Country & Town House - April 2018

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Crime and Punishment Bill Browder’s battle with the Russian Bear

APRIL 2018 £3.90

SPRING DESIGN UPDATE THE LURE OF LISBON Now’s the time to move to Portugal

ANNA FRIEL

Acting’s English Rose with thorns

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C ON T E N T S A P R I L

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Columns 18 20

THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B joins the fight against plastic THE RURBANIST Annabel Scholey

Up Front 23

LIVING THE DREAM Slip on understated pieces from Bamford 24 PRINTS PERFECT Stand out 26 STYLE NOTEBOOK All about overalls and the year of the dog 28 LOUNGE LIZARD Everything you need for the ultimate night in 32 LUCIA LOVES Hermès 34 THE GOLD DIGGER Jewellery news 36 MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE Actor Jo Hartley 38 BODY AND SOUL Wellness 40 WELL GROOMED Men’s style news

The Guide 45 51 54 56 58 60 62

THE DIARY Dancing monks ARTS AGENDA Art looks back at the 1920s and ’30s GOOD READS Tales from around the world THE OLYMPIAN Sebastian Coe on the rather esoteric Commonwealth Games ROAD TEST The Porsche 911 Targa SEEDER’S DIGEST Warming fire pits CONVERSATIONS AT SCARFES BAR Charlotte Metcalf talks to entrepreneur and philanthropist Wendy Yu

Fashion & Features 66

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THE PASSION OF ANNA Anna Friel is one hell of a hardworking actor, but would she set her daughter on the same path?

Clover Stroud finds out THE ART OF MINDFUL CURATION Tara Button, founder of ByMeOnce.com, on how to live more sustainably BILL OF RIGHTS Bill Browder’s story reads like a work of fiction, but it’s far from it. Isobel Thompson meets the man at the centre of Russian and American politics

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C ON T E N T S A P R I L

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On Design 81

Carole Annett brings us our biannual design update with 38 pages of new products to lust after, case studies that range from a London rental to a whimsical former school house in upstate New York, plus why every good designer knows a passamenterie expert and how interiors shopping online is now as easy as your weekly food shop

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ONE STEPPE BEYOND Gilly Pickup finds futurism and nature combined to glorious effect in Kazakhstan THE HOTEL WIZARD Vibrant Venice TRAILING THE TEARDROP ISLAND Fiona Duncan on how to get the most out of a trip to Sri Lanka BUY ON THE ISLAND OF DREAMS Now is the time to buy in Sri Lanka, says Caroline Phillips THE WEEKENDER Turin BEST OF BRITISH No passport needed for these escapes GASTRO GOSSIP Royal roasts TASTE OF JAPAN Nancy Singleton Hachisu’s warming shiitake and sweet potato dish FORK AND FIELD An Irish fairytale and a taste of Portugal at London Bridge CHEERS TO CHASE Ten years on and Chase Distillery have big eco plans

Food & Travel 122 124

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130 132 136 137

138 141

On The Move 143 PROPERTY OF THE MONTH 144 LET’S MOVE TO... Lisbon and its

environs 146 MY PROPERTY LIFE Chef and

restaurateur Bill Granger 147 FIVE OF THE BEST Commutable

country houses

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ON THE COVER Photography by Jonty Davies. Fashion direction by Lucy Bond. Hair by Luke Benson using GHD and Balmain Hair.

Make-up by Lauren Griffin using MAC Cosmetics. Anna Friel wears pink and blue chiffon silk rose print cape coat and jumpsuit by Dolce & Gabbana

Regulars 10 12 42 142

EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS HIGH SOCIETY STOCKISTS

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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I EDITOR’S PICKS BUY It’s transitional season, and denim is de rigueur. I love this & Other Stories’ take on a classic jean jacket

recently listened to a podcast on This American Life about former barristerturned-naturalist Charles Foster. He decided he wanted to understand better how animals live, so he spent six weeks (eight-year-old cub-son in tow) in the Welsh hills, in a dug-out makeshift sett, scrabbling about nose to the ground, eating earthworms, licking slugs and learning to use senses so often underdeveloped in humans.

This is obviously an extreme example of one human’s mission to understand something ‘other’ than them, but it does translate to interior design quite nicely. After all, it’s the job of the designer to get under the skin of their client to understand what it is they really want. Pick the wrong shade of blue, or go a tad too glossy in the bathroom and you’ve lost their trust and any future commissions.

Luckily, in this month’s On Design special, edited by Carole Annett and starting on page 81, she looks at

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READ Being a Beast by Charles Foster, who tried to live exactly, and we mean exactly, like a badger

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SPRITZ L’Occitane’s Verbena eau de toilette is like spraying yourself with a bit of Italy

HANG OUT In the Garden Room at Annabel’s, a floral fantasy courtesy of Martin Brudnizki

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66 three projects that have delighted everyone involved and might even prove to give you your own ideas.

Anna Friel is one of the hardest working actors in the business. Starting her career at the tender age of 12, she’s best known for her gritty, complex roles – especially Marcella which has just returned to ITV for its second series. Would she wish the same kind of career for her own daughter?

Clover Stroud finds out in our cover interview on page 66.

In a slight departure from the usual feature you might expect from C&TH, Bill Browder’s extraordinary story has had me hooked ever since I read his book Red Notice: How I Became Putin’s No. 1 Enemy.

As so often is the case, truth is stranger than fiction. Bill’s tale has developed substantially since publication and leads from the high rolling hedge fund world of Moscow in the 1990s to the Russian controversy currently engulfing the Trump administration. I tweeted him to ask whether we could interview him. He agreed. You’ll find the gripping story by Isobel Thompson on page 74. @countryandtown /countryandtownhousemagazine /countryandtownhouse

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CLOVER STROUD

You have one wish for the year, what is it? I’d like to ride a racehorse again.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

I want to be able to fly; one day I think I will be able to.

How are you living a more sustainable life this year?

I’m getting rid of as much plastic as possible, starting with the massive pile of children’s toys cluttering up my kitchen.

What could you never chuck away? Photographs, always photographs, especially as we have so few real photographs now.

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You have one wish for the year, what is it? To become fluent in multiple languages quickly – specifically Italian and various types of code.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

The ability to swiftly come up with original answers to quick-fire questions.

How are you living a more sustainable life this year?

I’m not putting non-recycling into recycling, realising, and not rectifying my mistake, behind my housemates (and the council’s) back. I’m also going to join Michael Gove’s keep-cup army.

What could you never chuck away? My diary from when I was 11, because it reminds me life will never be as angst-filled again.

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SPRING SUMMER 2018

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CONTRIBUTORS

TARA BUTTON

You have one wish for the year, what is it?

To turn my e-shop BuyMeOnce into a real one. I believe in touching the stuff you buy.

If you could have one superpower what would it be? To become a horsefly so I could see what’s really going on in the White House (and bite Trump a bit too).

How are you living more sustainably this year? I plan to grow some veg myself. It’s worth it just for the rude-shaped carrots.

What could you never chuck away and why? My teddy bear, Alan... he’s seen too much.

CHRISTIAN JENNINGS

You have one wish for the year, what is it? Having spent 15 years as a war correspondent, I’d say world peace would be rather nice.

If you could have one superpower what would it be? Time travel backwards, I’d love to see what history looked like.

How are you living more sustainably this year? Avoiding the ghastly and omnipresent plastic bag.

What could you never chuck away and why? A small leather cufflink box I’ve carried with me for 23 years, containing small mementos of every country I’ve been to.

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The Decorative Antiques & Textiles

FAIR

CO U NTRYA N DTOW N H O U S E .CO.U K

EDITOR Lucy Cleland EDITOR-AT-LARGE Alice B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR Charlotte Metcalf FASHION DIRECTOR Lucy Bond CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR Nicole Smallwood LUXURY EDITOR Lucia van der Post INTERIORS EDITOR Carole Annett JEWELLERY EDITOR Annabel Davidson RETAIL EDITOR Rosalyn Wikeley BEAUTY EDITOR Nathalie Eleni PROPERTY EDITOR Anna Tyzack FEATURES ASSISTANT & SUB EDITOR Chloe Smith

SPRING 17-22 April 2018 Battersea Park, London

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Maya Monro-Somerville PROPERTY MARKETING MANAGER Gemma Cowley SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Felicity Reid SALES EXECUTIVE Olivia Milligan CREATIVE DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Parm Bhamra JUNIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER Ioulia Zoukova ONLINE EDITOR Rebecca Cox DIGITAL ASSISTANT Clementina Jackson JUNIOR ONLINE WRITER Bella Lewis TECHNICAL MANAGER Hannah Johnson TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Mark Pearson

ANTIQUES AND 20TH CENTURY DESIGN FOR INTERIOR DECORATION

CREDIT CONTROLLER Penny Burles OPERATIONS & ACCOUNTS MANAGER Millie Mountain ACCOUNTS CONTROLLER Jane Todd FINANCE DIRECTOR Jill Newey PUBLISHER Julia Carrick MANAGING DIRECTOR Jeremy Isaac CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stephen Bayley, Simon de Burton, Fiona Duncan, Daisy Finer, Lydia Gard, Avril Groom, Richard Hopton, Emma Love, Mary Lussiana, Anna Pasternak, Caroline Phillips, 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 © 2018 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.

For a complimentary invitation email fairs@decorativefair.com and reference Country & Town House decorativefair.com

020 7616 9327 Country & Town House is a member of CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England)

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B R I N G N AT U R E I N T O Y O U R H O M E B L U E P E B B L E • W H I T E F O L I A • B U R L I N G TO N P OT S

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COLUMN

THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B says plastic is not fantastic

THIS MONTH I’LL BE

SPRING GREENS Dresses for dancing. loveshack fancy.com

EAT ME Plate portraits by elizahopewell plates.com

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SWEET DREAMS Calm and collected with gpnutrition.com ALLOW IT Empower hour with giada deldrago. com

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JUST DO IT A plastic free aisle. aplastic planet.com

PORTRAIT BY JANE MCLEISH-KELSEY

C

RUISING ATOLLS BENEATH A MALDIVIAN SUN. When suddenly the captain yanks the yacht to a halt. Instantly joy turns to despair. ‘Sick turtle,’ he yells pointing at the animal that again and again attempts to dive beneath the twinkling Laccadive Sea. His effort is painful to watch. Finally, he swims hard enough to submerge his shell.

Back at the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, marine biologists are nursing more turtles in a similar state. Left in the ocean, they would die of starvation or dehydration.

At that time, the reason for this peculiar ‘Floater Syndrome’ was a mystery. Eighteen months later I learn the horrific truth... this new phenomenon is man-made; the result of turtles eating plastic bags thinking they’re jellyfish. The plastic emits gases so the turtles can’t control their buoyancy.

At Watamu Turtle Watch in Kenya, Casper van de Geer feeds a high dose of laxatives to the animals who then expel

a panoply of plastic. But only 50 per cent survive the ordeal. And for those released back into the sea – there’s no way of stopping them eating plastic again. Except there is a way... by eliminating plastic from the oceans.

So while totally owning my plastic addiction I’m going to do my very best; I’ve signed up to A Plastic Planet’s campaign for a ‘Plastic Free Aisle in Supermarkets’. Please join me.

LESS THAN SEVEN HOURS IS A BAD NIGHT’S KIP IN MY BOOK. But lately… something’s been happening around that spooky 4am time when, for no reason, I wake with a whirring brain. And I’m not alone. Insomnia is a big deal, apparently affecting 30 to 50 per cent of us. Thankfully I’ve discovered Calm Me sachets by Gabriela Peacock Nutrition, a combination of ingredients including magnesium, 5-HTP and adaptogens that combine to promote relaxation, de-stress and sleep. Mix with water, glug before bedtime and then... best sleep ever.

YOU KNOW THOSE MOMENTS WHEN YOU NEED A BOOST? When life, career, direction needs shifting, but Feeding my you’re not sure how and you don’t skin with want to bore your friends and a JK7® facial at Grace Belgravia. family. And frankly you could gracebelgravia. do with a neutral perspective com from a pro. Then Giada del Drago Mucking is your woman. After an ‘Empower about in the Hour’ with Giada I was left remodeled, but just as tingling with anticipation naughty as the old for my life ahead. Her style model, 40 Greek of coaching is about goals, the Street. sohohouse. com future and positive psychology.

So once I’d confided my dreams, Subscribing for a monthly we created a clear plan including delivery meditation, an acheivable timeof surprise socks. line, and a strict phone regime genevieve sweeney.com (locked in a box while I’m writing and being creative). At the end I thanked her for making my ‘pipe-dreams seem possible’.

Immediately she replied, ‘Alice, I’m a warrior against negative belief – you shouldn’t call them “pipe dreams”.’ She’s right.

Dreams are plans. And how will my precious dreams come true if they’re shoved in a pipe?

My session may only have been one hour – but it was all power.

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INTERVIEW What would you do as mayor for the day? I would start

THE RURBANIST Actor Annabel Scholey makes a mean rogan josh and is a competitive games player

by dealing with the housing crisis and homelessness. It’s 2018 and inexcusable to still have homeless people on the streets.

Have you done something naughtier than run through a field of wheat? I should hope so! I was filming Medici: Masters of Florence in Italy and all of the cast became good friends while we were living in Tuscany. One night we decided to go swimming in a fountain which was filled with thermal waters, not knowing this was a big no-no. Luckily we weren’t caught, but it was absolutely freezing.

Where do you go when you don’t want anyone to get hold of you? That’s easy, Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. It’s where my husband is from and there is no phone signal.

Post Brexit Britain is... A worryingly isolated, increasingly expensive, angry mess.

What’s your favourite game? I avoid board games in public because I am very competitive, but I do love Articulate. I thrive on the pressure.

would be Moon River.

My husband’s sister is a cellist and she played it at our wedding. It makes me think about the people I love. The book would be Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. It’s based on the mad woman in the attic in Jane Eyre and is very visceral. I played the protagonist in a play once.

Where do you go to escape the city? We are already quite out of it in Hastings but my favourite place to get away from it all, if I’m feeling fried, is Camber Sands. I didn’t know this part of the country before I moved here but it’s just gorgeous.

Where’s home to you? I am originally from West Yorkshire, and a big part of my heart is still in Wakefield with my family. However, I recently moved to Hastings with husband, and I have been surprised how quickly I have fallen in love with it.

What has been the most memorable night out you’ve had in London?

What three items would you save from your burning house?

I had a surprise hen do last May. My friends took me to The Nightjar and then Smokestak in Shoreditch, we got very merry and ended the night by eating beige snacks.

Photographs, my Nan’s rocking chair and then either my husband or the cat!

Best thing a cabbie has ever said to you? When I was in New York

Who’s coming round for dinner and what are you cooking? I’m

a cabbie recognised my accent – it must have been my flat ‘As’. I was feeling homesick so it was great to chat about home for a bit.

Last thing you saw at the theatre?

Follies at the National Theatre and I wasn’t disappointed, it was beautiful and heartbreaking. I love Imelda Staunton and Janie Dee. My first job when I was 13 was on The Sound of Music with Janie and I have admired her ever since.

Which historic country house would you most like to snap up? My husband and I are geeks for historic houses so we have visited quite a few. Recently we went to Petworth House in West Sussex and I was totally taken aback by it. I’d be very happy living there surrounded by Turner paintings.

What are Saturday afternoons made for? My husband and I are obsessed with the TV programme Salvage Hunters. We re-enact it by going to antique fairs and shops collecting items for our new house. Otherwise, it’s walking, eating and drinking good wine.

famous for my onepots so I’d make a lamb rogan josh and invite Lucy Worsley, the historian and television presenter, Michael Fassbender, as I think he likes a good party, and my friend Zoe who would make everyone laugh.

Where was the last place you ‘discovered’?

Sicily. I’m a huge fan of Italy but had never been to Sicily before. We didn’t have time to do Palermo or the north, which is a great excuse to go back.

Brand new drama The Split is coming soon to BBC One

PORTRAIT BY JOSEPH SINCLAIR, MAKEUP: SAM COOPER AND HAIR: POLLY MITEVA FOR PAUL EDMONDS; GETTY IMAGES

Which book would you take and song would you listen to on your desert island? My song

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C&TH

U P F RON T ST YLE · B E AUT Y · J E WELLERY · PARTIES

LIVING THE DREAM

BY MARTHA WARD Bamford never fails to transport us to another time and place with its whimsical pieces and idyllic lifestyle.

Be at one with nature, slip into understated pieces this season and you too can live the Bamford dream. bamford.co.uk

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UP FRONT alanui.it STYLE

Diane von Furstenberg Canton floral coat, £1,041. matchesfashion.com

PRINTS PERFECT Subtle or standout, make prints your point, says Martha Ward Balenciaga London bazar shopper, £1,195. balenciaga.com

Boden Loralie silk scarf, £40. boden.co.uk

Dries van Noten Leaf jacquard coat, £1,080. brownsfashion.com

Gucci Metallic-trimmed sweater, £980. net-a-porter.com

Plumo Trousers, £99 plumo.com

COUNTRY

TOWN

Etro Jacquard blazer, £1,085. net-a-porter.com

Vivetta Foliage print palazzo trousers, £411. farfetch.com Dorothee Schumacher Blouse, £314 dorotheeschumacher.com

Beulah Dress, £450. beulahlondon.com

Whistles Tie-back top £109. whistles.com

Les Petits Joueurs Bag, £490. lespetitsjoueurs.com

Moncler Printed backpack, £495. mytheresa.com

Pretty Ballerina Mules, £159. prettyballerinas.co.uk

Christian Louboutin Jersey Vamp, £965. christianlouboutin.com

Anna Mason Carmen Skirt, £380. annamasonlondon.com

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53 JERMYN STREET, LONDON | 118 HIGH STREET, ETON | POP-UP STORE, NEW YORK, +1 212 585 1865

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UP FRONT Alexa Chung is the face of Superga 2018

FA S H I O N N E W S

STYLE NOTEBOOK

TA K E T H R E E

OVERALLS FOR GIRLS WORKING IT

Digging the Chinese Year of the Dog and curating your capsule wardrobe

Miu Miu Colour block jumpsuit, £1,730. net-a-porter.com

A SHOE IN

Cool kids don’t wear Converse, they don Superga and, now, British style icon,Alexa Chung has designed a capsule collection for the Italian shoe brand. Expect fresh fabrics such as satin, cotton and terry towelling along with a dinstinctly feminine range of colours such as sky blue and off-white.

From £72. superga.co.uk

Spry workwear Boiler suit, £160. spryworkwear.com

Winser’s capsule collection

THE BIG FIVE

Ensemble, Stella McCartney, Winter 2017

Earrings made from heads of Red Legged Honeycreeper birds, circa 1875

MICRO TREND

DOGGY STYLE

Werk Magazine/Theseus Chan Hang Loose Dog t-shirt, £50. doverstreetmarket.com

Radley London Shoulder bag, £149. radley.co.uk

Vale Steam overalls £249. farfetch.com

IT’S ONLY NATURAL

Riding on the back of the V&A’s huge successes with fashion exhibitions, its latest big hitter, Fashioned from Nature, examines the industry’s integral relationship with nature over the past 500 years – from pattern and print to sustainability and the use of fabrics. 21 April to 27 Jan 2019. vam.ac.uk

Claire Barrow Dog-print wideleg silk-satin trousers, £435. matches fashion.com

Annoushka 18ct white gold, pearl and brown diamond Pedro dog charm, £995 annoushka. com

© STELLA MCCARTNEY; © VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

If your new year’s resolution was to streamline your wardrobe, Winser London should be your first port of call. For its fifth anniversary, the brand, which boasts Yasmin Le Bon as its muse, has launched five ‘forever’ pieces that every woman should have: a dress, jumper, shirt, skirt and pair of trousers. From £89. winserlondon.com

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UP FRONT

STYLE

LOUNGE LIZARD Staying in is the new going out, so bring out the whisky and silk pyjamas, says Rosalyn Wikeley

1 Olivia Von Halle’s silk Capability Renatta robe sits somewhere between Lady of the Manor and pop art queen. Take your pick. £720. oliviavonhalle.com 2 This Trafalgar table lamp

by Pooky in antique brass is the modern decadence your sitting room was missing. £160. pooky.com 3 The Danes love nothing more than relaxation as a design brief. Georg Jensen’s Cobra carafe promises serious hygge. £60. georgjensen.com 4 Oka’s burnt orange velvet cushion cover gives a zesty pop of colour. £54. oka.com 5 Turn off that underfloor heating!

These cashmere socks from House of Bruar were designed for Scotland. £29.95. houseofbruar.com 6 FLORIS’ English Fern & Blackberry fragrance and scented candle duo makes hibernation that much easier. £60. florislondon.com 7 By Terry’s Cellularose Liftessence oil elixir intensely hydrates and gives exhausted skin a boost (the ultimate evening-in companion). €110. byterry.com

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

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UP FRONT

8 Derek Rose’s Shortie pyjamas in teal are 100 per cent silk and 100 per cent designed for swanning around the house in. £295. derek-rose.com 9 This peacock feather and glass photo frame by Wingfield Digby wakes up a drawing room and reminds you of what’s important in life. From £70 (limited edition). wingfielddigby.co.uk 10 These Genevieve mink fur slippers by Zizi Donohoe are reason enough to get up in the morning.

From £923.57. zizidonohoe.com 11 Slap on Dr Sebagh’s Deep Exfoliating Mask and let it work its magic on the dead layer of your skin, with a combination of azelaic and lactic acid. £59. drsebagh.com 12 Asprey’s Crystal hurricane lamp magnifies the flicker of a candle with its silver base and rim. £4,650. asprey.com 13 Collapse onto this Marlow large pouffe from The White Company after a long day. £395. thewhitecompany.com

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Drummond Alabaster Wall Light WA0309.IV Cushion: Tashkent embroidered linen NF0037

VAUGHAN 020 7349 4600 uk-sales@vaughandesigns.com vaughandesigns.com

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UP FRONT LUXURY

LUCIA LOVES

ADDED EXTRAS

HERMÈS HIGHLIGHTS

Lucia van der Post on Hermès, whose soul lies in innovation and craft

T

here are few brands in the world more admired by sophisticated connoisseurs of luxury than Hermès. When Bernard Arnault began quietly acquiring shares in it some years ago now, he did it not because LVMH was short of luxury brands (it owns more than 60 of the world’s most desirable companies), but because Hermès has a particular status and allure. Much smaller commercially than LVMH, it nonetheless has a reputation for integrity and authenticity that makes it almost a pearl beyond price and this is the reason many of its products – such as the Kelly and the Birkin bags – have long waiting lists.

As the battle for its ownership waged, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermes’ general artistic director, was adamant that Hermès’ culture was utterly different from that of LVMH. Hermès see themselves as ‘innovative artisans’, as Pierre-Alexis put it to me. ‘We want to make the day-to-day objects that our customers use as beautifully and perfectly as we can… But to do this, we need to do things much slower. We do want to be profitable but this is not the driving force – it is the reward.’

As craftsmanship is at the root of all it does, Hermès has in recent years launched two very interesting initiatives. Firstly there was Shang Xia, which sought to explore, celebrate and, in some cases, revive Chinese crafts.

This resulted in some exquisitely understated, elegant products, all made with the Hermès attention

to detail but with a totally Chinese aesthetic – cashmere shawls, some pieces of furniture which were clear descendants of Ming dynasty design, lovely ceramics and the like.

Innovative too, it recently launched Petit h – the brainchild of Pascale Mussard. Ever alert to our eco-conscious times, it challenged designers to use castoffs from the Hermès workshop to create eminently usable and desirable products. The results were so successful that at the flagship Faubourg Saint-Honoré store, the first products sold out in three weeks flat. In January this year the Petit h laboratory for re-creation opened La Quincaillerie at 17 Rue de Sèvres.

Here, everyday useful things such as torches, candlesticks, blankets (with sleeves!) and doorstops are being sold.

La Quincaillerie is evidence that Hermès is ever in touch with FROM TOP: Kelly Sellier 28 Kellygraphie the moods and wants bag in Epsom calfskin, Sombrero calfskin and Mysore goatskin, of its admirers around £8,620; Galop d’Hermès minaudiere in Milo lambskin and Villandry calfskin, the world. £7,330; Avalon super dyed blanket in cashmere, £3,350; Grand Manège scarf in silk, £330; the craft of Hermès

DECONSTRUCTING THE SCARF The Grand Manège scarf, designed by Henri d’Origny, has been deconstructed by Nadège Vanhée-Cybulski for this spring/summer season.

Fragmented elements of the print, such as the interwoven bridles and hardware, are used on a blue silk the shirt (£1,870), while the button-up skirt comes in cotton gabardine (£1,970).

The sandals in yellow calfskin are £1,730.

HORSE PLAY Inspired by a horse feeding bag (Hermès fans will know that equestrian themes are a running feature of the brand), the Licol bag in Rouge Duchesse Vulpto calfskin (£3,990) has a Rocabar stripe strap and can be closed in one movement by using a circular drawstring tie.

EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS At Petit h at La Quincaillerie, 17 Rue de Sevres in Paris, you’ll find everyday items elevated by craftsmanship and beauty into durable and timeless tools, such as this shoe brush, £610.

hermes.com

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Furniture makers - Redefining bespoke

Chelsea · Notting Hill · Wiltshire

enq@mccarronandco.com

www.mccarronandco.com

HANDMADE IN ENGLAND

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UP FRONT JEWELLERY

THE GOLD DIGGER

SIMPLY SPARKLING HOOP-DE-HOOP Loquet London’s moda operandi is about customisation – jewellery that clients can build upon themselves from a vast array of tiny, precious additions. Their latest collection, Talisman, sees diamond or plain gold hoop earrings and two styles of gold bangle all ready to be customised with a multitude of charms – from a tiny gemstone rainbow to a gold and diamond feather. loquetlondon.com

The latest jewellery news and trends. By Annabel Davidson

Imperial white gold and ruby earrings, £14,500, by Annoushka DB Classic one diamond rose gold bands, from £750

De Beers Dewdrop rose gold one diamond pendant, £825

BEAR CHEEK

Annoushka’s Russian heritage has always inspired her, and in the case of her new Imperial collection, it’s the traditional ‘kokoshnik’ headdress that has sparked her imagination.

Ornate earrings featuring the distinctive curved shapes of kokoshnik designs are set with garnets, rubies, tourmalines and tanzanites, some in smooth cabochon cuts, as well as fresh water pearls and tiny pavé-set diamonds. annoushka.com

A DIAMOND FOR STARTERS

Even De Beers – the storied diamond house associated with the original diamond engagement ring – isn’t above attracting the millennial shopper with more affordable pieces. The company’s latest Dewdrop range of delicate gold chains suspended a tiny diamond start at just £600 – the perfect price point for the luxury shopper who’s after a gift or a treat for themselves. Other pieces in the new collection include the same bracelet with five diamonds, in white or rose gold, necklaces with a single diamond drop, and – for a heftier price tag – bracelets consisting of a double row of diamond-pavé set gold linked with bezel-set diamonds on rigid gold lines. debeers.co.uk

WE’RE BIG FANS Fans of opera – and fans of fans – will be enchanted by Garrard’s new collection evoking the fans, jewellery and costumes of opera aficionados of days gone by. From dramatic, plunging necklaces to fanshaped earrings, the whole collection has us all a-flutter. garrard.com

De Beers Dewdrop rose gold five diamond bracelet, £1,425

TA K E T H R E E

GREEN BEAUTIES IT’S ALL MINE Tourmaline and malachite bring vibrant colour to Chanel’s My Green ring from the Gallery Collection. £13,100. chanel.com

CLUSTER LUST The new Winston Cluster collection from Harry Winston includes these emerald and diamond earrings exquisitely set in almost invisible platinum. POA. harrywinston.com

SNAKE EYES Boucheron’s iconic Serpent Boheme collection gets a green update with beautiful, rustically cut malachite. £3,320. boucheron.com

STARRING ROLE Newcomer JRS looks to snakes, stars and suns for his most recent work, with the latter showing up in large pendant earrings consisting of swirls of yellow fancy vivid diamonds within white diamond surrounds. jsay.com

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LONDON SHOWROOMS

NATIONAL SHOWROOMS

WATERLOO CHELSEA

ST ALBANS TUNBRIDGE WELLS

CHISWICK FULHAM

DARTFORD BRIDGE GUILDFORD

NOTTING HILL MUSWELL HILL

MANCHESTER

cphar t.co.uk

PRIMROSE HILL WIMBLEDON

Introducing

Ar telinea

DAMA

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UP FRONT BEAUT Y

MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE British Actress Jo Hartley shares her beauty secrets with Nathalie Eleni

What’s the biggest beauty blunder you’ve ever made? I cut my own fringe once with some kitchen scissors. It looked like I was wearing a helmet. I was in so much trouble with my hairdresser.

