and flipflops.

READ The Body Keeps the Score, about how unresolved trauma can physiologically affect us. MAINTAIN Order a food delivery from Kurami, specifically designed for gut health (from £41.50 per day. kurami.co.uk).

PACK

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× Bill Amberg

savoirbeds.com

London

CountryandTownHouse fullpage UK.indd 1 Savoir Beds.indd 1

Paris

New York

Düsseldorf

Moscow

Shanghai

Hong Kong

Seoul

Taipei

Singapore

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UP FRONT T R E E T RU N K S Innovative and sustainable, Hamilton and Hare’s new underwear line is fashioned from eucalyptus trees. The resulting cotton and lyocell stretch blend is softer than silk and made using a zero-waste manufacturing process, to boot. £35. hamiltonandhare.com

OVER THE RAINBOW

Hublot has launched Spirit of Big Bang Rainbow, two new 39-mm and 42-mm timepieces. With a dazzle of gemstones they make the rainbow’s colour spectrum sparkle and render the ephemeral phenomenon immortal.

From £68,600. hublot.com

S T Y L E

WELL GROOMED

SLOW FASHION

Put a spring in your step.

By Matt Thomas

SPRING REBOOT Fairfax & Favor’s 2020 menswear collection combines new and reimagined styles, including a fresh take on the classic Chelsea boot – a versatile staple for every man’s shoe collection. £225. fairfaxand favor.com

MENSWEAR REIMAGINED

Head to John Lewis Oxford Street for its revamped menswear space, with new VIP styling consultations in the super-smart Speak Easy and walk-in-wardrobe style changing rooms.

Book a consultation on 020 3073 0430. johnlewis.com

F R E S H LY SCE N T E D Copper is the latest fragrance from Comme des Garçons. It’s an exotic concoction of berries, galbanum, peppercorns and distilled Madagascan ginger oil. £115. theperfumeshop.com

Menswear’s favourite illustrator Mr Slowboy has teamed up with Mackintosh to present a capsule inspired by the question: what would a modern-day Renaissance man, wandering the streets of Bloomsbury, wear today? The result is dapper indeed.

Bloomsbury jacket, £695; Moore cashmere roll neck, £295. mackin tosh.com

ILLUSTRATION: © MR SLOWBOY

M E N ’ S

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UP FRONT S O C I A L

S C E N E

HIGH SOCIETY People, parties, places

Vivienne Westwood Isabella Macpherson, Laurent Feniou and Gala Gordon Ed Vaizey and Richard Young

Jeremy Isaac

GREAT BRITISH BRANDS AT ANNABEL’S

Stephen Webster and Serena Rees

Vivienne Westwood, Cora Corré, Gala Gordon and Rafferty Law were just a few of the guests who joined Country & Town House at Annabel’s to celebrate Great British Brands The Optimism Issue. The Vivienne Westwood-designed dress modelled on the cover by her granddaughter Cora was up for auction, with proceeds going to Haka, an NGO that works to protect the Leuser ecosystem in Sumatra.

Cora Corré

Annoushka Ducas and John Ayton

Joe Corré

Rafferty Law

Carole Annett

Lord Sebastian Coe

Lucy Cleland

Andreas Kronthaler and Vivienne Westwood Lucia van der Post

Bella Tilbury and DJ James

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Elfie Reigate

Lady Mary Charteris

Alice Eve and Dianna Agron

Gemma Arterton

James Massiah

Hana Cross Toby HuntingtonWhiteley Fuschia Kate Sumner

LionHeart

Yoon Young Bae

Tom York

Sai Bennett

Jasmine Lee-Jones

Rhys Ifans and Ollie Feather Paloma Faith

Malachi Kirby Jessie Ware Laura Jackson Jeremy Irvine

GALA DAY

The lavish after party of Platform Presents Poetry Gala (founded by Gala Gordon and Isabella Macpherson, and directed

by Gemma Arterton) took place at Isabel Mayfair’s Dragon Room. Think: Veuve Clicquot and Casamigos cocktails, and some generous cheques for the Platform Presents Playwright’s Prize.

SUSTAINABLE SHINDIG

Mulberry’s Made to Last LFW installation in its Bond Street store was inspired by its responsibility commitments past, present and future. What better way to celebrate than with a star-studded, three-course VIP dinner created by foodie favourites Pophams?

Lady Amelia Windsor

Isabella Macpherson and Gala Gordon

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Emily Beecham

Kaitlyn Dever Laura Bailey Jessie Buckley Vanessa Kirby

Lily-Rose Depp

Laura Dern

Emilia Clarke

Chanel threw the preBAFTA party of the century with movie mogul Charles Finch, packed with A-list names including Lily Rose-Depp, Soairse Ronan, Laura Bailey and Emilia Clarke. Oh to be a fly on the wall – or perhaps a priceless piece of art, given the setting at private members’ club Loulou’s in Mayfair.

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ORIGINAL, LIMITED-EDITION ART DECO POSTERS

Limited to editions of 280, our newly-commissioned Art Deco posters feature glamorous holiday destinations around the world, ski resorts in the European Alps, and the world’s greatest historic automobiles. Over 100 designs to choose from, all printed on 100% cotton fine art paper, measuring 97 x 65 cm.

Pullman Editions Ltd

Priced at £395 each.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 0547

Private commissions are also welcome.

94 Pimlico Road Chelsea

London SW1W 8PL

www.pullmaneditions.com

info@pullmaneditions.com

Our central London gallery All images and text copyright © Pullman Editions Ltd. 2020

View and buy online at w w w.pullmaneditions.com Pullman Editions.indd 1

18/02/2020 15:38

ART CU LT U R E BOOKS PEOPLE

THE GUIDE

ALL’S FAIR

IMAGE: TIME LAPSE, TRIBECA, NYC, XAN PADRON

Calling aspiring collectors. Saatchi Art presents The Other Art Fair in the Old Truman Brewery this March. Expect to find cool, off-beat and vibrant pieces like this, Xan Padron’s Time Lapse, Tribeca, NYC, which transforms the pedestrian every day into a unique piece of art. What’s more, the fair lets you buy direct from the artists, meaning you’ll be supporting up-and-coming talent.

19-22 March. theotherartfair.com

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THE GUIDE

FESTIVAL

MAKE HAY

Literature buffs, this is for you.

The Hay Festival celebrates its 33rd birthday in Wales this year, with an impressive programme of writers including Hilary Mantel, Ali Smith and Gloria Steinem, to name just a few.

There’ll also be performances from Van Morrison, Stephen Fry and Sandi Toksvig, plus Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour will take to the stage. Earlybird tickets are on sale now, so book ahead to get your seat.

21-31 May. hayfestival.com

DON’T MISS NATURE

E V E N T S

NATURE WATCH

COUNTRY LIFE Culture and horticulture.

By Sofia Tindall

Learn about the history of gardens

Hay festival: a haven for book worms

GARDENING

GARDEN VARIETY

Whether your fingers are green or not, The Newt’s new garden museum in Somerset will enthrall you with horticultural history. The Story of Gardening immersive centre guides visitors on a fascinating journey through the courtyards of the ancient world to the hanging gardens of today’s urban metropolises. thenewtinsomerset.com

Acclaimed naturalist Sir David Attenborough should know more than any of us about the future of the planet.

In his 93 years, he’s travelled the world, and seen first-hand the impact of modern living on nature and environmental resources. His remarkable film David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet will be broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall on 16 April to cinemas worldwide, and also premier on Netflix. A must-watch. 16 April. attenborough.film

SCULPTURE

EXHIBITION

MODERN LEGENDS

In 1920, Naum Gabo and his brother Antoine Pevsner released the Realistic Manifesto, a pioneering text laying out the principles of modern art, which remains a key work today.

To mark its centenary, Tate St Ives in Cornwall is displaying Gabo’s sculptures, paintings, drawings and architectural designs for the first time in 30 years.

Until 3 May. tate.org.uk

Modernist pioneer Naum Gabo comes to St Ives

‘To be able to touch Moore’s sculpture is a unique experience.

We are returned to what knowledge our own hands hold,’ artist and author Edmund de Waal explains. At his curated exhibition at the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens in Hertfordshire, visitors have the rare opportunity to experience Moore’s smaller sculptures through touch. Roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. 3 April to 25 Oct. henry-moore.org

PHOTOS: ©SAM HARDWICK

HANDS ON

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ART

AUCTION ACTION

On 8 March it’s International Women’s Day. If you’re looking to get involved, Allbright, the women-only members’ club is marking the occasion by hosting Art on a Postcard’s latest allfemale exhibition, featuring artists like Caroline Coon, Genieve Figgis and Anne Tallentire. Not a member?

Digital bidders can pick up a portable piece of art to help raise money for the Hepatitis C Trust. 27 Feb to 11 March. artonapostcard.com

DON’T MISS

E V E N T S

TOWN LIFE

Feel-good festivals

Veil in Daffodil by Medina Dugger for Art on a Postcard

EXHIBITION

STRANGER THINGS

Whimsical and slightly ghostly, Dulwich Picture Gallery’s British Surrealism exhibition transports you to another world. See paintings from 42 artists including Marion Adnams’ The Distraught Infanta, celebrating 100 years since the birth of surrealism.

Until 17 May. dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Nancy Fouts reimagines Rubens

HISTORY

WAR AND PEACE An important piece of political history is heading to the Imperial War Museum.

Refugees: Forced to Flee combines research with real-life experiences, featuring an exceptional collection of over 80 photographs, oral histories, documents and objects that examine the experience of refugees from the last 100 years. A poignant reminder of how ordinary lives can change in an instant.

2 April to 29 November. iwm.org.uk ENVIRONMENT

ECO FESTIVAL EXHIBITION

AD LIB

Mad Men’s Don Draper has nothing on Nancy Fouts. She conceived memorable adverts for Silk Cut, British Airways and Virgin, and counted Banksy and Gavin Turk among her fans. The late artist’s disruptive and curious sculptures of everyday objects are now on display at the HangUp Gallery. Until 24 April. hanguppictures.com

The Distraught Infanta, Marion Admans (1944)

London Climate Change Festival is tipped to be life-changing, with a brainy panel of scientists and environmentalists leading talks alongside music and theatre events. Kids can get involved with creative storytelling and recycling workshops for school groups. 23 March to 16 May. londonclimate changefestival.com

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THE GUIDE

FROM LEFT: Mayflower II by George Clarke; what The Box will look like; a Wampanoag cooking pot

The centrepiece, which might rival any of the interiors catalogued in this month’s issue, will be a huge woolly mammoth. Mammoths used to roam Plymouth Sound, and the museum has one of this mega quadruped’s jawbones. To complement this hairy beast will be some of the museum’s Is The Box the best way to commemorate vast collections of marine specimens, butterflies, the Mayflower? Asks Ed Vaizey taxidermy, birds’ eggs and other species, bursting out of huge mass cases in the middle of the room.

It’s worth remembering that many other journeys began in his year marks the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower Plymouth apart from the momentous Mayflower voyage. The gallery voyage and the moment the Pilgrims left to settle in the will feature the stories of Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada, New World. It’s difficult to decide how to celebrate this Sir Walter Raleigh, James Cook, Charles Darwin, Gertrude Benham, momentous occasion. Perhaps we could offer the Crown to Donald Sir Joshua Reynolds and Sir Francis Chichester, to name a few.

Trump and bring the Pilgrims’ journey full circle. Or suggest But the opening exhibition will focus on the Mayflower. It’s Meghan runs for president. Actually, we are marking the event Plymouth’s largest loans exhibition ever and has been co-curated with in a very British way, by opening a new museum. the Wampanoag Advisory Committee to Plymouth 400 in the USA. There has been very little publicity for the arrival of The Box, Exhibits will include the first Bible to be printed in America, the last which is hardly surprising given its supremely uninspired name. known record of the Mayflower, the oldest existing state document The Box is based in Plymouth, whence the pilgrims sailed, and of New England, drawings, diaries, maps and plans, and the first piece it’s a £40m project to bring all the city’s collections into one, of Wampanoag art commissioned by Plymouth. In total, it will feature er, box. It envelops the old City Museum, library and St Luke’s 300 items on loan from 100 museums, libraries and archives from Church. There will be 13 new galleries, an archive based in a around the world, including Native American items from the National striking elevation at the top of the building, a new glass atrium Museum of the American Indian and the Harvard Peabody collection. and a new public square. All in all, 8,000 sq/m of cultural fun.

There will be contemporary art too, including a video installation by one of my favourite artists, Kehinde Wiley, exploring humans’ enduring relationship with the sea. The artist painted former US President Barack Obama’s portrait in 2017.

It’s hard to predict whether The Box will be a success. It’s the most significant cultural addition to the West Country for quite some time, and means that the discerning cultural traveller can take it in, alongside the Eden Project and Tate St Ives, during their summer holiday in the South West (now that Europe is out thanks to Brexit).

New local museums in other parts of the country have flourished in recent years, such as Turner Contemporary in Margate, but you have to acknowledge that part of their success is their proximity to London and its daytrippers. Plymouth is far away, and there are few other reasons to visit. Perhaps we will know if it’s worked when we celebrate Narrenschiff (Ship of Fools) a video installation by the 450th anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage.

American artist Kehinde Wiley will form part of the exhibition Opens 16 May 2020. plymhearts.org n

C U L T U R E

THE EXHIBITIONIST

PHOTOS: © SMOKESYGNALS; © KEHINDE WILEY

T

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PARTNERSHIP

WHAT TO SEE AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL The excitement doesn’t end at the finishing line

O

n Tuesday 10 March, The Jockey Club will open its doors to 260,000 people at Cheltenham Racecourse for four of the biggest days in racing: The Festival™ presented by Magners.

Over four enthralling days, jump racing’s top protagonists will take to the greatest stage in the racing world. Don’t miss reigning Grand National champion Tiger Roll in the Cross Country on Wednesday or Altior in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the same day. Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is set to be another spectacular day to remember, as Al Boum Photo fights off stiff competition to keep his title for the second year in a row.

Zara Tindall and friends enjoy the spectacle at the greatest racecourse in the sport

COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE PARTNERS’ BAR For the first time, The Jockey Club will welcome Country & Town House as the official media partner of the The Orchard™ enclosure. Together with William and Son, we will be presenting the Country & Town House Partners’ Bar in The Orchard™ throughout The Cheltenham Festival.

Of course, there’ll be plenty of excitement off the track, too. The Orchard™, now in its second year, is a wonderful place to spend your time while enjoying extraordinary racing. It’s situated in the heart of the Festival’s tented village and will play host to a range of top British brands, from Nyetimber and Glenfarclas, to Bentley and Boodles.

And new for 2020 is The Park, a dedicated entertainment and social enclosure with an electric atmosphere.

Expect live music, as well as DJ sets from famous names such as Nick Grimshaw and Laura Whitmore, alongside tempting street food stalls and bars. Plus, you can catch a bird’s eye view of all the action from the new Ferris wheel – a first for the Festival.

The Festival™ presented by Magners runs from 10-13 March at Cheltenham Racecourse. Entry to The Orchard™ and The Park is available to Club Enclosure ticket holders, hospitality guests, owners and trainers and all Cheltenham Racecourse annual members.

For more information please visit thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham or call 0344 579 3003 to book tickets

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THE GUIDE

A R T I S T ’ S

S T U D I O

Gray carves monumental sculptures out of marble and bronze

KEVIN FRANCIS GRAY

‘I

t took me so long to realise I couldn’t paint very well,’ says Gray of the moment he switched from painting to sculpture.

It was 20 years ago. He had graduated from Goldsmiths with a First-Class Master’s Degree in painting – and suddenly took against his own work. ‘I’m quite determined so I think that overrode my lack of potential and talent,’ he explains.

Gray’s self-deprecating attitude extends to his sculpture: ‘I’d love to say art was all I ever wanted to do and dreamt of, but no, it wasn’t, it was all I was ever good at, a by-product of circumstance rather than ambition.’

This modesty is a surprise. His work is monumental – huge marble or bronze pieces fit for a palace or a grand railway station, the backdrop for romantic embraces. In one, a boy is draped over a ballerina’s shoulder, her feet en pointe. It is so true to life you can almost sense the young man’s weight in her shoulder and ankles. One of his series features figures shrouded in delicate fabric, revealing the finely composed subjects beneath.

‘I used to carve quite figuratively,’ Gray says of these works. ‘And as the years have progressed I’ve tried to push the work to be more gestural. I felt the technique had more weight than the actual meaning, so I decided to follow a more abstract path and be little bit braver.’

His output in recent years is totally different. He captures huge recumbent nudes in big smudges and gooey chaos. They look mid-way through movement, as though their hard marble surfaces are about to melt to the floor. In his east London studio, he presents his work in

plaster and marble figures on plinths. Some are destined to become larger still at his studio in Carrara in Tuscany – the home of the best marble and where Michelangelo sourced his sublime statue of David.

There, in the heart of Italy, Gray runs a studio of artisans who rough out the piece before he finishes it alongside his main artisan, Jessica.

‘She is extraordinarily talented, so that’s really cool.’ She’s also one of the only women in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Gray’s upcoming show at Pace Gallery is to be another stepchange, a move further into Gray’s exploration of abstraction.

‘Maybe it’s my age or where I am in my life, but these works are more fragile, more introspective. The stone itself can be sensitive and tender as a material – I don’t think it’s been used like that historically, so that’s quite exciting.’

How Gray sources his stone has also changed in recent years, too.

‘We’re not taking it from the mountain any more – that doesn’t feel right for some reason,’ says Gray. who now rummages through old yards in Carrara. This method only has a 30 per cent success rate, but many imperfect pieces of old marble are suitable as bases.

The successful cuts are about to arrive in London, now shaped into Kevin’s new oeuvre. They reflect his articulacy of feeling and frankness. ‘I’m putting my heart quite openly on the line, emotionally and intellectually. But I think when any artist creates a new body of work it can be raw and personal and you’re really giving everything.’

22 April to 30 May, Pace Gallery, London W1. kevinfrancisgray.com n

PHOTO: © CAMILLA SANTINI

Caiti Grove takes a tour of the sculptor’s Bethnal Green space

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THE GUIDE

B O O K S

GOOD READS

The best books for children of all ages. By Richard Hopton

R

eading is the foundation of education, and its importance is reflected in the vast and varied output of books for children.

It covers everything from touchy-feely board books for babies to sophisticated stories for young adults, catering for all tastes and abilities. In an age in which our children are hypnotised by screens, it has never been so vital to get them reading – anything and everything.

The Highland Falcon Thief 1 by MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman (Macmillan, £6.99) is a gentle detective story, told with old-fashioned, jolly gusto for eight to 12 year olds. Set on a steam train as it puffs through the Scottish Highlands, it combines the spirit of Agatha Christie with the youthful, hearty enterprise of the Swallows and Amazons. The plot is laced with clues to keep the reader alert and there are some excellent passages explaining the workings of steam locomotives. It’s fun and stimulating.

