Absolutely Home Winter 2017

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SEASONAL STYLE

WINTER 2017

WILL ALSOP The architect teams up with Alessi

WINTER 2017 £4.99

DECORATION

SPECIAL How to achieve a festive look – with no tinsel allowed

PLUS ROBERT WELCH ROCKETT ST GEORGE WALLACE SEWELL

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NEW 2018 CATALOGUE OUT NOW MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SPACE

Finchley Road I Guildford I Harrods I Kingston I Notting Hill I Tottenham Court Road I Wandsworth

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Discover the new 2018 furniture and accessories collection in-store now. BoConcept is all about making design, furniture and colours fit seamlessly in your home. Whether you need help to design an entirely new home or don’t know which sofa to choose for a room, our professional and friendly interior designers are always on hand to help and will offer you a comprehensive free interior design service.

New 2018 catalogue out now I boconcept.com

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“ T H R O U G H T H E G AT E S , E X C L U S I V I T Y AWA I T S ”

Discover a luxurious collection of homes in the heart of Hertfordshire, enjoying the peace and charm of a countryside retreat with the peace of mind of an exclusive, private gated development.

Each of the The Stables’ seven homes has fantastic, uninterrupted views of the rolling hills beyond. What’s more, built on the site of a former horse stables, the equine connection continues today with three acres of open grazing land adjacent to the properties available to rent.

Welcome to the epitome of contemporary country living.

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DARREN ANDREWS HOMES With over a decade’s experience creating Hertfordshire’s most desirable properties, developer Darren Andrews Homes combines expert local knowledge, exceptional craftsmanship and a flair for seeking out the finest finishing touches.

darrenandrewshomes.com

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35 DESIGN 27 CREATIVE REVIEW News from the design world

28 THE TOP TEN

INSIDER Diary dates for the coming months

14 NEWS

Snippets from the interiors industry

16 LONDON AT CHRISTMAS The Geff rye Museum's Christmas Past

The National Theatre celebrates poster art

20 WOVEN MATERIALS Reviving the traditional loom

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SEASONAL STYLE

A chat with the architect

35 ART ON PAPER

New graphics for Pan Books

HOME WILL ALSOP The architect teams up with Alessi

37 WELL PRESENTED

WINTER 2017 £4.99

DECORATION

SPECIAL How to achieve a festive look – with no tinsel allowed

Gifts for design lovers

38 FLOOR SHOW

PLUS ROBERT WELCH ROCKETT ST GEORGE WALLACE SEWELL

All the loveliest rugs around

44 SKANDIUM’S TOWNHOUSE A dream home for Scandi lovers

49 THE LEGACY

z e s t- l o n d o n

19 STAGE DESIGN

30 WILL ALSOP

WINTER 2017

12 CALENDAR

HOME

HOME's no-tinsel Christmas

ABSOLUTELY

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COVER

brostecopenhagen.com

Robert Welch's iconic RW2 cutlery

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37 HOME EDITOR

Pendle Harte

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Nancy Alsop, Pearl Boyd, Helen Brown, Hannah Hopkins, Joy Montgomery

HOME SPECIALIST

Rebecca Lee

GROUP SALES MANAGER

Craig Davies

SALES MANAGER

Rollo Dennison

ART DIRECTOR

Phil Couzens

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SENIOR DESIGNER

Pawel Kuba

MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER

Rebecca Noonan

DESIGNER

Catherine Perkins

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Chris Couchman

MARKETING MANAGER

Lucie Pearce

FINANCE DIRECTOR

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Alexandra Hvid

DIRECTORS

Greg Hughes, Alexandra Hunter

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Alexandra Hvid

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Sherif Shaltout

For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing kerry@zest-media.com. For editorial enquiries please email pendle@zest-media.com

LIVING 56 DENIM LOVER

A home tour with Donna Ida

60 SHADY LOOKS

Rockett St George's characterful style

INSPIRE

70 REMAKE, REMODEL

88 ARTISTS RESIDENCE

76 A CHRISTMAS TABLE

92 NEW BUILD

82 COSY UP

98 MY STYLE

Lassco demystifys reclaimed parquet All you need to celebrate at home Things to bring comfort and joy

Meeting the duo behind the hotels A developer and his project Pavel Klimczak of Monologue

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FROM THE

EDITOR

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hristmas is not necessarily the most stylish of times. As I write this (in November) early decorations have already appeared in some quarters and they're not what you could describe as tasteful. Not that they need to be – in fact I don't think excessive tastefulness is Christmassy at all.

I have heard stories recently of families resorting to having two Christmas trees in response to differing tastes. One tree for the children, who are given free reign to decorate it wildly with homespun creations and garish tat, more for the fun of it than for proportion or symmetry – and a second, more serious tree, decorated according to a design strategy, perhaps in a heavily laboured all white or entirely with wooden decorations or only with stars. But really the best trees should have the best of both – paper cutouts smeared in glitter glue can sit alongside beautiful glass baubles and curiosities because it's supposed to be joyous right? Still, if the tinsel overload is hard to stomach, we have sought out lots of lovely decorations for this issue and they range from the minimalist to the traditional, the fun and the design-led, so we wish a very happy Christmas to everyone, whatever their tastes.

6 Things we like this month

Pendle Harte p e n d l e @ z e s t - m e d i a .c o m

1 Alessi's dinky bell baubles; page 65 2 Carafes and other vessels for the domestic cocktail bar; page 73 3 Koti & Co's hexagonal placemats; page 27

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4 Donna Ida's house; page 56

5 Also, Donna Ida's new silk pyjamas; page 81 6 Open fires of any kind; page 74

7 These wooden nativity dolls from Skandium. Sou; page 81

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‘ F I L LY ’ A selling exhibition of Bronzes celebrating the Spirit of the Horse by

KEIL

1 st t o 2 1 st December 2017

at OSS OWS K I 83 P i m l i c o Roa d Lon don S W 1 W 8P H

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+44 (0)2 0 7 7 3 0 3 2 5 6 inf o@os s ow s ki.c o.u k www.o sso wski.co.uk

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Grayson Perry, Julie and Dave, 2015. Wool, cotton, acrylic, polyester and silk tapestr © Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist, Paragon | Contemporary Editions Ltd and Victoria Miro, London

NEWS • PEOPLE • DESIGN • EVENTS

INSIDER

Diary Dates p. 12 . Christmas Past at the Geffrye Museum

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. Weaving revival

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A D AT E W I T H

DESIGN Art fairs, festivals and dates for your calendar

By H E L E N B R OW N

HALF-LIFE Until 16 December Ve s s e l G a l l e r y This unique solo exhibition by rising art glass virtuoso, Elliot Walker explores themes of abandonment, radiation and the apocalypse. Walker’s glass sculptures challenge our ideas and perceptions of the world around us with a showcase that is both beguiling and beautiful.

114 Kensington Park Road, W11; vesselgallery.com

DAVID WALKER Unti l 9 D e c e m b e r Lawrence Alkin Gallery David Walker, renowned for his freehand works in spray paint, has embarked on territories anew with his latest exhibition Half A World Passed Me By. This latest showcase sees the introduction of brushes, acrylics and new techniques, along with studies, sketches and a series of text-based paintings featuring Walker’s own writing.

42 New Compton Street, WC2H; lawrencealkingallery.com

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CÉZANNE PORTRAITS

On goin g National Portrait Gallery Paul Cézanne’s analytical approach to nature influenced the art of Cubists, Fauvists and successive generations of avant-garde artists. This exhibition brings together over fifty of his portraits in a fascinating insight into a central aspect of his work, highlighting the thematic characteristics of his portraiture.

St Martin’s Place; WC2H; npg.org.uk

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I N S I D E R | WHAT’S ON

THE LIFE OF JULIE COPE

Un t i l 18 Feb ru a r y Firstsite This unique presentation consists of tapestries, woodcuts, ceramics and tiles designed by Grayson Perry for A House for Essex. The building was designed by the artist to serve as a secular chapel to the memory of a fictional Essex women, Julie Cope. The exhibition includes all four large-scale tapestries made for the house, as well as sketchbooks, drawings and photographs that chart its development. Lewis Gardens, Colchester, Essex, CO1; firstsite.uk

THE HOLIDAY HOUSE

The Come Up From 1 December

Unti l 1 0 D e c e m b e r Holiday House London offers a rare opportunity to experience the work of numerous talented designers first-hand. See the individual works of celebrated interior designers as they each take over a room to showcase their style, design trends, and cutting edge fine art.

59 & 61 Hamilton Terrace, NW8; theholidayhouse.com

Now G a l l e r y In the NOW Gallery’s third fashion commission, Charles Jeffrey will showcase his vibrant and emotive illustrations, amplified in a threedimensional format. Interactive aspects invite you to open up to your alter ego and let creativity take over in this exploration of the realm of identities.

The Gateway Pavilions, SE10; nowgallery.co.uk

LONDON ART FAIR THE BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE 17-21 JANUARY

London Art Fair is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary with an extravaganza edition.

Here are a few highlights to look out for this year...

CONTROLLED REALITIES

Charles Harrop-Griffiths This London-based artist, photographer and filmmaker creates illusionistic compositions to look at the effects of technology and the rise of uncensored information.

KATE MOSS

Banksy Banksy is the anonymous graffiti artist and political activist famous for his satirical concepts and distinctive stencilling technique. Kate Moss was created as a surprise for the supermodel in 2011.

FASHION SHOW IN CHINA

Joan Miró Joan Miró was widely considered one of the leading Surrealists.

Though never officially part of the group, he pioneered a linear style that used colour and form to express the human psyche.

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I N S I D E R | NEWS

BIN IT

Interiors

NEWS

B r a b a nt i a This new stylish bin looks too pretty and streamlined to be a depository for rubbish. As the Rolls Royce of bins, it comes with a flexible arrangement of one, two or three compartments and in a range of colours to suit your kitchen. £199, brabantia.com

Updates from the industry Compil ed by

PENDLE HARTE

S O FA SO GOOD

Joules x DFS Joules has partnered with DFS to create a collection of sofas, armchairs and footstools that come in unique Joules prints and with hidden details. Made in Britain, there will be four styles to choose from. dfs.co.uk

PRETTY FLAMINGO

Graham & Green These silver and gold flamingo table lamps are fun, quirky and stylish. We like the pink shades best of course. £135, grahamandgreen.co.uk

M A N H AT TA N STYLE

Catchpole & Rye Cool and contemporary, The Manhattan marble washstand oozes luxury. Its unique linear design features metal basins, swan neck spouts and taps positioned to the side, while hammered or smooth metal bowls come in copper, nickel or brass, with a two tone effect are available as options. catchpoleandrye.com

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SHOW SOME LEG Wicked Hairpins Create a bespoke table to fit your space or to use a tabletop of your choice simply by ordering a set of hairpin legs. These sturdy yet stylish powder-coated coloured pieces come in a variety of colours and sizes and make building your own furniture simple. Now just think where you could fit that desk. wickedhairpins.com

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At At home home with with perfection. perfection.

