THE ULTIMATE IN DESIGN - ISSUE SEVEN - 2013
Royally recommended
GASTRONOMY IN THE GENES The award winning Arzak
LIFESTYLE
KENSINGTON LONDON
M AGA Z I N E
AT U B E R 速 W E A R E D E S I G N E R S , S P E C I F I E R S , E X P L O R E R S , I N N O VAT O R S A N D P U B L I S H E R S
MEET THE EXPERTS THE UBER TEAM – A PARTNERSHIP WITH MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFT Internal Architecture Landscape Architecture Interior Design Creative Space Planning Lighting design Project Management Services Pools & Spas Home Automation Security Bespoke Joinery and Carpentry Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Furniture, Wallcoverings & Furnishings Carpets & Floorcoverings
Design is about making beautiful things work harmoniously. And that demands a multidisciplinary team to address every artistic, technical and physical aspect. So whether your project is a single room in a loft apartment, an entire country house, a boutique hotel or a yacht, the UBER Team has the collective artistic and technical skills to make it happen, seamlessly. The UBER Team’s award-winning individual companies are responsible for creating some of the finest residential environments around the world. It therefore made sense to bring these classleading enterprises together to support architects with a special turnkey solution that adds value to their projects. These teamed-up partnerships touch on all aspects of interior and exterior design. Our non-exclusive menu system means you can choose only the areas you need. But the more we’re involved, the greater the potential to compress timelines and make financial savings by engaging an existing and harmonious team. There are no ‘typical’ team members at UBER. Indeed, we’ve made a point of drawing talent from far and wide. They come from high-end residential design, retail and leisure, marine and even aviation industries. And many have won multiple awards in their specialist fields. You’ll find examples of their work throughout this magazine, (with the obvious exception of our support specialists such as data cablers and electricians, whose handiwork is, by design, invisible). The UBER Team promise you fresh perspectives, inquiring minds, and a healthy questioning of conventional wisdom. Let us surpass your expectations.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
WELCOME Designed & Produced by: Maclaren Jones Marketing AG Editor & Art Director: Jim Evans, UBER Advertising contacts For advertising, sponsorship and editorial opportunities please contact the UBER Marketing team on 01565 624380 or email Anita Jones or Jonathan Rodgers at ubermarketing@maclarenjones.com Thank you to our contributors This magazine is published on behalf of UBER. The contents in whole or part may not be reprinted or reproduced without prior written permission from the publishers Maclaren Jones Marketing or UBER. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or of UBER. UBER and the publisher bear no responsibility and accept no liability for the claims made, or for information provided by contributors or advertisers. Copyright of all editorial content in this magazine is held by the publishers and UBER. All rights reserved to the respective contributors. Every care has been taken with the preparation of this magazine, but Maclaren Jones Marketing or UBER cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information therein, or any consequence arising from it. All dates, prices and information are believed to be correct at time of going to print but are subject to change without notice and no responsibility is accepted for errors or omissions. All content contained within UBER Lifestyle magazine is provided for general information only. While we endeavour to ensure all firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, UBER and Maclaren Jones Marketing can give no guarantees the mentioned companies will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. UBER® and UBER Interiors® are registered trademarks of UBER Interiors LTD all rights reserved. This publication must not be sold or re-sold, lent or hired to any company or persons not the original intended recipient as designated by Maclaren Jones Marketing or UBER. If you wish to be considered for future circulation please contact us at the above address. The ownership of UBER lifestyle magazine is the sole property of UBER Interiors Ltd.
Welcome It’s always a pleasure to create our magazine for you. Because simply by picking it up, you have already defined yourself as someone who seeks out wonderful design. Like us, you appreciate that design isn’t for museums - its job is to enrich life. In this issue we have gone unashamedly rich in every sense. We take you behind the doors of some palatial apartments in Kensington. We revisit one of our dream assignments: bringing boutique hotel-style decadence to a Georgian vicarage in Cheshire. And, with winter almost upon us, we’ve come up with an escape plan: it’s called Wimoweh, a sublime villa in Barbados with your own beach just paces from your door. We also reveal the invisible genius of Sensory, who can tuck away state of the art home automation in areas you never knew you had. Add to this the best residential architecture, landscaping and interiors - and we can promise you a visual feast. Whether you’re an UBER client or simply someone looking for some spirit-soaring design, I trust you’ll enjoy the wonderful work showcased in these pages.
UBER Simon Evans Simon’s passion for design, and his appetite for product and process knowledge, was fired up during successful self-builds and commissions for prestigious developers. This inspired his dream to create a centre of design excellence - a dream fulfilled with the creation of UBER in 2009.
UBER Enquiries: COVER IMAGE //
Porta Romana Jazz Lamp This blown glass creation is a true evocation of sixties Graphic arts and Spaceage fab. Swirls and stripes with a splash of Honey satin conjure up images of Pop Art! Available from www.uber-interiors.com
SIMON EVANS, Managing Director, UBER Chelford Road, Ollerton, Knutsford, Cheshire, UK WA16 8SB
T: +44 (0)845 0773280 E: magazine@uber-lifestyle.com www.thedesignpractice.com (interiors) www.UBER-interiors.com (products) www.UBER-flooring.com (flooring) www.UBER-lifestyle.com (magazine) www.UBER-team.org (partners)
UBER on Twitter: @UBERPractice @UBERINTERIORS
CONTENTS: ISSUE 7 2013
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22
4 COVETING THY NEIGHBOUR’S HOUSE THE STORY CONTINUES The Design Practice by UBER inject lifestyle into a Grade II listed Georgian rectory in Cheshire.
