A LIFE IN BALANCE
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 £4.95
ART PATH Now’s the time
SEASONS OF MIST
THAT’S CRIMINAL!
PAGES OF DESIGN AND INTERIORS
for a cultural pilgrimage
Immerse yourself in the Great Outdoors this autumn
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Meet the queen of murder mystery, Val McDermid
Freida PINTO
On ambition, activism and authenticity Cover-V7-PB.indd 2
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AU D E M A R S P I G U E T B O U T I Q U E S LO N D O N : S LO A N E S T R E E T · H A R R O D S F I N E WAT C H E S AP HOUSE LONDON : NEW BOND STREET
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Yasmin and Amber Le Bon wear ASHOKA
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Contents
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2022
COLUMNS 20 22 192
THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B goes off-grid in Kenya THE RURBANIST Motsi Mabuse LAST WORD Design builds self-believe for the nation, argues Michael Hayman
STYLE 27 28 30 32 36
GOING STELLA Wearable art to exhibit this autumn THE EDIT Style updates TREND Mariella Tandy’s kaleidoscope of party gear THE MAGPIE Jewellery news WELL GROOMED Men’s style
HEALTH & WELLBEING 39 40 42 44 46 48
ALL TOGETHER NOW Why you should grab a gym buddy BODY LANGUAGE Olivia Falcon pops pills in search of super supplements BODY & SOUL Go natural SPA TREK Good vibrations and deep breaths at Daios Cove TAKE TEN Autumn glow up THE ISLE OF BEAUTY Nathalie Eleni heads to the Azores to discover the source of biotech beauty brand, Ignae
THE GREAT OUTDOORS 51
Don your wellies – it’s time to get outdoors. From the finest country fashion to a food-filled Cornish road trip, plus Scotland’s success story and the fascinating history of Westley Richards, here are 22 pages celebrating the wilder side of life
CULTURE 81 82 88
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102
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ON THE BRIGHT SIDE Yinka Ilori paints colour across London CULTURAL CALENDAR What to see, read and do POETRY IN MOTION Van Cleef & Arpels is taking over the Design Museum, says Vivienne Becker THE EXHIBITIONIST Ed Vaizey observes Britain’s design ecosystem ARTIST’S STUDIO Martin Wade LITTLE GREEN BOOK Saving the ocean with the incredible Dr Sylvia Earle
6 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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Contents
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2022
CULTURE THE CONSERVATIONIST Can getting creative calm our eco-anxiety, asks James Wallace 98 ROAD TEST Does the new electric Audi come up to scratch? 100 SCARFES BAR Artist Catherine Goodman on the power of life drawing 96
FEATURES 102
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FINDING FRIEDA Talking ambition and authenticity with Freida Pinto. By Clare Naylor CULTURE CASUALTY OF WAR Cancelling art won’t win wars, argues Ivan Lindsay DESTINATION ART Maya Binkin suggests an art pilgrimage makes the perfect autumn trip DOING IT BY THE BOOK Crime writer Val McDermid has no skeletons in her closet, says Caroline Phillips
ON DESIGN 121
Carole Annett has everything you need to know for your next house transformation, from tremendous tiles and cosy rugs to styling your children’s bedrooms, plus drool-worthy case studies to take inspiration from
HOTELS & TRAVEL 153 162 164
JEWELS IN THE CROWN Why the Maldives is still on our bucket list FRENCH CONNECTION What’s new in Paris THE ESCAPIST Travel news
FOOD & DRINK 169 172
ON THE COVER Dress, Tom Ford for Gucci @ Dressed Makers. Boots, Hermès. Rings, Solange Azagury-Partridge. Earrings, Tiffany & Co.
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TEAM Fashion director: Nicole Smallwood; Art director: Fleur Harding; Photographer: Rachell Smith; Hair: Dayaruci at The Wall Group using Oribe; Make-up: Naoko Scintu at The Wall Group using NARS; Nails: Emily Rose at Saint Luke Artists using CHANEL
BIGGING UP BRASSICAS Ochre’s Alex Drayton serves up gallery-ready food GASTRO GOSSIP Foodie news
PROPERTY 175 176 180
PROPERTY OF THE MONTH A cliff-side coastal home LET’S MOVE TO... Marbella FIVE OF THE BEST Country estates
REGULARS 10 14 174
EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS STOCKISTS
8 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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E L I Z A B E T H H A R R O D & ST E V E N M C R A E , S O L O I ST & P R I N C I PA L , T H E R OYA L B A L L E T
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and I recorded our conversations (or more his soliloquy – this wasn’t an emotional outpouring, more a documentation of key moments and professional successes plus a bit of family history), sent the files off to Rev.com to transcribe and then edited them. I gathered a few photos from family and then uploaded everything onto Solentro.co.uk, which printed it into a basic book. I only mention this here, as a dear, wise friend told me to share it, because if you have a chance to do such a thing with anyone, please grab it. Freida Pinto, our glorious cover star, will have no need for someone to capture her memories via Zoom. I’m sure many a biography – or even an autobiography – will one day result from this extraordinarily talented actor, who is now turning her hand to producing. It’s exciting how actors no longer feel they have to stay in front of the camera, but can now lead on projects behind the lens that fulfil them. Read Clare Naylor’s interview with her on page 102. I’m pretty sure many a memory can be made in the Maldives. These jewel-like drops of islands in the Indian Ocean have to tread a very fine line between being at the mercy of rising tides thanks to climate change, but also relying heavily on tourism for their income. The carbon footprint for most of us to get there cannot be ignored. But bringing money in can help – and many of the resorts now take sustainability and regeneration extremely seriously, from marine restoration to turtle sanctuaries. As with all travel, choosing our destination and hotel wisely is more important than ever (p153). Of course, you don’t have to leave Blighty to get your wildlife or nature fix. Jonathan Young, former editor of The Field, knows this more than most. He walks so silently outside, his friend called him a cat. His relationship to nature comes from knowledge and respect – he knows the countryside like the back of his hand (p70). If you do fancy a massive dose of luxury with your countryside experience though, head to Bittescombe Lodge in Somerset, a newly opened, fully staffed home available to rent. There’s padel tennis, polo ponies, archery, ebiking or just lounging by the pool. However you get to enjoy the countryside, relish it. It is our gift.
Editor’s LETTER
C
apturing memories is something I’ve been thinking of recently as my father turned 80. With the realisation that he isn’t going to be around forever, I took the brave step of getting his life down on paper. I say brave, because my dad and I don’t really chat like that. I know a bit about his career, his likes and dislikes but if you pinned me down, I’d soon run out of facts. So we Zoomed once a week for a couple of months
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EDITOR’S PICKS WATCH Read Lawrence Osborne’s book? Now see the disquieting film of The Forgiven, starring Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain
WEAR I’m all for a fantastic flat and Baudoin & Lange does the most comfortable ones I’ve found yet. Visit them in the Burlington Arcade BUY Good coasters and placemats can be hard to come by but I’ve found Avenida Home at Liberty and can now rest at ease
LISTEN Emily Maitlis is a British broadcasting icon, so I’m avidly tuning into her new The News Agents podcast
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CON T R I BU TOR S
Destination Art, p114
Culture Casualty of War , p110
Finding Freida, p102
Heart of the Hunter, p70
Maya Binkin
Ivan Lindsay
Clare Naylor
Jonathan Young
Favourite wild place in the UK? The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, though I’m not sure how ‘wild’ it is as everything seems to be so carefully positioned, sheep and all. I am glad to have some time in Pembrokeshire this September, where I am working on an exhibition on Graham Sutherland. I have been told that part of Wales is stunning. What does a life in balance mean to you? It’s a cliché but I love what I do so I don’t feel like I’m working. My family is my most precious thing so my balance is making sure I spend time with my husband and son. I leave little time for myself but that’s the female experience. Favourite thing about autumn? Those lovely autumnal flavours, cinnamon and pumpkin, burnt ochre and orange. It’s also the start of the art world season so there are bound to be some fantastic new exhibitions to explore.
Favourite wild place in the UK? The UK is so diverse that exploring pretty much anywhere off the beaten track is rewarding in its own unique way. The coast, the Downs and the Dales are all near the top of my list. How do you switch off? With ease. There is always something interesting to explore or study in the vicinity. I like to go walking in beautiful places. What does a life in balance mean to you? That would be a question for my therapist... if I had one. Since I am not sure how one ascertains if one’s life is in balance, and the reasons are probably in the subconscious, I don’t have a satisfactory answer for this. Favourite thing about autumn? For me it’s a bitter/sweet season. The vivid colours of the fall are offset by the melancholy of another year passed.
Favourite wild place in the UK? Salmon Leaps on the River Teign in Devon for a wild swim. There are Victorian stone pools that act like natural Jacuzzis and the water’s clear as glass. How do you switch off? When it’s all a bit too much, I take my lurcher, Otis, and we run away. Not far, sometimes just down the King’s Road, but I don’t tell anyone I’m leaving so it feels like I’m escaping. I’m a big believer in running away from things! What does a life in balance mean to you? I have to rein in my domestic side and tie myself to my desk when there’s a deadline looming, so somewhere between cleaning windows and finishing a script. Favourite thing about autumn? Subjecting my children to TS Eliot’s Preludes: ‘The burntout ends of smoky days’ line is autumn in the city for me. Cue lots of eye-rolling. Also, rediscovering my jumpers.
Favourite wild place in the UK? The foreshore at false dawn on a cold December day. The only sounds are the making tide, the plaintive call of redshank and curlew and the whistle of wings of unseen wigeon. How do you switch off? In the countryside I never switch off. Like my terriers, I’m always alert for the slightest movement, whether it’s the scurry of a field vole or the speck of a peregrine suddenly materialising in a summer sky. What does a life in balance mean to you? I’ve never divided up my life. My work is my passion and I’ve always marvelled that I’ve been paid to do what I love. Favourite thing about autumn? The smell of fresh rain on willowherb and bracken. Somehow it always seems especially strong in lowland Scotland.
WA N T T O K NOW W H AT ’ S ON ? Get the C&TH editor’s edit and our weekly guide to What’s On — and you’ll never say you have nothing to do. Sign up at countryandtownhouse.com/newsletter countryandtown
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MADDOX CLIENTS INVESTING IN YAYOI KUSAMA REALISED AN AVERAGE PROFIT OF 26% IN 2021
D OW N LOA DMO ROXG A RATL LI N V E STMM E N T G U I D E AU DD E RY.CO D OW N LOA D O U R A R T I N V E ST M E N T G U I D E
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LUCY CLELAND EDITOR
EDITOR-AT-LARGE ALICE B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHARLOTTE METCALF MANAGING EDITOR AMY WAKEHAM SUB EDITOR & FEATURES ASSISTANT TESSA DUNTHORNE SUB EDITORS SOFIA TINDALL & KATIE BAMBER EDITORIAL ASSISTANT RUBY FEATHERSTONE FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD BEAUTY DIRECTOR NATHALIE ELENI INTERIORS DIRECTOR CAROLE ANNETT CULTURE EDITOR ED VAIZEY EXECUTIVE RETAIL EDITOR MARIELLA TANDY SUSTAINABILITY EDITOR LISA GRAINGER PROPERTY EDITOR ANNA TYZACK MOTORING EDITOR JEREMY TAYLOR ONLINE CONTENT DIRECTOR REBECCA COX JUNIOR ONLINE EDITOR ELLIE SMITH ONLINE WRITERS CHARLOTTE RICKARDS, CHARLIE COLVILLE, OLIVIA EMILY ONLINE ASSISTANT NAOMI GRANT SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE ZOEY PHOON CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PARM BHAMRA FILMMAKER TRACER ITAL ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ELLIE RIX ACCOUNT DIRECTORS PANDORA LEWIS, SERENA KNIGHT ACCOUNT MANAGER SABRINA RAVEN DIGITAL MANAGER ADAM DEAN ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER JESSICA DAVEY BRAND PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER CHRIS HOLT SALES SUPPORT & OFFICE MANAGER XA RODGER TECHNICAL MANAGER LUIGI BOLOGNA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARK PEARSON FINANCE DIRECTOR JILL NEWEY FINANCE CONTROLLER LAUREN HARTLEY FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR RIA HARRISON HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT ZOE JONES PROPERTY & MARKETING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND B CORP PROJECT MANAGER GEMMA COWLEY CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER TIA GRAHAM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER JAMES THROWER MANAGING DIRECTOR JEREMY ISAAC CONTRIBUTING EDITORS STEPHEN BAYLEY, FIONA DUNCAN, OLIVIA FALCON, DAISY FINER, LYDIA GARD, AVRIL GROOM, MICHAEL HAYMAN, LAUREN HO, RICHARD HOPTON, EMMA LOVE, MARY LUSSIANA, ANNA PASTERNAK, CAROLINE PHILLIPS, HOLLY RUBENSTEIN, MARCUS SCRIVEN THE EDITOR editorial@countryandtownhouse.co.uk FASHION fashion@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ADVERTISING advertising@countryandtownhouse.co.uk
PROPERTY ADVERTISING property@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ACCOUNTS accounts@countryandtownhouse.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk
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Chiltern Slate Suede
BY APPOINTMENT TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON
MADE IN ENGLAND | SINCE 1879
One of our oldest and best-selling icons Now available in five different suede colours. Chiltern is the perfect smart casual Chukka boot.
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COLUMN
The GOOD LIFE
This month, Alice B-B heads off-grid on a Kenyan adventure Alice walks with camels through remote northern Kenya
T
HE TRIP I LONGED FOR... through those long lockdowns was, perversely, as remote as possible. And then it happened: my entire family headed to northern Kenya for my darling rascal dad’s 70th birthday. It’s a trip we’ve done before and one I hope we’ll do again. Walking through remote Samburu country, travelling ancient paths with a caravan of 50 camels carrying our tents, food and water (and gin). Our leader, Helen DuFresne, founded the Milgis Trust, with her boyfriend Pete Ilsley, which combines conservation work with the needs of the local people. It was thrilling to see masses of wild elephant roaming these formerly poached-toscarcity lands. Walking each day in blistering heat became a deep meditation, while showering at sunset beneath a sack of hot water hung from a branch overlooking a mindblowing view is – hands down – my favourite bathroom in the world. Being totally off-grid for five days is my definition of luxury: no news, no email, no Instagram, just lost in thoughts, engaged in chat, and revelling in laughter and the joy of Samburu songs (wildandremotekenya.com). DON’T GET AN EXPENSIVE BED... was the puppy advice. But Betty the goldendoodle is now two and over the chewing phase. So it was time for an upgrade. The excitement was palpable when the Maker & Son gang showed up. Creators of the comfiest sofa in the world – not hyperbole – they travel the land in a pimped mobile showroom. Betty did the famous Maker & Son leap (check it out on Insta @makerandson) onto the prototype basket, like a sofa without legs. She didn’t want to get off, so the deal was done. I chose slate blue covers with raspberry piping (washable). When the throne arrived, Betty couldn’t believe it was hers. But after I shoved treats down the side, she knew this was the place to be. Now I just need to save up for the human version. I’VE JUST GOT TO GRIPS WITH MY NECK... And apparently now I have to worry about my décolleté – that Bermuda Triangle of delicate skin stretched across the chest bones that often sees more sun than the rest of the body, but gets less love (and SPF) than your face. The brilliant Waterhouse Young Clinic cares for this area with EndyMedPro 3Deep radio frequency – which gets a bit hot as it stimulates all the good stuff like collagen and elastin. Then Dr Paris finishes the treatment with Profhilo – hyaluronic acid – injections that moisturise from within. Don’t plan on going out straight after in a low-cut outfit; the injection bumps look like tribal warrior scars. But they’re gone in a day and for the next three months you’ll have juicy skin like a Victorian teenager’s embonpoint (waterhouseyoung.com). n
THIS MONTH I’LL BE...
NOSE DEEP in much-recommended Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Doubleday, £14.99). WORKING Face Gym’s Active Rollers – microneedle active ingredients that dissolve into the skin (facegym.com). DREAMING of an electric Mini Moke car from the new Casa Moke store in St Tropez (mokeinternational.com).
ILLUSTRATION BY MEI MEI, @MEIMEI_2503
We walked through remote SAMBURUcountry, travelling ANCIENT paths with a caravan of 50 CAMELS
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INTERVIEW
The RURBANIST
Motsi Mabuse on loving Emma Thompson and clearing out her wardrobe for Ukraine
What’s bringing you joy at the moment? The thought of
the next few weeks: going on holiday to Greece with my family, and spending time with my daughter. What’s annoying you most right now? I want to do everything at once, as I love it all, but I don’t have the time. I think I just need to do one thing at a time. Advice you’d give to your 15-year-old self? Everything’s going to be okay. Take time to enjoy everything, take time to feel everything and be in the moment, and not worry so much. How do you achieve a balanced life? I’m working on that! I think it’s good to understand that there are phases in life: there’s a time to rest and a time to work, and if you go with that it’s easier to maintain a balance and take care of yourself. What does sustainability mean to you? It’s about trying to make a difference in small ways. I’ve reduced my wardrobe to the simplest things that I need, and I’m selling about 80 per cent of all of my clothes and donating part of the proceeds to my local Ukrainian organisation. I also try to eat less meat. Are you a country person or a city person? Country! I can’t get enough of my beautiful forest at home [in Germany]. I am not a city person: it’s too noisy, too loud, too hectic. Where do you go to get away from it all? I go home. I live in the most beautiful place called Taunus, surrounded by trees. It just calms me down. You wouldn’t know it but… I’m very shy when I have to do public speaking. I can work on television, but speaking in front of an audience makes me so nervous. The book you wished you’d written? Long Walk To Freedom by Nelson Mandela. I first read it immediately after it was released, 20 years ago.
Motsi recounts her world-leading dance career and childhood growing up in apartheid South Africa in her new autobiography, Finding My Own Rhythm
The film you wished you’d starred in?
Much Ado About Nothing. That’s when I fell in love with Emma Thompson. Your greatest challenge? Starting my own business. The first year of my dance school was one of my greatest learning moments. Your greatest triumph? Becoming German champion [in Latin dance] the first time. Your epitaph would read... She brought joy to people’s hearts.
MOTSI LOVES PERFUME Eau d’Hermès eau de toilette. BOX SET Sex & The City. CHOCOLATE BAR Crunchie. SONG Close To You by The Carpenters. DISH Anything with truffle. GADGET iPhone. RESTAURANT Lodge in Taunus, Germany. HOLIDAY Crete, Greece.
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Motsi Mabuse’s new autobiography, Finding My Own Rhythm, is out on 8 September (Ebury, £20)
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STYLE Edited by Mariella Tandy
Going STELLA
Fashion becomes art this autumn
Stella McCartney’s AW ’22 collection, ‘Stella by Stella’, was inspired by the American artist and sculptor Frank Stella. It blurs the line between creators and collectors, masculine and feminine, minimalism and maximalism, all while turning modern staples into effortlessly wearable art. Coat, £3,200. stellamccartney.com
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STYLE | Shopping
The
EDIT Mariella Tandy on the style news to know this season
FRESHFACED
New on the beauty scene this autumn
Each Kneed bag is handmade in Florence using leather companies that can trace their lineage directly to the master guilds of the Renaissance. Each bag features signature details such as perfectly proportioned pockets and pouches that accommodate water bottles, tech devices and other essentials. Rae bag, £795. thekneed.com
COLLECTOR’S ITEM
1 Orveda Prebiotic Emulsion, £280. harveynichols.com 2 Byredo Tears in the Rain waterproof mascara, £37. byredo.com 3 Dior Beauty Crème Abricot, £26. dior.com
EnCommún Official is a new type of brand where fashion meets art. Founder Lisa Liberati says, ‘Our goal is to make garments feel as precious as art and as such encourage the collection of our pieces, thus extending the lifespan of the garments.’ We love the ingenuity of this handmade 100 percent aluminum chain mail dress. encommun.site
FRENCH STYLE
Jane Birkin has teamed up with APC to create her dream capsule wardrobe based on an ideal version of her usual everyday outfits. Think the perfect T-shirts and vests, just-right trousers and accessories all made from highquality materials that promise to age well. Trousers, £275; vest, £95. apcstore.co.uk
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LET IT RAIN
Tom Davies Titanium sunglasses, £445. tdtomdavies.com
Zimmermann Kaleidoscope bomber, £1,300; Kaleidoscope skirt, £495. zimmermann.com Envelope 1976 Jacket, £772. netaporter.com
Bamford’s new AW ’22 collection is its most eco-conscious yet, with traceability high on the brand’s agenda, and organic silk and cashmere appearing in the range for the first time. The latter is washed and processed in rainwater collected in Umbria, known as ‘the green heart of Italy’, which reduces each garment’s water consumption and imbues it with a natural softness. bamford.co.uk
A TALE OF THREE CITIES Balenciaga Neo classic mini bag, £1,350. balenciaga.com
ON THE RADAR Biker style gets a reboot
Sotheby’s Luxury Edit London exhibition, 1-7 September; New York exhibition, 6-12 September; Paris exhibition 23-28 September. Auctions throughout Sept and Oct. sothebys.com/luxuryedit
Khaite Abigail jeans, £340. netaporter.com
Mami Wata T-shirt, £50. generousape.com
Bottega Veneta Chelsea boots, £845. netaporter.com
Maria Sole Ferragamo is the firstever guest curator of Sotheby’s Luxury Edit, gathering together a covetable selection of pre-loved watches, jewels, sneakers, handbags, wine and spirits that are on offer across a series of sales in London, New York and Paris this September. ‘My mission will be to recognise, acknowledge and highlight the beauty of these pre-owned objects, rather than creating new ones with existing materials,’ says Maria. ‘I believe the next generation has a huge part to play in making more conscious choices to preserve our planet.’ Her own brand, So-Le Studio, creates upcycled jewellery from leather offcuts, and will release capsule collections of pieces inspired by each city. so-le-studio.com
FACE IT
Debbie Thomas’s facials are legendary and if you’re in need of a skin boost this autumn, her High Intensity Focused Ultrasound treatment may be just the ticket. HIFU is great for those wanting to address sagging or lax skin, as it uses ultrasonic energy that radiates deep into the skin, stimulating collagen production for plump, tight and lifted skin. From £950, dthomas.com September/October 2022 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 29
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STYLE | Trend
Be The RAINBOW
Why blend in when you can bring the party? says Mariella Tandy
DISCOVER
CARTIER @ THE VINTAGE TRAP Piccadilly sunglasses, £990
INVEST
PENELOPE CHILVERS Mary Janes, £199
RENT
GUCCI @ FRONT ROW Jacket, from £77, and trousers, from £175
CHANEL @ SELLIER KNIGHTSBRIDGE Neon tweed bag, £5,150
MARINE SERRE @ RESELLFRIDGES Upcycled jacket, £830
CELIA B Aconagua coat, £550
BOTTEGA VENETA @ FRONT ROW Dress, £126 for three days
OMNEQUE Vintage earrings, £295
MARY KATRANTZOU @ MY WARDROBE HQ Darcy jacket, from £20 a day
CELINE @ REWIND VINTAGE Leather Belt, £525
OLIVIA VON HALLE Contessa slippers, £695
HARRIS REED @ MISSOMA X HURR Rent from £31
FOR STOCKISTS PLEASE SEE P174
THEMOIRÈ Clutch bag, £355
30 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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STYLE | Jewellery COLOUR CRUSH
Dior Joaillerie’s renowned Creative Director, Victoire de Castellane, has reimagined the classic chain motif this season, incorporating lacquer rainbow hues into 18ct gold, in links composed of the interlocked initials ‘CD’. dior.com
Color Dior earrings, £13,200; necklace and bracelet, both £POA
GOTH GLAM
Lost Boys blackened gold and diamond bow bracelet, £19,500
Cult 1987 vampire film The Lost Boys, gothic literature, crosses, bows and corsets make up the moodboard for Jessica McCormack’s new collection, named after the film. Bows, crucifixes and teardrops made from 18ct yellow gold, blackened gold and diamonds form the striking main motifs. From £4,000, jessicamccormack.com
The Magpie All the latest jewellery news. By Mariella Tandy
ON THE CLOCK FEELING STRONG
Monica Vinader has collaborated with renowned celebrity stylist Kate Young on a new collection of jewellery designed to make every woman feel self-assured. It uses intense colour, bespoke cut gemstones, highly polished 18ct gold vermeil, and sculptural silhouettes for a look that’s both simple and strong. From £80, monicavinader.com
GOING FOR GOLD
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Linde Werdelin and the launch of its next generation Oktopus moon watch, available in blue and white strap. Showcasing an evolution of the case and moonphase complication over two decades, it is the first complete case produced in pioneering 3D thin-ply carbon. £19,200, lindewerdelin.com
Goldsmiths’ Fair, the UK’s leading exhibition for the most exciting independent makers of contemporary jewellery, celebrates its 40th anniversary this autumn. Head down to the Goldsmiths Hall in the City of London to explore the 134 exhibitors brought together for the event. 27 September to 9 October, goldsmithsfair.co.uk
EAR CANDY Earrings to brighten any outfit 1 Giovanni Raspini Posidonia earrings. £245, giovanniraspini.com 2 Soru Hoop Earrings. £150, sorujewellery.com 3 Nadine Aysoy Heart earrings. £4,950, nadineaysoy.com 4 Ouroboros ‘Ravishers’ earrings. £2,450, ouroborosjewellery.com
32 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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A CAPSULE FABRIC & THROW COLLECTION
@johnstonsofelgininteriors T +44 (0)1343 554077 JOHNSTONSOFELGIN.COM
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STYLE | Men’s
PULL YOUR SOCKS UP
WALK IT OFF
Edward Green’s Piccadilly loafers are now available without lining. With their light leather soles and refined interior detailing, they make for a relaxed choice, perfect for today’s evolving wardrobe. £995, edwardgreen.com
Burlington has gone all hip and happy this season with new sock lines Uplifting and Grounded, including smiley faces and cool colour combinations. £13, burlington.de
Well Groomed
SHADES OF AUTUMN
Set the tone for the season with these cosy finds
Matt Thomas will get you set for the new season
UPCYCLE TIME
Zenith Watches is the official timekeeper of the Island X Prix E-racing championship, and its new Defy Extreme E Special watch incorporates upcycled tyre rubber from the race in the strap. £22,700, zenith-watches.com
SNAP HAPPY
This limited-edition camera which results from a creative collaboration between Leica and A Bathing Ape x Stash is the perfect tool for budding street photographers everywhere. £1,750, leica-camera.com
INSTANT UPLIFT
Look good, smell great with these new launches
1 SCOTCH & SODA Overshirt. £295, scotch-soda.com 2 TURNBULL & ASSER Donegal merino ribbed hat. £150, turnbullandasser.co.uk
FM2.5 Matte finish hair styling. £38, patricksproducts.co.uk
Paul Smith Bookworm candle. £65, paulsmith. com
Issey Miyake Eau & Cèdre. £56, theperfume shop.com
3 JOSHUA ELLIS Cashmere socks. £55, joshuaellis.com Dries Van Noten Neon Garden. £195, selfridges.com
4 UNSEEN Trinity Tech sneakers. £275, generousape.com
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A Tradition of Safari since 1812. Explore our artisanal leather goods and outdoor clothing collections.
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Available at
johnbellcroyden.co.uk
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HEALTH&
WELLBEING
All Together Now PHOTO: © JACK ATKINSON
Why exercising as a group is better than going solo
We often talk about disconnecting to recharge our batteries, but what can forging new connections do for our health? The Peligoni Club in Zakynthos, Greece, has curated a wellness week for like-minded holiday-goers, so that you can workout and unwind in good company. Whether you want to bring out your adventurous side or boost your motivation, exercising alongside others can provide positive reinforcement. The next PACE by Peligoni takes place 22-26 May 2023. £400 (accommodation extra), peligoni.com
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Lifestyle Lyma’s supplements get yearly updates as new wonder ingredients become available
MIND & MATTER Life’s little luxuries
SPRITZ Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness burst to life with this deliciously sunny ode to an English orchard in full bloom. Truly scrumptious. £108, jomalone.co.uk
BODY LANGUAGE Olivia Falcon searches out super-powered supplements for an autumn recharge
I
was one of the last people to get Covid but when it hit me back in July, it knocked me to the floor. It was a real struggle to shake off the lethargy, so I have spent much of the summer buried desk-deep in powders, sachets and jagged little pills, researching supplements to supercharge my immunity, boost my mood and restore my energy. Beauty counters are awash with all manner of remedies right now, promising to make one feel and look glossier and healthier but which ones can you rely on for palpable results? I have two big recommendations here that I’ll wager will help pick up the post summer blues, keep you perky and pretty and give you the upper hand as we get into autumn virus season. First up, you need to know about Altrient Liposomal vitamins. I’m pretty evangelical about these as the benefits are remarkable. Altrient’s Vitamin C (£44.50, altrient.com) is a great flu fighter and energy booster but if you take three sachets a day for three months, it can also improve skin elasticity by up to 61 per cent, which is a real boon for slack, sun-damaged skin. Altrient Vitamin B and Mineral Complex (£54.99) keeps tiredness and fatigue at bay whilst its Glutathione (£80.99) regenerates the liver and
brightens the complexion – essential after a summer on the rosé. The point of difference is in the unique delivery system – whereas many other brands are not easily absorbed or stored by the body, Altrient’s patented gels are coated in fatty acids which protect the nutrients from harsh stomach acids to ensure delivery to the small intestine and quick absorption directly into the blood stream. It’s really marvellous stuff. I have also been loving the latest Lyma supplements, (£199, lyma.life). Based on ingredients such as ashwagandha, an adaptogen that promotes better sleep, more energy and clarity of mind, Lyma is a bit like the iPhone of the vitamin world; its pills get annual updates as new ingredients become available. The latest to be added to the deck is levagen, a protein found naturally in the body that acts as a painkiller; toddlers have tons of it, hence playground scrapes are significantly more bearable than if you were to have the same sort of injury at an older age. Having personally road tested the new enhanced supplement over six months of awful peri-menopausal menstrual cycles, I can report it did indeed work to alleviate pretty intense cramps. Taking Lyma long term has also eased my PMS and helped clear up rosacea-based breakouts, too. n
SPLASH La Eva Roseum Wash Sophisticated, sustainable brand designed to upgrade any bathroom. This delicate wash nurtures skin with a delicate rosey, citrus scent that offers a moment of spa-like soothing at home. £20, la-eva.com
SLATHER Dr David Jack All Day Long SPF50 A brilliant non-gloopy moisturizer that protects skin from evil UV rays, giving skin a radiant glow. £95, drdavidjack.com
SNOOZE Dreem Distillery Moonlit Mask Cheat a good night’s sleep with this creamy mask, infused with CBD which plumps and revitalizes skin while you sleep. £55, dreemdistillery.com
40 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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drsebagh.com
The Anti-Ager.
