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FEEL-GOOD DECORATING THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL HOUSES TRANSFORMATIVE STORAGE SOLUTIONS MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR BUDGET

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BRITISH DESIGNERS AT HOME SEE THE SPACES THEN READ ABOUT THEIR STYLE

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NEWS & SHOPPING

INSPIRATION

OBJECTS OF DESIRE New design must-haves, from bar stools to baskets NEWS Discover the latest way to achieve fabric-covered walls courtesy of Fermoie and a stellar new light from Tom Raffield PASSION FOR PATTERN Our edit of timeless tile designs ARCHITECT’S EYE Beautiful pieces with a building-inspired look BED TIME Enjoy sweet dreams in a contemporary four-poster POWER OF TWO Double-headed wall lights are twice as nice PLEASE BE SEATED Dine in comfort on an upholstered bench HIDDEN TREASURE Pretty boxes for your precious keepsakes

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AT ONE WITH NATURE Natural materials reign in this modern home

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that makes the most of panoramic views of Australian countryside CHECKS & STRIPES New-season colours bring fresh style to these perennially popular patterns SHARED CANVAS A late-19th-century New York apartment has had a sensuous makeover with art taking centre stage POISED SIMPLICITY The update of this Victorian-Italianate villa is a masterclass in understated interiors A GRAND REVIVAL Successfully curating a lifetime’s collection of objets and furnishings was key to this downsizing challenge ANOTHER COUNTRY The home and studio of architect Annabelle Tugby gives rustic decor a new, modern edge AMERICAN DREAM Taking more than 40 years, the restoration of this garden in Connecticut has been a labour of love

COVER PHOTOGRAPH SIMON GRIFFITHS

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118 DESIGN

129 COLOUR OF THE MONTH Bauwerk’s 130 134 142

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Witch Hazel is the perfect neutral SECRETS TO SAVE House and garden experts on how to achieve maximum results with minimum spend STORE AND ORDER Storage ideas to help your home run smoothly HOW TO COMMISSION A GARDEN DESIGNER The first in our new series aimed at helping you make the most of your outdoor space KITCHEN & BATHROOM NEWS Names to know and launches to note PLANNING A… KITCHEN ISLAND Finding the best design for your space STATEMENT SPLASHBACKS Make vertical surfaces the star of the show STYLISH SHOWERS Creating an indulgent spa experience at home DOS & DON’TS WITH EMMA SIMS-HILDITCH The founder and creative director of Sims Hilditch on making your home beautiful yet practical

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LIFESTYLE OUT & ABOUT Places to go WE LOVE Hotel Les Deux Gares THE SUSTAINABLE HOME Sebastian Cox on his eco-friendly renovation project ROOTED IN HISTORY Discover more about our wonderful ancient trees OFF THE SHELF Beautiful spaces from the homes of British designers revealed THAT 2021 FEELING Experts offer thoughts on encouraging optimism MOVERS & SHAKERS Graphic artist Adam Ellis reveals his maximalist vision ONE TO WATCH Artisan blacksmith ` Leszek Sikon THE SPICE OF LIFE Recipes showcasing the beauty of ginger MY LIFE IN TEN Textiles expert Bernie de Le Cuona

REGULARS EDITOR’S LETTER VISIT OUR RELAUNCHED WEBSITE READER SURVEY Tell us what you think SUBSCRIBE TO H&G

TO SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to your favourite magazine today and pay £6 for 6 issues, visit homesandgardenssubs.com/feb21 or call 0330 333 1113 DIGITAL EDITIONS AND PAST ISSUES These can be downloaded at bit.ly/homesandgardens2019 or order print editions at mags-uk.com

6 HOMESANDGARDENS.COM

A different perspective Some furniture is made for the here and now.

Some is built to stand the test of time.

At Neptune, we believe that the best can do both.

Because good design never grows old.

Book an appointment to chat to one of our friendly designers – on us. neptune.com

Our relationship with where we live has changed. Over the last year, where possible, people have found sanctuaries in their houses and gardens. I believe this shift, the new value placed on the importance of home, is a permanent one. As a result, this magazine’s subject matter is more relevant than ever. Making home a comforting and comfortable place brings joy: design does influence state of mind.

So herewith lies this issue’s theme. We focused our content plan around decorating, renovating and refreshing – as we know that now’s the time to invest in making your space feel as good as it can. Worth F OL L OW US ON

flagging are our striking storage design ideas, the new

Instagram @homesandgardensuk

section dedicated to kitchen and bathroom projects and our

Twitter @homesandgardens Facebook @homesandgardens Pinterest @homesgardensuk

advice feature on staying within budget. I was impressed by the savvy solutions shared by interiors expert Nicola Harding, architect Claire Sa and garden designer Andy Sturgeon.

After this month I will be handing over the writing of this letter to a new brand lead and together we will be driving Homes & Gardens forward on all platforms. Our objective is to make this title as useful and inspirational a resource as

PHOTOGRAPH JAKE CURTIS

it can possibly be. Delightful interiors and gardens, insight from experts, beautiful products or fascinating people... I would love to know what resonates, so please write to me at sarah.spiteri@futurenet.com or on Instagram @sarah.spiteri.

SARAH SPITERI, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP homesandgardens@futurenet.com Editorial Director Sarah Spiteri Editor in Chief Lucy Searle Executive Editor Kate French 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 Editor Laura Vinden Acting News & Shopping Editor Jo Bailey News & Features Editor Thea Babington-Stitt Gardens Editor Teresa Conway Food Director Elisa Roche Food Editor Samuel Goldsmith Group Art Director Alison Walter Art Editor Meredith Davies Senior Designer Christopher 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 DIGITAL Brand Development Director Laura Crombie Video Producer Matt Gibbs Editor In Chief – Homes Audience Amy Cutmore Editor In Chief – eCommerce Lindsey Davis Digital Editor Jennifer Ebert SUBSCRIPTIONS Online orders: www.magazinesdirect.com Homes & Gardens is published 12 times a year by Future Publishing Limited. One-year full subscription rates for 12 issues including postage & packing: UK £61.65; Europe €157.60; Rest of world £157.95. For subscription enquiries please call 0330 333 1113, overseas call: +44 330 333 1113 (Lines are open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm UK Time) or email help@ magazinesdirect.com. The US annual subscription price is $157.60. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at Future Publishing Limited, 3rd floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Air Business Ltd. is acting as our mailing agent. All prices include postage and packaging. US Postmaster: Enquiries and address changes should be sent to: Future Publishing Ltd, Rockwood House, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH or call +44 330 333 1113 (Lines are open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm UK Time) or email help@magazinesdirect.com.

BACK ISSUES Safeship Fulfilment, support@mags-uk.com, 01795 662976 EDITORIAL COMPLAINTS We work hard to achieve the highest standards of editorial content, and we are committed to complying with the Editors’ Code of Practice (ipso.co.uk/ IPSO/cop.html) as enforced by IPSO. If you have a complaint about our editorial content, you can email us at homesandgardens@futurenet.com or write to Homes & Gardens, Future PLC, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Please provide details of the material you are complaining about and explain your complaint by reference to the Editors’ Code. We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint within five working days and we aim to correct substantial errors as soon as possible.

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Publisher and Head of Homes Network Joanne O’Hara (joanne.o’hara@futurenet.com) Brand Director Kim Milroy (kim.milroy@futurenet.com) International and Luxury Account Director Carole Bunce (carole.bunce@futurenet.com) Head of Project and Campaign Management Jennie Mitchener (jennie.mitchener@futurenet.com) Regional Sales Director Katrina Hutchison (katrina.hutchison@futurenet.com) Classified Advertising Enquiries 020 3148 2261 Classified Senior Sales Executive Charlotte Beckett (charlotte.beckett@futurenet.com)

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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. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities.

Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw (licensing@futurenet.com) MANAGEMENT Group Managing Director Andrea Davies Managing Director of Homes Jason Orme Managing Director of eCommerce Aaron Asadi Commercial Finance Director Dan Jotcham Commercial Finance Director Simon Fish

Enhance the value and beauty of your home with natural timber PRINTED BY Walstead UK Limited DISTRIBUTED BY Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP, 020 3787 9001 REPRO BY Rhapsody Media Limited, 109/123 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4LD 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.

All contents © 2021 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence.All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA.All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information.You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage.

We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.

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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Shoppi ng e d it or Jo Ba i ley pick s her key pie c e s for t h i s mont h (Clockwise, from top left) Woven artwork No.3, £155, A Rum Fellow Elizabeth side table, £2,000, Stride & Co for Chelsea Barracks in partnership with Albion Nord Vivie patchwork pillow, £68, Anthropologie Jute bar stool, £179.99, Zara Home Redford basket, £40, Neptune Modern Farmhouse settle, £2,135, Fred Rigby for Another Country Sympoiesis sandstone table lamp, £1,650, Viv Lee at The New Craftsmen →

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SHOP PING

(Clockwise, from top left) Jak chair, £800, Tom Faulkner Juju mirror, £1,764, Julian Chichester Madame Davaux’s Afternoon original artwork, £1,400, Poppy Ellis at Liberty Zigzag candlestick, £250, Jermaine Gallacher Scarab vase, £95, Oka Ortis coffee table, £2,023, Gabriele & Oscar Buratti for Lema Concertina rug, £5,514, Deirdre Dyson

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T he S y re

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NE WS POWER PATTERNS With an explosion of vivid colour and design, Black Edition is launching four new collections that feature sumptuous velvets, decorative prints, luxury weaves and statement wallpapers. A confident showing, each contemporary design is available in just a few carefully considered colourways. Sofa in Matiko in Malachite, £189.50m; curtains in Marazzi in Peacock, £107m (blackedition.com).

TURN OVER A NEW LEAF The latest furniture range from KDLoves includes two shapely headboard styles: the romantic silhouette of the Emma (front) and Nicholas with its sweeping curves (both from £750). The brand also debuts its first in-house designed fabric in the form of Large Oak Leaves (shown on Emma) and Scattered Oak Leaves (on Nicholas), offered in neutral tones as well as KDLoves signature bright hues.

WOVEN WONDER

GREAT DISCOVERY

FEATURE JO BAILEY

Good news for fans of upholstered walls. While Fermoie was working on its latest design called Astrea – a floral inspired by frescos and wall hangings (shown, £130m) – it began investigating paper-backing its fabrics. The brand is now able to offer a full paper-backing service on all its existing textile designs, allowing customers to bring their walls to life as well as their soft furnishings. Prices start from £300, which allows up to 20m of fabric to be paper-backed.

Last year we saw a surge in the use of natural materials such as raffia and cane, and it’s a trend that is set to continue as more people seek handcrafted designs made using traditional methods. Christophe Pillet’s First Steps bar stool for Flexform (£1,073) is a perfect example, with a seat and backrest made entirely from hand-woven paper rush cord, partnered with a simple yet refined metal frame.

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NEWS

BRIGHT IDEA Exploring a new interior light aesthetic, Tom Raffield’s latest launch takes inspiration from the planets and moons within our solar system. Combining sustainable steam bent ash wood – an element seen in many of Tom’s designs – alongside mouth-blown glass and brushed brass fixings, the Loer pendant costs £345.

SOFT TOUCH Interior designer and colour consultant Vanessa Konig has collaborated with silk specialist Gingerlily to create a collection of bedding and soft furnishings. The whimsical coral motif, inspired by heritage designs of the past, helps brings a sense of old-world grandeur to the brand. The collection – in 100% jacquard woven silk – is available in soft pinks, pale blues and muted greens. Coral Fern cushion, £100; eiderdown, £515 for king-size (gingerlily.co.uk).

Instag ram inspiration Painter and designer @waynepate currently resides in Wellington, New Zealand, after 28 years in Brooklyn.

How would you best describe your Instagram account? My work is focused on minimal and often abstract compositions that reference antiquity and architectural elements.

Your USP? I give the viewer a daily account of my working day, my environment and the things around me that often find their way into my work.

Who would you recommend we follow and why? @pierredirez for the obscure and lesser known works of French artists from the past. @emmanuelpierre_ illustrateur is a master with a pair of scissors. His work conveys the essence of a Parisian life through fantasy.

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MEET THE MAKERS It was during a holiday in Portugal that designer Gabriel Tan discovered the artisans who have been producing quality products in the Portuguese countryside for decades. He was inspired to launch Origin, a collection of contemporary objects made in Portugal that celebrates both the designer and the maker of each piece. Jug, £141.60, is designed by Shane Schneck and made by João Monteiro for Origin.

PA S S IO N F OR PA T T E R N FEATURE JO BAILEY

The t imeless t i les we are covet ing

(Top row) Bisanzio, £778.38sq m, Balineum; Paris, £156.24sq m, Otto Tiles & Design; Fretwork, £192sq m, Popham Design (Middle row) Ornamental Howard, £25sq m, Tile Giant; Mozzafiato Manciano, £45sq m, Claybrook; Raval X, £150sq m, Mats Theselius for Marrakech Design (Bottom row) Naples Elenora, £75sq m, Fired Earth; Ezra Green Decor, £40.80sq m, Mandarin Stone; Vejer, £180sq m, Bert & May

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

Bu i ld i ng-i nspi red pieces a re a l l the rage (Clockwise, from top left) Columns wallpaper in Olive/Bone Black, £139 a roll, Zoffany at Style Library Helios jacquard braid, £40.20m, Michael Aiduss for Houlès Trellis planter in Dark Red, £65, Matilda Goad Tuscan pepper mill, £95, Berdoulat Noise cocktail table, £1,890, Cristián Mohaded for Roche Bobois Swirl stepped bookend, £225 for a set of two, Tom Dixon Yellow overmantel pediment mirror, £1,750, Pentreath & Hall

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AT ONE WITH NATURE With its breathtaking panorama and a wealth of timber finishes, Fran Derham and Michael Robertson’s retreat is the epitome of rustic chic WORDS FIONA McCARTHY STYLING TESS NEWMAN MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY LISA COHEN

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DINING AREA On either side of this space are floor-to-ceiling doors and windows to make the most of the amazing views.

For a similar table, try Garden Trading. Slope chairs, West Elm. The timber flooring has a brushed finish stained with tung oil

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LIVING AREA A concrete chimney dividing the open-plan space lends a sharp, unexpected architectural contrast to the use of natural timbers.

Joe deep sofas, MCM House. For a similar coffee table, try the Forden tray

by Hudson Living at House of Isabella. Wooden armchair and teak Witches stool, both Weylandts; for a similar stool, try Bell & Blue’s raw teak wood, Notonthehighstreet.com.

Atlas hand-knotted rug, Armadillo

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KITCHEN Simple, pared-back units in a matt finish were made by a local joiner.

Classic 90 range cooker, Falcon. Leather drawer handles, MadeMeasure; for similar, try the Thor leather handles, Dowsing & Reynolds. Leather pendant lights, made to order, Lighting Collective

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HALLWAY The ‘boot room’ at the front door has a place to perch and space for everything.

For similar coat hooks, try the Hemley in antiqued brass, Jim Lawrence.

Nkuku sells a selection of storage baskets

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T

ucked between land, sky and ocean,

along with two bathrooms and an outdoor shower,

Fran Derham and Michael Robertson’s retreat in rural Victoria has been built as a home for all seasons. The house and shed, linked by a timber bridge and built entirely from scratch by the couple to sleep 10, ‘is very encompassing in the winter and quintessentially Australian in the summer,’ says Fran.

the heart of the house is really the open-plan living and dining area. With its floor-to-ceiling windows and doors that slide open to provide natural cross ventilation, this is the ultimate spot, whether snuggled in one of the comfortable sofas or seated at the large dining table, to watch sun, moon and stars all rise.

To soften the masculinity of the rough-hewn

With sweeping views afforded by a 360-degree deck, ‘you’re really at one with the weather here.’ When it rains, ‘you inhale the sight and sound of it from the

timbers used across walls, floors, ceilings and doors – with not a hint of plaster in sight – Fran worked with interior designer Lisa Buxton to lighten the

couch or bed; and when it’s sunny, you can soak it up outside, from east to west, with coffee, birdsong and kangaroos grazing nearby in the morning or a glass of wine, set against a sunset soundtrack of cicadas, in the evening,’ she enthuses.

The house’s location, in a small rural pocket called Wensleydale (hence its name The Wensley), also

interiors. ‘Interior design isn’t a skill of mine so we painstakingly mulled over every decision,’ she says.

‘Lisa’s signature sophisticated style juxtaposed the rustic feel of the house, elevating its feeling of casual luxury.’ By teaming plain neutral linens with textures such as raw brass, leather and stone, and wheelthrown, hand-glazed ceramics, ‘it’s amazing how the

proved the perfect opportunity for the Melbournebased couple to combine Michael’s love for the bush and Fran’s love for the beach. ‘Michael always relished the space and freedom of growing up in a former gold mining town and dreamt of giving his kids a similar experience,’ says Fran of the 80-acre property.

Michael’s vision was to combine the aesthetics of an American ski chalet-meets-classic Aussie country shed (also inspired in part by legendary Australian architect Glenn Murcutt’s Kempsey Farmhouse). His ambition, as a builder by trade, to use Australian hardwoods such as old Oregon pine, salvaged from demolition sites in Melbourne, silvertop Ash and rough sawn green ironbark has ensured the house blends seamlessly with its surrounding landscape of rolling green hills, dams and tall eucalyptus trees.

house actually makes you feel – grounded with a sense of soft and calm,’ says Lisa.

Fran agrees – the combination of natural materials and breathtaking panorama ‘immediately stills the heart and the to-do list just melts away,’ she says.

Days here are spent doing chores outdoors – ‘we’re bad at sitting still so we’re always clearing, mowing, weeding and planting, or going for long walks in the bordering Great Otway National Park,’ she says – and nights are about good food and conversation.

