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secrets to a successful renovation 4 THE COOLEST NEW FINISH EXPLAINED

JOIN THE SMART HOM E R E VO LUTION FROM LIFE-ENHANCING TECH TO HOW TO SLEEP BETTER

REFINE REFRESH RESTORE

EXPERT GUIDES TO L I G H T I N G, S T O R A G E AND WELLNESS BOOSTS

november 2021

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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES MERRELL

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news & shopping EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT… Cocooning materials, collaged wallpapers, sculptural side tables, nu rave influences, curved sofas, plus Linda Boronkay’s top pieces THE BIG NAME A spotlight on designer Anna Spiro and her love of mixing colour and pattern NEWS REPORT The exciting new retail projects tempting consumers back into the real world THE CONVERSATION Designer Lee Broom on creating spaces to have friends and fun times in

fabulous spaces ROOM OF THE MONTH Design firm KLH used bold materials and textures to convert a soda shop space into a gorgeously quirky kitchen EAST LONDON TERRACE Gemma and Xavier have retained their home’s period charm while injecting a cool, contemporary vibe INSIDER GUIDE All about plaster walls MILANESE APARTMENT The owners of this city flat have created their own take on mid-century modern style with a fun twist

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LONDON WAREHOUSE FLAT Functional, zoned living areas have provided the solution to this couple’s desire for both space and practicality EXPERT ADVICE Tips on how to create a home full of clever cupboard space SOUTH LONDON SEMI ‘Simple, serene, clean, calm’ – this Scandi-influenced family home lives up to its owner’s design mantra PARIS APARTMENT A bold palette marries beautifully with the formal flourishes of 19th-century Haussmannian architecture

decorating STYLE MOMENT OF THE MONTH Little Greene’s second collection of National Trust Papers is based on glorious original patterns BLUE AND GREEN Sally Denning shows us how to style these dreamy colours LIGHTING: THE EDIT From natural-look lamps to pendants with pizzazz LIGHTING: INSPIRATION GALLERY Bright ideas for a smart lighting scheme

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COLOUR INSIGHT Abigail Ahern reveals how she creates her signature style PATTERN BOOK Luxe metallic wallcoverings that dazzle and shimmer HOUSE STYLE Minnie Kemp on the secret ingredients that make a dining space special HOW TO… MAKE YOUR HOME WARM The expert view on wood-burning stoves

design projects MAKEOVER INSPO A bathroom scheme with striking terrazzo and jewellery-like brassware RENOVATION NEWS The latest launches and expert tips for kitchens, bathrooms and projects THE LOWDOWN ON… Party Wall Agreements MATERIAL OF THE MOMENT… Utilitarian staple concrete gets a colourful new lease of life THE HOME FRONT Our new columnist, interior designer Rebecca Wakefield, is moving to a fixer-upper and she’ll be sharing her renovation journey with us every month GARDEN INSPIRATION How to use lighting to transform your outside space GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK Poppy Okotcha is storing her apples the way her grandma used to

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smart home TECH STAR OF THE MONTH Why the LSPXS3 glass sound speaker is an instant mood maker INNOVATIONS Ground-breaking designs to make your home a smarter place LIVE WELL Biophilic guru Oliver Heath shares clever ways to boost your wellbeing this winter GREEN LIVING Eco-friendly ideas LIVE BETTER Solutions for a good night’s sleep

the lifestyle edit THE PLACE TO BE New hotel Mondrian Shoreditch boasts luxurious and playful interiors THE SCENE Be wowed by London’s hottest new restaurant, Ave Mario, and it maximalist design HOTEL HOT LIST Our pick of chic retreats, from a low-key Portuguese escape to an Italian boutique hotel with historic charm IN AND OUT Things to do at home or outside BETTER-LIVED LIFE Suzy Hoodless

and the rest…

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Pip Rich

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Editor @pip.rich

what i’m into this month 1

Marazzi tiles. Having seen them in Milan when I was over for supersalone, I’ll use them in one bathroom, the Livingetc collection for Bert & May in the other.

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Candlelight just before dusk. So peaceful, casting a Scandi-like glow.

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LIGHT EICHHOLTZ PELHAM WALL LAMP, £380, SWEETPEA & WILLOW

Wiggly candles. Following on from above, I particularly like those at Hot Pottery and Rebecca Udall.

news-stand cover

subscriber cover

I’m writing this at the end of the first post-pandemic Livingetc House Tours Live, a moment I’ll admit I never thought would happen, and for which I’m delighted to have been proven wrong. Over two days, 1,200 readers trickled through six incredibly designed homes in London’s Primrose Hill, cooing over clever storage solutions, marvelling at how different some paint colours look in real life and leaving with full photo reels of inspiration. I was taken with the slight green tint seen in Farrow & Ball’s Drop Cloth at one house and the way interior designer Carly Madhvani had smartly hidden a TV behind a sliding door in what looked like a copper chimney breast.

Judging from what readers were snapping most, it seemed like people were interested in solutions – how to fit bathrooms into awkward spaces, to increase light, to add more cupboards. It was heartening to see because we’ve had a little refresh of Livingetc this issue – not a total refurb but a lick of metaphorical paint in a couple of places, focussing more on problem-solving. You’ll still find the same mix of world-class houses and thought-leading advice from industry experts, but we’ve added in more on how to renovate your home, creating a whole projects section from page 149 which, as the cover promises, includes 42 secrets to a successful renovation dotted through the pages. It ranges from style inspo (coloured concrete, who knew?) to digestible information on that seemingly impenetrable problem, dealing with a party wall. And look out for our new columnist Rebecca Wakefield on page 161, as she charts her journey since taking on a fixer-upper. She’s tackling a huge project and I’m hooked already.

You’ll also find the new smart home section on page 167, which offers an edit of tech, time-saving new ideas for making life easier and a look at the latest ways to improve your world through design – the report on how to sleep better on page 176 is a real eye opener. Or not.

I hope you like our refresh – please drop me a line on Instagram with any feedback you have. See you next month… it’s Christmas!

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THE NEW MOOD

Hospitality comes home in this season’s most welcome trend

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

C U R TA I N C O O L While going out is the new staying in, the latest interiors mood evokes the feel of restaurants and hotels so that when you are in, you still get the same buzz as when you’re out. It’s a convivial and luxe trend, honed by deVOL’s new cafe curtain rail, which creates an intimate corner for entertaining, working or just contemplating, while La Redoute’s vertically padded hotel-inspired headboards (from £149) elevate any divan into a five-star experience.

Brass cafe curtain rail, from £80 (devolkitchens. co.uk)

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N U R AV E I S B AC K

The dance floor is influencing everything from homeware to hotels LOOK UP

SMILE PLEASE

Stockholm’s Acne Studios Fall/Winter 21 collection is a colourful and playful unisex range of pieces touching on elements of vintage sportswear, 00s streetwear and worn-out workwear. The launch includes a collaboration with ceramicist Betina Jørgensen featuring undulating tea cups and saucers with bright yellow face patches and wavy patterns.

Bettunika cup and plate set, £160 (acnestudios.com)

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F L O O R S H OW

‘I love that with this collection I was able to explore a slightly more evolved colour palette, says fashion designer Henry Holland of his rug collaboration with Floor_ Story. Design speak for ‘the party starts here’.

Rug, from £1,200, Henry Holland (floorstory.co.uk)

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPH (LOOK UP) FRANCIS AMIAND

A trippy, colour-popping nod to retro rave culture is infusing design right now. It’s vibing away on floor coverings and making shapes in newly opened hotel interiors. And it’s proof that we’re ready to let the good times roll.

Of course, as the person who kicked off Nu Rave in 2007 with his fluoro T-shirts, designer Henry Holland is at the helm. Yet this time around, he’s taking a much more grown-up approach. ‘I’m seeing graphic elements like stripes and monochromatic tones that create a sort of melting feeling,’ he says. ‘The one most of us have probably had in a nightclub at some time in our lives.’ He has just released an eight-piece rug collaboration with Floor_Story, launched at London Design Festival, inspired by the smiley faces seen on rave flyers in the 80s and 90s.

Elsewhere, those smiley faces are back on crockery and hedonism reigns. As with its first go, when neon was king, this look isn’t for the faint-hearted but is for anyone who has missed the feeling of a glow stick in the their hands.

Global boutique hotel brand Mama Shelter has infused the spa area in its newest Italian outpost, Mama Roma, with playful and energetic designs.

The indoor swimming pool and sauna are decorated with basement disco-worthy white mosaic floors and swirling yellow and pink ceilings. Rooms from €159.

Mama Roma, Italy, mamashelter.com/roma

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SOFT EDGES

Inspired by the catwalk, this take on interiors is in fashion right now

Mohair tie-dye throw, £498, Jonathan Adler

Models were enveloped in fleecy fabrics for Burberry AW21

Cascade wall light, £505, Daniel Fosbery for Fosbery Studio

Garret chair, £1,695, Soho Home

FEATURE JO BAILEY PHOTOGRAPH (BEVZA) ANTON KULAKOWSKIY (COURTESY OF BEVZA)

Bevza displayed head-to-toe wool

Gotain Sculptural Sphere cushion, £155, Att Pynta Melt mirror 1, £2,405, Bower Studios at SCP

Petite Bethany vase, £279, Annabel Cucuz at Heal’s

Pack sofa, price on request, Francesco Binfaré for Edra

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Stroke 2.0 rug, £9,040, Sabine Marcelis for cc-tapis at Monologue London

The AW21 runways embraced cocooning materials and supple shapes and now they are heading home

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C O L L AG E D WA L L PA P E R S

Sketching and cutting enhance the tactility of paper affixed to the wall

G A L L E R Y S PAC E

The artistic Mood Board wallpaper from Mind The Gap celebrates the joy in recording, collecting and displaying things that inspire us.

It echoes the tactility of pieces of paper affixed to a wall, and the hand-drawn studies of figures, flora and fauna are beautifully expressive. It is made up of three panelled designs full of life and narrative in gentle monochromes and the sepia tones of time-aged paper and tape. Mood Board wallpaper, £175 for 3 rolls, 52x300cm (mindtheg.com)

S T O R Y B OA R D

Paris born, London-based graphic designer Julia Bancilhon’s studio – Made of Matter – has moved away from traditional wallpaper patterns, creating abstract designs taken from Julia’s collage artworks. The panels unravel their stories as you look closer into them, discovering the individual, unusual elements that make up the construction.

Rodchenko in White, £62sq m (madeofmatter.co.uk)

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Pierre Frey’s Atelier Jean wallpaper reproduces the drawings created by mid-century French artist Jean Buffile to decorate his ceramic collections.

Atelier Jean wallpaper, £178m (pierrefrey.com)

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPH (PIERRE FREY) PHILIPPE VANACKER

SKETCHE D UP

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C U R V E D S O FA S

We’ve all come round to smooth-shaped seating with no straight lines in sight

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

1 Hepworth three-seater sofa in Leopard Boucle, £3,260, Love Your Home x Livingetc 2 Parrot sofa, £4,114.80, Julian Chichester 3 Ether curved sofa in Olympus Oatmeal Boucle, £4,500, Jonathan Adler 4 Sideways sofa in Remix 823, £5,058, Rikke Frost for Carl Hansen & Søn at Aram Store 5 Isola three-seater sofa in Granite Loop Boucle, £4,099, Lucy Kurrein for Heal’s 6 Audrey XS sofa in Velvet Sage Green, from £5,050, Massimo Castagna for Gallotti&Radice 7 Taru lounge settee, from £4,951, Sebastian Herkner for Ligne Roset 8 Bacio Camel Boucle sofa, £1,457.41, Ross Cassidy for CB2

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DELICIOUS HUES

A mouth-watering trend combines accessories and colours informed by food 1 Ceramicist Alma Berrow’s playful still-life sculptures depicting plates of food act as physical talismans for moments of togetherness among friends.

Every piece is handmade and delicately painted.

Shrooms platter, from £950 (almaberrow.com) 2 Loaf is known for giving its comfortable looking (and feeling) sofas names like Crumpet. The new collection conjures up particularly droolworthy imagery – and the Banoffee love seat sounds tasty.

Banoffee love seat in Poached Pear clever laundered linen, from £1,295 (loaf.com) 3 Dowsing & Reynolds’ Cafe Culture collection of switches and sockets is designed to tone with warming palettes. Named after shades of coffee, we are partial to its groove detail dimmer switch. Whipped Cream single chunky dimmer switch, £40.99 (dowsingandreynolds.com) 4 Ved Cooks’ handmade napkins and table linens are coloured with organic dye made from the skins of leftover fruit and veg. The colourways are coined after their namesakes – like Onion Skin and Avocado Stone. Napkins, £30 for set of two (vedcooks.com)

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

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SCULPTURAL S I D E TA B L E S

Petite end tables with bases set in stone - yep, they rock

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

1 Lato round table, £436, Luca Nichetto for &Tradition 2 9 Glass side table, £1,263, Piero Lissoni for Cassina at Chaplins 3 Swirl large cone table, £1,700, Tom Dixon 4 Bowler side table, £209, Hay 5 Leaf side table, price on request, Patrick Jouin for Porada 6 No.318 marble side table, £199, Design Project by John Lewis & Partners 7 Mildred gold and marble side table, £195, Graham and Green 8 Optical Inlay end table, £128, Anthropologie

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ALEXANDRE B E N J A M I N N AV E T

The artist whose free-flowing style is making waves in the world of design Crafting window displays for Hermès, painting joyous frescoes on museum façades and an ongoing collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels, transforming its boutiques into walking sketchbooks, French artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet’s exuberant work adds joie de vivre to the interiors scene just when we need it. We spoke to him as he began work on an immersive new exhibition in Paris for Galerie Derouillon.

How does your work translate into the home?

I recently created a collection of carpets and carpet slabs for luxury flooring company Codimat Collection, called ‘Parcelles’. I like the idea of a playful relationship to the floor: the possibility of working the textile floor as a mosaic that leaves everyone free to play on a variety of assemblages of patterns.

What is your favourite medium to work with?

Working on commissions for interior murals – in situ fresco – is my favourite type of work. You cannot easily put a fresco away or exchange it, so this creates a very special relationship with the client. They often give me carte blanche but I need them to be involved – it is all about dialogue with people who inhabit the space; it is also a dialogue with the space itself and its existing architecture and decor.

One of Alexandre’s colourful window displays for Hermès Petit H in Paris

Hôtel des Arts in Toulon wrapped in the artist’s vibrant geometric sketches

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Tell us where you have found inspiration recently.

Two books I found and which are particularly inspiring me now are Creacion En El Espacio/Creation in Space, a 1972 edition by Joan Miro with incredible sculptures and beautiful pictures from his studio. Kabuki Greats, a Japanese book about major Kabuki plays and characters in history. The costumes and stage sets are so fascinating and make me want to travel back to Japan. Ornamental details in architecture also inspire me.

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPHS (PORTRAIT OF ALEXANDRE) HUGARD & VANOVERSCHELDE, HV-STUDIO.BE; (HERMÈS PETIT H) ALEX PROFIT; (HOTEL DES ARTS) LUC BERTRAND

Alexandre Benjamin Navet

How do you think your work makes people feel when they inhabit its space?

I made a giant fresco in Toulon in the South of France on a building called Hôtel des Arts. The 19th-century structure becomes a canvas – it is so exciting to make it happen. I love this scale and the dialogue with the public. Many Toulonnais told me they (re)discovered this building and were very happy to live in this ochre, green, blue, yellow and orange palette.

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FLEXIBLE LIVING GOES LUXE

Luxury brands are pivoting to meet the challenges of open-plan spaces

DIVIDE AN D CONQ U E R

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

Ligne Roset’s beautifully crafted three-panelled solid walnut screen is designed to create a dedicated space for working at home and provides more or less privacy depending on its positioning. The design of each panel is different but when closed the panels cleverly become identical. Paravent screen, £1,573 (ligne-roset.com/uk)

DOUBLE DUTY

LEADING LIGHT

Luxury lighting brand Collier Webb combines cordless technology and craft with its collection of portable lamps, ideal for changing how you zone your space. The new Orb lamp features an alabaster globe shade. Mini orb lamp, £1,400 (collierwebb.com)

Cattelan Italia’s exquisite Trousse table with a brushed bronze base topped in ceramic alabastro acts as both a luxurious work desk and statement dressing table.

It’s available with or without an LED-lit mirror and has a generous grooved tray for work or make-up tools.

Cocoon Trousse Keramik, table, from £1,492 (cattelanitalia.com)

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HER EDITED CHOICE

Our columnist Linda Boronkay on the pieces catching her eye this month 2

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1 IN THE SHADE Inspired by the natural form of the arum lily, this sculptural wall light has a flexible shade that allows for dispersed ambient lighting. Arum wall lamp, £255, Ferm Living

2 AMBER LIGHT Made from recycled glass, the Mila set is tactile and subtly glamorous.

Perfect for hunkering down on a winter’s evening. Mila tumbler, £39.85 for a set of four, Nkuku

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In Casa by Paboy is a homeware brand founded by Paboy Bojang, a refugee who lost his job and turned to sewing. Not only are his cushions sumptuous, but each has a touching story behind it.

Fringe Black and Yellow cushion, €75, In Casa by Paboy

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4 WO R K O F A R T There is a surrealist aspect to this piece, with its inventive use of lines and organic shapes. Imaginariam Series: Abstract artwork by Frank Howell, $2,900, The Vault Sydney

5 NEW LIFE This chair frame is hand-turned and the sling is made from factory rejects that normally go to waste.

Bell chair by Otherside Objects, $3,900, Claude Home

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6 T R U E FA N The bold geometries and contrasting tones of this wallpaper would make this the talking point of any room. Luxury wallpaper, €97-€154sq m, Inkiostro Bianco

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the big name A new high-street collection, new book and a collection of fabrics that sets the optimistic tone for the season, designer Anna Spiro is the person of right now

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PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Salisbury WORDS Fiona McCarthy

Anna’s latest Island Garden mural for de Gournay, set on rice paper

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w

ith our current love for all things ‘idiosyncratic chic’ in design, Australian interior designer Anna Spiro’s design approach couldn’t feel more like it’s setting the aesthetic agenda. Maybe it’s in the way she clashes contrasting patterns and electric colours, or how she teams furniture from different eras with collectable artwork, but it’s Anna’s fresh an d daring boldness that has put us in a defiantly upbeat mood.

Take her recent collection with Anthropologie, a glorious mishmash of rich colours and bold prints, which she has extended across candles and paperweights in marbled glass, notebooks and writing paper, quilts and quatrefoil-inspired trays in an eye-catching array of geometrics, florals and checks. ‘This mix of patterns is very much how I would use them in a room,’ she says via telephone from her design studio and showroom in Brisbane.

‘I like to make spaces feel exciting yet comfortable, interesting yet harmonious, but it’s the combination of interesting elements that creates distinction,’ she says of the projects she writes about in her new book Anna Spiro: A Life in Pattern (Thames & Hudson), published late October. Packed full of ideas about transforming every room in your home, it is also an intimate insight into Anna’s very considered, eclectic creative process, entirely self-taught since she first started out in her late teens, over two decades ago, working with one of Brisbane’s leading interior designers, John Black.

Master of the showstopping interior, Anna has a passion for pattern and colour

combines together to lend constant interest and energy. And she’ll think nothing of mixing flea-market finds, like rattan lamps or painted wicker chairs, with antique Georgian chests – ‘I’m always searching for special things, items that nobody else wants, things that aren’t necessarily cool but make my heart skip’ – and bold paintings by leading Indigenous Australian artists like the late Sally Gabori alongside drawings by her two young sons. ‘It’s that juxtaposition and contradiction that makes a collection interesting.’

While her work is largely Australia-based, designing family homes and beach houses, hotels, restaurants and bars – most notably Halcyon House on Cabarita Beach – luckily, we can still breathe her beach-loving sunshine into our own homes through her wallpaper and fabric collections, especially the latest Islet textile collection, designed in collaboration with artist (and sisterin-law) Pip Spiro, where graphic waves, funky geometrics and freehand florals were inspired by ‘where the land meets the sea’.

Or bring a little of the ‘wild’ inside with Anna’s new Island Garden hand-painted wallpaper, created during lockdown with British brand de Gournay. Here, jewel-toned fish swim among vibrant corals and pretty shells while above, seabirds and dragonflies dart around ‘hints of otherworldly flora that may not entirely exist,’ she says.

