HOMES Welcome in winter with the latest home furnishings.

WELCOME IN WINTER

This month we’ve feel-good furnishings and textiles to prove that blue is anything but cold and gloomy...

Rutland and Stamford’s independent interior design studios can create furnishings in designer fabrics that are beautifully bespoke to suit your home...

Top: Bramble wallpaper from Morris & Co, indigo/mineral colourway. Above/Right: Jane Churchill Bryony curtain in blue colourway. Back curtain in Millie, blue colourway. Right: Sofa in Ian Mankin Sutton Stripe, dark navy colourway.

Tattershall fabric from Sanderson’s Elysium range, in Indigo colourway.

Blinds and chair in Jane Churchill’s Walk in the Park fabric, blue colourway.

Stamford & Rutland Interiors: Broughtons: Leicester, 0116 2341888,www.broughtons.com. Delcor Interiors: Stamford, 01780 762579, www.delcor.co.uk. Elizabeth Stanhope Interiors: Oakham, 01572 722345, www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk H Works: 01780 754605, www.hworksdesign.co.uk. Hunters of Stamford: 01780 757946, www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk. Sarah Harding Interiors: Uppingham, 01572 823389, sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk. Simply Stamford: St Mary’s Street, Stamford, 01780 481852, www.simplystamford.co.uk.

AFFORDABLE LUXURY LIVING

For furnishings that will look great in your home for decades, not just years, and for unsurpassed rustic style, a visit to Auburn Fox is essential this month if you’re looking to live in comfort over the winter and into spring...

WHAT’S THAT EXPRESSION? Treat others how you expected to be treated yourself? It’s a simple and honest enough philosophy, and one which resonated with Vicky McAlwane and Ian Langley when they founded their home furnishings business, Auburn Fox. “We were looking for furniture for our own home and we wanted something individual, something that was well made, something that was good value in terms of its price and quality, with a degree of sustainability, and that was perhaps made in Britain, too,” says Vicky. “The biggest furniture retailers in the UK don’t necessarily embody those qualities, and as well as the presence of veneer, chipboard and MDF, the service that you receive at big furniture warehouses often falls short of expectations.” “We thought it was time for something better. Ian has experience making his own furniture and upcycling, and I discovered I have a gift for upholstering, so soon we were selling our own products but also looking for furniture to offer to the public from other quality brands too.” “We established Auburn Fox in 2018 and have gradually found different brands to bring to the public which have the qualities we want the business to reflect. We moved to our current premises, a Grade II listed 1,400sq ft space in August last year and today we’ve over 800 items on display including sofas, armchairs, furniture and finishing touches for the home, some of which are made here in the UK, but all of which represent good design, solid weight and quality; they’re products that are designed to last a lifetime, not just a few years.”

“We want our customers to feel valued and to choose items they’ll love having in their homes for years to come...”

>> “We were really happy with the products we selected and over the past few years we have built on those with the service we offer.” “You’ll deal with the same people each time you visit us. We can provide the kind of service that we expect when we’re choosing products for our own home, and we’ve plenty of items in stock, so we’re usually able to provide prompt delivery, too.” “It’s our own experiences which have allowed us to mirror exactly how we want to feel as customers, and provide that same journey. Our coffee corner is a reflection of the fact that we want to share the customer experience with those who come to see us, it’s comfy and a good experience as, we hope, is the rest of the experience.” “Some of the highlights here include our Harris Tweed chairs, beautifully upholstered sofas and chunky, heavy furniture made of materials like mango wood which grows faster than oak, and is therefore considered more sustainable.” “We’ve created a choice of products with a high end, luxury feel especially with materials like leather and Harris Tweed. We think it’s important to create spaces in your home which are filled with beautiful furnishings.” “But we don’t believe that means sacrificing style or good design, so everything we’ve chosen is designed to enable you to impart individual character into your own home.” “It’s our values which make us unique, and ensure we offer customers a nicer experience. Pressure selling and volume sales aren’t considerations to us. We want our customers to feel valued and to choose items they’ll love having in their homes for years to come.” n

Find Out More: All of the products featured here are available from Auburn Fox, based on 71-75 High Street, Thrapston, Kettering NN14 4JJ. Call 0330 1331799 or see www.auburnfox.co.uk.

Beautiful Design at YOUR FEET

A beautiful investment for your home, something to make your living space a little cosier, or a way to finish off a reception room with style? Whatever your reason, Rachel Bassill and the team at The Rug Studio can help you find something beautiful and practical...

Words: Rob Davis.