Likewise, Sara Pennypacker’s Here in the Real World 2 (Harper Collins, £7.99), also for the eight to 12 age range, is the story of Ware, an American boy who, consigned by his parents to municipal day care during the school summer holidays, retreats into an imaginary medieval world of knights and castles, of moats, battlements and barbicans. A demolished church becomes the dreamy, self-sufficient Ware’s kingdom and with the help of Jolene, an energetic and practical girl he befriends, he builds a castle in the air. It’s a hymn to the importance of imagination and whimsy in childhood.

Written for the same eight to 12 age range, The Infinite 3

by Patience Agbabi (Canongate, £5.99) recounts the time-travelling adventures of Elle Bibi-Imbele Ifie, a British girl of Nigerian origin who is a Leapling – someone, that is, born on 29 February. A small group of

Leaplings travel to 2048 where they encounter a strange and instructive future with much fun and adventure along the way.

Wilder Girls 4 (Macmillan, £7.99) is a story for young adults of female friendship and survival by American author Rory Power. A group of girls, quarantined on an island off the coast of New England, live in semi-feral circumstances that bring to mind Lord of the Flies.

For babies and very young children try Victoria Cassanell’s The Grizzly Itch 5 (Macmillan, £6.99). For older readers Dorling Kindersley’s A Street Through Time 6 (£10.99), illustrated by Steve Noon, is a fascinating pictorial history of the development of a street in a city from the Stone Age to the modern era and beyond. It explains how our cities have grown and changed over the centuries in a way reminiscent of Osbert Lancaster’s wonderful and humorous histories of architecture.

For preschool children Macmillan has produced a series called My First Heroes 7 (£5.99), one introducing readers to famous scientists like Isaac Newton and Marie Curie, and the other to notable artists, including Andy Warhol and Vincent Van Gogh. There are also books on explorers and eco warriors. They are interactive board books which will engage and inform even very young children.

One of the joys of parenthood is reading to your own children books which you remember reading yourself as a child. Dr Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham 8 – a childhood favourite of mine – is now 60 years old and to celebrate this milestone, Harper Collins has produced a special anniversary edition (£6.99). In the same vein, Ladybird books still soldier on, covering an ever-wider range of subjects. There is even one on Donald Trump, a fitting format, some might think, for the subject although perhaps too alarming a topic for a toddler’s bedtime story. n

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THE GUIDE

S P O R T S

THE OLYMPIAN Sebastian Coe reflects upon his life in jazz

‘J

azz music objectifies America, it’s an art form that can give us a painless way of understanding ourselves,’ are the opening words in Ken Burns’ groundbreaking documentary about the history of jazz. It is the unique American art form that sprung from the Mississippi Delta, and made its way by river and rail to the stomping grounds of Kansas City and Chicago, and then to New York.

Looking back, my obsession with jazz was inevitable. It has been a recurring soundtrack from the moment I began to audibly absorb. My parents’ best man was Jamaican bass player Coleridge Goode.

Jazz filled the house much of the time.

Humphrey Lyttelton’s The Best of Jazz, originally a Saturday lunchtime broadcast on Radio 2, and Steve Race’s Jazz Record Requests, only hours later that day on Radio 3, were weekend fixtures. The first jazz to make its impact on me, probably before my sixth birthday, was Dave Brubeck’s recording, History of a Boy Scout. I also found the driving rhythm section of the Basie band spine-tingling when pumped through my father’s hand-made speakers, complete with beautifully crafted cabinets that dwarfed the sitting room.

Although my tastes since those early years have broadened, these recordings

are still my favourites. Has there ever been a sound with the raw blowing power of Count Basie in his pomp? My collection of his work alone runs into three figures, so much of it on vinyl, which has a magic all of its own. Records look so much better on a shelf than ubiquitous plastic cases. And the accompanying sleeve notes, crafted by some of the most knowledgeable writers, are themselves just as collectable.

Jazz has been my permanent sporting soundtrack, too. Sidney Bechet’s recording of Just A Closer Walk With Thee was playing in my head as I made the lonely walk from the warm-up track to the stadium at the Moscow Games 40 years ago, and minutes before the Olympic 1500m final. During the morning of the final presentation in Singapore that saw London cross the line in the race to stage the 2012 Olympics, I lay on my hotel bed listening to the mellifluous piano of Jimmy Rowles.

My favourite pieces? That’s a tough one and so dependent on mood and surroundings. Louis Armstrong’s 1928 recording of West End Blues, opening with the hauntingly beautiful 12-second unaccompanied trumpet cadenza, is up there. As is Lester Young’s Lady, Be Good, eight years later. Coleman Hawkins’ incomparable recording of Body and Soul, too. All these are emotionally overpowering. Each musician a giant of their art. Others legitimately cite the talents of so many who have dignified and distinguished its history. And most would press the case for the genius that was Charlie Parker.

I’m writing this column on a plane.

My scribbling has been suspended by a member of the cabin crew who has asked me to remove my earphones as we prepare to land. ‘You wouldn’t be able to hear the emergency instructions,’ she explains.

On reflection, I think it’s better not to tell her I’d much rather go to the strains of Erroll Garner when my time comes. n

Count Basie with Diahann Carroll and Ella Fitzgerald

PHOTOS: REX FEATURES; GETTY IMAGES

Louis Armstrong shows how it’s done

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The new Jeep Wrangler has stayed faithful to its WWII roots

C A R S

ROAD TEST

The Jeep Wrangler is an off-road legend but what’s the new model like on the tarmac? Jeremy Taylor finds out

VITA L STATS Jeep Wrangler Sahara 2.0T PRICE £44,865 ENGINE 2.0-litre turbo petrol POWER 272 hp 0-62MPH 7.3 seconds ECONOMY 31.4 mpg combined STREAMING Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen

TOWN

COUNTRY

You’d be forgiven for thinking this is the same Jeep that rolled up the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. True, the fancy paint options would have made General Eisenhower’s eyes roll but this is one vehicle that has remained faithful to its design ethos.

That said, the latest Wrangler is heavily revised underneath and brings the iconic 4x4 up to date.

Good job too, because Land Rover is launching a new Defender next month and advanced sales are through the roof. Jeep will have its work cut out.

The new Wrangler features a more efficient eight-speed gearbox, improved engines, lighter bodywork and more comfort all-round. That’s especially true on the road, where it’ll spend most of its life. My entry-level Sahara has a more relaxed and passenger-friendly cabin, with plush seats, ambient lighting and a proper infotainment system.

It’s a little tricky to reverse, although parking sensors and a reversing camera will prevent you crushing the car behind. The steering does feel slow to turn at low speed, which isn’t ideal in city traffic.

A Jeep certainly has street cred about town and while there are more frugal off-roaders out there, it makes ubiquitous SUVs like the Audi Q5 and Jaguar F-Pace look like wimps.

RATING: 3/5 HANDBAGS

Anybody who lives up the side of a mountain will be delighted to hear that the new Wrangler is unstoppable. That legendary, go-anywhere ability is part of Jeep’s DNA and the reason off-road enthusiasts swear by them.

For the rest of us, the Wrangler’s box-like dimensions make it uncomfortable out of town, especially in a cross-wind or on motorways. The steering can be ‘vague’ at speed and there’s always the drama of body-roll around a fast corner. It’s especially troubled on a rough country road where the suspension struggles to cope with ruts. If your children suffer from car sickness, look elsewhere.

A Land Rover Discovery is by far the more practical and comfortable vehicle but that isn’t why people buy the Wrangler. It’s a statement car and those antiquated ways are a huge part of the appeal.

If you can get your head around that, or occasionally need to wade through a river on your commute, then only the Mercedes G-Class or Toyota Land Cruiser come anywhere close.

The real rival for Jeep will be the new Defender, which is simply the far better vehicle. It won’t stop enthusiasts buying a Wrangler but drive them both back to back and you will likely buy British.

RATING: 3/5 WELLIES

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THE GUIDE Getting leathered

an onscreen hero. The AMR – that’s Aston Martin Racing – is the flagship of the gorgeous DB11 range and powered by a huge 5.2-litre petrol engine. Fuel-guzzling V12s like this are as un-PC as Bond himself, a dying breed of luxury The car Bond would car soon to be overtaken by battery power. drive on the weekend With an extra boost of 30 bhp under a svelte bonnet, this Aston will rival McLaren, Ferrari and Lamborghini for performance. More than THE DRIVE DESTINATION: EVERSHOT, DORSET that though, the DB11 is simply one of the most beautiful cars a lot of money can buy. The Aston Martin is about to launch its first, familychrome work is mostly signature carbon fibre, friendly SUV – just in time for Daniel Craig’s while the seats are appropriately swathed in character to bow out of the Bond franchise next leather with lime detailing. Wonderful! month in his final action adventure No Time To Die. While the performance figures speak for Now 007 has hung up his holster for good, themselves, this is essentially a very fast grand a DBX would be the perfect motor for making VITA L tourer – a 2+2 that is less roomy or practical than the school run or shopping at Waitrose.

STATS the class-leading GT, the Bentley Continental.

Unlikely? We think so too, which is why I’m Although the Bentley is a fantastic drive, the Aston winding through the country lanes of Dorset in Aston Martin is simply the cooler, more dynamic machine.

Aston Martin’s new DB11 AMR, a V12-powered DB11 AMR It’s pretty hard to slip under the radar in the masterpiece that would make anybody feel like PRICE AMR because it sounds like a Spitfire turning £174,995 through a victory roll. The curtains are twitching Find the 16th-century ENGINE Acorn Inn in the heart as I arrive in sleepy Evershot, a wonderfully remote 5.2-litre V12 of Hardy country village about 15 miles north of Dorchester. Idyllic, POWER olde worlde charm seeps from every thatched 630 bhp roof – for some reason it has avoided the tourist 0-60MPH hordes and is all the better for it.

3.5 seconds The Acorn Inn dates back 400 years and was RANGE the inspiration for a pub in Thomas Hardy’s Tess 24.8mpg of the d’Urbervilles. There’s a skittle alley, a giant STREAMING Virginia creeper and fire places in every public Goldfinger, Shirley Bassey room. Some of the bedrooms feature four poster beds, and the breakfast is legendary and staff friendly.

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THE GUIDE G A R D E N I N G

PLANTING IDEAS

SEEDER’S DIGEST Bring nature into your home, says Sarah Raven

I

love growing cut flowers – filling the house with colour all year round.

Here are some of my top tips for perfect and beautiful arrangements.

Before you start, bear in mind my recommended order: pick, condition, rest (ideally 12 hours), arrange.

How should I treat stems? Sear stem ends in boiling water for 10-30 seconds, depending on the texture and woodiness (size) of the stem. Floppy stems will make a total recovery after searing.

What do I add to the water? Flower food is important; either buy a sachet or make it using tap water, bleach and either vinegar or lemon juice to reduce the bacteria. You could also add sugar or lemonade, but in my experience too much sugar not only feeds the flowers, but the bugs too. I do find it adds to the vase life of sweet peas, but nothing else.

Arranging your flowers: I love just dropping single stems into narrownecked bottles and scattering them around the room. For mixed arrangements, start with foliage.

Pick your primary foliage, I often use Euphorbia oblongata, a robust upstanding structure with a brilliant acid-green colour that adds brightness and contrast. Use a second foliage as a filler, ideally a different colour and form to the primary foliage. For the third foliage, choose an interesting architectural shape to break up any overneatness. Honeywort or Bells of Ireland are ideal. Then move on to your flowers, mixing saucer or face flowers (marigolds, zinnias and dahlias) with vertical spires (larkspur, or foxgloves).

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Start picking your salad leaves this April

REAP THE BENEFITS

APRIL IN YOUR GARDEN »

Start to direct sow hardy annuals and perennials.

»

Harden off seedlings that have stayed indoors by placing them outside during the day.

»

Lovely things to pick and arrange from your garden in April: Narcissi,

fritillaries, hyacinths and tulips. Hardy annuals such as the first autumnsown marigolds. Perennials including euphorbias, polyanthus, hellebores, first Solomon’s seal and lily of the valley.

» »

Plant out sweet peas, any indoor forced bulbs and summerflowering bulbs.

Pot up dahlia tubers.

Keep on top of tiny annual weeds emerging with a hoe (only on dry days).

Here’s what you could be picking and eating from your garden at this time of year. If you’re a dab hand at growing veg, you may be already tucking in!

Brassicas: red and green cabbages, kale, cauliflower, purple and white sprouting cauliflower.

Roots: Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, first radishes.

Salad crops: salad leaves, over-wintered lettuce, pea tip.

Leafy green: chard, perpetual spinach and true spinach.

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THE GUIDE

Artist Liza Campbell has lived a life apart, Charlotte Metcalf discovers Portrait by ALEXANDRA DAO

L

iza Campbell and I are talking about the success of her solo show at Rebecca Hossack Gallery, which ran until January.

We’re trying to define her pictures, which I’m calling ‘bubble painting’ but Liza says she prefers the term ‘psychedelic effervescence’. In fact, the work comprises old prints that Liza transforms with luminous patterns in acrylic and ink, and retitles to give them a quirky, ironic context. One classical print of nudes around a fountain has multicoloured dots exploding in the sky and is retitled We’re Planning on Some Smooching and Some Strong Cuddling.

‘I’ve had various artistic obsessions,’ Liza says, ‘but currently I’m enjoying molesting serious subject matter. This phase started when I went back to my childhood obsession with treasure maps and started tormenting a piece of double-entry book-keeping paper, burning it, staining it with tea then painting round the marks. I named it The Dung Penthouse Beetle’s Dream. When a gallery bought it, I did or cottage?

A penthouse more and attacked whatever engravings were overlooking the in my house. I started with architectural prints Thames. but now I seek out Victorian prints showing Michelin star or people in social situations taking themselves country pub? I don’t drink and terribly seriously. We all face snubs and insults I hate swirly and have accidentally made fools of ourselves carpets and low stools at and the way I deal with nightmare and tiny tables, so humiliation is to laugh.’

Michelin star Liza was an Eighties ‘It Girl’ before the every time. phrase had even been coined, photographed Killer heels naked with her sister for Tatler’s front cover by or country brogues? I Patrick Lichfield. Most men I knew were in love haven’t worn with her. She went out with Imran Khan and heels in years.

Daniel Day-Lewis and I remember her causing Theatre or a sensation at a party wearing nothing but a gardening?

Good theatre – I leopard skin leotard and fishnets. Liza lived like gardening in Chelsea and did ‘all sorts of jobs’ – artist’s but I have black fingers. model, travel writer, film extra, casting director – including a spell as one of Naim Attallah’s Couture or country casuals? legendary female team at Quartet Books, We should all be alongside Sophia Waugh, Rebecca Fraser, doing our bit to recycle and wear Nigella Lawson and Bella Pollen. second hand In 1990 her life changed when she visited stuff. her sister in Kenya and met her husband, Dog or cat? I’m Willie Athill. ‘He was taking people fishing allergic to cats. and on safari and was the most manly man

IN BRIEF

I’d ever come across,’ says Liza. ‘It was easy to jump ship from my life because I didn’t know where my career was headed. We lived a Robinson Crusoe outdoor life in a grove of trees. We had no electricity, no luxuries and fished to eat. It was an incredibly happy and romantic time.’

Her daughter, Storm, now 29, was born, tiny and ‘very, very, very white’ so Liza was forced inside to avoid the scorching sun. Eventually, they all moved back to Willie’s home in Norfolk. Liza had a son, Atticus, now 27, and the family moved briefly to Indonesia but the marriage failed and Liza returned to London as a single mother.

In Kenya she had started engraving on soapstone, which led to a sellout show at Sladmore Gallery. Meanwhile, she was writing her memoir, Title Deeds, describing her childhood in ‘Macbeth’s castle’ as daughter of the Earl of Cawdor. It was a gripping tale of her father’s shocking decision to disinherit his family in favour of Liza’s stepmother. ‘My main terror was of being vilified as some posh girl moaning,’ says Liza, but the book was published to rave reviews in 2006.

Today Liza lives alone in Queen’s Park where she paints, draws, sews, glues, pastes, carves – whatever it takes to produce art. Works include collage screens, ‘subversive sewing’ and maps (Paul Smith has three in his Albemarle Street flagship store), dark boxes full of small plastic doll figures in awkward social predicaments, a dolls’ house full of horror and her molested Victorian prints. ‘Growing up in a scary place gave me a dark, Gothic view on life so I enjoy putting figures with stuck cheery smiles into terrible emotional situations and making an interesting story out of dull images,’ she says.

Liza was employed briefly by Miramax in the Nineties, so we move on to Harvey Weinstein. We’ve talked about him before but now she describes how, during a business meeting, he suggested they share a bath and started undressing. ‘Two of the three doors in the suite were locked but, thank God, I shouted at him and escaped. But then afterwards when he contacted me pretending to have forgotten what had happened, I felt powerless and at a loss for words. I felt I let myself down. So, I wrote about it in 2002 and again in 2017 because I want people to stop suggesting that women are knowingly going into a bedroom when they’re summoned to a meeting in a hotel. In my case, female assistants had ushered me into a sitting room.’

On her website, Liza describes herself as ‘generally disturbed and alienated on a private level’ and if her art is difficult to define, Liza is harder. Socialite, wife, mother, journalist, artist – she’s been all of them.

‘I don’t know what I am,’ she laughs, ‘I struggle to say I’m an artist as it sounds pretentious. So, let’s just say that I make things.’ lizacampbell.com n

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Liza Campbell takes inspiration from her prolific life experiences

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LEFT: Oleanna dress, ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at net-a-porter.

Hat, Lock & Co. Earrings, ERDEM. RIGHT: Aurelio gown, ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at net-a-porter.

Earrings and espadrilles, ERDEM. Taffeta bow throughout, ERDEM

WALL FLOWERS Erdem and de Gournay are a match made in print heaven

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Fashion director NICOLE SMALLWOOD Photographer JONTY DAVIES

hen you think about it, it seems obvious: two British design houses, each renowned for their exquisite prints and skilled craftsmanship. Who could make a hotter pair than Erdem and de Gournay?

The latter is beloved in the world of interiors for its fine silk chinoiserie swallpaper, painstakingly crafted pen-and-ink drawings that are inspired by the thousand-year-old Chinese tradition.

Fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu, on the other hand, has filled red carpets across the globe with his ornate floral creations.

‘My sister and I have always adored Erdem’s work and I had long

dreamed of working with him,’ explains Hannah Cecil Gurney, who runs de Gournay with her sister Rachel. ‘He has an incredible eye for pattern and texture, and we were confident he would be able to create an iconic wallpaper for de Gournay. And we knew that de Gournay patterns would look amazing on his clothes.’