In Anna’s mind, home is a place that should Her striking ‘wrap you up and make you feel safe, warm textile designs, and happy,’ she asserts. ‘Throwing caution including Kelp Bay, Nihi Palm and to the wind really excites me,’ she says about Bouquet Shell always making home feel personal. ‘It is Indeed, the charm of Anna’s interiors the things we love, collect and arrange lies exactly in her embrace of what she within our home that make it feel like “us”,’ calls ‘the kooky and the wild’. ‘Sometimes she says. ‘Painting the walls of a formal choosing a hue that’s just a little bit off Anna’s confetti-like room in a wild, bright colour, hanging actually creates much more interest in a glass candles for Anthropologie and new old gilt-framed oil paintings and then room,’ she enthuses, ‘like making a cake book, A Life in Pattern juxtaposing that with fresh floral chintzbut not following the recipe perfectly: covered sofas placed on a modern geometric patterned rug – it’s I always throw a little something extra in to spice things up.’ these types of offbeat, playful concepts that really delight me.’

That ‘kookiness’ manifests in the way she lights up a room by X annaspirodesign.com.au; Anna’s fabrics are available through painting the woodwork a bright buttercup yellow or swathes The Fabric Collective (thefabriccollective.com); anthropologie. turquoise blue across a tongue and groove panelled wall; or in com; degournay.com the different scales of floral, geometric and abstract prints she

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news report The way you shop for your home is about to change, as physical stores navigate a new era of consumerism. Get ready to decorate using IRL inspo again

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPH (PANTECHNICON) CHARLIE MCKAY

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FROM TOP Pantechnicon – exposed-brick walls, overhead lantern-like lights, leafy trees and traditional ‘Noren’ curtains create warm spaces for browsing in this Belgravia store Browns – sensational showrooms designed by Milanese studio Dimorestudio at the new Brook Street store Anya Cafe – pastries at Anya Hindmarch’s cafe in Chelsea

fter so many long months of internet shopping, you could be forgiven for thinking that finding your cushions via clickbait ads, or choosing paint from a picture on a screen, was here to stay. But ambitious new retail projects have popped up to tempt you back into the real world, offering experiential wonder, interiors inspiration aplenty and reinvigorating the way you decorate your home. Thought you didn’t need to leave your sofa to buy another one? Think again.

This new wave started in December 2020, when Pantechnicon opened in a 200-year-old warehouse in Belgravia. Five floors of dining and retail, it celebrates the best of Nordic and Japanese design, offering that sense of Japandi peace you never knew you needed and that you can never recreate online. A trove of undiscovered names and future design stars, wander in to find objects from Tokyo-based studio Nendo, jewellery by Norwegian designer Tom Wood and footwear from Danish label Erik Schedin. Spread out like a smorgasbord of beauty, it’s a concept inspired by the founder’s travels, similar to what he found in places like Japan and Paris.

Crucially, Pantechnicon is not just about what you can buy, however. A visit may find you booking into crafting workshops or sake masterclasses, but it could also influence the way you think about design for your home. ‘From the start we were determined that everything in our shops should have a story; that we should be able to tell everyone how, where and by who each product was crafted, as well as what inspired it,’ says Barry Hirst, Pantechnicon’s founder. But beyond forging that connection with what you choose to fill your home with, its decor will leave you with new ideas, too, as its marriage of blond woods and brickwork, its clever use of lighting and the way its polished floors contrast with the industrial walls are a mood-setter for your own mood board. For despite being a period property, full of narrow corners and awkward spaces, its design tricks have managed to make it feel light and bright.

Equally inspiring, luxury goods boutique Browns has moved its flagship store from its 50-year location on South Molton Street to a Grade II-listed building around the corner. The chic four-storey iteration is a clever mix of endorphin-boosting design and glossy grandeur, connected mirrors offering insight into how to use glass to

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“Now, a trip to the shops can be a celebrated way to fill your home with new ideas” 38

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PHOTOGRAPH (SELFRIDGES) ANDREW MEREDITH

increase the feeling of your own space back home. The store’s new offer includes a first for the brand – Native, a restaurant with a focus on sustainable food and an exciting calendar of residencies across fashion, beauty, wellness and food – most recently hosting celebrity hair stylist Issac Poleon and Margate-based skincare specialist Haeckels – all woven together with technology.

Tapping into the appeal of neighbourhood shopping, Anya Hindmarch launched an entire village of stores in May including The Village Hall, an ever-evolving concept space, a monogram workshop and an organisation store. ‘I believe that if retail is to exist in a digital world, there needs to be a reason to visit,’ says Anya. ‘The Village is a collection of five neighbourhood stores on Pont Street with a cafe at its heart.’ As a concept, it mirrors the way residential architecture is now trying to increase the social aspect of living in neighbourhoods, bringing us together through design. ‘I hope it feels like a community and a place to meet and catch up as much as a place to shop,’ Anya adds.

Other retailers have engaged by building on their wow-factor.

Just launched at Selfridges in London is Super Culture, a season of initiatives which celebrates the fundamental role culture plays in our lives with a rich programme including music and dance performances in an as-yet unexplored location in the London store – the Selfridges loading bay, a reminder to look at unloved areas of our own homes and see the power in what they can be.

This reimagining of shops as inspiring destinations is happening across the Channel, too, seen at places like CSAO and Lilou in France, both of which are becoming points on the map in their own right.

What it means is that the real world is becoming viable again, that there are many reasons to step outside your front door to find the pieces that will sit behind it, and a real joy in embracing shopping and decorating as a tangible experience once more. It’s at this new breed of retail experience that you’ll not only find pieces to buy, but inspiration, too. You see, unlike in pre-pandemic times, when a trip to the stores was just a part of life, now it can become a celebrated moment, a way to fill your mind and home with new ideas, new energy and new design directions. So shut down those browsers and go outside. There’s a whole world out there waiting to improve the way you live.

FROM TOP CSAO painted plates (csao.fr) Lilou Love locket (lilouparis.com) Selfridges Summer Awakening window on Oxford Street (selfridges.com)

the conversation This month, our editor Pip Rich is joined by designer Lee Broom to discuss how to use lighting like jewellery and the return of the Samantha Jones aesthetic

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amed for pieces like the Crystal Bulb pendant, Decanterlight and Hanging Hoop chair, British designer Lee Broom set up his eponymous brand in 2007.

He now sells around the world and has recently designed and opened a penthouse in New York as his latest store, styled to be his stateside apartment, too. In the UK, his work can be bought from his store on London’s Rivington Street, or at leebroom.com.

PIP RICH So, Lee, I’m fascinated by how your new store in New York is styled as an apartment, and looks and feels like a living space. Did it make you rethink anything about what constitutes good home design right now?

LEE BROOM Yes, definitely. How people want to decorate has recently shifted. For a start, we’re all craving a better outlook, and part of achieving that is to condition your brain to think more positively, which you can do by surrounding yourself with things that make you feel happy. Look at what we’ve all been doing the past year or so. Stuck at home, we’ve been getting experimental, honing culinary skills or learning how to make cocktails, and – surprisingly – actually becoming more connected to a chosen few, via regular Zoom calls.

Now, it’s about bringing that into the real world and there is a huge shift towards home entertaining and creating spaces to have friends and fun times in. Cocktail cabinets that move, furniture that’s geared towards sitting together, anything that is a bit playful, glamorous and dramatic.

PR Yes! I’m sensing a return to the Sex and the City era of glamour, but less hard-edged and a little more relaxed.

LB It’s funny you mention that as being in New York, I can see that aesthetic returning, too. I’ve been a long-time fan of American design – designers here are good at working with scale. Take Athena Calderone – she’ll use an abundance of foliage on her kitchen island, which is ostentatious but so simple and chic, and something to be inspired by back in the UK. Similarly, that Halston-esque vibe is returning, and a 1970s desire to add a sumptuous fabric or metallic hit.

PR Speaking of sumptuous, your first sofa in over a decade is ticking all my design boxes. What I want in a sofa now is so different from what I’d have been after last time you put one into production. I want elegance, but also comfort, too – I’m sure back then it was chunkier shapes I was drawn to.

LB Sofa styles don’t change as quickly as they do for other pieces of furniture. They’re more of an investment piece than, say, a cushion, and you hold onto them for a lot longer.

But we’re starting to see more tubular shapes, a quest for comfort but also a streamlined architecturalism. With the White Street sofa, it was challenging to create something that captured all of that, but we got there.

PR I’ve noticed that texture is more important than ever now – last time I decorated my home I thought about how it might look, this time around I’m focusing much more on how it feels.

LB Of course, because you’re more connected to your home now. I see this as a move away from ornamentation.

For anyone putting together their own space, I’d advise focusing on texture as a way to add depth. With my Tribeca coffee table, part of it is smooth marble, wonderful to stroke, and part is a really rough finished travertine, which feels almost volcanic. By playing with the tactility you’re creating something unique.

PR For me, the luxe elements come from the lighting. I spent ages – days – making sure each room was properly lit.

LB Yes! I’m so pleased to hear it. Finally, people are realising that lights are the only thing on the ceiling, as opposed to every other surface which is littered with furniture or art. So they’re focusing on it more, shying away from low voltage spots and zoning areas instead. Start your scheme with the lighting and work from there. Low lights in dining areas, wall lights and table lamps in a living room, and a chandelier in the spot you want to entertain. It’s jewellery for the home, something to make guests go ‘wow’.

When you’re

decorating, focus

on texture as a way to add depth

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Lee Broom’s new candles, On Reflection and Self Portrait, are available now along with all his designs at leebroom.com

Sculptural marble and travertine Tribeca table

Lee’s fantastical Hanging Hoop chair

British designer Lee Broom

Lee’s New York penthouse and showroom

“Start your scheme with lighting and work from there – low lights in dining areas, wall and table lights in a living room” Lee’s new On Reflection candle blends citrus notes

The modular, streamlined White Street sofa

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

around the edges M A R A Z Z I ’ S C R O G I O L O T I L E C O L L E C T I O N I S S K I L F U L LY F I N I S H E D , A R T F U L LY I R R E G U L A R A N D F U L L O F A S O F T A N D C H A R M I N G B E A U T Y

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here is a really soothing quality to the tiles in Marazzi’s Crogiolo collection.

Each shape and each texture is chosen in homage to the way artisans have hand-crafted tiles for generations, resulting in colours that alter subtly in the light, edges you want to run your fingers over and glazes that add a shine.

But while the tiles in the Crogiolo collection look and feel handmade, they are actually created using Marazzi’s state-of-the-art technology, the imperfections calculated perfectly. This means that the look of real craftsmanship is available even in the smallest of tile sizes, and that you can be assured of the quality you’ll get with every piece.

There are eight designs that make up the collection: Rice, Lume, Zellige, Scenario, D_Segni Blend, D_Segni Scaglie, D_Segni Colore and D_Segni. Each one is made using carefully graduated colours that create intense, constantly changing hues that are perfect for intimate, comfortable, authentic interior design schemes.

Crogiolo suggests a return to a human ‘feel’ and human workmanship, in materials that give spaces vibrancy and a warm, welcoming mood. It fits seamlessly into the desire to create rooms in which to relax – spa-like bathrooms filled with serenity, or kitchens in which to gather, cook,eat and unwind.

Crogiolo represents the Marazzi Group’s constant research and technological innovation, a modern interpretation of a brand that has been at the top of its game since its inception in 1935.

Acclaimed internationally, Marazzi is known for high quality and outstanding stylistic research, which enables the company to interpret the trends of contemporary home design and respond with exquisite, practical, exclusive solutions.

ABOVE Marazzi Crogiolo Rice Natural 7.5x20cm THIS PHOTO Marazzi Crogiolo Rice Bianco and Bianco Decoro Blossom 15x15cm

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Visit marazzitile.co.uk to build a style of your own

FEATURE RACHEL CHRISTIE PHOTOGRAPH DIANA PAULSON

Cabinetry, KLH carpentry team. Soapstone countertop, Dwyer Marble. Unglazed natural zellige wall tiles; terracotta tone encaustic floor tiles, all Zia Tile in LA. Pendant, Bower Studios with West Elm. Brass sink, Etsy. Sconces, vintage.

Vintage Moroccan rug, BerberStuffArtisan at Etsy

fabulous spaces E AC H M O N T H W E C H O O S E O N E R O O M TO G E T YO U I N T H E H O U S E S M O O D

Design firm KLH transformed a 1940s soda shop space into a kitchen that feels current yet timeless. The look was achieved by revealing the pitched wooden ceiling, adding bold twists such as the chequerboard runner and using natural materials that are inherently imperfect livingetc.com

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houses

in the

pink

Creative couple Gemma Ruse and Xavier Sheriff have designed their dream home – one that juxtaposes the patina of age and contemporary lines absolutely brilliantly X

PHOTOGRAPHY James Merrell WORDS AND STYLING Mary Weaver

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KITCHE N For the cabinetry, the couple chose crown-cut oak veneer (which has a bit of an art deco vibe) for its longevity and added brass handles for glamour.

Cabinetry, designed with Fraher & Findlay; made by Oblique Joinery. Brass handles, Swarf.

Carrara marble worktops and splashback, J&R Marble

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houses DINING AREA The floor was lowered to gain ceiling height and the concrete extends out to the terrace. The table, inspired by a 1970s Mario Bellini design, is painted with a Kelly Wearstler-style pattern.

Floor and worktop, The Concrete Flooring. Table, StudioXAG. Chairs and stools, Vinterior

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KITCHE N The cabinetry conceals the ovens, keeping them hidden from three-year-old Raffi who is ‘into pushing buttons’. The concrete seating is used as a snug area.

Ceiling and wall lights, Atelier Areti. For similar vases (on cupboard), try A New Tribe

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houses LIVING ROOM New sash windows are outlined in black, which is elegant without being harsh and ties in with the kitchen patio doors. The ceiling was cut out to enhance the beautiful central rose.

Sputnik chandelier, Etsy. Pink chair, Faye Toogood for Driade

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W hen t wo desig ners l ive, work , eat a nd sleep together, you’ d ex pect th i ngs cou ld get a l it tle i ntense. I f you th row ‘ doi ng up a la rge Victoria n house’ i nto the m i x, kitchen and the Japanese-style courtyard that sits in it,’ she says. the pot might just boil over. But not for Gemma Ruse and Previously, Gemma and Xavier had been living in a maisonette Xavier Sheriff, who seem to operate with a zen-like calm, while nearby and building up their business, when they embarked on a channelling creativity and productivity. The couple have been lifestyle change that saw them getting married, buying the house together since art school days at Central Saint Martins. Six years and having a baby… all at the same time. ‘We managed to move in later, they founded their display agency, StudioXAG, creating for six months to get a feel for the space, find an architect and get groundbreaking retail installations for clients around the globe, planning permission, then move out just before the building work such as Christian Louboutin, Anya Hindmarch, Liberty and started and I gave birth!’ Gemma laughs.

Selfridges. When it came to renovating their The couple had viewed similar houses in own house, not surprisingly, it felt a bit like the area, lured by their 2,500 square footage. work at times. ‘The challenge was that we’re ‘We saw many homes that gave us inspiration both designers with strong aesthetics and quite THE OWNERS for layouts and ideas for when we finally bought fussy, too, so while I led the project, we agreed Gemma Ruse and Xavier Sheriff, this one,’ she adds. ‘We were looking for a Xavier would have the power of veto if he really who together run global design project, but I don’t think we fully appreciated disliked something,’ Gemma says. ‘There were agency StudioXAG, specialising what we had taken on,’ she says of the house, no real fallings-out. He tended to come round in creative retail installations, which came with 1970s decor and strip lighting. if I was passionate about a decision – or I simply plus son Raphael (Raffi), three.

‘I think we estimated about half the time and showed him just my chosen version,’ she smiles. half the cost of what it ended up taking.’

Gemma is creative director and Xavier THE PROPERTY Architects Fraher & Findlay were managing director of the company, which A large Victorian terraced brought in, for their impressive portfolio and now, 11 years in, employs 25 people. ‘The studio house arranged over four main commitment to being on site every week to set-up plays to our strengths and was reflected floors and two half floors, incorporating an internal project manage – ‘essential for us’. The firm in the renovation with Xavier more involved on courtyard, in east London. worked on refurbishing and extending the the technical side,’ says Gemma, who had a clear property while honouring the couple’s creative vision, influenced by the property’s tall ceilings personalities, and it has ended up with number of beautiful threads and air of faded grandeur, right from the start. ‘I wanted it to look running through it, from Japanese style to art deco and Kelly authentic, a juxtaposition of the old and the new, rather than a fake Wearstler-influenced patterns. ‘I feel we’ve added to its heritage and Victorian house,’ she says. ‘It was about mixing clean modern lines we’re saying it’s our forever home,’ says Gemma, ‘for now at least.’ with the patina of age and creating a home that felt calm, cohesive Who would want to leave this beautiful house? and contemporary, while respecting what had been there before.’

Missing period pieces, such as fireplaces in the living room and the couple’s bedroom, were found on eBay and reclaimed radiators X were installed. ‘All the interventions we made were deliberate studioxag.com; Architects, fraherandfindlay.com; contemporary contrasts, like the oversized doors, concrete Joinery, obliquefurniture.co.uk; Garden design, miriaharris.com

home profile

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houses MAIN BEDROOM An entire floor, previously three rooms, is given to this space with its en suite shower room and dressing area. ‘We designed it so the rooms could be reinstated if necessary, further down the line,’ Gemma says.

Ceiling pendant, Jaime Hayon for Formakami. Curtains, made

by Mermaid Fabrics in fabric from Linenfabrics.co.uk

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MAIN BEDROOM Like all the rooms in the house, this one has a backdrop of raw pink plaster highlighted by lines of black. ‘I just love the combination,’ says Gemma.

Headboard, made by Oblique Joinery; covered in fabric by Kelly Wearstler. Bed throw, Rockett St George. Vintage Murano wall sconce, eBay

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home truths W H O I S YO U R D E S I G N H E R O? Faye Toogood.

D E S I G N CL A S S I C YO U WOULD LOVE TO OWN? Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa.

W H AT I N S P I R E S YO U ?

Being in beautiful spaces with a great use of materials together with good people.

A N Y TH I N G YO U WO U LD D O D I F F E R E N T LY N E X T T I M E ?

I’d get an architect/builder to come and have a look before completing the sale!

W H AT S H O U L D E V E R Y H O M E H AV E ?

Running water.

YO U R D E S E R T ISL AND ITEM OF FURNITURE? A huge bed with a great mattress, linen and throws.

A R E YO U FO R M OV E R FUNCTION, OR THE OTHER WAY R O U N D ?

I’m all about form, but it’s got to be comfortable.

the blueprint SHOWE R ROOM

UTILITY ROOM

B AT H ROOM

BED ROOM/ OFFICE BED ROOM/ OFFICE

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

SNUG

BED ROOM LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

GROUND FLOOR

LIVING ROOM

DRESSING ROOM

MAIN BEDROOM

FIRST FLOOR

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houses

LANDING Tall contemporary doors were used throughout to contrast with the house’s period bones.

Door painted in Night Jewels, Dulux. Bedside table, La Redoute.

Chest of drawers, eBay

GUEST EN SUITE S H OW E R R O O M A ledge was built in to casually display a mirror, plant and characterful painting.

Equipe Artisan wall tiles, Tiles-direct.com. Mosaic del Sur floor tiles, Mosaic Factory

MAIN BEDROOM This curated corner features a sculptural floor lamp made

by Gemma and masks brought back from a trip to Seoul.

For a similar chest of drawers, try Pamono. Vases, Nunido

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houses INSIDER GUIDE

plaster walls LOV E R AW, E A R T H Y F I N I S H E S ? R E A D O N FO R I N - D E P T H A DV I C E O N AC H I E V I N G I T Adam Weismann is founder and director of Clayworks, a company whose clay plaster finishes have graced the walls of projects by Snøhetta, Foster + Partners and countless cool homes. He reveals the beauty and ins and outs of this natural, eco material.

Clay plasters are naturally pigmented raw material and will never need painting. They’re available in a variety of textures: from highly polished and fine to extremely coarse, rustic finishes. The colour spectrum includes all neutrals and earth colours, as well as blues, greens, blacks and whites. All have a unique, cloudy and soft aesthetic with subtle tonal and textural variations. Clay plasters are VOC, formaldehyde and synthetic free and can be composted.

Considerably more breathable than lime, clay absorbs and releases moisture from the atmosphere, enabling optimum indoor air humidity – or ‘breathability’. This is essential for helping to control damp, dust mites, viruses and bacteria. Clay’s carbon footprint is significantly less than other plasters and wall finishes (except wood).

Clay plasters are perfect for interior walls and ceilings, but are not suitable where there’s running water, such as showers, splashbacks, etc. They have a breathable glaze, but they’re not sealed. Although we can create waterproof surfaces with other materials.

Tadelakt is a lime plaster and naturally waterproof, unlike clay, and is ideal for areas where clay cannot be used, such as wet rooms.