What three products couldn’t you live without?

Lip balm by La Mer, it’s luxurious and my lips always feel smoother and plumped after I’ve used it. Le Labo Santal 33 scent – whenever I wear this, someone asks me what it is. Aesop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment: if my skin is looking tired or dehydrated.

I apply it in the evening and I notice a change in my skin by the next morning.

How do you fake a good night’s sleep?

I don’t function well without a good night’s sleep; my sleep is a priority. But if I had to, I would drink plenty of warm water with lemon, ginger shots are great, or an anti-oxidant smoothie. Murad’s Eye Lift Firming Treatment also works wonders.

When do you feel most beautiful? When I’m rested, sun-kissed and present. Also, when I’m in love.

Where do you go if you need a real indulgence?

A yoga retreat somewhere sunny, or maybe a country hotel spa for the full works. Lots of self-care, meditation and walks among nature. I adore the ocean.

Your favourite lipstick? Lipstick Queen’s Frog Prince which turns each wearer’s lips a perfect rosebud pink.

How do you relax after a busy day on set? I run a hot bath, drop in some Aromatherapy Associates’ Deep Relax oil and burn a Baies Diptyque candle.

Bliss continues on Sky One and NOWTV.

ME TIME

Instant blonde at Neville Hair & Beauty No one wants to spend three hours in foils when you could be swishing out of the salon with newly lightened tresses in just under an hour. Every blonde’s favourite salon, Neville in Knightsbridge, has introduced its Instant Blonde service, whereby your stylist is able to deliver perfect highlights in half the time. Expertise is required and three people will be working on your hair, but you’ll be out of there before you can tell your boss, ‘Sorry I’m late’. From £130. nevillehairandbeauty.net

FIVE OF THE BEST

PLANT POWER

When Mother Nature and technology meet, great things happen 1 SHISEIDO ESSENTIAL ENERGY MOISTURISER Combining technology and Japanese plant extracts, this cream is great for lacklustre and exhausted complexions needing a reboot. £59. harrods.com 2 VALMONT MOISTURISING EYE C-GEL A light but creamy formula that creates a barrier for anti-ageing and rehydration thanks to Irish moss extract. £83. harrods.com 3 RITUALS NAMASTE RADIANCE ANTI-AGING DAY CREAM Enriched with saffron flower and holy lotus, this day cream adds instant radiance and moisture. £33.50. rituals.com 4 SWISSCODE PURE KIRIBIRTH SERUM Found in red seaweed, Kiribirth has a powerful impact on pigmentation helping to fade dark spots to clarify skin. £140. pureswissboutique.com 5 LøRE CLEANSE + PURIFY SHAMPOO A deliciously scented shampoo with magnesium rich sea salt and cactus extracts to give gentle exfoliation and effective sulfate free cleansing bringing a bit of ‘zing’ to your scalp. £18. loreoriginals.com

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01

What it is: skinade® is the UK’s leading professional-grade skincare drink. Its highly effective formulation is engineered to improve the look and feel of your skin.

02

We bet you didn’t know: Somewhere in the UK, someone drinks a skinade® every 45 seconds!

05

Beautiful skin from the inside

What the experts think: “‘I was very sceptical of this at first. However, we trialed this with our patients and have had some astounding results in terms of improved appearance to their skin & patient satisfaction.” Dr Paul Banwell, leading aesthetic surgeon, Banwell Clinic

06

What is collagen: Collagen is essential for youthfullooking skin. As we age, our collagen production slows down, affecting the appearance of our skin.

03

Why is skinade a drink: to make the most of its precious ingredients, its liquid formulation offers a 90-95% absorption rate.

B E FO R E Prof Gennaro Selvaggi, physician at Department of Plastic Surgery at Institute of Clinical Sciences.

University of Gothenburg, presented the results of an independent study from 2015 saying: “Using Cortex technology to assess a number of skin parameters of a 42-year old female subject.”

What does it taste like: skinade® is naturally flavoured with peach and mangosteen. day 0

day 90 AF TER

“Over 90 days, changes in the collagen structure are immediately visible in the ultrasound images above in the form of densely packed yellow areas. The subject saw a 58% increase in collagen density.”

04

What makes it unique: Its unique patented formulation containing the highest quality ingredients and the lowest molecular weight collagen peptides, working synergiscally for clinically researched results.

BAS I C I NFO RM AT I O N WHO IT’S SUITABLE FOR: All skin types WHAT IT’S DESIGNED TO DO: Nourish and support the skin matrix from the inside.

TEXTURE: Water-like

KEY INGREDIENTS: Collagen peptides, vitamins B and C, omegas 3 and 6 , MSM and L-lysine DOES NOT CONTAIN: Gluten, dairy, artificial flavours or colours, GMOs, bovine or porcine MADE IN THE UK

07

How to use it: skinade® is designed to be taken daily, ideally after breakfast.

Available in 150ml “ready-todrink” bottles or as handy 15ml travel sachets to dilute in water before drinking, skinade® is easier than ever to fit into your daily routine.

Want to know what skinade® tastes like?

Call us on 08451 300 205 and we’ll send you a taste sample.

Available from skincare professionals only. To find a stockist go to skinade.com.

To become a stockist, please call us on 08451 300 205 or email info@skinade.co.uk

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UP FRONT

HEALTH HOT LIST

WELLNESS

BODY & SOUL Meditation is for everyone, says Camilla Hewitt

MEDITATION GOES MAINSTREAM

A RECIPE FOR WELLNESS

Filling a gap in the market for drop-in meditation classes, Re:Mind Studio is the ideal antidote to busy city life. Offering four different classes in a London studio that has been created in the most sustainable and eco-friendly way possible.

Co-founders Carla von Anhalt and Yulia Kovaleva give us their advice on achieving a successful meditation session.

1 2 3 4

Be kind: Be easy on yourself and keep in mind that any meditation is a successful meditation.

Cosy up: You can meditate anywhere, but it is always nice to have a comfy spot with cushions and blankets.

Mix and match: Try different classes and styles to find the type of meditation that works best for you.

Bring a friend: We love going to group classes together, it’s more fun and it makes it more special too. remindstudio.com

CAULIFLOWER AND KEFIR DIP SERVES 4 Daylesford’s velvety roasted cauliflower is blended with gut-nurturing kefir INGREDIENTS » 500g cauliflower, chopped » 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

METHOD Preheat oven to 180°C. Place cauliflower and garlic in baking tray. Toss with olive oil and season well.

Roast for 15 mins. Toast the cumin and coriander in a dry pan to release aroma. Grind them with a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt and peppercorns until you have a coarse powder. Allow the cauliflower and garlic to cool slightly before putting in blender. Add the lemon juice, half the spices and kefir and blitz. Transfer into a bowl and scatter over the remaining spices and a drizzle of olive oil. daylesford.com

ASANA REBEL APP Yoga-inspired fitness

YOGA WHEELS Release tension and muscular tightness ASHWAGANDHA An incredibly healthy medicinal herb CASHEWGURT Nut-based, dairy-free yogurts

ESCAPE THE CITY

THERMES MARINS MONTE-CARLO

Set on the magnificent marina in the heart of Monaco, Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo captures the essence of the Mediterranean lifestyle. The re-designed space offers a wellbeing experience. Visit the spa simply to relax in the outdoor Jacuzzi, or embark on an in-depth personalised programme with a team of experts, including a doctor, nutritionist and sports trainers. With two cryotherapy rooms, you can experience cool temperatures to help treat inflammatory diseases and fight against sleep disorders. Be sure to visit the spa’s restaurant, L’Hirondelle, where tasty wellness menus combine Mediterranean gastronomy and nutritious fare. thermesmarinsmontecarlo.com

THE WINE BUTLER Headache-free delivery of organic wine to your door

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

» 1 tsp cumin seeds » 1 tsp coriander seeds » Sea salt » 10 peppercorns » 1 tbsp lemon juice » 75ml organic milk kefir

SKYN ICELAND Stressrelated skincare

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Image © Gill German

EXTERIORS | INTERIORS | BIG SPACES +44 (0) 1235 859300 www.davidharber.com

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UP FRONT

MEN’S STYLE

WELL GROOMED Matt Thomas goes British and sorts out his stripes

TIME REDESIGNED

As newly appointed official customiser for LVMH’s watch brands, Bamford Watch Department proudly presents a first collaboration between Fragment and Zenith, where Fragment’s Hiroshi Fujiwara has added a simple yet striking design to the dial of Zenith’s classic El Primero design. £10,000. doverstreet market.com

DYNAMIC DUO Former models Jon Passavant and Benj Lee came together to launch their eponymous range of slick and super-stylish accessories that combine British craftstmanship and American technology. Zero edition portfolio case, £1,195. passavantandlee.com

SPORTS MEETS SMART The sporty look smartens up its act with these ‘athleisure’ suits by Kin at John Lewis.

Perfect for either work or play, with unstructured jackets and drawstring-waist trousers, and available in grey, navy, blue or charcoal.

Jacket £119, trousers £60. johnlewis.com

HOME-MADE BRIGADE

Studio British is a worthy e-tailing start-up where you will find only British manufacturing and design. Expect household names such as Pringle and Mackintosh alongside new discoveries. studiobritish.com HEAVY DUTY Cult hair brand Hanz de Fuko presents a new essential, water-based pomade that goes on clean and heavy, and allows you to create and retain any style you choose. Heavymade

by Hanz de Fuko, £16. mrporter.com

SUITED FOR SUMMER

Drawing inspiration from the linen suiting and shirts worn by gentlemen on the Grand Tour, New & Lingwood offers a dandy’s dream collection to be worn during the season and throughout the hazy, lazy days of summer – with audacious statement lining, too.

Rannoch boating stripe jacket, £595. newandlingwood.com SPECS APPEAL British spectacle designers Cubitts have launched a collection inspired by the designclassics produced by the NHS between 1948 and 1985, with over 20 styles of optical and sunglasses frames to select from. £125. cubitts.co.uk

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READY TO WEAR, MADE TO ORDER

W E H AV E M O V E D T O 1 6

P A L L

M

A L L , L O N D O N

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1 Y

5 L U

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UP FRONT GREAT COMPANY

Noor Fares, Evangelo Bousis and Eugenie Niarchos

Simone Rocha, Alexa Chung and Erdem Moralioglu

There was more than one reason to celebrate with lychee martinis and modern Chinese cuisine at a dinner hosted

by Wendy Yu held at Kensington Palace. The evening honoured both Chinese New Year and the launch of Wendy’s new company, Yu Holdings, which looks to reinforce business and cultural ties with China through strategic investment.

Mary Katrantzou and Sabine Getty Eva Herzigová, Gregorio Marsiaj and Erin O’Connor

Samantha Cameron, Angelica Cheung and Wendy Yu

Emilia Wickstead and Caroline Issa

Jemima Jones

SOCIAL SCENE

HIGH SOCIETY

Brita Fernandez Schmidt

People, parties, places

GOLDEN OLDIE

Catherin Petty, Nicola Clarke and Eddie Izzard

HAIR-DO

Kate Winslet, Paloma Faith, Nicola Clarke and Cate Blanchett

Kim Hersov

Dame Judi Dench and Basil Brush

Maureen Lipman and Basil Brush

Gyles Brandreth and Basil Brush

Jilly Cooper and Basil Brush

Paloma Faith and Kathleen Baird-Murray

Geoffrey Palmer and Basil Brush

PHOTOS: AITOR SANTOMÉ; NEIL SPENCE

Nicola Clarke welcomed her nearest and dearest to the launch of the new Nicola Clarke for John Frieda salon on Margaret Street, London. Flowers by Flora Starkey adorned the salon and a playlist Mary Greenwell and Lucinda Chambers put together by none other than Madonna (a long-standing client of Nicola’s) set the tone for the evening.

Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Eddie Izzard came along, as well as industry powerhouses John Frieda and Sam McKnight.

The annual Oldie of the Year Awards, hosted by The Oldie magazine, took place at Simpson’sin-the-Strand. Dame Vera Lynn, Geoffrey Palmer and April Ashley, who was one of the first Britons to undergo sex reassignment surgery, all scooped awards.

Fittingly, ‘21st Century Fox of the Year’ was awarded to Basil Brush as he celebrates 50 years in television.

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at

CHELSEA HARBOUR, GROUND FLOOR, DESIGN CENTRE EAST • 020 7352 9518 WWW.NINAC AMPBELL.COM

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C&TH

THE GU IDE A R T · C U LT U R E · B O O K S · P E O P L E

CREATIVITY IS KING

PHOTO: © STEPHEN CHAMBERS

Following its success at the 2017 Venice Biennale, The Heong Gallery at Downing College, Cambridge has unveiled Stephen Chambers’ The Court of Redonda.

Inspired by the Caribbean island’s honorary literary monarchy, the exhibition of 101 portraits explores the role played by artists in imagining a utopian society that triumphs creativity.

Until 20 May. heonggallery.com

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THE GUIDE

EVENTS

COUNTRY LIFE Poetry in the west and a woollen installation in the north

ARCHITECTURE

BUILDING BLOCKS

A collaboration between the Arts University Bournemouth’s faculty of art, design and architecture and Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) presents Zaha Hadid Architects: Evolution, which looks at how ZHA’s design process has evolved and displays the complete ZHA design project archive of the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, USA at The Gallery, Bournemouth.

Until 19 April. aub.ac.uk Neighbours by Stanley Spencer, 1936

EXHIBITION

EXAMINING INFLUENCE Head to the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham to view the Patron Saints exhibition that boasts an incredible collection of loans, including a work that has not been viewed by the public for over 50 years. The exhibition will examine the complex relationship Spencer had with his patrons and how it shaped his work. 29 March to 4 Nov. stanleyspencer.org.uk

Arum Installation by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2012

I N S TA L L AT I O N

The 18th-century chapel at Yorkshire Sculpture Park will be transformed with 2,000 balls of white wool into an immersive installation, Beyond Time, which draws on the history of the building and honours its architectural elements. Chiharu Shiota’s works reference life, death and belonging, themes fittingly displayed in an old chapel. 30 March to 2 Sept. ysp.org.uk

F E S T I VA L

BONNIE SCOTLAND

Nearly 30 years after being named European City of Culture, Glasgow proves it’s still on top with its annual International Festival of Visual Art. The 2018 event is not one to miss, with solo exhibitions from the likes of Lubaina Himid and Mark Leckey, and over 45 group shows. 20 April to 7 May. glasgow international.org

POETRY

PLEASING PROSE

Le Rodeur: The Lock by Lubaina Himid, 2016

This year’s Cheltenham Poetry Festival is themed ‘power’ and will be explored through the voices of Amir Darwish, Jacob Polley and Fiona Sampson, among others. The poetic cinema offering has expanded for this year and there are workshops too, if you fancy getting involved. 18 to 30 April. cheltenhampoetryfest.co.uk

PHOTOS: © STANLEY SPENCER ESTATE BRIDGEMAN IMAGES; ANDY KEATE

CHIHARU’S WEB

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THE GUIDE

EVENTS

TOWN LIFE The Design Museum explores visual political activism

DANCE

MOVING MONKS

One of Sadler’s Wells’ most successful productions, Sutra, is back and celebrating its 10th birthday. The collaboration of Antony Gormley, choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and 19 Buddhist monks from the Shaolin Temple in China is set to a live score by Polish composer Szymon Brzóska and explores the Shaolin philosophy and its relationship with kung fu. 26–28 March. sadlerswells.com The tragic La Traviata

OPERA

FORBIDDEN LOVE

Monks from the Shaolin Temple perform to live music

Lavish party scenes are juxtaposed with tender, intimate moments in La Traviata, Daniel Kramer’s debut production as English National Opera’s Artistic Director. Verdi’s tale of love and sacrifice is brought to life

by Claudia Boyle singing Violetta and Lukhanyo Moyake as Alfredo, with one of the most tragic scores of all time. 16 March to 13 April. eno.org

F A M I LY

For a fun-filled day out for all the family, head to Kew Gardens for a day out with Peter Rabbit and other Beatrix Potter characters. Plant seeds in Mr McGregor’s potting shed, fashion your own rabbit ears and create monster vegetables, all in the garden’s fabulous surroundings, which will be in full bloom for the occasion.

30 March to 15 April. kew.org

EXHIBITION

PROTESTS IN PICTURES

It has been a decade of unrest, from the credit crunch of 2008 to Brexit and Trump, to the Arab Spring and refugee crisis. The Design Museum’s Hope to Nope exhibition explores the visual representations of political messages that have emerged, from good oldfashioned placards to hashtags and memes.

28 March to 12 August. designmuseum.org

SPORT

THE REAL DEAL

See powerful political messages at the Design Museum

Camden Riviere will defend his title for the first time at The Real Tennis World Championships, held this year at The Queen’s Club, home to some of the most historic courts in the country. Dubbed ‘the sport of kings’, real tennis is played indoors with more complex rules than lawn tennis.

24, 26 and 28 April. queensclub.co.uk

PHOTOS: SANDRA THEN; HUGO GLENDINNING; CHRIS WILIAMS ZOEICA IMAGES

EASTER ENTERTAINMENT

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NEW GARDEN ON THE BLOCK The Chelsea Gardener and Country & Town House are delighted to invite you to the launch of The Chelsea Courtyard, with its brand-new Glasshouse café and cocktail bar offering artisan coffee, all-day dining and innovative drinks.

Join us for an evening of cocktails and canapés to celebrate the opening.

From 6-8.30pm on 25 April 2018 at The Chelsea Courtyard.

Please RSVP to belle@chelseagardener.com

Following the success of The Palace Gardener and Glasshouse Café in Fulham, launched last March, this elegant venue lies in the heart of Chelsea, just off Sydney Street.

The perfect place to fill up on outstanding coffee and delicious organic food before heading to the shops on the King’s Road, just a stone’s throw away, or The Chelsea Gardener’s flagship store next door.

Glasshouse Coffee & Bar

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151 Sydney Street, London SW3 6NR

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M SE A L IN TT EC R S E TE T S D O S C E K S

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THE GUIDE ARTS

ARTS AGENDA The roaring 20s and crashing 30s dance into focus

PHOTOS: 2017 THE ESTATE OF EDWARD STEICHEN / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK; DUE CUORI FELICI DIRECTED BY BALDASSARRE NEGRONI, 1932

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Italian films of the ‘30s informed viewers on design trends

1

Edward Steichen Backbone and Ribs of a Sunflower (c. 1920)

2 Once regarded as a sex-obsessed romp, The Country Wife is now recognised for its quick wit and biting social satire

Rationalism On Set: Glamour & Modernity in 1930s Italian Cinema

The Estorick Collection, London N1

Filmsets in 1930s Italy were modernist trailblazers. Built by respected architects like Giuseppe Capponi, popular romcoms were vehicles to educate the audience about modern design. This exhibition will feature photographs, clips and sketches from the original sets.

18 April to 24 June. estorickcollection.com

FIVE M I N UTE S WITH

Cool Modernism: 2America’s O’Keeffe to Hopper

KATHERINE BOURGUIGNON Curator at the Terra Foundation and curator of America’s Cool Modernism

The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

This exhibition’s headline artists are well known in Europe. However, there are many others who are barely known here at all.

This is set to change as the Ashmolean borrows from the Terra Foundation and the Met’s burgeoning collections. Expect bold abstraction and imposing modern buildings. 23 March to 22 July. ashmolean.org

The Terra Foundation funds university professors and exhibitions internationally to spread knowledge about American art.

The Ashmolean lent Michelangelo prints to The Met, not a direct exchange, just goodwill.

3

The Country Wife

These artists were asking, ‘What does it mean to be American?’

They wanted define a specific style, an American approach.

Southwark Playhouse, London SE1

Lothario Harry Horner announces he is impotent – and thereafter is trusted by society husbands to be dedicated confidantes to their wives. Morphic Graffiti – a company loved in the past by the New York Times – is to swap corsets and carriages for jazz and gin in 1920s London. 28 March to 21 April. southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

We specifically chose art without people – some artists were excited by the structure of buildings and their order.

3

‘Cool’ was used then to mean emotional reserve, detachment.

It’s definitely a good work to describe these works.

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THE GUIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

FIVE O F TH E B E ST

Reviews, previews and performances

CAPITAL CULTURAL RENOVATIONS THE GEFFRYE MUSEUM, E2 Half their space is unseen and much of the collection is in storage. Now, an £18m renovation is to show more of life as it was once lived. geffrye-museum.org.uk

ABOVE & BELOW: Bastille formed in 2010 and have realeased two albums

HORNIMAN MUSEUM, SE23 Celebrating creativity and imagination, The World Gallery will return the museum to its anthropological routes. Opens in June. horniman.ac.uk

R E VI E W

MARK DION: THEATRE OF THE NATURAL WORLD The Whitechapel Gallery, London E1

PR E VI E W

BASTILLE

An enormous aviary with an apple tree at its centre greets art lovers on entry. Books on ornithology cover the branches, and stack up around its trunk as 22 zebra finches flit between volumes. Around it, ornately furnished hunting huts look out onto the wilds of the gallery’s white walls. Upstairs is arranged like a museum library and a teak 19th century-style study is furnished with a taxidermied flock of birds.

Next to it, a huge cabinet displays treasure combed from the beach in front of Tate Britain: coins, toys and jewellery. The final room is like a Fake News view of nature; a half fish, half human-like animal sits stuffed alongside other creatures that never existed. Fascinating for all ages for different reasons. Until 13 May. whitechapelgallery.org

THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, WC2 Beloved repository has secured half of its upcoming £35.5m makeover bill.

Architect Jamie Fobert proved his game with Tate St Ives and work for Selfridges. Complete by 2022. npg.org.uk

THE COURTAULD GALLERY, WC2 The home to work

by Van Gogh and Manet is to close this autumn for a £50m update.

More light and space expected – but a hard two year pause for art lovers. courtauld.ac.uk

Soulful acoustic with an electronic base, Bastille’s style is instantly recognisable.

Their new album Wild World evolved from their debut Bad Blood, but retains their signature energy. For their upcoming tour Reorchestrated, they are inspired by a charity gig at the Union Chapel where they performed with an orchestral rather than an electronic approach. With a gospel choir and strings for support, it was a uniquely live experience.

10 to 16 April. bastillebastille.com

Mark Dion has travelled through the Thames, rainforests and rubbish dumps for inspiration

CROMWELL PLACE, SW7 Where next for small dealers?

In South Kensington, five palatial buildings are to be merged to create galleries and hot-desking for artists and exhibitions. Opens in 2019. cromwellplace.com

PHOTOS: JEFF SPICER/PA WIRE

Touring nationwide

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This new country house sits within the fine tradition of early 17th century manorial dwellings in the Cotswolds. The exquisite stone detailing outside is complemented by finely crafted bespoke fireplaces, staircase and panelling on the inside.

23/02/2018 11:35

THE GUIDE BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ

BOOKS

Alfred Döblin (trans. Michael Hofmann)

GOOD READS Richard Hopton reviews four novels set in different countries

WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUM

Mary Lynn Bracht White Chrysanthemum is a novel about guilt, love, the brutality of war and the power of the human spirit.

Set in 1943, it tells the story of Hana, a teenage girl from Jeju Island off the southernmost tip of Korea, who is abducted by the occupying Japanese and forced to work in a military brothel in Manchuria.

They – and there were thousands of them – were known, in a grotesque euphemism, as ‘comfort women’, but their story is little known in the West.

The chapters dealing with Hana’s experiences in the military brothel are the stuff of nightmares: living in squalid conditions, she is repeatedly and brutally raped by numerous Japanese soldiers. The soldiers’ bestial behaviour and the cowed reaction of the women represent the low point of the story, when Hana realises that henceforth perpetual rape is all that life has to offer.

She has nothing to live for. All hope is extinguished.

From that moment, the darkness gradually lightens as a combination of luck, the kindness of others and Hana’s own indomitable spirit begin to roll back the black clouds.

The second strand of the novel tells the story of Hana’s sister Emi as she, in old age, travels from Jeju Island to Seoul in December 2011 to visit her children.

Emi has heard nothing of Hana since she was snatched by the Japanese in 1943 and is wracked by guilt. Her sister sacrificed herself so that Emi might survive.

Gradually, the story of Emi’s life and the tragic saga of Korea’s post-war history is unwrapped as she searches for some sign of her beloved sister.

Mary Lynn Bracht is an American author of Korean descent; this is her first novel. It is written in calm, unflashy prose; the horror and power of the story needs no literary flourish to engage the reader.

It is an original, shocking novel, contrasting mankind’s capacity for cruelty with the unquenchable strength of the human spirit, even in the most dire of circumstances.

Chatto & Windus, £12.99

Set in Berlin in 1928 and first published in 1929, this flashing kaleidoscope of a novel recounts Franz Biberkopf’s struggles to earn an honest crust following his release from prison. He’s a ducker and a diver, who tries his hand at everything, a Del Boy Trotter reincarnated in the Weimar Republic. It is also a portrait of Berlin, showing the tough, seedy, licentious and impoverished side of the city glamorised by Christopher Isherwood. In Michael Hofmann’s translation the prose is slangy, conversational and unstructured, mimicking the argot of the street, which gives it a vivid immediacy. Penguin, £14.99

BROTHER

David Chariandy This is a story of loss, grief and thwarted opportunity. Set in a run-down quarter of Toronto, it recounts the lives of a family of Trinidadian immigrants, a mother and her two sons. It is a moving tale of the tribulations facing immigrant communities, especially the ever-present racial prejudice, expressed both casually and violently. It has much to say about the shabby way in which western societies treat immigrants but also about the ties of love and duty that bind families, and the sacrifices parents make to better their children. Bloomsbury, £14.99

THE NECESSARY ANGEL C.K. Stead

Max Jackson is a New Zealander who lives in Paris and lectures at the Sorbonne. The Necessary Angel tells the story of his tangled relationships with three women: his estranged wife, a younger academic colleague and an English student.

The novel reaches a climax which is surprising and unusual but apt.

It is an enjoyable book, worldly and detached in tone, ruminative and amused, sophisticated without being pretentious. Stead captures the essence of Paris, its certainties and its contradictions, while simultaneously invoking the power of literature to alter and direct lives.

Allen & Unwin, £15.99

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THE GUIDE Will England’s heptathlete Katerina Johnson-Thompson fill the void left by Jessica Ennis-Hill?