Experience the rejuvenating, radiance-restoring power of Dr Sebagh’s highly concentrated super-serum. Used on its own or mixed with any serum, this deeply nourishing and repairing hero delivers a potent dose of three anti-ageing peptides, hyaluronic acid and the ‘youth molecule’ Resveratrol. Mineral boosters turn up the glow, and an anti-pollution film protects your skin. Available in-store and at drsebagh.com
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Wellness
Body & SOUL
How the natural world can help us thrive, by Camilla Hewitt
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JUST BREATHE
Ex-showjumper Tamara Harnett and breathwork specialist Richie Norton use the wild outdoors as the basis for their camps and workshops. Training techniques include functional movement, exposure to the cold and heat, and breathing to enhance to performance and control stress. adaptxplore.com
GO GREEN
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While it’s great to focus on fresh produce for nutrients and minerals, greens powders from grasses, seaweeds and leafy greens can help boost your intake. Ora’s Easy Being Green powder supports a healthy immune system and aids proper digestion. £29.99, ora.organic
NATURE’S TONIC
Irene Forte’s skincare distils the benefits of a Mediterranean diet into natural skincare that nourishes skin with nutrient-rich ingredients. The beauty brand recently relaunched its Forte Illuminate Lavender range, with new formulas created from core ingredients of herbs and plants that are all harvested at Irene’s own organic farm in Sicily. Olive oil, floral hibiscus, fragrant lavender and herbal rosemary supply the skin with a wealth of vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. ireneforteskincare.co.uk
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STAY GROUNDED
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Good Earth aims to inspire the next generation of gardeners to be part of the environmental movement, as well as encouraging young adults to harvest the food they have grown and foraged, and share it with their communities. Every season it releases limited-edition Organic Grow Kits & Seed Collections, to help people get started. planetgoodearth.com
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PLANT FOOD
By mixing up the plant foods we consume, we expose our bodies to myriad diverse dietary nutrients and fibre, which in turn help to maximise the variety and quality of bacteria in the gut. The Veg Box (Penguin Life, £20), by the Irish brothers behind The Happy Pear, takes the ten most common vegetables and gives you ten of the most delicious ways to cook with them. thehappypear.ie 5
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« CHECK IN: ARMANCETTE HÔTEL & SPA Nestled in the heart of the Alps, Armancette is a luxurious base for exploring the Mont Blanc massif. In the summer months, mountain biking and hiking begin right on the doorstep, while in winter, the hotel’s catered chalets provide direct access to the ski slopes. At an altitude of 1,000 metres, the hotel, which was built on the site of a former bakery, has maintained tradition by employing an in-house baker who prepares delicious picnics to pack in your rucksack and tuck into after a morning spent enjoying the mountain air. BOOK IT: €641 per night, room only. Breakfast is €35 per adult, €12 for children aged four to ten. lhw.com
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© Valérie Lade
© Maud Fiori
Bohomania www.baobabcollection.com
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Wellness
Family holidays get a restorative twist at Daios Cove, Crete
SPA Trek
Daisy Finer takes a deep breath at Daios Cove, Crete
H
ow many of us have snapped at our children because what we are really dealing with is emotions rooted in something else? The parenting journey is never single track. We criss-cross parallel dimensions. Not just juggling work schedules with social pressures, but with the hardened bones of human existence: grief, divorce, financial worries, work wrangles, twists of friendship. These layered experiences, our multiple roles, the guilt we feel when we lose control, put on extra pounds, harbour habits, is a fundamental reason why selfnurture is so paramount. It’s not just about massages. It’s about creating a full stop. A place to pause, so that the vibrations ricocheting through our central nervous system can find a healthier outlet. So, where can parents escape to when they need to recalibrate but also to bring the whole gang along? For anyone wishing to combine a child-friendly getaway with a serious spa get-up, Daios Cove in Crete has the answers. Everyone, from toddlers to teenagers, will enjoy the all-singing resort: a soft sand beach, suites and villas with their own private pools, water sports, paddleboarding, tennis, boats. There’s a kids’ club for little ones, cookery classes, and excursions to local farms. Buggies and funiculars provide a fun way to get from one level of the dazzling coast location to another. Yes, it’s a big place, but it’s also intimate; polished without being pretentious, organised but with a dose of laidback cool. Firepits and music nights included. The relief of knowing that each of the four restaurants will have something to keep the whole family happy is enough to ensure you’re
humming by day two. There are vegetable purées aplenty, as well as burgers, pizzas and ice creams, and sophisticated adult choices which fit the bill for healthy intentions. Enjoy homemade muesli, açaí bowls, nutrient dense salads, grilled fish, local vegetables and fresh juices ordered to your pool lounger. There are even wellness cocktails; like the ‘celery fizz’ with gin and Cretan honey. Clever. Equally on pulse is the spa itself. This year it was relaunched as ‘Kepos by Goco’, and comes complete with thermal bathing pools, a high tech BXR gym, and a thoughtful combination of holistic healing and innovative medical technology. Advanced biometric testing and 3D Styku diagnostics (followed by live video consultations), deliver insights into your metabolic rate, breathing, posture and stress levels. Regenerative treatments include cryotherapy: an ice room where you can dance away three minutes listening to Eye of the Tiger whilst fortifying immunity, and sessions in the infrared sauna to release muscles. There are IV vitamin infusions, an oxygen chamber (like sitting inside a plane, only with uber-charged air purity) and for the brave, colonics. Additional sprinkles include boxing, aerial yoga and sound healing. Of course, there are beautiful massages and facials too, with therapists who give from the heart. The point is to create your very own spa retreat in sync with your definition of a family holiday. My advice? Put your own oxygen mask on first. BOOK IT: From €494 per night, based on a Deluxe Sea View room for two, on half board. Spa programs start from €850 for the two-day ‘Insight to Wellness’. daioscovecrete.com
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Jardin Bloom Mural. Darien Dining Chairs in Labyrinth Velvet.
Grand Palace Collection: Wallpaper, Print and Woven Fabrics www.thibautdesign.com tel: 020 7737 6555
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Take Ten
GO WITH THE GLOW Ten effective solutions for superb skin, every day. By Nathalie Eleni
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Rejuvenated Skin Perfecting Complex Opt for this vegan, collagen-boosting supplement that increases your collagen levels while soothing inflammation from within, helping to calm acne, rosacea, and eczema. £24.95, cultbeauty.com
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Sculpted by Aimee Liquid Lights Rosy Glow Blush The easiest way to fake a glow. Swirl this liquid blush over the apples of your cheeks for a skinperfecting final touch. £13, sculptedbyaimee.com
Decorté Hydra Clarity Conditioning Treatment Softener A luxurious lotion that, applied after cleansing, envelopes the skin in a dewy moisture veil, protecting it from dryness and friction. £36, harrods.com
Willowberry PHA Liquid Exfoliator Using PHAs (a gentle alternative to AHAs) this liquid exfoliator will give a beautiful boost to dull skin. £28.99, willowberry.co.uk
Meder Eu-Body Prebiotic Anti-Acne Body Cream For sufferers of backne, or body blemishes, this wonderful formulation will help to keep skin clear, balanced and glowing. Apply to the affected areas. £89, mederbeauty.com
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Dr Sebagh Replenishing Cream Deeply moisturising and intensively nourishing, this cream expertly rejuvenates dehydrated, mature or tired-looking skin, addressing dryness and premature ageing. £69, drsebagh.com
Iconic London Illuminator Mix a couple of drops of this illuminator in Champagne Shimmer with your foundation, for a lovely lit-from-within radiance. £32, iconiclondoninc.com
Axiology Balmie Highlighter A plastic-free highlighter stick that gives a luminous glow when blended over the high points of your face. £11, contentbeauty wellbeing.com
Valmont LumiPeel Peeling Lotion This gentle skin exfoliator uses PHAs, papaya and prickly pear enzymes to remove dead skin cells and promote cell renewal. £111, harrods.com
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
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Lumene Nordic-C Fresh Glow Brightening Gel Mask This is the perfect pickme-up treat for skins that need a quick fix. £27.50, lookfantastic.com
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Travel through the Highlands of Scotland to find Travel through the Highlands of Scotland to find a world of fresh new possibilities to explore a world of fresh new possibilities to explore at The House of Bruar. Reimagining timeless at The House of Bruar. Reimagining timeless country clothing with a keenly contemporary country clothing with a keenly contemporary eye, our new Autumn/Winter collection sees eye, our new Autumn/Winter collection sees highest quality materials transformed into highest quality materials transformed into must-have fashion essentials including this must-have fashion essentials including this British pure new wool worsted tartan coat, British pure new wool worsted tartan coat, which has a flattering sculpted silhouette topped which has a flattering sculpted silhouette topped with a luxurious touch of premium velvet at with a luxurious touch of premium velvet at the collar, and our men’s paddock coat, where the collar, and our men’s paddock coat, where sharply tailored wool is enhanced with 10% sharply tailored wool is enhanced with 10% cashmere and hand finished AMF stitching for cashmere and hand finished AMF stitching for a more refined look and feel. Always inventive a more refined look and feel. Always inventive and unafraid to add an unexpected twist to old and unafraid to add an unexpected twist to old favourites, anyone with an appreciation of fine favourites, anyone with an appreciation of fine country living will find much to engage with in country living will find much to engage with in Scotland’s leading independent store. Scotland’s leading independent store.
B R IT IS H T A R T A B R IT IS H T A R T A T S 3 T S 3 T A L L H IG H H T A L L H IG H H T A 2 1 T A 2 1 W O O L & C A S W O O L & C A S T S 3 T S 3 T o o rd e r c a ll 0 1 7 T o o rd e r c a ll 0 1 7
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Beauty
THE ISLE OF BEAUTY
Six million years in the making, Nathalie Eleni visits the source of Ignae, the biotech beauty brand that’s bringing our faces into the future
O
nce in a while, a beauty brand comes along that really knocks our organic cashmere socks off, giving us the glow of a full night’s sleep, while maintaining our core values of respecting the planet. Enter Ignae Skincare.
THE HERO PRODUCTS
THE BIRTH OF A BEAUTY BRAND
Halfway between America and Europe, the Azores consist of nine volcanic islands, characterised by lakefilled calderas and hot springs. Bursting with colour, vibrant green landscapes and bright, fragrant botanicals, it is no wonder that such potently rich and effective ingredients have been sourced from this magical place. Hundreds of years ago, sailors would stop off here to bathe in the hot springs, rich in minerals of calcium, iron, magnesium and selenium, which would soothe and treat inflamed conditions developed from the harsh life at sea. Azores-born Miguel Pombo, an expert in international ingredient manufacturing and EU regulations for beauty, spent years researching and testing the true potential of these exotic ingredients, and the way in which they could protect, heal and aid regeneration of the skin. Ignae was born. Winning three prestigious beauty awards in three countries so far, Ignae has turned unique Azorian ingredients into truly transformative skincare.
THE INGREDIENTS
Not all minerals are created equal. The minerality of the soil in the Azores took six million years to create. Abundant volcanic soil and rich thermal waters have grown these rare potent botanicals, giving them superpowers beyond the norm. The key ingredients
Daily Enzyme Cleanser This refreshing cleanser provides mild and gentle exfoliation. It can also be applied as a weekly at-home peel, and be left on the skin for five minutes before removing. £78
People have been coming to the Azores for hundreds of years to bathe in its hot springs
of algae, camellia japonica, thermal waters, phycocyanin (extracted from spirulina) and Japanese cedar tree have a far superior mineral quality from others sourced elsewhere in the world.
THE SCIENCE
Blue Light Serum Designed to protect against the blue light emitted from computers, this serum is rich in actives such as calendula, effective in reducing diesel fumeand cigarette smokeinduced inflammation responses. £95
What really sets Ignae apart is the breakthrough it has made in biotechnology, which not only creates more efficacy from these potent ingredients but also means 100 times less biomass is needed to create the same effect. For example, with the camellia seeds, only the leaves from the trimmings of the garden are used, so nature is not compromised. This, combined with a truly intelligent liposomal delivery system that transports these powerful ingredients deep into the skin’s basal layer (where the magic happens in terms of collagen production and regeneration), Ignae is fully sustainable, fully vegan and fully luxurious.
DIGITAL DIFFERENCE
The rich volcanic soil and thermal waters of the Azores form the basis of Ignae’s effective ingredients
Dynamic Eye Complex High-performance peptides designed to reduce the appearance of dark circles and diminish fine lines and wrinkles while firming, make this a great all-inone product. £99
As if this all wasn’t enough, Claire Chung, a former Net-A-Porter executive, and now Ignae’s co-founder and CEO, has used her digital expertise to develop an app using the latest technology to provide customers with an AI skin test that measures ten parameters, including wrinkles, redness and pigmentation, so they can be guided on which regime to use and how to monitor their own skin’s transformative journey. Ignae is available at John Bell & Croyden, as well as online. ignae.com
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P R O M OT I O N
ABOVE: Pouring molten silver RIGHT: A new design comes to life
BURNING TO CREATE The allure of fire and the strength of silver have inspired Giovanni Raspini over his celebrated career
I
n a world of mass-produced products, today true luxury lies in the uniqueness that only great craftsmanship can bring. All the pieces designed by silversmith Giovanni Raspini, from jewellery to homeware, have been hand made in his Tuscan atelier for 50 years, crafted one by one with care and attention according to ancient techniques handed down from generation to generation. At the heart of it all is the creative idea, a kernel of inspiration that Giovanni Raspini takes from the fields of art, architecture, history and nature. The initial sketch is then transformed with the help of fire into tiny wax sculptures by the hands of skilled craftsmen. This ‘lost-wax’ casting technique results in a unique model that is used as the basis of the subsequent production stages. The wax model then becomes the core of a plaster mould that, once solidified, is emptied of wax (or ‘lost’) and filled with molten silver. This
ABOVE: Giovanni Raspini’s native Tuscany, always at the heart of every design; RIGHT: Anenome ring, £195
Anenome button earrings, £140; Anenome small necklace, £560; Anenome ring, £195
Tuscan jeweller Giovanni Raspini
technique, originating from the Etruscan tradition and mastered by Giovanni Raspini, brings silver to life and transforms it into jewellery. Countless stages follow, such as cleaning, assembly, burnishing, brushing and quality control, all of which are carried out by hand in the brand atelier. ‘My eyes are full of beautiful things and I want to share them with those who love my world, with those who share my enthusiasm,’ says the jeweller. ‘A jewel is also poetry because beauty can offer every day the thrill of creation.’ Although the jeweller’s designs have evolved over the decades to meet his customers’ ever-changing tastes and expectations, the signature Giovanni Raspini manufacturing techniques remain the same as in the past, embodying a true Made in Italy heritage and know-how. The result? Another unmatchable collection of jewellery, made with true skill, passion and artistry. giovanniraspini.com
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Run wild and free with C&TH’s guide to country pursuits
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS BRODIE Cashmere socks, £58.80
ARAMINTA CAMPBELL Handwoven Fallen Leaves wide scarf, £1,225
BARBOUR Mara shirt, £79.95
Make PURDEY a stop off for country pursuits clothing and accessories
JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN X SABINA SAVAGE Jacquard blanket stole, £399
TROY Gilet, £440
SKIIM PARIS Shearling cropped cape, £1,250
WILD & FREE
Neutral palettes with a twist of tweed, says Amy Wakeham
R.M. WILLIAMS Aireys vest, £280
CELTIC & CO Sheepskin clog, £95
HOUSE OF BRUAR Culottes, £149.95
ARIAT Wythburn boots, £190
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH. FOR STOCKISTS PLEASE SEE P174
DUBARRY Castlehyde coat, £449
AQVAROSSA Seraphine coat, £1,050
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GIVING YOU THE EDGE, SINCE 1840
9 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5NP
T: +44 (0)207 484 1000
www.farlows.co.uk
Scan the QR code to view our current collection
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Women’s Belgrave Biker Coat, made in England from the finest merino and alpaca mix.
The finest products. Expert knowledge. Friendly advice.
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
JOSHUA ELLIS Cashmere scarf, £129
WESTLEY RICHARDS Rannoch waistcoat, £495
LOCK & CO Escorial flat cap, £175
OLIVER BROWN Ayr tweed breeks, £225
FARLOWS Shooting vest, £849.99 (available end Sept)
SCHÖFFEL Fortrose jumper, £129.95
LE CHAMEAU Jameson boots, £300
OUT WARD BOUND Belt up and buckle up, says Amy Wakeham
BEAUFORT & BLAKE Wye socks, £14
PRIVATE WHITE V.C. Wax jacket, £850
MUSTO Highland jacket, £400
BENNETT WINCH Weekender bag, £750 CROCKETT & JONES Indiana boots, £470
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH. FOR STOCKISTS PLEASE SEE P174
FAIRFAX & FAVOR Narford belt, £50
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AUDLEY HOUSE, LONDON W1K 2ED | + 44 (0) 20 7499 180 | PURDEY.COM
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Jumper and blazer, Really Wild. Knickers, Shi Cashmere. Boots, Chanel. Pocket squares (on rope, Oliver Brown. On the boat: Scarf, Bamford. Bags (L-R), 1 & 2, Westley Richards, 3 Dubarry
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Natural WOMAN Blend in with your surroundings FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER DAN HACK
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Jumper and skirt, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. Jacket, Purdey. Hat, Lock & Co. Boots, Jimmy Choo
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Shorts and coat, Holland Cooper. Boots, Jimmy Choo. Hat, Oliver Brown. Scarf, Sabina Savage
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Dress and jumper, Longchamp. Belt, Fairfax & Favor. Hat, Dubarry. Glasses and sunglasses chain, Robert La Roche @ Koi Bird. Earrings, Wild Fawn
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Jacket, Farlows. Bralette, stylist’s own. Knickers, Shi Cashmere. Boots, Fairfax & Favor. Bag, Westley Richards
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Dress, Zimmermann. Coat, Mint Velvet. Bag, Aspinal of London. Boots, Jimmy Choo
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Dress, Temperley London. Jacket, Troy London. Boots, Dubarry. Rings and earrings, Wild Fawn TEAM Make-up: Charlotte Reid @ One Represents using Giorgio Armani Beauty Hair: Charlotte Reid @ One Represents using Kerastase. Photographer’s assistant: George Robson. Fashion Assistant: Lidia Spoto Model: Becca Horn @ Models 1 Shot on location at Bittescombe Lodge & Deer Park (see p64) STOCKISTS: PAGE 174
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Beautifully restored by local people, using local materials, Bittescombe is a labour of love for its owners
WILD STYLE
In the rugged Somerset countryside, Bittescombe is a country sports lodge but not as you know it. Welcome to a new breed of rural experience
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H
ermès blankets are slung artfully over squidgy, cumulus-like beds. A pillowcase, with your name hand-embroidered on it (by the owner, no less), nestles against a bespoke designed headboard. A candle is set on an occasional table by the deep bath, with picture windows from where you can watch the swallows swoop and dive. It sounds like you might be in the highest of high-end hotels, but, no, you’re in the middle of the wild and untamed Somerset countryside at Bittescombe Lodge, the brainchild of Samantha and Richard Campbell-Breeden. Their vision has resulted in creating a countryside experience possibly like no other – and one that will not only attract true country sports aficionados (the shoot is one of the finest in the South West) but also those who couldn’t care a fig for shotguns and tweed blazers, making it a year-round destination. Neither a hotel, an estate or a
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
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club, it’s a new breed of luxury, attractive to those with an affinity for superyachts, private jets and ski lodges. Excellence runs through its veins. You’ve surely by now heard of padel tennis, the world’s quickest growing sport. Samantha and Richard have just installed an indoor court; or maybe you’d like a restorative yoga session before breakfast; not a problem. And of course, if you’ve been out in the bracing country air all day, a massage wouldn’t go amiss, after a swim in the pool, of course. The options are seriously boundless (fishing, stalking, cycling, foraging, target shooting, for starters), let alone just being able to walk (or ride – they have a string of superbly schooled polo ponies) for miles without seeing another soul. You will though see Samantha’s pride and joy: a herd of red deer, of whom 23-point antlered Apollo is king. They often come right up to the lodge and munch her roses, much to her annoyance. Creating Bittescombe to become the standard-bearer of the new breed of luxury travel experience that it is now was a fouryear long passion project for the couple. Everything was to be about the local. ‘We have built this entire building with local builders, living no further than 18 miles away,’ says Samantha. ‘We have used wherever possible, local stones, local crafts, even I have embroidered, designed, and sewn over 80 cushions in this lodge!’ And it’s not just the building (architectdesigned by Richard), it’s the staff and
The interiors are playful and superbly executed
the produce too. ‘Not only do we live off our own estate produce – venison, lamb, boar, vegetables, fruit – but we also only work with food producers and suppliers from the South West.’ And boy do they work wonders with this produce. As much as is possible is homemade: the bread, cheese crackers, venison jerky, granola, and honey. And the food is star quality: expect an ethos of local, seasonal – and super delicious. Fall apart slow braised lamb neck fillet, with wild garlic and spring onion; melt in your mouth braised and rolled shank of venison with buttery creamed potatoes, asparagus and spring greens. Not one of these dishes is heavy. As ever, it’s not just interiors, food and location that are going to make it a memorable stay, it’s the staff – and to a tee, they are a master of their craft. Intelligent, inspiring, warm, interested and professional. You want to hang out with them more – as they balance that curiously tricky line of being friendly but also knowing they’re doing a job too. Steve, who manages the deer park on a day-to-day basis, is someone you definitely want to share a glass of Wellhayes sparkling wine with, and perhaps shuck a Porlock oyster or two. If this is a new (luxury) way to enjoy the countryside, brought to you with integrity and authenticity, with respect for its surroundings, employment of local people and patronising of local suppliers, bring it on. Bittescombe is set on the edge of Exmoor, and offers shooting, walking, riding, fishing and mountain biking
BOOK IT: Prices on application. bittescombe.com n
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HIGHLAND FLING
The House of Bruar is one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets, finds Amy Wakeham as she ventures north to visit the ‘Harrods of the Highlands’
FROM ABOVE: House of Bruar’s position on the A9 is the gateway to the Highlands, and perhaps the secret to its success; founder Mark Birkbeck with his sons Patrick and Tom
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L
ocated on a bend of the A9 as it twists its way through heather-strewn highlands, the whitewashed walls of House of Bruar are home to a brand that, over the last 25 years, has quietly become one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Mark and Linda Birkbeck in 1998, House of Bruar remains a family-run company to this day, with sons Patrick and Tom joining their parents in the business. It registered a healthy £29.3 million turnover in the year ending January 2021, with over two million people walking through the doors of its Perthshire store, located next to the Falls of Bruar. Its unique location at the feet of the Cairngorms serves as both the foundation stone of the brand’s identity and the secret of its success, helping it to beat the bricks and mortar downturn faced by other retailers. Yet, when Mark bought the site – then home to a rundown hotel that he had demolished – many people voiced their doubts. ‘The whole world, without exception, thought we were mad,’ says Mark. ‘We’re in the middle of nowhere here; Inverness is 90 miles to the north and Edinburgh and Glasgow 90 miles to the south.’ But yet his gamble paid off, with the shop an attraction in itself luring in curious customers to browse its extensive range of quality country clothing (it stocks both own brand and big names like Barbour and Schöffel), tuck into freshly cooked meals in the restaurant, stock up
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS At the heart of the brand are its wool and cashmere ranges, a field that Mark has decades of experience in – he started his career driving around the UK selling Scottish knitwear from the back of his car, and previously owned Jumpers, a knitwear brand worn by the likes of Princess Diana in the Eighties. Alongside this is a timeless collection of traditional tweeds and plaids, as well as leather shoes and boots. For the most part, natural fibres are prioritised, and heritage fabrics sourced from UK and Irish suppliers. ‘We’re not part of a throwaway culture,’ says Tom. ‘We want our jackets to be passed down through generations. We’re making quality garments at a good price, which you don’t want to throw away from season to season.’ After 25 years in one spot, longevity is something House of Bruar is certainly good at, and something the Birkbeck family wants to continue in the years – decades – to come. There’s murmurs of expansion, but ‘the future of the business will always be on this site,’ says Mark. He’s confident there’ll always be an appetite for country living, and the clothing that comes with it. It remains popular ‘because it’s aspirational,’ he says. ‘When people are successful, the first thing they want to do is walk, shoot and fish. One common statement since Covid is people saying they love the countryside and wanting to get out and breathe fresh air.’ After a quick pitstop at House of Bruar to stock up their wardrobe with knitwear and tweeds, of course.
Mark Birkbeck
ON THE ROAD
Whether you’re passing through or stopping to explore, here’s where to stay while visiting House of Bruar
STAY Kinloch House Hotel Kinloch House is as traditional as it gets, from the oak panelling to the menu of local Scottish fare. A grand staircase leads up to a picture gallery above, with doors to the 18 rooms, all decorated with comfort and elegance in mind. Double rooms from £285. kinlochhouse.com
DO Blair Castle The historical seat of the Duke of Atholl, chief of Clan Murray, Blair Castle dates to the 13th century. Explore its historic furniture, tapestries, weapons and paintings; take in one of its fascinating exhibitions; stroll around its walled garden and sculpture trail. atholl-estates.co.uk DRINK Blair Athol Distillery One of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, established in 1798, Blair Athol Distillery is renowned for its mellow and smooth whisky, attributed to its ancient source of water, the Allt Dour, which flows through the grounds from the slopes of nearby Ben Vrackie. Tours from £17, malts.com
EAT Killiecrankie House A fine dining restaurant with five bedrooms just off the A9, Killiecrankie House celebrates the best Scotland has to offer with its inspired tasting menu bursting with innovative flavours. Tasting menu, £85; pairing from £45. killiecrankiehouse.com n
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on smoked salmon and haggis in the food hall, and explore the gift selection. There’s also an art gallery, fish and chip shop, and whisky hall. ‘It just shows the impossible can be done,’ says Mark. It’s less good luck and more shrewd good sense. The A9 is the main artery in and out of the Highlands, meaning anyone driving north to a shooting weekend or fishing trip has to pass by the House of Bruar – and stop by to stock up on everything from wellies to shooting jackets. The brand’s painstaking attention to detail, which encompasses all areas of the business, also makes it stand out, and has resulted in a loyal fanbase. ‘One of our biggest triumphs is our repeat customers,’ explains Tom Birkbeck, Creative Director. ‘We offer a level a service and standards that you really don’t find anywhere else. And those standards are not just within the shop, they’re also within the grounds – we have people out on the roadside litter picking three times a week.’ ‘If you’re trying to project an image of order and beauty and tidiness you have to go further than just your product,’ adds Mark. The company is also the biggest employer in the region, with a staff of 290 people, a number that goes up in its busiest period, before Christmas. As well as the physical store, House of Bruar also sends out a catalogue of its latest clothing collection to three million subscribers every autumn – still going strong, confirms Tom, even in the digital age – as well as selling direct from its website.
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MORE
BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II SWAROVSKI OPTIK SUPPLIER OF BINOCULARS
NL PURE ONE WITH NATURE SEE THE UNSEEN
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Like other pursuits, hunting has fallen victim to the culture wars, but, argues Jonathan Young, the relationship between hunter and quarry is one of the purest and simplest there is
‘Y
ou walk like a cat,’ said an old girlfriend as we wandered through the bluebell woods. ‘And with the conversation to match,’ she added. I hadn’t thought much about walking and talking up to then but saw she had a point. From the age of six, I started rolling my footsteps, heel then toe, and placing each foot in front of the other. That way, you minimise rustle and the snap of dry twigs. And chatter? Well, there’s enough of that in most of our lives. In wild places I prefer wild sounds: the clap of wood pigeon wings, treetops swishing
in a breeze, the heavy plop of rising trout. It was the feral nature of my young childhood that taught me the art of silence. ‘Being sent out to play’ meant disappearing into the fields and woods all day with a friend, similarly armed with a net. Our parents neither knew nor cared where we were, so long as we returned around teatime. And when we did come home, it was seldom empty handed. Frogs and toads, lizards and voles, butterflies and moths would be presented for inspection before release. I’m not sure our parents were that interested, though basking adders, caught
PHOTOS: © CHARLES SAINSBURY-PLAICE; UNSPLASH
H E A R T O F T H E H U N T E R
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Jonathan (above) has spent his whole life getting to know the rhythms and cycles of the natural world from Ireland (above left) to Alaska (this picture)
with a forked stick, did create a stir. You cannot catch wildlife crashing through the countryside and the skills we learnt then were later applied to gathering food. Pigeon and rabbits fell to our air rifles. Careful observation was rewarded with giant puffballs, field mushrooms and pockets stuffed with Spanish chestnuts. We didn’t realise it at the time, but slowly we became hunter-gatherers. I’ve remained one ever since, with a freezer full of game birds, trout, wildfowl and wood pigeon, each harvested in its season. Not all of it demands a high level of fieldcraft. Bagging driven partridges, pheasants and grouse requires mostly skill with a gun and knowledge of birds’ flight but you won’t shoot pigeon or wildfowl without an intimate understanding of nature. This knowledge isn’t restricted to those who hunt, in the broadest sense. There are millions of birdwatchers, botanists and entomologists with encyclopedic expertise in their subjects. But what sets hunters apart is their place in the natural world. They are not observers of nature but a part of it and share a relationship with their quarry that isn’t detached but something more akin to love. It’s most apparent in societies that are still dominated by hunting. An acquaintance of mine, Jan, is a member of the Yupik tribe in Alaska and has a bond with the Pacific salmon that run his rivers that borders on the sacred. I’ve also seen this connection with the Sámi people in Finland and the Wa Sukuma in Tanzania. Yet that love for species we hunt remains very strong in countries seemingly dominated by urban cultures. British country houses are still festooned with game bird paintings and bronzes, stags’ heads continue to stare glassily down halls and cased trout swim endlessly in corridors. The urge that drove those ancient hunters to decorate the caves of Lascaux with bison and bear survives in depictions of grouse and pheasant in Georgian rectories and modern bungalows. And practically every rural Spanish casa and French château is bedecked with hunting trophies. The greatest expression, however, of that bond between the British hunter, his quarry and the natural world can be seen in the countryside. Though rewilding is a fashionable concept, it’s impossible to implement it extensively on an island crowded with 67 million people who need to be housed and fed through farming. The ‘natural’ wooded landscape started disappearing when our ancestors began to clear trees 4,000 years ago. By 1086, most of it had gone, the Domesday Book recording some 15 per cent of the land still under forest. What remains now of the countryside is a patchwork of pasture, arable, woodland, moorland and marsh, mostly privately owned. While this might lack the glamour of ancient woodland and does not support apex predators such as the lynx, bear and wolf, it is nonetheless ideal for many forms of wildlife that thrive in the ‘fringe’ habitat between the shelter of wood and hedge and the food provided by farming. The uplands, grazed by sheep for centuries and so devoid of scrub trees, now supports 75 per cent of the world’s heather habitat, vital for
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Jonathan’s friend Jan, of the Yupik tribe in Alaska, which has a bond with the Pacific salmon in its rivers
Much of this work is expensive, unrecognised and often dismissed by those who find hunting, in its widest sense, offensive. Personally, I like to eat what I bag and am happy to do the skinning, plucking and gutting that transforms an animal into a meal. I know that the fish, birds and mammals that I have killed lived their lives in the wild. When I do eat farmed animals, I hope that their deaths were swift and unknowing, and that they were raised well and humanely. But I wonder how many of us think hard enough about the animals we eat and whether or not people make the link between packaged meat and the sentient beast or fish that provided it. And while I respect vegans, arable land must be ploughed and harrowed, the insect pests controlled. Do we care about the invertebrates that are killed in the process? Is there anyone who’ll champion the slug? Drawing fine distinctions isn’t easy. Vegan or vegetarian? Fish, yes, meat, no? When does the line fall between eating meat being fine, but hunting not? In contrast, when I meet my hunting brothers abroad, whether it’s in a bar in Spain, an auberge in France or round a fire in Scandinavia or Africa, there are no such complications. We love the wild places, we love and respect the wild animals we hunt and eat. And we do everything we can to preserve both. It’s simple and, to my mind, pure. n
GET OUT OF TOWN To walk with nature, be more natural
1
Wear quiet clothes in the countryside’s hues of brown and green.