Created Created with with simple, simple, clear clear forms. forms.

bulthaup Holland Park bulthaup Holland Tel. 020 7822 2800Park Tel. 020 7822 2800 www.hollandpark.bulthaup.com www.hollandpark.bulthaup.com bulthaup Mayfair bulthaup Mayfair Tel. 020 7495 3663 Tel. 020 7495 3663 www.mayfair.bulthaup.com www.mayfair.bulthaup.com bulthaup Clerkenwell bulthaup Clerkenwell Tel. 020 7317 6000 Tel. 020 7317 6000 www.clerkenwell.bulthaup.com www.clerkenwell.bulthaup.com

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F PAST Christmas

Celebrating the enduring appeal of Christmas decorations, The Geffrye Museum showcases 400 years of festive trends among London’s interiors Words P E N D L E H A R T E

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our centuries of Christmases in London are the focus of this much-loved annual display, now in its 25th year. The Geffrye Museum’s general focus on London interiors throughout history includes a special festive archive that shows how we have decorated our homes for Christmas according to the changing tastes of the day.

From a pared back, leaf and garlandfocused Edwardian parlour to a betinselled and paperchained 1960s living room, via a few stylish lanterns in an 1980 drawing room to a colourful Art Deco space, we can see how fashions have influenced Christmas through the years. It seems that nothing was really very sparkly until the arrival of tinsel in the 1960s, when it eclipsed traditional home-made decorations, which is very much back with us, dates back to simple woven garlands and bunches of holly.

The museum's ongoing original research into the history of Christmas adds a new dimension to the displays each year. A well-illustrated book, Christmas Past, Christmas Present, written by Geffrye curators, tells the history of Christmas in English homes and is available in the museum’s shop.

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I N S I D E R | FESTIVE FOCUS

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1. A Living Room In 1965.

Photograph By M Williams 2. A living room in 1935, light detail, by Steve Spelle 3. 1890 Drawing Room By Jayne Lloyd 4. Detail of 1935 living room.

Photo by jayne lloyd 5. Detail In 1965 Living Room

By Jayne Lloy 6. A drawing room in 1830 at christmas. Credit chris ridley

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The museum will be closing its doors to the public on Sunday 7 January 2018 for a transformational, £18m re-development. Throughout closure, a full programme of special events, markets, activities, pop-ups and installations will take place in the front gardens. The Geffrye is scheduled to reopen in late 2019 or early 2020. 136 Kingsland Road, E2; geffrye-museum.org.uk

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W H E R E I N S P I R AT I O N B E G I N S

www.crucial-trading.com

The Plaza, 535 Kings Road, London SW10 0SZ

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I N S I D E R | EXHIBITION

Poster art Arresting images are at the heart of the National Theatre’s new graphic art exhibition Preview G E O R G I A M C V E I G H

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he National Theatre is celebrating 54 years of poster art with an exhibition dedicated to its most visually arresting and innovational advertisments. Curated by design critic and writer Rick Poynor, best known for his role as the founder of Eye, the exhibition explores the evolution of poster design at the National Theatre from 1963 to the present day.

National Theatre Designs flaunts many timeless examples, most notably the original posters for productions of Peter Shaffer’s Equus and various Shakespeare productions.

Yet it focuses on the passage of time, too, and the effect of modern life on theatre and graphic design with the digitalisation of the iconic poster.

Curator Rick Poynor said: “An exciting theatre poster manages to capture the essence of a play. It grabs your attention with something surprising and draws you in. The National Theatre has a long tradition of producing

adventurous poster designs that encapsulate the inventiveness and energy of its productions.” Poynor is currently a Professor of Design and Culture at the University of Reading, and his compilation of posters, programs, and digital artwork highlights the progression of approach, design and function of an estimated 1,700 posters produced over the 50-year timespan.

Poynor traces this progression further, “The NT’s first graphic designer, Ken Briggs, collaborated closely with the theatre for a decade. That set the pattern and the theatre went on to appoint a succession of designers – Richard Bird, Michael Mayhew, Charlotte Wilkinson and Ollie Winser – who have worked in-house on the posters and other graphics. Each designer has maintained a very high standard of creativity and the posters’ graphic styles have evolved to reflect the changing needs of the theatre and its audiences.” The exhibition provides insight into the way the poster has been used to document the development of Britain and British culture over the last half-century, and exhibits the diversity of graphic approaches used by its designers: photographic, illustrative and typographic.

National Theatre Posters will also include interviews with both past and current Art or Creative Directors as well as a book, National Theatre Posters: A Design History, which was released to coincide with the opening of the exhibition. It is available online and in the National Theatre Bookshop. It is offering evening talks and films in collaboration with National Theatre Posters, featuring Creative Director Ollie Winser talking about Graphic Design at the NT and a feature-length documentary by Gary Hustwit that investigates typography.

There is also the opportunity to gain further insight into the exhibition by taking part in a tour with its curator, Poynor, in January 2018.

The exhibition will run until 31 March 2018.

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LOOM

BAND London is weaving again.

A craft that died over 70 years ago is back in the capital.

HOME investigates Words P E A R L B OY D Photography JA M E S G A R D I N E R

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he ambitious London Cloth Company, formed in 2012 by maverick master weaver Daniel Harris, is bringing back to London a unique tradition that vanished during the interwar years.

In Hackney, the traditional cloth trading district, Daniel rescued seven vintage looms and single-handedly rebuilt them by hand over a two-year period. These extraordinary machines date from the 1880s up to the 1970s and were left to rot in warehouses and barns throughout Britain and Ireland. Daniel says: “These machines capture the real essence of vintage weaving that simply can’t be achieved with modern machines. They are living history and every metre woven is another chapter in the story”.

The company made an impressive start, weaving unique cloths for major players in fashion, film and opera. They have now teamed up with contemporary home and accessories brand, Lane, to create a unique rope-dyed indigo collection of stylish soft furnishings and accessories. Lane designer and creative director Joff Casciani says: “taking this vintage process and cloth and bringing it to life in a contemporary collection that is relevant to a modern lifestyle is really exciting.

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I N S I D E R | MANUFACTURE

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INFO@WILLIAMHOLLAND.COM

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I N S I D E R | MANUFACTURE

Why can’t we preserve the crafts of yesterday? Everything we make is made in the UK, so it’s great to work with cloth that is woven in the capital. Every Londoner deserves the choice to buy cloth that is woven in their city rather than cloth that has travelled thousands of miles. With such heavy pollution in the capital, Londoners are all too aware of the need to be more sustainable and they deserve to have the choice”.

With over 90% of all cloth sold in London coming from the Far East or abroad, this collaboration unites a new wave in manufacturing with the creativity for which the UK is known.

London was once a hotbed of manufacturing but over the last 50 years it has been in slow decline – factories and workshops have been replaced by high tech and banking, marginalising London’s craftspeople. Joff explains: “this is the reality of commerce in London. However, small brands like ours and small manufacturers like London Cloth need to work together and work smarter. Britain is great at design but in post-Brexit Britain that simply won’t be enough. Making and designing together is the future”.

The Lane x London Cloth Company collection is available from lanebypost.com/lanexlondoncloth

“Every Londoner deserves the choice to buy cloth that is woven in their city” HOME WINTER 2017

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Cast iron radiators hand made in England UK stores in Chelsea, Wimbledon & Manchester +44 (0) 20 3397 7295 | +44 (0) 161 439 9350 Book a home consultation or visit one of our showrooms for bespoke heating

www.castrads.com

Princess 760mm cast iron radiator in Burnished Copper. Displayed with Windsor Polished Nickel thermostatic valves.

Handmade by Castrads in Manchester.

Ethically sourced Lioness - museom.modern-taxidermy.com Duke Carpet - Les Manufactures Catry - www.lesmanufacturescatry.eu Wallpaper - Cole & Son, Ardmore Savuti

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DESIGN NEWS • PEOPLE • DESIGN • EVENTS

A minimalist Christmas

p. 28

. Will Alsop

p. 30

. The Legacy: Robert Welch

p. 49

farrow-ball.com

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Tel: 01306 712 262 Email: info@iggi.co.uk Iggi Interior Design, The Old Parlour, Unit 6, Ockley Court Farm, Coles Lane, Ockley, Surrey, RH5 5LS

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D E S I G N | NEWS

Creative

REVIEW News from the design world Compil ed by

PENDLE HARTE

KO R E A N PINK Soohyang This cult brand started as a backstreet boutique in Seoul and its brilliantly named home fragrances range from Champagne Supernova to New Shoes via Girls Neck and Laundry. 'Life is better when you smell nice,' they say. They're stocked at Fenwicks. soohyang.seoul.kr

PAPER CR AFT

Studio Snowpuppe These Dutch origami experts produce a huge range of beautiful light shades in folded paper. High quality fabric cables and fittings come in contrasting colours for a stylish contemporary look. studiosnowpuppe.nl

IN PRINT

Laura Spring One of our favourite London Design Festival discoveries was Laura Spring, the Scottish textile designer whose instinctive way with colours and prints manifests in her collection of textiles. Her range includes wall hangings, rugs and accessories. lauraspring.co.uk

MADE IN BERLIN Studio Hausen The Link shelving system is our favourite new German export; its flexible design and endless combinations make a stylish and practical storage solution. It's just scooped the silver prize for best product design in the Berlin Design Awards. studiohausen.com

SHAPE SHIFTER

Ko t i & C o Polygon shaped placemats are ideal to set your table in a beautiful yet functional way.

Silicone is naturally heat resistant that is also easy to wipe clean and store. We love the stylish range at this beautifully created site. kotiandco.co.uk

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No Tinsel

STARS AND SPIKES

These decorations from Poland are hand-made out of paper, which is rolled and glued into cones. rajtentclub.com

HOME seeks out a more stylish Christmas Compil ed by

PENDLE HARTE

IN CHARACTER

This wooden nativity set by Lucie Kaas will appeal to all ages. We love the baby Jesus' tiny halo. skandium.com

SPELL IT OUT

Anthropologie’s felted alphabet decorations can spell out any greeting you choose. Why not get clever with some anagrams? anthropologie.eu

VELVET REVOLUTION

TWINKLE TWINKLE

Steering clear of traditional reds and golds, Ferm Living's Christmas is all muted shades, organic materials and simplicity. We love these velvet stockings. fermliving.com

Brass is big this year and these simple brushed metal pieces are either twinkling stars or frosty ice crystals, depending on how you see them. fermliving.com

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D E S I G N | INSPIRATIONS WELL HUNG

Ferm Living's stylish and minimal collection of decorations includes a variety of hanging candelabra. fermliving.com

PAINT IT BLACK

Monochrome comes into its own with this delightfully minimalist –but satisfyingly big – hanging advent calendar. Fill the ample pockets with any gifts you like, monochrome or not. cissywears.com

HOME Loves

BRANCH OUT

Skandium's wooden Christmas tree is space-saving as well as needle-free and probably the prettiest artificial tree there is. skandium.com

DRAWING ROOM

ROUND ROBIN

Thornback & Peel's new designs for Christmas include the delightful tukey and sprout print, which adorns everything from tea towels to cards via aprons, napkins and oven gloves. thornbackandpeel.com

Festive robin napkins will add a touch of graphic cheer to the table. thornbackandpeel.com

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TORONTO’S OCAD UNIVERSITY BUILDING

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D E S I G N | PROFILE

DAILY GRIND

F

rom teaspoon to city” reads the mission statement on aLL Design’s website, the architecture practice led

by Stirling Award-winning principal, Will Alsop. As a tagline of sorts, it couldn’t be better summarised than with a brief glance at his current dizzying roster of projects. “At one end of the spectrum, we’re working on a series of a hundred new mid-sized towns in China,” he explains airily, as if the creation from scratch of a century of conurbations was the de rigueur stuff of a quiet week. “At entirely the other end, I have a set of new salt and pepper mills about to launch.”

