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OUR BEST-EVER GIFT GUIDE THE MOST THOUGHTFUL PRESENTS AND WHERE TO SOURCE THEM

Time to celebrate THE JOYS OF CHRISTMAS

OUTSTANDING DESIGN

HOUSES DRESSED FOR FESTIVE ENTERTAINING

SMART DINING ROOMS

STYLING WITH FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE

FLUTED KITCHENS

AFFORDABLE ART THE STATEMENT BATH

CHIC DECORATING WITH RED, WHITE AND GREEN

MODERN TOPIARY

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NEVER LEAVE BURNING CANDLES UNATTENDED

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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Designs to inspire, from furniture to lighting SMART FINDS Savvy and stylish buys THE DECEMBER EDIT Discover this month’s debuts and decorative trends HAPPY HOLIDAYS Six leading interior designers and creatives share their favourite traditions of the season THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Our guide brings you the best in vintage, independent and investment gifts FESTIVE TREASURES Delightful and distinctive baubles for your tree SUSTAINABLE CRACKERS Have a pop at these for a greener Christmas DECORATIVE NAPKINS Fabric designs for festive tables – and all year round THE SUSTAINABLE HOME Sebastian Cox muses on the renovation process A GUIDE TO BUYING AFFORDABLE ART Where to find and how to choose THE CRAFT CAMPAIGN Celebrating 10 years of The New Craftsmen

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SPREADING THE JOY This exuberant home reflects the personality of its owner, designer Lucy Hammond Giles of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler RISING TO THE OCCASION Built into the side of a mountain, this magnificent chalet combines sophisticated interiors and architectural mastery MERRY, JOYFUL & LIGHT Designer Laura Butler-Madden dresses her Bath townhouse for Christmas in an elegant, fresh style that echoes her design ethos BEAUTIFUL SOUTH A new-build home in Alabama has been given a sense of permanence with its beguiling blend of natural materials COME IN FROM THE COLD A home on the Yorkshire Moors, transformed

by Dunning & Everard, celebrates its spectacular windswept surroundings

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DESIGN IDEAS 23 THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF 59 65

THE YEAR Colour and candlelight come together for Swedish-style charm A FEAST FOR THE SENSES Fill your home with flowers, foliage and fragrance MAD FOR MARBLING Two projects featuring this creative technique

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS 145 150 152 156

NEWS The latest products and designs HOW TO… CREATE A CHEF’S KITCHEN Advice from the professionals on layout, appliances, storage and more FLUTED DETAILS Incorporating chic ribbed surfaces into your kitchen scheme STATEMENT BATHS Focal tubs

75 PASSION FOR PATTERN Exquisite 79 90 92 128

velvets for luxurious winter schemes DINE IN STYLE Elegant table settings COLOUR OF THE MONTH It’s joyous, jewel-bright emerald green THE ART OF INTERIOR DESIGN Tiffany Duggan shares her secrets to creating the most inviting guest rooms DRESSED TO IMPRESS Make this stunning mantelpiece display

LIFESTYLE 163 164 167 178

HOTEL WE LOVE The glamorous Albatroz Hotel in Cascais, Portugal THE COUNTRY FILES Banker-turnedbaker Emma Dodi loves Camber Sands THE SWEETEST THING Festive treats to get you baking WHAT HOME MEANS TO ME We hear from Liberty’s buying manager Bryony Rae Sheridan

GARDENS 130 MY GARDEN LIFE We speak to the 132 138

Dutch master Piet Oudolf MAGIC MEETS MASTERY Seven-time Chelsea gold winner Julie Toll works wonders at a historic manor house TOPIARY IN GARDEN DESIGN

REGULARS 9 142

EDITOR’S LETTER SUBSCRIBE TO H&G

Formal and fancy ways with evergreens TO SUBSCRIBE Subscribe for a year and get a free Aery candle set. Visit magazinesdirect.com/xhg/xm21 DIGITAL EDITIONS AND PAST ISSUES These can be downloaded at homesandgardenssubs.com/digital or order print editions at homesandgardenssubs/backissue

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I think it’s fair to say that we all need this Christmas more than ever.

Hopefully, each one of us will be able to indulge in joyful gatherings with family and friends. With this in mind, the issue centres around celebrations at home and it is bursting at the seams with seasonal inspiration. We have delighted in creating content that sings with festive charm, from a London townhouse dressed up to the nines (page 34) to our rather elegant Scandi-inspired decorating story (page 23). It’s all got me feeling rather nostalgic. Christmas, after all, is about making magical memories – a thread that runs through our Happy Holidays story (page 30), in which some of our favourite designers share the traditions they cherish. Another thread to that feature is the importance of considered gifting, and our gift guide by the news

PHOTOGRAPH IZABELA SMITH GIFT WRAP CANDY STRIPES NO. 1, £2.30 A SHEET, ELEANOR STUART

and shopping editor Jo Bailey is packed with original, clever ideas and surprising, independent sources. One gift I will be giving this year is a subscription to Homes & Gardens. Of course I’m biased, but friends and family have asked. You can find out more on page 142. Enjoy the issue and we wish you a wonderful holiday season.

LUCY SEARLE, GLOBAL EDITOR IN CHIEF

F OL L OW US ON Instagram @homesandgardensuk UK news-stand cover photograph (top) by Jon Day. Overseas cover photograph (bottom)

by Haris Kenjar.

Twitter @homesandgardens Facebook @homesandgardens Pinterest @homesgardensuk

HOMESANDGARDENS.COM 9

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP homesandgardens@futurenet.com

Editorial Director Sarah Spiteri Global Editor in Chief Lucy Searle Group Creative Director Emma Williams Group Chief Sub-Editor Jennifer Spaeth Content & Product Development Director Michael Holmes Homes Content Team Editorial Director Rhoda Parry Houses Editor Vivienne Ayers Interiors Editor Emma Thomas Associate Editor Busola Evans News & Shopping Editors Jo Bailey and Rohini Wahi News & Features Editor Thea Babington-Stitt Gardens Editor Teresa Conway Food Editor Samuel Goldsmith Group Art Director Alison Walter Art Editor Meredith Davies Senior Designer Chris McPhail Head of Subs Operations Maxine Clarke Hub Chief Sub-Editor Carly Rigley Senior Sub-Editors Marian McNamara and Karen Wiley Head of Art Production Nicola Tillman Art Production Designers Chris Saggers and Phil Dunk Group Production Manager Matt Eglinton Production Manager John Botten Senior Ad Production Manager Jo Crosby Advertisement Copy and Make-up Barry Skinner

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DIGITAL Brand Development Director Laura Crombie Video Producer Matt Gibbs Editor In Chief – Homes Audience Amy Cutmore Editor In Chief – eCommerce Lindsey Davis Senior Digital Editor Jenny McFarlane Digital Editor Jennifer Ebert

chesneys Introducing our new British Materials Collection

MARKETING Head of Marketing Sian Cupid (sian.cupid@futurenet.com) Deputy Head of Marketing Laura Timms (laura.timms@futurenet.com) CIRCULATION Circulation Manager Katie Greenan (katie.greenan@futurenet.com) ADVERTISING Commercial Director Rob Biagioni (rob.biagioni@futurenet.com) Head of Homes Nicola Ponting (nicola.ponting@futurenet.com) International and Luxury Account Director Carole Bunce (carole.bunce@futurenet.com) Head of Project Management Abi Dougherty (abi.dougherty@futurenet.com) Regional Digital and Creative Media Director Alexa Berry (alexa.berry@futurenet.com) Classified Advertising Enquiries Simone Adams (simone.adams@futurenet.com) Insert Sales – Canopy Media Michael Davie 020 7611 1062 SYNDICATION Head of Brand Partnerships David Abbott (david.abbott@futurenet.com) Partner Manager Syndication Efi Mandrides (efi.mandrides@futurenet.com) INTERNATIONAL LICENSING Homes & Gardens is available for licensing. To find our more contact us at licensing@futurenet.com or view our available content at www.futurecontenthub.com Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw MANAGEMENT Senior Vice President, Womens, Homes & Country Sophie Wybrew-Bond Managing Director of Homes Jason Orme Chief Audience & Ecommerce Officer Aaron Asadi Finance Director Mags & Subs Dan Jotcham SVP Global Operations & Marketforce Adrian Hughes PRINTED BY Walstead UK Limited DISTRIBUTED BY Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP, 020 3787 9001 ISSN 0018-4233 We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill holds full FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification and accreditation.

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Fire surrounds made in the UK from native British stones and marbles.

The Chedworth in Ball Eye Blue marble is shown with Alchemy FB18 Bioethanol fire. Stockists throughout the UK. B at t e r s e a

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B e l s i z e Pa r k

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OBJECTS OF DESIRE FEATURE JO BAILEY

T h i s m o n t h’s e d i t o f d e l i g h t f u l d e s i g n s w e l o v e 1. Wreath alternative Zinc mistletoe, £30, Walther & Co at Petersham Nurseries 2. Lighting that shines bright Star flush ceiling light in brass, £432, Studio HÁM 3. Can be personalised with your chosen initial The Night Sky napkin bow, £30, Hand & Lock x Fiona Leahy at Hand & Lock 4. Comes in seven colour choices Atlas wallpaper in Rosewood, £115.90 a roll, Casamance 5. Illustrated by British artist Raphael Balme Pop out fresco crown, £36 for four, The Shop Floor Project 6. A true classic and perfect for a holiday home bar Upham etagère, £1,764, Vaughan 7. Expertly handmade in England Studio chair in Indigo, £2,394, Buchanan Studio &

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SMART FINDS 1. Beautiful rattan and marble combination Ardini floor light, £229, Lights & Lamps x Livingetc 2. Handsome and hand-painted Mia ornaments, £28 set of 3, Att Pynta 3. A feast for the eyes from a designer to know Mirabilia Sunlight tablecloth, £195, Anna Glover for Polkra 4. Enjoy every year Candy Cane reusable Christmas cracker (and crown), £30, Forever Crackers at Notonthehighstreet 5. Winner of a design competition Tambour side table, £400, Alba Elezi for Habitat 6. Bring some twinkle to the garden Browning lantern, £46, Neptune &

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

Sav v y buys w ith st yle in spades

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THE DECEMBER EDIT

LIGHT TO LOVE As ever, this season’s collection from Julian Chichester has some breathtakingly beautiful new pieces to add to his ever-growing emporium.

The Dove chandelier, £2,160, with its articulating arms and perfect plaster finish is a true standout design, but it is the brushed brass finish that coats each light shade that steals the show.

DEBUT COLLECTION Campbell-Rey, founded by Duncan Campbell and Charlotte Rey, has launched its debut furniture range and it does not disappoint.

Exuberant and joyful, each piece is a work of art, defined by modular shapes, exaggerated forms, alluring textures and rich colours.

There is plenty to catch the eye, including a curved sofa with spherical feet, a skirted chair and the Josef Hall bench (shown), £6,468 – all exclusively sold at Invisible Collection. ¤

FEATURE JO BAILEY

CHRISTMAS WRAPPED UP With the big day just around the corner, we couldn’t help but notice these beautiful handmade Nepalese Lokta wrapping papers from Rowen & Wren. The marbled patterns in beautiful jewel tones would make the perfect finishing touch to any gift.

Handmade Folk wrapping paper in Marbled Gold, Blush Snowdrop, Golden Fleck, Mulberry Weave and Night Sky, £3 a sheet, Rowen & Wren.

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PRINTS CHARMING Behold one of our favourite designs from Jane Churchill’s latest fabric and wallpaper collection. The brand’s design studio never ceases to amaze, producing uplifting prints time after time and this launch is no different. The Roxton fabric – shown here in the Blue colourway – caught our attention with its whimsical animals set within a fantastical display of colour and pattern, £55m, Jane Churchill at Colefax and Fowler.

THE LAYERED LOOK Ideal for adding character to your home, the new Caspian fabric range from GP & J Baker takes inspiration from the beauty of antique textiles – it’s a celebration of authentic and charming motifs in rich and saturated colours. Expect to find blowsy blooms, intricate weaves, embroidered suzannis, classic ikats and block-print patterns. These curtains are made up in Crosby in Indigo, £110m. ¤

5 OF THE BEST Moder n c a ndelabra s (From top, L to R) Zigzag, £500, Jermaine Gallacher.

Arancia, £335, Ceramica Gatti 1928 at Artemest.

Green Oak Leaf Lady, £265, Ellen Hayward at The Shop Floor Project.

Turquerie, £200, Les Ottomans at Amara.

Minimalist, £65, Studio Brae at Artists & Objects.

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TRENDING THIS SEASON Leaf y metal w reaths

NEW COLLABORATION Family-owned business John Sankey has been crafting upholstered furniture for more than 25 years. This autumn sees it team up with Country Homes & Interiors to launch The Country House collection. The range is the perfect blend of classic and contemporary – shown is the Gibson chair in two-tone stonewashed linen denim, £2,365.

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SEEN ON INSTAGR A M @1 6 9 0 w o r k s Tell us about yourself. I’m an artist and ceramicist based in the Fens. I work from my kitchen table in a 16th-century manor house where I live with my three young children.

I work in terracotta and white slip, using traditional sgraffito techniques.

How would you describe your Instagram account? It is a working sketchbook and diary. I use it to document ideas, demonstrate work in progress and record special things.

It is a mood board from one swipe up to the next. And if I’m entirely honest, I hope it’s a good endorsement to a slower, more thoughtful way of being, one which rejects the pace of contemporary life.

Which accounts would you recommend that we follow? @tat.london is my favourite and the best interiors feed on Instagram – bar none. @8hollandstreet for a fine art and interiors feed produced by enquiring, academic aesthetes. Really strong, visually stimulating. @lanefortyfive offers conscious elegance. It’s a potent collection of handmade, sustainable clothes. A way of dressing, a way of being. @doeandhope – the source for antiques that project a very distinct sense of theatre as well as beauty and quality. Objects as ‘triggers for experience’. &

PHOTOGRAPHS (SEEN ON INSTAGRAM) @1690WORKS, (SARAH RAVEN WREATH) JONATHAN BUCKLEY, SARAHRAVEN.COM

(Clockwise from top left) Khamila Leaf, £42.50, Nkuku.

Holly Vintage, £39.95, Sarah Raven.

Iron, £19.95, Graham and Green.

D ES IGN IDE A S

The most wonderful time of the year

T h e s e S w e d i s h -i n s p i r e d C h r i s t m a s s c h e m e s i n c l a s s i c r e d , wh it e a nd g reen a re f u l l of cha r m, nost a lg ia a nd beaut y STYLIST KATRIN CARGILL PHOTOGRAPHY JON DAY FLORAL DESIGNER FRIDA KIM

MAKE YOUR STATEMENT WITH SCALE When it comes to Christmas decorating, so often bigger is better as it feels luxurious and lavish but not fussy. Let the size do the talking – here, a huge wreath with a simple velvet ribbon is the star.

Pine, twig and seed pod wreath, created by Frida Kim. Red velvet ribbon, from a selection, VV Rouleaux.

Antique stone fireplace, £4,800; pair of antique silvered candlesticks; little felt goat, all Maison Artefact. Short silver candlestick, £12, Graham and Green. Clustered paper decorations, £10.50 each, Toast. 50 warm white LED micro battery outdoor fairy lights, £5.36, Lights4Fun →

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D ES IGN IDE A S

CREATE A COCKTAIL CORNER A green lacquer drinks trolley with a pretty scalloped edge holds all the entertaining essentials, while gifts in green and white wrapping top off the seasonal look.

Pine branch with antique baubles and velvet ribbon, Frida Kim. Drinks trolley, £1,775, Vanrenen GW Designs.

Glassware; crystal ice bucket; silver cocktail shaker, all Guinevere Antiques. (Bottom shelf) Viridian glazed tazza by Telephone Pony, £400, Toad Gallery. Presents in ivory craft paper, 50p a sheet, Green & Stone; decorated with stamps, from a selection, Blade Rubber Stamps. Ribbon, from a selection, VV Rouleaux. Antique chair; mistletoe print; mirror; candlestick, all Maison Artefact. Striped cushion, £150, Penny Morrison EMBRACE CLASSIC COMBINATIONS The timeless trio of red, white and green sings with holiday cheer.

7ft Nordmann fir candlelight LED tree, £799; woven tree collar, £229, both Balsam Hill. Straw stars, from £12.50 for six; star (on top), £12, both Raj Tent Club. Antique glass baubles, from £5 each, Tobias and The Angel. Gifts in paper, cloth and ribbons from Penny Morrison, Tori Murphy, Samuel & Sons, VV Rouleaux, Cambridge Imprint, Forever Wraps, The Conran Shop, Tissus d’Hélène, Green & Stone. Blind in Plain Stripe in Emerald, £140m, Flora Soames; edged in vintage grosgrain ribbon, VV Rouleaux. Antique sofa, £4,200, Maison Artefact; covered in Woodhouse Check, £50m, Tori Murphy. Lamp, £190, Trove. Tashkent rug, £8,000, Robert Stephenson →

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DE S IG N ID E AS

ELEVATE DINING WITH ARTFUL ARRANGEMENTS Dried foliage on the mantelpiece is a stunning alternative to the more classic pine. Little posies tied with narrow silk ribbon hang behind each chair, adding an extra decorative flourish, and candles in deep, stemmed glass vases are dotted around for an atmospheric feel.

Foliage, Frida Kim. Swedish clock; dining table; chairs; mirror; chandelier; stemmed glass vases; clear wine glasses; cutwork tablecloth, all from a selection, Maison Artefact. Pure stearin pillar candles, from £10.50 each, Nordic House. Hand-painted green plate, £38.50, The Mews Fabrics & Furnishings.

Handmade white porcelain dinner plates, £120 each; Trefles small saucer by Astier de Villatte, £65, both Summerill & Bishop. Antique Cranberry wine stems, £375 set of 19, Lorfords Antiques.

Antique monogrammed damask napkins, £216 set of six, Guinevere Antiques. Gingham crackers, £36 set of six, Nancy & Betty Studio. Lazy Daisy lazy Susan in Pale Pink, £210, Konig Colours.

Antique bone inlaid cutlery, stylist’s own. Scalloped jute rug with Chrysanthemum border, £420, Tate & Darby. Chair seats in Berkeley Sprig in Green, £89m, Colefax and Fowler →

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D ES IGN IDE A S

CHOOSE FRAGRANT FOLIAGE There is nothing more festive than the scent of freshly cut pine and spruce. Use it for garlanding a staircase, tied on with a green striped ribbon tape and paper stars for added decorative touches.

Pine garland with pine cones, Frida Kim; tied with Callen striped border in Spearmint, £21m, Samuel & Sons.

Antique silver baubles, from a selection, Maison Artefact. Hanging paper stars, £16.50 set of three, Toast. Antique metal candle sconce, £395 a pair, Lorfords Antiques. Green tapered candles, £22 for six, Curious Egg. Antique foxed mirror; antique painted stool, both from a selection, Maison Artefact. Stool in Cypress linen in Cocoa, £120m, 36 Bourne Street. Wall and woodwork in Stony Ground estate emulsion, £49.40 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball BRANCH OUT BEYOND THE NORM For an entrance, think beyond a classic tree to an arrangement with impact. This stone table holds an antique urn for a stunning display. The scalloped shelf edging and paper chain bring whimsical flair.

Pine branches with red berries, Frida Kim. Mini hand-painted red baubles, £20 set of six, Toast. Antique silver baubles, from £10 each; stone table, £2,250; antique urn; antique clock, all from a selection, Maison Artefact. Baskets, £170 set of three (largest shown), The Conran Shop. Linen cream paper chain card strips, £3.99 for 5m, eBay. Hampton Scallops Coco scalloped edging (on shelf), £14.70 for 97cm, Camilla Hampton Interiors. Walls and shelf in Stony Ground estate emulsion, £49.40 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball.

