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AUGUST 2021 £5.20

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NEW ITALIAN DESIGNS SETTING THE TRENDS

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DON’T MOVE , IMPROVE THE UK’S BEST EXTENSIONS

THE ART SPECIAL Q

COOL GALLERIES Q FRESH TALENT Q WHAT TO COLLECT Q NEW WAYS TO BUY Q HOW TO DISPLAY

August 2021

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NOW

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15 News Our round-up of the hottest new designs, plus we meet London-based ceramic artist Miyelle, and Fred Rigby shares the first ready-to-order collection from his eponymous studio

21 Inside story Heirloom furniture in bold hues and rich fabrics is part of an exciting new chapter for Irish brand Orior

23 Laura Jackson on… Finding and treasuring artworks, plus tips on framing and displaying pieces on a gallery wall 24 Design DNA How Arne Jacobsen’s curvaceous ‘Series 7’ chair has retained iconic status since its conception in 1955

27 My cultural life Comedian and presenter Joe Lycett shares the books, films and sounds that have influenced him 28 Gardens Beautiful glass bubble planters, crocuses to sow now for autumn colour, and RHS Garden Wisley’s must-see science hub 31 Architecture Cheese and contemporary design prove the perfect pairing on the Grand Union Canal, high-rise living continues apace in London and a converted grain store offers luxury in Norfolk

32 Building a future New London Architecture’s annual prize celebrates the best extensions in the capital. We reveal our top four

35 Kitchens & bathrooms On our list: a covetable carbonator, and innovative floor tiles that never feel cold beneath your feet 36 Technology The smart gadgets for your radar, including an interactive fitness mirror and three luxury collaborations

38 Forever Italy From the spiritual home of design, we present the 28 new pieces breaking boundaries and shaping global trends 48 At home with Founder of lighting and design brand Magic Circus Éditions, Marie-Lise Féry invites us into her drama-filled country house

STYLE

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55 News Discover the fabrics, wallcoverings, tiles and paints to complete your next project

58 Travels from West Africa The artisan textiles steeped in culture and tradition that are making a colourful impact on fashion and interiors

71 Your essential guide

60 Decorator index Elicyon founder Charu Gandhi shares her secrets for creating an opulent interior

62 Elements of style Find inspiration in a timeless yet tasteful combination of pieces and fabrics that reflect the natural world around us

The art special

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to the best new galleries, talent and ways to buy.

Plus, expert tips on how to display and style art in the home

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HOMES Escape Finally 100 Made for tomorrow Working from

PICTURES: GERARDO JACONELLI, ANDREA BREDA, HELENIO BARBETTA/LIVING INSIDE

home takes on new meaning in Sydney, where one couple have created a bold extension designed for business and leisure

114 The pleasure principle Design duo Draga & Aurel’s apartment in Como reflects their sleek and glamorous style

171 News The latest coastal retreat,

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176 The lido revival Take the

184 Stockists Where to buy

plunge in one of these outdoor pools

your favourites in this issue

180 The grape escape Vineyard

194 Treasured Designer Tom

hotels in the UK and overseas

Dixon’s most prized possession

124 Summer breeze Life revolves around the pool at this Puglian holiday home where the modern and traditional work in harmony

138 Groove is in the house The relaxed vibe of 1970s Laurel Canyon provided the template for this north London terrace

148 Villa in the sky A new-build in Mexico, where architectural flights of fancy are grounded by a classical aesthetic

160 Everyone is welcome Berlin meets Iran by way of Poland in this eclectic apartment full of personal details

The covers Newsstand This sustainable Sydney home and studio, p100, is just one of the hot properties in this issue.

Photographed by Anson Smart Subscribers Large industrial-style windows in an unconventional Mexican new-build, p148.

Photographed by Nin Solis/Living Inside

AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 7

From the Editor

E

arlier this week, I did a presentation to some of our commercial clients discussing ‘The Emotion of Home’.

As regular readers of my letters will know, it’s a subject I feel particularly passionate about. As I explained in my talk, where we live should not be considered as just four walls we fill with stuff; it’s the emotion, the life that unfurls within that transforms a house into a home. That heartfelt connection we have with the place is fundamental to our relationship with it.

It’s a theme we return to time and time again on these pages.

This is not solely a handbook for those looking to do a specific project or purchase a new sofa or table – although don’t get me wrong, it does offer advice on those fronts. Instead, each month, myself and the team try to acknowledge that emotional link.

In my opinion, art and how we use it in the home is at the heart of this emotive response. At the magazine, we see hundreds of beautiful properties from around the world every week, and spend hours debating what makes the right formula for the perfect space. Increasingly, pieces of art and how they are displayed or highlighted is integral to that equation. Speaking from personal experience, finding the right art that works for you is a daunting endeavour. It’s an area perhaps more subjective than any other – love and hate go side by side.

As I’m sure many of you feel the same, this issue is our very first art special, dedicated to helping you navigate the variety of choice out there, discover new talents and start (or develop) your own collection. There’s advice on how to display pieces – the ever-inspiring Laura Jackson tackles gallery walls in her column and our ‘Art House’ shoot shows how beautiful furniture and graphic art, from prints and painting to sculptures, objects and textiles, make perfect partners. I hope you find it as inspiring and helpful as I do.

Injecting life and personality into any space takes time, effort and imagination (the occasional misstep, too) but it’s ultimately so rewarding when you achieve somewhere that represents who you are, your tastes and style. One of artist Henri Matisse’s favourite phrases was ‘creativity takes courage’. He was right.

Hopefully you can embrace both.

‘Finding the right ART that WORKS for you is a DAUNTING endeavour. It’s an area perhaps more SUBJECTIVE than any other – LOVE and hate go side by side’

PICTURE: BEN ANDERS

Editor-in-Chief

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House of Hearst, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ EDITO R- IN - CHIEF BEN SPRIGGS Creative Director Philippe Blanchin

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NOW NEWS

/ SHOPPING/ OPINION/ TRENDS

Bloom time Born from the idea of metamorphosis and the optimism of springtime, Society Limonta’s latest textile collections are scattered with uplifting botanical motifs. Its bedding ranges are especially verdant, comprising a mix of plain sheets in lush greens, soothing blues and delicate pinks, and coordinating pillowcases strewn in flora and fauna designs. ‘Nap Fleur’ ramie pillowcase set, £180; ‘Rem’ linen cushion set, £115; ‘Milo’ linen, cashmere and silk throw, £635; ‘Rem’ linen sheet, £295, all Society Limonta (uk.societylimonta.com).

Edited by K ATE WORTHINGTON

FULL OF BEANS Jaime Hayon’s new ‘Explorer’ side tables for BD Barcelona make for a characterful little gang. Typical of the Spanish designer’s playful aesthetic, the three variations are inspired by jelly beans and childhood sweets and are available in a tantalising array of colours and finishes. From £1,564, Aram (aram.co.uk).

NAME TO KNOW

MIYELLE

Line of BEAUTY It seems there are endless ways to reinvent the classic bentwood chair, and Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, maker of the iconic design since 1853, is on a mission to prove it. This year’s iteration comes courtesy of French talent Philippe Nigro, whose two ‘Beaulieu’ chairs (one with armrests, one without) marry a contemporary shape with an undulating backrest that pays homage to the typology. From £580 (gebruderthonetvienna.com).

Tell us how you came to ceramics… I’m half Korean and growing up I always loved the handmade Korean ceramics we had in our home and the pieces I’d discover on trips there. My background is in graphic design and art direction, working predominantly in fashion.

A few years ago I was searching for an alternative creative outlet that was more hands-on and away from a computer screen, and as soon as my hands touched the clay I fell in love!

What inspires your practice? I want my work to surprise, delight and enhance the experience of everyday rituals. My new collection, ‘Opposites Attract’, was inspired by the beautiful shapes of the female body, flowing water, exaggerated proportions and light versus dark. In contrast to the curvaceous shapes, I used clean lines and edges, so while the pieces feel organic, they also have a geometric element.

What do you love most about working with clay? The meditative process. Time is like a vortex in my studio – the hours just fly by. Creating something that’s tangible, that someone can enjoy every day and keep forever makes me so happy.

Any new projects lined up? There are plans for an exclusive collaboration with a big store next year, which I’m very excited about. I’m also expanding my lighting designs and collaborating with an illustrator friend on a collection of pieces. miyelle.com

PICTURE: EUGENI AGUILO, ANDY PRICE

Meet the London-based ceramic artist whose pieces explore the concept of contrast

NOW

BRAND TO KNOW

SEDILIA Established in the 1990s, Sedilia has been quietly honing its craft for more than 20 years, working to commission for a pool of renowned interior designers. Recently, the brand unveiled its own in-house lines, showcasing the superb artistry that comes out of its south London workshop. The latest addition to the collection is the ‘Sennen Curved Sofa’, which joins a family of pieces (eagle-eyed readers may recall seeing the ‘Sennen Sofa’, ‘Sennen Armchair’ and ‘Sennen Swivel Tub Chair’ in starring roles in the ELLE Decoration Penthouse) with generous proportions and gently embracing shapes. Sofa, £23,530 (sedilia.com).

Dish of the day First launched in 2015, Barber Osgerby’s popular ‘Olio’ collection of tableware for Royal Doulton has been given a refresh. Forms have been tweaked, finishes updated and a new colourway, ‘Celadon Blue’, has been added into the mix. A reflection of how people live and use tableware every day, the range is designed to be versatile enough to work as a set or with other pieces: ‘People don’t have just one set of tableware – they might buy a jug from this place and some plates from that place,’ notes designer Edward Barber. From £12 (royaldoulton.com).

RIGHT STRIPES London creative firm Buchanan Studio has many strings to its bow, including interior design, branding, set design and art direction. This summer sees product design join the list, with the launch of the ‘Studio Chair’, its first piece of own-brand furniture. Combining craftsmanship, comfort and dashing stripes, which come in ‘Ruby’ (pictured), ‘Indigo’ and ‘Rose’, it’s a confident debut and a taste of things to come. £2,394 (buchanan.studio).

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WISHLIST

HOLIDAY DREAMS Escape to warmer climes with sky blue and azure hues. Add a pop of sunshine with a yellow table and get a beach vibe with pieces in natural materials

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1 ‘Roman Stripe’ wallpaper in ‘Powder’, £85 per 10m roll, Eleanor Bowmer (eleanorbowmer.co.uk) 2 ‘Rope’ ceiling lamp by HK Living, £295, Nordic Nest (nordicnest.com) 3 Far Off Poolside print by Slowdown Studio, from £45, Trove by Studio Duggan (thetrove.co.uk) 4 ‘Constantia Blue’ pure flat emulsion, £51 for 2.5 litres, Paint & Paper Library (paintandpaperlibrary.com) 5 ‘Riviera Tuffet’, £695, Jonathan Adler (jonathanadler.com) 6 ‘E8’ rectangular table in ‘Zinc Yellow’ by Mathias Hahn for Zeitraum, £3,866, Nest (nest.co.uk) 7 ‘Indu’ terracotta planter, £30, Toast (toa.st) 8 ‘Havana Banana Bowl’ in ‘Banana Split’, £55, Kodanska (kodanska.dk) 9 ‘Stoneware Vase’, £19.99, H&M Home (hm.com/home) 10 ‘Tortoise Blue’ carafe by &Klevering, £25, Arket (arket.com) 11 Tumbler glass by Pols Potten, £49, Arket (arket.com) 12 ‘Yuvari’ rug in ‘Ink’, from £1,620, A Rum Fellow (arumfellow.com) 13 ‘Wave’ ladderback chair, £690, Sascal Studio x The Odd Chair Company (sascalstudio.com)

COMPILED BY: KIERA BUCKLEY-JONES PICTURES: UDO RIBBE, SIMON ELDON

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5 MINUTES WITH…

FRED RIGBY The British designer tells us about the recent launch of the first ready-to-order collection from his eponymous studio E x p l a i n t h e c o n c e pt behind your first range of furniture… With the ‘Everyday Collection’, I wanted to create a practical and comfortable series of ‘essential’ furnishings, which could easily fit into people’s homes in terms of both cost and function. It was important to maintain quality while catering for the needs of daily life, whether it’s moving house or growing a family, so flexibility was important. For example, ‘Cove’ is a modular seating range, where the segments can be put together or used in different ways to suit the space.

The ‘Raindrop’ tables have been designed in six different sizes in various timbers, to create flexible pieces that can be used throughout the home, as individual pieces or in cascading configurations.

What feeling or mood did you want to create? As it’s our first furniture collection, it was our intention for it to feel very honest. It comes down to the materials we’re using, as well as the construction.

It’s inspired by the English countryside, how did this feed into the design details? Our designs have always taken inspiration from natural forms and textures. For example, the ‘Raindrop’ table series was inspired by the rippling effect

PICTURE: RENEE KEMPS

From top ‘Raindrop Tables’ from £520 and ‘Cove Sofa’, from £1,800; ‘Cove Slipper Chair’, from £1,600; ‘Tide Dining Chairs’, £450 each, ‘Tide Dining Table’, from £2,200, all Fred Rigby (fredrigbystudio.com)

of raindrops in a puddle, and how the droplets merge into one another – this translated into the design as a series of small tables that overlap and vary in size. The ‘Cove Sofa Set’ came from looking at the Jurassic Coast, which inspired the shape of the external edges. We chose five different fabric shades, wanting to bring natural colours and energy into people’s homes. The yellow is from the straw fields that I remember on the hillsides near my home before harvest.

Where are these pieces made? With this collection we wanted to focus on suppliers and materials from the UK, down to the last screw! We’ve mainly used oak for its beautiful grain and character, which we finish with a natural oil. The fabrics on the ‘Cove’ series are dyed and woven in the UK by Tibor.

Do you have a favourite detail or design? I’m a chair fanatic and they’re notoriously the hardest piece of furniture to design. In fact, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe once said designing a skyscraper was almost easier! So it has to be the ‘Tide Chair’. We’ve pared it back to its simplest form, drawing on the shapes of the legs of ‘Tide Dining Tables’, so they work beautifully together as a set. fredrigbystudio.com AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 19

Making waves An alumnus of Joseph Dirand’s architecture and design practice, Paris-based Francesco Balzano set up his own studio in 2018, creating sculptural, monolithic pieces hewn from marble, resin or solid timber. His ‘Ossicle’ trays, a collaboration with leather house Giobagnara, combine his love of simple, stylised forms with luxe materials – in this case marble lined with leather and suede. From £660 (theinvisiblecollection.com).

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE The landscape of Tom Raffield’s native Cornwall has once again played muse to the brand’s designs. This time, it’s the rugged, stepped cliff faces of the north coast that has caught the designer’s eye, resulting in the new ‘Levan Drum Pendant’. Handcrafted from four curved tiers of oak or walnut and fastened with brass rivets, its timeless silhouette has an art deco-meets-Scandi feel. From £225 (tomraffield.com).

The ‘Boa’ pouf is the first collaboration between Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis (pictured) and homeware brand Hem. Sporting the designer’s signature candy-like hues (‘Sulfur Yellow’, ‘Cotton Candy’ and ‘Oatmeal’), the playful, doughnut-shaped piece is upholstered in a wool melange, which is created using a high-tech knitting process that eliminates surplus fabric as well as all visible seams. This leaves the pouf’s voluptuous form pleasingly smooth. £1,349 (hem.com).

PICTURE: TITIA HAHNE PHOTOGRAPHY

HOLE IN ONE

NOW

I N S I D E S T O RY

ORIOR The family-owned furniture brand shaking up preconceptions of Irish design

‘WE ARE FIRMLY AN IRISH BRAND AND EVERYTHING IS MADE HERE’

WORDS: EMMA LOVE PICTURES: CLAIRE ESPARROS

Clockwise from top left ‘Hemlock’ console, £5,500 and ‘Pop’ chair, £3,475; Ciaran McGuigan, Orior’s creative director; ‘Atlanta’ sofa, from £7,750; ‘Livia’ ottoman, £2,100; ‘Hex’ screen, £4,024 per panel; ‘Easca’ coffee table, £22,075, all Orior (oriorfurniture.com)

‘I vividly remember going through the design archive and flicking past the “Atlanta” sofa,’ recalls Ciaran McGuigan, creative director of Irish furniture brand Orior, which was founded by his parents Brian and Rose, in 1979. ‘It was designed by my dad; one of the team suggested putting it in electric blue velvet, someone else said we should add fringing.

Now it’s one of our bestsellers.’ Such bold hues and rich fabrics are typical of McGuigan, who has been on a mission to re-energise the family business since he officially joined nine years ago.

Named after the road in Newry, Northern Ireland, where his father grew up, Orior came about after his parents spent time living in Copenhagen. ‘Their minds were blown by the shapes and form of Danish design, but we are firmly an Irish brand and everything is made here,’ says McGuigan, who, with his sister Katie Ann (a fashion designer) grew up around the furniture makers on the factory floor. ‘From afar, Irish design can seem a little too crafty so we are pushing materiality and colour in a contemporary way while tapping into heritage skills.’ One of the first decisions he made after coming onboard was to open a studio and showroom in New York. He also took on hospitality contract clients (such as London members’ club Annabel’s) and reverted back to the company’s roots – designing and making standalone heirloom furniture.

As well as putting a fresh spin on archive classics, recent collections have focused on experimenting with techniques and materials.

‘Last year, we ended up pairing recycled crystal off-cuts with green Connemara marble for the “Easca” coffee table,’ he continues, emphasising that each product (some still designed by his father) is a collaboration with the makers. New pieces this year are equally innovative. They include an oak and marble ‘Wavy Credenza’ inspired by 1950s cars and the ‘Reo’ side table, with a crystal top that seems to bubble underneath and a sculptural marble base. ‘Everything we launch is the result of good people, good conversation and just wanting to put banging stuff out there,’ he concludes. oriorfurniture.com

AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 21

NOW

L AUR A JACKSON ON…

Curating art at home Our monthly columnist shares her collecting journey, from artistic finds to her tips for displaying them Gallery walls for the home are nothing new (a quick look at the hashtag on Instagram will bring up 1.5 million posts) but it’s the curating that’s the interesting bit. The act of making it personal.

And it doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavour.

Two of my most treasured pieces of art have been picked up on my travels. One is a silhouette of a woman bought from a flea market in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen 10 years ago with my best friend Lauren.

The second is a painting of a boy, which my husband and I got at auction. Neither are celebrated masterpieces, but are priceless to me.

If you are starting out on your art exploration, I recommend looking for something you would be happy to build a collection around. The first piece of the puzzle. I recently invested in a painting

by Australian chef, restaurateur and artist Magnus Reid for my basement. I’m yet to find anything that works well alongside it, but the beauty of a gallery wall is it can, and should, evolve as you do.

It’s worth remembering, too, that not everything needs to be a piece of art in the traditional sense. Vintage drawings, tapestries, photographs and maps all work well – the more unique to you, the better. I’ve always liked the idea of collecting fallen flowers I’ve found on holiday and pressing them. If there were enough hours in the day, I’d do that.

PICTURES: SAM HENDEL, KATARINA MATSSON, STEPHANIE SIAN SMITH

Clockwise from above The painting Laura bought in Hell’s Kitchen, New York; Katarina Matsson’s gallery wall; FRMD’s hand-finished bespoke frames

When you begin collecting, think about the colour palette. Do you want to focus on a similar tone to help anchor all of your pieces? This can be helpful, but there’s also something attractive about clashing prints. Then decide whether you want to hang your artwork in clusters or be a bit sparser about it. You might want to choose a louder or larger piece in the centre and work from there.

If you’ll be using a few bigger pieces, make sure they’re not too close in the interests of balance.

Mixing frame styles can work well, too, so look into circular, square and wiggle shapes as well as rectangular.

There’s a world of options out there. FRMD is great for colours and gives free advice if you upload a snap of your picture, while Facility has fantastic curved options, and Brider & Bull offers a modern, bespoke approach.