A gypsum plaster board is the most common substrate, but clay plasters can also go onto bricks, concrete, other backing boards and most other surfaces (except wood). They can normally go onto a painted finish assuming the backing board is secure.

Our clay plasters are applied with traditional plastering skills and tools and we recommend using an experienced clay plasterer.

That said, we’re constantly surprised by self-build enthusiasts who achieve magnificent results themselves.

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Picking the right plaster Other types of plaster have advantages, too, and this guide will help you choose the one for you Clay plaster even smells natural, so it touches all other senses. This ensures that the beauty is not only seen but also felt. The finer finishes are more delicately hued while the thicker, more rustic finishes can offer much bolder colours. From £20sq m (excluding installation), clay-works.com Marmorino Venetian plaster is made with natural lime and ground marble and has a polished look. It is applied in many layers so it’s durable and can be used for interiors and exteriors. It can also create faux marble and metallic finishes. Price on request, depending on the size of the project, plasterbydesign.co.uk Gypsum plaster is regular decorators’ plaster. It doesn’t have the eco credentials, beauty and breathability of clay but it’s a fabulous budget-friendly option if you like a raw finish. It can be sealed with decorators’ varnish and a metal bead running along between the bottom of the walls and skirting.

Tadelakt is a natural lime-based plaster, indigenous to the Marrakech Plateau in the High Atlas mountains, Morocco.

Often seen in the beautiful riads, it has become a popular choice for architects and designers due to its earthy nuanced tones and waterproof qualities. Foggy Grey tadelakt, from £180sq m, tadelakt.co.uk

FEATURE JACKY PARKER PHOTOGRAPH JAMES MERRELL

Clay absorbs sound and light, helping to create a calm ambience.

Although used as a building material for over 9,000 years, clay was largely disregarded during the industrial revolution and then forgotten about, other than in parts of Africa, the Americas and Asia. We discovered its beauty and versatility over 20 years ago.

fresh perspective Andrea and Giuseppe’s classic Milanese apartment has had a deft mid-century makeover that includes a few joy-inducing master strokes PHOTOGRAPHY Helenio Barbetta/Living Inside X

STYLING Chiara Dal Canto WORDS Emma J Page

LIVING AREA Fluid shapes and organic materials are very mid-century, while the graphic notes featured in the rug and cupboard bring a bold and unexpected twist.

Serpentine sofa by Vladimir Kagan for Directional. G10 armchairs by Pierre Guariche.

Viscontea lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. Rug, Altai Gallery, Milan

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BEDROOM MAIN BEDROOM

DRESSING ROOM

BEDROOM

ENTRANCE HALL

GROUND FLOOR

KITCHE N The cabinetry seems to melt into the wall, affording the travertineclad island show-stopping status.

Cabinetry, Rossana Kitchens. island clad in Yuta travertine and topped with Ceppo di Gre natural stone. Hi-gloss dining table, custom made

by Spazio RT

K ITC H E N

the blueprint

LIVING/ DINING AREA

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home prof i le THE OWNERS Venezuelan-born Andrea Vásquez Medina,

ocktail hour in Milan is a memorable experience if the playful apartment of Andrea Vásquez Medina and Giuseppe Loiero is anything to go by. A thoughtfully curated space, it’s also full of surprises: open a discreet door in the living room and you’ll find a hidden bar, complete with mixers, shakers and stirrers, all set against a welcome hit of sunshine yellow. On the other side of the fireplace, another door opens to a cloakroom that features a dramatic curved plaster wall complemented by a pop of red on the interior door frame.

Once you get to know this creative couple, it becomes clear these design choices sum up their personal style perfectly: composed, curated, yet with an unexpected twist – much like the evening cocktails they serve up to friends and family. ‘We always wanted to design a space that felt like it told our story,’ says Andrea, a Venezuelan-born art director and former communications manager for fashion label M Missoni. ‘The aim was for each room to unfurl into the other, while retaining its own identity.’

The couple worked with architect Luigi Di Mauro Morandi and interior designer Alice Frana of Studio Concepta to reimagine this turn-of-the-century first-floor space in the heart of Milan.

Characterised by the high ceilings, generous windows and elegant mouldings typical of a piano nobile apartment, it had already been intuitively reconfigured when they came across it after two years of searching. But they were keen to make their mark.

Both have an appreciation of mid-century design, and that shared taste is seen throughout – from the fringed hammock that greets visitors as they step over the threshold to a plethora of textures, from tumbled travertine to fluted oak. The office-cum-foyer and lounging area is described by the pair as a ‘hybrid space’, designed to set the tone for the rest of their home. ‘You step directly into it from the front door, but it’s not a typical foyer at all,’ says Andrea. Featuring terrazzo flooring, there’s also a metal bookcase-cum-sculpture designed by Antonino Sciortino that acts as a visual punctuation mark.

Far from feeling a long way from her South American homeland, Andrea feels connected to her roots here. ‘I think Italian and Latino temperaments are very similar,’ she reflects. ‘Not just in the warmth of the people, but in the European architecture, which is of course so prevalent where I grew up. Milan is an very dynamic city, especially since the Expo 2015, yet it’s small enough to have a neighbourhood feel.’ So it’s hardly surprising that this couple are deeply settled in this personal, playful space. ‘Those many hidden details really represent who we are,’ says Giuseppe. ‘And that bar? Full joy!’

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Studio Concepta, concepta.it; Mascherpa, mascherpatiramisu.com

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an architect-trained art director, and her husband Giuseppe Loiero, founder of tiramisu brand Mascherpa.

THE PROPERTY An early-20th-century first-floor apartment in central Milan. There is a hallway-cum-office, kitchen/living room, three en-suite bedrooms and a cloakroom.

H A L LWAY/O F F I C E The desk is a playful 1950s piece

by Libero Cecchini.

Chair, Marni. Luminator lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos

DINING AREA ‘Andrea always adds the imaginative finishing touches to a scheme,’ says Giuseppe.

Potence wall light, Jean Prouvé for Vitra. Cupboard, Jacques Adnet

LIVING ROOM BAR The couple like to create details that ‘ask to be discovered’.

Wall in Mister David intelligent matt emulsion, Little Greene

C LOA K R O O M A curved wall was introduced to enhance the space.

Phenomenon tiles, Mutina

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MAIN BEDROOM ‘We sacrificed bathroom space during the renovation to make it bigger,’says Giuseppe. Putting the bed in the centre is a confident design choice.

Uchiwa Fan wall lamp, Ingo Maurer. 1970s Brutalist sideboard, Morentz Gallery. Tall ceramic sculpture by Loredana Longo, Officine Saffi Gallery

home truths MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?

Carlos Cruz-Diez have inspired us and influenced our design choices.

Our curved sofa sets the tone. The minute home. There’s just something about the

O N YO U R CO F F E E TA B L E I S …

shape of it – structured yet informal.

A collection of Alvar Aalto Savoy vases and

we put it in place, we felt we were really at

a contemporary sculpture/vase by Sara

L A S T TH I N G YO U BOUGHT?

Ricciardi. But since the table is very fragile,

A 1960s maxi wall shelf, originally designed

keep a vast collection of books, including a

by Aldo Tura for his Milan apartment.

Charlotte Perriand memoir and Carlos

the actual fun is under the table where we

Mota’s Beige is Not a Color.

PROJECT SUCCESS? The almost invisible inset cabinetry in the

LAST TRIP?

kitchen and preserving original features.

Just the other weekend we went to an antiques fair in Arezzo. We’re always on the

TO -DIE-FOR BRAND?

hunt for antiques and vintage pieces – we

More than brands, I’d say designers or

love to find designs that speak to us and

artists – anyone from Carlo Scarpa to

remind us of a moment in time.

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M A I N B AT H R O O M

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Inset storage and handleless cabinetry creates a sleek look in this understated space.

1950s LP8 pendant light, Ignazio Gardella for Azucena

“We like calm spaces because we are saturated with ideas at work” X

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clerkenwell calling A warehouse flat in one of east London’s hottest spots

has been sensitively designed around its existing fabric PHOTOGRAPHY Mariell Lind Hansen X

STYLING Emil Eve Architects WORDS Juliet Benning

DINING AREA Unadulterated ceilings make the most of structural height. Low and horizontal furnishings hint at a Japanese influence.

Table, Case. Chairs and sofa, Hay. Bench (just seen), Bolia.

Plants, Patch Plants

L I V I N G S PAC E Chunky knit pale rugs provide a sense of warmth without detracting from the architecture.

Coffee tables, Hugo Passos for Fredericia. Rugs, Hay

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THE OWNERS Jen Long, who works in tech, and Mike Zhang, who works in finance.

The couple previously rented separate flats – Mike in Russell Square and Jen in Caledonian Road – before renting a flat in a building next door together. This is the first home they have bought together.

THE PROPERTY A flat on the second floor of a five-storey warehouse building in Clerkenwell.

The front door opens into a library-hallway space. There is a main bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom, a second bedroom, used as a gym and home office, a pantry and main bathroom. The rest of the space is open-plan and contains the kitchen, dining and lounge areas.

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L I V I N G S PAC E Rich upholstered pieces were included to act as a foil to the flat’s more raw materials.

TV cabinet made by Harbour Joinery Workshop. Oak parquet flooring, Havwoods. Curved sofa and ottoman, Ferm Living

KITCHE N Concealed behind the main cooking area is a neat pantry.

The emerald colour of the glazed tiles was popular in commercial Victorian architecture of the area.

Surfaces, Harbour Joinery Workshop. Flowerpot Yellow pendant lights, &Tradition. Bar stools, Zara Home. Tiles, Parkside

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w

hen Jen Long and Mike Zhang’s Clerkenwell flat first came on the market it didn’t want for admirers. A rare example of an almost entirely untouched warehouse flat, its lack of walls, plaster or modernisation gave it a raw appeal. ‘The seller had accepted another offer but the buyer’s chain broke down, meaning our offer was later accepted. We were given a strict timeline so we had a mad dash to get everything lined up in time for the sale,’ Mike recalls. The couple had been searching all over London for many months before striking gold. ‘Clerkenwell is extremely convenient for us. We both work in central London but our friends are mostly east so this location bridges the two,’ Mike explains.

While owners of the surrounding flats in the old factory building had succumbed to slick modernisation, Jen and Mike’s flat retained its bare bricks and roughly hewn

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concrete pillars echoing the vigorous industry of the site a hundred years prior. ‘The fact that the bare fabric of the building was intact appealed to us,’ Mike says. ‘With every other flat we looked at we would have to start taking things out, whereas with this one we would be effectively working from the ground up,’ Jen adds. An unassuming commercial exterior sealed the deal. ‘You enter through a small lobby and lift so you don’t expect the flat to be particularly exciting but then you walk in and it opens up into all this impressive space.

That contrast really hooked us,’ Mike describes.

Living at Jen’s Caledonian Road property, the couple were eager to get the flat configured to their needs rapidly. Not only did they wish to avoid paying more rent but looking for an architect in March 2020, they realised the global pandemic would also stymie their plans.

It meant they appointed their

architects, Emma and Ross Perkin of Emil Eve, without even meeting them in the flesh. ‘We spoke to them on the phone and we had a really good feeling about them,’ Jen says.

The challenge the pair presented to Emma and Ross was to break up some of the space into functional, zoned living areas while retaining as much of the old factory fabric as possible. ‘We created a series of contemporary interventions that were distinct from the existing building. Each one contains a new domestic room: library, dressing room, bathroom, en suite and pantry.

They are lined with bespoke timber joinery and ceramic tiling to create a unique atmosphere and identity,’ Ross explains.

Clad in neat oak cabinetry, the newly constructed rooms provide a warm wooden heart amid the brickwork perimeter.

Large sliding doors either side of the central library mean the entire length of the property can

be admired. The bedrooms were swapped with the old kitchen location onto the quieter side of the building. Contained very separately beyond the dressing room, the main bedroom has a serene character. ‘We’ve covered the walls in this lovely soft plaster. It’s a sanctuary in contrast with the industrial vibes in the rest of the flat,’ Mike notes.

While some of the furniture was made especially for the flat, Jen sourced other pieces from local furniture stores SCP and Twentytwentyone. ‘I think it was only once we’d started putting in all the plants that it really started to feel like home,’ Jen says.

The culmination of all their hard work has been the socialising the pair missed in lockdown as Mike reveals, ‘We’ve been entertaining friends in groups of six but the big housewarming party is still to come.’

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Architecture by Emil Eve Architects, emileve.co.uk

DINING AREA Plump leaves of a fiddle leaf fig tree animate this corner while the smooth modernist furnishings contrast with the rough brick and concrete.

Pendant light, George Nelson for Herman Miller. Rug, Hay

LIB R ARY ‘The terrazzo tiling is a composite material like a refined version of concrete. It picks up in the warmth of the wood,’ says Ross.

Terrazzo tiles, Solus Ceramics.

Cabinetry designed by Emil Eve Architects in collaboration with Harbour Joinery Workshop

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MAIN BEDROOM Slatted joinery wraps around the space. Under the window it conceals a radiator that doubles as a long seat.

home truths

Custom made bed and joinery, Harbour Joinery Workshop.

Bedding, John Lewis & Partners.

Table lamp, Made. Wall finish, Clayworks. Armchair, West Elm. Drawers, Made

FAVO U R I T E F U R N I T U R E D E S I G N E R ?

Charles and Ray Eames.

FA B R I C S T H AT B E S T S U I T T H E WA R E H O U S E L I F E S T Y L E ?

Linen helps soften the more raw and hard materials of the structure.

P I E CE O F A R T YO U COV E T ?

The dream would be a piece by Basquiat.

the blueprint

FAVO U R I T E B U I L D I N G ?

B E S T PA R T O F TH E DESIGN PROCESS? Sitting down with Ross and Emma and picking materials to use.

TOP THING ABOUT LIVING I N A WA R E H O U S E S PAC E ?

MAIN BEDROOM DRESSING ROOM

S T U D Y/ GUEST ROOM

L I B R A R Y/ H A L LWAY

KITCHEN

Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright is beautiful.

DINING AREA

LIVING S PAC E

The openness and the flexibility.

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EN SUITE Dappled tiles provide textural interest. A seam of lighting under the mirrored cabinets adds to the sense of depth.

Pico tiles, Mutina. Concrete basins, Kast. Black taps, Vola

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houses EXPERT ADVICE

cabinetry confidential JEN AND MIKE’S HOME IS FULL OF C L E V E R C U P B OA R D S PAC E . A R C H IT E C T E M M A P E R K I N , W H O WA S B E H I N D IT, TELLS US HER DESIGN PROCESS I worked with my partner Ross and we faced two challenges; one was the mathematical puzzle of how to create a new floor plan that made sense and retained the openness of the 170 square metres. The other was how to use materials and joinery to bring character to Jen and Mike’s flat and provide the storage they needed. A key space is the library. You enter directly into this room and then move from here into the other areas.

It’s lined entirely in European oak joinery, incorporating bookshelves and hidden storage that establishes a calm and welcoming atmosphere to the space. An integrated approach to design was essential here and we needed to plan for technicalities of the services from the outset.

PLANNING STAGE We considered services and service routes from a very early stage so we kept in mind where these routes, whether it be for lighting, gas or boiler flue, would be going. Our integrated approach allowed us to plan for the sliding doors. In the past, these have had a reputation for being unreliable and rattly.

The system we use, Portman Pocket Doors, is a really great kit. It’s quite straightforward to use, making it popular with builders. We laid acoustic matting below the terrazzo floor tiles, and to hide the services running across the top of the space we created a lowered ceiling, which also helped with separation to the flat above.

It’s essential to consider the lighting and electrics from an early stage to make sure all switches and sockets are integrated into the design. In the library, we thought about where items such as speakers would be placed. We also integrated five-amp sockets

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into the shelves, which meant that lamps could be turned on and off directly from the main light switches in the room. This is great as it’s much simpler than turning on lamps individually and it also allows Jen and Mike to create different moods.

MATERIAL GAIN We really like working with oak as it’s a very traditional timber for joinery, it’s durable and has a beautiful warmth and grain. The library uses a combination of solid oak for the vertical elements and handles with veneered sheets with solid edging for the shelving and doors. The veneer reduces waste during production and minimises the use of natural resources while enabling the creation of large timber surfaces.

Using solid oak for the areas of significant exposure ensures a long life for the joinery as a whole.

When sourcing wood you should consider the species and the way the timber has been sawn. When it comes to veneers there are further choices with regards to how the thin sheets of veneer are cut and arranged. You should always ensure that timber comes from sustainable sources.

“We really like working with oak as it’s durable and has a beautiful warmth and grain”

FEATURE JULIET BENNING PHOTOGRAPH MARIELL LIND HANSEN

FINDING A JOINER There are lots of great joiners out there.

Instagram is a good place to start looking. Also look at architecture and interiors journals to see who the joiners in the projects you like are. Key things to consider are if they have a workshop or will be making everything on site and if they will produce their own drawings to finalise the design.

Ross and I met our joiner Hazel Thomson at Edinburgh University where we were all studying architecture. After university, Hazel worked as an architect for some years before undertaking a joinery apprenticeship and then setting up her own firm, Harbour Joinery Workshop, with a friend. Working with a joiner who has an architecture background is great – Hazel understood what we wanted to do and why.

scandi

influence A simple and chic palette with a big dose of design classic furniture delivers laid-back Nordic luxe in Kirsten and Alex Miller’s reimagined family home in south London

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PHOTOGRAPHY Anna Stathaki WORDS AND STYLING Mary Weaver

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LIVING ROOM An arched mirror and circular rug, table and lights soften the space’s cool aesthetic.

Chairs, House of Finn Juhl. Coffee table, Rose & Grey. Mirror, Heal’s.

Vases (on mantelpiece), Viv Lee for Modern Art Hire

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d home profile THE OWNERS Advertising consultant Kirsten Miller and husband Alex, founder of a marketing technology agency, plus daughters Freya, nine, and Evie, six.

THE PROPERTY A late-Victorian, semi-detached house over three floors in south London. The ground floor has a double-aspect open-plan living room, leading to a kitchen-dining room-snug that has been extended into the side return.

There is also a WC/storage room.

On the first floor there is the main bedroom, two children’s rooms and a family shower room.

The floor above holds the home office.

anish design is in Kirsten Miller’s DNA, thanks to growing up in homes around the globe full of Scandi furniture. ‘My Danish father worked for NATO and wherever we went the furniture came with us,’ she laughs, ‘along with Danish food, family traditions, Christmas celebrations, everything.’ So it’s hardly surprising that the late-Victorian-meets-modern family home she has created with husband Alex, founder of a marketing technology agency, has more than a nod to Nordic style. From its Dinesen oak flooring ‘a special treat’ and design classic furniture to its calm and serene colour palette, it has good-taste Scandi written throughout. When the couple bought the house in 2012, they gave it a quick refresh, then six years later, rather than move again for more space, they opted to stay put and turn it into the home of their dreams. With a time-poor lifestyle – Kirsten is a non-exec director in advertising – and two young children, they decided to bring in expert interior design help. Sheer serendipity led them to Steve Nash of All & Nxthing (whose home appeared in Livingetc May 2018) when Alex discovered his work online and, simultaneously, a friend recommended him. ‘Steve matched our energy from the moment he bounced through the door,’ laughs Kirsten. ‘He was excited about the house, had great ideas and, crucially, we had instant chemistry.’

The house was a classic Victorian semi with a redundant side return. ‘Extending into it to create a contemporary kitchen was obvious,’ she says, but we were unsure how it would blend with our traditional two front rooms and our desire to incorporate Danish design.’ Steve’s solution was to pare back the front rooms to create one modern-minimal space to echo Scandi style that in turn would harmonise with the open-plan kitchen.

Handsome mid-century Danish furniture dances around the entire ground floor and extends to the upstairs, which was decorated in warm, calming shades – ‘previously everything was boring grey and white’ – with beautiful panelled wardrobes installed in the couple’s room. ‘They hold every inch of clutter and it’s so soothing to lay in bed not to see any mess,’ says Kirsten. The old bathroom was reconfigured as a large family shower room with two basins. ‘It’s a Scandinavian trait and no one misses the bath,’ she says. Kirsten was hands-on during the building work. ‘I love a demolition,’ whereas Alex, with his strong creative vision, focused on the aesthetics. The renovation took just nine months despite the pandemic, largely thanks to Steve’s contractor recommendation, Gregos, and the hands-on specialist trades and artisan makers he introduced. ‘It’s the details, like beautiful joinery, smooth concrete and tactile brass fittings that make the difference,’ says Kirsten. Above all, the house resonates with her design mantra – ‘simple, serene, clean, calm’.

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LIVING ROOM To keep a sense of flow, this space is open plan to both the hallway and kitchen-diner.