With thanks to Maison Artefact for the location, maisonartefact.com &

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H A PP Y HOL IDAYS Si x of our favour ite desig ners and creat ives reveal the festive traditions they cherish

OLIVIA MORRIS, SHOE DESIGNER Christmas is about making it magical for our kids, Percy and Daphne, and as relaxing as possible for me. It’s never a huge gathering. In mid-December, we choose our tree at Harborough Nurseries and decorate it together with ornaments collected on our travels as well as new ones I buy for the kids every year to open when we get the tree. Just

I add to every year (I first made it on a course at Great Dixter 10 years ago). I don’t go mad spending – I cut last year’s Christmas cards into gift tags and wrap presents with marbled paper I make myself (I did a great workshop with Unit 33 studio) or brown craft paper that the kids decorate. I set the table in green and white, with embroidered Irish linen from my granny and vintage Wedgwood cabbage plates.

Bringing out things that once belonged to the people we love makes it feel like they’re still with us. My mum cooks the same Christmas Eve supper we’ve had since I was a little girl – Guinness ham with mash and parsley sauce – and we go to mass at the church in Hastings Old Town. On Christmas morning, after opening stockings and if the weather is nice, we attempt the Christmas Day seafront swim.

It’s fun to have a chat and stroll with neighbours before lunch – a ready-rolled turkey joint with delicious stuffing from Pipers Farm – and lots of playing music and dancing around the kitchen.

Festive fripperies: Last year I went to a pound shop and bought tinsel in every colour, then made an extra-long rainbow garland to string up the staircase.

Good scents: I light lots of candles and burn incense from Astier de Villatte and Ayu – I love its clary sage.

Chic shopping: We make a special trip to AG Hendy’s Christmas House and I always buy a little piece of silver cutlery to add to our collection.

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oliviamorrisathome.com

FEATURE FIONA MCCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHS (OLIVIA MORRIS) DAVE BROWN; (SOPHIE ASHBY) ALEXANDER JAMES; (FLORA SOAMES) BILL BATTEN PRODUCTS (OLIVIA MORRIS) GLASS TURTLE DECORATION, £12, JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS. FUNKY WOOL GARLAND, £38, FY. BORDALLO PINHEIRO CABBAGE BOWL, £130, LIBERTY

before Christmas Eve, we forage for flowers, holly, berries and grasses at a nearby country park to decorate the table, hallway and a wild wreath that

PRODUCTS (SOPHIE ASHBY) FINE CELL WORK KITCHEN MITTS, £49, SISTER BY STUDIO ASHBY. CAROL SINGING FELT MOUSE, £25, COX & COX (FLORA SOAMES) GRENADIER GUARDSMAN WOODEN DECORATION, £5.25, ELIZABETH HARBOUR

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SOPHIE ASHBY, FOUNDER OF STUDIO ASHBY

FLORA SOAMES, INTERIOR, FABRIC AND WALLPAPER DESIGNER

This year, my husband Charlie and I are hosting Christmas at home in London with most of our family. Apart from buying the biggest tree we can find, dressed with hundreds of felt and knitted

Christmas for me is an amalgamation of comforting rituals I’ve loved all my life and recreating them for my 18-month-old daughter Lily. Decorating the house is about bringing the outside in – filling vases with

creatures I sourced from Etsy (including a new mixed-race fairy for the top in honour of our baby daughter, Gaia, who was born in May), and a wreath on the door, I don’t really hang other decorations because it feels too cluttered. Christmas is less about the decorating or gifting and more about the food. I look forward to my sister Rose, who’s head chef at Spring, doing all the cooking because she does it with so little stress. We’ll also order loads of Springto-go treats like bread, chocolates and a ham.

dogwood and putting holly on top of pictures. The table, which this year I might dress in a tablecloth in my Pavilion striped linen voile (and if I had the energy, wouldn’t it be wonderful to tent the ceiling?), is strewn with gold reindeers, colourful vintage plates, candles and small pots of flowers – I don’t like anything to match too much. We have glazed ham with hearty baked potatoes on Christmas Eve and a classic turkey lunch (I like Nigella’s brined approach). We go for long walks with the dogs and watch the Queen’s Speech before collapsing in a heap. More than anything this year, Christmas will be about celebrating with family.

I hope my sister makes it over from Hong Kong, so our kids can make new festive memories together.

Decorating the table: It’s all about colour – Murano tumblers, vintage art deco flutes, festive flowers and foliage, embroidered napkins from @by_eleanora, ceramic unicorn candlesticks from The Shop Floor Project and crackers from The Conran Shop.

Feel-good gifts: I’m giving the colourful kitchen mitts we’ve created in partnership with the charity Fine Cell Work for Sister by Studio Ashby.

Cocktail chic: Rose’s take on Spring’s lemon verbena and pepper fizz – gin, lemon verbena liqueur, lime juice, soda, topped with egg white and black pepper. studioashby.com

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Christmas chorals: I listen to Carols from King’s while wrapping and play Kiri Te Kanawa’s Nuns’ Chorus, which my father used to blare at full volume.

Top gift shop: Unexpected places like the Southwark Cathedral gift shop and Verandah in Holt, Norfolk.

Feeling festive: I hang garlands around the house, dotted with fir cones and fairy lights – so joyous!

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florasoames.com ¤

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VEERE GRENNEY, INTERIOR DESIGNER AND AUTHOR

I’m looking forward to being with my family, and this will be the first Christmas for my new baby. Every year I try to theme the tree to go with my wrapping, but it’s usually executed within the realms of chaos.

I often have an idea in my head and when I can’t find

When I was growing up in New Zealand, where my parents had emigrated to, the celebrations were always small and I carry on that tradition. Before Christmas, I throw a drinks party for 30-40 people, but on the day it’s just six or eight friends. I’ve spent the past four

it out there, I make it myself. Last year I had kitsch Covid-related decs and a real flower wreath from Gypsy Rose Flowers. I’m quite clashy when it comes to the table – a leopard print tablecloth, a mix of vintage pieces and plates with bonkers pictures on them from Toiletpaper, colourful glasses and Meri Meri decorations. On the day, it’s a bit of a free-for-all.

Dishes are influenced by the Mediterranean and my partner’s Algerian heritage – I start with tapas, like bits of tortilla on sticks, spicy olives, chorizo and pan con tomate, before the traditional roast and Jamie Oliver’s potatoes – the helm of my Christmas meal!

We also visit local food banks; my five-year-old chooses three of her presents to rewrap and donate.

Christmases at my house in Tangier – before that, I was at my Suffolk country house. I like decorations to be slightly kitsch. When I first started celebrating in Tangier I bought an incredibly expensive, twometre tall artificial tree, which is fireproof so I can have real candles on it. To the decorations that I’ve collected over decades I’ve added funny little wooden camels found in an Egyptian tourist shop, replicas of Hindu gods like Shiva bought in India and a stone Buddha from China. I hang stockings by the fireplace for each friend staying, and there’s always an orange at the bottom – an ode to my father, who insisted that we had oranges in our stockings as children.

Merry missives: My daughter and I write a letter to Santa, to leave out with his snacks. Getting a letter back is almost the most exciting part of the day.

Poptastic greetings: Every year I go on an internet scavenge for the best pop-up Christmas cards.

Clever creations: We go foraging for twigs and cones for the kids to make their own decorations.

Decorating top tip: I buy huge armfuls of narcissi and paperwhites at Tangier markets and fill the house with them. The scent is almost drunk-making.

Tasty nibbles: M&S sausage rolls – they’re delicious with champagne on Christmas morning.

Go-to place for presents: Uniqlo. They do the best cashmere, scarves and nice fleecy jackets.

Veere Grenney for Schumacher Collection, fschumacher.com; veeregrenney.com Q

palomahome.com

Q

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PHOTOGRAPHS (PALOMA FAITH) ELLIOTT MORGAN; (VEERE GRENNEY) LUCINDA DOUGLAS-MENZIES; (PAULA SUTTON) SIMON BROWN PRODUCTS (PALOMA FAITH) MERI MERI X HAZEL GARDINER PAPER FLOWER CRACKERS, £23 BOX OF SIX, MERI MERI. (VEERE GRENNEY) EMBROIDERED FELT CAMEL DECORATION, £24.95, FORTNUM & MASON

PALOMA FAITH, SINGER, ACTRESS AND HOMEWARE DESIGNER

NE WS

PAULA SUTTON, INTERIORS AND FASHION INFLUENCER Christmas starts the first Saturday in December when we pick out our tree from the Great Melton estate in Norfolk. This tradition began about 30 years ago when I started dating my husband – it’s where his parents would go for their tree. Decorating the tree is communal in the sense that everyone passes ornaments to me, including things my son and twin daughters made when they were younger, as we drink mulled wine. I also tie bows to the branches – last year, red; maybe this year I’ll do green. For the mantelscape, I have fun with the idea of a Miss Havisham’s Christmas: ivy creeping out of the bookshelf, across the mantel and up the wall. It’s very Victorian in abundance, with foliage from my woodland walks and a vintage vase filled with faux

PRODUCTS RED VELVET BOW, £12.50, COX & COX. PRESERVED ORANGE SLICES, TAKEN FROM HILL HOUSE LIVING: THE ART OF CREATING A JOYFUL LIFE BY PAULA SUTTON, £22 (EBURY PRESS)

apples, figs, grapes and gold-sprayed walnuts. I love the smell of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, which comes from my Grenadian heritage – I burn The White Company’s Winter candle, and bake orange slices to put in potpourri and hang on the tree. I dress the table with vintage plates and French dyed linens and I have fun with vintage napkin rings tied with bits of holly and rosemary from the garden to smell fragrant. I also make handwritten name tags – it gives me an excuse to doodle and draw funny cartoons. We play board games, drink too much, laugh and reminisce. I don’t create a different theme every year because I think it’s about memories and a sense of continuity. After losing my mother last year, I’ve realised that I want Christmas to be more precious, poignant and memorable from now on.

Personal presents: I create custom hampers for family and friends. For this I delve into Instagram to find special gifts from small makers. It’s meant to be like a box of tricks they couldn’t find themselves.

Delicious treats: Christmas breakfast has been gravlax and quail’s eggs with celery salt, champagne and orange juice for as long as I can remember. Every year I order a traditional pudding from Fortnum.

Dazzling decs: I tie a little bow to the top of crystal droplets salvaged from an old chandelier – they catch the light and create an air of nostalgia. & Hill House Living: The Art of Creating a Joyful Life

by Paula Sutton (Ebury Press); hillhousevintage.com Q

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SITTING ROOM ‘We read in here on rainy weekends and dark evenings, with the radio on and fire lit,’ says Lucy.

Walls in a specially mixed sludgy green, Papers and Paints. Antique armchair covered in Matelas de Laine, Claremont. Artwork on chimney breast, Murakami

SPREADING THE JOY The home of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s Lucy Hammond Giles is full of unexpected delights WORDS AND STYLING MARY WEAVER PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES MERRELL

34 H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M

H OUSE S

SITTING ROOM Jewel colours provide a rich atmosphere all year.

Ottoman, Dean Antiques; covered in an antique fabric.

Christmas tree and skirt, The White Company. Tree decorations, Gisela Graham

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DINING AREA This part of the kitchen has no window so cascading plants bring the outside in.

Banquette seating in leather from Whistler Leather.

Cabinetry and flooring, Mathew Bray & Matthew Collins. Tulip table, Eero Saarinen. Find similar wood/ leather chairs at Pamono.

Stool, Petersham Nurseries

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H OUSE S

KITCHEN The cabinets were designed

by Lucy, made in timber by a carpenter and spraypainted an RAL colour.

Find a similar fossil worktop at MKW Surfaces. Bar stools covered in bronze mohair velvet by Claremont.

Botanical prints (left), Colefax Antiques. Tan leather armchair, Sigmar

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HO US ES

PLAYROOM/OFFICE Originally a garage, this vibrant area is now a work space and games room with lots of storage to hide the messy bits.

Blind in Fortuny, Claremont.

Desk, Colefax Antiques.

Chair, Vitra. Floor, Mathew Bray & Matthew Collins

38 H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M

D

esign is about working with space,’ says Lucy Hammond

a basement but when, six years ago, neighbours on either side started digging – ‘we couldn’t get out of

Giles. ‘Creating rooms that look beautiful but also that feel right and make people comfortable being in them – combining timeless form with essential function, mixing both the prosaic and the poetic.’ Lucy speaks from years of experience as one of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s prestigious team of decorators. ‘It’s about understanding what is existing: the house and

our front door as we’re in a corner’ – they thought they’d join them. It was more than worth the upheaval. ‘It’s actually so much better than I could have hoped with high ceilings, light wells and valuable extra space,’ says Lucy.

The house had been created with flexible family living in mind from the word go. Lucy’s two sons, Freddie, 13 and Joey, 10, currently share a large

the people who will live in it, and how to make it joyous and interesting while functional and relaxed.’

When it came to her own home, Lucy faced every

bedroom at the top of the house, but as they grow they will move down to their own ‘apartment’ in the basement. The hallway there was to be used

decorator’s challenge of being aware of the myriad possibilities, while dealing with the parameters of real life. ‘I love light, space and pattern but there were limits, narrowed by our circumstances: the house is a 1950s build, we are a family of four with a dog, we didn’t have a huge budget and had existing furniture and paintings,’ she says.

for books but instead it has been utilised as a climbing wall for Marco. ‘His genius idea and much more exciting,’ she says.

Bought partly for its proximity to a west London park, the house is deceptively small from the outside and quite unexpected inside. As well as its deep dramatic paint colours, it is layered with textures,

The family have been in the house for 13 years. ‘It was very respectable when we bought it, but with disjointed divisions of space and no focus towards the garden,’ says Lucy. She knew instinctively that she would want to open up the courtyard and incorporate it into the kitchen but she and husband Marco, a lawyer, didn’t do this until they had lived in it for three years. The now extended kitchen with an added playroom/office, with ceiling skylights, is the brightest room in the house. ‘We kept it light and used a lot of greens and plants to distract from the lack of windows at the kitchen end,’ says Lucy. It opens onto a lavender colour as a foil in the hall, which in turn leads to a cosy and grounding sludgy green in the sitting room, with deep blues in the bedrooms.

All along, the couple had decided they didn’t want

upholstered in rich cloths and peppered with family art and antiques. A few modern pieces are set against the vintage, and every available surface is a home to cascading greenery, making it feel very alive.

Festive celebrations mean that this home is used even more heartily than usual. They begin with a Scandi-style Christmas Eve with Jansen’s Temptation (dauphinoise with anchovies) and shots of Aalborg (aquavit), in a nod to Lucy’s half-Swedish stepfather; the day itself starts with stockings in bed and a reviving dash across London parks followed by an early-ish ‘proper’ dinner, then dancing and plenty of popping of corks, before collapsing in the sitting room for a film – or a snooze. & ■

Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, sibylcolefax.com

“I LOVE HOW SURPRISING THE HOUSE IS – YOU’D NEVER GUESS FROM THE OUTSIDE HOW THE SPACE WIDENS OUT INTO THE LIGHT-FILLED KITCHEN”

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HO US ES

BASEMENT BEDROOM A sharp teal blue on the walls keeps the room from feeling entirely traditional.

Walls in a specially mixed colour, Papers and Paints.

Headboard by Lucy; covered in Fleurette from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler antiques department. Central paintings, both EW Cooke

40 H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M

BASEMENT HALL A climbing wall is a surprise addition.

Walls in Persian Turquoise, Papers and Paints. Peacock coir flooring, Sinclair Till.

Climbing wall, concept by Ben Wray, created by Conrad Watkins. Art, Vera Southby

MEET THE DESIGNER-OWNER Lucy Hammond Giles shares her style vision

MOST SUCCESSFUL PART OF THE PROJECT Dividing and adding to the space

efficiently to combine beauty and practicality.

BIGGEST INDULGENCE The leather

banquette shaped to work with the Saarinen table.

SHOWER ROOM ‘This is a riff on the Hollywood lights from my mother’s bathroom in the 1980s,’ says Lucy.

Walls in Dauphin, Farrow & Ball. Tiles, Fired Earth.

Carrara marble, Vitruvius.

Opus 100 lights, Old School Electrics at The Conran Shop

SHOWER ROOM ‘I had wanted to use this paper – the pattern brings in excellent colour and movement,’ says Lucy.

Wallpaper, Surface View.

Brassware, Barber Wilsons & Co. Butler sink, Shaws. Granite counter, Vitruvius. Try Pure White Lines for a similar light

SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT The

gas ‘log’ fire in the sitting room – although also an enormous indulgence!

MUSEUMS TO VISIT The British Museum, the V&A, the Science Museum – all so inspiring.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION

Exhibitions, walking, through the amazing craftspeople and suppliers we use, and in discussion with my colleagues, clients and friends – you can achieve brilliance and originality in collaboration.

FAVOURITE BUILDINGS The Pantheon in

Rome – an incredible construction and poem of spheres and circles – and in London, the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens, built as a teahouse in the 1930s.

WORDS TO LIVE BY Be brave, don’t be boring.

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STAIRCASE The lavender shade is used in the ground floor hall but Lucy didn’t want to carry it to the top, so using it half and half was a good way to transition colour.

Walls in Hardwick White, top, and Brassica, below, both Farrow & Ball. Classic painting, EW Cooke. Modern painting, Tim Garwood at Sim Smith

42 H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M

STYLING ASSISTANCE MILLY BRUCE, INDIA JACKSON AND CHARLOTTE CRIPPS

H OUSE S

MAIN BEDROOM ‘I love how dark colours work well in dark rooms – they make them cosy, while anything you put on walls looks amazing,’ says Lucy.

For a similar wall colour, try Slate Blue, Marston & Langinger. Headboard by Lucy; covered in Fabry linen in Canard, Manuel Canovas

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SHOPPING

THE

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DAYS OF CHRISTMAS On the f irst day of Chr istma s my tr ue love gave to me... From amazing desig n buys to niche p l a c e s t o s h o p , w e' v e p u l l e d together the best sources and products to ensure you

FEATURE JO BAILEY

g ive the best g if ts this year

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WISH LIST WONDERS

The gorgeous g if ts we want this year 1.

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1. Bobbin lamp base, £320, Alfred Newall; with hand-painted Ink Drop tapered shade, Tess Newall, £470 as shown, The New Craftsmen 2. Crustacean ceramic, £505, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam 3. Rolex Datejust 36 watch, £9,350, Rolex 4. Plaid cushion, £120, Commune for Christopher Farr Cloth 5. Tuscany Marvel, £70, Cesare Cunaccia for Assouline at Net-a-Porter 6. Grind One Nespresso pod machine, £275, Grind 7. Iwashi vase, £372, Noe Kuremoto at Select-Works 8. Lazy Daisy lazy Susan, from £250, Vanessa Konig 9. Sheepskin mittens in Metallic Leopard, €120, Toasties 10. Milies scented oval wax scent, £62, Diptyque at Selfridges 11. Grand Tour Intaglio Case artwork, £375, Bridie Hall at Pentreath & Hall 12. The Serpentine frame, £125, Benedict Foley for A. Prin Art ¤

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SHOPPING

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INDIE SELLERS

Our lit tle black book of stores for present idea s galore

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1. Lidded pot with flowers, £375, Charlotte McLeish at 8 Holland Street 2. Green Pom hand-blown wine glass, £24, Issy Granger 3. Hand-painted picture mount, £110, Lydia Beanland at The Merchant’s Table 4. Tomato Daisy purse, £27, Mabel Sheppard 5. Large Irish mohair blanket, £575, The Tweed Project at The Garnered 6. Cordyceps, Chaga, Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushroom teas, £29.99 each or £119.96 for four tins, Dirtea 7. Klein ceramic soap dish, £35, Oba Studios at Maison Commune 8. Italian Splatterware large straight sided bowl, £40, Montes & Clark 9. Striped basket in Yellow, £80, Hadeda 10. Salt and pepper grinder set, £24.99, Black & Barn 11. Block print frill tote, £34, Maison M ¤

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M A RV ELLOUS MAKERS

Cool craf tspeople and their creat ions made for g iv ing 1.