We’re here to talk about the latter – titled ‘Grind’ – which is on the brink of being unveiled by Italian product powerhouse, Alessi. Created in collaboration with the Bologna-based architect Federico Grazzini, whom Alsop credits with having a brilliant knack for refining their collective objets, Grind comprises a pair of silver and black mills, at once industrial and refined. They represent the latest in a line of creations produced under Alessi’s auspices over the last decade, ranging from the teaspoon of the tagline (all fluid spiralling sleek silver) to ‘Daytimer’, a characteristically spirited wrist watch in a rainbow of eye-popping colours entirely in keeping with the wider Alsopian oeuvre. It’s a partnership that has brought much in the way of creative satisfaction and which, crucially for Alsop, comes with few imagina-

tive constraints. “It started when Alberto Alessi, who is the grandson of the man who founded the company, sent me an invitation to design a limitededition tea set – only 99 exist and all of them were sold. After that, my wife and I went to the Alessi factory at Crusinallo in Piedmont, which is where all products have been made since the 1920s when it was founded. I saw what they have and what sort of products they’re able to make. What I like is that Alberto might just send you a little prompt to say, ‘Perhaps you might like to start thinking about a design for a salt and pepper’ – but in reality, you can do what you like, so long as the factory can make the design.”

Alsop’s name has been built on the unbounded nature of his imagination; his is a philosophy that dictates that daring to dream is fundamental to change. Given the sheer scale of his at times improbably inventive work, that takes in international cruise terminals-come-office-come-shopping

“What’s it like to scale down the design process, to something you can hold in your hand?”

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KETTLE HOT WATER STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP INTRODUCING NEW GROHE RED It’s time to say goodbye to the kettle. Introducing new GROHE Red - a beautiful and convenient system that delivers kettle hot water straight from the tap - with childlock and automatic stop for guaranteed GROHE safety. grohe.co.uk

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D E S I G N | PROFILE

TORONTO’S OCAD UNIVERSITY BUILDING

GAO YANG

“Alsop’s work is like art made flesh” centres in Shanghai and art schools on stilts in Toronto, I wonder what it’s like to scale down the design process for something that you can hold in your hand. “It’s the same,” he reflects.

“Whatever you’re doing, you’re always looking for the thing that makes it more useful, more beautiful and more relevant.”

In the case of the salt and pepper, on two things he was adamant: firstly, he knew that he wanted to make something weighty: “It had to have a certain gravity – it’s like the difference between using a heavy knife and fork and a plastic set. I knew it should be something beautiful to look at, so the general form is like a bulbous onion, stretched up with ridges that make it easy to grip. Eating at its best, after all, should have a sense of occasion about it.”

Secondly, it should do the job better. “There are a lot of salt and pepper mills on the market.

Some work well, others don’t. But the thing they all do is to leave a residue of pepper or salt on the table. It really annoys me. So we decided to make our mill face upwards; you turn the base of the form, so you don’t get any irritating deposit on the table.”

Alsop is, in many ways, a man of great contradictions. His work, more than any other

architect, is like art made flesh, its organic fluidity, its unreserved use of colour and its often amorphous forms – which often seem like characters that have wandered out of his head – delighting and perplexing onlookers in equal measure. Indeed, his starting point for every building is on the canvas (a skill recognised in his status as a Royal Academician) – and as such, his outward appearance is more akin to that of painter-emerging-from-studio than the caricature of the meticulous, polonecked bespectacled architect. His shoes bear the relics of his last explorations with the brushes, paint spatters decorating them like a Jackson Pollock and his untucked shirts reveal a man relaxed and unfettered by finicky notions of sartorial neatness. And yet in his environment, he is fastidious. A glance at his

GRIND - SALT AND PEPPER POTS FOR ALESSI

desk tells its own tale: empty, save a couple of Mont Blanc pens, pristine and everything at right angles. This perhaps unexpected need for order does find expression in the occasional building too; his Palestra office block at Southwark, for example, confounds expectation by being reserved and demure in its use of colour. It’s an exacting attitude that even Alberto Alessi has been subjected to.

“At the factory, Alberto has this wonderful, elongated oval table that must be about six metres long. It’s full of interesting things; note pads and pens, products, prototypes. I said to him once: ‘Alberto, your desk is really interesting. And also really untidy.’ He said: ‘Ah yes, every six months I empty it, it’s all cleared away. But then I like to let it build up again.’ I liked that he was so inspired by these things, these remnants of conversations he’s had with so many people over the last six months.”

Beyond salt and pepper, Alsop, along with his design studio based on the top floor of a building in Bethnal Green (complete with roof terrace for growing vegetables, drinking and smoking), is working on an art park in China, large mixed-used developments in both Manchester and Brentford and three houses on the south coast. And then there are those hundred towns. “The central government in China decided that they wanted 100 new sustainable towns – nothing too big, because cities in China tend to be huge and the idea here is to give people options about where and how they live and to allow them to appreciate the rural.” Given that his architectural manifesto – if he had such a thing – would be littered with the word ‘joy’ and his insistence that we should be active in making more time for it in our lives, he seems just the man to deliver a cultural revolution of delight.

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27/11/2017 15:04

D E S I G N | GRAPHICS

Pop for Pan Pan Books celebrates 70 years of paperback publishing with a range of bold graphic covers Words P E A R L B OY D

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very graphic collection of covers has launched to celebrate 70 years of Pan Books and the eye-catching display is instantly identifiable in bookshop windows all over London.

The first Pan paperback titles were published in 1947, starting with Ten Stories by Rudyard Kipling (fittingly now the first of the 20 Classic Pan titles published to celebrate the Pan 70th Anniversary).

Pan Books was conceived in 1944 by Alan Bott, who also owned the Book Society. As well as being a decorated WWI hero, journalist and author, he is widely recognised as one of the commercial geniuses of the book trade.

Pan later became jointly and equally owned

by Collins, Heinemann, Hodder & Stoughton (briefly) and Macmillan and was to be the first serious challenger to Penguin, which had been founded nine years earlier, for the mass-market paperback audience. In sharp contrast to the Penguin covers, featuring the classic colour bands, Pan’s illustrative covers were unashamedly commercial as was their list. Due to post-War paper shortages, Pan initially printed books in France and they were shipped from Paris over the Channel and up the Thames to Kingston.

“Pan’s illustrative covers were unashamedly commercial” The 1950s and 60s saw surging sales of popular authors in Pan paperback, including Leslie Charteris, John le Carre, Colin Dexter, Georgette Heyer, Ian Fleming, Dick Francis, Peter O’Donnell, Alan Sillitoe, Neville Shute, and Leslie Thomas. The 1970s brought James Herriot, Arthur Hailey, Jack Higgins, George Macdonald Fraser, Tom Sharpe and Wilbur Smith. In the 1980s Douglas Adams, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran were among the authors who joined the Pan list, then, in the 1990s, Ken Follett, Carl Hiaasen and Elizabeth Jane Howard up to the present list of bestselling fiction and non-fiction writers. In 1990 Pan merged with the Trade division of Macmillan to become Pan Macmillan.

To mark the 70th anniversary, 20 classic Pan titles have been reissued in homage to golden age of paperback publishing and with new eye-popping and witty cover designs in brilliant technicolour.

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D E S I G N | TREND BLEU CARMIN Toucan lamp yellow, £125 conranshop.co.uk

HAY Tree trunk vase, £49 utilitydesign.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK FERM LIVING Wall Wonder Clock, £129 graceandgrey.co.uk

MARIMEKKO Oiva Pakkanen plate, £16 skandium.com

NATIVE UNION Eclipse three-port USB charger, £69.99 nativeunion.co.uk

DASHEL Orange gloss cycle helmet, £170 dashel.cc

Mode rn love

LIBRATONE One Style bluetooth speaker, £149 libratone.com

Christmas gifts for design enthusiasts

BJORN WIINBLAD Jug Gobelin, £55 skandium.com

By P E N D L E H A R T E

ROBERT WELCH Hobart Candlestick Medium, £36 robertwelch.com

ANGLEPOISE Type 75 Mini Desk Lamp Paul Smith Edition Two, £145 anglepoise.com

LOUIS POULSEN PH5 Mini Pendant Lamp, £420 skandium.com

KINDLE Waterproof Kindle Oasis, £229.99 amazon.com

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Magic

CARPETS Our pick of the season’s best and most beautiful rugs Words

PENDLE HARTE

KNOTCOLLECTIVE.COM

SHAPE OF YOU GAN

• The Parquet Tetragon is an arresting rug brought together

by Swedish design duo Front and Spanish rug manufacturer, GAN. Made from 100% wool, the rug's striking geometric patterns are the centre of attention in any contemporary setting. Spanish company Gan's luxury rugs are all lovingly crafted in India.

Parquet Tetragon Kilim Rug by GAN Rugs: From £815, chaplins.co.uk

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D E S I G N | RUGS

WALK ON BY...

PATTERN CUT

STYLISH RUGS FOR UNDERFOOT

KIT KEMP FOR WILTON • Wilton Carpets' new Kit Kemp collection features patterns and colourways that transport you straight into a Firmdale lobby Pictured is the Leaf Cut, straight from the Soho Hotel. The range is made in Wiltshire. wiltoncarpets.com

MADE Vaserely large circular wool rug, £349 made.com

DASH AND ALBERT Drybrush blue cotton rug, £49-£650 dashandalberteurope.com

IN THE PINK ZANDRA RHODES

MADE

• The Zandra Rhodes X

Ava large geometric hand-tufted wool rug, £299 made.com

Floor Story rug collection features three pieces that reproduce work dating back to Zandra’s fledging career in the 1960s. Wiggle, Mexican Star and Star Wars are all definitive moments in the designer’s career and have been recreated to bring a piece of art to the floor. zandrarhodes.com floorstory.co.uk

CULT FURNITURE Moroccan style cotton kilim, £120 cultfurniture.com

LINIE DESIGN

COLOUR CODES

100% wool Acacia rug in pink, from £312 cloudberryliving.co.uk

FARROW & BALL FOR THE RUG COMPANY • Need a rug to match your walls? The new Complementary Colour Collection’draws on the colour expertise of Farrow & Ball to create The Rug Company’s first range of handloom rugs. Available in 12 colourways, the unique collection is designed to perfectly complement the Farrow & Ball palette. therugcompany.com

IAN SNOW Diamond and arrow design shaggy wool rug, £310 iansnow.com

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FABRIC OF SOCIETY As the Fashion and Textile Museum hosts show focusing on London design duo Wallace Sewell, Absolutely looks at their colourful work Words P E A R L B OY D

B JEREMIAH THROW ON BED. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES CHAMPION, 2016.

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ritish design duo Emma Sewell and Harriet Wallace-Jones have been producing colourful textiles from their London studio since 1992. Their work spans Transport for London moquettes and huge woven artworks as well as a large collection of scarves, blankets and cushions.

The display charts a story of 21st century textile success, with global commercial sales rooted in British design education and UK manufacturing. Wallace Sewell create their innovative fabrics on hand looms using traditional techniques. Work is then sent to a Lancashire mill, established in 1776, for manufacture.

Colour and geometry meet in their abstract designs, which display the influence of Paul Klee, the Bauhaus and Bridget Riley. Although trained at British art schools in the traditional skills of drawing and painting, rather than mixing an artist’s palette of colours, they weave their fine blend of hues through thread. Colour is integrated into

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D E S I G N | TEXTILES

PORTRAIT OF HARRIET & EMMA. PHOTOGRAPH BY ANGELA MOORE, 2013.