RUGS YIELD RICHES for your country home. For whilst wooden floors or flagstones may be practical in country properties, the addition of a modern or antique rug adds warmth, and style, and they also remain a great way to bring the style and colour of a room down to Earth... in fact, you’ll have luxury, heritage, and craftsmanship literally at your feet. One person who knows only too well about the value that a rug can bring to your home is Rachel Bassill, who has 27 years experience and established The Rug Studio in 2000. After more than six years in Uppingham, she’s moved into a premises in Stamford affording her a convenient location from which to provide a sample of what’s available in respect of antique, contemporary and bespoke rugs. Rachel specialises in the ‘three Rs;’ not reading, writing and arithmetic, but retailing, repairing and restoring rugs, and at the heart of her expertise is huge knowledge about the countries that each of her rugs come from; fine flat-weave geometric Kilims to thick, hand-spun Gabbehs from Persia, for example. Each rug is a suffused with cultural references, from different fibres and colours to the design and construction of each one, and the cultural significance of their design. Accordingly, Rachel’s products range from doormat-sized rugs to huge room-sized rugs seven metres by five metres. Prices can range from £40 to tens of thousands of pounds, and in the rare eventuality that you’re unable to find something in stock to suit your home, Rachel also offers a ‘finders’ service.

Providing maintenance cleaning and restoration will also ensure that your rug remains an investment whose value can endure, but quite beyond the investment potential of a rug, though, Rachel is determined that each of her customers will find something practical, handmade and very beautiful that they’ll love having in their home for years to come. n

n The Rug Studio is based The Courtyard, just off Brownlow Street in Stamford, and has premises in London and Holt. For more information on the sale, restoration and repair of rugs, call 01780 239594 or visit www.therugstudio.co.uk.

TAMING YOUR TECHNOLOGY

If you’re the sort who just wants technology to work, and you’re keen to hide away cables, and future-proof your home, it’s time to switch on to Darke AV, specialist in seamless, bespoke integration of technology into your home...

Words: Rob Davis.

IT’S OFTEN SAID that ‘technology is great... when it works.’ Wrong. Technology is great when its works for you. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. If you’ve wrestled with a rat’s nest of cables behind your TV, or tried in vain to tame your wi-fi to ensure its signal reaches everywhere in your home; if you’ve endured the slings and arrows of indecipherable instruction manuals, or been stuck on hold to a call centre, or if you’ve invested in technology only to find it’s outdated a few years... if any of these apply to you, your technology isn’t working for you – if it’s working at all. Happily, there’s an end in sight to your digital woes and a way to ensure that you can reclaim your home whilst also taking advantage of the latest home entertainment and automation technology. Darke AV was founded by Robert Sullivan on the simple premise that if technology doesn’t work in the way you want, it’s not doing its job.

The Old Way The old way is a TV with that rat’s nest of dusty cables behind, various boxes and remotes, plus different a Sky TV system setup or something similar for different rooms: disparate systems in each room for TV, audio and so on. The old way is conspicuous technology; cables, speakers, boxes... The old way, too, is the same inflexible wall switch for your lighting, having to manually operate curtains, blinds. The old way is separate systems for your home’s heating, ventilation, security systems, CCTV, or powered gates. The New Way And then, there’s the new way. Darke AV can consolidate all of your separate home technology systems into a single integrated control. The process begins with a consultation which centres around how you use your media, where you use your media, and what brands or services you prefer using. From there, Robert and his team design a completely bespoke home control system which is completely tailored to your needs. This usually starts with all of the boxes and cables hidden away, under the stairs or a similarly inconspicuous location. Wi-fi is distributed properly around your home for a robust connection, and according to your needs, Darke AV then deploys home cinema, TV, audio, and automated control of lighting, heating, ventilation, curtains, blinds and security systems. Everything is integrated so, for example, in your cinema room, a single push of a button might close the blinds, lower some of the lights, and deliver cinema-quality visual and audio entertainment. Technology on Your Terms Best of all, instead of relying on a single proprietary system, Robert and his team can ensure all of your technology can integrate seamlessly with any services you already use. So for example, if you’re familiar with Sky TV or Spotify music streaming, or with Netflix or Apple, everything can be integrated to deliver a bespoke home automation solution on your terms. You can control all of your home from a controller from specialist companies like Crestron or Control4, or from your iPad or iPhone, or from wall panels. Best of all, your investment in technology is future-proofed with extensibility built in and all cables and boxes able to be hidden away. Cinema screens can be deployed from the ceiling then hidden away; ‘invisible’ speakers can be plastered into the wall; cables can be hidden or done away with completely. Completely Bespoke Darke AV’s services are completely bespoke, designed according to a client’s needs and to their budget. Future-proofing is an integral part of their design philosophy too, so you’ll never find yourself lumbered with obsolete technology. And of course, designed, installed, commissioned, and demonstrated by Robert, he’s the expert always at hand to ensure that all of your technology just... works! n Darke AV provides simple integrated technology, for a free, no obligation, jargon-free chat, email hello@darkeav.co.uk or see www.darkeav.co.uk.

Make a New Year’s Resolution FOR A KITCHEN REVOLUTION

It’s time to make a New Year’s Resolution that doesn’t involve gruelling exercise regimes or fad diets, but will prove just as transformative to your life. A new kitchen from Oakham’s William Hercock will ensure you have a happy new year throughout 2022 and beyond...

Words: Rob Davis.