‘The larger-than-usual island bench invites people to hang around with wine, nibbles and chat while we cook dinner,’ says Fran, ‘but when I’m here by myself, I’m just as happy cooking while drinking in the view. That’s the thing about this space – it elevates everything you do. Even food feels more gourmet.’ &

The house took over two years for Michael to build, with help from architect Nick Byrne and carpenter Martin Healy. With two bedrooms downstairs and a spacious loft bedroom (with three generous beds),

The Wensley is available to rent, thewensley.com.

Lisa Buxton Interiors, lisabuxton.com. Nick Byrne, Byrne Architects, byrnearchitects.com.au

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BEDROOM This guest space is a timber-encased haven of calm.

Loaf’s Piper headboard is similar. Consider the easy-to-fit paper ceiling shade, House by John Lewis. Vintage leather Safari chair by Wilhelm Kienzle for Wohnbedarf, Vinterior. For a ceramic side table, try La Redoute

BEDROOM With its pitched ceiling, low-lying bed and a cubby for coffee, this is the ideal place to escape with a good book.

Piglet sells similar linen bedding

INSIDER INSIGHT Fran Derham shares her style inspiration and loves

GO-TO COLOUR I choose a colour according to a house’s ‘purpose’ – if it’s a beach house, it’s shades of blue. If it’s a country house, I go with browns and greens.

SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT Turning the powder room under the stairs into the pantry. I don’t know what I would have done with all the food!

MUSEUM TO VISIT Musée d’Orsay in Paris or the Dia:Beacon in New York. Having studied art history, I love the Impressionists and the art of en plein air; by contrast, I like Dan Flavin, Richard Serra and Sol LeWitt.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION In the water – in the ocean or in the shower – are places where ideas flow.

NEXT GAME CHANGER IN DESIGN David Attenborough – his latest film and the changes that will (hopefully) follow. Design should be in response to a problem – it’s a solution. Every decision we make needs to be about creating a better future.

YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORDS Classic, comfortable, with a touch of rock ’n’ roll.

WORDS TO LIVE BY ‘Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together,’ Elizabeth Taylor.

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BATHROOM The ultimate luxury is a long soak in the natural stone tub.

For a stone bath, try Lusso Stone. The Urbano Lappato Grey porcelain floor tiles, Total Tiles, are similar.

For basins like these, consider the Nobu Basalt, Tikamoon. Color & Co sells a bamboo blind. For a rattan pendant light, try Beaumonde

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SH OPPI NG

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BED TIME 1. Waterloo, £899, The Original Bed Co 2. Bobbin, £4,680, Julian Chichester 3. Duke, £2,995, Andrew Martin 4. Marlow, £2,499, Tim Rundle for Heal’s 5. Enfield, £1,850, Shaker of Malvern 6. Christo, £10,065, Pinch 7. Sadie, £990, Perch & Parrow 8. Wardley, from £1,260, Neptune 9. Odessa shearling canopy, £773.21, Brett Beldock for CB2

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

FEATURE JO BAILEY

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

The best new wall lig hts are double headed 1. Tokyo, £521.50, Maison Sarah Lavoine 2. Clemente, £683, Aerin at Circa Lighting 3. Morston, £140.30, Jim Lawrence 4. Tiber, £1,176, Hector Finch 5. Large Huck, £660; Empire shades, £132 each, all Porta Romana 6. Funambule contemporary two-arm, £120, AM.PM at La Redoute 7. Belgravia, £239.99, Dowsing & Reynolds 8. Twig, £492, Vaughan 9. Flume, £840, J Adams & Co

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PLEASE BE SEATED

FEATURE JO BAILEY

Upg ra de d i n i ng w it h a n uphol s t er e d b ench 1. Ebury, £1,430, upholstered in Thibaut’s St Croix in Emerald Green, £81m, David Seyfried 2. Isotta, £3,330, Promemoria at Artemest 3. Stafford, £1,595, Oka 4. Larsen, from £1,940 plus fabric, The Odd Chair Company 5. Le Tube, £1,256, Maison Sarah Lavoine 6. Bespoke, price on request, I & JL Brown 7. Azalea Mink, £646.07, Caleb Zipperer for CB2 8. Lenox, £529, West Elm

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SH OPPING

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HIDDEN TREASURES 1. Black and white prism, £160, Kevin Stamper 2. Bendum, £59, Ferm Living 3. Woven lidded bone, £175, Oka 4. Brilliant, £36, Normann Copenhagen at Amara 5. Triangoli wooden, £195, Biagio Barile at Liberty 6. Lens, £79, Thomas Jenkins for Hay 7. Leaf zig zag inlay, £185, Wicklewood 8. Bon dish, £68, Raawii x Alev Ebüzziyia Siesbye, Raawii 9. The original Morris & Co marigold trinket, £20, Spode

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FEATURE JO BAILEY

Beaut if u l boxes for favou r ite keepsa kes

FOR THE FULL TETRAD EXPERIENCE PLEASE CONTACT OUR PREMIER STOCKISTS LISTED BELOW Aberdeen Archibalds • Aberdeen Gillies • Aberdeen Sterling Furniture • Abingdon Lee Longlands • Accrington Taskers of Accrington • Banbury Bennetts • Banchory Taylors • Bangor Caprice • Barnstaple Padfields • Barrow-in-Furness Stollers • Bath TR Hayes • Battersea, London Barker & Stonehouse • Beverley Alexander Ellis Furniture Emporium • Birmingham Lee Longlands • Bo’ness Belgica • Boston Sack Store • Brighouse Websters Furniture • Burton upon Trent Haynes Furnishings • Cardiff Arthur Llewellyn Jenkins • Carlisle Vaseys • Chesterfield Brampton House Furnishers • Clitheroe Shackletons Home & Garden • Colchester Hatfields of Colchester • Crickhowell, Wales Webbs of Crickhowell • Darlington Barker & Stonehouse • Derby Lee Longlands • Dundee Gillies • Dundee Sterling • Dunfermline Thomsons World of Furniture • Dumfries Barbours • Ealing, London Brentham Furniture • Edinburgh Martin & Frost • Elgin Anderson & England • Exeter Stoneman & Bowker • Gateshead Barker & Stonehouse • Glasgow Forrest Furnishing • Glasgow Sterling Furniture • Grimsby AW Robinson Furniture • Guernsey Scope Furnishing • Guildford Barker & Stonehouse • Harrogate Smiths: The Rink • Haverfordwest Furniture Directory• Hedge End Bradbeers • Holt Bakers and Larners • Hove Barker & Stonehouse • Hull Barker & Stonehouse • Inverness Gillies • Inverness Sterling Furniture • Inverurie Andersons • Isle of Wight Bayliss & Booth • Kilmarnock Tannahills • Knaresborough Barker & Stonehouse • Leamington Spa Whartons • Leeds Barker & Stonehouse • Leicester Langtons • Lincoln GH Shaw • Llanidloes Hafren Furnishers • Macclesfield Arighi Bianchi • Malvern Rhubarb Home • Market Harborough Furniture Loft • Montrose Buicks • Nelson Pendle Village Mill • Newcastle Barker & Stonehouse • Northants, Heart of the Shires Texture Interiors • Northants, Towcester, Texture Interiors • Norwich Jarrolds • Nottingham Barker & Stonehouse • Perth Gillies • Rainham G Lukehurst • Ringwood Furlong Furniture • Salisbury Mylor & Mawes • Sheffield Ponsford • Shrewsbury Cousins Furniture • Solihull Whartons • Southsea Design House • Stamford Stamford Garden Centre • Stratford-uponAvon Home of the Sofa • Street and Weston-Super-Mare Living Homes • Swansea Arthur Llewellyn Jenkins • Teeside Barker & Stonehouse • Tewkesbury Pavilion Broadway • Tillicoultry Sterling Furniture • Tunbridge Wells Hoopers • Waltham Cross Fishpools • Winchester Design House • Windsor WJ Daniel • Worcester Holloways Home & Garden Furniture • Yeovil The Old Creamery • York Browns

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO FIND YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST PLEASE VISIT WWW.TETRAD.CO.UK

Checks & stripes Embra ce cla ssic pat ter ns in new-sea son colou rs to br ing a bold f reshness to your decorat ing schemes STYLING SALLY DENNING PHOTOGRAPHY EMMA LEE

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I NSPIR ATI ON

MIX AND MATCH Patterns in different scales create the right balance in this elegant sitting room.

Wall in Setting Plaster; hall in Cornforth White, both estate emulsion, £47.95 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Cahiers d’Art prints in hall, £195 each, Lassco. Hanbury Stone rug, £1,682, Roger Oates.Virginia armchairs, £1,675 each, Love Your Home; covered in Devon Stripe in Sage, £32.50m, Ian Mankin. Cushions in Elmer in Charcoal, £35m, Romo.

Aurora footstool in Cosmos Check in Pepper, £395, Ceraudo. Burke coffee table, £2,517,Arteriors. Scarab vase, £95, Oka. On wall: Washed Stripes giclee print, £190, Adam Watts at Artists & Objects. Noir French cane cabinet, £650, French Connection. Cream vase, from a selection, H&M Home. Palm Springs urn vase, £625, Jonathan Adler An ottoman with a frilled edge adds a delicate feel and simple striped accessories complete the look.

Carlotta ottoman in Cosmos Check in Pepper, £995, Ceraudo. Oka tray in Anthracite, £57; Inka bowl in Rose, £19, both Oyoy. Striped glass paperweight, £35, Oka. Find a similar spoon at Alfies Antique Market →

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SLEEK LOOK Create a striped splashback with horizontal tiles in colours that match the scheme. Finish off with a rattan shade for added texture above a shiny black worktop.

Wall in Cornforth White estate emulsion, £47.95 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Giardinetto tiles in Shrub, Plinth, Bench and Petal, £68.80sq m, Claybrook. 18cm rattan pendant shade, £48, Pooky. Toppu tray stand, £46, Oyoy. Napkins in Elmer in Charcoal, £35m, Romo. Ceramic bowls, from a selection by Clare Proctor Sophisticated chequerboard flooring combined with warm wooden tones deliver a statement scheme.

Cahiers d’Art prints, £195 each, Lassco. Latte White and Jet Black vinyl floor tiles, both £39.95sq m, Harvey Maria. Utility bespoke 1 pendant light in Sage, £264, David Hunt Lighting.

Moose dining table, £2,520,Julian Chichester.Wooden dining chairs, £900 each, Loose Fit at Artists & Objects. Mera Light woven chair, £1,020, Kam Ce Kam.Amina plate, £14.95, Nkuku. Skagerak large ceramic planter, from a selection at Finnish Design Shop. Japanese ceramic bowl, £24, Homeplace →

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I NS PIR AT ION

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BOLD STATEMENT A simple upholstered bench is a wonderful centrepiece in a hall or bedroom when combined with a graphic rug.

Woven ceramic lamp base in Jade, £280; cane lampshade with Pink trim, £200, both Matilda Goad. Conical table, £155, Graham and Green. William Smellie engravings, £165 each, Lassco. Window seat, £2,015, Salvesen Graham. Bolster cushion in Suffolk Check in Sage, £32.50m, Ian Mankin; edged in Dart Stripe in Silver, £46m, Colefax and Fowler. Vintage kilim, £1,860, Larusi The delicately patterned cushions and eiderdown soften the effect of the stripes and checks on the wall and bed.

Glastonbury Stripe wallpaper, £80 a roll, Cole & Son. Sheila Steafel nude sketch, £125, Lassco. Ripley studded headboard, from £280, The Dormy House; covered in Eston in Rose Quartz, £35m, Romo.

Ilaria table in Terracotta, £420, Ceraudo. Plant pot, £18, Homeplace.

Scandi Pink French linen bedding, from £54 for a pillowcase, Loom & Last. Shirt cushion cover, £35; Bajna cushion cover in Charcoal Stripes, £55; Shirt counterpane in Floral, £290, all Caravane.

Bedspread in Woodhouse Check, £98m, Tori Murphy &

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ASSISTED BY AREESHA RICHARDS, LAURA SABOGAL, CAROLINE FAIRBROTHER

INS PI R AT ION

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THE COLLECTION

loveyourhomeuk www.love-your-home.co.uk

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OUT

ABOUT

A new desig n dest inat ion, courses to acquire cool sk ills and a travel site to spark the ex plorer in you

FEATURE LAURA VINDEN

DISCOVER: CREATE ACADEMY

STAY: KIP HIDEAWAYS

VISIT: PANTECHNICON

Be inspired and hone new skills

Our need to explore and search out new places may have been quietly

Celebrate the rising trend for all things Japandi, (that’s the blend of

with guided tutorials from industry experts at Create Academy. Through their online courses, you can learn the principles of interior design with Rita Konig or how to eat well with nutritional therapist Amelia Freer. We’re excited to join florist and stylist Willow Crossley from her Oxfordshire barn as she shares her know-how on arranging and sourcing flowers and plants. Learn about seasonal cutting guides and how to make arrangements for your table, as Willow shows the techniques and tools she uses. Each course costs £127 and is broken down into short video lessons to absorb at your own pace. createacademy.com

simmering over the past year, but as we look ahead to new travel possibilities let Kip Hideaways fill you with a sense of wonder. For the small membership fee of £10 a year, you can unlock a curated selection of over 80 boutique rental properties across the British Isles. We’ve got our eye on the characterful Cotswolds loft with its beautiful natural swimming pond, but there is plenty to choose from.

Will you pick the off-grid bothy in Oban or a cosy woodland cottage in the Cairngorms? Each dwelling is aimed at two to six people with prices kept to an affordable range of £70-£300. kiphideaways.com

Japanese and Scandinavian styles) with a day out at Pantechnicon, the new design behemoth that’s landed in Belgravia. Five floors of creativity and craftsmanship explore Japanese and Nordic cultures through food, drinks and shopping. Start off with a little retail therapy in The Edit and The Studio. For design lovers, heavyweights like the Japanese studio Nendo and the stylish transporters tokyobike are at home here. Then head upstairs for a delicious Japanese breakfast or sample a Nordic cocktail or two.

A must visit is the Roof Garden restaurant. pantechnicon.com

IN THE KNOW: Interior designer Adam Bray has a newly opened shop in north London selling furniture and objet – definitely worth a visit if you are in the neighbourhood, adambray.info.

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W E LOV E Hot el L e s Deu x Ga re s: a new Pa r i sia n open i ng w it h i nt er ior s by the w ild child of Eng lish desig n – Lu ke Edward Hall NESTLED between two stations and tucked down a narrow alley in Paris’ 10th arrondissement, you’ll see what the owners describe as a bourgeois edifice – a railway station hotel once abandoned and forgotten by time. Luckily, thanks to a little imagination and the vibrant stylings of English designer Luke Edward Hall, the new hotel is welcoming guests into its colourful surroundings. Stepping in from the

FEATURE LAURA VINDEN PHOTOGRAPHS BENOÎT LINERO

street, you’ll be greeted by vibrant emerald walls, black-and-white chevron marble floors, oversized mirrors and decorative exhibition posters in a style that borrows ideas from multiple eras and just occasionally flirts with bad taste.

Head upstairs to one of the 40 rooms and you’ll find mismatched rugs, fringed chairs, sumptuous velvet and bold stripes alongside 1970s-inspired light fixtures and Luke’s own artistic flourishes drawn out as wall art or on lampshades. Downstairs in the basement is the chic fitness room, where Svenskt Tenn wallpaper and a red-and-white chequerboard floor form the backdrop for your workout. Across the street, the hotel’s cafe will entice you in with natural wines and a selection of fermented and pickled dishes.

If colour lifts the spirits, then a little time spent in this hotel’s exuberant surroundings will be good for the soul.

NEED TO KNOW ■ Rooms from €120 ■ hoteldeuxgares.com

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SALE W indsor 3 seater sofa s ave £ 10 0, now £12 9 9

Windsor 3 seater sofa, scatter cushions optional extra.

Sale price applies until 23.02.21. After sale price £1399 applies from 24.02.21 - see in-store or online for details. Delivery charges apply. dfs.co.uk

making everyday more comfortable

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THE SUSTAINABLE HOME Desig ner Seba st ian Cox char t s the renovat ion of his home, one inspir ing and innovat ively eco -f r iend ly idea at a t ime

D

uring 2020’s first lockdown, I was in rural Lincolnshire, escaping our flat for my mum and stepdad’s farm. It was an idyllic setting from which to watch summer come to life. Amid the wildlife in hedges and woodland, the 10-acre field next to the house contained intensely reared ewes and their lambs. By high summer the grass was overgrazed to billiards and the only vegetation above ankle height was thistles which held snagged wool. The hedges were sheep-shape sculpted too, reaching into the field only above three foot, with more snagged wool held in the fence or branches. I reckoned I could have gleaned a barrow full of fibre with ease. My designer’s mind set about thinking what could be done with it.

When shearing day came, I discovered a tragic waste: wool is barely worth shearing. It has declined in value since the 1950s because of modern taste for microplastic-rich synthetic fibres. A shepherd’s main income is from meat, but the sheep have been bred for shearing, too, so they are trimmed in an intense and profitless day. Our local shepherd took away most of the fleeces but left large amounts of seemingly low-grade fibre in the field to rot. And this year it’s worse than ever. Coronavirus closed the international wool market and compounded a decade-long decline in demand, pricing a ewe’s fleece at 25p, with shearing costs of £1.10 per ewe. Bafflingly in this instance, a renewable, natural material struggles to compete with its oil-based opponents, so we as consumers have to consciously spend more and look harder.