2 3
Listen to the wild, not to Spotify.
Look up and around. Tread slowly and carefully.
4
Marvel at the small as well as the big: the rose chafer beetle is a 2cm living emerald.
5
Take 8 x 40 binoculars and a field guide but don’t obsess about the rare: there’s always beauty in the commonplace.
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a range of breeding birds, including golden plover, dunlin, the merlin and, of course, the red grouse, a species unique to the UK. If the moors weren’t managed by those who shoot grouse, the heather would be threatened by over-grazing or revert to scrub. In the lowland counties, thousands of acres of woodland have been planted and preserved by those who wanted to benefit from pheasant shooting; any spinney you spy, atop a hill, would be almost certainly an example of that. The real impact of the desire to hunt birds, however, is illustrated by the changed face of British arable farming. There are still large blocks of single crops, of course, and their lack of weeds, and the seeds and insects they produce, is detrimental to many bird species. However, over the last few decades, the many farmers who are keen on shooting have been planting specialised cover crops alongside their fields, which benefit both game birds and song birds. With wheat and other grain prices at an all-time high, shooting remains a strong incentive to keep some habitat for wildlife. Fishing, too, drives active conservation. Everyone loves a walk down by a river but it’s the anglers who note the lack of water insects, the build-up of algae and sludge – and, more importantly, do something about it, by campaigning against pollution and taking legal action where necessary.
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P R O M OT I O N
STRIDE OUT
F
Le Chameau has been keeping nature lovers’ feet warm and dry in the great outdoors for almost a century
ounded in 1927 by Claude Chamot, Le Chameau has been leading the field ever since. The brand has gained a reputation for true quality and craftsmanship, offering the only rubber boots on the market to be handmade by a single master bootmaker. The traditional skills to create Le Chameau’s boots have been passed from generation to generation, alongside new technological innovations. Although the classic Le Chameau long boot remains at the core of the brand, it also creates a variety of styles for men, women and
children for all occasions and times of year, from marine boots and deck shoes for sailing, to lace-up hiking boots. Every Le Chameau boot is made from premium materials, whether leather, jersey or, indeed, rubber, and goes through a rigorous testing process to ensure each pair is of the highest standard and can withstand the demands of an outdoor lifestyle. All styles are guaranteed 100 percent watertight, as during testing each boot is submerged underwater and checked by eye for any escaping air bubbles. lechameau.com
PICK YOUR PAIR The Chasseur A boot for all seasons and terrains, made from a soft, flexible natural rubber with a shock absorbing, dualdensity sole that is tough on the outside and forgiving on the inside. A choice of linings mean it’s snug in all weathers, while the fully watertight zip and press-stud fastening make for easy wearing. Chasseur boots, £220
The Vierzon As comfortable in all weathers as they are on your feet, Le Chameau’s popular Vierzon style is the boot of choice for everyday country life. It’s famous for being the first rubber boot with an adjustable, waterproof gusset. Vierzons come in a lightweight and fastdrying jersey lining for the warmer months. Vierzon boots, £160
The Vierzonord The cold-weather version of the Vierzon, these boast an insulating neoprene lining that will keep you comfortable and warm in temperatures as low as -15°C. Originally used to make diving suits, neoprene has excellent insulating properties and prevents the wearer’s body heat from dissipating. Vierzonord boots, £200
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G O I N G G R E A T
FROM LEFT: An ‘Africa’ rifle; Westley Richards offers safari chic clothing and bags, as well as guns
G U N S
I
f you want to know what true colonials used to look like, ask to see a photograph of my late uncle Dennis. While ‘working for the Foreign Office’ in Khartoum during the 1950s, he wore safari suits (short-trouser type), sported a handlebar moustache, smoked cigarettes through a cartoonishly long holder and drank his morning champagne from a silver tankard. Dennis’s tales (often tall ones) enthralled me as a boy, especially the one about dining on a boat with the third Aga Khan, a soirée that carried on until the early hours of the morning.
‘It was always a delight to walk home at the very confluence of the Blue and White Nile just as dawn was breaking,’ he would muse wistfully. ‘Although one usually had to deal with the odd crocodile during flood season – but they were no match for the old Westley...’ At the age of eight I wasn’t sure what a ‘Westley’ was and, for a time, thought it might have been an advanced wrestling hold. But I subsequently learned that Dennis was referring to his Westley Richards high-powered hunting rifle, which he owned until his death in 1995.
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Westley Richards is the sole name left in Birmingham’s once-bustling gunmaking quarter. But it’s not only guns it’s great at – you’ll also find everything you need for a life lived out of doors, finds Simon de Burton
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
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For Dennis – as well as more celebrated hunting types such as Ernest Hemingway, Stewart Granger and Sir Jai Singh Prabhakar, the penultimate Maharaja of Alwar – Westley Richards was the only place to go when it came to choosing a best English gun. Established in Birmingham in 1812, ‘Westleys’ stayed with the founding family before being bought in 1957 by Walter Clode, whose son remains chairman of the firm. It’s now the sole survivor in the city’s once-bustling gunmaking quarter. Based in a former Victorian warehouse close to the original site, Westley Richards has maintained an unbroken record of gun production for more than two centuries and builds 25-30 specimens per year, costing from £50,000 apiece to as much as £500,000 for matched pairs. Each one takes a minimum of 600 hours to complete, and the order book is full for the next four years. But, with today’s attitudes to hunting being a little different from those in the colonial era, Westley Richards has expanded its remit in order to meet the needs of the modern-day safari goer who is likely to be less interested in ‘putting one right between the eyes’ than looking chic while observing the magnificence of the Big Five from a secure glamping spot. ‘It started back in the late 1990s when we realised that no one made gun slips or cartridge bags of the same quality as our shotguns and rifles,’ explains creative director Stephen Humphries. ‘We have customers from all around the world who store their guns with us, so we decided to take advantage of the fact that Birmingham is the UK centre for leather craft by making our own slips, cases and bags.’ In 2010 the idea was extended to encompass a full clothing, leather goods and luggage range featuring stylish yet ‘fit
FROM TOP: Look sharp on safari; Simon’s uncle Dennis, who was stationed in Khartoum; the leathersmiths at work at Westley Richards
for purpose’ outerwear (safari jackets and shooting tweeds included), top quality holdalls, rucksacks and cases made from a choice of canvas or leather. There are also smaller leather items such as wallets and keyrings as well as hip flask covers, wash bags, notebooks and even tableware. ‘We are probably unique in operating an L-shaped factory in which guns are made on one side and our leather goods on the other,’ says Humphries. ‘It’s all about making the best, and being able to offer customers items that exude quality.’ Despite being more than 200 years old, Westley Richards has also embraced the power of the internet, capitalising on a decision made almost a decade ago by then-managing director Simon Clode, another of Walter’s sons, to start writing a comprehensive blog about the company. The blog has been going strong ever since and attracts 12,000 readers per month, many through Westley Richards’ The Explora Club, which is named after a historic game hunting gun and gives members access to benefits and promotions. You don’t need to be a member of The Explora Club for Westley Richards to give you a taste of the veld, however. For that, just head to Birmingham and ask to see the top floor of the factory, which Simon Clode converted into a remarkable facsimile of an African colonial clubhouse, complete with zebra skin rugs, aged wooden floors, a mounted warthog’s head – and, if you ask nicely, a very agreeable gin and tonic... westleyrichards.com n
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FROM ABOVE: Simon Stallard with his ride for the Cornish food trip; hitting the road
C O R N I S H TA S T Y ! Chef Simon Stallard heads off on a road trip with Jeremy Taylor, revealing his favourite places to eat and drink in Cornwall along the way THE STANDARD INN, Gerrans ‘This one is close to my heart – and also the closest pub to my house. When The Standard came up for sale last year I jumped at the opportunity. It’s a proper village inn dating back to the 18th century. In the past the building housed a schoolroom and it’s hosted village meetings for generations. We spent the first half of 2022 restoring the building to open in the summer. It was very olde worlde on the inside. My biggest problem has been the height of the ceilings – I’m 6ft 4ins. We’ve tried to retain as much of the character as we can, including photographs and memorabilia from the old pub. The building is now restored inside and out, with enough space for 50 diners in the bar and 120 in the garden, which is a proper suntrap. The food is a mix of freshly caught fish and sustainable cuts of local meat. The outdoor cooking area was built to my own specification and is a joy to work in. I met my partner, Jemma, in a pub and we have always craved the opportunity to run our own. It’s very challenging but there was definitely a bit of romance in the decision to buy. We want The Standard to be the hub of our village again.’ standardinn.co.uk
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t’s not every day the Cabinet Office calls to ask if a chef wants to cater for seven of the most powerful politicians in the world. Simon Stallard ignored the initial request to cook for G7 leaders six times before finally realising it wasn’t a hoax. The owner of The Hidden Hut, on the Roseland Peninsula near St Mawes, was presented with a guest list that included President Biden, Boris Johnson, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron. His beach barbecue became a highlight of last year’s G7 Summit in Cornwall and made Stallard a household name. Not that he needed the publicity. Tickets for The Hidden Hut’s ‘feasts on the beach’ officially sell out faster than a Beyoncé concert. The 41-year-old, who specialises in outdoor cuisine, is now flown around the world to prepare scrumptious fare for rock stars and celebrities alike. When he is home, Stallard relaxes by searching out new places to eat and drink. I joined him in the latest Land Rover Range Rover for a tour of some of his favourites – starting with one right on the doorstep.
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
STAR & GARTER, Falmouth ‘When I relax with my family, we sail our boat Tullamore Dew across the estuary to Falmouth. The Star & Garter is at the quieter, top end of the High Street. It’s another revitalised pub, with dark wood floors and a cosy wood burner for the winter months. The bar offers the most amazing views of the sea and incredible sunsets. It also serves a great pint of beer, while the Sunday roast is second to none – the best in the county. If you want to sleep off a slap-up meal, book a room as well.’ starandgarterfalmouth.co.uk
ON THE ROAD
BEACON COFFEE, Falmouth
THE IDLE ROCKS, St Mawes ‘There aren’t many hotels in this country where you feel transported to the south of France in an instant. The terrace is perfect for sipping a cocktail on a sunny afternoon and watching boats slip in and out of the harbour. Head chef Dorian Janmaat is originally from Penzance and has worked at Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. Seafood features high on the menu – try the roasted Newlyn cod, or the scallop ceviche.’ idlerocks.com
COOMBESHEAD FARM, Lewannick ‘What a location. Coombeshead is a restored dairy farm set among 66-acres of rolling pasture. It’s also a delightful guest house – perfect to escape the hotspots of Cornwall in the summer. Negotiating the winding lanes in the Range Rover is worth it for the food to be found at Coombeshead. Tom Adams – best known for Pitt Cue restaurant in London – teamed up with New York chef April Bloomfield to create something truly special here in a former barn. The on-site bakery is simply brilliant and supplies bread to the best establishments in Cornwall (try the country sourdough). Pretty much everything on the fast-changing menu comes fresh from the farm fields, too. There’s the duck and smoked jowl terrine, or a whole roast guinea fowl to share.’ coombesheadfarm.co.uk
FROM ABOVE: Simon cooks up a feast for The Hidden Hut; idyllic Coombeshead Farm
CROCADON FARM, St Mellion Crocadon has been a sevenyear labour of love for chef Dan Cox. A past winner of the Roux Scholarship, Cox has cooked at some of the world’s finest eateries, including Aulis in Cumbria with Simon Rogan. His new organic venture opened its doors in August with every item on the menu taken from the 120-acre, hyper-sustainable farm (even the wooden floor is stained with a coffee bean-mix). Expect seasonable fare of the highest order. crocadon.farm
JEREMY’S PICK
PRAWN ON THE FARM, Padstow The brainchild of Katie and Rick Toogood, this marquee pop-up sits high above the tourist madness of Padstow on a spectacular hill-top site at Trerethern Farm. The 2019 winner of the UK’s Seafood Restaurant of the Year, the Prawn on the Farm has gone from strength to strength ever since. Expect fish of every shape and size, with wicked G&Ts on the side. The location has proved such a hit, the Toogoods are planning a permanent restaurant on the same site. prawnonthelawn.com n
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‘A coffee-lover’s dream at the bottom of the High Street. Falmouth has plenty of cafés but Beacon draws in people from every part of town, as well as tourists. There’s often a small but sociable queue spilling onto the street. The signature cup is the one + one – a flat white served with an extra shot of espresso on the side. Anybody into their coffee should make a beeline for this place. It also offers exceptional pastries.’ beaconcoffee.co.uk
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CULTURE On The BRIGHT SIDE Step into the rainbow. Yinka Ilori’s new exhibition at the Design Museum creates a kaleidoscope through his signature joyful installations and murals. The colour explosion doesn’t end here, though, as the artist-designer also transforms the façade of the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge from 16 September – alongside a glittering afternoon tea offering. Exhibition from 15 September to 25 June 23. designmuseum.org
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CULTURE | What’s On
THE CULTURAL CALENDAR Fall for these arty autumnal events, says Tessa Dunthorne
BACK TO BASS-ICS
THE MUMMY RETURNS
From hieroglyphics to Hockneys, Visions of Ancient Egypt at the University of East Anglia Sainsbury Centre explores the lasting legacy of Egyptian art and design. Be sure to catch Queen Cleo through the ages, from ancient imagery to Elizabeth Taylor. From 3 September, sainsburycentre.ac.uk
The tragic love story of Violetta and Alfredo unfolds at the Belfast Grand Opera House in September. La Traviata is the venue’s first opera to take to the stage since the pandemic and its £12m refurbishment. Talk about starting off on a high note. 10-17 September, niopera.com
ROYAL RESTORATIONS
Rediscover Leighton House, which has reopened with a new wing following an £8m transformation. Find interiors inspiration and some seriously fancy decor gathered from Leighton’s travels all across the globe. Ongoing, rbkc.gov.uk
THE SUDANESE SCENE
Works of pioneering Sudanese artist Kamala Ibrahim Ishag will be exhibited at the Serpentine this autumn, thanks to a collaboration between the Sharjah Art Foundation and the Africa Institute – including never before seen pieces of her work. 7 October to 29 January 2023, serpentinegalleries.org
A VERY COTSWOLDS CHRISTMAS
Book tickets to the Christmas Cotswold Fair at Daylesford. Your destination for luxurious gifts and foodie delights, in support of charity WellChild. 7-10 Nov, cotswoldfair.com
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PHOTOS: © SAMUEL BRADLEY
Revisit a childhood favourite with the stage premiere of My Neighbour Totoro by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Expect astonishing puppetry in this UK and Japanese co-production of a manga classic. From 8 October to 21 January 2023, rsc.org.uk
PHOTOS: © HARRIS MUSEUM & ART GALLERY; © KIM JAKOBSEN TO; © RSC AND NIPPON TV
SPIRITS OF THE WOODS
Adam Beales has 3.43m subscribers on Youtube
The 19-year-old activist, Greta Thunberg
The Critical LIST
Big releases for summer
Being Funny in a Foreign Language is the fifth album from indie-rock band The 1975, featuring hit single Part of the Band alongside ten other new ear worms to add to your autumn playlist. Download it from 14 October.
MUSIC
THE C&TH GUIDE TO THE…
LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL Greta gets lit, as the eco-superstar headlines the annual festival
PHOTOS: © SAMUEL BRADLEY
PHOTOS: © HARRIS MUSEUM & ART GALLERY; © KIM JAKOBSEN TO; © RSC AND NIPPON TV
E
xpect page-turning action at the Southbank Centre in October. This year’s London Literature Festival explores climate change, featuring ten days of challenging and inspiring talks, panels, and writing débuts. Go for a quick culture fix, or to be urged into action – either way, you’ll leave with a groaning pile of new books to devour. WATCH... Eco-activist Greta Thunberg will launch The Climate Book (Allen Lane, £25), a compendium of essays on how we save the planet. Expect a papal atmosphere for this event, also live-streamed across the world. But it doesn’t stop here: a cool literary line-up of climate-related talks and readings will follow. Broadcaster Gaia Vince will discuss how migration might be the answer to the crisis, plus the launch of her book Nomad Century (Allen Lane, £20). Or catch a special live panel by BBC Radio 4’s Open Book examining how our natural environment has begun to seep into literary landscapes. Plus, the National Poetry Library will host a contemporary poetry night featuring critically acclaimed wordsmiths Iain Sinclair and Eley Williams. PLAY... A free family programme will keep youngsters occupied. From poetry games, in which kids can play with spoken word through nursery rhymes, to cosy new book launches,
New Sky Max series Funny Woman stars Gemma Arterton as a Blackpool beauty queen on a mission to become a comedy superstar in the cultural explosion of the 60s, based on Nick Hornby’s bestselling novel. Out Oct, skymedia.co.uk
TV
expect a packed October half-term. YouTube prankster Adam Beales will also present his first children’s book, Adam B Wins the Internet (Bloomsbury, £12.99). BEYOND... . Feeling peckish after a packed day of talks? You’re not lacking for choice with a festival in the heart of the South Bank Why not head to Vaulty Towers for casual dining plus brilliant and quirky interactive interiors, or to the riverside restaurant Hannah for its Michelin-starred omakase tasting menu. For further culture hits, you’re also right next door to the BFI and National Theatre, so top off your day at London Literature Festival by seeing stories brought to life either on screen or on the boards. 20-30 October, southbankcentre.co.uk
With Harry Styles and Florence Pugh as the leads, it’s no surprise anticipation is sky-high for Don’t Worry Darling, a stylised new psychological thriller. Not to mention the fact it’s directed by Styles’ real-life girlfriend, Olivia Wilde. Out 23 September
FILM
A fascinating new memoir from Malorie Blackman (Noughts & Crosses), Just Sayin’: My Life In Words, will chart the prolific author’s early childhood and journey to becoming one of the most beloved children’s writers of our time. 20 October 2022
BOOK
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CULTURE | What’s On
PREVIEW
The Dance Umbrella festival is back, says Ellie Smith, celebrating the best of diversity in dance
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ince 1978, the annual Dance Umbrella festival has been lighting up the capital with an eclectic celebration of choreography. It’s back this October with another stellar line-up, complete with a mixture of live performances and digital elements, focusing in particular on intersectional, diverse, innovative, international and national female dancemakers. That includes award-winning choreographer Oona Doherty, who makes her Sadler’s Wells debut with the UK premiere of her latest work, Navy Blue. Elsewhere, Italian performer Chiara Bersani will give a voice to unicorns in a show at the National Gallery, and Nora Chipaumire will celebrate the creative possibilities of dub music. For families, Dutch dance
company de Stilte is set to tour London with Do-re-mi-ka-do, which explores the connection between movement and sound, encouraging children to play and get involved. The digital programme, meanwhile, includes a series of dance films, plus panel discussions and an exciting new podcast series called Sound in Motion. This year also marks the first full festival helmed by Freddie OpokuAddaie, who was appointed Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Dance Umbrella last year. ‘The artist and audience experience has shifted beyond 3Ts (Tick Box/Tokenism/ Tolerated) of diversity,’ he said. ‘In challenging times it’s more essential than ever that we collaborate to deliver some exciting moves.’ 7-23 October 2022, danceumbrella.co.uk Dance Umbrella returns with a focus on intersectional, diverse, international and female dancemakers
MY Cultural Life
Actor Sean Teale on Goodfellas, Jamie T, and being a LOTR nerd
I’m tuning into… a podcast called The Dollop. History,
comedy and quite a lot of absurdity. It’s great.
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Geography. And for work – this is rogue – but a medical science book in Spanish. It’s taking some time… The last thing I watched was… Under the Banner of Heaven. One of a hundred shows currently on TV about Mormons apparently. What I’m most looking forward to seeing… I’m a pretty big Lord of the Rings nerd, so the new series is up there. My favourite painting… For my birthday, my girlfriend painted our time together in Atlanta in a similar style to Ben Evans and it’s very special. Favourite film of all time… That’s not fair to ask! But I rewatched Goodfellas recently after the awful news of Ray Liotta’s passing. It’s almost unparalleled. The music I always have on repeat… Foals and The National are regulars but there’s always some Jamie T popping up which takes me back to sitting in parks aged 16. My ultimate cultural recommendation… If you can go, Rome. The entirety of Rome. Once you’re there, it makes total sense why they call it the Eternal City. Cultural guilty pleasure… I watched a few seasons of Below Deck but I had to stop before I started speaking like I actually know how boats are run.
PHOTOS: © MARK ALLAN; © HANS GERRITSEN
I’m reading… I’m a little late to the party but The Power of
Books | CULTURE
ART FOR ART’S SAKE Richard Hopton reviews three books about art and design
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PHOTOS: © MARK ALLAN; © HANS GERRITSEN
THE STORY OF ART WITHOUT MEN Katy Hessel
‘The canon of art history is global,’ writes art historian Katy Hessel, but all too often ‘the male Western narrative [is] so unjustly dominant.’ Instead, in this book she removes ‘the clamour of men in order to listen carefully to the significance of other artists’. She writes about Dora Maar, for example, without mentioning Picasso. The book consists of potted biographies of female artists from Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-c.1653) to the rising stars of our own time. Its genesis lies in a long series of Instagram posts made by the author and its dictionary-of-biography feel reflects these origins. Nonetheless, it has much of interest and importance to say about the role of women in the history of art and the vital necessity of bringing them and their work to centre stage. (Hutchinson Heinemann, £30)
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THIS IS TOMORROW Michael Bird
This engaging book by art writer Michael Bird sits on the fault line between social history and art history. Covering the ‘long’ 20th century, it opens with the famous Whistler-Ruskin libel trial of 1878 and finishes with the Young British Artists of the 1990s. It is through a period’s art, Bird maintains, that we can best recreate the prevailing atmosphere, the spirit, of the time and he brings these decades vividly to life, continually reminding us that no artist ever works in a vacuum: context is all. It’s an enjoyable book, one which will entertain and inform even those who consider themselves well-versed in this country’s art history. Bird also writes with a witty verve: he describes a statue of Queen Victoria as a ‘grim-faced tea-cosy, gripping her orb like a hand grenade.’ (Thames & Hudson, £30)
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MOVE AND ART Malene Birger
‘There is only one permanent thing in life – and that is change,’ writes Malene Birger, Danish fashion mogul, artist, and designer, who having moved house more than 30 times in the last three decades, evidently practises what she preaches. Her third book covers the aesthetic results of her latest peregrinations which began in 2014 with the acquisition of a flat in Onslow Square, and continued with a house on the Aegean island of Skyros, a neoclassical villa beside Lake Como, and two houses on Majorca. What for many would be nightmarish recipe for upheaval and disruption is for Birger a source of inspiration. This lavishly illustrated book charts how she has redecorated each property in her distinctive modern, black-and-white style, complemented by numerous paintings, artworks and artefacts. (teNeues, £75)
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CULTURE | Books
BIBLIO FILE
of real people, real talking, real thinking.
Julie Myerson talks to Belinda Bamber about her latest novel, Nonfiction
As a writer you seem to push the boundaries of what frightens you. I do… it’s like peeking
into an abyss. Even though my default setting is happy and optimistic, I’m always readying myself for the worst. What would you gift an aspiring writer?
A room with a door that shuts. I began my first novel by writing just ten minutes a day, evenings and weekends. I had an office job, two toddlers, another baby on the way – and a husband who did a lot of childcare. But once I shut that door and dived back into my novel, I was somewhere else entirely. I still remember it as one of the most euphoric experiences of my life. Have you and Jake reconciled? Yes, of course. And – this is very important to me – we never stopped talking to each other, though the press did their best to imply that. His father and I were constantly in touch, desperately trying to help him throughout this time. Do I feel responsible for what I put him through? Yes, deeply. That shame will always be with me. But do I regret speaking honestly about the health emergency that is skunk cannabis? Not really. I had a massive response from people who said my book had stopped them feeling so alone. How can we ever understand anything unless we’re willing to share our experiences as honestly as possible?
Why did you decide to tell the story using the vocative, ‘you’? I don’t ‘decide’
anything when I’m writing, I just follow my intuition, and ‘you’ seemed to give the story a more personal, intense feeling. She lacerates herself for being ‘a bad mother’, fearing she’s responsible for her daughter’s addiction. What is a ‘good’ mother? I don’t like the words ‘good’ and
‘bad’, so it’s definitely my narrator talking! I think most mothers are just trying to do their best. I was evoking the particular, terrible sense of powerlessness that goes with drug addiction. Strangely, almost all my novels (especially Laura Blundy, Something Might Happen, The Story of You) address some agony of parenting, yet most were written when my kids were young and family life was unproblematic. Given the media furore after The Lost Child: A True Story (2009) about your son Jake’s addiction, why did you re-enter the lion’s arena? I hadn’t intended to and was a bit
surprised to discover I still had something to say about addiction and families – and also about writing. I told Jake: ‘I’m writing a new novel which isn’t about you but about addiction.’ He was remarkably cool and encouraging. Very generous of him, very typical. Does it irritate you when readers fit your narratives to their own agenda? Readers
always bring their own stuff to a book and that’s the deal. Prose that leaves space for the reader and, in a way, for itself, is exciting. It’s why I read, why I write. For a writer, truth and fact, fiction and lived experience – they all blend to become a whole new truth. I think that’s beautiful. Is writing therapy for you? No, but I think it’s healthy to explore what’s in your head and express that as truthfully as possible. Writing is also art, with all the artifice that implies. Writer David Shields said: ‘I like to write stuff
Are you still contributing to arts shows on TV and radio? I lost my nerve for a bit after Nonfiction is a novel narrated by a mother talking to her drug-addicted daughter about their life together. It’s raw, honest and beautifully written
that’s only an inch from life… but all the art… is in that inch.’ Yes, I thought! That inch. That, more than almost anything, is what inspired me to write Nonfiction. Which authors do you admire for their honesty? It’s honesty of expression I yearn
for, not fact. Rachel Cusk’s incredible Outline trilogy creates a whole new way of ‘telling’ that feels remarkable for its apparent honesty (though there is SO much art in it!) And Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends is intelligent, apparently open, and shimmers with the sense
The Lost Child – a kind of stage fright – but I feel I’m back out there now, I’ll do anything that’s thrown at me. Also, I had breast cancer last year and a strange and unexpected upside of that is that I feel a little bit stronger and braver about almost everything. Are you working on another book? Of course! I can’t talk about it. But I’m excited. It’s entirely different from anything I’ve written before, yet I could never have written it without Nonfiction. Each of my novels seems to follow on from the last one in a way that remains mysterious even to me. Nonfiction is out now (Little, Brown, £16.99). This is an edited version of the full interview on countryandtownhouse.com n
TREACHERY is afoot in Maggie O’Farrell’s brilliant The Marriage Portrait (Headline, £25), which imagines Lucrezia de’ Medici’s forced marriage in Florence in the 1560s; LOYALTY is tested in Kamila Shamsie’s Best of Friends (Bloomsbury, £18.99), following Maryam and Zahra’s lives through 30 years of politics in Karachi and London. Out 27 Sept; SISTERS are the heart of Jennifer Croft’s touching autobiographical novel Homesick, (Charco, £11.99) and SECRETS unfold in Claire Keegan’s poetic Foster (Faber, £8.99) set in her native Ireland.