22 YOU’LL LOVE WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE
Only one thing is more clever than home automation: invisible home automation.
29 GASTRONOMY IN THE GENES
For more than a century, one family has handed on the baton of Basque cuisine from generation to generation. The result is the multi-award winning Arzak.
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35 5-STAR SPAS
UBER partners the best in the business: Rigo Spa.
47 GREEN GOLD!
Businesses, homeowners and savvy investors are now looking to Renewable Energy for the kind of returns that stocks and shares once were.
49 A MODERN DAY MASTERPIECE STARTS WITH ARCHITECTURE And is fulfilled by an award winning design team working in harmony.
UBER SEEKS OUT THE BEST... 12 LUXURY VILLAS IN BARBADOS Wave after wave of heaven.
38 KENSINGTON, LONDON W8. Royally recommended.
UBER PRESENTS... 19 MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
A selection of UBER’s favourite life enhancing designs.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
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COVETING THY NEIGHBOUR’S HOUSE THE STORY CONTINUES More treasures, discoveries and sympathetic design by The Design Practice by UBER at an exquisite Grade II listed Georgian rectory in Cheshire. Letting a beautiful church rectory to go to rack and ruin would - excuse the phrase - be something of a sin. Thankfully this was also the view of the current owner who rescued this fine Georgian rectory from its previous neglect. For The Design Practice by UBER, it was a dream design assignment: a chance to restore the rectory’s former classical grandeur and marry it, subtly and expertly, with contemporary flair and every modern luxury. The project also required more living space, and this was created through a harmonious 3 storey extension to the rear. Following on our last issue, Simon Evans, MD of The Design Practice by UBER, describes some more highlights of this very special project. THE DRAWING ROOM: “I adore the stillness and formal tranquillity of this space with its floorto-ceiling panelling and beautiful bay window (which was rebuilt). A lot of love and expertise has been invested in restoring or enhancing the features we found here, including cornices, doors, shutters, ironmongery, cupboards and windows. The fireplace, in Portland stone, has a solid majesty whilst the hearth adds a subtle contemporary twist. Taking our lead from the art adorning the walls we weren’t afraid to go bold and inject a modern dark, almost cobalt blue, that sets off the bespoke sofa and sculptural side tables. There’s an abundance of textures from the dark herringbone flooring, silk rugs and soft curtains to the heavy shot silver armchairs and tight and very tactile velvet sofa.”
THE KITCHEN (above): “This is where the full scale of the extension becomes clear. We have created a south facing and supremely elegant elevation that is like a conservatory in feel. This space houses the dining table, with lantern-light from the roof flooding into the hand-painted kitchen. Two zones lead off from here. The first is, by day, a living space with a library feel. But by night, it becomes a full digital cinema experience with a drop down screen and a TV ottoman (of which there’s more in this issue). The second zone is a tasting room, lined with wine and champagne cases at either side. The sun’s always over the yard arm somewhere, so anytime you can sit and sip at a high-level, backlit onyx table with bar stools, flanked with beautiful atmospheric pendants.”
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POOL, GYM & SPA: “Every house needs a show-stopper, and in this case it’s the wellness area constructed from a new basement level with access out to a private sunken walled garden and to underground parking. This is a temple to personal indulgence, awakening the senses at every turn. As you approach you are immediately greeted by an art and console collection of vibrant autumnal colours. To your left, your eye catches a myriad of glass bead drops in front of a full length mirror signalling a change of mood. At this mezzanine level and through the door are the changing rooms and a fully glazed gym which draws your eye to the sites and levels below.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
As you descend to the pool level, a wall of mirrors along the main pool side is punctuated by basalt stone columns featuring individual water fountains. The geometric inset fretwork has been laser-cut into the basalt so that the pattern can be backlit. Water cascades from the rear wall into the pool down an etched stone face. After some pulse-racing work in the higher-level gym, you are greeted here by the restful glow of LEDs dancing on the water. The spa itself, with contrasting antique-gold tiles, is raised from the deck level of the swimming pool, and the steam room and sauna sit together in a completely circular fashion to complement the circular spa.
However, also vying for your attention is the bespoke oversized glass drop chandelier, plinth-mounted directly above the circular spa. Beyond, in the soft semi-circular seating area, is an imposing highgloss, double-circle table with a large soft-grey ornate faux flower feature. This generous space for lounging, combined with a juice bar, completes the wellness area. There’s a clever thing going on with the space here: despite relatively modest dimensions we’ve accommodated many functions and amenities. Yet the design retains a fluid cohesion with many statements and talking points. We have carefully chosen aspects which attract your eye to the extremities of the space, unfolding a series of delights.�
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UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
THE GUEST BEDROOMS: “We were given a very clear brief from the client: a separate guest wing, with accommodation for two sets of guests, was a priority. Up to the first floor, we managed to achieve a level change that added to the interest off the landing. We also came up with the idea of a ‘boutique hotel’ feel. We wanted to create an air of sumptuous comfort, punctuated throughout with design surprises. For example, you’re greeted by an amazing roof lantern over the hallway combined with a sculptural pendant light with bronzing gilding to the inside. Each of the four guest bedrooms and bathrooms is individually designed, and we sourced stone especially from the best quarries for a tone-on-tone colour palette.
thedesignpractice.com
We commissioned handmade bespoke cabinetry for the bedrooms, encompassing both wardrobe and dressing space. We have also hidden away linen rooms and service cupboards so that they’re out of sight from the guest rooms.” The completed design is an eloquent statement about respecting the past while embracing the very best of contemporary creativity, materials and technologies. It is proof that formal and elegant doesn’t have to mean dreary and stuffy. And once again the house exudes style, elegance, exquisite taste and constant surprises.