I remember this as I’m sitting in my draughty Victorian seaside terrace as a northerly gale hammers my window and up through the floorboards. I’m researching insulation, in some hurry with our second baby just weeks from arriving. Fourteen per cent of the UK’s emissions is from energy used in homes, and the Committee on Climate Change estimate that we will not be able to meet out legally binding targets of being carbon neutral by 2050 unless we eliminate this emission. Demand for energy must be reduced by

better insulating homes. To meet this challenge, cheap, mineral-based fibre can be stuffed between joists and rafters to reduce heat leaks. This is a start, but this material comes with a carbon cost, around 3kg of CO2 per kg of insulation. Some manufacturers seem to be tackling their emissions, but wool can be carbon neutral and it’s using a waste stream, and so fighting two ecological battles at once.

Thermafleece offers wool insulation that’s carbon negative and made in the UK from British wool – a completely sensible product offering us hope in this climate emergency. I’m not a supporter of intensive sheep farming, always opting for wildlife-friendly farming, but I do believe in using natural over fossil materials, and local over global, so we should utilise this abundant domestic waste resource.

Aside from the material, what better way to get to know your house than to tuck it in with blankets of cosiness? Particularly, if it is wool, without having to don PPE to protect yourself from synthetic fibres. As my pallets of insulation arrive, I’m ready to give my house a big, warm climate-saving hug. &

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ROOTED IN HISTORY

Deciduous trees stripped bare in winter are icons of the British landscape, their leafless branches helping to reduce the plant’s risk from wind and snow damage

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FEATURE ZIA ALLAWAY PHOTOGRAPHS ANNAICK GUITTENY

Winter is the best time to see the beaut y of our a n c i e n t n a t i v e t r e e s . H e r e ’s t h e s t o r y o f t h e s e f o r c e s o f nat ure, where to f ind them and how to preser ve them

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Carpinus betulus (hornbeam) is one of Britain’s 15 principal natives and is found in many ancient woodlands. Hatfield Forest in Essex is home to some of the oldest specimens

THE official definition of an ancient woodland is any area that has been continuously wooded since 1600 or before. Made up of trees of different ages, it now accounts for just two per cent of Britain’s landmass.

Ancient trees have survived in areas that have not been farmed or developed, such as mountainsides, private estates and in graveyards, where yews were planted as guardians of hallowed ground. The Fortingall yew, growing in a graveyard in Fortingall village in Perthshire, is estimated to be 5,000 years old and is one of Britain’s most ancient trees. Legend says that Pontius Pilate, who oversaw the crucifixion

Ancient tree trunks provide a habitat for threatened species that are slow to react to change, find it difficult to adapt or are unable to move to other locations to survive

of Christ, was born beneath the Fortingall yew.

Some veteran trees are safeguarded by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) but many stand unprotected, often from neglect or a lack of awareness of their biological and historical significance. The Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum are both campaigning for changes to the law to ensure the safety of these veterans. Threats to ancient trees include felling; changes in land use for development or agriculture; competition from surrounding trees; and pests and diseases, such as ash dieback and sudden oak death, which also affects larches. A total of 25 million elms were wiped out when Dutch elm disease spread across the country in the 1980s. Today, cuttings from the few survivors are being used to propagate a new generation of these beautiful British natives. But devastating diseases are on the rise.

The solutions? Planting different species and trees of different ages helps to reduce the impact of disease and promote an individual specimen’s longevity. Also, most of our woodlands contain just 30 species, and if one, such as ash, dies out, the effects can be disastrous.

If you spot a diseased tree, notify The Woodland Trust’s Observatree project (observatree.org.uk), which aims to eliminate and control outbreaks. The Trust can also advise on tree preservation and planting in your area. →

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WHERE TO SEE ANCIENT TREES The Woodland Trust’s interactive map shows the whereabouts of more than 100,000 veteran trees and ancient woodland. ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk

n

The Tree Register itemises notable and ancient trees in Britain and Ireland. treeregister.org

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Elmdon Park features an ancient sweet chestnut,

dating from 1518. solihull.gov.uk/parks/ elmdonnaturepark Epping Forest is an ancient woodland, including a medieval forest. visiteppingforest.org

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Find ancient yews at graveyards in Discoed in Powys, Llangernyw in Conwy and Fortingall in Perthshire.

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Visit the Holker Great Lime at Holker Hall in Cumbria. holker.co.uk

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Kingley Vale in West Sussex is home to 1,000-year-old yews. naturalengland.org.uk

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Kingston Lacy in Dorset has ancient oak pollards and a 17th-century cedar walk. nationaltrust.org.uk/kingston-lacy

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See some of Europe’s oldest trees in Savernake Forest in Wiltshire. savernakeestate.co.uk

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Sherwood Forest in Nottingham is home to the 800-year-old Major Oak. sherwoodforest.org.uk

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The tangled stems of wisteria would topple a young or small tree, but a mature pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) provides a sturdy scaffolding for this hefty climber

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Oak has long been prized for strength and was traditionally used for shipbuilding. These properties continue to make it a popular choice for furniture making and timberframed buildings

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SALE NOW ON

For your copy of our latest brochure and nearest showroom call 0700 278 4726

SALE NOW ON

L IF ES TY L E

OFF THE SHELF I n her new bo ok , Jen ny R o s e -I n ne s v i sit s t he home s of inf luent ial Br it ish desig ners and talk s to them about their creat ive process and how they live and work

FEATURE JO BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON GRIFFITHS

The deep terracotta colour of the dining room walls contrasts with the pale blue used elsewhere in Robert’s flat

ROBERT KIME For Robert Kime, every room starts with a rug. ‘You have to start with something,’ he says, ‘and I always think a carpet is the easiest thing.’ It doesn’t need to be expensive. A rug can define a space, break up a large room or highlight a particular area – it can play a number of roles. With a background in antiques and a passion for history, it is unsurprising that Robert’s London flat is full of interesting things, from a rare screen covered in chinoiserie paper that he picked up at an auction for just a few pounds to William Wordsworth’s own leather chair, which sits behind the desk in his study. He cleverly reconfigured the layout of the property, knocking out walls, creating arches, installing fireplaces and changing the functions of various rooms, to create a richly layered environment. →

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Wendy plans to renovate the kitchen at some point. Sussex chairs are used for seating at the table

WENDY NICHOLLS It’s hardly surprising that Wendy Nicholls fell in love with her country house. It’s in an idyllic setting, surrounded by an acre and a half of garden, with a gate leading to the 14th-century village church next door. Since Wendy, who is head designer for Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, moved in about six years ago, she decided against making any major alterations, apart from repainting. ‘Every single room had a feature wall – the guest room had a terrifying wallpaper of tropical birds and flamingos,’ says Wendy.

However, she did focus on her bedroom. Three rooms were converted to form a bedroom, dressing room and bathroom. Wendy has a flat in London, but spends every weekend in the country, ‘For me, it really is worth the two-and-a-half-hour drive,’ she says. ‘Increasingly, I find it very difficult to leave each week.’

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The sofa is covered in Sarah’s Kinaara fabric.

On the wall behind are paintings she has found in markets and antiques shops around the world

SARAH VANRENEN Sarah Vanrenen’s 300-year-old house, made up of three cottages and set in 1,000 acres of farmland, used to belong to her husband Grant’s grandmother. The couple move back and forth between London and the country each week, though Sarah has set up her design practice in Hungerford, about half an hour’s drive from the farm. Sarah’s idiosyncratic approach to design, as well as her trademark love of bright colour – ‘On these rainy days, one needs a bit of cheering up!’ she says – can clearly be seen in the kitchen area, with its flashes of teal, exuberant mix of fabrics and mismatched chairs around the breakfast table.

Upstairs, the bedrooms and bathrooms are equally colourful and eclectic, each with its own highly individual scheme and mix of old and new. →

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In Nina’s sitting room, colourful paintings by Kate Corbett Winder and Fiona McAlpine hang above a chest of drawers by Birgit Israel

NINA CAMPBELL Throughout the house, which has been Nina Campbell’s home for 15 years, there’s a mix of practicality and decisiveness, of warmth and comfort, indicative of her general approach to design. Nina has used mirrors liberally and in unexpected places – slivers between bookcases, within and around a fireplace, and framed on a column. As the ceilings on the ground floor are quite low, she decided to paint them in gloss, which allows the light to shimmer and bounce off them, giving an illusion of space. As someone whose design projects have included a house in Amman for a member of the Jordanian royal family, it is not surprising that Nina’s own home is anything but ordinary. ‘This used to be the studio for the famous sculptor Frank Dobson, who lived next door,’ she says.

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VEERE GRENNEY When Veere Grenney first saw his late-Georgian

PAOLO MOSCHINO & PHILIP VERGEYLEN West Sussex was a part of the world Paolo

house several years ago, it hadn’t been touched for 40 years and was lacking many of its original features, except for the 1820 stone staircase.

Veere reinstated skirting boards and cornices in keeping with the period, replaced doors with his favourite Soane-detailed ones and added curved walls to the stairwell. Most of the walls

Moschino and Philip Vergeylen were already familiar with. They had been renting there for two years and loved it so much that they wanted to buy in the area. When they first saw the house they now own, they had made their decision even before they stepped inside. ‘The outside was

are upholstered. ‘We do fabric walling in a way that appears seamless,’ explains Veere. In contrast, ‘the house has naked floors, which I love – the walls take care of the noise. I love the luxury around the walls and modesty of the floors.’ The pleasure of putting this house together, he says, is that it gave him the opportunity to decorate again in the way he’d

most important, because we knew we could fix whatever was inside,’ says Paolo. Each room has a different character, from the blue and white dining room and the lofty new extension looking out to the garden to the cosy drawing room with pickled beams and the sitting room with its terracotta walls. An intriguing mix of objects from different periods and places is indicative of

be trained many years before.

Philip and Paolo’s broad-ranging tastes. &

Sandra Jordan alpaca was used for the walls and bed curtains in the guest bedroom, enhancing the cocooning effect of the small space. A built-in bookcase adds to the cosy feel

In the barn, which was converted into guest accommodation, a Hollywick vitrine cabinet from Nicholas Haslam Ltd provides a decorative storage solution

■

Extracted from British Designers at Home by Jenny Rose-Innes (£30, Hardie Grant)

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THAT 2021 FEELING WE ASKED EXPERTS FROM THREE DISCIPLINES FOR THEIR THOUGHTS ON HOW BEST TO STEP INTO THE NEW YEAR WITH A BRIGHT OUTLOOK

CHARLOTTE REY is the co-founder

DR ASH RANPURA is a

of the award-winning design partnership and creative consultancy Campbell-Rey.

world-renowned neuroscientist and co-author of How To Be Human: The Manual.

We need a more holistic approach to decorating.

People are spending more time at home than ever so it is important to evaluate what they want from their spaces in a more thoughtful way, rather than seeing

A lot of how we can feel better comes down to what narrative we tell ourselves about our lives, and about the year we will experience. There was a study after the 9/11 attacks that examined people who

decorating as another job to get done. That starts with celebrating the beauty at the heart of everything.

If we buy or make something beautiful and share it

had defibrillators already fitted to monitor their heart rhythms. For three days, there was no change in their arrhythmias, unless they happened to be

with others, then it becomes part of a nurturing ecosystem. I believe that we are all creative, and the home is a blank canvas. But we should all be more confident in pushing the envelope and celebrating diversity of taste and expression, rather than relying on what other people think is meaningful.

The climate crisis and environmental concerns have

right next to the site. But a month later, their readings went up dramatically, correlating with how much news they consumed. If we can generate a positive narrative about what we’re living through – even if it is terrifying – it will affect not only how we feel mentally, but have positive health outcomes, too. That’s on a global level, but our immediate surroundings – our

made society question whether they need to buy new.

It could be choosing recycled materials, such as a reclaimed wood dining table, or buying antiques, which younger people are doing increasingly.

Antiques come with their own narrative and story and help give a space a sense of grounding.

Thinking more collaboratively is going to help us live and work better: the old way of hoarding the best contacts for yourself has to change. Last year, for example, the designer Rita Konig opened up her private list of antique dealers – a list she had spent time sourcing – to help increase sales for these small businesses, which was an incredibly generous act.

It’s that kind of thoughtfulness and sharing that we need to increase in the design profession, as well as in our private lives, as a way to nurture ourselves. campbell-rey.com

homes – are important, too. To make our lives better we also need a sense of agency, meaning we need to do something physically, rather than just consuming.

I recently built a bed for my son. It is not beautiful, but my son loves it because it’s the only bed in the world that his dad made for him, and so that fact makes me feel great. Figuring out an action that gives you agency is healthy because it reduces anxiety. The third thing we can do is practice acceptance. There are lots of things about myself that I wish were different: one of which is that I never call my friends. I’ve realised that I just don’t like the phone very much. Once you accept the things about yourself that you’re just not going to change, you’ll feel much more content. ashranpura.com

LITTLE BLACK BOOK My favourite shop is The Artichoke London on Chiltern Street.

The space was designed by Gabriel Chipperfield, then the interiors were curated by his wife Laura de Gunzburg.

It’s on the site of Shreeji News.

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ONE TO DOWNLOAD CortexCast, a podcast where leading neuroscientists are interviewed on a range of topics, from depression to pain perception to the science of sleep.

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SUE STUART-SMITH is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who, along with her husband, Tom Stuart-Smith, has created a world-renowned garden at her home in Hertfordshire.

When you plant and care for something, there is a moment when you look at what you’ve set in motion and think, ‘I made this happen’. That feeling of a renewed sense of hope and energy is particularly important right now, when we’re living with so much uncertainty and having to deal with various kinds of losses. I have seen this in action on projects working with offenders and veterans suffering from PTSD, as well as people with depression.

One small way to start is by sowing seeds (I suggest Chiltern Seeds and Sarah Raven). Seeds give us a toehold into the future and when your plants start growing, it gives you a sense of momentum. I had my own experience of this a few years ago, when I was recovering from a period of illness and burnout.

My husband Tom persuaded me to help him sort out the greenhouse and as I was perusing seed packets, I started planning what I wanted to sow and the next day I set to work; suddenly I was drawn back in.

As well as the serotonin boost that we get from being outside and the exercise that the garden provides, the neuroscientist Christopher Lowry discovered that a bacterium found in soil can boost serotonin levels in the brain. Not only that, but other studies show that the ‘friendly’ bacteria that live in the soil might boost our immune systems: a single teaspoon of soil contains something in the region of a billion microbes. We are currently sterilising everything and getting our hands in the

FEATURE JESSICA SALTER

earth may be important for maintaining health. suestuartsmith.com

FOR YOUR BOOKSHELF Your Wellbeing Garden: How to Make Your Garden Good for You – Science, Design, Practice by Alistair Griffiths and Matt Keightley (£16.99; rhs.org.uk).

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MOVERS

&

SHAKERS

Graphic ar tist Adam Ellis WORDS FIONA McCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHY DAMIAN RUSSELL

Adam in front of a series of large format natural history prints, framed in the studio’s custom oak mouldings

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M

aximalism’s love affair with colour, pattern and whimsy owes much to the art of Adam Ellis. In his collaborations with designers such as Martin Brudnizki and Olga Polizzi,

Adam creates dramatic scenes that seductively traverse walls, ceilings and doors, from the romantic trail of songbirds and wisteria enveloping the Brown’s Hotel lobby in Mayfair to the gilded scenes of flora and fauna found in many of The Ivy’s collection of brasseries.

‘There’s no space that can’t be enhanced or warmed up by the right picture,’ enthuses Adam. Here in his two-storey industrial space in west London, Adam has combined a light-drenched design studio with a gallery space for clients, both commercial and residential, to see his work in action, as well as peruse the archive of over 10,000 images Adam has collected since a student at the Slade School of Fine Art over two decades ago.

From natural history and botanical prints to antique maps, art-deco advertising posters and contemporary abstract illustrations, Adam uses these as inspiration to imaginatively rework by hand – through drawing,

An early concept handpainted botanical sketch for a forthcoming project

painting or digitally with pen and tablet – to custom fit designs to any room. For a recent project with Suzy Hoodless, Adam wrapped an apartment bedroom ‘with a wallpaper that goes from floor to ceiling, then across the ceiling and up into a little stairwell,’ he explains.

It was Adam’s grandmother who first fired his enthusiasm for art, with Sunday mornings spent around her dining table ‘drawing dragons and all sorts of wonderful things,’ he recalls. Today, he much prefers creating site-specific art installations for a restaurant or helping someone to curate a collection of prints for their living room wall than the ‘loneliness of being on my own in a studio,’ he says.

Applying print across wallpapers, fabrics and rugs is a much more ‘interesting and satisfying way of thinking about artistic processes outside galleries and painting canvases,’ he says. And if people are too nervous about living with that much colour, ‘an interesting arrangement of pictures always works, even in the smallest, most intimate spaces.’ It is important to be bold, Adam affirms. ‘I like helping to create spaces with a bit of surprise, that maybe show something new.’ → ■

Just a few of the 10,000 images in Adam’s extensive archive library

adamellis.com

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L I FES TYLE

A showcase of past project work, including a gold-leaf panel of Japanese-themed wallpaper for The Ivy Asia

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One of the many antiquarian prints in the archive – Skeleton engraving by Bernhard Siegfried Albinus, 1749

ADAM’S TIPS FOR PLAYING WITH PICTURES Moving around, adding or taking away pictures, every six months or a year, really makes you look again at both a picture and the space around it. They’re so versatile.

■

■

Putting a vintage-looking piece next to

something contemporary lends a more curated, collected feel to a space.

Rather than agonise over choosing just one picture for a space, play with a set of three.

Once pressure is gone on that single picture, you can make a braver choice because you have two others to support it.

■

Think about framing – a fabulous frame, with proper mounting, won’t detract from the picture but instead enhance it.