Vintage chest of drawers, try Vinterior for similar. Walls in Linen Wash, Little Greene. Oak Herringbone flooring, Dinesen.

Rug, Fjørde & Co

KITCHE N Cabinetry is dark, painted in Basalt by Little Greene, to ground the otherwise light space.

Bespoke units and island by All & Nxthing. Terrazzo surfaces and concrete floor, Kote London. Pendant lights, Hay

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DINING AREA Extending into the side return made space for a table. Exposed brickwork and wood add architectural detailing.

Table in oak with brass detailing

by James Bowyer Furniture.

Chairs, Carl Hansen & Søn

the blueprint BEDROOM BEDROOM BEDROOM

FIRST FLOOR

SNUG KITCHEN/ DINING AREA

LIVING ROOM

GROUND FLOOR

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“The magic of the renovation was making all of the old and the new come together” X

MAIN BEDROOM Wardrobes and cupboards were designed to fill every inch on both sides of the room so there is a place for everything.

Bespoke joinery, James Bowyer Furniture. Bed, Hästens.

Bedspread, Toast

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home truths IS THERE A DESIGN CLASSIC ITE M YO U WO U LD LOV E TO OWN? A huge PH Artichoke pendant lamp by Louis Poulsen – he is my design hero.

H O W D I D YO U C R E AT E YO U R COLOUR SCHEME? My colour scheme is usually white! So we loved working with Steve who gently encouraged us to be (a little) braver.

A N Y TH I N G YO U WO U LD D O D I F F E R E N T LY N E X T T I M E ?

Be even braver with colour.

W H AT H AV E YO U L E A R N T F R O M T H I S R E N O VAT I O N ?

That rather than always going for a practical option, working with makers and artisans can really elevate a project and give it a personal impact.

W H AT I N S P I R E S YO U ?

Walking along the River Thames and looking up – the skyline is crammed with old and new architecture.

I don’t like all of it but I’m glad it’s there and I never get bored.

W H AT S H O U L D E V E R Y H O M E H AV E ?

Memories; items that mean something and can be cherished.

A R E YO U FO R M OV E R FUNCTION? Always function over form. Anything that looks beautiful but doesn’t work or perform really frustrates me… what a waste!

W H AT W O U L D B E YO U R DREAM HOME? A small, energy-efficient house, designed just for us, nestled in woodland with easy access to water.

S H OW E R R O O M This space is used by the whole family so two basins make getting ready in the mornings a lot speedier.

Basins, Lusso Stone. Shower and taps, Studio Ore. Wall lights, Mullan Lighting

LIVING ROOM This red was the last colour added, but it unites all the apartment’s earthy shades. ‘Painting a room a deep colour doesn’t mean less light – but it does mean more interest and depth,’ says Albane.

Vintage armchairs in Agave by Lelièvre. Rug, Rug Vista.

Artwork (opposite), Antoni Clavé and Tom Buchanan

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whisky galore Interior designer Albane Collon is a colour connoisseur and her heady mix of tawny hues in this Paris apartment goes down very smoothly PHOTOGRAPHY Michel Figuet/Living Inside X

STYLING Suzanne Wathelet/Living Inside WORDS Jo Leevers

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LIVING ROOM ‘The rich colours I've used create a very modernist palette, which suits the furniture,’ says Albane.

Walls in Genêt de l’Etna – C08

by Ressource. Scandinavian mid-century sideboard, Pamono.

Coffee tables, Bolia

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y mixing paint shades like an artist would blend them together, Albane Collon has transformed a grand Parisian apartment into a home that’s bold, exciting and every bit as creative as its owners. She redesigned the spaces for a couple and their children who were moving to the 8th arrondissement from edgier Pigalle, where they lived in an open-plan artist’s studio. The couple wanted to keep that loft-like sense of flow in their new home, which came with the more formal flourishes of Haussmannian architecture. In short, they loved their new central location but still wanted to feel more boho than bourgeois when they stepped through their front door.

They trusted Albane’s eye and gave her free rein to rework this home, which hadn’t been touched for 60 years. First, there were structural changes: the kitchen, previously a galley space off the entrance hall, was moved to the centre of the apartment where it now merges into the dining area which, in turn, leads into the living room.

This layout brought in the openness the owners wanted but when it came to the decor, rather than plain white Albane dipped into warm colours that reflect a painterly imagination. ‘The clients would have gone for white everywhere, with a few glimpses of navy blue. But that was too déjà vu, in my opinion,’ says Albane. ‘As I had been given carte blanche, I took the opportunity to challenge them.’

The starting point for her rich scheme was the nostalgic Ananbô wallpaper in the main bedroom. ‘We picked out the golden whisky colour and treated it like a ball of string, spooling it out and threading it throughout the apartment,’ she explains. With that golden hue and its neighbouring earthy greens and hazy yellows, Albane has set up a sense of rhythm, with colours that feel energetic but also ‘talk’ to each other, which reinforces the apartment’s new sense of flow.

‘The decor had to be logical and harmonious from every point of view,’ she says. Surprisingly, the immersive red in the living room was the final piece in the colour jigsaw. ‘It was the last colour to decide and we had a “let’s just do it” epiphany,’ Albane remembers.

Once on the walls ‘it felt very bold but, at the same time, absolutely the right choice’. Albane loves how it ‘wakes up’ the golden yellows and softer greens. ‘It is also a very modernist palette, which suits the

home profile THE DESIGNER Albane Collon, interior designer and founder of 131 Malesherbes.

THE PROPERTY An apartment in a 19th-century building in central Paris. There is an open-plan kitchen/dining room that leads into a living room, plus three bedrooms (two en suite) and a utility room.

furniture,’ she adds. Albane added a rug and fabrics in shades that set up energetic contrasts, in turmeric yellow, diluted reds and flashes of turquoise. ‘While each room has its own colour, there are also small reminders of the shades that are nearby. They are what I would call clins d’oeil – subtle nods or winks,’ she says.

Albane trained in art history and worked in the museum world before focusing on interior design and this has informed her approach to colour. In decorating, she says, the concept of colour is very often misunderstood. ‘Colour has a bad reputation,’ she says.

‘People often believe a light colour makes a room seem bigger and brings in more light, but I definitely disagree. White walls won’t magically turn a 15sq m room into a bigger space. Colour, on the other hand, will make it much more interesting. It can show your furniture and art in a new context and it opens up scope for further colour combinations that add character.’

Colour does, however, change according to the quality of the light in a space and Albane’s benchmark is whether a chosen shade still works on a dreary, wet Sunday morning. ‘If it works, then I know it will always look good,’ she smiles.

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To see more of Albane’s work, visit 131 Malesherbes at 131m.fr

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DINING ROOM Each space is painted in a different yet related shade, segueing from mellow yellow to a soft green in the kitchen.

‘There is a rhythm to the colour changes,’ says Albane.

Walls in SC300 Oak/Wainscot and HC41 Deep Celadon Green

by Ressource. Vintage Saarinen Tulip table and chairs by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, Pamono

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KITCHE N Door fronts in warm walnut bring an effortlessly luxe look to the simple units.

Unit and drawer fronts, Atelier Bocklip. Worksurface and splashback in Ambra quartz, EasyPlan. Similar brass mixer tap, Lusso

DRESSING AREA The doors of the wardrobe are covered in a paper that draws you into a hand-drawn world with subtle ‘whisky gold’ shades – these were the starting point for the apartment’s decorating scheme.

Wallpaper, Ananbô. Bench and wall light, both Studio Haos

home truths BUILDING TO VISIT TO INSPIRE? I have a crush on old family houses turned into museums, like The Wallace Collection in London or Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris.

FIRST PIECE OF SERIOUS ART? A teeny-tiny collage by Jacques Villeglé.

MOTTO FOR LIFE? Know the rules, break the rules.

ADVICE FOR USING COLOUR? Lighting is the key. A basic ceiling light can ruin everything, as can a cheap bulb with a cold white light.

LAST WORD ON D E C O R AT I N G W I T H COLOUR? Avoid the painted feature wall.

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MAIN BEDROOM The golden paint shade covers the built-in cabinets and shelves for an enveloping feel.

Walls in IT13 Brown Whisky

by Ressource. Curtains and valance in Pierre Frey linen.

Bed linen, Merci. Striped lamp, Sarah Lavoine. White lamp, Rock The Kasbah. Wall light

by Gong, available at Holloways of Ludlow. LCW chair, Eames for Vitra

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CHILDREN’S BEDROOM A mural brings a jungle theme to this adventurous space, which has a bespoke raised bed with built-in storage.

Walls in F37 Dusty Green by Ressource. Mural, Little Cabari.

Alphabeta pendant lights, Hem. Chairs, Les Gambettes. Rug, Lorena Canals

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the blueprint BALCONY

BED ROOM

LIVING ROOM

MAIN BEDROOM

DINING AREA

KITCHEN

E NTR ANCE HALL

BED ROOM

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Tulip wallpaper in Theatre, £78 a roll, National Trust Papers II collection at Little Greene

decorating A CO O L L AU N C H S E T S T H E TO N E FO R O U R S T Y L E S E C T I O N

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

Daydream yourself into a luscious period drama with Little Greene’s second collection of National Trust Papers. The seven designs are based on original patterns from the Trust’s historic houses. Tulip, an unusual scrolling foliage motif discovered in 1898 at Erddig Hall, is seen here in a rich red livingetc.com

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shades are oh-so soothing to live with, as shown in Sally Denning’s new book

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blue and green

The dreamiest of colours, these two

PHOTOGRAPHY Polly Wreford

D E C O R AT I N G

ELECTRIC DREAMS Bold colours might not seem the obvious choice for a calm interior, but as this elegant entrance hall suggests, it is not only muted hues and off-whites that offer tranquil and serene settings. The key is to keep the scheme simple, the space uncluttered, with pale painted woodwork and light wood floors to balance the more vibrant shades of electric green and teal blue.

A L L OV E R B L U E A clever trick for creating a seamless feel visually, ensuring a calm interior, is to paint the entire room – including all the woodwork and ceiling – in the same shade. Here, the fresh, soothing blue used throughout allows the warm pops of colour from the velvet chairs and bookshelves to sing out and complement the main palette.

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D E C O R AT I N G

COLOU R BLOCKING Though this corner feels packed with colour, it remains pleasingly soothing. Three key elements in separate colour blocks with strong defined lines keep things simple and coherent: the blue wall, green cabinet, and stunning colourful artwork all come together harmoniously.

GREEN AND SERENE In this pared-back dining room that doubles up as a home office, the blue-green walls lend the room a relaxed and characterful air. Vintage lighting and wooden chairs, an old wooden dining table that doubles as a desk, a sisal floor covering and vintage kilim all work together to warm up the fresh wall colour, creating a restful space.

The graphic monochrome artworks keep things modern.

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D E C O R AT I N G

COOL , CALM AN D COLLEC TE D The gentlest shade of pale sky blue creates an airy, tranquil backdrop for a relaxed living room scheme. A couple of considered monotone patterned elements introduced at low level add an extra decorative layer while retaining the room’s inherent calming qualities.

REFINED LIVING This perky minty green wall colour lends a fresh and soothing vibe to a living space.

The armchair wrapped in turquoise makes for a pleasing pairing with the mint green.

The neutral fabric choice on the chair seat and the sisal flooring combine to keep the scheme feeling calm. The key to creating a tranquil space, with colour and decoration, is to ensure an uncluttered feel, with just a few carefully curated pieces thoughtfully gathered together.

Extracted from Calm

by Sally Denning (£25, Ryland Peters & Small).

Photography by Polly Wreford © Ryland Peters & Small

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D E C O R AT I N G

lighting: the edit WHETHE R YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A WALL LIG HT, PE NDANT OR L AMP, OU R PICK OF THE L ATEST DESIG NS WILL SET THE SCE NE FOR B E AUTIFU L SCHE MES

Rockin Robin floor lamp, £2,100, Porta Romana

Dou floor lamp, £399, Ferm Living

Riviera floor lamp, £846, Maison Sarah Lavoine Ardini floor light, £229, Lights & Lamps x Livingetc

Walker floor lamp, £1,906, Arteriors Pho floor lamp, £235, Caravane Miro Rope lamp, £270, Honoré

FEATURE JO BAILEY

Cone X lamp, £2,196, Emmanuelle Simon at The Invisible Collection

Sympoiesis floor lamp II, £3,540, Viv Lee at The New Craftsmen

natural-look f loor lamps Choose touches of stoneware, rat tan and rope for pared-back f loor lighting that still packs a punch livingetc.com

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Bon Bon pendant, £1,525, Helle Mardahl at Liberty

Wagasa pendant by Servomuto, £1,612.60, Wiener GTV Design at Archiproducts

Conical pendant, £1,165, AltaModa at Artemest

Stingray suspension pendant, €670, Flora Wallace for Meillart

Smithfield ceiling lamp, £825, Jasper Morrison at Flos

Filigrana beehive pendant in Red and White, £396, Established & Sons at Heal’s

Cherry pendant in Mint Green, £395, Daniel-Emma at Petite Friture

Arcs shade in Red, £165, Muller Van Severen at HAY

Harlequin pendant in Black and White, €2,880, Areti

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FEATURE HOLLY PHILLIPS

Balloon spirale pendant in Rosa Rosso, £4,259.52, Magic Circus Editions

D E C O R AT I N G

Dallas wall light, £114.

David Hunt Lighting

Caracas two light sconce, £495, Jonathan Adler Ships Companionway light, £279, Davey Lighting at Original BTC

Eichholtz Pelham wall lamp, £380, Sweetpea & Willow

Andre wall light, £49.99, Där Lighting Globe wall light, £315, Original BTC

Vector wall light, £540, J Adams & Co

Utopia Small Double Bath sconce, £435, Kelly Wearstler Brompton wall light, £87, Neptune

FEATURE PIP RICH

Brooke wall light, £125, Soho Home

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D E CO R ATI N G

Globo Vanity lamp in brass and Green acrylic, £495, Jonathan Adler

Accordéon Plissé table lamp, €499, Slamp

Neema ribbed lamp base in antique brass, £95, John Lewis & Partners

Laguna table lamp in satin brass, from £257.83, Matteo Thun for Artemide

Urku round crackle lamp, £190, Nkuku Sierra lamp in burnished silver leaf, £695, Andrew Martin

Arctic Pear table lamp with nickel frame and glass drops, £2,100, Ochre

Eskor table lamp with burnt wood and resin base, £700, Made Goods

alchemical table lamps Mercur y glass, burnished wood, molten silver and crack le glazes combine for a spellbinding edit of lighting 114

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

House Doctor Umbra table lamp in Antique Brown with ripple glass dome, £193, Amara

D E C O R AT I N G

lighting: inspiration galler y

FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT

LOOK ON THE B RIG HT SIDE WITH THESE INSPIRING AND ILLU MINATING IDE AS

Switch it up For such a seemingly small part of your lighting choices, switches have huge impact. ‘Any design feature that is so frequently handled must reflect your style,’ says Howard Solomons, head of design at Wandsworth Electrical.

Brushed metallics are an easy way to elevate this area, but make sure the metal sits comfortably with the palette – brass is good for darker schemes while copper and iron warm up neutrals.

GET THE LOOK Infinity Collection 2 way rocker switch in Satin Desert Brass, £37.51, Wandsworth Electrical

D E CO R ATI N G

Light the way

Shadow play

Enhance architectural features with clever hidden lighting. In this space, LED lighting has been incorporated into the apex of the roof, opening up the room and accentuating the height of the ceiling. To achieve the look, both LED panels or strip lighting can work well, depending on if you are updating an existing space or starting from scratch. Although these do add light into the room, it’s important to make sure that a space isn’t full of statements – make sure to integrate task lighting as well for cooking.

‘Too often people think lighting a kitchen means flooding it with spotlights,’ says the team at McLaren Excell. ‘Think about where you need the light and create different zones like how this linear warm light washes up the wall from behind the splashback.’ Choosing a warm LED tone, around 2700K, helps to soften the overall look, adding a gentle atmosphere to an often harshly lit room of the house.

GET THE LOOK The bespoke cabinetry is by Sola Kitchens.

Hauteville concrete bar chairs, €360 each, Lyon Béton

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GET THE LOOK This space was designed by McLaren Excell.

Try the Pro Series Spot Free COB Continuous LED Tape in Very Warm White, £46.56 for 5m, UltraLEDs

Focal point With glass box extensions, you don’t have to simply rely on floor lamps to lift the space when the sun goes down. A sculptural wall light is the perfect solution, providing light when necessary but also injecting extra personality into the room. Choose a wireless option for maximum impact, like this design. Also consider the impact of the exterior of the home.

‘Outdoor lighting of the plants also contributes to the overall atmosphere of this space as light enters easily through the glass structure,’ says Philippe Tasso, co-founder, NOOOR.

PHOTOGRAPHS (LIGHT THE WAY) JAMES MERRELL/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM; (SHADOW PLAY) RICHARD LEENEY; (FOCAL POINT) AGATHE TISSIER

GET THE LOOK This space was designed by NOOOR. For a sculptural wall light, try the Arame, £295, Tom Raffield

In plain sight To achieve a luxurious look, try recessed ceiling lights to zone a room from above. ‘They both celebrate the ceiling and set the theme of the room,’ says Charu Gandhi, founder and director, Elicyon. ‘The lights have a dynamism which gives the ceiling its own character.’

Highlight this space further by finishing the scheme with a statement pendant or chandelier – there should be plenty of light from the recesses but this will add extra interest to an otherwise blank space, as well as allowing you to layer the lighting level when desired.

PHOTOGRAPHS (IN PLAIN SIGHT) JULIAN ABRAMS; (TO ONE SIDE) ALEXANDER JAMES

GET THE LOOK This space was designed by Elicyon. These are the Orion Globe pendants, £895 each, Lee Broom

D E C O R AT I N G

To one side ‘There are times when it is worth considering alternative options to a centrally fitted pendant – in this living room we wanted the lighting to be intimate,’ says Tiffany Duggan, director, Studio Duggan. ‘We avoided centralised lighting and chose instead to illuminate areas – the pendant light creates a feature of the side table and floral arrangement, while the floor lamp next to the armchair forms the perfect spot for reading.’

GET THE LOOK This space was designed

by Studio Duggan.

For a similar light, try the Fabrizia 3-light cluster bell pendant, £129.99, Ebern Designs at Wayfair

Moody moment Atmosphere is key to achieving the perfect evening space. For a sultry corner in your home, choosing the right lighting can transport you into cocktail hour in a luxe hotel bar. Use a combination of lighting to keep the scheme effective but relaxed.

Look to soft bulbs to hit the right mood, or choose materials through which the light can gently filter through – alabaster is the perfect choice for this.

Using a high gloss paint in the room will also allow light to bounce around, no matter how dark the tone.

GET THE LOOK This space was designed by Rachel Chudley. For a similar wall light, try the Perforated Stanley in Brass, £86, Pooky

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D E CO R ATI N G

Flatter yourself

Stairway to heaven

‘Ambient lighting is pivotal to any bathroom design but many homeowners aren’t aware you need to specifically zone the space for both practical and aesthetic reasons,’ says Niki Wright, co-founder, Lights & Lamps. ‘Bathroom lighting serves many purposes throughout the day so it’s often the lighting that works the hardest for you. For ambient lighting look at a flush or pendant light, and for your task lighting, one positioned at eyeline next to a mirror provides optimal light with minimal shadows.

An oft ignored area of the home in terms of adding interesting lighting, stairways are full of potential for adding a statement.

‘This staircase was designed with a gap between the surrounding stair walls and the steps and landings,’ says Jan Norman, architect, 23+GS/318. ‘LED strip lights were designed to be concealed within the edge of the steps and landings, giving the appearance that the solid travertine stair is suspended within space. The effect of low level lighting employed here is one of subtlety, a ribbon of light that leads you through the house.

GET THE LOOK Silio brushed brass and opal ceiling lights, from £69, Lights & Lamps

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GET THE LOOK This project was designed by 23+GS/318

In the zone The right lighting layout can go a seriously long way in unlocking extra space. This small alcove is instantly transformed into a defined zone by the addition of the pendant lights. Make sure to choose a simple design to not overwhelm the rest of the scheme, instead either go oversized or opt for an extra long cord length to create the visual separation between the two areas in the room. If it’s an entertaining space, look for designs with dimmers so you can alter the mood.

PHOTOGRAPHS (IN THE ZONE) PAUL RAESIDE/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM; (STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN) SIMON KENNEDY

GET THE LOOK Lee Broom’s Crystal Bulb pendants, £199 each. The banquette was designed by Christophe Clement at The Ugly Room

Double up D E CO R ATI N G

‘Bathed in a soft and natural light, it’s interesting to work on the lighting of the bedrooms,’ says Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet, founders, Humbert & Poyet. On either side of this bed, suspension lights have been added to make an emblematic statement and enhance the contemporary feel of the room. In a bedroom, double up on your lighting by including a wall light, so you can easily switch between a softer atmospheric and necessary task lighting. Mix materials between your lights for a more modern approach over a staid and traditional look.

