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PHOTOGRAPH IZABELA SMITH We’ve introduced a subscriber cover (above bottom) – a lighter-on-words version so you can fully enjoy the imagery. Turn to page 76 to subscribe. I feel torn about the emergence from lockdown we’re all experiencing. How we inhabit our homes has changed dramatically in the past year and I appreciate mine more than I did a year ago, despite inevitable frustrations. And being able to enjoy warmer weather in the garden makes ‘escape’ feel less pressing still. This issue encapsulates the moment in which we’re living. UK-bound for now, I’m travelling vicariously through the houses we feature: including a gorgeous home overlooking Sydney Harbour (p80) and Heidi Caillier’s stunning period house in Seattle (p98). In anticipation of hot weather, I’ve loved our edit of the best outdoor fabrics and garden benches (p27 & p54) and also our look into dry gardening – think sustainable, Mediterranean gardens (p136). Forward-thinking, in Split Decision (p69) we explore broken-plan living for those whom open-plan is now impractical and in The Art of Interior Design (p65) Matthew Williamson gives a masterclass on using pattern. Finally, Catherine Zeta-Jones is the first interviewee in our new series: What Home Means to Me (p178). The actress tells us why she’s happiest within her own four walls. I think we’d get along.
LUCY SEARLE, GLOBAL EDITOR IN CHIEF
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Editorial Director Sarah Spiteri Global Editor in Chief Lucy Searle Group Creative Director Emma Williams Group Chief Sub-Editor Jennifer Spaeth Content & Product Development Director Michael Holmes Homes Content Team Editorial Director Rhoda Parry Houses Editor Vivienne Ayers Interiors Editor Emma Thomas Associate Editor Busola Evans News & Shopping Editors Jo Bailey and Rohini Wahi News & Features Editor Thea Babington-Stitt Gardens Editor Teresa Conway Food Director Elisa Roche Food Editor Samuel Goldsmith Group Art Director Alison Walter Art Editor Meredith Davies Head of Subs Operations Maxine Clarke Hub Chief Sub-Editor Carly Rigley Senior Sub-Editors Marian McNamara and Karen Wiley Head of Art Production Nicola Tillman Art Production Designers Chris Saggers and Phil Dunk Group Production Manager Matt Eglinton Production Manager John Botten Senior Ad Production Manager Jo Crosby Advertisement Copy and Make-up Barry Skinner
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FEATURE JO BAILEY
OBJECTS OF DESIRE
Beautiful pieces we’re championing this month
1. Curves and colour Countess square mirror, £2,095.20,Julian Chichester 2. Seating goes sculptural Stephen armchair, £890, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam 3. Pretty plaster finish Arrow wall light, £1,500,Alexandra Robinson for The New Craftsmen 4. Go for spring greens Sunago vinyl wallpaper in W7551-01, £97 a roll, Osborne & Little 5. Soft seating with flair Flag fabric in Yellow 004, £140m, Fermoie; shown on Cylinder stool, £335, David Seyfried 6. Scenic-looking storage Landscape sideboard, £1,798,Anthropologie 7. An artist’s impression Theatre pot 3, £540, Katie Moore at M.A.H &
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SMART FINDS
Wise buys to snap up now
1. Laid-back linen with a twist Wes Gingham frill cushion, £68, Projektityyny at Liberty London 2. Jute goes graphic on the floor Braided rug, £120, Madam Stoltz at Reste 3. Get ready for summertime tablescaping Glazed Totem candleholders, £101.89 for 2,Tina Vaia 4. Dine in style with a revamped classic Madeleine bistro chair, £220, Ceraudo 5. A favourite material goes stripy Large rattan ceiling lamp, £89.99, Zara Home 6. Strong all-rounder Slingshot coffee table (with floor cushion), £595, Loaf &
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FEATURE JO BAILEY
THE JUNE EDIT
CLASSIC CANE, WITH A TWIST This summer, our love affair with rattan continues with the launch of the light and stylish painted furniture range by Birdie Fortescue. The Teras collection includes a headboard, sofa, side table and dining chairs, all available in refreshing shades of Aegean Blue, Rose Pink or Basil Green. Shown here is the double headboard, £250.
COLLECTION TO LOVE: LASCOMBE HILL Inspired by a passion for antiques, furniture designer and dealer Robin Myerscough teamed up with master cabinetmaker David Ellis of Lascombe Hill to produce a range of occasional furniture with a contemporary edge. The Lascombe Hill Collection celebrates bamboo and bobbin detailing, with specialist paint finishes in bold hues, all handmade to order. From £1,062 for a Bamboo mirror.