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I strongly advocate the look of an elaborate wallpaper overlaid with pictures. It’s not for everybody – my wife likes things to be calm, but I’d rather be more extravagant. & ■

An album of collected Victorian aquatint sketches

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As well as making his bespoke designs, Leszek also offers knife-making workshops

O N E T O WA T C H Black smith L eszek Si kon uses age-old sk ills to create st unning yet pract ical bespoke ar t isan tools that have modern appeal

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Q

Tell us a little about your background.

I am originally from Poland and I used to earn a decent wage as a manager in retail, yet over time this career left me feeling wholly unfulfilled. Knowing that I wanted to do something using my hands and create something that would last, I quit my job and enrolled on a blacksmithing course at Hereford College of Arts. Since I completed the course, I have focused my career on forging superb kitchen knives and other useful tools.

Q

Where do find inspiration?

I look back in history to more traditional methods. I love the process of forging and how it can transform a lump of steel into a beautiful and useful object, I can lose hours doing it while I try to figure out how to make a pattern or forge a random piece of scrap metal into something new.

FEATURE JO BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHS SAM WALTON

Q

Who has inspired you?

I owe a lot to the teachers that introduced me to blacksmithing – Delyth Done, Ambrose Burne and Adrian Legge all motivated me to push boundaries. In addition, I also love the work of Mick Maxen and Mareko Maumasi and wish to reach their level of mastery and pattern-making skills.

Q

Can you tell us about your technique?

I specialise in pattern welding, most commonly known as Damascus steel.

To explain in more detail, I layer different alloys of steel to create

“I LOVE THE PROCESS OF FORGING AND HOW IT CAN TRANSFORM A LUMP OF STEEL INTO A BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL OBJECT”

unique patterns that I then use to forge my knife designs. Many of the tools that I use in the workshop have a long history, such as the coke forges from the 18th century and the Pilkington power hammer, which is almost 100 years old. A number of our other hand tools were acquired from other workshops that were closing down. If I keep using and maintaining the tools they should last for another century or two!

Q

How has your work evolved over time?

Each time I make a knife I notice things that I could do differently, although I think that’s quite common for many craftspeople. Looking back through my work over the years, I can clearly see an ever-evolving style; sometimes I change the handle, the material, the blade shape or even the heat treatment process. It’s all a learning process and I think after three years as a full-time blacksmith I have now begun to create the knives that I imagined when I set out on this journey.

Q

Tell us a bit about your workshop.

I’m sharing my workspace with my friends from Kingdom Forge in Suffolk, and over the years we have managed to gather all the equipment we need, from ancient tools to modern welders and grinders. Having

said that, we are always on the lookout for equipment – new or old.

Q

What’s been your most exciting project so far?

For Shell Tools I created a set of farm tools and presented them for the Transition exhibition at Ypres 2016 (a major international touring exhibition for forged metal design).

The aim of the exhibition was to create work in memory of the First World War. Using original shells from weapons used in the war, I created new tools with the aim to show the cyclical process of ‘tools of destruction’ into ‘tools of creation’.

Also, when researching, I discovered a story about some church bells that were confiscated by the army and then smelted into weapons. I later found out that this was a common practice in order to gain any available steel for use in weapon production.

Q

What’s in the pipeline for you this year?

I was recently awarded a grant from QEST and planned to go to Japan in the summer to study knife-making and learn about smelting tatara steel. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, I have not been able to begin the course but I do hope to attend soon.

Also, I really want to make a knife from scratch, so not only forge it from steel but actually smelt the steel that I will use. &

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PHOTOGRAPHS TI-MEDIACONTENT.COM

F O L L OW U S O N

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THE SPICE OF LIFE GINGER IS THE ULTIMATE INGREDIENT, FULL OF WONDERFUL AROMAS AND FLAVOURS. ITS HEALTH BENEFITS ARE ECLIPSED ONLY BY ITS DELICIOUSNESS RECIPES ALICE HART STYLING KAREN AKHTAR PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN GREGSON

Ginger comes in different forms and has been used in cooking and medicine for thousands of years

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COCONUT, GINGER AND KAFFIR LIME MUSSELS SERVES 4 2 tbsp groundnut oil 4 shallots, finely chopped 2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced 400ml tin coconut milk 2 tbsp fish sauce 1 lime, juiced 2kg mussels, cleaned Thai basil or coriander, to serve

Heat the oil in a large wok or a large, wide pan with a lid. Fry the shallots, over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the lime

■

leaves, ginger, garlic, chilli and cook for a further minute or so. Pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce and lime juice and bring to a simmer.

■ Add the mussels, put on the lid and steam for 4 minutes or so, until all the mussels are open (discard any that stay closed). Serve the mussels scattered with Thai basil leaves, with lime wedges and crusty bread on the side.

COOK’S TIP To prepare mussels, scrub the shells under cold running water. Remove any ‘ beards’ from the shells

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RED COOKED PORK WITH CHESTNUTS SERVES 8 2 tbsp groundnut oil 1 whole, bone-in pork shoulder, about 3kg in weight, trimmed of skin and most surface fat 90ml light soy 2 whole star anise 5cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced 4 whole, peeled garlic cloves 5 spring onions 1 cinnamon stick 3 tbsp light brown soft sugar 250ml Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry 500ml light chicken stock or water 240g tin cooked chestnuts

Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3.

Heat the oil in a very large casserole, saucepan or deep-sided frying pan.

■

Add the pork and brown on both sides.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the chestnuts to the pan.

■ Pour in enough extra water to almost cover the pork. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 3.5-4 hours, or until the pork is incredibly tender. Check the pork every hour; if the liquid has evaporated too much (the pork should be no less than half-covered), top up with water.

About 30 minutes before the pork is cooked, add the chestnuts. At this point, the pork can be cooled and chilled for up to 3 days. Scrape the solidified fat from the surface of the stock before reheating. Otherwise, spoon excess fat from the liquid in the pan.

■ Break the pork into pieces and serve with lots of the cooking liquid spooned over steamed sticky rice or Jasmine ■

rice, and stir-fried greens, such as pak choi, broccoli or winter greens. →

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CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH A GINGERED BROTH SERVES 4 1.4 litres good chicken stock, fresh if possible 6cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks 3 sticks lemongrass, trimmed and finely sliced 1 carrot, sliced into coins or matchsticks 1 red chilli, finely sliced 1 tsp caster sugar 1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve 2 tsp oyster sauce 3 nests fine egg noodles 2 large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips 1 lime, sliced into wedges, to serve A handful of fresh bean sprouts, to serve

In a large saucepan, simmer the stock, half the ginger and half the

■

lemongrass for about 20 minutes to infuse and concentrate the flavours.

■ Add the remaining ginger and lemongrass with the carrot and chilli and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Season with the sugar, soy and oyster sauce. Add the noodles and simmer for a minute, then add the chicken, reduce the heat and poach gently for another 3 minutes or so, until the noodles and chicken are cooked.

■ Ladle into bowls and serve with lime wedges, bean sprouts and extra soy sauce, to season to taste at the table.

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BEETROOT FRITTERS WITH HALLOUMI AND A LEMON-GINGER DRESSING MAKES 16 FRITTERS; SERVES 4 FOR THE LEMON-GINGER DRESSING 2 tsp finely grated ginger 1 tbsp mild honey Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 75ml extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper, to season FOR THE FRITTERS 3 medium beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated (about 200g prepared weight) 3 medium carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated (about 200g prepared weight) 400g halloumi cheese, drained 2 tbsp finely shredded mint 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp finely grated ginger 3 tbsp chickpea flour or plain flour 2 eggs, beaten 2 tbsp light olive oil

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a screw-top jar until blended. To make the fritters, cut off about 75g of the halloumi;

■

coarsely grate and add to the grated beets and carrots in a bowl. Slice the remaining halloumi and set aside.

■ Add the remaining fritter ingredients except the oil to the bowl,

COOK’S TIP Use the light and tangy dressing straightaway or keep in the fridge for up to five days – just shake it up before using

season, and mix well. Form into 16 rounds. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the fritters, in batches, for a couple of minutes on each side, flattening down with a spatula, until golden. Remove and keep warm in a low oven while cooking the rest. Wipe out the pan and fry the halloumi for a minute or two on each side. When done, it should be crisp and golden.

■ Layer the fritters and halloumi on plates and serve with salad leaves.

Drizzle with the dressing to finish. →

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QUINCE AND GINGER JAM TARTS MAKES ABOUT 3 JARS OF JAM AND 8 SMALL TARTS FOR THE QUINCE JAM 5 large quinces, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 2 lemons, finely grated zest and juice 650g granulated sugar 30g peeled and finely shredded ginger FOR THE TARTS 175g plain flour ¼ tsp fine salt 65g ground almonds 115g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 80g caster sugar 2 egg yolks Finely grated zest of half a lemon

To make the jam, simmer all the ingredients plus 350ml water, stirring often, until the quinces are soft and the jam is thick and orange-pink (about 40 minutes). Spoon into hot, sterilised jars, screw on the lids and leave to cool.

■ To make the tarts, pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor until just combined into a dough. Form into a fat cylinder and ■

slice into eight thick ‘coins’.

■ Press a slice of dough into each of eight, 8cm tart tins. Spread the dough out evenly and chill the tins for 20 minutes. Trim the pastry with a sharp knife, so the edges sit flush with the tins. Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5 and slide a baking sheet in to heat up.

■ Blind bake the tarts, on the hot baking sheet, for 12 minutes, until pale gold and cooked through.

■ Fill each tart with a tablespoon of jam and return them to the oven for about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven, rest for 10 minutes then gently release from the tins and cool on wire racks.

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GINGER AND LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF CAKE FOR THE CAKE 225g butter, very soft 200g light muscovado sugar 4 eggs 170g self-raising flour A pinch of salt 1 tsp ground ginger 30g ground almonds Finely grated zest of 1½ large lemons 4 rounds stem ginger, chopped 1 tbsp syrup from the stem ginger jar FOR THE DRIZZLE 2 tbsp syrup from the stem ginger jar Juice of 1½ large lemons 75g golden caster sugar 2 balls stem ginger, finely slivered

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Line a large loaf tin with greaseproof paper.

■ Beat the butter and sugar together ■

until pale and creamy. Continue to beat and add the eggs, one at a time.

■ Sift the flour in, along with the salt, ground ginger, ground almonds, lemon zest, chopped stem ginger and syrup. Fold through until well combined, then spoon into the tin and level the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch.

A skewer inserted into the centre of

COOK’S TIP If the cake mixture looks like it has curdled, beat in a tablespoon of the flour before continuing to add the eggs

the cake should come out clean.

■ Meanwhile, to make the drizzle combine the syrup, lemon juice and sugar. Prick the just-baked cake all over with a skewer, spread the slivered stem ginger out over the surface and pour the drizzle on top of that.

■ Leave to cool in the tin before turning out and slicing. The cake will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or freeze, well wrapped, for up to 1 month. &

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SITTING ROOM A painting by Ryan Mosley provides a striking backdrop and works with the rich hues in this large section of seating.

1960s Bernard Govin modular sofa (just seen), sourced at Demisch Danant. Custom blue sofa

by QDL Portugal. Rug, Beauvais. Brass floor lamp by Koch & Lowy, sourced on 1stDibs

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SHARED CANVAS Exceptional art and a finely curated selection of mid-century pieces work beautifully in this New York apartment and give it a unique allure WORDS JULIET BENNING PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO

STUDY The solid mahogany shelves displaying African artefacts were inspired by Helena Rubinstein’s Paris apartment in the 1930s.

Shelving constructed

by Green River Project.

Branco & Preto desk, sourced from Side Gallery.

‘The Chair’ chair by Hans J Wegner; source on 1stDibs

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ensuality is not a word often associated

as big influences on his interiors. ‘The period I’m

with interiors, but it’s one Andre Mellone uses to describe his work.

‘I’ve been told there’s something sexy about it and I’m very proud of that,’ the Brazilianborn, New York-based interior designer says, smiling. True to his signature style, the stunning interiors he has created for a newly developed

most attracted to is between the 1930s and 1970s, from the art deco period to Bauhaus.’ Having studied initially as an architect, Andre’s understanding of how to lay out rooms was a gift on this project. ‘The main living room is very large and square with eleven foot ceilings. It’s often easier to place furniture in a rectangular room where the sofa might go against

apartment in a late-19th-century building in Brooklyn are seductive, cosy and well-proportioned.

His clients, a husband and wife with several other

the long wall, for example. Here, we found a modular sofa that functions as the central pinwheel for the rest of the seating areas.’ A sourcing mission that saw

properties in the US, were eager to be close to their family. ‘The apartment is only three quarters of a mile from where our grandchildren live. We wanted our New York home to be somewhere where we could entertain formally, but that would also suit all the generations of our family,’ the wife of the couple explains. ‘With such tall, large spaces we didn’t want

Andre search as far as London, Brazil and Senegal has led to an exceptional collection of rare mid-century furnishings. The arrangement in this central room gives the pieces both poise and languor, striking an alluring setting for those wishing to linger for drinks after supper. While the main reception areas are effortless and chic, the kitchen is fully equipped for

the property to feel too cavernous. We were drawn to Andre because he has a special sense of spatial awareness. He also does these wonderful sketches that enabled us to visualise his ideas,’ she adds.

For Andre, meeting the client led to an easy collaboration that has prompted two further projects between client and designer. ‘She is a collector so the art programme was entirely hers and she already knew where she wanted to hang each piece. I welcomed that – the fact that I didn’t have creative control over everything meant the mix of what I did and she did made for the best dynamic,’ says Andre, although he acknowledges that at times he felt out of his comfort zone. ‘If it was up to me I’d make everything black, brown and blue, but for the bedroom she requested a colour palette of pale blue,

entertaining. To conceal the heat and toil of cooking, Andre designed sliding windows of steel and fluted glass allowing it to be separate and private.

Where Andre’s vision became more difficult to envisage was in the study. ‘I wasn’t sure about the mahogany panelling,’ his client reveals, ‘but he really pushed on that and, of course, he was absolutely right. The result is an incredible room,’ she says. Inspired by Helena Rubinstein’s Paris apartment of the 1930s, the built-in shelves display an extensive collection of African sculptures reflective of her Zimbabwean heritage.

Like the perfect seductress, this apartment has a sense of self-assuredness and low-key glamour that’s hard to mimic, and undoubtedly those ingredients are what go into giving Andre’s work

pink and yellow, which I found challenging.’

The son of a prominent Brazilian industrial designer, Andre cites his father’s work and mid-century design

that little touch of ‘je ne sais quoi’. & ■

Studio Mellone, studiomellone.com

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INSPI RAT IO N

INSIDER INSIGHT Andre Mellone shares his style vision and loves

PROJECT’S BIGGEST SUCCESS I was very happy with the flexibility we created in the sitting room. It was one of the most challenging aspects of the project.

SECRET ADDRESS Jake Szymanski ( jmszymanski.com). He does beautiful forged metalwork.

GO-TO COLOUR I’m obsessed with mustard.

SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT The partitions in the kitchen. They were complicated to retro-fit into the structure, but they really made a difference.

NEXT GAME CHANGER IN DESIGN Design is less about typologies but is fusing into the same thing. Clients want homes to look like hotels and hotels want to be like homes. Everything is about a residential experience.

PRIZED POSSESSION My sketchbooks from when I was a student of architecture living in Florence.

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STUDY Mahogany-panelled walls define mid-century style.

The high pile of the rug adds a sense of luxurious comfort.

Sofa and lacquer table designed by Studio Mellone; sofa made by QDL Portugal. Alvar Aalto Tank chair sourced from Wright auction house.

Mongolian cashmere solid rug in Charcoal, Holland & Sherry. Artwork by Nicholas Hlobo

KITCHEN Two sliding screens of steel and fluted glass allow the kitchen to be separated entirely from the rest of the apartment offering extra privacy.

Kitchen installed by the Victor Robbins Group.

Work surfaces in black Belgian marble; source at Natural Stone Installers.

Bar stool, BDDW. Walls in Seapearl, Benjamin Moore

DINING ROOM The same window dressings have been used for the living spaces, bringing a sense of cohesion.

Linen curtains, ScalamandrĂŠ. 1960s Pierre Chapo elm table, sourced at Morentz. Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret, sourced at Modern Design Furniture Gallery, NYC. Vintage Jean Perzel light, sourced at Gary Rubinstein Antiques

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MASTER BEDROOM The artwork prompted the yellow, pink and pale blue scheme. Cashmere and velvet mohair strike a mood of relaxation.

Painting by Masatake Kouzaki. Bed and headboard in Crazy Love in Turquoise by Donghia.

Italian 1950s sconce, sourced on 1stDibs.

Mongolian cashmere rug, Holland & Sherry

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POISED SIMPLICITY Shareen Joel’s Melbourne home is an excellent example of understated interiors done masterfully WORDS CARLI PHILIPS PHOTOGRAPHY LISA COHEN

LIVING AREA The clean lines of the architecture are matched by the simple shapes of the furnishings. The glazing opens to a newly landscaped garden.

Charles sofa, B&B Italia.

Edra Favela chair by Fernando and Humberto Campana. Laurel side table by Neri & Hu for De La Espada, Spence & Lyda

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KITCHEN Black sandstone surfaces cut through the white scheme to bring weight. The still life paining and sculpture are irreverent touches.

Still Life with Jug and Lobster artwork by Judith Wills. Work surface, source similar from Kitchen Worktops Online

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DINING AREA At the touch of a button, floorboards near the table lift up to reveal a secret hatch leading down to a small underground bar.

Cab chairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina. Vintage 702 La Barca table by Piero De Martini for Cassina

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STUDY White walls keep the focus on the artwork.