I recommend having a little rehearsal before any nails are introduced to walls. If you’ve got the space, lay your items out to help you visualise the arrangement. You

THE BEAUTY OF A GALLERY WALL IS IT CAN, AND SHOULD, EVOLVE AS YOU DO. THE MORE UNIQUE THE BETTER can use masking tape on the floor if you want to be exact about it.

One of my favourite examples of art in the home belongs to Katarina Matsson, the print director at ELLE Decoration Sweden, whose feed I admire on Instagram (@ettrumtill). Clearly a lot of time has been put into how she displays it, but it doesn’t feel too contrived. It’s everything a good gallery wall should be.

Personally, I am still very much on my curating journey. There is no rush when it comes to finding art that speaks to you, and your collection never has to be ‘complete’. The best approach is to let it grow with you, your family and the rest of your home.

See Stockists page for details of all the stores mentioned AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 23

DESIGN DNA

SERIES 7 CHAIR

BY ARNE JACOBSEN FOR FRITZ HANSEN The story behind the 1955 design that would become one of the most imitated chairs in the world, hailed for its flawless combination of style and function Danish architect Arne Jacobsen’s ‘Series 7’ is one of the most iconic and enduring chairs ever designed. More than 65 years after its creation, it remains the best-selling chair in manufacturer Fritz Hansen’s catalogue.

Aside from those famous curves, much of its appeal lies in its chameleonlike quality. Over the years, it has morphed from its original plywood form, which was intended for sophisticated dining, into an armchair, an office chair on wheels and a children’s seat. It has also undergone numerous re-editions in velvet, leather and various colours that all subtly alter its mood. It’s the ultimate go-anywhere design – eminently practical, with its lightweight, stackable frame, yet instantly signalling glamour, with its sinuous lines and slender legs.

Jacobsen designed the ‘Series 7’ in 1955, when he was 53, and the chair would go on to feature in one of his greatest achievements, the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen (now the Radisson Collection Royal Copenhagen), which opened in 1960. Jacobsen designed everything for the 22-storey building, from its façade to the door handles and cutlery in the restaurant, where ‘Series 7’ still seats diners today. Although the chair wasn’t created specifically for the hotel – unlike the equally famous ‘Swan’ and ‘Egg’ – it suits the dining space perfectly.

Simplicity is at the heart of the chair’s success. Its streamlined plywood shell, which made minimal use of timber at a time when materials were scarce, epitomises post-war economy; the cross-shaped metal base lends strength and flexibility, as well as a visual lightness that transcends time. It’s why this impeccable chair is still at home in every setting, whether it’s a stylish apartment in ELLE Decoration, a cool conference room or the latest design destination.

T H E M A K I N G O F Hand and machine

‘Series 7’ seats being formed in the factory; and (right) workers assembling chairs by hand in the 1950s

The construction of the ‘Series 7’ involves a blend of technical skill and human attention to detail. Craftsmen at the Fritz Hansen factory stack nine sheets of veneer and cut them by hand to create the chair’s signature shape, carefully selecting tones so that the front and back match perfectly. Strength is required to steam-bend the wood without cracking it, using a process that was pioneered by Fritz Hansen.

Once this is achieved, a computer-controlled mill rounds the edges, then the timber is sanded and finished by hand, and finally the legs are attached.

WORDS: AMY BRADFORD PICTURES: NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY LONDON, STRÜWING, ©VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

combine to create the distinctive design

NOW

W H Y I T ’ S N O W Changing colours and fabrics keep the design feeling fresh The first ‘Series 7’ chairs were made in natural wood, black and red finishes.

Jacobsen himself orchestrated the next variation, issuing a set of colours in 1968 that included grey, red, green, blue and white. The design has continued to evolve ever since, most recently in 2020, with an Italian velvet series (left) and the ‘A Sense of Colour’ collection, which features 16 contemporary colours (far left) chosen by gallerist and tastemaker Carla Sozzani. New this year is a version for children and, coming this autumn, more upholstered editions.

JACOBSEN HIMSELF ORCHESTRATED THE NEXT VARIATION, ISSUING A SET OF COLOURS IN 1968

I C O N I C M O M E N T S A fake version of the chair became part of a very British scandal The glamorous image of the ‘Series 7’ was cemented in 1963, at the height of the Profumo Affair, when Christine Keeler (left) was photographed in the nude astride a copycat version. The chair used may have been a fake – the hole in the back was a dead giveaway – but not many people noticed, and the sinuous curves of Jacobsen’s design suddenly looked even sexier than they had before. The V&A has both the genuine and fake chairs (as well as the photographs), in its collection: when pictured side by side (below), the differences are obvious.

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NOW 1 3 2

4

6

7

5

M Y C U LT U R A L L I F E

8

JOE LYCETT

WORDS: CAT OLLEY PICTURES: MATT CROCKETT, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, FICTION RECORDS/ UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, ULTIMATE DILEMMA, PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

An arbiter of taste tells us what they’re reading, listening to and more British comedian, presenter and master of mischief Joe Lycett – who briefly and brilliantly changed his name to Hugo Boss – is the host of The Great British Sewing Bee, and a regular fixture on perennial television favourites such as Live at the Apollo, Taskmaster and 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. His own show, Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back, elevates the consumer complaint to an art form, while an appearance on Grayson’s Art Club (and a particularly memorable portrait of Chris Whitty) revealed a love for letting loose with clay and acrylics. Fans follow him for salacious gardening updates and images of Britain’s bins. He is on tour next year. joelycettcomedy.co.uk The first album I loved was When it Falls by Zero 7 (4). I’ve always loved filmic, gentle music, and Zero 7 are the masters, plus this was during the era when Sia provided some seriously delicious vocals.

My all-time favourite piece of music is the theme tune to Casualty. I used to sing it out the back window of my mum’s car.

Recently I’ve loved Billie Marten’s new album, Flora Fauna (2), and particularly the track Creature of Mine. She’s a star. I was introduced to Introvert by Little Simz by a friend recently and have listened to it approximately 70,000 times.

One of my best-loved books is My Uncle Oswald by Roald Dahl (1). It’s such a gloriously daft premise. In recent memory, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (6) really gripped me, and I particularly adored the descriptive language that was often more comedically beautiful than I could ever hope to achieve.

At the moment I’m reading Postcapitalist Desire by Mark Fisher – probably not what you’d expect from a daft little queer lad off the telly. It’s a collection of his final lectures and I find each paragraph so rich with thought and inspiration.

Favourite quotes? Basically, all of Bob Monkhouse’s jokes. My favourite being: ‘My dad only hit me once. But it was with a Volvo.’

My favourite film is The Great Beauty directed by Paolo Sorrentino (3). Every time I watch it, I fall in love again, and yet I feel a sense of melancholy once it finishes, like it has sort of lied to me. I can’t explain it. That’s why it works. I also started up on the Lord of the Rings trilogy again recently. They’re good aren’t they?

My lockdown cultural discovery was Love is Blind on Netflix.

It’s the height of culture. We can end culture now. We’ve done it.

One of the best shows I’ve seen was the ‘Grayson’s Art Club’ exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery, which really proved that galleries can put contemporary stuff from unknowns on their walls and people will go wild for it. I hope to see a lot more major galleries doing the same. Ikon Birmingham’s (5) recent ‘Ikon for Artists’ exhibition was similar, and so welcome.

If I won the lottery, I’d buy my own sculpture, Chris (7), which is priced at £12.5 million.

I can’t wait to go back to Italy. One day I hope to be an old Italian woman making pasta (8). Have big nonna arms. Slightly aggressive.

A touch violent. Heaven.

My favourite place in the world is my garden. I sit in it drinking gavi. It’s my happiest place.

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GARDENS /

WA L K I N G O N A I R

NATURAL GROWTH From an organic farm in Gloucestershire, Daylesford has grown into a multi-store empire of farm shops, cafés, holiday cottages and more. Its latest venture is an organic garden store set in a former barn, where you’ll find Daylesford’s own range of garden furniture, alongside tools, planters, three different types of peat-free soil and British-grown plants sold in recyclable pots (daylesford.com).

White saleur bowl, £35; small hand trowel, £20 (daylesford.com)

Looking for all the world like soap bubbles floating on the breeze, LSA’s latest addition to its ‘Canopy’ collection includes these delightful little planters. Designed in collaboration with the Eden Project – the domed shapes are inspired by the biomes there – they are mouth blown from recycled glass. Ideal for a mini terrarium, or for air plants (tillandsia); just don’t forget to give them a good spritz once a week. From £20 each (lsa-international.com).

CROCUSES TO PLANT NOW

CROCUS SPECIOSUS This has beautiful goblet-shaped, veined lilac petals and vivid orange anthers. Given a sunny, well-drained spot it will form large colonies. £4.99 for 15 bulbs (crocus.co.uk).

CROCUS SPECIOSUS ‘ALBUS’ A pure white variety with pale yellow stems, this looks stunning naturalised in grass or planted under deciduous shrubs. £6 for 15 bulbs (avonbulbs.co.uk).

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CROCUS S AT I V U S The bright red stigma of this crocus are harvested as saffron.

UK weather may not provide a crop, but you’ll get to enjoy the flowers. £9.99 for 30 bulbs (suttons.co.uk).

A GREENER FUTURE The UK’s first dedicated gardening science hub, Hilltop at RHS Garden Wisley, is now open to the public. Visitors will be able to explore the interactive exhibition space, watch live experiments in action and talk to the scientists about their work, as well as viewing the RHS’s extensive archives of bugs, books and botanical art. Outside there are four acres of ‘living laboratory’ gardens, including a Wellbeing Garden, designed by Matt Keightley, and a Wildlife and World Food Garden by Ann-Marie Powell (rhs.org.uk).

WORDS: NATASHA GOODFELLOW PICTURES: RICHARD BROWN, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, RHS / PAUL DEBOIS

For pools of pretty colour in your garden this autumn, late August is the time to get your bulbs in the ground

ARCHITECTURE / STRAIGHT AND NARROW With space increasingly at a shortage in cities around the world, architects have been exploring creative ways to build homes on restricted sites.

Vertical Living, a new book from Gestalten, showcases 41 of the most innovative and extreme examples. These homes reveal how clever design tactics, such as ingenious staircases or skylights, can help you to do more with less (£35; uk.gestalten.com).

ALL ABOARD Adam Richards Architects has installed a floating restaurant on the Grand Union Canal in London’s Paddington. The Cheese Barge, as it’s known, is a custom-built narrowboat that cleverly brings contemporary architecture together with nautical design. A verdigris-coloured patinated metal roof gives the vessel a distinctive profile, while slimline glazing offers a bright and open feel. Inside, a handcrafted interior by Raven Collective blends buoy-like lamps, industrial details and tables made from recycled milk bottles and yoghurt pots. All together, it’s a comfortable spot for enjoying some of Britain’s best cheeses (thecheesebar.com).

WORDS: AMY FREARSON PICTURES: BROTHERTON LOCK, DBOX FOR ERIC PARRY ARCHITECTS, NICK DEARDEN

MOVING ON UP Despite the pandemic, London’s thirst for skyscrapers appears to be greater than ever. A record-breaking 587 tower blocks are currently in planning or under construction, according to the London Tall Buildings Survey 2021, published by New London Architecture and Knight Frank. While building was inevitably slowed by Covid-19, the data suggests that demand for high-rise living has continued to grow, with residential accounting for 90 per cent of the projects underway (nla.london/ insights/londons-tall-buildings-survey-2021).

Escape to the country 31/44 Architects has taken barn conversions to the next level with this transformation of a disused grain store in Norfolk. The building looks quite simple from the outside, with a façade characterised by larch louvres and a metal drum, yet the interior is filled with drama. The full height of the building is experienced via an open-plan living and dining space organised around a log burner, and a 15-metre swimming pool.

A master bedroom is suspended in-between, while three additional bedrooms are accessed via a glazed bridge (3144architects.com).

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Building a FUTURE

Don’t move, improve! That’s the message behind the annual prize organised by New London Architecture, showcasing the best house extensions in the capital Following a period that many of us spent wishing our homes were a little bit bigger and a whole lot more flexible, this year’s shortlist offers a pool of inspiration. Working with radical materials, bright colours and unusual shapes, the architects behind these innovative designs show that, whether you’re looking for a quiet corner to work, or a space big enough to entertain, all kinds of things are possible. ‘We’ve all realised the importance of balance throughout the pandemic,’ says New London Architecture (NLA) chairman Peter Murray. ‘This year we’ve seen a vast range of home office spaces submitted, which have not only added functionality but character to the existing homes.’ Here are four examples, but there are more to explore on the NLA website (nla.london/awards/dont-move-improve).

Colour blocking Studio Ben Allen has exploited the full potential of concrete in this multi-hued extension for a terraced property in Haringey (right). Supporting the structure are green-pigmented columns and beams, which are imprinted with ornate patterns, while the exterior wall is made from salmon-coloured concrete panels, inset with a matching window screen. Inside, a kitchen and two new bathrooms feature the same vibrant colour palette, along with vaulted louvre ceilings and flashes of gold. With so much creativity on show, it’s no surprise this inventive project was awarded first prize. studiobenallen.com

Indian influence An unusual mix of coloured concrete blocks, dark quarry tiles and oak gives a unique aesthetic to this rear extension in Tottenham (left). It’s the home of architect Daniel Marmot of Artefact, who designed it for himself and his family, aiming to combine their British and Indian heritages. The space is highly flexible, thanks to custom-made furniture that includes a blockwork bench topped with recycled foam, a table made from steel and repurposed yoghurt pots, and a shelving system that incorporates a desk and toy storage. artefact-studio.com

ARCHITECTURE

A graphic language The owners’ love of art, design and graphics is clearly reflected in this kitchen and garden revamp in Peckham, designed by Alexander Owen Architecture. Bold blue arches characterise the rear façade, framing patio doors and a window in the dining area. Set against a black backdrop, the blue contrasts perfectly with the soft pink of the patio and the canary yellow of bespoke outdoor seating. The architects describe it as ‘part art, part sculpture, part architecture’, and they aren’t wrong. aoarchitecture.co.uk

Rethinking the courtyard

WORDS: AMY FREARSON PICTURES: FRENCH + TYE, IVAN JONES, ADAM SCOTT

This restored Georgian house in Clapham now has two private courtyards, thanks to some smart space planning by its designers, Turner Architects. As well as providing plenty of natural light and fresh air, these protected outdoor spaces help to naturally divide what would otherwise have been a very large open-plan living room, meaning the resident family can be doing different things in the space without disturbing one another. It might just be the perfect city house for a lockdown. turnerarchitects.co.uk

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS /

VIP TREATMENT A decade on from its debut kitchen, Vipp presents its second model, the ‘V2’. Based on the same functional detailing and modular approach as its predecessor, the new design is a showcase of sumptuous natural materials, namely dark European oak and Jura marble, a limestone rich in fossils from Germany. Fluted glass and anodised aluminium accents add a light and contemporary touch. Price on application (vipp.com).

HOT FOOT IT Japanese ceramic specialist Inax has been making traditional porcelain tiles for more than 100 years, but the brand also has a keen appetite for innovation.

The new ‘Thermal Gioia Stone’ range (pictured in ‘Grey’, ‘Beige’ and ‘White’) is engineered to look like natural stone, but tiles contain tiny insulating bubbles in the base layer, reducing heat transfer so that they don’t feel cold to bare feet. Glazed with an antibacterial and non-slip layer, they’re ideal for wet rooms and bathrooms. £199 per 0.9 metre square, Raven (raven.style).

WORDS: KATE WORTHINGTON PICTURE: MARK SEELEN

ON THE FIZZ An increased awareness in reducing single-use plastics has seen a revival in home carbonators of late, but Aarke’s sleek and compact ‘Carbonator 3’ is fast becoming a coveted kitchen item in its own right. The fact that the brand has just released its first limited-edition colourway, ‘Sand’ (pictured), says it all. A must-have for fizzy water addicts, its award-winning design and minimalist good looks more than warrant a permanent place on the kitchen worktop. From £199 (aarke.com).

BEAUTIFUL BASICS A comprehensive new range spanning sanitaryware, taps, accessories and furniture, Duravit’s ‘D-Neo’ is an impressive first foray into bathrooms for Belgian designer Bertrand Lejoly. Combining streamlined style, quality and energy- and water-efficiency with entry-level prices, these versatile pieces are chic and accessible. From £168 for a bath mixer tap (duravit.co.uk).

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TECHNOLOGY / 3 OF THE BEST L U XU RY CO L L AB O RATI O NS

HERMÈS X APPLE Never lose your keys again – attach an Apple ‘AirTag’ and track it on the ‘Find My’ app. And with Hermès offering tag options in saddle-stitched leather, security is also stylish. From £249 (apple.com).

REFLECT ON FITNESS

Light listening

FENDI X POLAROID

Transparent’s ‘Light Speaker’ offers both lantern-like illumination and Bluetooth-connected, clear audio.

Designed to emulate the feel of sitting around a campfire, it can recreate flickering candlelight and the subtle glow of embers, or be a strong reading lamp. £290, available September (transpa.rent).

The Polaroid ‘OneStep Close-Up 600’ instant camera is a modern classic and, decorated with a colourful imagining of Fendi’s FF Vertigo logo, it’s now more desirable than ever. £690 (fendi.com).

FIND YOUR BEAST MODE Perfectly mix power and design and the result is the new ‘B10 Health Blender’.

Created by Colin Sapire – the founder of the NutriBullet – this launch from new brand Beast Health has all the sturdy, whole-fruit-and-veg-destroying abilities you would expect, but also looks stylish.

Plus, the vessel transforms into a take-anywhere bottle. Available this autumn (thebeast.com/pages/global).

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BERLUTI X BANG & OLUFSEN Combining Berluti’s excellence in leather with B&O’s craftsmanship-first approach to sound, the ‘Beosound A1 2nd Gen Berluti Edition’ speaker offers dapper on-the-go audio. £320 (bang-olufsen.com).

WORDS: CLARE SARTIN PICTURES: ARTOFCOL, VALENTIN HERFRAY

Want to get those health gains without losing space in your living room?

Unlike other at-home training devices with live and on-demand virtual classes, the interactive fitness mirror by VAHA blends into your interior, its gym abilities invisible until you want to get physical. Choose between cardio, strength, yoga, pilates and even barre for a workout that’s tailored to you. From £1,150, plus £39 monthly subscription (uk.vaha.com).

FOREVER I TA LY

As the spiritual home of design, Italy has always had form when it comes to furniture and lighting, shaping global trends and breaking boundaries from decade to decade.

Our edit of the best new pieces of 2020-2021 celebrates the nation’s flair for creating classics that have both elegance and imagination in spades Edited by KATE WORTHINGTON

The ‘Dada’ chair by Pocci & Dondoli for Bontempi Casa was inspired by seating from the 1950s.

Its undulating frame wraps around the seat and back, creating a light and fluid feel.

From £550 (gomodern.co.uk)

Created for MDF Italia

by French designer Jean Nouvel, the ‘NVL’ table has a distinctive profile, formed by two symmetrical supports tapered to a V-shape, giving its elegantly thin top the appearance of hovering above. £8,626 (aram.co.uk)

GamFratesi’s new ‘Romby’ chair for Porro offers an artful balance between bold geometry and comfort thanks to its padded seat shell and striking conical natural ash base – and it can be used for multiple spaces.