FORM MEETS FUNCTION
The Flower table was originally designed by Alexander Girard in the 1950s for the interior of the famous Miller House in Indiana. It has since been developed in powder-coated steel for use indoors and out and comes in a choice of colours in two sizes, from £549, Vitra.
FEATURE JO BAILEY
LUXE LIGHTING
Composed of nine smoky grey borosilicate glass shades and a polished brass frame, this Spark pendant light, £1,779.44, Bontempi Casa, brings a sense of modern opulence to interiors. It is also available with six shades or as a single stem.
DIVINE DESIGN SOLUTION
This summer, String takes its iconic configurable shelving off the walls and into the garden. Made from galvanised steel, the outdoor free-standing system is designed to withstand all weather and will only get better with age. It’s ideal for storing pots and tools, growing plants or even creating zones within your outside space. Modules, from £50; unit shown, £1,877, Utility.
SEEN ON INSTAGRAM Sarah Peake @studiopeake
Tell us about yourself. I am an interior designer based in Parsons Green, London. I work with a wonderful, close-knit team, mainly on high-end residential projects in the UK and overseas. Describe your Instagram account. For me, it shouldn’t be all about expertly shot photos of our completed projects (although that is a key part). I like to include posts and stories showing all aspects of the design process, from messy piles of fabrics to clean-lined perspective sketches. It’s also important to celebrate and share the work of others that inspires you. What is your account’s USP? Central to my aesthetic is the interweaving of tradition and imagination – a playful blending of opposites; a dash of unexpected colour or detailing.
Which accounts would you recommend we
follow? @theartregister brings great art from all over the world to my attention. I discovered Rasmus Eckhardt on @aconsideredspace – I love the weekly round-ups of ‘finds’. I can quickly disappear down a scrolling rabbit hole of glamorous tablescapes on @fionaleahydesign. I love the fun sense of colour and pattern on @metacoleman. And @athomewithalidad. I worked for Alidad for a few years. He has a vast library of historical references; this account peeks inside that world and it’s a gold mine.
GORGEOUS AS A GIFT
As an ode to florist and author Constance Spry, London-based design partnership Moro Dabron has created a sculptural candle reminiscent of the vessels used for flower arranging in the 1930s. The earthenware piece is filled with wax in a choice of three scents and becomes a beautiful keepsake after use. In Black or White, £135.
HERO LAUNCH
In recent years, outdoor fabrics have become much more sophisticated thanks to advances in textile technology. We’re taken with the new the Sierra collection, which offers attractive prints in woven textural effects of lush chenille, chunky wool and relaxed linen. But unlike their interior counterparts, these versions are hard-wearing enough to survive a British summer. From £120m, Thibaut.
HOT RIGHT NOW Bright stripes
Kintaro dinner plate, £90 set of four, Oka. Candy Stripe cushion, £49, Heal’s. Stripes and Stripes doormat, £55, Hay
INVEST IN STYLE
With its elegant curves and clever mix of materials, the Frida lounge chair, £840, by Vincent Sheppard offers contemporary style combined with comfort. The seat is made using acrylic rope that provides sturdy support, while the teak frame has a distinctive silhouette with showstopper appeal.
GARDEN TO VISIT
RHS Garden Bridgewater is the society’s first garden in nearly two decades. The spectacular 154-acre site has been designed by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, who has transformed the historic grounds of a former 19th-century stately home in Greater Manchester into a magnificent space to enjoy through the seasons. The glorious borders of the Paradise Garden are shown above. To book, visit rhs.org.uk/bridgewater.
PHOTOGRAPH (GARDEN TO VISIT) ©RHS/NEIL HEPWORTH
FOR THE BOOKSHELF Having trained at Kew Gardens and worked for Sarah Raven at her farm in East Sussex, Arthur Parkinson is one of the UK’s gardening rising stars. In his new book, The Flower Yard: Growing Flamboyant Flowers in Containers (£22, Kyle Books), he provides advice on cultivating an outdoor space that supports wildlife, no matter how small that area may be.
WALK ON ART
Smart and graphic, the Hector rug joins Vanderhurd’s fabric and wallpaper that feature the same pattern inspired by the tiling details of Wiener Werkstätte designs. It’s hand knotted in Nepalese wool and silk, in Kelp, Azure and Wisteria colourways, £1,400sq m, Christine Van Der Hurd for Vanderhurd.