Vintage Saarinen Tulip table, try Pamono. Art: Origami #3 by Robert Owen (bottom left), Arc One Gallery. Tranquilly Mist 1 by Alesandro Ljubicic (bottom right), Scott Livesey Galleries.

Weird Fish by Michael Muir (top left), Sophie Gannon Gallery

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ver the last decade, Shareen Joel has amassed dozens of vintage

the back in double brick. Oversized panes of floor-toceiling glass bathe the whole area in light and bring

French doors and window frames, locking them away safely in storage. ‘I was patiently waiting for the right place to put them,’ says the Melbourne-based architectural, industrial and interior designer of her collection.

‘I just knew this house was it. I built the renovation around these doors.’ Coupled with classic Italian

a wonderful connection to the outdoors. In between the old and new parts of the house, an intimate den was created and is tucked away between two sets of antique panelled double doors.

A central box module was designed for the kitchen to hide most of the home’s storage, compartmentalised with everything from the fridge

furniture, clean lines, Australian artwork and a cool, neutral palette, the effect is a modern European look that’s equal parts charm and sophistication.

to dinnerware drawers and even shelves for luggage.

Absent of clutter, the clean lines and poised simplicity of Shareen’s long-held furniture from the

When Shareen and her husband Dean purchased the Victorian-Italianate villa on a leafy street in Melbourne, the gloomy interiors were dated and dim with an excess of ‘grandma carpets’. The compact house was disproportionate to the rambling garden and while Dean was hesitant, Shareen’s designer’s instinct kicked in. ‘I was convinced of its potential

likes of B&B Italia, Gubi and Arne Jacobsen are showcased with dignified restraint. Aside from the study with its colourful gallery wall, great care has been taken to ensure there is no jarring or clashing.

There are fun pieces of objet d’art, but they are presented with subtle wit. On display in all white is a shelf of plump country-style roosters and 3D

from the moment I saw it,’ she enthuses. ‘I could visualise it finished so sketched up a plan that night.

The first time Dean saw it was after the auction.’

The 1800s interiors showed their age. Cornices were wobbly and walls skewed, but Shareen was adamant they remain. ‘Everyone told me I should strip it all, that I needed to restore the cracks and slanted doors but I refused. I was content with the fact that there were imperfections. I was adamant that it not be new, boring and soulless,’ she explains.

The existing layout was basic, comprising a lounge, two bedrooms (one with en suite), powder room and WC to the left of a central spine that stopped abruptly at the end of the corridor with a lean-to kitchen. This was reorganised with a bedroom converted into an office and the wet areas joined.

ceramic fruit bowls overflowing with faux grapes.

There are also Alessi classics Shareen rediscovered when unpacking gifts from her wedding. ‘I got married 20 years ago but had kept everything in boxes until now. These pieces have made me smile all over again with their distinct humour.’

Great consideration has been given to the use of authentic materials, with sandstone work surfaces, wide pine floorboards and a smudged, milky polished plaster stairwell. A natural palette of furniture complements the serene environment that opens up to nature with a lush rear garden, Tuscan-style courtyard and, upstairs, a view over the treetops from wraparound picture windows. ‘It’s hard to do things simply so they don’t look too “done”,’ admits Shareen.

It might have been hard work behind the scenes, but

Generous outdoor space provided opportunity for an addition, so a beautifully proportioned open-plan kitchen, dining and living room was ballooned out

the outcome is a home flush with ease and grace.

■

&

Shareen Joel Design, shareenjoel.com

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SITTING ROOM The original part of the house dates back to the 1800s and many of the period features were painstakingly restored.

Antique French console, try 1stDibs. Moroso Net side table by Benjamin Hubert, available at Chaplins. Sofa, custom; try Hybrid at B&B Italia

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INSIDER INSIGHT Shareen Joel shares her style vision and loves

PROJECT’S BIGGEST SUCCESS Letting in expanses of natural light with skylights and huge sliding doors.

GREATEST INDULGENCE The double brick construction of the extension.

GO-TO COLOUR White or grey.

WHAT’S ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE All my

LANDING A low shelf displaying artwork and sculptures is a simple but effective decortive addition.

Blue Armchair artwork by Clara Adolphs. Changeling sculpture by Mark Howson. White ceramic vase from Puglia

design samples and inspiration, which I have moved out of my office and into home for the duration of Covid. I have taken over the house with all my design projects.

LAST THING YOU BOUGHT FOR YOUR HOME Italian ceramics from Puglia for our beach house in Sorrento, Victoria, and a Charlotte Perriand Meribel stool.

WORDS TO LIVE BY ‘Simple’ design is hard to achieve and requires incredible detail and discipline.

YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORD Consistent, authentic, timeless.

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MASTER BEDROOM Shareen and Dean’s suite has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite, allowing the main space to be free of clutter.

Zanotta 360 Servomuto side table, try Nunido.

Arne Jacobsen floor lamp for Louis Poulsen, try Vinterior. For similar linen bedding, try The Secret Linen Store

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A GRAND REVIVAL Daniel Slowik of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler helped his client reimagine her lifetime’s collection of furnishings and objets – the result is a revived London home that has a delightful country house look WORDS RACHEL LEEDHAM PHOTOGRAPHY BOZ GAGOVSKI

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I NS PIR AT ION DRAWING ROOM An old sofa was reupholstered in a beautiful pink. Beading was added to the archway. ‘It gives a bit of oomph architecturally,’ says Daniel.

Sofa in Croisé Collobrières Eglantine, Pierre Frey. Vintage kilim, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler Antiques Department

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DRAWING ROOM Designed to chime with the period of the house, the new joinery has been tailored to fit the owners’ collection of books.

Walls in Light Blue, Farrow & Ball. Wing chair in L9153/04, Larsen. Mid 19th century mirror, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler Antiques Department

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KITCHEN The dining furniture was repainted and treated to new seat pads. A fine marble-topped table adds a touch of grandeur.

Cabinets in Old White; island in Railings, both Farrow & Ball. Seat pads in Fleurette, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler

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P

rior to becoming an interior decorator at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, Daniel Slowik managed the company’s antiques division, and it was in this capacity that he first met the owner of this Victorian terraced town house in south London. ‘She is a passionate collector and she would come into the Brook Street shop all the time,’ Daniel recalls. He continues, ‘Twenty years on, she got in touch with me via Instagram to say that she and her partner were downsizing to a house around the corner from their previous home and she wondered if I could help.’

As owner and designer strolled from the larger house to the smaller one, a plan began to emerge as

most treasured finds,’ Daniel explains. He adds, ‘We are entering an age of repurposing, which is something my company was doing when they were decorating country houses back in the 1950s. Our emphasis now, as it was back then, is on couture decorating – if you refinish a piece beautifully, it will come back to life and last for many years to come.’

Daniel’s approach to upcycling also applied to the fittings within this house. ‘I’ve increasingly been trumpeting about sustainability and not throwing things away when they are perfectly good,’ he says, citing as an example the property’s existing kitchen cabinetry. ‘It had rather unattractive panelled units but we filled elements of the panels

to how a lifetime’s collection could be curated and shown in a new light in this more petite property.

‘From the outset we knew that this wasn’t going to be a case of acquiring new pieces; rather, it would be about re-covering, re-polishing or repainting her

and repainted everything. We then added beautiful reeded knobs, which put our stamp on the room.’

Where new joinery was required, Daniel worked with his draughtsmen to create classic designs, such as the drawing room’s elegant bookshelves that have →

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MASTER BEDROOM An 18th-century French provincial chair was reupholstered to suit the scheme.

Chair in Arlo in Blueberry, George Spencer Designs

DRESSING ROOM A painterly design has been used for the walls and curtains.

Curtains and walls in Snow Tree in Cream, Colefax and Fowler

been tailored to accommodate every different size of book in the owners’ collection.

For Daniel, the joy of this project was that his personal tastes and those of the client converged. ‘She loves florals and a palette of pinks, blues and greens – and so do I,’ he comments, adding that although the palette shifts from room to room, there is a connection between the spaces.

‘I always consider the view from one room into the next; it is important that it mustn’t jar.’ So, for example, the plaster pink of the hallway walls and the greens of framed botanical illustrations are carried through to the adjoining sitting room, where Daniel’s approach to couture decorating is witnessed in features such as chic green piping on the pink sofa, or a slim band of orange trim on the chartreuse-hued curtains. ‘Curtain making and upholstery are not cheap but the fabrics don’t have

of the spaces. The master bedroom curtains, which match the drapes of the four-poster bed, formerly featured swags and tails, so Daniel had them simplified and hung them from a pole to make them more relevant to the scale of the room.

Where required, furniture was carefully repaired, such as a pretty iron bed that was missing a castor.

‘We had to pay a visit to an iron bed company in the middle of a field – we discovered that antique iron beds are quite a niche market,’ Daniel recounts.

Daniel summarises this project as ‘a miniature country house in London’, and he believes that it exemplifies – albeit in a small-scale way – what he and his colleagues at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler do best: ‘It’s about mastering colour and pattern and focusing on every detail,’ he explains, adding,

to be expensive. It’s all about the details,’ he posits.

In other rooms, curtains from the previous house were reworked to suit the more modest proportions

‘Our company was born out of these principles.’ &

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Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, sibylcolefax.com

INSIDER INSIGHT Daniel Slowik shares his style vision

MOST SUCCESSFUL PART OF THIS PROJECT The perfect synergy between decorator and client, and a lifelong friendship.

THE BIGGEST INDULGENCE The four-poster in the master bedroom – not what you’d expect in London but perfect!

TIP FOR COMBINING PATTERNS Be bold and follow your intuition. Sometimes the strangest combinations work perfectly together.

SECRET ADDRESS I love Jamb, our neighbours in Pimlico Road.

FAVOURITE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT My partner’s @a.prin.art – the best guide to living with art.

LUXURY YOU WOULD NEVER FORGO A painted waste paper bin we make, designed by John Fowler.

MASTER BEDROOM The floral drapes of the four poster were in perfectly good condition so Daniel reused them.

An English quilt dating to the 19th century adds another layer of richness.

Bed drapes in Maybury in Blue/Green, Colefax and Fowler

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ANOTHER COUNTRY The home and studio of architect Annabelle Tugby is a modern spin on English rustic style and champions simple, sustainable design WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY CLAIRE BINGHAM

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ENTRANCE Annabelle designed this rustic A-frame structure to provide covered access from the garden to the utility room. The swing to the side is a whimsical touch.

GLASS HOUSE A complementary addition to the 18th-century cottage, this was built to enjoy the panoramic views and for potting plants.

Furniture and pots, all Potting Shed

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KITCHEN Annabelle loves the beauty of natural materials and simple forms. This aesthetic is modern but works in the cottage setting.

Pebbles, Mandarin Stone.

Doors, designed by Annabelle and fabricated by a local blacksmith

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or a successful home project, often

comes in. ‘A lot of ideas they’d set up were the right

a balance between the architecture and landscape is key. Set in a meadow and immersed in the rolling Cheshire countryside, this renovated 18th-century property with adjoining architect’s studio does just that. The work of architect and designer Annabelle Tugby, the new additions to this old cottage and its interior,

answers because they’d lived here so long. I was mindful of the ways they had used the house and their patterns and routines moving around it.’

For the decorating scheme, Annabelle decided to go for interesting textures and surfaces. The cobbled paths, for example, were influenced by the path that leads up to the local school, which is in the National

which combines vernacular materials with modern detailing, sit comfortably in their rural setting.

The country house, which Annabelle shares with

Trust part of the village. The pebbles on the floor of the kitchen carry this look inside. Modern ply-lined walls, exposed ceiling beams and concrete-look floor

partner David and her three children, is warm and inviting. ‘I’d describe my home as rustic and sensitive,’ says Annabelle. ‘It is designed for family life and I’m happiest when it is full of people.’

Across the garden is Annabelle’s black-timber and white-brick drawing studio. She remodelled a semi-derelict workshop to create the beautiful,

tiles add to this aesthetic. A neutral palette accentuates the sense of calm and the house is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White throughout.

With it being a period property, there was plenty of stripping back and sanding, and the removal of walls on the ground floor ensured everything became better connected. ‘Technically speaking, the dig out

light-filled space that showcases her taste for natural, texturised materials and simple forms.

‘I’ve always worked from home but moving here gave me the opportunity to have my work a little more separated, which is wonderful,’ she says.

The building work on the house and the studio took just under two years to complete and was a therapeutic process for Annabelle. Moving on to the next chapter of her life, her goal was to create a welcoming and cosy new home for her children.

‘Rather than opting for a design that was overly minimal and architecturally hard, I wanted something that felt comfortable and homely, as well as being honest to the integrity of the old building and that continued the legacy of the people who lived here before.’

and underpinning of the floor in the kitchen was very challenging, especially when working with such an old building,’ says Annabelle. The intention being to achieve a greater ceiling height than before.

It was worth the time and effort. The home now centres around this large kitchen, which comprises a modern pantry, a preparation island and a breakfast nook. At one end is an Aga set against an exposed brick wall. Light pours in through floor-to-ceiling picture windows that open on each side, blurring the boundaries between inside and out. The pebbled floor detail connects to the external courtyard beyond. ‘It was the garden’s panoramic countryside views that got me hooked on this house,’ says Annabelle.

Thanks to her deft skills, this is a place she and her family are set to enjoy for years to come. &

To achieve this, Annabelle recreated things in specific places. The booth in the kitchen emulates a small round table where the previous owners liked to sit during the day because that’s where the sun

For information on the architecture and interiors, visit annabelletugbyarchitects.co.uk

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BREAKFAST AREA A sleek customdesigned booth is surrounded by ply-lined walls.

Rattan light, Moth in Didsbury

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DINING ROOM Keeping decoration to a minimum – the abstract is by a student of the Picasso School – allows the beauty of the wood to shine.

Refectory table, find similar at I & JL Brown

SITTING ROOM Annabelle’s neutral schemes are enhanced with subtle textures.

Linen sofas, Sofa. com. Raj sisal carpet, Wilmslow Interiors

GARDEN A line of clipped yews punctuates the side garden

KITCHEN Exposed brick, original beams and modern plywood combine for a characterful finish.

The plywood cupboard swings open to reveal a well-equipped pantry.

Worktop, Granite House.

Floor tiles, Mandarin Stone

INSIDER INSIGHT Annabelle Tugby shares her style inspiration

SECRET ADDRESS Moth, a beautiful homeware shop in West Didsbury, Manchester (mothstyle.com).

BIGGEST INDULGENCE My new Land Rover Defender.

DESIGN HERO Niall McLaughlin.

LAST THING YOU BOUGHT FOR YOUR HOME A ceramic pendant lamp made by Dora Alzamora Good in Deià, Majorca (doraceramics.com).

FAVOURITE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT Considered Things – @consideredthings.

I NSPIR ATI ON

BEDROOM The schemes upstairs are serene. Furniture and lighting from different periods but with similar tones create a pleasing sense of unity and introduce richness.

Walls in Wimborne White, Farrow & Ball. Find a similar marquetry bed at Perch & Parrow. Beaded pendant lamp, Moth of Didsbury

BATHROOM Annabelle designed a window seat for this room. ‘It was inspired by the previous owners’ routine of chatting together here with a G&T at the end of the day.’

Mirror, Bathroom Takeaway. Pendant light, Delta Light

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STUDIO Annabelle renovated a semi-derelict workshop to use as an office and drawing space, pairing a concrete floor with lime plaster walls.

Find Hans J Wegner chairs at The Conran Shop

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The relaxed, natural garden sweeps down from the back of what is Litchfield’s oldest standing house, built in 1753

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AMERICAN DREAM Steeped in history, this Connecticut garden is a relaxing weekend retreat for New York-based interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud and her financier husband Bruce Schnitzer WORDS FIONA McCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHY TIM STREET-PORTER

A handsome sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is surrounded by borders filled with Viburnum ‘Shasta’, shrub roses and a mixture of perennials. In the distance is spruce, fir and pine woodland

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W

e started with the aim of not making it too formal,’ says Portuguese-born, New York-based interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud of the elegant but languidly winding garden belonging to the

version of an English garden back then,’ he says.

This also meant remaining empathetic to its early 18th-century roots (Litchfield was founded in 1719), when ‘this part of the world was once communal grazing land, founded by people who were escaping what they thought was a too formalistic environment

weekend retreat she owns with her Texan financier husband Bruce Schnitzer.

Situated in the heart of the pretty Connecticut

in England,’ Bruce explains. Even to this day, throughout town, there are very few fences. ‘Leaving it more natural seemed the right thing to do,’ he says.

town of Litchfield, the 15-acre garden flows from the back of the simple but handsome L-shaped white clapboard house – built in 1753 for the American politician Oliver Wolcott (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) – and across various paved areas that Bruce and Alexandra have created for sitting, eating and garden-gazing. Continuing past a

Under Alexandra’s keen design eye – she has designed interiors for hotels across the globe, including Raffles Singapore, London’s Claridge’s and The Carlyle in New York – they have flattened sections around the house in a series of barely perceptible terraces, paved with local stone or slabs of granite salvaged from Yale University, which then

swimming pool and pond, it then meanders gently down, framed by a woodland filled with tall oak, maple, copper beech and shagbark hickory trees, to the Bantam River flowing at the very end. ‘It’s a garden full of adventure,’ enthuses Alexandra.

For more than 40 years, the restoration of both the historically-listed house and garden has been a true labour of love for the couple – first for Bruce, after buying the property in 1978, and then in partnership with Alexandra after they were married 20 years later. ‘When Bruce arrived, there were brambles and poison ivy all the way up to the front door,’ she says.