SPORTS

THE OLYMPIAN

A

s the 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies head to Australia’s Gold Coast this month for the 22nd edition of what, since 1978, are simply known as the ‘Commonwealth Games’, some supplementary reading might be required. My recommendation is one of Fleet Street’s better former sports editors Brian Oliver’s book. His opening sentence best captures the essence of this multi-sport event. The Commonwealth Games, he writes, ‘are something of an oddity in the world of modern sport’. He is right.

Affectionately referred to as the ‘Friendly Games’, they have grown from humble origins. Eleven countries and barely 400 competitors featured in the inaugural games in Canada in 1930. This year, there will be 5,000 competitors who, at this very moment, are in the final lap of their preparation.

Friendly games they may be, but don’t let this mask the intensity of competition.

In athletics, winning a commonwealth title in the sprints or middle and long distance events, when Jamaica’s sprinters and Kenya’s runners dominate, is no walk in the park.

And there’s not much that matches this year’s host nation’s passion for swimming (Ian Thorpe, one of Australia’s finest, has bagged 10 gold medals in his Commonwealth career).

Roger Bannister was the first The Gold Coast is also set to break records man in known history to run away from the playing field. The Queen’s a mile in under four minute Baton Relay, which is always ushered on its

way by Her Majesty from Buckingham Palace, will cover a greater distance and over a longer period than any relay before – some 230,000km, just shy of 400 days.

The Commonwealth Games has an affectionate place in the world of sport.

Yes, some of that sport is quirky, like lawn bowls. But netball and rugby sevens will be big ticket items, the latter always adding to the party atmosphere. And, all are sports that our four competing home nations (no Team GB here) will hope to do well in.

Track and field sit centre stage. Some of the sport’s most illustrious sons and daughters have charged their way onto the international scene through these games. In 1954, Sir Roger Bannister’s titanic struggle with Australian John Landy has ever since been known as ‘the miracle mile’. At its best, the mile is the perfect four-act play. Bannister, having trailed Landy for the bulk of the race, sailed past in the last few strides.

A few on the track to watch this year. The big pull will be local hero Sally Pearson who took the World Championships crown in London last year over the 100 metre hurdles. It will also be interesting to see whether Katarina Johnson-Thompson, our prodigiously talented heptathlete, can fill the shoes vacated by Jessica Ennis-Hill.

The Gold Coast will provide a breathtaking backdrop to great sport over two weeks. One word of advice, deposit heavily into the sleep bank over the next few weeks given the ten-hour time difference.

PHOTOS: REX FEATURES

Sebastian Coe on who to watch out for in the upcoming ‘Friendly Games’

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THE GUIDE

CARS

ROAD TEST Jeremy Taylor finds the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS beyond temptation

TOWN

The British buy more convertibles than Spain, Italy and France combined. Clearly, we have a penchant for braving the breeze – choosing style over practicality despite an uncertain climate. In the past, that involved a roof made from wafer-thin plastic that proved a minimal deterrent to thieves. Then the folding hard-top came along and suddenly we had year-round protection.

Porsche would argue they invented the genre with the original 911 Targa in 1967. American safety legislation threatened to ban full convertibles, so the answer was an open-car with a fixed rollover hoop and removable hard-top panel. Equipped with a folding glass roof, the latest Targa is neither a coupé nor a cabriolet. A shade over £109,000, for me it’s the ultimate everyday version of an iconic sports car.

The folding roof is sensational – an elaborate, tour de force that brought pedestrians to a standstill when I lowered the lid in Knightsbridge. Unlike a true convertible, the Targa gives a taste of open-top motoring without the hassles of a fabric roof.

However, operating the roof is complicated so it can’t be opened/closed on the move, like some folding hard-top rivals. Still, there’s no shame in pulling over to perform this smooth transition that takes just 20 seconds to complete.

Equipped with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, it’s simplicity itself to drive around town, even though rear visibility is compromised slightly when parking.

RATING: 4/5 handbags

PORSCHE 911 TARGA 4 GTS Price £109,622 Engine 2,981cc petrol Power 450bhp 0-62mph 3.7 seconds Economy 32.5mpg

COUNTRY

All 911 models are quick but this top-of-the-range Targa GTS churns out breathtaking performance. It features permanent four-wheel drive for incredible grip and can top 190mph on a racetrack. Guide it down twisty country lanes and Targa has few rivals. A neat electronic system called Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus sends power to the wheels when it is needed most, keeping you glued to the tarmac.

While the automatic gearbox is great for lazy motoring around town, operating the steering wheel paddle changers on fast roads increases the driving pleasure. With the roof open, the roar from the 3L turbo engine adds to the thrill.

The downside? With a six-figure price tag, it’s expensive. However, there are few open cars on the market that offer such a complete, all-round package.

Drive it to the office every day, tour across the Alps with the roof open, or simply admire it on your driveway.

Porsche aficionados aren’t so keen on the Targa because the extra weight of the roof mechanism impacts performance. However, the rest of us shouldn’t worry. And, because it’s based on a standard 911, the Targa is moderately practical too, equipped as it is with ‘modest’ rear seats and good luggage space under the front bonnet for weekends away.

I love the Targa so much that I even own one – not a bad recommendation considering I’ve tested more than 2,500 cars in the last 30 years. Sadly, I’m more follically challenged for the those wind-in-the-hair drives these days...

RATING: 5/5 wellies

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LIVING LIFE OUTSIDE Splash Sofa Expansive, Sculptural, Inviting Handcrafted in Oak

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Garden designer Butter Wakefield Photographer Mischa Haller

01/03/2018 11:17

THE GUIDE

GARDENING

SEEDER’S DIGEST Fabulous fire pits and letting your garden go

FIERY PITS Gather round while we wait for the warmer weather ENCOMPASS Hole fire pit, £2,260. encompassco.com

GARDEN OF THE MONTH

PASHLEY MANOR GARDENS, East Sussex

A statue of Anne Boleyn

by Philip Jackson stands on a moated island in the grounds of this Tudor house once owned by her great-grandfather. Their tulip festival is not one to miss, with 40,000 tulips (of 112 different varieties) creating a carpet of colour.

Their enchanting bluebell walk is also a must. £11. pashleymanorgardens.com

ARPE STUDIO Somma fire pit, £255. arpestudio.co.uk

GARDEN TRADING Idbury fire pit, £85. houseology.com

INSPIRED BY

THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

THIS MONTH GET MOWING As long as the ground is not too saturated from winter rains, cut the grass.

TREND

WHAT’S WITH WABI-SABI?

Japanese gardens evoke images of pristine spaces. However, this Japanese Buddhist philosophy, which translates as ‘beauty in imperfection’, is gardening that embraces asymmetry and allows plants to age gracefully. Choose plants that will weather and change throughout the seasons such as perennials and self-seeding ones, and allow fallen leaves to sit under a tree. This may be a hard task for the perfectionist, but the results will be well worth it.

HERBS You can now banish your herbs outside.

Only the most delicate will need covering at night.

INDOOR PLANTS Got house plants?

Now’s the time to increase their water intake

LA HACIENDA Stonehurst firebasket, from £139.99. lahacienda.co.uk

BURFORD Original Indian Kadais with Tudor stand, £725. burford.co.uk

THE FIRE PIT COMPANY The Tree of Life Ellipse, £1,749. thefirepitcompany.co.uk

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

This is the bible of seeds, written by Paul Smith, former head of the Royal Botanic Garden’s seed bank. It delves into the economic, ecological and genetic value of 600 varieties, including the strange and eyecatching, such as the electric blue seeds of the Traveller’s Palm. £30. quarto.com

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THE GUIDE

C O N V E R S AT I O N S AT S C A R F E S B A R

WENDY YU

With a contacts book to die for, this 27-year-old entrepreneur is on a mission to broker an EastWest cultural dialogue, and she’s very well placed to achieve it, says Charlotte Metcalf Portrait by ALEXANDRA DAO

L

‘Usually Chinese people stick together, but I’m not shy, I’m openast month the entrepreneur, Wendy Yu, hosted a private minded and curious and make friends naturally – everyone likes dinner at Kensington Palace to celebrate Chinese New Chinese food after all!’ she laughs. ‘I love being here. In China Year (see page 42). Guests included Alice Temperley, it’s more about maths and business whereas here I can explore Erdem Moralioglu, Eva Herzigova, Erin O’Connor, Suzy my interests and passions.

Menkes, Alexa Chung, Samantha Cameron and Chief Executive ‘When I was 22 my granny told me to get married and have kids. of the British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush. It’s neither her But I have so much more to contribute than just being a traditional platinum connections nor her immense wealth that make Wendy woman. At the beginning, people doubted my seriousness and remarkable, but her youth. At 27, she has a monumentally commitment – did I even know how to do maths? But I was very ambitious vision – to use fashion and art as a bridge between determined and never focused on negative comments. In China China and the West. Her company, Yu Holdings, has already people still consider fashion as frivolous and not something to invest invested in China’s equivalents of Airbnb and Uber and begun in but it’s very empowering and a way of telling the world who you backing designers like Mary Katrantzou here. are. Art, fashion and technology are shaping the future I am expecting an entitled, hard-nosed dynamo so and that’s why I’m investing in them. My family began am delightfully surprised when Wendy arrives exuding respecting me. Now they’re really proud of me.’ warmth, smiles and breathless apologies for being late.

She knows her timing is good and that she’s well For her portrait she has chosen to wear a silk Prada placed to be brokering an East-West cultural dialogue. top over an Armani skirt and gold feathered Prada ‘I’ve had both a Western and Eastern education, so sandals. She looks voluptuous and flamboyant, utterly I can see both sides and Chinese consumer spending at odds with the pared down, discreet elegance of the power is up,’ she says. ‘Chinese millennials are much stick-thin women whose style she admires most – Jackie Pub lunch or more open-minded than previous generations were.

Onassis, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. I point out Michelin star?

I love a really good They’re no longer just into huge labels like Valentino, that her style idols are long dead and ask whose taste she Chinese restaurant Dior and Chanel. Almost every Chinese person has enjoys today. She likes Anna Wintour, Victoria Beckham like the Bright a mobile and with online outlets like Net-a-Porter and appreciates Rihanna’s style, though says it’s not Courtyard Club and Farfetch, they’ve become more adventurous about on Baker Street. ‘relevant’ to her. It’s as if Wendy’s thinking of some luxury e-commerce. My mission is to connect business grown-ups to emulate whereas her boundless enthusiasm Gorgeous heels or wellies? with creative talent on a global scale.’ for all sorts of beautiful clothes defies categorisation.

I prefer chilled out It’s when I ask her about her long-term plans that Wendy’s family’s wealth grew from manufacturing flats – Charlotte the idealistic girl emerges from behind the thrusting wooden doors and Wendy grew up as the only child Olympia, Rogier Vivier and Manolo young businesswoman she’s presenting to the world. of adoring parents. ‘My parents were very democratic Blahnik.

In 20 years she’d like to have opened a fashion museum compared with a lot of Chinese parents,’ she says.

Gardening or in China, built her family business into a global brand ‘Chinese parents are not normally that expressive but art gallery? and be using Yu Holdings to support philanthropic causes I know mine love me deeply and have high expectations.

In London I’d go to globally. ‘I’d like to travel the world, not just to glamorous My father is my mentor and has given me three pieces an art gallery but in Shanghai I have places but to where I can really make a difference, like of valuable advice: be a loving person and contribute a lot of plants and Iran or Nepal. I want to give my wealth away because to society, always better yourself and never give up.’ love to garden. it’s not worth keeping. I want to have a peaceful and Wendy developed her passion for fashion from Glass of wine fulfilling life with a little place in the countryside with an early age. ‘At around five I started making clothes for or green tea? my soulmate,’ she says. Has she found her soul mate? my Barbie dolls,’ she says. ‘At 13 I collected every fashion Green tea.

‘It’s taken me 27 years but I think so,’ she giggles. magazine I could lay my hands on – Cosmo, Marie Claire, Penthouse or So far, Wendy’s wealth is the magic wand of a fairytale Elle. I was a geeky tomboy and my life was all about cottage? I love both but when I’m princess and has protected her from the harsh life studying and maths, so magazines were my escape. older I’d definitely lessons that lead to cynicism and ruthlessness. Yet it’s I loved books on the history of fashion and I was choose a cottage precisely her greenness and romantic conviction that she fascinated by the stories behind design.’ as I’m a country girl at heart. can change the world for the better that gives her charm At 15, Wendy went to boarding school in Somerset and mission its extraordinary energy and power. and went on to study at the London College of Fashion.

IN BRIEF

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The

PASSION

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Petal print silk shirt dress, Alexander McQueen

of

ANNA

Anna Friel is one of the industry’s hardest working actors, but despite the attention and energy she gives her roles, it’s her daughter who comes above all else. By CLOVER STROUD Fashion Director LUCY BOND Photography JONTY DAVIES

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T Red lace dress and sleeveless shirt, Miu Miu

I sense Friel doesn’t actually need her PR there to quash questions, since she’s more than able to evade anything she doesn’t want to talk about, flashing a steely, beautiful smile as she does so

he room in Coworth Park where I’m meeting Anna Friel is busy with stylists and hair and make-up artists preparing for the shoot, and for a moment I struggle to spot her. She can’t be the girl ironing creases out of a satin dress, and neither can she be the blonde in front of a laptop in the corner. It’s only when I hear a throaty, enthusiastic giggle from the tiny girl in ripped jeans and an oversize jumper in the corner, gossiping with the hair stylist about Jemima Khan’s party, that I realise it’s her. And then she looks up and smiles, and immediately transforms from something of the girl next door to the high wattage glamour of a real star. Later, she stops in the hotel lobby to compliment a child on her outfit, and the little girl watches her, open mouthed, like she’s been sprinkled with fairy dust.

Ordering ginger tea for a sore throat, she’s relaxed and chatty, despite the presence of her PR practically sitting on her lap. And although the PR is charming, I sense Friel doesn’t actually need her there to quash questions, since she’s more than able to evade anything she doesn’t want to talk about, flashing a steely, beautiful smile as she does so.

Anyway she has plenty to talk about, having finished filming the second series of Marcella, the critically acclaimed detective drama that’s distinctly noire. She won an Emmy for the role, but to say it’s dark would be an understatement. Tackling paedophilia and child abuse, the second series (on ITV now) starts with the body of a small boy being discovered between two walls, Marcella’s own mental unravelling and doesn’t really let up from there.

‘She’s a complex, troubled woman, but flaws are what make characters interesting. I think everyone’s a bit broken,’ says Friel. ‘Marcella’s mixture of strength and vulnerability is fascinating, but it’s been gruelling.’

Gruelling it may be, but Marcella’s exactly the sort of complicated, challenging role Friel relishes, and I get a feeling putting herself in harm’s way, with work at least, is something Friel savours. It’s a resilience she credits her ‘wonderful’ drama teacher at Oldham Theatre Workshop for having taught her. ‘He couldn’t stand anyone who was weak. If you couldn’t hack it, you were told to get out.’ She shakes her head, laughing

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Yellow floral silk chiffon dress, Self-Portrait

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‘I’m strict about my daughter not being spoilt. She’s grown up in an affluent world but I’ve been determined to keep her feet on the ground. It takes continual work’ a bit as she remembers her first speaking part. ‘It was, “I’m a good girl, I am.” I was 12, wearing six-inch stilletos. But if I analyse it, drama school was escapism for me. I found other people more fascinating than me, so always wanted to play them.’

She gained a certain notoriety aged 16, for that lesbian kiss as Beth Jordache in Brookside, and she’s worked consistently ever since then. As well as a stint on Broadway and several years in LA where she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Pushing Daisies in 2008, she’s recently appeared on our screens in The Girlfriend Experience and Jimmy McGovern’s Broken. She’s begun working behind the camera too, and has started filming Butterfly which she co-produced. ‘I’ve produced before, I’ve just never been given that title. I love working on script notes and going to castings, although it’s a lot more work,’ she says and shakes her head. ‘My email inbox has doubled.’

Not that she’s complaining. ‘I’ve been working 15-hour days since I was a teenager, but it wasn’t until my 20s that I realised it was my job. I was convinced I was going to finish my A-levels and become a barrister.’ Acting made her grow up fast, and for a while in the nineties she was constantly papped, falling in and out of nightclubs with Kate Moss, or on the arm of Robbie Williams.

‘I recently did a shoot with Rankin and we were talking about how relieved we were no one had camera phones in the nineties. Weren’t they just the best fun? I don’t think we appreciated that freedom but now having phones around makes for complete and utter paranoia.’

She remains ‘very close’ to David Thewlis, the father of her daughter Gracie, 12, although it was his move to France, after they split in 2010, to be with his French girlfriend, that brought her back to England from LA. ‘I wanted my daughter to see him, but I don’t think I realised at the time what a big sacrifice it was. My life was in LA. I was doing well and people in the business wanted me to stay, but life didn’t deal me those cards.

And anyway, Gracie has always been my priority.’ Friel talks with precision about her career, but softens when she so much as mentions her daughter. ‘She’s my absolute angel. I love her completely,’ she says simply.

They live together in Windsor, and she looks forward to nothing more than the annual holidays they enjoy as a reward for the time they spend apart in the evenings when Friel’s working. ‘It’s always our special time,’ she says, telling me about a recent holiday in St Lucia.

Of course, there are regular treats, but Friel clearly isn’t acting when she talks about the work she puts into keeping

her daughter grounded. ‘I’m strict about her not being spoilt.

She’s grown up in an affluent world but I’ve been determined to keep her feet on the ground.

It takes continual work. We had a talk yesterday about being respectful to each other, and she nags me about things like wanting a new phone, but I’m strict. Ear piercing is what she’s asking about daily.

I’m not going to give in on that one.’

She only looks troubled once during our conversation, when I ask her if she would want the same career for Gracie as she had. Her daughter is an accomplished musician, but she’s been offered parts and has started to ask Friel about going to auditions.

‘My parents never dictated to me, and I want to be like that, so I’d never say no, but she’s young. If anyone laid a hand on her I’d kill them quite readily. But having said that I’d have a better idea about how to protect her, and how to guide her.’ She clearly brings a certain maternal care to the kids she works with on Marcella, too. ‘I let their chaperones know I’m a mother, because their roles are tough. You sometimes have to shock them to get the right reaction, but afterwards they’ll come to my trailer and have a laugh and make videos on their phones,’ she says, giving me a wry smile. ‘I’ve got to the age when they say, my headmaster really fancies you.’

What makes you happy, I ask. ‘Gracie, of course.

But apart from her, now I’m 41, I love my Aga, my steamer and my garden.’ She likes cookery programmes with Jamie and Nigella, and ‘devoured’ The Crown.

‘I wanted all of Princess Margaret’s wardrobe. She was the coolest chick.’ Her PR looks a bit jumpy when I ask about her romantic life, but Friel laughs when I press her on whether she’s single. ‘After last night, possibly,’ she says cryptically.

She said she recently dated someone in the military ‘because it’s quite a similar industry to acting’, and she admits it was a relief not to go out with an actor for once. ‘It’s hard to have two egos in one house, but when you date someone who’s not in the industry there are also complications, like how the other person will feel seeing you kissing someone on screen.’ Instead she’s started meditating, something old flame Rhys Ifans introduced her to, which is helping her to sleep and keep worries at bay, like whether she should have had another baby with Thewlis, which she says is her only regret in life. ‘Because I do worry, and it’s easy to lie there worrying about the choices you make, or whether you’ll settle down and meet the man of your dreams.’

Until then, of course, it’s just her and Gracie.

‘If I’m away from her a day I miss her so. I don’t know if a mother could love a daughter more.’

The second series of Marcella can be seen on ITV now

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Floral silk and lace dress, Ermanno Scervino.

Silk organza trench coat, MaxMara. Nude suede boots, Jimmy Choo LOCATION With thanks to Coworth Park in Berkshire, Dorchester Collection’s luxury country house hotel and spa. 01344 876600; dorchestercollection. com/en/ascot/ coworth-park TEAM Make up: Lauren Griffin, using MAC Cosmetics Hair: Luke Benson, using GHD and Balmain Hair Stylist Assistant: Meg Edmond Lighting: Petros Poyiatgi Digital Operator: Aaron Gaiger STOCKISTS: PAGE 142

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The Art of

MINDFUL CURATION

Author and founder of website, BuyMeOnce.com, TARA BUTTON addresses how we can live more sustainably if we buy better and smarter

T

he world today encourages us to buy a constant churn of products and furniture that break quicker than ever and leave our homes cluttered and us stressed out with a hole in our wallets. But if you employ a bit of ‘mindful curation’, which means that everything you bring into your life is chosen carefully with your whole lifespan in mind, it naturally cuts down on clutter and creates a nurturing, calm home environment that truly reflects you. Here are some ideas on how to achieve it.

All brands pictured have the longest lasting guarantee within their field or a lifetime guarantee, like this Britishmade Wesley Barrell sofa

BE FREE OF MANIPULATION

Advertisements target us to make us think that now is always ‘the time to refresh’ and ‘the time for a new look’, but this trend treadmill can manipulate us into feeling dissatisfied with what we once treasured, and push us into an expensive cycle of constantly updating our décor, furniture and gadgets. Adverts are designed to speak directly to our subconscious, like a sort of hypnotism.

We may not even think we have noticed them, but, in fact, we have lapped it all up. Avoid ads where you can (turn them off devices etc) but, when you can’t, be aware of them and what they are trying to get you to do. Look them in the eye and tell them: ‘Thanks but no thanks’. Once you’re free of manipulation, you will be able to make your own choices much more effectively.

GET TO KNOW YOUR TRUE TASTE

Take time to step back and examine what your own true taste is. Some aspects of taste do change over time, but you’ll often find there are common threads that have remained the same over the years. Finding these involves spending time looking at different colourways, textures and styles and writing down which elements of your taste have endured over time. This helps you unpick your true personal aesthetic from ‘what’s hot right now’.

This is important, especially when buying big pieces of furniture and décor such as curtains and carpets. Loathing your sitting room chairs after three years is distressing when they cost so much to buy in the first

Le Creuset Dutch oven

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Urbanara Gotland wool blanket

KEEP & CARING 12 simple ways to prolong the life of your products

1

Protect furniture with a non-toxic spray and wipe spills immediately.

Denby pottery

2

Condition leather furniture, bags and shoes monthly.

3

Plump and turn pillows and mattresses and always use a decent mattress protector.

Duralex Provence tumblers

Lüks Hills cushion

place. Knowing your true taste really well also means that you’ll have confidence in your choice for the long term and won’t feel the need for constant updates to ‘stay on trend’.

AVOID IMPULSE BUYS

We hate to miss out and marketers use this to hurry our decisionmaking process. Some furniture companies have constant sales throughout the year, simply because every time they say the sale is ending, they see a spike in people rushing to their stores.

Making a big purchase in a hurry is a sure-fire way to buyer’s regret, so my advice is to research products first, then when they are on sale, pounce. Don’t buy things on sale that you wouldn’t want full price; when shopping online, add items to a wishlist instead of the cart and give yourself a 24-hour cooling off period. When shopping in store, if you come across something you’re interested in but hadn’t planned on buying, take a photo instead of buying. Return once you’ve done your research, or have at least walked around the block to give yourself time to think about it away from the seductive store environment.

BUY ONCE, BUY WELL

Schott Zwiesel Forte stemless glasses

Many manufacturers have sadly put profits before people and the planet and build their products as cheaply as possible without them falling apart straight off the shelf. When it comes to finding quality furniture, look for solid wood with traditional joints, they are sturdier, easier to repair or sand down and tend to age more gracefully than other materials. Look for the ‘rub values’ of any material you choose as this will determine how long it will last before beginning to look shabby. For appliances, use resources such as Which?, Amazon reviews and my own site, BuyMeOnce, to find the most reliable and long-lasting brands. Some, such as Dualit, also go out of their way to make their products more fixable which is to be commended. For kitchenware, cast iron or steel with no rivets make for pots and pans you’ll be passing down to your grandchildren. Look for the highest quality 18/10 steel for both pans and cutlery and avoid anything made of plastic.

4

Polish wooden furniture every three to six months.

5

Sunlight can degrade rubber, plastic and some fabrics, so keep these away from windows or use blinds and shutters.

6

Empty filters on appliances and descale regularly depending on how hard your water it. Scale is one of the top killers of appliances.

7

Run cleaning cycles in dishwashers and washing machines every few months.

8

Every six months clean the fridge and freezer cooling coils and put Vaseline on the seals to prevent cracking.

9 10

Wash by hand anything precious.

Empty the dishwasher as soon as possible to prevent rust.

11

Oil wooden boards and counters every three months.

12

Get knives sharpened as they become dull.

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Bill Browder on the balcony of his London office; he believes being in the public eye could be his greatest protection

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BILL of RIGHTS If you thought BBC One’s McMafia was a dramatic work of fiction, read how one man is trying to combat Russian corruption and avenge the death of his friend.

Bill Browder’s story leads from the Kremlin to the heart of the White House itself. ISOBEL THOMPSON reports Portrait ALEXANDRA DAO

April 2018 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 75

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hen I arrive to meet Bill Browder, ex-banker turned enemy of Vladimir Putin, he’s being photographed on the balcony of his office, framed by the glass-fronted vista of the surrounding square. Photoshoot over, we start with the serious stuff: McMafia. How realistic was the BBC drama, which saw a chiselled James Norton play the scion of a rich Russian family, quietly funneling dirty money through a building that looks like it could be in the backdrop of Browder’s picture? Not very, apparently. What the show fails to capture, Browder says, is how officially entrenched Russian corruption is. ‘The reality is that the entire Russian government is the mafia.’

If McMafia made gripping Sunday night TV, the story of Browder’s relationship with Russia has more of a cinematic quality – it’s no surprise that his book, Red Notice: How I Became Putin’s Number 1 Enemy, is being turned into a film, adapted by William Nicholson who, it’s rumoured, beat George Clooney (Amal Clooney is Browder’s lawyer) to score the job.

For over a decade, Browder ran Hermitage Capital, the most successful investment fund in Moscow. Then one of his lawyers, Sergei Magnitsky, discovered that a group of officials had expropriated his fund, and used it to make a fraudulent tax claim worth $230m.

Hermitage informed the authorities, but instead of going after the culprits, they put 36-year-old Magnitsky behind bars, and told him he’d be released if he implicated Browder in the fraud. He refused. After a year of sustained abuse – all of which he documented, including the prison’s refusal to treat his severe gallstones and pancreatitis – a group of guards beat Magnitsky with their rubber truncheons and he died an hour later.

Since then, Browder has relentlessly lobbied governments to sanction corrupt Russians laundering their money in the West.

His pursuit of justice is motivated primarily by implacable guilt, and partly by the fear that his own life is at risk. Surrounding himself with a blaze of publicity is a wily survival strategy.

As is often the case with compelling plotlines, Browder’s

path from guileful capitalist to human rights crusader can be traced back to childhood. His grandfather, Earl, ran for presidency twice. Secretary of the American Communist Party, he appeared on the cover of a 1938 edition of Time magazine over the headline: ‘Comrade Earl Browder’. His father was an intellectual prodigy who had a Princeton PhD at 20. His brother, Thomas, was similarly precocious, and enrolled in university aged 15. ‘We all have our psychology,’ says Browder. ‘For me, the psychology was that I felt so bad at not being a genius that I had to think about some other area.’