The resulting prints are a riot of halcyon beauty; a springtime vision of nature in full bloom. Following instructions from Moralioglu, birds were painted to appear full of life as they dart through the foliage. As you can see in our exclusive shoot, the hand-painted prints also provide the ideal counterpoint to the designer’s dreamy, romantic silhouettes. n

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Constantine dress, ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at net-a-porter. Earrings, ERDEM

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Kaiya dress, ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at erdem.com. Earrings: ERDEM. Espadrilles, as before. Gloves, stylist’s own

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Oleanna dress, ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at net-a-porter. Earrings, ERDEM. Gloves, stylist’s own

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Giudita dress, ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at net-a-porter. Brooch (worn as earrings), ERDEM

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Opal top and Shea skirt, both ERDEM x de Gournay exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman. Earrings, ERDEM. Gloves, as before.

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Clementine gown, ERDEM x de Gournay.

Earrings, ERDEM TEAM Art director: Fleur Harding Set designer: Charlotte Lawton Set designer’s assistant: Phoebe Deeprose; Photographer’s assistants: Petros Poyatgi and Matt Kelly Hair: Cher Savery using Maria Nila Make-up: Adam de Cruz at One Represents using Surratt and ADC Beauty Model: Clara Pereira at IMG de Gournay hand-painted Erdem chinoiserie dyed-silk wallpaper throughout, from £942 per panel degournay.com erdem.com Available from 19 March Stockists: p138

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26/02/2020 14:36

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT We’re all being told to do our bit for the environment – to reduce, reuse, recycle and restore – but how feasible is this in interior design? Arabella Youens investigates

S

ustainability. It’s a word that’s hard to escape anywhere today, not least in the world of interiors. Responding to the unfavourable spotlight recently shone on fast fashion, and its detrimental effect on the environment (among other aspects), both established manufacturers and emerging makers of furniture and furnishings are busy underlining their environmental credentials.

Examples of sustainable design abound in all directions, ranging from the practical to the esoteric.

Heal’s has produced a collection using recycled ocean plastics and yarns from fashion industry waste (heals.com), while Pentatonic (pentatonic.com) creates tableware out of

FROM ABOVE: Retrouvius transforms salvaged old materials into new interiors; reclaimed leather rug by Elvis & Kresse

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recycled smartphones. Elvis & Kresse (elvisandkresse.com), a London-based brand, makes bags from rescued fire hoses and rugs from the leather offcuts of luxury brands, and it donates half its profits to charity. And anyone worried about water wastage when soaking in the tub can assuage their conscience by buying a VitrA Balance bath, designed to require less water (vitraglobal.com).

It should be relatively easy to take a more sustainable route when decorating a home, by only buying and using natural materials such as wood, marble, ceramic, linen and wool. It’s not always so, however, given that (for example) 90 per cent of wood used in this country is imported. But buy direct from a furniture maker like Sebastian Cox and you can’t go wrong, because he uses British hardwoods, including coppiced hazel. Cox founded his company in 2010, and he’s just published a manifesto for an urgent shift in mindset about how we use our rich natural resources, wood in particular (sebastiancox.co.uk).

Other early champions of reuse and sustainability are Adam Hills and Maria Speake of salvage specialist and design studio, Retrouvius (retrouvius.com). They set up their business in 1993 with the philosophy that good materials and well-made objects are precious. For over two decades they’ve built up a reputation as pioneers and now their campaign has gone mainstream.

THIS PICTURE: A design from interiors studio Harding & Read, which predicts a rise in ‘intelligent’ materials. BELOW: Rustic reuse by Retrouvius

‘Today, of course, sustainability has come to the fore in so many different ways,’ says Speake, before adding that it’s far from a new concept. ‘The idea of reuse is inherent within us. We’ve just got out of the habit of doing it over the course of two or three generations. We need a bit more of the make-do-and-mend approach.’

For those who aren’t creative with their hands, it’s not easy to know where to start. Interior designer Nicola Harding, co-founder of Harding & Read (hardingandread.com), believes sustainability issues can be so complex and overwhelming they numb people into ‘a state of paralysis’. What’s more, interior design as a profession fuels consumption that runs counter to the aim of using earth’s natural resources April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 81

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SHOPPING S U S TA I N A B LY BOWER COLLECTIVE A newly launched company that sells natural household products in plastic-free and reusable packaging. bowercollective.com NATURALMAT Market leaders in making mattresses and bedding from organic and sustainable materials, including wool sourced within a 50-mile radius of their Devon-based bed works. naturalmat.co.uk

FROM ABOVE: Harth allows you to borrow new and vintage pieces direct from designers, studios and makers; a room using Edward Bulmer’s eco-friendly paint

JENNIFER MANNERS Her Re/Purpose rug range is made in India from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles.

(A standard 2m x 3m rug uses 4,000 bottles). jennifermanners.co.uk MARIA SIGMA Channels a zero-waste philosophy to produce handwoven, undyed, woollen textiles with minimal carbon footprint. mariasigma.com RECHIC An online furniture and accessories store that sources ethically made products from recycled materials. rechic.co.uk

art rental company (harth.space). Allowing members to borrow new and vintage pieces direct from brands, makers, galleries and dealers – as well as renting out their own items – they aim to tackle overproduction by providing an alternative to ownership.

‘Instead of buying something cheap and throwing it away, borrow something that’s lovely instead,’ says Thompson. ‘Recently I heard sustainability likened to teenage sex – something that everyone talks about but no one does very well. This is about making the best use of what already exists.’

If the idea of ownership still has too strong a hold on us, assessing or reimagining what we already have is the best place to start incorporating sustainable design at home, believes Harding. It’s about employing the mantra our grandparents used to live by: ‘Buy well, buy less, buy once’. n

SEBASTIAN CONRAN/ GIFU ARTISANS This collaboration between Sebastian Conran and 14 traditional makers in Gifu, Japan, spans lighting, furniture, ceramics and kitchen tools, celebrating design quality, craftsmanship, ethics and sustainability. sebastianconran-gifu.com TALA A London-based lighting brand that specialises in low energy LED products while at the same time donating a portion of revenue to tree planting programmes, including the Heart of England Forest. tala.co.uk

PHOTOS: © EMMA LEWIS

more carefully.

‘Today’s impulsive, disposable culture is the number one enemy of sustainability,’ affirms Harding. She notes a key trend in the use of ‘intelligent’ materials, such as worktops made of recycled waste, including plastic or glass. ‘Many companies at the forefront of this movement will offer a service of reclaiming their materials when they are no longer wanted, so that they can recycle them all over again.’

Natural paint manufacturer Edward Bulmer agrees that sustainability entails so much more than recycled materials or carbon neutrality (edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk).

‘It’s a social project about ensuring that human life endures and hopefully gets better all the time,’ he says.

‘That this isn’t happening is because we’ve overlooked the need for ecology. If a company understands this then it stands a chance of achieving sustainable development.’

On a practical level, Bulmer’s key driver in the paint industry is ‘transparency’. In the absence of a traffic light system or kite mark that demonstrates a product’s impact on the environment, this is entirely voluntary.

It needn’t be, he says. ‘Tell the customer as much as possible, as clearly as possible and they can see whether the product is exploitative, or safe and responsible.’

One way to take a green approach to decorating a home is to buy vintage or antique pieces. ‘You know that they are built to last,’ says Marc Weaver of Guinevere Antiques (guinevere.co.uk). ‘It doesn’t have to be an antique. Something that’s around now in a second-hand or vintage shop is likely to be well made – as well as being unique and ticking the environmentally friendly box.’

There’s another answer to the question of sustainability in interiors, and it involves no purchases at all. Henrietta Thompson and Ed Padmore are the founders of Harth, an online furniture, accessories and 82 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | April 2020

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From the first toast to the final bite, savor every moment with Sub-Zero, the refrigeration specialist, and Wolf, the cooking specialist.

Entertain more often with thoughtfully designed, innovative appliances crafted to last for decades of beautiful, memorable meals.

Refrigeration. Cooking.

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CASTLE IN THE SKY Anastasia Bernhardt explores Moët & Chandon’s Épernay hunting lodge

D

o you remember the days when, as a loyal customer, you might expect to receive a ballpoint pen emblazoned with the company logo? If you were really lucky, they might stretch to a golf brolly. That just doesn’t wash these days. As the high street declines and our expectation of brands rises – whether that’s their corporate, social or environmental responsibility – retailers are having to work harder for our pound than ever before. But what do you give to customers who have it all?

Enter the ‘experience economy’. A term first coined by B Joseph Pine II and James H Gilmore in 1998, it’s now serious currency.

Since then, marketers have allowed things to get a little out of control: in my inbox I’ve had face oil, tampons and vegan energy balls all touted as the next life-transforming ‘experience’.

But when a brand gets it right, the value it can add is priceless.

This is best exemplified by businesses such as LVMH, the uberluxury umbrella company behind the likes of Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hennessy, Bulgari, Givenchy and Dom Pérignon. Moët & Chandon

is another big hitter in its portfolio, and I went to check out the latest weapon its customer-pleasing arsenal.

Château de Saran was built as a hunting lodge in 1801 by JeanRémy Moët, the grandson of Moët & Chandon’s founder, and pioneer of its rapid global expansion. In the last 200 years it has undergone a few major transformations, including the creation of its current 18th-century-inspired façade by Épernay architect Fernand Gallo in the 1920s, but none quite so extensive as before its unveiling last year.

Throughout its history, the château has entertained close friends of the maison, celebrities, politicians and royalty, including our Queen Mother (more on that later). The relaunch party was no different, with Kate Moss, Roger Federer and Natalie Portman attending a glittery dinner for 150 guests in the surrounding vineyards to mark the 150th anniversary of Moët Impérial champagne.

The affair I attend is far more intimate (and, aside from a Dutch DJ I’ve never heard of, not star-studded). Over dinner, interior designer Yves de Marseille – who has worked on the project for the last five years with the Parisian architectural studio, Atelier Cos – describes the extent of the renovation. Pulling out his phone, he shows me photographs of

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the interior completely gutted – we’re talking no walls, no ceilings, no nothing – as the four-storey château was rendered into one cavernous room before being rebuilt. I can’t quite believe my eyes because, walking around the building, it feels as if the architectural details, parquet floors and hand-painted wallpapers have been there since Jean-Rémy’s day. It’s the ultimate deception.

As the only British member of the press present, I am allocated the English suite. At first, I’m slightly disappointed to discover I’m sleeping in a single bed, until I’m told that it’s the same bed the Queen Mother slept in during her stay here. If it’s good enough for Her Majesty then it’s good enough for me.

With its wisteria-clad percale wallpaper, Victorian paintings of dogs and brassy oil lamps, I wake up feeling like I’ve been transported back to ye olde Hampshire, an effect that is amplified by the Moët Impérial I was drinking the night before.

The other suites are equally transportive – as in a private home, each has been designed with its own unique style, which links it to Moët & Chandon’s history. De Marseille himself has chosen to stay in the Russian suite this evening, nestled in the eaves and grandly furnished with antler chandeliers. Presiding tsar-like over his creation, he shows me the old samovar and the most fantastic retractable blinds made from old kilim rugs. Other favourites include the Japanese suite painted with several foot-high wading birds; its over-egged orientalism is a clever, modern take on Japanese design as seen through an 18th-century European lens.

But for all-out bonkers, my choice would be the Louis XIV suite in Versailles red, green and gold, complete with vast swathes of damask and faux marble walls. Decadent doesn’t cut it. Look closely and you’ll see a portrait of the Sun King himself.

His great-grandson, Louis XV, was a client of Claude Moët, the Maison’s founder in 1743, and was responsible for allowing champagne to grace the royal court for the first time.

De Marseille’s background, as both an art historian and historical film set designer, is abundantly evident. He has a track record of working on similarly scaled projects, having previously revived Christian Dior’s home in Provence, the Château de La Colle Noire, near Grasse, after the fashion house regained ownership of the property. Château Saran is a bit like one of those paintings made up from hundreds of other photos: it looks like the original thing but on closer inspection you can catch de Marseille’s playfulness in his choice of books and curios – a mishmash of furniture and objects, sourced from the family’s private collection as well as auction rooms, which manage to verge on kitsch without feeling garish or empty of sentiment.

Even the old vendangeoir (grape-pressing room) hasn’t escaped attention and is now home to two dining halls presided over by Moët & Chandon executive chef Marco Fadiga, who delves into France’s rich culinary history – from Escoffier to Curnonsky – to design menus that allow the maison’s champagnes to shine. In contrast to the main building that oozes old-world opulence, the new vendangeoir is a monument to the modern industrial aesthetic, connected now to the château via a secret underground passage that allows guests to get to dinner, (and, more importantly, to the bar with a terrace overlooking the vines), without braving the elements.

The idea behind this reconfiguration was to return the château to its former family spirit. It’s a place to come and make connections.

Run partly like a five-star hotel, partly like a grand family’s mansion, it’s probably the closest I will ever come to feeling like the lady of the manor. The only catch is, you have to be invited. Loyalty has its perks. n

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Oriental Suite; the suite’s bathroom; the Château de Saran

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Salvagni designed the interiors of the superyacht Aurora for shipbuilders Rossinavi

by Italian firm Dedar, chosen for their deep roots to the Italian arts. A Laguna Spider chandelier hangs overhead, its stalactite-like glass droplets suspended at the ends of burnt orange-patina arms. Murano glass features throughout and engraved reliefs show inspiration taken from Phoenician art.

As I talk to Salvagni, my eyes stray to a 200-year-old portrait mounted on the wall behind him. This, he explains, is of an ancestor on his mother’s side. The painting was placed there to reflect the spirit of Venetian interiors.

‘I wanted to recreate a small touch of an intimate Venetian palace, so I moved it from Rome to here,’ he says.

‘My designs often refer to a historic moment or a connection to the past,’ he elaborates, ‘but it’s always a subtle connection – whispered. It’s like modernity needs to have roots in the past for it to become timeless.’

This perspective can be seen in his previous projects, such as the science fiction movie-inspired Apollo collection, and, more recently, in this Laguna collection, which was unveiled in the autumn. Laguna epitomises the approach Salvagni takes in fusing modernity with tradition. Venetianinspired contemporary designs incorporate the work of traditional craftsmen (such as Murano glass blowers) into furniture, accessories and lighting.

‘For me, Laguna is about experiencing the way glass can be shaped and how this material can be the source of your inspiration,’ he says. ‘Each piece has a story of its own and they’re all dedicated to this traditional design industry.’

‘The Italian DNA is very strong in my process,’ he continues, ‘and to find the right quality, I need skilful craftsmanship.’ This dedication to Italian craft is one of the designer’s signature traits. His bronze work is made in the same workshop that has served the Vatican for over five generations, he works with the traditional stone carvers of Carrara and the nuns of a convent near Rome embroidered the textiles for his recent Apollo collection. ‘You can’t see the nuns face to face,’ he tells me. ‘But you can talk to them through a screen, as if you were in a confessional.’

‘I found it fascinating to connect with this tradition,’ he enthuses. ‘I like discovering and reviving crafts that are slowly disappearing. I started with bronze then moved to wood. I moved from wood to stone, stone to parchment and parchment to glass. Now I am testing other possibilities.

The embroidery, the hand stitching: these are traditions that can easily disappear in this very chaotic world.’

His reverence for traditional craft comes with a bold design approach and a sense of playfulness. Bubble wall sconces reminiscent of a design he originally conceived for Jeff Koons feature in his Apollo collection; the nuns also embroidered rocket and Martian sketches drawn by his children onto the collection’s cushions.

Achille Salvagni talks to Lauren Hill about the intricate creative process behind his story-led interiors and fantastical furniture designs

‘I

never create for the sake of beauty itself.

I have… to be driven by a story, by an experience, by creating a portrait of someone or something. I need a story to base the creative process on.’

Achille Salvagni, the celebrated Italian designer whose work spans residential design, furnishings and the interiors of superyachts, sits back in one of the chairs he designed himself, wrapped in thought as he explains the process behind his creations.

We meet in his Mayfair atelier where light streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the townhouses just off New Bond Street. A photographer is in the process of shooting the intimate space, which has just been restyled to house items from his autumn 2019 Laguna collection. A fuchsia pink Frangipani chair with cast metal feet sits in front of decorative gold wall coverings

PHOTOS: © PAOLO PETRIGNANI

STORIES WITHOUT WORDS

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PHOTOS: © PAOLO PETRIGNANI

Achille Salvagni sits beneath a pair of Diamond onyx and bronze wall lights

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foreword written by the influential gallerist and partner at Maison Gerard, Benoist F Drut.

Now Salvagni is delving into a series of new projects.

In New York he’s in the process of reimagining a landmark townhouse, as well as designing the public space of a condominium on the Upper East Side; he is also working on a new waterfront house on the Intracoastal Waterway in Miami. He’s in the midst of designing a large-scale compound in Mumbai, and on top of that he’s always working on the interiors of several customised mega-yachts.

Never one to ponder on what’s just been achieved, Salvagni continually looks towards his next project.

‘I’m always looking forward to what’s going to happen tomorrow,’ he concludes.

‘What really intrigues me is the creation tomorrow can bring.’ n

‘Modernity and tradition can easily find a balance,’ he says, ‘even though they belong to completely different eras.’

Despite being known for marrying traditional craftsmanship with modern design, Salvagni doesn’t want to be identified with one style. Instead, he strives for continual growth and the generation of new life. ‘I am more fascinated by the process,’ he explains. ‘It may follow certain rules and have certain milestones, but the result is always different. The process becomes more refined.’

This pursuit for constant change gives the designer’s work a characteristic element of surprise. ‘When I meet a client, the first challenge is to gain their trust,’ he says. ‘The second challenge is to astonish them. If you ask me for a lamp, the challenge for me is to create something that is completely unexpected but still fitting your aesthetic.’

Items from the designer’s recent collections can be seen on display at his ateliers in London and Rome, and sourced through Maison Gerard in New York City. In October last year, the designer also released a monograph, simply titled Achille Salvagni. With text by Pilar Viladas, this book debut documents Salvagni’s most recent residential designs, yacht interiors and furnishings, looking into the process behind his story-led creations. Photography, sketches and colourful illustrations bring each double-page spread to life, with a

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Laguna collection Ad Maiora cocktail table in onyx and bronze, with an Emerald multi-faceted side table; Salvagni likes to surprise: this Gae armchair has crafted bronze feet but its design channels ‘60s sci-fi in a Japanese tea roominspired setting; the designer’s inspired blend of modernity and tradition is unique to each project, like this Rome interior

PHOTOS: © MARIS MAZULIS; © PAOLO PETRIGNANI

Achille Salvagni is available now (£50, Rizzoli)

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THE

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ONDESIGN INTERIORS FOCUS

Edited by CAROLE ANNETT

OVER 40 PAGES OF INSPIRATION

ART, DESIGN, TRENDS AND MUCH MORE...