If you missed Part I in our last issue, all the images are on our website www.thedesignpractice.com or scan the QR code
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UBER seeks out the best destinations - Luxury villas in Barbados
BARBADOS WAVE AFTER WAVE OF HEAVEN Think ‘Caribbean’ and, the chances are, Barbados is the first destination to come into your head. And with good reason: it’s where luxurious living and a glorious climate come together like no other. The mileage charts may say differently. But as the sun beats down from a cloudless sky and the warm wind gently rustles the palm trees, Barbados is as far from England as you can get. The climate, the pace of life, the vibe - this is an island dedicated to living life the way it should be lived.
Naturally, the accent is on everything and everything outdoors, whether it’s watersports, tennis or world-class golf at the championship courses at Royal Westmoreland and Sandy Lane. Or simply meandering (no one hurries in Barbados) around the island’s myriad tropical gardens, caves and waterfalls.
So it’s a delicious irony that Barbados is also known as ‘Little England’, a nod to the old colonial years and the traditions that England left behind. So you can sit in the sun, sip your afternoon tea and watch the Bajans play cricket. But there the similarity with England ends. Barbados encapsulates everything that is fabulous about the Caribbean, from its sumptuously beautiful landscapes to its achingly inviting beaches.
When night falls, Barbados springs into life. Its vibrant cuisine ranges from Bajan specialities to high-end Italian, French and Asian influences. And after dinner, the night is only just starting: head over to St. Lawrence Gap and let the tunes and beats work their magic. It’s just one more reason why the pace of life is a pleasantly gentle during the day.
OUTDOOR HEAVEN
WIMOWEH BEACHSIDE VILLA, BARBADOS Only one thing could be better than a beautiful villa in Barbados - and that’s one with a private gate that opens dramatically to a beautiful white sandy beach. Wimoweh has it all: it nestles in its own world of lush, private, tropical gardens. And when the mood takes you, the fantasy-like Gibbs Beach, with its sand, crystal waters and palms, is but a stroll from the garden. Newly built in 2000 and lovingly renovated and extended in 2010, Wimoweh offers the very best in modern living coupled with gorgeous interior styling - Coral finishes blend with hand crafted mosaics, hand picked marbles and granites set off by a black walnut floor. The spacious indoor sitting room opens to a covered, furnished dining verandah, and most rooms enjoy breathtaking vistas of the ocean. The villa offers a total of four air-conditioned bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms and antique beds draped with mosquito netting. The master bedroom has a romantic four-poster king sized bed and a sumptuous marble bathroom with a double vanity. But if something more secluded is your preference then the fourth bedroom is for you as it is housed in its own separate cottage - also ideal for nannies or visiting friends/relatives. The wonderful Suga Suga restaurant, spa and gym are located nearby and golf and tennis are just a 10-15 minute drive (Sandy Lane / Royal Westmoreland).
For more information on Wimoweh please email Jeremy@chattelhouserealty.com www.chattelhouserentals.com
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LA MIRAGE 302 AT OLD TREES, BARBADOS The joy is, this mirage is actually real.
When a word like ‘beachfront’ collides with another like ‘Barbados’, they instantly conjure something rather special in your mind. The reality is even more magical than you’d dare imagine. La Mirage 302 at Old Trees is a luxury penthouse that commands jaw-dropping views of the ocean, together with a five-star standard furnishings, decorations and equipment. Not only is it a feast for the eyes, it has been created to take relaxation to the max. There are large, elegant spaces for entertaining. This includes a partially covered pool deck with a plunge pool from which you can gaze out to sea and watch the sun go down, cocktail in hand. Inside, you’ll enjoy what is one of the most luxurious properties on the island. This spacious penthouse features four bedrooms, each with its own indulgent bathroom, spread over some 5,900 sq. ft. of exceptional living space. The two Master Suites offer fabulous views of the ocean from their own private terraces. And, throughout, the cooling trade winds and the top floor position overlooking Paynes Bay Beach create a removed and exquisite sanctuary. Naturally, La Mirage 302 offers 24-hour security, is fully equipped with multimedia digital entertainment, and is staffed by a cook, maid and laundress. With its location just south of the Sandy Lane Hotel, you are perfectly placed for the best of the West Coast including upscale shopping, worldclass dining and the Island’s top golf and polo clubs. Concierge services are also on hand to take care of your every whim.
LUXURY VILLAS IN BARBADOS - LA MIRAGE 302
For more information on La Mirage 302 at Old Trees please email Jeremy@chattelhouserealty.com www.chattelhouserentals.com
LUXURY LIVING
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Stone & more If you thought Mandarin Stone only sourced stone, then think again. Our 276 page brochure contains our unparalleled natural stone range together with on-trend collections of Decorative & Glazed tiles. A wide selection of stone for the home and garden Limestone, Slate, Basalt, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Sandstone, Terracotta, Schist, Outdoor Stone, Mosaics, Pebbles & Mouldings, Splitface, Porcelain & Ceramic, Stone Bathware, Decorative & Glazed
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UBER presents...
