ISSUE #16 2014
The
Garden Issue
est GLOBAL LIVING WITH AN AUSTRALIAN TWIST
Editor in Chief Sian MacPherson sian@estmagazine.com.au
sub-editor YVETTE CAPrioglio yvette@estmagazine.com.au
GRAPHIC DESIGNER GEORGIE MCKENZIE georgie@estmagazine.com.au
advertising lyndsay hunter lyndsay@estmagazine.com.au
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITORIAL STYLE HUNTER Jessica Vedel. PHOTOGRAPHY Caroline Davis, Mark Lobo, Sarah Hogan. PRODUCTION Sian MacPherson. WORDS Donna Duggan, Jessica Vedel, Caroline Davis. STYLING Sally Hayden, Caroline Davis.
ON THE COVER
Photography & Styling Caroline Davis. Page 47. ENQUIRIES
Editorial editorial@estmagazine.com.au Production production@estmagazine.com.au Advertising advertising@estmagazine.com.au
CONNECT
Contents
9 Editor’s Letter
10 style hunter
13 EDITOR’s Pick
Welcoming new seasons
Designer Jessica Vedel
Potting about
14 TREND REPORT
20 ATELIER
24 stonefielDS
Plants in the home
Landscapes by Joanna Logue
Creating something from nothing
38 Balcome house
56 FOOD
An English countryside escape
Marnie’s Salad
est ISSUE #16 2014
Editor’s Letter It’s that time of the year again where we start to brace ourselves for the race towards Christmas while still wondering how the year has managed to pass us by. For those if us in the south, we look forward to longer spring days and warmer weather as we throw open the doors to the new season, welcoming the outside in and along with it, the warm promise of summer. In this issue we turn to Australia’s most revered landscape designer Paul Bangay, as he graciously welcomes us to ‘Stonefields’ (on what was a freezing late autumn day) to share his beautiful European-inspired country retreat that, amazingly, was nothing more than a bare cow paddock just 8 years ago. We are also thrilled to catch up with Alex Willcock, the
Englishman who introduced homewares to the iconic Australian brand, Country Road in 1989. In a rambling country manor, the Willcock family lead an enviable life in the english countryside just over an hour’s drive from London. It is fair to say that this, our first ever Outdoor Issue, is inspired by the great outdoors that lie well beyond the city boundary that keeps us all hemmed in.
Sian MacPherson Editor in Chief
est MAGAZINE
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Bruno Aveillan 4
VINCENZO DE COTIIS Wall Lamp In Oxidized Silver
H&M Cushion Cover
CASTE Bridger Bronze Side Table
by malene birger Morgana Wool Scarf
Niklaus Graber & Christoph Steiger Villa M on Lake Lucerne
georg jensen Vivianna Bangle Watch
GUBI Beetle Chair
style hunter Meet Jessica Vedel from Vedel Design Ltd.
DAVID KATZ Objects
In my work as an interior designer I like to work from a base of neutral colours and natural materials, like white, beige and black, marble, glass and wood. I normally bring a few vintage pieces in to my designs or artwork, which make the feel of the space more personal and unique. I’m currently working on a house in Notting Hill, London where we are bringing a lot of artwork and installations into the house. It gives it a very bespoke and handpicked feel and the interior really reflects the owner of the house. My personal style is very influenced by my upbringing in Denmark. The Scandinavian light and the simple clean look are the core of my wardrobe and the interior of my own home or any other creative journey I take on. I like the understated look with one or two focus points, or one contrast colour. I get my inspiration from daily life. It can be small things like texture or a colour on a wall, a detail in a shop window, magazines, a coffee shop, when I go to a flea market, or a restaurant I’m visiting. Every place or product really. I love to take pictures. I have been working as photographer since I was 22 years old, and I still love the process and the way of creating and capturing the beauty in everything and the moments in life that pass too quickly.
Michel François Walk Through a Line of Neon Lights
Luxury to me is getting great experiences with work, together with friends and great moments with family. Seeing new things, experiences new places and spending time with interesting people, is a great luxury.
HOME IS WHERE THE
ANTIPODES IS.