“The abstract designs reveal influences including Paul Klee, the Bauhaus and Bridget Riley” HOME WINTER 2017

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Kings Cross 020 7697 3161

Barnet 020 8370 6430

Buckhurst Hill 020 8504 6625

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D E S I G N | TEXTILES

Wallace Sewell continues until 21 January 2018 ftmlondon.org

the structure of weaving to create pattern, whilst contrasting yarns mix to create open gauzy textures with felted areas.

From cushions and throws to scarves and upholstery, the display underlines the immense variety of Wallace Sewell’s output. Highlights include an Anni Albers-inspired oversized art work and original pieces from Emma and Harriet’s graduation shows. The retrospective also includes drawings and design swatches which unravel Wallace Sewell’s fascinating work processes. Textiles on display range from striped silks and sculpted wool crepe, to cashmere, transparent organza and patchwork cotton chenille. However, scarves are the highlight of the show, as like small paintings, they provide the perfect canvas for Wallace Sewell’s designs. The display demonstrates Wallace Sewell’s strong relationships with international museums including MOMA New York, Dulwich Picture Gallery, the Royal Academy and Tate. The designer’s sensibility for abstract pattern and composition has enabled their collections of textiles to sit alongside major exhibitions. These designs have included a pair of silk block scarves in a vibrant colour palette of primary blue, fuchsia and orange - inspired by the Tate’s Henri Matisse: Cut Outs exhibition.

In 2007, Wallace Sewell followed in the footsteps of designers such as Enid Marx,

Marianne Straub and Jacqueline Groag to design ‘moquette’ fabric for Transport for London. Their iconic upholstery for the underground (Barman 2011) is inspired by the London skyline, whilst the orange and brown geometric design for the London Overground is pure abstraction. These seminal designs, influenced by Russian Constructivism and mid-century modern, are shown in stacked cubes, each upholstered in a different moquette fabric.

1. BAKERLOO MOQUETTE 2. MONASTARY & DUO SCARVES. 3. CROSSRAIL ELIZABETH MOQUETTE 4. EPPING WOOL CREPE SCARF Photograph by Kathryn Bell, 2017 5. STRIPED WARP ON LOOM AT MILL. Photograph Kate Walsh, 2016

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DESIGN

I M M E R S I V E

HOME tours the new Skandium Townhouse, London’s new Scandinavian dream home Words P E N D L E H A R T E

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D E S I G N | PROFILE

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T

he notion of Scandinavian style is definitely in danger of overexposure.

Last year’s frenzy over hygge and the eternal popularity of pale spaces has led to the most universal of looks being credited with having a Scandinavian influence.

Well over a million instagram posts are tagged #scandinaviandesign and most of them show all-white rooms with angular furniture, lit candles and maybe a plant. Is that really what Scandinavian design is about? Has the whole idea lost its meaning?

Design store Skandium has quietly been selling Scandinavian furniture and homeware in London for nearly 20 years, since way before hygge and is best described as the ‘United Nations of Scandinavian Design’, in the words of co-founder Christina Schmidt.

The store showcases the best of Scandinavian modernism in different forms; furniture and textiles are found alongside toys and Skandium’s new homeware mecca, in a kitchenware, including mugs with the two-storey building at 35-36 loveable Moomin characters. Christina Thurloe Place – directly opposite Schmidt and Magnus Englund founded the Townhouse - showcases a range of soft furnishings, accessories and one of the largest collections of Scandinavian lighting in London.

skandium.com

“This design is beautiful and relevant, existing outside of fashion and relying on craftsmanship and quality”

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the store in response to having a design epiphany over a cooking pot in Finland. The pot (made by Iittala) seemed to them to epitomise simplicTity; it was a pot like a child’s drawing of a pot, combining quality materials with perfect proportion to create a fully satisfying piece of functional design with no excess, no frills, no fuss. It was the essence of potness.

And from this they devised their philosophy of design that is beautiful and relevant, existing outside fashion and relying on craftsmanship and quality.

And now Skandium has rolled out its vision in the form of an entire home. The pioneering retail vision sees a four-storey house at 31 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, transformed into a fully shoppable, Scandinavianinspired home, with living rooms, dining areas, a reading nook, a children’s bedroom and even a Scandinavian garden. Skandium’s design team explained: “Working within the natural scale of a residential property, we are able to demonstrate exactly how our customers can

capture the unique character of Scandinavian living in their own homes. The residentialmeets-retail space has been populated with our engaging mix of modernist masterpieces and future classics, expertly curated for the design conscious and the curious.” Walking round, it is impossible not to wish this was your actual house. Everything fits together but doesn’t feel overly matching; it feels individually created rather than put together by a brand.

If Scandinavian design is known for its simplicity, that doesn’t translate into it being boring because there’s a wide variety of shapes, materials, textiles and influences on show, with pieces dating to all periods of the 20th and 21st centuries.Fritz Hansen chairs, Örsjö Belysning lamps, and Iittala glassware are able to shine like never before. Schmidt explains ‘Scandinavian design is perceived by many people as rather boring if they don’t understand it, because it is not made to impress you, it is made to live with you like an old friend.

It’s just comfortable and easy.’

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beautiful fused glass interior pieces and bespoke architectural installations, handmade at our cornwall studio. please contact deborah.wilson@jodowns.com for commission enquiries 128 high street, ripley, surrey gu23 6ay and 136 heath road, twickenham tw1 4bn www.jodowns.com | achitecture.jodowns.com

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D E S I G N | LEGACY

THE LEGACY Robert Welch’s Alveston/RW2 cutlery Words E V E H E R B E R T

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Sigurd Persson and made by the Swedish manufacturer, A. B. Silver & Stal. It made a profound impression on him, as did the Scandinavian design ethos generally.

In the 1950s, many British firms were still reproducing poor quality copies of silver patterns over 150 years old as opposed to Scandinavian and German firms who had been forging ahead with modern designs in new materials since the late 1930s. The introduction of stainless steel to British cutlery manufacture coupled with a rationalisation of the efficiency of design lead to new, modern patterns which challenged the popularity of Scandinavian imports.

Working on a new pattern based on the best traditions of English cutlery in 1959, he produced Alveston, whose roots lay in the cutlery of the mid-18th century – it is often a surprise to realise it owes its origins to Georgian cutlery, prized as it is for its Scandinavian good looks. Alveston was named for the village where he had recently built a new house, and the range was expanded in 1964 to include the enduringly popular tea set of the same name, which remains highly sought after by collectors.

By the mid-1980s more than four million pieces had been manufactured. The fact that it is still in production today, although slightly modified in scale and weight as RW2, attests to its success.

inner of a Design Centre Award in 1965, Robert Welch’s Alveston cutlery remains in production and hugely popular. Often seen in restaurants and in households all over the UK, these stylish rounded pieces are comfortable to hold, feeling familiar and satisfyingly weighty.

Robert Radford Welch (1929-2000) was a British silversmith and designer who studied at the Royal College of Art’s School of Silversmithing. He developed an interest in tableware after a student visit to Scandinavia, when he had noticed and photographed a display in a bank window in Stockholm showing drawings, dies, models and finished pieces designed by

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D E S I G N | CONVERSION

HOUSE

WORK How this unloved Victorian conversion in west London became a stylish contemporary home Words H A R R I E T F E R N A N D E S

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uring December 2014 we bought a beautiful red brick Victorian maisonette on a quiet residential street on the border of Shepherds Bush and Acton. We had spent the summer scouring the listings for the right place and when we saw this one pop up at auction, we knew it had something special about it - it had good bones, high ceilings and it was bright. This was to be our third renovation project and our first proper home together. We were beyond excited to get stuck in.

But the property didn’t come without its challenges. It hadn’t been touched since the 1930s and was in desperate need of some love.

It was a big job. We ripped everything out, stripped it back to the bare bones and started from scratch. My husband Iain worked on the house every day for a year, and pretty much did everything himself. We built a double loft conversion with balcony and commissioned bespoke timber windows to replicate the originals which had been ripped out by previous owners. We rebuilt a charming little Victorian style conservatory at the back of the kitchen, perfect for growing tomatoes and gazing out at the garden over a morning coffee.

“The place had good bones – high ceilings and lots of natural light” We knocked down both partition walls towards the back of the house, creating a wonderfully open and sunny kitchen. The tiny conservatory leads down to the garden, transforming the space and allowing light to flood into the room through the glass roof and ample windows. We sourced salvaged floorboards from a timber yard just outside London, time-weathered shelves from a cheese factory in Denmark and Iain made polished concrete worktops for the kitchen.

We layered classic, earthy textures in a muted colour palette that would complement the building and stand the test of time. Iain and I have always loved to travel and we are avid

collectors. We bought carved door knobs and textiles from India, prints and ceramics from Mexico and oddities and curios from Chiswick car boot. Overall, I think we’ve achieved an eclectic mix of homewares and furnishings worked in with the rich and rugged patina of the decor, creating something that is functional, beautiful and uniquely ours.

We now run a renovation and interiors company, running both residential and commercial jobs, along with installs for pop-ups and artwork. Iain has been in the building trade for over 20 years, and am a prop stylist and set designer. Exciting times ahead. fernandes-co.com

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H NDCR FTED SOF S FROM THE M KERS OF DUREST , G PL N & P RKER KNOLL H NDCR FTED SOF S FROM THE M KERS OF DUREST , G PL N & P RKER KNOLL

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LIVING NEWS • PEOPLE • DESIGN • EVENTS

p. 56

. Reclaim the floor

p. 70

. The Christmas Table

p. 77

fermliving.com

At home with Donna Ida

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L I V I N G | CHRISTMAS

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Scores on Doors All the finest Christmas wreaths Compil ed by

PENDLE HARTE 2

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FRAGRANT FANCY

Wildabout A contemporary twist on the traditional wreath at Wildabout adds succulents, limes, blossom, and berries as well as fragrant cinnamon, oranges and eucalyptus. Wreaths come in three sizes and range from £80 to £270. wildabout.co.uk

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WHITE CHRISTMAS

DO IT YOURSELF

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FAUX FABULOUS

Abigail Aherne Nature-inspired faux botanical stems make the basis of Abigail Aherne's impressive wreaths, and her wreath-making workshops are playful, fun and enlightening. £90 for 90 minutes in the Islington store; booking is required. abigailahern.com

Lavender Green Lavender Green Flowers is encouraging customers to put their creativity to the test, with wreath-making classes and ‘Pick Your Own’ wreath sets to be assembled at home. The Chelseabased florist also has lots of chic decoration ideas too. lavendergreen.co.uk

Pulbrook & Gould Wreaths are borderline surreal at luxury florist Pulbrook & Gould, where non-standard embedded items include plastic dinosaurs, toy hippos, antlers and – our favourite – white forest animals in this Narnia-themed one, £495. pulbrookandgould.co.uk 5

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STYLE GUIDE

Floom Online florist Floom will be donating a percentage of each collaborative wreath sale towards Make-A-Wish, the charity for children fighting life-threatening conditions. There's a wide selection of creative pieces to choose from, starting at £45. floom.com

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PINK LADY Queen of denim Donna Ida talks us through her pragmatic attitude to home decorating Words P E N D L E H A R T E

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L I V I N G | HOME TOUR

“THE BUILDER WOULD PHONE ME UP AND SAY WE NEEDED TAPS SO I’D JUST GO ONLINE AND CHOOSE THEM. EASY.”

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hen you’re the kind of person who launches a successful business out of nothing, and then moves seamlessly from retail into design and becomes highly respected in your selftaught field, you’re probably good at making decisions.

And your decisions are probably always the right ones.