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1. Large pouring jug in Speckled Aqua, £240, Olivia Thorpe for Curio at Vanderohe Curio 2. Heath round maple wood board with brass handle, £52, Aaron Probyn 3. Small Wiggle candlestick, £48, Bias Editions 4. Planetarium place mat, £40, Gergei Erdei 5. Barra platter in Viridian & Peach, £205, Lydia Hardwick at Couverture & The Garbstore 6. Deck of cards illustrated by Sacha Floch Poliakoff, £21.35, Casa Lopez 7. Indigo linen napkins, £100 for 4, Bertozzi at Petersham Nurseries 8. The Zinnia hand-painted metal flower with wood base, £385, Erbavoglio at Wicklewood 9. Block Medium textile art in frame, £210, Woven Form 10. Espresso mugs, £90 for 4, Feldspar at The Conran Shop

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SHOPPING

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COFFEE TABLE TREASURES

The best new book s about desig n and more 1.

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1. A Tuscan Adventure: Castello di Potentino: The Restoration of a Castle by Charlotte Horton (£45, Rizzoli) 2. A New Leaf by Pip McCormac & Jennifer Haslam (£30, Hardie Grant) 3. Still Lives: In the Homes of Artist, Great and Unsung by Leslie Williamson (£55, Rizzoli) 4. Timeless Paris: Ateliers, Emporiums, Savoir Faire by Marin Montagut (£30, Flammarion) 5. African Artists: From 1882 to Now, Phaidon Editors with an introduction by Chika Okeke-Agulu and glossary by Joseph L Underwood (£49.95, Phaidon) 6. Anna Spiro: A Life in Pattern by Anna Spiro (£45, Thames & Hudson) 7. India Mahdavi by India Mahdavi (£50, Chronicle Chroma) 8. The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter (£30, Ryland Peters & Small) 9. Home: A Celebration: Notable Voices Reflect on the Meaning of Home, edited by Charlotte Moss (£40, Rizzoli) ¤

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SH OP PING

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CREATIVE COURSES

PHOTOGRAPHS (CERES STUDIO) FLORENCE HAWKINS, (MARMOR PAPERIE) JAMES WINSPEAR

Wo r k s h o p s f o r t h o s e l o o k i n g t o g a i n a n e w s k i l l

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1. CERES STUDIO Introduction to Natural Dye Print (two-day course) Time: 10:30-16:30 (two days, usually weekends) Location: Brixton, London Price: £280 ceresstudio1.com 5. ONE GARDEN BRIGHTON Introduction to Sustainable Gardening for the Future Time: 10:00-16:00 Location: One Garden Brighton Price: £75 onegardenbrighton.com

2. HOUSE OF QUINN @ RAY STITCH Curved Patchwork & Abstract Appliqué day workshops with House of Quinn Time: 10:30-17:30 Location: Ray Stitch, Islington, London Price: £180 raystitch.co.uk

3. MARMOR PAPERIE @ COCKPIT ARTS Introduction to Paper Marbling Time: Half day (3 hours) or full day (6 hours) Location: Cockpit Arts, London Price: £65 (half day), £120 (full day with book binding) marmorpaperie.co.uk

4. CREATE ACADEMY Dan Pearson’s Guide to Naturalistic Garden Design (online workshop) Time: five hours of tuition broken down into 10-15 lessons covering different topics Price: £127 (lifetime access) createacademy.com

6. LEACH POTTERY Build your own Teapot (five-day course) Time: 10:00-16:00 (five weekdays) Location: Leach Pottery, St Ives, Cornwall Price: £520 leachpottery.com

7. EXPERIMENTAL PERFUME CLUB Apprentice Perfume Creation Time: half day from 10:00 or 14:00 (3 ½ hours) Location: Experimental Perfume Club Lab, Covent Garden, London Price: £135 experimental perfumeclub.com

8. AMBROSE VEVERS Wooden Saddle Seat Stool Making (two-day course; no tools required) Time: 9:30-17:30 (two days) Location: Ashburton Christmas Tree Farm, Devon Price: £290 ambrosevevers.com →

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SUBS & KITS

V IN TAGE SELLERS

Gif t ing that w ill inspire

Instag ram antiques dealers

ideas and creativ it y

who have caug ht our eye 2.

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2. EESOME @eesomeshop Hana’s shop is aimed at the modern home and conscious consumer. It specialises in vintage European ceramics combining organic form and function.

3. ONE OFF PIECE @oneoffpiecelondon Sophie curates beautiful objects for your home: be it a hand-painted bowl, showstopper vase or the perfect pair of candlesticks.

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1. New Kintsugi repair kit, £23, Lotte Dekker for Humade 2. H&G subscription, 12 months for £39.50, plus free Aery candles. Go to magazinesdirect.com/xhg/xm21 3. Chilli Trio spice set, £13.95, Rooted Spices 4. Ready-planted window box subscription, £80 (includes window box and first season’s plants; £40 every three months after that), Window Fleur 5. Gather & Press flower pressing kit, £225, JamJar Edit 6. Foraging hamper, £99, Toast 7. The Drummer embroidery kit, £35 (frame not included), The Fabled Thread

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1. FOUR QUARTERS @fourquartershome Brad sources a mixture of furniture and homeware, with a focus on Art Deco and mid-century pieces.

4. PETIT PANIER @petitpanier_home Marie offers unique pre-loved wicker finds, antiques and objects d’art.

In addition, she’s just launched her own vintageinspired collection.

5. OLD OLD NOT NEW @oldoldnotnew.store Friends Rachel Callender and Tamara Hough founded Old Old Not New to share their love of mid-century glassware and ceramics.

6. KEPT @keptlondon From antique wall sconces to vintage art, Henrietta has something for everyone.

Thoughtfully curated, many pieces have a charmingly decorative touch. ¤

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GARDEN GIFTS

Inspiration for anyone who loves the g reat outdoors

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1. Seed packets, £4.50 each, Graen Studios 2. Sunflower Yellow metal garden bench, £245, Rockett St George 3. Pressed Blooms notebook, £19.99, Mother of Pearl for Papier 4. Sneeboer trowel with recycled skateboard handle, £94.95, Tinker and Fix 5. Victorian Garden cast-iron cloche, £395, Claverton Cloches

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PRESSIES FOR POOCHES

2021... t he ye a r we a l l boug ht a dog 1.

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1. Bolt Bite dog toy, £30, Wild One at Amara 2. Ceramic dog bowls, £45 each, Studio CN 3. Dog bed, £420, Nina Campbell 4. Small Capel Print dog neckerchief, £45, Sebastian Says at Liberty

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KIDDIE FINDS

A hand f u l of charming pick s for lit tle ones

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1. Green Golf Course beanbag, £95, Safomasi 2. Yendi child's bike basket, £39, The Basket Room 3. Rhinoceros Beetle 3D wall art, £14.50, Studio Roof at Soren’s House

2

FA M I LY GAMES

Gif ts for f un gather ings

1

LUSH T R E AT... ...ju s t for you

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1. Chess Green, £39, Hay 2. ArtNet in Zigzag Sunrise, £165, Art of Ping Pong

Women's Berega Rust silk pyjamas, £325, Soho Home &

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D ES IGN IDE A S

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES ’ Tis the sea son for an abundance of foliage and f rag rance indoors – these ex per ts do it w ith panache BRING THE OUTSIDE

in by foraging in the garden or s. Fresh foliage and flowers form ase of all our decorations, whether land on the mantelpiece, an gement of branches in the hallway or a more structured table display. I love adding fresh foliage to the tree with clear glass ornaments for some sparkle. The perfect Christmas scent allows me to reminisce about evenings by a cosy fire.

My favourite incense is Astier de Villatte’s Oulan Bator, with its notes of leather, tobacco and wood smoke.

”

FEATURE NICKY MORRIS

HENRY MILLER-ROBINSON, co-founder, K&H Design

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TRADITIONALLY , we

think of wreaths for front doors but this year you could use it on the Christmas dining table as a centrepiece or on the wall as a festive focal point.

For use on the table, simply add candles at regular intervals for a gorgeous glow.

For an extra layer of detail, use a richly scented seasonal candle, perhaps a pine and cinnamon mix, in the centre. If you’d like to update or refresh your existing wreath, or want to personalise a shop-bought one, bring in touches from your Christmas tree. Smaller decorations can be added with wire for

”

instant impact. Choosing a decorative ribbon to hang your wreath from will add colour and texture, too.

MEAGHAN HUNTER, senior stylist and art director, Neptune

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D ES IGN IDE A S

I ALWAYS THINK it’s best to deck

your halls from the garden. Rather than clichéd ttia, I like a big vase of branches – holly, lichen, r something evergreen – in the entrance hall or kitchen table. You don’t have to be an expert nge an armful; they’ll look naturally beautiful.

Homemade dried oranges and limes will scent your home and can be used as decorations. Depending on where I am, my colour palette changes; in London it’s all about being bold and bright. In the countryside, I’m sensitive to the wild surroundings and drawn to a more organic look. Flowers like roses and ranunculus are also available at this time of year. Pretty bud vases with white flowers with candles look gorgeous. I use the wreath from my door on the Christmas table – this is a great way to reuse decorations. For a long table, create lots of individual arrangements down the centre with a mix of tall candles and tea lights. Napkins dressed with little arrangements add wow-factor – include rosemary or eucalyptus to add scent and handwritten place names. It’s the little touches guests will notice.

NIKKI TIBBLES, florist

CELEBRATING the season with an

abundant display of greenery, real or faux or mix, creates such a welcome and you can style advance which is a real time saver. I love to real flowers and greenery just a couple of days the main event. We have some amazing faux wreaths, swags and garlands and if you mix these up with fairy lights and lots of candles it’s a truly seasonal statement. Candles, of course, never fail to please mixed in displays with pretty small bud vases, which bounce the light beautifully. And don’t forget that lovely glass vases (above) can often double up as storm lanterns, too, when you pop a candle inside. I always stick to white and when it comes to flowers for the table I like them to be simple, not too arranged – I love them to feel loose and natural. Sometimes I use just greenery and I mix in one white stem. For larger displays I mix lots of seasonal greenery or herbs into

”

my arrangements and favourite flowers, which include ranunculus, hyacinths, white roses, flowering eucalyptus, snowberries and fresh rosemary.

”

CHRISSIE RUCKER, founder, The White Company

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DE S IG N ID E AS

FOR ME, CHRISTMAS is hugely

about fragrance; the evocative scent of fresh from the tree brought indoors, bundles of on, dried oranges and the richness from cloves together in decorative bowls, their fragrance d with the warmth of the room. Also bring herbs into your designs – rosemary is a superb stem used within festive designs; particularly when combined with spruce, it adds a floral earthiness.

And then, of course, there are the visual elements; beautifully considered designs, placed in key spots within your home – a display on a hall table and a wreath on the door to welcome guests; a tree with delicate lights placed in the most used room in your home; sprigs of greenery placed on top of picture frames; a garland over your mantelpiece and down your staircase, and add small details to wrapped presents, finished with raw silk ribbon.

Be creative and have some fun with the colour combinations you choose to design and create with; you definitely don’t need to stick to the traditional festive shades. Work with your own interiors and think about how you are feeling – create something

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that you love. Last year, we all needed a huge lift in spirits, so instead of making designs using the more usual seasonal colours, I brought petite pink flowers into our Christmas Masterclass designs, with a mass of chamelaucium; they created a sense of positivity and were hugely uplifting. I share a brilliant mantelpiece design in this issue of Homes & Gardens (page 128) – using a base framework of branches, with added greenery and flowers to create a dramatic, asymmetrical installation, which is possible for anyone to create and is fabulously dramatic and different. Alternative ideas include something more minimalist and quick, using a series of bud vases with a mixture of seasonal greenery and flowers – this can be changed out every few days and kept very simple with single stems. Garlands of greenery, with a rope base and swagged heavily over mantelpieces look fabulous and will last for ages if you select hardy, evergreen foliage. Or think about using different ingredients: a mass of naturally dried grass mixed with seasonal stems will give you something beautifully unique (see above). & PHILIPPA CRADDOCK, florist

”

D ES IGN IDE A S

MAD FOR MARBLING Get creat ive w ith t wo fest ive and fabu lous projects, cou r t e s y of Luc y McGrath of Ma r mor Paper ie and A lex L ew is of Compton Marbling MAKE YOUR OWN MARBLED CERAMIC BAUBLES THIS charming project has been created by Lucy

McGrath, who started Marmor Paperie in 2015 with the mission to breathe new life into the endangered craft of marbling. She makes luxury stationery using her original marbled papers and loves experimenting with materials and techniques.

YOU WILL NEED 12g carrageenan powder (available from marmorpaperie.co.uk) 2ltr water Blender or electric mixer 5ltr bucket or deep container Newspaper Your preferred acrylic paints Jars or disposable cups Paintbrushes Skewer Ceramic baubles (you can find these at Hobbycraft) Gloves to protect your hands Your preferred ribbon 1. Put the carrageenan into your blender. Add 500ml water and blend until you can’t see any bits. Gradually add the remaining water, blending periodically to make sure it is all mixed together.

2. Pour the mixture into a 5ltr bucket or similar container and let sit, covered, for 2-3 hours to allow most of the bubbles to pop.

3. Clean the surface of your marbling water by skimming torn strips of newspaper along the surface to catch dust and grab any remaining bubbles.

4. Mix your preferred colours in jars using acrylic paints, adding water to get the consistency of milk.

5. Dip your paintbrush into your paint and hold it over the bucket. Gently tap it to deposit paint drops

onto the surface. Move your hands around to aim the drops, attempting to get an even paint coverage.

Repeat this step with multiple colours. Take a skewer and draw through the floating paint to make swirls.

6. Hold the top of your first bauble between your index finger and thumb and arrange it over the bucket so your fingers are at the very top. Make sure the thread is held out of the way in your other fingers.

7. In one smooth motion, dunk the bauble into the marbling water, being careful to always keep your fingers over the centre of the bauble so it doesn’t try to bob to the surface. Pull the bauble out again and immediately rinse under running water to remove any paint run-off or gloopy water.

8. Hang to dry for 10 minutes, then cut off the thread and replace with your choice of ribbon.

■

marmorpaperie.co.uk →

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DE S IG N ID E AS

CREATE YOUR OWN MARBLED WRAPPING PAPER AND GIF T TAGS WE love the idea of making our own marbled

wrapping paper and gift tags for Christmas this year, so we asked Alex Lewis of Compton Marbling to show us how it can be done. Compton Marbling has been making hand-marbled paper and related products since the 1970s. Marbling supplies such as carrageenan powder and alum are also available.

YOU WILL NEED Selection of paint colours (acrylic or gouache) Uncoated paper/gift tags A tray to work in – a large roasting tin or a cat litter tray would be ideal Jars and paintbrushes Skewers/old comb Newspaper Gloves to protect your hands TO MAKE THE SIZE YOU’LL NEED

1. Begin by preparing the mordant. Measure 25g of alum crystals and mix in a heatproof container with ½ pint of boiling water; stir until the crystals have completely dissolved. When cool, use the sponge to coat one side of your paper/gift tags. Then store under plastic and a board until required – the

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paper/gift tags should remain damp until use.

2. Mix your paints (acrylic or gouache) with water to the consistency of single cream. You may have to add a few drops of very diluted dish soap to help the paints spread on the surface of the size.

3. Apply the paints over the surface of the size by flicking with a paintbrush. Swirl or comb the surface to create the desired pattern. Carefully lay the coated paper or gift tag (mordant side down) onto the surface. Use strips of newspaper to cover any paint left around the edges. Lift out your paper (or tags) and gently rinse, then hang to dry. Flatten under heavy books once completely dry.

TIPS ■ Pick a coloured paper to enhance your design, just make sure it is uncoated paper.

■ If you use gift tags, remove the string and replace with a ribbon to co-ordinate with your colours.

■ Use opened paper clips to hook the tags out of the size and then to hang them to dry. & ■

comptonmarbling.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPH PHILIP VOLKERS

Carrageenan powder Warm water Blender Your tray/container to hold the liquid HOW TO PREPARE THE SIZE Measure 14g of carrageenan powder to 2ltr warm water and blend on max for a couple of minutes.

Make sure there are no small lumps in the mixture.

Pour into your tray and leave for at least 8 hours.

FOR THE MORDANT PRE-TREATMENT FOR YOUR PAPER YOU WILL NEED Alum Freshly boiled water Sponge Plastic sleeve and board (this is to keep the paper moist and flat)

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FESTIVE TREASURES

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

Eye-catching baubles for your tree 1. Encrusted with crystals Shimmering globe, £35, Anna + Nina 2. A classic motif Green regal peacock, £25, Burleigh 3. Delicately hand-painted on fine china Blue dahlia, £35, Reiko Kaneko 4. Colourful choice Painted in Green and Pink, £15, The Conran Shop 5. A patchwork of stately prints Arts & Crafts wood partridges, £7 for a pair, Gisela Graham 6. Customise with your own sentiment Bespoke hand-blown glass, £58, Summerill & Bishop 7. Hand-painted in Kashmir Lantern Arts & Crafts white dove paper mache, £5.50, The V&A Shop 8. For the green-fingered Greenhouse, £24, Selfridges 9. A crystal keepsake Lismore in Waterford crystal, £85, John Lewis & Partners &

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SUSTA INA BLE CR ACK ERS 1. Eco-friendly presents Marbled Delahaye, £60 for 6, Designers Guild 2. Fill your own Merry Christmas, £8 for 6, John Lewis & Partners 3. No plastic packaging Tropical birds, £14.95 for 6, Graham and Green 4. Made with Liberty off-cuts Betsy Liberty fabric, £34.85 each, Happy Crackers at Notonthehighstreet 5. Double-up as napkins Personalised, £14 each, 2 Green Monkeys at Wearth London 6. Recyclable card Red gingham, £36 for 6, Nancy & Betty 7. Printed with vegetable-based inks Handmade alpine snowflake, £50 for 6, Cox & Cox 8. Enjoy year after year Scandi cross stitch, £12.50 each, Kate Sproston Design 9. Forest-friendly wrapping Pastel retro, £39.60 for 6, The Handmade Cracker Company &

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

Have a g reener Chr istma s this year

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DECORATIVE NAPKINS 1. New designer to discover Naturally dyed linen, £38, Ellen Mae Williams at Liberty 2. Bold stripes for the season Riga Bordeaux, £90 for 6, La DoubleJ 3. Fresh take on animal print Jessica Russell Flint, £18, Anthropologie 4. Made using Morris & Co fabric Marigold in Orange and Pink, £22.50 each, Pentreath & Hall 5. Checks are a trend this Christmas Ruffle gingham, £22, Rebecca Udall 6. By the queen of the block print Trellis green, £12, Molly Mahon 7. Embroidered by hand Embroidered lemon stripe, £38 for 2, Amuse La Bouche 8. For a festive fiesta Corolla Frida, £40 for 2, Lisa Corti at Amara 9. Monochrome magnificence Concorde, £125 for 4, L’Objet at Matchesfashion &

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

Fa b r i c d e s i g n s t o s e e y o u t h r o u g h t h e h o l i d a y s a n d b e y o n d

PA S S IO N F OR PA T T E R N

FEATURE JO BAILEY

Decorat ive velvet s are look ing pret t y and plush (Top row, from left) Kimono Dream in Blaze, £139m, Linwood Ikat Spot in Tigers Eye, £135m, Zoffany at Sanderson Design Group Burst in Terracotta, £350m, Kirkby Design (Middle row, from left) Arzu in Sorbet, £125m, Romo Bossa Nova in Peacock, £216m, Thibaut Wilde in Forest, £115m, Colefax and Fowler (Bottom row, from left) Bukhara in Indigo, £95m, Warner House Nomad in Plum/Green, £149m, Mulberry Home at GP & J Baker Baker Street in Mustard & Emerald, £84.50m, Casamance &

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N E WS

THE SUSTAINABLE HOME EVERY ISSUE OUR EXPERT ON ECO, DESIGNER SEBASTIAN COX, SHARES HIS INSIGHTS – THIS MONTH, HE EXTOLS THE VIRTUES OF FREESTANDING FURNITURE AS furniture makers, we’re often the last ones into our

clients’ projects. And working on our own house over

the last year, I’ve developed an acute understanding of the process it takes to get a project ready for the furniture. Often our work is pushed back due to delays.