As well as finding antipodes in some of the world’s finest restaurants, you'll now also find it to take home from selected gourmet stores or delivered to your door from www.antipodes.co.nz/delivery.html. Suddenly it feels even better to be home.
est REGULAR editor’s picks
NEMO Lamp De Marseille by Le Corbusier
NODI No 1 Handmade Rug
Daniel Boyd Treasure Island
MArNI Long Flowers Earrings
garden life
crate and barrel
Odemis Urn
Peterboro Handmade Picnic Basket
editors picks Take time to at least stop and wear the roses. Or better yet, set yourself up in a designer safari chair to watch the new season blow in. BY Sian MacPherson
CULT Safari Chair by Carl Hansen
est REGULAR TREND REPORT
PLANTS IN THE HOME Who would have thought that a home trend could come back with such vengeance, but then again, why on earth did it fade into obscurity in the first place? In this month’s Garden Issue, we want to celebrate the resurgence of plants in the home, not only because they look great, but because they’re good for your health too. WORDS & IMAGES Caroline Davis
For those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s, we will undoubtedly have fond memories of green in the home-at least a Swiss chess plant lurking in the corner, if nothing else! Fast forward to the 21st Century and a whole new generation of green-loving enthusiasts has been spawned and the planet can only be just that little bit better for it. With inspiration in abundance on the web, gather some favourite ideas to make up a mood board of not only your favourite plant varieties, but new and imaginative ways to display them. An ordinary terracotta pot can be transformed with spray paint. Upcycle and re-purpose with decorative tins and jars for anything from succulents and ferns to flowering plants and orchids. Even the most standard kitchen will make the perfect container. A glass trifle bowl for spring bulbs; a vintage chamber pot for grouped orchids, vintage falcon enamelware, teapots, bowls and even a pie dish are all useful vessels. Research which types will suit your home best and consider light and humidity levels and even space to help you choose. But most of all, decorate with them because they look beautiful and they’ll bring out a creative energy in you with minimum effort. Group selections of plants together on shelves, window sills, your home office desk, kitchen counter and don’t forget a maidenhair fern or two in the bathroom - they love humid environments. If you live in an apartment with no outdoor space, create your own miniature terrarium - it only takes a table top or window sill when space is at a premium. Display not only what you love, but what can actually enhance your quality of life too. Decorating with plants will actually improve your health by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Plants will purify the air and increase oxygen levels. Research which types will suit your home best and consider light and humidity levels and even space to help you choose. But most of all, decorate with them because they look beautiful, they’ll bring out a creative energy in you with minimum effort and they’re good for the planet too.
“Essington Hillside II 2014”
est REGULAR aTELIER
atelier : joanna Logue Joanna Logue’s semi abstract canvases depict the blurred natural forms of the artist’s surrounding landscape in the Blue Mountains region of NSW. Capturing the landscape’s continual shift in form and change in seasons, Joanna draws us in with her moody impressions of the world that lay outside her window. Production Sian MacPherson | ART Joanna Logue
What are you currently working on? I am currently working on a body of work for ‘art stage’ in Singapore, an art fair that my Melbourne art dealer James Makin is taking me to in January. I am also working on a photographic collaboration with artist Bill Moseley for a group show called ‘Natura Morte’ opening next month at orange Regional Gallery. Where do you live and work right now? I have two studios. One in the Central Tablelands of NSW in a place called Oberon and another in a warehouse in Melbourne. What are you inspired by this month? I am particularly inspired this month by a very old photographic process called tintype which I learnt during a workshop I attended at Hill End Press last month. The process is alchemical and very much in keeping with my painting process. “On the Way to Lake George 2013”
What are your reading? I am reading the latest edition of Granta, a quarterly literary journal I subscribe to plus ‘All the birds, Singing’ by Evie Wyld. What are you listening to? Brian Eno, Netherworld, Laura Jean, Podcasts BBC Radio 4 (front Row Daily) and KCRW’s (Bookworm). What are you watching? The Monthly SlowTV. Who would you most like to sit next to at a dinner party? Gerhard Richter What is your greatest extravagance? Taking time out of the studio and working in my garden ... for days on end. Favourite travel destination? My country property ‘Essington Park.’ What does the word luxury mean to you?
“Turon 2013”
A long peaceful deep sleep, waking to birdsong and no creative deadlines.