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The Helmi (meaning ‘pearl’ in Finnish) light. From £6,600, Cameron Design House. camerondesignhouse.com

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ON DESIGN

Contents 96 DESIGN NOTES

Ideas and inspiration

100 WONDER WALLS

106

Goodbye, minimalism

102 THE FABRIC

OF LIFE Go bold and bright

104 LIFTING THE LID

Chefs show us their kitchens

106 INSIDE OUT

100

EDITOR ’ S LET TER

Bring nature indoors

108 HITTING IT OFF

Three new design collaborations

111 PASSION

PROJECTS Renovations to get excited about

118 FINE PRINT

Inside Sacha Walckhoff’s Parisian home

Head down to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour for London Design Week

W

elcome to spring’s design special, packed with ideas to inspire you and exceptional interiors to pore over. First up, my edit of the fantastic new products to invest in that will become the treasured heirlooms of the next generation. Next, take your pick from this season’s fresh crop of botanical prints, coming soon to a wall near you. I instantly fell for Manuel Canovas’ overblown fronds in his Salengro design (above). Try it as a matchy-matchy combination on your sofa and walls. And there’s more new wallpaper and fabric collections (p100 and p102), with peppy patterns, elongated ikats and a smattering of Oriental inspiration.

We also open the door to three different house makeovers, including one by interior designer Flora Soames debuting her new fabric collection in a country home.

By contrast, a Chelsea townhouse, by design studio Todhunter Earle, sits bang in zone one, is a lesson in layering colour and texture. There’s also the beautiful rustic simplicity of a kitchen in Hackney Wick owned by the founder of Ducksoup (p111). Plus, more wonderful kitchen ideas from professional gourmets (p104).

As summer approaches, it’s time to rev up for outdoor living. Interior designer Louise Bradley shares advice on creating garden space that bridges the gap between inside and outside (p106). Whatever size your Lounge-tastic. sun-spot, there’s many ways to make it alluring (p107).

Cruise chair, £2,350. indian-ocean.co.uk Also, we share three recent collaboration meet cutes, including Lulu Lytle and fashion designer Duro Olowu’s partnership for Soane, which came about from an Instagram post (p108).

Finally, if you’re thirsty for more interiors, take a look at Springtime Sessions at Chelsea Design Quarter, a series of events from 27-30 April (chelseadesignquarter.co.uk). And, if you’re fascinated by hotel design, join me on 13 March when I chat with James Lohan, co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith and his interior designer sister, Hannah, at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour for London Design Week (dcch.co.uk). n

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ON DESIGN | NEWS

DESIGN NOTES

This season, follow your heart and invest in future heirlooms like a handcrafted bench, an antique set of chairs or an upcycled lamp. They’ll be even more loved the second time round

PRINT LOVERS Anthropologie loved Spanish fashion house Delpozo’s prints so much they have collaborated on not only clothes and shoes but also a chair, £498, trainers £120, top £55 and skirt, £149. anthropologie.com

CAREFUL HANDLING Bibbings & Hensby ebonised settee, hand-carved from timber gathered in Kent woodland. Made to order, £POA. bibbings-hensby.co.uk

IN PLACE Space cadet, heart breaker or goddess? Take your pick from Tamara von Schenk’s placemats.

Box of six backed with purple suede, £385. tamaravonschenk.co.uk

TREASURE HUNTER Former Design Director of Soho House, James Thurstan Waterworth, has exquisite taste. His website is a curated portfolio of vintage gems, like these Hans Olsen chairs, £2,350 for four. thurstandesign.com

DO LOOK DOWN Textile designer Neisha Crosland has worked with Tim Page Carpets on a collection of wall-towall carpets, each in one of her signature striking patterns. From £226.80 per sq/m. timpagecarpets.co.uk

PULL SOME SHAPES Porta Romana Bishop lamp in kelp colourway, £1,554; Bongo raffia shade, £263. portaromana.com

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STITCH UP Embroidery just got cool

GO GIO Simple and elegant, Gio at Riviere Rugs nods to the work of Italian design titan Gio Ponti. £7,150. riviererugs.com

ICE ICE BABY This Hudson Valley Lighting Sparta chandelier features icy hand-poured glass fragments puncturing the air in all directions. £4,098. hudsonvalley lighting.com

MIND THE GAP

PARCHED Lewes paper shade, one of six designs to fit a standard lamp with an LED bulb, £50. papershades.co.uk

Moquette block stool with District line seat fabric upholstery, £400 at the London Transport Museum. ltmuseumshop.co.uk

1 Calypso hand towel, £39. yvesdelorme.com

SWEET AND LOW

2 Bird of Paradise cushion, £119. heirlooms-linens.com 3 Gold framed fern embroidery, £45. notonthehighstreet.co.uk

Ligne Roset Ipanema curved sofa, from £5,220. ligne-roset.com

4 Links embroidered cotton sateen pillowcase, £220. frette.com 5 Set of six napkins made by Mogalakwena Craft Art Development, South Africa, £85. crafteditions.co.uk 6 Kit Kemp Mythical Creatures placemats, £140. firmdalehotels.com

STAR QUALITY Truly is a new lifestyle brand from Dragon’s Den Peter Jones and his other half, Tara Capp. Star bowl, £25. truly.co.uk April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 97

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ON DESIGN | NEWS

ENGLISH

BY DESIGN

PURE GEM The Carat door handle by Marie-Véronique Swannell for Haute Déco is made of crystal glass, using a technique developed at the company’s Hampshire workshop. Each handle goes through seven stages of handpolishing, £395 each. hautedeco.com

Interior designer Tara Craig established Ensemblier London to champion British craft and workshops.

Twisleton armchair, from £7,605. ensemblier london.com

REFLECTED GLORY Pooky Aztec mirror, £330. pooky.com

REBORN Retrouvius lamps are honed from marble and limestone offcuts originally destined for landfill. From £295. retrouvius.com

CANDY CAPER Dinsh London patchwork mohair throw, hand-stitched with fringe edging. £695. dinshlondon.com

SUPER MODEL A perfect fit for a narrow hallway. Katharine Pooley gold leaf and antique mirror console, £1,455. katharinepooley.com

REGAL BIRD Kenneth Cobonpue peacock chair, a fresh take on wicker seating. £2,159. latzio.com

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Design Centre - Chelsea Harbour samuel-heath.com Made in England

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ON DESIGN | SHOPPING

WONDER WALLS

Goodbye, minimalism. Fill your home with vivid colour and print instead

1 OSBORNE & LITTLE Crane wallpaper, £198 per roll. osborneandlittle.com 2 TIMOROUS BEASTIES Crab and lobster wallpaper, £120 p/m. timorousbeasties.com 3 HAVWOODS Giza grey cork wall covering, £291.54 per sq/m. havwoods.co.uk 4 ANDREW MARTIN Sabra Stone wallpaper, £70 per roll. andrewmartin.co.uk 5 PAINT & PAPER LIBRARY Hardy Palm wallpaper, £108 per roll. paintandpaperlibrary.com 6 SANDERSON Caspian collection Hakimi wallpaper, £75 per roll. stylelibrary.com 7 HOUSE OF HACKNEY Majorelle wallpaper, from £125 per roll. houseofhackney.com 8 COLEFAX AND FOWLER Manuel Canovas Salengro wallpaper in Peche, £98 per roll. colefax.com 9 DESIGNERS GUILD Grandiflora Rose wallpaper in Dusk, £195 per roll. designersguild.com 10 ARTE Kimono wallcovering, £140 p/m. arte-international.com 11 ZUBER Scéne Chinoise panoramic wallpaper, from £750 per panel. zuber.fr 12 MISSPRINT Pioneer collection Wildflower Tidy Tips wallpaper, £74 per roll. missprint.co.uk

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Ceylon Collection: Wallpaper and Print Fabrics

www.thibautdesign.com tel: 020 7737 6555

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Mulberry Tree Wallpaper. Curtains in Mulberry Tree. Cushions in Pass a Grille. Bolster in New Haven Stripe. Addison Daybed in Freeport.

ON DESIGN | FABRICS

THE FABRIC OF LIFE

1 C&C MILANO Rua Biloba fabric from the Gallery Collection, £122 p/m. cec-milano.com 2 PIERRE FREY Sinop fabric from the Rêveries Orientales collection, £218 p/m. pierrefrey.com 3 THIBAUT Selected fabrics. thibautdesign.com 4 BOTANICA TRADING Zig zag fabric in indigo, £145 p/m. thefabriccollective.com 5 ROMO Sarita tapestry, £129 p/m. romo.com 6 PETER MARINO FOR VENETIAN HERITAGE Selection of fabrics, £250 p/m. rubelli.com 7 JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN Sonnet sateen wool fabrics collection, from £118 p/m. johnstonsofelgin.com 8 36 BOURNE STREET Gustav reversible linen, £150 p/m. 36bournestreet.com 9 CHRISTIAN LACROIX MAISON FOR DESIGNERS GUILD Prête-Moi Ta Plume! Bourgeon fabric, £95 p/m. designersguild.com 10 DE LE CUONA Maverick II collection, £125 p/m. delecuona.co.uk 11 ARLEY HOUSE Basilisk fabric in aquamarine, from £58 p/m. arleyhouse.com 12 GEORGE SPENCER DESIGNS Espalier collection, from £17 p/m. georgespencer.com

PHOTOS: © PAUL MASSEY

Whether it’s with colour, pattern or print, choose fabrics that lift your spirits

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LUXURY BATHROOMS NATIONWIDE

To book a showroom appointment, call 0345 600 1950 or visit www.cphart.co.uk

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LIFTING THE LID

If work and play revolve around gourmet cuisine, what’s your recipe for a perfect kitchen? Carole Annett asks three foodies to spill the beans DAVID MOORE MARTIN MOORE KITCHENS

Pied à Terre’s David Moore and Asimakis Chaniotis

David Moore founded Pied à Terre in Fitzrovia in 1991, which currently holds a Michelin star under head chef Asimakis Chaniotis. While guests enjoy fine dining downstairs, David wanted an informal, more intimate kitchen for his own Monday night supper clubs, plus the occasional chef’s table experience. A small upstairs area, formerly a bar, was allocated the role and David commissioned Martin Moore Kitchens to create the space.

‘We want people to feel at home,’ he says. ‘It was important to break away from the catering aesthetic. I wanted a real kitchen, with real furniture, built in wood and stone, not stainless

steel.’ Martin Moore Kitchens’ design director Richard Moore, David and Asimakis spent time in the main kitchen planning the ergonomics and countless smaller details, ‘much of it decided over Asimakis’ superb cuisine,’ smiles David.

They settled on an island, roomy enough for eight seated guests, topped with grey Caesarstone. An array of Gaggenau appliances include an induction hob, teppanyaki plate and sous-vide drawer, as well as ovens and warming drawers. Pied à Terre is renowned for its attention to detail.

True to form, David couldn’t resist commissioning bespoke crockery, cutlery and glassware for his kitchen. pied-a-terre.co.uk; martinmoore.com

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CHEFS’ KITCHENS | ON DESIGN

PETER MOODY LEDBURY STUDIOS

Peter Moody is executive chairman of The Fat Duck group, which includes the renowned Heston Blumenthal restaurant in Bray. He is also a lawyer and adviser to numerous celebrated chefs. ‘The ability to combine functionality with a beautiful aesthetic is the most important aspect of a kitchen for me,’ he says. ‘We love to entertain family and friends at home, and our kitchen really is the heart of the home where everyone congregates, so it needs to deliver a relaxed and welcoming environment.’ After months of searching, Peter’s wife Gail spotted Charlie Smallbone’s copper-front and dark oak Ledbury design at the Chelsea Flower Show and was immediately impressed by the unique detailing.

‘We needed a dramatic design for an open-plan warehouse and once we had seen the Ledbury kitchen, there was only ever one choice. There’s enormous pleasure to be gained from Charlie’s use of beautifully crafted materials – the metal trims,

brass hinges and copper panels give the kitchen a distinctive and sophisticated look’. And has the new kitchen improved his own cooking skills? ‘My wife is the really creative chef at home and her ability to cook perfect fish leaves my modest efforts in the shade…

If pressed, I do a superb scrambled egg with truffle oil and chives.’ ledburystudio.com; thefatduck.co.uk

GIZZI ERSKINE BROOKMANS BY SMALLBONE

Chef, TV personality and food writer Gizzi Erskine is an advocate of the pop-up food scene. ‘First and foremost, I need a kitchen that is sturdy and hardwearing but also stylish. I love a bit of retro, a bit of urban,’ says Gizzi. ‘Layout is key; I like to have the cooker, sink and fridge all pretty close so I don’t have to be running around like a maniac.’

Gizzi’s ideal kitchen has plenty of space and an island with either a big built-in wooden chopping board or a room at one end so that food preparation is separate from dining. ‘I love that Brookmans by Smallbone is all about British craftsmanship and design integrity. The work surfaces are interesting too, particularly the concrete top of the K1 kitchen.

You don’t need to be worried about putting hot pots and pans straight from the oven or hob on it; it is also a really versatile material and brings an edge to a traditional kitchen’.

When Gizzi entertains it’s all about sharing. ‘I can have up to ten people around my table and cook a big piece of deliciously tender meat, like a sticky oxtail stew, so everyone can help themselves and get stuck in.’ Brookmans is available exclusively through Heals. heals.com; gizzierskine.com April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 105

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INSIDE OUT

Louise Bradley explains how to bring the great outdoors into your city home

I

nterior designer Louise Bradley’s London home has an outdoor terrace that seamlessly connects to a garden room and dining area. Here she shares her tips and ideas on creating a green oasis in the middle of the city.

1

Choose natural materials, such as wood, linen, bamboo and earthy ceramics. Together they create a beautiful, harmonious scheme.

2

Invest in floor-to-ceiling windows. It connects your home to the outdoors and provides ample natural light.

3

Create a foliage screen.

Particularly if the outdoor area is small.

Planting vertically also adds to your privacy.

4

Use mirrors to enhance the sense of being in nature. Light and reflection expands your space beyond its footprint.

5

Choose a neutral colour palette.

Earthy colours evoke a sense of being in nature and work hand in hand with the rich greens of foliage.

FROM ABOVE: Louise Bradley’s plantfilled terrace; the designer at home; from the outside in; rough stone and wood complete the natural picture

6

Choose tableware in organic shapes and hues to further enhance the beauty of your outdoor dining scheme.

7

Design your space with both indoors and outdoors in mind. This way you’ll create a coherent look, seamlessly connecting the two spaces together.

8

Opt for evergreens.

They create a yearlong canvas. You can add seasonal flowers and decorative accessories.

9

Make the space work after dark with outdoor lighting, either with a professional lighting scheme or do it yourself with lanterns, bowls with floating tea lights and candles. Burn naturally scented candles inside.

10

Make your space dynamic by choosing furniture that can be easily modified, changed or folded away.

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OUTDOOR LIVING | ON DESIGN Mater Ocean collection four-seater table, £508, and chairs, £234 each, made from salvaged sea plastic. heals.com

Emma Britton Meadow carafe, £19, and high ball glass, £8, featuring British wild flowers, grasses and butterflies. emmabritton.net

Perennials C Major outdoor rug, £1,343 p/m. perennials fabrics.com

Indian Ocean Latitude lounge chair, £2,295 and footstool, £1,275, upholstered in Manuel Canovas outdoor fabric. indian-ocean.co.uk

BRING ME SUNSHINE Refresh your outdoor space just in time for spring Orla Kiely Sixties Stem wooden bird house, £35. amara.com

Haddonstone The Gardener statue, based on an 18th-century piece at Burton Agnes Hall, £749. haddonstone.com William & Son Dolce Vita acrylic wine glass, £20. williamand son.com

Not On the High Street Handmade denim hammock, £185. notonthehighstreet.com

French Connection Natural driftwood stool, £95. french connection.com

WINCH DESIGN Arc by Winch Design is a new collection with Summit Furniture.

Lounge chair, £4,770. summit furniture.com

Cassina Patricia Urquiola Trampoline love bed, from £6,060. cassina.com

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ON DESIGN | COLLABORATORS

HITTING IT OFF Three new collaborations born of chance encounters and serendipity

Lulu Lytle of Soane Britain and fashion designer Duro Olowu It was Olowu’s Instagram post of a window display in Soane’s Pimlico Road shop that sparked this collection of punchy modernist weaves and swirling prints. ‘Soane makes fantastic textiles and furniture using small and dedicated British manufactures. I love the combination of thoroughly modern design with a respect for traditional and painstaking techniques,’ explains Olowu.

‘And how I have been able to bring my own international pattern and print sensibility into the Soane aesthetic.’ Lytle: ‘It’s his fearlessness with colour and pattern that really appeals to me. He has a certain irreverence and is happy to break with convention.’ Duro Olowu for Soane Britain, from £140 p/m. soane.co.uk, duroolowu.com

Duro Olowu and Lulu Lytle

The collaboration mixes Olowu’s punchy prints with Soane’s traditional techniques

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Rosi de Ruig and Holly Howe

Holly Howe of Howe London and lampshade maker Rosi de Ruig ‘The Urn lamp, an old Howe design, disappeared from our collection almost accidentally,’ explains Holly Howe. ‘Ten years later we happily bumped into one in Bath while photographing an interior project, and knew we should dig out our old patterns and set about making it again’. What eluded Howe, however, was the perfect shade; until a client, Harding & Read, suggested shade maker Rosi de Ruig. ‘Nicola Harding, who has a devil of an eye for good colour, introduced us to Rosi de Ruig, a master shade-maker, who uses materials with a natural quality and, in the case of the marbled papers, take me back to the beautiful papers I discovered lining the drawers of some old Georgian chests my father has bought over the years,’ says Howe. De Ruig makes everything herself, even down to the trim, cutting long strips of fabric on the bias and applying tape to create a fold. ‘It’s a labour of love,’ laughs de Ruig.

This attention to detail and hand-crafting perfectly suits the Howe aesthetic. ‘Finding a properly made and inspiring lampshade for a reasonable price is a real challenge, so meeting Rosi and her flamboyant, swirling hand-marbled paper was the beginning of a perfect collaboration.’ Urn lamp, £850; shade, from £155. howelondon.com, rosi-de-ruig.myshopify.com

Arlene McIntyre of Ventura Design and Trinny Woodall

Arlene McIntyre and Trinny Woodall

A leading name in interior design in Ireland, Arlene McIntyre was the obvious go-to when Trinny Woodall’s team planned a roadshow event in Dublin for her Trinny London beauty brand. Ventura Design created the pop-up in a Dublin townhouse and the two struck up a friendship. ‘She has such a confidence, which I love,’ says McIntyre.