HOW ABOUT MAKING a New Year’s Resolution that you’ll actually enjoy keeping? Improve the look of your home, add value to your property and enjoy a brand new kitchen that will be a pleasure to spend time in, whether you’re cooking, dining or just spending time with the family. The kitchen is the very centre of family life, and if it’s poorly planned or doesn’t make you feel good, you won’t enjoy spending time in what is arguably the most important room in your home. A new kitchen is like a heart transplant for your home, and happily, William Hercock understands exactly what families are looking for when they undertake what is probably the biggest single investment in your home. The company was established in 1890 as a coal merchants and supplemented its winter fuel deliveries with the delivery of bricks in the summer months. Its Melton Mowbray builder’s merchant centre opened in 1984 followed by a second branch in Birstall in 2012 and an Oakham branch in 2017. The Covid outbreak delayed the planned expansion but, William Hercock has just opened its new kitchen showroom on the first floor of its premises on Oakham’s Pillings Road. Partnering with Great British kitchen brand Symphony, you can now view nine different kitchens from the company, and have your kitchen planned in glorious full colour 3D by the firm’s in-house expert Carl Harris. Add quartz, granite or engineered stone work surfaces supplied in partnership with Midlands Stone, plus quality appliances from brands like – Neff, Smeg and Hotpoint – plus Franke sinks and taps, and a range of wall and floor tiles, and you’re well on your way to creating the kitchen of your dreams. The firm even provides bespoke lighting by The Anvil Lighting Company. William Hercock can also put you in touch with established fitters who can project manage your installation, providing great value, a great kitchen and a super facelift for your home... resulting in an investment you’ll enjoy in 2022 and for many years to come. n

n William Hercock provides a range of kitchens with 29 different styles and many colourways. For a free, no obligation discussion about your kitchen, call 01572 490790, visit William Hercock on Pillings Road, Oakham LE15 6QF, or see www.williamhercock.co.uk.

Le Creuset traditional kettle £99. Stoneware mug £15/ea. Grand teapot £30-£50. Sugar bowl £15.

Aga Cooker

R3 Series, 110cm, £8,500 depending on configuration; www.agaliving.com.

Dualit Toaster

Four slice, £199.99. www.dualit.com.

Coffee Machine

Smeg, pastel blue £319. www.smeguk.com. Roberts Radio

Revival Mini, DAB, £99. www.robertsradio.com.

A HAZY SHADE OF WINTER

This month we present ice cool products for your home from leading designled manufacturers...

Pale Pacific Towel Bundle

£4 (face cloth) - £22 (bath sheet). www.johnlewis.com. Smeg Fridge

70/30 fridge/freezer, £1,929. www.smeguk.com.

Tableware Set

Azure Haze by Denby, 12 piece £168. www.denbypottery.com.

Stoneware Teapot

Five cup teapot £40. www.lecreuset.co.uk.

The Outcome of COP26

It’s now universally acknowledged that in every walk of life we must consider the planet. What does that mean when you replace your windows and doors? Roy Wakeman OBE, Chairman of the CTI (Confederation of Timber Industries) and of local Window and Door installer The New Window Company considers the future...

Wood is now the centrepiece of the global strategy for tackling global warming and carbon emissions, following on from COP 26. Deforestation is to be halted and new forests are to be planted, a major commitment by all countries. We will all remember being taught about the process of photosynthesis at school where this process converts carbon from the atmosphere into nutrients for it to grow and then throws out oxygen as the by product. Forests are the lungs of the Earth. The spent carbon remains in the new wood of the tree and is trapped there for the lifetime of the tree or indeed anything that is made from the use of its timber, it is known as a carbon sink.

Not surprising then that the consumer armed with this information is choosing timber for their houses and products within them. Modern Timber Windows and doors can now last for over 65 years as evidenced from the studies carried out by Herriot Watt University and the Industry can now offer long lasting external paint systems that carry a warranty of 12 years. The products are made using engineered timber components where 95% of the material is used as the initial waste is recycled at the source of extraction. As the components are made from cross sectioned laminated pieces there is little chance of movement or distortion which used to be a feature of wood windows. The New Window Company based at Frieston Heath near Grantham has extensive modern show rooms and will be pleased to discuss customer’s needs. We are exclusive distributors in this region for Timber Windows. Double glazing is now a standard feature of Timber Windows and the Heritage market where listed buildings feature can now be catered for with ultra slim double-glazing units. As all products are made bespoke to customers’ requirements virtually every size and design can be met. So, period features from the classic years of Edwardian, Victorian and Georgian can be matched to comply with the requirements of the local planning guidelines. The embodied carbon is a key measurement of completed buildings and covers all the processes and products used in construction. We can all measure our own carbon footprint and suggest many do already. These can add up to the target of zero carbon set by our government by 2030 as will the conversion of heating boilers and other methods of power consumption from fossil fuels to green energy whether wind, solar or heat exchange. Timber Development UK have just launched the first technical paper to how to account for embodied carbon in timber construction by rigorously applying the British Standards. Timber is a natural material and the only raw material left on earth that can be renewed and replaced. New forests for commercial conversion are now being planted at increased rates across the world so that we should never have to worry about supply issues. n

Find Out More: New Window Company is based at Elms Farm, The Old Barn, Frieston Heath Lane, Grantham NG32 3HD. For a free no obligation discussion about your property’s needs call 01400 272538 or see www.new-window.co.uk.