Black sheep don’t normally rebel by going into banking, but Browder decided the best way to rankle his cerebral family was to put on a suit and start making money. After business school, he got a job in London, and then the Berlin Wall fell. With Eastern Europe open for business, he went straight to Moscow.

‘It was like the Wild West during the Gold Rush. There’s an expression: in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. I was the one-eyed man in Moscow,’ says Browder, in what could be the opening voice-over for his movie. Still, making millions is never without complication, and Browder was working in a landscape saturated with crime, extortion and fraud. So, he started weeding out the perpetrators and reporting their brazen lawlessness to the authorities and the press. This idiosyncratic brand of activist capitalism wasn’t entirely morally motivated. Instead, it was part of Browder’s investment strategy. If he could stop management stealing money from their own companies, share prices would rise, and so would his fortune. ‘As a result, the performance of my fund was dramatically high and very successful.’

When Boris Yeltsin handed power to Putin in 1999, declaring, ‘Russia must enter the next millennium with new politicians, with new personalities and with new smart, strong and energetic people’, Browder was enthused. He saw Putin as a steely reformer who was determined to purge the kleptocracy. ‘He wasn’t drunk. He was slim. He was clearheaded... But there’s this expression: absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ (Another one for the scriptwriters.)

In 2005, when it was clear that Putin had proven the expression and monopolised Russia’s oligarchs, Browder became the focus of his wrath. Declared a threat to national security, he was kicked out of the country and had to run Hermitage Capital from London. Two years later, his Moscow offices were raided by the authorities who left with computers, files and, oddly, all the company’s stamps and seals. When Magnitsky uncovered the tax fraud, and realized three of Hermitage’s holding companies had been used to scam the treasury of multiple millions, their need for corporate paraphernalia made more sense.

After Magnitsky died, Browder knew he couldn’t

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‘I was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

I’ve been sued for libel. I’ve been sued for bankruptcy. I have people surveilling my offices. I’ve had death threats’ get justice in Russia. At the same time, he couldn’t find any international legal mechanism to hold the perpetrators to account. He appealed to the Obama administration who, trying to thaw fractious relations with the Kremlin, were sympathetic, but not keen to get involved.

Then Browder discovered a constitutional point of leverage: he could go through the legislative rather than the executive branch. He took his story to Senators Ben Cardin and John McCain, and in 2012 Congress passed the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which barred 18 Russians allegedly involved in the scam from entering America and using its banking system. More names were added as the stolen money was traced (some of which was linked to Putin’s friend Sergei Roldugin, the cellist that the Panama Papers later linked to a money trail of billions). Estonia, Canada, Lithuania and the UK have since passed their own versions of the bill, and before leaving office, Obama signed the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, expanding the law to human rights abusers worldwide. ‘It’s widely acknowledged to be the single most powerful human rights tool that is out there,’ says Browder.

According to Browder, a great deal of Putin’s personal fortune (which he estimates at $200bn) exists in the West, bound in a complex web of shell companies, oligarchs and shady deals. Naturally, then, Putin was exceptionally displeased at the passing of the Magnitsky Act, and retaliated by banning the American adoption of Russian children. He went for Browder personally too. ‘I was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

I’ve been sued for libel. I’ve been sued for bankruptcy. I have people surveilling my offices. I’ve had death threats and kidnapping threats.’ These threats aren’t empty. Alexander Litvinenko’s poisoning proved Russia has no qualms about murdering its enemies in the UK and some of the people associated with Browder have suffered mysterious accidents – some fatal. Nikolai Gorokhov, a Russian lawyer who represented the Magnitsky family, was thrown from his apartment building near Moscow, but survived. In 2012, shortly before he was due to give evidence in a money-laundering trial, whistleblower Alexander Perepilichny died while out jogging in Surrey.

Beyond the drama of death threats and being tried in absentia, Browder says the Kremlin has launched a more insidious line of attack against him, propagating a theory that he went to Russia, became entangled in the corruption he ostensibly sought to expose, committed the uncovered tax fraud, and embarked upon a highprofile campaign to obscure his tracks.

There are two central characters to this subplot. The first is director Andrei Nekrasov, who, having released anti-Putin films, then made The Magnitsky Act – Behind the Scenes,

a documentary that portrayed Browder as a criminal and Magntisky as a conspirator.

Nekrasov planned to premiere the movie at European parliament, but the parliament’s lawyers halted the screening after legal letters were sent from Browder and Magnitsky’s family claiming the movie was false and defamatory. Similarly, their lawyers wrote to the head of Washington’s Newseum to try to stop a screening there. The notion of a financier silencing an independent filmmaker with a reputation for attacking Putin sounds murky, but Browder denies that Nekrasov has ever worked objectively. ‘For a number of years he worked for Boris Berezovsky, and he made-anti Putin movies because he’d been paid. When Berezovsky died, he went to work for Putin.’

Browder’s scepticism seems credible when you consider who was behind the Washington screening of Nekrasov’s film: the lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who ran a Russian NGO registered in Delaware, which claims to work on reopening the American adoption of Russian children – in other words, repealing the Magnitsky Act. Veselnitskaya is central to the latest twist in Browder’s story. In July 2017, as he was about to board a plane, he got a call from New York Times reporter Jo Becker, asking if he knew her. By the time he landed, their story had broken: Donald Trump Jr and others had met with Veselnitskaya during the election campaign after being promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. According to a statement, allegedly cobbled together by Trump and his advisors aboard Air Force One, the meeting focused on the American adoption of Russian children and so, once again, the Magnitsky Act. Browder, who has since testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, was suddenly linked to one of the biggest scandals clouding Trump’s presidency. Does he think the Russians were trying to influence Trump’s team beyond the Magnitsky Act? He doesn’t know, though he’s certain they would have been circling from all sides, trying to get to Clinton too.

Echoing CIA director Mike Pompeo, who recently warned that Russia will try and target America’s impending midterms, Browder is also certain that the Kremlin will continue to inject itself into global politics. ‘Putin’s objectives are very clear. He wants to carry on with his own criminality in Russia and the surrounding states, and he doesn’t want anyone to get in the way and penalise him.

‘The European Union; Brexit; Catalonia… [he wants to] create enough domestic strife in any different situation and different country so nobody pays any attention to what he’s doing.’

It’s rumoured that special counsel Robert Mueller wants to discuss the Trump administration’s response to the Veselnitskaya meeting in a one-on-one meeting with the President. If so, Browder could suddenly have more than a sideline role. Who knows? But what is for certain is that, as he settles down to write his second book, and pressure the French government to pass a version of the Magnitsky Act, the Browder-Russia plotline is still very much unfolding.

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020 7091 9781 westburygardenrooms.com Call to visit our showrooms: 61 Lambeth Walk, 46-52 Cutlers Road, London, SE11 6DX South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, CM3 5XJ

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ONDESIGN THE HARLEQUIN CONSOLE BY JONATHAN ADLER £3,950. UK.JONATHANADLER.COM

INTERIORS FOCUS

Edited by CAROLE ANNETT

38 pages of stylish interiors ART, DESIGN, TRENDS & MUCH MORE...

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ON DESIGN

Contents 84 THE SHAPE OF

THINGS TO COME Highlights from the new spring collections

90 PATTERN POWER

Wonderful wallpapers

92 IN WITH

THE NEW Mood-lifting fabrics

94 SHOW STOPPER

Consider a cool console

98 THE SNOOZE

ZONE Sweet dreams

Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Cole & Son

Madcap Cottage

EDITOR ’ S LET TER

103 THE POWER

OF TWO At home with Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen

106 A LABOUR

OF LOVE The magical whimsy of Madcap Cottage

110 CREATIVE

COALITION Lucy Hammond Giles from Colefax & Fowler revs up a rental

112 CLICKETY-CLICK

Excellent interiors at the click of a mouse

114 CROWNING

GLORY Perfection in passamentiere

116 HE’S THE JUAN

Juan Santa Cruz brings design to dining

Consider a console

I

t’s new collection time again, bringing with it the opportunity to indulge in new fabrics and furniture and admire the creativity of artists and designers. Interesting collaborations abound; this season pairs the Kardashian’s go-to interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard with traditional wallpaper brand Cole & Son – look out for flamboyant but utterly useable designs including a souk-inspired border (page 120). I also love respected New York-based designer Juan Montoya’s rug collection for Stepevi. His Moon Island design (page 122) looks like it’s been peeled from the surface of the planet.

With many people renting, either a first or second home, it seems fitting to show a London rental apartment. Here the helping hand of Lucy Hammond Giles from Colefax & Fowler lifts the property. Even a temporary dwelling can be made more homely if your personality is reflected in the decoration – see what a difference a few key changes can make on page 110.

Because we’re yearning for summer, I couldn’t resist a touch of frivolity with interior designers Madcap Cottage. Just the name elicits a smile.

Their fastidiously executed whimsical overhaul of a summer cottage, page 106, is a lesson in the Inside Paolo Moschino power of pattern. As Jason Oliver Nixon, one and Philip Vergeylen’s half of the design duo, puts it: ‘If you’re looking country retreat for beige and boring, bark up someone else’s tree.’ Still on the subject of sass, embellishments are very much in vogue – dotted around the high street, even M&S has caught the bug with a pom pom necklace for spring. The interiors’ version is either super-sized – Samuel and Sons’ new collection pom poms are almost the size of tennis balls, or seek out Jessica Light’s delicate whirls and loops incorporating horsehair and paper. There’s nothing to stop you using them on a cushion and adorning yourself with the ones left over. As John Loecke says, ‘Life should be a little bananas.’

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Asian Scenic wallpaper. Cushions in Asian Scenic, Bijou, Carlotta.

Baxter Bench in Ming Trail.

Dynasty Collection: Wallpaper, Print and Woven Fabrics www.thibautdesign.com tel: 020 7737 6555

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ON DESIGN | NEWS

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

Highlights from the new spring collections – a mix of modern, minimal, vibrant, understated and everything in between. Feast your eyes...

HOT BLUSH

Bisque’s rose copper finish for radiators contains copper overlaid with matt lacquer to prevent tarnish. From £888. bisque.co.uk

DELICATELY DOES IT

Poliform’s 07 China wall lamp hangs with the delicate grace of a bluebell from its stem. From the Magic Circus Éditions collection, £3,435. poliformuk.com

PLENTY OF OOMPH

COOL CARVING Furniture designer Matt Podesta created this patriotic table using walnut, oak and sycamore woods.

From £2,250. podesta.uk.com

EASTERN PROMISE Martyn Lawrence Bullard, interior designer to Elton John, Cher and a roster of other A-listers, has a new collection at Cole and Son which includes this souk-inspired border, Fez, £150 per 10m roll. coleandson-martynbullard.com

Together, Nina Campbell and American painted furniture makers Oomph bring knockout colours to sophisticated furniture, now available in the UK. Easton chest, £5,510. ninacampbell.com

WOOD AND WEAVE

The Jericho reclining chair has a retro deckchair vibe which makes it ideal for a sunny spot in the house, £4,579. arteriorshome.com

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Now available from Smeg Flagship Store, 14 Regent Street St James’s, SW1Y 4PH

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ON DESIGN | NEWS

ALL SQUARED New tile designs in vinyl, marble, cement and ceramic

STEP BACK IN TIME Jamb’s new lantern design, the Elmslie, nods to the Arts & Crafts movement and has a verdigris finish, £4,320. jamb.co.uk

HEAD TO THE HILLS

I love the way the colours work together here. Wray wallpaper, £295 per three metre panel and Dumani fabric on chair, £78 p/m, both from the Zoffany Muse collection. Chair

by Bespoke Sofa London, £2,500 as shown, console by Bethan Gray. bespokesofalondon.co.uk; stylelibrary. com/zoffany; bethangray.com

SWEETIE DARLING So Absolutely Fabulous – Orchids Fantasia Prisme cushion from the House of Lacroix, £90. padlifestyle.com

OUT OF THIS WORLD

Colombian born interior designer Juan Montoya was inspired by the planets for a new collection of rugs at Stepevi. Moon Island, £2,300. stepevi.com

HUE TWO Two armchairs, two different upholsteries, Prussian blue velvet and blue lapis speckle, £590 each. sofa.com 1 Lattice vinyl floor tile by Dee Hardwicke, £44.80 per sq/m. harveymaria.com 2 Jacob’s Tree glazed tile by Neisha Crosland for De Ferranti, 20 x 20cm, £28.80 each. deferranti.com 3 End Grain tile by David Rockwell for Bisazza, £154 per sq/m. bisazza.com 4 Aruba encaustic tile, 25 tiles per sq/m, £4.80 each. artisansofdevizes.com 5 Benton Clara, honed marble tile by Ann Sacks, £959 per sq/m. westonebathrooms. com 6 Caicos encaustic tile for walls and floors, £90 per sq/m. martinmoorestone.com

BEAUTIFUL BRUSHSTROKE

Patience, hand-knotted in wool and silk, is an interpretation of an artwork by artist Hassan Massoudy, inspired by calligraphy, £1,498 per sq/m, from Topfloor by Esti. topfloorrugs.com

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CountryTownHouse18v2.qxp_Layout 1 14/02/2018 17:22 Page 1

Inspired by stone for over 25 years

Natural stone flooring, exclusive tiles and bespoke stone creations Featured stone: Vellenoy Limestone tumbled finish Showrooms (open Monday–Friday only): Design Centre East · Chelsea Harbour · London SW10 0XE Stonebridge House · Devizes · Wiltshire SN10 3DY +44 1380 735888 · artisansofdevizes.com

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ON DESIGN | NEWS

FEELING BLUE A fresh colour palette for spring from Roger Oates – Vernon striped teal rug edged in Airforce, 280 x 350cm, £2,196. rogeroates.com

PRINTS CHARMING OPEN YOUR HEART

Prints instantly dress a hallway. These are by OKA: Wading birds framed prints, set of eight, £285. oka.com

Forget flowers and be passionate with a pillow. Raj Tent Club Love cushion, £75. raftentclub.com/shop

BLOOMING LOVELY

This ceramic lamp’s organic texture makes it look as if it’s been specially grown in a vegetable plot. Odyssey lamp base, £210. davidhuntlighting.co.uk

DAMSON DELIGHT For his first sofa design for Ligne Roset, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance elongated a traditional base and added goose feather-filled back cushions. Three-seat sofa, from £4,130. ligne-roset.com

Light woods and rattan are still going strong in the design world and there’s plenty to choose from if you want to try the look.

Habitat room set: Feliz table, £1,200, bench, £495 and chair, £130, all by Matthew Long. Elmley rattan pendant, £90, Fergusson rug by Martha Coates, £250 and tableware, from £8. habitat.co.uk

©PIERRICK VERNY

ON TREND

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We believe in a different perspective.

We see an oak bench. They see a rope bridge.

Our Arundel dining table and bench. Made from nothing but North American oak. Designed to last a lifetime. neptune.com/adifferentperspective

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26/02/2018 10:27:11 26/02/2018 11:26

ON DESIGN | UPDATE

PAT TERN POWER

Wallpaper needn’t be confined to walls – paper inside cupboards, on bookcases and even the ceiling

1 FROMENTAL Broadlands, Blenheim apricot, Timothy Corrigan for Fromental, POA. fromental.co.uk 2 MULBERRY HOME Flying ducks, £98 per 10m roll. gpjbaker.com 3 JANE CHURCHILL Cityscape, grey/copper, £85 per roll. janechurchill.com 4 FARROW AND BALL Lotus, £115 per 10m roll. farrow-ball.com 5 SANDERSON Dune hares, £48 p/m. stylelibrary.com/sanderson 6 DESIGNERS GUILD Flora and fauna, John Derian for Designers Guild, £65 p/m. designersguild.com 7 MURALS WALLPAPER Brutalist metro station DC wallpaper, from £36 per sq/m. muralswallpaper.co.uk 8 PIERRE FREY Shaman, black, £168 p/m. pierrefrey.com 9 GP&J BAKER Peony and blossom, £95 per 10m roll. gpjbaker.com 10 THIBAUT Easom Trellis, £96 per roll. thibautdesign.com

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C R É AT E U R

D E

TA P I S

E X C L U S I V E

C A R P E T S

A N D

R U G S

E X C L U S I V E

C A R P E T S

A N D

R U G S

C O N T E M P O R A I N S

RIVULETS from the Horizons Collection

C R É AT E U R

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D E

TA P I S

www.deirdredyson.com

C O N T E M P O R A I N S

01/03/2018 11:22

ON DESIGN | UPDATE

IN WITH THE NEW

Spring’s new fabric designs will transform your mood as well as your home

1 HARLEQUIN Zapara, £68 p/m. stylelibrary.com/harlequin 2 NO.9 THOMPSON Foloi, gold, £77 p/m. jimthompsonfabrics.com 3 OSBORNE AND LITTLE Laghetto, £87 p/m. osborneandlittle.com 4 JAMES HARE Watercolour, rose madder, £110 p/m. james-hare.com 5 MANUEL CANOVAS Derain, orange, £105 p/m. manuelcanovas.com 6 BLENDWORTH Alder, hillside, £52 p/m. blendworth.co.uk 7 LARSEN AT COLEFAX AND FOWLER Myrthus, charcoal, £69 p/m. larsenfabrics.com 8 SOANE Flame Flower, Indigo on ivory, £164 p/m. soane.co.uk 9 ZINC TEXTILE Poncho stripe, marmolite, £130 p/m. zinctextile.com 10 RUBELLI VENEZIA Nirvana, £117 p/m. rubelli.com

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21/02/2018 10:42

ON DESIGN | SHOPPING

SHOW STOPPER

Ever considered a console? It’s the focus piece for a hallway, or can add glamour to a sitting or dining room. There are myriad choices of style and finish, in materials that include straw, eggshell and gold

ON THE AVENUE Tom Faulkner designed the delicate Madison Demi Lune with bronze legs and limestone top. 122 x 40 x 76cm, £1,150. tomfaulkner.co.uk

MATERIAL WORLD Christian Liaigre created the Celte console for his own use. On top is a ‘tulle’ finish by Pierre Bonnefille, a texture that replicates delicate fabric. 170 x 85 x 72cm, £36,590. liaigre.com

FOR ART’S SAKE Cubist by Andrew Martin is inspired by art of that period.

It is made from brushed wood within a gold-finish frame, 82 x 180 x 47cm, £1,150. andrewmartin.co.uk

DANISH GIRL Tivoli by Simon Orrell Designs features straw marquetry with a shimmer finish contrasting with a brass frame and limed oak. 90 x 200 x 60cm, £16,800. simonorrelldesigns.com

HISSY FIT Made from sustainably sourced eggshell, the Snakeskin Variegated Sapphire Blue console from Nature Squared is available in two sizes, from 180 x 40 x 82cm, £9,450. naturesquared.com

MYTH MAKER Burnished brass legs on polished bronze feet – the Pan console, part of the Somata collection by Christopher Hall, is inspired by mythology. The top has a high gloss oxblood-coloured finish. 124 x 44 x 81cm, from £15,120. christopherhalldesign.com

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PROMOTION

OPEN HOUSE

th2Studio opens its doors (and little black book) to C&TH readers

Redler photographs create character and complement the th2Studio collection. Other finishing touches such as fragrances and linens from The White Company give this beautiful property a homely feel.

Little anecdotes accompany many of the pieces. A sofa in the reception room was inspired by chic seating found in a hotel lobby in Paris – French navy with an ivory trim. It’s clear this project has been a labour of love and we can’t promise you won’t want to move in rightaway.

INVITE

T

ucked down a quiet, leafy street in the heart of Chelsea, a townhouse has been transformed by th2Studio designers to showcase their favourite pieces.

The designers’ commitment to quality and value is reflected in the furnishings that have been carefully curated from the best names in their little black book as well as their own unique designs. The best bit about it is that everything is available to buy online, taking the hassle out of furnishing a home.

From the founders of Taylor Howes and th2 designs, th2Studio pride themselves on creating homes that are beautiful but liveable. This is evident in the three-storey, double fronted house in the heart of London’s design district. The house has been transformed into a stunning family home, with three double bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a courtyard and terrace.

A colour palette of blues and greens pop against pale walls.

Moving up the house, earthier tones are found alongside a touch of Nordic influence. Eye-catching patterned cushions by Elitis and large works of art and original Stuart

th2Studio and Country & Town House invite you to come and see the space for yourself.

Explore the townhouse with a glass of bubbles on 26 April 9am – 1pm

RSVP: millie@countryandtownhouse.co.uk

th2studio.co.uk

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ON DESIGN | SHOPPING

KEYED UP An oak console by Mark Taylor Design with liquid metal finish. The weathered timber has an integrated bowl for keys. 140 x 87 x 30cm, £2,880. marktaylordesign.co.uk

LOSING YOUR MARBLES The Inverted Gravity buffet by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, whose work blurs the boundaries between art and design, is crafted from Apuane, a Carrara marble, and blown glass.

90 x 1125 x 45cm, €22,300. mathieulehanneur.com

BLACK MAGIC Belmont by Davidson is crafted from glossy macassar ebony, the central curve handgilded in distressed white gold leaf with burgundy touches. 140 x 40 x 84cm, £8,564. davidsonlondon.com

FRENCH FANCY A modern take on a traditional French sideboard, Damask by Tracey Boyd has marquetry detail in black oak, dyed white oak and grey poplar in an ode to damask textiles. 185 x 66 x 83cm, £3,685, at Sonder Living at Harrods. sonderliving.com

MAKING WAVES

REACH FOR THE SKY

The Shanty sideboard by Doshi Levien for BD Barcelona is so-called as it references improvised dwellings around the world. An iron structure, the front is MDF moulded into waves and coated with matt lacquer. 131 x 53 x 97cm, £5,135. bdbarcelona.com

Inspired by a photograph capturing the reflection of London skyscrapers, City credenza by FBC London has a chipped oak front, white-grey walnut wood sides and antiqued brass handles.

86 x 180 x 50cm, £12,950. fbc-london.com

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Pioneer of the modern kitchen open to life – for 125 years Poggenpohl has 19 points of sale throughout the UK & Ireland ¡ uk@poggenpohl.com For your nearest Poggenpohl Studio please go to www.poggenpohl.com/find-a-studio 125years.poggenpohl.com

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16/02/2018 16:10

ON DESIGN | FOCUS

THE SNOOZE ZONE News from the land of nod

‘Sleep is the best meditation,’ according to the Dalai Lama. And who are we to argue? It’s more important than ever to create a slumber palace, to please and ease both body and mind

FRENCH FANCIES

THROW ME OVER

Launched in 2011 and well known in Paris, Blanc Cerise is now available online in the UK. Pillowcases from £22, fitted sheet from £41, duvet covers from £65. blanccerise.co.uk

Just the right size to cover the lower end of any bed up to king-size. Mini, chunky lambswool throws, 97 x 183cm, £395 each. draperlondon.com

DREAM ON

If your hopes of marrying a royal have been dashed now Harry is spoken for, you can always sleep like a princess under an ornate headboard.

Beaumont and Fletcher headboard, made to order from £3,980, embroidery costs an additional £2,850. beaumont andfletcher.com

JOIN THE BLUES A crowd pleaser: blue printed duvet cover, from £129. lexingtoncompany.com

LIGHT AS A FEATHER

Extra-long threads in the cotton weave give a feeling of weightlessness in the Satin Pure collection from Hästens.

Available in nine colours. Pillowcase £71, duvet cover from £240. hastens.com

ONE OF A KIND

Let passion burn under the gaze of The Combat of Love and Chastity by Gherardo di Giovanni del Fora. Savoir Beds will print any artwork from the National Gallery on to headboards, in velvet, cotton or textured linen viscose.

Each bed has a plaque detailing the artwork and can be personalised. Bed pictured above, £16,037. savoirbeds.co.uk 98 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | April 2018

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The

ALCHEMIST

COLLECTION

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27/02/2018 10:50 27/02/2018 11:00

At Sayeh & Galton we see floristry as a fine art, and our exceptionally high standards ensure our beautifully exquisite arrangements adorn the homes of celebrities and Royals alike.

We invite you to view our stunning seasonal collections instore, online or via our app.

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19/02/2018 11:07

02/03/2018 14:13

FOCUS | ON DESIGN

DELICIOUSLY DARK

MAKE SCENTS

Once a staple of the veranda or colonial palm house, caned furniture is back in vogue and looks extra modern when painted in a thundery hue.

Brompton charcoalfinish caned bed frame, from £2,500, bedside table, from £850 and chest of drawers, £2,500, all And So To Bed. andsotobed.co.uk

Fragrant ideas for sweet dreams

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

BABY SOFT

Lucine, by Yves Delorme, a fresh look for spring. Duvet cover from £169, pillowcase £49. uk.yvesdelorme.com

Keep close by to wrap around your shoulders when reading in bed. Papudo soft grey baby alpaca throw, £350. katharinepooley.com

ALL IN ONE

Try a new mattress by lying on it in the position you sleep rather than just giving it a perfunctory prod. Vispring offers complete beds such as the Baronet Superb mattress with divan, from £3,065. vispring.com

EASTERN PROMISE Adding a headboard will instantly update a room and make it feel special. This Asian-inspired mango wood version is by Atkin and Thyme, £499. atkinandthyme.co.uk

1 Linen diffuser, £27. thewhite company.com 2 The First Morning of Spring room spray by Lola James Harper, £36. smallable.com 3 English Fields collection by Jo Malone London, £47 each. jomalone.co.uk 4 Hyacinth and gardenia diffuser by Cabbages & Roses, £34. johnlewis. co.uk 5 Roja Parfums Essence of Fortnum & Mason candle, £85. fortnumandmason.com 6 Corsican Soul candle by Anima Vinci, £60. animavinci.com

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CASE STUDY | ON DESIGN

THE POWER OF TWO With years of experience working together in the world of design, Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen bought this cottage without even crossing the threshold, confident they could work their magic inside

The curtains in the drawing room are heavy linen, a fabric originally designed for making military uniforms

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ON DESIGN | CASE STUDY

left slightly aghast by what you have done.’ This included knocking down an extension described on first sight as ‘monstrous’.

Now, downstairs, the hallway can breathe, having been opened up and a feature made of the staircase.

Rooms lead from one to another in a style the French describe as ‘enfilade’ – not quite Versailles, the ultimate example, but you get the idea. Low-beamed ceilings equal cosy proportions, but rooms are unified by common themes – Belgian oak flooring, white ceilings and sludgy pale blue linen curtains in fabric originally used for military uniforms. Indeed, most of the fabrics in the house are linen, including velvet, which is hardly surprising given Vergeylen’s roots – ‘I’m Belgian, what can I say? It’s the best linen in the world’.

This vibe here is for relaxation, the interior’s aged, lived-in ambiance in contrast to their London home, which is more business-like and sharp. ‘Most of the interior design on a house project is driven by me,’ admits Vergeylen, ‘I tend to get very agitated in pursuit of perfection and then Paolo calms me down. This was a more collaborative project as it’s ours’.