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PRETTY PARASOLS Stylish shades for your patio
1. A touch of nautical: Laurens Navy Stripe umbrella, £269, Business & Pleasure Co at Bear & Bear 2. William Morris printed canvas: Bill octagonal parasol, from £965, East London Parasol Company 3. Stunning stitch detailing: Sywawa Couture parasol, £300, Lucile Roybier for Sywawa at Go Modern 4. Beautiful all-over decoration: Indian Jalli print parasol, £250, Raj Tent Club 5. Handmade in the heart of Cornwall: Peony parasol, £2,754, Sunbeam Jackie &
PHOTOGRAPH EMMA LEE/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM
THE SUSTAINABLE HOME
Designer Sebastian Cox charts the renovation of his home, one inspiring and innovatively eco-friendly idea at a time
Earlier this year, I described our ambitions for our tiny garden to be shared with wildlife. We’ve had great successes with birds and insects visiting or residing where there was previously only concrete. Most gardens this close to Margate seafront these days are car parking spaces, sadly, so we bucked the trend by ripping up ours and laying it to productivity for nature.
I’m really invigorated to see more people than ever on social media supporting campaigns like No Mow May and letting wild flowers grow in their lawns to attract more insects, but all of this is in vain if we are applying pressure to nature in more stressed areas, like agricultural land. That the most threatened group of British wildlife species are farmland birds, down 50% since 1970, is a sorrowful indictment of our broken food system. Anything we can do to grow our own food at home, and therefore reduce demand on modern food production and stay out of supermarkets, can help reduce the pressure on our farmed landscape. Given that three-quarters of Britain is farmed in one way or another, individual impact would not be insignificant, and if you’re also making room for nature in your garden alongside growing some veg, you’re giving with both hands, not taking with one. So we’ve made a mini kitchen garden, as well as a wild one. And not just for pleasure, but for the planet.
Of course, when you grow your own, you can reduce waste by removing your demand from industrial food systems, and are likely to pick what you need when you need it, and store and preserve the rest. A well organised small veg patch plan, like the ones offered in Veg in One Bed by Huw Richards, is surprisingly easy to follow and hugely rewarding. The food is fresh, guilt-free, and I recently learned that there are certain bacteria present in soil which are the same as beneficial bacteria in our gut, making home picked veg good for our microbiome too.
Our ‘kitchen garden’ consists of two raised no-dig veg beds, a tomato house I made from workshop offcuts and cheap glass, a 10’ wall trough for herbs and salads, as many fruit trees as I could fit on the walls, perennial herbs growing up the path and edible wild flowers and herbs like Jack-by-the-hedge and sorrel plugged around the edges of our lawn. We also have peas growing on an upper balcony and mushrooms in the cellar.
Really importantly, it’s all an organic system with a closed loop between the kitchen and the garden, which uses a Subpod to turn food scraps into fertile worm casts and compost, which the worms distribute to our raised beds. Subpods are excellent small-space composters which use worms to rapidly convert food into nutrients for soil and plant. This also eliminates any greenhouse gases that might be caused by our rotting food waste that would otherwise be taken away by our local authority.
We’re only just getting going with radishes, salads and beans, grown from worm-converted food waste and swapped heritage seeds, and I already feel like I’ve joined this house and its garden up to the modern day (perhaps it should be no-) Dig for Victory campaign, fighting for a better food system by rejecting whatever we can of the shop-bought one. Who knew such satisfaction and impact could come from such simple things? &
FEATURE JO BAILEY
PASSION FOR PATTERN
Outdoor fabrics for a fabulous alfresco aesthetic
(Top row) Cremaillere in Prato, £119.50m, Raoul Dufy at Christopher Farr Cloth; Mojito in F6883-01, £68m, Osborne & Little; Mokolo in Multi, £72m, Romo (Middle row) Nicobar in Blue Lagoon, £118m,Jim Thompson at Fox Linton; Campus in 1 Cielo Azzurro, £135.50m, Dedar; Tahoe in Forest, £144m,Thibaut (Bottom row) Hari in Multi, £90m, Zinc Textile; Best Mate in Coral Reef, £218m, Pollack at Altfield; Ainsley Stripe in Sky, £124m, Schumacher &
Melissa and Amy hand-selecting flowers to press
NAME TO KNOW
JamJar Edit – the creation of florists Melissa Richardson and Amy Fielding – where you can buy beautiful botanical artwork, homeware and curiosities
Tell us a little about the background of your business?
We are the love child of JamJar Flowers, an events florist based in southeast London. For some time we had dreamed of having an online shop, now JamJar Edit, offering a few of our favourite botanical things. These include beautiful objects that we had discovered while sourcing things for events, or just items that caught our eye. →
Tell us a bit about your studio.