It’s safe to say I can sympathise with the time things take – whether it’s bricklaying or plastering, I’ve had a go at it all. Our house is far from complete and I’ve come to appreciate that while our commercial clients can’t work to open-ended projects, the rest of us should try to accept that a project is as much about the journey as the destination.

Before we moved to Margate, we lived in a flat in London. We had the most spectacular view over the city and the only constant of the skyline was the presence of cranes. I remember jokingly saying ‘when will they hurry up and finish building this place?’ But perhaps all things are at their most interesting during the build, with the potential of change and adaptation.

While it’s important not to glorify ripping things up and starting again, the idea of gently evolving spaces appeals. Apart from anything else, spacing out the satisfaction of achievement as you accomplish tasks gives greater overall pleasure, like the difference between watching The Crown in a week or over a year.

When designing furniture, some of the best ideas present themselves at the workbench and it’s no different in a renovation. Feeling your way through will inevitably have better results than committing to a plan an executing it without deviation. This year we had a client who impressed me with their braveness; a family in east London for whom we made the structural elements of an extension to their Victorian terrace.

Their ambition for the space extended no further than to build a room to give them more space. No plans on kitchen layout or utility storage, just a room, made of beautiful materials and which captures the right light, with a decision on what it should be used for pending.

When we undertake a furniture commission, we do all we can to steer our clients towards freestanding pieces. Fitted furniture is sometimes a great way to make small spaces work hard, but it’s set up to fail when the requirements of a space evolves, either

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through selling the house or a change in circumstances.

The room with no plan might sound like a big compromise on completing a house, but it affords some freedom. It doesn’t have to be an ugly unfinished space.

Putting one or two freestanding pieces in an incomplete room has a feel of sophistication. Our bedroom will probably be the last room we decorate, but I made a four poster to give a sense of presence in that room.

I find myself asking, what more do you need than good light and a beautiful bed? I’ve tried to bring the sense of freeness of our east London clients to how we shape our house, with many rooms yet to be touched apart from making elegant freestanding furniture for us to enjoy as we contemplate the room’s potential. It requires us to live through the works, but managed by working on a room at a time. It’s also an inexpensive way to shape a home. Building projects can be stressful and expensive, but that’s self-imposed because we see pleasure in the finished product. What I’ve learned from a year of works is that the pleasure is in the process as much as completed rooms. And perhaps, to always keep the house from becoming static, we’ll always leave a picture unhung or a window unpainted to preserve the energy of potential and adaptation. &

P ROMO T IONAL F EAT U R E

ICONIC & TIMELESS BEAUTY AND HISTORY COMBINE IN THE SANDERSON ONE SIXTY COLLECTION THE style values at Homes & Gardens

are classic elegance and considered contemporary design, and heritage revivals often resonate with these aesthetics. So we were delighted to learn that British brand Sanderson has opened the doors of its archive to mark its 160-year anniversary.

The result is the outstanding Sanderson One Sixty collection – a celebration of some of Sanderson’s

most successful and archetypal floral fabrics and wallpapers, each one reimagined with a distinctive colour palette. Statement brights sit along a range of classic colourways, adding a different dimension to archive designs.

All of the reinterpreted designs will appeal to the brand’s loyal devotees, as well as a whole new audience.

Many of Sanderson’s iconic designs,

patterns that stand the test of time. &

NEED TO KNOW

Order samples and see the collection at sanderson.sandersondesigngroup.com.

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WORDS JENNIFER EBERT

such as Very Rose & Peony (shown), Hollyhock and Amanpuri, are translated into wallpaper for the first time. And each reinterpreted pattern gives new context to historical pieces from an array of talented designers, including Pat Etheridge and Kenneth Truman, and will enable you to create something beautiful in your home.

Timeless and dynamic, Sanderson One Sixty allows you to discover floral creations that aren’t rooted in one moment or influenced by popular opinion. Instead, each fabric and wallpaper in the collection invites you to be daring with design and be part of a 160-year history that focused not on following trends but producing iconic

D ES IGN IDE A S

DINE IN ST YLE

FEATURE ARABELLA YOUENS PHOTOGRAPH EMMA LEE/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

WE SHOW YOU HOW TO SET A WELCOMING SCENE FOR EVERY OCCASION, FROM INFORMAL FAMILY MEALS TO LAVISH ENTERTAINING

LAYERED NEUTRALS A restrained colour palette can have a calming and elegant effect. For a room that works through the seasons opt for natural simplicity, leaving bold patterns and brighter hues in favour of muted tones, clear glass and natural materials. Here, the wall panelling has been painted in a soft, stone-like neutral that is comfortingly familiar. A traditional wooden dining table (this one is an antique from Maison Artefact) and rush-seat chairs continue the rustic feel, while candlelight provides an atmospheric glow.

Decoration has been kept to a minimum, with woven placemats, linen napkins and foraged greenery, while the theme is followed to the windows with large paper stars. The scheme is cosy and convivial. →

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ON DISPLAY can be transformed into a mini exhibition space for gathered collectibles, which can then be whisked away when the table is called into action for entertaining. Ben Pentreath demonstrates how to best dress a ‘resting’ table in this scheme that he designed for a flat in Chelsea. The bottle green French velvet that covers the white gesso framed Louis XVI chairs is picked up by the collection of glass candlesticks and resin lamp bases on the table and the dresser behind. Also important to this room is the display of artwork on the walls; the symmetrical arrangement brings order and structure.

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PHOTOGRAPH JASON INGRAM

When not in use, dining tables make for the most wonderful display surfaces. With a little effort they

D ES IGN IDE A S

“WHEN IT COMES TO PREPARING THE CHRISTMAS TABLE, THERE’S A REAL JOY IN DOING THINGS WELL BUT NOT TO EXCESS. THE KEY IS TO PUT THE ENERGY INTO THE ELEMENTS WHERE IT’LL BE NOTICED AND FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE”

PHOTOGRAPHS (SMART SEATING) ANNA STATHAKI/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM; (WONDER WALL) DAVIDE LOVATTI/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM; (IN THE ROUND) BROTHERTON LOCK

NINA CAMPBELL, founder, Nina Campbell

SMART SEATING

THE VIEW FROM HERE

FLEXIBLE SOLUTION

Banquettes not only provide ample seating, but also take up less space than chairs. ‘When designing banquettes we like to maximise space by adding storage,’ says interior designer Rebecca Hughes.

‘It’s also an opportunity to add pattern through scatter cushions.’

In this dining room, the view was obscured by a tree and overlooked by the neighbouring house. Mike Fisher of Studio Indigo’s solution was to make a more inward-looking room using a mural, which creates an interesting backdrop for people gathered around the table.

Circular tables are space-saving and ideal for corners or in smaller open-plan rooms, as demonstrated in this design by Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby and architect Giles Quarme. ‘This is somewhere you can entertain, work or just read the paper and relax,’ says Sophie. →

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DE S IG N ID E AS

“I LIKE TO USE OVERSCALED FLORAL DESIGNS TO ANCHOR A DINING TABLE THAT ISN’ T IN USE – PARTICULARLY IN AN OPEN-PLAN SETTING WHERE A LARGE EMPTY SURFACE CAN CREATE A HOLLOW IN THE ROOM”

SEASONAL TOUCH

PATTERN MAKER

GLOBES OF LIGHT

‘When it comes to dining room decorations, opt for natural, earthy tones for a welcoming backdrop,’ says Emily Dunstan, home buyer at Heal’s. ‘Wreaths aren’t just for doors: create a display to draw eyes upwards and use lights, eucalyptus and dried orange to add magic.’

Using bold prints on walls will create a strong impression in a dining room and give the space a creative, cocooning atmosphere.

Katharine Paravicini chose this striking Pierre Frey design. ‘The client wanted a statement, and it did just that,’ she says.

A dining room is a great space to incorporate statement pendant lighting. ‘We often advise clients to be brave with scale, especially in rooms with high ceilings,’ says interior designer Emma SimsHilditch. ‘This fills the space and adds an element of drama.’

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PHOTOGRAPH (PATTERN MAKER) ANNA STATHAKI/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

NATALIA MIYAR, founder, Natalia Miyar Atelier

PHOTOGRAPH MARY WADSWORTH/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

RAISE THE BAR ‘Introducing a bar area within a dining room not only creates the perfect opportunity for after dinner drinks, but on a more practical level it adds useful storage to conceal the less decorative and more habitually used tableware and practical accessories,’ says Clara Ewart, head of design at Kitesgrove.

‘Painting the joinery in the same colour as the walls creates a sleek and minimalist look, one that does not distract the eye away from the design of the rest of the space,’ she adds. Opting for a dark and moody colour, such as the rich blue shade used here, results in an impactful and contrasting backdrop for favourite glassware or serveware or a collection of decorative objects. →

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Remember that lighting can be an effective way to create zones. A large and standout pendant will add a touch of drama and definition to an open-plan space, and make the dining area into a more significant part of the room. In this scheme, the ceiling light, from Arteriors, is almost as big as the table and echoes its shape for added impact. The play on form is carried through to the abstract design of the Sinclair Till rug and the beautiful curtains, which are in an upscaled paisley patterned fabric by Jim Thompson. The dining table is designed by Edward Collinson.

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PHOTOGRAPH SIMON BEVAN/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

LIGHT WORK

D ES IGN IDE A S

INSIDER INSIGHT THE KEY DECISIONS TO ACHIEVE A SMART DINING ROOM COLOUR AND PATTERN ‘Dining rooms

DECORATING THE TABLE If you have

should make a statement and have that wow-factor, being the perfect setting for a celebration for special

a table with a pretty patina leave it bare for a twist on a traditional winter setting and build up interest

meals,’ says Emma Deterding, founder of Kelling Designs. ‘Use a warm bold colour that cocoons you and makes you feel cosy and safe in the space, especially in winter as that’s when most of us use our dining rooms.’ Burgundy, blue and green are ideal hues and remember that lacquering paint will give a reflective quality, bouncing more light into the space.

with linens and accessories, says interior designer Birdie Fortescue. ‘Napkins and place mats with a shaped edge can be a great way to introduce a fun element. Pick out the colours of your linens in the floral arrangements for a cohesive look.’ When it comes to flowers, dahlias in rich reds and autumnal ochres can look very effective. ‘For an opulent touch,

CREATING A MULTI-USE SPACE For

use silver candlesticks and clear glass vases to contrast with the texture of the table,’ adds Birdie.

a dining room to earn its keep, it has to work hard

– and that requires careful planning. Elements such as closed storage to hide office and homework clutter are crucial, as is finding a table with the appropriate surface – French polish will need to be covered by felt or a blanket. Adapt the lighting, too, says Helen Pett, design ambassador for Arteriors London.

‘Complementary wall lights on three of the four

CHOOSING A PENDANT If you’re looking

walls, for example, will allow for a sufficient spill of light while still adding a decorative element.’

to check the size of the new light against the current one. Alternatively, cut a circle of paper to represent the diameter and see if it looks right.’ &

TABLE PLANNING There are two key

questions when choosing the shape of a table, says Cassie Rowland, head of product at Neptune. ‘Firstly, where your table sits, and secondly, how you plan to use it.’ The lack of corners in a rounded top gives a smaller footprint that is ideal for compact rooms.

‘However, you can’t beat the impact and scale of a large rectangular table,’ she adds. A good tip is to take a lead from the room’s architecture – rectangular ones work well with elegant Georgian proportions.

for a light to hang in the centre of a dining room, then start with the size of that room, says Peter Legg, brand and product manager at Där Lighting. ‘The common mistake is to choose something that’s too small. There’s no substitute for seeing a light in place before deciding but, failing that, use a tape measure

“AN OVAL DINING TABLE IS GREAT FOR CONVERSATIONS AND ALSO HELPS TO SOFTEN ANGULAR SPACES” ANNA HAINES, founder, Anna Haines Design

THE SOURCEBOOK: LIGHTING, FURNITURE, ACCESSORIES AND TABLETOP POOKY A company that supplies design-led decorative lighting and lampshades, known for its affordable prices and wide, everexpanding choice of styles. pooky.com

SEBASTIAN COX This award-winning London-based bespoke fine furniture designer creates beautiful pieces using English wood from sustainable sources. sebastiancox.co.uk

SOHO HOME The interiors collection that includes furniture, lighting, tableware and accessories, created for and inspired by the various Soho Houses. sohohome.com

SUMMERILL & BISHOP Creator of unusual and original table settings, from glassware and serveware to decorative accessories, cutlery, napkins and tablecloths. summerillandbishop.com

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S HOP P ING

A GUIDE TO BU YING A F FORDA BL E A RT FINDING ORIGINAL PIECES THAT RESONATE PERSONALLY WILL ADD A BEAUTIFUL NARRATIVE TO YOUR HOME BUILDING A COLLECTION ‘Gallery

to buy prints or limited editions. Thanks to social media – and, in particular Instagram, which connects artists and clients without a gallery middleman – the market has exploded with opportunities. Works can start from as little as $100. And it’s not always about finding the next Rothko or Hockney, it’s about

walls can feel personal and cosy – and are a great way of displaying a collection of art,’ says interior decorator Leonora Hamill, who works on projects between New York and London. ‘I often hang an arrangement of framed work on paper with the odd small textile on a stretcher in a hall or above a sofa or

discovering a piece of art that you love.

chest of drawers. Even if a work isn’t valuable it usually looks great surrounded by other art. The secret is to reframe small pieces. A new frame goes a long way.’

HOW TO START When building a collection,

one tip is to start small – literally. Smaller works typically have a more modest price tag, offering the opportunity to add more pieces. ‘A beautifully chosen grouping of bijou works is chic, chic, chic!’ says Jennifer Conner of the Affordable Art Fair UK, who also runs her own gallery After Nyne Contemporary.

‘It’s hard to go wrong as long as you really connect with the work (and stick within your budget).’

INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION ‘Instagram

is the obvious place to start a search for an affordable piece,’ says interior designer Anna Hewitson, who studied fine art before training at the KLC School of Design. ‘Follow Art for Charity Collective, a brilliant organisation raising money for charity,’ she says. Her favourite other sources include Partnership Editions (see below) and the Medium Room. ‘It’s worth looking at Etsy, eBay and auction websites such as The Saleroom, where you can pick up real bargains.’

ONLINE GALLERIES One outcome of the

PREDICTING VALUE Value can be judged

precisely and subjectively: in the first instance there is market precedent and more subjectively value increases when something is of importance to you, for example completing an interior or a set. ‘Rarity, quality, condition and provenance all play their part in adding value, it is important to assess how much these matter and factor them in,’ says Thomas Del Mar, who runs specialist auction house Olympia Auctions in London.

BUYING AT AUCTION Most auction

houses host online auctions where you can download a virtual paddle and start bidding. Among the newcomers and focussing on the affordable end of the market is AucArt, which has pieces by rising international talent either to buy at auction or at a fixed price. It represents UK artists who have just graduated from art college and they receive a 70% commission on pieces purchased through the platform.

pandemic was a service to work virtually with clients to find pieces for particular rooms. Galleries either pivoted or began to offer a service that is a hybrid of interior design and art-buying advice. Art consultant

THE NEXT GENERATION Keep an eye

Georgia Spray spotted an opportunity to improve access to the art world when she started Partnership Editions in 2017. Turned off by websites selling art in quantity rather than quality, she launched her own curated approach showcasing artists she liked.

Fine Art, Camberwell College of Arts and Central Saint Martins. In two or three years they could be represented by a commercial gallery and their pieces may rocket in value, so buying before that point is a savvy move. &

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on graduates and degree shows at the major art schools – London has some of the best in the world, including the Royal College of Art, Slade School of

FEATURE ARABELLA YOUENS PHOTOGRAPH (SITTING ROOM) BRENT DARBY

FOR many years, the easiest way to access art was

ONLINE RESOURCES Affordable Art Fair Started in London in 1999, this is now a global event, taking place in locations from New York to Sydney, as well as a new virtual fair.

The Other Art Fair This is one of the world’s leading art fairs bringing art lovers together with the best emerging artists. Shop from thousands of artwork in person, online or in its virtual fair worlds.

Artfinder Founded in London in 2013, this is an online marketplace for original art from around the globe. There are over 200,000 pieces to choose from.

Uprise Art This SoHo-based contemporary gallery has a specific filter for works of art worth under $800 (some are for sale for as little as $80).

Art Gazette A curated platform based in London and Cape Town offering work by more than 450 artists, from graduates to more established names.

(above left) A preview of paintings before a sale at Olympia Auctions in west London

(above right) Designer Anna Hewitson sourced this Edwardian lithograph for a Soho home (right) Georgia Spray founded Partnership Editions in 2017, which showcases exciting emerging artists

T H E C R A F T C A M PA IG N WITH 2022 MARKING TEN YEARS OF THE NEW CRAFTSMEN, CREATIVE DIRECTOR CATHERINE LOCK BRINGS US THE STORY SO FAR

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. I am a Sussex girl – I grew up with

the Bloomsbury group’s Charleston and the arts and crafts house Standen on my doorstep, and spent holidays discovering the nooks and crannies of National Trust properties with my family. I trained in fashion design but moved into the more relaxed world of homeware with my first job at Habitat.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE NEW CRAFTSMEN CAME ABOUT? Having

had 15 years creating in the Far East, I needed to

find meaning in ‘things’ again and set out on a road trip around the British Isles in search of authentic objects and making traditions rooted in a place – along with the people who made them. I was brought together with the people who were going to become my business partners, who had identified that makers need a solid, imaginative and commercial

AS A CURATOR, WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTALS YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER? The most important factor in

decision-making is that the piece, in my view, is beautiful (a much underestimated quality!), skilfully made, enduring in quality and aesthetic, and radiates the personality and individuality of the maker through its unique sensibility and narrative. Makers and I will have discussions about their ambitions, how they would like to develop their practice, and what role an existing or new collection may have in this.

WHY IS CRAFT IMPORTANT TO YOU? My motivation is to allow and encourage

people to connect with – and express – the creativity that we are all born with. For many makers, they would not feel complete if they did not have a channel for this – and it certainly helps if they can make a sustained income from their endeavours.

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WHERE DO YOU GO TO DISCOVER NEW CRAFTERS? It is often the makers

I currently work with who will recommend new talents. I trust and respect their taste and opinions when I love what they do! I also try to attend some of the key fairs and graduate shows – and if I’m after something particularly, search engines are my friend.

CAN YOU THINK OF A MAKER WHO IS DOING SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING AT THE MOMENT? We have just launched a new

collection by five makers that is inspired by the magnificent Holkham Hall in Norfolk. Illustrator and ceramicist Laura Carlin, at our suggestion, bravely stepped into an entirely new area for her – bronze casting. This involved Laura sculpting a myriad of models and working closely with our production manager and the Welsh foundry to have them transformed into metal forms and then a mirror. We are all very proud of this!

FEATURE JO BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHS (PORTRAIT) GARETH HACKER; (GREEN TILED UNIT) HARRY CROWDER; (OTHER IMAGES) GENEVIEVE LUTKIN

platform for selling and marketing their works – one that enabled them to get on with the job of making.

And so, The New Craftsmen was born nine years ago.

N EWS

Pendant light

by Annemarie O’Sullivan; table by Edward Collinson; chairs by Gareth Neal

TELL US WHAT THE NEXT BIG THING IN CRAFT IS. It seems to me that there is much interest in turning and whittling wood, and also basket-making. Maybe this goes hand in hand with our fascination for foraging and being immersed in nature.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON COLLECTING? I would recommend that

people start with what they love, rather than pieces they feel may be a worthwhile investment, and always buy the best quality you can afford.

Developing a good relationship with artists’ galleries will give you first dibs on new works, which are frequently in short supply.

LASTLY, WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE FOR THE NEW CRAFTSMEN FOR 2022? It is a big year as we will be celebrating

Cabinet by Matthew Raw

our 10th anniversary and we have a plethora of projects bubbling away. We will be celebrating the great traditions of craft throughout the year, along with the fantastic community that we are lucky enough to be a member of. & ■

The New Craftsmen, thenewcraftsmen.com

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

Three newcomers to know @maccollins__ – dynamic, intelligent and contemporary furniture designer-maker. @nelfaulknerpots – ceramicist with a great sense of fun. @thebackwardvendor – sculptural, innovative approach to working with leather (launching for Christmas).