Each room of the cottage has a distinct character with carefully considered vignettes of furniture and decorative objects from their travels. In general, upholstery is kept plain so other elements of the room sing against a muted colour palette. In the drawing room, seashell hues on a jumble of different cushions complement the shades of an antique The barn conversion Persian rug, while upstairs, more detail on a sumptuous bedspread from Le Manach which sits snugly over the contours of a guest bed. A favourite French fabric house, ituated in leafy Sussex countryside, this house may Le Manach still weaves its designs on wooden looms in a process look quintessentially English when viewed from the unchanged since the 17th century. gate, but step inside and a sophisticated European Rather than wallpaper, Vergeylen asked a colleague from the ambiance permeates like the fragrance of an design studio to paint freestyle on the walls of a spare bedroom expensive candle. Little wonder when you discover and also in the dining room where one is greeted with a clash the owners are designer duo Paolo Moschino and of blue and white. An 18th-century French screen hanging the length Philip Vergeylen, from Italy and Belgium respectively. of one wall inspired the scheme and a collection of vases, Tournai Paolo and Philip have worked together for over porcelain from Belgium in a colour similar to the royal blue of 10 years, Paolo starting with Nicholas Haslam before taking on the Sèvres, perch on high like exotic birds among hand-painted trees furniture, fabrics and lighting side of the business, Paolo Moschino that appear to have wandered from the tapestry. Moschino explains: for Nicholas Haslam, while Philip, hailing from an altogether ‘When we first set the vases on brackets they looked too isolated different background at American Express, looks after a discerning so we had the idea of painting in some of the blue woodland from and international interior design clientele. Both showroom and the tapestry. It brought the scheme together.’ design studio are situated in the Pimlico design hub, just a short In the guest suite of the barn extension, there are two pieces hop from their London home, an apartment in Victoria. from their own stockroom, a cupboard by Nicholas Haslam and Their much-loved weekend retreat is a mix of Tudor and 19tha magnificent wooden chandelier, a replica of an 18th-century design century architecture. Bought without setting foot over the threshold bought in Piedmont. ‘We loved it so much we found a workshop – ‘much to the surprise of the estate agent,’ laughs Vergeylen, ‘but in Florence that would replicate it,’ says Moschino, ‘we have called we knew that if we liked the look of the exterior, we could change it the Dove.’ The men are inveterate collectors and source for clients whatever was inside’. and the showroom on numerous trips overseas. ‘What is a holiday The original dinky rooms didn’t stand a chance once set upon without looking around antique shops?’ says Vergeylen. by the designers’ eye. As soon as the house was theirs, the fun So there it is, a bucolic idyll where Italian lighting, Belgian linen began. Walls were removed, the entrance hall opened up and and French tapestry happily co-exist in an English country setting. a guest wing created in an outside barn. ‘One thing led to another,’ A perfect European union, one might say. nicholashaslam.com n smiles Moschino, ‘destruction is very quick and then you are

PHOTOS: SIMON UPTON

S

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Cupboard from Nicholas Haslam; collection of blue Tournai porcelain vases in the dining room; bedspread from Le Manach in the spare room; Dove chandelier, a wooden design available at Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam; the cottage’s façade

PHOTOS: SIMON UPTON

Most of the fabrics in the house are linen, including velvet, which is hardly surprising given Vergeylen’s roots – ‘I’m Belgian, what can I say? It’s the best linen in the world’

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The covered porch mixes florals, stripes and chevrons beneath whimsical bunting and the traditional cosy kitchen features contemporary elements. Black cabinets work with the slate floor while original beams add period character; a vintage sign from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II sits against retro wallpaper from Laura Ashley; the dining room and sitting room are a riot of colour, bringing the flower-filled cutting gardens inside

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CASE STUDY | ON DESIGN

A LABOUR OF LOVE

A suffusion of yesteryear glamour and contemporary flair in a former schoolhouse in upstate New York captures the style of two interior designers, the creative juice behind Madcap Cottage

B

ased in North Carolina, John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon set up their interior design business Madcap Cottage over 20 years ago. Since then, a long list of satisfied clients from all over the world have revelled in their whimsical use of colour and pattern. ‘A little bit Auntie Mame and a helluva lot of Carmen Miranda,’ is how Loecke and Nixon describe their decorating style. Flea market finds sit comfortably in a room of exquisite fabrics and furniture – an eclectic mix that makes this conversion so engaging. ‘Our projects are bespoke, sophisticated and perfectly catered to our clients’ sensibility. They are also spectacularly liveable. John and I have dogs and nieces and nephews – we get it,’ says Jason.

The brief for this project was to transform an 800 sq/ft, 1840s-era cabin into a retreat that sleeps two with space for entertaining.

Crucially and conveniently, a nearby inn gives spill-over guests a comfortable bed for the night. It’s a property that has the quintessential feel of a country cottage.

Its intimate rooms are awash with English fabrics from, among others, Designers Guild and Laura Ashley.

Lush gardens skirt the house so Loecke and Nixon drew inspiration from the

natural world through the windows for their interior design influences. ‘Every room is a conversation between the indoors and outside,’ says Loecke. Wherever you cast your eye, you see flowers – window panels, wallcoverings, bedcovers and upholstery.

Even the paint treatments within the cottage nod to the garden with rich pink, yellow, aqua and, of course, green. ‘If it works in nature, it will work in your living room,’ adds Loecke. The property may be small but the abundance of pattern blurs the boundaries of the rooms making them appear much bigger. Scale and proportion are key and the clever use of low-slung furniture underscores this. The Madcap Cottage duo travel extensively, picking up objects and ideas from around the globe, like the pretty vintage prints. Local antique shops are a fruitful and happy hunting ground – rattan furniture brought back to life with nothing more than a fresh coat of paint.

And it’s not just the walls and upholstery that get the patterned treatment. Tables and bookshelves also get the love. ‘When layering a variety of patterns on a piece of furniture like a sofa, or in a room, look to one hue that can tie the storyline together,’ says Loecke. In the dining area and sitting room, the theme is red, in all its variations, from vivid scarlet to softer coral.

On the covered porch is another Madcap Cottage idiosyncracy – curtains

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The tiny den is a cosy spot for watching television, with floral-patterned fabrics from the Madcap Cottage collection, all available at Simon Playle Ltd (simonplayle.com).

Madcap Cottage fabrics — including Ditchley Park and Monsoon Palace — add a splash of botanical chic to the sofa; the bedroom mixes vintage finds with floral textiles and wallpaper

with a contrasting fabric. Florals edged in gingham hang from a white curtain rod with dark wooden rings adding further contrast. Draped bunting and paper Chinese lanterns create a happy holiday feel all year round.

‘Granny chic’ is one of their favourite styles.

And it’s Nixon’s granny, who wore head-to-toe Pucci, that gets top billing for this particular influence. No time-warp here. ‘We like florals to be romantic but not syrupy sweet,’ says Loecke.

As children of the Seventies, Welsh fashion designer and businesswoman Laura Ashley, like granny, has also left her mark. When she embraced fabrics, her romantic designs – often with a 19th-century rustic mood – became globally famous and both men swoon at the memory of the company’s original pleated lampshades. Their respective families have much to answer for. It was Nixon’s Aunt Beth from Tallahassee who married in a Laura Ashley wedding dress that was bought in Oxford.

When it comes to the kitchen, there is an obvious gear shift. There’s only one decorated wall of a whimsically English wallpaper and a mix of slate, marble and wood where, once again they tip their hat to the natural world. The central island of concrete is crowned by a tongue-and-

groove ceiling and chunky chiselled wooden beams add visual flavour. The finish on the new custom kitchen cabinets is distressed to underline the historic provenance of the building.

Upstairs, a bedroom was added early in the home’s history by squeezing an extra floor into the eaves. High-gloss finished bookshelves and cupboards create extra storage. But for me, it’s the bed that steals the show. Mismatched layers of linen surprisingly complement the peony-print wall at the head of the bed. Goldilocks would not have needed a surfeit of porridge to have found it irresistible.

Next to the master bedroom is a yellow and purple decorated den. The colours jump from plaid, floral and zany prints – the armchair a symphony of pretty much all the fabrics. There is something for everyone in a Madcap Cottage design.

Everywhere you turn, you run the risk of yet another smile. As our intrepid designers put it: ‘It’s time to dream big, kiss the frog and transform your home with the wonders of pattern!’ madcapcottage.com Madcap Cottage recently launched their third fabric collection for Robert Allen (robertallendesign.com), and a book, Prints Charming: Create Absolutely Beautiful Interiors with Prints and Patterns, Abrams, £25

PHOTOS: © JOHN BESSLER

ON DESIGN | CASE STUDY

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Create a beautiful space, one extraordinary piece of furniture at a time Browse our unique collection of vintage & design furniture and shop from more than 900 boutiques in one place

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CREATIVE COALITION

By working in collaboration with interior designer Lucy Hammond Giles, a client was able to stamp her personality on this London rental property

I

t is part of the human condition that we like to avoid scrutiny, and that scrutiny includes inviting someone into our home to help alter the look and feel of them. Way before you get into the weave of colour, style and synergy, there will be endless questions. A good designer will want to understand the real you and how you want to live. It also requires confidence from the designer – work superficially and the result will be pleasing enough, but it always pays to delve deeper. ‘You have to build up trust,’ says Lucy Hammond Giles from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler.

Trust is not achieved quickly and in this London project, like planting a seed, relationships took time to mature. The initial request was simply sourcing white curtains for the drawing room – linen drapes for a long-term rental property for a family of four. Lucy met the client and visited the property noting a lovely but standard London sitting room, a fireplace and sofa, a grand piano and an oval table.

‘The client had the idea that white equalled elegance.

I had an inkling she would be more at home with something rather different,’ says Lucy. ‘White just didn’t seem to suit her personality. She had Medici green walls

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CASE STUDY | ON DESIGN in the adjoining snug and I knew there was potential to push the boundaries’.

The drawing room was not just for formal use.

The client used the oval table as her desk. To ensure the space would be warm and welcoming in the day, as well as an elegant evening space, Lucy suggested mustard wool curtains as ‘the perfect understated fabric. Wool is soft and dry and drapes beautifully.

Curtains bring height to a room so using a yellow was a wonderful way to bring in warmth and colour’.

This one change set off a domino effect, inspiring a closer working relationship. The client often accompanied Lucy on trips to showrooms and art fairs as Lucy introduced her to the variety of London’s decorating world, and the rewards of commissioning bespoke craft.

‘The client fell in love with a rare pair of T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings sofas at a fair but, unsure she was brave enough to embrace this different look, chose not to buy,’ Lucy remembers. ‘I reminded her that the modern armless design was balanced by a softness in the natural materials – that they would be perfect for her and that she could trust her gut instinct.’ Happily, Lucy sourced a similar sofa and had another one made to work with it. The room started to reflect the client’s personality genuinely.

As the project gained momentum, the process was often reversed with Lucy receiving images of decorative pieces on her phone for approval.

‘She saw the wall panels at Rose Uniacke and sent me a photo. Without hesitation, I told her to buy.’

A 1950s mural of wooden end grains from Brazil, the mix of natural simplicity and infinite variety added a textural dimension to a plain wall.

The green room, used as a snug, needed an altogether different approach. ‘The patterned

ABOVE: The Medici green study features a bespoke sofa designed exclusively for Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler LEFT AND BELOW: Antiques from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, sheepskins from The New Craftsmen

rug was staying so in order to make all elements of the room work together, we had to meet colour head on. Blue and green are found together in nature and I felt a deep azure sofa would be the equal to the rug and the walls and bring them together.’ The coffee table was no timid choice either – a huge knobbled root from Indonesia bought from contemporary furniture store Gong. ‘I love its sculptural quality,’ says Lucy ‘and the pair of 1950s Hans Wegner rattan chairs provide texture and a change of scale and an openness as you look towards the window.’

‘A lot of good decorating is about patience and serendipity,’ she says. The drawing room rug was designed by the French company Cogolin, a Coco de Mer sculpture came from The Antiques & Textiles Fair, Battersea – so often a good hunting ground. ‘It was a beautiful rich brown kernel and we simply had it mounted on a stand.’

‘Every client is different and so are the results,’ says Lucy. ‘Having assisted design directors at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler for many years before having my own team, I found you don’t just take your client out of their comfort zone, but yourself too.’ Backing your instincts – and encouraging the client to do the same – is essential in interior design and the results speak for themselves. What could have been a cold, somewhat soulless rental space is now a chic home featuring warm nutty tones, mustardy highlights and beautiful textures – cosy and contemporary.

And the best measure of success?

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ON DESIGN | ONLINE

CLICKET Y-CLICK Websites to get your mouse twitching

Over 15 years ago, Michael Bruno launched luxury online marketplace 1stdibs, enabling users to share his passion for the treasures at the famous Marché aux Puces antiques market in Paris. It proved so successful that designer Tom Ford proclaimed, ‘If I go on my computer, there’s a button that can connect me to all the sites I look at most often and they’re all porn – and 1stdibs.com. Porn and antiques!’ Nowadays, buying top-notch furniture and artisan objects online can be as simple as doing a supermarket order. 1stdibs.com

Ivan Paradisi chaise longue, £17,095, Artemest

Illum Wikkelso No.3 armchairs available from Vinterior, £1,200

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A PASSION FOR PRE-LOVED

Vinterior grew from Sandrine Zhang Ferron’s own frustration at not being able to quench her desire for good quality mid-century furniture when relocating from Shoreditch to North London. She left her job in investment banking and launched in 2015. ‘I felt there was a real appetite for beautiful, pre-loved pieces – people are becoming ever more aware of the social and environmental benefits of buying like this.’ Vinterior is riding a wave and now offers over 30,000 vintage items with hundreds more added each day. Zhang believes what sets them apart is customer service, ‘There is a 14-day cooling off period and you can either email or call us – people appreciate talking to a human being’. vinterior.co

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THE ITALIAN JOB

Set up three years ago by jewellery designer Ippolita Rostagno and Marco Credendino, Artemest showcases Italian craft and design, linking a new luxury connoisseur to the old world of craft, taste and knowhow. There are over 10,000 handmade products on the site, from A-list craftsmen including Murano glassmakers, Florentine goldsmiths and designers such as Giuseppe Rivadossi, Antonino Sciortino and Giacomo Moor. Each product is presented with videos, photos and descriptions of the maker’s history and manufacturing processes, so you get a real feel for its origin. Some of the content is made to order and can be customised to clients’ needs and preferences. Artemest opens up opportunities for clients to access and buy mouthwatering Italian design easily and also gives makers a channel to reach new clientele. artemest.com

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Items from At the Chapel will be available through The Room Service

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WATCH THIS SPACE

Launching during London Craft Week (May 9-13; londoncraftweek.com), The Room Service will feature carefully sourced, design-led textiles, furniture, ceramics and tableware from boutique hotels and eateries – the pieces you so often admire, sit on or eat out of and wish you could take home.

Founder Sophie Coryton says, ‘In the last 10 years we have witnessed a movement in food towards provenance and The Room Service is setting out to do the same for interiors, championing craftsmen and artisans, particularly if they are local to the establishment, whose name is often lost in commercial spaces.’ Coryton’s roster includes Christopher Howe and HOWE London, British sculptor Hamish Mackie, ceramicist Paul Mossman and restaurants such as Fera at Claridges, The Typing Room and At the Chapel, Bruton. theroomservice.co

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MINIMALIST DESIGN DEMANDS MA XIMUM PRECISION

Timeless design for timeless architecture, built by SieMatic W W W. S IE M ATIC.COM /S HOWROOM S

Competent kitchen consulting and professional planning: SieMatic UK 5300 Lakeside | Cheadle Royal Business Park | Cheshire | SK8 3GP | +44 (0)161 2466010 www.siematic.co.uk | info@siematic.co.uk

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01/03/2018 12:05

ON DESIGN | DETAILS

CROWNING GLORY

Every good interior designer has a go-to for passementerie, the French term for tassels, braids and fringing, and the jewellery of the furnishing world

Samuel and Sons S/S’18 collection

Smith and Brighty specialises in colour matching

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SAMUEL & SONS

Along with its own designs, family-owned passementerie specialist Samuel and Sons commissions top creatives – such as New York-based textile designer Lori Weitzner – for special collections. Her ideas start with doodles and paper-folding in her studio and the finished results include hand-blown glass, pearls, precious stones and exotic woods. Her latest, Couture, was inspired by a trip to the Rhode Island School of Design which was showing a Todd Oldham retrospective. ‘Trimmings and tassels offer endless variation and don’t have to be intimidating – I love layering and often double up with brush fringes on cushions,’ says Lori. Samuel and Sons’ own new collection, Cirque, includes jumbo 1¾-inch pom poms and, a collage of laser-cut, applique circles intertwined like fallen petals. samuelandsons.com

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SMITH & BRIGHTY LTD

London-based Smith and Brighty Ltd is a traditional weaver with workshops in Portugal. Their custom-designed trims and tie-backs grace royal palaces and regimental uniforms as well as residences around the world. They specialise in colour matching and have a roster of interior designers to keep the order books happy. Currently, it’s natural or intensely vibrant shades being requested. As Jane Brighty puts it, ‘We have always believed that people are hard-wired to decorate and embellish both themselves and their living spaces.

Passementerie provides traditional comfort and ease, and that is how I see it being used now, more than ever. Perhaps because those feelings are much needed.’ smithandbrighty.com

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Kylie Minogue is a fan of Jessica Light’s designs

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JESSICA LIGHT

Well known in the interior and fashion world, having made designs for Vivienne Westwood, David Collins Studio, Firmdale hotels and Kylie Minogue (who in true Kylie style adorned herself with the tassels), Jessica Light, based in London’s East End, is one of the few remaining trimming weavers in the UK. You may have spotted her work without realising as she wove the fringe that adorned the Buckingham Palace balcony seen when William and Kate got married. Everything is handmade by her and, as she says, ‘I do everything from design to production to making the tea’. She is renowned for using bold colour and materials such as horsehair, paper and net. You’ll find her designs at The New Craftsmen (thenewcraftsmen.com) or check out the sofa she collaborated on with Bluebellgray for Sofa.com. jessicalightshop.com

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PROMOTION

SILVER LINING Italian designer Giovanni Raspini brings his silver panache to British high society

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andmade in the rich bucolic hills of Tuscany, close to Arezzo, Raspini’s silverware takes inspiration from nature in all its glory. Adorn your home and entertaining space with our favourite picks. After all, minimalism has had its day.

1 Raspini’s silver serviette holder with butterflies can double up as a letter rack (the only silver lining to bills). £320 2 With large Ottolenghi-style dishes now dominating the culinary social scene, smart silver serving spoons with leopards are imperative. £2,580 3 Only the most exquisite canapés and champagne saucers are acceptable for this finely detailed crocodile tray. £5,550 4 An enchanting silver butterfly bowl can turn the most boring fruit collection into an oil painting. £630

Tuscan designer, Giovanni Raspini

5 For a classic touch, add white or red dining candles to these daisy candlesticks. Or for something a little more eccentric, opt for turquoise or lilac. £960 6 Safety pins? Hair clips? Sweeties?

Give the little things in life a decadent, easily accessible vessel in this silver leopard cup. £1,950 7 Add a heavy dollop of opulence to your dinner party scene with a sea life champagne bucket. £6,480 8 Frame your most treasured memories with silver tulips and place them on a grand piano if you’re really feeling Italian. £960 5 South Molton Street, Mayfair, London W1K 5QE; 020 7629 1401; giovanniraspini.com

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ON DESIGN | Q&A

HE’ S THE JUAN Juan Santa Cruz ditched investment banking to pursue a passion for dining and design. Now Casa Cruz and Isabel are the hottest tables in town

FROM TOP RIGHT: Door handle against a mirrored panel designed by Juan Santa Cruz; richly coloured upholstery and a combination of metal and wood creates a sophisticated and luxurious environment at Casa Cruz, London; Juan Santa Cruz; detail of a dining table

What is the secret to your restaurants’ success? It’s difficult to say, but I want to give to others what I like for myself. Quality is key, as is good energy and ambiance. But more than anything, I want our customers to have a good time.

Where do you spend a working day? Always in the restaurants. I have an office but I don’t usually spend much time there.

Favourite childhood memory?

When I was growing up, the kitchen was the most exciting part of the house – there was always something going on and I watched and learned. I love good food and everything that happens around it.

Who influenced you? My grandmother, Isabel. I was lucky that I got to spend a lot of time with her.

She was a perfectionist in every way.

She was very modern and raised nine kids as a widow, my grandfather died when she was pregnant with the last.

I have lots of cousins!

Your menus are deliciously eclectic… I was born in Chile, lived in Uruguay, schooled in Switzerland and went to university in Boston. I then lived in New York, followed by Buenos Aires for more than ten years until I came to London. I love Spanish and Italian cooking. The menus are a tour of all my favourite places and dishes which I adore to share.

What’s your ethos? I like to play with subtlety. With food, as with interiors, I have the same approach. I like to add layers to enhance and enchant.

The powder rooms are fabulous.

Loos should be sexy and surprising – you want to come out feeling great.

A gorgeous loo is an opportunity to thrill your guests, it’s unexpected.

I used de Gournay wallpapers at Isabel. Most restaurants and clubs do the loos as an afterthought.

What worries you? I like the details to be perfect. It took months to finalise a door handle as I wanted the curve of the handle to reflect perfectly in the mirrored nickel door panel.

Why feng shui? I share new plans with a feng shui master after drawing an initial design. It’s important to have well-balanced energy in a room as well as certain colours.

Wood features beautifully at Isabel... I always dreamed of doing a restaurant with Macassar wood, it has such a beautiful and special grain. The tables are made from Tanganyika wood which reflects light beautifully on people’s faces – I learnt that trick from a fashion photographer.

Do you dine in your restaurants?

I sit at the bar and study how guests act in the surroundings so I can perfect the experience.

Who do you admire? Hungarian architect Marcel Breuer. His lobby for the old Whitney Museum of American Art on Madison Avenue features hundreds of suspended white discs.

His work inspired the gold discs at Isabel, of which there are 400, all handmade in the UK. What’s next? A restaurant in New York. As usual, I’m designing it all – the interior architecture and decoration, and everything from door handles to teapots. santacruzco.com

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The Great British Escape Stoke Park is a luxury 5 AA Red Star Hotel, Spa and Country Club set within 300 acres of beautiful parkland and offers world-class sporting and leisure facilities.

Facilities include: • • • • • • • • • •

49 Bedrooms and Suites Award winning Spa 27 hole Championship Golf Course 3 Restaurants and Bars, including Humphry’s (3 AA Rosette, fine dining) 13 Tennis Courts (indoor, grass and artificial clay) Indoor Pool State of the art Gym with Fitness, Hot Yoga and Spinning Studios hosting up to 50 classes per week Crèche Games Room Playground

Situated 35 minutes from London and only 7 miles from Heathrow Airport makes Stoke Park an ideal location and perfect setting for stopovers and luxury breaks.

For more information or to book, please contact our Reservations Team on 01753 717172 or email reservations@stokepark.com For Membership enquiries please contact our Membership Team on 01753 717179 or email membership@stokepark.com www.stokepark.com

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Meet Milaidhoo, a new chapter in luxury Welcome to Milaidhoo Island Maldives. Our boutique island retreat in the heart of a UNESCO world biosphere reserve where luxury and nature live side by side.

Here you’ll step into your own small island story, discovering the true Maldives, natural beauty, harmonious luxury, adventure and complete relaxation.

Book your Milaidhoo story at www.milaidhoo.com

@Milaidhoo

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C&TH

FOOD & TRAVEL E AT · D R I N K · E S C A P E

K A Z A K H S TA N

ONE STEPPE BEYOND

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Gilly Pickup travels to Kazakhstan, the land of snow leopards, garlic and the world’s coolest and quirkiest city, Astana

The largest dry steppe region on earth is found in northern Kazakhstan

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t’s the land where garlic and apples originated and is abundant in wildlife – red bears, snow leopards and antelopes all call this home. This is the world’s largest landlocked country, a wealthy oil state and tourist-friendly. Its shiny, ultra-modern capital city brims with futuristic buildings. Welcome to Kazakhstan.

First things first though, and for those who are not quite sure just where Kazakhstan is, it shares a border with Russia, China and some of the other ‘stans’ – Krygyzstan, Uzbekistan and a bit of Turkmenistan.

I had arrived in the country’s former capital, Almaty – which means ‘full of apples’. Framed by the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the Zailysky-Alatau mountains and close to the Chinese border, this is Kazakhstan’s biggest city and the country’s cultural and financial centre, with swathes of lush parks and broad boulevards.

The city’s historic heart, with its merchant houses and glut of old churches, is home to the Green Bazaar indoor market, a bustling hive of activity from morning until night. A dizzying array of foodstuffs is piled high on stalls – aromatic spices, nuts and dried fruits jostle for space beside yellow, orange and white cheeses, medicinal herbs and glossy, slightly honey-flavoured wild apples. Vendors are friendly and offer generous samples to taste, but when I try to take photos I am met with stern looks. I am told that photography inside is forbidden, a hangover from the days of Soviet rule.

But it’s a different story when I venture inside the ornate, jewel

box-like interior of the city’s Russian Orthodox Zenkov Cathedral, where I can take pictures to my heart’s delight. This golden-spired, wooden building is a colourful showstopper in the leafy surroundings of Panfilov Park. The park itself is home to a Soviet-style war memorial and eternal flame in memory of the regiment of Kazakh soldiers who fought to defend Moscow in World War II. Rather bizarrely it is a popular, trendy venue for wedding party photo shoots.

Once I’ve got my bearings, I venture out of town one day to Medeo winter sports complex, whose name comes from Almaty’s early settlers, an ancient nomadic tribe. Famed for its ice skating rink, the world’s highest, it brushes the clouds at over 5,500ft above sea level. From here, gondolas trundle gently up the fir tree-clad slopes to Shymbulak ski resort; don’t look down during the ride if you’re not keen on heights.

It’s popular with visitors, even those not participating in any sports and buzzes with souvenir shops and restaurants. I choose a restaurant called Chalet for lunch. With friendly staff and mountain vistas, it proves the ideal place to mellow out al fresco in the thin sunlight while enjoying a lunch of thick, creamy lentil soup and a huge Caesar salad. Woolly blankets are provided to wrap yourself in if you’re feeling chilly.

A one-and-a-half-hour flight away from Almaty lies Astana, Kakazkhstan’s other significant city. Since 1997 it has been the country’s purpose-built capital, along the lines of Canberra. It wasn’t hard to find a name for it – in the local language, ‘Astana’ means

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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Almaty boasts the world’s highest ice skating rink; Sharyn Canyon; the Steppe eagle, which appears on the country’s flag; Astana’s Bayterek tower; Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty

FOOD & TRAVEL

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Just as I begin to think I’ll never see civilisation again, Astana rises from the barren steppe, making a brazen appearance with its wide, traffic-filled highways and oddly shaped buildings

‘capital’. Peering from the Air Astana plane window, all I can see after Almaty disappears from view is flat nothingness, stretching into who-knows-where. Then, just as I begin to think I’ll never see civilisation again, Astana rises from the barren steppe, making a brazen appearance with its wide, traffic-filled highways and oddly shaped buildings, some poking the sky.

British architect, Norman Foster, is responsible for some of the amazing structures here including the Khan Shatyr shopping mall and entertainment centre, a huge, transparent, tent-shaped structure containing a merry hub of shops, theatres, a monorail and restaurants. On the top floor it even has a beach resort, with swathes of sand imported from Dubai.

Another of Foster’s works is the pyramid-shaped Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, a conference centre and home to an underground opera house.

One hundred and thirty doves painted on the stained glass apex represent the number of nationalities living in Kazakhstan and because Astana’s temperature ranges from 35°C-plus in summer to-40°C in winter, two sides of the pyramid are on roller bearings to allow for contraction and expansion. Some of the crazier

BOOK IT Air Astana offers direct flights from Heathrow from £495 return.

Air Astana Holidays can add stop-over transfers and hotel accommodation to make up a complete package.