We have two studios in picturesque Peacock Yard in Walworth, which were purpose-built as artisan workshops in the Victorian era. One is our floral studio where we make up flowers for installations, events, weddings and weekly flower deliveries; the other is our design studio and office space where the JamJar Edit team does all of our flower pressing, makes bespoke artwork and packs our online orders.
What’s the average working day like for you?
One of the lovely things about our job is that no two days are the same. Some days start at 6am at the flower market in the freezing cold, sometimes we’re out picking and pressing, while other times we’re working on bespoke pieces for clients.
What’s been your biggest success story so far?
The most challenging job that we pulled off really successfully was the Arts and Crafts-inspired ‘stained glass’ windows, using pressed flowers, for an exhibition at Sketch for its annual Mayfair Flower Show. We had a strong vision of how we wanted it to look and I think we exceeded our own goals with that installation.
What struggles have you faced?
A lot of the most difficult moments have been when working to a schedule for a press event. For instance, opening the presses to find an entire batch of 1,000 daffodils had gone pulpy and mouldy just a few days before an enormous fragrance press launch. In retrospect these moments can sound quite funny but at the time they are gut-wrenchingly frightening.
What’s in the pipeline for 2021?
We are very excited about a pressed flower exhibition we are working on at Thyme in the Cotswolds, which will open in June and run through until September. We are also working towards an installation at the Bull Ring Gate for RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September, which will be focused on the pollinators and migratory birds that flock to the water meadows at Thyme to breed.
How would you advise anyone wanting to start their own creative company?
I think there has never been a better time to start your own business than now. There is so much you can do from home and by using social media you can find yourself an audience. & ■ @jamjar_edit | jamjaredit.co.uk
Pressed flowers as art pieces for interior projects
LITTLE BLACK BOOK
INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW
@fordeabbey, @mccormickcharlie and @arthurparkinson_ – all for a daily nature fix.
PITT RIVERS MUSEUM, OXFORD
For a collection started with 26,000 objects gifted by the curious General Pitt-Rivers.
OAXACA, MEXICO
For the amazing art and culture: the incredible botanical gardens with its vast collection of cacti, delicious food, mesmerising mescal, music and fiesta.
ALEXANDRA PALACE, LONDON
To spot the peregrine falcons perched on the radio tower.
HIGHGATE WOODS, LONDON
To hear the woodpeckers and to see the beautiful bluebells in April.
S (AMY AND MELISSA HAND-SELECTING
PHOTOGRAPH
FEATURE JO BAILEY FLOWERS TO PRESS) YOLANDA CHIARAMELLO
ELEGANCE REDEFINED
Giancarlo Valle’s reinvention of this coastal mansion is a masterclass in marrying high tastes with a relaxed beach lifestyle
WORDS JULIET BENNING PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO
OFFICE The view provides inspiration and details like the leather-wrapped banister enhance the pared-back sophistication of the space.
Desk, Axel Einar Hjorth; chair, Jean Prouvé, source both at 1stDibs. Art by Picasso and Pierre Le-Tan
FRONT EXTERIOR Set out on a coastal bluff, the 1903-built mansion is surrounded on three sides by sea
KITCHEN The wall tiles bring a light-reflecting, tactile quality that animates the room, along with the striking artwork.
Source similar tiles from Mosaic Factory. Neptune has cabinets like these
SNUG Giancarlo found this striking painting in Kevin’s storage and made it a focal point, using the blue tone as a cue for rooms elsewhere.
Painting, Axel Jarl. Sofa, Christian Liaigre. Roly Poly chair, Faye Toogood for Driade at Made In Design
After living in cities as far and wide as Los Angeles, Paris and New York, the call of the sea became irresistible to entrepreneur Kevin Wendle and he set his sights on a beach estate. ‘I had long admired a stretch of coastline in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and when I stayed at the Ocean House hotel I noticed, right next door, the most handsome house I’d ever seen,’ he explains. ‘It was beautifully positioned on the water and it was for sale.’ Intending to live in the property part-time with his husband Sebastian and two young sons Dylan, now 14, and Alex, 10, Kevin foresaw that his family would thrive in the glorious beachside setting, spending the rest of their time at his Hotel Esencia in Tulum, Mexico.