From £1,515 (porro.it)

SEEING RED

PICTURES: THOMAS PAGANI, SIMONA PESARINI, MASSIMO GARDONE

Opulent and eye-catching – there’s only one shade that dares to dominate the palette for 2021. With a spectrum running from terracotta to crimson, these pieces expertly employ the colour for maximum impact

Available in several sizes, finishes and shades, including a sumptuous glossy red lacquer, Meridiani’s new ‘Vittorio’ low tables by Andrea Parisio have a timeless feel that sits seamlessly in any style of home. £1,080 (meridiani.it)

A streamlined version of the brand’s bestselling ‘Birdie’ design by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, Foscarini’s new ‘Birdie Easy’ table lamp comes in six subtle base colours, including ‘Brick Red’. £191 (aram.co.uk)

There’s no missing Pietro Russo’s ‘Hide & Seek’ sideboard, created for Gallotti & Radice’s 2021 collection. Its rotating cubbyholes have a playful retro appeal, making this bold beauty ideal for home bars. £9,528 (chaplins.co.uk)

The concept for Antonio Citterio’s new ‘Noonu’ sofa – named after a Maldivian atoll – for B&B Italia was to create an ‘island’ of relaxation. Its organic form, tilted back rests and modular components make for a refuge of comfort. From £7,199 (bebitalia.com)

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CLASSICS RELOADED With a bevy of timeless designs pulled from the archives and reimagined for contemporary living, this year’s collections look to the past as much as to the future

Part of Knoll’s new ‘Work from Home’ collection, Eero Saarinen’s ‘Saarinen Conference Chair Relax’, first designed in 1957, has been updated with a new heightadjustable aluminium swivel base, combining enduring style and modern comfort. £1,344 (knoll-int.com)

Ingeniously functional, the lightweight, foldable design of Vico Magistretti’s ‘Florian’ table was inspired by, of all things, a broom handle. Acerbis has remastered the 1989 design as part of its new collection for 2021. Approx £745 (acerbis.com)

A coveted icon with originals spotted in countless homes in recent months, Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s 1969 ‘Soriana’ sofa has been relaunched by Cassina with eco-friendly updates including biodegradable biofoam and 100 per cent recycled blown fibre padding. From £6,010 (cassina.com)

PICTURES: FEDERICO CEDRONE, AMIR FARZAD, ANDREA BREDA

F O R E V E R I T A LY

Following last year’s relaunch of Gianfranco Frattini’s Japaneseinspired ‘Kyoto’ coffee table, Poltrona Frau presents a black lacquer version for 2021 – a finish that was available on the 1974 original. From £6,600 (poltronafrau.com)

Catellani & Smith co-founder Enzo Catellani first created the ‘CicloItalia’ in 1989 after finding inspiration in a bicycle headlamp. Reissued in 2018, the design sees an evolution this year with ‘CicloItalia Flex’, a series of lights enhanced with a brass flex base. From £474 (catellanismith.com)

Produced in 1954, Gio Ponti’s ‘Round D.154.5’ chair was used to furnish several of the maestro’s prolific projects, including his Parco dei Principi Hotel in Sorrento and the Villa Planchart. Molteni & C has brought the masterpiece back to life with a new reissue in collaboration with the Gio Ponti Archives.

From £3,538 (molteni.it)

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GRACEFUL & GRAPHIC Strong silhouettes and defined lines can be traced throughout this season’s collections. A cool monochrome palette turns up the visual contrast and keeps things timeless

Bernhardt & Vella’s In just a few sweeping lines, Armani/Casa’s ‘Puro’ ‘Madame’ desk for ‘Lemni’ by Marco Lavit collection is a range that Calligaris is a versatile describes an armchair neatly reflects the brand’s outline. A suspended seat in ethos. This table’s crisply piece – an accompanying mirror transforms it into saddle leather and padded defined geometry is a dressing table. Subtle back roll ensure that emphasised by the contrast details such as a tubular comfort, as well as Living of its green quartzite top metal base offer a soft take Divani’s characteristic light and dark ash underside on minimalism. From aesthetic, is catered for. From (available vice versa, too). £3,221 (livingdivani.it) From £2,745 (armani.com) £1,425 (calligaris.com)

A fusion of Scandinavian and Italian design values, GamFratesi’s ‘Fynn’ footstool for Minotti is one of a family of elegant pieces and features a subtly curved, liquorice-stained ash wood frame and a padded saddle-hide top. £2,670 (minotti.com)

PICTURES: CESARE CHIMENTI FOTOGRAFO

F O R E V E R I T A LY

No prizes for guessing the muse behind Edra’s ‘Full Moon’ table, designed by Jacopo Foggini. A slim and discrete central foot supports a slab of solid alabaster, which, when illuminated, has an ethereal lunar quality. From £4,480 (chaplins.co.uk)

Clever ways to divide spaces are in demand thanks to the pandemic, so Rimadesio’s new aluminium and fluted glass ‘Maxi’ sliding panel system by Giuseppe Bavuso comes at a perfect time. Price on application (rimadesio.it)

Italian lighting specialist Lodes has teamed up with Diesel Living to create a new collection.

The ‘Flask’ series comprises three shapes that recall bottles used in science laboratories.

From approx £233 (lodes.com)

Crafted from solid mahogany using traditional joinery techniques, Flexform’s new ‘Tessa’ armchair has the feel of a mid-century classic thanks to its subtly tapered frame and cowhide sling seat. Price on application ( flexform.it)

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SCULPTURAL SHAPES From shapely curves and voluminous upholstery to monolithic forms, these extraordinary pieces add the wow factor to any home

Carved walnut feet embrace a plush upholstered base and headboard in Giuseppe Viganò’s ‘Softbay’ bed for Porada. Its subtle curves create a calm and cocooning feel, setting the tone for a restful night. £8,350 (porada.it)

Sleek and compact, Fendi Casa’s plinth-like ‘Prisme’ coffee tables are constructed from backpainted glass, giving them a depth that belies their solid appearance and an enigmatic appeal. From £5,100 ( luxurylivinggroup.com)

The rotund shape of the ‘Leon’ revolving armchair by Draga & Aurel makes for an inviting spot to cosy up in, with its enveloping form and soft nubuck leather upholstery. From £6,120 (baxter.it)

PICTURES: MARCO BELLO, CRISTIAN RABBIOSI VIA ARQUA, 13 20131 MILANO

F O R E V E R I T A LY

In production for the first time, Charlotte Perriand’s ‘Paravent Ambassade’ screen was conceived for the residence of the Japanese ambassador to France. Its sinuous shape is created with wooden blocks and metal rods. £8,365 (cassina.com)

The clue’s in the name when it comes to the concept of Rugiano’s ‘Infinity’ outdoor lounge chair; intended to be used as modules to build any number of configurations, its striking geometric base seamlessly connects each piece. From approx £3,327 (rugiano.com)

With gently contoured walnut and leather-clad legs that recall works by Hepworth and Moore, Huang Quan’s ‘Pinnacle’ design for Turri could easily pass for a work of art when not in use as a dining table. From £11,129 (turri.it)

A contemporary interpretation of the generous armchairs found in the gentlemen’s clubs of the 20th century, JeanMarie Massaud’s ‘Le Club’ design is at once strikingly futuristic and comfortingly familiar. From £3,526 (poliform.it)

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THE G R E AT E S T

SHOW WO M A N From lighting designs that delight, to her new country home that wows at every turn, founder of Magic Circus Éditions Marie-Lise Féry knows how to create real drama

Words CLARE SARTIN Photography PIERRICK VERNY

Entrance Farrow & Ball’s ‘Preference Red’, ‘Blazer’ and ‘Inchyra Blue’ make a bold first impression, paired with a ‘Pop-Up’ pendant light by Magic Circus Éditions. The terracotta floor tiles are from Cristina Celestino’s ‘Scenografica’ range for Fornace Brioni

Portrait Marie-Lise Féry stands beneath ‘Chandelier 05’

by Magic Circus Éditions

For a designer who draws inspiration from the fantastical worlds of cabaret and the circus, the past year must have been tough. No live performances, no theatrics, no spectacle. But Marie-Lise Féry has discovered a new form of inspiration.

After moving into this late-19th-century house in Saint-Cyr-auMont-d’Or, a peaceful commune only a 15-minute drive from Lyon, just before the start of the first lockdown last year, the founder of revolutionary lighting and design brand Magic Circus Éditions has taken her cue from performances closer to home. ‘The audience was definitely missing, but my eyes continued to shine and my dream continued to live in me,’ she explains. ‘It was my garden and the magical power of flowers that came to really fascinate me.

I couldn’t believe how it was constantly changing every day.’

Born in Paris, Marie-Lise has lived in Lyon since launching her antiques gallery, Un Château en Espagne, and, in 2015, Magic Circus Éditions. Her search for a house in the country took almost two years and was originally meant to produce a holiday home. Now, however, she and her husband have been lured in by the rural way of life, leaving the city for good. ‘It’s a peaceful lifestyle: open spaces, forests and vineyards,’ she adds, painting an idyllic picture.

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Living room Christophe Delcourt’s ‘Eko’ sofa is placed beneath a painting by Françoise Pétrovitch in this joyful space. The floor lamp is from the Magic Circus Éditions’ ‘Pop-Up’ range and the rug is ‘Bliss Ultimate’ by Mae Engelgeer for CC-Tapis. Playful vases by Victor Alarçon and Nitsa Meletopoulos from Galerie Tatiss sit on the ‘Lob’ coffee tables, a walnut and travertine design by Christophe Delcourt for Collection Particulière

Dining area There’s a symmetry to this space, where all of the furniture comes in pairs. There’s the two ‘01’ chandeliers by Magic Circus Éditions, the ‘Hub’ tables and pair of upholstered ‘Lek’ sofa benches, both by Christophe Delcourt for Collection Particulière. Along with ‘Crono’ dining chairs by Antonio Citterio for Flexform, the assemblage is pulled together by India Mahdavi’s ‘March’ rugs for Golran

AT H O M E W I T H

Kitchen Brescia marble from Marbrerie Ancelle, used as a splashback and to create the impressive island, elevates the Boffi appliances in this ebony-hued space. The bar stools are the ‘Tractor’ by BassamFellows, while the vases are by ceramicist Pierre Casenove and Manufacture de Digoin

This property may have been blessed with authentic features, from parquet flooring to original fireplaces, but several partial renovations had left it a bit of a muddle. It took the help of MarieLise’s long-time collaborator, architect Francis Juillard, to transform the home into the extravaganza of colour and fun we see today.

‘I wanted a house that was as happy as a party,’ admits Marie-Lise.

Those high spirits begin the moment you open the front door and step into the entrance, painted in red, pink and a confident flash of blue. It’s an appropriate introduction to this home and to Marie-Lise’s design aesthetic. ‘Colour,’ she explains, ‘has a real power over our subconscious and can change our behaviour.’ Here, it is utilised to make you smile. To perfect this positive effect, Marie-Lise turned to her friend Annie Duchesne Givone, a colour consultant for Farrow & Ball, who helped devise a distinctive palette.

‘To her,’ says Marie-Lise, ‘colour is life!’

The furnishings are no less vibrant. Pieces by India Mahdavi, Christophe Delcourt, Cristina Celestino and fellow French eccentrics La Chance and Pierre Frey were selected with the help of Claude Cartier, whose Lyon design showroom champions Marie-Lise’s work.

These contemporary highlights happily rub shoulders with antiques and vintage delights discovered by Marie-Lise and her magpie eye. She can’t wait to get back to hunting through galleries and flea markets for her next find. What links them all is her mother’s motto: ‘Objects with a soul will always belong.’ Her most recent discovery was silvered glass balls from the time of Napoléon III, the first president of France. ‘I love their mysteries,’ she says, ‘but also their round shape – simple and fascinating. A bit like the birth of something I suppose.’ It’s a fitting description, as orbs were also the focus of Magic Circus Éditions’ inaugural ‘01’ collection, the birth of her brand, chandeliers from which hang in the dining room. They are not the only examples of the brand’s lighting

Study A canvas by Guido Bisagni from Lyon-based Galerie Slika sets the colour scheme in this room painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Cromarty’ and ‘De Nimes’.

Studiopepe’s ‘Lazybones’ chair and a ‘Parsec’ desk by Pietro Russo, both for Baxter, sit on a ‘Feathers’ rug by Maarten De Ceulaer for CC-Tapis

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AT H O M E W I T H

Library Just seen through the doorway, this rotunda beside the bedroom is painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Drawing Room Blue’ Bedroom Two vintage ‘Senior’ armchairs by Marco Zanuso for Arflex surround an ‘Eros’ marble side table by Angelo Mangiarotti for Agapecasa

Bathroom Bright shades are exchanged for graphic monochrome.

‘CNC’ tiles by Piero Lissoni for Salvatori decorate the walls, while his ‘Stone Parquet’ tiles, also for Salvatori, grace the floor. The towel is a piece by Hermès and the pink ‘Zag’ vase is by Atelier Polyedre. The wall mirror is from Design & That

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on display in this home. In fact, the whole space is a showcase for Magic Circus Éditions’ designs past and present.

‘Colour is much more present in my work today than in the past,’ reflects Marie-Lise. ‘It allows me to develop a new language, more intense and incisive.’ The ‘Pop-Up’ lights in the living room and entrance hall are harlequin-like in the way they wear colour.

Launched in 2019, they are examples of her steady move towards a rainbow palette that reached a new peak with the candy-striped brilliance of the brand’s latest ‘Balloon’ collection.

The theatrical wooden scrolls that sit in Marie-Lise’s living room and bedroom were props taken from the photoshoot for this new range. Oversized and whimsical, they look like objects dropped out of Brobdingnag in Gulliver’s Travels. ‘I found it interesting, necessary even, to bring them back into this intimate living space,’ she says.

No stranger to fantastical worlds, the designer names Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico as a major influence on her work right now. A forefather to the Surrealists, De Chirico paints landscapes full of illogical perspectives. It’s easy to see how his canvases could captivate Marie-Lise, who likes to play with the ideas of scale, relishing producing extra-large lighting designs that playfully break with decorating conventions. ‘I like my creations to provoke surprise and to be where they are not expected,’ she explains.

Her latest ‘ta-da’ moment is that she is preparing to expand beyond the world of lighting. Three new tables will be unveiled during Paris Design Week in September. Like the flowers in her garden, MarieLise likes things to be in constant evolution. ‘In my work, as in my life, I like to feel but also to provoke emotions,’ she says.

In her home she wanted the interiors to personify ‘joy, love, celebration, playfulness and life’. There can be no doubt that this same optimism will be present in Magic Circus Éditions’ new products. We can’t wait to enjoy the show. magic-circus.fr

Bedroom A large wooden sculpture from the photoshoot to promote Magic Circus Éditions’ ‘Balloon’ collection – which includes the floor lamp – acts as a divider between the bed and the small lounge in this room. A statement headboard, upholstered in ‘Fine’ velvet by Pierre Frey, mirrors the shade of the ‘Bold’ bench by Big-Game for Moustache at the end of the bed. The bedspread is also by Pierre Frey, while the bedside tables are the ‘Salute’ by Sebastian Herkner for La Chance. Patricia Urquiola’s ‘Slinkie’ rug for CC-Tapis pulls the vibrant colour scheme together. See Stockists page for details

ST YLE D E C O R AT I N G

/ M AT E R I A L S / I N T E R I O R D E S I G N / I D E A S

Edited by KIER A BUCKLEY-JONES

‘LUNA’ FABRIC BY JANE CHURCHILL Beautiful hand-blocked prints and embroideries make up the ‘Kingswood’ collection from Jane Churchill, with this striking modern geometric in bold colours creating an invigorating, almost 3D effect. The aqua blue diamonds of ‘Luna’ are surrounded by a concentric fretwork that alternates simple outlines with vibrant accents, making it a cheerful choice for summer.

‘Luna’ in ‘Multi’, £65 per m, Jane Churchill (janechurchill.com)

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MORE IS MORE Surface designer Kirath Ghundoo celebrates 10 years in the wallpaper trade with ‘Maximalist 21’, a collection of 10 joyful designs. Inspiration is far-ranging, from the textile designer Lucienne Day and the Bauhaus school, to the interiors of vintage patisseries. The jolliest design of all is ‘Capri’ (pictured) – paste it as a repeat, or arrange it in a mismatched fashion. £145 per 10m roll (kirathghundoo.com).

GET SHIRTY The vast textile waste generated by the fashion industry is well-documented – and Swedish shirt specialist Eton is doing its bit by joining forces with rug brand Sebou. Excess fabrics have been turned into ‘blanket rolls’, each containing over 1,000 different colours and patterns that are woven into one-of-a-kind rugs.

From £2,120 (sebou.se; etonshirts.com).

PA C K A P U N C H Furniture paint allows you to inject a bolder hue into your scheme, even if you’re not brave enough to go all out.

Use chalk paint supremo Annie Sloan’s new shade ‘Capri Pink’ to transform a tired chest of drawers, or to give a vase a playful flourish (below). From £5.95 for 120ml (anniesloan.com).

STYLE

I want candy Lift a room while simultaneously tackling waste with Nomad’s ‘Candy Wrapper’ rug, which is woven using recycled packaging. It now comes in a smaller size and is available in eight colours, including this zesty shade of yellow.

From £1,299 (nomad-studio.de).

DON’T FRET Previous Parker & Jules collections have featured Far Eastern motifs, ikats, paisley and chintz. This summer, these have been adapted around fretwork to create the ‘Creeping Trellis’ print. Available in three colours: ‘Ice Emerald Rose’ (pictured), ‘Electric Moss’ and ‘Wedgwood Red’. £108 per metre (parkerandjules.com).

A new dawn WORDS:KIERA BUCKLEY-JONES PICTURE: ROBERT RIEGER

The enduring popularity of the celebrated architect and print designer Josef Frank is showcased with the relaunch of his ‘Aurora’ wallpaper design from 1947 at Svenskt Tenn. Its pretty flowers and pastel palette are sure to add a dash of daintiness. £94 per 10.5m roll (svenskttenn.se).

ANOTHER DIMENSION Reminiscent of artist Bridget Riley’s work are these handmade ‘Ego’ optical-illusion tiles. Colours include, from top, ‘Malva’, ‘Yellow Sun’, ‘Jade’ and ‘Mint’. From £292 per square metre (theiatiles.com).

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TRAVELS FROM WEST AFRICA Steeped in tradition, these vibrant crafted textiles are making an impact in fashion and interiors Traditionally, the production of bògòlanfini was a shared affair. Malian men would weave the cotton cloth on narrow looms and then women would dye it with mud that had been fermented in clay pots for up to a year. Hence the name: bògòlanfini when translated literally from Bambara means ‘mud cloth’.

It is also one of dozens of textiles native to West Africa, a region encompassing 17 different countries and only a little smaller than the mainland United States. Others include kente, a woven cloth from Ghana, and khasa, strip-woven woollen textiles made by the nomadic Fulani people. There is also adire, a kind of indigo resist-dyeing perfected by Yoruba women in southwestern Nigeria; and in Igboland (the southeastern part of the country), akwete, a handwoven textile often made from combinations of cotton, sisal and raffia. The latter features distinctive combinations of stripes and abstract motifs – although hundreds are known, only a select few are traditionally deployed on an individual piece.

As you might expect, the survival of such intricate and distinctive textile traditions has been turbulent. Colonial powers, including the UK and Netherlands, flooded the region with cheap, factory-produced

From top left ‘Amos’ jacket £1,680; and trousers, £980, both Duro Olowu (duroolowu. com); ‘Aburi’ cushion, £75, Eva Sonaike (evasonaike.com); ‘Fanjul Natural Palm’ tray, £19; ‘Vessel Afrique’ pots, £49 each, all Dar Leone (dar-leone.com)

From top Chair upholstered in ‘Oceana’ fabric in ‘Salton’, £64 per m, Dar Leone (dar-leone.com); Zoe Murphy’s ‘Superwax’ drawers, from £365, come with a choice of fabric linings, pictured (zoemurphy.com); ‘JBL’ Ankara-print maxi dress by Lisa Folawiyo, £750, Matches Fashion (matchesfashion.com)

STYLE

WORDS: KASSIA ST CLAIR PICTURES: LUIS MONTEIRO, YESHEN VENEMA, DARRIN BALDRIDGE

TEXTILE COLOUR COMBINATIONS FEEL FRESH AND UNEXPECTED textiles in the mid-19th century, stifling home-grown production. Adire cloth, by contrast, experienced something of a renaissance in the early 20th century, as dyers experimented with the glut of new cheap European fabrics at their disposal and attracted buyers from across the region.