But as he cleared it back, Bruce discovered some gnarly lilac trees, a few ornamental shrubs, trails of mint and rhubarb, and indentations of old flower beds. ‘I realised there must have once been a very

lead to a long double perennial border. At the end of this, a half-moon mass of lilac frames a 19th-century terracotta figure (a gift to one another on their 10th wedding anniversary), which was salvaged from an early Philadelphia skyscraper.

From early spring to autumn, the double border provides waves of evolving colour and texture every three of four weeks, from a chequerboard array of White Triumphator and Queen of Night tulips to richly hued delphiniums, phlox and peonies.

Elsewhere, clever punctuations of unexpected detail – a large, sculptural millstone marking the original working well, an antique chocolate tub used as a fountain – keep the eye moving through from one space to the next. ‘I wanted to create uplifting, special thinking places – places to walk to and find

good garden here,’ says Bruce.

While not setting out to replicate exactly what had been here before, ‘we did take inspiration from what we imagined might have been a New England

a bench, places to appreciate the intimacy flowers bring,’ says Alexandra. The result is a garden that feels romantic and layered, ‘without trying too hard,’ she says. ‘It was important nothing should jar.’ &

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GARDEN GUIDE ORIENTATION West.

SOIL TYPE Clay.

SPECIAL FEATURES An exceptionally long plot (adjoining 100 acres of conservation area), low walls built with local stone, a vegetable and herb garden, orchard, perennial double border, swimming pool and pond, woodlands.

GARDEN DESIGN By the owners, Alexandra Champalimaud and Bruce Schnitzer.

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One of the outbuildings painted in Alexandra’s custom-mixed colour Litchfield Green, a blend of Dulux’s Kelly 8 and Black Green (½) 7 8 so that it almost (½), disappears into the vegetation. It is surrounded by maple trees, a ‘New Dawn’ rose and a climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)

A delightful pocket of planting, including lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and shrub roses

The creaminess of Cimicifuga racemosa (Actaea) contrasts with paintwork in Alexandra’s bespoke Litchfield Green hue

Swings – some of which were in place when Bruce bought the property – are embedded into tall pine trees

An antique urn provides another element of interest among the planting

A late 19th-century terracotta sculpture stands at the end of the doubleborder perennial beds. Edged with Alchemilla mollis and Coreopsis verticillata, the mix of perennials ensures flowers through the season

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A weeping white cherry sits alongside an espaliered Red Delicious apple tree and a mix of hostas and goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus), near the original working well, marked by an old millstone

“IT’S A GARDEN IN WHICH YOU FIND LOTS OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PLANTS” ALEXANDRA CHAMPALIMAUD

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“WITH STUNNING HOUSES AND GARDENS, EXPERT INSIGHT FROM INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND FASCINATING STORIES FROM INNOVATIVE MAKERS, A SUBSCRIPTION TO HOMES & GARDENS IS THE ULTIMATE INSPIRATION RESOURCE” Sarah Spiteri, Editorial Director

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DES IGN

COLOUR OF THE MONTH ASSOCIATE EDITOR BUSOLA EVANS DISCOVERS THE PERFECT NEUTRAL – BAUWERK’S WITCH HAZEL

The search for the ideal neutral is not as easy as it would initially appear. Pure whites can be too stark, while trying to warm it up means possibly straying into magnolia territory. Bauwerk’s Witch Hazel is a beautiful middle ground. Part grey, part beige and with notes of pink, this lime paint is made with clay, minerals and natural pigments so it has a richness that means it works in both cool and warm schemes. The colour wheel is your oyster when it comes to choosing accompanying shades. For a soothing feel, sage or olive are perfect partners, soft browns and whites add elegance, while a punchy orange or coral will bring vibrancy.

Wall in Witch Hazel lime paint, £27 for 1ltr, Bauwerk

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S E C R E T S T O S AV E THINKING ABOUT A HOUSE OR GARDEN REDESIGN? OUR EXPERTS SHARE THEIR KNOW-HOW FOR ACHIEVING MAXIMUM RESULTS WITH MINIMUM SPEND

Nicola recommends vintage pieces such as these chairs – ‘much better craftsmanship and materiality for the money’

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DES IGN

Combine budget items with an ‘investment piece’ rug from Guinevere (guinevere. co.uk) advises Nicola

THE INTERIOR DESIGNER NICOLA HARDING WITH more than 12 years’ experience of running her own interior design practice, Nicola Harding knows all about managing residential projects, large and small. Nicola and family recently moved from London to a house in the country so she speaks from personal as well as professional experience.

Resist the temptation to start with a clean decorative slate. ‘I look closely at what is already there and how it might be reimagined. Consider finishes (flooring, wall tiles), architectural elements (doors, windows, fireplaces), ironmongery, sanitaryware, curtains, furniture and light fittings. This approach not only saves money, but also the environment.’

Don’t just think about what you want, think about

FEATURE KATE BURNETT PHOTOGRAPHS PAUL MASSEY

Use ‘placeholders’ while you budget for future buys says Nicola – a shelf like this could be replaced with units

why you want it. ‘Often people believe they need something without thinking about it thoroughly, deferring to something that is in fashion, or that other people have, or that they grew up with.’

No matter how small your budget, good lighting is non-negotiable. ‘It’s probably the most important thing to get right, and it doesn’t need to be expensive.

Poor lighting is the quickest way to kill atmosphere.

Downlights can quickly blow the budget – they are expensive and not to my taste. My secret is lots of lamps with warm white light bulbs, so use your budget for good quality bulbs and always ensure that light switches are dimmable.’

Joinery is important so budget accordingly. ‘Only add fitted joinery if you can afford fairly good quality.

An alternative route could be to reduce the amount you need to help focus your budget. For example, use free-standing pieces of furniture in the kitchen and have a nearby cupboard or small room as a scullery where you can store food, appliances or serveware.’

Search out the best modestly priced products.

‘Tinsmiths (tinsmiths.co.uk) is brilliant: good value, conscientiously sourced products and its mail-order curtain-making service is fantastic. For all-round online finds, try Nkuku (nkuku.com) and Cox & Cox (coxandcox.co.uk). Brisbane Moss (brisbanemoss. co.uk) supplies corduroy that is ideal for upholstery and curtains. Don’t spend on expensive radiators – B&Q (diy.com) does great value column rads.’

■ nicolaharding.com →

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THE ARCHITECT CLAIRE SA, DE ROSEE SA CLAIRE Sa established architectural practice De Rosee Sa with Max de Rosee in 2007. They now have offices in London, Brussels and Lisbon. The practice is known for its elegant residential work, a skilled use of materials and detailing, and considerable experience of working with period buildings.

Take time to make your design decisions. ‘The project always suffers when you rush into a build.

Making a Pinterest scrapbook is a good way to pull together ideas and then plan a look to stick to. Be careful of going for the contractor who promises to

at the outset. ‘If a budget is restricted, it is better to use it for fewer carefully considered spaces so I would limit the number of floors or rooms you work on. I would say the most value is probably achieved by creating the space, in other words optimising the volume or area. The decorative ‘cosmetic’ layers can always be done afterwards.’

Go for sustainable solutions. Plan in a rainwater harvesting tank or solar panels. It is also really important to take stock at the start of what possible building materials, eg floors, doors, etc, you could recycle into the project.

Spend your budget on areas of the house that take a battering, such as kitchens. ‘Invest in a good quality stone worksurface, but save by installing carcassing

by Ikea or Howdens for the units instead of buying bespoke. A quality floor is also a good idea for heavily trafficked areas. However, if you can’t afford £100200sq m for a wood floor, you can buy long lengths of pine boards from a builders’ merchant at about £25sq m and paint them with a wash or floor paint (Farrow & Ball do a floor paint range).’

Research can yield clever solutions. ‘I am always

Small details such as a clothes airer, shown here in a De Rosee Sa project, are an inexpensive way to streamline daily chores

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testing new materials and love anything that looks great and is cheap. For example, if you don’t want to spend a huge amount on lining a shower with expensive stone, you could try Mortex (bealmortex. com) to line the tray and walls. It’s a little like tadelakt and comes in a range of colours.

■ deroseesa.com

PHOTOGRAPHS (TOP) ALEXANDER JAMES

A micro home office by De Rosee Sa designed to be invisible once the door is closed

do it faster than anyone else, and set aside a budget for contingencies. We usually recommend 10%.’

Planning ahead is vital and manage expectations

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THE GARDEN DESIGNER ANDY STURGEON CONSISTENTLY one of the most awarded and respected UK garden designers, Andy has created gardens of all shapes and sizes, bringing to each one the same mix of passion and practicality.

He is known for innovative planting and an

Andy used more expensive trees to create a backdrop for cost-effective lower planting here

architectural approach that combines the traditional with the contemporary.

Economies can be made before the first penny is spent.

‘Start by thinking about what is worth keeping. What can you do with the existing hard landscaping, trees and shrubs? Is some rejuvenation possible? Doing this can create a sense of maturity from the outset.’

Establish the garden in stages. ‘You need a direction to set rules and parameters with your

PHOTOGRAPHS (TOP AND BOTTOM) ANDY STURGEON STUDIO, (CENTRE) JERRY HARPUR

design, but don’t feel you have to decide everything upfront. You need to keep costs under control, which can be hard when you’re a beginner, so cost and note every item before you make a decision.’

Before starting to plant and landscape, create an idea of the garden as a visual whole. ‘I tell clients not to look up plants in catalogues. The problem with

A few decent sized trees and shrubs will help create a mature landscape

Gravel was used to create an inexpensive textured path between two deep borders in this country garden designed by Andy

seeing them individually is that you’re looking at them in isolation. You need to think about palettes and choose combinations – think about height, colour, texture and the seasons. Buy an initial selection and add to that when you can afford it.’

Inexpensive materials can be the starting point for an entire scheme. ‘Gravel is an example. I’m a big advocate of gravel gardens. They create light and space around the plants and are relatively cheap and easy to maintain all year round. I try to buy local gravel, ideally more than 10mm in diameter. Don’t worry about putting a plastic membrane under the gravel, for me that’s a false economy.’

Think about trade-offs and absolutes. ‘A hedge might be better than an expensive fence, for example.

One idea is to invest in a few decent-sized trees and shrubs to help create a mature landscape. It won’t make an instant garden but it does offer a framework while other plants establish. I recommend spending money on individual objects – spend as much as you can on something special that should last forever.

Torc pots (torcpots.com) are a favourite of mine.’

■ andysturgeon.com &

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STORE A ND ORDER

IN FULL VIEW Not everything needs to be hidden away when it comes to storage – in fact decorative solutions can make a huge difference to your look and feel. A cluster of simple floating shelves work particularly well in a kitchen, where there may be a fair amount of closed cabinetry taking up space along the walls.

They add an element of interest that draws the eye, all while helping to keep countertops clear. It’s best to mount open shelving just above eye level and within easy reach if you intend for the shelves to hold day-to-day items, such as plates and mugs. For a stylised look, stack collections of your favourite crockery, line up fresh herbs and incorporate small pieces of art along a run of open shelving.

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FEATURE YVETTE MURRELL PHOTOGRAPHS (IN FULL VIEW) MATTHEW WILLIAMS; (OPEN BOOK) PAUL MASSEY

SMART SOLUTIONS TO KEEP SPACES NEAT, TIDY AND CHIC

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OPEN BOOK Creating your very own library in a living room or home office with a built-in wall-to-wall design works in both classic and contemporary homes alike. By combining open shelving and closed cupboards, you can have a display of books and objets d’art while also hiding away heavier items down below. Alcoves are an obvious place to add floor-to-ceiling storage, even if your room is small as bespoke solutions can utilise the full height of the space. ‘Although this may not sound like it will make much of a difference the reality is that a bespoke design will offer, on average, 40% more space,’ says Rachal Hutcheson, national retail manager at Sharps. Finish off with a block colour and let the books provide the detail. →

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“OF COURSE, THE REAL WAY TO EFFECTIVE STORAGE IS TO REDUCE THE VOLUME WITH A REGULAR AND RUTHLESS EDIT AND DECLUTTER”

EXPERT SYSTEMS

CLEVER CORNER

CUPBOARD LOVE

Practising what she preaches, interior designer Suzy Hoodless has adopted smart yet stylish storage in her kitchen.

‘The secret to clutter-free surfaces is that everything has to have its place, which makes for a neater and ultimately easier-to-clean kitchen,’ she explains.

Try thinking outside the box, as shown here in this up-and-over bespoke storage unit. Hallways and landings are perfect places to maximise. These spaces can have a dedicated function, but keep the look understated to ensure a cohesive link between each room.

Free-standing storage furniture, such as this dresser with glazed door fronts is characterful and useful for everyday tableware. While it has a plain white exterior, the interior is lined with a decorative blue linen fabric to match the coastal theme of the rest of the space.

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PHOTOGRAPHS (EXPERT SYSTEMS, CLEVER CORNER) PAUL MASSEY; (CUPBOARD LOVE) EMMA LEE; (NEW HEIGHTS) RORY GARDINER

SUZY HOODLESS, interior designer, suzyhoodless.com

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NEW HEIGHTS Bringing vintage or reclaimed pieces into a new interior scheme can be one of the most exciting parts of decorating your home. They instantly add character, especially when you have a personal attachment.

Here, wooden wine cases take centre stage in wall-to-ceiling shelving complete with ladder for ease of access. ‘Within every project we look to maximise storage by finding clever and innovative solutions, without sacrificing spaciousness,’ explains Amos Goldreich of Amos Goldreich Architecture. ‘Crucially, you have to really explore your property and find any forgotten spaces that you can exploit to maximise your storage opportunities. Within smaller properties, sometimes you have to think laterally – or vertically.’ →

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MATERIAL MATTERS ‘Creating a walk-through wardrobe is a good approach to separating your bedroom from your clothes storage, and is a good way to have a more serene sleeping space,’ says Lucy Barlow, founder and director of architectural interior design studio Barlow & Barlow. ‘Especially if you don’t have the space to create a designated dressing room,’ she adds. In this project the design team decided to lacquer the wardrobes in a rich emerald green colour, to make a luxurious statement entrance to the bedroom. Lacquer finishes are not only a useful alternative to paint when it comes to incorporating colour into furniture, but are a practical option too, as the coating sets into a hard, durable finish.

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DE SIGN

“THERE IS A PERENNIAL CALL FOR STORAGE IN BATHROOMS, BUT BUILT-IN JOINERY CAN SOMETIMES FEEL COLD. ADDING A VINTAGE PIECE LENDS WARMTH AND CHARACTER”

PHOTOGRAPHS (VANITY FAIR) JAMES MERRELL; (BEHIND CLOSED DOORS) PAUL MASSEY

NICOLA HARDING, interior designer, nicolaharding.com

VANITY FAIR

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

ROOM TO MANOEUVRE

When it comes to the bathroom, you need to consider the size of your storage as Kirsten Wain, designer at West One Bathrooms explains. ‘If you have tall bottles, shallow drawers will be useless.

Likewise, if you have lots of small cosmetics, a deep drawer will be too vast.’

Fitted wardrobes are one of the most efficient ways of creating storage space in a bedroom or dressing room.

Discuss this along with your interior specifications and precise size requirements at the early stages of your planning, to get an accurate quotation.

‘Using something that lets you see the floor beneath makes the room feel larger,’ says interior designer Nicola Harding. Indeed, storage is a necessity in a bathroom, but as often one of the smallest rooms in the home, pieces with legs can help free up floor space. →

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LINE OF SIGHT As the old saying goes, a tidy room is a tidy mind – so it is important we keep our bedrooms clear in order to feel calm and relaxed. Here, an awkward corner has been transformed into useful space with a boxed-out design. It allows any electrical wires to be hidden away safely while also creating a clever recessed shelf for bedside essentials. This contemporary design is made more effective with varying widths of panelling used throughout the whole room, which when combined create illusions of depth and lengths to help the space feel bigger. The textured wooden finish completes the scheme for a warm and welcoming look. To achieve a similar style, opt for a real oak, pine or walnut wood veneer panelling.

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INSIDER INSIGHT MAXIMISE YOUR STORAGE WITH IDEAS FROM THE PROS MODERN DAY LIVING ‘As we spend

GO BESPOKE ‘Getting the configuration right is

more time at home, we become more aware than ever of the need for space,’ says Simon Tcherniak,

what makes or breaks the design and its functionality,’ says Rachal Hutcheson, national retail manager at

senior furniture designer at Neville Johnson. ‘Rooms that were once forgotten are being rejuvenated as tranquil spaces or multifunctional living zones. The home office is where the demand is greatest at the moment. Homeowners are looking for a dynamic space that allows them the time to focus on their daily tasks but also one they can close off in the

Sharps. ‘A sensible place to start is by assessing your storage needs. Think about the volume of clothes and shoes that you have, whether you might need areas for bedding and towels and how much space you might need in the future. For example, if you have a collection of long coats or dresses, double height hanging rails are a practical choice. You can combine this section with

evening to really benefit from the additional family time we have all been afforded in recent months.’

pigeonhole storage to maximise the space,’ she adds.

THINK ABOUT FUNCTION ‘Ultimately WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE ‘There are a number of tricks that will help you maximise every space in your kitchen. From drawers in drawers for everything from cutlery to condiments, to triple layered larders that will offer a concertina-like shelving system to stow away storecupboard staples,’ suggests Nerine Vacher, kitchen designer

in most of our top list of priorities, is an easy clean bathroom – so wall-mounted cabinets and niches in showers mean no dirt traps to clean,’ says Kirsten Wain, designer at West One Bathrooms. ‘Consider recessed mirror storage in stud walls over basins or wall-mounted toilets – it will give the illusion of mirrors but with additional storage behind.’ &

at Neptune Fulham. ‘Don’t forget that often overlooked spot under the sink too, adding flexible stacked storage under here will give you the perfect place to put cleaning products and cloths.’