Three nights in Almaty and three in Astana with flights from London, transfers and hotels on a B&B basis costs from £816pp. airastana.com

buildings have nicknames, a towering yellow office block is ‘the banana’, while a circular blue building is ‘the dog bowl’. The Bayterek Tower, designed by the country’s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, resembles a 300ft high football trophy. Only in Astana.

But if you tire of city life, Kazakhstan’s wide open spaces, mountains, deserts, lakes and the largest dry steppe region on earth are just crying out to be explored. The Tamgaly region is where the distant past pops up with thousands of Iron Age rock carvings, while the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the country’s south is where first ever spaceman Yuri Gagarin was launched into space in 1961. Akzhayik Nature Reserve, a wetland habitat for migratory birds, is home to pink flamingos, pelicans, spoonbills and ibis while the river delta hosts the endangered Russian beluga sturgeon, sought-after for its caviar eggs. Kazakhstan’s abundant wildlife also includes the Steppe Eagle, a symbol of the country which appears on the national flag.

This unique, friendly country is so vast that several visits are necessary to make even a dent. During my short stay, I only managed to skim the surface which, of course, provides me with another reason to return.

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FOOD & TRAVEL

BESPOKE VENICE

Locanda Cipriani Isola Santa Cristina

Private properties, events and experiences are all part of the portfolio of Bellini Travel, Emily FitzRoy’s superb bespoke travel company, all about Italy. There’s nothing more romantic than arriving in a cloud of steam in Venice on board the Orient Express and transferring to a water taxi for a spell at romantic Locanda Cipriani (locandacipriani.com) on the lagoon island of Torcello, cradle of the Venetian civilisation. Emily can arrange it all, plus in-the-know restaurants, shopping and behind-thescenes tours. If you want to linger in the enigmatic lagoon, consider taking the wonderful house on privately owned Isola Santa Cristina, from where duck flighting, fishing and bird watching trips can be arranged, with the prettiest of picnics created by Skye McAlpine. bellinitravel.com

T R AV E L N E W S

THE HOTEL WIZARD Fiona Duncan soaks up La Serenissima

Palazzo Loredan dell’Ambasciatore, Venice

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It’s one of the Grand Canal’s most beautiful and historic palaces, between Gallerie dell’Accademia and Ca’ Rezzonico.

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Its apartments make a brilliant alternative to staying in a hotel.

Maid service is included if you want.

Live like a contessa in the grandest apartment, Piano Nobile degli Scudi, with five magnificent en suite bedrooms.

Drink in the views from the balcony, and drink prosecco in one of three Fortuny-clad sitting rooms.

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Or get cosy in charming Ca’ Cerchieri, which sleeps six, with its polished wooden floors, white walls, antiques, pretty pictures and fabulous roof terrace.

ON THE TRAVEL RADAR Talking of Italy… Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria has come up with tempting complimentary experiences for guests booking one of their luxurious suites. They include learning how to make your own Italian sandals at a bespoke shoemaker; a private visit to the Vatican Gardens; a personal photoshoot around the Eternal City; a private culinary tour and a luxury picnic in the park. romecavalieri.com At London Bridge, St Olave’s, a Victorian boys’ grammar school has been transformed into a Bombay palace, swathed in gorgeous fabrics. Dinner in Baluchi, once the school’s great hall, is a rich, colourful, spice-laden affair that makes a night to remember, both for the cathedral-like setting and the delicious, subtly flavoured Indian food. thelalit.com

TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE

Rome Cavalieri is offering some wonderful complimentary experiences

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Live like a Venetian: sunbathe in the palazzo’s secret garden.

Board your water taxi from the private porta d’acqua.

Shop in Rialto market for the freshest of fish and vegetables…

… Then cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto with your shopping trolley, pop into Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari to see the Titians, eat a gelato in a shady campo…

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… And back at home cook simply the Venetian way.

No food will taste better.

Ca’ Cerchieri Piano Nobile, £1,950 per night; Ca’ Cerchieri Terrace, £571 per week. viewsonvenice.com

DON’T YOU JUST HATE… HOTEL BUTLERS Not the real thing, of course. Not Jeeves. If he were to come into view I would be thrilled, but so many perfectly ordinary hotels these days are calling perfectly ordinary members of staff ‘butlers’, who ask to unpack your suitcase all the same. Like Jeeves, a true butler is a very special person and the role should not be diluted for the sake of appearances.

PHOTOS: © ROME CAVALIERI

The Lalit was once a boys’ grammar school

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PROMOTION

ALPINE ESCAPE

Superb skiing, gastronomic delights and state-of-the-art accommodation at boutique chalet hotel Severin’s

PHOTOS: KLOCKE VERLAG

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ocated in the Stubenbach area of Lech am Arlberg, Severin’s offers unsurpassed luxury in one of Europe’s chicest resorts.

Traditional design elements meet contemporary touches like a vintage Tyrolean timber and copper roof effortlessly blended with Minotti furniture, and high-tech suites equipped with Loewe sound systems and iPad wall activations. This boutique chalet is an alpine treasure trove for art lovers, hosting over 80 curated cutting-edge pieces from Julian Opie to Roy Lichtenstein that are refreshed on an annual basis and are available to buy off the wall.

Skiers and non-skiers alike can soak up the sunshine from their own private terrace with stunning mountain views from the hotel’s nine super-suites. Three are easily adapted for families and feature cosy bunk-beds. Those looking for privacy and flexibility can opt for Severin’s four-bedroom private residence, with a home cinema, ultra-modern kitchen, grand piano and hot tub.

Guests can hit the slopes with the added bonus of warm toes, thanks to Severin’s heated ski lockers.

Recent lift developments connect Lech with St Anton, making the Arlberg region Austria’s largest inter-connected ski area. Lech is also linked to Warth-Schröcken, a littleknown neighbouring resort that enjoys the highest average annual snowfall of any in Europe.

Fresh mountain air calls for excellent dining and Severin’s doesn’t disappoint. Michelinstarred Stephan Kriegelstein creates contemporary, yet unpretentious Austrian dishes with a nod to the culinary traditions of the Arlberg region.

There’s a state-of-the-art Technogym, an underground swimming pool equipped with a waterfall, as well as a sauna, steam room and infra-red cabin.

Spa and beauty treatments are available on request and the hotel also boasts its own hair salon.

BOOK IT: From €690 per night in a Junior Suite and €4,990 in the Residence, inclusive of welcome champagne, breakfast and dinner daily. +43 (0) 5583339070; severins-lech.at/en

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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

FOOD & TRAVEL

ESCAPE

TRAILING THE TEARDROP ISLAND Follow Fiona Duncan’s graceful ten-point trail across the tea gardens and surfing beaches of Sri Lanka

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haped like a teardrop, Sri Lanka is stunningly beautiful, mainly Buddhist and ‘India lite’: it’s so much easier to travel here than in India.

It’s safe, friendly and remarkably hassle-free, full of nature, culture, smiling faces and charming people, a beautiful, serene, slow-paced island nation all of its own.

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Elephants going for their daily bath

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BUT BE SURE TO TAKE AT LEAST ONE TRAIN JOURNEY

The famous stretch between Kandy and Ella is impossibly beautiful; just be sure to sit on the right side going south and to reserve seats well in advance. Other great routes are from Colombo to Kandy and Colombo to Galle (see seat61.com for details). Sea planes are also an increasingly popular way of getting about; watch the daily flight Start your tour landing on gently at Wallawwa Castlereagh Lake from Camellia Hills and you will long to BEGIN AT THE be on board WALLAWWA (cinnamonair.

Just 30 minutes from A train ride is a must com).

Colombo’s international airport, this romantic, 18th-century country retreat has wide verandas overlooking the croquet lawn, and MAKE TRACKS TO kind staff who emanate unbidden HILL COUNTRY from the shady old mansion.

Set among the emerald slopes By day the extensive, leafy gardens of Sri Lanka’s Golden Valley of Tea, and pool have a slightly gloomy Bogawantalawa, in the southwest of the region, feel, but by fire and candlelight is this refreshingly contemporary interpretation at night, it’s magical. With its of a traditional tea planter’s bungalow that has calm, colonial air and a spa, this just five bedrooms and an infinity pool set is just the place to uncoil after in lush gardens. It works beautifully, designed the journey. teardrop-hotels.com to make the most of stunning views over mirrorcalm Castlereagh Lake. The spacious interior, with wooden floors, lovely linen fabrics, shelves HIRE A of good books and open fires manages to feel DRIVER/ both homely and coolly stylish at the same time.

GUIDE... camellia-hills.com ... and make sure your car is air-conditioned.

You’ll probably make great friends (we called in on our driver’s daughter and family en route) and learn much about life in Sri Lanka.

It’s surprisingly inexpensive and it takes away all the hassle of getting around Head to Hill Country the island.

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You may prefer an air-conditioned car for getting around

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FOOD & TRAVEL

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FOR A CONTRAST, HEAD TO THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF HILL COUNTRY

Thotalagala, opened 1n 2016, is another planter’s bungalow but this one is authentic, its layout unchanged since it was built, with original features such as fireplaces, panelling, furniture and pictures from the period, full of character. And since it’s part of Sir Thomas Lipton’s beautiful Dambatenne tea estate, guests can have a private tour of the Scottish magnate’s hardly changed 1890 factory and take tea, served by a butler, at a linen-clothed table on the lawn of his manicured garden. If mustachioed Sir Thomas, who brought tea to Britain’s working classes through his Liptons’ stores, had emanated from the French doors of his splendid, frozen-in-time bungalow, I would not have been remotely surprised. thotalagala.com

6 Galle is full of historic buildings

SPEND A DAY IN GALLE

Surrounded by grassy ramparts, spacious, laidback, arty Galle Fort is full of historic buildings dating from the Dutch occupation of the 17th century and full of jewellery shops, art galleries and cafés. Its multi-ethnic, multi-religious population and tranquil air make it a place to linger. Take tea under a whirring fan in the Galle Fort hotel, a colonial haven set in an old gem merchant’s mansion (galleforthotel. com). The slick Amangalla (aman.com), set in another fine colonial building, is almost next door, but for a step back in time, complete with aged waiters in white coats and black bow ties and original stone ferneries and aviaries, head for Closenberg Hotel overlooking Galle Harbour (closenberghotel.com).

Rent Cove House for a paradise hideaway

Thotalagala Plantation House is as authentic as it comes

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STAY ON A PARADISE BEACH

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Hidden away near Dikwella on the south coast, Hiriketiya Cove is ringed by palms and coconut trees, dotted with beach cafés, with waves for both beginners and experts.

Cove House and Little Cove, sleeping six and four respectively, overlook the bay. They come air-conditioned, each with a pool and fully staffed, with an excellent chef. Evenings are magical: lamplight, sunset, cheeky monkeys, huge bats flitting among the trees and fireflies. covehouses-srilanka.com

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HAVE AN AUTHENTIC SRI LANKAN EXPERIENCE

Pepper organises everything from cooking curry in a wattle and daub home, with lotus leaves for plates, to climbing sacred Adam’s Peak in time for sunrise. On Christmas Day we hiked with a guide, appropriately named Santa, to a waterfall in the Kanneliya Rainforest and had lunch at a table planted in the river. We saw chameleons, snakes and monkeys and one of us (me) attracted no less than three leeches. ‘Very good for your health,’ beamed Santa when I showed him my blood-soaked trousers. pepper.life

Learn to cook a curry

Climb Adam’s Peak for sunrise

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EAT EGG HOPPERS FOR BREAKFAST...

You can’t leave before trying an egg hopper

... or try them at a street stall. The bowl-shaped rice flour and coconut milk crêpes make edible containers for simply cooked eggs, served with curry accompaniments.

After that, practise saying hello the Sri Lankan way – a big smile and a characteristic waggle of the head.

10 PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

IN COLOMBO, DINE AT THE GALLERY CAFÉ

Developed by style arbiter Shanth Fernando, creator of Paradise Road shops, restaurants and hotels, from the offices of revered architect Geoffrey Bawa, this is the coolest hangout in town. Just the place to while away the evening before the night flight home. paradiseroad.lk

One last cocktail at The Gallery Café before heading home

BOOK IT Ampersand Travel offers bespoke tours to Sri Lanka.

A seven night tour including accommodation at Teardrop Hotels The Wallawwa and Camellia Hills, and Thotalagala, Haputale, starts from £3,200 per person, including direct flights, private transfers, private guiding and walking tour with Pepper.

Cove House is available from £8,290 (low season) for seven nights based on full occupancy (six people) including flights and transfers. Little Cove is available from £5,050 (low season) for seven nights based on full occupancy (four people) including flights and transfers. ampersand travel.com SriLankan Airlines flies daily to Colombo from London with fares starting from £500. srilankan.com

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BUY ON THE ISLAND OF DREAMS

I

magine a palm-fringed beachfront retreat. An 8,500 sq/ft tropical villa built in 2005. One boasting a massage temple – with sides open to the jungle foliage – and a colonnaded walkway. An outside sitting room with a chandelier and a 49ft dining room overlooking monkeys swinging in the Khomba tree and the courtyard swimming pool. Add to this six colonial bedrooms with soaring ceilings and inside/outside bathrooms open to the fireflies that sparkle in the inky sky.

There’s also a drawing room with a teak floor rescued from a hill station ballroom, plus a garden bursting with hibiscus and King coconuts that leads onto Mahawella Beach – one of the island’s best, plus it’s almost deserted. All this for less than the price of an Edwardian terraced house in Kensal Rise.

Welcome to Thalassa – the hideaway of author Charlotte Breese and her journalist husband, Irfan Husain – on the market for £1.85m. It’s in the Tangalle district – a relatively undiscovered region in the deep south of Sri Lanka with pristine beaches, ancient Buddhist rock temples and turtle hatcheries; close to the nature reserves of Yala and Udawalawe with their leopards and elephants, and Mirissa for early morning whale watching. And nearby surfing at Hiriketiya.

Prices in fashionable Galle – 50 miles from Mahawella Beach, and with a UNESCO world heritage site Dutch fort – have reached Notting Hill heights. Thus, canny investors are

turning their attention to the Tangalle region in the Hambantota district. There are many good reasons for this. The final stretch of the expressway from Colombo will be completed in 2019. This is expected to push prices up quickly – as happened in Galle when an earlier section of this road was finished.

The expressway will also cut the drive time from Colombo airport by 40 minutes to two and a half hours.

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (42 miles from Mahawella beach) opened in 2013 but there was little demand from international airlines. Now the Chinese and Indians are vying to monetise it with budget airlines, and hence further open up that part of the country. Add to this that in 2014, Cinnamon Air started sea plane flights from Colombo to Dickwella, and that a new train line to Kataragama is due for completion. So it’s not surprising that the area is being dubbed the island’s next property hotspot.

The Tangalle beachfront land is currently approximately £400,000 per acre, inland it’s just £80,000. ‘Until now, there has been a year-on-year growth of ten to 15 per cent around Tangalle,’ comments agent, Shane Thantirimudalige.

‘I expect property prices on the beach to double in and around the Tangalle area when the highway is completed,’ adds Ivan Robinson, director of Lanka Real Estate. ‘Around Galle, prices have increased dramatically, a third in the last year on the

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PHOTOS: HENRYDALLALPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

If your travel tastebuds have been tantalised, why not go the whole hog and buy a house on Sri Lanka? Caroline Phillips reports on the island’s latest property hot spot

FOOD & TRAVEL

PHOTOS: HENRYDALLALPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A typical morning view of the local fishermen and their boats returning to the beach in front of Thalassa; a wild elephant family in Udawalawe National Park; the courtyard pool, Thalassa’s centrepiece; Fishermen in a freshwater lagoon close to Thalassa

homes, renovating beachside villas and opening (mostly) boutique hotels. In Tangalle, they’ve been mainly sticking to its golden coast. The British High Commission guides potential investors through the pitfalls of buying, renting or building.

People who’ve already invested in Tangalle are smiling as broadly as Buddhist monks. Tim Jacobson, an former banker, commissioned the last house designed by tropical modernist architect, Geoffrey Bawa; then Jacobson opened The Last House, now an elegant and thriving boutique hotel on Mahawella beach.

The award-winning Kadju House – overlooking Seenimodera Beach – also lures paradise seekers. ‘It’s simple, minimalistic and allows guests to be constantly aware of the surrounding nature,’ says owner, Vikrom Mathur. It’s available to rent. Most owners cover their annual costs with rentals for just a few weeks a year; and most say one thing about Tangalle: invest now.

Luxury hotel groups have read the signs. The Amanwella built overlooking a beautiful horseshoe bay. In 2016, the Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort opened Tangalle’s first upscale beachfront property. Peace. Haven. Tangalle. Says it all, really. But for anyone who wants more than just a holiday, there’s always Thalassa with its hammocks slung between palm trees, croquet lawn and clear title.

beach.’ Property is currently still around five times cheaper than anything comparable in Phuket or Bali.

The wider picture is frangipani-sweet too. There’s a democratic and relatively stable government. The president is encouraging foreign investment and continuing to simplify the island’s confusing property restrictions.

He has plans to allow freehold condominium ownership for foreigners, welcoming serviced villas in 2018. Rules have been simplified so that a foreigner can buy a freehold by creating a corporate structure with a lawyer (for around £2,300). Stamp duty on leasehold purchases has been reduced to one per cent and four per cent on freeholds.

Smart folk have been investing in Sri Lanka ever since the 30-year civil war ended in 2009, although there are relatively few primary residences. They’ve been building

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FOOD & TRAVEL Piazza San Carlo

THE ESSENTIALS

STAY The Via Stampatori is one of the prettiest and coolest small hotels in northern Italy, in a frescoed courtyard in the 17th-century Scaglia di Verrua palace. viastampatori.com

THE WEEKENDER

TURIN

EAT

British author and foreign correspondent, Christian Jennings, goes off the beaten track in Italy

Brasserie Bordeaux, in the heart of the city’s up-and-coming San Salvario district, is unarguably the area’s finest restaurant, perfecting a fusion of modern Italian and French. +39 (0)11 553 9793

Bardonecchia, on the border of France, is easily accesible from Turin by train

from £85 return in Euro Traveller, £235 in Club. ba.com

A beach in Finale Ligure, just a two-hour drive from Turin

colonnaded streets designed in the 1600s so the Royal Family of Savoy could cross the city without getting rained on. Start in Piazza Castello, outside the Palazzo Reale, take in the fabulous equestrian statues of cavalrymen by Pietro Canonica, and the 17th-century Royal Church of San Lorenzo, one of Turin’s finest. Then move down the broad central artery of Via Roma, with its Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Gucci, until you swing left into Piazza Carignano, which houses the Museo del Risorgimento (or ‘resurgence,’ the period in the 1860s when the country finally unified its different city states). For a beautiful view of the surrounding Alps, just look up.

SEE The Egyptian Museum or the Museo Egizio. Housing some 30,000 artefacts, it’s one of the finest collections outside Cairo, pulling in three-quarters of a million visitors a year. museoegizio.it

BUY In the elegant Piazza San Carlo is the best sweet shop in Italy: the family-run Stratta has been making chocolates, cakes, jams and sweets since 1836. stratta1836.it

PHOTOS: CHRISTIAN JENNINGS; FLASHPOINT TRIESTE: THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE COLD WAR BY CHRISTIAN JENNINGS IS PUBLISHED IN THE UK BY OSPREY

T

he former capital of the Duchy of Savoy is one of Italy’s most glorious and best-kept secrets, hidden away between the Mediterranean and the Alps. Turin has always been historically independent, and was the first centre of a united Italy back in 1861. Nowadays the city of elegant colonnaded streets and stunning neo-classical architecture is a powerhouse of the Italian economy, home to the Fiat Chrysler car giant, and simultaneously an avant-garde jewel of modern art, culture, music, and, of course, food. You want to be BOOK IT in the large grid of beautiful streets that make up the city centre, so you British Airways can walk everywhere. Bright sunshine fly direct to Turinand blue skies last from May to Caselle Airport seven days October, and you can stroll under the a week. Prices cover of the portici, the five miles of

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RONA LD PHILLIPS FINE ANTIQUE ENGLISH FURNITURE

A MAGNIFICENT GEORGE III CARVED GILTWOOD CHIMNEYPIECE ATTRIBUTED TO MATTHIAS LOCK 26 BRUTON STREE T, LONDON W1J 6QL + 4 4 (0)20 7493 2 3 41 A DV ICE@RON A LDPHILLIP S.CO.UK RON A LDPHILLIP SA NTIQUE S.COM

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S TAY C AT I O N

BEST OF BRITISH From family gatherings to penthouse apartments, Blighty’s got it going on.

Edited by Daisy Finer and Lucy Cleland

SWINTON PARK, Masham, North Yorkshire What a dramatic entrance. As you head along the driveway you suddenly spot a baronial, grey stone pile with turrets and battlements, standing imposingly amid 250 acres of parkland full of deer (don’t despair, it has another 20,000 acres to roam about in too). Once inside, high ceilings, huge windows, dark panelled wood walls and ancestral portraits lining the wide corridors, mean it feels like stepping into an old-fashioned aristocratic world, but not in a bad way. Crackling fires fill vast grates, squashy sofas invite hours of curled up reading, the 32 bedrooms are large, comfortable and handsome. Children and dogs are welcomed, nay positively encouraged – and there’s much to do. The hotel happily provides a trail and quiz through the grounds, there’s a games room, playground, riding and birds of prey to gawp at. But, most exciting of all, is the new multi-million pound spa and country club, which opened last summer, offering a sleek and modern contrast to the main building with its indoor and outdoor pools, steam and sauna, excellent Elemis and Bamford treatments and classes that include yoga, spinning and pilates. After all that exercise, head to The Terrace, the laid back, open-all day country club eatery, offering cappuccinos and brunch in the morning all the way through to cocktails and a relaxed supper in the evening. For more formal fare, there’s Samuel’s inside the main building, a hushed dining room that serves up local produce-inspired dishes and based heavily on the hotel’s own four-acre walled garden: think torched mackerel pepped up with walled garden tomatoes, Ponzu dressing and

tarragon mayonnaise or tender-asyou-like Swinton Estate venison with garden beets, shallot and chutney sauce. And all this just over a twohour direct train ride from London, it’s a no-brainer.

BOOK IT: Overnight spa breaks start from £405 for two people sharing a double room (swintonestate. com). Grand Central has 14 direct services a week from London Kings Cross to Thirsk, from £14.90 (grandcentralrail.com).

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FOOD & TRAVEL THE FREETH, Bromyard, Herefordshire There’s a palpable dropping of shoulders when you step out onto the crunchy gravel outside this handsome, wisteria and rose-clad red brick building at the end of a mile-long, no-through road on the wondrous Netherwood Estate, and retrieve the key from its hiding place.

Your pre-ordered lasagne, courtesy of local award-winning chef James Fletcher (who will also come and cook superb food for you on site), is waiting in the American-style fridge along with a bounty of welcome essentials (i.e. wine). Your shopping delivery’s been unpacked and all that remains is for you to pop the champagne cork and chill by the fireplace. The Freeth is the perfect rental house for a large family celebration (it can sleep 18), but it doesn’t feel overwhelming if there are fewer of you. The accommodation is cleverly divided into two sections, kept distinct by their own staircases (rowdy children can be kept away from lightsleeping grandparents, for example) and everyone can happily find their own space, especially as there’s a separate indoor pool house, games room and gorgeous

gardens. The Grade II-listed, 15th-century hunting lodge has been a labour of love for owners Peta and Ivo Darnley, who inherited the 1,200-acre estate from Ivo’s father, the 11th Earl of Darnley. Peta packed in her London advertising job and took it on full-time (her husband still works in the City), coming up with countless ideas to make it commercially viable (one of her latest is growing and selling mistletoe). In the same vibe as Soho House, lots of the items in the house are for sale (you’ll find a price list in the bedrooms). She’s doing a superb job and you couldn’t find a more special pocket of England in which to come together; the surrounding countryside is wild and wonderful – fertile farmland, woodland paths, streams and abundant wildlife. Even if you don’t want a permanent break from the metropolitan rat race (like Peta), you’ll get a taste of what it might be like. Something to keep in the back of your mind as your city stresses start to ebb away.

BOOK IT: A three-night weekend for 18 starts from £2,800 in low season. thefreeth.co.uk

TOWER PENTHOUSE, CHEVAL THREE QUAYS, Tower Bridge, London There’s something exquisite about being a tourist in your own city, especially when your normal mundane view is usurped by the splendour of London’s most beautiful cityscape. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the ninth-floor penthouse at private apartment block Cheval Three Quays, that sweep both east and west down the Thames, you can peer right over the Tower of London (you can’t help but think of all those beheadings) and Tower Bridge from the living room with its mammoth L-shaped sofa for lolling on with a pair of binoculars (provided). Move to the main bedroom and it’s the soaring Shard that’s your last view at night (keep the curtains open for a spectacular awakening in the morning).

If you can tear yourself away from the views and the nearly 2,000 sq/ft living space, staying here is just a brilliant way of being at the centre of London’s greatest sights: Borough Market; Tate Modern (don’t miss Picasso 1932 – Love, Fame, Tragedy); Shakespeare’s Globe; then a slap up lunch at Coq d’Argent (bag a table on the on the roof garden if the weather’s good and children are offered more than your average burger and chips fare). Perfect.

BOOK IT: From £800 per night for the two-bedroom Tower Penthouse. chevalresidences.com April 2018 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 133

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FOOD & TRAVEL

DUNALASTAIR HOTEL SUITES, Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire Just two hours north of Edinburgh, this grey stone former Victorian village inn is the place to come to for big lungfuls of fresh air and the great outdoors – the lack of phone signal is a blessed relief (though the wifi is excellent). Last year millions were spent modernising the hotel and now the 32 rooms are soothingly fresh but the building still retains its intrinsic Scottish charm. Its location can’t be bettered, sitting as it does on the edge of Loch Rannoch in the lovely village of Kinloch Rannoch.

Fishing, walking, riding, cycling and stalking are all on the doorstep. After all that exertion, head to Edina’s Kitchen, the hotel’s restaurant, open all day and presided over by head chef Dan Merriman, who serves up perfectly decent locally sourced fare like butter poached North Atlantic cod or roast Barbary duck breast. Ideally you need a car to discover nearby delights such as the Black Wood of Rannoch, or you could employ the services of local guide Jurgen Rehling of Highland Travel to give you the insider’s tour. Don’t miss a trip to the House of Bruar (dubbed the ‘Harrods of the north’) for some retail therapy if all that hiking’s got too much.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £104 B&B. dunalastairhotel.com

THE PAINSWICK, Painswick, Gloucestershire What a treat – a Cotswold hotel with wow factor.

The honeyed stone building, a Palladian masterpiece, is just dreamy. It boasts a balcony with an Italianate loggia and ancient gnarled wisteria overhead, chairs with rugs and outdoor heaters for soaking up the view of sheep covered hills. The rooms are large and light, perfect for flopping in. The décor is soothing with a sensuous twist. The prettiest panelling in the upstairs bar, the slate blue dining room with curved bay windows and peaceful, pale bedrooms that are neither chintzy nor minimalist. The attention to design detail is spot on. Hallelujah! – there are excellent reading lights by the bed – a rarity in today’s on-trend hotels. It’s all over-stuffed log baskets, velvet trimmed throws and rows of Wellies in the hall, this is country living at its sexiest and most comfortable. With only 16 rooms there is an intimate feel. There’s a tiny spa offering Elemis facials and nails by Leighton Denny, but the real draw is the food; hearty bistro-style grub that isn’t poncey.