Today, it is not only the skill and history of such textiles that enthral designers and makers, but also colour combinations that feel fresh and unexpected, as well as the scope they offer for reinterpretation and embellishment. In Nigeria, Lisa Folawiyo combines ankara and adire fabrics to create embroidered cocktail dresses and coordinating trouser suits in riotous combinations. In London, recent collections

by Nigerian-born Duro Olowu featured handpainted stripes and prints reminiscent of resist-dyeing in shades of rich russet, yellow, sky blue and green. A similarly colourful joie de vivre clearly influences Eva Sonaike, a German-born home-textiles designer of Nigerian descent. After a career as a fashion journalist, she launched her eponymous brand in London, drawing on both sides of her heritage to create fabrics, poufs, cushions and lampshades in joyful and generous mixes of hue and print.

Even the more subdued mud cloth has found recent admirers. After spending time living in Ghana, California native Akintunde Ahmad launched Ade Dehye, a brand that combines Ghanaian textiles – most prominently bògòlanfini – with a relaxed streetwear aesthetic.

Clockwise from far left ‘Yellow Pineapple’ fabric, from £10 per yard, Kitenge (kitengestore.com); ‘Regal Kente’ duvet set, from £59.99, Bespoke Binny (bespokebinny. com); ‘Ga City’ lampshade, £140; ‘Osu Peacock’ cushion, £50, both Copper Dust (copperdustlondon. com); fashion designer Akintunde Ahmad with coats, from £80 each, from his brand Ade Dehye (adedehye.com)

From left African print pouf, £199.99, Bespoke Binny (bespokebinny. com); ‘Spiral’ wax print fabric, £16 per m, The African Fabric Shop (africanfabric.co.uk)

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D E C O R AT O R I N D E X

ELICYON The London studio, headed by architect Charu Gandhi, uses refined materials and bespoke furniture to make bold design statements

Who are they? Elicyon was founded in 2014 by architect Charu Gandhi, who’s previously worked at Allies and Morrison (where she contributed to the London Olympics Masterplan) and property developer Candy & Candy. Her studio team includes Swedish-born creative director Cecilia Halling and projects director David Harris – in a former role, he oversaw the restoration of Burberry’s Regent Street flagship.

Gandhi’s passion for design began in India, where she remembers seeing her childhood home being built. The creation of Elicyon was also inspired by her love of craft, which gave her a freedom she couldn’t find in the architecture world. ‘With architecture, you can’t say something is beautiful for the sake of being beautiful, which I found frustrating,’ she explains. ‘Interior design doesn’t complicate things.’ While at Candy & Candy, she was offered a refurbishment project at the prestigious One Hyde Park development, which marked the debut of her new studio. ‘It opened my eyes to a whole host of makers and craftspeople, particularly British ones,’ she says. That network of artisans has become an integral part of the bespoke Elicyon look.

What’s their style? Contemporary opulence, with a focus on beautiful materials, warm colours and eye-catching art. ‘I aim to create exquisite “interior couture” – something that speaks to the clients’ dreams for their home and that evokes a feeling appropriate to the space,’ Gandhi explains. She cites a vast array of inspirations,

from architectural icons such as Carlo Scarpa and Oscar Niemeyer to fashion and theatre design. ‘I often look to art deco, mid-century and Biedermeier periods for furniture inspiration,’ she adds. ‘But I will also dip into other stylistic influences from around the world.’

Japanese crafts are a particular passion, including kintsugi (mending broken objects with gold) and origami.

What are their recent projects? A number of residences in the restored Chelsea Barracks, including a show apartment. ‘Our designs were heavily inspired by the history of the site and its links to two key materials, chalk and clay,’ says Gandhi. ‘We chose a neutral, sandy palette with luxurious natural textures, such as earthenware ceramics. These reference the annual “Collect” craft show held nearby.’

Elicyon has also designed a Mayfair apartment for an art collector couple, which explores ‘how paint colours and finishes draw the eye’: the master bedroom has a ceiling in glossy pale blue. Artworks are illuminated using picture lights hanging on bronze rails.

What are they currently working on?

A lakeside house in the English countryside, a penthouse at Battersea Power Station and another apartment at One Hyde Park, inspired by Ibizan interiors and featuring pops of Yves Klein blue.

They say: ‘We always start by building a narrative behind each space – we want to create a habitable, homely environment, not a stage set.’ elicyon.com

STYLE

Opposite The entrance lobby, with its luxe sandy palette, at The Garrison Club, Chelsea Barracks From top A simple yet elegant dining room in London’s Beaufort Gardens; sculptural vases lead the eye in this dramatic Chelsea Barracks apartment; a mix of colours, patterns and textures create an inviting bedroom; an opulent marble-clad bathroom

THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK Every project has its own unique list of suppliers and craftspeople. Part of making it special is finding the right mix M AT E R I A L S

‘I AIM TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO THE CLIENTS’ DREAMS FOR THEIR HOME’

I love the work of Polish multidisciplinary designer Marcin Rusak, who specialises in innovative materials and art techniques – think flowers embedded in glass, or patinated metals fashioned into furniture, lighting and sculptures. marcinrusak.com ART

EXPERT ADVICE

WORDS: AMY BRADFORD PICTURES: GEORGINA VINEY, MICHAEL SINCLAIR, PATRICK WILLIAMSON

Elicyon’s tips for creating modern opulence 1 We like to incorporate bespoke pieces into our projects, especially storage designed for a client’s individual collections – books, jewellery or even drinks. They should celebrate your interests. Visit a fair that showcases bespoke makers, such as London Craft Week and the Brighton Craft Fair, or request advice from the Society of Designer Craftsmen.

2 I go on a different material journey for every project, but at the moment I particularly enjoy working with timber. We recently used petrified wall cladding to add warm burnt-orange tones to a cigar room. Impactful materials like this are a great way to add richness to walls and ceilings – think beyond paint and try leather, suede or hand-painted flowers on canvas.

3 So much of selecting patterns and textures is about their sheen and how they reflect light within a space. I like to take samples to a property and see how they work before making a choice.

4 Your art collection should tell the story of who you are and what you love. Don’t limit yourself to drawings and paintings – explore sculpture and ceramics, too. I enjoy using art to draw the eye across a space or to manipulate proportion and symmetry, such as placing a sculpture on a plinth at one end of a room or corridor.

Gallerist Sarah Myerscough always has something amazing on offer. She has a wonderful eye for makers and collectible pieces. Her ‘Natural Room’ collection focuses on contemporary, handmade objects in organic materials. sarahmyerscough.com G L A S S WA R E

I’m passionate about handmade glass and London’s Vessel Gallery is the authority on it.

Among the renowned designers represented are architect Amanda Levete and Swedish maker Lena Bergström. vesselgallery.com BESPOKE FURNITURE

Silverlining Furniture, based in Wrexham, creates museum-quality pieces from fine materials like leather and rare woods. I love how they innovate within the framework of craft; working with them is always exciting. silverliningfurniture.com

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ELEMENTS OF STYLE Mix the lightness of air, metallics burnished by fire, earthy materials and textiles as fluid as flowing water for a primeval combination that’s as timeless as it is tasteful Photography SIMON BEVAN Styling PAULA MAY EVANS

From left ‘Ether’ organic wall lamps by Zygote for Saint Germain Lumiere, £1,600 a pair; ‘Lara’ sofa by Pamio, Toso & Massari for Stillwood, £15,000; ‘Metafora’ table

by Lella & Massimo Vignelli, £4,500; ‘MVS LC95’ chair by Maarten van Severen, £2,500, all Béton Brut (betonbrut. co.uk). ‘Cymbeline’ bouclé square cushion in ‘Beige’, £470, and rectangular ‘Cymbeline Fluffy’ cushion in ‘Rose’, £375, both by Tibor (tibor.co.uk). Rod-formed sculptures, from £90 each, Natasha Gomperts (@natasha gomperts). ‘Elements’ woven vinyl carpet in ‘Ash’, price on application, Bolon (bolon.com). Walls (including back wall) in ‘Coachella 1829’ chalky emulsion, £40 for 2.5 litres, Craig & Rose (craigandrose.com)

From left Lacquered goatskin sideboard by Aldo Tura, £9,000; vintage sandstone stool/table, £950; lacquered goatskin oval dining table by Aldo Tura, £9,000; ‘Kreuzschwinger’ chairs by Till Behrens for Schlubach, £1,200 for the set, all Béton Brut (betonbrut.co.uk). ‘Rombini’ wall tiles (seen through archway) in ‘White’ by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, £18 per tile, Mutina (mutina.it) On sideboard, from left ‘Lava Series 4’ small vessel, £45; ‘Newsprint’ vase in ‘Black’, £105, both Kirsty Bragg (@klay_anew). P1 sculpture by Abid Javed, £300; terracotta vase by Anna Beam, £180; Natural Selection Part II painting, for hire only, all MAH Gallery (modernarthire.com). ‘The Grounded Light’ candle holder, £205, Alighieri (shop.alighieri.co.uk). On oval table Glazed candle holders by Oriel Zinaburg, from £250 each, Benteler + Bellm (@bentelerandbellm) On floor, far right ‘Red Ghost’ stoneware, £2,800, Oriel Zinaburg (orielzinaburg.com). Wall in ‘Chalky White 1829’ chalky emulsion,£40 for 2.5 litres, Craig & Rose (craigandrose.com) ±

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From left Standing stone sculpture; wooden plinths, both for hire only, MAH Gallery (modernarthire.com). Table and chair

by Mobichalet, £2,200 for the set; Ingo Maurer-style cork lamp, designer unknown, £650; round marble ‘roti’ board, £250, all Béton Brut (betonbrut.co.uk). ‘Bulbous Bottle 3’, £27, Elliot Pack (@biomeplants). Carved burr ash section (far right), £1,460, Charlie Tepasse Furniture and Design (@charlietepassefurniture). Collection of rare stones on table, stylist’s own. Wall in ‘Cecily 1829’ chalky emulsion, as before Opposite, from left ‘Garbo’ long fringed ceiling light by Mariyo Yagi for Sirrah, £2,200; antique sculptural fibreglass table, £3,200, all Béton Brut (betonbrut.co.uk). ‘Contemporary Archaeology #235’ volcanic clay white urn, £700; ‘Contemporary Archaeology #333’ volcanic clay white bowl, £300, both AnnaLeaClelia Tunesi (annleaclelia-tunesi.com).

‘Torn edge’ ceramic plates, £215 for two, Nathalee Paolinelli (nathaleepaolinelli.com). Porcelain pebble, £32, Kirsty Bragg (@klay_anew). Glass bubble orb, stylist’s own. ‘Invictus Centurion’ carpet in ‘Silver Moon’, £26.99 per sq m, Lambourne Carpets & Flooring (lambournecarpets.co.uk).

Wall in ‘Pale Celado 1829’ chalky emulsion, as before ±

From left Fibreglass bed by Marc Held for Prisunic Edition, £4,500; ‘Tessuto’ pendant light by Ludovico Diaz de Santillana for Venini, £1,600; ‘Trebol’ side table by Oscar Tusquets for Casas, £1,200; ‘Swing’ chair by Jutta & Herbert Ohl for Rosenthal Lübke, £680, all Béton Brut (betonbrut.co.uk) On side table Newsprint vase in ‘Blue’, £105, Kirsty Bragg (@klay_anew).

Soap stone sculpture, for hire only, MAH Gallery (modernarthire.com). Vintage coral, stylist’s own On floor Jade and green marble spheres, for hire only, Anna Mackie (annamackie.com/props). Silk flat sheet in ‘White’ and ‘Silver Grey’, from £300 for double size; silk pillowcase in ‘Silver Grey’, £93 for standard size; silk pillowcase in ‘White’, £99 for square size, all Gingerlily (gingerlilylondon.com)

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PICTURE: VEERLE EVENS STYLING: KIERA BUCKLEY-JONES

The art special

Whether your collection is well under way or you’re searching for that perfect first piece, our guide reveals how to make choosing and living with art a personal and enriching experience.

From the best places to track down emerging talents, to how to integrate works seamlessly into your home, everything you need to know is here…

Clockwise from bottom far left ‘The Mysterons No2’ vase by Eddie Knevett, £500, McCully & Crane (mccullyandcrane.com). ‘Soft Amphora’ vase by Tapis Tapis, £655, Koibird (koibird.com). Unfolding III framed paper collage by Sophie Klerk, £600, 155A Gallery (155agallery.com). ‘Amulet’ ceramic objet, price on application, Aude Van Ryn at The New Craftsmen (thenewcraftsmen.com). Vessel 03 unframed artwork by Laxmi Hussain, £360, Partnership Editions (partnershipeditions.com). ‘Light Meadow Oak’ laminate flooring by EvoCore, £59.99 per sq m, Flooring Superstore (flooringsuperstore.com).

Wall in ‘Beech’ limewash paint, £30 per litre, Bauwerk (bauwerkcolour.com)

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15 WAYS TO GET YOUR ART FIX Whether you’re a seasoned collector or looking for your first piece, we’ve curated the best new platforms, galleries and talents to help you discover art that speaks to you Edited by KATE WORTHINGTON

1. THE CRAFT COLLECTOR: SoShiro Opened last summer, the Marylebone gallery showcases work at the intersection of art, traditional craft and contemporary design. Its aim, says founder Shiro Muchiri, is to conserve and evolve artisan techniques by connecting craft communities all over the world with artists and designers. SoShiro’s current exhibition, ‘Welding Cultures’ (until 31 July), features works

by Ini Archibong and Nandita Chaudhuri, while this autumn it hosts Cuban artist Alexandre Arrechea (soshiro.com).

Interior architect and founder of SoShiro, Shiro Muchiri

Abstract 17: Batu painting, £39.90, Studio B/Low (studiob-low.com)

Flower Studies (Prickblad) print

by Veronica Rönn, from £50, Åben (aben.as)

Stacked Boxes giclée print by Studio Shimo, from £40, Artists & Objects (artistsandobjects.com)

Amphore Bleue print by Mathilde Brunelet, £100, Sézane (sezane.com)

PICTURES: GERARDO JACONELLI, STUDIO B/LOW, VERONICA RÖNN/ÅBEN, STUDIO SHIMO/ ARTISTS & OBJECTS, MATHILDE BRUNELET/SÉZANE

2. THE AFFORDABLE BUYS: Kick-start your collection with artwork from these online purveyors

THE ART SPECIAL

3. THE CHARITY INITIATIVE: The Stand Convinced the art market ‘could do more to support both artists and organisations in need’, Robin Woodhead, former CEO of Sotheby’s, set up new auction platform The Stand. Rethinking the traditional distribution of fees, artists and their galleries receive 70 per cent of the sale price, with 20 per cent going to partner charities and the remaining 10 to The Stand to cover costs. Names from across the music, design and fashion industries will curate auctions – Faye Toogood is set to take a turn this autumn (thestand.art).

From right Previous works on sale have included Ingrid Berthon-Moine’s Titillation; and Delphine Diallo’s Highness Blue

4. THE DESTINATION GALLERY: Morgans

PICTURES: DELPHINE DIALLO AND MTART AGENCY, COPYRIGHT AND COURTESY OF INGRID BERTHON-MOINE, THE STAND

There’s no shortage of art galleries in Falmouth, but the Cornish town’s latest opening offers something a little bit different. Housed in a historic building overlooking the harbour, the top three light-flooded floors are dedicated to studio spaces for artists and ceramicists whose work is available through the gallery, while the remaining two floors play host to rotating exhibitions that aim to promote the work of emerging talents and those with a connection to the area (morgansfalmouth.com).

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Cécile Ganansia (left) and Louise Chignac, founders of Canopy Collections

5. THE PERSONAL CURATION SERVICE: Canopy Collections Launched last year by art experts Louise Chignac and Cécile Ganansia, the online gallery and advisory service aims to make the experience of buying contemporary art easier and friendlier. Chignac gives her advice on starting a collection…

O The first step in the process of buying art is about looking

A Moveable Feast/How The Other Half Live by Duncan Morris, £6,000, (canopy-collections.com)

Book and Drink Table by Francesca Anfossi, £1,300, (canopy-collections.com)

home: above a sofa, dining table or mantelpiece. Finally, think about a colour palette that will work within the room – but remember to stay open-minded.

O An artwork shouldn’t be there to just quietly decorate the room, it should also give it personality and be something to talk about. Many of our clients believe they can only live with abstract art, yet often the first thing they buy is a figurative painting – there’s something comforting and challenging about living with figurative art. Buying art is also about stepping out of our comfort zone.

O Mixing styles is challenging but it’s also rewarding. When starting a collection, we often begin with what we feel comfortable with. As we keep looking, our eye sharpens and takes us to new places and aesthetics. Many of our clients start with one ‘statement’ work and go on to acquire smaller pieces, such as unique ceramics, photographs or works on paper.

O The most common mistake people make when building a collection? Buying what everybody else around them is buying! It’s best to be faithful to our own tastes. Art can be an investment, but it is first and foremost a commitment.

O The most interesting collections are built over many years and are often very personal. A collection shouldn’t be only decorative but remarkable and tell a story – collecting art is like a journey that is made up of discoveries, friendships and conversations. The more your art collection means to you, the better it will stand the test of time and even grow with future generations (canopy-collections.com).

PICTURES: DUNCAN MORRIS/CANOPY COLLECTIONS, FRANCESCA ANFOSSI/CANOPY COLLECTIONS

and trying to understand what you love and what you want to live with. When you find an artwork or artist you like, we recommend starting a conversation with the artist or gallery and doing further research. The more you know about a work, the more likely you are to treasure it forever.

O If you’re looking for a piece for a specific space, start by measuring the area to its maximum height and width.

Use masking tape to draw the outline of the work you’re looking for and better visualise its ideal dimensions. From there, decide what media might work best: painting, photography, tapestry… Paintings often work best as ‘statement’ pieces in the most important spots of the

THE ART SPECIAL

6. THE MUST-SEE POP-UP: Monument Store The online purveyor of art, objects and collectable furniture will take over Leyton events space Host this July. Founded by Leah Forsyth-Steel and Victoria Spicer, two passionate collectors with backgrounds in curation and set design respectively, Monument Store’s firmly ‘anti-fast’ stance on homeware and objects has resulted in an eclectic edit of treasures.

Expect 1980s candleholders, lithographs by modernist painter Serge Poliakoff and sculptural coffee tables by Massimo and Lella Vignelli (monumentstore.co.uk).

Monument Store’s carefully curated offerings range from marble tables to Italian terracotta sculptures

7. THE INNOVATION: NFTs In an increasingly digitised industry, questions around ownership and copyright have become ever more problematic for artists and collectors. NFTs – Non-Fungible Tokens – are being touted as a solution. Using the same technology as cryptocurrencies, they render digital assets that have no physical presence unique by creating a certificate of ownership known as a blockchain. The controversial concept has created a buzz in the art world and has provoked much debate, so whether NFTs are the future, or merely a fad, remains to be seen.

8. THE PODCASTS: for art lovers Hear insights from artists, creatives and well-known names as they discuss what art means to them in these engaging series

Launched last year by The Art Newspaper, this podcast follows a simple interview format but the big name artists involved (think Doris Salcedo and Jenny Saville) are enough of a draw.

This podcast from arts charity Art Fund has well-known names accompanying a loved one to their favourite gallery or museum to muse on the exhibitions on show, art and life in general.