BARN IN THE CITY COFFEE TABLE Barn In the City are a Dutch company who have an original and beautiful take on upcycling. Naturally aged timbers from nineteenth century Canadian barns are selected and treated, to be turned into stunning pieces of furniture, shower screens, wall panels and more. Barn wood varies in character and colour, therefore each piece is unique. It is also finished with a water repellent, super clear glass-like resin.
The Magnificent
A SELECTION OF OUR FAVOURITE LIFE ENHANCING DESIGNS FROM UBER-INTERIORS.COM ALIVAR - ‘SIDE UP‘ DRINKS CABINET Alivar ‘Side Up’ Drinks Cabinet. Designed by Guiseppe Bavuso. Characterized by a linear and minimalistic style. This piece is made using careful and meticulous craftsmanship, showing great attention to detail and finishes which include handles in polished or painted aluminium, inside compartment fitted with mirror, shelves and 3 drawers and top in acrylic stone.
BONALDO - RIBBON MARBLE TABLE Designed by Mauro Lipparini, A prestigious and exclusive combination that achieves harmony between raw materials and composition volumes interpreted with originality. The Ribbon coffee table has a square matt white Carrara marble base and curved glass table top, with transparent or smoked black finish; the two elements offer two practical storage surfaces. Ribbon is available in two different sizes.
BUSNELLI - TAYLOR SOFA Designed by Toan Nguyen, Taylor is a sofa which is distinguished by sophisticated details, such as the seams, as the sofa is produced with five different typologies of seams for the fabrics, and six seams for the leathers, in order to customize the product according to the needs of the client. Incorporating the undisputed comfort of Busnelli this sofa offers a variety and diversification of cushions, seat and backrest, allowing you to change the design of the product from the most traditional to a sleek contemporary version.
CONTINUED >
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ARKETIPO - AUTO REVERSE SOFA As one of the highlights of the Milan furniture show, this sofa is versatile and with a strong personality which derives from the idea of expressing a double soul in the living area. Its apparent casual and untidy look is in contrast with the order and extreme care for the details, combining to create an object with a sharp style and high quality. The thin structure, elegant and discreet, enwraps and contains the seat cushions, the back and the arms, all emphasized by flounces around the perimeter which create a definite movement to the line and add a tactile and visual softness to the sofa. The important zip, applied to the four sides of the cushions, which fastens the two-sided cover, one in leather and one in fabric, gives rigour to the sofa and underlines its peculiar design.
GLAS ITALIA - ‘DEEP SEA‘ BOOKCASE A collection of low tables and a bookcase in laminated and thermo welded transparent extralight glass. The shelves of the bookcase and the vertical elements of the low tables are in coloured transparent glass available in grey or blue tones. Moving from one element to the next, the distance between them gradually decreases, whilst the intensity of colour increases. This chromatic effect, associated with the mirror bases, bestows great depth to the pieces and creates a play of magical reflections.
BONALDO - SUNRISE SIDEBOARD Designed by Gino Carollo, this impressive sideboard with frame in elegant lacquered wood and an exposed compartment. Also available with a led light source in the compartment (Sunrise Light) to the base.
Prices are correct at time of going to print.
UBER-INTERIORS.COM // 0845 0773280
Scan this QR Code to see these and many more products online or alternatively visit uber-interiors.com
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BOWDON: 23 Hall Road, Bowdon, WA14 3AY Tel: 0161 929 1974 KNUTSFORD: Cranford Design Centre, Malt Street, Knutsford, WA16 6ES Tel: 01565 633 155 E. info@flooring4youltd.com www.flooring4youltd.com
YOU’LL LOVE WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE ONLY ONE THING IS MORE CLEVER THAN HOME AUTOMATION: INVISIBLE HOME AUTOMATION.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
There’s something truly impressive about an entertainment system that can explode into life, shake the floor and give you an experience that you don’t so much watch as feel. Sensory International are masters of this craft, understanding form, function, specification and the very latest in digital technologies. And yet one of the greatest compliments they can hear is how effectively they have covered their tracks.
Unless you have a room or space that you can dedicate as a full-time cinema, your media room will have many other roles: it’s the space for socialising, lounging, drinking and generally being the venue for daily family life. This was the case at The Vicarage, the design project masterminded by UBER. As their automation partner, Sensory was brought in to meet the owner’s wish to be blown away by the latest technology – in a scheme that quietly disappeared when it wasn’t being used.
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The focus of The Vicarage automation project was a space just off the kitchen. In its ‘normal’ form, the space is a beautiful and welcoming area that serves as a formal sitting room. But reach for an iPad and a transformation begins. From inside the custom-made silver leaf drinks cabinet comes a state of the art flat screen TV. By deploying a TV lift Sensory was able to conceal it from sight. It’s a perfect solution for everyday TV viewing when you want to catch the news or a quick burst of Downton Abbey.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
But of course there are times when something altogether meatier is called for. So when you’re settling in for an Iron Man 3 evening, hit the touch screen and the full 5.1 cinema experience comes into play. The flat screen TV disappears back into the cabinetry out of view, and a massive projection screen starts to emerge from the detailed ceiling. At the rear of the room, a state of the art projector lowers itself from its concealed home in the ceiling. While the equipment positions itself, the room lights are already automatically dimming. It’s showtime…
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“SO IF YOU’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE, AND YOUR PIZZA DELIVERY MAN ARRIVES AT THE DOOR, A QUICK FLICK OF THE SWITCH WILL SHOW YOU THE CCTV IMAGE AND GATE CONTROL RIGHT THERE ON SCREEN.”