PHOTOGRAPH FRANCIS AMIAND

GET THE LOOK The space was designed by Humbert & Poyet.

The suspension lights are the A110 Hand Grenade, £373, Artek. For a similar wall lamp, try the Jasper wall spotlight, £121, Mullan Lighting

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colour insight D E S I G N E R A B I G A I L A H E R N TA L K S C O L O U R S T H AT M A K E YO U WA N T TO L I N G E R A N D T H E P OW E R O F FO U R

The beauty of painting everything the same colour is that it works for any style and size of room. Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls scares people the most, but it’s the most game-changing thing you can possibly do, particularly if you go for inky mid-tone colours.

This is because you can’t tell where the walls stop and the ceiling begins, so the walls feel taller.

For me, walls must have a matt finish as it makes them look and feel like velvet.

Although matt paint is harder to keep clean than glossier paint, it’s easy to touch up. For skirtings, window frames and doors, I stick to an eggshell finish. This lets the woodwork blend beautifully with the matt walls so that nothing is picked out.

I absolutely love restorative colours – think warm, inky hues, such as Crosby, or Pickle, a burnt toffee colour, and Madison Grey, which has green undertones that connect you to nature.

I’ve used many of these colours to decorate my home and my London store.

I can’t do brights on walls. I want paint to last in a room for at least five years, so I look for a shade I’m not going to get bored with. There’s no right or wrong but, for me, bright colours are too jarring. I prefer ones that are super-calming.

Don’t get too hung up on the orientation of your room. You’ll hear people say that if you have a north-facing room, you should choose warm colours. I tend to ignore all of that. If I’m painting a north-facing room, I’ll still use a deep, saturated colour, but I’ll accent that with warmer tones.

I recommend choosing colours from brands that make paints using natural pigments. They’re more expensive, but if you use a cheaper synthetic paint, the colour just feels flat. When you paint with pigments from the earth, the hues take on lots of different undertones as the light transitions around your home.

There’s a fine line between a room that feels flat and one that has a little bit of an edge. I’ve found a palette of four colours works well, although some people prefer three. Don’t get too hung up on the number, although if you use more than four, the room can read as quite messy.

If you want to give your walls an edge, try Hudson Black. It’s black but with browny undertones that make it really soft and calming — quite unusual in a black paint. It looks amazing teamed with paler shades and accessories. It’s an enveloping and grounding colour, and any room painted in it makes you want to linger longer.

the edit Pickle emulsion, £42 for 2.5ltr, Abigail Ahern

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Hudson Black emulsion, £42 for 2.5ltr, Abigail Ahern

Wattle emulsion, £45 for 2.5ltr, Abigail Ahern

Crosby emulsion, £42 for 2.5ltr, Abigail Ahern

Mercer Green emulsion, £42 for 2.5ltr, Abigail Ahern

Madison Grey emulsion, £42 for 2.5ltr, Abigail Ahern

FEATURE SOPHIE BAYLIS PHOTOGRAPH DAVID RANNARD, CLICK:CREATE

My mantra for decorating a room is simple: everything gets painted the same colour – the floorboards, skirting, ceiling, windows and doors. It makes the space look more sophisticated as there’s nothing to distract the eye. You can then add pieces to create visual interest. In my living room I’ve used Crosby, a pinky-brown from my own paint range, then accentuated it with paler pieces of furniture. I’ve got a cream corduroy sofa, a big, shaggy, textural creamy-brown rug and lots of earth-coloured accessories.

D E C O R AT I N G

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D E C O R AT I N G

pattern book M E TA L L I C S A N D G O L D E N H U E S A R E S H I M M E R I N G T H E I R WAY

FEATURE HOLLY PHILLIPS

ON TO

WA L LCOV E R I N G S T H I S S E A S O N A N D T H E LO O K I S L U X E

FROM TOP LEFT An amber hue is the subtle take on this trend.

Tramonto in Amber, £65 a roll, Graham & Brown Glimmering highlights enhance the natural bark motif. Liege in Bronze, £80.30m, Casamance Opulence with a swig of Roaring Twenties graphics.

Deco Martini in Arsenic, £140 a roll, Divine Savages Both elegant and eyecatching. Symbiosis in Goldstorm, £66m, Arte Sixties inspired but very modern and magnificent.

Asuka in Gold/Onyx, £71 a roll, Harlequin at Sanderson Design Group

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COLUMNIST

house style OUR DESIGN GURU MINNIE KEMP KNOWS ALL THE SECRET I N G R E D I E N T S F O R F I N E S S I N G W H E R E YO U E AT A N D E N T E R TA I N Steinway Grand made in 1923. I have no idea how he got it up the stairs. There was an oven and hob at the back where we ’d make shakshuka breakfasts: runny yellow eggs floating on a red-hot bed of tomatoes, loads of coriander, crusty brown bread and butter.

When the meal was ready he would close the piano top and put a white tablecloth over the top – voila, your dining table awaits.

Jeff Klein’s latest hotel project – San Vicente Bungalows – is a private social club in West Hollywood.

Scalloped white tables sit like jewels among century-old California pepper trees and shade lattice walls of espalier kumquats.

Casablanca is projected black and white above a lapis lazuli plunge pool with a wooden fluted turquoise bar perfect for people-watching.

The walls and ceiling are navy blue adorned with golden shooting stars and whole roasted branzino is on the menu. I’ll take a Don Julio spicy margarita – straight up.

Paianía is an eastern suburb about 35 minutes away from Athens by bus. Nestled in the shadow of Mount Ymittos lies Vorres Museum. A vivid tapestry of Greek history showcasing contemporary art as the warp and folk art as the weft. I was invited to dinner in the 19th-century part of the building.

Taramasalata, hummus, olives, feta, fresh salty tomatoes served with bread and olive oil, elegantly set on a heavy iron olive press turned circular dining table. Tumbling pink bougainvillea and red wine slightly chilled.

There is no hocus-pocus: a dining room can be a fancy affair or a fold-up table

I used to date a guy who lived right on Hampstead Heath – his higgledy-piggledy studio consisted of a bed, four white walls, mountains of books and a piano that stood in the middle of the room. It was a mahogany

My best mate lives in Southwark in a house shaped like the letter H with two bedrooms and a dining room in the centre. The ceiling in the dining room is high and I gave her a white hemp rug with blue, red and yellow dashes running through it that sits under a mid-century modern walnut table. She painted a terracotta limewash on the walls and bought an old straw hat from Nantes in France that hangs above the table. The chairs are wobbly and forgive me for saying, quite hideous, but I’ve always had the best dinners of my life there!

What I mean to say is there is no hocus-pocus: a dining room can be a fancy affair or a fold-up table. The best spaces have soul and do you know who brings that? You. Upcycle, hunt in markets and on 1stDibs for dining tables, always have fresh flowers, go to Susan Delise for textile tablecloths and lampshades.

Whatever you do, don’t paint it black – it’s not chic, it’s dark and dismal.

MINNIE’S DINING ROOM SHOPPING PICKS OF THE MONTH TABLE TALK French fruitwood dining table, circa 1940, £2,400 at Lorfords. The two additional leaves sit neatly underneath the main table and pull out to extend it by 60cm either side, taking the overall length from 160cm to 280cm

PRETTY PORCELAIN The gently undulating edges of this collection give the pieces a feeling of natural beauty – smooth and wavy and lovely to the touch.

White Porcelain 20-piece dining set by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion, £235.50

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how to... make your home warm THE EXPERT VIEW ON WARMING YOUR HOME WITH A WOOD-BURNING STOVE FOR ELEGANCE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

3112 SIA Ecodesign Ready Multi-Fuel Stove, £1,199, Morsø UK

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subtle centrepiece

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clean and simple

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new flame

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stand and deliver People are viewing stoves as a focal point for a room as much as an efficient way to heat it. Modern stoves with curved shapes and those raised on a pedestal are becoming more popular as customers want to be able to enjoy viewing the fire itself. While the warmth of the flames will ensure that the space is kept cosy.

Declan Kingsley-Walsh, managing director, Morsø UK

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I love the look of a contemporary wood burner in a traditional inglenook fireplace. The Chesneys Shoreditch stoves have lovely clean lines and come in colours other than black, such as a gorgeous grey blue. It’s a classic wood burner shape but without the unnecessary decorative details you sometimes see. They work well with mid-century or modern furnishings.

Nia Morris, director, Nia Morris Studio

A good way to tell if the logs you’re buying are dry is the weight – unseasoned wood has a different density, so get to know the species you’re burning. I buy split rather than sawn logs as they absorb less moisture. As well as being less polluting and burning better, dry logs will crackle, rather than hiss, and you’ll get a lovely flame in the window of your wood burner, with no soot or steam spoiling the view.

Sebastian Cox, furniture designer

FEATURE JACKY PARKER PHOTOGRAPHS (STAND AND DELIVER) DAN DUCHARS

Simple, functional and efficient, we chose the Jetmaster stove for its contemporary industrial aesthetic – the glass cover and blackened steel finish complement our floor-to-ceiling glazing. The stove sits flush to the wall, so it’s a subtle centrepiece that’s the heart and hearth of the living room. Yet it’s compact and space-saving, sitting snugly above the in-built log store at the perfect height for stoking the fire.

Alex Michaelis, co-founder, Michaelis Boyd Associates

D E C O R AT I N G

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design classic

The legendary GyroFocus can now be bought with a closed hearth, making it ‘Ecodesign Ready’ and compliant with Clean Air regulations coming into force on 1 January. All the advantages of a real fire are preserved, without the risk of sparks flying thanks to the sliding glass window.

Guillaume Malaise, export director, Focus

Glazed GyroFocus, price on request, Focus

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Siouxsie chose a discreet woodburner that’s not too imposing

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on the tiles

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outside the box

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think green

PHOTOGRAPH JAMES MERRELL/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

We love the homely quality that a log burner brings to a scheme, particularly when creating a cosy zone in large open-plan spaces. We’re big fans of the timeless, Swedish-style ceramic stoves that work on the principle of radiant heat, known traditionally as kakkelovn. With their tiled ceramic surface, they are a great heat source and aesthetically pleasing.

Henry Miller-Robinson, creative director, K&H Design

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on the dark side I chose a stove that didn’t take up too much of the eyeline; it sits nicely in the darkness. We’d painted the room black and added the Rococo fire surround so went for a traditional model that would look like it’s always been there. I love the cosiness it brings – perfect for inviting family over and opening some red wine.

Siouxsie Dickens, stylist, siouxsiestylist.com

Think of your stove as a piece of furniture – it doesn’t have to be confined to a traditional fireplace position. Providing the flue can be run to roof level, a stove can be placed against a wall or even centrally within the room for a modern look. Bear in mind a stove will last for many years, so choose a classic statement piece but close to the style and period of your property. Also consider a coloured stove; a subtle shade will lift the room.

Cedric Wells, creative director, Charnwood

An Ecodesign Ready stove will burn off unwanted gasses before they can reach the atmosphere, resulting in cleaner air combustion and providing a good choice for homeowners looking for an efficient and less harmful way to heat the home. Our latest Hoxton design is DEFRA Smoke Exempt, Ecodesign Ready and clearSkies approved, which is vital for improving air quality.

Jon Butterworth, director, Arada Stoves

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home and dry

Logs need to be stored somewhere dry with plenty of space

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PHOTOGRAPH ANNA STATHAKI/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

I can’t stress how important it is to only burn properly dried firewood. Timber with a moisture content higher than 20% will be difficult to light, will fill your living room with smoke and polluting particles and fizzle out before it’s had a chance to give off much heat. Oak, beech and ash will all work well in your log burner when properly dry.

Heather Emery, co-founder, Love Logs

the big december issue is bursting with

the gifts, the decs and the design tricks to make it the merriest yet

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PHOTOGRAPHS (JOY AND CHRISTMAS TREE) POLLY WREFORD STYLING LUCY GOUGH

christmas ınspıration

T H E B E AU T Y O F LIFEST YLE BR AND N E P T U N E I S T H AT I T S D E S I G N S A R E C R E AT E D FO R T H E WAY YO U L I V E From stylish small space options to a flexible take on storage, seating and shelving, Neptune’s multipurpose approach to the home folds perfectly into your life.

You can pick the colour, you can decide how you use each piece, you can create a home using Neptune furniture that will move and change with your tastes, lasting you a lifetime. And, yes, you can have a larder, regardless of how much room you have. Read on to find out how…

make yourself at home

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The Wycombe bench is the ideal piece to move around the home.

From £375, Neptune

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put to good use

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GEORGE MILLER, HOME DESIGNER AT N E P T U N E F U L H A M , E X P L A I N S H OW S O M E W E L L- C H O S E N F U R N I T U R E C A N T U R N YO U R S PAC E I N TO A N E A S I E R P L AC E TO L I V E What’s the starting point for updating a home to make it more easy to live in?

The easiest way to improve a home is to ask yourself ‘what am I missing?’ Almost always, the answer is enough seating or storage – or both – and there are easy ways to solve this that don’t take up much space. Our Henley bench box, topped with a padded cushion, that you can tuck winter blankets into when it’s spring and pull out as an extra place to perch when you have guests over, is a perfect multifunctional solution. I’m a big fan of the Theo armchair, which is smaller than you’d expect and able to provide additional comfortable yet compact seating without taking up much room. I find myself recommending this option to people who use our complimentary design consultations time and again.

Which multifunctional pieces are most useful?

In urban homes, space is at a premium, so I’d always suggest a sideboard instead of a console table – you get a nice shelf height with storage underneath. The Chawton cabinetry can be drawers or cupboards, and is balanced with open shelving so isn’t too heavy in a room. And our Ardingly cabinet is a go-to because it has so many uses – it can a be a TV cabinet, a freestanding larder or a dressing table. It’s also great as a desk – you can close its doors and shut it off at the end of the day. It even has shelf space underneath, perfect for baskets that offer additional storage. It’s the sort of design you can adapt as the needs of your life evolve.

What do people find most surprising about what they can do with Neptune designs?

Other than how the colours are totally interchangeable, it’s that we can usually fit a freestanding island into almost any kitchen, even ones people deemed much too small. The Charlecote on legs is only 60cm deep, and if there’s not enough room for that we can do the Chichester chopping block which is only 50cm deep. Placed against a slither of spare wall, it’s a bit of extra food prep space that makes all the difference to how well your kitchen functions.

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4 1 Theo armchair, from £745 2 Arundel two-seater bench, £490 3 Ardingly cabinet with oak base, from £1,725 4 Holborn sideboard, £1,500, all from Neptune

The Chichester chopping block adds extra prep surface without using too much space RIGHT Two Chawton cabinet tops, placed side by side, become an instant sideboard

The Aldwych dressing table becomes a neat and compact desk LEFT Customise the Shepton glazed cabinet to include wine storage

cupboard love

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A L ARDER IS MORE THAN JUST S TO R AG E , F I N D S G E O R G I E P R OWS E , D E V E LO P M E N T C H E F FO R N E P T U N E ’ S C A F E , T H E P R OV E N I S T. I T ’ S T H E S O U R C E O F K I TC H E N C A L M N E S S TO O The house we grew up in was old-fashioned and on the larder door was a peephole. I would peer through it, marvelling at the uneven stone floor, broad shelves and, most of all, at the treasure trove of treats they held. Jars of beans and pulses, lentils and chickpeas, Italian pasta from a deli in London my dad would bring back to surprise us with. Tomato sauces, breadsticks, homemade chutneys and jam. It was all just so completely charming.

My dad was always into food. We’d have a roast every Sunday. I was brought up on shepherd’s pie, but then the chef Yotam Ottolenghi arrived on the scene and we were both excited by the way he cooked. Suddenly, my dad was making samphire salads, vast bowls of aubergine studded with pomegranate, scented yogurt sauces drizzled over the top. We found ourselves regularly needing more spices, craving more flavours, wanting more ingredients to play with and fold into bigger sharing plates. The larder, as a place to store it all, was more important than ever.

Now I view a well-stocked larder as the secret to kitchen calmness. I live in London, and have very little space, but have prioritised room for the larder. Separate drawers for spices, a shelf for beans and pulses, another for anchovies and dried mushrooms – the ingredients I know add massive flavour hits. It makes me relaxed to have everything at my fingertips because I know I can create food within an instant.

If it’s raining outside then a warming stew or risotto is never far away, if friends arrive unannounced we can talk as I cook, grabbing things from the cupboard to add flavour and love.

I’m a huge believer in the larder as a place not to just store your ingredients, but from where the recipe for many good times are kept. Meals with friends, comfort food alone, simple suppers elevated with a few well-chosen dashes of sauce.

It all just flows out of the larder, flavour after flavour. And thanks to my larder, I feel like I’ve found my flow, too.

THE LARDER LOWDOWN

everything you need to know S PAC E R E Q U I R E D The glass-fronted freestanding Shepton is just 71cm wide and 40cm deep. The freestanding Ardingly cabinet, 86cm wide and 46cm deep, though you need 20cm either side to open its doors. Built-in Neptune larders start at 45cm wide and 71cm deep, going up to 110cm wide.

C O N F I G U R AT I O N Neptune’s built-in larders all come with adjustable zig-zag shelving, so you can choose to have tall shelves for jars or shrink them for smaller pots. Neptune also offers bridges that raise up items at the back of shelves, removing the need to hunt.

APPEARANCE Shelves are solid oak, though a marble cool shelf can be added, and the exterior and interior can be painted in any of the 27 Neptune colours you choose.

THE TECH Lighting can be added – an automatic opening light comes as standard in the Suffolk larder.

An electrician is needed to wire a larder into your home.

Neptune’s Suffolk larder is fully customisable.

This exterior is painted in Olive, with the interior painted in Silver Birch, both by Neptune

back to nature

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

N E P T U N E ’ S PA L E T T E – I N S P I R E D BY T R E A S U R E S O F T H E N AT U R A L WO R L D – A D D S C H A R AC T E R TO A N Y S C H E M E , S AYS N E P T U N E ’ S P R O D U C T D I R E C TO R R E B E CC A E L D E R F I E L D The great thing about our 28 core colours is that our paints are designed into seven nature-inspired palettes, each with four hues that we think work well together. The groups make it nigh on impossible to go wrong but should also help make it easy to be creative in your pairings. All of them have their own unique place in the collection and are easy to live with – even the brighter ones have an earthy gentleness. This flexibility means you can transform your home easily, with a new accessory or accent shade you know will work with your scheme.

Our new seasonal colour, Clove, isn’t quite brown or purple, it’s softer than both, and was inspired by some leaves and berries our founders, John and Emma Sims-Hilditch, brought in from a walk in the woods. They sat in our design studio, the colour changing as they dried out, and that’s how Clove was born.

It’s not overpowering to use Clove as a paint across a whole room because the pigments have a soothing warmth and depth. Although at first sight it’s a strong shade, it’s not overbearing and, in fact, if you use it on all the walls it becomes a neutral, against which other shades stand out. For a more delicate look, I’d pair it with Silver Birch, or to be really striking, try it on furniture, enlivened with rich velvets.

If I was using Clove on a piece of furniture like our Ardingly cabinet, I’d use Clove on the outside and pair it with a lighter tone like Old Rose for personality and individuality. That contrast, between dark and light colours that are both inspired directly by nature, is really enticing and a wonderful surprise to see when you open the cupboard doors.

Ink is another of my favourite shades from the collection. It’s bold, but again serves to make other, lighter shades sing.

Textiles and metals will shine through and the mood will change throughout the day with the light. That’s the beauty of our palette – whatever colours you go for, you know it’ll work.

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the perfect green I was delighted that Olive won Livingetc’s Paint of the Year in the Style Awards 2021. When judge and style guru Lucinda Chambers said she’d like to wear it, I could totally see where she was coming from as it has a wonderful energy to it. It’s a verdant green that will work anywhere, it’s so rich. We’ve used it on kitchen cabinetry, on occasional furniture and even on the facade of our Fulham store!

The effect is just so powerful and uplifting. It’s the perfect shade for a contemporary setting as it has its own character and depth, lending both to any space.