An investigation into how art crosses over into popular culture and the everyday, Art Matters covers a diverse range of topics, from the art of the Olympics to the artistry of maps.

Fronted by critic and broadcaster Alastair Sooke, this BBC Radio 3 show invites leading creative thinkers to choose and talk about a work from New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

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‘Form Mobile’, £250, (toa.st)

9. THE NAME TO KNOW: Corrie Williamson

10. THE COLLECTIBLE CERAMICS: Kasama Potters Part of a scheme organised by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Kasama Potters brings together 34 ceramicists working in a flourishing pottery community around 60 miles outside Tokyo. As the area is lesser known than the country’s other pottery-producing regions, the project’s aim is to promote Kasama ware and its eclectic mix of styles.

Highlights include Tomoka Nomura’s finely engraved vessels and Giran Sagawa’s slipware plates decorated in blocks of earthy colours. Selected pieces are available at Wagumi gallery (kasamapotters.com; wagumi-j.com).

11. THE PERFECT PRINT: Hvass & Hannibal The Copenhagen-based graphic design studio has just launched an online shop, offering a spectrum of its dynamic and vibrant art prints and editions. With so many different printing techniques used, knowing what to buy can be a challenge. Co-founder Nan Na Hvass explains the most common types…

O A risograph is almost like a cross between screenprinting and old-fashioned photocopying – you can layer colours and it creates an old-school grainy feel.

O Giclée prints are basically inkjet prints, made using a high-quality printer with about eight different inks. With the right inks and paper, it produces amazing archival-quality prints.

O Photogravure is a form of intaglio printmaking [a photo-mechanical process that uses a copper plate] and is the most time-consuming and manual technique. You can only make very small editions, so this type of print is the most costly.

O Offset printing is an industrial process used for making large quantities and, aside from posters, it is also used for newspapers and magazines. The image can look ‘dotted’ but still be high quality.

These are usually not part of a limited edition, and generally are more affordable.

Above Multiple Sunsets screen print, approx £283 (hvasshannibal.dk)

PICTURES: HVASS & HANNIBAL, PHOTOGRAPHY BRIAN BUCHARD/STYLING BY MARIE GRAUNBØL

The artist and jewellery maker is part of Toast’s New Makers programme for 2021. Here, she tells us about her hanging sculptures…

Your background is in jewellery design – how did you come to start creating sculpture? I made my first mobile for my daughter when she was born, and I used similar techniques that I do for my jewellery and scaled them up. I spent a long time working out ways to join the materials sensitively, letting the shapes be the focus with as little distraction as possible from the connection of the pieces. My jewellery was always fairly large in scale and so making the leap to sculptural pieces felt quite natural. I am thrilled to be a part of Toast’s New Makers programme this year; I love the brand’s circular principles and the way it champions craftsmanship and creativity.

Tell us about your materials I use brass, which can be recycled infinitely, and the majority of the woods I source are off-cuts from furniture or instrument makers, or from broken wooden items such as old tool handles. I like materials with some history or a story and the constraints of knowing that I can’t get an endless supply of a certain material is an important part of the work.

What do these pieces bring to someone’s home environment? I hope they bring a sense of calmness. You don’t need a lot of space to hang a mobile and if you are lucky enough to get some sun streaming in, your mobile will interact with it and bring ever-changing shadows to your wall. From £150 (toa.st).

THE ART SPECIAL

12. THE NEW TALENT HUB: Blue Shop Cottage Opened in 2018, this Peckham gallery owned by Ocki Magill has become a hub for the local art community, running workshops, hosting events and giving a platform to emerging artists. Magill has a knack for seeking out new talent – Rose Electra Harris being an early discovery. Here, she picks out her new names to watch…

PICTURES: CATHERINE REPKO/BLUE SHOP COTTAGE, INES FERNANDEZ DE CORDOVA/BLUE SHOP COTTAGE, HEI DI LI/BLUE SHOP COTTAGE, TYGA HELME/BLUE SHOP COTTAGE

Desliz by Ines Fernandez de Cordova

Catherine Repko’s A Mother To Many Mother’s Daughters

Blue Night by Tyga Helme

INES FERNANDEZ DE CORDOVA The Bolivian-Slovenian artist is interested in the relationship between objects and time and how we perceive the two. Ines was a star of our ‘Works on Paper’ digital exhibition.

Friendship Garden

by HeiDi Li

CATHERINE REPKO I found Catherine at the RCA’s ‘Work In Progress’ show.

Her paintings explore the relationships – especially ones relatable to women – that we know to be true but maybe don’t see depicted very often.

TYGA HELME I discovered Tyga through the Royal Drawing School in London – her work caught my eye instantly. She’s like a modern impressionist, capturing nature in all its kinetic energy.

HEIDI LI HeiDi’s works have a cinematic atmosphere and present themes surrounding desire and limitation. Her colours are heavily influenced by her upbringing in northeastern China.

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THE ART SPECIAL

Commune With The Ancestors , 2020, by Asiko

13. THE TRY BEFORE YOU BUY GALLERY: Tafeta When lockdown hit last year, Ayo Adeyinka, founder of contemporary African art gallery Tafeta, came up with a way to bring its pieces to collectors’ homes, instead. The ‘Six for Six’ scheme allows buyers to live with up to three selected works for up to six months, after which they can either return the work/s or purchase in a series of instalments spread over six months. Although restrictions have now eased, the initiative remains in place, signalling that high- and mid-range galleries are evolving to become more flexible and user-friendly (tafeta.com).

Art Gazette is a newly launched art world ‘disruptor’ led by former Saatchi Gallery CEO Nigel Hurst. Comparing itself to the likes of Deliveroo and Monzo, the platform wants to transform the way we buy and value art. Unlike conventional galleries, Art Gazette buys pieces upfront from artists, meaning they’re paid whether their works sell or not. Meanwhile, buyers benefit from a selection of 10,000 works and a team of curators that can help create a coherent collection to suit a particular space (artgazette.com).

Left Lockdown Drawing #15 by David Price

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15. THE APP: Fair Art Fair This new subscription-based app is part social platform, part gallery, connecting artists and collectors directly, so there are no commission fees. Based on a circular economy, subscription charges go back into supporting the Fair Art Fair community, funding exhibitions and residencies and building networks (fairartfair.art).

PICTURES: ASIKO, TAFETA, DAVID PRICE/ART GAZETTE, SHUTTERSTOCK

14. THE NEW ONLINE PLATFORM: Art Gazette

PICTURE PERFECT For these four interior designers, art is more than decorative. Here, they reveal the canvases that shaped their favourite room schemes…

Words PHOEBE FRANGOUL

Having studied at The Courtauld and then worked as a curator, Chudley places art at the heart of every interior she designs. For one Highgate villa, she played matchmaker between her clients and artist Joseph Goody Art is one of the most integral elements of our projects. Our studio is made up of artists as well as designers so it’s embedded in our work ethic. [Studying at The Courtauld Institute of Art] was a formative experience; being encouraged to look at paintings in a certain way has definitely governed how I look at a room.

Sometimes clients have their own art collections, so we work with what they have, but it works best when we include London’s Cob Gallery, which is where I did my first curating. With the Highbury Hill project (pictured) we took the clients to Cob to look at Joseph Goody’s work. We chose the painting – Line, 2015, an oil on canvas – and then appropriated the whole dining room around it.

All the elements in the space, from the antique Irish farmhouse table, the reupholstered Eero Saarinen dining chairs and the art deco armchair, down to the vintage 1960s light fixtures and even the bespoke concrete flooring, is in conversation with that painting.

The really difficult part is choosing the paint colours; you don’t want to ape the painter’s work on the walls. I used bespoke paint 80 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK AUGUST 2021

by Donald Kaufman in slightly candyish, toned-down variants of the painting, so they’re not fighting with it – they’re lifting it up and communicating with it.

When it comes to developing the space in terms of how you’re going to use it, think about the harmony of colours, the contrast of materials and how those can work together. Ask yourself: what are the qualities of the room that you love, what are the qualities of the art that you love and how can they complement each other? Tear out images from magazines and catalogues of what you think is going to go into that room and put them around the artwork so you have a visual of how it’s going to look.

If you’re wondering what you like, and don’t want to make a mistake financially, go to end of year shows at the good art schools and support young artists. It leaves you freer to take a few more risks and go with your gut. If you love something and if you’re buying from somebody who’s at art school, you will give them the confidence to have a great career. rachelchudley.com

PICTURES: SEAN MYERS, JAKE CURTIS, JOSEPH GOODY/COB GALLERY; COBGALLERY.COM

Rachel Chudley

Chudley in her client’s home in north London beside Joseph Goody’s painting Shade. Another work by the artist, Line, 2015 (opposite) takes pride of place in the dining area

The pared-back space was inspired by Vermeer’s interiors. A Second Empire gasolier hangs above a bespoke dining table made by Rollitt from 19th-century timber

THE ART SPECIAL

Max Rollitt For the antiques dealer, interior designer and furniture maker, a house is an artwork in itself. He finds inspiration in classical paintings when restoring period homes When I first started, there was a book by Charles Saumarez Smith called EighteenthCentury Decoration, which featured paintings of people in their interiors. I was looking at the colours on the walls, but actually what I found myself looking at was the composition, the balance of colour and tone. For me, that was really poignant.

There’s so much to be learned from those masterpieces. It’s the nuance that can be given by a splash of yellow or red. I love the simplicity those pictures have, there’s less ornament, less clutter. That clear, clean late-17th century or early Georgian look is very elegant.

On this project, the architecture and flooring of the dining room and the period of the house gave a feeling of age and airiness that reminded me of Vermeer’s interiors. Although the budget didn’t stretch to hanging an Old Master on the wall, I took inspiration from the colours and textures apparent in Vermeer’s The Music Lesson.

Vermeer’s The Music Lesson and Rollitt (below)

PICTURES: JOHN HAMMOND, BRIDGEMAN IMAGES, TOM MANNION, ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II, 2019/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

‘I took inspiration from the colours and textures apparent in Vermeer’s “The Music Lesson” ’ The painting is echoed in the simplicity of the space, which is highlighted by richly coloured fabrics, the patina and depth of colour from the polished antique furniture – Irish Chippendale chairs and a George II marble-topped table – and the light falling from the window, which catches in the glass of an antique Second Empire gasolier.

It’s about transposing the artwork into something else; the texture of the cloth on the table in the painting has gone into the curtains – Le Manach’s ‘Murillo’ Toiles de Tour, supplied by Pierre Frey.

The yellow chair is covered in an antique French linen that we dyed. The walls are painted in ‘Borrowed Light’ by Farrow & Ball – the room wasn’t working until we stuck that up and then it was just ‘wow’. I made the table using 19th-century timber and we sanded the floorboards back and scrubbed them until they had that bleached look.

When it comes to taking inspiration from a painting, you’re just seeing what you can learn from it and what you enjoy about it. It’s trying to articulate that and then you can abstract it – once you’ve understood the joy of it. maxrollitt.com AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 83

THE ART SPECIAL

Nicola Harding For her own home in the Cotswolds, the designer chose a playful picture that would happily coexist with the colourful chaos of family life. Letting spaces evolve naturally and embracing the mood are key factors for her the space. In this case, it’s more of a riotous candy box, like someone’s had a go at the pick ’n’ mix stall at the cinema.

The walls are painted in ‘Old Rose’ by Pure & Original and the sofas are upholstered in pistachio green corduroy. The rug is the ‘Cordoba’ – one of my own designs for Vanderhurd.

I have a lot of fun with prints; it’s easier to put something like that above the fireplace – you want something of scale and it can be expensive to get a serious piece of art that big. Invest in something beautiful to put in a spot that you’re going to see more often, like the end of a corridor or in the kitchen.

In colourful spaces, going for an artwork with a monochrome palette can work well and avoid sensory overload. If you’re doing a gallery wall, then reducing the colour palette helps it hang together. Don’t be afraid to move things around; you can get tired of seeing the same thing in the same spot, but seeing it against a different wall colour in a different room can radically change the way something feels. nicolaharding.com

PICTURES: TOM MANNION, JASON THOMPSON AT WILSON STEPHENS & JONES/WSJGALLERY.COM

I approach design as a homemaker rather than a very cerebral designer. The lady we bought the house from was in her late 70s and had lived there forever – she left all the crazy curtains. We moved the floor and fireplace from other parts of the house, weaving bits together in a way that didn’t feel too serious. For me, it’s instinctive, channelling your inner granny by working with elements you already have. I like it when spaces feel like they’ve evolved organically rather than being overworked and I guess this artwork feels like that as well – a bit haphazard.

The painting in this room, above the console table, is by a Liverpool artist called Jason Thompson. He uses joyful, slightly clashy colours and a good degree of contrast. The colours played a part in us choosing it, but also the attitude – it doesn’t take itself too seriously; it’s a bit irreverent. There’s a fun energy about it, which was the mood I wanted to have in my family home. I’ve worked with clients who have quite serious pieces and we’ve gone for knocked-back muted colours so the art feels really electric in

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Harding with her Jason Thompson painting, In Admiration of a Flower, which is the perfect fit for her joyfully vibrant and eclectic living room

‘Having these paintings as the starting point meant that every material, antique and piece of furniture that we bought was British’

THE ART SPECIAL

Faye Toogood

PICTURE: TOBIAS HARVEY, PHILIP SINDEN, PETER LANYON ‘CROSS COUNTRY’ © ESTATE OF PETER LANYON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, DACS 2021

A collection of early 20th-century paintings from the St Ives School inspired the designer to turn a Mayfair penthouse into a celebration of British creativity

Toogood selected an unexpected combination of designs to complement the Peter Lanyon painting, Cross Country, seen here

The clients are serious collectors and we were able to use their Ivon Hitchens paintings and a Peter Lanyon. They formed the entire scheme for the apartment in terms of colours, palette and materials. The ‘Britishness’ was very important to me; having these paintings as the starting point meant that every material, antique and piece of furniture that we bought was British. It’s speaking the same language, physically coming from the same place. I commissioned Tobias Harvey to do a beautiful landscape triptych and Max Lamb contributed pieces. It’s interesting to work with your peers and with some of my favourite antique dealers from Pimlico Road. All the colours were hand mixed to work with those paintings, as well.

It’s always a challenge not to take something too literally.

Appeal to the senses on every level that you possibly can – texture, material, colours, fragrance, fabrics – to work with that piece of art. For this project, we created a scent for the apartment; it helps build on the senses. Rough stone was used for the fireplace and I covered the kitchen fronts in slate so the whole kitchen became like a craggy cliff face.

I’m always trying to find tensions in my work: masculine and feminine; precious and raw; high art and low art. In the space with Lanyon’s Cross Country, it was the way our ‘Lake Aqua’ resin console table spoke to the antique centre table and our ‘Roly-Poly’ chairs.

Think about the work of art and how it makes you feel. If you’ve chosen a drawing over a painting, that suggests you’re looking for something much calmer. The most important thing is not to be intimidated by art; some of my own pieces are at home and my children climb all over them and put crayon on them. Understanding that you’re living with it, as opposed to it being a showcase, is what makes it magical. t-o-o-g-o-o-d.com AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 87

From left ‘Flight’ shelves, £1,700, Edward Collinson (edwardcollinson.co.uk) On shelves from top ‘Large Head Tilted LH02’ ceramic objet, £75, Peter Slight Ceramics (peterslightceramics.bigcartel.com). Small Cactus; and Blue Dream ceramic figures by Aude Van Ryn, prices on application, The New Craftsmen (thenewcraftsmen.com). ‘Inlay’ container (includes lid not shown, used as plant pot), £22, Ferm Living (fermliving.com). ‘Object SC42’ bronzed brass objet by Space Copenhagen, £120, &Tradition (andtradition.com). ‘Rondo’ leather three-seater sofa in ‘Tan’ by Lucy Kurrein for Molinari Living, £9,328; ‘Shasta’ crewel embroidered cushion cover in ‘Flamingo’, £75; ‘Rainier’ appliqué cushion cover in ‘Flamingo’, £75, all The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk).

‘Nid’ waffle wool throw in ‘Ardesia’, £285, Society Limonta (uk.societylimonta.com)

ART HOUSE You don’t need white walls to get that gallery look. Instead, combine bold, bright decorating choices with new prints, paintings, pieces and the finest sculptural furniture Photography VEERLE EVENS Styling KIERA BUCKLEY-JONES

‘George’ reclaimed alpi wood coffee table by Marco Campardo; ‘The (Not So) Gloriole’ tall lamp by Marc Dibeh, £4,800, both Seeds (seedslondon.com).

‘Woven’ chair by Max Lipsey, £8, 280, Mint (mintshop.co.uk) On table Art of Colour and Texture book by Sue Prichard, Mary Schieser and Sam Reich, £45, Tibor (tibor.co.uk). ‘Inlay’ cup and saucer, £34, Ferm Living (fermliving.com). ‘Herb’ rug in ‘Yellow’, £1,370, Nanimarquina (nanimarquina.com). ‘Light Meadow Oak’ laminate flooring by EvoCore, £59.99 per sq m, Flooring Superstore (flooringsuperstore.com) Paintings from left Paper Arrangement by Jason Line, £1,250; A Winter’s View by Lucy Giles, £1,400; Net by Lucy Giles, £2,000, all 155a Gallery (155agallery.com). Beijo Da Mulata by Mafalda Vasconcelos, £350, Partnership Editions (partnershipeditions.com). Wall in ‘Storm’ limewash paint, from £30 per litre, Bauwerk (bauwerkcolour.com) ±

This page, on shelves ‘Takashi Tsushima Bird’ large plate, £260, Flow Gallery (flowgallery.co.uk). Composition Graphique; The Suitable Man; and Bauhaus Corner ceramic figures, all by Aude Van Ryne, prices on application, The New Craftsmen (thenewcraftsmen.com). Untitled artwork, £10, Gina Love (ginaloveart.com). ‘Small Head SH13’ objet, £25, Peter Slight Ceramics (peterslightceramics.bigcartel.com). ‘Inlay’ container; shelves; paint, as before Opposite, from left White portrait sculpture by Ditte Blohm, £1,700, 8 Holland Street (8hollandstreet.com). Table Placement painting by Jason Tessier, £650, Dudley Waltzer (dudleywaltzer.com). ‘Betty’ bench by Thau & Kallio, £605; ‘Untitled’ throw in ‘Electric Blue’ by All The Way to Paris, £125, both &Tradition (&tradition.com). ‘Wavy’ crewel embroidered cushion cover, £80, The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk). Flooring, as before.

Walls , from left, in ‘Sorrel; and ‘Beech’ limewash paint, as before ±

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From left ‘Hanging lamp No.5’ in ‘Brass’ by Muller van Severen for Valerie Objects, £1,040, Tollgard (tollgard.com). ‘Violin’ chairs by GamFratesi, from £658, Gubi (gubi.com). ‘Note’ dining table in ‘Bleached Oak’, £4,800; ‘Note’ stool in ‘Natural Oak’, £170, both Edward Collinson (edwardcollinson.co.uk) On table ‘Unison’ plates by Schneid Studio, £22 each, Selfridges (selfridges.com). ‘Collect’ carafe, £50; and glass, £30 for two, both by Space Copenhagen for &Tradition (&tradition.com). ‘Matisse Vase II’ by Kelly Jessiman, £390, McCully & Crane (mccullyandcrane.com). Large ‘ Swirl’ bowl, from £95, Hay (hay.dk). ‘Everywhere’ cabinet by Christian Werner, from £1,426, Ligne Roset (ligne-roset-westend.co.uk) Artworks on wall, top row, from left Flower Market in Copenhagen print, from £30; frame, from £30, both Astrid Wilson (astridwilson.com). Summer’s Sunday I plywood sculpture by Emily Forgot, £385, Partnership Editions (partnershipeditions.com).