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AUTUMN PLENTY
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POETRY in MOTION As a fascinating new exhibition comes to the Design Museum, Vivienne Becker muses on how Van Cleef & Arpels has perfected the art of movement in jewellery
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ewellery possesses one particular characteristic, or function, which sets it apart from other decorative arts or design disciplines: it’s made to be worn, to interact with the body, to float on the skin, harmonise with our movements. It is an essential role that makes the art of jewellery, the seamless fusion of design excellence and virtuoso craftsmanship, so challenging. Jewellery has to come alive when worn, in motion, as its precious components play with light, sheen and silhouette. For the Parisian heritage maison, Van Cleef & Arpels, movement, physical and metaphorical, has been part of an everevolving design language, a driver of creativity since its founding in 1906. Now a new exhibition at London’s Design Museum, ‘The Art of Movement’, delves deep into the maison’s ongoing quest to imbue precious materials with movement, dynamism, fluidity and melody. An exhibition that shows how movement, in all its meanings and iterations, is embedded in the raison d’être of a jewel. Lise Macdonald, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Patrimony and Exhibitions Director and the exhibition’s curator explains: ‘The maison witnessed the evolution of mobility in society, and the increasing importance of motion in 20th century artistic movements. Representing movement has thus been one of Van Cleef & Arpels’ selfimposed challenges, leading it to imagine creative designs and develop techniques.’ The first historical Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition to be held in London, the show is the third movement-related event in the UK over the past year, following ‘Dance Reflections’, a festival of dance and choreography in collaboration with Sadler’s Wells, the Royal Opera House and Tate Modern, and the maison’s movement-themed presentation at Masterpiece art fair, showing objects
including a vintage ballerina brooch, the mesmerising ‘Rêveries de Berylline’ automaton, a leaping frog brooch and a shooting star clip. Together, the trio of events is fittingly called ‘Pas de Trois’. Tim Marlow, Chief Executive and Director of the Design Museum, shares his point of view: ‘Jewellery design has such a long and illustrious history but it often gets overlooked. I know our audiences are excited by the opportunity to see the intricate, dynamic and highly original designs that have characterised Van Cleef & Arpels’ work over the past century and which remain at the forefront of contemporary jewellery.’ Comprising around 100 jewels and objects, most from the maison’s heritage collection, along with archive documents and loans from private collections, the exhibition is divided into four thematic chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of movement, interpreted through different eras, styles and creative expressions. The scenography, with its floating ribbons and pleated fabriccovered showcases, amplifies the theme by referencing Van Cleef’s long connection to the world of couture, to fabric, folds and frills; visitors are welcomed with a hypnotic vision, an anamorphic ribbon curled into a stylised flower form. Nature, first among Van Cleef’s themes and inspirations, opens the exhibition. ‘Nature Alive’ highlights the unstoppable growth of plants, flowers, leaves in constant flux, animals in motion, birds in flight and a diamond feather wafting on the breeze. An abundance of flower clips includes a silhouette flower brooch (1937), its undulating gold outline suggesting overblown petals, while a Bellflower sapphire and diamond clip (1969) demonstrates the maison’s signature technique, serti mystérieux, enabling intense colour and light to ripple across the surface of floral and foliate creations. The dial of a secret watch (1956) is hidden behind sapphire-
PHOTOS: © VAN CLEEF & ARPELS SA
CULTURE | Exhibition
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PHOTOS: © VAN CLEEF & ARPELS SA
‘This sharply FOCUSED, thematic approach offers a whole new PERSPECTIVE on VAN CLEEF & ARPEL’S creativity’
smothered leaves, and a minaudière, another Van Cleef signature, the little kitted-out vanity case that was all the rage in the 1930s and 40s, is covered in a design of vegetal arabesques. The next section, ‘Dance’, focuses on a long-time preoccupation of the maison that began in the 1920s, when Louis Arpels would take his nephew Claude to the ballet at the Palais Garnier. Much later, Claude, now running the New York branch and a committed balletomane, found an unexpected outlet for his passion. As the story goes, one spring morning in New York in 1961, staff in the Fifth Avenue boutique alerted Claude Arpels to a strange-looking man staring far too intensely into the shop windows. Claude confronted the interloper, and discovered he was George Balanchine, celebrated choreographer of the New York City Ballet. Balanchine explained that he walked past the shop windows every day and was captivated by the precious gems he saw there. Claude in turn told of his admiration of Balanchine’s ballets. It was the start of a friendship that resulted in the creation of Balanchine’s three-act ballet, Jewels. The choreographer told Claude how, staring at the jewels and gems, he sensed that the emeralds were meant for Fauré, the rubies for Stravinsky, and the diamonds for Tchaikovsky. Both men understood the links between jewels and dance, the shared values on which their endeavours and reputations were built: dedication to perfection, technical virtuosity, storytelling and effortless elegance. Earlier, however, Van Cleef & Arpels had created one of its most enduring style icons: the ballerina clip-brooch, first launched in 1941, and said to have originally represented Marie Camargo, the famous 18th century French dancer, as depicted in a 1730 painting by Nicolas Lancret that tycoon Andrew Mellon had given to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC in the late 1930s. Camargo executed leaps previously performed only by male dancers, shortening her skirts and removing the heels from her slippers to enable her do so. The ballerina clip, created by Louis Arpels, in collaboration with designer Maurice Duvalet and jeweller Jean (John) Rubel, gave birth to a series of figurative clips, including more ballerinas, in different poses and tutus, as shown in the exhibition, including a 1950s version with turquoise skirt, and the 1969 pearl-bedecked Balinese dancer, along with a host of glittering, dancing fairies. All were characterised by
an oval rose-cut face, expressive balletic movements and lavishly embellished costumes. The next section, ‘Elegance’, highlights the maison’s connection to fashion and femininity through jewels inspired by the refined details of Parisian couture; passementerie, tassels, supple silks and lace, ribbons and bows, serge, twill and the rope-like twisted cord re-imagined in 1940s and 50s goldwork. A spectacular diamond ribbon double clip (1938), for example, perfectly illustrates the frozen movement of the ‘cocktail’ style, the lively ribbon loops draped through a knot set with baguette diamonds. This section includes the ingenious Zip necklace, designed by former Artistic Director, Renée Puissant, daughter of Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels. The idea was supposedly suggested to her by Wallis Simpson who was intrigued by Schiaparelli’s new fastening. So complex was the necklace, with its fully-functioning zip mechanism, pulled by a tassel, and converting to a bracelet, that it was only in 1950 that the first model was finally produced, a masterpiece of design and engineering and a modern classic. The final chapter of the exhibition looks at ‘Abstract Movements’ and modernism, tracing Van Cleef & Arpels’ interpretations of 20th century developments in art and design, including the dizzying illusions of Op Art and the high-energy of 1970s kinetic art. The striking modernist jewels in this finale include a dramatic necklace (1958) composed of spun gold elliptical motifs, ellipses within ellipses, studded with diamonds, generating a hypnotic whirling effect. As curator Lise Macdonald states, this sharply focused thematic approach offers a whole new perspective on Van Cleef & Arpels’ creativity, via its interpretations of what she calls ‘living instants – the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, a blooming flower, a ballerina twirling on stage or a ribbon floating in the air.’ All of them, she says, transformed into ‘eternal objects’. And into pure poetry in motion. ‘The Art of Movement: Living Instants, Eternal Forms’ at the Design Museum, Kensington, from 23 September to 20 October 2022. designmuseum.org n 1 Bellflower clip (1969), platinum, yellow gold, mystery set sapphires, diamonds. 2 Ballerina clip (1951), platinum, yellow gold, turquoise, rubies, diamonds. 3 Necklace (1859), yellow gold, diamonds. 4 Leaf secret watch (1956), yellow gold, platinum, sapphires, diamonds. 5 Minaudière (1939), yellow gold, silver, lacquer, rubies, diamonds. 6 Zip necklace transformable into a bracelet (1952-1955), yellow gold, platinum, emeralds, diamonds. 7 Double clip (1941), white gold, platinum, sapphires, diamonds. 8 Trois clochettes (three bellflowers) clip (1964), yellow gold, rubies, diamonds. 9 Balinese dancer clip (1969) yellow gold, pearls, diamonds. All Van Cleef & Arpels Collection.
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CULTURE | Review
The EXHIBITIONIST
Don’t underestimate the power of great design, says Ed Vaizey. It influences everything
Sony Design’s Into Sight installation in Cromwell Place
PHOTOS: TARAN WILKHU
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his month the London Design Festival celebrates attract around 600,000 visitors from more than 75 countries. It commissions its 20th edition. It was established in 2003 by Sir unique pieces of design, beginning with Zaha Hadid’s Urban Nebula in 2007, or AL_A’s timber wave outside the V&A, which took two weeks to John Sorrell and Ben Evans. John Sorrell was build, not to mention John Pawson’s famous Perspectives installation at St the founder – with his wife Frances – of a highly Paul’s. It invites countries across the globe to install pavilions showcasing successful brand design agency Newell and their best designers. Sorrell, which famously and controversially redesigned British Airways’ tail fins in the late 1990s. Ben is a scion There are some great highlights this year. At South Kensington’s of a Labour dynasty and well-known design expert. Cromwell Place (a new and exciting gallery venue), Sony Design is presenting John became something of a mentor to me when I was the Minister a ‘life-sized media platform’ entitled Into Sight. Through an immersive for the creative industries. He comes from a working-class background interplay of audio and visual effects, visitors will be able to ‘discover new and took every educational opportunity he could. He spent his teenage insights regarding the coexistence of physical and meta realities’. It’s years attending Saturday morning classes at his local further education basically going to be one big video wall. college, and years later used his money to set up Saturday clubs to give a There will be a modern Stonehenge, built not by stone-age man but new generation the same opportunity he had. He is a huge champion of by architectural practice Stanton Williams and engineers Webb Yates, at the role of design in our society and flew around the Greenwich Peninsula. It’s a ‘participatory sculptural world as a British business ambassador, extolling the form’, made from a mix of materials, including virtues of British design. 150-million-year-old Jurassic limestone and marble. At the V&A a series of installations will explore the Every conversation I had with John was an education, and thought-provoking. I have often invoked his analysis theme of transformation. DesignSingapore Council and of the importance of design, pointing out that the Singapore’s National Design Centre will be presenting Chinese do not envy our manufacturing capability, R for Repair. Designers from Singapore and the UK will but rather crave the magic dust of creativity that is so repair objects from each other’s countries – with echoes fundamental to the success of so many products. Britain of my favourite TV show, The Repair Shop. The festival also has 12 design districts, ranging from Stratford to has an unrivalled design ecosystem, which rarely if ever Park Royal, and there will be international pavilions gets noticed by senior politicians, many of whom fail from Denmark to Korea, and Portugal to Sweden. to understand its crucial importance. There will be plenty of things to visit, much to see, The London Design Festival, then, is not just a wonderful festival of creativity but a signpost to the or even just to pass by. And as you take great photos on world of design in the UK. Like London’s other great your smartphone, pause to think about how the power festivals for film and fashion, it does not take place in of great design made you decide which brand to buy. Sir John Sorrell, co-founder one building, though the Victoria and Albert Museum of the London Design Festival 17-25 September 2022, londondesignfestival.com is its main partner. Over the course of a week, it will 90 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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CULTURE | Art Martin Wade in his studio, where he uses art to overcome his PTSD
MARTIN WADE
‘D
efined form is a way of controlling emotion,’ says Martin Wade, standing next to a canvas where stripes of yellow weave into blue and red to create a joyous matrix of colour. He feels this ordered geometry offers reassurance, ‘unlike free expression, which at the moment would be too chaotic.’ Trained in law, Martin couldn’t imagine life behind a desk for the rest of his career, so joined the army. ‘It sounds rather twee, but I wanted to serve my country.’ He rose to Lieutenant Colonel, and advised on the legal use of force in conflict situations around the world. Back home, he prosecuted at courts martial and was Commander Legal for British Forces in Germany. After more than a decade of service in Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Bosnia, he was sent to Afghanistan. ‘Ultimately it was my undoing,’ he says, matter-of-factly. In 2010, after coming back from Afghanistan, Martin was in Germany when he admitted himself into a psychiatric hospital. It was there he started painting. ‘It was mandatory. You pretty much did what you’re told. When it was time to play table tennis, it was time to play table tennis.’ The art cupboards were quite different from his old secondary school in Wales, though. ‘It was like an Aladdin’s cave. Some cupboards were an entire room full of art material.’ On an easel perched on a desk, Martin finishes his first commission for the army, destined for the Adjutant General Corps, which includes the Military Police and Army Legal Services. His style and use of colour will be a first for an Officers’ Mess, usually decorated with gilt-framed oil paintings of long-dead monarchs, stiff generals, and stylised battle scenes.
The work is about Martin’s own therapy, and colours swirl across the page like a helter-skelter. During episodes of PTSD, he experiences vivid flashbacks of his experience in Afghanistan, the heat and smells of the hot terrain creating a visceral reliving of traumatic memories. ‘I was in the therapy room, mentally stuck on the battlefield and couldn’t get back off.’ He has learnt techniques to help him return to the present day. ‘This work is about following a light all the way home, from the bottom right of the canvas to the centre, the present day.’ He painted it in 2018: ‘It was a boiling hot summer – I was sweating like a marine in a spelling test.’ He continues: ‘When you fire to kill, direct an air strike, end another life, or choose not to, it takes something from you. On occasion I did have to pull the trigger or resupply ammunition under heavy fire.’ Yet he has struggled to find support even in the famous Bethlem Royal Hospital. ‘They gave therapy with a hurry-up gun to the head.’ NHS funding was rationed and piecemeal. ‘For the cost of one or two Hellfire missiles, we could be patched up and become effective human beings again, but they leave us to self-recover or rely on charities. The same happened after the Boer War, and the First and Second World Wars; charities had to fill a void the government left. It’s a national disgrace.’ Yet he remains positive for the future. ‘I have faith in common humanity and the mind’s innate ability to mend. That’s where my art will lead me, to recovery, where I can be the best version of myself.’ Find out more about Martin’s work at martinartist.com n
PHOTO: © CAITI GROVE
Caiti Grove visits the former soldier to talk about the power of painting to overcome PTSD
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P R O M OT I O N
JOIN THE CLUB With a rich design heritage, The Lansdowne Club is an elegant choice in the heart of Mayfair
FASCINATING HISTORY Rewind to 1761. John Stuart, third Earl of Bute, bought an empty plot of land in Berkeley Square and commissioned Robert Adam, the era’s preeminent architect, to design a house there. The result, still standing today, is a handsome neoclassical mansion, a fine example of what became known as the ‘Adam Style’: a lighter and more elegant alternative to the heavy Georgian houses of the late 18th century, with curved walls, domes and elaborate plasterwork. Fast forward 250 years, and today the mansion is home to the exclusive Lansdowne Club, which was founded in 1935. You can still see all the hallmarks of Adam’s famous style throughout the building, complemented by touches from the Thirties, when the building was remodelled by the architect Charles Fox, a pupil of Louis de Soissons. It was then decorated by the leading interior designer of the time, Sir Charles Allom, in the Arte Moderne style.
Regency grandeur meets Arte Moderne elegance at The Lansdowne Club
MODERN LUXURY As impressive as its history is, The Lansdowne Club hasn’t remained a time capsule of the past. In recent years it has welcomed all the modern conveniences necessary for the enjoyment of its members, from its state-of-the-art exercise studio to its 73 airy and comfortable ensuite bedrooms. The dining room was reimagined by international interior design studio Jestico and Whiles in 2017, offering a modern interpretation of the space while retaining opulent Art Moderne touches, for a truly magnificent dining experience.
FABULOUS FACILITIES Whether you’re doing laps of the spectacular 25-yard Art Deco pool, relaxing in the steam room, hitting balls in the squash court, or finessing your fencing in its very own salle d’armes (it’s the only
members’ club in London to boast one), The Lansdowne also has a vast range of sporting facilities to choose between, making sticking to your health and fitness goals not a chore, but a real pleasure for its members. An eclectic mix of the historic and the contemporary, The Lansdowne Club boasts stylish décor and walls decorated with exquisite art, underpinned by a seamless service by its dedicated staff. All in all, it’s a members’ club with a rich history, and an exciting present. To enquire about membership, please visit lansdowneclub. com or email membership@ lansdowneclub.com
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CULTURE | Sustainability
MY LITTLE GREEN BOOK Lisa Grainger meets legendary marine warrior and ocean defender, Dr Sylvia Earle
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r Sylvia Earle guffaws when I ask her if she eats fish. ‘Does Jane Goodall eat chimpanzees?’ she quickly ripostes. ‘What you gotta remember is that I know these creatures; they have faces and personality; they communicate. So, no. I like my fish swimming in the sea – not in lemon butter.’ Variously described as ‘the Joan of Arc of our seas’, our ‘Ocean Mother’, and ‘one of the world’s greatest oceanographers’, Earle is, like David Attenborough, not just one of the greatest explorers of our planet, but one of its keenest defenders. Having loved the ocean all her life and accomplished more than 7,500 dives (including one just the week before), the elegant 87-year-old whose unconventional life – which has featured in a Neflix documentary – has seen our planet’s watery expanses from all angles, from its polar icecaps to its blackest depths. As the first female Chief Scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1990, with the ear of countless presidents, she has also been privy to some of the leading science tracking the health of our oceans. Which is why she is still on the road for more than 300 days a year, from Beijing to the Galapagos, and Stockholm to Cape Town,
talking and filming and berating governments. Because she knows the truth – and wants everyone else to know it too: that our ocean is dying. ‘People need to open their eyes,’ she tells me matter-of-factly over Zoom. ‘We have to show people that we don’t have much time left. The next ten years is going to be vital if our planet is going to survive. And we do have the power to turn it.’ Unlike those of us who are vaguely aware of the destruction of the waters that make up 90 per cent of our planet but don’t have the documentary evidence, Earle has witnessed the degradation in front of her own eyes. (When I ask her where her favourite dive spot is, she immediately quips ‘anywhere on our planet 50 years ago’.) She’s seen rivers turn to metallic sludge, mangroves concreted over, thick shelves of rubbish pile up beneath Antarctica, microplastics in every part of the sea, and trash accumulate in some of the deepest beds of the ocean. But, unlike most of us, she has a plan – and that is to try to set aside 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030, from drilling, fishing, fracking, mining, nuclear test blasts, polluting and general human interference (right now only three per cent of the ocean is protected and 15 percent of land). Since it was launched in 2010, her Mission Blue Dr Earle has taken part in organisation has persuaded governments to set more than 7,500 dives aside 143 ‘Hope Spots’ in 69 countries around the world, covering 58 million kilometres. The plan is not just to save the imminent extinction of marine life. It’s to reduce the toxins in the sea – some big fish that feed on smaller ones have such high levels of poisons in them, she says, ‘they could be classed only as semi-living’. It’s to clean up the waters, so plants can oxygenate our planet better (sea plants produce 80 per cent of the world’s oxygen) and limit the warming of our climate. ‘People have got to start thinking of the sea as like a micro-soup of creatures that help to keep our planet healthy – and stop regarding it as a free larder and an empty dump,’ she says. In February 2023, the campaigner will be going to Antarctica with Aurora Expeditions on a new boat named after her, with the aim of making more people ambassadors of the ocean. ‘We need everyone on board to magnify the message quickly,’ she says. ‘It’s only when you understand what’s underneath the sea and what we are doing to it that you change, and that you put pressure on your family, your friends, your government. We need every person to take care of nature as if their life depends on it. Because it does.’ mission-blue.org; auroraexpeditions.com.au n
USE whatever voice you have – your art, your music, your writing – to pass on the message. CONSUMERS have the power to make change. Use it. PEOPLE in developed countries don’t have to eat marine life. Think about other options. INSPIRE in children a sense of wonder about the ocean; we need more people to love it rather than murder it. STOP using plastics you don’t need to.
PHOTO: MICHAEL AW
GET INVOLVED
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CULTURE | Conservation
The Positive Disruptor
Can nature and art soothe our anxiety and spur us into climate action? asks James Wallace THINK DIFFERENTLY, ACT NOW Get closer to nature
BRING... The natural world closer with binocs and membership of the RSPB. rspb.org.uk
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eing at war with nature takes its toll. Deafening alarm bells ring out ‘code red for humanity’ and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2022 report – titled Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability – makes for a depressing read: a near future of famine, disease, flood, wildfire, drought and resource wars. We wouldn’t wish it on our children, but tragically that is exactly what we have done. Eco-anxiety, described by the American Psychological Association as chronic fear of environmental cataclysm, (coupled with nature deficit disorder) unknowingly affects many of us, as we witness civilisation on the brink of collapse. But banging on about gloomy threats to our pensions and petrol prices not only depresses us but also switches off our will to change, as we bury our heads in the sand, numbing the anxiety with G&Ts, Netflix and Amazon Prime deliveries. Science plays an essential role in providing evidence of the unfolding climate, food, water, health and wildlife crises. However, data is an arid desert to most people and scientists aren’t always the best oracles. Change comes about we can see a problem, when it affects us personally and when we are empowered by solutions. What’s missing in the paradigm shifter’s toolkit? We certainly don’t lack evidence that the world is simultaneously burning like Hades and flooding Noah’s menagerie. There’s no shortage of capital or technology. But still we race towards extinction.
I believe there is a way to inspire action and simultaneously heal the gaping wounds of personal and planetary self-harm that we increasingly feel. Unbeknown to most of us, we are all closet treehuggers and master artists. Just like our palaeolithic ancestors, I find my solace when close to nature, whether in the miracle of flight embodied in a bird’s feather or expressed by a quill. Reconnecting with nature and each other is an ancient balm, bringing light in dark times. A dose can come in many shapes: camping under the stars, bathing in a forest stream, planting a tree, watching murmurating starlings, or simply an ant meandering up a park bench. Thus, the key to encouraging change, happiness and good health lies closer to home than you might think in the lived experience and wonder of nature. Self-expression of an external world that both scares and beguiles us is a pathway to action and revival. For me, it is writing poetry and breathing life into my didgeridoo that does it. For you, it may be dancing under the stars, painting a rainbow, or singing your wild communion with friends. Ecocide looms. Read the news, research the facts but then dash out into the rain, feel the pleasure and pain and do something about it. While learning the art of survival in the face of an uncertain future, we must also remember to thrive. James Wallace is a trustee of River Action (riveractionuk.com) n
HEAL… Yourself and the planet with Heal Rewilding. healrewilding.org.uk
RETREAT… To the restorative rainforests of Cornwall at Cabilla. ` cabillacornwall.com LIFT… Your soul with Walt Whitman’s ecological poem Song of Myself. poetryfoundation.org DWELL… In Sophie Pavelle’s journey to find forgotten species of climatechange Britain in her new book Forget Me Not. (Blooms bury, £16.99)
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; © BEX ASTON
The effects of climate change aren’t coming – they’re here already
READ... And be informed about climate change with the UN IPCC Report 2022. ipcc.ch
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BESPOKE FIT TED WARDROBES, STUDIES & LIVING ROOM UNITS
B R E N T W O O D | C H E L S E A | H A M P ST E A D | H A M P TO N H I L L | H ATC H E N D W W W. N E AT S M I T H . C O . U K
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Audi e-tron GT quattro PRICE From £83,815 BATTERY 93 kWh twin motor POWER 469 bhp 0-62MPH 4.1 seconds RANGE Up to 298 miles STREAMING Wow – Kate Bush
Road Test
Audi’s e-tron GT quattro all-electric grand tourer has everything – apart from a class-leading battery range, says Jeremy Taylor
TOWN Like a new Beyoncé album, Audi has been through a
COUNTRY With enough space for five people and an extraordinarily
renaissance with e-tron, a range of all-electric models that will eventually dominate its entire fleet. The flagship e-tron GT may be silent but it’s a sound buy. Long, low and sleek, this four-door sports coupe is fitted with two powerful electric motors instead of an engine, giving the Audi four-wheel drive handling ability. It’s seriously quick and quite possibly the most stylish electric car on the road. The Audi’s stretched body also offers excellent front and rear legroom, while an enormous panoramic glass roof gives the impression of extra headroom. Elsewhere, the dashboard is functional and easy to use but oddly, nowhere near as avant-garde as an electric Volvo, or BMW. The central infotainment screen is modestly sized, while much of the switchgear is borrowed from conventional Audis. Around town, passengers benefit from smooth acceleration inside a whisper-quiet cabin. Choose the Efficiency drive mode and e-tron uses regenerative braking to top up the battery on the move. With sky-high fuel prices, you feel extra smug about economy too. Audi’s rapid charging system also allows drivers to top-up the 95 kWh battery with a 60-mile boost in just five minutes. However, as 270 kWh chargers are hard to find, most owners will likely leave the GT to power up overnight at home.
quiet cabin, the GT is a fantastic car for long distance touring. Well, it would be except the official range of 298 miles can’t compete with a Tesla Model S, or the best of BMW. In fact, real-world driving would suggest the GT is only good for 235 miles, so most drivers will be anxiously looking at their battery level after 200 miles. Remember, the Tesla travels 400 between charges. Even so, a Tesla can’t match Audi drive and handling qualities. Despite the weight of a battery pack, the steering is light and responsive. The GT can also be specified with four-wheel steering to make the car feel even more dynamic at speed, as well as easier to park. Oh, and if you miss the sound of a sporty exhaust, Audi also offer a noise generator to ween drivers off their combustion engine habit. The GT has plenty of performance to match the looks but, for even more shove, the £113,000 RS version has more powerful electric motors that cut the 0-62mph dash to a supercar-like 3.3 seconds (as well as reducing its range, though).
RATING: 4/5 HANDBAGS
RATING: 4/5 WELLIES
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Driving | CULTURE
THE DRIVE
DESTINATION: DRAENLLWYNELLEN, POWYS
Silence is golden – and increasingly difficult to find. Post-pandemic, aircraft are back in our skies, engines a constant background noise – is there anywhere left to escape? Draenllwynellen is as difficult to find as it is to pronounce. A remote farmhouse cottage, the three-bed retreat nestles in an elevated position near Montgomery, Powys. Sipping a morning cup of tea in a suntrap courtyard, the only disturbances are mooing cows and the cry of a circling red kite. Yes, there is good internet here but I’m sure other guests like me find themselves switching off to bask in the tranquility of the place, marvelling at its mesmerising views across the Kerry Ridgeway and Shropshire Hills. And don’t rely on your sat-nav to get here. For once, it’s really important to study the directions. Look for the red phone box, a hillside track and a co-driver willing to open three stock gates. Anyone precious about grass scuffing car paintwork should look elsewhere. In fact, I’d say Draenllwynellen is the perfect getaway for motorcyclists – apart from the gates, of course. It even has an open-front tractor shed, perfect for sheltering a couple of machines. I’ve chosen a BMW 1250 RT. Powerful, refined and packed with features, it’s one of those touring motorbikes that gentlemen of a certain age ease in to – like a favourite pair of slippers. The RT features the same slick engine as the off-road GS 1250 adventure bike – the UK’s best-selling machine – but will get you there feeling relaxed and, thanks to an enormous fairing, much drier too. Comforts include heated handgrips and seat, plus an adjustable electric windscreen! For epic rides to mid-Wales and beyond, the RT is also equipped with two
Escape the noise of modern life at Draenllwynellen farmhouse in Wales
waterproof panniers. Fill them up at home, clip them on to the bike and then unhook at the destination. They’re sleek and very presentable at any hotel reception, too. The 10-inch infotainment screen is larger than the systems in many cars. It connects via Bluetooth to a phone where there’s a BMW app for navigation, although it’s tiresome to have to use via a mobile for input every time. Speakers in the pannier housing will play your favourite tunes. Apart from different ride modes to suit conditions, the bike is packed with safety features, just like a car. ABS brakes, traction control and even a hill-start system that acts like a handbrake – the BMW has it all. The RT is a big machine and so not ideal for city commuters. But for anyone hoping to get far from the madding crowd – and negotiate the track to Draenllwynellen – saddle up on an RT.
IN THE BOOT
HOT & COLD JACKET This waxed cotton motorcycle jacket by Merlin features zip out thermal lining for sunny rides – and body armour protection. Chigwell, £250. merlinbikegear.com
BOOK IT: From £587 for three nights. ruralretreats.co.uk BMW R 1250 RT PRICE From £16,500 ENGINE 2-cylinder, 1,254cc four-stroke POWER 136 hp MAX SPEED 124 mph SEAT HEIGHT 760-850mm STREAMING All Right Now - Free
NOISE ANNOYS Motorcyclists or owners of noisy classic cars need these cool earplugs in funky colours, they reduce sound by 18 decibels. Experience Pro Earplugs, £30.95. loopearplugs.com
RETRO HELMET The Glamster is a full-face, retro-modern helmet for riding in style. Available in a cool collection of colours. Glamster, £410. shoei-europe.com
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CULTURE | Interview
Artist Catherine Goodman tells Charlotte Metcalf how drawing completely changes how you look at the world PORTRAIT BY ALEXANDRA DAO
IN BRIEF COTTAGE OR PENTHOUSE
A cottage in Somerset where I’m building a studio GARDENING OR THEATRE
Neither – I just like painting DOG OR CAT
I’d like a dog FLATS OR HEELS
I’ve never worn heels. I live in Birkenstocks COUNTRY PUB OR MICHELIN STAR
I’m a country person so I like the Montague Inn in Shepton Montague TEA OR WINE
Wine – though tea brings me back to my Indian life where they bring you tea in the morning and I can’t do without it
C
atherine Goodman arrives at Scarfes while her solo exhibition, And Everything Changed at the Marlborough Gallery is garnering rave reviews and healthy sales. She’s just returned from a ten-day trip to Tuscany with 22 art students. ‘We worked and drew all day, then ate and drank in the evenings – it was wonderful but exhausting,’ she laughs. Despite her punishing schedule, Catherine’s belief in the benefits of drawing and her love of painting fire her with an energetic commitment that buoys her spirits. ‘Drawing teaches you to look, and the longer and more closely you look, the more you fire the memory, imagination and feeling. “Slow-looking” is the antidote to technology’s addictive speed,’ she explains. ‘By 2000 my generation of artists had split. Many were YBAs who’d been taught by Michael Craig-Martin at Goldsmiths, while at Camberwell, where I studied, there was still a legacy of post-war drawing that was based on a connection with the perceptual. I was taught by remarkable tutors, at both Camberwell and the Royal Academy Schools, including Sickert’s nephew. I drew for seven hours a day and then three hours a night.’ But when she went back to teach at Camberwell, drawing had disappeared, engulfed by a tsunami of conceptualism. ‘Life drawing was considered old-fashioned and had vanished, which was absurd as it’s one of the most interesting things you can do. It’s very humbling as you realise how difficult and challenging it is – especially when you look at Van Gogh or Cezanne.’ In 2000, Catherine co-established the Royal Drawing School with Prince Charles to address the increasing absence of observational drawing in art education. The school now has 3,000 students a week. Catherine looks at the bowl of hydrangeas next to her and asks, ‘What does their blue remind you of? Maybe your mother’s dress? Look again – slowly. Everyone has a unique response to something and it’s about using all our senses and feelings to process that. Give anyone 12 hours of observational drawing a week and it’ll totally change the way they look at the world. Other schools suggest there’s one way of drawing and don’t allow a unique response to scale or creating an image, but there’s no set way to respond to nature. A school can teach you to draw like an angel but there’s not a lot of point if you’re drawing like everyone else.’ Catherine grew up with her Russian mother between Kew and Oxfordshire. Her great-grandmother was
Lady Ottoline Morrell, a patron of the arts who entertained from her homes in Bedford Square and Garsington. ‘My Bloomsbury granny taught me that it was preferable being an artist to being a solicitor or doctor,’ she laughs. ‘I also had a Stanley Spenser self-portrait in my childhood bedroom that influenced me.’ Catherine’s early artistic life was aptly bohemian. After leaving the Royal Academy, where she won the Gold Medal in 1987, the artists John Ward and Carel Weight helped her mount shows while she taught. She lived and painted in the attic of St Mary of the Angels Church in Notting Hill, also a homeless centre with a soup kitchen on the first floor. ‘I was living a very alternative London life,’ she says. Then in 2004 she won the BP Portrait Award and her life changed. The Marlborough Gallery took her on, and she’s been with them ever since. Her recent show there comprised a series of monumental canvases, many inspired by her lockdown visit to a South Indian retreat. They pulsate with colour and unrestrained exuberance and reflect her love of nature and the human form. Nudes and trees intertwine and fuse, revealing her preoccupation with our place in the landscape and with Ovid’s Metamorphosis. ‘How do you inhabit places you love?’ she asks. ‘Drawing in one place grounds you as you get to know its atmosphere and vegetation. I work in no more than an acre, finding friends among the landscape in the shape of trees or rocks. I like to go back to the same acre year after year, as the patina and layer of memories reflect back how your life has changed and how you’ve grown, at the same time triggering nostalgia for the place.’ Catherine has also spent time in Corfu and, in April, Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, managed by The Rothschild Foundation, will mount a major show of her Corfu work. ‘I’ve been visiting Jacob Rothschild’s place and drawing the beautiful, ancient, gnarled olive trees there. We’re never happier than when we’re engaged in something like writing, gardening or painting, a form of concentration that expands our imagination and is key to our mental health.’ Catherine’s delight in her own artistic process and in teaching others is so contagious that it makes me want to go straight out and buy a sketch book. There is no greater champion, nor such an exemplary success story for learning to draw than Catherine. catherinegoodman.co.uk n
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Catherine Goodman’s passion for drawing led her to found the Royal Drawing School alongside Prince Charles
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Dress, Cecilie Bahnsen. Earrings, Annoushka
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Finding
FREIDA Uninspired by Hollywood, superstar Freida Pinto is very much treading her own path, says CLARE NAYLOR FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD ART DIRECTOR FLEUR HARDING PHOTOGRAPHER RACHELL SMITH
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Dress, Molly Goddard Boots, Dr. Martens Earrings, Tiffany & Co.
he world was treated to its first glimpse of Freida Pinto back in 2008 when Slumdog Millionaire became a global sensation. Her character Latika’s beatifically smiling face transcends the brutality of Danny Boyle’s Mumbai ghetto whenever she appears on screen as the great love of Dev Patel’s lead character Jamal. Freida’s radiance hasn’t dimmed in the intervening years. Neither has her career – first as an actor and latterly as an activist and producer. In professional terms she has only gained more dimension. In her latest movie, Mr. Malcolm’s List, in which she plays a clergyman’s daughter in Regency England, Freida exudes a serenity that is both earthy yet other-worldly. This isn’t some trick of the light or camera, it comes from deeper within her, a state of grace. In contemporary parlance, Freida has authenticity.