“All our shades are slightly muted – even the brighter ones have a gentleness to them”

Cushions from Neptune’s new AW21 collection show how the palette of rich shades works together

Ink matt emulsion

Silver Birch matt emulsion

Mustard matt emulsion

With Clove matt emulsion behind it, the traditionally-shaped Amelia armchair feels contemporary

Clove matt emulsion

Moss matt emulsion

Old Rose matt emulsion

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reader event

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

J O I N O U R PA N E L O F E X P E R T S O N 1 0 N OV E M B E R FO R A M A S T E R C L A S S I N H OW TO B E CO LO U R CO N F I D E N T While all of Neptune’s colours work perfectly together, being able to find the exact right palette for your space can sometimes need a bit of expert help. So join our editor Pip Rich as he quizzes Neptune’s interior design manager, Simon Temprell, super-stylist and co-founder of Collagerie Lucinda Chambers and interior designer Eva Sonaike about exactly how to use colour throughout the home now.

Our panel will decode the myths around what shades to use in which spaces, how to choose the right hue for the amount of light you have, and whether you really should paint the ceiling and detailing the same exact tone.

Simon has all the industry insight to help layer the right colours, while Lucinda has the most discerning eye in the business and Eva is a master at introducing accent shades you might not otherwise expect. On the night, you’ll not only receive their stylish wisdom, but also a goody bag including a £25 gift voucher to spend in store. See you there!

need to know WHEN

PANEL

10 November, 6-9pm Simon Temprell,

WHERE

interior design

Neptune, 170-178 The

manager, Neptune

Broadway, London SW19 1RX

HOW TO BOOK

Eva Sonaike,

Tickets cost £8, which goes

interior designer

straight to housing and homeless charity Shelter.

Lucinda Chambers,

Guests will receive a goody

stylist and co-

bag with a £25 voucher for use

founder of Collagerie

in store. Book at neptune. com/livingetcevent Pip Rich, editor of Livingetc

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magazine website tiles paint instagram

Subscribe for your monthly fix of forward-thinking design at magazinesdirect.com

Livingetc.com is a trove of daily spaces, shopping & style inspo

PHOTOGRAPHS FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

Shop the Mediterranean-inspired tiles we designed for Bert & May at bertandmay.com

We’ve launched an amazing new paint collection with Lick – check out lickhome.com/livingetc

Discover designers to love and dream rooms to inspire – @livingetcuk

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FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS PHOTOGRAPH MARY WADSWORTH

Bathroom design and bespoke pieces by Gunter & Co. Murano cement-based terrazzo tiles, InOpera.

Pole And Circle wall lights, Square In Circle

design projects O U R R E N OVAT I O N PAG E S O P E N W I T H S O M E M A K E OV E R I N S P O

From the eye-catching terrazzo to the jewellery-like brassware, this bathroom, created by Gunter & Co, is a masterclass in nitty-gritty detailing.

Tongue-and-groove panelling is gentler than fully tiled walls, and the art decostyle mirrors are, in fact, bespoke cabinets with ample storage. Clever livingetc.com

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R E N O VAT I O N N E W S I N N OVAT I V E I D E A S FO R K ITC H E N S , B AT H R O O M S A N D P R OJ E C T S

knock knock

N E W V I N TAG E

We’re already big fans of deVOL’s below-stairs kitchen design and now it has gone a step further and launched the Heirloom collection. It’s a curated edit of well-crafted pieces, including cabinetry and lighting (we are eyeing up the Gaselier light with its porcelain shades and brass frame), which manage to look vintage yet thoroughly modern.

It is described as an ‘ever-evolving’ range, so expect regular additions.

The Heirloom collection starts at £10,000 (devolkitchens.co.uk)

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS

english heritage Looking to add a decorative touch to your hearth? Then this new collaboration between two heritage heavyweights, pottery makers Burleigh and tile artisans Craven Dunnill Jackfield, could do the trick. The handmade creations have Burleigh’s iconic Calico pattern – seen on crockery in places like Soho House – and come in five glazed colours. The Burleigh x Craven Dunnill Jackfieldtiles,£79each (cdjackfield.com)

Give your front door a fresh look with a knocker from new-on-the-block brand Gipsy Hill Hardware. Its pieces are both functional and beautiful so it comes as no surprise to learn founder Rebecca O’Keefe is a former fashion designer. The designs are handcrafted in solid recycled brass in the UK and use age-old casting techniques. We’re knocked over by the Scallop Drop, inspired by Moroccan architectural details. Scallop Drop door knocker, £159 (gipsyhillhardware.com)

Rutland London has introduced its first collection of WCs in a variety of styles.

Prices from £660 EARTH TONES Bathroom design company VitrA has added three new colourways to its acclaimed Plural collection, the collaboration with Milan-based American designer Terri Pecora, inspired by mid-century furniture. The monoblock basins, vanity basins and bowls are now available in beautifully earthy hues of Matt Clay Beige, Matt Moss Green and Matt Terra Rossa. Choose a complementary palette to transform a bathroom into a vibrant, bold space, or pick a single piece like the washbasin unit to make a standout feature in a more muted scheme. Plural ceramic washbasin with Dark Oak shelf in Matt Moss Green, £2,486, (vitrA.co.uk)

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EXPERT INSIGHT

3 of the best GOOSE-NECK KITCHEN TAPS For a high-end look at a purse-friendly price, B&Q’s single-lever swivel tap is not just eye-catching but has an anti-limescale spout that rubs clean. Cooke & Lewis Katiki White side lever tap, £56 (diy.com)

If you like your faucets functional and fancy, this Gessi 316 tap has a decorative steel base and a colourful extractable single jet handshower. Black metal brushed tap with flexible jet in Orange £1,265 (gessi.com)

This sink mixer, which is also available with a handy side spray rinse, comes in eight finishes, including bronze, gold and pewter. The Orbiq monobloc sink mixer with C-spout in satin brass, £439.60 (perrinandrowe.co.uk)

ON THE EDGE

Who says shower screens always have to be boring old clear glass?

Certainly not Matki – it has unveiled an innovative design made using gold or silver metallic mesh. The frames are available in a number of complementary finishes including brushed nickel, black chrome and aged brass. With its shimmering and handwoven appearance, this clever partition certainly adds some razzle-dazzle to bathroom proceedings. EauZone Mesh shower screen, from £3,481.20 (matki.co.uk)

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underf loor heating Steve Dunne, managing director of Snug Underfloor Heating, talks through the options The main advantage of choosing underfloor heating over radiators is the type of heat it produces and the fact it is more energy-efficient. It’s a gentler form of heat than radiators – the water temperature needed for underfloor heating is much lower, plus you’re heating a whole surface area so you get a more even spread.

There are two types of underfloor heating – electric, also known as dry – and water, also known as wet underfloor heating.

Electric underfloor heating is when electric cables are installed under the floors to heat them up. It is generally used for single rooms, like a bathroom, in areas up to 50sq m because it is limited by the electrical power your home has. A competent DIY-er can install an electrical underfloor heating system, but I would advise getting an electrician for the final wiring.

Water underfloor heating is usually for larger projects.

A pipe is installed under the floor and warm water is pumped around it to heat the floor. This has to be done by a professional.

You can install any flooring with underfloor heating.

Tiles are easiest to work with as there are no temperature-limiting factors. For wood flooring, you have to limit the temperature to 27 degrees or the wood could crack. Also, as wood is an insulating material, flooring should be no thicker than 22mm or it will prevent enough heat from transferring to the room.

Installation costs for underfloor heating are more expensive than radiators, but the running costs make it more sustainable and it is also likely to add value to your home. Plus, it’s the ideal heating method to work with the increasingly popular air or ground source heat pumps.

The running costs of water underfloor heating work out about 20 per cent less compared to a standard radiator system.

This is because the boiler has to work a lot less since the water only has to be heated to a temperature of 40 to 50 degrees instead of 60 to 65 degrees for a radiator.

Electric underfloor heating has higher running costs than standard radiators purely because electric costs more than gas.

But the running costs of electric aren’t massive - the rule of thumb is 1p per square metre per hour. As long as it is controlled properly, it’s not an expensive system to run.

Think about underfloor heating at the start of the project, particularly if it’s a new build or an extension. The most costeffective way is to put it in the concrete screed so it is important to bear this in mind before foundations are even laid.

Find out more about Snug Underfloor Heating at first-traceheating.co.uk

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TH E LOWDOWN ON …

D E A L I N G W I T H A PA R T Y WA L L A R C H I T E C T R I C H A R D G I L L F R O M PAU L A R C H E R D E S I G N O N W H AT YO U N E E D TO K N OW A B O U T S H A R E D WA L L S A N D H OW T H E Y CO U L D A F F E C T YO U R B U I L D

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Always keep your neighbour in the loop regarding your intended project before serving a formal party wall notice.

When that’s done, you can issue them with the official notice of the work. Bear in mind, different projects have slightly different paperwork – the details for an extension are different to what’s needed for a basement, for instance.

Timing is important, too. When you first issue the notice, there’s a 14-day waiting period. If you don’t receive a response within that window, it’s categorised as dissent. In this case, you’ll need to negotiate what’s known as an ‘Award’ – more on this later. If your neighbour wants to put this documentation into place, you’ll need to allow some time to iron out the details. For structural work, the Award needs to be in place at least two months before the planned starting date of any work on the party wall.

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It is possible to serve the party wall notice yourself – but you’ll need to be sure you’re submitting the right forms, as they are project specific. If you submit the wrong thing, you could end up in a situation where you don’t have the right documentation in place. For peace of mind, it’s best to appoint a trained specialist known as a party wall surveyor.

At Paul Archer Design, we have a selection of individuals we work with. As we’re leading the clients through the process, we get quotes

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from each of them and decide which one is best suited for the job.

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Once the formal notice has been issued, if your neighbour is fine with it they can simply sign the form and send it back so you can get on with the job. This creates a legal document known as a ‘Party Wall Agreement’. However, it might be that they agree with the works in principle but want a different document in place – a ‘Party Wall Award’. It’s slightly different because it outlines the construction processes relating to the common wall in more detail, including any conditions your neighbour would like you to adhere to.

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If you’re having an Award drawn up, a party wall surveyor will look after this for you. To get things moving, they’ll need a clear idea of what the work involves. Usually this means having your structural engineer’s drawings to hand and a clear idea of how the scheme will progress. For example, will the structure be supported by pad stones or columns? Is there going to be any underpinning? Once you have a clear scope of the construction minutiae, you can build it into the Party Wall Award. If you end up making changes to the Award later, things can get costly.

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Every party wall surveyor is meant to work within the spirit of the Act. In theory, this means you could have the same individual looking after the interests of neighbours on both sides of the wall. But it’s not unusual for your neighbour to want their own surveyor, for which you’d be liable for the costs (as you’re the person benefitting from the new extension). Before work begins, your surveyor will inspect the condition of the party wall on your neighbour’s side. If they identify any defects prior to the works starting, these will be recorded and photographed so you don’t need to cover them later.

As the project progresses, it’s possible that a difference of opinion could arise between your party wall surveyor and your neighbour’s party wall surveyor. In this case, a third surveyor can be appointed to mediate and come up with a solution.

Again, this would be at your cost.

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Richard Gill is an architect at Paul Archer Design (paularcherdesign. co.uk), a London practice specialising in extensions and renovations

FEATURE REBECCA FOSTER PHOTOGRAPH ANDY STAGG

A party wall is the common wall that’s shared between you and your neighbour. If you live in a terraced house, for instance, the partition between the two properties is the party wall, which you both own.

The Party Wall Act (1996) comes into play when you’re doing any structural work that affects this shared wall. For example, if you’re doing an extension and you plan to put in a beam that attaches to the wall, you’d need to notify your neighbour. The same goes if you’re doing a loft conversion and extending the wall upwards. If any repairs are needed to the wall, the Act applies here, too. Even the removal of a chimney breast from the common wall is included. The government has a useful guide that covers these issues – you can download it free from gov.uk.

The legislation is important because it offers security to you and your neighbour. Let’s say the person living next door decides to do a full refurb and dig out a new basement – you’d want to ensure your house doesn’t fall into the hole when excavations begin.

The Party Wall Act is there to protect you. And use these six tips as a template to guide you through the process.

“Always keep your neighbour in the loop regarding your intended project”

Paul Archer Design is behind the refurbishment of this Victorian home in London.

The lower ground floor has been extended to create a better flow from the living space to the garden. The roof was also reconfigured as part of the alterations to the loft

M AT E R I A L O F T H E M O M E N T… COLOURED CONCRETE M OV E A S I D E G R E Y ! A R C H ITE C T S A N D D E S I G N E R S A R E B R I N G I N G J OY TO U R B A N R E F U R B S W I T H R A I N B OW H U E S I N S I D E A N D O U T

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While concrete started out as a structural building material, in recent years it has become an indoor architectural and decorating staple. Its unrefined, utilitarian aesthetic has been used to create oceans of grey floors, walls and ceilings, as well as pieces of furniture, lighting and accessories. Now concrete version two is upon us – the material moving even further from its functional origins and into the ornamental, merging its edgy tactility with colours from every point in the rainbow.

‘Adding colour to enhance concrete’s appearance is gathering momentum as the next logical progression for the material,’ confirms Gus Colley, owner and MD of artisan concrete company Concreations. ‘It provides an enormous opportunity for creativity and setting the mood of a space.’

‘Colouring concrete enhances it, celebrating its rich textures and unique markings,’ agrees Tom Gresford, founder of Gresford Architects. ‘Coloured concrete has a rich, tectonic beauty and juxtaposes raw, unforgiving and brutal materiality with the delightfully lively effect adding colour achieves. Coloured concrete really lifts and enhances a space in unexpected ways – it can be physically hard and visually soft at the same time.’

2 There are no rules or boundaries when it comes to coloured concrete – pigments can be attention-grabbing or subtle, and used for flat surfaces or three-dimensional objects. There are several

FEATURE AMY MOOREA WONG PHOTOGRAPHS (WHITE OUT) KATHERINE LU, (GOING GREEN) FRENCH+TYE, (PINK TINT) ANDREW OGILVY

1 WHITE OUT Australian firm Carter Williamson opted for a subtle blonde concrete for the floor and ceiling masonry of this soothing space. The generous thickness of the pale concrete ceiling masonry is emphasised by the shapely light well, while the concrete for the floor was mixed with pebbles, adding tactility and individuality. ‘We chose a soft white in response to the nature-inspired home’s holistic material palette – it’s simple and will last for years,’ says Ben Peake, associate at the practice.

‘We wanted the masonry elements to carry a warmth that people may not expect from concrete.’

GET THE LOOK Project, carterwilliamson.com. Concrete, for similar try sikaconcrete.co.uk

2 GOING GREEN Vivid green concrete floods the lower half of this bathroom, used to line the walls and floor as well as cast into the bespoke bath, basin and benches – it’s a lesson in the infinite design possibilities coloured concrete creates. ‘We explored an architectural approach with this bathroom, creating a strong sense

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of enclosure,’ explains architect Ben Allen. ‘The pigmented concrete was pre-cast off-site, which meant that installation was fast but required a lot of planning.’ The concrete was heavily sealed to ensure it remained water-tight and finished with patinated gold-toned brassware.

GET THE LOOK Project, studiobenallen.com. Concrete, concreations.co.uk

3 PINK TINT This Victorian home in Hackney was given a rose-hued extension with a coloured concrete wall (tinted with a powered dye) that merges indoors with out. ‘We wanted to highlight and celebrate the concrete addition to the building rather than disguising it,’ says Tom Gresford, founder of Gresford Architects. ‘The colour creates a series of contrasts, such as the smooth unexpected shade against the traditional brick wall.’

The surface’s characteristic imperfections such as air bubbles and other marks add charm and a sense of history to the build.

GET THE LOOK Project, gresfordarchitects.co.uk.

Concrete, londonandsons.co.uk

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ways to add colour to concrete, and it’s a hands-on, messy business so expert help will most likely be required.

‘Concrete can be coloured using several different methods – by adding pigments to the mix, by staining it after it has cured or by applying pigmented material as the top layer of the concrete while it is wet,’ explains Gus. There’s a knack to achieving that perfect shade of concrete – it’s all about accuracy and consistency to create a smooth finish and avoid colour variations. Don’t be alarmed if the appearance changes as the material dries – so it’s a case of practice, practice, practice… or seek out a professional.

‘Concrete can be a fickle material and adding pigment can result in surprising results, so make sure to do a test with your mix and the pigment to work out the final shade,’ advises Gus. ‘It’s more difficult to achieve strong, bright colours because larger amounts of pigment can damage the concrete so make sure to check the maximum recommended dose. Also ensure that the pigment is fully combined throughout the mix to avoid patches, and remember that pigment is expensive so try to use it in the part of the work that can be seen.’

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‘It’s critical to use exactly the same amount of dye for every concrete pour in order to achieve a uniform finish – otherwise it’s likely to result in very noticeable colour variations,’ adds Tom.

4 PEA PERFECT

5 GOT THE BLUES

The pea green concrete countertop gives this kitchen a sense of playfulness, as well as imparting important practical benefits. ‘The kitchen top is pigmented with a powdered dye that was added directly to the concrete mix, so while it’s incredibly robust, if it does eventually chip the marks won’t show up,’ explains architect Ben Allen. ‘The material also means that the sink and drainage could be seamlessly integrated.’ The surface was finished with a porous sealant that lets moisture move in and out of the concrete, so it will develop a unique patina as it ages.

For more intense colours, renders can be used in place of concrete to create a similar feel. ‘For this project we wanted a very controlled, even colouration and surface finish, as well as graphic curved forms that would have been incredibly difficult to achieve with concrete, so we chose to use a silicone render instead,’ explains Richard Bridges, founding director of Alexander Owen Architecture. ‘The material guarantees a uniform colour and creates a really vibrant colour pop, and like concrete it creates a statement texture – this mix is combined with 1mm render granules for a rough, tactile finish.’

GET THE LOOK Project, studiobenallen.com. Contact buildwithsullivan.com for details on the concrete

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GET THE LOOK Project, aoarchitecture.co.uk. Render, ewipro.com

PHOTOGRAPHS FRENCH+TYE

Concrete may be hardy and durable, but it must be properly protected to survive life in the home, which is where sealant comes in. Once the concrete is no longer damp, seal it to lock in colour and shield the surface. ‘Decorative concrete is similar in durability to marble or wood – if used correctly and treated with respect it will last many years,’ says Gus.

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THE HOME FRONT D E S I G N E R R E B E CC A WA K E F I E L D I S M OV I N G T O A F I X E R - U P P E R A N D I S C H A R T I N G H E R R E N O VAT I O N J O U R N E Y R I G H T H E R E E V E R Y I S S U E and generous ceiling heights. Everything and more we wanted from a home.

PHOTOGRAPHS (REBECCA IN HER CURRENT HOME) ANNA STATHAKI

Last year we made the heart-wrenching decision to sell our Victorian terrace in south London [featured, right, in Livingetc in July 2020]; the home both my babies were born in and the property we’d stripped back to its bare bones, injecting every ounce of energy and love into restoring and renovating it over four long, dusty years. Totally worth it for the pared-back haven we created – a side extension made the space feel generous and light-filled, while the Crittall doors and parquet floors added character.

Along with seemingly half of the UK population, however, we then caught the ‘lockdown relocation’ bug. Throwing caution to the wind we put the house on the market, spending the next few weeks in some kind of nationwide Challenge Anneka existence, travelling the country to see where we wanted to lay down our roots. The closest we got to The Dream was a beautiful red-brick Georgian rectory in Grantham with acres of land and all its original features. Ultimately – and devastatingly – the owners decided they didn’t want to sell despite our quite frankly cringeworthy pleas. I often revisit my camera roll, like a house junkie, to get a hit of its symmetrical facade, its curved, hand-carved staircase, its light-filled rooms

After a little pity party, we came full circle.

Back to the London SE postcodes we knew and loved, the liberal communities I thrive in, the flat whites a-plenty. At least here period properties with their charm were relatively easy to come by. Surely.

With textured white render, uPVC windows and zero period detail, I have a challenge on my hands

Governed by the less glamorous school catchment areas and parking restrictions but the promise of architectural detail, sash windows, cornices and grand proportions, off we went again. Forty-plus viewings and 12 bids later we are finally under offer and spoiler alert: the house we are buying has none of the aforementioned qualities. I would, in fact, go as far as to say that this 1930s beast is verging on – dare I say it? – ugly. With its textured white render, uPVC windows and complete lack of period detail, I have a challenge on my hands. So, I’ll be rolling up my sleeves and hoping to prove that you can indeed polish a … detail-devoid property into a bright, spacious family home filled with interesting features and exciting design elements while at the same time remaining architecturally and historically sympathetic to the fabric of the building. Simple, right?

R E B E C C A’ S B U Y S O F T H E M O N T H TAKE THE LEAD One of the things I’m most excited about is changing the windows (planning permitting) in the new house to something that is more in keeping with the 1930s era. I am coveting leaded light or perhaps steel frames to add some character and detail.