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
Automation also plays a key part in home security and Sensory also designed and installed a discreet CCTV system around the house. Sensory believes that the hallmark of good automation is not just that it is clever; it must also be easy and intuitive to use. So if you’re in the middle of the movie, and your pizza delivery man arrives at the door, a quick
flick of the switch will show you the CCTV image and gate control right there on screen. This is also true of any hand held touch screens or on any of the TV/projection screens around the house. It’s just one example of how the best automation fits in with your life - not the other way around.
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GASTRONOMY IN THE GENES
FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, ONE FAMILY HAS HANDED ON THE BATON OF BASQUE CUISINE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. THE RESULT IS THE MULTI-AWARD WINNING ARZAK.
THERE IS SOMETHING IRRESISTIBLE ABOUT A FAMILY-RUN RESTAURANT. It conjures up images of an elderly chef presiding over a steaming kitchen, while their sons and daughters sneak in their own contemporary ideas, and assorted young grandchildren peel the veg. Something close to this exists in Arzak, a restaurant so famed for its cooking that gastronomes travel from towns, countries and even continents to eat there.
Behind the scenes of Arzak is a father and daughter combination producing astonishing Basque regional cooking. The father is Juan Mari, whose grandfather founded the restaurant in 1897. It was handed down to Juan’s father and then, when his father died, to his mother Francisca. Seventy years after the first diner was served, Juan Mari then took the helm, to be joined later by his daughter Elena. However, for all its homespun history, make no mistake: Arzak is a serious restaurant that has been built by a family that has travelled far and
wide in order to work and learn. Juan trained with a roll-call of legendary French chefs including Bocuse, Troisgros, Senderens, Boyer and Arrambide. Similarly, on leaving school at 18, Elena went straight off to Switzerland to the hotel management school in Lucerne. From there she trained in some of the finest restaurants in France and Europe, including Le Gavroche, Gagnaire, Bras, El Bulli and Dutournier.
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It is inevitable, and entirely deliberate, that father and daughter bring a wealth of different culinary influences to the table, whilst honouring the foundation of their family’s cuisine: the Basque tradition. They describe their cuisine as ‘signature Basque’ but with avant garde influences. The region loves its food: from the land-locked Álava province with its beef, veal and game; to Vizcaya, with its traditional staple of salt cod, as well as baby squid, sardines, anchovies, hake (merluza), sea bream (besugo) and clams. Juan and Elena’s passion for freshness cannot be overstated (Elena even pronounces that fresh anchovies must be eaten by lunchtime). So when you settle down to one of their signature dishes such as Lobster in a crisp potato shell with a cobaiba sauce and red pepper sphere you can be certain it will be fresh, inspired and simply unforgettable.
WWW.ARZAK.INFO
ARZAK RESTAURANT
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We are importers and distributors of high quality timber doors & flooring, we offer an unrivalled selection of products to retail & trade customers, property developers, architects & specifiers. We can also offer bespoke packages tailored to suit your individual project or requirements. Our global product range includes: High Quality Internal & External Contemporary & Classic Wooden Doors, Bespoke Door Sizes Manufactured & Specialist Finishes, Bi-Fold Exterior & Interior Sliding, Folding Doors, Contemporary Full Glass Doors, Luxury Door Handles & Ironmongery, Premium Engineered & Solid Wood Flooring, Bespoke Wood Floors & Finishing, Karndean & Cavalio Design flooring and Superior Laminates. For more information please call 0161 440 7888 or visit our new 4000sqft showroom.
Tel: 0161 440 7888 // Email: sales@floor-and-door.co.uk // Unit 2A Duke Avenue, Stanley Green Trading Estate, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, SK8 6RB
5-STAR SPAS WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE ALL THE CREDIT, BUT THE SECRET BEHIND OUR SUPERLATIVE SPA PROJECTS IS TO TEAM UP WITH THE BEST. perspiration, muscle relaxation and assists in relieving aches and pains. The soothing hydrothermal massage from the numerous jets and features in the spa simply enhance the experience. SwimSpas Think of a SwimSpa as a combination of a swimming pool and a vitality spa. This luxurious space-saving solution incorporates a countercurrent swimming/exercise experience at one end and a sensuous water massage at the other. Saunas Relaxing and therapeutic, a sauna helps to relieve stress, relax muscles and cleanse the skin while actually burning calories. A completely rejuvenating experience. Steam Rooms, Hammams & Rhassouls Pioneered by the Romans, steam rooms typically operate at 40°C - 45°C with a varying humidity of 90% - 100%. Bathers’ bodies heat up gently, stimulating the circulation and initiating a purifying and detoxifying process. Breathing passages are also soothed because of the increased moisture content. Alternative bathing environments include the traditional Hammam, which has a lower humidity and additional heated surfaces. Rhassoul cabins are automated steam rooms that integrate the application of exfoliating mud with steam therapy. Salt solutions can also be introduced into a steam room. Right at the heart of the UBER philosophy is a clear perspective on design: it only succeeds if it functions perfectly while also evoking the emotion its owner desires. This is never truer than in spa design, where the function - for example, a pool or a steam room - must be totally complemented by the feeling you wish to create. Whether that’s invigorating and pulse-racing; or transcendental and spiritual; or indeed an ever changing tableau of ambience to suit your whims and moods. In addition, spa projects depend on a true depth of technical know-how, and for all these reasons UBER is delighted to partner with the very best in the business: Rigo Spa.