“Essington Hillside 2014”
est REGULAR HOME
STONEFIELDS With over three decades of experience as a landscape designer for some of the most spectacular properties around the world, Paul Bangay was sure to create a masterpiece for his own home. Words Donna Duggan | Photography Mark Lobo Production Sian MacPherson
Access to water was Paul Bangay’s number one priority while he was looking for a location for a new Victorian-based residence. The internationallycelebrated landscape designer had grand plans for creating a large-scale garden, which would need lots of good quality water. “It was sheer luck that the first property l looked at through the real estate agent in Trentham was perfect”, says Bangay. “It had a spring fed dam, a little lake and beautiful bore water. It also had a spectacular view of the valley and a close proximity to Melbourne.” When Bangay purchased the 20-hectare property in Denver, east of Daylesford eight years ago, it was a bare cow paddock with no buildings or trees. He wasted no time in designing the house and garden, drawing on his extensive travels to Europe as his inspiration. “I was the architect, interior designer and garden designer”, says Bangay. “The only challenge was making the house sit well on a sloping block
and not feel like it was rising too far out of the ground.” The design was heavily influenced by Italian hillside villas, “l love the way they hug the cliffs and the garden terraces seem to hang in space”, explains Bangay. Stonefields has since become Bangay’s spectacular retreat in his otherwise hectic life. “Even now I get excited when I come down the driveway because I know it’s a place where I can relax.” Arriving at Stonefields is certainly a rousing experience. “I wanted the house and garden to be slowly approached and the view to reveal itself as you wind around the drive”, explains Bangay. “You first pass through a park of oak plantings and then pass through the gatehouse into the more formal part of the garden and house.” The nine spectacular gardens on the property feature many of Bangay’s signature styles. “I tend to overscale things and I always think simple is best. Height is also important. The gardens range from abundant vegetable gardens to formal terraced parterres. “My favourite part of the garden is the woodland”, says Bangay. “I love the seasonal plants especially in the autumn when all the trees change colour.” As well as the exquisite plants, Bangay has added numerous points of interest from water features to marble statues. “The beautiful pool accents the main vista throughout the garden and its green Bizzaza tiles were chosen to merge with the lawn”, he explains. Bangay continued the grand scale and Italianvilla theme when designing his home. “I wanted to create a home that is simple and elegant, with a focus on symmetry.” The exterior is painted in Porter’s Mocha Chocolate lime wash and the roof was built by a local stonemason in stacked slate. Inside the colour scheme is warm and rich, with a granite slab floors and lime washed walls. “I love 17th century Italian furniture and love collecting it”, he says of the antique collection. The kitchen features a Belgian slate bench top and in the bathroom a marble antique bath takes pride of place. “I love that the house is in synergy with the garden”, he explains.
Large windows provide a clear view of the garden and surrounding landscape, and the spacious rooms have a classical Tuscan vibe. Bangay nominates the sitting room as his favourite space. “It contains my collection of objects from around the world.” As beautiful as it is, it is a home you can also unwind in with oversized couches, and two retreat-styled pavilions. Creating Stonefields has certainly been a labour of love for Bangay who documented the initial stages in a book titled The Garden at Stonefields [Lantern, 2013]. He also generously shares his oasis with the public a few times a year to raise money for the not-for-profit Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. However, like with all good garden design, the property will continue to evolve. “I am currently loving prairie-style romantic perennial gardens so I’m having fun experimenting with this style”.
est REGULAR get the look
Berkelouw Books by the Metre
Rock & Stone Anduze Flamme Vielli
HUNTER Original Boots
COTSWOLD FURNITURE Butterfly Wing Chair
RG Imports Rattan Drum Coffee Table
Town & CountrY STYLE Manhattan Library
GET THE LOOK Parterre Carved Horse
est REGULAR HOME
life is beautiful Wanting to give their young family a life with clean air and open spaces, this design duo found the countryside home of their dreams. Words Donna Duggan | Styling Sally Hayden Photography Sarah Hogan
In 2009, Alex and Charlie Willcock were keen to move their family out of London to greener pastures. They started searching online and before long a property in the West Sussex countryside caught their eye. “The moment I saw it online I fell in love”, recalls Alex. “There was something magical about it, romantic, almost dream-like in a way.” Built in the mid-to-late 1600s, the house was designed by an architect called Kemp who built many of the grand houses in the area. “Our house is relatively small in comparison to these houses, but it has the most extraordinary light throughout it which is rare for a house of its age”, explains Alex. “Arriving at the house for the first time is something that I will never forget. It was a cold winter day and the house was empty. The ceilings were down in many of the rooms and the plaster hung off the walls. Despite all this, I was smitten.” Alex and Charlie both have a strong design background. Alex has run his own interior design business, set up Country Road homewares in Australia and worked as Creative Director for The Conran Group in the UK. He is now the founder and CEO of Imagini, a company that owns VisualDNA. The company’s first visual personality quiz was built in the living room of his new Sussex home and emailed to 40 recipients. “In less than 6 weeks we had over 1 million users and rapidly another 4 million and now, over 20 million”, says Alex. Charlie studied graphic design and illustration before working as Creative Director for a London-based communications agency and now VisualDNA. “My wife Charlie and I are both designers so we did all the interior work on the house ourselves”, says Alex. “Houses of this age are heritage listed in the UK which means there is a limit to how much you can actually do. The room layout for instance is the same as it has been for centuries. The main living room for example has five access points. The front door, the main staircase, a second living room and two doors onto the
kitchen. As such it represents both a challenge and an opportunity to create a very fluid space.” The Willcock’s wanted to create a home that is laid back, honest and supremely comfortable. “The flooring is either old oak floor boards, herringbone strips or a natural wool carpet that looks a bit like sisal and wears unbelievably well”, says Alex. ”We’ve chosen natural paints in original heritage colours in some of the rooms, otherwise it’s white everywhere.” Built over three storeys with a single staircase connecting each floor, the home is flooded with natural light thanks to a number of large windows. The staircase is Alex’s favourite design feature. “I love the scale of it and the thought of all the people who have run up and down it across the centuries.” Alex built the massive green cupboards in the kitchen. “I made them from old wooden shutters that I found at a reclamation yard nearby. They are early Georgian and the final result gives the room a very reassuring feeling, like it’s always been there.” The kitchen tops are handmade from English maple and the vintage butcher’s block adds to the rustic vibe. The main family bathroom is Alex’s favourite room. “I feel such peace here. The massive oak floorboards create the most wonderful foundation to the space. They have been here for over 350 years. Each one would have been hand sawn and hand finished. The view from the bath is stunning and at night, this room lit only by candles is one of the most peaceful places I know.” The house of full of beautiful objects collected over the years. “I love things to have a history and purpose”, says Alex. A collection of early 20th century Russian oil paintings adorns the walls, as well as floating shelves stacked with family portraits. A few of Alex’s most treasured pieces were obtained during his time in Australia, including a bench bought from Mark Tuckey over 25 years ago. “After all these years, Australia is still my home, it’s where I feel most me”, says Alex. Equally as beautiful as the home is the surrounding garden that is lovingly tended by a gardener two days a week.