Most treasured piece A slipware bowl I bought from renowned potter Clive Bowen while on my craft trip. I eat out of it every morning and its earthiness seems to have a grounding effect on me before a busy day.

Favourite name from the craft world Bernard Leach (1887-1979), who drew on both Japanese and British traditions. He recognised the beauty in everyday, functional pottery by unknown craftsmen, as well as the more individual expressions created by potters. His principles form the basis of studio pottery traditions in this country and beyond.

The New Craftsmen’s Mayfair showroom

The pieces that inspires you The Wild Beast table and Comet light by ceramicist James Rigler. He has channelled the spirit of place through these pieces brilliantly and has demonstrated why he is increasingly popular with collectors.

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COLOUR OF THE MONTH VIBRANT AND IMPACTFUL, EMERALD GREEN IS A JOYOUS HUE THAT CAN DELIVER DIFFERENT LOOKS – THINK UPBEAT AND MODERN AND EVEN CLASSIC AND REGAL. HERE, INTERIORS INSIDERS REVEAL WHY THEY ARE EMBRACING THIS JEWEL TONE

This showstopping green was inspired by the neoclassical architect and designer Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

Wall in Schinkel Green, £49.95 for 2.5ltr, Annie Sloan

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D ES IGN IDE A S

‘Emerald green packs a full but at the same time an

‘When decorating with this bright shade recently,

understated punch. It can transport you to the cool tiled floors of Marrakech or to the traditional drawing room of a late 18th-century Georgian mansion, and it’s being used more and more in interiors today. This colour works with anything and is bang up to date.’

I was after a very specific kind of green. You know how in the early days of spring, after a long winter, fields of grass can look so vivid they appear almost artificial? That’s the shade I was after! It works well with a subdued brown or pale blue.’

DAVID HARRIS, design director, Andrew Martin

LUKE EDWARD HALL, founder, Luke Edward Hall

‘Don’t fight a room being small and dark: often it

‘This colour pairs well with gold, black and white

works really well to embrace strong colours instead.

A striking yet warm green on the walls will have the effect of creating an intimate and cosy space.’

because it’s so strong and lively. Don’t overcomplicate schemes with this shade and let it take centre stage.

Purples, lilacs and pale blues would make wonderful tonal companions because it’s a true green. Pastel pinks will contrast fabulously and could be used to suggest a brilliantly Instagrammable, Wes Anderson-esque, grand millennial space.’

KATHARINE PARAVICINI, founder, Katharine Paravicini Interior Design

FEATURE ARABELLA YOUENS PHOTOGRAPHS (PAINTED DETAILS) BENOIT LINERO; (SATURATION POINT) JENNIFER MORGAN CREATIVE; (SPACE ILLUSION) JONATHAN BOND

‘Emerald green is a wonderful colour for a kitchen.

I first saw it used by Kelly Wearstler for Cameron Diaz’s Manhattan home, which inspired me to paint my own kitchen in London in a really vibrant

ANNIE SLOAN, colour specialist, Annie Sloan Interiors

green, too. Bold colours make me happy. To add some movement and depth, I recommend using two layers of different hues of green on the cabinetry.’

bold, up the impact by painting the walls, doors and trim all the same hue to create an intense, enveloping feeling, as if you were inside a jewelled box.’

SARAH VANRENEN, co-founder, Vanrenen GW Designs

JASMINE BIBLE, founder, Jasmine Bible Design

PAINTED DETAILS The deep green Luke Edward Hall has used on the panelling makes the vintage pieces from French and English markets, the toile de Jouy wallpaper and the geometric floor sing. Walls in Village Green, Papers and Paints. 1940s lounge chairs in striped silk, Dedar Milano

‘I adore this vibrant green. When using a colour this

SATURATION POINT This green, in a scheme by Jasmine Bible Design, helps to establish a harmonious connection with the trees outside, but it also looks thoroughly modern teamed with black and white. Walls in Matcha Latte, Clare Paint. Black and white painted floors, Rust-Oleum

SPACE ILLUSION Katharine Paravicini embraced a strong, jewel-like hue in a small and narrow sitting room, broken up by a bay window to create an illusion of space. Walls in Invisible Green, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. Sofa upholstered in Lost and Found, Christopher Farr Cloth &

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THE ART OF INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE LATEST IN OUR SERIES, TIFFANY DUGGAN OF STUDIO DUGGAN AND TROVE TALKS THE PERFECT GUEST ROOM, LAYERED LIGHTING AND CONFIDENT COLOUR

SUCCESSFUL LIGHT SCHEMES THE first thing I do when

planning lighting is to find places in a space for table lamps, sconces, picture lights, pendants, floor lamps and desk lights – decorative elements come first.

When lighting, imagine what you’ll be doing in that space. If you’ll be reading in an armchair, you need a floor lamp. Dimmers are essential so you can set the mood and use several lights, but all on low.

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I use as few spotlights as possible.

They have their place, but if you rely on them for the bulk of light you’re just blanket lighting, rather than working with thought or care.

Once decorative positions are decided, fill any gaps with more architectural lighting like spotlights.

Rather than blanket lighting, instead make sure a light is either going to be useful or else illuminating something pretty, like using a picture light to highlight artwork or wall sconces to show off wallpaper.

Use a mix of decorative lighting for a warm glow

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Be careful with LED strip lighting and go for a subtle approach by choosing a warm tone. Cupboard lighting is often overlooked; I use LED strip lighting in cupboards on a PIR, so it comes on when you open the door. It’s a little touch that makes everyday life a bit smoother.

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The colour of a lampshade changes the light a lot. Anything with a pink or red base will filter light in a much more warm way – I love lining my lampshades with

Glass globe lights give a colder feeling light but absolutely have their place in hallways or above kitchen islands, rather than bedrooms or living rooms which are

pink to create a soft, romantic glow.

better with a more diffused light. →

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WHERE I BUY LIGHTING I love using the patterned silk lampshades from Samarkand Design. Alice Palmer & Co has lovely shades, too. I buy a lot of vintage and antique lights from Les Puces in Paris, 1stDibs and eBay – just be aware that you might need to get them rewired.

FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT PHOTOGRAPH (LIVING ROOM) MARIELL LIND HANSEN

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D ES IGN IDE A S

BE BOLDER WITH COLOUR COLOUR is a personal thing, so

it’s important to be surrounded by the amount and types that feel right to you. People tend to be braver with their clothes than they are in their homes. If you have a lot of colour in your wardrobe, you should probably have a lot in your house as well.

If you’re not sure where to start, choose a rug or sofa with several colours and let it guide you. Pick out ■

the colours you like and use in the rest of the room. Just ensure you add in a few unexpected pops to prevent

Extra touches in a room, like fresh flowers, will make visitors feel special

the space from feeling too ‘done’.

WELCOMING GUEST ROOMS FIRST make sure you have a really

comfortable bed and mattress. I like to use a mattress topper.

Matching your headboard to your divan makes a room feel more considered. Even if you already have a bed and a divan, you can buy a headboard and a matching valance to achieve the same look.

decanters and glasses, as well as a trinket bowl for jewellery. A quilt on the bed and blanket on a chair ensures the space feels cosy.

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Bedside tables should have enough space for big, decorative lamps that can become a feature in the room. Make sure to also include a wall reading light.

There’s no need to have a large wardrobe. Save space for an armchair or a desk and instead of having a chest of drawers – which could act as one of the bedside tables – put hooks on the door.

PHOTOGRAPH (BEDROOM) TROVE BY STUDIO DUGGAN

A welcoming guest room comes

down to the details. I like to include

Make your day-to-day life more colourful and interesting by adding colour to the backs of bookcases and inside drawers and cupboards.

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Don’t forget the ceiling. It doesn’t have to be that you’re making a huge impact, maybe just go for the palest shade of your wall colour, or something else that feels tonal.

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I don’t agree with doing a neutral room and then adding in a few bright pieces. It feels more jarring than using colour in a bigger way.

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Create a layered palette with Paint & Paper Library’s colour chart - it has several tones of each colour, giving you an easy starting point. & ■

Like when you’re in a hotel, you’re happy to have an experience that’s different to one you’d have at home, so you can make a statement.

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Small repeat wallpapers are lovely as they’re easy to live with but more interesting than a plain wall.

WHERE I BUY GUEST-ROOM PIECES I use beds and headboards from Trove. I love the plush, quilted eiderdowns Anouska Cave sells through Cave Interiors. My favourite wallpapers are Soane’s Seraphic Star, Pierre Frey’s Le Manach and Braquenié, as well as Lake August’s Nasturtium.

WHERE I BUY PAINT For dusky pinks, I love Edward Bulmer’s Jonquil and Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster. I’m into deep aubergines, too, like Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal and Paint & Paper Library’s Georgetown. For the perfect green-blue, try Paint & Paper Library’s Salvia. Little Greene and Atelier Ellis are my other most-used brands.

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RISING TO THE OCCASION In this Aspen chalet, designer Sandra Nunnerley has honoured its surroundings while still imbuing it with a sophistication that is masterful WORDS JULIET BENNING PRODUCTION AND STYLING MICHAEL REYNOLDS PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO

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SITTING ROOM A fleece bench adds a touch of mountain style amid the modern forms of the furnishings.

Floor lamp, RBW. Bench, 1stDibs. Bespoke chair, Sandra Nunnerley. Art, Zheng Chongbin

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SITTING ROOM Luxurious velvet upholstery in rich jewel tones brings additional character to this calm scheme where the view is the main attraction.

Bespoke daybeds, armchairs and sofa, Sandra Nunnerley. Ceramic stools, Comerford Collection

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here are few Aspen chalets more

her education. ‘I think my background in fine art

rooted in their magnificent surroundings than one of architect Alan Wanzenberg’s latest creations built into the side of a mountain. A change of heart from the original clients meant the nearly completed project was a blank canvas for the new owners, an Olympic yachtsman and American horse breeder, as well as their

and architecture gives depth to my work. I love bringing the past and the future together with style.’

The future was on her mind when designing the chalet and, in particular, the way it would look in many years’ time. ‘The wood-pulp rugs are virtually indestructible,’ she says – a key consideration for a floor covering in high-traffic, boot-trodden areas. For

three adult children and grandchildren. They turned to New Zealand-born, New York-based interior designer Sandra Nunnerley. ‘I’d worked previously on their horse

upholstery, Sandra chose plenty of thick and resilient wool flannel, while the jewel tone of the mohair daybeds in the sitting room strike a more glamorous

farm in Maryland, so I was familiar with their style and the way they live,’ she explains. ‘The project was only partially finished so it was like completing a jigsaw.’

Sport has always been high on her clients’ agenda.

‘They are an incredibly active family. They run marathons, play polo and love to ski. In fact, the house is at the bottom of some of the hardest

note. ‘I opted for lots of fabrics that are lovely to the touch. Plenty of cashmere, felt, wool and leather. The delicious butterscotch leather of the rocking chairs will age beautifully,’ she adds. In the games and boot room the simple warmth of oak adds a character that is set to develop more charm as the time passes.

Sandra has fine-tuned the internal scheme into a

pistes on the mountain,’ Sandra says.

The family, all of whom Sandra describes as ‘living comfortably around the world’, gather at the chalet for big get-togethers where days on the mountain are finished with long social evenings. ‘It was a priority to create a comfortable chalet that could stand up to the numbers of guests, but at the same time reflect my clients’ great sense of style,’ Sandra says.

Eager not to fall into what she calls ‘ye olde lodge’ trap, where too much cosiness can become twee, Sandra chose a refined scheme that still addresses the mountain landscape. ‘I have used hides and sheepskin, shearlings and antler, but I wanted to do this in a refined way so there is a reference to the surroundings without it being too overbearing.’

Arriving in New York to find a job in the art world

home primed for relaxation and comfort, while also paying tribute to the mountain’s magnificence. ‘We optimised every room according to the view, from the daybeds and sofa in the sitting room to the cosy window seat in the main bedroom,’ Sandra says. ‘The colours are never bland, such as the custom-mixed Blue Spruce paint in the hallway, and reflect the surroundings. Everything is in homage to the mountain.’

The combination of bespoke furnishings and contemporary artwork and ceramic sculptures bring a level of sophistication that is never at the expense of comfort. Like the breathtaking landscape on its doorstep, this chalet is set to stand the test of time, resilient, strong and true. &

after studying architecture at The University of Sydney, Sandra attributes her interior design style to

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Sandra Nunnerley, nunnerley.com. Find Sandra’s

furniture collection at the Maison Gerard Gallery, New York, maisongerard.com, or 1stDibs, 1stdibs.co.uk

“I INFUSE MY PROJECTS WITH BEAUTY AND ELEGANCE BUT NEVER AT THE EXPENSE OF COMFORT AND LIVEABILITY”

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DINING ROOM The artistic chandelier focuses the eye on the space’s lofty proportions.

Bespoke table and chairs, Sandra Nunnerley. Sculpture

by Anne Currier. Chandelier, Townsend Design

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WINE ROOM Contemporary pendants bring are a modern foil to the rustic alpinestyle furnishings.

Stilnovo pendant lights, 1stDibs. Vintage chair, Maison Gerard. Artwork

by Tania Dibbs KITCHEN The dark end wall gives an impression of depth. Pale oak cabinetry pairs well with the beams, anchored by granite worktops.

Tibet bar stools, M2L. Oversized vase, Chris Gustin

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MAIN BATHROOM Sheepskin rugs and heavy flannel curtains offset the pared-back look of the wood.

Similar large sheepskins, The Rug Seller. Artwork by Keith Haring. Bespoke side table, Sandra Nunnerley

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MAIN BEDROOM A simple scheme allows the large-scale painting to impress. Neutral blue walls are warmed by the blush shade of the custom designed flannel bed.

Artwork (above bed) by George Condo. Large-scale painting, Tessa Whitehead.

Similar paint colour, Porcelain V, Paint & Paper Library

MEET THE DESIGNER

Sandra Nunnerley shares her style vision and loves

SECRET ADDRESS Maison Gerard for my

own furniture collection and Rose Tarlow for fabrics.

GREATEST INDULGENCE Working with luxurious textured fabrics. For this project we used a lot of Loro Piana.

SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT Moving the

dining room into the ‘great room’ in the kitchen. Making the former dining room into a wine tasting room.

GO-TO COLOUR There’s not one I don’t like.

Every colour is appropriate in the right setting.

DESIGN HEROES Many design heroines…

Chessy Rayner and Mica Ertegun of MAC II, who understood elegant living combined with art and beautiful objects. Gabriella Crespi, artist designer of furniture and interiors. Eileen Gray, architect, interior designer and her lacquer work… beyond brilliant.

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MERRY, JOYFUL & LIGHT The Georgian townhouse owned and restored by interior designer Laura Butler-Madden is the perfect setting for a sparkling Christmas WORDS AND STYLING MARY WEAVER PHOTOGRAPHY PAUL RAESIDE

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KITCHEN ‘Not only is banquette seating space-saving but here it adds lovely texture, too,’ says Laura.

Banquette, bespoke in velvet from Designers Guild. Table by Laura Butler-Madden. Artwork

by Kristin Gaudio Endsley.

Wall lights, Bert Frank.

Pink candlesticks; place mats, all Ollie & Co. Clear candlesticks, Issy Granger

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hristmas is a time to relax for

kitchen and three bathrooms plus plumbing, wiring

interior designer Laura ButlerMadden, husband Patrick and their three-year-old daughter Lily. ‘It can be hugely stressful if you put too much pressure on the day, so we allow ourselves to take it slowly with early morning stockings, followed by a leisurely breakfast then a sociable stroll with both families – Patrick’s visit from Madrid each year. Lunch comes

and redecoration throughout took an impressive six months. ‘We spent time on advance planning to avoid hold-ups but stayed flexible, as you need to, finessing the details as work progressed,’ she says.

The couple – Patrick is a co-director of their interior design business, as well as a property renovation company they run together – have been working in tandem for 11 years. They have

late, around 4pm or 5pm, with an Anglo-Spanish meal combining traditional British turkey with Iberian delicacies like aged hams and piquant olives.

remodelled ten houses in the last decade, so they are constantly refining what works for them and clients alike. ‘We installed a ‘butler’s pantry’, with extra

The couple had completed work on their Georgian townhouse in Bath just before last Christmas, so this year they’re more settled and able to fully enjoy it.

‘We fell for the house because of its architectural history and saw the scope to breathe new life into it without fundamentally changing its bones,’ says Laura. ‘No extensions, nor knocking down walls,

elements like a dishwasher, oven, sink and fridge, in a room off the kitchen for the first time,’ says Laura, ‘which allowed the kitchen itself to be more elegant in design terms and more of a room to enjoy. It works so well I think this idea will become a zeitgeist of our time, in the way that dressing rooms have.’

How is it for them being both client and designer?

just a considered update to enhance its beauty and make it comfortable and practical for modern living.’

Also part of the house’s appeal was its unusual layout, with two levels below the ground floor kitchen and sitting rooms, and two more above. ‘We didn’t want the kitchen in the basement with Lily’s room miles away at the top of the house,’ says Laura.

‘In this home we live in the middle, sleep above and have spaces for guests and a cinema room below.’

Tucked away in a hidden row of period properties, just off the centre of the city, the house had been converted into two flats when they bought it. ‘We had to get planning permission to turn it back into a single dwelling, then, during lockdown, working around the availability of builders and supplies was a challenge, but the total revamp, including the new

‘We try to take each new project to the next level, and this definitely involves coming out of our comfort zone,’ she says. ‘I’m still nervous until the last minute, waiting to see if my vision works in reality!’

The bywords for Laura’s designs are elegance, comfort and calm, which are perfectly reflected in this home where Georgian curves and period features are allowed to be the heroes, enhanced by magnificent yet understated materials and a soft colour palette. Pale woods, aged brass and exquisite marbles happily co-exist with 18th-century design sensibilities – it’s as if the house has given its approval.

‘This is a home that excites us and feels like a calm haven at same time – the dream,’ says Laura. & ■

Laura Butler-Madden, laurabutlermadden.com

“WE HAVE ALWAYS LOVED GEORGIAN STYLE AND THIS HOUSE WAS THE DREAM – STUNNING ARCHITECTURE COMBINED WITH A LAYOUT THAT COULD WORK WELL FOR OUR FAMILY”

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KITCHEN ‘We spend a lot of time here, so I wanted the space to have an elegant look rather than that of a full-on functional kitchen,’ says Laura.

Marble surfaces, La Dolce Vita from Porter Bathroom.

Cabinets and ladder, Blakes London. Gebrüder Thonet Vienna bar stool, Matter of Stuff. Walls in Kensington Rose, Mylands.

Four-wick candle, Heloise O’Hagan

BUTLER’S PANTRY This was previously an unnecessary ground floor bathroom. The dishwasher, fridge and oven are in here, which lets the kitchen be more elegant in design terms.

Carnival wallpaper, Christopher Farr Cloth.

Sink, Shaws of Darwen.

Tap, Perrin & Rowe. Light, Pooky. Flowers, FlOWERBX

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SITTING ROOM ‘We deliberately kept this room, which is adjacent to the kitchen, small and made it cosy in an elegant way – cosy doesn’t have to mean dark and moody,’ says Laura. ‘We also added elements of fun to make the space playful and not too serious.’

Walls in Sloane Square, Mylands. Marble fire

surround, Marmorea Battersea. Mansion Weave flooring in Mineral 3 by Trunk Floor. Frieda rug in bespoke colours, The Rug Company. Christmas tree, skirt and baubles, The White Company. Side table, Soho Home. Frame TV by Samsung. Gubi Pacha chair; covered in La Maison Pierre Frey fabric.

Lamp, Jonathan Adler. Art, Marcela Butler-Madden

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MEET THE DESIGNER-OWNER

Laura Butler-Madden shares her style vision and loves

MOST SUCCESSFUL PART OF THE PROJECT The main bathroom – I am obsessed

with the marble shower!

BIGGEST INDULGENCE The marble in

the house – we found some beautiful natural stones to use in this project and they make a statement.

SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT

Re-opening the original Georgian doorway between the sitting room and the kitchen.