With this dream team in place, your imagination can run riot: we can realise even the most extreme of wishes. Created, tailored and completed using beautiful natural materials coupled with the very latest in energy and water saving technologies. Swimming pools There is something wonderfully decadent about an interior pool - particularly when it’s created both for exercise and simply as the centerpiece for total relaxation. Rigo Spa can create yours in concrete, fiberglass or stainless, in a variety of shapes and depths. Vitality Spas A warm vitality spa has instant therapeutic benefits as your core body temperature rises and increases blood circulation. This encourages
Ice = Nice To many purists, the natural conclusion to a hot cabin is the extreme opposite. This tightens the skin, helps your circulation and strengthens the immune system. You might like to consider a chilled plunge pool; or finely crushed ice all over your body in an ice room; or the ultimate short sharp shock: the cold drench bucket. Feature Showers More warmingly, Rigo Spa feature-showers deliver luxurious sensory experiences, complemented with mood lighting, audio, aromatherapy and a ‘menu’ ranging from Summer Storm to Cooling Mist. For more information please call 0151 236 4259 or visit us online at www.rigospa.com
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From 100oC to sub zero, nothing’s as hot as Rigo Spa
From saunas, steam rooms and hammams to ice rooms and chilled plunge pools and drenches, Rigo Spa will send your temperature rising. With style, with craftsmanship - and with the creativity to make your wildest spa dreams come true.
Tel: +44 (0) 151 236 4259 Email: enquiries@rigospa.com Web: www.rigospa.com 1 Lanyork Road, Pall Mall, Liverpool, UK, L3 6JB
UBER seeks out the best in design - Palace Gate
KENSINGTON IS ONE OF LONDON’S MOST PRIZED LOCATIONS. APARTMENT 2, NO. 6 PALACE GATE WILL SHOW YOU WHY.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
KENSING TO N, L O ND O N W 8.
ROYALLY RECOMMENDED
There are some property hotspots that simply refuse to go cold. London has more than its fair share, especially anywhere within a 5-6 mile radius of the centre. This reflects many things. There are logical factors like London’s standing as a premier league capital when it comes to international business and politics. But there’s also a strong streak of the emotional as well: London is simply a fabulous, inspiring place to live. And at its heart, it also offers some exquisite properties in which to make your home.
One such apartment has just come onto the market and represents a stunning collision of location and opportunity. It sits on Palace Gate in Kensington, a fine locality that is just three miles west of Central London. Your neighbours include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - plus a new prince - at Kensington Palace, about 800 yards away. The Royal Albert Hall is but a stroll, as is Kensington Gardens, an elegant sweep of parkland beloved of joggers, walkers and families. You are also surrounded
by great restaurants, shopping, galleries, a feast of culture (for this is museum central) and a maze of well-kept, elegant streets and mews. With some of London’s finest architecture here, preservation rules are strict. But that doesn’t stop inspired interior design, and the very latest in technologies, from creating extraordinary places to live. Which brings us to a vibrant example: Number 6 Palace Gate.
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In an age when hansom cabs trotted along Palace Gate, and London society took their carriages to be seen daily just along the road to Rotten Row in Hyde Park, Number 6 Palace Gate was built as a fine London town house in 1876. Today, this five-storey building is Grade II listed, and comprises four beautiful residences. Each has been designed by Alex Stocker, whose 60 Pont Street Mews recently sold for more than ÂŁ10m, with interior decoration by Fiona Barratt.
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
APARTMENT NO. 2 Apartment No. 2 features two bedrooms, both with ensuite bathrooms, as well as an expansive kitchen/dining room, a drawing room and a garden. One of many show-stopping elements of this property are the ceilings. Uncovered only when the renovation project was underway, the ceilings in the reception rooms and kitchens are adorned with beautiful murals and intricate cornicing, designed by renowned architect Sir William Emerson in the early 19th Century. Strongly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement,
the detailed plaster decoration on the ceilings of the main reception rooms is both striking and beautiful, using bold colours and shimmering gold, and featuring classical images with elaborate borders. In the kitchen, four cherubs painted within a feature panel in the ceiling, look down on the clean white lines of the Bulthaup designed kitchen furniture and Gaggenau appliances. This captures the essence of the apartment’s design ethos, where antiquity sits alongside modernity to breathtaking effect.
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THE JOY OF A FULL RENOVATION IS ALL THE CIVILISING TOUCHES THAT MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND THINKING CAN BRING.
For example, every room is pre-wired with Sonos state of the art audio, controlled by iPad, iPod or iPhone, with artfully concealed speakers. The drawing room’s 5.1 cinema surround system and a 60” Samsung smart TV will transport you to new realms of digital entertainment. Your security is assured by a video entry system, an alarm system which includes vibration sensors on the windows, and a 6-camera CCTV system monitored by your porter. John Spiers, principal partner of Leighton Palace Gate LLP, commented, “I cannot emphasise enough what a rare opportunity 6 Palace Gate offers to buyers. The chance to purchase an apartment that is fitted out to the highest modern standard whilst still retaining the work and characteristics of such a wellknown and respected architect is almost unheard of. 6 Palace Gate has a truly fantastic location, in the middle of one of London’s most exclusive boroughs, Kensington. Not only will potential purchasers be investing in the prime London residential market, they will be buying a slice of history.” In all, the apartment extends over 2,737 sq.ft. and is offered with a 999 year lease, and a share of the freehold, at £5.5m. For more information please contact: Charles Vyner Brooks at Brooks Gordon on 020 7871 1572 or email charles@brooksgordon.co.uk Will Allen at Strutt & Parker LLP on 020 7938 3666 or email will.allen@struttandparker.com
UBER-LIFESTYLE.COM // 0845 0773280
Affordable luxury underfoot CARPETS • BESPOKE RUGS • STAIR RUNNERS • WOOD FLOORING www.uber-flooring.com info@uber-flooring.com 01565 621620
The pool man has just been security checked. The concierge team has signed for a delivery. And a door-to-door salesmen didn’t get near yours.