Entering the property through the wooden gates, you are met be an ancient stone path flanked by spectacular topiary. “The topiary came from our house in London where we had it in massive pots. We finally dug them into the ground and they took off from there. Each year a few more pom poms are added, they are our favourite part of the garden.” Alex describes the move from their city pad to their country home as transformational. “We had a city life and all that that brings and suddenly found ourselves surrounded by space, by light, by nature. For Charlie, it was a bigger shock than me. It took her nearly three years to feel at home in the house.” The move is a decision that neither Alex nor Charlie regret. “We loved our place in London, but you can’t beat having a beautiful garden and being able to take long walks in the woods with the children”, says Charlie. “It’s so liberating.” Alex agrees, “I’m in love with our home, literally, in love.”
Mark Tuckey 4 Poster Bed
Little Dandelion Oversized Soft Vessel
WEST ELM Paper Mache Deer Head
one another Mondrian Symbol Cushion
country road Dante Stacking Boxes
Articolo Architectural Lighting ici Pendant Light
OLSEN IRWIN Back Home Blues by David Band
Wedgwood Jasper Conran Bowl
MurchisonHume Everyday Cleaner
Design C20 Smith Clock
Living Edge Backenzahn Side Table
Eames DSW Chair
GET THE LOOK
est REGULAR FOOD
Marnie’s salad Black Quinoa with Roasted Cauliflower, Pistachio Tarator and Mint Not to be mistaken for the tzatziki-like Bulgarian soup of the same name, the tarator in this recipe is more of the Turkish or Middle Eastern style, where pounded nuts meet oil and sometimes tahini. This style of tarator isn’t just for this salad, it can also be served on everything from whole baked fish, roast chicken or lamb chops to battered mussels or fried calamari. SERVES 6 - 8 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil 2 heaped tbs panch phoron 1 tsp salt flakes freshly ground black pepper zest and juice of ½ lemon 1 tsp tea leaves ½ cup golden or normal sultanas 1½ cups black (or any colour) quinoa, cooked ½ bunch mint, leaves picked, to serve a few pistachio kernels, to serve TARATOR 140 g (1 cup) pistachio kernels 1 tsp ground cumin 60 ml (3 tbs) lemon juice 80 ml (4 tbs) warm water 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil 1¼ tbs tahini 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp salt flakes 2 tbs chopped fresh coriander ½ tsp dried chilli flakes Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put the cauliflower in a low-sided baking tray and toss with the oil,
panch phoron, salt, some pepper, the lemon zest and juice. Bake until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 25–30 minutes. Remove from the oven when cooked. Steep the tea leaves in about 1 cup of boiling water for a few minutes and strain. Then add the sultanas to the tea, leave to soak for 10 minutes, then drain. The sultanas should be plump after the soaking. If you are really slack, you can soak the sultanas in water with a tea bag in it at the same time. Reduce the oven to 180°C. To make the tarator, spread the pistachios over a lined baking tray. Bake for 4–5 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle over the cumin. Cool. Process the pistachios, lemon juice, water, oil, tahini, garlic and sea salt in a food processor until smooth. Place in a bowl and stir in the coriander and chilli. In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa and roasted cauliflower with the panch phoron, the soaked sultanas and half the mint leaves. Season with some extra salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. In a serving bowl, spread the tarator on the bottom, pile the quinoa on top and finish with a scatter of mint leaves and a few extra pistachios. Extracted from ‘Cook Book’ by Matt Preston.