When we speak, Freida, who divides her time between Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, is nursing not only her eightmonth-old son Rumi-Ray, but also the sort of comedy cold that has her constantly reaching for tissues. She’s much relieved that she opted for camera-off on our Zoom call. ‘I’ve been on the road for a very long time and as soon as you stop, it hits you,’ Freida says by way of explanation. Indeed, a glance at her social media reveals an exhaustive tour for Mr. Malcolm’s List, a period romance which more than holds its own against Bridgerton in terms of both diverse casting and compelling charm. And while audiences may now take diversity for granted in period drama, when Freida came aboard as both star and producer some four years ago, it wasn’t the case. ‘Bridgerton really helped break through barriers. When Shonda [Rhimes, creator and showrunner of Bridgerton] does whatever she does, she’s going to get her audience, you just know that. It really opened doors for us – investors felt less nervous, less panicky. It helped them to loosen the purse strings.’ In the film Freida plays Selina Dalton, an impeccably educated, though not wealthy, biracial woman who is used as a pawn in a society friend’s romantic revenge plot. Directed by English filmmaker Emma Holly Jones, Mr. Malcolm’s List has an infectious sense of joy that belies the problems the cast and crew faced bringing it into being. ‘The film was shot in Ireland and we were working under some really intense circumstances in the world – the pandemic, lockdown, even Brexit really affected things being shipped to Ireland. But the single-minded focus it took to make this film a success was more than worth it, because, at the end of the day, if people feel happy when they leave the cinemas after watching the film, that’s mission accomplished.’ Clearly, Freida’s experience as a producer left her hungry for more, because she’s subsequently established her own production company, Freebird Films, with the specific aim of ‘celebrating diversity and uplifting the work and lives of intrepid women’. And
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Top, skirt and gilet, Louis Vuitton. Shoes, Dr. Martens. Earrings, Tiffany & Co.
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Coat, Esaú Yori. Rings, Solange Azagury-Partridge. Earrings, Frieda’s own
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Camel suit, Michael Kors Collection Earrings, Tiffany & Co.
while she’s passionate about storytelling in all its forms, she was primarily looking for vehicles for her own acting talents, having struggled for years with the sort of roles offered by mainstream Hollywood. In clipped American tones, embroidered with the lyrical cadence of her native Mumbai, Freida opines: ‘It was very important for me to go out and carve my own space and make it happen for myself. As a woman, also an Indian woman from a culture that’s so rich, I have so much to offer. But when I came on board this industry at the age of 23, I kept getting offered the same kind of roles over and over again. I didn’t want to play the girlfriend, I didn’t want to play the side-kick, I didn’t want to play the cardboard cut-out. I just felt kind of bored.’ And, she adds, ‘My producing skills are, if I may say so, just as sharp as my acting skills.’
One doesn’t doubt this for a second. Despite her undeniable gloss and glamour, Freida doesn’t shrink from expressing views that she knows may lead her into controversial terrain in the current climate. ‘It’s worrying living in a time where cancel culture is so rife, but at the same time I don’t let it rule my voice.’ In the main she’s comfortable advocating for causes as various as equitable distribution of vaccines across India and the nonprofit organisation for educating and empowering girls, Girl Rising. Wherever she can, she maintains, she will use her voice for change. ‘If I can use social media to elicit joy or to spread empathy or compassion or understanding, then I will.’ She is also very clear in her mind on the genesis of so much of the positive change she’s witnessed within the entertainment industry in recent years. ‘When the Black Lives Matter movement happened it really shone a light on the fact that there are stories that we’re not telling. And the other very important thing that it brought to light is that we need authenticity, authentic people representing the various roles. So, if you’re telling the story of an Indian character, you need the right person for that role.’ But perhaps the role that’s engendered most change in Freida is that of mother. ‘Motherhood has been my best teacher ever. Rumi’s a very happy, cheerful guy and loves exploring. He’s teaching me that no two days are going to be ever alike. I’m learning to be flexible, and to be open and not get too worked up with the highs and the lows.’ And while Freida may be poised to become a force for change within her industry, she’s well aware that none of this would have happened without the bumps in the road which have enabled her to navigate the ever-shifting landscape along the way. ‘As I’ve gotten older and experienced so much more in my personal life I’ve been able to change, to really and truly understand what my needs are as an actor, as an artist within my industry. And how to feel satisfied. And finally, at 37, I can frankly say I’m having more fun than ever.’ Mr. Malcolm’s List is out now n
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Trousers and top, Alexander McQueen Ring, bracelet and ear cuff, Alexander McQueen TEAM Make-up: Naoko Scintu @ The Wall Group using NARS Hair: Dayaruci @ The Wall Group using ORIBE Nails: Emily Rose @ Saint Luke Artists using CHANEL Digital cover: Tracer Ital @ Adrenalin Photographic Photographer’s assistant: Oscar Yoosefinejad & Kate Whelan Fashion assistant: Daisy Bryson STOCKISTS: PAGE 174
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CULTURE
CASUALTY
WAR
OF
Is the blanket cancellation of Russian culture since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine either fair or sensible? Art writer IVAN LINDSAY argues that it won’t help win the war
ince Russia’s invasion of Ukraine there has been a mass cancellation of Russian culture in Europe and the USA. The motivation behind this appears to stem from a belief that, similar to economic sanctions, erasing Russian culture will somehow weaken President Putin’s grip on power and encourage the Russian population to turn against him. The more extreme supporters of this cancellation also believe there is a savagery embedded in Russian culture, and indeed the Russian soul, that can be found weaving a pattern through Russian art, music, dance and literature, and that this explains Russia’s behaviour in Ukraine. Ukrainian writers and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry have led this drive to erase Russian culture. In the Times Literary Supplement the Ukrainian poet Oksana Zabuzhko, best known for her 1996 feminist novel Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex, recently said that Russian literature represents, ‘an ancient culture in which people only breathe under water and have a banal hatred for those who have lungs instead of gills’ and that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can only be
understood by studying the work of Fyodor Dostoevsky, which she defines as, ‘an explosion of pure, distilled evil and long suppressed hatred and envy’. A website called cancelrussia.info provides a set of posters, in English, German, Dutch, French and Italian, advocating the cancelling of Russian culture which it encourages you to print off and paste on city walls. In explanation, it says: ‘Russian culture is expansionary and imperialistic in nature ... Withhold any funding, support, or even attention you once provided to Russian artists, writers, or musicians. There should be no room for their exhibitions, publications, or concerts. There should be no mention of them in the press ... Russian culture today is nothing more than the result of long-term theft of subjugated cultures by the state. Decolonisation of Russia is impossible without the complete cancellation of its culture.’ Oleksandr Tkachenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, joined a group of film directors, musicians, artists and gallery owners calling for the banning of all Russian cultural activities. Early casualties were Russian participation in the Venice Biennale, Wimbledon, the Eurovision Song Contest, the Champions
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Website cancelrussia.info argues for the deplatforming of Russian culture
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PHOTOS: © CANCELRUSSIA
League Final, Russian art sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, and Formula One’s Russian Grand Prix. The conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, Valery Gergiev, was fired. Anna Netrebko, the Russian soprano, was cancelled from the title role in Puccini’s Turandot at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, which declared that it is ‘no longer engaged with artists or institutions that support Putin or are supported by him’. The English Royal Opera House cancelled a residency by Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet company, and the Russian State Ballet of Siberia and the Royal Moscow Ballet were pulled from performances in Northampton and Dublin. The European Film Academy excluded Russian entries from the European Film Awards and the Cardiff Philharmonic cancelled performances of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Second Symphony. Russian billionaires, including Victor Vekselberg and Petr Aven, founder of the recently sanctioned Alfa-Bank, have long supported British art galleries, and underwritten exhibition costs, but they are now being removed from boards as museums rush to distance themselves. Tate announced on 14 March that it had severed ties with Aven, and the Royal Academy said on 1 March that Aven had stepped down as a trustee of the Royal Academy Trust and that it had returned his donation towards the cost of the exhibition Francis Bacon: Man and Beast. The Guggenheim in New York also lost its major benefactor in Vladimir Potanin, who recently funded its current exhibition of Russian abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky, when he stepped down as a trustee. Although many people have privately queried the wisdom of cancelling Russian culture in this way, few are brave enough to say so. It is a facet of cancel culture that it will tolerate no discussion or debate. Once a line is taken by those with a platform
and adopted by influencers, journalists and media, contrarian opinion causes outrage as opposed to discussion. Anyone who queries these cancellations is deemed a ‘Putin apologist’ and a supporter of Russia’s actions. The same people in the West who are advocating this cancelling of Russian culture focus on what Russia is doing and the terrible fallout from this war, as opposed to why Russia is doing it. John J. Mearsheimer, the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor from the University of Chicago since 1982, a leading proponent of the Realist School of geopolitics first developed by Henry Kissinger, says that Russia viewed the expansion of NATO into Ukraine as an existential threat and drew a line in the sand. Mearsheimer says Russia has been invaded through this corridor by the Poles, the Swedes, the French and the Germans, and they repeatedly said they would not tolerate NATO in Ukraine in the same way as the USA would not tolerate Russian troops on its borders in Mexico or Canada. It is Mearsheimer’s opinion that no one listened to the Russians or tried to understand what they were saying, and when the Russians saw NATO training Ukrainian troops and arming them, while having watched the shelling of Russian speakers in the Donbas for eight years, they acted. Mearsheimer summed up his viewpoint in an article in The Economist on 19 March entitled, ‘Why the West is Principally Responsible for the Ukrainian Crisis’. Recently, the Pope concurred saying the war in Ukraine was, ‘perhaps somehow either provoked or not prevented’ and that NATO had been, ‘barking at the gates of Russia’. Clearly this terrible war has massive implications for industries such as grain, oil, gas and weapons, and it is thus in some people’s interests to keep the war going. This writer, however, would like to see a ceasefire as soon as possible. Leaving aside why we are where we are, does cancelling Russian culture in this blanket approach actually bring the war closer to an end? Does it put pressure on Putin or the Russian government in any way? Are all these people being cancelled supportive of Russia’s invasion? Many of them, such as the soprano Anna Netrebko, have publicly said otherwise. In addition to its Slavic roots, Russian culture is also influenced by the European Enlightenment and, as such, forms part of European culture. Russian writer Vladimir Sorokin, while advocating passionately against the war, recently told the Financial Times, ‘I think Russian culture will endure. It’s already part of the world’s cultural heritage – it’s hard to do without it.’ Numerous Russian writers, such as Anna Akhmatova, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Osip Mandlestam, have, of course, been anti-war. Leo Tolstoy, who was a committed pacifist, having participated in the Crimean War, has Konstantin Levin criticise Russian military adventurism in Anna Karenina. The futility of war runs through all 800 pages of his epic War and Peace. It makes me wonder whether those who have recently cancelled performances and screen adaptations of his work have actually read it. Surely in desperate times such as these, culture should remain a bridge and a way of keeping dialogue open when political discussion has broken down. In addition, these cancellations fuel Russia’s Slavophile tendencies, already resentful and suspicious of the West, and thus rally Russian support of their leadership. In the words of the Russian pianist Aleksandr Melnikov, ‘When pressed against the wall, the Russians only cluster tighter around the leadership’. Rather than a knee-jerk reaction lashing out at all Russian culture as a way to object to this war and hoping that it might somehow weaken Russia’s war plans, it might be better to let it continue, keep the door open, and acknowledge that it is part of our own collective past and future. The conceptual Ukrainian artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, while voicing their objection to cultural sanctions, said, ‘Cultural connections are things that bring people together when politicians fail’. n
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Yellow Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama (1994)
ART
PHOTOS: © UNSPLASH; © MONA/STU GIBSON; © ANDYM5855/FLICKR
DESTINATION
Now that the children are back at school and the airports are less frantic, it’s the perfect time to set off on an autumnal artistic pilgrimage, says MAYA BINKIN
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ith this summer’s mad crush to see the world again out of the way and airport chaos firmly dried up (we hope), this autumn is the ideal time to choose a destination that will feed the soul and fire up the spirit. Choose carefully and you could have a journey of a lifetime. Since the 1950s artists and collectors alike have delighted in the benefit of marrying their art with nature, which has given rise to the ‘art park’. With increasingly outlandish budgets and curators seeking ever more spectacular locations, this concept has been stretched to include islands, underwater parks, deserts, and vineyards. Though exclusive, these spaces are often open to the public to visit, too. As founder of The Art Pilgrim, an online guide to the most exciting contemporary art destinations around the world (theartpilgrim.org), I’ve selected the top six contemporary art projects for your next bucket list trip. What’s more, they are all in remote parts of the world, so the journey is also part of the experience.
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NAOSHIMA ISLAND, Japan
Perhaps the most famous of the sculpture parks (but also difficult to get to) is Naoshima Island in Japan. A trailblazer of its kind, it was started by Benesse Corporation to regenerate a bankrupt fishing community. It commissioned Tadao Ando (the art world’s architect of choice) to design sunken underground pavilions to display the art, for minimal disruption to the landscape and to preserve the island’s natural beauty. Today, these house unmatched displays of works by Claude Monet, James Turrell, Walter De Maria, and Lee Ufan. Though it is pricey, you really want to stay at Benesse House, a hotel which doubles up as a museum with a staggering collection of Hiroshi Sugimoto, David Hockney, and Basquiat. Take a stroll on the beach and you’ll discover Yayoi Kusama’s famous yellow pumpkin on a distant pier. Though it is tricky to get to Naoshima, once you are there, it’s easy to get around the tiny island, which you can cross in an hour on foot. The atmosphere is like none other. It has proven to be so popular that the art has expanded to the neighbouring islands of Teshima and Inujima. You can see it all in two days (if you try hard enough), but there’s no need to rush – try and carve out time to enjoy. benesse-artsite.jp
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GIBBS FARM, New Zealand
Dismemberment, Site 1 by Anish Kapoor (2009)
While most sculpture parks are built in areas where the art can work in harmony with the environment, Gibbs Farm seems to have been located precisely so that the surrounding nature might overwhelm it. Located north of Auckland, the beautiful parkland is so sublimely vast that the sky seems to be falling onto the ground. Its owner, Alan Gibbs, one of the richest people in New Zealand, doesn’t collect the sculptures but invites artists to the park and commissions them to do a site-specific work. This is no easy task, and most sculptors would shy away from trying to create something big enough be visible in this endless landscape and so only the most veteran and experienced sculptors (and the most famous) are invited to participate. You will see Anish Kapoor’s colossal red trumpet nestled in one of the hills or Richard Serra’s 250m corten steel wall snaking through the terrain like a thin mountain range. Look out for Andy Goldsworthy’s arches and Maya Lin’s landscape interventions that look like an architectural riddle handed down by an ancient Maori civilisation. You cannot bring your dog as farm animals, including giraffes, zebras, buffalo, alpacas and emu roam freely. A great place to visit with the kids, but bring comfortable shoes and sunscreen as it takes about up to four hours to hike the entire breathtaking park. gibbsfarm.org.nz
The ferry approaches MONA in Tasmania
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MONA, Tasmania, Australia
If Marfa (see number four) is surreal, MONA’s essence is rock ’n’ roll. The Museum of Old and New Art is the creation of professional gambler David Walsh, who spent over $150m carving into the cliffs of Hobart, Tasmania, to house his collection of modern and contemporary art. The central themes for his collection are sex and death, and the museum is described by Walsh as a ‘subversive adult Disneyland’. There are some big names, such as Chris Ofili and Wim Delvoye, but here that’s not really the point. Walsh collects what he wants, away from fashion and critics. The architecture is impressive. To enter, one descends a giant staircase into the earth’s bowels (or just take the elevator). There are no windows, and the ominous atmosphere is no coincidence. It is the one museum where you are encouraged to have a cocktail in hand as you look around the art, which is at times benevolent, at times mischievous, but almost always provocative. MONA also hosts two major music festivals, Mona Foma and Dark Mofo, which has brought the likes of Nick Cave and PJ Harvey to the island. Going to MONA is to enter Walsh’s inner sanctum. He is a divisive figure but with the relaunch of the museum in 2020 revealing a softer side (the display was adjusted so that it is more suitable for children), he does seem to be entirely genuine. mona.net.au September/October 2022 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 115
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Prada Marfa by Elmgreen & Dragset (2005)
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MARFA, Texas, USA
Marfa is perhaps the most surreal of the art world’s destinations. With no airport, the only way to get there is to roadtrip through arid Texas desert planes; the closest city, El Paso, is a three-hour drive away. Its large empty spaces and old school cowboy-Americana is what attracted artist Donald Judd to it. Forefather of minimalism, Judd left his Soho workshop in search of a studio without walls – somewhere his art could exist outside of context. Marfa, a tiny town of less that 1,500 inhabitants, was his answer. He started buying up land and positioning his works in the dusty desert. Soon, other artists followed, such as Elmgreen & Dragset, who opened the famous mock Prada boutique, and Dan Flavin who created a light installation in an old warehouse. Slowly, more and more buildings were converted into art spaces around the then-incredulous locals, who were bemused by the arty city folk who descended onto their sleepy town. In art world circles, Marfa is spoken of in reverent tones. The locals have embraced their fate and hold creative happenings, poetry readings, and film screenings, integrating it into a complete art experience. Surrounded by natural parks and with excellent restaurants, it’s quite unforgettable. juddfoundation.org
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MOLINERE UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK, Grenada
In 2006, artist Jason deCaires Taylor had the novel idea of creating a sculpture, or series of sculptures, that would be submerged under the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. And so, the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park was born, now one of the National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World. To visit it, you need to either scuba dive or snorkel to enjoy the 75 works that are anywhere between five to eight metres deep. There is the option of taking a glass-bottom boat, but where’s the fun in that? The sculptures are made of long-lasting, PH-neutral textured cement so that coral and marine life can attach itself to it. Apart from offering a new base for life to thrive, it draws tourists away from the natural reefs of adjacent Flamingo Bay that were being damaged from over exposure. underwatersculpture.com
I Lay Here For You by Tracey Emin (2022)
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JUPITER ARTLAND, UK
For somewhere a bit closer to home, I’d recommend Jupiter Artland with the understanding that you have already visited the unmissable Yorkshire Sculpture Park. It’s set within the estate of Bonnington House, ten miles outside of Edinburgh. The brainchild of Nicky and Robert Wilson, the park is 100 acres of gentle meadow and woodland gardens with over 35 site-specific sculptures to encounter end enjoy. Indeed, it was nominated for the Art Fund Museum of the Year award in 2016. Developing a close relationship with the artists, Nicky and Robert then commission them to create a bespoke piece for their garden. The duo has worked with the art world’s great and good, including Antony Gormley, Phyllida Barlow, Charles Jencks, Cornelia Parker and Anish Kapoor, to name but a few. They also host temporary exhibitions, such as a series of giant bronze figures by the brilliant Tracey Emin, on view until 2 October 2022. jupiterartland.org n
PHOTOS: © ALLAN POLLOK-MORRIS/JUPITER ARTLAND; © SHELBY COHRON/UNSPLASH; © JASON DECAIRES TAYLOR
Vicissitudes by Jason deCaires Taylor (2012)
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As Val McDermid publishes her 36th novel, 1989, CAROLINE PHILLIPS talks to ‘the Queen of Crime’ about the perfect murder, eating disorders and gender identity
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al McDermid, international bestselling crime writer, is talking for the first time about when she was suspected of having killed someone – and it could have been the perfect murder. The author, 67, also reveals her feelings about transitioning to become a man, and about her lesbianism. And about the medical condition that could potentially stop her from writing. She’s here to promote 1989, which has just hit bookshops. In it, protagonist Allie Burns uncovers a shocking story amid the fall of communism, the AIDS epidemic and Murdoch’s media wars. Additionally, Karen Pirie, ITV’s cold case murder drama – the six-hour series is an adaptation of Val’s chilling psychological thriller, The Distant Echo – is about to hit our screens. ‘It’s great TV,’ says Val, in her deep Scottish burr, ‘and [Outlander star] Lauren Lyle is a vibrant, engaging Karen Pirie.’ We meet on Zoom. She’s sitting in the Edinburgh house that she shares with her civil partner, Jo Sharp, an academic. Are those poison bottles behind her? ‘Antique pharmacy jars,’ she replies, smiling. ‘Nothing sinister.’ Will she hit ‘leave meeting’ if I ask anything tricky? ‘No.’ If I peeked, what ‘skeletons’ would I find in her medicine cupboard, photo albums and private letters? ‘I’m pretty much on the surface, without hidden darkness and secrets.’ She pauses. ‘Probably most illuminating is my shamefully untidy office. Sometimes I can’t get to the desk because of the stuff piled on the floor.’ Val has white hair, a warm, genial face and ruddy complexion. And a head gash from tumbling down the stairs. Was anyone implicated? ‘It would be the perfect murder,’ she replies, laughing. ‘You push someone down the stairs and it looks like an accident...’ She was alone at the time. Val – the PD James and Ruth Rendell of our day – has sold over 17 million books, translated into 40 languages. (Not to mention adaptations, including her Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series Wire in the Blood.) She’s a one-woman word factory, manufacturing a highquality range: from 36 novels – including a charmingly reimagined Northanger Abbey – to a children’s book and forensic science tome. Once, she penned four books in 18 months. She writes, sitting, in 20-minute bursts – then takes ten-minute ‘admin breaks’ at her standing desk. (Does she have ADHD? ‘Probably,’ she admits. ‘But I’ve never been formally diagnosed.’) Given her success she must be seriously wealthy. In Britain, I say, we’re more comfortable talking about our sex lives than our earnings. How much does she make? ‘Honestly, I don’t know,’ she responds, citing foreign, TV and radio rights. What’s her advance for a crime novel? ‘Pass.’ Shall we, I joke, talk about her sex life instead? ‘Fine. Absolutely. What do you want to know?’ It’s a subject to which we return later. Val was an only child – ‘unexpected because my parents had TB
which can affect fertility’ – raised in a council flat in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, then a two-up, two-down. She spent a lot of her ‘happy childhood’ with her grandmother and grandfather – a former miner. A socialist (and radical feminist), Val isn’t extravagant and gives away ‘lots of money’. She supports women’s sports, homelessness issues, and food banks. ‘It’s a stain on society that so many don’t have a roof over their heads,’ she says. ‘It’s shameful in our supposedly wealthy country that people can’t afford to feed themselves or their children.’ We move on to more impertinent questions. Does she ever wear a dress? ‘Ah, noooh,’ she replies, then Zoom (not Val) cuts us off. We’re both on free accounts. When we reconvene, I ask whether she ever dons make-up. ‘Only when someone does it for TV.’ Is she comfortable with her body? ‘I continually battle with my weight. I don’t think I have an eating disorder. I’m just greedy.’ She pauses. ‘If that’s an eating disorder, that’s what I’ve got.’ She looks masculine and is sometimes mistaken for a man. It’s a big leap, obviously, but would she ever consider transitioning? ‘Nooh,’ – she looks mystified. Val is impressively productive, ‘I’m perfectly comfortable once writing four books in 18 months with my sexuality and gender. But I entirely understand that there are people who don’t feel like that.’ So, she’d reject the idea that trans women are not ‘real’ women? ‘Womanhood is a huge tent. It encompasses Kim Kardashian and me. The trans women I know fit very comfortably in that tent.’ What’s her view of JK Rowling? ‘No comment.’ Val’s gender politics, though, are inclusive. ‘I remember the homophobia of the 1980s when lesbians were othered by Clause 28 and the law. I was told things like, “You’re not a proper woman”, “I wouldn’t want my wife in the same changing room as you”, and, “Don’t come near my daughters”. It was a horrible feeling,’ she divulges. ‘Straight people don’t have the right to tell me that I’m wrong to love a woman.’ She had a sexual relationship in her teens with a man. ‘It just left me feeling like that Peggy Lee song: Is That All There Is?’ Finally, what of Val having been a murder suspect? When her mother, Davina, died in 2011, she was alone. ‘Ironically, a policeman came to question me, then in Manchester. I realised that they thought I’d driven to Kirkcaldy and put a pillow over her face,’ she explains. ‘I found myself momentarily a suspect.’ As to the medical condition that could potentially prevent Val from typing… she has three trigger fingers, malfunctioning tendons that stop her bending her hand. ‘But I’ve had three successful surgeries so far.’ It’s hard to gauge someone’s reactions and character on screen, but I’m left thinking that this master of depictions of violence and torture is fun, gentle and considerate – and, by her own description, inquisitive, impatient and tenacious. She’s also super bright. ‘I don’t,’ says Val, the first student from a Scottish state school to go to St Hilda’s, Oxford, at 17, ‘feel clever a lot of the time.’ She also suffers from imposter syndrome. ‘I worry that the next book will not be as good as it ought to be.’ 1989 by Val McDermid (Little, Brown, £16.99) is out now n September/October 2022 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 119
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Luke Edward Hall teams up with Rubelli for a fabric collection imbued with classical romance. Read more on p124
30 pages of inspiration for your next home project
Edited by Carole Annett
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ON DESIGN
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Contents CLASSICAL LINES Luke Edward Hall
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DESIGN NOTES Interior picks
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OFF THE CHART FABULOUS Don’t get plastered, choose wallpaper
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FABRIC EMPORIUM Sumptuous fabrics
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THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT Styling bedrooms, no tantrums involved
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A CHATEAU TO CALL HOME Ah, home, sweet 19th-century chateau
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SHAKING IT UP Verity Coleman
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TOTALLY FLOORED Pick your jaw off these lovely rugs
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ORIGINAL THINKING Najwa Mroue
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THE ECO ENTHUSIAST Narchie’s Harriet Pringle has the sustainable intel
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TILE STATEMENT A mosaic of options
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PARTY PLACES A taste of new book, Queer Spaces
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HEADLINE ACT Rock and roll interiors
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GAME CHANGERS Design for good
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E D I TO R ’ S L E T T E R
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love hearing about interiors that are genuine passion projects and in these pages we have humdingers, including two châteaus – albeit very different. Anyone who’s watched Escape to the Chateau can appreciate the mammoth efforts of Dick and Angel Strawbridge to breathe life into their castle near Nante; Charlie Colville pays a visit (p134). New London hotel Chateau Denmark’s glam-rock aesthetic gave Taylor Howes the opportunity to show off a sexy, mischievous side. Founder Karen Howes had to shake off her Catholic school upbringing for some of the steamier elements (p148). Meanwhile, Najwa Mroue of Atelier NM (p140) and Verity Coleman of Rascal & Roses (p136) both show how remaining focused on the end result and not allowing commitment to waver can result in uniquely beautiful end projects. What did your childhood bedroom look like? Probably nothing like the spaces demanded by little darlings of today. Tessa Dunthorne chats to Manuela Hamilford (p132), about how the design of kids’ bedrooms has changed, not least because now they’re calling the shots. I’m sure Luke Edward Hall’s bedroom was a shrine to stylish living from a young age. The prolific designer’s latest venture, for renowned Venetian fabric house Rubelli, is, like much of his work, inspired by history, filtered through a lens of irreverent romanticism. Find out what else he’s up to on page 124. As well as pages showcasing this season’s most beautiful decorating tools, from fabrics and wallpapers to rugs, I’m delighted to introduce new columnist Harriet Pringle of Narchie, the social marketplace for homeware. On page 142 she shares favourite finds and explains more about her passion for circular, sustainable interiors. It’s design show season and I’m hosting talks at Focus/22 at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour on 20 and 22 Sept (dcch.co.uk) and at Decorex on 9 Oct (decorex.com) – check the websites for more information. It’d be great to see you if you fancy a jaunt.
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Impeccable taste every time Found in the world’s finest kitchens, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances are designed to simplify and enhance your life from morning to night.
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ON DESIGN ECO INTERIORS
CL ASSICAL LINES
Luke Edward Hall is a man very much in demand. Carole Annett pins him down for a chat
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‘Return to Arcadia’ is your new collection for Italian fabric house Rubelli. It’s inspired by my English
country garden and my love for ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture shines through – lyres, temples and classical faces appear among flowers, leaves and stars. My favourite hues are splashed across it, from dusty violet, mustard, burnt orange, pale pink and sky blue to emerald and olive green. I am particularly proud of the fact each of the designs started with drawings – even the stripes were drawn by me before being made into digital patterns. The result is a collection with a very handmade feeling, full of character and joy (rubelli.com/en). After the success of Les Deux Gares, any similar projects on the horizon?
Josette in Dubai opens, we hope, in the autumn. It’s a big brasserie, with a stage for performances inspired by the Parisian originals. I took inspiration for the design from 1920s London and Paris. It will have a bombastic Baroque feeling to it, too, very romantic and glamorous. I looked to designers from the past including Syrie Maugham and Dorothy Draper. Think lots of pink panelling, marble floors and mirrored columns (oh.co.uk). Your new book A Kind of Magic, The Kaleidoscopic world of Luke Edward Hall is described as a flamboyant volume oozing eclectic style.
FROM ABOVE: The artist lounging on a sofa made from ‘Astraeus’ chenille fabric in emerald; more designs from the Rubelli collection; Luke’s new book
The book is focused around my spaces – where I live in with my husband (interior designer Duncan Campbell) and also my workspace. It’s a collaboration with my good friend, the photographer Billal Taright. We took photographs throughout the year, so you get a sense of how our cottage, and in particular the garden, changes with the seasons. Essays on things that inspire me feature too, as well as drawings and snippets of new projects. (Vendome Press, £50) Any new passions or places? We’re planning a trip down the Nile for spring, which is making me quiver with excitement because I’ve never been to Egypt but have always wanted to go. So many incredible things to see! We haven’t mentioned art… I’m currently putting the final touches to drawings and paintings for a solo show with The Breeder, the gallery I work with in Athens, which will take place this month (14 Sept to 4 Oct, thebreedersystem.com). I’m also spending a lot of my time working on Chateau Orlando. Our AW22 collection will feature around forty pieces, including homeware (chateauorlando. com). Lastly, I’m illustrating a book – it’s a really exciting project, a collaboration with a poet, and will be out next year. lukeedwardhall.com n
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rtist and designer Luke Edward Hall’s creative ethos is shaped by a love of storytelling. Since founding his studio in 2015 his roster of accomplishments includes: designing the interiors of Les Deux Gares, a Parisian hotel and café; collaborations with Lanvin, Burberry and a host of others; a knitwear collection, Chateau Orlando; and not to mention being a guest on C&TH’s own House Guest podcast. His latest venture is a collection for Rubelli, the renowned Venetian fabric house, and a new book, A Kind of Magic.