‘She said people would be queueing round the street to get in and she was absolutely right.’ As well as interiors, McIntyre designs and manufactures furniture for clients at her London Ventura showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. ‘I wanted to design an elegant chair that reflected Trinny’s personal style as well as displaying pops of her signature colour. I think we have created a smart and extremely comfortable armchair that will work well in both contemporary and classic interiors.’ The result is a feminine tub-style chair featuring a ‘Trinny London’ bright yellow trim and dove-grey neutral linen. Trinny chair, £1,440. venturalondon.co.uk, trinnylondon.com n April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 109

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TOM FAULKNER

KIT KEMP

TIM GOSLING

PANDORA SYKES

LORD SPENCER

TARA BERNERD

MARTIN HULBERT

NINA CAMPBELL

MARTYN LAWRENCE BULLARD

The

HOUSE GUEST

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CASE STUDY | ON DESIGN

PASSION PROJECTS

Whether you want to enliven a dull corner, take out the kitchen or go the whole hog with a floor-to-ceiling restoration, these three playful makeovers show you’re limited only by your imagination

TODHUNTER EARLE

PERIOD DRAMA In this ambitious project, two Victorian houses were combined to create a vibrant home full of life and colour

Y

Mirrors in the garden reflect light, creating quiet spaces with a sense of magic

ou actually can teach an old house new tricks, as this family home on New Kings Road proves. Originally two Victorian terraced properties, the buildings have been knocked together to create long, lateral spaces and a beautiful flow of light.

Modern touches were added to enhance its period beauty.

Icon Architects were brought on board for the immense two-year project, along with Emily Todhunter of Todhunter Earle. From the start the process was a ‘very happy, collaborative one,’ Todhunter remembers.

‘You can really tell that when you walk into the house it has a very happy atmosphere.’

Working with the owners, ‘a very cool couple with young taste and an interest in contemporary art,’ the key principles of atmosphere, flow and practicality were combined with a brief to ‘retain the character of the old house and open it up to make it work for modern living.’

The result is a lively blend of understated elegance and old-school charm, but not without some tongue-in-cheek design fun. In the sitting room – originally two rooms knocked together – elegant Bray Design

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Todhunter Earle worked with Icon Architects on the light-filled sitting room; a stylish place to snooze; double doors lead out to the decorative garden

chairs are scattered with cushions in a zing of chartreuse and clementine, offset by contemporary fabrics in geometric monochrome.

A bespoke Rupert Bevan cabinet brings a hint of Art Deco into the mix. Contrasting colours, luxurious materials, and a mix of textures and materials with bright artworks are what makes it work here. An elongated, wide space unfurling seamlessly to the outdoor terrace, it’s the perfect room for entertaining and family living.

But good things come in small packages, too. In the bijou anteroom off the hall, you can’t miss the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. An homage to the owner’s artistic tastes, it’s beautifully offset by a rich Tim Page

Sphinx rug and Grigio wallpaper

by Phillip Jeffries. Sebag Textiles curtains with a monkey pattern retain a sense of fun. ‘It’s smart, but it’s not too grown up – it’s got a whimsy, fun element to it,’ says Todhunter. ‘We chose things which we loved and knew would work in the colour palette but we were brave.’

A favourite element of hers is the long piece of panelling in Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe running up the stairs. ‘Usually in London houses you walk into a very thin passageway of a hall. This feels different to a terraced house – much bigger and wider. The panelling goes from the bottom all the way to the top in a dark colour. It takes you away from having a dado rail,

which is old fashioned but practical.’

The renovation also boasts a sociable hangout area with a pool table and bar. A fresh, urban feel here is thanks to additions like Andrew Martin and Rockett St George wallpapers. Opening up from the sitting room, the garden terrace is perfect for long, leisurely summer evenings when London heats up and the scent of urban foliage fills the air.

It was designed by Cameron Gardens, the company behind the opulent outdoors spaces at Annabel’s and Chelsea Ivy Garden. You can see this signature in the vast outdoor mirrors, festooned in greenery, that refract light and draw you through an arch, creating an enchanting secret garden

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CASE STUDY | ON DESIGN

effect. It’s just the sort of place where you can imagine whiling away a Sunday evening, a glass of rosé in hand.

‘It’s a lovely balance between contemporary and traditional,’ Todhunter concludes. ‘If you can make your client and their children happy, you’ve achieved your goal.’

As a family home, this original, colourful Victorian conversion is a triumph. As a design achievement, it’s a reminder of why the spaces we live our lives in are so important, bringing together unique art finds, shots of vibrant colour, and the energy and personality of a muchloved family dwelling. todhunterearle.com April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 113

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Clare Lattin, co-founder of Ducksoup, adds a little Moroccan flavour to her conversion in Hackney Wick

EAST LONDON HOMES

C

lare is the co-founder of the wildly delicious London restaurants Ducksoup and Little Duck, of which the latter, in Dalston, is modelled on her own home in a hidden mews in Hackney Wick.

Unsurprisingly, for someone so passionate about good food shared with friends, a huge and well-used table is at the heart of her home.

She picked it up in an antiques shop and points out the scalpel marks in the wood made by past owners who were architects.

This sense of weathered, shared objects is central to Clare’s thinking. Nearly all of the objects and furniture are reclaimed or vintage with Clare explaining the importance of the ‘stories’ that older objects bring to her home.

She first visited this converted

PHOTOS: © JOHN AARON GREEN

SOUP KITCHEN

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CASE STUDY | ON DESIGN

PHOTOS: © JOHN AARON GREEN

The kitchen is the heart of the home for Ducksoup’s Clare Lattin

factory some years ago, invited to a party hosted by a friend. Many artists had studios in the building as well as in the ones next door, and Clare was drawn to the strong sense of community. When an apartment came up for sale in 2012 she was excited to be able to buy it.

The doors between rooms are replaced by curtains that stop short of the floor. Clare sewed them all herself from linen and was inspired

by a trip to Morocco.

‘They have a magical way of doing things there. The colours are always dusty and faded,’ she explains. The earthy, faded colours of northern Africa are evident throughout the furnishings and even artwork.

Clare’s style of cooking is based on using simple ingredients, but treating them with care and patience to create something

special. This attitude is reflected in her home. As she tells me the history of various objects she has collected on her travels it becomes clear how much thought has gone into crafting this deceptively informal but generous space.

From East London Homes (Hoxton Mini Press, £30). Styling and text by Sarah Bagner

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ON DESIGN | CASE STUDY Old-world country charm provides the perfect backdrop for Flora Soames’ first fabric collection

FLORA IN THE COUNTRYSIDE The first fabric collection by Flora Soames feels right at home in a rural setting

FLORA SOAMES

I

nterior designer Flora Soames launched her first fabric collection last summer. A project born from her love of antique textiles, as well as scraps and snippets amassed since childhood, it took five years to come to fruition. By happy coincidence, a client’s country house project was simultaneously taking shape and,

with their own aesthetic aligned with Soames’, the property proved a backdrop for the collection’s debut.

‘This house is exactly the environment I had subconsciously envisaged while creating the fabrics,’ says Soames. ‘Relaxed, eclectic, informal.’ Home to a young family, the house was designed by architect Quinlan Terry with Soames’ studio brought on board to shape and colour the interior. In the sitting room, the new fabrics sit pride of place on a sofa, ottoman and as curtains. ‘I didn’t

want them to look too considered, as if they had been designed together,’ she says. Clearly, there’s cohesion.

Two woven fabrics from the collection, Sea Blue Honeycomb and Chartwell, which originated from an Arts and Crafts bridge cloth, upholster a sofa and ottoman respectively. Soames added an antique rug, juxtaposing old and new. ‘The geometric fabric sits in well on a much earlier rug, but they relate so fluidly.’

The curtains in the sitting room feature a fabric called Enid’s Garland, a nostalgic screen-printed linen based on a Bloomsbury design, with vibrant hues of coral, violet and electric blue.

‘The colour combination is unusual and can be quite overwhelming when you first see it,’ says Soames, ‘but on a large window it gets knocked back.’

It’s not all her own fabrics; for textural layering, she chose coral Sibton velvet from Claremont for two armchairs.

‘The fabric looks like it’s had a lurcher sitting on it,’ she smiles, ‘which is part of its charm.’

The elegant dining room (right), narrow as a railway carriage, is elevated with richly lacquered walls by specialist painter Hughie Turner, and Soames’ Cornucopia linen, based on a turn of the century Tree of Life design. ‘The original was a thick, hessian ink and saffron cloth, not a colourway that would have come to me but it’s very striking,’ says Soames.

Low-key seagrass carpet, a refectory table and Swedish dining chairs from Lorfords all allow her fabric to speak for itself. The scheme is complete with the client’s own Gary Hume artwork and a Cox London chandelier. ‘There are three big French doors, so when the curtains are closed, fabric banks up, giving a wonder wall of pattern,’ says Soames.

Now she has mills and printers on board able to honour the complexity of her designs – part of the reason the collection took so long – Soames has further plans afoot. ‘Thank goodness I have clients who understand and appreciate the process and investment required, especially in a world where consumerism is overwhelming. It means people want to invest and support British craftsmanship.’ florasoames.com n

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Textures, prints and patterns combine in this striking family home

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ON DESIGN | CASE STUDY

FINE PRINT

Sacha Walckhoff throws the design rulebook out of the window, finds Sofia Tindall

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t takes a special kind of skill to clash multiple animal prints. But there’s one person who is fearless in the face of breaking pattern rules, and that’s Sacha Walckhoff. ‘As Diana Vreeland said: “The eye has to travel,” explains Walckhoff. ‘You need eye-catching pieces; some colours but also neutrals to create a lovely contrast.’ Fittingly, his Parisian home, an apartment of ‘typical

Louis Philippe architecture’ that had been virtually untouched since the 19th century, is a riot of graphic stripes, coloured zebra and leopard print. Nothing is off-limits here – and yet somehow it works.

Perhaps Walckhoff’s eye for a bold print is the result of having traversed the glossy floors of so many fashion houses. Kenzo, Michel Klein and Christian Lacroix Maison, where

he’s been Creative Director since 2009, have all had the Walckhoff treatment somewhere along the way. Most recently he’s turned his talents to solo ventures – a furniture collection for Parisian gallery Gosserez that is overflowing with covetable pieces, and the recent Magic Garden china collection for Rosenthal. When it comes to his own house, which he shares with his partner Pascal – a

PHOTOS: © FRANCIS AMIAND

Sacha Walckhoff at home in Paris

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ON DESIGN | CASE STUDY

hair designer for the Comédie-Française – there is ‘always something black and white, something graphic. Stripes are a must.’ On the walls, the art must be ‘popping out’ with ‘a lot of dark grey, velvet and damask drapes but hung in a simple way.’ This is the Sacha Walckhoff school of design: divine madness, but underscored with just enough restraint and simplicity to tie the whole thing effortlessly together. It’s a design tightrope, but Walckhoff is a maestro of it.

Everyone else seems to think so too; his last home was selected for the prestigious honour of being one of 400 greatest rooms of

the century by Phaidon. It’s quite something to think the designer relaxes in the evening in one of the living rooms to have defined the last 100 years, which he’s also recreated in his new apartment. His design heroes are the French decorators Henri Samuel and Madeleine Castaing, but unsurprisingly, given the theatre of his home, he also takes a cue from masters of French film and photography: ‘I love what Jean Cocteau or Cecil Beaton were doing with their houses’.

While the eye is automatically zoomed out in Walckhoff’s home, like a Warhol painting there are treasures to be found if you look

closer. A screen that covers the vestibule is made with 17th-century gilded Cordoue leather panels that Walckhoff discovered in a Parisian flea market, and the earthenware stove and marble fireplaces are original pieces. Farrow and Ball paint throughout mellows the overall effect, with Anthracite on the double doors and a pale green shade in the bathroom. ‘It makes me happy every morning!’ says Walckhoff. His parting advice?

‘Each room must be like a small landscape and has to lead you to the next one. Above all the place must look like you; to be the happy reflection of your personality.’ n

PHOTOS: © FRANCIS AMIAND

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Details from Walckhoff’s living room; art makes everything pop; the zebra-themed dining room; a bold bedroom

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COMPETITION

SEA AND SKY Win a designer bedroom makeover courtesy of Yves Delorme

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nspired by the timeless elegance of the French Riviera, Yves Delorme’s latest collection for spring/summer 2020 is called Escales. This name evokes the stillness of a midsummer’s day on the Mediterranean coast: the sun is at its zenith, the horizon is blue and the air is sweet with the scent of flowers. The Escales collection captures the spirit of the French Riviera.

It can be found at the Yves Delorme flagship store in South Kensington, alongside the Yves Delorme Couture and the Monogrammed Linen Shop collections. Here you can find signature MLS monogrammed gifts, beautiful accessories, silk nightwear and homeware goods, as well as Yves Delorme’s renowned range of bespoke linens, which can be personalised as you wish.

158 Walton Street, London SW3 2JL uk.yvesdelorme.com monogrammedlinenshop.com

WIN, WIN, WIN! One lucky C&TH reader will win a bedroom makeover with a complete set from Yves Delorme’s Athena collection. Enter for your chance to win two pillowcases worth £80 each, a king-size duvet cover worth £399, and a boudoir cushion, worth £59, embroidered with your initials.

TO ENTER Visit countryandtown house.co.uk/ competitions. The competition closes on 6 April 2020. Terms and conditions apply.

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STUDIO SENSATION Join Ledbury Studio to celebrate its first birthday in style

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s there any name more synonymous with great kitchen design than Charlie Smallbone? Forty years after he launched the first Smallbone showroom in west London, just a stone’s throw from the original studio, he opened the new and exclusive Ledbury Studio. Tucked away in Ledbury Mews North, in London’s leafy Notting Hill, it’s everything you would expect for the home of Britain’s most covetable kitchens. Behind its deceptively understated grey front you’ll find designs equally suited to urban-dwellers and lovers of classic elegance.

The Metallics Collection is the epitomal modern classic.

Already a fixture of London’s most stylish homes, the designs blends aged brass copper fronts, pewter, zinc and stainless steel with cool quartz surfaces, while cupboards and drawer interiors come in walnut or oak veneer.

Clever storage solutions like the spacious pantry married with beautiful painted units make it both functional and luxurious. Craftsmanship of the collection is also unparalleled. Verre eglomise – a technique where silver leaf is applied to the reverse of toughened glass – is used to

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PARTNERSHIP

INVITE

create bespoke antiqued splashbacks.

Georgian-style cockbeading and verdigris patterning draw the modernity of the collection back to its traditional roots. If you’re a fan of state-of-the-art tech, in the studio you’ll also find the smartest kitchen appliances, including Sub-Zero fridges and Wolf ovens.

But don’t just take our word for it. You can see it for yourself at an exclusive event on 22 April for Ledbury Studio’s first birthday. Charlie Smallbone will join C&TH’s Carole Annett to discuss the latest trends in kitchens and interiors. Chef Elliot Johnson-Paul will give a three-course cookery demonstration with taster plates to nibble on. Plus there’ll be canapés and free-flowing champagne for all guests. As the old adage goes: ‘the kitchen is the heart of the home’.

Where better to celebrate it than in Notting Hill’s chicest showroom? ledburystudio.com

COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE invites you to join legendary designer Charlie Smallbone for an evening to celebrate Ledbury Studio’s first birthday Join us for a three-course cookery demonstration by chef Elliot Johnson-Paul, complete with taster plates. Charlie Smallbone and C&TH’s Interiors Editor Carole Annett will discuss the latest trends in kitchens and interior design, along with a behind-the-scenes look at Charlie’s beautiful new kitchen.

Champagne and canapés will be served throughout the evening.

Wednesday 22nd April 6-9pm

Ledbury Studio, 4b Ledbury Mews North, London, W11 2AF Tickets £25 per person RSVP ledburystudio@ countryandtownhouse.co.uk Please show this invitation to claim a 5 per cent discount on your new kitchen furniture order placed before June 30 2020.

April 2020

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TIME TO CHANGE YOUR VIEWS Come on a JC Journey

PILGRIMAGES

BATTLEFIELDS

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA HOLY LAND ROME & ASSISI PATMOS ST PAUL IN CORINTH ST BENEDICT IN ROME MEDJUGORJE NORTHERN LIGHTS GOZO & MALTA FAITH THROUGH ART, ST PETERSBURG AND MANY MORE…

WATERLOO SOMME MONTE CASSINO ANZIO NORMANDY PALESTINE BOSNIA ARNHEM OP MARKET GARDEN COLDITZ PENINSULAR WAR ROME TO FLORENCE (44) AND MANY MORE…

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EAT DRINK ESCAPE

FOOD & TRAVEL G R E E C E

THE SONG OF ILIOS A Greek island holiday assumes mythical status for Lucy Cleland and her family

No one will find you on Ilios – peace and privacy is yours for the taking

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he petulant Meltemi winds that once buffeted Pericles around the Southern Aegean in 3000 BC are preventing our 21st-century rib from crossing to the private island estate of Ilios at the southern end of the Cyclades. Having been continually inhabited since prehistoric times, the once-bustling village, with its communal bread oven, single-room dwellings and views over the glittering sea, lies in ruins; wild irises sprout through cracked stone, roofs buckle under decaying rafters, the ancient threshing ring is plagued by bristly thistles. After World War II, when technology lured rural dwellers away from subsistence living, seduced by shiny fridges and washing machines, village life had all but disappeared here. Now there are just two houses, albeit grander ones, plus a menagerie of dogs, cats, ducks, chickens, donkeys and horses.

Ilios is one of ten islands (only two of which are occupied) covering 40,000 square miles or so that were once owned by the Greek royal family. In 1916 they were sold to one of the most prominent shipping families in Greece. And it is only due to the remarkable love story FROM ABOVE: Maris and Maria own ten islands in the Cyclades, including Ilios, on which Maris’s grandfather built a family retreat; days are spent swimming, exploring, snorkelling, walking, eating and dozing… with not a soul to disturb you

of its current incumbents – the grandson, Maris, and his wife, Maria – that we are sitting on the veranda over 100 years later drinking cold Mythos and picking at pudgy olives, while our coterie of children shriek in Bacchanalian abandon as they make this beautiful private island their pleasure ground for the week.

The serendipitous meeting of the then young lovers occurred when Pablo Picasso’s son, Claude (who owned a property on the only other inhabited island owned by the family), met Maria, a beautiful ex-Merrill Lynch banker of Greek origin. She had grown up in Ethiopia and completed her own odyssey by ‘hanging up the Chanel suits’ and coming ‘home’ to Greece, in search of something more soulnourishing. Claude asked Maria to help him sell his house and in the course of this, he introduced her to Maris, who was then living in Los Angeles as a photographer. He’d been thinking of cutting himself loose from the burden of owning these exquisite islands he didn’t know what to do with, so he met with Maria in Athens in order to discuss a plan to sell.

The rest, as they say, is history. The couple fell in love and have made it their life’s mission to protect and preserve this incredible and rare environment – which when Maria first saw it was ‘stunning’, she says, ‘but nobody loved it and it was very lonely, it had no animals and was not in good shape.’

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FOOD & TRAVEL

Now though, the two remaining houses have been spruced up. Maris and Maria’s is a prefab constructed from a Sears catalogue by Maris’ grandfather, for the family to stay in for holidays; the other, where we are, was built in the 1930s but has been renovated to provide a simple but comfortable living space with exquisite detailing. There is also a range of whitewashed outbuildings that dates back to the Ottoman Empire – built from stone, earth and cypresses cut from the island, with heavenly pale blue woodwork and covered with scrambling bougainvillea, for any additional guests.