GO-TO BRAND La Maison Pierre Frey for

stunning fabrics and fun/bold wallpapers. My schemes are quite calm and pared back and these elements make such a difference to the overall feel.

DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORDS Elegant, calm and fresh.

DESIGN HEROES Architect Joseph Dirand and designer Kelly Wearstler.

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MAIN BATHROOM ‘Creating a fully marble shower pushed us out of our comfort zone but now I feel so much joy whenever I look at it,’ says Laura.

Walls in Holland Park by Mylands. Shower in Rosa Antico marble; brassware, all Porter Bathroom

MAIN BEDROOM This is a combination of feminine curves and masculine lines.

Walls in Hoxton Grey no 72, Mylands. Bedhead and bedside table, bespoke by The Sofa & Chair Company.

Art (over bed), Kristin Gaudio Endsley. Hanging light, Bert Frank

MAIN BATHROOM Laura’s aim was to create a modern vanity unit, focusing on marble, that would complement the period features.

Vanity unit in Rosa Antico marble; mirrored cabinets; wall lights, all Porter Bathroom, designed with Laura Butler-Madden

BEAUTIFUL SOUTH There’s a wonderful sense of style and relaxed elegance in this hilltop home in Alabama – all courtesy of designer Sean Anderson WORDS RORY ROBERTSON PHOTOGRAPHY HARIS KENJAR

H OUSE S THE GREAT ROOM Raw materials – wood, concrete, steel – look sleek here because of their sculptural quality.

Bespoke black concrete coffee table, Birmingham Concrete Design. Gregoire sofa, Verellen. Large Arrow 3 pendants, Apparatus.

Elliot chairs, De La Espada.

Rug, Moattar

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SUN ROOM The curtains enhance the golden glow and the dark ceiling is a clever twist for a space like this.

Curtains, Design Industry

by Grant Trick. Chair with wood arms, Lee Industries.

Spindle chair, Nickey Kehoe. Sofa, Sean Anderson

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aving struck up a rapport with the clients Mark and Nancy

Peeples, a couple of emptynesters looking for a relaxed but elegant home in the US city of Birmingham, Memphis-based designer Sean Anderson knew that he wanted to create a house infused with what he terms ‘Californian organic modern style’, intermingled with restrained, classic touches. ‘The house was constructed on one of the highest points in the city between two stone-built stately homes, both dating back to the early 1900s,’ Sean says. It’s for this reason, he explains, that Mark and Nancy were

and natural woven rugs. At the heart of the home

keen for the home to have ‘a sense of permanence’, looking as though it had been there all along.

The materials – exposed stone, limestone, slate – used both inside and out give this new build an appealing architectural aesthetic. They also reflect Mark’s love of nature. ‘Mark spends a lot of time at their ranch in Montana,’ says Sean. In addition, they

lies The Great Room, which, Sean says, proved the greatest challenge. ‘When you, as a designer, are faced with the task of seating, say, 20 people comfortably over the span of a living space that size, while also creating a space where all 20 of those people still feel connected and involved with one another, that can be a tall order.’

combine to form the perfect backdrop to showcase Mark’s ‘treasures’, accumulated over many years of collecting, including prized pieces of sculpture and wall art. Meanwhile, slim-steel window frames maximise the glass, showing off the incredible views.

The layout of the house has been designed to be flexible and cope with large groups of visiting friends and family and, as a result, most of the main public spaces are open plan. ‘My clients wanted their home to be a place where anyone who enters could feel comfortable. The intention was to create a space that could feel like a vacation every day,’ says Sean.

A restrained colour palette (Sean has largely used Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore and deep pops of Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams) allows the warmth of the natural blonde stone to sing, complemented by sophisticated touches of white and cream textiles

Sean made ‘very few adjustments’ to the architect’s proposed layout for the build. However, it was the addition of a screened porch area off the kitchen into a contrasting dark-painted sun room with floor-toceiling windows that, Sean notes, ‘has turned out being one of the most frequently used rooms in the entire home’. Sean also subtly tweaked the staircase, opting to give it a smoother, more organic presence.

Looking ahead, Sean has an array of residential interior design projects in Florida, New York City and Utah. However, he’s most excited about some downtime. ‘I’m looking forward to my first vacation in nearly two years.’ Let’s hope he can channel some of the relaxed holiday atmosphere he has managed to so successfully instil into this Alabama home. & ■

Sean Anderson Design, seanandersondesign.com

“THE INTENTION WITH THIS HOUSE WAS TO DESIGN AND BUILD A HOME THAT FEELS LIKE A VACATION EVERY DAY”

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KITCHEN Calacatta Borghini marble elevates this otherwise rustic room.

Lou Lou wall sconce, The Urban Electric Co. Antique copper French lantern, 1stDibs. Antique Oushak runner, Eighteenth Street Orientals. Marble worktops, Cottage Supply Company

MEET THE DESIGNER

Sean Anderson shares his style inspiration and loves

BIGGEST INDULGENCE We installed a

private powder room with floors and walls covered in a Belgian bluestone tile with a Versailles pattern.

SECRET ADDRESS 2834 Culver Road,

Mountain Brook, AL 35223. It’s a beautiful little design store called Maison.

OBJECT YOU WILL NEVER PART WITH My arrowhead collection. I grew up on a

farm in rural Mississippi that has been in my family for three generations. Back when my grandfather was originally farming the land he would regularly unearth arrowheads as he tilled the soil. They’ve had a place everywhere I’ve lived, and will continue to as long as I’m around.

YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORDS

Soulful, collected, moody.

ETHOS TO LIVE BY

When in doubt, trust your gut!

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ENTRANCE HALLWAY Statement pieces make a good first impression.

A framed black and white landscape is carried perfectly by the substantial credenza.

Sean designed the organically shaped bespoke staircase.

Credenza, Sean Anderson Design. Stool, Restoration Hardware. Rug, Paige Albright Orientals. Bench in Tempera Gunmetal, Mark Alexander. Oscar 34 pendant light, Roman and Williams Guild

SNUG Antiques and collectibles bring another layer to the modern scheme.

Walls and ceiling in Iron Ore SW 7069, SherwinWilliams. L’Arc swivel wall light, Materia Designs.

Similar antique chest of drawers, Dixon Rye. Jaipur rug in Charcoal, Cavan Carpets

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MAIN BATHROOM The bath was built into the bay window with a luxurious Calacatta marble surround.

Try Marble City for Calacatta marble. Similar organic linen bath towel, La Redoute

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LAUNDRY ROOM A tabletop set into a window recess was created using black honed soapstone.

Westbury double wall sconces in polished nickel, Ralph Lauren for Visual Comfort. Dolly footstool, Hable for Hickory Chair

BEDROOM Texture and furnishings with patina keep the neutral scheme characterful.

Bed in a Sherwin-Williams natural linen; bench, both Grant Trick. Similar side table, The French House. Similar table lamp, Design Vintage

COME IN FROM THE COLD Design studio Dunning & Everard helped two poets turn their home on the windswept Yorkshire moors into something quite magical WORDS JULIET BENNING PHOTOGRAPHY BRENT DARBY

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KITCHEN The all-over rich moss green is like a warm embrace. The blind fabric is bespoke and features curlews, one of owners Lydia and Nick’s favourite birds.

Blind fabric, Isabel Kimbell Design. Bespoke cabinets, The English Joinery Company; painted in Messel by Mylands

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KITCHEN The zingy lime colour of the zellige-tile splashback adds a punchy variation to the uniform green.

Zellige tiles, Habibi Interiors. Bobbin chairs, Julian Chichester. Glass pendant lights, Pooky

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G

iven their inclination to write poetry inspired by the natural

cottages, so over the course of two years it was reorganised to give it a more logical layout and flow.

world, Lydia Macpherson and Nick MacKinnon’s move to the windswept Yorkshire moors seemed an obvious transition. When Nick retired from his job as a teacher at Winchester College, the couple, who are both poets, found themselves free to return to the landscape that Lydia’s family had inhabited for generations.

The kitchen, which had been in two parts divided by ‘a perilous set of stairs’ was levelled by digging down.

By adding a sunroom, the space took on an L-shaped form with the extension providing jaw-dropping views from its huge windows. Elsewhere, in the drawing room, a mezzanine-level ‘minstrels’ gallery’ was removed, allowing the vaulted ceiling to impress with

The property Lydia and Nick bought sits at the end of a track that climbs the hill towards Top Withens, the abandoned farm whose remote location before

its full height. Outside, a breeze-block-lined storage barn was transformed into three guest bedrooms.

The decorating palette was designed to reflect the

the stark and glorious moors beckon is said to have inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. ‘It was pretty much an impulse buy,’ Lydia admits. ‘We were staying with my family and walking to Top Withens one day when we noticed the house was for sale. We bought it intending to use it as a holiday home, but as Nick was retiring we decided we would live here

surrounding countryside. Mossy green is a strong accent colour, while burnt orange reflects dry bracken and purples and mauves pay homage to the heather. ‘Being here is very inspiring to us as poets.

We’re both lyrical in our style and write a lot about the natural world. We’ve never lived anywhere where you are so in contact with nature, every minute of

full time. It was once owned by my four-times great-uncle in the 1800s and my family all live within a few miles, so we’re extremely well rooted.’

Calling upon the expertise of interior and architectural designer Stephanie Dunning of Dunning & Everard, the couple embarked upon a renovation and interior overhaul. ‘Stephanie had designed our home in central Winchester, and she and the project manager Peter kept making trips up here to oversee our team of local builders. By the January of 2020 it was finished,’ says Lydia.

Although they had intended to stay in Winchester until the end of the summer, Lydia and Nick hastily packed their belongings into a van and headed north when the lockdown was announced in March. The Yorkshire house had once been three separate

every day. You can watch the dramatic weather sweep past, moving across the landscape and at night the skies are so starry,’ Lydia says. ‘Quite often our only companions are birds and animals.’

Then again, such splendid isolation in such a beautiful location can’t last forever and the couple are bracing themselves for the arrival of plenty of guests. ‘Nick and I have five sons between us and friends from all over the world who are longing to visit, so we need to be able to accommodate plenty of people,’ explains Lydia. From solitude to the company of their large family and many friends, the house is now perfectly suited to both extremes of Lydia and Nick’s lifestyle. & ■

Dunning & Everard, dunningandeverard.com

“OUR BEDROOM HAS A TRIPLE ASPECT SO YOU CAN LIE IN BED AND SEE THE MOORS SURROUNDING YOU”

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DRAWING ROOM Inspired by the heather on the moors, the paint finish changes colour according to the light and time of day.

Specialist paint by Sean Oldham. Chandelier, Visual Comfort. Bespoke mauve sofa, Dunning & Everard.

Similar fire surround, Lassco or Chesneys

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DRAWING ROOM Velvet upholstery evokes a sumptuous mood, while the tall lamp bases add to the sense of grandeur.

Table lamps, Richard Taylor Designs. Artwork

by Lionel Bulmer

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BARN BEDROOM A wall-to-ceiling brooding paint colour is lifted by a mustard yellow on the woodwork.

Walls in Down Pipe; door and architrave in India Yellow, both Farrow & Ball. Chandelier, Pooky. Bedspreads, Melin Tregwynt

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BEDROOM Blue accents enrich this calming scheme where the huge, indulgent bed is the focus of the room.

Bed, TurnPost. Chandelier, Pooky. Walls in Old White, Farrow & Ball. Lamp base, Vaughan. Lampshade, Porta Romana. Bedside table, Chelsea Textiles

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DRESSED TO IMPRESS THIS STUNNING SEASONAL DISPLAY BY ACCLAIMED FLORIST PHILIPPA CRADDOCK WILL MAKE FOR A VERY MERRY MANTELPIECE

Use foliage and flowers that are freely available at this time of year to make a feature of your fire surround

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D ES IGN IDE A S

YOU WILL NEED Try to source the below from local growers. You can find a good list of growers throughout the UK via Flowers from the Farm.

3 x long lengths of hazel branches with catkins 5 x smaller hazel branches with catkins 5 x generous handfuls cotoneaster 5 x generous handfuls mixed acacia/mimosa 25 x stems Chamelaucium Adi (Knop) 10 x stems Hellebores aarendelle ‘Mara Red’ 20 x stems Talinum ‘Long John’

TOOLS Buckets to hold water, to condition stems Scissors and secateurs for cutting stems Screws or eye hooks, if fixing into a wall or wood Flexible, strong household wire or floristry reel wire, to secure branches Reusable plastic test tubes, to hold water 1. The first step is to condition the stems. Before you begin to create your design, give each branch with leaves and flowers a clean cut on an angle (this helps with greater water absorption) and plunge into deep clean buckets or vases of water. Leave them to drink for up to 48 hours, or 12 hours is fine; just make sure each stem has a really good drink.

2. Create the base structure using the large branches, remembering that the base mechanics work best when the structure is kept simple. Look for branches that have natural bends, extending up and to the right and finishing with natural splayed branches.

This will give an organic tree-like shape.

3. Stand the branches on the ground. Place simple screws or eye hooks into natural holes in the fire surround, then secure the branches to these using wire to firmly hold the base structure in place. Bear in mind that the catkins are important to the design – they stop the branches from appearing too sterile and bare, and add a beautiful finished detail.

4. Now it’s time to work in the first stems. As you add each stem, take care to follow the movement of the base branches, with stems flowing in the same direction to maintain the organic shape. The cotoneaster has relatively hardy stems and can be simply wired onto the branches, positioned evenly through the design, without access to water.

5. Next add the mixed acacia stems. First place any delicate ones in small test tubes filled with water,

then wire into place in the branches, hiding the tubes.

6. Put the hellebore stems into test tubes of water, then place securely into the branches without wiring, to make daily access to the test tubes easy. The hellebores really make this design – their petals add a perfect elegance and their colour works beautifully against the browns, greens and reds.

7. Finish with the delicate talinum stems, which bring overall lightness and texture to the design.

KEY DESIGN POINTS

Leave the bases of the branches clear, to give the effect of the design growing out from the floor.

■ It’s best to add only what’s needed, without increasing bulk, to maintain a sense of lightness.

■ The branches form a beautiful, minimalist design and can be left for a long period. The rest lasts a few days.

■ The fire was lit for this photo but not left unattended.

Never dangle any stem close to naked flames. & ■

“THE HELLEBORE PETALS ADD PERFECT ELEGANCE WHILE HAZEL CATKINS BRING A BEAUTIFUL FINISHED DETAIL”

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Piet and Anja Oudolf with dog Duffy at their home in Hummelo, the Netherlands

MY GARDEN LIFE Accla imed Dutch la nd scape a nd ga rden desig ner P iet O udolf is k now n for h is nat u ra list ic st yle a nd for major projec t s such a s the Hauser & W ir th ga l ler y i n Somerset a nd the Hig h L ine in Ne w Yo r k . He r e , h e t a l k s a b o u t w h e r e h e go e s f o r i n s p i r a t i o n 130 H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M

GAR DE NS

What inspired you to become a landscape designer?

In my 20s I worked in my parents’ bar and restaurant business but then decided I wanted to do something

“EACH PROJECT BECOMES A CHAPTER IN A STORY,

different. I applied for a job in a local garden centre and after ending up in the potting shed, I started to read up about plants – and that’s where my passion really started. I went on to study landscape construction, which gave me the qualifications I needed to set up my own garden

takes into account site conditions, the surrounding landscape, and whether the garden is public or private. Essentially each project becomes a chapter in a story, a unique composition that reflects everything I have learned about plants.

design, but was frustrated at not being able to buy them from nurseries. So I decided to grow my own.

design company.

When it comes to gardening, were

You have found much inspiration in English gardens. Do you have any favourites?

well as Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough, who look at the use of ‘designed plant communities’

there any formative experiences when you were a child?

I was brought up in Bloemendaal, a town in the countryside near the city of Haarlem, just west of Amsterdam.

It was only a kilometre from Thijsse’s Hof, a small wild flora park where we

In the late 1970s my wife Anja, who I run the business with, and I started to visit English gardens such as Sissinghurst, Hidcote and Great Dixter for our holidays. We found the range and availability of plants a revelation. We cycled from place

in a wide range of urban contexts.

liked to go as children. At the time I didn’t understand its importance to me, but when I look back now I think these visits gave me a love of nature.

to place and stayed in youth hostels overnight. We also visited Beth Chatto’s nursery and garden in Essex, where her ideas about plant selection for different garden habitats was introducing British gardeners to a more ecological way of thinking.

Stockholm was my first commission for a public space outside the Netherlands. This type of commission is what I like doing best as you can reach out to so many people.

FEATURE SARAH WILSON PHOTOGRAPH RICK DARKE

How do you design a garden?

In a highly visual and intuitive way – there is no predictable path in my design method. ‘Breaking the rules’ is a phrase I often use.

A UNIQUE COMPOSITION THAT REFLECTS EVERYTHING I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT PLANTS”

You are known for a rich assemblage of plants designed to create dynamic visual texture.

Do you have any favourites?

I choose from a palette of 150 plants, depending on the scale of the project.

My strong desire for a naturalistic

Tell us about your own garden at Hummelo.

We were living in the suburbs with limited space, so I was doing plant trials in my mother’s garden. I was working on small garden design and had a nice number of clients, but I wanted to do more. Moving to Hummelo was a step towards the life we wanted. We moved into an old

aesthetic encourages the artistic use of plants from a great variety of habitats and creates a home for biodiversity. I like to be moving forward, experimenting, trying new combinations, but my design always

farmhouse on an acre of land. The move was about space, land and the opportunity to grow. I was becoming increasingly interested in plants, and saw the enormous potential of perennials and grasses in garden

Which other garden designers do you admire?

I’m a fan of Dan Pearson, Tom Stuart-Smith and Jinny Blom, as

Has there been any one moment in your career that particularly stands out?

The large-scale perennial planting for Droomparken (Dreampark) near

What projects are you currently working on?

I have just finished the new Hauser & Wirth gallery at Isla del Rey in Menorca, which opened this summer.

The renewed glasshouse borders at RHS Wisley are keeping me busy, revisiting a project I completed in 2001. I am also involved with the Camden Highline, transforming the disused railway between Camden Town and King’s Cross into a new green artery for London. & ■ Hummelo: A Journey Through

a Plantsman’s Life by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury (Monacelli) was published earlier this year

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MAGIC MEETS MASTERY Award-winning designer Julie Toll has used decorative materials and whimsical touches to enrich the formal framework of this historic garden WORDS JACKY HOBBS PHOTOGRAPHY MARIANNE MAJERUS

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GAR DE NS

In the Parterre Garden, quadrants of Buxus sempervirens and geometric slabs of yew frame the vista to parkland beyond the Peacock Gate

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Pear Tree Gates, by local craftsman Davey Boyall, lead into the Walled Garden. A yew topiary-lined path draws the eye to a focal point terracotta pot

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S

even-time gold-medallist garden designer Julie Toll knows how to innovate and create award-winning

at the front of the house, warming the previously monotone classical layout. Julie has repeatedly used large terracotta urns and planters, ‘to create

schemes to a deadline. Her work at the Grade II-listed Hertfordshire Manor House is the antithesis of her Chelsea experience. ‘Working with a real garden is a slower, more rewarding process, creating something dynamic and enduring, with life and energy in every season,’ says Julie, who has been developing the Manor House Garden since

a colour-cohesive design across the gardens’.

The introduction of a series of decorative metalwork gates and water features brings an exciting, more contemporary feel to the otherwise traditional architecture. Working with local craftsman Davey Boyall, founder and creative director of Arcangel Metalwork, Julie has helped realise bespoke designs.

the current owners moved there 12 years ago.

The six-acre garden has pedigree; the walls are Grade II listed, the immense green architecture

The Peacock Gates, a fantail of powder-coated steel, frame the parkland vista, their design a nod to the historical presence of peacocks in the grounds, while

owes much to the late John Brookes, with significant design and planting work by the previous owner Jacqueline Duncan, of Inchbald Design School.

Over a 10-year period, working within the inherited footprint, Julie has been striving to ‘make the gardens more beautiful, relevant and exciting’. Hand-crafted brickwork detailing and contemporary hand-forged

the main entrance gates fulfil the owner’s wish for something ‘jewel-like but not too fussy’. The Walled Garden’s entrance gates depict twin pear trees and lead to a revitalised orchard and wildflower meadow.