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Impeccable taste every time Found in the world’s finest kitchens, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances are designed to simplify and enhance your life from morning to night.
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D E S I G N N O T E S
What’s caught Carole Annett’s eye this month BLOOMING LOVELY 1821 from Richard Brendon, in collaboration with McQueens flowers, presents vases for every stem. From £175, richardbrendon.com SOFT CITRUS
ROLL UP, ROLL UP
Quad tiles, Irregular collection, by London-based design firm Kitesgrove for Bert & May. £180 p/m or £7.20 per tile. bertandmay.com
From 19-23 September, Design Centre Chelsea Harbour hosts the annual, unmissable design and decorating event, Focus/22. Register at dcch.co.uk/focus-22. Wallcovering by Patricia Urquiola (altfield. com); bronze ceramic splatter pot by Abigail Ozora Simpson (alexanderlamont.com); Moon chair by Ido Agostino (philippe-hurel. com); rug by Pierre Frey (pierrefrey.com)
PHARAOH FURNITURE
AWASH WITH STYLE Victoria + Albert baths ombre-effect Amiata bath designed in collaboration with 2LG Studio. £POA, vandabaths.com
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Lulu Lytle studied Egyptology at university and her latest collection reflects her passion. Pyramid stool, upholstered in Thebes, Nefertari from the Egyptomania collection, from £2,600. soane.com
ITALIAN TAKEAWAY Recreate the Patricia Urquiola-designed penthouse suite of Il Sereno on Lake Como by visiting the hotel’s shoppable website. (Love Me) Tender sofa by Morosa, €7,442. serenohotels.com
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ON DESIGN NEWS
OLD SCHOOL Jamb’s handsome, oversized sofa is inspired by a 19th century English country house model and has the option of a removable loose cover with wide box pleats. From £17,200 (plus VAT), jamb.co.uk
CROWNING GLORY Warner House has held a Royal Warrant since 1932. Cushions, handmade in the UK, come in three sizes and over 35 designs, from £55. warner-house.com
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A NEW DAWN Clive Christian’s New Classical Collection is the brand’s first cabinetry launch in a decade. POA, clivechristianfurniture.com
GARDEN INSPO A touch of old-time glamour and the soothing sound of water: Haddonstone’s lion wall bowl with self-circulating fountain, £699. haddonstone.com
COLOURFUL STEPS DINNER IS SERVED The Palm by Bonadea in collaboration with Marie Daâge, Paris. Hand-painted designs from £140. bonadea.com
Roger Oates joins forces with design studio A Rum Fellow for a bright new collection emblazoned with colour and intricate patterns. Ideal as a stair runner or to sew together to create rugs of any dimension. From £149.50 p/m, rogeroates.com
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ON DESIGN SHOPPING
DESIGNERS GUILD Craven Street Flower, blossom, £75 per 10m (wall); St John Street Trellis, vintage rose, £65 per 10m roll (ceiling). Both English Heritage collection. designersguild.com
SANDERSON Chinoiserie Hall in Linen/Chintz, £126 per roll. sandersondesigngroup.com
LITTLE GREENE Upper Brook Street wallpaper in Night Garden, £228 per panel (1.56m x 3.25m). littlegreene.com
OFF THE CHART FABULOUS Who’s got wallpaper appeal this season?
BLACK EDITION Zalea wallcovering, Mehndi from the Tabala collection, £850 per roll. blackedition.com
OSBORNE & LITTLE Lamorran wallpaper, £290 per roll. osborneandlittle.com
GP & J BAKER Brantwood wallpapers, named after the Cumbrian home of John Ruskin on the shores of Coniston Water, comprise opulent designs of grand flower heads and scrolling acanthus foliage, from £145 per roll. gpjbaker.com
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STELLA MCCARTNEY FOR COLE & SON Funghi Forest toile du jouy wallpaper, on ecosubstrate, £500 per roll. cole-and-son.com
COLEFAX AND FOWLER This Ashmead design has a charming appeal featuring imagery from a stylised fruit tree motif, £76 per roll. colefax.com
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ON DESIGN SHOPPING
ANNA FRENCH @ THIBAUT Laura in citrus blue, from the Willow Tree collection, £111 p/m. annafrench.com TORI MURPHY Sleeper stripe cotton, radish, £75 p/m. torimurphy.com
CHRISTINE VANDERHURD Checker Checker woven jacquard, £340 p/m. vanderhurd.com
FA B RIC EM POR I U M Feast your eyes on a material world
MAHALA TEXTILES Suzani blue linen, £330 p/m. mahalatextiles.com
FERMOIE Hackford linen, £150 p/m. fermoie.com
SIBYL COLEFAX & JOHN FOWLER Indian Fuchsia, £180 p/m. sibylcolefax.com
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MICHAEL S SMITH @ JAMB Itajime in indigo, £218 p/m + VAT. jamb.co.uk
GEORGE SPENCER DESIGNS Herringbone Stripe, £130 p/m. georgespencer.com
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Some furniture is made for the here and now. Some is built to stand the test of time. At Neptune, we believe that the best can do both. Good design never grows old.
FREE GIFT CARD worth up to £2,000 with home and kitchen design projects this September
Ask in store for full details, or visit neptune.com/designoffer
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
HERE’S WHAT KIDS ACTUALLY WANT Decided by C&TH’s very own panel of Gen Alphas
Myan Harrison, aged 8 ‘I love how the colours change from one to another.’ Vintage Moroccan rug, £285. theoldcinema.com
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Parents are no longer in charge. Children want a say in their bedrooms, thank you very much, finds Tessa Dunthorne
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esigner Manuela Hamilford, who has for two decades created luxury private residences, suggests that kids, newly crowned rulers of the roost, want to get more involved in their family’s interior design conversations. ‘There’s been change in the landscape of children’s bedrooms, especially with the rise of technology,’ says Manuela. This is the tech generation, after all, and ‘kids are savvy on Zoom, with all their day-to-day tasks taking place on laptops or iPads.’ In particular, social media has given kids a peek into a world of interiors, meaning their bedrooms matter more than ever. Plus, it’s created a new wave of trends to follow. A big craze today is to mimic Twitch-streaming idols (whether ImAllexx, XQC or another gamer de jour), featuring screen set-ups, LED lights and amusingly ergonomic chairs. ‘And by the age of seven, they gain a
real sense of how they want their bedrooms to look to reflect their identities’, Manuela explains, ‘and parents don’t understand this.’ She has observed a pattern. Notably, parents tend towards safer, cuter choices: slides, bunk beds, teepees, and calming colours. They picture the nostalgia of their own childhood bedrooms and seek a tranquil, spa-like space in which little ’uns can reflect and unwind. The truth of what their kids actually want comes as a surprise. ‘My process has changed. We now encourage meeting with the kids, to get a sense of what they really want,’ Manuela says. This entails a balancing act. Discovering what your child likes is key, but then compromise – because a complete pirateship set-up might err on the side of extravagance – is a vital next step. The result, according to Manuela, is a new generation of kids’ bedrooms, that move with the changing tide of parenting. These rooms feature blue LED lights dotted under desks, vanity stations that would make beauty influencers jealous, and graffiti walls with mounted basketball hoops. Parents, as it turns out, are coming around to the ideas put forward by their offspring – and are happy to yield some of that power. hamilforddesign.com n
Romilly Isaac, aged 11 ‘It’s a little house to hide in.’ Tree house bed, £779. roomtogrow.co.uk
Jack Cox, aged 6: ‘I like the frog because my mum says I am a frog.’ Stained glass frog lamp, £1,056. 1stdibs.com
Ruban Bhamra, aged 5 ‘I could get sooo many toys in there.’ Engraved boarders trunk, £1,250. theoakandropecompany.co.uk
Hector Isaac, aged 9 ‘Makes me feel cosy.’ York upholstered arm chair, £1,865. luxdeco.com
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Art in the form of door handles. Handcrafted in Britain.
+44 (0)20 8680 2602 | www.josephgiles.com
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A C H AT E A U TO CALL HOME
L Charlie meets Angel Strawbridge
ooking up at the pristine façade of Château de la Motte-Husson in Mayenne, you’d never think it had been anything less than a romantic dream – unless you’ve seen an episode of Escape to the Château, of course. When Dick and Angel Strawbridge were handed the keys in 2015, they were met with more than a little resistance from the 19th- century château. From day one, the couple (with then-toddlers Arthur and Dorothy) had to get to grips with a home that needed more than a little TLC. ‘All we had was one tap and one working plug when we moved in,’ remembers Dick. Amid overgrown gardens, frosty rooms and bat-infested attics, the renovation project seemed an almost impossible task (‘We often say “the château bites back”,’ says Angel). But despite the enormity of
the to-do list, Dick and Angel made the imposing structure their forever home. Throughout it all, keeping things planetfriendly has been a priority, especially for Dick, who has written multiple books on self-sufficiency and off-the-grid living. ‘We take a stealth approach to sustainability,’ he explains. ‘When you buy a château, it seems ridiculous to even talk about [it]. But really, the way we do things is underlined by sustainable thought. ‘We couldn’t actually afford to add loads of eco projects in at first, because we had to get things done quickly,’ he continues. ‘But we’ve got things like the thermal store, which will eventually use a solar thermal system to heat up our water. We’ve put all the infrastructure in so that we can add sustainable elements later on. ‘People see us living in this grand château, but anyone who has watched the
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Charlie Colville discovers how Dick and Angel Strawbridge are creating a new family legacy at their beloved French château
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
Old meets eco at the Strawbridge château
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Dick Strawbridge
show has seen the way things are reused. Nothing gets thrown away. That’s when you need it a week later.’ The same goes for Angel’s interior design projects. ‘You have to have the “one person’s junk is another’s treasure” mentality,’ she says. ‘We always try to find things in a charity shop or second-hand, and we’ll often buy something and keep it in storage until we need it. We’ll either use it somewhere in the château or break it down for its materials.’ ‘I heard someone once say they were too poor to buy cheap things,’ agrees Dick. ‘That’s a lovely mindset. For us, we’d rather save and buy the right things, rather than buy three of something that isn’t quite right and see it end up in landfill. There’s 150 years’ worth of history in the château, and the more we can save of that, the better.’ This is where sustainability and history make a comfortable pairing. Dick and Angel are keen to make sure that older chapters of the château’s story live on in the 21st century. ‘If something can be preserved, we will preserve it. That’s number one,’ emphasises Angel. ‘Every bit of the walls, doors, skirting that was salvageable from the Baglion de la Dufferies, the château’s original family, we have kept. Then the bits that we can put our stamp on, we do.’ Any challenges along the way have been more than worth it, continues Angel. ‘What’s been beautiful about Escape to the Château is that every year we were filming it we’d have things that made us think “gosh, that’s a legacy to leave for the children”.’ ‘We’re trying to make it so that Arthur and Dorothy and their children can live here without the scary bits,’ adds Dick. ‘We’re trying to make it so that their lives are not a struggle to continue living here and being the guardians of this place.’ ‘In our ideal world, this will carry on as multi-generational living,’ continues Angel. ‘My mum and dad live here. Arthur and Dorothy talk about living in different parts of the château. It’s nice to think that it will stay in the Strawbridge family for generations to come, and that people can look back and think that you can do anything you want in your life.’ As the saying goes, ‘an Englishman’s home is their castle’ – and the Strawbridges are making these words a reality. Series nine of Escape to the Château is out later this year on Channel 4 n
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SHAKING IT UP
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nconventional is the word that most applies to Bay Lodge house, a south London home transformed by interior designer Verity Coleman, and, indeed, to her career itself (she served in the armed forces for eleven years, before starting her studio Rascal & Roses in 2016). So, what happens when you cross René Magritte’s The Son of Man (1946) with a property acquired in a house swap? Under Verity’s eye, it turns out to be a forever home. ‘Our clients bought the property in 2017,’ explains Verity, ‘their neighbours wanted to downsize, and it was the perfect exchange.’ A moodboard was soon drawn up, collaging neutral colours, cashmere, marble, and images of elegant countryside homes – plus Magritte’s famous painting of the bowler-hatted man with an apple for a face. ‘However, we did not want to modernise the design,’ explains Verity. Instead, a careful balance was sought between a timeless aesthetic and a functional space. The kitchen, for example, needed an update, and the client wanted a bathroom in place of what was previously used as a study. Therefore, a perfect opportunity presented itself to completely refresh the property, from the floor plan up. Bay Lodge now has a whole new colour scheme, featuring neutral hues alongside more vibrant shades. An orange sitting room and green bathroom asked, in particular, for bravery on the part of Verity’s clients. ‘The raw colours are so bright, but are balanced out by the rest of the room’s features,’ she says. After colour came finishes. ‘We brought together materials that would last and of the highest quality,’ expands Verity. Often these were local British suppliers, aligning with Verity’s desire to make climate-friendly choices. The Olive & Barr kitchen, for example, is
made close to her base in Herefordshire. For the kitchen’s worktop, longevity was key, and she commissioned a surprise statement piece out of solid quartz. Attention was paid, too, to where materials were already available in the house – original wood floorboards were restored and oiled. Verity’s favourite element from Bay Lodge is the shower room, which she declares to be ‘the jewel in the crown of the project’. A Crittall-style shower screen stands out, alongside the washstand, an upcycled vanity unit (found on eBay and transformed with a vintage basin). It is the room’s detail that brings these two exciting pieces together, with marble floor paired with unlacquered brassware on taps and hardware, contrasted against bright green Farrow & Ball walls. The finished Bay Lodge is a fantastic example of a reinvigorated house that plays off unconventional contrasts for a fresh, yet timeless, family home. rascalandroses.co.uk n
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Verity Coleman favours an elegant, timeless look in her designs – but not without a dash of the unexpected, finds Tessa Dunthorne
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Because you give your dreams the love you deserve. Experience now the drēmər® bed at your nearest Hästens store. HASTENS.COM
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ON DESIGN SHOPPING
TROVE @ STUDIO DUGGAN Bargello jute rug in collaboration with Coral & Hive. From £1,100. thetrove.co.uk
TOTA L LY F LO O R E D
DEIRDRE DYSON Seashell silk-rich rug from the All At Sea collection, £11,250. deirdredyson.com
SINCLAIR TILL Andes, stratus sky, handwoven flat weave in wool and linen, £294 per sq/m. sinclairtill.co.uk
Let your carpet do the talking
LOOMAH Mara hand-tufted semi-worsted wool rug, £1,140 per sq/m. loomah.com
TANIA JOHNSON DESIGN Waterlines rug, celadon, hand knotted in a silk wool blend. 1.83m x 2.74m, £7,120. taniajohnsondesign.com
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TOAST Gotland sheepskin rug, £395. toa.st
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MODERN KITCHEN FURNITURE 88A Acre Lane, London, SW2 5QN 020 7095 1795 pluck.co.uk
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O R I G I N A L T H I N K I N G
‘M Interior designer Najwa Mroue
y personal style is very much an eclectic blend of abstract beauty and rule-breaking imperfection,’ says Najwa Mroue, who founded Atelier NM interior design studio in 2015. ‘In fact there really are no “rules” when I am designing.’ French by birth, she grew up in Beirut, her family moving to Czechoslovakia to escape politically troubling times, and remaining during its transition to the Czech Republic. For the last 15 years, England has been home. ‘That blend of experiences and cultural nuances – moments of sublime joy and heartbreaking darkness – has had a dynamic impact on my creative style,’ she admits. Najwa’s husband Karim is a buying agent, which proved helpful while househunting. ‘We are lucky as he has access
to amazing stock and he has a book full of wonderful contacts for off-market properties. Funnily enough it was hard searching for our own home. I knew exactly what I wanted and wouldn’t stop until I found the perfect property: something with character and charm. The moment we saw this house and its little front garden we fell in love. It’s a part of a series of cottages between Hammersmith and Chiswick, built in the 1800s for soldiers who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. We loved the history, location, and its unusual architecture. It has a secluded back garden – you feel like you’re in another world. To me, it’s a magical space.’ By adding an extension for dining and reconfiguring oversized bathrooms into smaller spaces upstairs, they managed to create three en-suite bedrooms. ‘Not
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
The founder of Atelier NM’s home perfectly reflects her ‘free-spirit’ attitude to design, finds Carole Annett
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Najwa’s colourful and eclectic home encapsulates the design style of her studio, Atelier NM
bad for a small cottage,’ smiles Najwa. The ground floor is uninterrupted by dividing walls, with pops of colour like a petrol blue upholstered coffee table alongside more serene elements. ‘Quieter details are necessary to ground bigger voices and allow statement colours to shine,’ she explains. Using dusty pink as a starting point, she added burgundy, browns, green and a touch of gold. ‘Everything inspires me to create fresh colour combinations, from holidays and fashion to hotels and art. I love set designs that are often exaggerated and an explosion of cool ideas, especially certain types of productions such as Moulin Rouge. They transport me to another world and make my head spin, which in turn kick starts the creative flow.’ There’s a thoughtful mix of texture and pattern combined with a hodgepodge of art and objets d’art displayed on bespoke bookshelves made from scaffolding. ‘I’m nosy when it comes to bookshelves and it’s often the first place my eye falls when I walk into someone else’s home. I love the idea that you can learn so much about a person’s interests, style, personality and taste just by looking at what they have on their bookshelf and how it’s presented. They really are a window into the soul,’ reflects Najwa. One of the louder elements of the ground floor are the lilac and chocolate half-moon kitchen floor tiles discovered online. ‘I stumbled upon Cawarden Reclaim (cawardenreclaim.co.uk), called them and they sent images of the stock they had. It was very important to me to have reclaimed items in the house to preserve its heritage style. The contractor wanted to wash and clean the layers off – I refused. I wanted as much history as possible on those floors – imperfection is beauty!’ Other pieces have a similar tale of discovery, such as the lace-like material hanging along the top of a mirrored wall panel that was found in a French market. ‘I had to have it, even without a confirmed home; I knew it would serve a purpose one day.’ The house is a perfect marriage of practical design and standout style: ‘It underpins everything we do at Atelier NM,’ sums up Najwa. atelier-nm.com n
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ON DESIGN ECO INTERIORS
THE ECO ENTHUSIAST Meet C&TH’s new sustainable interiors columnist, Harriet Pringle
Chelsea Vivash Mirror, £295. chelseavivash.co.uk
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Eldorado The Studio Cushion, £78. eldoradothestudio.com
Harriet will be bringing the world of circular interiors to life for C&TH
Mythology Chopping boards, from £55. mythologyfurniture.com
Pavement Vintage side unit @ Narchie, £865.
Vintage Ikea Lamp @ Narchie, £65.
take the market from niche to mainstream, but, nonetheless, finding that perfect vintage vase, dining service, upcycled sideboard or original piece of contemporary art is often time consuming and frustrating. I’ve always been passionate about sourcing gorgeous preloved homeware and supporting indie brands within the interiors space and in my new column I look forward to sharing my insights with you. I’ll be delving into second-hand furniture designers, eras and new trends that we’re seeing in the market today and sharing my tips on how to discover stylish and sustainable pieces for your home, from an affordable vintage Ikea lamp to a ‘big ticket’ investment like a G-Plan sideboard. Because, no matter its value or provenance, the most important aspect of buying and selling furniture and homeware is knowing that it exists to be enjoyed and cherished. Harriet is the founder of Narchie, a social marketplace for interiors. All products available on narchie.com n
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
ast fashion isn’t limited to clothing and while we’ve all been guilty at some point of buying inexpensive, mass-produced homeware, with that convenience comes a huge cost to the environment; worryingly, around 22 million pieces of furniture in the UK end up buried in landfill or incinerated each year. Thankfully, the trend for flimsy, flatpacked furniture is rapidly being replaced by a quest for well-made and beautiful pre-loved homeware, coupled with a desire to support the many new and emerging independent brands creating unique, sustainably made pieces. While lockdown forced everyone to hunker down, it also gave many of us the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate (and elevate) our home environment – thanks, in part, to Zoom’s scrutinous eye. Over the years, our fixation with Instagram, Pinterest – even AirBnB – has made it easier for homeowners and renters to source inspiration from a scrolling visual feast of vintage mid-century, paredback Scandi, retro Eighties, Edwardian country cottage… Meanwhile, our appetite for the circular, sustainable interiors movement shows no sign of abating; décor enthusiasts – from first-home novices, canny side hustlers and seasoned antiques investors – vie to be the first to get their hands on coveted homeware pieces. Popular selling platforms and auction sites have helped
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ON DESIGN TILES DOUGLAS WATSON STUDIO Delft tulip tile, in three sizes, from £20 plus VAT per tile. douglaswatsonstudio.uk
TILE S TAT E M E N T
Whether on the diagonal, horizontal or vertical, tiles add style and personality to kitchens and bathrooms
MANDARIN STONE Hoxton aqua gloss porcelain tile, £50 per sq/m. mandarinstone.com
CLAYBROOK STUDIO Fellini tiles, pianta and crema colourways, £69.60 per sq/m. claybrookstudio.co.uk
FIRED EARTH Callizo porcelain indoor/outdoor tile from the Urban Collection, £57.50 per sq/m. firedearth.com
ARTISANS OF DEVIZES Alfriston clergy ceramic tile, shallow water colourway, from £18.98 each or £103.66 per sq/m. artisansofdevizes.com
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
MAITLAND & POATE Madre Azul handmade tiles, from the Bohemian collection by Hayley Stuart. From £150 plus VAT per sq/m. maitlandandpoate.com
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Autumn Promotion starts Monday 12th September www.cphart.co.uk | 0345 600 1950
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ON DESIGN BOOK The Palladium in New York became a defining space for social experimentation
PA R T Y P L AC E S
‘Q
ueer’ in ‘queer architecture’ is not simply an adjective; it is a verb that performs. Queerness is now often received as a given, as something detached from its historical trajectory. The questions it attempted to address have been lost through a form of collective sublimation. Queerness can only remain queer if its reactive nature is preserved. This brings us to New York City, to the early years of the HIV crisis, to a time in which queerness embraced architecture as a means of survival. The history of nightclubs as queer spaces is crucial in constructing a queer genealogy. In that time, nightclubs served as laboratories for socio-political experiments; where the definition of and advocation for queerness were approached through experimental ways of understanding architecture. One such ‘laboratory’ was the Palladium (above), designed by Arata Isozaki in 1985. The Palladium in New York was a nightclub that signified the apotheosis of discos as spaces for social experimentation, particularly for the queer community. The building’s history
as a cinema, concert hall and club dates back to 1926, when the structure was purposely built as a movie theatre. Its incarnation as a nightclub lasted from 1985 to 1997 and, in little more than a decade, came to define an epoch. It contained, shaped and propagated a very specific architecture, one that I call ‘discotecture’: the architecture of the disco – that is, an understanding of the architecture of these nightclubs that goes deeper than merely
appreciating their spatial configurations, but rather which explores them more as the creation of an event where architecture and urban planning enact the era’s politics and social constructions. Even though the Palladium was far from being radical in the politics of its inhabitants or investors, the community of dancers that populated discotectures in New York promoted a kind of activism embodied in their own performativities. The main inhabitants were mostly LGBTQIA+ communities, African Americans, Latinos and women. These communities were developing forms of resistance and empowerment to make themselves visible during the Nixon and Reagan administrations. A collective political intelligence was developed, one that would later be momentous in generating the coalitions by which these communities responded to the emergence of the HIV/ AIDS crisis in the mid-1980s. The queering element of the Palladium itself was based on creating a space where marginalised people became the epicentre of an architectural design. Extracted from an essay by Ivan L Munuera in ‘Queer Spaces’ (Riba Books, £40) n
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; © TIM HURSLEY
A new architecture atlas maps LGBTQIA+ spaces across the world. Here, New York’s Palladium nightclub is put under the spotlight
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P R O M OT I O N
MEET YOUR NEW HOME August’s luxury holiday homes are sourced and renovated with exquisite attention to detail
W
hy own one holiday home when you can have a choice of five, painstakingly renovated and in prime locations across Europe? August offers just that, with a unique proposition of shares of houses in covetable spots such as Tuscany, the Cotswolds and Mallorca. Every home in the collection is carefully selected for its potential, and then transformed by August to its exacting standards, using local tradesmen and traditional crafts for a truly luxurious and unique aesthetic. Nicolai Watzenig is one of the founders of August, and the brains behind its approach to finding and renovating its portfolio of properties. He sits down with C&TH to describe the process.
The entrance hall of August’s Mallorcan townhouse
What’s August’s design philosophy? Building a more seamless way of owning your own holiday homes, as well as creating houses with unique flavours of the region in which they’re located. What do you look for in a new August property? In the last year we have looked at over 2,000 properties, and ended up acquiring 50 of them. We try to choose properties in destinations that are close enough to airports, but within walking or driving distance of local attractions and covetable towns and cities, depending on your collection. What is the first thing the August design team look at when decorating a new property? With interior design I think 95 per cent of it is finding the right property. Next, we really want to emphasise A terrace in the that when you’re in Tuscany you get South of France a Tuscan home, and when you’re in the Cotswolds you feel like you’re in the Cotswolds. That informs everything in terms of our design choices and local suppliers. Why is sourcing local and antique pieces important to August? We spend a lot of time and resources going to local antique markets and
A bedroom in Tuscany
The bootroom of the Cotswolds cottage
trawling online forums to find local vintage dealers, where we can find what we need for every home. It’s more sustainable and it’s also the only way to really capture the unique flavour of each location. What do the co-owners think? I have never known such high customer satisfaction; our co-owners are so excited and happy about their houses, and the quality of the interiors. What is ‘The August Way’? It’s all about community. Building a sense of belonging for our co-owners, so they can put down roots and create lifelong memories, somewhere they bring their children and later their grandchildren. Creating a unique community of coowners that share beautiful properties across Europe forever. Find out more about being an August co-owner at augustcollection.co.uk
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HEADLINE ACT
I Jane Landino (right) and Karen Howes of Taylor Howes
n a sliver of Soho where Charing Cross Road spoons Covent Garden, Denmark Street is home to guitar shops and a recording studio once frequented by Bowie, Hendrix and the Rolling Stones. The Sex Pistols bunked down here during their heyday. New hotel Château Denmark has recently gate-crashed the party, filling 16 buildings with a pumped-up hotel and guest experience combining wit, panache and a seductive, feisty vibe. The latest project of two creative juggernauts, Carrie Wicks of CAW Ventures and Karen Howes of interior design studio Taylor Howes, together they have torn up the hospitality rule book. Karen explains: ‘From the minute we met with Carrie and the client, they had a strong idea of what they wanted and the overall design brief was hugely directed by them, realised and brought to life by our design team.’
A world away from the symphony of elegance Taylor Howes is renowned for (the hallmark of the studio’s success for almost 30 years), Karen and her team drew on an entirely different pool of inspiration. ‘I put my strict Catholic schooling to one side for this project,’ she laughs. References to life behind locked and secret doors of fetish shops and nightclubs combine with the musical anarchy of the Eighties and Nineties to create the hotel’s richly textured, full volume, hedonistic look. ‘It’s not every day you get asked to do gothic-meets-punk-meets-psychedelia; a fantastic project to be involved with, it allowed us to challenge the idea of luxury interiors,’ says Karen. The hotel comprises 55 rooms and apartments, each with its own character incorporating original timber beams, panelling and evocative wallpapers.