Margate After Koning, Parquet 0 (on reclaimed parquet) by Mark Dyball, £650, McCully & Crane (mccullyandcrane.com). Picasso lithograph in bespoke red bobbin frame, £165, Sunday Club Studio (sundayclubstudio.com) Artworks from bottom left Clementine collage by Marc Taylor, £250, McCully & Crane (mccullyandcrane.com). Conceal by Clare Haward, £800, 155a Gallery (155agallery.com). Marty by Drew Bauer, £185, McCully & Crane (mccullyandcrane.com) Painting on cabinet Signe print by Lisa Wirenfelt, £42, The Poster Club (theposterclub.com). Frame, from a selection, Fine Little Day (finelittleday.com). ‘Aura’ vase by Schneid Studio, £69, Selfridges (selfridges.com). ‘Light Meadow Oak’ laminate flooring by EvoCore, £59.99 per sq m, Flooring Superstore (flooringsuperstore.com). ‘Telares’ kilim rug in ‘Indigo’, £1,596, Nanimarquina (nanimarquina.com).

Walls in, from left, ‘Sorrel’; and ‘Beech’ limewash paint, as before ±

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This page from left ‘Keep’ chest of drawers in ‘Graphic’ by Peter J Lassen for Montana, £1,974, Aram (aram.co.uk) On drawers ‘Reverse’ table lamp by Aleksandar Lazic, £475, Menu (menuspace. com). ‘Celeste High Bowl’ by Hood Ceramics x Nicola Morland Collaboration , £85, Artists & Objects (artistsandobjects.com). Black, White & Sun Yellow Kinetic Sculpture by Daniel Reynolds, £9,000, The New Craftsmen (thenewcraftsmen. com). ‘Lana’ wool and wood chair by Agnes Studio, price on application, Seeds (seedslondon.com).

‘Silhouette’ kilim rug, £1,995, Jaime Hayon x Nanimarquina (nanimarquina.com). Laminate flooring, as before. Wall in ‘Beech’ limewash paint, as before Opposite ‘Lampe de Marseille’ wall lamp by Le Corbusier for Nemo, £395, Archicomma (archicomma.com). ‘Androgyne’ side table

by Danielle Siggerud, £170; crystal rose marble top, £170, both Menu (menuspace.com) On table, from left ‘Eloise’ vase by Raffaella, £500, Flow Gallery (flowgallery.co.uk).

Flo sculpture, £280, Miyelle (miyelle.com) On wall, from left Earth + Moon (hand embroidery on wool) artwork by Richard McVetis, £540, Flow Gallery (flowgallery.co.uk). Quilt wall hanging, price on application, House of Quinn (houseofquinn.co.uk). ‘Safari’ walnut bed by Gabriel Tan, from £2,495; ‘Double Weave Crinkle Throw’ in ‘Flamingo’, £145, both The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk). ‘Offcut Quilt 03’, by Isabel Fletcher, £520, Artists & Objects (artistsandobjects.com). ‘Rem’ duvet cover in ‘Ardesia’, from £435; matching pillowcases, from £120 for two, all Society Limonta (uk.societylimonta.com).

Rug, flooring, wall, all as before

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From left Sign 1 reclaimed wood assemblage by Jane Morter, £475, 155a Gallery (155agallery. com). Dandelion print by Sofia Lind, £47, Fine Little Day (finelittleday.com).

Curtain in ‘Obsession’ fabric from the ‘Escale’ collection, £220 per m, Élitis (elitis.fr)

From fixtures and frames to creating a gallery wall Are there any rules for hanging art? ‘If it’s going in a room with high ceilings or over furniture, go with what feels proportional in the space,’ says Anne Trouillet Rogers, founder of art consultancy Culture A. ‘Start with a 160cm eye line as a guide and adjust from there. D-rings and wire are standard hanging fixtures, but make sure the wire is taut. If you have a heavy artwork, consider a French cleat system, which balances the weight.’ Also, don’t hang anything above a radiator – the heat can cause warping.

What are my framing options? There are many! Adam Bridgland, studio manager at London’s Jealous Gallery, suggests keeping it simple. ‘I like to high-float mount my works in a box frame, which is quite a sculptural technique,’ he says. ‘A more traditional window mount is ideal for framing a photograph or postcardsized work. Be generous with the space around the art and always go for an extra centimetre at the bottom.’ To introduce colour, one trick is to pick out a shade in the work and match it to the moulding. Equally, a painting on canvas may work best in a tray frame, leaving the front exposed so you can appreciate the texture.

And the glass? ‘In a room where there is lots of light, go for a non-reflective glass such as Tru Vue 92 or Museum Glass,’ continues Bridgland. ‘Perspex or acrylic is also something to think about if the work is large and you need to reduce the weight of the frame.’

How should I light artworks? ‘Choose a source with a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index), which will accurately portray the true colour of the artwork,’ says Sally Storey, creative director at John Cullen Lighting. ‘Oil paintings tend to be glossier than acrylic and will create glare if lit from the wrong angle, while watercolours are normally under glass and require far less light.’

The style of your home will also influence the lighting. ‘In a more traditional house, a picture light may feel appropriate; for a contemporary look, opt for recessed downlights.’ It’s also important to look at how this fits with other layers of light in the room. ‘To create more drama, decide on the key piece of art. Light this in a more focused way and leave the rest softly lit,’ she adds.

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5 OF THE BEST ART FIXINGS F O R A G A L L E R Y WA L L The ‘Exhibit’ multi-hanging photo frame

by Umbra is an easy way to create an eye-catching salon-style wall. Displaying five pictures from a beam, which can be angled for stairs, it takes away the time-consuming hassle of figuring out the best composition. £50 (johnlewis.com)

FOR A PICTURE L E D G E D I S P L AY Create a contemporary display with the ‘Mosslanda’ picture ledge from Ikea, which comes in minimalist black or white.

Co-ordinate the colour of the ledge with your picture frames and prop up your favourite artworks. From £5 (ikea.com)

FOR PICTURE RAILS Cast from solid brass, the ornate floral design on the hooks from Willow & Stone will add a pretty vintage touch to a picture rail. £5.50 each (willowandstone.co.uk)

FOR A NO-DRILLING A L T E R N AT I V E If you don’t want to drill holes in your wall, try 3M’s ‘Command’ plastic adhesive strips at B&Q. Each one can hold up to 1kg in weight, yet are easy to remove. £3 for a pack of three (diy.com)

FOR TRADITIONAL HANGING Used in conjunction with D-rings, picture wire is one of the simplest ways to hang an artwork. Measure the wire so it’s double the width of the frame and pull through the rings so that it sits around two inches from the top of the picture. Brass picture wire 3,000mm length, No 2 thickness, £2 (ironmongerydirect.co.uk)

WORDS: EMMA LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY: VREELE EVENS STYLING: KIERA BUCKLEY-JONES

HOW TO DISPLAY ART

HOMES SYDNEY

/ COMO/ PUGLIA/ LONDON/ TULUM/ BERLIN

PICTURES: NIN SOLIS/LIVING INSIDE, HELENIO BARBETTA/LIVING INSIDE

Edited by CL ARE SARTIN

We all feel a little happier when the SUN is shining. The world appears a brighter, more POSITIVE place and our stresses seem to melt away. It’s one of our favourite natural phenomena. So what if you could get that BLUE-SKY feeling every day?

This month’s properties all promise to deliver those relaxing SUMMERTIME vibes. There are scorching holiday homes, such as the stunningly architectural Tulum penthouse belonging to one lucky LA-based family (p148) and the Puglian villa where life revolves around the POOL (p124).

Some locations lend themselves to laid-back living – like Como, where design studio Draga & Aurel has put down roots (p114) – but you don’t always need postcardworthy VIEWS to improve your mood.

In the London pad of recording star Rae Morris and her music producer husband Ben Garrett (p138), a 1970s-inspired palette produces guaranteed good ENERGY. Another way to ensure your home is an OPTIMISTIC place is to make it a force for change. In Sydney, we look at a live/work space with a focus on sustainable choices (p100), while in Berlin, art collective Slavs and Tatars has curated an apartment that champions INCLUSIVITY (p160).

Made

for tomorrow The boundaries between work and home are blurring – this Sydney family house/studio offers a sustainable new approach to both Words KARINE MONIÉ Photography ANSON SMART Portrait photography RUSSELL HORTON

Roof terrace The tables and stools are part of Alexander & Co’s ‘This Hima Series’ and created by Re. Studio Collective using recycled building waste.

Behind them is a customised outdoor shower and ice bath from Slightly Garden Obsessed, clad in ‘Musk Pink’ tiles from Sydney Tile Gallery

Kitchen Cast from concrete, the bespoke island (weighing almost half a tonne) has a soft pink tone that complements the veins in the Calacatta Viola marble splashback from Worldstone and custom cabinetry by Jonathan West.

The ‘Bird’ pendant light is an Alexander & Co design crafted by The Lighting Guild and the stools are the ‘Platner’ by Warren Platner for Knoll. On the island is a ‘Lady 79’ ceramic table lamp

by Sarah Nedovic Gaunt

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lexander House is our working prototype to test ideas,’ says Jeremy Bull, principal at architecture and interior design studio Alexander & Co. ‘It is a building that can perform as an office, a space for reflection to nurture the creative spirit, and a testing ground for sustainable technologies.’

Situated next door to the home Jeremy shares with his wife, Alexander & Co’s marketing director Tess Glasson, and their four children, it is also, more prosaically, an extension – albeit a very unconventional one. Joined by the garden path, this separate four-storey property offers the comfort of working from home, but with a level of disconnect that many of us have been craving this past year.

Taking eight months to complete during last year’s various lockdowns, the 250-square-metre building in Sydney’s Bondi Junction includes a traditional studio space in the basement, with workstations and storage for material samples. Head up to the ground floor and it starts to feel more homely. Called ‘the café’, this area features a kitchen, dining and meeting spaces, as well as a relaxed lounge. On the mezzanine, there’s a library, while the top floor is dedicated to sleeping quarters and bathrooms for visiting team members. ‘Conceptually, the house feels a little like a church combined with a hotel reception,’ says Jeremy, who is a fan of the ambience created in places like Soho House and the Ace Hotel in London. ‘It’s a changeable series of rooms that have life cycles throughout the day and morph with the energy of their occupants.’

The property’s palette of natural walnut, oak and exposed concrete, paired with pale pink and grey plaster, is raw and yet refined. There’s an eco-first approach to decoration, with the couple aiming to produce no landfill contributions and zero carbon emissions by 2022. To that end, the house has its own solar-powered water filtration system. It is also the first project to use rammed earth panels from the Natural Brick Co in partnership with Re.Studio Collective. Handmade from recycled building waste, they don’t require kiln firing, further reducing their environmental impact. Rubble from Alexander & Co’s previous workspace was even used to create ‘This Hima Series’, a collection of outdoor furniture

by Re.Studio Collective that can be seen on the roof terrace.

A place of work with a vision and a mission, this is still very much a welcoming, family-friendly environment. ‘Our sons are in and out daily,’ admits Tess. ‘Outside of working hours, we use the kitchen, living room and courtyard to entertain, and I love finding some quiet time in the library.’

As restrictions imposed during the pandemic begin to ease, the way we work will inevitably shift again, but this couple will be ready. Plans are already afoot for exhibiting art and hosting conversations about the design industry, its impacts and its potential to drive change. In their hands, the future looks peachy. alexanderand.co

Portrait Owners Tess and Jeremy Breakfast area A bespoke bench by CDF Studio, upholstered in ‘Tundra’ leather from Instyle, provides seating across two tables custom-designed by Alexander & Co. The chairs are the ‘Arkade’ by Nanna Ditzel for Brdr Krüger and Marcel Breuer’s ‘Cesca’ for Knoll. The wall light is a one-off piece by 27Hundred and the painting is V19 Reimagining by Greg Wood, bought from Otomys Contemporary

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Living area This brise soleil-effect panel in the wall was created using ‘Lutyens’ bricks, formed

by Natural Bricks Co using recycled materials.

Beside it is a sideboard, designed by Alexander & Co and crafted by Hugh McCarthy, and wall lights by 27Hundred. Around the coffee table – a vintage Roche Bobois design from The Vault Sydney – sit a bespoke sofa by CDF Studio and a reconditioned armchair, designed by Jean Gillon in the 1960s for Italma Wood Art. The glass side tables are the ‘Soda’ by Yiannis Chikas for Miniforms

‘Conceptually, the house feels like a church combined with a hotel reception… It’s a changeable series of rooms that morph with the energy of their occupants’

Basement studio Leading out to the courtyard garden, this space is perfect for meetings.

The American oak table is a bespoke piece by Alexander & Co and the chairs are the ‘Cesca’

by Marcel Breuer for Knoll. Pieces on the table include a large sculptural jug from Curatorial + Co and ‘Puck’ glasses from Tom Dixon. The outdoor table and stools are Alexander & Co’s ‘This Hima Series’, as before’±

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Stairwell This concrete staircase with a runner of Bianco Venato marble from SNB Stone connects this home’s four storeys.

The seven-metre-long bespoke light by 27Hundred descends from the skylight Library ‘Platner’ chairs by Warren Platner for Knoll surround a beautiful walnut table that was conceived by Alexander & Co and crafted by Hugh McCarthy. The rug is from Cadrys

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Alexander House’s palette of natural walnut, oak and exposed concrete, paired with pale pink and grey plaster, is raw and yet refined

Ensuite bathroom Clad in ‘Rosso Crema’ marble tiles from Teranova, this space features a steam shower from Brodware. The ‘Yokato’ towel rails are also from Brodware, while the marble side table (inside the shower) is from Manyara Home Bedroom The ‘Distrikt’ bed by District Eight, with its built-in bedside tables, sits on a rug from Armadillo. The floor lamp is a vintage piece from local store The Vault Sydney See Stockists page for details

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The Como home of design studio Draga & Aurel’s founders offers a modern take on the city’s glamorous reputation Words MARZIA NICOLINI Photography HELENIO BARBETTA/LIVING INSIDE

Opposite A ‘Joy’ wall lamp from Draga & Aurel’s ‘Transparency Matters’ collection faces a ‘Rafiki’ bookcase, also by the couple, for Baxter. In the living area is a ‘Gaia’ armchair by Carlo Bartoli, designed in 1967 for Arflex

Living area and opposite Original paintings by Aurel hang above a ‘Viktor’ sofa, designed by the couple for Baxter. The jewel-like ‘Agatha’ coffee tables are from their ‘Transparency Matters’ collection and the pendant light is by London-based PSLab. Draga designed the ‘Pattern Mix’ rug for Galleria Battilossi in Turin

or Aurel K Basedow and Draga Obradovic, there is nothing more stimulating than the creative process.

Since opening their multidisciplinary design studio in Como in 2007, the couple have released their own furniture lines, as well as collaborating with Baxter, Visionnaire and Wall & Decò. Their sleek, artistic and glamorous style, which features plenty of precious materials, is perfectly suited to this city by the lake, known as Italy’s playground of the rich and famous.

However, the pair didn’t actually find their home here, overlooking its famous Duomo cathedral, until 2017.

Located on the exact same street as their studio, this apartment was worth the wait. ‘We saw its potential right away,’ says Draga of the early 1900s art nouveau villa it’s located in. ‘The building was given a new, sleeker look in 1970 by the Armenian architect Manouk Manoukian, a very close friend of [Italian architect and designer] Ico Parisi. Some details, like the window frames, show the signature of Manouk’s particular style, creating something unexpected in this setting.’

It’s this collision of design eras that proved irresistible for Draga and Aurel, who enjoy being playful with their choices. For them, reinterpreting this space and assembling the furniture to go in it has been a challenge, but also a game – like a beautiful puzzle.

The first part of that puzzle was to correct the existing layout. ‘We created a modern and informal open space

and remade the bathrooms,’ explains Draga. ‘The original floor remains, but we chose to decorate it in a creative way with a custom-made pattern.’ That bespoke design, made using different colours of varnish, along with the couple’s blue resin ‘Reverso’ partitions (part of their ‘Transparency Matters’ collection) bring intimacy to what are now sociable, connected rooms.

The couple’s signature touches abound, with their passion for vintage always apparent. The kitchen, for example, utilises old drawers and cabinets. By placing the pieces within a newly built metal frame and coating them with resin from their own atelier, they have breathed new life into these items with a past. Lamps designed in the 1970s – ‘a decade we both love’, adds Draga – contribute to the existing glamour of the contemporary furniture, much of which they designed themselves. There’s the glistening, golden ‘Rafiki’ bookcase in the hallway and ‘Viktor’ sofa in the living area, both created for Baxter, plus Aurel’s own abstract canvases, which adorn walls throughout the apartment.

Thanks largely to the views of the centuries-old trees in the park that surrounds and protects the villa, the atmosphere here is relaxing. On sunny days, the light catching the many golden accents in the apartment can be mesmerising, adding to the peaceful vibe. In a home and a city full of luxuries, perhaps that’s the biggest one of all. draga-aurel.com AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 117

Dining area An artistic installation of ceiling lights from the 1970s decorates the wall in this space, where the floor and pendant lamps are also vintage. The table, made of resin, is a unique piece by Draga and Aurel and the ‘Pantonova’ chairs are originals by Verner Panton – Montana sells reissues of the same design. The vase is by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design. ‘Reverso’ dividers

by Draga & Aurel for their ‘Transparency Matters’ collection visually separate this space from the living area Kitchen By integrating vintage drawers and cabinets into the bespoke brass-finished iron frame and resin display cases, Draga and Aurel have lent it a museum feel. A concrete worktop, behind, adds an urban edge and the spot lighting is by PSLab

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DRAGA & AUREL’S SIGNATURE TOUCHES ABOUND, WITH THEIR PASSION FOR VINTAGE ALWAYS APPARENT

Sun room A concrete table and chairs designed by Draga & Aurel are placed amid an abundance of greenery and towering cacti planted in ‘Juno’ pots, designed by the couple for Baxter Office Aurel (left) painted the wall in here, creating a 3D-effect with hand-applied cement resin. White ceramic vases from Dep Design Store in Como sit on the ‘Maree’ console unit, designed by the couple for their ‘Transparency Matters’ collection.

The wall light is by PSLab and the rug is another Dep Design Store find. Next to the ‘Jade’ coffee tables, also from their ‘Transparency Matters’ collection, is a ‘Baby Fat’ armchair by Tom Dixon for Cappellini

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THE COUPLE’S SLEEK, ARTISTIC AND GLAMOROUS STYLE IS PERFECTLY SUITED TO THIS CITY BY THE LAKE

Bathroom A generous stripe of bold orange enlivens this concrete space, which features a bespoke double washbasin designed by Draga and Aurel. Above the bath is a painting by the couple and in front of the window is one of their ‘Dada’ side tables for Baxter Main bedroom ‘Clio’ wall lights designed by Sergio Mazza for Artemide in the 1960s are placed either side of an original artwork by Aurel in this calm space. The bed is a vintage design, reinterpreted by the couple and dressed in Society Limonta linens. The resin-topped ‘Liquid’ bedside tables are also by Draga & Aurel for Baxter See Stockists page for details

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Summer breeze

Traditional Puglian architecture meets poolside chic in this holiday home, which is designed for worshipping the sun and the spectacle of nature Words SARA DAL ZOTTO Photography HELENIO BARBETTA/LIVING INSIDE Styling CHIARA DAL CANTO

t didn’t take long for fashion entrepreneur Loris Lodi and his wife, interior designer and owner of Sdlstudio_design Sabrina Di Lorenzo, to fall for the charms of this sunny slice of Puglia.

‘It’s one of the most magical places in Italy,’ says Loris of the location of his new home. Named La Celeste, after the couple’s daughter, it sits proudly on the slopes of the Itria Valley, just outside the small town of Carovigno.