‘We spent a year with candles because there was no electricity,’ says Maria, as the sun begins to dip and the smells of barbecued meat, cooked by our chef (a must), start to waft through the heavy air, and our lovely Ethiopian helper brings out platters laden with fresh tomato and feta salads and warm bread. ‘It was absolutely beautiful.

We’d go to sleep at 8.30pm and be up at 6am. Maris started fishing and we created a vegetable garden and brought over rescue horses and donkeys on a ferryboat.’ As I drift into this vision of pure bucolic delight, Maria asserts seriously: ‘We need to protect it.’

Fire is a huge risk in Greece. As we’ve so recently witnessed in Australia, fire here too holds a deep and ominous threat over Maria and Maris’ cherished environment. Each summer, the country sees deadly infernos destroy swathes of land (last year 112 people were killed on the coast in Rafina, just across the water from Ilios), so preventing hoards of summer visitors from lighting campfires under the resinous, flammable pine trees in temperatures of over 40°C is their continual frontline battle.

But protect it they must: it is their home and heritage.

Part of the strategy to help with running costs has been opening up Ilios to guests – not ones who seek high thread counts and 5G broadband, though it’s wonderfully comfortable enough, but those who want to walk down pine needle-strewn paths, picnic on deserted beaches in half-moon coves, stare at stars etched like dot-to-dots across the inkiest of dark skies and swim in a sea as clear as the martini they’ll be drinking on the pontoon as the blood-orange sun sets. Let’s help Maris and Maria preserve this precious place in the Aegean for another 3,000 years.

The children form a feral pack for the week

OUR COTERIE OF CHILDREN SHRIEK IN BACCHANALIAN ABANDON AS THEY MAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE ISLAND THEIR PLEASURE GROUND FOR THE WEEK

BOOK IT: Ilios Private Island from €18,200 (£15,113) per week (minimum seven nights’ stay) accommodating up to 14 guests. Price includes daily maid service, utilities, wifi and taxes. Transport to the island is separate, as are food and drinks. We advise booking a chef at €200 (£166) a day. 020 8144 9120. passepartout-homes.com n April 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 127

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ITA LY

THAT'S AMORE

Fall in love with these Italian stars. Edited by Amy Wakeham

Castelfalfi, Tuscany Italians understood the concept of self-care long before we did.

They call it il dolce far niente – the sweetness of doing nothing. And where better to bliss out than in 2,700 acres of lusciously green vineyards, olive groves, lakes and a wildlife reserve? A speedy 45 minutes from Pisa airport finds you deep in the Tuscan hills at the Castelfalfi estate, an impressive conservation project in one of the region’s medieval borgos. With self-sufficiency at its core – it has its own irrigation system – there’s also a soul-soothing spa at Il Castelfalfi, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, where guests find many a self-care moment in deeply comfortable beds, as well as at the table. Farm-to-fork dining is the concept, and the finest organic produce grown on the estate is served up in the kitchens in mouthwatering dishes like nettle ravioli stuffed with pulled veal or red wine-marinated wild boar leg in olive oil, beetrootmayonnaise and pickled spring vegetables. Luckily, you can work it off with strolls through rolling woodland spotting wildlife on the way, e-biking through vineyards, unwinding with sunrise yoga, or truffle hunting with Bianca the dog. The concept of doing nothing never felt so good.

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FOOD & TRAVEL

Palazzo Avino, Ravello Ravello, with its upscale boutiques, historic buildings and breathtaking views across the glittering Mediterranean, is an Amalfi Coast gem. And there's nowhere better to rest your head than at Palazzo Avino, a modern incarnation of a villa on a charming cobbled street just inside the walls of the old town that dates back to the 12th century.

Blending medieval charm with 21st-century service and comfort, guests come to loll in the pretty pool, relax in the hydro spa and take sundowners on the cocktail terrace with that mesmirising view. With around 80 varieties of martini to choose from, there's little reason to leave. But if you can tear yourself away, head to the hotel’s private beach club, a 15-minute drive away. Here you can enjoy a refreshing dip followed by a dish of classic Italian seafood (don't miss the local lobster).

Come evening, the tasting menu at Rossellinis should not be missed.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £256 B&B. palazzoavino.com

Villa Eden, Gardone With seven stand-alone villas, each individually designed by one of the hotel's outstanding cohort of architects – David Chipperfield, Richard Meier, Sphere and Matteo Thun – Villa Eden is set high on the wooded cliffs of the south-west shore of Lake Garda. It’s a modern work of art as much as a beautiful holiday destination, with panoramic views of the lake adding to the cutting-edge design. All villas come with their own gym, private spa, swimming pool and 24-hour security, and offer a private cook, butler service and childcare if required. You’ll have everything you need within arm's reach at Villa Eden's Clubhouse, but if you fancy venturing further afield, the small resort town of Gardone Riviera – offering quintessential Italian cafés, shaded piazzas and ornate churches – is only ten minutes’ walk away. You can also visit Il Vittoriale degli Italiani, the quirky estate of controversial Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, or take a scenic boat trip on the lake.

BOOK IT: Villas from £20,750 per week. villa-eden-gardone.com

Falisia Resort & Spa, Portopiccolo An abandoned quarry is far from the obvious choice for the latest ultra-luxe holiday destination. But once you arrive at the freshly built resort village of Portopiccolo it seems surprising a settlement didn’t just arise here organically. The Bay of Sistiana, between the foothills of the Dolomites and the waters of the sparkling Adriatic, makes for a pretty picture indeed. And, following the biggest land rezoning project in the Mediterranean in the last 20 years, the quarry is now home to the elegant Falisia, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. A piazza right on the water, chic boutiques, charming restaurants and a bustling marina make for the dolce vita village of dreams, which is also blissfully quiet, car-free and carbon neutral. Days are spent luxuriating at the beach club, enjoying treatments at the vast spa and exploring nearby Trieste – all from your glorious base at the five-star Falisia hotel, which lies, both culturally and physically, at Portopiccolo’s heart.

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T U S C A N Y

TUSCANY WITH GIOVANNI RASPINI

The master jeweller takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour of his beloved region

B

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

orn and raised in the heart of Tuscany, there’s no one better to let us in on the region’s secrets than Giovanni Raspini. The master jeweller, famed for his signature delicate silver designs, studied in Florence and, despite a career that's taken him all over the world, decided to set up his own atelier only a few kilometres from his childhood home.

Here, the craftsman introduces us to the Tuscany he knows so well, from unmissable local products to seek out while you're there, to why you should avoid luxury restaurants if you want to eat like a true Tuscan.

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FOOD & TRAVEL

READ You should read Maledetti Toscani by Curzio Malaparte, written in 1956 – the title roughly translates as Damned Tuscans.

He might be more famous for the visionary villa he built on a rock on Capri, but this book is a thorough, if satirical, guide to the people, landscape and culture of Tuscany. As he writes: ‘Tuscans have the sky in their eyes and hell in their mouths.’

EAT LOCAL

SHOP My family would never buy olive oil or Vin Santo (a Tuscan dessert wine) in a shop or supermarket.

Just look around to fi nd the nearest mulino dell’olio, where they press olives and extract oil, and for around €10 (£8.30) per/kg you’ll have this nectar. In Tuscany, olive oil is always sold by the weight and never by the litre.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

DO Visit Tuscany in July, when every village has its own sagra (festival), mainly dedicated to the local speciality cuisine.

You’ll have wine, food and live music for almost nothing.

People come to Tuscany to eat Florentine steak, bistecca alla fiorentina. I suggest you try something a little less bloody, like ribollita, a soup made from leftover bread, cannellini beans and vegetables. Don’t forget to add olive oil and ground black pepper.

In Tuscany it’s best to forget about luxury restaurants. I drive around on my Vespa. My favourite places lie far from towns. In many salumerie (delis specialising in charcuterie) you can try a selection of pecorino cheese and sliced salami, ham and finocchiona (salami with fennel).

Just add a glass of Brunello di Montalcino (a red wine from the vineyards around this Sienese hill town) and take it easy.

HOMEWARD BOUND I’ve travelled a lot, and I’ve worked in Florence, London and Saudi Arabia. But I built my workshop less than four kilometres from the place where I was born, which was inside the railway station of Badia al Pino, where my grandfather worked as the station chief.

I graduated with a degree in architecture in Florence in 1974.

At that time the university faculty was located inside the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze. Lessons were held in the sculpture gallery, and Michelangelo’s David was (and still is) in a nearby room.

My family wanted me to become an engineer, but I resisted. Now, 50 years on, I’m still enjoying designing as much as I did then. Tuscany is special for the quantity and quality of art that’s all around you. It gets inside you.

The south of Siena province is the most beautiful part of Italy. I recommend visiting Val d’Orcia and the small towns of Lucignano and Monte San Savino.

If you’re in Florence, visit the Medici villas of Poggio a Caiano and la Petraia, in Castello. They are both a few kilometres out of the city centre. giovanniraspini.com

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FOOD & TRAVEL A view over Ullswater lake from Birkhouse Moor

THE ESSENTIALS

DO As this year marks the 250th anniversary since William Wordsworth’s birth, make a pilgrimage to his former home Dove Cottage, which reopens on 7 April after a major £6.2m renovation, made with the aim of highlighting the connection between people, poetry and place. wordsworth.org.uk

T H E

W E E K E N D E R

LAKE DISTRICT Discover the awe-inspiring beauty of this national park, says Anastasia Bernhardt

ABOVE: William Wordsworth by Henry Eldridge, c.1807 LEFT: Linthwaite House has options for hiking-phobes

Visiting in 1724, Daniel Defoe thought the mountains here to be one of ‘the wildest, most barren and frightful of any that I have passed over’.

But with the dawn of the Picturesque movement in the late 1700s, the Lake District’s beauty came to be so admired that the viewing station had to install panels of coloured glass through which to admire the vista, as it was thought the landscape was so powerful that you might faint if you looked at it directly.

The closest I came to fainting was failing to pack a bar of Kendal Mint Cake on the hike up to Beatrix Potter’s house, only to discover it was closed for winter. The shoulder seasons of spring and summer are best for a trip: don’t even try to come to Potter’s village in high summer as it’s completely packed and impossible to park – although that might be set to change if the National Trust continues to roll out its controversial plans to ban cars in certain areas. n

EAT If you’re not organised enough to have booked a table at L’Enclume then try Simon Rogan’s latest restaurant, Henrock.

It’s similarly rooted in local produce, but the influences on the dishes are much more international, like poached cod with black lime curry. henrock.co.uk BUY It’s impossible to visit Cartmel and not return home with a few trays of its sticky toffee pudding. But if you’ve already filled your boots at L’Enclume there are some great non-epicurean options too: top of my list is a chopping board made

by Joe Scoble of Lone Wolf Woodcraft. lonewolfwoodcraft.co.uk

STAY We arrived in the middle of a storm to a porter proffering a steaming glass of mulled wine. That just about sums up the hospitality of Linthwaite House – ideal if you want the luxury of a five-star hotel with the comfort of your own home. From £200 a night B&B. leeucollection.com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

I

t’s a big year for the Lake District.

January marked 125 years since the founding of the National Trust (which manages around one quarter of the land here), on 7 April it will have been 250 years since its broodiest poet, William Wordsworth, was born, and at the end of March a new music, literature and performance festival, Aerial, launches in Ambleside (aerialfestival.com).

I’m not going to start spouting about the lakes’ beauty – Wordsworth, Wainwright and Ruskin have already done a far better job of that. But the area’s aesthetic wasn’t always recognised, as I learnt from a visit to Claife Viewing Station, on Windermere’s west shore.

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THIS MONTH With London Design Week (8-13 March) and London Craft Week (27 April to 3 May) on the horizon, now is the time to get creative. But if you’re torn between traditional painting, pottery and paper crafts, let us give you a little artistic inspiration. What’s On by Country & Town House brings you the biggest crafting trends for 2020, plus the best ways to learn them in the UK.

STAINED GLASS CRAFTS Stained glass making has really taken off this year, with a 127 per cent increase in searches for stained glass tools and supplies on Etsy. Bright, colourful and often showcasing some kind of narrative, artists have been creating decorative stained glass for centuries, so it’s not hard to find inspiration. Stained glass specialist Cheryl Powling hosts a range of workshops at her home studio in north London.

Practice lead work, foiling or create pretty mosaic pendants. cherylpowlingglass.co.uk

FLOWER ARRANGING It’s a craft that never appears to go out of fashion. Instead of splashing out on big-budget bouquets, learn to create beautiful floral arrangements of your own. Book a Styling the Seasons workshop with Wild Bunch at its farm in Shropshire.

For those in the city, Bloomsbury Flowers is your go-to. wildbunchflowers.co.uk; bloomsburyflowers.co.uk

PATCHWORK & QUILTING From dedicated retreats to this summer’s Festival of Quilts 2020, patchwork and quilting are firmly back in fashion. Benefits from the hobby include reduced stress and enhanced hand-eye coordination. Ray Stitch in London hosts regular patchwork and quilt making classes. raystitch.co.uk

LIFE DRAWING In a world infiltrated by Photoshop and unrealistic body expectations, life drawing has become an antidote to the superficial. Classes are emerging across the country, from the more traditional to the outlandish – even burlesque and cabaret life drawing is a thing. Artist Lily Holder hosts monthly classes with FreeForm Life Drawing at Chelsea’s No 11, Pimlico Road. Join her for music, drinks and plenty of sketching. darwinandwallace.co.uk

For more craft trends for 2020 visit What’s On by Country & Town House at...

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bit.ly/craft-trends

26/02/2020 14:28

We can’t guarantee the weather, but we can guarantee the wine.

Book a tour of our Hampshire winery and not only will you taste our award-winning wines, you’ll benefit from our in-depth knowledge. We’ll show you each step of the process and explain exactly how we make our delicious wines, well, delicious. · Tours available all year round at the winery near Winchester · Private tours available on request · Gift vouchers available at www.hattingleyvalley.com or by calling 01256 389 188

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FOOD & TRAVEL R E S T A U R A N T

R E V I E W S

THE GRILL AT THE DORCHESTER

MADE IN CHELSEA WHERE TO EAT, AND WHEN

The old-school restaurant has had an injection of youthful vitality thanks to its new chef, finds Anastasia Bernhardt

W

hen you think of The Dorchester, you don’t really think ‘young blood’. So, when Tom Booton, 26, became the youngest in a long line of chefs to take over The Grill last year, it raised more than just a few micro-bladed eyebrows.

The last time I ate at The Grill it was for a one-off evening with Wolfgang Puck – the king of steak – and while the food was off the charts, the atmosphere left much to be desired. I couldn’t shake the feeling I wasn’t meant to be there.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find that under Booton’s influence, The Grill has undone its top button.

It still has all of the pomp and ceremony you’d expect, but the staff are friendly – not fawning.

It must have been fairly daunting to take over the helm of a restaurant that’s been open for nearly 90 years and has served everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Kate Moss. However, with characteristic

Essex-boy nonchalance, Booton says: ‘It’s funny when people say how young I am as I’ve been cooking professionally for nearly 12 years.’

That self-confidence certainly shines through in his cooking. He hasn’t been afraid to strike dishes off the menu that have been there since 1931 and has had the irreverence to add a ‘Double Decker’ to the dessert menu (a dense, intensely chocolatey tart with Rice Krispies coated in chocolate and served with malted milk ice cream).

The menu is well paced (with either three or four courses), and while the main dishes play it safe with comforting classics (like the scrummiest rack of lamb with boulangère potatoes or perfectly pink beef wellington for two), Booton really lets his imagination run wild with the starters: sweetbreads with hen of the woods mushrooms and spiced lentils, delicately covered by a veil of celeriac (a bit like a very light ravioli), and foie gras ‘snow’ that dissolves on the tongue with crispy baby artichokes.

It’s the perfect compromise between presenting dishes that feel new and exciting, while acknowledging that, when it comes down to it, what we actually want is something comforting, familiar and insanely delicious.

It was a punt to give so much responsibility to someone this early on his career, but it’s one that has paid off. It’s really heartening to see somewhere as old-school as The Dorchester giving the next generation a fair go. It’s all the better for it.

Three courses, £60. dorchestercollection.com n

TAKE OUT Remember that scene in Mrs Doubtfire when Robin Williams burns his body suit while cooking dinner? If he’d been based in Chelsea, it would have been Colette he called upon, with its take-out dishes by an ex-Ritz chef.

Whether it’s ravioli or a charred octopus salad, you’ll want to pass this off as your own. colette.co.uk

BLOW OUT Masaki Sugisaki’s precision in preparing each piece of sushi is mind-blowing, and such is his dedication to freshness that fish comes straight from Cornwall and nothing is pre-prepared (even mushrooms are sliced then and there). If sushi isn’t your thing, then from 2 March you can also try his new plant-based menu, created in collaboration with celebrated nutritionist Ian Marber. dinings.co.uk

CASUAL For the best chicken salad in Chelsea (it comes topped with a wafer-thin shard of crispy chicken skin) it has to be Liv, an all-day diner close to Chelsea Barracks. It’s anything but military in feel here – you’ll find Chelsea ladies who lunch draped over chic rattan chairs. The food is of the healthy but deeply satisfying variety – a very tricky feat to achieve. Visit on a sunny day to transport yourself to gay Paris. livrestaurant.co.uk

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FOOD & TRAVEL A STAR IS RE-BORN Gymkhana – the beloved Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant – has literally risen from the ashes following a fire last June. The newly revamped version includes an upgraded decor, fresh additions to its menu, and allnew cocktails (peach blow fizz anyone?). gymkhanalondon.com

THIS MON TH...

READ Who says going dry can’t be exciting?

How to Drink Without Drinking.

(Octopus, £15.99) waterstones.com

SIP Dash Water is the most stylish way to stay hydrated this spring. £2.95. dash-water.com

N E W S

GASTRO GOSSIP

Fresh news from the world of food. By Sofia Tindall

EDIBLE ART

Coca cola jelly and cornflakes panna cotta are just a couple of Tate Head Chef Jon Ashatroo’s riffs on Andy Warhol’s favourite snacks (the artist was also partial to ‘Mars Bar cake’, a Mars Bar between two slices of bread). The mini-menu of sweet and savoury snacks coincides with the gallery’s major new Warhol retrospective.