“STORAGE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ABOUT CLOSING ITEMS AWAY IN CUPBOARDS.

MIX AND MATCH ‘Consider pieces that

BESPOKE JOINERY CAN BE

feature both drawers and open shelving,’ says Rachel Galbraith, creative director at Ercol. ‘This versatility allows for bulkier items to be stowed out of sight, while eye-catching accessories can be styled on surfaces at eye level. If you love to mix up your interiors on a regular basis, free-standing designs are a perfect option and can be moved around the house.’

DESIGNED TO DISPLAY PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN THEIR BEST LIGHT” AMOS GOLDREICH, architect, agarchitecture.net

PHOTOGRAPH MATTHEW WILLIAMS

THE SOURCEBOOK: SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY ROOM NEVILLE JOHNSON

CHAMBER FURNITURE

ERCOL

NEPTUNE

The brand has over 30 years’ experience in creating innovative fitted furniture. Its talented experts design and install bespoke solutions to suit both your style and storage needs – and fit seamlessly within your home, nevillejohnson.co.uk

A bespoke furniture specialist across kitchens, bedrooms and studies that are tailored to your needs – from initial advice and inspiration right through to design appointments and fitting, chamberfurniture.co.uk

World-renowned for its quality furniture, this British brand has been around for over 100 years.

Today, the factory combines time-honoured craftsmanship with modern technology to create free-standing pieces that are built to last, ercol.com

With timeless aesthetic, this brand’s home design service is available to help you replicate its distinctly elegant look in your own home – whether you are looking for complete kitchen or simply a few key accessories, neptune.com

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HOW TO COM MISSION A GARDEN DESIGNER IN OUR NEW SERIES WE’LL BE BRINGING YOU EXPERT ADVICE AND INSPIRATION TO HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR OUTDOOR SPACES The Society of Garden Designers (SGD) is a great place to start your search, as the registered designers have all been subject to scrutiny and the adjudication of their projects, with the letters MSGD and FSGD denoting a qualified member (visit sgd.org.uk/find_a_ designer). ‘Most designers are “civil engineers” with a love of plants, meaning that the entire project comes

you’ll be quoted at a fixed price. Ben Chandler says that he would usually approach at least three different contractors to enable cross referencing of costings for the client.

Remember that your garden designer is a business professional so you may be asked for a deposit upfront and then they may invoice after the

under their jurisdiction,’ says Louisa Bell MSGD. But it’s not just about the technical side, says Juliet Sargeant FSGD. ‘A good designer has the imagination

completion of each stage. Most designers will include a draft stage in their fee, so you have a chance to look at a proposed design and discuss changes.

to create a bespoke design for you, the ingenuity to solve the site problems and the practical experience to implement the plans cost-effectively.’

WHAT CAN I DO TO ENSURE THE BEST OUTCOME? Being clear about your

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT DESIGNER? One of your key considerations will, of course, be style and aesthetic. Acting on a personal recommendation can be useful, but Ben Chandler MSGD of Farlam & Chandler feels that ultimately you must make the final decision and you should always choose a garden designer whose taste and style is aligned with your own.

Juliet Sargeant says it is important not to base your decision purely on beautiful photographs of completed designs, but also ensure that you are going to enjoy the process of commissioning a new garden. ‘Having an initial consultation with the designer is a good way to see if you can work well together, allow them time to look at the garden and listen to your brief,’ says Andrew Duff MSGD.

needs from the offset will help with the design process and a good designer will make sure to draw out every detail about exactly what your wants and needs are. A designer will produce tailored-made designs to match your budget; if you under-estimate you could restrict the initial creative concept, if you over-estimate you could be disappointed if the design has to be scaled down or re-worked in line with your actual budget.

When it comes to design, Ben Chandler urges that you be open and critical from the beginning. ‘If the client is unsure or does not have a clear direction, it’s the designer’s job to steer them in the right way, putting in front of them decisions that enable them to make informed choices,’ he says.

“THE BEST PROJECTS ARE vary based on the complexity of the project but generally they are all costed around the same basic set of principles. Andrew Duff tells us that costing is all about clarity. ‘I lay out all the costs associated with the design right at the start,’ he says. The build of the garden is costed based on a detailed set of design plans, construction drawings and from these

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FORMED BY A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND THE PROCESS IS FUN. THE RIGHT DESIGNER WILL BE ABLE TO HELP IN THE RIGHT WAY” BEN CHANDLER, Farlam & Chandler

FEATURE TERESA CONWAY

HOW IS IT COSTED? Price will inevitably

All Farlam & Chandler’s clients receive an induction or handover from the contractor and designer so they know how exactly to use and maintain their new garden

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THE SECRETS TO A SUCCESSFUL DESIGN JOURNEY PUSH THE BOUNDARIES Juliet Sargeant FSGD says it is all about taking risks and allowing yourself to be open to suggestions. ‘Let your garden designer take you on a journey that may nudge you out of your comfort zone – I always say, nothing is set in stone until it is set in stone!’

BRING THE INSPIRATION Ben Chandler takes a look at tastes when it comes to defining the right style for a client ‘We ask our clients what they enjoy about gardens, whether they have favourite ones and if they have favourite plants. We gather information from the style of the house and interiors. If the client is already working with an architect or interior designer, the proposed works gives us a good steer as to what they may or may not like.’

THINK LONG-TERM Andrew Duff likes to think of the future as much as the present. ‘Having visited clients for over 25 years you have a good idea

RELATIONSHIP IS KEY For Louisa Bell of The Lovely Garden the most important thing is to like and trust your designer. ‘I like to look around my client’s house and get to know them. In a first meeting I ask how couples met, what books and films they’re interested in. I like to know the type of people they are as it helps with the overall design.’

“ALLOW YOUR DESIGNER AUTONOMY TO CARRY OUT THEIR JOB. BE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUILD THE ENTIRE PROJECT, OR DON’T START UNTIL YOU DO” LOUISA BELL, The Lovely Garden

THE SOURCEBOOK: GARDEN DESIGNERS THE LOVELY GARDEN Louisa Bell likes working on all sizes of gardens where the clients want to create something exquisite. She works mainly in Sussex, Surrey and London. thelovelygarden.co.uk

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ANDREW DUFF GARDEN DESIGN Andrew enjoys designing a wide spectrum of gardens, be it a small city space or a large sprawling country estate.

He works internationally, as well in the UK. andrewduffgardendesign.com

FARLAM & CHANDLER A small, creative garden design studio based in east London and Kent. Their aim is to create timeless gardens that feel like they have always been there and belong to their surroundings. farlamandchandler.com

JULIET SARGEANT GARDENS & LANDSCAPES One theme that runs through all of their work is a wish to enhance clients’ sense of wellbeing by creating gardens that ‘connect with calm’. julietsargeant.com

PHOTOGRAPHS (JULIET SARGEANT IMAGE) MATTHEW THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY, (FARLAM & CHANDLER IMAGES) HARRIET FARLAM

of what the client needs as well as what they want.

You need to see through the aesthetic requirements and check if the function is correct. Again, flexibility is important, how long will you live in the house and are there any changes in the near future?’

Andrew Duff, who designed the garden above left, advises that you keep your design journey visual – gather images of gardens and spaces you like, including references to particular sculptural pieces

Juliet Sargeant believes that a garden that has been created especially for you will be a great place to spend time with friends and family – her design, above, being a prime example

A good garden designer will consider the style of your home and match their design to the exterior, as illustrated in this modern coastal garden, left, designed

by Farlam & Chandler

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HANDCRAFTED IN ENGLAND

Lyon Kitchen

© Copyright & Design Right Charles Yorke Ltd

KITCHENS & LIVING SPACES For further information please contact Phone +44 (0)1623 688 337 | Email enquiries@charlesyorke.com www.charlesyorke.com

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KITCHENS BATHROOMS

THIS DEDICATED SECTION SHOWCASES STYLISH LAUNCHES, INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN

NEW IN TOWN

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS

Gessi has always prided itself as much more than a luxury bathroom brand and nothing makes this more apparent than the launch of its first UK showroom. Part stylish workspace, part installation gallery and part private members’ club, this is definitely not your average store. Based in the Grade II-listed Old Sessions House, a former courthouse in London’s Clerkenwell, the new Casa Gessi aims to take visitors on a wellness journey while showcasing individual collections in what used to be prison cells.

Head to the Tailor Atelier Dressing Room where you can play around with combinations of products and finishes and afterwards treat yourself to a G&T at the bar. Yes, bar. Visits are by appointment only. →

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LINE UP The Bamboo collection by Otto Tiles & Design taps into the trend of 3D tiles and all things linear. Each tile, which is made on demand, is hand-drawn and painted before the surface is glazed, giving it its perfectly imperfect finish. The range is available in 10 colours and in the unlikely case of not finding one that sparks joy, you can order a custom colour, too.

Bamboo ceramic tiles, from £2.21 each, Otto Tiles & Design

PURE VANITY Inject 1920s charm into your bathroom with this elegant unit. The best bit? You get so much choice with its look that it will feel bespoke. The lacquered wood doors come in pink, black, white, cream and grey. You can also pick your choice of marble for the top, and the legs and handles come in brass, chrome, nickel or light gold. Decisions, decisions… Scottie vanity unit, from £8,668.37, West One Bathrooms

ITALIAN FLAIR Officine Gullo, renowned for its luxury, handcrafted kitchens with signature metalwork, has unveiled Restart Ranges, a collection of domestic range cookers that have all the artisanal qualities of its bespoke pieces.

Made in the Tuscan countryside, the ranges are inspired by the decor of old Florentine villas and their standout features will make them a focal point in any space.

There are four sizes available, from 90-120cm wide, and three door styles – brass, glass and solid.The Restart Ranges collection starts at £6,948, Officine Gullo

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FINAL DROP The Drop Three pendant is the last in Original BTC’s Drop series. The collection follows the journey of a droplet of water through the air and this bone china light captures the moment when it flattens as it hits the ground. Designed 20 years ago, it was initially pulled from the range because it proved too technically challenging to make but thanks to new developments, it has finally made a long-awaited appearance. Drop Three pendant, £389, Original BTC

N EWS

3 OF THE BEST… BRASS KITCHEN TAPS Planning an easy kitchen refresh? Changing your tap can work a small miracle and brass has overtaken chrome in the desirability stakes. For vintage style, deVOL’s aged brass Mayan tap will add character to a modern sink or complement a more traditional one. The Atlas single lever tap gives a more contemporary twist, while Perrin & Rowe’s Armstrong combines an industrial finish with eye-catching form. From left: aged brass Mayan tap, £360, deVOL; Armstrong mixer with textured lever handle in satin brass, £686.28, Perrin & Rowe; Atlas single lever in brushed brass, £309, Abode

5 MINUTES WITH...

OLI MOSS, DESIGNER AT ROUNDHOUSE DESIGN What are the new kitchen trends for 2021?

We are continuing to see the mixing of different materials, styles, colours and textures.

Classical touches are also very popular at the moment, for example framed furniture that has been given a contemporary twist by using clever choices of colours and worktops, such as industrial ironmongery.

How has the pandemic affected what clients are requesting in their kitchens? Designing casual work and living spaces is more common.

This may be through creating clever storage to hide away laptops and notebooks at the end of the day or considering large islands where the family can work, eat, relax and play.

What is the biggest kitchen must-have at the moment? Walk-in pantries are a real essential.

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS

They allow for more creativity within the main kitchen design. Signature pieces of natural stone are also in demand.

What are the most popular new finishes for worktops and cabinetry? We are seeing a lot of different textured looks – anything from honed and leathered effects to natural-looking stones, such as marbles or quartzites. There is also a real mix of styles and finishes to cabinetry.

SOAK UP Drummonds has joined forces with designer Susie Atkinson – known for weaving her interiors magic on Beaverbrook hotel and Babington House – to create a fresh spin on the classic slipper bath.The Whitewater has curved sides and a gentle raised edge so you can soak in comfort. Made to order, it comes in four finish options – painted, polished, primed or raw metal. The Whitewater bath, from £4,110, Drummonds

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PLANNING A...

KITCHEN ISLAND PETER HUMPHREY, DESIGN DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF HUMPHREY MUNSON, LIFTS THE LID ON ACHIEVING THE BEST ISLAND FOR YOUR SPACE

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MAKE IT WORK Truth be told, the real beauty of the kitchen island is that it gives the homeowner a working galley kitchen – a concept rightly beloved of professional chefs due to the enhanced efficiency and safety during cooking.

You prep one side; you cook the other. It’s a simple but brilliant layout choice. The best islands create a true ‘working side’ of the kitchen countered with a ‘social side’ to provide seating for the breakfast rush hour or guests catching up before dinner.

SIZE IS EVERYTHING The negative space, i.e. the space between furniture, is as important as the size of the unit itself. The golden rule is to allow 1-1.2m to move around easily, but there are times when going narrower is justified – for example when the dishwasher door is open.

We use quartz worktops almost exclusively on our islands because they are low maintenance, easy to clean and come in jumbo slabs to avoid joints.

ROUND IT UP A round breakfast bar can work to soften a big island in a large room.

Proportion is important; the island needs to fit into the design rather than dominate. Using a different material for the breakfast bar helps to break up density. We avoid split levels in island design – the appeal often lies in a desire to hide mess away, but they can look and feel disjointed. If surface clutter bothers you, install two dishwashers.

ANCHOR AWAY I always like a kitchen

FEATURE LINDA CLAYTON PHOTOGRAPH PAUL CRAIG

island to feel anchored in the room and the easiest way to achieve this is to use a punchy dark colour for the island cabinetry. Bold, dark colours can be intimidating but the island cabinetry is always below the line of sight when you walk in, so it

provides an opportunity to be brave with colour and create a contrast – a deep, dark blue with brass hardware will always have wow factor.

EASY PREP If the kitchen design dictates the hob needs to go on the island, then excellent ceiling extraction is essential. Ideally though the island should be a space for food prep with a sink – either the main sink or a prep sink. You’ll enjoy countertop space galore, the opportunity to integrate dishwashers and pull-out bins underneath. If you need a fridge in the island, opt for a pull-out drawer such as Fisher & Paykel’s CoolDrawer, which can switch between fridge and freezer at the touch of a button.

DURABILITY IS KEY Worktops are the workhorse of the kitchen. Natural marble is stunning but it’s porous and easily stained and scratched. No one wants low-level anxiety watching a drop of red wine spill onto the counter when you’ve got friends over, so low-maintenance quartz is the solution. Kitchens are for living in nowadays.

By prioritising durability, you can truly relax.

SOCIAL LIVING Sitting in a line is great at the sushi bar but not for kitchen islands, so three is the magic number for straight line seating.

If you need four stools, then wrap them around one end of the island so it’s more sociable. When you choose your counter stools always check the dimensions and have them drawn into the kitchen design to ensure they fit perfectly with plenty of space to manoeuvre around.

Humphrey Munson, 01371 821300, humphreymunson.co.uk ■

THE SOURCEBOOK: HUMPHREY MUNSON’S GO-TO SUPPLIERS JOSEPH GILES

TIMOTHY OULTON

JIM LAWRENCE

CRL STONE

It’s not just how hardware looks, but how it feels – it must be comfortable and easy to use.

Joseph Giles offers hardware in unusual finishes like dark bronzed waxed, leather and marble, alongside the usual nickel and brass. josephgiles.com

Innovative design, exceptional quality and attention to detail are the hallmarks of Timothy Oulton.

We’re always bowled over by the hand-finished upholstered pieces, especially the modernvintage elegance of the Angeles stools. timothyoulton.com

An outstanding British manufacturer creating iconic, traditional lighting designs that focus on quality materials, craftsmanship and customer service. The heritage finishes on offer are always a good fit. jim-lawrence.co.uk

Quartz worktops combine beauty and durability, and we love to specify quartz by CRL Stone for its unparalleled design. Tip: for the most natural looking marbleesque worktops, choose Verona, a bright, veiny option with plenty of movement. crlquartz.co.uk

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STATEMEN T SPL ASHBACKS MAKE YOUR KITCHEN’S VERTICAL SURFACES SHINE

ORGANIC QUARTZ

FEATURE LINDA CLAYTON

‘The material you choose for your kitchen surfaces is pivotal to the functionality of the space,’ says Mor Krisher, global head of design at Caesarstone. Tougher than most natural stones, man-made quartz comes in large slabs for virtually seamless installation. ‘Quartz is particularly great for splashbacks as it’s resistant to cracks, scratches and, most importantly, staining,’ adds Mor. Design-wise, recent improvements in quartz production techniques is introducing increasingly credible realism. The best designs eschew the uniformity of machine manufacture in favour of nature-inspired fluidity that brings surfaces to life. → 4011 Cloudburst Concrete quartz, from £550sq m, Caesarstone

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If you’re torn between the prettiness of tiles and the practicalities of quartz, take a dual approach and enjoy the best of both worlds. In this beautiful kitchen by Roundhouse, split surface splashbacks marry texture, shine and colour to make the most of the vertical space around hob and hood. ‘The glossy green tiles are a particular triumph as they reflect light from the sliding glass doors opposite,’ says Oli Moss, designer at Roundhouse. ‘It can be tricky to achieve a neat connection. Here, the quartz upstand has a rolled edge detail to create a smooth juncture between the two materials.’