When Donna Ida started out, she was selling jeans with the aim of improving the experience of choosing and buying them, and soon she was designing her own denim collection. Now, 11 years after her first foray into the fashion industry, her own-brand denim has overtaken the other established brands she stocks, and she also designs, produces and wholesales an entire womenswear collection too. So when it came to doing up her home, her businesslike approach stood her in

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good stead. “I just did it all on the internet,” she says.

Ida lives in a Victorian pub in Pangbourne, Berkshire, which she and her husband converted into a spacious open plan home 18 months ago by ripping everything out and reconfiguring the entire space. It was a huge project and they had never done anything like it before. But their personalities helped. “I’m very decisive and my husband, Bobby Dazzler, is great. He’s really good and says yes to everything,” she tells me proudly. “I knew I wanted to paint it all white so I did.

The builder would phone me up and say we needed taps so I’d just go online and choose them.”

This is an unusual approach. Most people are so overwhelmed by the number of paint colours on offer and the excess of available taps, tiles and fittings that choosing anything leads to a total paralysis in decisionmaking and rowing with their partner. Not for Donna and Bobby. “He loves everything,” she says – while she knows exactly what she likes. “I stopped at a traffic light right outside the Little Greene paint shop in Marylebone and chose my paint colour right then

and there. When I got home I rang them and ordered it; then when I needed a similar but a bit more biscuity colour for one of the bathrooms I rang him again and described what I wanted – and he sent it. Easy.”

For someone with a pink sofa and a pair of chihuahuas called Romeo and Julio, Ida is very sensible and un-princessy. She’s not one to splurge and definitely keen on a bargain. “Expensive stuff isn’t worth the worry,” she announces. “We have a beautiful rug from The Rug Company, but it’s so stressful. The dog weed on it. The only other expensive thing we have is a handmade Italian coffee table in white leather.

Again, the dog weed on it. It’s just not worth it.” Far better to find dining chairs on eBay or paint an old sideboard. She’s resourceful like that.

Is the house finished? Most people never declare their houses finished. Apart from Donna. “I filled it.

There’s no space for another chair,” she says. Though she might squeeze in another print somewhere in her photography collection, among the Terry O’Neills, Mick Rocks and Vee Speers. What about regrets?

Again, no fuss. She’s happy with the lot of it.

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A L I T T L E B I T

ROCK o

For Jane Rockett of Rockett St George, home is a Victorian townhouse that showcases her own distinctive style. HOME takes a tour Words L U CY S T G E O R G E Photography D E B I T R E O L A R

A

nyone who’s familiar with the Rockett St George brand will immediately recognize Jane Rockett’s own home in Sussex.

A frequent feature on the company’s Instagram page, Jane’s home is a style inspiration to many. But what is perhaps most striking about her space is that first and foremost it is a family home. Yes, it’s full of the eclectic, maverick Rockett St George magic, just as you would expect, but at its heart is a cosy, lived-in family vibe.

Jane’s kitchen is an eclectic mix of different styles. The clean white walls and ceramic pendant lights create an airy, modern look while the brick wall and resin flooring have a hard-working, industrial vibe that is echoed in the metal cabinets. Dotted here and there are decorative pieces: old chopping boards, fish-shaped water jugs and a vintage clock, all of which strike a playful note.

Jane bought her home at the very beginning of her Rockett St George journey and this is evident from the minute you walk through

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the front door. The Victorian townhouse is brimming with vintage and current Rockett St George pieces alongside treasures brought back from Jane’s travels and special mementoes collected over the years and displayed in cabinets and on coffee tables and mantelpieces. In fact, you only really need to see the downstairs of Jane’s home for an insight into Rockett St George’s development over the past ten years.

Split over three storeys, the ground floor of Jane’s home encompasses a kitchen, dining area, home office and living room. Upstairs are her two older children’s bedrooms, a spare room and a bathroom, while the top floor is home to her youngest’s room, a bathroom and the master bedroom, which was opened up to the eaves by Jane and her partner Toby when they moved in. What is evident throughout is Jane’s rejection of playing it safe and adhering to one particular style. Her kitchen combines industrial brick walls with sleek white counters and mid-century lighting. In theory, such a mix should not work, yet in Jane’s house it hangs together perfectly, balancing practical functionality with her own distinctive style.

Jane has been careful to preserve the original

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L I V I N G | FOCUS

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Extract taken from

EXTRAORDINARY INTERIORS

by Jane Rockett and Lucy St George published by Ryland Peters & Small

“Evident throughout is Jane’s rejection of playing it safe and adhering to one particular style” features of the house, retaining the original sash windows and wooden floors. But what makes the house unique is the extended dining room with its floor-to-ceiling windowsoverlooking the garden. The space created by the extension/addition offers respite from the outside world.

It is a space where Jane and her family can relax and recharge: something that every family home should have.

The dining area is the perfect hangout for Jane and her family. She covered a vintage armchair with cowhide and teamed it with curvaceous rattan lounge chairs. The sloping glass skylights allows light to pour in and the geometric wallpaper on the ceiling contrasts beautifully with the velvety grey-green walls.

Rather than using a television as the focal point in her sitting room, Jane decided to create a style spot filled with the many treasures and memories she has collected over the years. Her cabinet of curiosities enjoys centre stage and is filled with photos, children’s drawings and beautiful pieces that have great sentimental value. The convex mirror hanging above the fireplace reflects light into the room.

Stripped wooden floors, bay windows and shutters add character to Jane’s sitting room and these architectural features are enhanced by the dark charcoal walls. The leather sofas are dressed with sheepskins and cushions that make the room feel snug and welcoming and the glorious grey linen armchair is a statement piece. The accent lighting is kept deliberately dim to enhance the room’s sense of warmth and to create a cosy space for the family to relax in.

Jane’s workspace is positioned to take advantage of the natural light from the dining space. The wall behind

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is hung with family photographs and favourite artworks — when Jane is lost for inspiration she look ups from her computer screen and allows the images to spark her creativity. The vintage desk is one of her savviest finds as she found it outside her local Citizens Advice Bureau when they were throwing it out. Like everything in Jane’s house, it really works.

Lola, Jane’s teenage daughter, has created a stunning style spot above the Victorian fireplace in her room. The four ornate Rockett St George Melo mirrors are hung in an intriguingly asymmetrical arrangement and are dressed up by a hanging dreamcatcher and wooden hand that she pops her jewellery on.

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L I V I N G | FOCUS

The dining area is the perfect hangout for Jane and her family.

She covered a vintage armchair with cowhide and teamed it with curvaceous rattan lounge chairs.

Jane’s kitchen is an eclectic mix of different styles. The clean white walls and ceramic pendant lights create an airy, modern look while the brick wall and resin flooring have a hard-working, industrial vibe that is echoed in the metal cabinets.

Rather than using a television as the focal point in her sitting room, Jane decided to create a style spot filled with the many treasures and memories she has collected over the years. Her cabinet of curiosities enjoys centre stage and is filled with photos, children’s drawings and beautiful pieces.

Jane’s workspace is positioned to take advantage of the natural light from the dining space.

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77-79 WESTBOURNE GROVE - W2 4UL LONDON - UK 77-79 WESTBOURNE GROVE - W2 4UL LONDON - UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 7221 5137

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7221 5137 london@devon-devon.com london@devon-devon.com

F L O RFELNOC CHAI C G AOG O · C GGE ENN · · HHA U RR G G · · I SI ST A TA B LU L· ·L OLNODNODNO ·N M· I L M ILA R EE N ·C EC ·H IC · O CPOEPNE H NA HA AM MB BU NN BU AN · NM U· N M I CUHN I· CNHA P· L ENSA P L E S · AP R A IRSI S· · P PRRAAG GUUEE · R NN GG HA N A S HNVAISLHL V E I L· L EN I· CNE I C· E P ·A PDAUDAU A · P RO OM MEE · · S SHHA A HIA·I T· B ITLBI ISLI I ·S IT E· L T A E LV I V A V· I W V A· R SWAAWR S· AWWI E N · WIEN

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L I V I N G | CHRISTMAS

APRIL AND THE BEAR Royal Dog Christmas ornament, £12 aprilandthebear.com

RAJ TENT CLUB Hand of Fatima decorations, £9 rajtentclub.com

habitat.co.uk

ANTHROPOLOGIE GISELA GRAHAM

Pot plant decoration, £10 anthropologie.eu

Red Riding Hood decoration, £10.50 tch.net

FERM LIVING Winterland brass ornament, £13 finnishdesignshop.com

JONATHAN ADLER King and queen baubles, £58 jonathanadler.com

GEORG JENSEN Holiday ornament set in gold, £33 skandium.com

ALESSI Christmas ornament angel £20 alessi.com

bau b le m an ia JOHN LEWIS Lama with presents decoration, £6 johnlewis.com

All the loveliest dangling decorations for Christmas

By P E N D L E H A R T E

HOME Loves

PETERSHAM NURSERIES Circus horse decoration, £14 petershamnurseries.com

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River views Alex Chen and Katherine Blaisdell show us around their stylish new build home in the Greenwich Peninsula Words T H E P E N I N S U L I S T Photography I N G R I D R A S M U S S E N

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lex Chen and Katherine Blaisdell were so taken by Greenwich’s Peninsula development that they bought a three-bed apartment within a couple of hours of first arriving there. They certainly know what they like.

Alex is an Independent Food and Beverage Consultant in design and development (and top chef), while Katherine is Senior Vice President of Design and Project Development for Belmond Ltd, which owns and operates luxury hotels, river cruise boats and trains world wide. So, they know a thing or two about design and entertaining then. Prior to London, they divided their home time between Dallas and Atlanta but the nature of their work means they both travel constantly to all four corners of the world.

The extent of the couple’s travels is evident in their collection of art and artefacts, as well as their furniture and accessories. A carved stone dog from Cambodia sits beside a giraffe from South Africa and a zebra from Botswana. There’s an intricately framed canvas that hails from Peru nestled behind a twisted bit of driftwood picked

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“This is a space that holds a lot of shared experiences and memories – and yet it’s just a year old” up in Texas, while antique rugs inherited from Katherine’s grandmother add colour and warmth.

The whole apartment is a beautiful, eclectic blend. Not quite modern, but not traditional either, it manages to feel homey and well lived in—a space that holds a lot of shared experiences and memories. And yet the property is just a year old and Alex and Katherine have scarcely lived in it that long. What’s their secret?

ALEX: “We’ve lived in many parts of the world and it’s very important to make home feel like home. You need to make it feel like it belongs to you.”

KATHERINE: “The key is I like a little bit of colour. And I don’t like to look at nothingness. So even in the bathroom there are prints and objects on display to lift the spirits.

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L I V I N G | NEW HOMES

And every single piece – every little thing – has a story.”

Katherine is definitely the ideas person when it comes to their home: she plans and researches everything from layouts to furniture meticulously, leaving nothing to chance. And then Alex steps in and executes her vision with wit, flair and some brilliant lateral thinking, like using a wood-print wallpaper instead of real wood cladding to add texture and warmth in the dining area.

ALEX: “We talk about what needs doing then Katherine goes off travelling for work and by the time she gets back the room is done.”

KATHERINE: “When I see our neighbours’ houses it always amazes me how all the homes look so unique.”

There’s no part of the apartment that hasn’t been carefully considered. Though compact, the study area has a strong presence, almost like a room within a room. The magnetic chalkboard paint delineates the space, giving

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299 Munster Road, Fulham, London SW6 6BJ 020 7381 1880 • tilesandbeyond.com

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L I V I N G | NEW HOMES

KATHERINE: “We like to pick up something, however small, from everywhere we go.”