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Château Denmark’s rebellious, sexy interior design is attracting attention on a street famous for its music industry past. Rock on, says Carole Annett
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
From graffitied furniture to punk artwork and designs by Chisel and Vice, every room in Château Denmark has had the rock’n’roll treatment
In Flitcroft, guests are welcomed by a drum kit, while the vast 51 sq/m signature apartment ‘I Am Anarchy’ channels punk spirit with Johnny Rotten caricatures of his fellow bandmates, gloss-black furniture and ‘God Save The Queen’ graffiti chairs. The message is clear – don’t stay here for a quiet night. Modern Psychedelia rooms feature bedside tables on cast-brass feet with drawers inscribed ‘Naughty’ and ‘Toys’ plus padlock-adorned headboards. Elsewhere, there are confession-booth wardrobes, leather floors, red roll-top baths and knock-out punches of pumpkin, purple and peacock hues. Neon ‘Sinning’ signs outside each room light up when guests prefer privacy. As well as doing away with traditional ‘do not disturbs’, each room boasts sophisticated sound systems, while violet-suited butlers appear on request to mix cocktails. Many of the furniture pieces in the hotel were specially commissioned and one-off items sourced online. ‘We got playful, experimenting with new fabrics and textures. It was exciting,’ says Karen. During lockdown she purchased a chair once owned by radio DJ Chris Evans at an online auction helping to raise funds for the NHS and had it reupholstered in wet-look PVC. They also commissioned Chisel and Vice, led by sculptor Tobias Martin, whose mystical designs were championed by Alexander McQueen, to make coiled snake door knockers and statement jesmonite fireplaces. Bronze specialist Matt Livsey Hammond made intricate top-hat cabinet knobs and balland-claw feet to adorn table legs. Artwork throughout is curated by London-based Artiq featuring work from 27 different artists representing London as a multicultural hive. ‘We worked closely with them to source LGBTQ+ influenced pieces that perfectly echo the hotel’s ethos of creative expression,’ explains Karen. From a sensuous flower, feather and female diptych by artists Rebecca Louise Law and Himitsuhana to a line drawing of two intertwined female figures by Kaethe Butcher, the art is confrontational, powerful and brave – words that aptly convey the hotel’s concept and design. Denmark Street will always have its musical heritage and newcomer Château Denmark has ensured the party never ends. BOOK IT: Doubles from £510 per night. chateaudenmark.com n
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ON DESIGN INITIATIVE
GAME CHANGERS Tessa Dunthorne meets four designers putting social impact at the heart of their businesses
BY DESIGN
Three more life-changing initiatives FURNISHING FUTURES Ninety-eight per cent of social housing tenancies are unfurnished, including flooring and white goods. It was this statistic that inspired interior designer Emily Wheeler to found Furnishing Futures in 2020. The organisation supports women and children fleeing domestic violence, with items donated from Emily’s network of interior designers, stylists and brands which otherwise would have gone to waste. furnishingfutures.org
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hen Shiza Shahid co-founded the Malala Fund with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai in 2013, she was named among Time’s 30 Under 30 World Changers. Then just 24 years old, she knew that she had a unique opportunity to improve the lives of Pakistani and African girls via the organisation’s advocacy and support of education activists. In setting up the Malala Fund – departing from her day job as a business analyst – she might not have realised what she was setting in motion for her career. Not least, that it would take her into the world of homeware. Our Place, the kitchenware brand Shiza founded in 2019, might seem a surprising next step for a social activist such as herself. However, at the heart of the brand is a core message about bringing people together around the dinner table, encouraging conversations around how we cook and what we eat –
something we can all share no matter who you are or where you live. In founding Our Place, Shiza also wanted to create products that honour the joy of cooking together, whether you are preparing a South Asian curry, Irish stew or Italian ragu. ‘Our Place celebrates traditions from Nowruz to Nochebuena, Ramadan to Shabba,’ says Shiza. ‘It exists to build a bigger table that has room for us all.’ The Always Pan, Our Place’s hero product, integrates the function of eight different pans from saucepan to steamer, saving space as well as simplifying the kitchen. It now has a cult following, having sold out over ten times, and generated headline-grabbing waiting lists of 50,000 people in the USA alone. With interior design and homeware, there is real power to start conversations, be it about race or craft, or the lived impact of the home on our mental wellbeing. Shiza is proving that design really can change the world. fromourplace.com
SAN PATRIGNANO Paolo Moschino’s eponymous brand has partnered with San Patrignano, a rehabilitation centre in Rimini, Italy, for those suffering with addiction problems. The resulting design lab ‘offers opportunities for training and selfexpression’ to residents of the community via workshops in hand-making wallpapers, allowing a route to mindfulness that helps towards their recovery process. The Boiserie collection was designed in collaboration with the community there. paolomoschino.com n
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Shiza Shahid, founder of Our Place
THE TURQUOISE MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION Guy Oliver, creative director of interior design studio Oliver Laws, founded The Turquoise Mountain Foundation to support communities affected by the Afghan war by preserving indigenous art and training refugees in traditional crafts. ‘It cuts across political divides to connect artisans to international markets and promote training to excellent standards,’ says Guy. A collaboration with the Connaught Hotel saw the creation of a bespoke Afghan suite, bringing the expert work of Turquoise Mountaintrained artisans to global audiences. turquoisemountain.org
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M AGIC A L
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HOTELS&
TR AVEL Jewels in the Crown
The Maldives is a bucket-list destination. The carbon footprint might be huge to get there (let’s hurry up with sustainable air fuel, PLEASE), but once you’ve arrived you’ll find that its ambition to reach net zero by 2030 reveals itself in the most luxurious of ways PHOTOGRAPHY BY KERRY DEAN
Waterboy at Lankanfushi
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Single, newly-wed or with young children in tow, you won’t go wrong at Six Senses Laamu
SIX SENSES LAAMU
PHOTOS: KERRY DEAN
BEST FOR SWITCHING OFF
Six Senses Laamu was voted best hotel in Asia in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022. This accolade alone may be enough to ensure that this secluded and somnolent island retreat in the relatively remote Laamu Atoll is top of many people’s bucket lists. Like a moth to the flame, newlyweds are drawn to the Maldives, but if you are past the first flush of post-nuptial bliss and have children in tow, Laamu is also a sure bet. As with all Six Senses, the Laamu resort is not show-offy but nonetheless luxury seeps through its every pore. On arrival, you’re asked to remove your shoes and you won’t put them back on until you leave – Six Senses is all about reconnecting with nature. There are 97 heavenly villas, each of which was built with an environmental ethos and respect for local culture in both construction and design; the majority are overwater with a handful scattered on the beach. The food at Laamu is mouth-wateringly delicious no matter where you choose to eat, but Leaf, perched on stilts above the organic garden, deserves an honorary mention as does the cinema under the stars where younger guests are fed, watered and entertained every night while adults enjoy dinner in peace. At The Den children are treated to a host of absorbing activities from setting sail on a treasure island cruise complete with water cannons and marauding pirate ships, to joining the Junior Marine Biology Programme. Young, old, exhausted with young children – the island is intoxicating for everyone. BOOK IT: Sunset Laamu Water Villa from £1,339 B&B based on four sharing, sixsenses.com 154 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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Maldives | HOTELS & TRAVEL Forget the news, and your shoes, at one of the Maldives’ finest resorts
GILI LANKANFUSHI
PHOTOS: KERRY DEAN
BEST FOR BALANCE
A speedy 007-style speed boat ride from the airport ensures that you reach paradisiacal ‘no shoes, no news’ Gili Lankanfushi as quickly as it takes for you to shake out your crumpled clothes from the flight. In just 20 minutes, you’ll be greeted at what is widely regarded as one of the best resorts in the Maldives by the Gili staff and introduced to your personal Mr or Ms Friday who will cater to your every whim throughout your stay (even teaching your five-year-old to drive a golf buggy). There are just 45 palm-thatched villas made from sustainably sourced teak, pine and oak, the biggest of which is the vast Private Reserve accessible only by boat. All are plastic free and replete with stonking stereos, endless seating areas for lolling around in and bicycles for leisurely rides through the jungly island. For those who like to burn more calories than it takes to raise a margarita glass, you’ll find some of the best surf in the region. And don’t miss snorkelling the reef with the resident marine biologist. An early morning tennis lesson with the island’s pro is a great way to justify a day spent in a hammock slung between swaying palms or working off the cheese and wine experience in the underground cellar (there are over 500 wines and champagnes down there), complete with an extraordinary table hewn from a huge piece of driftwood deposited on the island by the 2004 tsunami. Basically, you’ll never want news or shoes again. Bliss. BOOK IT: Villa Suite from £1,450 per night. gili-lankanfushi.com September/October 2022 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 155
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SONEVA FUSHI
FAIRMONT MALDIVES
BEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY
BEST FOR A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
OBLU SELECT LOBIGILI BEST FOR ROMANCE
When Sonu and Eva Shivdasani opened this, their first Soneva resort nearly 30 years ago, it was a game-changer. Not only because of its barefoot luxury concept but also the ‘slow life’ philosophy which has always had sustainability at its core. Recent initiatives include the Eco Centro with everything from mushroom-growing huts to a station where coconut shells are turned into charcoal for the restaurants. There’s also a Soneva Foundation programme to create a one-hectare coral nursery – the largest in the Indian Ocean. The island is all jungle living, with thatched ocean-facing villas that each have their own pool. Cycle along sandy paths to the dive centre, The Den (the kid’s club with a pirate ship and rooms dedicated to Lego, music and dressing-up) or to the Glass Studio for a glass blowing session. Supper experiences include ziplining through the trees to Flying Sauces and Fresh in the Garden, a yearlong residency by Danish chef Mads Refslund (who co-founded Noma) based around fire and ice. A gorgeous getaway that is continually evolving in ever-more creative ways. BOOK IT: Seven nights half-board from £7,979, including seaplane transfers and international flights, until 17 Dec 22. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Your first glimpse of Fairmont Maldives comes with a soundtrack of whirring propellers as your red-and-white seaplane emerges from the clouds and circles a teardrop of colour in the inky blue Indian Ocean. With a splash the plane touches down, taxiing through the waves to where the island’s staff are lined up to welcome you with Maldivian drumming and an ice-cold glass of Veuve Clicquot. After being introduced to your personal butler, you’re whisked off down shaded paths to reach your villa – options include beach cabins, tented jungle homes and overwater bungalows. Although the Fairmont offers the usual white-sand luxury of a Maldivian escape, what makes it stand out is its commitment to cleaning up its corner of the world. Spearheading this is its Sustainability Lab, where guests can turn ocean plastic and resort waste into bespoke souvenirs. There’s also the Turtle Ranger programme, whereby visitors can track and release baby turtles, and the Coralarium, an artificial reef designed by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. Besides this, you can enjoy the island’s home reef and swim alongside turtles, sharks, rays and dolphins in the wild. BOOK IT: Seven nights in a Beach Villa, half board, from £6,799 (1 May to 30 June 2023). Includes flights and seaplane transfers. luxtripper.co.uk
Opening earlier this year, Oblu Select Lobigili is a new adults-only resort situated in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll. Offering a castaway experience that is within easy reach, you can feel the sand between your toes within 15 minutes of the airport. Don’t let this proximity to the airport dishearten you, as the island offers guests plenty of luxuries, including fantastic food and fine beaches. Romance rules here – ‘loabi’ means love and ‘gili’ means island in the Maldivian language of Dhivehi. There’s even a mini heart-shaped island moments from the shoreline for intimate wedding ceremonies and private dining. For a relaxed and stress-free Maldivian experience, the ‘Lobi Plan’ offers more than your typical all-inclusive, from sunset fishing and spa treatments to an unlimited minibar. A bright, cheerful aesthetic can be seen throughout the romantic island with bubble-gum pink buggies, fuchsia sun loungers and candy pink and white beach towels. The resort has one of the largest underwater restaurants, an open-air spa and a choice of beach and water villas for a tropical getaway. BOOK IT: SunNest Beach Pool Villa from £605. coloursofoblu.com/ oblu-select-lobigili
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Maldives | HOTELS & TRAVEL
BEYOND THE BEACH
The twin imperatives of tourism and climate change have led the islands to put environmentalism and sustainability at their core. Lauren Ho reports
I Gili Lankanfushi is just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé airport
Adults-only Oblu Select Lobigili is the perfect spot for a romantic retreat
t’s only when viewed from above that the full magnitude of the Maldives becomes apparent. Framed by the window of a tiny seaplane, the patchwork of coral islands below, almost like mother nature scattered a handful of aquamarine gems into the sapphire sea, are ringed by crystal-clear turquoise waters that lazily lap lush, sandfringed islands. From here, stunned by its breathtaking beauty alone, it’s easy to see why the Maldives is one of the world’s most desirable holiday destinations. A true paradise, it’s the one spot that looks the same in real life as it does on a postcard: the sea really is that blue. The sand really is that white. And those pastel candy floss sunsets need no filter. Located just southwest of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, the archipelagic country’s 26 atolls comprise a garland of over a thousand islands (of which around 200 are inhabited) that span a territory of roughly 35,000 square miles. With 80 per cent of these islands just one metre above sea level, though, it is also the world’s lowest lying country. As is, it’s been said that at the current rate of global warming, almost 80 per cent of the Maldives could be uninhabitable by 2050. At the core of this island country’s survival are its coral reefs, which not only create a natural coastal defence, but also provide a crucial source of income for the local community, thanks to their contribution to the fishing and tourism industries. Already in 2016, a rise in water temperature resulted in a dramatic bleaching event that affected almost 60 per cent of its coral reefs. Vulnerable, then, to the consequences of climate change, but also dependent on tourism, which accounts for 28 per cent of its GDP, the Maldives is in a bit of a paradoxical conundrum. And while, ultimately, it’s the locals who will pay the price of the environmental damage, with approximately 1.5 million tourists visiting the Maldives every year (pre-Covid), the country’s resorts are stepping up, making sustainability and the environment a priority. The Anantara brand, for example, which has four resorts in the Maldives, has teamed up with conservation charity Coral Reef CPR to set up Holistic Approach to Reef Protection (HARP). A sustainability project aimed at protecting the reefs and ensuring that they thrive, through initiatives that include coral gardening, the programme offers guests at its resorts a chance to adopt a coral frame and personally plant it with the guidance of an onsite marine biologist.
In a similar vein, Huvafen Fushi, alongside its energy, water and waste management policies, also has the Coral Reef Rehabilitation Project, which comprises a carefully protected and thriving coral nursery with small coral fragments or ‘nubbins’ which guests can adopt and replant onto more mature frames, which can be viewed from the resort’s underwater spa.
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ANANTARA DHIGU
SONEVA JANI
BEST FOR WATERSPORTS
BEST FOR WELLNESS
When it comes to warm welcomes, Anantara Dhigu knows how to put on a fanfare. Greeted by a host of clapping staff, drums and ice-cold coconut drinks, it’s an accurate indication of what to expect from your stay. A more lively alternative to its Niyama sister hotel but also sharing a lagoon with two other Anantara properties – Veli and Naladhu (so there’s other restaurants, bars and activities to discover) - the resort is a lesson in family fun combined with some much-needed relaxation. Just 30 minutes by speedboat from Malé, nestled in a shallow turquoise lagoon, the island is a playground for activities such as paddleboarding, surfing or joining an excursion to swim with nurse sharks for the afternoon. But if you need to recoup from a busy day at the water sports centre, there are 110 beach villas and over-water suites to retire to, plus a lovely spa with excellent coconut-based treatments. Whether it’s reclining with a good book on the swinging sofa on the terrace beside your pool or watching the sun set from your private sun lounger on the beach, there are plenty of cosy nooks to enjoy (the photogenic lagoon hammock is a must if you can wait your turn). BOOK IT: Doubles from £450 halfboard excl. taxes. anantara.com
The second Soneva outpost in the Maldives, this island is underpinned by the same sustainably driven values as the original (Fushi) yet cleverly has its own character, too. The majority of villas are overwater. Those on the Chapter Two side were added in 2020; they are dreamy, each with a huge deck, pool and a slide that whooshes you straight out into the crystal-clear ocean. The big news is this year’s launch of Soneva Soul, an all-encompassing wellness concept which combines ancient healing philosophies (for instance, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine) with innovative treatments such as nutrient IV therapy and cryotherapy, and honed-in programmes that range from meditation to yoga and sleep (rolled out at Soneva Fushi, too). Restaurants include toes-inthe-sand Crab Shack for a seafood lunch and Overseas by Mathias Dahlgren (known for his two Michelin-guide Stockholm restaurants Matbaren and Rutabaga) where dishes include deepfried tofu and broccoli, and tuna served on shiso leaf with soy. Spend days dolphin spotting and snorkelling, or come here to simply fly-and-flop in complete privacy. BOOK IT: Seven nights half-board from £8,799, inc. seaplane and int. flights, until 17 Dec 22. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
CONRAD MALDIVES RANGALI ISLAND BEST FOR LIE-INS
When you arrive at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, you step into an Instagram picture of unparalleled views and an abundance of flora and fauna. The first international hotel to open in the Maldives, it has just completed a major transformation of the tiny adults-only Rangali Island. All 50 of the thatched-roof overwater villas have been redesigned for indoor-outdoor living with direct access to a private sun deck, complete with pool and staircase leading to the turquoise waters below. There’s also a brand-new gym, and the Over Water Spa has had a stylish makeover. Taking personalised service to the next level is The Muraka, billed as the world’s first undersea residence and boasting a master bedroom that doubles as an aquarium – watch reef sharks glide past while you brush your teeth. Another thrilling first is undersea restaurant Ithaa, offering panoramic views of the surrounding coral garden and a fusion menu featuring local seafood. With a total of 12 restaurants, prepare to feast your way around the resort. There’s no shortage of activities either, including snorkelling safaris, diving, windsurfing, catamaran sailing and dolphin cruises. BOOK IT: Beach villa from £405 per night. conradmaldives.com
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Amilla Fushi, meanwhile, continues to be a true disruptor to the Maldivian experience, not only aesthetically with its brilliant white minimalist cuboid villas, but it has taken things a step further in terms of sustainability that goes far beyond banning plastic bottles. This includes The Nut - a dedicated coconut processing facility that will utilise waste to make everything from cold-pressed virgin coconut oil to coco peat for the gardens - and Cluckingham Palacehome to the happiest chickens in the Maldives.
Taking in the sounds of the Bodu Beru band at Lankanfushi. Photo © Kerry Dean
Over at Hurawalhi - also known as ‘The Aquarium’ due to its truly astonishing abundance of sea life – 30 per cent of the island is powered by solar energy thanks to 4,102.5 sq/m of solar panels, which is approximately the size of 26 volleyball courts. Elsewhere, the resort’s hot water is a result of a clever heat recovery system that converts waste heat produced by generators into electrical energy. There is a water bottling plant and a food sustainability system which includes a recycling programme as well as organic and biodynamic produce grown in its own hydroponic greenhouse and extensive kitchen garden.
Room with a view and then some at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
Meanwhile, just across the waters, its sister hotel Kudadoo Maldives Private Island is purely powered by the sun, with 984 solar panels on the roof of The Retreat - the hub that houses the main pool, restaurant, bar and spa - which has also been smartly designed to maximise natural air flow. The resort provides drinking water bottled at Hurwalhi’s plant, has a sophisticated food and waste management system, and has partnered with conservation charities Manta Trust and Olive Ridley Project.
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BEST FOR KIDS
It’s not hard to see why Niyama has so many returning guests. Spanning over two kilometres, the island is an oasis of tropical woodlands and secret lagoons. Separated into two adjoining islands aptly named Chill and Play, the resort is well equipped for both families and couples with spacious water villas (complete with popcorn makers and very Instagrammable decor), one of the largest kids’ clubs in the Maldives and hammock-lined remote beaches for some ‘me-time’. Although Niyama provides every guest with a personalised bike to explore the island (and work off the sizeable buffet breakfasts), your personal butler can also ferry you from A to B in a buggy if you’d prefer a star-lit ride after dinner. For a more exclusive al fresco experience, try Asian streetfood on the beach at Niyama’s Took Took, or Rum, Ribs and Reggae at the resort’s Surf Shack for a fun alternative to your nightly meal. Rainy days (and there certainly are some) call for Active, the resorts cosy hideaway kitted out with board games, painting classes and mustsee movie nights. BOOK IT: Seven nights for £4,199pp for a Beach Villa on a half-board basis including seaplane and flights. Until 22 Dec 23. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
JOALI BEING
PATINA
BEST FOR A HEALTH KICK
BEST FOR DESIGN MAVENS
‘The Maldives? On your own?’ Until recently a solo trip to couples’ heaven was the preserve of those who’d been jilted but refused to let a good honeymoon go to waste. Activities included angrily emptying the minibar while shouting at the sea. But times have changed and there’s a new kid on the block, here to meet self-serving needs of a new health-conscious breed. Joali Being, the brand’s second property, claims to be a trailblazer: ‘The first dedicated wellness retreat in the Maldives.’ A world-class squad of naturopaths, therapists and nutritionists have been gathered to deliver wellbeing experiences, scientific therapies and diagnostic services in a whopping 39 treatment rooms. And it’s a joy to look at: temple-like ‘biophilic’ architecture is given a pastel palette – teal, pink, sand white – and decked with natural-fibres and miles of blondewood rattan. One of a combination of Joali Being’s ‘Four Pillars’ – mind, skin, microbiome and energy – are chosen for you during a consultant assessment, which then dictates everything you do and consume for the duration of your stay. The end result? ‘Weightlessness’. Much better than a husband. BOOK IT: Villas for two from $2,142 per night B&B. Five-night Discovery Programme from $1,665pp. joalibeing.com
Swapping typical Maldivian rustic charm for a sleek, minimal aesthetic, Patina is an interior design haven. The man-made island resort is just over a year old and is quickly becoming a Maldives hotspot loved by both millenials and families alike thanks to its slick art installations and clean lines. Expect to find neutral décor in the rooms and villas alongside subtle tropical prints, thoughtful textures and organic amenities before watching dolphins leaping in the lagoon from your private terrace and infinity pool. Cementing itself as a forward-thinker, the resort even has its own luxury superyacht, Adastra, worthy of a James Bond villain that can by hired for a stunning sunset cruise. Guests are treated to complimentary ice cream from the Tuk Tuk Gelato as well as bikes, a snorkelling set, stand-up paddle board and kayaks for the more adventurous. With an impressive kitchen garden (the burrata salad is testament to its alfresco efforts), outdoor cinema and plenty more exciting upcoming plans in the works, Patina is certainly one to watch. BOOK IT: One-bedroom Beach Pool Villa from £1,785 on B&B basis, including transfers and up to two children can stay for free. patinahotels.com
PHOTOS: KERRY DEAN
NIYAMA PRIVATE ISLAND
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Gems (Guest Experience Makers) create magic for all the family at Six Senses Laamu. Photo © Kerry Dean
(cont.) The latter protects sea turtles in the Indian Ocean through research, rescue and rehabilitation, and has a centre, with one of the biggest tanks in the Maldives, at One&Only Reethi Rah, where injured turtles spend the last weeks of recovery before being released back into the ocean. Elsewhere, the resort is also hard at work growing its own coral colonies, and has also partnered with EarthCheck - the leading certification programme in the travel and tourism industry - to implement an Environmental Management System that will help achieve a fully sustainable resort.
PHOTOS: KERRY DEAN
On the Fari Islands, the Ritz-Carlton is pushing boundaries in terms of sustainability. First, with a smart design that not only uses prefabricated design methods and materials ensuring zero waste - but also maximises natural air flow. Not just a pretty face, there is also a considered and efficient approach to gastronomy, and the resort has partnered with like-minded brands and people including organic bodycare brand Bamford and renowned oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau, who provides an educational programme to encourage guests to discover and explore nature. As a whole, the Maldives has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. An ambitious target, but with assistance from the World Bank that includes plans to build the world’s largest floating power system, this island nation will hopefully be on track to showcasing energy sustainability to the world. n Patina offers a modern take on luxury for travellers looking for stylish interiors
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FRENCH CONNECTION The City of Lights is ablaze with new delights. Rosalyn Wikeley trips across the Channel to bask in its glow
THREE NEW PLACES TO STAY
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A stone’s throw from the Louvre and the lively market street of Rue Montorgueil, Hôtel Madame Rêve is perfectly placed for Parisian jaunts, but also for, well, les Parisiens. Owner and creative director Laurent Taïeb set out to mix locals and guests with the same rigour as the Seventies shades of coffee, caramels and ochres on the hotel’s walls. Indeed, starry-eyed hotel guests and curious Parisians lean into the smart-casual mood of La Plume, Madame Rêve’s Asianfusion restaurant, whose eclectic menu of lobster black buns, wagyu gyoza and teriyaki salmon echoes a global palate with nods to the city’s culinary heritage. Dominating the view is an amber-lit Saint-Eustache amid a whimsical sprawl of Parisian rooftops and sparkling monuments. Downstairs, Café Madame Rêve’s soaring ceilings, velvet curtains and vast charcoal pillars feel closer to the building’s history, as well as the quartier’s grand café culture that chimed with the Eiffel Tower’s opening in 1888. Here, a refined and slightly more mature crowd gathers for meetings, Manhattans and afternoon tea.
The hotel’s 82 rooms occupy a slice of the old Poste du Louvre – the city’s post office, which famously stayed open all day and night. Ceilings have been peeled open with windows framing the Parisian sky, its rooftops, and heart-tugging views of almost every city landmark. The roof terrace promises a romantic, panoramic vista from its sunbeds, with its bar (open to all punters from 6pm) offering a glimpse of the twinkling Tour Eiffel. BOOK IT: Doubles from €500. madamereve.com
N EW PL ACES TO E AT
EARLY JUNE This restaurant’s earthy, sustainable ethos is reflected in its original brick and stripped-back interiors. Locally sourced, seasonal plates of Spanish tapas are interrupted by the odd Japanese riff: roasted peppers, steak tartare and then pollock sashimi, all washed down with civilly priced organic wine from Basque reds to crispy Loire Valley whites. early-june.fr
LA DEMEURE MONTAIGNE Chef Grégory Réjou’s impressive, haute cuisine pedigree fuses with the simple, seasonal cooking movement gripping Paris’s hippest districts. The result is a staggeringly delicious and plugged-in menu of Brittany sea bream carpaccio, roasted scallops from Normandy, and smoked-celery stuffed-pigeon. Delicious. lademeuremontaigne.com
LE PIAF Much like London, Paris is seeing a cabaret and music hall renaissance. Nowhere does high-octane, highenergy sequinned soirée quite like the French capital, and while Le Piaf has been around for years, its suddenly-in-vogue supper-scotch-and-song formula has made it one of the trickiest tables to pin down in the city. lepiaf-restaurant.com
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PHOTOS: © BENOIT LINERO; © JOCELYNE GENRI/PARIS TOURIST OFFICE; © ISABELLE BIDEAU/MOBILIER NATIONAL; © ALEXANDRE TABASTE; © ROMAIN RICARD
MADAME RÊVE
Paris | HOTELS & TRAVEL
PHOTOS: © BENOIT LINERO; © JOCELYNE GENRI/PARIS TOURIST OFFICE; © ISABELLE BIDEAU/MOBILIER NATIONAL; © ALEXANDRE TABASTE; © ROMAIN RICARD
WHAT TO SEE
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CHEVAL BLANC
Combining marble, a multitude of luxurious materials and a fiercely restrained and modern take on comfort, Cheval Blanc showcases LVMH’s power to set the luxury agenda and marks the end of Parisian plume and pomp as we know it. Interiors seize on a calm, muted palette, except for the main restaurant where Piet Mondrian-style cubes of primary colours set a more convivial tone and a mix of local and international diners are wowed by sweeping views of the Seine. Swimmers are treated to the same views from the pool downstairs, just through digital art mimicking the comings and goings of Paris beyond the hotel walls. The cultural and economic currency involved made this one of the most anticipated hotel openings in Parisian history, particularly with the Cheval Blanc hospitality group finally coming home to roost in the French capital. BOOK IT: Doubles from £980 per night. chevalblanc.com
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HÔTEL LES DEUX GARES
Cobalt blues, emerald greens, leopard print and velvet galore, Hotel Les Deux Gares bears the classically inspired eclecticism characteristic of British interior designer, Luke Edward Hall. The print overload, silks and scalloped edges dress a Haussmann building in Paris’s Little India, between (as its name suggests) Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord – also a stone’s throw from the hip Canal Saint-Martin neighbourhood. Some rooms connect (a blessing for families), while an exuberant Art Deco-themed French bistro pulls in a local crowd with seasonal, tasty, and seriously affordable sharing plates. BOOK IT: Doubles from €120. hoteldeuxgares.com
Matthieu Ricard – An Ode To Beauty Grande Arche de la Défense Explore the beauty of the wider world through Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard’s compelling photography. This is the easy-to-digest exhibition for those wanting a quick cultural fix before a drawn-out bistro lunch in the sunshine. Until 30 November. lagrandearche.fr
Le Chic! French Decorative Arts and Furniture from 1930 to 1960 Mobilier National This exhibition celebrates the creativity and innovation of French décorateurs – furniture designers who shaped the 20th century design movement – and the fine craftsmanship behind their creations. 12 Oct to 29 Jan 2023. mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr
Edvard Munch: A Poem of Life, Love and Death Musée d’Orsay Uncover Edvard Munch’s 60year career at Musée d’Orsay this autumn, with around 100 works on display. For the artist, humanity and nature are united in the cycle of life, death and rebirth, themes that play out across his oeuvre and that can be witnessed in this compelling overview. 20 Sept to 22 Jan 2023. musee-orsay.fr n
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HOTELS & TRAVEL | News VENICE TACKLES OVERTOURISM
Venice is one of the world’s most overcrowded tourist hot spots and its many visitors have become an increasingly unsustainable problem for the sinking city. In a bid to tackle this, it’ll become the first city in the world to introduce an entrance fee. Set to launch on 16 January 2023, this new measure is part of Venice’s ambitious masterplan, which includes the banning of cruise ships of more than 25,000 tonnes sailing past St Mark’s Square, as well as a network of cameras, sensors and mobile data that keeps track of the crowds. Available to pre-book online, and costing between €3 and €10, tickets will be applicable to day-trippers, who offer the smallest economic contribution to the city, and will be charged to those visiting the historic centre as well as a handful of islands.
The ESCAPIST
Lauren Ho has all the latest travel news and hot openings to know OFF-THEBEATEN-PATH FRANCE
BHUTAN IS BACK
With its borders reopening on 23 September, Bhutan is back with a bang. Making the most of its almost three-year hiatus, The Kingdom has built and restored the 18 bridges, more than 10,000 steps and 250 miles of track that make up an ancient pilgrimage trail. Set to be one of the greatest trekking, mountain biking and running routes in the world, the trail travels through Bhutan’s history with some 400 historic and cultural sites lining the route. In other words, a great way for travellers to explore the country’s rich culture in an authentic and sustainable way. transbhutantrail.org
PHOTOS: PEXELS; GETTY
In a bid to move away from some of France’s more overcrowded areas, sustainable and slow travel company Byway has teamed up with Hauts-de-France Tourism to launch a range of flight-free trips that will entice British holidaymakers to this expansive patch of countryside in the north of the country. Usually experienced through the window of the Eurostar between London and Paris, this lesser-known area of France offers a truly authentic experience and is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Amiens Cathedral (left), an impressive 13th century gothic building. byway.travel/hauts-de-france 164 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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LUXURY REDEFINED
Experience Maximalism, styled by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, in the Cotswolds www.dialhousehotel.com | 01451 822 244 High Street, Bourton on the Water, GL54 2AN
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HOTELS & TRAVEL | News
TRAVEL DEEPER WITH TSWALU
Visitors to Tswalu, a large private game reserve in South Africa, can get involved in the park’s rhino notching project. Guests help to dart young rhinos and collect DNA samples, which are added to a global database that helps track and prevent poaching. While staying in one of the reserve’s small luxury camps, make the most of endless views across the golden grasses of Tswalu’s arid savannah. tswalu.com
FIVE HOT NEW OPENINGS
SIX SENSES, Rome, Italy For its first Italian location, Six Senses has landed in a Roman palazzo. Designed by Patricia Urquiola, it will have a spa, a restaurant and a rooftop with sprawling views. sixsenses.com
CASA CHABLÉ, Tulum, Mexico Surrounded by 12 acres of tropical jungle, the new Casa Chablé resort includes a restaurant, gym, yoga and meditation platforms, and a rooftop lounge with sunset views. chablehotels.com
THE ULTIMATE KIDS’ CLUB
Following the success of The Den, the kids’ club at the barefoot Maldivian hideaway, Soneva Fushi, another version has launched at sister resort Soneva Jani. Set over two floors, this 1,500sq/m structure is one of the largest kids clubs in Asia. Inside is a playground for the imagination, with a swimming pool – complete with a waterfall – a pool bar, waterslide, catamaran nets and a zipline. On the roof you can find a bowling alley and a skateboard ramp, while a daily programme of creative, educational and interactive activities will be sure to keep the little ones busy while mum and dad relax. soneva.com
BAWAH RESERVE, Anambas Islands, Indonesia Bawah Reserve has launched six new eco lodges on one of its untouched islands, Elang. Adultsonly, there is a private clubhouse, a restaurant, spa and a saltwater pool. bawahreserve.com
SOMMERRO, Oslo, Norway The former 1930s HQ of Oslo’s electrical company, Sommerro has been restored to its original glory and has a hub of restaurants and bars, and a sprawling wellness centre. sommerrohouse.com
AND BREATHE...