Until 6 September. tate.org.uk

EAT Handpainted Easter egg. £95. fortnum andmason.com

GRAPE TIMES

Raise your glass (and your fork): The Ethicurean is bringing its zero-waste approach from Wrington to Cornwall. Its second restaurant overlooks the rolling Trevibban Mill Vineyard. theethicurean.com

WHISKED AWAY

Once the preserve of portly old men, whisky has been given a cool new makeover

by Milroy’s. The hip Spitalfields members’ club has a trendy whisky bar, cocktail club and cigar terrace, and hosts womenfronted comedy nights. milroys.co.uk

SING FOR SUPPER New Orleans-style jazz and classic French gastronomy are the order of the evening at Louie, the latest restaurant from Guillaume Gilpa (who earned his stripes at Chiltern Firehouse, Zuma and Coya). With its buzzing Covent Garden location, you can catch the opera after. louie-london.com

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FOOD & TRAVEL

R E C I P E

OODLES OF GOODNESS Kimiko Barber uses just seven ingredients to make this noodle dish

FOODIE TA L ES

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sukimi, which literally means ‘moon viewing’ in Japanese, is a genteel pastime in autumn when the air is clear and the moon is full. Here, the whole yellow egg yolk in the centre is depicted as the full moon surrounded by semi-cooked egg white and noodles as clouds. Choose the freshest eggs you can find.

METHOD

Cook the noodles and portion between two warmed bowls. Keep warm.

Preheating the bowls is particularly important for this recipe as you need all the retained heat to semi-cook the eggs.

Meanwhile, heat the noodle sauce and mirin in a saucepan with 400ml (14fl oz) of water to just below boiling. Pour half a ladleful of hot broth over each noodle mound and keep the rest on a simmer.

If including kamaboko, arrange two slices at the side of the noodles.

With the back of a ladle, make a hollowed nest in the centre of the noodles. Crack an egg and gently place it whole in the nest. Ladle the remaining broth around it, then immediately cover each bowl with cling film to ‘poach’ the egg for one minute. The egg white should turn opaque white from the heat of the broth, but if you prefer the egg more cooked, microwave (800W) for 10–12 seconds.

Remove the clingfilm, garnish with the chopped spring onion and a sprinkle of shichimi-tōgarashi, if liked, and serve immediately.

MOON U DON INGREDIENTS SERVES TWO » 200g dried udon noodles » 300ml all purpose noodle sauce » 2 tablespoons mirin » 4 slices of kamaboko, fish paste cake » 2 very fresh eggs » 1 spring onion, finely chopped » Shichimi-tōgarashi spice blend

Extracted from Japanese in 7 by Kimiko Barber.

(Kyle Books, £17.99) n

KIMIKO BARBER Cook, educator and food writer Food philosophy? I believe in trying everything at least once. I also start cooking by thanking all the human endeavor went in to producing the food – not only farmers or fishermen but also factory workers and drivers.

What was the first dish you cooked?

It was probably rice and miso soup when my mother was suddenly taken ill and I had to make something for supper.

Most vivid childhood food memory?

I have many happy and delicious food memories: biting into a bright red ripe tomato in my grandfather’s vegetable garden; following my grandmother around her large, dark, traditional Japanese kitchen; collecting still-warm eggs in the morning. But the happiest memory of all is of New Year’s festival food preparation in the last week of December, especially making rice cakes.

Favourite ingredient that’s in season?

Kale and cavolo nero. Slice them in thin strips, lightly toss in olive or sesame oil, season with salt and pepper, then spread over baking parchment and bake for 15 minutes in a fan oven at 160°C. They come out lovely and crisp.

Biggest cooking mistake? I have had many embarrassing kitchen disasters.

But the worst by far was when Boris, our 85kg St Bernard, ate a whole soymarinated roast chicken that was resting in the middle of the kitchen island while I was welcoming our dinner guests.

Most memorable meal out? In June 2018 my husband and I went to a small restaurant in Tokyo called Shirosaka, where our oldest son had recently been promoted to sous chef. For the first time we watched him cook.

When you’re not in the kitchen, where are you? In my vegetable garden or watching my honey bees. I started beekeeping two years ago and have four hives. I’m completely captivated, if not obsessed, by these fascinating insects.

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STOCKISTS ALEXANDER MCQUEEN alexandermcqueen.com AMANDA WAKELEY amandawakeley.com BLAZÉ @ net-a-porter.com BOTTEGA VENETA bottegaveneta.com CELINE celine.com DE LA VALI delavali.com ERDEM X DE GOURNAY @ bergdorfgoodman.com @ erdem.com @ degournay.com @ net-a-porter.com

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PROPERTY

HOUSE OF THE MONTH Sell it to us in a sentence… Field House is a truly exquisite country house in a first-class Cotswold village. Renovated by a leading interior designer, it’s an incredible space for entertaining.

How has it been decorated? The designer worked tirelessly to create the perfect country retreat, including open fires, natural light, and superb views over the garden. There are elegant fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, beautiful stone and hard wood flooring, and ample doors into the garden for an abundance of natural light.

Field House, Sapperton, Gloucestershire Price: £2.795m 6 bedrooms 4 bathrooms 4,747 sq/ft

What’s unique about it? It’s unusual to find a house in the Cotswolds that works so perfectly for modern living.

The entertaining space is one of the best you’ll find. It also lies in the quintessential Cotswold village of Sapperton, where houses rarely come to the market.

Best room in the house? The 48ft kitchen is the real heart of the home and a fantastically social space, enhanced further by a stunning new David Salisbury orangery.

What would parties be like here? The combination of a built-in sound system, underfloor heating and bi-folding doors from the house into the garden make this the perfect summer party house.

What is the garden like? Just under an acre, the garden has been relandscaped, creating an amazing outdoor seating area with fire pits and two sheltered terraces.

Perks of the location? Sapperton is an unspoilt and sought-after Cotswold village, situated about five miles from Cirencester.

It’s 15 minutes from Kemble station, which has a direct line to Paddington that takes about an hour and a quarter.

01285 627555, savills.com n

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M O V E

T O

BELGRAVIA

FROM ABOVE: Belgravia is known for its sweeping streets and grand architecture; The Thomas Cubitt is a popular pub; Tamsin Greig stars in Belgravia

SW1 is the place to invest now, says Anna Tyzack

Shopping spree Pedestrianised Motcomb Street has a carefully curated selection of dangerously tempting boutiques. mayfairand belgravia.com

S

ince Belgravia was built, around 200 years ago, its white stucco terraces and garden squares have been among London’s chicest addresses. No wonder then, according to Stuart Bailey, head of Knight Frank’s Belgravia office (knightfrank.com), that Julian Fellowes chose to base his latest drama in this exclusive corner of the capital. Belgravia, a six-part tale of two privileged London families in the early 19th century, comes to our screens this spring, starring Tamsin Greig and Alice Eve. ‘Belgravia hasn’t ebbed and flowed with fashion like other areas, it’s been consistently stylish,’ Bailey says. ‘The architecture, properties and geographical location have all stood the test of time.’

Fellowes’ series, based on his novel, will propel Belgravia into the media spotlight, but according to Bailey it’s already on the map for super prime buyers.

The location and array of period houses make it first choice for some of the world’s most affluent families; former Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, for example, is transforming Grade II-listed Forbes House into a £300m urban palace.

‘Last year we saw two £40m-plus sales to British buyers as well high-level sales to Chinese and Middle Eastern buyers,’ Bailey continues.

Tea for two Treat yourself to designer cupcakes and a pot of earl grey at Peggy Porschen Cakes on Ebury Street. peggyporschen. com

‘Mayfair might have become a hub for global wealth, but Belgravia is more discreet – buyers can retreat back here to the calm of garden squares.’

The area is an established family neighbourhood with excellent schools such as Eaton House, Eaton Square School and Francis Holland; Garden House, Hill House and Eaton Square upper school are also within easy reach. In 2021 the Cleveland Clinic, a world-renowned private hospital, is set to open in Belgravia, adding to the appeal.

According to Mohamed Zaghloul of UK Sotheby’s International (sothebysrealty.co.uk), buyers appreciate both the neighbourhood feel and the fact it’s possible to walk from Belgravia to offices in St James’s, Mayfair and Westminster. The City is also an easy commute from Victoria and Sloane Square tube stations.

The area has always had an abundance of charm, but over the past decade Belgravia has become yet more desirable thanks to Grosvenor Estate’s gentrification of Elizabeth Street, Motcomb Street and Pimlico Road (grosvenorestate.com). These streets

A workout Burn up to 1,000 calories in a high intensity interval training session at Barry’s Bootcamp in Eccleston Yards. barrys.com A quick pint after work The Nag’s Head on Kinnerton Street is a proper London pub, for a pint and a bag of crisps. You can even bring the dog.

Date night The menu at Wild

by Tart is curated

by Evening Standard cookery duo Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison, with sustainably sourced ingredients. wildbytart.com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK

L E T ’ S

BEST FOR...

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PROPERTY are now home to boutiques, gastro pubs – the Thomas Cubitt on Elizabeth Street is one of the most popular pubs in the area – as well as food shops such as Daylesford Organic on Pimlico Road and Waitrose on Motcomb Street. There’s even a garage on Eaton Mews West.

Ebury Street and the surrounding streets have also become more polished; the newly developed Eccleston Yards, a hub for independent businesses and shops, includes fitness studio Barry’s Bootcamp, Battonage Wines and restaurant and deli, Wild By Tart.

‘It’s a funky village hub that will be a great place to hang out in summer,’ Bailey says. And this spring, the refurbished Pantechnicon Building, a former antiques bazaar on Motcomb Street, opens as a lifestyle hub (thepantechnicon.com).

It’s Belgravia’s majestic properties that are the main attraction for super prime buyers, though, and in every direction there are large ‘forever’ houses with generous gardens, a rarity in central London. A family house costs from £3.5m to more than £40m, depending on size. ‘The address our buyers choose tends to be determined by the scale of the property required,’ Bailey explains. ‘If they want about 15,000 sq/ft, it’s Belgrave Square; if around 10,000 sq/ft, it would be Eaton Square or Wilton Crescent; 5,000–6,000 sq/ft is Chester Square, while houses in Eaton Terrace or Wilton Street tend to be circa 3,000–4,000 sq/ft.’

Also popular are Gerald Road and Lowndes

Street, smaller roads with quirkier architecture and the chance to purchase an original mews house. ‘Subject to planning, you can spend £6m–£8m and add value by digging a basement or extending the mansard,’ explains Zaghloul.

There are also a number of exciting new global destination addresses to rival Knightsbridge’s One Hyde Park. The Peninsula on Hyde Park Corner (peninsularesidences. london) will be a five-star hotel and luxury flats – Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel, has bought the £100m penthouse – and 3-10 Grosvenor Crescent is the redevelopment of a Grade II* listed terrace into five grand apartments and seven lateral and duplex apartments with parking, terraces and concierge (grosvenor.com).

Meanwhile Belgravia Gate, a new development of 12 residences with access to a pool, spa and parking, is almost sold out (belgraviagate.com).

‘Developments of this calibre can only have a positive effect on house prices,’ says Zaghloul.

The market in Belgravia has picked up pace since Brexit became a certainty, according to Jamie Hope, head of sales at Maskells (maskells. com) with buyers looking to purchase houses both for themselves and as investments for their children. ‘Political stability has made all the difference,’ he says. ‘Buyers are looking to invest before the market accelerates away.’ Viewings in January 2020 were up 265 per cent on January 2019, he says, with a number of high-level sales already agreed this year. ‘There’s a different tone to the market now: buyers are feeling bolder.’

According to Zaghloul, the Belgravia market is still undervalued compared to Knightsbridge and Mayfair; with prices ten per cent lower than their peak, he’s not surprised to see more buyers around. ‘We’ve had four years of a downwards trend, but it feels to me as if prices have hit the bottom and are now beginning to move gently upwards,’ confirms Bailey. What remains to be seen is whether Fellowes’ drama will prompt a Belgravia-inspired buying frenzy. n

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK

Good schools are plentiful in Belgravia

Wild By Tart is a dinner destination with a focus on health, seasonality and sustainability

FOR SA L E

CHESTER ROW, £9.95m A unique opportunity to create an extraordinary 6,500 sq/ft family home with a large garden by combining two attached properties, creating a 22-foot street frontage to all floors.

The proposed development would have lateral living spaces, six bedrooms and a gym. sothebysrealty.co.uk

EATON TERRACE, £7.5m A six-bedroom flexible family house with a terrace and a good balance of living and entertaining space. There’s a Poggenpohl kitchen with Gaggenau appliances, a formal drawing room with excellent ceiling heights and French doors leading to balconies at the front and rear, plus a large utility room. knightfrank.com

MONTROSE PLACE, £11m A ground floor apartment of over 3,500 sq/ft in one of Belgravia’s most pre-eminent developments, with 24-hour security and concierge, and private underground parking for two cars. The property features an eat-in kitchen, living room, laundry and three bedrooms. aylesford.com

EATON MEWS SOUTH, £6.15m An immaculate and exceptionally wide redesigned mews house with an integral garage and modern, flexible living space.

Features include a handmade curved oak and glass staircase, a walk-on roof light providing natural light to the basement, and bespoke furnishings throughout. knightfrank.com

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PROPERTY

F I V E

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T H E

B E S T

WORKS IN PROGRESS

Renovation opportunities for limitless imaginations. By Amy Wakeham

FIFE, £875,000

For the price of a cramped semi on the outskirts of London, you can be the proud owner of this incredible 18th century castle, only a short drive from St Andrews. It has all the towers, battlements and gables you could desire, as well as nine bedrooms, three bathrooms, library and ballroom.

The grounds comprise over eight acres of beautiful lawns and woodland, plus a range of useful outbuildings. Just the place for your very own I Capture The Castle moment. savills.com

WIMBLEDON, £2.75m

With its large leafy garden and beautiful views towards The Downs, it’s hard to believe this five-bedroom Arts and Crafts house is still an easy commute into central London from nearby Raynes Park. Although it requires modernisation, the rooms are large and light-filled, and offer amazing opportunities for renovators looking to put their creative stamp on a period property. robertholmes.co.uk

WARMINSTER, WILTSHIRE, £600,000 Nestled in bucolic Wiltshire countryside is this pretty period farmhouse that’s ripe for renovation. Its first time on the market in 33 years, it’s the perfect ‘forever’ home, with four double bedrooms, two bathrooms and three reception rooms. Set on almost an acre of land, comprising gardens and a fenced paddock, the cottage also has a large barn adjoining it that has development potential, subject to the usual consents. hamptons.co.uk

CREDITON, DEVON, £835,000 The historic seat of Sir Robert Spencer, Spencecombe is an elegant 16th-century manor house set in five acres of rolling parkland. Boasting traditional plaster cob walls, exposed wooden beams and a thatched roof, the Grade II-listed house is the perfect project for experienced renovators. What’s more, the six-bedroom, five-bathroom house is a 30-minute drive to Exeter, with its quick rail links with London and an international airport. knightfrank.com

OKEHAMPTON, DEVON £1.5m Hide away from the rat race in the rural idyll of Bidlake Farm. The property boasts 105 acres of unspoiled Devon countryside, with views over nearby Roadford Lake. It comprises a traditional fourbedroom farmhouse with flagstone floors, wooden beams and inglenook fireplaces, plus a two-bedroom barn conversion, and a separate one-bedroom cottage. There’s also a library with an open fire, and an indoor swimming pool. struttandparker.com

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Beautiful Family House Wimbledon, SW19, London Wimbledon Village High Street: 0.7 miles Exceptional detached Arts & Crafts style house, originally designed by the highly renowned English architect Ballie Scott. 6 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, heated indoor swimming pool, tennis court, gated entrance and landscaped gardens. EPC=E Freehold | About 0.5 acres | Guide ÂŁ4.75 million James Morrison Savills Wimbledon 020 3393 6364 jmorrison@savills.com

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Stylish Villa in a Prime Location Quinta do Lago, Portugal Faro International Airport: 13.8 kilometres Located within the prestigious resort of Quinta do Lago, this property overlooks the San Lorenzo Golf Course and is close to sandy beaches. 5 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, entertainment room, swimming pool, al fresco dining area and landscaped gardens.

2,000 sq m I Guide €6.95 million Alison Hojbjerg QP Savills +351 289 396 073 ahojbjerg@savills.com

savills.com

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THURLOE SQUARE , KNIGHTSBRIDGE

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magnificent Grade II listed stucco-fronted house on the favoured east side of one of London's most highly-regarded garden squares. Substantial and exquisitely presented, the property benefits from grand proportions, a roof terrace, wine store and views over the communal gardens.

7 B E D R O O M S | 5 B AT H R O O M S | 4 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S U T I L I T Y R O O M | VA U LT S | G A R D E N A P P R O X I M AT E LY 5 , 2 8 1 S Q F T | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 4 0 0 F T F R O M S O U T H K E N S I N G T O N S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ12,950,000 Freehold Knight Frank Knightsbridge harry.dawes@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5930

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1 HOLLAND PARK, LONDON

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beautiful apartment in a Grade II listed stucco fronted building which was formerly The Halcyon Hotel. In one of London's most exclusive addresses, the exceptional property encompasses the entire second floor and offers the highest level of finish, both technologically and aesthetically.

5 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | C O N C I E R G E | L I F T I M P O S I N G C E I L I N G H E I G H T S | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 3 , 8 6 1 S Q F T N O T T I N G H I L L G AT E A P P R O X I M AT E LY 0 . 6 M I L E S | K E N S I N G T O N H I G H S T R E E T A P P R O X I M AT E LY 0 . 8 M I L E S

Guide price ÂŁ9,500,000 Knight Frank Kensington jessica.bishop@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2698

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HOLLAND PARK VILLAS, KENSINGTON

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superb south-facing apartment with a wonderful terrace overlooking the beautiful landscaped gardens. Holland Park Villas is a gated development which over looks Holland Park and offers residents a five-star hotel-style concierge service with 24-hour security.

3 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | R E C E P T I O N R O O M | P R I VAT E U N D E R G R O U N D PA R K I N G U N D E R F L O O R H E AT I N G | C O M F O R T C O O L I N G S Y S T E M | L U T R O N L I G H T I N G | L U X U R Y S PA | G Y M | E P C B 0 . 5 M I L E S K E N S I N G T O N H I G H S T R E E T | 0 . 6 M I L E S T O N O T T I N G H I L L G AT E

Guide price ÂŁ8,500,000 Knight Frank Kensington jessica.bishop@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2698

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RADLETT, HERTFORDSHIRE

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n outstanding new country house built to an exacting specification and featuring state-of-the-art facilities. The Dell House stands in the middle of its own extensive gardens and grounds and within walking distance of the popular village of Radlett.

6 B E D R O O M S | 6 B AT H R O O M S | 8 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S GY M | ST E A M RO O M | W I N E C E L L A R | SW I M M I N G P O O L | 2 CA R GA R AG E | O U T B U I L D I N G | T E N N I S C O U RT | E P C D R A D L E T T 0 . 5 M I L E S | C E N T R A L L O N D O N 1 6 . 5 M I L E S | H E AT H R O W A I R P O R T 2 5 M I L E S

Guide price ÂŁ8,000,000 Freehold Knight Frank London and Beaconsfield james.crawford@knightfrank.com 020 7861 1065 oliver.beales@knightfrank.com 01494 689 264 Statons 020 8445 3694 nick@statons.com

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3 FROXFIELD, HAMPSHIRE

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substantial country house set in a quiet location surrounded by rolling Hampshire countryside. This immaculate property has recently been refurbished and re-designed by Godrich Interiors, and offers approximately 8,880 sq ft of living accommodation over two floors.