Beyond, at the centre of a more recent, productive quadrangle, there’s an energetic spiralling steel fountain. In contrast, a quietly babbling font is tucked

metalwork features have helped to create new bones.

These are most evident, laid bare, in winter.

The new Courtyard Garden has uniquely designed brickwork paths wending through dome-topped standard copper-beech topiary. Warm and ruddy in winter, the bold silhouettes contrast with a frosted, fountaining molinia grass, before giving way to stands of winter-white Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii.

Landscaping materials complement the Manor’s mellow brickwork, which is also echoed in the beech topiary’s winter coat. ‘While the materials are quite traditional, in keeping with the 16th-century property, the serpentine pathway, inlaid with bricks, brings a modern, informal twist to the design.’

Diagonal brickwork resurfaces the pathways between the original formal box Parterre Garden

among the fruit and vegetables. Rectangular raised beds occupy the lower half of the Vegetable Garden.

Screened and divided by stilted hornbeam hedges, the remaining quadrants are spanned by raised-bed wedges of ‘rusty’ Corten steel and dry stone walled herb beds. Contemporary, yet in colour-keeping with the weathered brick walls and terracotta vessels, they reinforce the garden’s winter sepia.

Considered planting and a coordinated, innovative use of brick and hand-forged steel have helped to subtly move the traditional garden forward. These hard landscaping elements shine particularly in winter, when the greater garden sleeps. & The Manor House Garden is open for the NGS charity on 21-22 May 2022. Contact info@julietoll.co.uk ■

“IN A WAY, THE MANOR HOUSE FEELS LIKE A PERMANENT CHELSEA SHOW GARDEN – WE WORK HARD TO ENSURE THERE IS PLANTING INTEREST IN EVERY SEASON”

JULIE TOLL

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A front view of the brick-built Manor House with formal Parterre Garden and lawns

GARDEN GUIDE

HOW TO CREATE A PARTERRE

ORIENTATION The front of the Manor

■

faces north-east but all areas receive sun during the summer months.

SOIL TYPE Improved heavy clay.

SPECIAL FEATURES Six-acre garden with

formal parterre, topiary and hedging; Walled Garden with productive area; water features, orchard and wildflower area; Temple Garden; innovative new Courtyard Garden; perennial displays throughout.

GARDEN DESIGN Julie Toll Landscape

& Garden Design, Business Technology Centre, Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2DX, 01438 310095, julietoll.co.uk.

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Taking the front door as the centre point, at either side of the path draw up a mirror image design with

rectangles or circles that fit the designated space.

■ Mark up and plant the outline with evergreens, such as box, yew and Ilex crenata.

■ Plant with a central spiral, pyramid or cone of box or a winter-themed planter.

■ Infill with seasonal planting: spring bulbs, summer roses, winter hellebores, skimmia, heathers.

■ Place twin planters beside the door using materials and plants to complement the parterre.

In the Vegetable Garden, winter leeks and netcovered brassicas surround a rotund water feature

JULIE TOLL’S FAVOURITE WINTER PLANTS Best for fragrance Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ Best for berries Skimmia japonica subsp. reevesiana – great for winter bedding, pots and planters Best for bark White, multi-stemmed Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii Best for colour Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’, a traffic light of

Red-berried Skimmia japonica in a raised terracotta planter is a focal point in the Parterre Garden

red, amber and green spiky foliage Best for frost-rimmed texture Heuchera villosa ‘Palace Purple’ Best winter vegetable Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera (sprouts) Best for evergreen topiary Taxus baccata (yew) Best for deciduous topiary Fagus sylvatica (beech)

Frost-rimmed, curly edged Heuchera villosa ‘Palace Purple’

The centrepiece of the Walled Garden is spiral steel water sculpture, Spin, by Davey Boyall of Arcangel Metalwork

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TOPI A RY IN GA RDEN DESIGN CLIPPED EVERGREENS CAN BE USED FOR A SMART, CONTEMPORARY LOOK OR AS A CONTRAST TO A MORE NATURALISTIC AND ROMANTIC STYLE OF PLANTING

evergreens are perfect for creating a punctuation point in your planting scheme, for introducing low shapes to edge paths and to add definition to containers. Choose lollipop bay trees, smart box balls and pompom conifers to add strong shapes that help to define spaces. Topiary is also low-maintenance and looks good all year round.

The rules for topiary are simple: decide on the height and shape you want, then get clipping. Cube shapes are one of the easiest and are good for dividing different planting areas in the garden. Choose shrubs with small leaves and thick dense foliage such as privet. The more you clip the smaller the leaves become, making it a good choice for defining a sharp outline. Topiary suits a repeat design and works well if you keep things symmetrical on either side of the garden, which can also create the illusion that a space is bigger than it is.

IDEAL FOR ADDING STRUCTURE

‘As a studio, we regularly include topiary in our designs to provide structure and rhythm in our planting,’ says garden designer Gavin McWilliam. ‘Defined and sharply clipped forms deliver year-round architectural interest that we contrast against seasonal perennials and grasses. They really come into their own in the quieter months of February and March, when herbaceous planting is cut back and the new shoots of spring are yet to appear. The majority of the topiary we work with are the evergreens taxus, pittosporum and Prunus lusitanica. However, we also like to use beech and hornbeam when contextually relevant.’

INTRODUCES WINTER INTEREST

‘When I think of a beautiful garden, images of general abundance spring to mind but the reality is that for six months of the year the garden relies on evergreens for structure and form,’ says designer Lee Bestall. ‘When designing a garden, it’s important to think about seasonal greenery and the first question should be

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“what will the garden look like in winter?” As well as clipped hedges and topiary, consider creating more informal “lines” of plants with sarcococca, osmanthus, or a soft pillow cloud of Lonicera nitida ‘Maigrun’, which is excellent for ground cover.’

FRAMING A VIEW ‘I use topiary and

evergreen plants and hedges as the backbone to my designs. It can provide the framework upon which other elements of the garden are then applied,’ says garden designer Richard Miers, whose work is known for using symmetry to create a sense of balance and proportion. ‘Using sculpted evergreens is a timelessly elegant way to provide focal points, frame key views and provide much needed interest in winter.’

CREATING DRAMATIC SHAPES

‘Architectural plants undeniably add drama,’ says designer Kate Gould. ‘They work on all scales, from country estates to tiny town gardens. Their ability to transform a space, often simply by a single presence, is highlighted in small gardens, though, where their leaves add interest and shadow during the day and create ooomph at night, especially when paired with lighting. Yew, buxus and ilex are tough plants that can grow into large trees but are equally happy clipped into hedges or shapes. Their green forms add punctuation to lighter planting schemes and can be both traditional and contemporary in feel.’ →

“OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE BONES OF THE GARDEN, THE EVERGREEN STRUCTURE SHOULD BE THE STARTING POINT ONCE THE INITIAL LAYOUT HAS BEEN DECIDED” LEE BESTALL, Bestall & Co

FEATURE SARAH WILSON PHOTOGRAPH ANNAICK GUITTENY/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

A MULTITASKING FEATURE Clipped

Frost-covered topiary in the gardens at Great Fosters hotel in Egham, Surrey

GA RDEN S

GETTING A PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING FINISH

Jeff Stephenson trained at Capel Manor and Kew and is now head of horticulture at Bowles & Wyer, where topiary is one of his areas of expertise – here he explains how to get a polished end result

APPROACH COMES BEFORE TECHNIQUE Create a clear picture in your

A cypress tree pruned into a corkscrew shape in a kerbside garden bed

mind about the form you’re going to create then sculpt it into shape. Adopt the practice ‘measure twice, cut once’ when it comes to topiary: look, cut once, then look again. Timing is crucial, too. Allow new seasonal growth to expand, harden up and darken as the cuticles on leaves thicken. It’s healthier for the plant, rather than nipping off every shoot as it emerges.

FIND YOUR BEST FIT The more you invest

in tools, the better quality you’ll get. But also consider ergonomics. If a tool feels comfortable, then this will show in the quality of your work. Keeping tools clean, sharp and lubricated is also critical. Sap will impair blades over time, so wipe regularly with disinfectant.

CHOOSE SHRUBS CAREFULLY

Generally shrubs with smaller leaves will create a more tightly clipped finish. These plants need to have been cut back hard early in their lives to produce a multistemmed framework to sculpt. Examples include buxus, Euonymus japonicus ‘Microphyllus Albovariegatus’, E. ‘Jean Hugues’, E. japonicus ‘Green Spire’, Ilex crenata, Pittosporum tenuifolium and taxus.

“RIBBONS OF CLOUD-PRUNED

KEEP IT MODERN Traditionally, topiary has

BOX HEDGING CAN CREATE A FRAME AND COUNTERPOINT TO A FLOWING BORDER OF PRAIRIE PLANTING” JEFF STEPHENSON, Bowles & Wyer

THE SOURCEBOOK: WHERE TO BUY QUALITY TOPIARY CROWN TOPIARY Family-run firm supplying topiary from its nursery. Good choice of varieties to create‘instant gardens’, with the use of pre-prepared topiary hedging, arches and parasol trees, as well as more traditional topiary forms. crowntopiary.co.uk

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EARLSTONE BOX & TOPIARY

THE TOPIARY & HEDGING CO

Supplier of native English fieldgrown box offering one of the finest collections of quality large box topiary and contemporary cloud hedging in the UK. earlstoneboxandtopiary.com

Based in East Sussex, this firm grows, sources and supplies multiple types of hedging and topiary plants as well as pleached, architectural specimens and rare species. topiaryandhedging.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPH SIMON MCGILL/GETTY IMAGES

been used in the form of cones, spheres and standards.

For a more contemporary look, topiary works well as a punctuation mark within a tapestry of naturalistic herbaceous perennials. For example, you could incorporate different sized yew domes throughout a carpet of the ornamental grass hakonechloa. &

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KITCHENS BATHROOMS

THIS DEDICATED SECTION SHOWCASES STYLISH LAUNCHES, INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN NEW INDUSTRIAL The Diesel Get Together kitchen

by Scavolini is an evolution of the hugely successful modular Diesel Social kitchen collection launched four years ago. The idea is that individual components can be put

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS

together to create a personalised, soft industrial look that feels at home in any kitchen/living space. To help further bridge the gap between these two areas, Get Together is completed by the Misfits collection: a series of painted metal storage elements including trolleys, tables and cupboards.

Diesel Get Together kitchens start from £15,000, Scavolini →

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BROAD STROKES Acclaimed furniture designer Edward Collinson’s free-standing Broad kitchen has been redesigned with a larger worksurface and an integrated sink and drawers. Handcrafted and made to order in his London studio, the thoughtfully conceived kitchen has generously sized drawers to fit the biggest cooking pans and a utensil drawer for smaller items. The finish options include ebonised oak and walnut, while worktops include Carrara marble and stainless steel.

The Broad kitchen, from £19,490, Edward Collinson

3 OF THE BEST… RANGE COOKERS A range cooker is a key piece for keen cooks.

The Aga R3 comes with two cast-iron ovens, a warming oven and three-zone induction hob, while the dual-fuel Falcon 1092 not only looks striking in Cherry Red but also has a five-zone hob and multifunctional oven. For the ultimate in style, the Wolf range allows you to use combinations of infrared grill, infrared teppanyaki and gas burners.

Aga R3 Series 110 in Slate, £9,460; Wolf Professional in stainless steel, from £25,440; Falcon 1092, from £3,999

A SPLASH OF PATTERN Shaws’ classic butler and Belfast sinks have remained largely unchanged for over 120 years.

But now the heritage brand has unveiled a collection of patterned sinks with exclusively designed artwork. The handcrafted pieces, which took two years to perfect, feature seven illustrations inspired by nature. The Shaws Gallery collection, from £560.30

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EVERHOT HAS PARTNERED WITH SPECIALIST WESTIN TO CREATE THE EVERHOT COOKER HOOD BY WESTIN RANGE. IT COMES IN SIX SIZES AND 20 COLOURS. FROM £1,576

K I TCH ENS & BATH R OOMS

INDIGENOUS’ OFURO JAPANESE-STYLE WOODEN BATH TUB IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO ITS FREE-STANDING BATH COLLECTION. PRICED FROM £7,880

Q&A ROB WHITAKER, CREATIVE AND PRODUCT DIRECTOR AT CLAYBROOK STUDIO Is there a change in what clients are looking for since the pandemic? Many clients are working on new schemes in tones of blush pink and plum browns alongside hints of sand and ochre – a fresher look than the strong greys of recent years.

What are the most popular tiles at the moment?

Marble tiles for walls and floors are enduringly popular. Glazed mosaics with a linear Japanese feel, like our Zeze and Kasama ranges, are also popular, as are larger-format porcelain tiles for floors.

Which new tile designs should be on our radar?

Mosaics for walls will grow in popularity through 2022, particularly for bathrooms. Reclaimed, eco-conscious tiles are also gaining in popularity.

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS PHOTOGRAPH (BROAD KITCHEN) SIMON BEVAN; STYLIST HANNAH FRANKLIN

HISTORY REIMAGINED The colour revolution in the bathroom continues with the launch of Nostalgia, a new collection by Ex.t that remagines retro design for a modern audience. The range includes furniture, mirrors and a bath all with a familiar, reassuring style but featuring contemporary details. The pieces are available in a palette of five cool-toned and harmonious colours: Ice Gray, Blue Gray, Blue, Dark Green and Light Gray.

The Nostalgia collection by Ex.t, from £3,390, available at West One Bathrooms

PLAYFUL TWIST Waterworks has joined forces with New York design firm Ash NYC to unveil limited-edition colour additions to its classic Highgate fittings. The porcelain lever handles now come in four new shades: Cerise Red, Azure Blue, Citron Yellow and Jade Green. Ash Highgate faucet, £705, Waterworks

What are the key differences between ceramic, porcelain and cement tiles? Ceramic tiles can be produced by hand or machine using red and brown clays alongside whites, whereas porcelain uses only white clay, and is machine-produced to avoid air pockets and baked at a higher temperature so tiles are less porous. Porcelain is great for floors in wet areas like bathrooms, while ceramic is better for walls. Cement tiles, also called encaustic tiles, are crafted using marble powder, natural pigments and cement and colours are usually stronger and crisper.

How do you work out if a tile is suitable for walls or floors? All porcelain tiles are suitable for walls and floors, but larger sizes may require extra skill to install. Ceramic tiles can be used for walls although the base clay shade may be visible on the edges.

Glazed and hand-painted tiles are for walls only on the whole. Any tile professional can advise.

What is the biggest mistake people make when buying tiles? Leaving it late to decide. View the tiles as a key part of the project, not an afterthought. & claybrookstudio.co.uk

Q

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HOW TO...

CREATE A CHEF’S KITCHEN TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THE PROFESSIONALS AND ENJOY A COOK SPACE THAT’S FULLY EQUIPPED FOR YOUR CULINARY ADVENTURES EFFICIENT LAYOUTS Complex cooking

sink can accommodate huge roasting pans and hide dirty pots when entertaining.’ A double or 1.5 bowl

movement, with the ‘chef ’ at the centre of the action.

Double galley layouts – or a single galley with a long island running parallel – are efficient, requiring only a few steps between prep, sink and cooking. ‘To make the cooking process seamless, every item should have a purpose and a place – you should be able to reach whatever you need almost without thinking about it

model is more versatile than a single bowl, and an extra sink near the main prep area is useful for rinsing ingredients and washing hands.

requires at least two high-capacity ovens. Eye-level designs are easiest to monitor progress, but many chefs

so that you can focus on guests as well as cooking,’ advises chef Galton Blackiston, brand ambassador for Tom Howley. ‘My perfect home layout includes

prefer the volume and robustness of a range cooker.

‘Cook tops must be flexible and accommodate multiple pans. A combination of gas burners, steel plates and

banked appliances, at eye-level, an island for entertaining and a well-stocked pantry.’

induction hobs will cover all bases, while features such as a teppanyaki and built-in grills are ideal for a dash of pro chef-style culinary theatre,’ says Camille Syren, chef de projects, La Cornue. When designing kitchens, Eggersmann Design’s creative director Gary Singer often includes high-tech appliances like built-in steam ovens and vacuum-sealers for sous-vide cooking.

requires a layout focused on the economy of

FUSS-FREE SURFACES ‘When choosing

worktops, avoid materials that can scratch or stain easily,’ says Allison Lynch, senior design consultant at Roundhouse, which has made domestic kitchens for several chefs including Yotam Ottolenghi and Peter Gordon. ‘We’d recommend man-made composite stone, like quartz or sintered stone, or stainless steel surfaces that are industrial in style and very hygienic as well as easy to use. This eliminates the stress of staining, and hot pans can go directly on them, too.’

GENEROUS SINKS A well-equipped sink

with space either side for draining is useful. ‘Get the largest sink you can fit,’ advises chef and food writer Judi Rose, brand ambassador for Franke. ‘With today’s adds-ons like inset cutting boards, trivets and colanders, you needn’t sacrifice prep space, but a big

PRO APPLIANCES Cooking for crowds

ORGANISED STORAGE Keeping a

well-stocked food store is vital in busy restaurant kitchens and a generous larder cupboard or walk-in pantry is the perfect domestic equivalent. ‘A good chef will organise contents rigidly, making sure everything is easy to see, at a glance, so that ingredients can be gathered quickly,’ says chef and author Peter Sidwell, brand ambassador for Symphony Kitchens. In the main kitchen, open shelves, wall-mounted knife blocks and ceiling-hung pan racks are similarly efficient in terms of speed and accessibility but do install a decent extractor to keep grease at bay. &

KITCHENAID The professional grade Chef Touch system, £11,450, has a vacuum machine for preserving and sous-vide cooking, a steam oven and shock freezer. kitchenaid.co.uk

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MIELE With innovative M Chef technology, the Dialog oven, from £8,199, can automatically bake, roast, warm or thaw dishes simultaneously. miele.co.uk

PROCOOK Made from X50 handsharpened stainless steel and beech, the Nihon X50 range of knives, from £52, makes light work of dicing, mincing and julienning. procook.co.uk

VORWERK The Thermomix countertop appliance, from £1,149, makes soups, sauces and ice cream and has functions for steaming and sous-vide cooking. vorwerk.co.uk

FEATURE LINDA CLAYTON

SOURCEBOOK: CHEF-WORTHY KITCHEN KIT

K I TCH ENS & BATH R OOMS

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Urbo and Metro kitchen with stainless-steel worktops

by Roundhouse, from £30,000

Kavanagh collection, from £20,000, Tom Howley Wolf’s 121cm dual fuel range cooker with infra-red gas griddle/ teppanyaki, £21,840

Bespoke PureSteel stainless-steel worktop in PearlFinish by Franke

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FLUTED DETAILS

WITH THE GRAIN In contemporary settings, fluted patterns can be used to provide 3D interest – just enough to add character, while retaining the simplicity required to work in modern designs. ‘Fluted surfaces catch the light, creating deep shadows and texture within a room, and are particularly effective when set against a simple white space,’ agrees Stuart Piercy, founding director, Piercy&Company. ‘In natural solid materials, like the American black walnut and Calacatta Crema marble splashbacks used in this kitchen for the BBC Television Centre residential redevelopment in west London, fluting reveals the beautiful grain pattern and vein running through the core.

It is an intriguing detail with wonderful depth.’

Kitchen designed by Piercy&Company and made by Ergonom. Styling by Bella Freud and Retrouvius

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FEATURE LINDA CLAYTON PHOTOGRAPHS (WITH THE GRAIN) MICHAEL SINCLAIR; (POINT OF FOCUS) OUR FOOD STORIES; (FUNCTION MEETS FORM) THE PALM CO

NOW FOUND ON GLASS, SINKS, SPLASHBACKS AND CABINETRY, RIBBED SURFACES ARE MAKING WAVES IN THE KITCHEN

K I TCH ENS & BATH R OOMS

POINT OF FOCUS

FUNCTION MEETS FORM

Tactile, traditional and with a certain decorative quality, the fluted sink is making a big comeback.