EDEN PARK A lifestyle choice like no other
Eden Park is fully-served, luxurious living. Of the kind you only expect in a fine hotel.There are three imposing residences currently on offer, each with pools and steam rooms, between 4-6 en-suite bedrooms and the grace and space you deserve. Each is served by our concierge team and 24/7 professional security. But with just three opportunities - don’t delay in taking yours.
For more information please call 0161 241 3344 or email us at enquiries@edenparkalderleyedge.co.uk
Eden Park - A development by Edenhouse Estates Eden Park • Macclesfield Road • Alderley Edge • T. 0161 241 3344 E. enquiries@edenparkalderleyedge.co.uk www.edenparkalderleyedge.co.uk
eden park
Creating beautiful contemporary and classic outdoor spaces for modern living...
RHS Gold award winning Garden Designer www.alexandrafroggatt.com 07711 989 582 16 Chorley Hall Lane Alderely Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7EUÂ
GREEN GOLD! BUSINESSES, HOMEOWNERS AND SAVVY INVESTORS ARE NOW LOOKING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR THE KIND OF RETURNS THAT STOCKS AND SHARES ONCE WERE. WE WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ‘GREEN GOLD-RUSH’ When it comes to savings and investments, things have certainly changed for the worse in recent years. Interest from Bank and Building Society accounts are hardly worth talking about, and returns from ISA’s are not much better. And as for stocks and shares.....well, if you’re brave enough!! With no end in sight to the current low interest rates, Investors are now looking further afield for that elusive Return-On-Investment. “A few years ago people would never have put the words ‘Renewable Energy’ and ‘Investment’ in the same sentence”, says David Hunt of Renewable Solutions. “There has always been a massive interest in being self-sufficient and making your own energy, and businesses are now under great pressure to show green credentials, but the returns on the capital outlay were rarely exciting!” All of this changed when the Government launched the Feed-InTariff (FIT) and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). “Owners of Solar installations, Biomass Boilers, Wind Turbines and Heat Pumps are now making returns as high as 15%. Indeed, we have heard cases of businesses who are achieving 20-25% returns on Biomass Boiler installations!”
The schemes are legislated and cannot be reversed or withdrawn. They run for 20 years, during which time the system owner is paid to generate electricity or heat in an environmentally friendly way. The returns, which are also index-linked, are paid even if all the electricity or heat is used by the owner. “It is an absolute no-brainer” notes David. “You are paid to make energy that you would otherwise need to buy in from a utility company”. Renewable Solutions are award-winning experts in the Green Energy market, having spent the last eight years advising businesses and investors on how to offset growing energy costs, reap high returns and re-brand their businesses as ‘energy-ethical’. Many businesses have to prove a level of environmental or low-carbon activity in order to be used in supply -chains or win tenders. Being a polluter is certainly frowned upon now in business. The company are accredited to specify and design any size and type of renewable installation. They, themselves, hold ISO9001, ISO4001 and are ConstructionLine Registered.
The Company offer a number of purchasing solutions: Businesses with capital to invest can do so, and benefit from immediate tariff returns and various tax breaks. Lease Purchase arrangements allow the business to immediately benefit from tariff income and get tax relief on lease payments. Installation ownership passes to the business at the end of the lease. The company can also advise on free installations. These are funded (often by the city) and allow the business to benefit from reduced energy bills, while the fund retains the tariff to offset the installation cost. Contact David Hunt, Commercial Manager and his team in confidence to discuss the options available to your business or property.
Riverview Business Park, Shore Wood Road Bromborough, Wirral Tel: 0845 224 7001 www.renewablesolutionsuk.com
renewablesolutions the Green Energy specialists
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Style
IT’S TIME TO RADIATE SOME
Radiators will never win any prizes for aesthetics. But that’s where we come in. At Kingston Cabinets we’re showing how our radiator cabinets turn a problem into an opportunity. We offer a fully bespoke service to create a dramatic and beautiful design statement for your home. Every cabinet is designed, and then beautifully made, especially for you - we can even enhance the warmth of your heating in the process. We can also open your eyes to fresh options, cabinets with bookcases that bring a seamless, cohesive style, or we can design other bespoke furniture and furnishings as individual as you are. So radiate your own style; find out more at www.kingstoncabinets.co.uk Kingston Cabinets Ltd Head Office: Charter House, Charter Way, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 2NG Cheshire: 01625 869 159 Freephone (UK wide): 0800 988 6009 London & the South East: 0207 989 6009
A MODERN DAY MASTERPIECE
STARTS WITH ARCHITECTURE
AND IS FULFILLED BY AN AWARD-WINNING DESIGN TEAM WORKING IN HARMONY ARCHITECTURE // INTERIOR DESIGN // LANDSCAPING
THE ART OF
ARCHITECTURE
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IN PROPERTY, EVERYTHING STARTS WITH THE ARCHITECT, A DRAWING BOARD AND A CHALLENGINGLY WHITE SHEET OF PAPER. What happens next sets the inspiration and style for everything that follows. No pressure there, then. One architectural practice relishing this challenge, and the creative possibilities is Calderpeel fgp, established in 1992 by Harry Calder. His practice brings flair, inspiration - and a firm eye on cost and practicality - to every assignment. For more than two decades the practice has created revelatory buildings, and breathed new life into existing ones, working everywhere from farmhouses and Georgian rectories to city centre apartments, offices, studios and superhomes. At the heart of their skill is vision: the Calderpeel fgp team see what others don’t. They create elegance out of function. They conjure up space where there seems to be none. They transform tired areas into places you don’t want to leave. Not surprisingly, Calderpeel fgp’s reputation has grown with each project, and not merely because of their stunning end-results. They also set great store by creating relationships and by offering the widest possible base of skills to match the right talent to the right task. Every project is also a collaborative effort, with architects, interior designers and landscape architects working hand-in-hand with their clients, listening carefully, exchanging ideas and achieving bespoke solutions for individual clients. Accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Calderpeel fgp has won multiple prestigious awards.