Rugged Concrete quartz, from £550sq m, Caesarstone. Trasparenze Verde Smeraldo terracotta wall tiles, £265sq m, Reed Harris. Kitchen by Roundhouse

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PHOTOGRAPHS (DOUBLE THE IMPACT) DARREN CHUNG

DOUBLE THE IMPACT

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NATURAL BEAUTY

MELLOW METAL

While natural stone like marble is comparatively delicate, used vertically it is less likely to come under fire from knives and pans. Splashes are the main threat, and a quick response with a damp cloth

‘Stainless steel is durable, low-maintenance and extremely hygienic, so it’s the ideal splashback material for our present times,’ says Tom Edmonds, design director at Lewis Alderson. ‘It can be made

will go a long way to prevent stains. For many, the beauty on offer is well worth judicious cleaning.

‘Natural materials have an incredible calming effect in a space,’ says Alex Beaugeard, director of design at Lanserring. ‘The historical significance of using marble for splashbacks, along with the knowledge that every slab is completely unique,

into large complicated pieces with sinks and drainers welded in, virtually eliminating joints where bacteria and dirt could accumulate.’ While it is more often associated with contemporary kitchens, stainless steel can prove a surprisingly good fit amid traditional cabinetry. ‘In a classic kitchen, stainless steel lends a modern edge and, in time, will

creates an emotional connection that will help your kitchen resonate with you.’

gain small swirl marks, which will settle into a lovely mellow patina that requires little fuss,’ adds Tom. →

Bespoke kitchen featuring Golden Calacatta Borghini marble, from £90,000, Lanserring.

Interior design by Studio Vero

Stainless steel splashback, from £235lin m; bespoke kitchen, from £35,000, Lewis Alderson

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TIMBER’S BACK

3D TEXTURE

Wood may seem an unusual choice for a splashback but its natural depth will lend richness and warmth at eye level. Here, Martin Moore used solid sculptured walnut with a special

Found on furniture, ceramics, glass and lighting, the graceful linearity of fluted design is now weaving its magic into the kitchen. In this project

by Brian O’Tuama Architects, a fluted Calacatta

fire rated lacquer finish to make it wipe clean and practical. ‘Wood is currently enjoying a bit of a revival, particularly walnut,’ says Richard Moore, design director at Martin Moore. ‘We love how it can be used to pick out warm tones in hand-painted cabinetry and rich metallic finishes like this rose copper tap.’ For a similar look with excellent

marble splashback was combined with natural wood cabinetry to provide a tactile treat hidden inside minimalist pocket doors. ‘We wanted the fluted marble to add visual interest and surface texture in contrast to the flat, contemporary exteriors,’ explains Brian O’Tuama. ‘The fluted surface creates areas of light and shadow, highlighting the character of

robustness, consider Martin Moore Stone’s walnut-effect porcelain tiles, £60sq m.

the marble’s colouration and veining, and bringing that little bit extra to an already beautiful stone.’

Treated sculptured walnut splashback, £780sq m; New Classic collection bespoke kitchen, from £35,000, Martin Moore

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Fluted Calacatta marble splashback, around £1,440sq m; designed by Brian O’Tuama Architects; supplied by Diespeker & Co

PHOTOGRAPHS (3D TEXTURE) SIOBHAN DORAN; (BESPOKE BRASS) ANNA BATCHELOR STYLING (BESPOKE BRASS) TAMINEH DHONDY

DES IGN

BESPOKE BRASS Brass and copper are relative newcomers to the splashback arena, but these age-old materials are fast gaining fans. Brass specialist and maker James Petre, managing director of Quirky Interiors, believes the beauty of warm metallic splashbacks lies in bespoke customisation. ‘Brass can be pre-aged to varying degrees, according to preference,’ he explains. ‘You do need to wipe up spills and should never scrub with abrasive cleaners, but with a little bit of Brasso and a dry cloth, a brass splashback will just keep giving.’

Deco brass splashback, £450sq m, Quirky Interiors. Kitchen doors by Custom Fronts

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ST Y LISH SHOW ERS STUNNING SURFACES, SPACIOUSNESS AND HIGH-SPEC FITTINGS ALL CREATE AN INDULGENT SPA EXPERIENCE

STEP UP

Level-entry showers may be popular but there are advantages to traditional stepped entry, as seen in this elegant space by Banner Day Interiors. For one, it allows you to raise the shower tray enough to solve the common issue of insufficient space between floor joists for drainage. Stepped entry also makes it far easier to contain water and keep the rest of the bathroom dry.

Design by Banner Day Interiors. For similar tiles try (wall) Hoxton Bottle Green Gloss Porcelain, £46.67sq m; (floor) Carrara Honed Hexagon Marble Mosaic, £199.17sq m, all Mandarin Stone

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FEATURE LINDA CLAYTON

1

DES IGN

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WONDER WALLPAPER

Looking for an alternative to mildewprone grout lines? ‘Wall&decò’s waterproof wallpaper can be installed directly inside the shower, providing a seamless surface that’s low maintenance, easy to clean and perfect for making a bold statement,’ says Kirsten Wain, designer at West One Bathrooms. ‘The wallpaper can also be applied over existing tiles, making it great for a quick update with minimal mess or disruption.’

Wall&decò Vivido waterproof wallpaper, £171.60sq m, West One Bathrooms →

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“TILES WITH GEOMETRIC LINES IN PRETTY BLUES OR VINTAGE PINKS OFFER A FRESH, EYE-CATCHING BACKDROP’” COLIN ROBY-WELFORD, creative director, Fired Earth

3

PATTERN HIT

‘Tiles with beautiful Arabesqueinspired motifs have a timeless appeal and so are ideal for both contemporary and traditional shower rooms,’ says Colin Roby-Welford, creative director of Fired Earth.‘They’re perfect for those who love mixing texture, pattern and materials.’ An open-plan shower area – thoroughly tanked of course – allows pretty tiles to be enjoyed without obstruction. The Bolonia encaustic tiles in Navy, £175sq m, Bert & May at Fired Earth. Empire Grande exposed shower, from £3,750, Fired Earth

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4

DECENT DELUGE

5

DOUBLE UP

Body jets are the first step to a truly indulgent all-over showering experience, and the Spine shower by Catchpole & Rye has got you covered – from head to toe. The second step happens behind the scenes with a water system that can deliver the higher volume and flow rates required to achieve decent pressure to all jets. Get professional plumbing advice before you buy to avoid disappointment.

The Spine shower system in nickel, from £7,200, Catchpole & Rye

PHOTOGRAPHS (DOUBLE UP) PAUL CRAIG

Reduce queues for the bathroom during the morning rush with a double set-up that’s sociable and spacious. Double showers require sufficient drainage capacity to ensure higher volumes of water are carried away swiftly. ‘It’s best to base your calculations on all shower heads, hand showers and water bars used together in order to avoid potential flooding,’ says Tim Bowder-Ridger, lead designer at Conran and Partners.

Dornbracht’s Lulu shower systems, £4,068 each, C.P. Hart. Design by Conran and Partners →

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FIND YOUR NICHE

A recessed alcove provides sleek storage that won’t intrude on your showering space.‘Here, we used the same 2cm-thick Carrara marble within the niche to provide a modern, architectural look, and the illusion that the shelf is carved into a solid slab of stone,’ explains Irene Gunter, director of Gunter & Co.‘Alternatively, you could use contrasting colours or textures to create a dynamic statement shelf.’

A similar shower room by Gunter & Co would start from £20,000

7

Dark surfaces have a cocooning effect that can help quieten the mind and restore harmony. ‘I love the use of darker marble surfaces inlaid with brass, which gives a modern, luxurious feel and styles well with brass accents,’ explains Fameed Khalique, managing director of luxury surface specialist Fameed Khalique. ‘For me it’s all about creating a beautiful spa-like space in which to retreat and relax.’

Chain Inlaid Siyah marble, £792sq m, Fameed Khalique &

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PHOTOGRAPHS (FIND YOUR NICHE) MARK BOLTON

CLOAK IN DARKNESS

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TO BOOK OR FOR A FREE BROCHURE, CALL 01283 742330 OR VISIT HAGRIVIERA.CO.UK TERMS & CONDITIONS: Additional entrance costs may apply. Prices are per person, based on two sharing and subject to finite availability. Images used in conjunction with Riviera Travel. Offer operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Riviera Travel Ltd, ABTA V4744, ATOL 3430, a company wholly independent of Homes & Gardens, published by TI Media Limited. Prices correct at time of going to print. *Book by 28th February, 2021. Exclusions apply, offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions. For full T&Cs please visit website for details.

ABTA No. V4744

TRAVEL Holiday Happiness. Guaranteed Dreaming of a holiday in 2021? With industry-leading health and safety practices, flexible booking options and our ‘happiness guarantee’, we will ensure you have an unforgettable holiday without compromise.

LAKE MAGGIORE, ORTA & THE MATTERHORN 8 days from £1,059pp Departures from May to October 2021

At Riviera Travel, we look after our guests as if you’re part of our family, so we want to ensure you’re happy in every sense, from booking all the way through to travelling on our award-winning tours.

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■ Enjoy a full day tour visiting Cannobio and Locarno, with a journey on the Centovalli railway through spectacular alpine scenery

with no compromises If you’re not completely happy by day two, we’ll bring you home with a full refund ■ Industry-leading health and safety practices to keep you safe

All our UK and European tours in 2021 on sale are small groups, with a maximum of 25 guests and social distancing in place ■ Free to change your mind with fully flexible booking

Change your booking for free up to 45 days before travel

■ Cruise Lake Maggiore’s enchanting Borromean Islands, with a guided tour of the Baroque palace on Isola Bella ■ Travel through the Simplon Pass to Zermatt and the Matterhorn ■ Visit picture perfect Lake Como

■ Take the opportunity to join a complimentary guided walk ■ Tour one of Italy’s most exquisite stretches of water, Lake Orta, and its medieval village of Orta San Giulio ■ Return flights from a selection of regional airports, plus all hotel transfers ■ Seven nights in four-star superior or four-star accommodation, with breakfast and dinner ■ The services of our experienced and insightful tour manager throughout

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LAKE GARDA, VENICE & VERONA

8 days from only £889pp Departures from April to October 2021

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TOUR INCLUDES: ■ Take a lake cruise to beautiful Bellagio on Lake Como, and visit the delightful Villa del Balbianello and its inspirational gardens ■ Enjoy a full day visit to the chic resort of St Moritz, including a journey on the Bernina Express, one of the most spectacular railways in the Alps ■ Follow in the footsteps of the ‘Grand Tour’ with a visit to Lake Maggiore and the town of Stresa ■ Visit Lugano, an elegant Swiss lakeside town with Italian influences ■ Return flights from a selection of regional airports, plus all hotel transfers ■ Seven nights in a choice of well located three and four star accommodation, with breakfast and dinner (stays at the Grand Hotel Menaggio are on a bed-andbreakfast basis, with dining options available) ■ The services of our experienced and insightful tour manager throughout

TOUR INCLUDES: ■ Enjoy a full day exploring beautiful Lake Garda, both on land and by boat ■ Explore Venice, the medieval world’s richest city, on a tour with a local guide choose between the ‘classic’ and ‘undiscovered’ tours ■ Walk into history among the Roman ruins of Verona, guided by a local expert choose between the ‘classic’ and ‘undiscovered’ tours ■ Marvel at the breathtaking alpine scenery of the Dolomites on a full day tour ■ Enjoy two free days to explore further at your leisure ■ Visit a local vineyard, with a guided tour of the cellars and a tasting of the superb wines ■ Return flights from a selection of regional airports, plus all hotel transfers ■ Seven nights in a choice of conveniently located accommodation rated three-star to four star superior, with breakfast and dinner ■ The services of our experienced and insightful tour manager throughout

TO BOOK OR FOR A FREE BROCHURE, CALL 01283 742330 OR VISIT HAGRIVIERA.CO.UK Additional entrance costs may apply. Prices are per person, based on two sharing, and are correct at time of print, subject to finite availability.

Images used in conjunction with Riviera Travel. Offer operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Riviera Travel Ltd. ABTA V4744, ATOL 3430, a company wholly independent of Homes & Gardens, published by TI Media Limited. See website for full details.

ABTA No. V4744

DE SIGN

&

DOs DON’Ts WITH EMMA SIMS-HILDITCH THE FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF SIMS HILDITCH TALKS ELEGANT YET PRACTICAL DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR HARD-WORKING HOMES

LIGHTING IN CABINETRY

Another option is to build the lighting into the cabinetry so the flex is hidden

DO...

■

Try fixed wall lights mounted on cabinetry or bookcases.

Pretty decorative lampshades are a great way to create subtle yet pleasant atmosphere.

■

Consider installing little LED lights within a built-in shower niche to add another element of soft lighting.

■ Make sure your lighting is decorative rather than task for the cabinetry in the bedrooms and sitting rooms, where you might want to avoid harsh light.

■ Use a low glare, LED under cupboard light in a cocktail cabinet to cast a soft, ambient light that highlights your collection of glasses and beverages.

DON’ T...

FEATURE KERRYN HARPER-CUSS PHOTOGRAPHS (BOOT ROOM, OVERLEAF) JAKE EASTHAM

■

“WALL LAMPS MOUNTED ON CABINETRY CAST A SOFT GENTLE LIGHT THAT DRAWS THE EYE TO THE BOOKCASE, CREATING A CALMING ATMOSPHERE”

Use uplighting beneath a bathroom mirror or cabinet that could cast shadows on your face when applying make-up. Use a combination of wall light and asymmetrical spotlights instead.

■ Design your kitchen layout before making a final decision on lighting.

Misplaced lighting can ruin the aesthetic and can be difficult to change once installed.

■ Forget to invest in dimmable LED bulbs so that all the lighting can be adjusted depending on the mood and time of day. →

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HARD-WEARING UPHOLSTERY DO...

■

Choose upholstery fabrics with a Martindale rub count of no less than 18,000 if you have young children and pets.

■ Use a fabric protector on upholstery. We also often design sofa arm covers that can be washable and protect the arms from wear over long periods.

■ Use a weighty linen to upholster a sofa, dining chairs and even a headboard – this not only looks elegant but is durable. We have used the heavy linens by GP & J Baker and Fermoie in many of our projects.

DON’ T...

■

Choose lace, velvet and other delicate materials in family rooms. Anything gathered or embroidered is more vulnerable to pulls and damage, so where possible find alternatives.

Decorate with earthtoned colours, including rich browns, greens and rusty oranges

■

CREATING A BACK DOOR SPACE DO...

DON’ T...

■

■

Maximise space and use every awkward corner. Create cupboards out of old walkways and utilise concealed doors to hide washing machines or heating systems.

■ Invest in a hard-wearing floor to withstand boots, pets and drips.

Brick and stone are practical.

Limestone flooring from Artisans of Devizes is always a safe choice.

■ Add panelling to soften the hard edges of stone and brick finishes.

Use your space as a ‘dumping ground’. Keep it organised by investing in baskets, each dedicated to storing a specific item, which can be slotted into bespoke fitted joinery. Include hidden storage within bench seating too.

■ Choose a work surface that won’t get damaged. Marble looks lovely but can stain, so we recommend a black honed granite, or similar, instead.

“CONSIDER USING THE SAME STONE OR BRICK FLOORING IN OTHER ROOMS IN THE HOUSE, SUCH AS THE KITCHEN, ENTRANCE HALL OR GARDEN ROOM”

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

... ‘make do’. We believe in the philosophy ‘buy it once and buy it well’, and this means that it’s well worth investing in good quality upholstery that will last.

■ Wash fabrics such as linens at home because it can cause shrinkage.

Most will require dry cleaning. & simshilditch.com

SOFAS

Great British Sofas Direct from the manufacturer

www.sofasofa.co.uk 01495244226

KITCHENS

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Aspen 3 seater sofa £1299

Call now for a brochure or visit

01443 771222 www.thomaslloyd.com

sofasofa

HOME INTERIORS

BATHROOMS

AN ALBION BATH

Copo bath pictured

TAKES A LITTLE LONGER

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With a range of free standing baths from 1200mm 2000mm long, we’ve got all sizes of bathroom covered.

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Bernie de Le Cuona MY LIFE IN TEN...

THE TEXTILES EXPERT ON THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND PIECES THAT INSPIRE HER 1.

A textile designer I admire is Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, wife of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Her designs were in advance of their time.

2.

The design rule I advocate for decorating is to live with what feels right to you. Never be a slave to fashion or someone else’s look.

3.

At the moment my favourite fabric is Pure 7 from my Pure organic linens. The design of this weave began with the bark of a tree.

4.

A luxury I can’t live without are my Apple AirPods. I listen to stories, music and podcasts on them every day.

5.

Willer in Kensington is an interiors gallery selling the most perfectly realised selection of furniture, objects, lighting and tableware.

The throws by Claudy Jongstra are irresistible

6.

A young South African industrial designer I’ve noted is Charles Haupt. I’ve bought his bronze Num Num dining table with a base that refers to the thorns on the tree.

7.

A book I’ve recently read from cover to cover is Contemporary Design Africa by Tapiwa

8.

9.

I’m very attached to a table lamp I’ve had for 30 years. It’s the Pausania by Ettore Sottsass and was the first expensive design object I bought as a young adult.

The garden I love most is Constantia, a huge garden in Cape Town backed by Table Mountain. It’s all about woods and exotic plants that look like they should be extinct!

1 0 . For memorable holidays I visit Sausage Tree Safari Camp in Zambia.

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(From top) Bernie de Le Cuona; Claudy Jongstra throw, Willer; de Le Cuona’s Pure 7 organic linen; Contemporary Design Africa by Tapiwa Matsinde (£19.95, Thames & Hudson); Sausage Tree Safari Camp; Pausania table lamp, Artemide

FEATURE CELIA RUFEY

Matsinde. It presents the work of designers and craftspeople in a new light.

The Beauty of Bespoke

Innovative PowerView smart blinds, custom-made and expertly installed.

Book a consultation: 0800 688 8118 or visit thomas-sanderson.co.uk