‘In these times of bolder interior decoration and less minimalism, a fluted sink is an easy way to include a little more texture and interest to an

Fluting can be far more than just a decorative surface. In this relatively narrow kitchen by Australia-based Kitty Lee Architecture, ease of movement around the island was crucial and fluting served a practical purpose. ‘The fluted

otherwise very simple part of a kitchen,’ explains deVOL’s creative director, Helen Parker. ‘Fluting is slightly more interesting than a flat-fronted Belfast sink but just as timeless. It has charm, character and a delightfully wholesome feel to it, yet retains a sense of simplicity and nostalgia.’ In solid marble, as shown here, the fluted detail

detail allowed us to create a beautiful feature around a curved form, adding texture, warmth and contrast to the space, while also improving the traffic flow and ergonomics,’ says director, Kitty Lee. It was created using individual 30mm-wide half-round dowels in Tasmanian oak, which is a dense and resilient hardwood

really shows off the glorious natural veining.

with excellent staining qualities. Pine half-dowels would also work for a painted finish, try Wickes.

The Real Shaker kitchen, from £12,000; marble sink, from £2,470, deVOL. Styling by Our Food Stories

Kitchen designed by Kitty Lee Architecture.

Build by Wyatt Projects. For a similar kitchen, try Woodstock Furniture, from £35,000 →

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THINK BIG

Fluted, ribbed, reeded or rippled, whatever you call it, this decorative glass is a firm kitchen favourite. ‘Fluted glass is extremely popular at the moment, and for good reason,’ enthuses Paul Welburn, senior design consultant, Roundhouse.

For fluting on a grand scale, look to Smallbone’s Icarus Collection for inspiration. Demonstrating the impact of outsized sculpting in the kitchen, this unique design nods to 1920s glamour via scalloped glass, rich textures and warm tones. A

‘Not only does it look more interesting than regular glass, fluted glass also offers a degree of concealment. You don’t have to be quite so careful about keeping cupboard contents tidy.’

Use it to make wall cabinets feel less dominating, or to screen off a walk-in pantry. Lit from within, fluted glass reflects and refracts, adding extra

shimmering wash of brushed gold accentuates the curved oak cabinet fronts, while allowing subtle graining to shine through. ‘The unique curve was achieved using materials technology typically used in the protection zones for cars in F1 motor racing to reinforce and lighten the doors,’ says Smallbone’s ideation director, Iain

sparkle and atmosphere by night.

O’Mahony. ‘The aim was to capture a sense of boundless imagination and craft-led design.’

Classic Contemporary kitchen in Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black with Atlantic stone worktops, from £30,000, Roundhouse

Icarus Collection kitchen, from £200,000, Smallbone

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PHOTOGRAPH (ARTFUL CONCEALMENT) MARY WADSWORTH

ARTFUL CONCEALMENT

K I TCH ENS & BATH R OOMS

PHOTOGRAPH MALCOLM MENZIES

DEEP GROOVES A modern twist on traditional fluting, ribbed designs take a more angular, geometric direction. The surface of this island by Blakes London features drawers with deep battened fronts. ‘The deeper the battens the more dramatic the aesthetic,’ says lead designer Magnus Nilsson. ‘Bear in mind that battening will add weight to drawer fronts. Here we added weights at the back for balance and a smooth experience when opening the drawers.’ Magnus took the vertical detail up a level by incorporating a stripe into the liquid brass painted wall units – adding a touch of ritzy glamour. & Bespoke kitchen in black stained timber, liquid brass and Arabescato Corchia marble, from £45,000, Blakes London

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STATEMENT BATHS CLASSIC OR CONTEMPORARY, FOCAL TUBS PROVIDE A STUNNING CENTREPIECE AS WELL AS A SUMPTUOUS SPOT FOR A RELAXING SOAK

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CALM SYMMETRY

FEATURE LINDA CLAYTON PHOTOGRAPHS (CALM SYMMETRY) GYÖRGY KŐRÖSSY; (SMART LAYERING) MARIELL LIND HANSEN

Positioning a double-ended bath centrally on the wall harnesses the power of symmetry to make a more impactful statement. In this main bathroom of an imposing 18th-century country home, the balanced proportions of a panelled double-ended bath are boosted by the precisely positioned artwork and wall lights above. ‘The bath works with the wall lights to complete a harmonious ensemble with a spa-like sense of calm,’ says designer Lisa Persse. Portman painted bath in Portland Stone Pale by Little Greene, with marble top, from £5,214; Kew wall lights, from £366 each, Porter Bathroom.

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SMART LAYERING

Traditional roll-top baths are a prime target for painting, which makes colour coordination a breeze. Best of all, the colour can be switched up whenever it’s time for a change. ‘In this project, we used a coral hue on the owner’s existing bath to give it a refreshed look and complement the curtains and tiles,’ explains Tiffany Duggan, founder of Studio Duggan and Trove. Existing roll-top bath in Red Earth estate eggshell, £67 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball.

Curtains in Kalamkari Chevron in Walnut and Sage, from £270m, Soane Britain. Hambledon Gardens wall tiles in Sage Grey, £299sq m, Fired Earth. Interior design by Studio Duggan. →

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RICH PICKINGS Brass is popular for its gleaming presence. ‘When sourcing a copper bath, whether reclaimed or new, always ensure that, once polished, it is sealed with a lacquer to prevent oxidisation,’ says Georgina Cave, director, Cave Interiors. The Marseille Cyprium copper bateau bath, £3,993, The Cast Iron Bath Company.

5

MAKE A SPLASH Accentuate the silhouette of a modern egg-shaped bath by setting it against a contrasting backdrop, like this botanical print wallpaper. Treat the surface with a protective sealant. Aspen Pine wallpaper, £65 a roll, Graham & Brown. Try concrete bath, £8,500, Smithers of Stamford.

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ROCK SOLID

‘There is no real substitute for the timeless elegance, luxury and wow factor of a natural stone bath,’ says Louise Ashdown, head of design, West One Bathrooms.

‘Although beautiful, stone baths are very heavy so floor reinforcements may be required. Marble is also porous and thus susceptible to staining; the correct cleaning products and regular sealing will help protect its natural beauty.’ Agape In-Out bath in Alpi marble, £28,039, West One Bathrooms.

PHOTOGRAPHS (RICH PICKINGS) LUCA PIFFARETTI; (PRIME POSITION) MARK NICHOLSON

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PRIME POSITION

A freestanding bath deserves to take centre stage, but do plan carefully to prevent it appearing marooned. ‘You can feel rather exposed bathing in the middle of an empty space. The solution here was to bring the shower to the centre of one wall, with a statement marble slab backdrop to anchor the freestanding bath,’ explains Victoria Wormsley, director, French-Brooks Interiors.

‘A vintage rug, comfortable chair and colourful prints enhance the relaxing feel.’ Paris bath without feet, from £6,942, The Water Monopoly. Interior design by French-Brooks Interiors. &

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L IF ES TY L E

Hotel we love

Th i s ic on ic hot el on t he Por t ug ue se R iv iera ha s been inf used w ith modern maritime glamour AN ELEGANT seaside inn

once host to Ava Gardner and Cary Grant as they vacationed on the Portuguese Riviera in the 1940s, The Albatroz Hotel in Cascais has been given a joyous revamp by designer Gracinha Viterbo.

Located on a cliff with steps from its pool down to a private beach, the glittering Italianate building is vintage glamour personified. The hotel has 40 rooms and six suites

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPHS FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA DIAS

dressed in maximalist patterns and studded with contemporary pottery and lighting.

Throughout the hotel, original details have been thoughtfully preserved, allowing hand-carved banisters and traditional azulejo tiles to be paired with bold tropical friezes and macramé tapestries by young Portuguese artists.

The restaurant, a hot spot from the hotel’s heyday for elite locals, has been clad in a palette of azure blues featuring chequered Bert & May tiles, smart striped seating and vintage-style lanterns. Here, panoramic windows offer superb views of the beach and ocean.

On quiet afternoons the Loulé Lounge, connected to the pool terrace, is a tranquil location to read a book or enjoy a glass of wine. Or take a ten-minute walk down to the museum quarter, which offers a star-studded insight to the history of Cascais. & NEED TO KNOW ■ Standard room from €150 in low season and €275 in high season ■ thealbatrozcollection.com

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The country files It a l i a n ba n ker t u r ne d ba ker E m m a D o d i e s c ap e s her busy life in London w ith weekend trips to Camber Sands EMMA Dodi is the banker turned baker,

trimmings cooked by my husband and there is Pandoro and Panettone for an Italian touch.

renowned for her hand-painted macarons and cake artistry. Born and raised in Rome, she came to the UK to train in law, worked at Goldman Sachs and after baby number four decided to ‘make cakes’. She took masterclasses with LiMa Cakes, Winifred Kriste

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and Tortik Annushka before launching her own cake studio. Emma’s bespoke creations from cupcakes and occasion cakes to macarons are the talk of the town

will be flavoured with gingerbread, dark chocolate cherry, salted caramel, chocolate orange and my new white truffle. When I prepare flavours, I try to recreate

with clients including de Gournay and Ridley London. She splits her time between Clapham and her holiday home on the Kent/Sussex border.

those that remind me of my family festivities. The decoration is important to me so I hand-paint holly, wreaths and, of course, my signature rose design.

Camber Sands is my escape. It was the beach that brought us here to our contemporary new-build eco house down a little track opposite the famous dunes.

We walk a lot – a ‘dune’ walk or a ‘beach’ walk. You can head along the beach to Jury’s Gap at the eastern end – the kids can run for miles. Or we go to Pett Level,

It is where I feel most calm and at peace. I’m a runner and windsurfer so my spirit of adventure and need for the elements are satisfied here. You’ll find me on the lake at Rye Watersports whatever the weather and jogging on the beach helps to clear my head. I do my best creative thinking here.

where you can see the prehistoric forest at low tide – there are even dinosaur footprints.

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Christmas is very special to me. When I was a little girl growing up in Rome it was such a big event and we were such a big family, at least 40 of us having lunch together! So, Christmas has always been about family around a table, eating, drinking, laughing and enjoying time together.

My studio is in the former Mosimann’s Academy near Battersea Park. I make everything there and host my macaron-making courses. This year, my macarons

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If I am in need of an espresso, I will head to The Whitehouse Rye and fill up on avocado smash served on delicious artisan sourdough toast made downstairs in the Lazy Bakery.

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Christmas in Camber is a quieter affair but no less special. Italians only talk about food so I will let you in on my local favourites... such as the lobster from the Market Fisheries on Simmons Quay. The

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Appledore vineyard Gusbourne is on our doorstep – the rosé is a delightful pink sparkling wine that goes very well with smoked salmon. A Camber Christmas always features turkey with all the

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Vintage crockery is my thing so I love a mooch around Needles Antiques and the Black Sheep. I do all my own food styling and photography so they are the perfect little emporiums for pretty tableware. For gift shopping, I head to interior designer Francesca Rowan-Plowden’s FRP Homestore. I love her online-only, limited-edition cushions.

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I have become obsessed with gardens this year.

Sheffield Park – originally laid out by Capability Brown – is a stunner. What I see in nature has influenced my cake designs this Christmas. &

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emmadodicakes.com

L IF ES TY L E Emma’s Fir macarons, from £26 for six

The Whitehouse Rye

“IF I AM FEELING BRAVE I WILL TAKE A DIP – IN A

FEATURE RHODA PARRY PHOTOGRAPHS (EMMA DODI) STUART CONWAY; (PINK FIZZ) IVAN KUZNETSOV/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; (CAMBER BEACH) JIM HOLDEN/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

WETSUIT OF COURSE!”

Limited-edition Alhambra cushion from FRP Homestore

Emma at home

Camber Beach looking east to Dungeness power station

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L IF ES TY L E

The sweetest thing Recipes for delicious Christmas treats that

FEATURE SAMUEL GOLDSMITH AND SARAH SPITERI PHOTOGRAPHS FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

will get the whole family baking

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PEAR AND ROSEMARY BUNDT CAKE WITH LEMON ICING SERVES 12 200g salted butter, plus extra for greasing 4 pears, peeled and cubed 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves, plus extra sprigs to decorate 375g golden caster sugar 420g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda A pinch of fine salt 4 eggs Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus juice to taste 2 tsp vanilla extract 240ml natural yogurt 200g icing sugar, sifted 25g salted butter, melted

Melt 30g butter in a pan and sauté the pears and rosemary until the pears turn golden. Add 25g sugar and cook until the pears are browned on all sides and liquid has evaporated.

Tip into a shallow bowl to cool.

■ Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

Grease and flour a 25cm bundt tin.

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Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl. Beat remaining butter and

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sugar in a second bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the lemon zest and vanilla. Stir half the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then add the yogurt. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Fold in the cooked pears.

■ Pour into the tin and cook for 45 minutes. Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack.

■ For the glaze, mix the icing sugar and melted butter with enough lemon juice to make a thick icing and spoon on to the cake. Top with rosemary.

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L IF ES TY L E

SNOWFLAKE JAM SANDWICH BISCUITS MAKES ABOUT 20 175g unsalted butter, softened 200g golden caster sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla paste 425g plain four, plus extra for rolling 1 tsp baking powder ¾ tsp fne salt 6 tbsp jam of your choice

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. In a

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separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Tip into the wet ingredients and combine.

■ Divide into four and shape each piece into a disc. Wrap each in cling film and chill for 1 hour. Pre-heat the

COOK’S NOTE The filled biscuits will keep for up to three days in an airtight container in a cool place – alternatively, they can be frozen for up to three months

oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking paper. Dust a surface with flour. Roll one disc to 1-2cm. Using a 7.5cm round biscuit cutter, stamp out 10 circles and transfer to a baking tray. Using a 5cm snowflake-shaped cutter, stamp out snowflakes in the centre. Repeat the process with a second disc of dough.

■ Roll remaining discs but do not stamp out snowflakes. You should now have 40 biscuits: 20 stamped with snowflakes; 20 unstamped.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool and firm up on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

■ Spoon a scant teaspoon of jam of your choice over the centre of the unstamped biscuits, spreading it out evenly. Gently top with the stamped tops. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar to finish. →

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SPICE AND NUT MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD SERVES 6-8 FOR THE SHORTBREAD 100g plain flour 50g caster sugar 100g unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing Finely grated zest of ½ small orange ½ tsp ground cinnamon FOR THE TOPPING 170g unsalted butter 170g caster sugar 400g tin condensed milk 50ml golden syrup 200g plain chocolate 30g mixed nuts, chopped

Grease a 20x20cm baking tin with butter. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas

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4. Whizz all the ingredients for the shortbread in your food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Tip into the tin and press firmly with your fingers. Prick all over with a fork and chill for 20 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden, then allow to cool in the tin.

■ For the topping, place the butter, caster sugar, condensed milk and golden syrup in a heavy-based pan.

Heat gently to melt the butter, then simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring, until thick and fudge-like.

Pour over the cooled shortbread and leave to cool completely.

■ Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Pour over the cooled caramel then scatter with the nuts. Chill for 2 hours until set, then remove from the fridge and cut into squares. Pack in a box between layers of parchment paper.

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L IF ES TY L E

GINGERBREAD WHOOPIES MAKES 16 340g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp ground ginger 220g dark muscovado sugar 120g slightly salted butter, softened 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 250ml buttermilk FOR THE FILLING 225g full-fat cream cheese 60g salted butter, softened 120g unrefined icing sugar, plus extra to dust 2 balls stem ginger, drained and finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and line two baking sheets with

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COOK’S NOTE Think of these slightly misshapen, but incredibly delicious and fresh, ginger-spiked whoopie pies as a far easier alternative to French macarons

baking paper. Sift the flour, baking powder and ground ginger into a bowl. In a second bowl, use an electric whisk to beat the sugar and butter together for a few minutes.

Gradually add the eggs, beating well to combine. Add the vanilla extract to the buttermilk and, alternating with the dry ingredients, add to the creamed butter mixture until it is all combined.

■ Spoon 32 rounded teaspoons of the batter on to the baking sheets. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the puffed tops spring back when lightly pressed.

■ To make the filling, beat all the ingredients together. When the mini pie halves are cooked, leave them on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then place on wire racks to cool. Once cooled, spread a rounded teaspoon of the filling on one flat side and sandwich together with another pie half. Dust lightly with icing sugar. →

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L I FES T YLE

GINGER MARSHMALLOWS MAKES APPROX 48 7 sheets leaf gelatine Vegetable oil, for greasing 3 tbsp cornflour 3 tbsp icing sugar 1 tbsp liquid glucose 350g caster sugar 2 large egg whites 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup Pinch of salt

Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 15 minutes. Lightly grease a 20x30cm baking tin and line with non-stick parchment paper, then grease again.

Mix the cornflour and icing sugar in a bowl then sift into the prepared tin.

Tip excess mixture back into the bowl.

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Mix the liquid glucose and caster sugar in a pan over a low heat with

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135g cold water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add a sugar thermometer to and turn up the heat to bring the syrup to the boil, without stirring, to 120°C. Drain the gelatine, squeezing out any water and blotting with a clean tea towel. Stir into the syrup and set aside.

■ With a mixer on a medium setting, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Slowly pour in the hot syrup. Continue to whisk for 4-5 minutes, or until glossy and firm enough to hold a ribbon trail when whisk is lifted. Add the ginger syrup and salt and continue to whisk.

■ Spoon onto the tray, smooth out with a palette knife and leave to cool. Cover with cling film and set aside for 4 hours.

Turn onto a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with the reserved icing sugar and cornflour mix. Peel off the paper and cut marshmallow into squares. Coat in the mixture, then store in an airtight container. &

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What home means to me BRYON Y R A E SHERIDA N

LIBERTY’S BUYING MANAGER ON THE FAMILY TRADITIONS THAT SHAPE HER SPACE AN enduring memory of my family home is my bedroom, as Mum and Dad gave me licence to go crazy with it. The result was certainly original: my dad is a talented cabinetmaker and furniture designer, and he would make things for me if I sketched them out. They included a bed with drawers underneath that he made after I decided I needed more storage space. Looking back, the signs of what I would do for a career were all there!

ONE of my favourite pieces in my current home is a 36-drawer apothecary cabinet. My dad’s friend was getting rid of it just as I was buying my first place and as soon as he saw it, Dad knew I’d love it. It’s huge, which wasn’t an issue in my first house but it was when I moved to a sweet two-bedroom Victorian cottage in Brixton. I had to have a window taken out and the cabinet craned in.

MY favourite spot in my home is the dining room, where I show off my ceramic and Astier de Villatte collections. This is a bit of a family tradition: my mum and grandmother both have the collecting gene. I try to use everything I collect but if I haven’t used something for a while, I’ll gift it. I have to be strict with myself to stop my home being taken over.

IT is so important to dress the table when hosting guests. I love to wow mine with tablescapes inspired by places I’ve visited – Morocco, Italy or the south of France, for example – which makes my themed dinner parties legendary. But even if I’m just cooking

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for myself, I make an effort. I always use beautiful ceramics, a pretty napkin and a nice glass: elegant presentation makes food taste better.

MY current house is the first one that has truly felt like mine. All of the interior decor decisions were mine and I feel very much at home here. It’s a bit like a Barbie dream house, especially as the kitchen and main bedroom are pink. My plan was, ‘If I want it, I’m having it’. However, unlike Barbie’s house, there are nude paintings in the hallway and the finishing touches are my two beautiful British blue kittens, Flora and Venus.

EVERY room in my house is a destination. My bathroom, for instance, is all about relaxing so I’ve got a free-standing copper bath and lots of candlesticks.

The sitting room is about getting back to nature; I’ve painted the breakfast room green and introduced lots of flowers. These have always been a big part of my life and in my view truly make a house a home. &

FEATURE SOPHIE BAYLIS STYLING BRYONY RAE SHERIDAN PHOTOGRAPH JESSICA GATES

I ABSOLUTELY love what I do for a living – I live and breathe it. I’m privileged not only to work with some of the most amazing designers, tastemakers and creatives across the world but also to bring their talents home. As you can imagine, I’ve gathered lots of fabulous objects over the years. I use them to create beautiful mantelscapes that I update every week or so.

This is a great way to switch up the look of a room.

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