Evolution Windows seems to tick plenty of boxes for me with its slim profile and lead casement options, from £500

LIGHT THE WAY Not to get ahead of myself, but the elegant wall light designed

by Thomas O’Brien, £359 (left), from Circa Lighting, will most definitely be making an appearance in my new home. I love the simple form and gentle light that a shaded sconce gives off. The look could be elevated with hand-painted shades by Sarah Blomfield (far left), £90 each, if you were so inclined

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GARDEN I N S P I R AT I O N H OW B E S T TO U S E LI G H TI N G TO B R I N G YO U R O U T D O O R S PAC E TO L I F E A new lighting concept can transform the garden. From inexpensive candles and solar-powered festoons to a whole garden lighting system controlled from your phone, all it takes to create beautiful effects is a few well-considered buys and clever placement.

‘Coloured lighting can look a bit Las Vegas, but it can work if used sparingly and in water features,’ says garden designer Charlotte Rowe. ‘However, we always recommend that all lighting fittings are warm white and unify the design by using the same brand and company for all the lighting in a garden to avoid mismatches, which can jump out if they’re next to each other.’

Lighting paths and steps can create mystery, offering a tantalising route through the dark garden to seating or a feature of interest.

Lighting expert David Haslehurst of Moonlight Design recommends installing lights in the retaining walls on either side of a flight of steps, so that only the treads are lit. ‘If you have no walls, set them into planting,’ he says. ‘And remember to light the top step, or you may miss it and trip.’ David prefers a gentle wash of light over pathways, too. ‘Install border lights such as those

by Hunza into planting beside a path, or recess LuxR path lights into the paving itself to achieve this effect.’

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THIS PIC Stefano Marinaz has used strip lighting under the bench seating as well as uplighters to highlight the timber fence and ornate branches of the multistem amelanchier tree LEFT These eco-friendly table Axolight Float Multi-functional LED lamps from David Village Lighting provide pools of light just where they are needed and are powered by low-energy rechargeable batteries FAR LEFT In this scheme by Charlotte Rowe, the long narrow passageway joining the house to a roof terrace has cross lighting set into the timber walls to light the way. Uplights set into the plinth illuminate the urn and ‘starry, starry night’ fibre optics in the timber wall create a focal point at the end

FEATURE ZIA ALLAWAY PHOTOGRAPHS (MAIN IMAGE) STEFANO MARINAZ; (PASSAGEWAY) CHARLOTTE ROWE; (LED LAMPS) DAVID VILLAGE LIGHTING

Enhancing trees and plants can produce magical effects. Jeremy Abington of Bright Earth recommends uplighting open-structured deciduous trees from the base to create a sculptural effect. ‘Set the angle of light to illuminate the whole tree if it’s a small one, or use lights among the branches of a larger tree and angle them down to create a dappled effect on a patio or lawn,’ he says. Jeremy uses mini floodlights with diffused lenses to produce a soft, broad glow.

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“Always keep outdoor lighting at a minimum and use warm white light – one light per tree is more than enough” Stefano Marinaz

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GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK FOR POPPY OKOTCHA, IT’S ALL ABOUT APPLES THIS MONTH – AND FINDING WAYS TO MAKE HER HARVEST LAST LONGER THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT apples that were perfectly bred and adapted to local conditions and the needs of the people, along with the loss of apple culture.

The apple trees at the end of the garden have given huge harvests again, autumn is beginning to paint their leaves a rusty orange. This year I’m going to try to store them. Generally, apples that are ready for picking later in the year (known as late-season) will store best. To store my apples, I’ll be copying what I’ve watched my grandma do; choose perfectly unblemished apples picked from the tree, wrap each one in newspaper, lay them in a single layer in a cardboard box and leave them in a cool, dry spot in the shed. Every time I raid my store, I’ll pick over them, removing any that look keen on rotting. Since I’ve not stored apples before, I’ll be hedging my bets by preserving some, as fermented sauces, cider vinegar and chutneys.

PHOTOGRAPHS (THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH) ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

If all this apple chat is making you yearn for a tree of your own to tend, we are now heading into winter, the time for planting bare root fruit trees. So it’s worth considering which apple variety best suits your needs.

In the UK, until recently, it would have been normal for every village, town, farm, cottage or townhouse to have a collection of fruit trees offering a local food supply. But since the 1960s, two-thirds of our orchards have been lost. This, along with supermarkets predominantly selling imported apples, led to the loss of many varieties of British

More recently, community orchards growing heritage varieties have been popping up with huge success, alongside efforts to track down varieties thought to have vanished. Preserving a diverse range of apples (and all food crops) is significant because their genetics can contribute to the breeding of resilient varieties in the future.

They also hold the wisdom of our ancestors who bred these varieties to perform in a time with an emphasis on local and sustainable food. We can preserve diversity by growing local varieties. I’ll be doing just that with the fruit trees I’m hoping to plant this winter.

Now light levels and temperatures are falling and plant growth slowing, I’m gathering”

I find something peaceful about this time of year. The chaos of summer has dwindled. In the same way that dreaming helps us process our days gone by, gathering, processing and preserving autumn produce seems to help me gather up, process and learn from the year that’s passed. There’s something meditative in the repetitive physical motions of gathering and processing plants. A sort of right of passage or wind down into the slow stillness of winter. Now light levels and temperatures are falling and plant growth is slowing, I’m gathering.

THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN 1 Tuck spring bulbs up in the ground and look forward to a spring display.

2 Sow a green manure on veggie patches that would be left empty.

3 Sow broad beans and hardy peas in the ground, and garlic cloves in pots.

4 Cut autumn raspberries down to the ground, but leave a couple of canes standing to give an early crop.

INDOORS 1 Plant a bulb lasagne: a pot with layers of bulbs that will flower in succession. I plant tulips to flower in late spring at the bottom, daffodils for mid-spring in the middle and crocuses for early spring at the top.

2 Multiply rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender plants by taking cuttings. Snip off about a finger length of new growth, just below the point at which leaves grow.

Pop the cuttings in compost and keep moist. Roots should form in a few weeks.

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Protect your home with smart security at your fingertips BELOW LEFT You can opt for outdoor cameras BELOW Hive HomeShield is a simple, compact package

on the button O U R H O M E S A R E O U R H AV E N S , S O K E E P YO U R S S A F E W I T H H I V E H O M E S H I E L D – T H E E A S Y-T O - U S E S Y S T E M T H AT ’ S E X AC T LY R I G H T F O R N OW

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he last year has seen us spend more time in – and more money on – our homes than ever before. Collectively we’ve created high-tech entertainment spaces, luxurious work zones or simply upgraded our interiors with the latest looks. Now that we’re leaving our homes again and returning to ‘normality’, it’s natural we want to protect them properly.

There’s also a variety of packages depending on the level of security you want. Choose window and door sensors, a siren that deters would-be criminals, pet-friendly motion monitors, indoor or outdoor cameras – plus the ability to alert trusted contacts or the emergency services via the app. With Hive HomeShield you’ll have peace of mind and that is the ultimate luxury.

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Hive HomeShield is a Smart Home Security System that lets you protect your home with your phone via the Hive app, whether you’re away or just asleep. It’s part of the Hive ‘Ecosystem’ from British Gas and you can use your existing products with HomeShield, so there’s no need to buy new hardware if you already have it. With a monthly subscription, Hive HomeShield will deliver security reports and alerts for the whole family. There’s Live View to check on your home in real time, a 30-day unlimited video history and it plays nicely with other Hive products so your lights and plugs can come on when the alarm is triggered. Three personalised modes: Home, Sleep or Away ensure the right part of your home is protected at the right time.

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Find out more and get a free no-obligation quote at hivehome.com

Dial down the disco this month and allow some soothing sound and lighting into your home with Sony’s ingenious hybrid speaker lamp, £315.

Slide it into candlelight mode, switch on some Sade and enjoy the calm before the holiday season kicks off

smart home FEATURE GINEVRA BENEDETTI

T H E N E W P I E C E O F T E C H I M P R OV I N G O U R L I V E S T H I S M O N T H

Part lamp, part wireless speaker – the LSPX-S3 glass sound speaker is an instant mood maker. Its minimalist design belies its functionality, pumping out clear audio with four lighting modes and 32 brightness levels, all easily adjusted by sliding a touch sensor. And relax… livingetc.com

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smart home Mano gel dispenser, £59.90

Horizon Safetouch key ring, £19.90

innovations D E S I G N S T H AT W I L L T R A N S F O R M YO U R ABODE INTO AN EASIE R PL ACE TO LIVE Olbio wallet, £59.90, all lexon-design.com

in the times of covid Lexon has created a range of ingenious everyday items, tweaked with an antiviral angle. The Oblio wallet is a stylish clutch with built-in power bank that charges your phone while sanitising the contents using UV-C technology, while Horizon Safetouch is a handy key ring that grabs handles and pushes buttons so you don’t have to. And place the Mano automatic anti-bac gel dispenser in your hallway so you can spritz the second you walk in the door.

now you see it...

Nestled within its sleek pedestal-style Dolby Atmos sound system, lies LG’s revolutionary new TV. Named the OLED R, the ‘R’ stands for rollable, which is exactly what this ultra-thin OLED screen does; it rolls out, upwards from the base to reveal its substantial 65” screen size. Groundbreaking tech like this doesn’t come without a hefty price tag though, so start saving for this beauty now. OLED R, £99,999 (lg.com)

Apple’s new iPadOS 15 update will allow you to multitask and toggle between windows quickly and easily

FEATURE GINEVRA BENEDETTI

SOUND(ING) OFF French brand Élitis has just launched Galerie, a new collection of lusciously textured wallcoverings that not only add visual appeal but also have natural acoustic properties.

Featuring motifs that range from architectural curves to classic decorative mouldings, the tactile surfaces naturally cushion the sound within a space so you can ramp up the volume on your music system without annoying the neighbours. Colisée in RM 1001 40, £358m, Galerie wallcovering collection (elitis.fr/en)

RING THE ALARM Ward off would-be intruders and keep an eye on your property with Ring’s new wired floodlight-enabled security camera. Streaming video straight to your smartphone, the design features two powerful LED beams and a security siren. Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, £219 (en-uk.ring.com)

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EXPERT INSIGHT

how to ensure you’ve got good Wi-Fi Tayyab Farid, home tech expert at BT, chats to us about the must-dos when setting up your home Wi-Fi network

HOT STUFF

You can turn up your heating and control it all via an app on your smart device with this super-efficient electric radiator. Once connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network, you can make schedules, even switching it on before you get home so it’s nice and cosy for when you do. TCP 1500W smart digital electric radiator with Wi-Fi, £550 (johnlewis.com)

3 of the best WIRELESS CHARGERS

GOOD LOOKS A Qi charger and a decorative LED light, you can charge phones by placing them on the base, or hang smart watches or headphones from the ‘branches’. The Tech bar Qi lamp charging device, £194.95 (selfridges.com)

ECO OPTION Made from bamboo and ABS recycled plastic, Ikea’s latest wireless charger has been designed to sit inconspicuously anywhere in your home.

Nordmärke charging stand, £13 (ikea.com/gb)

CHARGE & STORE This clever little gadget from SanDisk will charge your phone wirelessly while syncing with it to back up your photos and data, too. iXpand Wireless Charger Sync, from £90.99 for 128GB (shop.western digital.com/en-gb)

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The average home now has 28 devices connected to Wi-Fi and with homes becoming smarter, that number is on the rise. We recently revealed research that over three-quarters of Brits claim that a strong Wi-Fi contributes to a healthy work-life balance, so the need for a reliable in-home connection has never been greater.

Choosing the right broadband package can make the biggest impact on your Wi-Fi performance. If it’s available in your area, opt for a full fibre connection that runs directly into your home and, on average, is 25 times faster than superfast fibre, offering a more reliable connection. Unlike older broadband, you don’t share this connection with your neighbours, meaning that your speed won’t drop out, even during peak times. If it’s not yet available in your area, go for the highest speed you can get.

You may need a new socket installed if you are upgrading to a full fibre connection – your provider will arrange this for you when ordering. It’s also worth thinking about where best to place this new socket, as ideally you’ll want to connect your hub directly, rather than using an extension cable as this can slow down speed and performance.

In terms of the best router to buy, first see what your provider offers as part of the package. If it comes with enhanced security features or has been endorsed by a third party, it’s worth sticking with. It’s best to position your hub in the middle of your home, as this reduces the number of walls the Wi-Fi signal must travel through. Once you’re more than two walls away from your hub, it has to work harder and your speeds may be affected.

Location is key – try to avoid positioning the hub on a window ledge, as the hub broadcasts Wi-Fi in all directions, meaning that half of your signal will go outside. Metal objects can also reflect or disperse the signal, so avoid placing it behind a TV or close to anything with a reflective surface.

Once you’ve found the perfect spot, it’s best to leave your hub on all of the time, this will mean better performance for your connection and your devices.

Investing in a mesh system is advisable if you have a larger home, as you may find that your router is not quite powerful enough to reach the furthest parts of your house. There are many products available to help extend your Wi-Fi network, but the best solution is a mesh system. The mesh system will consist of additional Wi-Fi discs, which connect to your hub and create a single, seamless network throughout your home.

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live well B I O P H I L I C G U R U O L I V E R H E AT H O N BOOSTING WELLBEING IN WINTER

Biophilia is an idea that explains why we are drawn to nature, and biophilic design is the use of features or patterns that elicit a similar mental and physical response to those we have when we’re in nature. It’s not just literally bringing in nature to a space, but also considering natural light, fresh air and replicating the restful or stimulating feelings that nature evokes in us.

FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT PHOTOGRAPH JAKE CURTIS/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

We associate winter with the dying back of nature and the resting phase of it as being darker and colder months where nature isn’t thriving. Without the ability to go out and get that exposure to nature as we would in the summer, we do in some ways become more disconnected from it. It’s part of the natural cycle and while we do need to embrace that more dormant phase, we also need to recognise that our wellbeing is affected and therefore work a bit harder at connecting with nature to gain psychological benefits.

Be conscious of natural light in winter. With it getting light later and dark earlier, our circadian rhythms can get out of sync, but there are ways of mitigating that, such as lights that mimic sunlight – the Lumie light clocks, for example, are a revelation.

They’ve also brought out a sun light to boost your body’s exposure to Vitamin D, but try to use it during the middle of the day rather than the evening so as not to disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.

Think about all of the sensory inputs in a room. Consider the aromatic quality – perhaps in winter you’re picking up on more woodburning scents rather than the fresh grass and sea spray we associate with summer. That said, try and avoid burning candles. They release something called PM2.5, which is essentially soot. I tend to recommend reed diffusers to adjust scent within a space.

It’s important to keep windows clear of obstruction, so cut back any vegetation. Similarly, clean windows regularly, because you’ll have a lot more dirt being carried on the winds of winter. Even making sure that you pull window dressings all the way back will help to maximise light. The use of things like mirrors and high-gloss paints can also help in bouncing light around.

From a sustainability point of view, I try not to recommend that we think of decorating homes seasonally, but consider how colours are affected over the year. In winter, we have to think about how artificial light affects our perception of colours. Colour control lights, like Philips Hue bulbs, can make quite a difference to how we feel – I like to turn them to deep oranges in the evening to remove that blue spectrum of light and add a sense of warmth.

Windows tend to be closed more, so be conscious of ventilation and try to open them every day and get an exchange of air. Air purifiers are also great, just make sure it’s one with a HEPA filter - I use one from Blueair, which has a reader to tell you what particulates and volatile organic compounds are around.

If you’re using a woodburning stove, you’ve got to be certain the wood you’re burning is the right moisture content. Laws came into place this year stating that wood cannot have a moisture level of higher than 20%, so make sure you use aged or kiln-dried wood.

Most indoor plants are tropical and therefore evergreen, but what you may need to do is consider the light levels and move plants closer to the window. Most plants don’t like to be in direct sun, but come winter when there’s less natural light you can move them a bit closer. Consider adding in preserved moss or wreaths so you can have a sense of fresh greenery in even the darkest months.

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For more ideas, read Oliver’s latest book, Design A Healthy Home (£14.99, DK); oliverheath.com

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green living D O YO U R B IT FO R TH E P L A N E T WITHOUT SACRIFICING ST YLE

natural beauties As much as we love a candle, it’s time to re-evaluate what we’re burning. Our favourite green credential candles have to be the new Polkra x Katie Scott collection – five pots filled with 100% ethically sourced natural wax. The ceramic vessels each have gorgeous hand-painted botanical designs, and can be washed out and reused once the wax is spent. From £49 each, Katie Scott at Polkra (polkra.com)

the hidden fourth colour Look beyond the charming 1990s throwback aesthetic of this Memphis Mayhem wallpaper by Graham & Brown, past the striking red, yellow and blue stripes, and you might spot a fourth colour – green. The brand is so committed to sustainable initiatives that it will be totally carbon neutral from January and, while preparing for this milestone, it has been planting three trees for every one it pulls down. So far this century, it has planted 16.5 million indigenous saplings, creating wildlife habitats and sustaining forestry, with a further 25,000 planned for this winter. All of which means that by buying into the brand’s collection you can rest assured that your decorative choices are supporting the environment, too. Memphis Mayhem wallpaper, £65 a roll (grahambrown.com)

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PERFECT PEEL

Meet the lamp with a difference…

Conceived by Milan-based start-up Krill Design, Ohmie the orange lamp is made from 3D printed orange peels. In each lamp, 2-3 Sicilian orange peels have been transformed into this fully natural final product. While the lamp itself is compostable if broken up and disposed of, you don’t need to worry about it deteriorating on your desk. The first light of its kind, Ohmie is a wonderful example of turning waste into a design-led object of desire. £125 (ohmie-krilldesign.net)

smart home

EXPERT INSIGHT

creating a sustainable kitchen Looeeze Grossman, founder and CEO of The Used Kitchen Company, reveals all

P L AC E T O B E

The latest addition to London’s Marylebone, EDGE (Eco Design Green Environment) is a sustainability-focused design and construction showroom with three floors showcasing sustainabilityminded brands from independents to established companies. It’s a hub for eco-conscious construction companies, architects and interior designers, while providing advice for both the public and professionals. ‘We decided to bring together into one place the innovative, sustainable brands that we’d discovered, and where people can be given a clear vision of the future of living and working environments,’ says CEO George Papatheodorou. edgelondon.eco

3 of the best ETHICAL FASHION BUYS COSY UP Made from 100% traceable wool, this cable-knit cardigan is the perfect addition to your winter wardrobe. Note that singing Taylor Swift can be a side effect.

Cable boyfriend cardi in Claret, £119, Celtic & Co

FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT

GRAB AND GO Delhi-based brand Green The Map works with garbage collectors and scrap dealers to collect and upcycle waste. This weekend bag has been made from recycled tyre tubes. Vegan weekend bag, £85, So Just Shop

STEP FORWARD Get ahead of the trends with these cool vegan sneakers. Made from recycled ocean plastic, production is scaled up or down with demand to avoid waste, and 10% of the profit from each pair goes to charity. £135, LØCI

Few people are aware that you can recycle your old kitchen, including units, worktops and appliances. It’s a win win situation – you not only do your bit for sustainability, but you also earn extra money to go towards your new kitchen.

Many people think they are already recycling their kitchen, because they’re sending it to a recycling plant. What they don’t realise is that much will be dumped in landfill and the only true way to recycle a kitchen is to sell it on. Around 5 million tonnes of waste wood is generated each year in the UK and only approximately 1.4 million, or 28%, is recycled.

While we may think all wood can be burned or reprocessed, kitchen ‘wood’ is often treated, painted, full of glues that contaminate the recycling process or MDF, which is totally unrecyclable. In order to determine what can be recycled, wood waste needs to be hand-sorted and that rarely happens.

The process of recycling a kitchen is simple. Take a landscape photo of your kitchen, let us know its age and what appliances you want to include, and we will do the rest for you.

Interest from buyers ranges from people on a tight budget doing up a buy to let to buyers looking to get more for their money on a high-end kitchen.

We urge both kitchen showrooms and consumers to visit mykitchenpassport.com. This provides a secure and accessible location for showrooms and kitchen owners to store vital information about their kitchens. Owners can create a free online profile for their kitchens, including manufacturer, materials and appliances. This secure location means that everything is in one accessible place when you need information for recycling a kitchen in the future.

People often find it hard to comprehend how a kitchen from one person’s home will work in their own. What you need to envisage is that a kitchen can be reconfigured to a certain extent to fit your space. We always suggest buying bigger than what you need as this gives you the flexibility to create end panels and fillers if the kitchen doesn’t quite fit your space.