When it comes to dining it’s all about Alex. Having been a professional chef, he loves nothing more than to put his skills to use when entertaining friends and family, and an invitation to dine chez Chens promises to be as delightfully surprising as it is delicious.

ALEX: The heart of the home for us is definitely the kitchen. This is what we’ve learned from all the different places we’ve lived in.

KATHERINE: “Alex likes to go down to Borough Market early in the morning before the tourists, and take his time buying ingredients. But he never actually plans the menu until the very last minute.”

It’s clear that the key to Alex and Katherine’s success is that they play to each other’s strengths. Their designsavvy approach is bolstered by the confidence to try new things and to do it themselves. And their success is evident.

In just one year they’ve achieved what many of us couldn’t even imagine getting done in a decade: a house that feels very much like a home, filled with beautiful, and lovingly chosen and displayed, furniture, art and objects.

What’s really wonderful though is that everything they’ve done feels achievable, even by those of us who wouldn’t know a paint roller from a spirit level.

This story is reproduced courtesy of The Peninsulist greenwichpeninsula.co.uk/the-peninsulist

“The common theme is that every piece means something to them” a surface to write on while the chandelier illustration (drawn by Alex) is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the trompe l’ceil wallpaper that frames the dining area further along.

Alex explains: "I work in the study area in the evenings or on grey days, but when the sun’s shining I sit at the dining table so I can look out.”

Down the hall, Alex and Katherine have used the doubleheight ceiling of the stairwell to its full potential to display a range of the artwork they’ve collected over the years.

Pieces from America, Portugal, Italy and the UK hang side by side: etchings, illustrations, oil paintings and watercolours. Modern and traditional, abstract and still life.

The common theme is that every piece means something to them. It’s a memory of a journey, a project, an experience.

Something to make them smile and to lift their spirits.

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RECLAIM IT

PARQUET FLOORING Nick Newman of LASSCO Ropewalk, the architectural salvage and supply company, talks through three popular parquet patterns Words and Illustrations A I M E E S A J JA N - S E RVA E S

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Y

ou can’t go wrong with a beautiful, well laid floor.

Nick is a firm believer in reclaimed wood and salvaged items, it is about respecting the past and giving new life to beautiful objects and products.

Parquet adds grandeur to all spaces, but each pattern has unique qualities and works better in certain spaces and the choice of woods can add different effects.

Nick's preference is to use reclaimed oak as oak can be very versatile in its finish.

1. CHEVRON This is sometimes known as Hungarian Point. It is very Parisian Chic as it is most commonly found in bourgeois Paris apartments. Nick suggests using reclaimed oak, but you could give it a modern look with a grey oiled finish. Walnut has been used to great effect in Chevron as well. This style can suit more domestic spaces, but still offers a sense of occasion to a room.

Technical tip: Fix over a plywood sub-floor with nails and adhesive - leave the nail holes unfilled for an attractive hand-wrought effect.

27/11/2017 15:09

L I V I N G | RECLAIMED MATERIALS

3. HERRINGBONE

3

2. VERSAILLES This design needs a big space, a grand room. Original parquet in the Versailles pattern is very rare and originally from French Chateaux. This is the pattern used in the Palais de Versailles. Due to its rarity Nick and his team get Versailles made up with antique, reclaimed oak, which is the traditional wood used for this parquet.

Technical tip: When laying this design, lay the parquet on the diagonal.

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Herringbone lends itself to modernist buildings - the Barbican flats would look great with this parquet floor! It suits all timber, such as teak, panga-panga or pitch pine. Because it’s a simple, clean pattern it works well in various rooms and architectural styles - from Brutalism to Victorian.

Herringbone parquet is often sourced from redundant municipal buildings.

It became particularly popular in midcentury modernist interior design, but has origins in antiquity. It is said that the Romans used the pattern in roads to indicate the way home!

Technical tip: The usual size of the Herringbone parquet blocks is 9” x 2,25”; to be laid on a hard surface such as concrete screed or plywood using an adhesive.

2

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Grate Expectations - A Family run business established for over 30 years The UK’s leading suppliers of luxury gas fireplaces, wood burning stoves and bioethanol fires manufactured by DRU, Spartherm, Ebios, Dik Guerts, Gazco, Stovax and many more.

1-3 Station Buildings, Kingston Road, Wimbledon Chase, SW20 8JT 020 8540 8387 | info@grateexpectations.com | grateexpectations.com

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L I V I N G | TREND

ROCKETT ST GEORGE

EVASOLO

Round brass and marble drinks trolley, £395 rockettstgeorge.co.uk

Decanter carafe, £55 evasolo.com

ALESSI Alessandro M. corkscrew, £29 amara.com

LSA Gin cocktail jug and stirrer, £38 lsa-international.com

STELTON EVA SOLO

Glacier wine cooler, £60 stelton.com

Carafe, £48 evasolo.com

MIAFLEUR Gold console tables, £388 audenza.com

COCKTAIL HOU R Barware is having a revival. Here are some stylish accessories for the well-stocked cabinet

SAGAFORM Club All Purpose Glasses, £28 for four furnish.co.uk

By P E N D L E H A R T E TOM DIXON Tank decanter gift set, £130 tomdixon.net

EDITOR’S PICK

RICHARD BRENDON Diamond decanter and two double Old Fashioned glasses, £330 richardbrendon.com

ALESSI Circus wine cooler, £180 madeindesign.co.uk

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Eternal

FLAMES

Open fires, wood burners and gas flames create atmosphere as well as warmth Words

PENDLE HARTE

1 French company Focus is dedicated to creating unusual and clever forms. The suspended Bathyscafocus is an impressive woodburning centrepiece. focus-fireplaces.com

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Fires create instant cosiness – they look good and improve everybody’s mood For the past 30 years, Chesneys has been the first port of call for architects, interior designers and anyone seeking the very best fireplaces, wood burning stoves and gas fire appliances. chesneys.co.uk

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L I V I N G | FIRESIDE

AC C E S S O R I Z E YO U R S T OV E …

RAE FEATHER

3

Whether it’s suspended, wall mounted or free standing, Cocoon's range offers endless possibilities with designs that are both creative and functional. These flueless fireplaces are powered by plantderived bioethanol to produce a clean-burning flame. cocoonfires.com

4

Burning wood can be a carbon neutral alternative - a kilogram of wood produces at least three times as much heat in a stove than an open fire. Stoves are up to 80% efficient, compared to around 15% for an open fire. kindlestoves.co.uk

Large wood basket, £140 raefeather.com

BLOMUS Fireplace tool set, £160 black-by-design.co.uk

Greater London is a Smoke Control Area but we can still enjoy a real fire. The cleanest burning stoves are approved by DEFRA for use in cities and there are plenty to choose from.

GARDEN TRADING Fireside tool set, £85 gardentrading.co.uk

BLOMUS Fabric log basket, £105 black-by-design.co.uk

MOORE DESIGNS Chestnut roaster, £44 mooredesigns.co.uk

THE CONTEMPORARY HOME Coal storage bucket, £20 tch.net

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Festive

FODDER All your Christmas dining needs–plus how to carve the turkey Words

PENDLE HARTE

LONDONBASINCOMPANY.COM

GO FOR

GOOSE FA R M I S O N

Crowned 'best online butcher' for 2017, Farmison's credentials are flawless and their Christmas offering is predictably impressive. They're recommending cockerel, turkey and goose, all free range and the goose is game hung for 14 days. Order online and they'll deliver for free in time for the big day. The guaranteed happy birds come with chef tips and lashings of good cheer.

Free range goose to serve 8, £130; farmison.com

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OUR FAVO U R I TE FIZZ

L I V I N G | FOOD

3 of the best champagnes

BILLECART SALMON

SALMON PINK

BRUT SOUS BOIS

£62.50

Captivating and original, this is an eternal favourite.

A fail-safe option for the festive table.

Carving the turkey is one of the most important Christmas jobs, though it fills many of us with fear. Here’s the definitive guide to slicing your bird, from the experts at Copas

champagnedirect.co.uk

1

TRADITIONAL SMOKY

The UK’s best smoked salmon comes from two of the last remaining traditional smokehouses, Coln Valley (favoured by Waitrose) and John Ross Jnr (holder of the Royal Warrent) both offer beautifully delicate, high class products. johnrossjnr.com.co.uk colnvalley.co.uk

HOM E LOV ES

Remove turkey from roasting tray and allow to rest in a warm place for 15-30 minutes for a better carving experience. Don’t forget to remove any netting or string at this time.

2

Sharpen your carving knife in a downward ‘away from you’ motion.

3 BRUNO PAILLARD PREMIERE CUVEE MV

£44.99

The ageing process is particularly important at Champagne Bruno Paillard.

Selfridges

POP IT

Hold the turkey leg by the knuckle and twist off while cutting close to the body to expose the dark leg meat. Carve this meat in to thick slices and separate the drumstick, tak-ing care to carve around or remove the two or three thin sharp tapered bones which are parallel to the main leg bone.

4

Remove the wing by twisting close to the body and cut-ting between the joint, not through the bones. Cut in half, then carve or pull away the meat from the bone.

5

Once the legs and wings have been removed, cut the breast meat from one side at an angle following the breast bone, repeating on the other side only when required.

Carv-ing on an angle will make the most of the grain of the meat. We prefer thicker slices (approx 5-10mm), which allow you to savour the full flavour and succulence of the meat.

6

GOURMET POPCORN Popcorn may not be a Christmas tradition but Joe and Seph's gourmet popcorn comes packaged in crackers and baubles as well as in this delightful popcorn shop tin.

Festive flavours range from Camembert to Gingerbread via Mince Pie. joeandsephs.co.uk

WHAT A CARVE-UP

NICHOLAS FEUILLATTE BRUT RESERVE

£35

This quintessential blend comes with a limited edition sleeve this season.

John Lewis

Don’t underestimate how much meat can be found on the sides of the bird, close to the backbone – here you’ll find the ‘oysters’, a succulent round piece of meat, which are always fought over in the Copas household.

7

When you think you’ve finished carving your turkey, leave the carcass to cool and remove the remainder of the meat from the bone by hand to store for sandwiches. Keep the carcass for soup stock.

copasturkeys.co.uk

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Bespoke Wardrobe Design www.neatsmith.co.uk 0800 1956 595

Neatsmith quality

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design

service

FINCHLEY ROAD 6-8 Frognal Parade NW3 5HH

HATCH END 471 Uxbridge Road HA5 4JS

TEDDINGTON 3 Broad Street TW11 8QZ

30/08/2016 16/08/201615:42 12:09

L I V I N G | PROMOTION

On tap Entertaining at Christmas with GROHE and Ed Baines Words E V E H E R B E R T

D CRAB TORTELLINI INGREDIENTS • Crab filling: • 60g white crab meat • 1tsp mayonnaise • 2tsp lemon juice • Seasoning mixed together • Mix ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

• Pasta: • 100g ‘00’ pasta flour 1 medium egg • Pinch of salt METHOD Place the “00” flour, egg and a pinch of salt in a bowl and beat using a fork; gradually bring in the flour until you form a messy dough. Knead the dough until smooth and firm. Add a little water if too dry, or flour if too wet.

Cut the dough into three equal sized balls.

Using a pasta machine, roll your dough through the highest setting, turn by 90 degrees and then fold the dough in half. Repeat the process a few times until smooth. Now roll the dough through each setting twice until you get down to No 2. Your pasta should be thin.