There are charcuterie plates, bowls of steaming moules, lobster and black pudding pie and cod with Toulouse sausage. Original food with confident flavours. Service at breakfast can be hit and miss and the parking is peskily tight, yet the Painswick has a more restful vibe than some alienating modern hotels that try too hard.

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THE RECTORY HOTEL, Crudwell, Wiltshire Small, intimate, quietly stylish, another ravishing renovation hits the Cotswolds. This is an ideal stop-out for those who want a country escape, but perhaps not one in the middle of nowhere.

The Rectory is located between Malmesbury and Cirencester, both lovely to explore, and Tetbury isn’t too far either. New ownership has injected new life, the 15 bedrooms are looking truly lush, lots of velvet, lots of polished wood and a lovely, unpretentious atmosphere. Think steak and chips, Bramley products in the bathrooms, shelves of Penguin classics, a funky bar, deep sofas, raging fires, fresh flowers.Its friendly enough to bring the children and the cute umbilically attached cottage has three bedrooms and its own sitting room and kitchen. Across the way, the sister Potting Shed Pub has a justly deserved fine reputation for serious pub grub – home baked bread, Double Gloucester soufflé, half pints of prawns. Or you can just hunker down in the hotel itself and enjoy its peaceful simplicity and lovely outdoor spaces which include a 13th-century Dovecote and an al fresco swimming pool.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £130. therectoryhotel.com

BEL AND THE DRAGON, Odiham, Hampshire If it’s a country-escape-on-your-doorstep you desire, Bel & The Dragon (who have a handful of lovely old inns) in the charming Hampshire village of Odiham is well worth a visit. Located on the pretty broad high street, in the heart of the village, it’s easy to take a stroll along the winding Basingstoke canal, or simply pop into the excellent dress agency a few doors down for a browse, before tucking into some hearty British comfort food with no bells or whistles, but plenty of flavour. Afterwards, head upstairs to one of the handful of cosy, high-ceiling rooms. Unlike the slew of hotels with country club-style interiors riding the Babington wave, Bel & The Dragon has decided to keep things colourful. Think large beds covered with red or pink plaid blankets, Roberts radios in cheerful hues, mustard yellow armchairs and rows of colour-coordinated Penguin classics (they have not bucked the trend here). There’s also a nice touch of complimentary Sipsmith sloe gin and there are decanters of whisky (no mixer) alongside tea and coffee in the communal refreshments area between rooms; easy, breezy.

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FOOD & TRAVEL NEWS

GASTRO GOSSIP

THIS MONTH

The humble roast gets a makeover...

by Clementina Jackson EVERY LAST DROP The Last Drop Distillers’ tenth anniversary calls for celebration, so crack open a bottle of port. The connoisseurs of the world’s most exclusive tipples joined forces (and noses) with the van Zeller family, port wine merchants since the 1700s, to source and release their first-ever collection of fortified wine. There are only 770 sets of the rare Colheita Tawny Ports available worldwide. £4,000 for a pair. lastdropdistillers.com

THE ROAST IS TOAST

Some regard the humble roast as sacred, while others see it as a starting point for innovation.

One such person is Ben Murphy, head chef of Launceston Place, who has created a series of Sunday lunch tasting menus inspired by the traditional roast. Just in time for Easter, he will create a five-course lamb menu for April.

From £39. launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk

MICHELIN MAN

There’ll be no rest at Michelinstarred Gravetye Manor while it’s closed for renovation – instead head chef George Blogg will host foodies from far and wide for an exclusive series of masterclasses.

Budding oenophiles can take part in the food and wine pairing session before getting creative in the kitchen under George’s watchful eye. £225 per person. gravetyemanor.co.uk 1 READ Up your Easter egg game with Michel Roux’s essential guide to eggs.

Quadrille, £16.99

BOHO CHIC The original Petersham Nurseries opened its doors over ten years ago in Richmond, quickly becoming London’s favourite bucolic bolthole. This month, its second site in Covent Garden is finally set to open its two highly anticipated restaurants.

Simon Whiteley (ex-Coworth Park and Devonshire Club) takes inspiration from the slow food movement to head up elegant eatery The Petersham, while the casual La Goccia will serve Italian temptations for a slice of la dolce vita. petershamnurseries.com

2 DRINK Espresso martinis made with the new Fairtrade FAIR.Café liqueur for an extra buzz this Coffee Week (16–22 April). £16. fair-drinks.com 3 BUY A stash of fancy glass straws to carry on your person at all times, now that single-use plastic is out. £9.99 each. afinechoice.co.uk

THE NEXT (RE)GENERATION

4 EAT The traditionalist’s worst nightmare, Fortnum’s newly launched goat’s cheese, fig and honey hot cross buns. £6.25. fortnumandmason.com

What do a Tube station, a nightclub and BHS have in common? Not much, other than being prime locations to house London’s newest foodie hubs. Restaurateur Simon Anderson will open his first Market Hall in the disused Edwardian entrance of Fulham Broadway station this spring, bringing ten restaurants, street food vendors and producers together under one roof. markethalls.co.uk 136 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | April 2018

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FOOD & TRAVEL RECIPE

TASTE OF JAPAN

FOODIE TALES

Pour a cup of sake and enjoy Nancy Singleton Hachisu’s warming shiitake and sweet potato dish

Nancy Singleton Hachisu on overdone steak and a resurrected eel What’s your food philosophy?

Use only what is available seasonally and locally, and enhance it with artisanal products. Keep it simple, use a light hand and let the ingredients shape the menu.

Most vivid childhood food memory? Watching my mother cook. I loved the salty taste of raw beef and the crisp green pepper wedges she passed me as she sliced. To this day, they remain two of my favourite foods to eat raw.

Favourite ingredient that is in season right now? Small carrots. I julienne them then massage them lightly with sea salt. After 10 minutes, blot dry and use them to brighten lettuce salads.

Biggest mistake you’ve made in the kitchen? Thinking I could handle a freshly killed eel, it proved to have involuntary movement well after death and ended up on the floor. It took me an hour to cut it down to manageable pieces for braising. By that time I had lost my appetite and never did tackle eel again.

SIMMERED SHIITAKE AND SWEET POTATO

This dish has an interesting and delicious combination of flavours. Sweet potatoes are a good foil for earthy shiitake, while the chicken stock gives the dish depth and the pickled cha tsai (mustard stems) lend pop.

INGREDIENTS

» » » » » » »

SERVES SIX 6 donko (thick-capped dried shiitake) 150g head bok choi, pulled in half lengthwise 600g sweet potatoes, well scrubbed but not peeled Generous two cups (500ml) chicken stock 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp finely slivered cha tsai (mustard stems) 2 tbsps chopped Italian or curly parsley

METHOD

Soak the shiitake in one cup (250ml) of boiling water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the torn bok choi in half crosswise where the leaves meet the stems. Cut the sweet potato into ¾ inch (2cm) pieces. Reserving the soaking liquid, drain the shiitake, pare off the stems and discard. Slice the caps into ¼ inch (6mm) pieces.

In a medium pot, combine the chicken stock and the soaking liquid. Slide in the shiitake, bok choi stems, and sweet potatoes with the salt and cha tsai. Bring to a lively simmer over medium/high heat and cook until the sweet potatoes have softened, about 7 minutes.

Stir in the bok choi leaves cook until they are wilted, 1–2 more minutes. Spoon into a pretty serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley.

When was the last time you sent something back to the kitchen and what was it?

It’s something I loathe to do.

In America, I always tell the waiter that I want my steak old school rare, but not blue. This can be tricky since rare these days in the US is what medium rare used to be.

Do you have any unusual rules in your kitchen? I am not a fan of non-functional people taking up space in the kitchen. And I don’t allow little kids in there because it is dangerous.

Who would you most like to take out for dinner and where to? I would take Nigel Slater to Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. I know that he would not feel the need to make artful conversation and would, instead, be content to revel in the sparkling ingredients.

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FOOD & TRAVEL

R E S TA U R A N T R E V I E W S

FORK & FIELD Sticky fingers and Irish romance are on the menu for Anastasia Bernhardt

MERRY OLD MARYLEBONE Finding flavour north of Oxford Street

COUNTRY

The Oak Room, Co Limerick

The demise of the stately home was terrible news for the aristocrats but fantastic for the rest of us, who otherwise would never have set foot in their gilded halls. Once the dining room of the Earl of Dunraven, now The Oak Room is a super romantic restaurant at Adare Manor, the new weekend escape for the great and good of Dublin. Michael Tweedie (formerly at Ballyfin) undertook a nine-day tour of the Emerald Isle to cherrypick the best of Irish produce (hand-harvested sea salt from Achill Island, Galway goat’s cheese, black pudding from Clonakilty) and chivvies it into its very best form on tableware made by local artists. The setting is similarly conducive to an Irish fairytale: softly candlelit, grand oak panelling and walls upholstered in pure wool of the deepest Irish green, the same shade as the banks of the Maigue river that meanders past the window. A future classic. Five-course tasting menu, €110. adaremanor.com

THE COACH MAKERS ARMS, W1 The Cubitt House group are masters at creating pubs we want to hole up in for hours. Their newest addition is a very welcome refuge from the chaos of Oxford Street – the ground floor functions as an upmarket boozer, while upstairs food is painstakingly sourced, from south coast market fish of the day to charcuterie cured in-house. This is no ordinary watering hole. thecoachmakersarms.co.uk

TOWN

LONDRINO, SE1

The world and his wife seem to have been to Portugal of late – we’re not talking golfing in the Algarve but table-hopping in Porto, Lisbon and the lesser-travelled Costa Vicentina.

If you don’t have time to fly, visit Leandro Carreira in London Bridge, who, after a long-term pop-up at London Fields’ Climpson’s Arch, opened his first and highly anticipated standalone restaurant, translating his native cuisine through his recently acquired perspective as a Londoner. Make no bones about it, this isn’t for squeamish or dainty eaters. It’s fabulous and fishy: crab claws the size of your head demand that you extract their sweet fleshy insides with zero grace.

We’d go back again and again for the pickled potato noodles with salt cod or the amazake (Japanese fermented rice drink) ice cream – unfortunately for you, the menu changes so often that both will be long gone by the time you read this… Dinner for two, from £100. londrino.co.uk

DISHES OF THE MONTH…

Nathan Outlaw protégé Tom Brown

1 Cider poached octopus at Cornerstone in Hackney Wick.

The debut restaurant of Nathan Outlaw’s protégé Tom Brown (cornerstonehackney.com). 2 Smørrebrød sandwiches for elevenses at Ekte Nordic Kitchen in the Bloomberg Arcade. 3 Pig’s head lasagne (surprisingly unscary) at The Royal Oak at Whatcote (theroyaloakwhatcote.co.uk).

PICTURE, W1 When its first restaurant opened in Fitzrovia a few years ago, it brought to the central London table something that was sorely missing – top quality nosh for a fair price in a relaxed neighbourhood setting.

So unpretentious that it’s almost pretentious – but it’s a winning formula. picturerestaurant.co.uk

ROGANIC, W1 When Simon Rogan opens in London, crowds undoubtedly follow. His 2011 pop-up was so popular that it’s making a comeback with a permanent site. Diners at his development kitchen Aulis London have acted as guinea pigs for the last few months while the L’Enclume chef honed the menu – ideal for Londoners too lazy to make it up to the Lakes. roganic.uk

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FOOD & TRAVEL DRINK

CHEERS TO CHASE A vow to sustainability on Chase Distillery’s tenth birthday

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truggling to make ends meet, and tired of keeping up with supermarkets’ constant drive to reduce prices, a eureka moment came to William Chase in the form of a batch of supermarket-rejected potatoes being accepted by Kettle Chips as some of the best they’d ever seen. Six months later, William’s first business was born; Tyrrels crisps, named after his family farm Tyrrells Court in Herefordshire. Consumers were won over by the quality and pedigree of the product and Tyrrells are now the nibble of choice for discerning crisp lovers. The brand grew and Tyrrells added ‘poshcorn’ and vegetable crisps to their offering.

Spurred on by his expanding waistline, William turned his attention to a new venture. Back in 2008, it was the norm for spirits to be mass produced. William saw a gap in the market and founded the eponymous Chase Distillery. ‘We founded Chase in 2008 to pioneer single-estate spirits from the potatoes grown on our farm here in Herefordshire and to pave the way for a new way of thinking within the drink’s industry,’ says Will. ‘People are always amazed when we tell them that a bottle of Chase Vodka is simply made from around 250 potatoes and water from Chase Farm’s well, from the same source as Malvern Hill’s water – the Queen’s favourite.’

FROM ABOVE: Chase’s field to bottle ethos allows them to keep a watchful eye over every single potato. To mark their tenth birthday they have pledged to become carbon neutral

Ten years on, Chase is one of just a handful of single-estate distilleries in the UK and their spirits have won several awards. Not content to rest on their laurels, the distillery has now branched out to produce flavoured spirits, from marmalade vodka to elderflower liquer.

To mark their tenth birthday, as well as giving away their trusted Land Rover which has been an integral part of the Chase family since the beginning (it has been present at all 10 potato harvests), Chase has committed to becoming carbon neutral. To this end, they have installed a biomass boiler, fondly nicknamed Huxley, and planted 10 acres of energy crops to feed the hungry machine. By 2019, they aim to use the surplus heat created through the production process to power all their offices and buildings. William says: ‘If you are single-estate in your approach, you are by far, more in tune with the land and environmental changes than most. It is unlikely the true benefits of our changes will be seen straight away, or even in five years’ time; but will lay out a selfsufficient and truly sustainable future for us and our local environment long term.’

Hear, hear. chasedistillery.co.uk April 2018 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 141

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C&TH EDITED BY ANNA TYZACK

PROPERTY HOUSE OF THE MONTH Sell it to us in a sentence... These nine new and spacious townhouses adjacent to the River Thames in Fulham, each feature a gym, cinema room and wine room, all finished to Octagon’s impeccable level of specification.

How would you describe its design?

Maximising the available space with a five-storey townhouse design, the new homes are based on the surrounding Victorian terraces, with Octagon’s elegant and classic white stucco pillared entrances adding contemporary grandeur. The rear elevations feature full height windows, balconies and terraces.

Best room in the house? The light and contemporary kitchen/breakfast/ family super room is sure to be the most popular space in the house, ideal for informal family living with modern linear cabinets, quartz worktops and top-ofthe-range integrated Miele appliances.

Best nearby shops? Fulham is renowned for its shops, bars and restaurants. Fulham is home to London’s only Michelin-starred gastropub, the Harwood Arms and the River Cafe is just next door.

Bishops Row, Stevenage Road, London SW6 Price: £4.995m 4/5 bedrooms 6/7 bathrooms 4,375–6,150 sq/ft

Any good schools in the area? There are several Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ schools in the local area, including Lady Margaret, Fulham Cross Girls’ and The London Oratory School. Local independent schools include Fulham Prep.

What are the transport links like?

Excellent underground links with Hammersmith and Putney Bridge stations, on the District line, just a short walk away.

Heathrow Airport is just 40 minutes away from nearby Hammersmith station.

So, what’s the downside? There’s no off-street parking, but there are unlimited residents’ permits and nearby private garaging with spaces to rent.

The developer says... These homes offer an abundance of lateral living space, and have been meticulously designed to fully encapsulate the everyday lifestyle of a modern family in the capital.

020 7731 7100; struttandparker.com

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Sintra is a UNESCO world heritage site

L E T ’ S M O V E T O . ..

LISBON

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ith its wide boulevards, colonial architecture and café culture, Lisbon is enjoying something of a renaissance. The Portuguese capital was voted Best European Destination at the 2017 World Travel Awards, thanks to its buzzing art and restaurant scene, friendly ambiance and rugged natural scenery. Tech and creative start-ups from all over the world are setting up in the Lisbon area, as well as second-homers who might once have been drawn to the Algarve. ‘The sophisticated British expatriate has discovered that the Greater Lisbon area has similar climatic conditions to the Algarve but also with the attractions and accessibility of a historic but vibrant European capital, combined with low living cost and attractive house prices,’ explains Bruno Martins of Belas Country Club, a new residential development 20 minutes from Lisbon.

Lisbon enjoys all the benefits of a capital city – an international airport, world-class culture and health services and flagship shops – yet the surrounding countryside is remarkably unspoilt. Within 15 minutes of leaving the airport you can be at a villa with its own land with views over rolling hills to the sea, where the beaches are so vast that even in the height of summer they don’t become too crowded. Only recently, however, has it become nicknamed the California of Europe.

The name has stuck and it is easy to see why: Chiado, Lisbon’s former artists’ quarter, has a San Francisco feel to it with hipster cafés and wine bars, while beaches such as Guincho and Estoril, a short distance from central Lisbon, have the same rugged, openness as those of Big Sur, the coastal route to Los Angeles. There’s even an iconic red bay bridge. The city’s combination of cosmopolitan city living, windswept beauty and affordable house prices have led it to become

one of Europe’s hottest destinations for second home investment: in 2017 estate agency Engel & Völkers reported a 36.5 per cent surge in demand for second homes and price rises of 10 per cent.

Traditionally, those looking to buy near Lisbon have looked to the Sintra National Park, more than 3,500 acres of unspoilt parkland, hidden valleys and rugged coastline 20 minutes to the west of the city, hailed by the poet Lord Byron as ‘the garden of Eden’. In the 18th and 19th centuries the slightly cooler microclimate within the park attracted the Portugese nobility who built exquisite palaces and royal retreats with decorative gardens. The town of Sintra itself is a UNESCO world heritage site. Prices for properties here start at £450,000 for a four-bedroom villa with pool to many millions for one of the historic palaces: Engel & Völkers is selling a four-bedroom villa with pool and mountain views for €560,000 (engelvoelkers.com/en-pt/sintra), while a mansion within the exclusive Penha Longa Resort, with a golf course and five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel and spa, 10 minutes from the town of Cascais, is on the market for £4.4m with Atlantic Real Estate (atlantichouses.net).

Belas Country Club is situated in similarly picturesque countryside to the east of the national park, 15 minutes north of Lisbon centre and 15 minutes from Sintra.

The development by André Belém Tower, Lisbon Jordan, the man behind Quinta

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Described as the California of Europe, wise buyers are buying boltholes just outside Portugal’s capital, says Anna Tyzack

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PROPERTY

WHEN IN LISBON...

VISIT Hit the shops in Chiado, Lisbon’s former artists’ quarter, a short stroll from the waterfront and the bars and restaurants of the Barrio Alto, then jump aboard the old-fashioned Tram 28 to explore the districts of Graca, Alfama, Baixa and Estrela.

LUNCH Monte Mar, Cascais On the road to Guincho beach with uninterrupted views over the Atlantic, Monte Mar serves some of the most highly regarded fish and seafood in the area. mmcascais.pt DINNER Taberna da Rua das Flores An unpretentious Lisbon tavern serving incredible food and delicious wine. Put your name on the list for a table by 6:30pm, then head into the Bairro Alto for a cocktail while you wait for your table. +351 21 347 9418 WITH THE KIDS Martinhal Chiado, in the heart of Lisbon, offers apartments kitted out for families and a Pyjama Club to entertain little ones while you go for dinner. martinhal.com

do Lago, is a boutique community of townhouses and low-rise apartments with a championship golf course, leisure centre, tennis courts and cycle paths – a smaller version of the five-star resort of Quinta do Lago in the Algarve. ‘It’s a place designed to facilitate the ultimate healthy and active lifestyle,’ Martins continues. ‘There is a gym, hydra pools, and an onsite physio team plus superb modern architecture.’ Prices start from around €950,000 for a townhouse with three bedrooms, an office and a maid’s room on a large plot with private pool (realestate.belasclubedecampo.pt).

For those prepared to travel a little over an hour from the airport, the village of Comporta on the wild Troia peninsula, a 13-mile long sandy spit, is a hip and laid-back sanctuary, beloved by the likes of Christian Louboutin, Jacques Granges and Madonna. ‘It’s a hippy town with endless white sandy beaches and an altogether slower pace of life,’ explains David Moura George of estate agency Athena Advisers.

The village and surrounding vineyards, rice fields and beaches were once part of the biggest family estate in Portugal and are now slowly being developed into a lowkey resort with cutting-edge architecture and an emphasis on natural beauty and preserving the heritage of the area. Plots on the Herdade da Comporta estate are available for a third of what you would pay in an Algarve resort such as Quinta do Lago (herdadedacomporta.pt), while fully furnished and managed apartments at the nearby Troia Resort cost from €234,000 to just under €1.5m (troiaproperties.com). Another development, La Réserve, beside one of the area’s countless nature reserves, is offering up to five per cent guaranteed rental yields to buyers who opt in to a management scheme. Such is the demand for properties around Comporta that the apartments at La Réserve sold out in two months. ‘It shows the appetite for the semi-rural, make-your-own-fun style of retreat,’ says George.

With tax incentives for Brits buying in Portugal and the lure of the Golden Visa – the option of residence in the country for an investment of £450,000 – George believes that Lisbon’s star is only rising. Last year it was ranked the third safest country by the Global Peace Index and the best in terms of quality of life by Expat Insider.

The only thing standing in the way of buyers from Britain is competition from the Lisbon locals who also aspire to own beach houses or villas outside the city. According to Martins, however, the Portuguese are only too happy to welcome a new influx of buyers from Britain. ‘We cherish our 600-year alliance with Great Britain,’ he explains. ‘Indeed Portugal is the only European country with whom the UK has never had a war.’

FOR SALE

Belas Country Club, from €510,000

Lisbon Green Valley is the latest phase to launch at Belas Country Club, a residential community and golf course 15 minutes from Lisbon centre. The architect-designed properties are of generous dimensions on large plots, with access to a leisure club, riding stables and cycle and walking trails. lisbongreenvalley.pt

Comporta, €747,000

There are a few villas left on the La Réserve development with up to five bedrooms, private outdoor space, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, BBQ and three parking spaces.

020 74714 500; athenaadvisers.com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

LUXURY RETREAT Sublime Comporta One hour from Lisbon, this 17-acre estate, surrounded by undulating umbrella pines and cork trees, and over 60km of pristine, white-sand beaches is the ultimate in tranquility and simple luxury. sublimecomporta.pt

Malveira da Serra, £4m A luxurious coastal villa, 30 minutes from Lisbon, with stunning views up the coast towards Cascais. It has four large bedrooms, open-plan living, a cellar and a one-bedroom apartment. Malveira da Serra is a beautiful residential neighbourhood, five minutes from Guincho beach and 15 minutes from Estoril. 020 8339 6036; internationalpropertyforsale.com Troia Portugal properties

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PROPERTY Bill Granger

MY PROPERTY LIFE

LIVE LIKE BILL...

BILL GRANGER Chef and restaurateur Where was your first house? A threebedroom house in Tamarama, a beachside suburb in Sydney. My wife Natalie negotiated the deal to buy it on the day our second daughter was born.

Best thing about it? It was a friendly community by the sea and the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk.

Worst thing about it? We only realised it was on a busy cut-through after we bought it. We planted a big hedge.

Where is home now? A stucco Regency I’d buy in Comporta in Portugal. house in Notting Hill in London, near What do you look for in a house? It’s an emotional my restaurant. We bought it last year thing. I need to like the position and the local after renting here for eight years. lifestyle. It’s important not to be seduced Best thing about it? I can walk by space as you can make a small everywhere: to work, room look wonderful. to fruit and If money was no object vegetable shops where would you buy? and the park.

A house on a garden Favourite room? square in Notting Hill.

We’re turning Gio Ponti Venini glass Describe you new kitchen? the ground floor chandelier White walls, stainless steel dining room into benches, terrazzo tile splashbacks, a kitchen with a Juliet a Venini chandelier, and a free-standing balcony overlooking the garden.

Viking Range cooker.

Where would you buy a second What couldn’t you live without? home? Overlooking the ocean A beautiful kitchen table in Sydney – Palm Beach with comfortable chairs. or Tamarama. We It’s where you eat and bought a dream house talk, and the kids do their overlooking the ocean homework. And a Weber at Tamarama a couple of years barbecue. I use it almost all ago but we sold it because we Weber Genesis II year round as an extension were living in London. In Europe of the kitchen; it’s plumbed in to our gas mains.

Have you ever hit the property jackpot? Our first house doubled in value in four years. Then the beach house we bought went up so much in value in the 18 months we owned it that we could afford to buy a place in London.

Whose house would you most like to see inside? The Italian architect and designer Gio Ponti’s apartment in Milan. I love the patterns and warmth of Italian modernism.

Viking Tuscany range cooker

THE STARTER HOME Notting Hill, £1.35m A newly refurbished, first-floor apartment in a period conversion on Arundel Gardens overlooking pretty communal gardens. There is a large bedroom to the rear and an open-plan reception, dining and kitchen.

020 3430 6602; savills.com

THE FOREVER HOME Notting Hill, £10.25m With almost 4,500 sq/ft of accommodation and with direct access onto one of the area’s legendary communal gardens, this is the ultimate Notting Hill residence.

It is situated just to the north of Kensington Park Gardens and has five bedrooms, a staff suite and a private garden. 020 3430 6602; savills.com

THE DREAM HOME Bondi Beach, Sydney, £3.26m This three-bedroom apartment within a sustainably designed building on the edge of Bondi Beach has open-plan living and an electric vehicle charging station. It’s enviably located to enjoy the beach, Double Bay’s European style boutiques, Rose Bay’s organic produce and Woollhara’s fine dining.

020 7629 8171; knightfrank.com

2018 marks 25 years since Bill Granger opened his first restaurant in Sydney. grangerandco.com

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PROPERTY

1 Cambridgeshire

The Old Vicarage is less than two miles from Whittlesford station, with services into Liverpool Street in one hour. It is enormous: nearly 6,000 sq/ft of living space including a drawing room, large kitchen/ breakfast room and seven bedrooms and grounds of 1.8 acres with stables, hay loft garages and tennis court. Cambridge, with trains to London in 45 minutes, is just eight miles away. £1.5m.

01223 214214; cheffins.co.uk

3 Gloucestershire

2 Kent FIVE OF THE BEST

COMMUTABLE COUNTRY HOUSES Enjoy fresh air and views over open fields from these rural residences an easy train ride away from the London office

Little Close is a classic Cotswolds family house in the village of Bledington, one mile from Kingham station (trains to London Paddington in 90 minutes) with views over open countryside and private access to a footpath. The property has been beautifully renovated by the current owners and boasts plenty of accommodation: five bedrooms and an annexe. We love the open-plan kitchen and the pony paddock. £2.25m.

01451 833140; butlersherborn.co.uk

4 Surrey

Highfield is a boutique development of 20 homes, all finished to the highest standards throughout, for sale through Hamptons. They lie close to the pretty town of Lingfield, with trains to London Bridge and London Victoria in 50 minutes. Four-bed homes feature expansive oak kitchens, gas fires, separate dining rooms for entertaining, a large garden with barbecue area and a detached triple garage. From £725,000. millgatehomes.co.uk

In the heart of the Kent Weald near Sevenoaks, 30 minutes from London Charing Cross, this listed country house has 25 acres of grounds.

The main house features five impressive reception rooms with period features, plus nine bedrooms, an outdoor pool and tennis court, stables, tack room, paddocks and an all-weather ménage. A self-contained annexe makes for perfect guest or staff accomodation. £4m. 01932 860537; sothebysrealty.co.uk

5 Oxfordshire

When Crossrail arrives in Reading next year this three-bedroom house at Peppard Common near Henley will be within an hour of central London.