Don’t order that skip just yet. Photograph your kitchen before removing it, note down its features and prepare to find it a new home. In doing so you could earn some extra cash to put towards your new kitchen, save on skip hire costs and any tipping fees and be kind to the environment. theusedkitchencompany.com

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live better LET GOOD DESIGN I M P ROV E YO U R S LE E P

In our new monthly series, journalist Fleur Britten investigates an area of life at home we could all improve – and the solutions design has created to help us.

When a group of American sleep scientists studied African and South American hunter-gatherers in 2015, they discovered that these tribes didn’t experience anything like our levels of insomnia. Insomnia, they concluded, is a function of Western lifestyle. ‘Modern society is not conducive to sleep,’ concurs Prof Guy Leschziner, consultant neurologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London and author of The Nocturnal Brain. ‘A racing or worrying mind is not good for sleep – nor is a bright computer screen, surfing the internet or social media.’

Sleeplessness is a common problem: one-third of British people suffer from insomnia, and even more have off-nights here and there. But assuming we don’t want to return to cave life or relinquish our devices, what else can we do to optimise sleep?

Fortunately, scientific progress means we’re no longer in the dark about how to improve matters. For starters, those fabled eight hours a night needn’t be the goal. ‘Somewhere between seven and eight-and-a-half hours is considered optimal,’ Leschziner explains. ‘There is good evidence that regularly getting fewer than seven hours or more than nine isn’t good for you.’ But one size doesn’t fit all, and variation depends on age and genetics. So how much sleep do you need? ‘Check in with how you’re feeling,’ says Lisa Artis, sleep adviser for The Sleep Charity. ‘If your day is

still a slog by lunchtime and you find yourself turning to junk food and caffeine to get you through, then you’re not getting enough.’

Prepping for a good night’s sleep should start the minute you wake up. Experts agree we should rise at the same time daily, even at weekends – this should be matched to our chronotype (ie, whether you’re a lark or a night owl), and any more than an hour’s deviation either side will confuse your circadian rhythm. As soon as you rise, let in the daylight: ‘Bright light helps people wake up more quickly,’ Leschziner says. ‘It’s probably the strongest driver of our circadian rhythm.’ It’s why you’ll also want blackout blinds or curtains, to avoid light exposure at the wrong time of day.

It’s also a good opportunity to rethink bedroom design.

‘It doesn’t mean you need to have a pale colour scheme,’ Artis says. Strong colours can work: ‘You just don’t want it too bold – muted tones are more restful.’ Artis also recommends decluttering the bedroom: ‘It’s about creating a space that is serene and calm.’ Bed linen, meanwhile, should be made from natural fibres, so that they wick away sweat, though neither feather or synthetic pillows and duvets seem to have the edge – that can be down to personal preference.

Good sleep hygiene requires a holistic approach throughout the day, and should include both physical and mental exertion.

‘Exercise promotes both the quality and quantity of sleep,’ Artis explains. ‘It tires the body out, relieves stress and is good for

M AT T R E S S E S Scan the QR codes for more in-depth reviews and to find the best deals to buy them ULTIMA MATTRESS

BY BROOK + WILDE (£1,799 for a double) Designed and manufactured in Britain, this mattress has a temperature-regulating cover and 6,000 nano and pocket springs to support joints.

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HYBRID LUXE

BY SIMBA (£1,699 for a double) Featuring a top layer of thermo-regulating bamboo wool and two layers of 5,000 titanium springs, this mattress works to promote airflow and cooling comfort.

THE EMMA ORIGINAL HYBRID MATTRESS (£899 for a double) This one is all about air circulation, with its open-cell foam to keep you cool as you sleep, while layers of memory foam and springs ensure your weight is evenly supported.

PHOTOGRAPH FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

3 of the best

smart home

“If the sleep industry is to be believed, our sleep woes could be easily fixed by investing in expensive weighted blankets”

anxiety, depression and worsening insomnia because the tracker is telling them they’re only getting an hour of dreaming sleep.’

What about food? Should we be loading up on tryptophan-heavy foods such as turkey, cheese and kiwis, or investing in magnesium supplements? Save your money, says Dr Allie Hare, Secretary of the British Sleep Society, and a consultant in sleep and respiratory medicine at the Royal Brompton Hospital London. ‘There’s very little evidence any of them improve sleep and you’d have to consume inordinate amounts.’ The best approach, she says, ‘is to have a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables, some fruits, protein and slow-release carbs, so that blood sugars are stable.’ She also advises against big, heavy meals a couple of hours before bedtime, as reflux and indigestion can cause sleep disturbances.

In fact, anxiety is sleep’s worst enemy. If you worry about the amount of sleep you’re getting, and your sleep hygiene is already squeaky clean, spare yourself the gimmicks and consider CBTi, or cognitive behavioural technique for insomnia. Widely regarded as the gold standard treatment, it was brought to Britain

by Selsick and is now available in a handful of NHS clinics (so far, East Grinstead, Guildford and Newcastle) and via the Sleepio app (£3.85 a week). With efficacy rates at about 70-80%, it works by removing the negative associations of the bedroom – ie, that it’s a place for tossing and turning, but also working, watching TV, doom scrolling, paying bills, arguing etc – and replaces them with new, positive connections (in CBTi, the bedroom is only for sleeping and sex).

Eventually, your body recognises that when in bed, its only job is to sleep.

The five-week programme has no set bedtime – you go to bed when you can’t keep your eyes open any more: ‘This gives you a much better chance of falling asleep and not being exposed to anxieties around sleeplessness,’ Selsick explains. There is, however, a set rising time, which ensures that you begin to feel tired at the same time every night.

If the burgeoning sleep industry is to be believed, our sleep woes could be easily fixed by investing in, say, expensive weighted blankets, supplements and even hooded pillows. Proceed with caution, Leschziner warns: ‘There are a lot of people with sleep problems, and a lot of people exploiting that.’

For starters, ditch the sleep tracker, he advises: ‘Their accuracy is dubious, especially if you have sleep issues. And if a tracker is saying you’ve slept terribly, that’s probably going to give you a worse night’s sleep. I’ve seen people descend into a spiral of

If you believe you have insomnia, don’t delay in getting to a doctor – you might have a (very treatable) sleep disorder (apnoea, restless leg syndrome, etc). There’s one sleep disorder, however, that many of us perhaps subscribe to: Revenge Bedtime Procrastination, ie, we resist bed because we haven’t had enough leisure time in our busy day – a classic symptom of modern life. If you want to sleep better, Leschziner’s key tip is ‘recognise that sleep is important and if you have the choice to sleep when you can, prioritise it’.

“We resist bed because we haven’t had enough leisure time in our busy day – a symptom of modern life” 178

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mental health.’ But she advises against intense, adrenalineboosting exercise within two hours of bedtime. Unsurprisingly, caffeine and alcohol are widely regarded as the greatest sleep saboteurs – well, except by those who can sink a bedtime espresso. Dr Hugh Selsick, who founded the NHS’s first sleeplessness centre, The Insomnia Clinic at Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, recommends avoiding caffeine after 2pm, and alcohol in the evenings, or altogether if possible.

Most people’s sleep will be more fragmented after alcohol; it also tends to reduce that deep, restorative sleep.

smart home Luxuriate in Olivia von Halle’s silk lotus bloom PJs. £460, olivia vonhalle.com

EXPERT INSIGHT

best bedtime ritual Lisa Artis, sleep adviser at The Sleep Charity, on the importance of routine

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The ritual is about doing something that draws a line under the day, and creating a relaxing space before going to bed. There are a number of ways of providing the right environment and it’s about discovering what works for you.

An hour before bedtime, switch off any source of blue light and turn off any overhead lights, which are harsher and brighter. Think about creating an ambient setting with soft lighting from bedside lamps or candles – not only does this help create a calming, relaxing atmosphere, but a dimmed environment also helps us to produce the hormone melatonin, which is what we need to feel sleepy.

Also, your bedroom should not be too hot or too cold – an ideal temperature is between 16-18°C.

Lumie’s Bodyclock Shine 300 lamp controls light levels. £129, lumie.com

Slip into this velvet-soft Desmond & Dempsey robe. £130, desmondand dempsey.com

Drowsy’s mulberry-silk eye mask is lightblocking and sound-muffling. £49.50, drowsysleepco.com

Dip & Doze’s Cool and Crisp bed linen is made with organic fair-trade cotton. Double set,£80, dipanddoze.com

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Make this hour about de-stressing and focusing the brain on something soothing – read, meditate, write a to-do list even, if that helps you offload your stresses.

How you spend this time comes down to personal preference about what helps you to unwind. Maybe lighting a scented candle helps you get in the right frame of mind; for many people, having a bath is a good way of relaxing. Some people benefit from doing breathing exercises. Create a relaxing ritual around putting on your pyjamas and getting ready for bed – maybe it’s a time for applying body lotion all over, which can feel quite therapeutic. You might also want a small bedtime snack if you find you wake up in the night or in the early morning with low blood sugar levels – something like oatcakes or a slice of toast with peanut butter.

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Sleep sounds can also help you to relax and get into the right space – it might be the restful sound of waves or rain, or birdsong or ambient music (try Headspace’s deep sleep music), or soothing sleep stories (try Penguin Sleep Tales, Calm Sleep Stories and Headspace Sleepcasts).

The Sound Asleep Club also offers breathwork, yoga for sleep, sleep stories, etc – there’s some good stuff out there.

But try to avoid actually falling asleep to sounds as it can wake you up with a start when it finishes, and you also want to avoid developing a dependency on it.

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A bedtime routine is about conditioning your body into being sleep-ready, but don’t feel you have to stick to the list if that’s likely to cause you more stress and anxiety.

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPH NIALL CLUTTON

Situated on the ground floor of Mondrian Shoreditch, all-day dining spot Christina’s is resplendent with a copper bar and a mural by artist Fred Coppin

the lifestyle edit T H E N E W T H I N G W E ’ R E M O S T E XC I T E D A B O U T

Stop press – there’s a new hotel in the heart of Shoreditch and it’s giving us peak modern Manhattan vibes! Mondrian Shoreditch boasts playful interiors

by Goddard Littlefair and culinary experiences like modern tapas at BiBo. Curtain Members’ Club has reopened within – where can we sign up? livingetc.com

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the scene

AVE MARIO IS LONDON ’S HOTTEST RESTAUR ANT, FULL OF DECOR IDEAS TO USE AT HOME . DESIGNER APOLLINE LUGGER SHARES THE SECRETS BEHIND ITS ST YLE

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SOFTEN BOLD C O L O U R S BY ADDING TEXTURE T O T H E PA I N T

The cathedral-style stripes in the main dining hall are cool rather than overpowering because the shade of green is not garish – in fact, it’s so rich and dark it often looks black.

It’s a Heritage paint by Dulux – Mallard Green offset with Piano White. If you’re going for big colours, then showing texture within the paint finish helps to soften them.

We used layers and layers of thick, glossy paint and left visible brushstrokes. This gives the space so much more character.

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USE TR ADITIONAL PAT T E R N T O C O N T R A S T WITH MODERN DESIGN

In the back room, the gingham tablecloths bring some Tuscan warmth. Marbles and ceramic finishes look chic but can make a room feel cold, so traditional fabrics soften hard finishes. Trattoria gingham is a classic and timeless design, but when balanced with more contemporary features – such as the mirrored ceiling – it looks cool, not old-fashioned.

FEATURE MEGAN SLACK PHOTOGRAPHS JÉRÔME GALLAND

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E M B R AC E UNEXPECTED SHAPES

We designed the unique banquette sofa ourselves to bring a joyful 1970s groove to the space. The room would be too serious if it only showcased straight lines.

We worked with various French fabric houses and mills in north London to create the perfect orange for the room – from its tone and texture to its durability.

It’s playful, matches the carpet and, if everyone in the restaurant were to dance on it, it would survive. The white chairs are Saarinen-inspired – this retro Neo-Futurist design is perfect for the basement. They are great dining chairs with pedestals, so customers can spin around and chat with others – this vibe translates exactly to dinner parties at home because they allow guests to freely talk to people on either side.

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LET DRIN K B ECOM E DECOR The bottles on walls is a signature look in all the Big Mamma restaurants, which include Circolo Popolare and Gloria. We use brands such as Aperol, Limoncello and Campari, as the colours create a cosy glow. Our shelves are designed with the height of bottles in mind; they’re beautifully lit and always Italian.

Ave Mario, 5 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8QG, bigmammagroup.com livingetc.com

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hotel hot list T H E C H I C R E T R E AT S L I G H T I N G U P O U R S T Y L E R A D A R

Southern Italy’s sleepy, slow-paced Puglia is sure to soon return as one of Europe’s favourite escape-style minibreaks. Even its cities are laid-back, lacking the kind of frenetic energy urbanites often seek refuge from. One such city is historic Ostuni, home to boutique hotel Paragon 700, a handsome 18th-century palazzo sitting in glorious hilltop walled gardens. The owners have transformed it into a welcoming refuge overflowing with character. There are 11 bedrooms, all suites, and they’re nothing short of spectacular boasting baroque architectural details and original frescoes. There’s a full-length pool in the gardens, rumoured to be the only one in Ostuni, and a handsome terrace and orangery crying out for sun-drenched lunches to be served at.

IN THE KNOW Visit P-Beach Club & Restaurant in nearby Specchiolla, perfect for seafood lunches on sun loungers.

Eat at Osteria del Tempo Perso for a truly unforgettable dinner.

Book it Suites only, from £400, paragon700.com

FEATURE PATRICK HAMILTON COURTNEY PHOTOGRAPHS (PARAGON 700 POOL) GREGORY VENERE

Paragon 700, Puglia, Italy

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Glebe House, Devon Another countryside hideaway to add to your list of dreamy staycation ideas, Glebe House is a slow-food paradise, in the same culinary vein as hotels such as Coombeshead Farm, The Newt and Heckfield Place. Run by chef Hugo Guest and his wife Olive, the property has its own polytunnel, kitchen garden, dairy-churning cottage and charcuterie and pickle room.

They bake all their own bread, pastries and sweet treats, and what isn’t produced on site comes from as close to the doorstep as possible. It’s not all about the impeccable food though, interiors were designed by Studio Alexandra, who have created a thoughtful and colourful scheme that is at once sympathetic to the country house setting without feeling fussy.

IN THE KNOW Pack your swimming costume – there’s a solar-heated pool in the beautiful garden.

Visit nearby Burrow Farm Gardens – botany fans will adore these hidden gardens in the Axe Valley.

Book it Double rooms from £129, glebehousedevon.co.uk

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Wildhive at Callow Hall, Derbyshire Brand spanking new hotel group Wildhive has opened the doors to its first property, Callow Hall, a 19th-century mansion set in 35 acres of English countryside. Very much a disciple of the outside-in living philosophy, Wildhive offers its guests adventure and experience-packed stays with the great outdoors firmly in mind.

Come here for easy tailored access to hiking trails and bike routes, a culinary offering that includes picnics and barbecues, and the opportunity to stay in one of 13 ‘wildhives’ consisting of rustic cabins and treehouses nestled in untouched woodland. It’s not all muddy boots and working out though, the main house and its bedrooms were given a delicate and very pretty redesign by Isabella Worsley, and there’s a botanicals-focused spa in the coach house.

IN THE KNOW Discover the National Trust’s Dovedale Valley, a truly idyllic place for a country walk in the Peak District National Park.

Visit Carsington Water for some water-based action. They offer kayaking, canoes, windsurfing and sailboats.

Book it Double rooms from around £209, wildhive.uk

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PHOTOGRAPHS (HOSPEDARIA) FRANCISCO NOGUEIRA

Hospedaria, Algarve, Portugal Simple, minimal and unpretentious – if you were conjuring an image of the perfect low-key Portuguese escape, Hospedaria would be it. This stylish scattering of whitewashed buildings was once both a post office and popular local inn, now rescued and rejuvenated by owners Rui Liberato de Sousa and Nuno Ramos. Following the success of previous project Pensão Agrícola, the pair teamed up with a group of Lisbon-based architects to oversee the renovation, resulting in just five understated bedrooms. Outside, enjoy the swimming pool, gently swaying fig trees and the miles of wild flower meadows.

IN THE KNOW Explore the Eastern Algarve region, a quiet, lesser visited part of Portugal full of wild walks, hidden villages and perfect swimming spots.

Ask the hotel to arrange dinner at sister hotel Pensão Agrícola, or to drop you off at the beach by tuk-tuk.

Book it Double rooms from £150, hospedaria.com.pt

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in and out

T H I N G S T O D O A N D E N J OY – AT H O M E O R O U T S I D E

THE MUST VISIT

T H E I N S TA A C C O U N T

The great interior design show

Fine and dandy

We couldn’t be more thrilled to see a return to the trade-show circuit with our favourite annual events reopening their doors once more to deliver a much-needed dose of design inspiration. Always an avenue for discovery, Decorex returns to Kensington Olympia with new and unique products, thoughtprovoking talks with the brightest industry experts, exclusive installations, a fun-filled bar and a portfolio of the best names in design – Arte, Original BTC, Linwood, Pooky and more of our faves are all in the mix. Decorex, 10-13 October. decorex.com

We love the joyful work of Philadelphia-based artist Kendra Dandy, renowned for her fashionable portraits, tropical patterns and fierce cheetah prints.

Kendra has collaborated with brands such as Vans, Anthropologie and just launched a collection with Surface View adorning everything from wallpapers, canvas prints and blinds with her signature clashing colours, witty motifs and bold spirit. We can’t choose between her wacky ‘Abstract Eggs’ and ‘Citrus Eye’ on a roller blind or two. @theebouffants

THE MUST READ

Self portrait The first book by the celebrated interior designer Rose Uniacke is a chance to see her work in the form of a private tour of her London home. Distinguished by warmth, character and an extraordinary serenity, Rose’s work is masterfully photographed alongside the designer’s own words, creating an intimate portrait of a unique home. Rose Uniacke at Home by Rose Uniacke with foreword by Alice Rawsthorn (£150, Rizzoli)

THE SEASONAL EVENT

THE EXHIBITION

Fragile beauty Internationally renowned artist Zadok Ben-David brings his award-winning work with a focus on the fragility of our natural world to the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew Gardens this autumn. Zadok’s work includes Blackfield, a 360degree installation containing more than 17,000 steel-etched flowers (detail shown here).

Natural Reserve, 16 October 2021 to 27 March 2022. kew.org

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For optimum October enchantment, head to The Midnight Apothecary, a wild potager garden perched on top of the Victorian Brunel Museum in Southwark for locally foraged cocktails, fire pits, toasted marshmallows and seasonal glowing gourds.

Tickets include optional guided descents into Brunel’s historic and very spooky underground Thames tunnel. Entry to the garden from £10 per person. themidnightapothecary.co.uk

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPH (THE MUST VISIT) ROB JONES

Midnight magic

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better-lived life S U Z Y H O O D L E S S O N T H E WAY S D E S I G N C A N M A K E L I F E W O N D E R F U L

Well-organised and functional: that’s my idea of a home that feels good to live in. It’s also a good description of my own home. For instance, in my kitchen I have open shelves rather than wall-hung cupboards. I want easy access to what I need so I can use it straightaway. I also love the look of open shelves, although it can be hard work keeping them clean and styled. My advice is to make sure you don’t keep stuff that doesn’t support your life. In fact, as a general rule, I make sure that everything in my home has a purpose.

Sitting down together and chatting over the kitchen table is an important part of our day – I’ve always encouraged my children to enjoy food. The table is from the Series Two collection from Another Country and is the backbone of our home. It can seat about 10 but most of the time it’s just the five of us. It’s a table for all things – the kids do their schoolwork there, I hold meetings there and we eat all our meals there. The key to keeping everyone around the table is comfortable seating! My vintage Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs are great for both five-hour dinner parties and all-day homeschooling.

With three children racing around, my bedroom is the one place where I can escape the madness! I’ve created a cosy reading corner there with a comfortable vintage wing-back chair – bought at auction in Sweden and upholstered in a beautiful sheepskin fabric that I love to curl up in. Alongside, I’ve put a vintage table that I’ve owned forever for my books and a reading light.

Well-organised and functional with a bold hit of colour best describes Suzy’s kitchen

My home is a wonderful mix of pieces that we’ve collected over many years. This may sound an eclectic look but it all hangs together because everything we’ve chosen is beautifully designed. Plus, each piece has a story to tell and conjures up different memories. And I know that if we ever move, all our treasures will fit together somewhere else.

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suzyhoodless.com

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FEATURE SOPHIE BAYLIS PHOTOGRAPH (SUZY) ALUN CALLENDER

Dining Table Two in solid ash and walnut, from £2,095, Another Country

We have a fabulous blue velvet George Smith sofa in our living room and it fits my brief perfectly. It seats five people so we can watch a film as a family and it’s excellent quality so will stand the test of time. I always look for comfort and quality when buying furniture.

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