Cut your pasta into discs using a pastry ring.

Place a little crab filling in each disc; then brush around the perimeter with a little water and fold in half. Press down around the seal to remove any air bubbles. With the flattest side facing you, press the curved side down to form a crease and tap the middle of the topside. Fold the top right corner round to the top left corner and bind together with a little water.

Ensure the water is no hotter than a gentle simmer, and cook for approx. 2 minutes.

o you dread entertaining during the festive season? It can be difficult to be creative when it comes to serving up something delicious that will impress your guests; not to mention a stressful, lengthy spell of cooking amidst a cacophony of messy pots and pans. GROHE helps to make life that bit easier with its GROHE Red kettle hot water tap; an essential for the modern day kitchen that instantly provides filtered hot water of up to 99 degrees Celsius.

With no need for a kettle, you’ll have ample space for preparing and cooking food and in no time at all, you’ll be able to fill blanch vegetables, poach salmon, and keep those mugs of tea and coffee topped up. And thanks to the clever pot filler feature, the GROHE Red can helpfully fill up your pots and pans and automatically switch off after 60 seconds once the pans are filled sufficiently, allowing you to turn your attentions to the next task. Like an extra pair of hands around the kitchen, suddenly the festive season can seem a little less daunting.

This year, why not embrace alternative dishes for you and your guests that are both simple and cost effective to prepare without compromising on flavour and quality?

Renowned celebrity TV chef and owner of Soho’s Randall & Aubin restaurant, Ed Baines, breaks the stigma on seafood, proving it doesn’t have to be a luxury, with his crab tortellini recipe. An alternative yet equally delicious winter warmer that you too can enjoy this Christmas.

“A hot water tap is an essential for a modern kitchen” HOME WINTER 2017

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27/11/2017 13:57

L I V I N G | FOCUS

Cosy Up GREAT YARNS A E S SA I

Manos del Uruguay is widely acknowledged as an early pioneer of fair trade, producing yarns, scarves and other handmade pieces in high quality materials, including extra fine merino wool, alpaca, silk and linen. Rebecca Kramer is embracing these skills with her new brand Aessai and its range of hand-woven scarves, ponchos, throws and blankets. These luxe pieces are impossibly soft and special. aessai.com

Turn up the heating and get comfortable. Here are some essentials for winter nights at home Words P E N D L E H A R T E

SPUN GOLD

M E L I N T R E GW Y N T

The Welsh blanket hasn't changed much for centuries and this classic wool piece by Melin Tregwynt in the St David's cross design is a historic pattern, based on early 18th century weaves. It's fully reversible and incredibly soft in 100% wool.

Welsh blankets remain in families for generations so there's no denying their worth. £165, eclectdesign.com

LUXE LOUNGE D O N N A I DA

Donna Ida's denim boutique is expanding with a lifestyle collection of candles and loungewear. We are coveting these stylish silk PJs that are guaranteed to make you feel both comfortable and chic. £325, donnaida.com

SCENTS OF CALM

LAXMI

Beautiful Indian block printing with cushions filled with Provence lavender and chamomile with the essential oils of lavender and frankincense, all blended in the UK, make these herbal sleep cushions a great source of comfort. Squeeze to release the scent, which can be topped up with provided oils. £30 laxmicushions.com

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BOY TALK When this interiors blogger designed a room for her son, she was aiming for innocence and fun. Here’s her story

Words R U T H M AT T H E W S

C

reating a design that combines joyfulness and the things that your toddler loves can be something of a challenge when you like your style without a heavy dose of plastic attached.

Ted's room has been gently evolving since we moved in 18 months ago. His was the first room we painted (within a fortnight) thanks to the harsh and bright lime green space he’d inherited (see what happens when you let your beloved little person make all the design decisions?) So we neutralised the space with one of my very favourite greys, Farrow & Ball’s Cornforth White, which I’ve now used in three homes and loved the result each time – it's such a perfect colour. It’s a shade of grey with just a hint of dirt in it, which may sound derogatory but in fact it makes the tone really natural and beautiful. Farrow & Ball describe it as a hushed, calming colour and it is a part of their Easy Neutrals range. I particularly recommend it in north-facing rooms, which is where we’ve always used it, as it brings out the grey tones so beautifully.

I have accumulated quite a bit of Scandi kids stuff since Ted was born, and also a fairly hefty dinosaur and animal collection, so they were the jump points for thinking about how the room may hold together. But it wasn’t until I went on a trip to Dorset for Farrow & Ball's wallpaper launch that I knew exactly how the room would look. When I saw Gable unveiled, it was a design-adrenaline moment.

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L I V I N G | FAMILY

“I didn’t want the space to be too knowing or kitsch – so it’s just innocence and fun in here”

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L I V I N G | FAMILY

There are so many things that Ted loves (plastic aside) that we don’t have any theme in here at all, though there is quite a hefty animal slant. The biggest statement (after the wallpaper) is the central back wall which has had things that we like thrown upon it pretty randomly. But I think it works. The cacti wall hooks and shelf were my decision, but a lot of the pictures have meaning: the vintage Super Ted covers were framed for Ted by my good friend Lucy, there’s a handmade ceramic dinosaur plate called Tedosaurus from Aunty Kathryn, a print in vintage style by children’s illustrator Paul Thulby and a raccoon above Teds pillow that I couldn’t resist putting a party hat on.

I’ve tried to keep a pretty retro feel to the items on the mantelpiece, simplicity in wood and a few more colourful pieces which really pop against the wallpaper. There’s a bit of a vintage theme going on in the corner that holds Ted’s chest of drawers too, the yellow corner with the old £10 drawers I found on eBay and painted a bright mustard yellow, some vintage children’s books, the 50s style swinging rocket toy and the retro dressed animal plates from West Elm that people always comment on. With my ever growing love for house plants, Ted has an aloe which is good for cleansing the air and a mini terrarium complete with polar bear figurine.

Ruth Matthews blogs at designsoda.co.uk

for me and there was no question in my mind that this was the right design for Ted’s room. With its charming bucolic rural scene (one that I would happily live with in my own space, perhaps in pink) there’s no design I can think of that’s more joyful or comforting for a bedroom.

It has such a cosy feel to it, based on a 1950s design but quite timeless, with a touch of naivety to it. We talk about it often during winding down time in here, Ted likes the animals and will spend ages spotting and counting them. The wallpaper is such a statement I didn’t want the design of the rest of the room to argue with it, so I’ve kept everything else pretty pared back in monochromes with the odd flash or colour or fun.

Unlike the rest of the Design Soda house, I didn’t want the space to be too knowing or kitsch so it’s just innocence and fun in here. A mix between vintage wood and Scandinavian toys that I bought when he was really tiny and more colourful fun pieces that I’ve updated in the room as he gets older.

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INSPIRE NEWS • PEOPLE • DESIGN • EVENTS

p. 88

. Developer Q&A

p. 92

. My Style: Pavel Klimczak

p. 98

fermliving.com

Designing an Artists’ Residence

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I N S P I R E | LIFESTYLE

Dynamic

DUO Justin and Charlie are the brains behind Artist Residence, eccentric hotels that have blossomed from one seaside property to a boutique hotel group. Absolutely met them to discuss their latest opening

Words H A N N A H H O P K I N S

Q&A

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HANNAH HOPKINS: How did the Artist Residence get started?

JUSTIN & CHARLIE: Justin’s mother had a B&B in Brighton, but before she had a chance to do anything with it she was tragically hit by a bus in Brighton and was in a coma for two months afterwards. It was only because of this tragic accident that Justin literally stumbled into the hotel business, otherwise he would have finished his degree and become an accountant!

When Justin went to Brighton to be beside his mother he was standing on the doorstep of what was then The Malvern Hotel (now Artist Residence Brighton) and someone asked him if he had a room. He managed to fill up the whole hotel that Saturday night by standing on the road outside the hotel and got a buzz from that. Very quickly, he realised that without doing some work to the run down place, he could only fill all the rooms on a Saturday night. With no money, he had to come up with a clever way to make an impact. He posted an advert on Gumtree which read: “call to all artists: come and decorate your own room!” Once that went live he literally had hundreds of artists descend on the place painting on walls, floors and ceilings. Looking back, it was a little bit of a shambles but that’s how Artist Residence started!

“We want our guests to feel like they’re at a friend’s eclectic house, but with touches of luxury” HH: What's the concept of the hotels?

J&C: Our tagline is ‘An eccentric bunch of

fun and friendly places to eat, drink and sleep.’ Each location - London, Brighton, Cornwall and Oxfordshire - is unique and designed to fit in with its surroundings.

We want the hotels to feel like an eclectic home from home, with warm and friendly hospitality and little personal touches that make the guest experience extra special. Food and drink is also a big part of the experience, and each site has its own restaurant and cocktail bar which attract locals and guests alike, so they all have a buzzing neighbourhood feel.

HH: All the Artist Residences have your decorative stamp on them, but all are very different. How do you keep continuity between them all?

J&C: We design all of our places with the location in mind - so Oxfordshire has a bohemian countryside feel, while London is a little more luxe, Brighton is bold and eclectic and Cornwall has a calming seaside feel - but we’ve used a similar design process throughout - sourcing floorboards from salvage yards for wood cladding, exposing brickwork and beams, and using a neutral base palette, then filling the rooms with pieces of vintage furniture, reupholstered in our favourite fabrics, and quirky prints we’ve found on our travels.

HH: In your Brighton property you feature a lot of up and coming artists, how do you source the artwork?

J&C: We have built really great relationships with artists and gallery owners - like Lawrence Alkin from Art Republic and the Lawrence Alkin gallery in Soho, Andy Doig, a neon artist from Brighton, The Connor Brothers, who we have collaborated with on the bar design in Brighton, and our restaurant in Oxfordshire. We go to as many art fairs as we can - The Other Art Fair is a great place to spot up-and-coming artists.

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I N S P I R E | LIFESTYLE

“We want our guests to feel like they’re at a friend’s eclectic house, but with touches of luxury” HH: What's the concept of the hotels?

J&C: Our tagline is ‘An eccentric bunch of

fun and friendly places to eat, drink and sleep.’ Each location - London, Brighton, Cornwall and Oxfordshire - is unique and designed to fit in with its surroundings.

We want the hotels to feel like an eclectic home from home, with warm and friendly hospitality and little personal touches that make the guest experience extra special. Food and drink is also a big part of the experience, and each site has its own restaurant and cocktail bar which attract locals and guests alike, so they all have a buzzing neighbourhood feel.

HH: All the Artist Residences have your decorative stamp on them, but all are very different. How do you keep continuity between them all?

J&C: We design all of our places with the location in mind - so Oxfordshire has a bohemian countryside feel, while London is a little more luxe, Brighton is bold and eclectic and Cornwall has a calming seaside feel - but we’ve used a similar design process throughout - sourcing floorboards from salvage yards for wood cladding, exposing brickwork and beams, and using a neutral base palette, then filling the rooms with pieces of vintage furniture, reupholstered in our favourite fabrics, and quirky prints we’ve found on our travels.

HH: In your Brighton property you feature a lot of up and coming artists, how do you source the artwork?

J&C: We have built really great relationships with artists and gallery owners - like Lawrence Alkin from Art Republic and the Lawrence Alkin gallery in Soho, Andy Doig, a neon artist from Brighton, The Connor Brothers, who we have collaborated with on the bar design in Brighton, and our restaurant in Oxfordshire. We go to as many art fairs as we can - The Other Art Fair is a great place to spot up-and-coming artists.