When Loris and Sabrina first viewed the land, though, there was no contemporary villa. Instead, what stood here among the olive groves was a traditional lamia – an old stone building with a curved roof, much like the region’s well-known trullis – elements of which are integral to the character of La Celeste. ‘It is a house with two souls,’ explains Loris. ‘One is simple, ancient; the other modern, sleek, fashion oriented.’

Striking a careful balance between them was key for Sabrina, who enlisted the help of Ayllon Architects for the external works. The project took four years to complete, and in her careful hands, minimalism and history coexist in harmony. The entrance is set into the lamia’s original dry-stone wall, but from there the home opens up, with its living room, dining area, four bedrooms and bathrooms all making the most of the views. ‘I wanted the sea to be visible from every room,’ explains Sabrina. ‘Even from the shower.’

For the couple, who describe themselves as ‘researchers by vocation’, the act of discovering pieces to decorate the villa was one of slow, considered editing. Finds picked up from markets around the world are combined with local design gems. One of Sabrina’s favourite discoveries was Puglian artist Bernardo Palazzo, whose creations she stumbled upon by chance while walking through the streets of nearby Locorotondo. He designed the pendant lights in the living and dining areas, which are made using recycled materials.

Just as important as the interior, perhaps more so on summer days, is the black pool. It’s the focal point of this home – its colour working in stunning contrast with the bright white of the villa’s walls. ‘I come from the fashion world, where black is the colour,’ says Loris. ‘I took inspiration from the black pools I saw during my business trips in Asia – it’s the latest trend there.’

And if you are wondering where to find Loris, the answer is the sunbed at the edge of the water. ‘It’s in the perfect position to catch the very last glimpse of sunlight,’ he explains. Because on holiday, every single ray is precious. sdlstudiodesign.com; ayllon.it Opposite The black swimming pool reflects the clean white walls of the villa Portrait Owner Loris outside the original lamia, which is also the entrance of the new property Hallway The lamia’s architectural details become more apparent inside, where modern glazing links it to the extension Stairs Dramatic steps lead to a roof terrace, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside

Dining area This engineered marble table is a bespoke design by homeowner Loris, and features a cavity for ice in the centre to keep drinks and food cool. The chairs are from the ‘Harp’ collection by Rodolfo Dordoni for Roda and the sculptural pendant light was made by local artist Bernardo Palazzo using accessories created for olive pressing

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‘ It is a house with t wo souls.

One is simple, ancient; the other modern, sleek, fashion oriented’

Living area Another light by Bernardo Palazzo, created from old sieves, hangs beside the ‘Ghost Out’ sofa by Paola Navone for Gervasoni. The ‘InOut’ chairs are also by the designer, again for Gervasoni. The ‘Soori’ coffee table is by Soo Chan for Poliform. All that separates this cool but cosy space from the outside is white linen curtains – for similar, try Piglet

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This page The contemporary architecture is used to frame the stunning views from all aspects of the property Opposite On the back wall of the dining area is an outdoor kitchen. The cabinetry was made by local artisans to homeowner and interior designer Sabrina’s designs, using recycled wood

Bathroom Floor-to-ceiling glazing allows anyone in the shower to enjoy the incredible view of the olive groves and sea beyond. The tap and shower hardware are all from Vola Guest bedroom All the bedrooms in this home have their own private courtyard. The dotted stool is from the ‘InOut’ collection by Paola Navone for Gervasoni

Terrace An extension of the living area, this sunny spot features bamboo chairs – for similar try La Redoute – and wooden side tables from the ‘Brick’ collection by Paola Navone for Gervasoni See Stockists page for details

‘I wanted the sea to be visible from ever y room’

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GROOVE IS IN THE HOUSE Capturing the laid-back vibe of the 1970s, the Primrose Hill pad of musical couple Rae Morris and Ben Garrett is perfectly in tune with the times Words CLARE SARTIN Photography MARIELL LIND HANSEN

Conversation platform The built-in seating is all bespoke, designed by Studio Hagen Hall and upholstered in a 1970s-inspired palette of velvets from The Cloth Shop. The circular pouf is the ‘Folk Pouf’ from Noo.ma Dining area A ‘Semi’ pendant light by Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup for Gubi closely mirrors the shape of the ‘Tulip’ table by Eero Saarinen for Knoll below it. The ‘Cesca’ chairs by Marcel Breuer are originals – reissues are available, also from Knoll

Stairs Turned to open up the room, the steps now lead onto the raised seating platform, with its custom-formed curved step, powder coated in RAL ‘Salmon Pink’.

A bespoke mirrored cabinet, designed by Studio Hagen Hall, disguises not just a TV, sound system and music collection, but also a working fireplace. The rattan bench under the stairs is a vintage find

This page For larger gatherings, the built-in bench can be pivoted to provide extra seating beneath the Fawn artwork by Jesse Kanda Opposite Crafted from elm by joiner Tim Gaudin, the kitchen, with its modern take on a serving hatch, micro-cement worktop and brass detailing, was designed by architect Louis Hagen Hall

THIS LONDON HOME’S STORY BEGAN ALL THE W AY A C R O S S T H E W O R L D, in Laurel Canyon, high in LA’s Hollywood Hills. It’s here that music producer Ben Garrett was working on singer and songwriter Rae Morris’s debut album, Unguarded. The couple fell not just for each other, but for the feel-good, 1970s-infused vibe of the place.

It was that atmosphere that they were looking to recreate when, in 2018, they began work on their 1970s two-bedroom terrace house and recording studio in Primrose Hill. To help them achieve the laid-back look, Ben and Rae approached architect and interior design firm Studio Hagen Hall. It was owner Louis Hagen Hall’s renovation of his own home, for sale at the time, that attracted them. His love of mid-century American architect John Lautner’s work and the design principles of Charles and Ray Eames was evident in his approach. ‘The Eameses were a couple, living together and working together. So are Rae and Ben,’ says Louis, who saw parallels between the creative partnerships.

Turning their dream of open-plan LA living into reality, however, was never going to be an easy task. ‘We ended up having to do two

strip outs,’ explains Louis. One was needed just to get an idea of what was going on inside – having haphazardly been transformed into bedsits, the house’s internal structure was perplexing. The second left Louis a blank slate, onto which he could add some modern updates on classic 1970s design details.

There’s the conversation platform – an elevated, contemporary take on the iconic conversation pits of the era, with storage added beneath each of the built-in seats – and the colour palette, featuring blocks of burnt orange and yellow. But just as important are the materials used throughout. Smoked glass mirrors act as a means to highlight the architraves, seeming to stretch the size of this 150 square-metre space, while cork, brass and elm – all staples of mid-century design – feature heavily.

‘We didn’t want to turn the house into a pastiche, though,’ points out Louis. Instead, he has taken the best elements of the 70s and given them a sleek reimagining. The bespoke kitchen epitomises this style. It was crafted by joiner Tim Gaudin, with whom Louis will soon be launching new kitchen brand Bysse.

To this same end, original furniture from the era – notably ‘Cesca’ chairs by Marcel Breuer and a ‘Tulip’ table by Eero Saarinen for Knoll – are placed beside custom-made pieces by Studio Hagen Hall. The effect is one of effortless cool.

A party house where you never know who may be making music in the sound-proofed downstairs studio, this home blends the warm, welcoming aesthetic of LA with a sprinkling of London magic. ‘I’d be there and Keane or Snow Patrol would walk in. Lily Allen stopped by once,’ recalls Louis, who now counts Ben and Rae as friends as well as clients. ‘I basically built them my dream house,’ he admits.

‘It’s a sign of a fun job.’ studiohagenhall.com AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 143

Ensuite bathroom Clad in cork tiles to match the floor, the bath separates this space from the main bedroom.

A washed linen curtain created using fabric from The Cloth Shop can be pulled across for privacy. The twin sinks are both from Ceramica Cielo and the taps are by Aston Matthews.

The wall lights above are the ‘WV340’ ceramic sconces by Wilhelm Wagenfeld for Lindner

Bedroom Calmer in style than the downstairs, this room is finished in raw plaster. The bed is custom-made and the ‘Lempi’ rattan headboard is from Matri. Illuminating the bedside tables from Kroft are spotlights by Faro. The sheepskin rug is an Ikea buy See Stockists page for details

SUBTLER AND SOFTER IN S T Y L E, T H I S S PAC E G I V E S A N O D T O T H E 19 7 0 S W I T H T H E U S E O F N AT U R A L M AT E R I A L S

VILLA IN THE SKY A modern reimagining of classical architecture, this fantastical new-build in Mexico has a style that is both mystical and minimal Words, production and styling TAMI CHRISTIANSEN Photography NIN SOLIS/LIVING INSIDE

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‘

e wanted to create a structure that makes you stop and ask yourself: “What is it?”’

This was the unique aim of Eduardo Valdes and Alexander Landsberg, founders of the Tulum-based design lab Terreo Studio.

Anyone happening upon their building’s elegant Roman-inspired arches, which reach almost magically into Mexico’s dazzling blue skies, would agree they achieved it.

Located in La Veleta, a diverse and creative district of Tulum, this architectural flight of fancy was influenced by Eduardo and Alexander’s love of the region. ‘We were inspired from the moment we arrived,’ say the duo, who soon realised there was a huge demand for beautiful buildings that were, they explain, ‘not cookie-cutter’ in style.

‘The idea was to create a modern design ruin,’ they add. A place that looks at once ancient and contemporary.

A series of vertical and perpendicular arches conceal the property’s façade, disguising eight private apartments – the jewel of which is this luxurious penthouse and pool. Belonging to a musician and his young family from Los Angeles, this holiday home is split across three levels and takes its aesthetic cues from materials and traditional designs native to Mexico.

This approach begins with the very walls themselves. The exterior ones are crafted from a local white stone that is packed with fossilised shells. ‘Eduardo and I got the idea on a trip to Morocco, in the Atlas Mountains, where we found many ammonite relics,’ says Alexander, who adds that the project’s name ‘Fosil’ (the Spanish spelling of fossil) was dedicated to this discovery, which can also be made if you dig down into the soil around Tulum.

Inside, the walls and floors of the apartments are covered in chukum, a limestone-based stucco mixed with resin from the native chukum tree. Locally sourced timber has also been used for the carpentry in the kitchen and bedrooms.‘The materials we choose must always be honest,’ explains Alexander. ‘We both love Mexico and a lot of inspiration comes from our travels, from the Yucatán to Mérida, the old haciendas, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City, Oaxaca and Chiapas. We collect items for our interiors store, also called Terreo Studio, in La Veleta that we run alongside the architecture and design lab, collaborating with artisans from all over the country.’

A fusion of modern luxury with traditional Mexican design is key here. ‘We try to create minimal but cosy spaces,’ continues Alexander.

‘If we were to define the Tulum style, it would be rustic and restrained, with natural materials, light colours and earth tones. For us, the vibe is very important. We love the idea of creating the ambience of a country house, a farmhouse, a holiday oasis.’ Part sculpture, part home, this property is all of those things, and more. @terreostudio

Previous spread Architecturally astounding vertical and perpendicular arches conceal this property’s façade Opposite Escher-like stairs bring decorative detail to the pool area Entrance The walls of this communal entrance are built from a local white stone, lending the space a natural quality while contrasting with the smooth arches

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Dining room ‘Capitol Complex’ chairs, a Pierre Jeanneret design, reissued in 2019 by Cassina, surround a table from Terreo Studio’s shop in La Valeta. The pottery on the table was handmade in Oaxaca Kitchen Another Terreo Studio design, the island was crafted from locally sourced timber, with black granite used for the worktop. For similar bar stools try Cox & Cox Living room Church-like arched steel windows frame the surrounding jungle. The chairs are the ‘Kangaroo’ design by Pierre Jeanneret, recently reissued by Cassina, while the rug and sofa are from Terreo Studio. For similar oversized wicker lampshades, try Tine K Home

THE PROPERTY’S FUSION OF MODERN LUXURY WITH TRADITIONAL MEXICAN DESIGN IS KEY

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Main bedroom Located on a mezzanine level above the double-height living room, this space’s wooden shutters create an open, breezy feel. The braided wicker chair and stool are from Terreo Studio, but for a twist on the look try the ‘Elephant Boot’ chair and ‘Mushroom’ stool from Eero Aarnio Originals Bedroom This dark olive bedding is from Zara Home, while all of the furniture is from Terreo Studio. Heal’s sells the similar ‘Fine Edge’ arched mirror and Made’s ‘Modica’ armchair is a close match in materials and shape

‘IF WE WERE TO DEFINE THE TULUM STYLE, IT WOULD BE RUSTIC AND RESTRAINED WITH NATURAL MATERIALS’

Bedroom Soft, earthy hues and simple lines define this room.

The bedding is from Zara Home, while the lights, linen curtains and bedside table are from Terreo Studio Bathroom Spa-like in its appearance, this room’s surfaces are clad in chukum, a limestonebased cement mixed with resin

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‘WE LOVE THE IDEA OF CREATING THE AMBIENCE OF A COUNTRY HOUSE, A FARMHOUSE, A HOLIDAY OASIS’

Roof terrace Accessed directly from the main bedroom, this private space has a large shaded seating area – the perfect spot for its American owners to relax and enjoy cooling sea breezes. The oversized wicker lampshade, wooden coffee table and chair are all by Terreo Studio See Stockists page for details

EVERYONE IS WELCOME The past, as well as the present, are embraced with open arms in this Berlin apartment, where the focus is on inclusivity and hospitality Words GRAHAM WOOD Photography GREG COX/ BUREAUX/LIVING INSIDE Styling SVEN ALBERDING

Living room An Iranian takht or daybed takes the place of a sofa in this space.

In front of it are a vintage three-legged Romanian stool and an Ottoman side table/tea tray. A Persian kilim and vintage rug cover the floor. The sideboard is a mid-century Polish design that owner Kasia inherited from her family and the chair was made by Polish woodworkers. Placed on the shelf between the windows is Man With the Head of Dog, a sculpture by Janek Simon

This page Payam (left) and Kasia under a chandelier by Czech architect Josef Gočá Study The couple picked up the 1930s swivel chair from a local flea market, and the desk is from Poland. Next to the vintage daybed is a Persian kilim Hallway Hanging on the wall is Marine Hugonnier’s Art for Modern Architecture (Homage to Ellsworth Kelly): front pages of Iranian dailies from the revolution, with images covered in blocks of colour in the style of American painter Kelly

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T

here’s an open-sesame effect with an old wooden door,’ says Payam Sharifi, referring to the traditional Moroccan design that is squeezed into his 19th-century Berlin home. At first, it doesn’t seem to fit in this environment – a decorative interloper from another time and place – but this blurring of the lines between the past and the present is something that occupies Slavs and Tatars, the art collective he founded in 2006 with Kasia Korczak.

One of many delights, this door was part of the couple’s renovation plans from the very beginning. ‘The first time we walked into the space, it was already lying on the floor,’ recalls architect Marc Benjamin Drewes, who, in collaboration with architecture firm Schneideroelsen, worked with Payam and Kasia to create their vision. Situated between the dining area and kitchen in the ‘Berliner zimmer’ (a long connecting room typical of homes in the German capital) and the bedrooms and bathroom beyond, the door acts as a portal, with rooms featuring restored original features on one side and those with a far more modern feel on the other.

For Kasia, originally from Łódź in central Poland, and Payam, an American-Iranian writer, researcher and artist from Texas, moving into this apartment in the city’s multicultural Moabit district was a major milestone. The pair had been working together from different places in the world for seven years. Important to both was that their first shared home and studio include interesting

original features. This apartment’s high ceilings and their ornate mouldings certainly ticked that box.

‘Modernity has made ceilings blank slates,’ says Payam, ‘but until the turn of the 20th century, people around the world invested their wealth in their ceilings.’ From wood carvings in Central European medieval houses to the Muslim world, they were invested with ‘a certain indulgence of assets’. ‘A nice ceiling,’ he continues, ‘elevates you and makes you look up, like you do in a cathedral.’ The details were present here, but years of paint had obscured their beauty. A lot of painstaking effort was applied to peeling back those layers.

For the most part, explains Marc, ‘the task was not to destroy anything’ because, for Kasia and Payam, the work of the craftspeople who created their ceiling is as worthy of protection as the many pieces of art and furniture that make their home unique. Theirs is an inclusive approach to decoration that sees an Iranian takht or daybed (often seen at roadside stops, as well as the entrances to mosques and tea houses) used as a sofa and paired with mid-century Polish pieces, inherited from Kasia’s family.

When it comes to explaining Slavs and Tatars’ relationship with the past, Payam likes to cite French literary critic Antoine Compagnon, who argued that ‘the true modernists were actually the likes of Baudelaire who were ambivalent about the passing of the premodern era’. He called them ‘people with one eye in the rear-view mirror, moving forward…’

It’s a description that could also be used for Payam and Kasia’s home – an interior that opens up a friendly conversation between the historic and the contemporary. A very personal space that invites interaction and interpretation. A place that builds bridges. slavsandtatars.com; marcdrewes.com AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 163

The door acts as a portal, with rooms featuring original features on one side and those with a far more modern feel on the other

Dining area An antique Moroccan door links the front and back rooms of the apartment. The lights are a sculpture by Slavs and Tatars entitled Fragrant Concubine, 2012. Chairs made by Polish woodworkers are placed around a table from Manufactum.

On the wall is a wood carving by Georgian artist Giorgi Xaniashvili, whose tongue-incheek pieces are the flip side of his day job, carving icons for the Orthodox Church

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Pieces from the couple’s Polish and Iranian heritage create intriguing displays in every room

Kitchen Located alongside the dining area in the Berliner zimmer, this space includes a mid-century Polish sideboard (opposite) that Kasia inherited from her family. Above it hangs String shelving packed with various vessels, herbs and spices. On the opposite wall is contrasting modern cabinetry in a sleek white gloss finish, on which sits a manual citrus press and wooden utensils – try Bohemia Design for similar

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The interior opens up a friendly conversation between the historic and the contemporary

Bedroom Geometric blue cement tiles – for similar try Emery & Cie – mark the transition to this more modern part of the home. Above the bed, whose simple wooden headboard divides this room, hangs a pająk (spider) mobile. These were traditionally hung in homes in rural Poland to celebrate the harvest Bathroom The same floor tiles, but this time in red, link this space to the bedroom. The stool is a Romanian piece See Stockists page for details

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BAO DOWN It’s been a busy few months for everyone’s favourite Taiwanese chain.

The arrival of Café Bao in Kings Cross has been swiftly followed by Bao Noodle Shop in Shoreditch (pictured), which sees a hint of Wes Anderson whimsy in its timber-clad walls and punchy red stools. As well as bowls of the good stuff, there are new versions of the brand’s signature buns, such as a sweetcorn congee bao with spring onion tofu sauce, plus dumplings and cocktails (baolondon.com).

SEA CHANGE Buoyed by the great British seaside revival, this contemporary new coastal retreat is set to make waves

From left A calm and quiet modernity ensues at Port Hotel in Eastbourne, as seen in the restaurant and one of its 19 rooms, below

PICTURES: EMMA GUTTERIDGE

If you were to launch a chain of chic seaside hotels in the South East, where would you start? Perhaps Margate, Deal, Hastings...

Brighton for a really safe bet. Instead, the inaugural Port Hotel has landed in Eastbourne.

‘It’s a beautiful Victorian town,’ says co-founder Peter Cadwallader of the seaside resort, which once had a decidedly sleepy reputation. Occupying a smart row of black townhouses on the seafront, this 19-room boutique hotel and restaurant has been shaped by London-based interior designer Imraan Ismail with a quiet modernity.