7 B E D R O O M S | 5 B AT H R O O M S | 5 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | 2 C O T TA G E S | S TA F F F L AT WA L L E D G A R D E N | S W I M M I N G P O O L | PA R T Y B A R N | S TA B L I N G | A P P R O X . 3 6 . 4 A C R E S P E T E R S F I E L D ( L O N D O N WAT E R L O O 6 6 M I N S ) 4 . 3 M I L E S | B E D A L E S S C H O O L 3 . 6 M I L E S

Guide price ÂŁ6,750,000 Freehold Knight Frank London & Winchester edward.cunningham@knightfrank.com 020 7861 1080 george.clarendon@knightfrank.com 01962 677 234 Strutt & Parker edward.lucas@struttandparker.com 020 7318 5183

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3 CAPITAL BUILDING, BATTERSEA

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ocated in the modern and sought-after Nine Elms area, this incredible penthouse features a wrap around terrace and views of the Thames and London's skyline.

The property has been renovated by the current owners and an interior designer, providing a unique finish and unrivalled quality.

3 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | R E C E P T I O N R O O M A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 , 8 6 2 S Q F T | D O U B L E - H E I G H T C E I L I N G S | C O N C I E R G E | L E I S U R E FA C I L I T I E S | E P C B A P P R O X I M AT E LY 0 .7 M I L E S AWAY F R O M VA U X H A L L U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ4,999,950 Knight Frank Battersea keir.waddell@knightfrank.com 020 8128 9310

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LAMONT ROAD, CHELSEA

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beautifully presented house with excellent garden views to the rear and an impressive living space that spans four floors.The house is located in the Ten Acre Estate and is within close proximity to the many shops and restaurants that the area has to offer.

3 - 4 B E D R O O M S | 3 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S O F F I C E | P R I VAT E G A R D E N | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 2 , 4 2 8 S Q F T | E P C E 1 . 0 M I L E F R O M S O U T H K E N S I N G T O N U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ3,900,000 Freehold Knight Frank Chelsea sarah.rose@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6172

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1 FIRST STREET, CHELSEA

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beautifully presented house with high ceiling heights and a large patio garden in the sought-after grid between Walton Street and Milner Street. This wellarranged property is laid out over four floors and offers wooden flooring, unusually good views and westerly sun.

3 B E D R O O M S | 2 B AT H R O O M S | 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | G A R D E N VA U LT S A N D S T O R A G E R O O M | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 , 6 1 4 S Q F T | E P C E A P P R O X I M AT E LY 0 . 5 M I L E S F R O M S O U T H K E N S I N G T O N U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ3,300,000 Freehold roly.im@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5930

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CHELSEA W O R L DADMIRAL - R E N O W N E SQUARE D P E R I O D, A R C H I T E C T HARB J U L I A NOUR BICKNELL W O R L Dbeautiful - C L A S S Ariver M E N Iviews T I E S and set within wonderful family home offering Chelsea Harbour's secure bank SET W I T H I N grounds.

5 7 A C R E SLocated O F P R I Von A Tthe E P Anorth RKLAN D I Nof the G L E F I E Lto D G R E E N , SWharf U R R E Yand close to the shops and River Thames, the property isE Nadjacent Imperial restaurants of Chelsea and Fulham.

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SHOW HOME OPEN

5 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S A P P R O X I M AT E LY 2 ,7 6 6 S Q F T | PAT I O G A R D E N | C O N C I E R G E | L E A S E H O L D | E P C C C L O S E T O A N U M B E R O F FA N TA S T I C S C H O O L S , L E I S U R E FA C I L I T I E S A N D G R E E N S PA C E S

M A G N A C A R TA PA R K . C O M

BROUGHT TO YOU BY Guide price £3,150,000 Knight Frank Riverside keir.waddell@knightfrank.com 020 8128 9310

knightfrank.co.uk

01483 564 660

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ODELL , BEDFORD

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diverse family estate in a beautiful setting with an attractive Georgian house, immaculate gardens and distant views. In addition there is a substantial annexe building with extensive secondary accommodation and leisure complex. Excellent selection of schools within striking distance. In all about 25.15 acres.

6 - 1 0 B E D R O O M S | 6 - 8 B AT H R O O M S | 6 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | S W I M M I N G P O O L | T E N N I S C O U R T PA D D O C K S | O U T B U I L D I N G S | R I V E R G R E AT O U S E F R O N TA G E W I T H F I S H I N G B E D F O R D S TAT I O N 8 . 5 M I L E S ( T R A I N S T O L O N D O N S T PA N C R A S I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 8 M I N U T E S )

Guide price ÂŁ2,500,000 Knight Frank London peter.edwards@knightfrank.com 020 7861 1707 edward.welton@knightfrank.com 020 7861 1114 Lane & Holmes nick@laneandholmes.co.uk 01234 327744

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n exclusive collection of eight brand new, two and three bedroom apartments set within a secure gated development. Blending art deco heritage with modern sophistication, Wellington Court will be setting a new benchmark of living in Buckinghamshire. Launching April 2020.

2 - 3 B E D R O O M S | 2 - 3 B AT H R O O M S | 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S P R I VAT E B A L C O N I E S / T E R R A C E S T O E A C H A PA R T M E N T | P R I VAT E A L L O C AT E D U N D E R G R O U N D PA R K I N G I D E A L LY L O C AT E D T O B E A C O N S F I E L D S TAT I O N W I T H R E G U L A R S E R V I C E S T O C E N T R A L L O N D O N

Guide price £1,150,000 - £2,350,000 Knight Frank South East Residential Development neil.haynes@knightfrank.com 01483 564660

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REDCLIFFE GARDENS, CHELSEA

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beautifully finished apartment with excellent ceiling heights and professionally designed and refurbished by an interior designer. This perfect pied-a-terre is close to the many amenities and restaurants of the Fulham Road and Kings Road.

B E D R O O M | B AT H R O O M | R E C E P T I O N R O O M A P P R O X I M AT E LY 5 3 1 S Q F T | E P C D 0 . 5 M I L E S F R O M E A R L S C O U R T U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ775,000 Share of Freehold Knight Frank Chelsea robert.french@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6172

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Grade II listed Georgian stucco fronted townhouse which has undergone significant restoration work. It carries a wealth of period features and benefits from open plan living and quirky spaces.

6 B E D R O O M S | 7 B AT H R O O M S | 6 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S S E C O N D A R Y K I T C H E N | O F F S T R E E T PA R K I N G C H I C H E S T E R T O W N C E N T R E 1 0 0 YA R D S | P O R T S M O U T H 1 7 M I L E S | S O U T H A M P T O N 3 3 M I L E S

Guide price available on request Knight Frank London and Haslemere oliver.rodbourne@knightfrank.com 020 7861 1093 russell.grieve@knightfrank.com 01428 770 560

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2 3 H O U S E S , 1 0 T O W N H O U S E S & 2 4 A PA R T M E N T S A C R O S S 3 M A N S I O N B L O C K S B Y R O Y A LT O N R E S I D E N C E S I N T E R I O R D E S I G N B Y C E L E B R AT E D D E S I G N E R LO U I S E B R A D L E Y WORLD-RENOWNED PERIOD ARCHITECT JULIAN BICKNELL WORLD-CLASS AMENITIES S E T W I T H I N 5 7 A C R E S O F P R I VAT E PA R K L A N D I N ENGLEFIELD GREEN, SURREY

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PROMOTION

INTRODUCING ASHBURTON PLACE

Is this the ‘right-sized’ property you’ve been looking for?

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ight-sizing. It’s a property buzzword – but what does it mean? Rest assured, it’s not the dreaded down-sizing, and it’s certainly not about increasing the financial burden and saying goodbye to all the fun things like holidays, designer names and delicious dinners – all the treats that help make life that bit nicer. It’s about taking stock and thinking sensibly about balancing where your live with how you live.

It’s not a new concept; most of us have ‘right-sized’ many times before – from your first box-room rental, to your first mortgaged property and then getting something bigger as the family expands, or smaller as they flee the nest. Maybe you’re now thinking about a lock-up-and-leave so you can spend more time at a second home in the sun. Or maybe you want somewhere that doesn’t demand constant care and attention, or something more modern, especially if you’re done with period homes.

But is there a perfect right-size? Alfred Homes, property developers in and around the beautiful city of Winchester (consistently rated as one of the top places to live in the UK with its eclectic high street, great restaurants, buzzing cultural landscape and only an hour’s distance by train from London and handy for Heathrow and the South Coast too), believe that its latest development can certainly tick the box for those of you considering what’s next on the property ladder.

Ashburton Place, located on one of Winchester’s landmark avenues, adjacent to the Royal Winchester Golf Course, is an outstanding collection of ten truly luxurious apartments alongside two detached villas, all with incredible views of the fairways from an expansive terrace, balcony or garden.

Each home has been thoughtfully curated with easy-flowing interior layouts and exceptional attention to detail: wonderfully high ceilings throughout, impressive master suites with generous en suite bathrooms and well-proportioned guest suites, all complemented by elegant and spacious living accommodation with direct access to private, low maintenance outside space.

Together with secure underground parking (a must in any city location) and lift access to all apartment floors, these homes really are something special.

With an exquisite show home that launched in February and is now open daily (10am to 4pm), plus five homes already sold, why not take a trip to Winchester sometime soon to view what could be the new right-size for you?

And if the thought of moving is perhaps daunting, talk to the friendly team about the benefits of Assisted Move, a simple solution designed to help you make the move into your new home.

Guide prices at Ashburton Place start at £1.1 million.

For more information visit alfredhomes.co.uk

Ashburton Place in Winchester: fabulous views and timeless, elegant design

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Madingley Road – Station 3.5 miles £1,150,000 A most impressive detached residence with a number of attractive character features occupying a rather special location at the end of this private driveway in a most convenient location close to Churchill College. This fine home sits well within its own established gardens of about 0.2 of an acre and includes a useful range of outbuildings including double garage with adjoining studio. Accommodation comprising: Hall, cloakroom, living room, dining room, study, kitchen. On the first floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom with separate toilet. Outside: Driveway/parking, detached double garage, home office/ studio and established gardens. EER: E Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Mawson Road – Station less than 1 mile £1,150,000 A substantial bay fronted Victorian residence, with well-proportioned and versatile accommodation arranged over three floors with front and enclosed rear garden, situated in this prime central city position so convenient for access to a good range of local amenities including the city centre, Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the railway station. Accommodation comprising: Hall, living room, sitting room, bathroom, dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, family room. On the first floor: 5 bedrooms, bathroom, utility/shower room. On the second floor: bedroom. Outside: front and rear gardens. EER: E Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

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Fowlmere – Station 2.5 miles £850,000 An impressive and substantial double bay fronted detached Victorian village home, sympathetically improved and providing versatile and wellproportioned accommodation and occupying a prominent location close to the heart of the village and enjoying delightful views towards the parish church. Accommodation comprising: Hall, sitting room, dining room, living/family room, kitchen/breakfast room, study, utility room, cloakroom, conservatory. On the first floor: 4 bedrooms, en suite bathroom, further bathroom. On the second floor: 2 bedrooms. Outside: enclosed front and rear gardens, courtyard style parking area. EER: F Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Orwell – Station 3.5 miles £795,000 A unique opportunity to acquire an intriguing and charismatic detached former barn, which has been sympathetically converted into a rather stylish and quite stunning home of considerable charm and character, occupying a tranquil tucked-away position part of a former farmstead close to the heart of this sought-after village. Accommodation comprising: Hall, principal reception room, stylish kitchen/dining/family room, utility room, 2 ground floor bedrooms, bathroom. On the first floor: 2 bedrooms, en suite shower room, dressing room/nursery, bathroom. Outside: front and rear gardens, driveway and courtyard style parking area. EER: TBC Contact: Martin Walshe | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk

Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London

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Therfield – Station 4.5 miles £1,450,000 A well-proportioned detached country residence, occupying an idyllic and picturesque setting, surrounded by unspoilt farmland and countryside within this highly sought after village, with grounds in all extending to around 8.91 acres (3.6 ha). Accommodation comprising: Hall, cloakroom, drawing room, dining room, living room, storage room, kitchen/breakfast room, boot room/utility, w.c. On the first floor: study/reading area, 5 bedrooms, master with en suite bathroom, 2 further bathrooms. Outside: Driveway/parking, generous formal gardens, range of outbuildings. EER: E Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

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Fryerning Essex Stock, Essex Essex Fryerning

Guide Price £2,250,000 Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide Price £3,850,000 An impressive executive style five bedroom striking five double bedroom, reception Grade II AAstriking five double bedroom, fourfour reception Grade II detached house situated on a plot of 0.6 of an acre listed period property thought to date backback 500 years. listed period property thought to date 500 years. and located in the sought after village of Stock and This residence is originally thought to beto 3 be 3 Thischarming charming residence is originally thought featuring immaculate well designed contemporary cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting interiors. The property is well placed for Billericay, and family living space overover two floors.

The The andextensive extensive family living space floors.

Ingatestone and Chelmsford offering main two line rail 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed services (London Liverpool Street), main road links sympathetically withC. paddocks (benefitting fromfrom a are sympathetically via A12/M25. EPCwith paddocks (benefitting a

second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake. second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake.

Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage Numerous court, double garage and detachedoutbuildings, one bedroomtennis annexe.

Equestrian and detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian potential.

EPC Exempt

potential. EPC Exempt

Country && Village ce 01277 Country VillageOffi Office 01245350614 397475

Country & Village Office 01245 397475

Fryerning EssexBrentwood Thorndon Park, Guide GuidePrice Price £3,850,000 £800,000 - £850,000

Fryerning Essex A striking charming Listed detached character A fiveGrade doubleIIbedroom, four reception Grade II property situated on thought a plot ofto approximately Guide Price £3,850,000 listed period property date back 500one years. thirdcharming of an acre and located in a unique spot This residence is originally thought toat be 3

A striking five double bedroom, fourPark. reception Grade II the edge of Thorndon cottages, now providingCountry a fantastic flowFeatures of interesting listedand period property thought to date back 500 years. include periodfamily features, windows, extensive livingsash space over twofeature floors.

The This charming residence is originally thought to be fi replace with woodburning stove and Country7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed 3 cottages, providing apaddocks fantastic(benefitting flow of interesting style now kitchen.

EPC sympathetically withexempt. from a and extensive family living space over two floors. Thelake. second separate access), ponds and a substantial 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds Numerous outbuildings, tennis court,mixed double garage sympathetically with paddocks from a and detached one bedroom(benefitting annexe. Equestrian potential.

EPCaccess), Exemptponds and a substantial lake. second separate Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage and detached bedroom annexe.

Equestrian Countryone Village Offi ce01245 01277 350614 Country &&Village Office 397475 potential. EPC Exempt

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BINTON, STR ATFORD-UPON-AVON Price on Application Freehold A superb farmhouse with secondary accommodation and equestrian facilities, with rural views over the south Warwickshire countryside.

5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms, EPC: D. Paul Houghton-Brown | 01789 430 217 | HoughtonBP@hamptons-int.com

EAST PRESTON, WEST SUSSEX Asking Price ÂŁ1,250,000 Freehold The Tower located on the private Kingston Gorse Estate has been beautifully modernised and gives easy access to the local beach.

4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, EPC: C Mike Sparks | 01243 630 582 | SparksM@hamptons-int.com

hamptons.co.uk

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CALNE, WILTSHIRE Guide Price £1,150,000 Freehold Holly Ditch Farm has been extended and renovated over time to provide a more spacious and modern living space.

6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, EPC: D Johanna Cole | 01672 620 241 | ColeJ@hamptons-int.com

WISBOROUGH GREEN, WEST SUSSEX Guide Price £2,250,000 Freehold A charming period farmhouse set in an idyllic location close to Petworth, with a superb detached barn.

5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms, EPC: E Mark Wheeler | 01403 290 155 | WheelerM@hamptons-int.com

hamptons.co.uk

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LAST WORD

TALES OF OUR TIME Who’d be a cat? asks Michael Hayman

I

mean, come on. When you look back at your career what would you rather be remembered as? A fat cat or a top dog? Thought so. Move over my furry feline friends.

The future sounds like this – woof.

For years an enduring symbol of Downing Street has been its cool cats – Larry and Gladstone. But, having met them both, I ask you (in the words of The Black Eyed Peas), where is the love? Reportedly they have a tough job as chief ratters, but how many rodents have these well-fed felines caught? My suspicion is that productivity is low.

The taxpayer has a right to know the truth.

Meanwhile, Boris, who allegedly said that the only conviction he held was one for speeding, has clearly found a furry friend to believe in. For the top dog in Downing Street is a Jack Russell cross called Dilyn.

He pounded the pavements during the election and now lives happily at No 10.

Up the road at Buckingham Palace, the Royal Family’s love of dogs is legendary. Corgis are part of the brand of today’s monarch, while back in the day Henry VIII had two dogs, Cut and Ball, who were always escaping. The Tudor king was recorded to have offered large sums of money to anyone who would bring them back.

Across the pond, Donald Trump is currently facing poochgate. The first president not to have a pup in the White House for nearly 130 years, it’s his affection for dogs, not impeachment, that remains the great unanswered question.

In 2013, the Westminster Kennel Club took the unprecedented step of asserting that The George dog committee numbers he had a ‘genuine David Gandy and Amber Le Bon affection for dogs’. among its members But, despite this, the debate rumbles on.

Back in Blighty, dogs are big business.

Thought Goodwood was about speed (whether of the horse or car variety)? Think again. Goodwoof is the new ‘grand celebration of all things dog’.

The prestigious George club (named after Mark Birley’s dog) recently launched the George dog committee to expand the venue’s canine offerings and events.

It is for these completely unrelated and dubiously strungtogether reasons that the case for canines is closed. History will be made by hounds.

Michael Hayman is co-founder of Seven Hills and co-author of Mission (Penguin, £10.99). He is owned by two Welsh Terriers (Mabel and Millie) and is allergic to cats. n

TA L K ING POIN TS VISIT Goodwoof – a fantastic line-up of activities to entertain dogs, 24-25 May (goodwood.com). WATCH Best in Show – a 2000 comedy classic from Christopher Guest given 94 per cent by Rotten Tomatoes. Meet Norwich Terrier ‘Champion Thank You Neil Sedaka’ and many more.

SUPPORT Battersea – the dogs and cats home (left) that always needs help and homes for ‘ready to be loved’ pets (battersea.org.uk). SHARE Borrowmydoggy.com – connects dog owners with local dog borrowers for walks, weekends and holidays (right).

168 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | April 2020

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