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HH: As Brighton was your first property budget was more limited - how did you create a design-led aesthetic without spending a fortune?

J&C: Ebay is our best friend! We’ve always scoured the web for vintage finds, and still do! We love using Pinterest for inspiration for up cycling projects, and in Oxfordshire we’ve upcycled crystal decanters as pendant lights in the restaurant.

HH: What is the Artist residence 'look’?

J&C: Eclectic, homely, quirky, fun.

HH: Artist Residence Oxfordshire is your fourth hotel opening. How has your interior style developed over time?

J&C: Art has always been a big part of our interiors since the early Brighton days.

Back then we’d have artists painting murals everywhere. I think over time we’ve started developing our style and confidence. Art is still important but we now use it more of means to set the scene.

HH: What challenges did you come up with when designing the hotels?

J&C: I think there can always be a danger

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of over-designing something which in turn can make a space seem at best contrived and at worst themed. The design also needs to take into account multiple factors starting off with the room itself, what it will be used for, the light, the context of the building and the location.

HH: Which is your favourite room?

J&C: That's a really difficult question however

I think it’d have to be the suites that we’ve designed mainly because we’ve found them the most challenging. Suites are usually expected to be the best room so there's the added pressure of delivering something great.

Also there tend to be many decent options in terms of layouts that it can sometimes be difficult making sure we choose the right one.

HH: In the Farmhouse Suite you have a copper bath, what else do you include in a bathroom to make it feel special?

J&C: We’re big fans of a statement bathtub, and always use rainfall showers which feel really luxurious. We use tiles from Bert & May, they have an amazing range and make a real statement even in small bathrooms.

We’ve upcycled vintage ladders in some of

the bathrooms to be used as shelving for our lovely Bramley toiletries, and we’ve also added quirky little art prints - it’s always nice to have something to look at while you’re lazing in the bathtub!

HH: The Oxfordshire pub has quite a history. How did you incorporate them with your own design?

J&C: We love the old features, and these are what made us fall in love with the building.

In the bedrooms we’ve restored the original floorboards and pitched ceilings and we love the rustic farmhouse feel to the rooms.

Downstairs in the pub we’ve kept the original flagstone flooring, oak panelling and the original pub bar. To compliment the dark wood we’ve used traditional wallpaper

by William Morris, and juxtaposed this with fun contemporary artwork - like a neon by Andy Doig, and a grocery cupboard made of felt by Lucy Sparrow.

HH: Where do you source your furniture?

And your antiques and objets d’art?

J&C: We get lots of things from eBay, but also Lots Road Auctions and The Old Cinema in Chiswick.

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I N S P I R E | LIFESTYLE ARTIST RESIDENCE Room rates at Artist Residence Oxfordshire start at £130, including breakfast. artistresidence.co.uk

GET THE

LO O K BERT & MAY Glazed Grey Churriana ACHILLE Tile; £2.50 per tile Walnut light bertandmay.com shade, £75

MORRIS & CO Filled Cushion Snakeshead Indigo/Hemp; £62 william-morris.co.uk

HOWE Lion Mask Bookcase; POA howelondon.com

HH: Where do you get your interiors inspiration from?

J&C: We generally start off with how we want something to feel when they use the space. Once we’ve done this then we work backwards usually starting off with a Pinterest board or some ideas from Instagram. Then it's a case of layering up moodboards with different textures, backdrops and furniture/lighting options.

HH: How do you avoid rooms looking 'dated’?

J&C: We tend to avoid trends wherever possible. Over time our style has become more defined in terms of using reclaimed

materials and antiques. This is usually because in a hotel environment there tends to be a high degree of wear and tear so furniture items that are “used” suit it well.

HH: If you had to choose one thing to pop in your pocket and take home from one of the hotels, what would it be?

J&C: It would have to be a pretty big pocket, but we’d definitely pinch that copper bathtub if we could! Second choice would probably be the Harland Miller print in our London hotel.

HH: Which other hotel groups do you admire for their design?

J&C: Standard Hotels have a knack for creating quite magical places within places which is something we’re really into. What I love about these spaces is that they seem to attract a real mix of people - they don’t make you feel like you need to be smart or posh! I do love Soho House a lot but more recently they do tend to feel smarter and smarter...

HH: There are whispers of a Bristol opening in 2017...what else is in store?

J&C: We have an online shop in the pipeline, where we’ll be selling products and artwork from the hotels, as well as collaborating on the design of some amazing products with some of our favourite brands, which we’re really excited about! We will also be adding an events and cafe space in Oxfordshire, so we’re looking forward to hosting big feasts and mini festivals soon.

HOUSE OF HACKNEY X WILLIAM MORRIS Artemis Wallpaper Black; £145 houseofhackney.com

ANDY DOIG What Did I Do Last Night? Neon Sign; POA andydoig.com

CATCHPOLE & RYE The Copper Bateau Bath Tub; from £5,000 catchpoleandrye.com

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MASTER BUILDER HOME quizzes developer Darren Andrews about his new development and future plans Words E V E H E R B E R T

HOME: How did you get into property developing?

DARREN ANDREWS: I have been in the construction industry all of my working life. I started straight from school over 30 years ago working for various house builders during the following 16 years. In 2001 I started out on my own as a sole trader and worked on a number of projects the most significant being the construction of a 4 bedroom detached house in Garston, Hertfordshire. In 2003 I established Darren Andrews Developments Ltd, which trades as Darren Andrews Homes. This business has continued to grow ever since.

H: You have just finished The Stables

development. What were the design stipulations regarding Nicoll Farm?

DA: The local planning department requirement was that this development, which was built on a site formerly known as Nicoll Farm Stables, should be in keeping with the adjacent Nicoll Farm site which included a number of Grade II listed buildings. Therefore the architectural approach

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I N S P I R E | Q&A

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The Subscription

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I N S P I R E | Q&A

to the scheme was designed to resemble traditional rural barns with rural features including black weatherboard barn cladding. Again the local planning department felt that this development would create a stronger defensible boundary to the Green Belt that has a more settled visual appearance against the mass and bulk of the buildings that were already on the site.

H: Where do you get your inspiration for

design?

DA: It is a process that comes from experi-

ence and the design will depend on the location of the development site and the surrounding properties. I want to build houses that will be highly desirable but at the same time sympathetic to the area in which they are being built.

H: What are your criteria when looking

for land to build on?

authority. It is crucial to be able to envision what will work and what will ultimately appeal as a positive planning proposal. Any development must seek to enhance rather than detract from a location.

H: The Stables consists of seven beautiful houses. Are they all unique and do you have a favourite?

DA: The Stables is a mix of three house designs. Working on small exclusive developments allows for each house to become unique by working with the buyers to ensure that individual features and fittings are included to suit their specific requirements. By including the buyers in the process and collaborating closely with them, the buyers achieve a unique property they love and that is my aim throughout the process. On such a small, exclusive development, I couldn’t possibly commit to having a favourite.

DA: Again, settling on potential develop-

ment sites comes from experience and knowledge of the local area and also knowledge of the development plan of the local

H: Do you have a signature style and can

you describe it?

DA: My signature style is quality. The

exteriors of houses may be different for the reasons I have already mentioned, but when it comes to finishing, including fixtures and fittings throughout then only the best will do.

H: What is your attraction to

Hertfordshire?

DA: Two main reasons - firstly it is where

I live and so it is easy to get to sites at short notice. Secondly I use local sub-contractors who have undertaken work for the company over a number of years who I know I can trust to do an excellent professional job.

H: What is next for Darren Andrews

Homes?

DA: The future looks good. We are also

currently working on two other developments with more in the pipeline. The first of these is on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. It is a conversion of existing listed Grade II farm buildings, some are brick and flint, some are timberstyle barns. These are being converted into seven dwellings of between three and five bedrooms. In addition, three new three bedroom properties are also being built. All of these will be built in a figure of 8 layout with central courtyards. As this is in an area of Green Belt, and to preserve an aesthetically pleasing view of the property as a whole, an underground car park is also being constructed. The first of the conversions will be completed early 2018.

The second project is in Bushey, Hertfordshire. The site was previously an equestrian centre. We are building five detached houses along the lines of those built at The Stables. In addition we will also be building four luxury apartments. The first of these properties will be completed mid 2018. Like the The Stables and the site near Hemel Hempstead, this will be a gated development with a management company being set up to look after the estate post completion.

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PINES AND NEEDLES Pines and Needles is the only tree and decoration service you will need this season. Shop online or in store for a premium, real Christmas tree, before having it decorated, installed and finally removed. Here's to a truly restful holiday.

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I N S P I R E | PROMOTION

J U S T A D D WAT E R

T H E N AT U R A L WO O D F LO O R

PIGLET

Add some modern luxury to your Christmas with this stunning product from Crosswater. Reflecting light in a crystal clear finish, these glass basins set a new standard in innovative bathroom design. Following the distinctive curves of Svelte’s basin units, this exquisite cast glass basin and work surface is available in two finishes; charcoal glass & ice white.

Available from Just Add Water www.justaddwater.co.uk

The Natural Wood Floor Company has a reputation for the best quality wooden flooring in London. It boasts over 140 designs, including; parquet, engineered, solid wood and a pre-finished range. Be inspired with a trip to the Wandsworth showroom, 20 Smugglers Way, SW18, or view the complete collection online. The team of experts are always on hand to offer their help. Tel: 020 88719771 www.naturalwoodfloor.co.uk

Keep warm and cosy this winter with Piglet’s natural stonewashed linen bedding. Available in all sizes from single to king-sized, and in a range of colours that includes this striking indigo blue set, Piglet linens get softer and softer with wear and washing. Skip the iron and embrace linen’s natural texture for an effortless and modern update to your bedroom style. www.pigletinbed.com

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Bella Interiors offer a one-stop service for all your kitchen, bedroom and bathroom needs. They feature brands such as Miele, Neff and Schroder.

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Hello Holly! Treat yourself this Christmas to a modern sofa range with contemporary design features such as twin-needling and gently pulled in back cushions. Foam with fibre wrap seat cushions. Fibre back cushions.

Sprung seat and back. Available in over 100 fabrics. We are loving the blue chanterelle fabric to add a fresh and vibrant touch to your home. From £649 Design and Buy at www.theloungeco.com

Jimmie Martin brings style and luxury with the ‘Naughty Angel’ collection consisting of exclusive statement pieces in a range of colours. Each one is hand painted, adding a personal touch of corruption to these stunning sculptures.

The naughty angels are sure to ensure that conversation never runs dry by providing a controversial talking point for every occasion. Starting from £1250.

77 Kensington Church Street, W8. jimmiemartin.com

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I N S P I R E | PEOPLE

My Style

PAV E L K L I M C Z A K The owner of East London interiors boutique Monologue shares his inspirations monologuelondon.com

MY FAVOURITE PIECE OF ART…

I’m a big fun of Biomorphic Ceramic Sculptures by Harumi Nakashima.

I HAVE LOTS OF FAVOURITE DESIGNERS…

MY FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION…

but Patricia Urquiola’s furniture is just on point.

is the magical mountains of Nepal.

MY FAVOURITE BUILDING…

is the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

MY FAVOURITE PIECE FROM THE SHOP’S CURRENT COLLECTION…

I absolutely adore the Arca chandelier by Philippe Malouin that we currently have at our shop window, as for the accessories the Ikebana Vase by Jayme Hayon is a winner in my eyes.

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MY STYLE ICON… Sophisticated, modern, tailored: Raf Simons.

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