Perhaps the formula is by now a familiar one – cork floors, poured concrete sinks and terrazzo tiles – but it’s minimalism at its most cocooning, evoking calm rather than coolness. That’s partly thanks to a well-judged selection of Scandinavian furniture and lighting, from the Ferm Living ‘Rico’ chairs in the snug lounge area to pieces

by Gubi, &Tradition, Muuto and Hay. If it all seems rather far removed from the quintessential British seaside experience, let Ismail explain his influences. The round brass bedside tables are a nod to the Eastbourne Pier dome, while the pastel colour palette, he says, reflects ‘the soft pinkish hue that bounces off the sea at sunset’. The putty-toned restaurant sources almost all ingredients within 30 miles, and there’s a fluted wood bar (crafted by local artisans, who also had a hand in the bedrooms’ matching headboards) stocked with tipples by Sussex makers such as Rathfinny wine and Ditchling Gin. The result is a retreat that’s subtly rooted in place – and we do like to be beside the seaside. From £140 per night (porthotel.co.uk).

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T H R E E T O S E E AT FOLKESTONE TRIENNIAL

After a four-year hiatus, the free public art showcase returns to the Kent seaside town from 22 July to 2 November 2021. More than 20 new outdoor installations will be joining dozens of works on permanent display (creativefolkestone.org.uk)

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MAKING HISTORY The waterside Derby Silk Mill, widely regarded as the site of the world’s first factory, represents a precious piece of manufacturing heritage. Now rebuilt with the addition of a spectacular tripleheight glass atrium, it has itself been remade into the new Museum of Making, a showcase of 300 years of industrial innovation and a celebration of craftsmanship today.

Its extensive collection includes 30,000 objects, while an earnest desire to support modern-day makers has seen the inclusion of a co-working space and workshop with specialist equipment. The hope is that this makers’ mecca will become a community hub and inspire the next generation, too (derbymuseums.org).

PICTURES: THIERRY BAL, SPELLER METCALFE/DERBY MUSEUMS, COURTESY DAVID SHRIGLEY AND STEPHEN FRIEDMAN GALLERY

Morag Myerscough’s welcome pavilion is a spiritual gateway for the former gasworks site at Ship Street, which has become the focus of an urban regeneration campaign. The artist worked with local residents who have been excluded from the site for decades.

Head down to the seafront on Lower Saxon Way to take in a colourful stretch of over 100 new and refurbished beach huts by Rana Begum (above), who offers a vibrant, geometric interpretation of this iconic British image.

Turner Prize-winning art collective Assemble’s ‘Skating Situations’ – at the railway viaduct and the restored Harbour Arm promenade – are a collaboration with local skateboarders in anticipation of Folkestone’s new indoor skate park.

What’s your pleasure?

The Wellcome Collection’s new season ‘On Happiness’ will offer a meditation on ‘one of life’s most elusive and slippery concepts’. It explores what it means to feel good – from gentle reverie to full-blown bliss – via a programme of free events and concurrent gallery displays on ‘Tranquillity’ and ‘Joy’, which includes new work by David Shrigley (pictured). The scientific slant of the London museum is sure to bring weight to its latest exploration of the human experience. From 15 July 2021 to 27 February 2022 (wellcomecollection.org).

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Head for the HILLS It’s hard to imagine a setting more sensational than a thousand-yearold castle set on an Umbrian hilltop. And the new Hotel Castello di Reschio, slowly and sensitively restored by Count Benedikt Bolza and wife Donna Nencia, is only one part of a vast estate, which includes forests, olive groves and vineyards, as well as nine rental properties coaxed from crumbling farmhouses. Expect original stone fireplaces and bespoke pieces by Benedikt’s own furniture brand BB for Reschio in the 36 rooms – one even has its own olive press – which are sumptuous but allow the building’s incredible bones to shine through. Much of the magic, though, is in the surprises, from the courtyard palm house to the restful spa hidden in the old wine cellar. From approx £656 per night (reschio.com).

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Tower of London This starry Knightsbridge hotel is a fixture on the capital’s five-star scene. Now, it’s been reimagined for the next generation When the Carlton Tower opened in 1961, it was a beacon of luxury for a buzzing London – quite literally, too, as the capital’s tallest hotel at the time. ‘It was the epitome of glamour. The place to see and be seen,’ says Ailsa Connery, design director of interior and architecture studio 1508 London, who were charged with masterminding the most extensive makeover in its history. Now complete, the new-look Carlton Tower Jumeirah features a new foyer, restaurant and cavernous spa, which houses a swimming pool swathed in natural light.

‘Working with the structural constraints of a 1960s building was challenging,’ admits Connery. ‘To open up the lobby we removed a central column and raised the ceiling to create a double-height entrance.’ With decorative Italian marble flooring and a bespoke chandelier by Lasvit, it hopes to capture what she calls ‘the return of the

WORDS: CAT OLLEY PICTURES: PHILIP VILE

‘LUXURY HAS EVOLVED TO BECOME MORE THAN BEAUTIFUL FINISHES’ arrivals moment’. It’s clear that carving more space has been a real focus of the renovation, which included a reduction in the overall room count to accommodate a larger number of suites. Furniture is soft and sculptural, with deep blues, greens and maroons, while balconies overlook leafy Cadogan Gardens.

There are heritage stories here, too.

Retained above the entrance to new Mediterranean restaurant Al Mare is the modernist copper installation Four Seasons

by British sculptor Elisabeth Frink, which was commissioned for the hotel’s opening. It’s been joined by a new bronze and pewter relief map of London, in collaboration with applied arts studio Rima & McRae, which decorates a full wall of the Chinoiserie tea room.

‘Luxury has evolved to become more than beautiful finishes and bespoke furniture,’ says Connery. ‘We want guests to feel as relaxed as they would in their own home.’ From £540 per night ( jumeirah.com).

From top The new Al Mare restaurant; the naturally lit, 20-metre swimming pool, which is part of a large spa area; and the Chinoiserie tea room, all at the renovated Carlton Tower Jumeirah

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THE LIDO REVIVAL Britain’s outdoor baths are booming. With historic pools being restored and new ones created, we look at their rise in popularity – and where to take the plunge Words CAT OLLEY

Bristol Lido’s characterful changing rooms and heated pool. It was built in 1850 and restored and reopened in 2008

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PICTURES: CHARLOTTE BLAND, LESLEY LAU, CALLUM DRUMMOND

Hampstead Heath Ponds and (below) Bath’s Cleveland Pools project

Attempt to book a last-minute slot at one of London’s beloved lidos and it will affirm what we already knew. Urban outdoor swimming is back – and in a big way.

When it reopened at the end of March after a long, lido-less winter, over 400 swimmers a day flocked to Tooting Bec Lido. Water temperatures were struggling to top 10 degrees, but that didn’t deter the hardy crowd, many of whom had discovered the delights of a daily dip as an alternative to a plod around the park that had long lost its shine. Seasoned swimmers, meanwhile, had mourned the absence of a precious local resource, and those with faith in the antibacterial qualities of chlorine were raring to return to the water.

Though lockdown has proven to be the great accelerator, the urban swimming renaissance is no splash in the pan. A flurry of lido restoration projects up and down the country is clue enough that town and city dwellers are taking the plunge in ever increasing numbers. So far saved from the wrecking ball are sites like the striking art deco Saltdean Lido in Brighton, the Thames Lido in Reading and South Wales’ Ponty The pool at the Birch Lido, with its 1920s turnstiles hotel in Hertfordshire and wooden cubicles. and (right) London’s Set to join them next summer Oasis Sports Centre are Hull’s restored Albert Avenue Baths and Brighton’s Sea Lanes, a new development on the seafront. Cumbria’s Grange Lido has just been granted the green light, while the team behind The People’s Pool in Liverpool – a city that once had 11 open-air pools – is busy finalising proposals.

Few projects have captured the imagination of the community quite like Cleveland Pools in Bath, which at over 200 years old is Britain’s earliest example.

‘We’re excited to be part of this growing movement,’ says project director Anna Baker. Opened in 1815, its curved façade calls to mind another Georgian icon: The Royal Crescent. The revival is testament to the tenacity of a local trio and their 17-year campaign to save the Grade II-listed site after it was closed in 1984 and later added to Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register. ‘The pools were at a very real threat of being lost forever,’ explains Baker. ‘Thankfully, hundreds of volunteers have rallied together to protect the site. This is a facility for the community, by the community.’

So why did our once-loved lidos disappear? ‘Indoor pools,

leisure centres and cheaper foreign holidays,’ says journalist and author Christopher Beanland, whose recent book Lido dives into the history of the world’s most beautiful swimming spots.

He also points to changing social trends at war with wellness – ‘cigs, booze and cars, anyone?’ – and decisions forced by council funding cuts. Now, canny communities are safeguarding their locals – take Penzance’s Jubilee Pool, with its new geothermal seawater section, which is owned by 1,400 local shareholders and run as a social enterprise.

It’s no coincidence that hip country hotel Birch, which arrived in Hertfordshire last summer and prides itself on a communal atmosphere, has recently opened a lido. Tiled in ice cream tones, it feels faintly retro – a nod, perhaps, to lidos’ 1930s heyday. Shiny new housing projects, too, are integrating outdoor pools into their plans, like the dizzying new ‘floating ’ Sky Pool at London’s Nine Elms, or the lido at Manchester’s upcoming Cotton Quay development in Salford, which will add 1,500 homes to the city’s docklands.

Others are lidos in name only.

London’s Serpentine Lido, home to the oldest swimming club in Britain and more than a few ducks, looks suspiciously like a lake.

Casual swimmers will be reassured by the delineated boundary, but the frisson in this step towards wild swimming is half the fun.

So, too, a dip in Hackney’s West Reservoir, or a chance to take in the tranquillity of Hampstead Heath’s Swimming Ponds. Clevedon Marine Lake, with its tidal infinity pool that directly overlooks the Bristol Channel, offers a similar sense of integration with nature.

It’s hard not to feel roused by the steely determination of architecture practice Studio Octopi and its vision for Thames Baths, a filtered pool in the River Thames, which harks back to various floating baths that dotted the waterway in the Victorian era. The manifesto for the almost decade-long campaign, which has high-profile backers such as Tracey Emin, is a rallying cry for greater claim over the capital’s largest public space. ‘It is our belief that it is every Londoner’s right to liberate themselves by swimming in the Thames.’ Don’t underestimate our appetite for Cheltenham’s Sandford Parks Lido (above) wading into uncharted waters. and Brockwell Lido in south London AUGUST 2021 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 177

FOUR POOLS WORTH A PILGRIMAGE Christopher Beanland, author of ‘Lido: A dip into outdoor swimming pools: the history, design and people behind them’, selects his top swimming spots

JUBILEE POOL Penzance The sheer abandon of Jubilee Pool is what stands out – you’d expect nothing less from something designed by a man who went by the title Captain F Latham. The bravado is epitomised by the bold shape, like a huge Dorito or Toblerone slice, and by its size. It’s the largest saltwater lido in Britain. Today that bravado continues: the people running the pool have drilled into the sea bed to provide the geothermal energy to heat its water. It’s lived through a lot – opened in 1935 for George V’s Silver Jubilee, it popularised Penzance as a resort in the art deco era.

This ultimately modest (but incredibly well-managed) lido exists without fanfare, save for the cute coloured changing room doors. It has something of a reputation as Britain’s most hipster lido and there is some truth in that – on weekday afternoons it’s more like WeWork-on-Sea, with creative freelancers blathering away on their phones and plenty of good-looking, well-groomed types. The work of Harry Arnold Rowbotham and T L Smithson, it opened in 1932 and had a twin in Kennington Park, which bit the dust in 1987. It’s been refurbished several times and is now one of the city’s most endearing little pockets of calm and pleasure.

PICTURES: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. LIDO: A DIP INTO OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOLS, THE HISTORY, DESIGN AND PEOPLE BEHIND THEM BY CHRISTOPHER BEANLAND (BATSFORD, £20)

LONDON FIELDS LIDO Hackney, London

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SALTDEAN LIDO Brighton The modernism of England’s south coast offered a shot in the arm to several fading Edwardian resorts.

These included Deal Pier, Bottle Alley in St Leonards, the art deco Embassy Court by Wells Coates in Brighton, and Serge Chermayeff and Erich Mendelsohn’s symphony to smoothness, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. The latter has much in common with Saltdean’s lustrous lido, which arrived three years later.

It’s probably England’s best looking – though shouldn’t we judge lidos on their personality, too, these days? With its embracing arms and symmetrical purity, it perfectly reflects the age of health, efficiency and the new. It remains open as it’s slowly restored to former glory.

PICTURES:ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

TINSIDE LIDO Plymouth John Wibberley’s masterwork is a lido the city of Plymouth can truly be proud of. The enormous curved pool projects out into the English Channel below the famous Hoe, where Francis Drake liked a game of bowls. It has an eight-sided theme, with octagonal fountains at either corner and one in the middle, which brings the whole piece to life, along with the old bathing beauty posters on the walls. Completed in 1935, it succumbed like so many others to a closure, from 1992-2005, which would be totally unthinkable today. Tinside Beach is just next door.

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THE GRAPE ESCAPE What else presents such an irresistible image of the good life as a vineyard hotel? We’re raising a glass to the hot new openings at home and away, as well as the best experiences to book now

Casa di Langa, top, sits within the most beautiful winemaking region in northern Piedmont, and is filled with timeless Italian design classics

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CASA DI LANGA, Cerretto Langhe, Italy When it comes to wine, starry Tuscany tends to eclipse Italy’s northern Piedmont region. But with the crown comes the crowds, which makes the latter an appealing alternative. So, too, does this new retreat, which lies on the border of UNESCO World Heritage site LangheRoero and Monferrato, revered for its winemaking heritage and prized white truffles. The 39 muted rooms and suites offer sleek Italian design, with furniture

by Cassina, B&B Italia, De Padova and Meridiani, and there’s plenty of local stone and raw plaster. But Casa di Langa has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The buildings, inspired by the area’s vernacular architecture, are constructed with heat-storing adobe bricks, and further eco practices include solar panels and using recycled water for the vines. The wine academy, certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, will prove persuasive for budding oenophiles, while the less studious can sign up for a Vespa tour of the vineyards.

From around £373 per night (preferredhotels.com).

WORDS: NAME PICTURES: NAME

THE MUTED ROOMS OFFER SLEEK ITALIAN DESIGN, LOCAL STONE AND RAW PLASTER

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LES SOURCES DE CHEVERNY, France When Alice and Jérôme Tourbier opened Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux in 1999, its revelatory vinotherapy spa helped usher in a new kind of vineyard hotel. With sister estate Les Sources de Cheverny, the hope will be to replicate that success in another prestigious French winemaking region: the Loire Valley. This, of course, is châteaux country, and the hotel has a fine 18th-century example to call home, plus a village-like estate masterminded by architect Yves Collet. Design studio Be-Poles has preserved all of the historical heft but none of the fustiness, with flea-market furniture and walls painted in mossy green, while farm buildings house more rooms and the old storehouse a restaurant. That’s where you’ll find a bottle of house La Grand’ Vigne, made by a local organic winemaker, though it’s a waiting game until their own vines of white Romorantin grape come to fruition. ‘It was important for us to revive a winemaking activity that was once present at Château du Breuil, whose former cellars now house our auberge,’ says Alice. From around £166 per night (sources-cheverny.com).

The grand 18th-century chateau blends historical detail with characterful flea-market finds in the Loire Valley

Best wineries in the UK with rooms It’s set to be a big year for this natural, biodynamic wine producer just outside Rye, which will finally see – quite literally – the fruits of its labour from 10,000 vines planted by hand three years ago. Eleven stylish new rooms are housed in what was once a hop barn, and all have vineyard views. From £165 per night (tillingham.com).

R Y E D A L E V I N E YA R D S , NORTH YORKSHIRE A balmier climate means much UK wine production is sequestered in the south, which makes this family-run site at the foot of the North Yorkshire Wolds the most northerly commercial vineyard in Britain. There are two restful rooms in the 500-year-old farmhouse.

From £110 per night (ryedalevineyards.co.uk).

BLACK CHALK, HAMPSHIRE A recent collaboration between this awardwinning Test Valley vineyard and treehouse trailblazers Wild Escapes has seen four reclaimed timber cabins on stilts erected adjacent to the vines. You’ll find a bottle of Black Chalk chilling in the fridge, and there’s a possibility of private tastings in your treehouse.

From £274 per night (canopyandstars.co.uk).

PICTURES: MPMOREL-JUILLET 2020

TILLINGHAM, EAST SUSSEX

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The new outpost from The Pig group features its own vineyard – a first for the chain

THE PIG IN THE SOUTH DOWNS, West Sussex, UK

WORDS: CAT OLLEY PICTURES: BAGSHAW & HARDY LTD, JAKE EASTHAM

It’s been just over a decade since the original Pig opened in the New Forest, and this chain of rustic-chic retreats has kept to a pacy schedule ever since. Set high on the South Downs in pretty Madehurst village, its latest outpost maintains focus on epicurean delights – the two-acre kitchen garden is the largest so far – including the very first Pig vineyard.

A hotspot for British viticulture, the area’s chalky subsoil and elevation offer agreeable conditions for some 4,000 vines of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, thus fulfilling a long-held ambition for founder Robin Hutson. Opens September, from £155 per night (thepighotel.com).

Tours and more with a twist F I Z Z & FA L C O N R Y AT C H A P E L D O W N , K E N T

T H E A R T O F S A B R A G E AT M A N N I N G S H E AT H , W E S T S U S S E X

S E C R E T V I N E YA R D T R A I L AT D E N B I E S , S U R R E Y

It would be remiss to mention English wine without a nod to the site that sent it mainstream. One of Britain’s best vineyards to visit, Chapel Down’s more unusual tours include an encounter with the falcons who defend the grapes from unwanted visitors, as well as hawks and great grey owl Abe. £145 per person (chapeldown.com).

Forget the usual twist-the-bottle technique – this West Sussex winery amps up the drama by demonstrating the age-old art of sabrage. Said to have been started by Napoleon, it involves striking a cork with a sabre at just the right angle. They’ll even let you have a go yourself afterwards. £18 per person (manningsheath.com).

The 90-minute walking tour of the Denbies estate (they promise a leisurely pace) offers access to hidden areas of its 265 acres under vine, including the Yew Tree Vineyard, as well as the best spots for far-reaching views across the North Downs. Tours run on Saturdays. £29.50 per person (denbies.co.uk).

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ST YLISH INTERIORS Create your dream living space with our inspiring collection

LIZA HELEN Liza Helen is a British Digital Illustrator, who started her creative journey just over a year ago. Using her vast experience of world travel and a loyal love of bright colours and bold patterns, she transforms experiences into large format digital print work to create scenes of where we’d all rather be.

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TREASURED /

TOM DIXON I was playing music with my friends from around 14, and our disco band, Funkapolitan, really took off when I was 21. The guitar arrived somewhere in-between. It was a 1973 Fender Jazz Bass with a chequered history – it had been stolen by a Sex Pistols roadie and sold to me. Then it was stolen again from me in a nightclub I used to run called The Titanic. I was so nostalgic about that guitar but really, it was karma. I’d bought it in questionable circumstances.

Six years ago, we played a concert at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and I wanted a guitar fit for the occasion, so I bought one on Ebay. Sometimes you hanker after these things and it’s never quite as satisfying as the original, but it’s the same colour, same year, same everything.

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It’s doing just as good a job. There’s something about music that allows you to really commune with people on a different plane. It’s like speaking an alternative language. Bass guitar is slightly simpler, but the downside is you can’t really do it on your own. It’s a support instrument, the goalkeeper of the band. That suits me rather well.

That time taught me about self-determination. In a band you make up your own music, book your own gigs, make your own posters – it’s a little business you create with your ideas. That’s something I transferred into design. I had no conventional teaching, but the music business had given me that belief in getting on with it. That idea of creativity without formal training is very British. I never learned how to play music either. I’m actually quite bad. tomdixon.net

INTERVIEW: CAT OLLEY PICTURE: PETE NAVEY

The British designer on the guitar that played an instrumental part in his early career