The exterior of the 1903 mansion was so striking that Kevin committed to the sale on his first encounter, despite the dated interior of pinks, turquoise and pine that prompted a bout of 1980s nostalgia. ‘It felt a bit like the old TV programme The Love Boat,’ he smiles. But a fortuitous seating plan at a friend’s wedding brought Kevin together with the man who would usher in a striking new interior look. ‘When I met Giancarlo Valle, I quickly realised I’d found someone who had the design language to transform and elevate the property,’ says Kevin. Giancarlo agrees: ‘Kevin had been one of the first clients of French interior designer Joseph Dirand and together they had purchased lots of furniture over the years,’ he says. ‘But Joseph is more known for a monochromatic palette and Kevin felt he was ready to bring some more colour into his interiors. He set me a mission to take his historical pieces and give them a new spin.’ Opening up many of the ground-floor rooms turned the ocean panorama into a striking backdrop from all angles. ‘We created a new layout with a new staircase, updating windows and doors,’ explains Giancarlo. ‘We installed reclaimed fireplaces from England and entirely new floorboards.’ Reclaimed beams from a barn in Ohio were brought in to define ceilings, leaving the wood untreated in darker rooms for a more cosseting effect and painting it white in the bright, large rooms. ‘We placed an emphasis on plaster to retain the romantic sense of shadow and light but interpreted it in a more contemporary way,’ says Giancarlo. ‘We wanted it to be pared back but to keep its New England essence.’
With such an extensive collection of furniture and art to place, Giancarlo found himself acting as a curator for the house. ‘An interior should be disarming and even if the pieces are heirloom or blue chip, they should be casual enough to sit on,’ he says. Anticipating the sandy feet of the two youngsters, Giancarlo favoured hardy sisal rugs and Belgian slipcovers. Behind a pivot door, the boys’ quarters towards the top of the house are a den of slouchy beanbags, window seats and solid cabinetry.
‘The success of the project was that Giancarlo was able to mesh this very special, personal midcentury design collection along with his take on how to live well in an aristocratic Rhode Island beach home,’ says Kevin. Fostering both the unbridled energy of young boys as well as an exceptional collection of art and furniture, the house is a lesson in marrying life’s simple pleasures with the most rarefied of tastes. &
■ Studio Giancarlo Valle, giancarlovalle.com
BREAKFAST AREA The banquette seating is upholstered in a wipeable microsuede that’s both practical and sumptuous.
Banquette designed and made by Studio Giancarlo Valle. Table, Axel Einar Hjorth; chair, Charlotte Perriand, source both at 1stDibs. Photography by Wim Wenders
LIBRARY Dark blue panelled walls are balanced by the warmth and rustic quality of the reclaimed wood ceiling.
Armchair, Jean Royère; chair, Willy Guhl; cocktail table, Gianfranco Frattini; stool, Jean Prouvé; sofa, Jorge Zalszupin, source all at 1stDibs. Artwork, Nathalie du Pasquier (above fire) and Landon Metz (above sofa)
MEET THE DESIGNER
Giancarlo Valle shares his style vision MOST SUCCESSFUL PART OF
THE PROJECT The layering of the furniture and art, making it feel like a new incarnation of Kevin’s collection.
SECRET ADDRESS The Peanut
Vendor, a furniture and design shop in London. GREATEST PROJECT
INDULGENCE The stone in the bathroom. We didn’t want to compromise so it’s luxurious. GO-TO COLOURS These tend to be darker shades of blue and red.
SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT
The sawn oak floors, which felt in character with the property. If you invest in one thing, it should be the floors before any other surface. WHERE DO YOU FIND
INSPIRATION I always look at early trends before a period has been defined, when there was experimentation yet stylistically a common thread.
YOUR STYLE IN THREE
WORDS Casual, inevitable, disarming.
MAIN BEDROOM Giancarlo designed the side tables with leather magazine slips. The bench is reminiscent of driftwood.
Japanese teak bench by Andrianna Shamaris. Vico Magistretti lamps, source at 1stDibs. Artwork by Jannis Kounellis (centre) and Jayson Musson
MAIN BATHROOM A bouclé-covered chair and stool bring an unexpected relaxed twist, while marble-clad walls strike a luxurious note.
Chair and stool, Studio Giancarlo Valle. Stool, Eric Schmitt. Source Carrara marble at Imperial Marble & Granite. Wall lights, Apparatus. Empire tub, Waterworks
ENTRANCE HALL Artist Betty Woodman came to the house with her assistant to hang this collection of ceramics using a template.
CarpetVista’s Kilim striped rug is similar. Bench, Pierre Jeanneret, source at 1stDibs. Walls in White Dove, Benjamin Moore