With such a focus on creativity and aesthetics, Calderpeel fgp sets a high bar when it comes to choosing partners. The Design Practice by UBER is one. Their handpicked talent from multi-disciplinary backgrounds creates a team with unrivalled depth and strength in interior design. The objective: to help clients stamp a completely individual mark on their surroundings, whether for a contemporary minimalist property or a painstaking, highly detailed period restoration. UBER’s work on world-class international residential properties has taken them from an African holiday home to a vast golfing lodge getaway in Scotland; and from a comfortable and luxurious farm conversion in Cheshire to a classical family home in Surrey. The practice is recognised by the industry and its peers. It is accredited by the Society of British and International Design (SBID) and has been feted at the highest level. Recognition includes The International Design & Architecture Awards over four consecutive years, as well as a finalist position in the Andrew Martin International Designer of the Year (“the Oscars of the Design Industry”, in the words of The Times). Although the nature of their projects differs wildly, their service level never does. Every assignment receives the same dedication, creative talent and logistical support, to extract the maximum benefit from every square inch of their clients’ properties.
THE ART OF
INTERIOR DESIGN
THE ART OF
LANDSCAPING
Calderpeel fgp believes that creative design is essential in every strand of the build process: whether it’s the architecture, the interiors - or the garden. Equally, they know their limits which is why they team up with the finest landscape architects in the region: Barnes Walker. They have now collaborated with Barnes Walker on over 200 projects. Barnes Walker has just celebrated its 25th anniversary – and its two thousandth commission – bringing its unique brand of landscape architecture to everywhere from town houses and roof gardens to courtyard spaces and country estates. They complement outside what Calderpeel fgp do for the overall property concept. The same rules apply: inspiration, professionalism and fresh, surprising design. This is supported by sound technical knowledge and, as importantly, an in-depth knowledge of the planning system.
Nick Walker at Barnes Walker, says:
“We have a creative and rewarding environment that means we can attract, and hold on to the very best talent. In turn, this translates into stunning results for our clients”
MEET YOUR AWARD-WINNING TEAM TOGETHER, THEY OFFER YOU AN INDIVIDUAL BESPOKE TURNKEY SOLUTION TO TURN YOUR DREAM HOME INTO REALITY.
HARRY CALDER CHAIRMAN / DIRECTOR
TOM MULROY DIRECTOR
Harry’s reputation in the industry is renowned. His enthusiasm for design is coupled with a remarkable ability to visualise the creative design solution.
Tom has been with Calderpeel fgp since 2003 and has been instrumental in developing the design ethos of the practice. An enthusiastic and dedicated designer, Tom has worked on numerous key projects, most notably The Lillies and other superhomes. He has unrivalled experience in the luxury residential sector, having designed and delivered some of the most exciting and complex projects in the Calderpeel fgp portfolio. Now director of the Calderpeel fgp Surrey office, Tom is heading up the expansion of the business into the South East of England.
Harry’s design flair and his commercial understanding of clients’ budget parameters ensure that Calderpeel fgp delivers on all fronts. T: 0161 929 7622 / E: harry@calderpeel.com www.calderpeel.com
T: 01372 462 667 / E: tommulroy@calderpeel.com www.calderpeel.com
NICK WALKER MANAGING DIRECTOR
SIMON EVANS MANAGING DIRECTOR
Nick’s passion for all aspects of design combined with his love of plants explain his infectious enthusiasm. Since he and Colin Barnes formed Barnes Walker in 1995 the practice has established a reputation for producing high quality awardwinning landscape architecture. Their talented team apply the same fresh approach to everything they do and produce solutions that are clever, attractive and cost effective. Building a good relationship with their clients is an important part of the Barnes Walker approach and Nick and his team thrive on exceeding expectations.
The Design Practice by UBER has rapidly gained a reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after interior design practices. Accredited by the Society of British and International Design, UBER has also won numerous industry awards. The practice is constantly invited to bring its fresh perspective to design projects all over the world. Constantly striving to surpass levels of expectation with every detail, Simon’s dedicated team consists of hand picked talent from multi-disciplinary backgrounds giving incredible depth and strength, capable of helping clients stamp a
T: 0161 946 0808 / E: nick.walker@barneswalker.co.uk www.barneswalker.co.uk
T: 0845 077 3280 / E: simon@thedesignpractice.com www.thedesignpractice.com
completely individual mark on their surroundings.