The property has been meticulously renovated to include a vaulted entrance hall, floor-to-ceiling windows and engineered oak floors and a light-filled open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room. Outside there are landscaped gardens and a sweeping driveway. £1.395m. 01491 572215; hamptons-int.com

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Chelsea Park Gardens, Chelsea SW3 An elegant and impressive family house

KnightFrank.co.uk/chelsea chelsea@knightfrank.com 020Â 3641 6172

Set back from the road behind a private off-street pathway and walled garden. One of the unique features is a large private roof terrace, which is rare for Chelsea.This expansive home has recently undergone a complete programme of refurbishment and renovation and has been interior designed to an exceptional level of finish.

5/6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3/4 reception rooms, kitchen, garden. EPC: C. Approximately 471 Sq m (5,070 sqft).

Freehold

Guide price: ÂŁ14,500,000

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/CHL170106

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Bathurst Mews, Hyde Park W2 A spectacular two bedroom house set in an attractive cobbled mews

KnightFrank.co.uk/hydepark hydepark@knightfrank.com 020 3641 1708

This beautiful mews house has been comprehensively refurbished throughout to create an attractive living and entertaining space. The property also benefits from the extensive transport links of Lancaster Gate underground station and Paddington mainline station. 2 bedrooms (both en suite), further bathroom, dressing room, kitchen/dining area, reception room, media room, utility room, cinema room, garage, loft. EPC: D. Approximately 186 sq m (1,997 sq ft).

Freehold

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: ÂŁ3,950,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/HPE170194

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Markham Place, Chelsea SW3

A special three bedroom house discreetly located on a private road

KnightFrank.co.uk/knightsbridge knightsbridge@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5930

The house is quietly situated in Markham Place, a private cul-de-sac close to Chelsea Green, off Elystan Place.

The property offers three good sized double bedrooms and a large open plan reception/dining room with French doors opening onto the patio garden. 3 bedrooms (1 en suite), family bathroom, reception/dining room, eat-in kitchen, patio garden, west facing roof terrace. EPC: E. Approximately 154 sq m (1,661 sq ft).

reehold

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £3,700,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/SLA180025

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De Vere Cottages, Kensington W8 A unique three bedroom house arranged around a courtyard garden

KnightFrank.co.uk/kensington kens@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2698

his beautiful house as refurbished by the current o ners in 013 and is presented in excellent condition throughout ith spacious, open plan living accommodation, arranged over four floors. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen, dining area, terrace, cellar. EPC: . Approximately 1 1.9 sq m (1, 7 sq ft). reehold

Guide price: £2,950,000 night rank.co.uk

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@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

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Queen's Gate Gardens, South Kensington SW7 A spacious three bedroom apartment with outside space

KnightFrank.co.uk/southkensington southkensington@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6173

This unique property is presented in excellent condition, with a large open plan reception/kitchen diner allowing for plenty of space for entertaining. Located on Queen’s Gate Gardens, this property is in a prime location and benefits from the local amenities outh ensington has to offer. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception rooms, snug, patio, access to communal gardens EPC: C. Approximately 1 .3 sq m (1, 39 sq ft). easehold: approximately 9 9 years remaining

@CentralLondonKF KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £2,425,000 night rank.co.uk

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The Piper Building, Peterborough Road, Fulham SW6 A modern and spacious three bed apartment with a mezzanine level

KnightFrank.co.uk/fulham fulham@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0635

A stunning split-level apartment on the second floor of an iconic portered building, benefiting from a west-facing balcony and private parking space. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, double height reception room, open-plan kitchen, mezzanine level and balcony.

EPC: B. Approximately 177 sq m (1,901 sq ft).

Leasehold: Approximately 980 years remaining

Guide price: £1,450,000

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/FLH160121

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Mandeville Courtyard, Battersea SW11 A 2 bedroom flat in a secure gated development

KnightFrank.co.uk/battersea battersea@knightfrank.com 020 3544 7961

A unique loft style, split-level apartment, fully refurbished and finished to exacting standards.

Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, second bedroom, bathroom, reception/kitchen/dining room, pantry, porter. EPC: E. Approximately 109.7 sq m (1,181 sq ft).

Leasehold: Approximately 94 years remaining

Guide price: ÂŁ1,150,000

@KF_SWLondon KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/BAT170122

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New Properties to call home

Savills Chelmsford

Stamp Duty Paid**

GREAT WARLEY, BRENTWOOD, ESSEX Six elegant residences remain at Mascalls Park by Bellway Homes. 5 bedrooms, double garages, French/bi-fold doors leading to raised terraces, surrounded by beautiful woodland, located within easy reach of Brentwood (London Liverpool Street from 33 mins), from 227 sq m (2,444 sq ft). Available to view, sales office hours 10.00-17.30 Thursday-Monday. **Conditions apply

Prices from ÂŁ1.35 million* | Freehold

Talk to us today Emma South Negotiator 01245 293261 emma.south@savills.com

Anthony Cutler Negotiator 01245 293298 acutler@savills.com

savills.co.uk what can we do for you? *Price at time of going to print.

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These homes would love to meet you

Savills Chelmsford

NORTH END, DUNMOW, ESSEX Zinc House offers state-of-the-art accommodation set in one of the most scenic locations in north west Essex with outstanding countryside views. Large open plan living area/kitchen, family room, study, utility room, master bedroom suite with bi-fold doors to balcony, 4 further bedrooms (2 en suite), family bathroom, 408 sq m (4,401 sq ft). About 2.96 acres in all.

Guide ÂŁ1.3 million* | Freehold

Talk to us today Emma South Negotiator 01245 293261 emma.south@savills.com

Anthony Cutler Negotiator 01245 293298 acutler@savills.com

savills.co.uk what can we do for you? *Price at time of going to print.

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New apartments to call home

Savills Cobham

01932 586 200

New show home launching | Saturday 24 March Breathtaking luxury on an unparalleled scale, Cobham, Surrey Private gated drive, on-site estate manager, exclusive residents’ gym, secure underground parking, just 34 minutes by train to London Waterloo, private terrace to each apartment, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, EPC = B

Price from £1.725 million* | Leasehold Approximately 999 years remaining

Talk to us today Ian Camplin Savills Cobham 01932 586 200 icamplin@savills.com

Ashley Mason Knight Frank 01483 617 933 ashley.mason@knightfrank.com

savills.co.uk *

Price at time of going to print.

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Dover Kent Guide Price: ÂŁ1,500,000

A unique property enjoying panoramic views across the channel from its position on top of the White Cliffs of Dover. Set in 1.1 acres, this former Coastguard Station has been run as a successful tea room/ restaurant and luxury 2 bedroom holiday apartment. EPC: E

Canterbury 01227 452 780 canterbury@humberts.com

London Country House Department 020 7594 4746 countrydepartment@humberts.com

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offices across the country

Country House Department

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London and International offices as part of the Chestertons Group

Available 7 days a week

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Mildenhall Wiltshire Guide Price: ÂŁ1,995,000

Rackenford Devon Guide Price: ÂŁ825,000

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A handsome property with generous accommodation spread over 3 floors. The property has 6 en suite bedrooms, 4 reception rooms plus a gym, a self contained 2 bedroom annexe, gardens and garaging. EPC: C Marlborough 01672 519 222 marlborough@humberts.com

A stunning south facing detached family house refurbished to a high standard. Set in beautiful grounds of 5.5 acres in a highly desirable location, with excellent broadband speed & detached office/studio. EPC: D London Country House Department 020 7594 4746 countrydepartment@humberts.com

22/02/20185:15 11:35 21/02/2018 pm

Property Times This month’s Property Times gives you an insight into the local property trends and the types of buyers in W11, Notting Hill.

View the latest edition at youhome.co.uk

W11 IN REVIEW

Fig 1.

Measures included rapidly increasing property taxes

■ W11 Mean Property Price (£000s) ■ FTSE 100

and removing some opportunities for the more

(src: YOUhome, data rebased to 100 in 1995)

We begin with the numbers. Property values in W11

innovative funding mechanisms, particularly for nondoms and offshore companies, detailed below:

1,200

have had a cracking run when compared to other

1,000

⊲ Increases in stamp duty, particularly on company

mainstream investment opportunities. The average price of a residential property has increased from

PROPERTY TIMES W11 SPRING 2018 ISSUE

purchases of property, high value properties and

800

£223,717 in 1995 to £1,724,596 in 2017; an almost eight-

600

fold increase. As an example, over the same period

400

the FTSE 1OO stock market index has increased from

the purchase of multiple properties. ⊲ A new tax - the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings “ATED” again targeting company

200

3000 in 1995 to over 7000 in 2017 just over a

property purchases. ⊲ Changes to capital gains tax & liability.

0

two-fold increase. This is illustrated by Fig 1, comparing

1995

the average property price in W11 to the FTSE 100

1999

2002

2006

2010

2013

2017

⊲ Changes to inheritance tax liability on properties held in companies.

from 1995 starting from the same base value.

⊲ Changes to legislation making funding much

Fig 2. Mean Selling Price in W11 (Src: YOUhome, Land Registry)

Property sales price increases accelerated in the

more expensive including laws reducing

■ Number of Sales ■ Selling Price (£M)

guaranteed mortgages and loans using money

period post-2002, driven by substantial increased spending in a low interest rate environment (as seen

3

800

2.4

640

held offshore, and changes to landlords’ loans interest relief.

in Fig 2 and Fig 3).

During this period there was an increase in both

1.8

480

1.2

320

0.6

160

Quite a package, and more to come, including a public register of the owners of offshore companies that are

buy to let investment and rent to buy investment (the phenomenon of home owners keeping their current property and renting it out when they buy

used to buy UK property.

As a consequence, of the above, the money supply

an additional property). This led to fewer offered 0

homes for sale and reduced supply and increased

buying property has fallen sharply in 2017 (as seen in

0 1995

price rise pressure.

1999

2002

2006

2010

2013

2017

Fig 3). However, when comparing 2017 property spend to the long-term average level we can see future spend

In addition to the above, the market in 2005 to 2014

returning to similar and long-term comparable levels.

Fig 3. Total Spend on Property in W11 (Src: YOUhome, Land Registry)

saw a rise in offshore companies buying property. In

■ Number of Sales ■ Total Spend (£M)

the early noughties almost all properties were bought by individuals but by 2014 about 20% of all money

YOUhome’s market analysis is therefore that W11

900

800

720

640

540

480

make the most of your property’s value and appeal to the very best buyers: Call 020 7908 9280, or visit youhome.co.uk Adrian Black Market Insight , as featured in...

has now returned to a normal property market and that recent years (2012 to 2016) have been, let us

spent on property in Prime Central London was by offshore companies (as seen in Fig 4).

BOOK A FREE VALUATION

Speak to YOUhome about how we can help you

say, not normal.

Perhaps this was a case of too much too soon?

360

As a consequence of rapidly increasing prices, some

320

180

W11 ANALYSIS AND FORECAST 2018

160

perceived over-generous tax and funding opportunities and a concern for damage to the London economy

0

0 1995

and affordability, the Government acted.

1999

2002

2006

2010

2013

2017

gain to one of investing in property for quality of life and an acceptance that the high costs of purchase can be spread over their period of ownership and enjoyment. The main driver to buy a property is now as a home, and the incentive to keep other properties

There is no mistaking that it has become a lot more

as investments is waning.

expensive to buy properties in W11 in recent years and

Fig 4. West Prime Central London Areas Residential Property Spend and Prices (Src: YOUhome, Private Eye, Land Registry)

some of the most generous tax and funding loopholes

■ Average Selling Price (£M) ■ Spend Registered by Individuals (£Bn) ■ Spend by Offshore Companies (£Bn)

So what does the property market hold for 2018?

or opportunities, depending on your point of view, 2.0

10

1.6

8

are now gradually being closed.

We feel the demand for best in class properties will

As we enter 2018 and these changes are felt more

that will increase the flow of money into property

widely, the government would probably be happy to

purchasers nor do we see many forced sellers. We

continue. We do not see any short-term stimulus

1.2

6

0.8

see at best no price increases in the Prime Central

feel the best prices achieved on property this year

London property market; it would certainly like to see

will be achieved in the first half of the year.

4

all homes that are built, occupied for most of the time.

2

We have seen a shift in property buyers’ motivation

Our crystal ball does not forecast much beyond that 0.4 2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

as much can change and happen - and probably will.

from one of investing in property for a substantial

Welcome to the first edition of the YOUhome Property Times, giving you an expert view on the latest local property trends in W11, and the types of buyers in Notting Hill.

OUR GURU’S BUYER INSIGHTS

Notting Hill attracts probably the most eclectic range of buyers in Prime Central London. The demographic ranges from entrepreneurs to actors, artists, bankers, politicians, lawyers and many more from many parts of the world who are very

In this edition we outline historical data and trends in the local area, the drivers of residential property

The YOUhome Property Gurus team have a combined

international in their outlook.

100 years’+ experience in selling homes in Notting Hill, and during their careers have sold thousands of

Many buyers of all nationalities stay local, either

Prime Central London properties, overcoming almost

upsizing, downsizing or returning to an area they

all types of issues that typically arise in a highly

loved earlier in their life. We see parents buying

values, and how they have changed and will continue

sophisticated and valuable property market.

locally for children to keep family close. Buyers

to change in 2018 and beyond.

A deep understanding of buyers and their wishes,

having lived in the area previously or having close

wants and mindset is critical to achieving the best

connections to the area.

are often very knowledgeable and informed,

sale on any home.

We see these trends continuing and are seeing a

YOUhome’s expert Property Gurus will also provide their unique experience and insight into the types

strengthening of buyers looking for homes for their

Laurence Lai London Sales Director

own use as their family expands and demand from parents looking for apartments for their children.

Jerry Epton (MRICS) Property Guru for W11

A healthy market and a vibrant location.

of buyers active in the W11 local area, today.

LONDON PROPERTY GURUS Jerry Epton (MRICS)

Laurence Lai London Sales Director

Property Guru for W11

Property Guru for SW3 & SW10

020 7908 9282

020 7908 9295

jerry.epton@youhome.co.uk

anita.sanford@youhome.co.uk

Alexandra Mathew

BOOK A FREE VALUATION

Speak to YOUhome about how we can help you

Anita Sanford

020 7908 9281 laurence.lai@youhome.co.uk

Davide Moi Property Guru for SW5 & SW7

Property Guru for W8 & W14 020 7908 9284

020 7908 9256

alex.mathew@youhome.co.uk

davide.moi@youhome.co.uk

make the most of your property’s value and appeal to the very best buyers: Call 020 7908 9280, or visit youhome.co.uk

BOOK A FREE VALUATION

Speak to YOUhome about how we can help you make the most of your property’s value and appeal to the very best buyers: Call 020 7908 9280, or visit youhome.co.uk

Telephone: 020 7908 9280 Email: ldn@youhome.co.uk RBK&C Office: 121 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3LB Westminster Office: 63 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX

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The Future of Estate Agency As part of our continued growth and expansion, we have just launched our new website - the future of estate agency is here.

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ONSLOW GARDENS, SW7

CR ANLEY PLACE, SW7

Fabulous recently refurbished and interior designed raised ground floor flat with direct access to communal gardens and close to the amenities of South Kensington. The flat has been finished to an excellent standard with two good sized bedrooms, an ensuite shower room and separate bathroom.

Very elegant, stucco fronted house. The end-of-terrace location, in a quiet, tree-lined street, combined with a west facing aspect gives this house a light and generous feel with charming views. The property gives access to award-winning communal gardens and private tennis court. In a prime location within easy reach of local shops and restaurants.

TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS - BATHROOM - EN SUITE SHOWER ROOM OPEN PLAN KITCHEN / RECEPTION ROOM FRENCH WINDOWS ONTO COMMUNAL GARDENS

SIX BEDROOMS - SIX BATHROOMS - THREE RECEPTION ROOMS FAMILY ROOM / SIXTH BEDROOM - KITCHEN / BREAKFAST ROOM GARDEN - STAFF FLAT - COMMUNAL GARDENS AND TENNIS COURT

£1,450 per week

furnished

£6,250 per week

unfurnished

HIGHFIELD HOUSE, SW3

CR ANLEY GARDENS, SW7

This brilliant, two bedroom apartment had just been fully refurbished throughout.

Located on a quiet street in Chelsea, it is an ideal location, being just off the King’s Road and close to all of the amenities that it has to offer. The flat consists of a modern kitchen, a spacious reception room, two double bedrooms and a bathroom and shower room.

This wonderfully light and bright two bedroom apartment on the raised ground floor flat has its own entrance and is located close to the shops and transport facilities of South Kensington and Gloucester Road. The flat has been neutrally decorated throughout and offers spacious accommodation. The flat also benefits from a large, west facing terrace at the back of the property. The property is about to undergo a refurbishment in the kitchen.

TWO BEDROOMS - TWO BATHROOMS - RECEPTION ROOM FULLY FITTED KITCHEN - EXCELLENT STORAGE - EPC RATING: D

TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS - BATHROOM (EN-SUITE) - SHOWER ROOM RECEPTION ROOM - KITCHEN - LARGE TERRACE

£775 per week

furnished

£875 per week

unfurnished

117 Sydney Street London SW3 6NR Lettings: 0207 351 7822 or info@hlrlets.com

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CATHCART ROAD, LONDON, SW10 A magical period studio house very discretely located behind a walled terrace garden and with the benefit of off street parking and a garage. Originally laid out over part of the gardens of 21 Tregunter Road in 1930 to designs by CD St Leger for the sculptor Sir Charles Thomas Wheeler, later President of the Royal Academy.

The house has a series of studio spaces providing great scale and volume and is almost hidden behind the walled front and rear gardens. The property provides varied and adaptable accommodation, with an extensive master bedroom suite together with a terrace overlooking the rear garden and four further bedrooms.

Entrance hall · 3 studio reception rooms · Library · Kitchen · Breakfast room · Master bedroom suite with 2 bathrooms and 2 dressing rooms · 3 further en-suite bedrooms · 1 further bedroom · 1 further bathroom · Sitting room · Laundry room · Wine cellar · Dumb waiter · Garage · Garden · Approx. 5,462 sq ft Energy Efficiency Rating E

FREEHOLD £13,750,000 STC

sales@aylesford.com

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+44 (0)20 7351 2383

aylesford.com

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John Bray.indd 1

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Independent & exclusive property search specialists in London & The Home Counties.

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T. 01905 734735 E. country.homes@andrew-grant.co.uk andrew-grant.co.uk

Rear Elevation

For Sale By Auction on Tuesday 17th April at The Crown and Sandys, Ombersley at 6pm (Subject To Prior Sale and Conditions).

Please Note: Buyer’s Premium of 1% plus VAT, by auction or private treaty.

Ribbesford, Near Bewdley, Worcestershire

FASCINATING, HISTORIC GRADE II* LISTED COUNTRY RESIDENCE CONVERTED INTO APARTMENTS AND COTTAGE, NOW IN NEED OF RENOVATION.

Kidderminster 4.5 miles, Worcester 15 miles, Ludlow 21 miles Birmingham 23 miles, London 139 miles (all mileages are approximate).

Auction Guide Price £500,000

Connections to Rudyard Kipling and Stanley Baldwin.

Home To The Free French During The Second World War And Visited By Charles De Gaulle.

Stunning Architecture Mentioned in Pevsner (1968). Two Octagonal Towers.

Totalling Almost 20,000 Sq Ft And 8.15 Acres.

Contact: George Pickard on 01905 734735

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T. 01905 734735 E. country.homes@andrew-grant.co.uk andrew-grant.co.uk

For Sale By Auction on Tuesday 17th April at The Crown and Sandys, Ombersley at 6pm (Subject To Prior Sale and Conditions).

Please Note: Buyer’s Premium of 1% plus VAT, by auction or private treaty.

Ryall, Nr Upton Upon Severn, Worcestershire

FORMER HOME OF RENOWNED RACEHORSE TRAINER MERCY RIMELL, NOW INVITING SOME UPDATING, OR WITH POTENTIAL STPP. AROUND 2318 SQ. FT.

Worcester 11 miles, Cheltenham 18 miles, Birmingham 37 miles, M5 Junction 7: 9 miles (all mileages are approximate).

Auction Guide Price £650,000

Views Of The Cotswold And Malvern Hills.

Three Reception Rooms, Four Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms. Generous Gardens.

Totalling Around 5.78 Acres Including Field Of Around 4.92 Acres With Stable Block. EPC = E.

Contact: George Pickard on 01905 734735

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28/02/2018 15:13

MANOR FARM Monyash, Derbyshire

A Grade II listed Georgian manor house presented in excellent order together with a barn conversion and a Shippon with potential all set in approximately 4 acres on the edge of this popular Peak District village.

Entrance hall; three reception rooms; kitchen/breakfast room; five/six double bedrooms; two bathrooms; The Barn comprising: kitchen, two reception rooms, two bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms; The Shippon with potential for modernisation; outbuildings; garden; double garage; two single garages; two paddocks.

Guide price: £1,395,000 (subject to contract).

Viewing: By appointment with Caudwell & Co on 01629 810018.

OLD BANK HOUSE Winster, Derbyshire

A rare opportunity to acquire a well presented, part Grade II listed, stone-built family house which has been carefully remodelled and restored to offer flexible accommodation with the benefit of off road parking and a garage/workshop all situated in the heart of this popular Peak District village.

Entrance hall: inner staircase hall; four reception rooms; kitchen/breakfast room; study; snug; wine store; six bedrooms; three bath/shower rooms; courtyard front garden; landscaped gardens to the rear; off road parking; garage with workshop/office above.

Guide price: £750,000 subject to contract Viewing: By appointment with Caudwell & Co on 01629 810018.

Caudwell & Co will be exhibiting our wonderful Derbyshire & Peak District properties at the London & Country Property Show on Tuesday 17th April 2018 at The Pillar Hall of Olympia, Kensington, W14 8UX. Why not come along and see us?

Rutland Square, Buxton Road, Bakewell DE45 1BZ •Tel: 01629 810018 •Fax: 01629 810044 Email: info@caudwellandco.com • www.caudwellandco.com

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• Witham CM8 Little BraxtedEssex Fryerning

Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide Price £1,150,000 A strikingand fivepicturesque double bedroom, Grade II A charming Grade IIfour listedreception five bedroom listed periodset property thought toofdate 500 years. period cottage on a stunning plot circaback 1.75 acres (stls).

Thisback charming is the originally thought to be 3 Dating to theresidence 17th century property is immaculate cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting and offers a wealth of character and charm throughout with exposed timber beams and feature brick fire places. and extensive family living space over two floors.

The The property is situated in a delightful and peaceful 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixedhamlet environment, but haswith easypaddocks access to (benefitting the attractivefrom market sympathetically a town of Maldon and isaccess), conveniently located to two train second separate ponds and aclose substantial lake. stations, both of which have direct connections to London Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage Liverpool Street. EPC and detached oneExempt. bedroom annexe. Equestrian potential. EPC Exempt Country & Village Office 01245 397475

Country & Village Office 01245 397475

Fryerning Essex • Brentwood CM13 Little Warley Guide GuidePrice Price £3,850,000 £1,250,000 A striking five double bedroom, four reception Grade II A delightful three bedroom, oak framed, Grade II listed listed period property thought to date back 500 years. cottage, set within 3.042 acres (stls) and situated in a This charming residence is originally thought to be 3 wonderful rural setting that borders a stunning country cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting park. Peacefully located towards the end of an idyllic, and extensive living space over two floors. The no through wayfamily country lane, the cottage offers 7.5 acre plot comprises formal mixed immediate doorstep access to itsgrounds rolling countryside sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting from a surroundings. Brentwood town centre is just 3.6 miles second separate access), ponds and a substantial away and there is easy access to the A127 and M25. lake.

Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage EPC Exempt. and detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian CountryEPC & Village potential.

ExemptOffice 01245 397475

Country & Village Office 01245 397475

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01223 214214

cheffins.co.uk

Ashdon – Saffron Walden 5 Miles

UNRIVALLED COVERAGE AROUND CAMBRIDGE

£1,575,000

Magnificent individual detached residence set in an idyllic and picturesque rural setting enjoying panoramic views over the surrounding countryside and benefiting from well proportioned accommodation finished to an exceptionally high specification. Accommodation set over three floors comprising: Entrance hall opening to an impressive kitchen/breakfast room and spacious sitting/dining room leading to a study. The first and second floors offer six double bedrooms, four of which have en-suite facilities, family bathroom, home gym and ample storage space. Extensive parking, cart lodge plus further paddocks/land available by separate negotiation. EER:C Contact: Bruce King Saffron Walden 01799 523656 / bruce.king@cheffins.co.uk Martin Walshe Cambridge 01223 214214 / martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk

Houghton – Huntingdon Station 3 Miles

£1,500,000

Handsome and imposing Grade II Listed detached country residence extending to about 5879 sq. ft of immaculately presented and versatile accommodation over three floors standing within its own established grounds extending to approx. 1.27 acres together with a range of useful outbuildings including a double garage with studio above as well as a tennis court. The property occupies a most wonderful setting close to the heart of this picturesque village. Reception hallway, 5 reception rooms, conservatory, cloakroom, kitchen/breakfast room, utility. First floor landing, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms, shower room and separate bathroom. Second floor landing, 2 further bedrooms.

Contact: Richard Freshwater Cambridge 01223 214214 / richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

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CAMBRIDGE ELY HAVERHILL NEWMARKET SAFFRON WALDEN LONDON

Panton Street, Cambridge – Station 1 Mile

£1,300,000

A most impressive four storey Regency town house within this prestigious central city location close to a good range of local schools as well as riverside walks and Lammas Land. This fine home has a wealth of desirable period features as well as an impressive open plan kitchen/living/dining room on the lower ground floor. With hall, shower room, sitting room, bedroom 4. Lower ground floor, hallway, kitchen/living/dining area, utility room. Second floor landing, 2 further bedrooms 1 with en suite, family bathroom. A further bedroom on the second floor. Front and rear gardens.

EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater Cambridge 01223 214214 / richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Galewood, Great Shelford – Station 1 Mile

£1,500,000

A unique and rather special opportunity to purchase this fine Grade II Listed Edwardian residence in this most enchanting location about 1 mile to the South of the city boundary. This wing of this grant Edwardian house extends to about 3000 sq ft with a wealth of attractive features together with its own private grounds which extend to about 1.8 acres of formal gardens and woodland. Accommodation comprising: Entrance hall, reception hall, cloakroom, w.c, drawing room, study/family room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room. First floor galleried landing, master bedroom with en-suite, 3 further bedrooms, bathroom, w/c, garage and storage barn.

Contact: Richard Freshwater Cambridge 01223 214214 / richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Passionate about property since 1825

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cheffins.co.uk

26/02/2018 15:43

hamptons.co.uk

Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire A pretty six bedroom, 1934 Arts and Crafts house with a modern interior, retaining the charm and character of the original style. Fastest train journey to Marylebone, 29 minutes. EPC: D

£2,250,000 Freehold • • • • • •

Rural views over neighbouring fields Gardens approaching half an acre Integral double garage Gated entry Top floor guest accommodation Bespoke Smallbone kitchen

Hamptons Beaconsfield 01494 355532 | beaconsfield@hamptons-int.com

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hamptons.co.uk

Maidenhead, Berkshire An attractive six bedroom country house offering beautifully presented and flexible living space, designed to provide the convenience and comfort of modern living. EPC: E

Offers in Excess of £2,000,000 • • • • • •

Stunning country house 6 bedrooms Flexible accommodation Grounds of approx. 3.5 acres Outdoor heated swimming pool Delightful semi-rural location

Hamptons Maidenhead 01628 260473 | maidenhead@hamptons-int.com

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