The Oberoi in Marrakech has launched a new wellness programme. Called SAHA (‘health’ in Arabic), it focuses on four cornerstones: Soul & Spirit, Active Body, Holistic Treatments and A Better Plate. These are executed through personalised packages that target everything from fitness to sleep and discovering inner peace. oberoihotels.com
VIRGIN HOTEL, Edinburgh, Scotland The first Virgin Hotel to open outside the USA, in Edinburgh’s historic India Buildings. There are 222 elegant rooms, plus the stylish Commons Club restaurant and bar. virginhotels.com n
PHOTOS: © CHRIS AADLAND; ©MARCUS WESTBERG
SUSTAINABILITY FIRST
Luxury villa rental company Oliver’s Travels has launched a sustainable collection. There’s The Bee Barn in Kent, which was built using low impact materials and has a living green roof, smart air quality sensors and infrared underfloor heating. Or why not try Villa Buona in Umbria, which uses green and renewable energy. The Sustainable Villa Collection is ideal for those looking to travel lightly and lower their carbon footprint. oliverstravels.com
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P R O M OT I O N
RUN TO THE SUN
The ideal winter break? Sorry slopes, it’s actually poolside at Four Seasons Fairways
P
icture this: you’re poolside, cocktail in hand, as the last remnants of the day’s rays tickle your sun-kissed skin. Now imagine this in mid-November. Sound plausible? While golden hour might be a distant memory for those confined to British shores, it’s not a pipe dream everywhere in Europe. A stone’s throw from London – or, rather, a speedy two-and-ahalf hour flight from Heathrow – is Portugal’s Algarve, with the perfect weather for a lowseason family break. And the Four Seasons Fairways resort in Quinta do Lago makes the perfect location to soak up some winter sun. Four Seasons Fairways is made up of a selection of luxury apartments and villas, designed for families with classic Portuguese architecture in mind. Every space – from three-bedroom family villas to two bedroom hideaways for couples – has its own jacuzzi or pool to enjoy. Relax with some much needed R&R with an in-villa massage or enjoy a BBQ on your own private terrace, with no concerns that it’ll be rained off. Four Seasons Fairways’ Clubhouse is a hub for wellbeing nestled in the heart of the resort, offering up treatments that will melt away any memory of grey British skies. A Royal Muscle Release massage will set you up for your return to colder climes, with an expertly delivered deep tissue massage using personalised essential oils. An indulgent treatment is also the ideal follow-up to a day spent on one of Quinta do Lago’s 30 incredible golf courses, which will test even the most practised of players. Each of these overlooks the estate’s beautiful Ria Formosa Natural Park – and you might even
Olympic Gold medallist, Amy Williams MBE
spy a movie star lowering their handicap on the greens, too. If a more active holiday is your idea of bliss (or you simply want to make strides with your fitness goals), then the Four Seasons Fairways Active Living Package is a great winter warmer. The package includes accommodation, daily breakfast and fruit plus bike hire, tennis court bookings, time with a personal trainer, and jogs with the resort’s general manager. If you want to go even further, you can train with Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams MBE, who fronts the resort’s Active Living Week in November, leading classes in the luscious gardens. BOOK IT: Seven nights in a two or
three-bed villa or apartment with swimming pool or jacuzzi from £1,100 on a self-catering basis. Active Living Week, 19-26 November 22, from £680pp. fourseasonsfairways.com
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FOOD&DRINK
Bigging up Brassicas PHOTO: XXXXXXXXXXX
Alex Drayton, chef at the National Gallery’s Ochre restaurant, serves up a dish that is as pleasing on the eye as it is on the palate
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FOOD&DRINK | Recipe Food philosophy? I try to
PICTURED ON PREVIOUS PAGE
First dish you learnt to cook?
Cheese scones and fruit scones with my nan at the age of seven, while staying with my grandparents during the school summer holidays.
SERVES 2
— — — — — —
Batter 200g Tempura flour 300ml Sparkling water 50g Ice 1g Turmeric 1g Ground cumin 3g Ras el Hanout
— — — —
Mayonnaise 300g Mayonnaise 50g roasted garlic, minced 1.5g turmeric 7g lemon juice
Favourite in-season ingredient?
Cauliflower — 1 Cauliflower
A
lex is keen to change the perception of cauliflower, a common British vegetable that he feels has a reputation for being bland. ‘It’s grown in abundance across the UK, and is so versatile and able to take on a lot of flavour when marinated correctly,’ he says. ‘I wanted to prove this while taking inspiration from my love for Aloo Gobi, from South Asia, a region that excels in vegetarian and vegan food.’ You’ll find this dish on the Ochre menu.
Method
Cut the cauliflower into ten pieces, keeping the core and leaves, and steam in the oven at 100˚C for 4-5 minutes depending on size. Allow to cool. Add all the batter ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together making sure there are no lumps, salt well. Add all the mayonnaise ingredients in a mixing bowl, and combine well, salt well. In a mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower pieces with the tempura batter, coat well. Heat a deep fat fryer (or frying pan with 100ml of oil) to 180˚C, and add the batter-covered cauliflower pieces for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Make sure to flip. Drain the oil and allow the cauliflower to dry on kitchen roll. Serve cauliflower and the mayonnaise together – enjoy. ochre.london
eat vegetarian two to three times a week. I buy free range and organic meat – it is a little more expensive but ethically and quality wise I think it’s worth it.
Foodie TALES
Quite a divisive choice but I love cabbage. It’s such a versatile vegetable and comes in so many variations. During September both cavolo nero (black cabbage) and Brussels sprouts are in season in the UK. Biggest food mistake? While travelling in Thailand in the mountains we stopped off at a small four-table restaurant. With no menu and only the broken English of the owner to let us know what was available, I decided on the chicken noodle soup, as it was a local delicacy. When the bowl arrived, and I was greeted by chicken heads, feet, and beaks, I was quite surprised. Most memorable meal out? Levan in Peckham – with a menu of small and large plates, it’s what I feel is the perfect way to dine out. When you’re not in the kitchen, where are you? Portsmouth football
club. Living in London I don’t get to see many games anymore but I do go with old school friends to at least one Ochre’s Alex Drayton is a big fan or two a season. of hot sauce and small-plate menus What’s in your fridge? Hot sauce. I have a whole shelf in my fridge dedicated to it. At one point I had 56 different ones in there, from all over the world – it might be an addiction. Dream dinner date? I know it sounds cheesy, but my perfect date would be with my fiancée. We’d start off in a cocktail bar with either a caipirinha, margarita or a whisky sour and bar snacks – olives, nuts, charcuterie board. Then we’d move onto a small-plate restaurant – ideally Mexican. And to finish, a wine bar with wingback chairs to enjoy a carafe of oaky Malbec and a cheese board. One piece of sustainable food advice? Eat in season. There are many benefits to this – the food is cheaper as it is in abundance, the quality and flavour will be better, and it will have a lower impact on the planet as they don’t require a lot of energy to grow. n
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
Cauliflower Tempura
Alex Drayton made his name at Texture and 28-50.
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P R O M OT I O N
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS
The holidays are coming – and The Christmas Cotswold Fair is the perfect place to get into the festive spirit
PHOTOS: © ANDREW HIGGINS/THOUSAND WORD MEDIA
W
ith the sun setting on another British summer and the evenings beginning to draw in, planning has commenced for the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ – yes, Christmas is once again around the corner. This November will see the return of one of Gloucestershire’s festive mainstays, The Christmas Cotswold Fair at Daylesford Organic Farm Shop, in support of the national children’s charity WellChild. Over 200 stallholders will be in attendance, selling everything from homeware to luxury fashion and more. Housed across three magnificent marquees, the Fair will be fit to bursting with exceptional brands and events, as well as tasty culinary treats from local caterers The Potted Goose. There’s no better place to catch up with friends, discover brilliant gift ideas from independent makers, and get ready to make your Christmas 2022 the best yet. Sustainability is a concern that’s at the heart of the Fair. Every year, organiser Lucy Greaves tries to improve on each previous Fair’s eco-performance, not only with the event’s arrangements, but also by attracting the most environmentally conscious exhibitors. This year is no exception, with all stallholders encouraged to display their most conscious collections and showcase their 7-10 November 2022 most sustainable Christmas Tickets on sale now swag for all attendees to enjoy. General early bird The Christmas Cotswold Fair tickets, £15 (available will also be a zero waste to from 15 September) landfill event. our stallholders to do the same,’ General sale tickets, £18 (available from ‘This year we’re planning on says Lucy. ‘We’ve invited some 19 September) upping our sustainable game of the country’s best and most once again, and encouraging environmentally conscious To purchase, please brands, but have also stressed visit cotswoldfair.com or call 0844 7766777 how important it is that they share in our eco-ethos.’ The Fair will kick off on Monday 7 November with a preview evening, complete with a cocktail reception courtesy of Gin in a Tin, as well as an exclusive Cotswold Grey VIP area, bursting with sumptuous soft furnishings, Christmas trinkets and overflowing Woodchester Valley fizz. It’s the ideal way to kick off three days of superb festive shopping – and all in aid of charity, to boot. Christmas Cotswold Fair, Daylesford Organic Farm, near Kingham, Gloucestershire GL56 0YG. Ten percent of sales go to WellChild
A SEASON OF GIVING
‘Over just the past five years, The Christmas Cotswold Fair has raised more than £250,000 for WellChild’s work with seriously ill children and their families. It is a hugely important source of support and funding,’ says WellChild’s Interim Chief Executive Matt James (above). ‘WellChild’s mission is to get children with serious conditions out of hospital so they can be with their families with care and support in place. Life continues to be incredibly tough for families as the costof-living crisis hits. We are grateful to have the support of the fair to help with this vital work.’ wellchild.org.uk
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News | FOOD&DRINK
CUTE CUPPA For a super-cute cuppa, we love Tea Heritage’s new autumn collection. The tea bags are beautifully hand-stitched, come in woodlandinspired shapes and are all compostable after drinking. £16, teaheritage.fr
WHAT AN ARTIST EATS
Sessions Arts Club is a pretty picture indeed, occupying an old judge’s dining room in Clerkenwell. Head chef Florence Knight, of Polpetto fame, knows a thing or two about art, given she started out at the London School of Fashion – meaning this is as much gallery as it is restaurant. sessionsartsclub.com
BIRTHDAY SHOTS Clase Azul México has reached its 25 aniversário this year, meaning the release of a seriously arty special-edition birthday bottle. Pass the lime and salt. £417, claseazul.com
Gastro GOSSIP Bottoms up for autumn, says Tessa Dunthorne
FREAKS & COFFEE GEEKS Sustainable roaster Hundred House Coffee has released its new limited-edition experimental drop, Freak & Unique IX, championing a Bolivian wild forest coffee bean, with artwork by Em Gallacher. The cool kids on the caffeine block. hundredhousecoffee.com
ROARING TWENTIES
Oyster shuckers rejoice, beloved Mayfair seafood restaurant Scott’s is opening up in Richmond, with a location offering unbeatable views of the Thames – enjoy autumnal baked spiced crabs amidst Art Deco design. scotts-restaurants.com
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PROPERTY Edited by Anna Tyzack
HOUSE OF THE MONTH Chesil Cliff House, Croyde, Devon, £10m 5+3 bedrooms (annex), 4+3 bathrooms, 7,539 sq/ft + 1,271 sq/ft In a sentence… One of the UK’s most spectacular coastal homes, with three acres of grounds including a private beach. How would you describe its design? ‘The lighthouse-inspired, glass-fronted property is designed around the jaw-dropping waterfront view,’ says architect Prof Alan Phillips. ‘The concept had to be bold and elegant. That was achieved using contrasting geometries, culminating in a four-storey rotunda.’ What’s unique about it? The extent of the grounds, the foreshore and the direct water access. Idyllic for young families. What is its history? It captured the imagination of the public in 2019 when it featured on TV show Grand Designs. Perks of the location? The North Devon coast is renowned for its beauty and the village of Croyde is a mile from the house. Tiverton Parkway offers a direct rail service into London Paddington, Exeter Airport is about 61 miles away, and Chesil Cliff has its own helicopter landing pad. The current owner says…‘The house was built as a series of viewing spaces aligned with the sunset,’ says Edward Short. ‘If you love nature, your life will change with the opportunities of this location.’ 01392 848822; knightfrank.co.uk
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MARBELLA F
Anna Tyzack on the recent renaissance of the Costa Del Sol’s most glam resort destination, not just a holiday resort, which suits British families who want to bring up their children abroad,’ Omer explains. ‘There are high speed trains, international flights from Málaga airport 30 minutes away, great healthcare and a school for every type of child.’ A recent ranking showed that three of Spain’s best schools are in Marbella: Laude San Pedro International College, Swans International School and Colegio Fundacion Aloha College Marbella, while the English International College is also highly regarded. The schools are what drew Andy and Louise Chapelwode to make the move from Marlow in Buckinghamshire to Marbella during lockdown. Their two girls are thriving at one of the town’s highly regarded international schools; their eldest received top results in her GCSEs and their youngest is now playing semi-professional tennis. ‘I wanted the move to be about more than just lifestyle – I wanted us also to achieve more than we would in the UK,’ explains Louise who now runs a yoga, barre and Pilates business in the area. ‘We’re all more inspired by our work, more active and yet our weekends are spent chilling out on the beach or at barbecues with friends.’ Another major lure for British buyers is that Marbella manages to be both luxurious and affordable. It’s one of the top areas in Spain for Michelin-starred restaurants; at the upper end of the market, beach houses on the Golden Mile, or in the exclusive hillside community of La Zagaleta ten minutes away, sell for up to €35 million, yet there’s currently an apartment opposite the Marbella Club for sale for €450,000. ‘Many of our British buyers like to dip into the market initially with an easy to maintain apartment with a terrace and sea view costing between €300,000 and €850,000,’ explains Ignacio Oslé, of Taylor Wimpey España (taylorwimpeyspain.com). ‘But afterwards, if they
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
rom Marbella’s Golden Mile, one can swim in crystal clear sea, charter a yacht, dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant or lie under a parasol on the beach – even in December. This palm-fringed promenade linking Puerto Banus to the town of Marbella is home to both the Marbella Club and Puente Romano, two of Europe’s most luxurious hotels and is one of the most desirable places to buy a property in Europe. In 20 minutes you can be riding or playing golf in the mountains near the pretty white washed village of Benahavís; in three hours you can be on the ski slopes of the Sierra Nevada. ‘The market was strong before but now it is booming due to the rise in home working,’ explains Omer Frijns, director of Puente Romano Real Estate (puenteromanorealeatate.com). ‘We sold 80 per cent more homes in the first part of this year than last year. Buyers appreciate the fact that Marbella is a modern city with everything you need plus great weather, surrounded by natural beauty.’ Indeed, if you look back at the mountains from the beach at Puente Romano, it’s easy to see why this tropical coastline became popular with the likes of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in the Sixties. Due to a microclimate, the air here is cooler in summer and warmer in winter than other parts of the Costa del Sol and while the developers weren’t kind to many parts of this section of coast, constructing vast – and frankly monstrous – apartment blocks to meet the demand of British package holidaymakers, the Golden Mile was left relatively unscathed. Today it looks and feels quintessentially Spanish with luscious gardens and traditional-style white buildings set against a mountain backdrop, yet is increasingly a hub for international brands including Six Senses and Nobu. ‘It’s a buzzing and cosmopolitan year round 176 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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Let’s Move To | PROPERTY decide to move here permanently, they can apply for a Golden Visa, and upgrade to a property with more land a little further out.’ (For more information see goldenvisas.com.) The Chapelwode’s five-bedroom home, in a development 15 minutes outside Marbella, with its own private pool and views of the mountains, cost just under €2 million – less than they achieved for their (smaller) Buckinghamshire property. They’re now selling up, however, and moving into the town to make their life even more convenient. ‘It’s insane how much is on offer in the area – we want to be closer to the action,’ Louise says. In the same way that private members’ clubs are popular in the UK, many of those based for all or part of the year in Marbella are members of the Marbella Club, and thus have access to fivestar facilities including tennis clubs, pools and kids’ clubs. Members of the super exclusive Owners’ Club at Puente Romano not only have access to a members’ club house, and all the many pools, bars and restaurants on site but a state-of-the-art
business suite with air-conditioned sound proofed pods and conference rooms. Their children can join La Casita Club, a new kids’ club hosted by entertainers Sharky & George, and make the most of on-site tutors, pro tennis coaching and water sports. When you consider how much it would cost to rent an office locally it’s no wonder local professionals opt for the benefits of the Owners Club, although first they need to make it through the strict application process. Ignacio anticipates that the Marbella market will only get hotter as more families decide that this part of southern Spain makes perfect sense for a second home or even a forever home. ‘Living here is cheaper and more convenient than it is the UK, and you can have both an active and luxurious lifestyle,’ he says. Louise puts it even more bluntly: ‘What parent wouldn’t want to clear their head by diving into the Med at the end of a frantic week?’
BEST FOR
DATE NIGHT Go for dinner at Nobu (marbella. nobuhotels.com) or tapas at Leña followed by cocktails (and people watching) at La Plaza. (puenteromano.com) ME TIME Indulge in a tranquil massage at the Six Senses Spa, before enjoying some aqua therapy. (sixsenses.com) BEACH PARTY Enjoy lunch on the beach at Chiringuito, then sleep off the rosé on an oceanfront sun lounger before dancing in the sunset. (puenteromano.com)
NEW SKILLS Riding lessons, hacks and dressage lessons are available at the Marbella Club Equestrian Centre, 20 minutes away in Benahavís. (marbellaclub.com)
FROM LEFT: Hit the beach year-round on the Costa del Sol; a wooden jetty in Puente Romano
AN ADRENALINE TRIP Follow the kids around an inflatable water assault course with slides, balance beams and climbing wall. (waterfun.es)
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
FOR SALE
BENAHAVÍS, FROM €605,000 A new apartment building with 14 three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, all with large terraces facing east towards the Golf Valley. Properties have spacious living rooms and two bathrooms. Outside is a tranquil garden and communal pool with solarium and showers. taylorwimpeyspain.com
PUENTE ROMANO, €4.69m A corner beachside penthouse next to the five-star Hotel Puente Romano on the Golden Mile, with a wrap-around private terrace with views to the tropical gardens and tennis club. There’s spacious living areas, a fitted kitchen and three bedrooms with bathrooms. puenteromanorealestate.com
GOLDEN MILE, €5.995m Located in La Carolina in the heart of the Golden Mile, this family home is within walking distance of the beach and features landscaped gardens with pergolas and an Italian-style swimming pool. There’s also a built-in Jacuzzi, outdoor kitchen, wine bodega, gym and spa. puenteromanorealestate.com n
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PROPERTY | Five of the Best
COUNTRY ESTATES
Find your own corner of the English countryside, says Amy Wakeham HUNTON, from £10m
A truly magical Kent estate, historical Hunton Court is also less than an hour from London. The Grade II-listed house, which dates back to the 13th century, has eight bedrooms and five reception rooms, and is set in about 132 acres of parkland, woodland and pasture. There’s also a heated swimming pool and terrace, and stables and a sand school. struttandparker.com
CHIDDINGSTONE HOATH, £2.5m
A Grade II-listed house in Kent that’s been thoughtfully updated while keeping all its original charm. The five bedroom, five bathroom family home has wooden beams throughout, an open fire, and vaulted ceilings, and has 8.7 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds. johndwood.co.uk
TRURO, £4m
Your very own Daphne du Maurier-esque Cornish estate, a stone’s throw from both north and south coasts. The Pengreep Estate comprises 30 acres of formal gardens, lakes and woodland, at the heart of which is a Grade I-listed manor house with six main bedrooms, wine cellars, and further attic rooms. There’s also a range of external flats and cottages in the historic outbuildings. jonathancunliffe.co.uk
UCKFIELD, £5.5m
At the heart of this beautiful 186acre wildlife haven in East Sussex is Constantia Manor, a traditional country house that’s been lovingly restored. An elegant seven-bedroom family home, it also has five reception rooms. The estate was bought in 2000 and turned into a private nature reserve, with 12 acres of woodland planted and wildflower meadows created. knightfrank.co.uk
BINSTED, from £7.4m
Set amid 569 acres of arable farmland and woodland in the beautiful South Downs National Park, Hay Place is a handsome mid-Victorian unlisted house, ripe for renovation and extension if desired, and with nine bedrooms and several reception rooms. The estate historically hosts a shoot, and comes with four cottages and a period barn with planning permission. savills.com
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P R O M OT I O N
FULL OF HISTORY
Belgrave Square house, £7.95m
uniformity. Everywhere there are beautiful decorative ironworks on balconies, imposing columns at the To mark its 150th anniversary, entrances to houses and tall, elegant windows on the John D Wood & Co. opens a new first floors where the main office in historic Belgrave Square reception rooms would have hosted the parties of the era. he team at John D Wood & Before the Regency and arrival of the early Victorian houses that make Co. considers itself privileged to work in some of London’s up the Belgravia you know today, most iconic and historic areas. the area was marshland known as Not only in its offices, but Five Fields, and notorious at night also in the luxury houses it brings for pickpockets and robberies. The to market, as most have fascinating bridge across the river Westbourne was known as Bloody Bridge due to stories and unforgettable architecture. In its 150th year of trading, John D Wood & Co. is expanding its presence in Belgravia, opening a new headquarters in the prestigious Belgrave Square, and moving to a fully refurbished office at No. 25 Elizabeth Street, just a few paces down the road after calling No. 48 home for 28 years. Belgravia is a spectacular and historic part of London, dominated by grand Regency architecture. As you walk through Belgrave Square, you can observe the use of stucco on the exterior of the properties to create
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the number of crimes committed. However, that all changed when George IV decided to make Buckingham Palace his main London residence. Suddenly, there was a desire for high quality homes in close proximity to the monarch, and the most obvious area to build was on Five Fields. So the land was drained, the Westbourne River diverted, and Richard Grosvenor, the Marquess of Westminster, with the help of his builder, Thomas Cubitt, developed the land into the imposing grand squares, terraces and streets that we see today, and remains a fine example of urban planning, with a coherent layout of imposing terraces and grand garden squares. Almost 200 years since it was built, the beauty of Belgravia’s architecture remains, with the addition of all the amenities that Knightsbridge, Sloane Square and Chelsea have to offer just a stone’s throw away. If you are considering a move to Belgravia, or one of the company’s 30 UK locations, visit johndwood.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 3369 1687 facebook.com/jdwandco
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Wilton Street, SW1X Encompassing the essence of London grandeur, this remarkably private, Grade II Listed family home, is set in the heart of Belgravia with an immaculate 60ft south facing garden. Approx. 4,399 sq ft. Council Tax Band: H. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 en suite), 3 reception rooms, dining room, open-plan breakfast room, study, library, gym, cinema room, games/family room, study, utility room, terrace, garden. Freehold | Guide Price £10,500,000 | Belgravia – 020 3151 6205
Trusted for generations johndwood.co.uk
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Chiddingstone Hoath, Edenbridge An exemplary Grade II Listed house, the sympathetic updates provide a harmonious balance of modern-day amenities with characterful period features, all in a private setting. Approx. 3,393 sq ft. Council Tax Band: H. 5 bedrooms, 3 en suite bathrooms, reception room, drawing room, dining room, open-plan breakfast room, en suite home office, dressing room, store room, garden. Freehold | Guide Price £2,500,000 | Country House Department – 01932 645 716
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fennwright.co.uk
Rayne, Essex
01376 516464
Thought to date back to the 1600’s, this impressive Grade ll listed barn conversion has been finished to an extremely high standard, retaining many period features. With over 5,000 sq ft. accommodation, there are 6 bedrooms, 4 of which are ensuite, and the hub of the home is the stunning open-plan kitchen/dining space, ideal for entertaining. Guide Price £1,600,000 - £1,650,000
01206 763388
Alresford, Essex
This wonderful 4 bedroom Grade ll listed farmhouse has a tastefully decorated interior offering versatile living space and is nestled in a mature plot approaching 1 acre. Within the grounds are a sizeable pool house with heated swimming pool and a self-contained cottage, which could be used for a variety of uses, subject to planning. Offers in Excess of £975,000
Toppesfield, Essex
01787 327000
This attractive Grade II* listed property has undergone an extensive program of renovation and improvement by the current owners. This impressive home has 7 bedrooms, 2 of which are ensuite, 3 reception rooms and many fine period features. Set in mature grounds of approximately 7 acres, the gardens and grounds are a real feature. Guide Price £1,600,000
Ipswich, Suffolk
01473 232700
Beautifully refurbished, this stunning 4 bedroom family home has a contemporary feel, whilst retaining many fine period features. The sitting room is of generous proportions with a marble fireplace and bay window and on the lower ground level is a cinema room. The property occupies an elevated plot, with a generous garden and parking. Guide Price £650,000
Thinking of selling? We are seeing unprecedented demand from buyers so now is a great time to consider moving. Simply get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation, market appraisal from our friendly team.
Chris Jessup
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Neil Sell
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SU R R E Y’S E XC LUSI V E C O U N T RY E S TAT E
FINAL PHASE NOW AVAILABLE A COLLECTION OF 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AND 3 & 4 BEDROOM FAMILY HOMES Set within 25 acres of landscaped grounds, Broadoaks Park offers brand new and beautifully restored homes. Finished to Octagon’s renowned high level of specification, all homes are designed to enhance the private parkland setting and surrounding listed buildings. West Byfleet village and train station are less than one mile away, with regular train services to London Waterloo taking from 30 minutes. SALES SUITE OPEN – VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Guide Prices start from £750,000
B R OA D OA K S PA R K . C O . U K
020 8481 7500 | OCTAGON.CO.UK
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Newnham, Cambridge – 1 mile from Cambridge Station Guide Price £1,300,000 An impressive and substantial three storey, five bedroom, modern, semi-detached town house extending to 1,675 sqft, providing great potential for some sympathetic updating, together with a paved courtyard style rear garden, off-street parking and covered car port situated in a highly desirable residential cul-de-sac backing onto Newnham College playing fields.
Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Chesterton Road, Cambridge – 1 mile from Cambridge Station Guide Price £1,650,000 An imposing and substantial bay fronted Victorian town house occupying a prominent position enjoying a wonderful vista with breathtaking views over Jesus Green and the River Cam. The property incorporates many original character features including moulded cornices, large bay sash windows, cast iron firegrates and high ceiling to some of the principal rooms. The property provides well proportioned and versatile accommodation over four storeys extending to 2,575 sqft with five bedrooms and includes a self contained basement apartment. Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
cheffins.co.uk 01223 214214
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Gannock Green, Sandon – 3 miles from Ashwell & Morden Station Guide Price £2,950,000 An elegant and most impressive Grade II Listed detached Georgian farm house extending to 4,500 sqft, offering five bedrooms over three floors plus a basement. The farmhouse benefits from landscaped grounds extending to approx. 6.44 acres plus a heated swimming pool. The property dates back to the 17th Century and has been subject to comprehensive refurbishment, modernisation and professional interior design while retaining many of its original period features.
Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Great Shelford – 0.4 miles from Shelford Station Guide Price 1,800,000 A most impressive bay fronted detached Edwardian residence of significant charm and character having been greatly improved and extended with traditional drawing room as well as contemporary styled open plan designer kitchen. The accommodation extends to 2,475 sqft with four bedrooms over three floors and sits comfortably within it’s own established landscaped gardens with driveway and double garage.
Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
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Radwinter – 8 miles from Audley End Station Guide Price £2,300,000 A stunning, bespoke residence set within mature grounds of approximately 1.2 acres in a private rural position on the outskirts of the village. The property enjoys high specification, contemporary, open plan accommodation of approximately 4,800 sqft, with five bedrooms, together with triple garage with gym above and further outbuildings.
Contact: Bruce King | Saffron Walden Office: 01799 523656 | bruce.king@cheffins.co.uk
Wendens Ambo – 0.4 mile from Audley End Station Guide Price £1,600,000 A high quality individual property set in a tucked away position in a private lane on a plot of approx. 0.4 of an acre. The main house accommodation of approximately 4,300 sqft is set over three floors benefitting from five bedrooms. In addition is an outbuilding incorporating double garage, swimming pool, snooker room and games room measuring approximately 2,100 sqft.
Contact: Max Cutsforth | Saffron Walden Office: 01799 523656 | max.cutsforth@cheffins.co.uk
cheffins.co.uk 01223 214214
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Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
19/08/2022 10:42
Radwinter – 8 miles from Audley End Station Guide Price £1,375,000 An imposing Grade ll Listed farmhouse set within grounds of approximately 1.5 acres in an idyllic rural location. The property offers substantial accommodation extending to approximately 2,924 sqft, benefitting from five bedrooms over two floors with a wealth of period features, together with mature gardens and pleasant views to adjoining countryside.
Contact: Bruce King | Saffron Walden Office: 01799 523656 | bruce.king@cheffins.co.uk
Heydon – 6 miles from Royston Station Guide Price £1,300,000 A deceptively spacious, detached farmhouse dating in part to the 15th Century. The property has been enlarged over a number of centuries to provide extensive and versatile accommodation of approximately 4,866 sqft, with six bedrooms over three floors enjoying a number of period of features. In addition is a recently constructed large detached garage with room above.
Contact: Bruce King | Saffron Walden Office: 01799 523656 | bruce.king@cheffins.co.uk
Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
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01223 214214 cheffins.co.uk
19/08/2022 10:42
LAST WORD The 2012 Olympics were a boost for Britain’s morale post-recession
Tales of our Time Michael Hayman calls for a new celebration of British design
T
he Festival of Britain in 1951 described itself as ‘one united act of national reassessment, and... reaffirmation of faith in the nation’s future.’ Positivity was not something much in evidence in the months running up to the opening of the festival. Its shiny new installations were to stand on the Southbank, amid the wreckage of bombdamaged London, and austerity was the tide that would not turn. Sound familiar? But the festival did put the spring back into Britain’s step, and it was design and its possibilities that became the means to pop the national cork. On one level, the festival was a national theme park reminding some of its 8.5 million
visitors that the best really was yet to come. But, according to the V&A, it also provided ‘a catalyst for a new design aesthetic, launching the career of noted British designers working in the fields of textiles, furniture and graphic design.’ Confidence is at the heart of how great cultures flourish; an intangible X-factor that provides nations with a spring in their step. And design offers a way to build self-belief in tough times. The 2012 Olympics, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, is another powerful example of this. A tour de force for our nation’s sports stars, no doubt. But it was British design and culture that also took to the global stage, with Thomas Heatherwick, Stella McCartney and Danny Boyle at the vanguard. As in 1951, 2012 also offered a legacy to build
on. I work with Here East, once the site of the Olympics’ media centre and now a burgeoning innovation and technology campus. It has been described as ‘the most successful post-Olympic regeneration project in the world’. Fast forward to today and the need to harness the drive that design and creativity create seems more pressing than ever. In short, 1951 and 2012 stand out because we dared to think big and create moments that live on in the national imagination. Which makes me think: isn’t it time for a new initiative to reaffirm the nation’s faith in its future? Our designers are admired around the world. They can give us the edge to create impact on planet, people and place. Because now more than ever we need the opportunity to put our own mark on the design of our times. n
READ Great Circle – By Maggie Shipstead, shortlisted for the Booker Prize (Penguin, £8.99). WATCH Abstract: The Art of Design – inside the minds of the world’s most innovative designers (netflix.com). LISTEN Children of the Anthropocene with the conservationist Bella Lack (changemakers.works). VISIT Take a trip to the Design Museum (designmuseum.org).
PHOTO: UNSPLASH
TA L K I N G P O I N T S
192 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | September/October 2022
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