Absolutely Kingston & Surrey April 2022 by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

KINGSTON & SURREY

Kingston & Surrey APRIL 2022 / £3.95

PLU S NEW LONDON ARCHITECTURE

Focus on collecting and investing

The capital's best extensions •

GARDEN STYLE APRIL 2022

Beautiful fabrics for outdoors •

EASTER EGGS A chocolate feast

Ray of

LIG H T WELCOMING THE NEW SEASON

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ST YLISH / INTELLIGENT / ELEGANT 25/03/2022 11:02

Visit us to discover our premium range of luxury gazebos: Squire’s Garden Centre, Shepperton, TW17 8SG

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Wish you had better broadband? Say hello to the endless possibilities of 4K streaming, next-gen gaming and crystal clear video calls. Register online and be one of the first to join our 10,000 Mbps Full Fibre broadband network in Buckinghamshire.

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FITTINGS BY APPOINTMENT GIFT VOUCHER AND GIFT WRAPPING AVAILABLE LINGERIE • NIGHTWEAR • SWIMWEAR BEACHWEAR • NURSING BRAS

Lingerie and swimwear fitting specialist from A to J cup (size 8 to 20 uk)

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34 Webb’s Road, London SW11 6SF Tel: 020 7924 3826 www.ameliesfollies.co.uk | ameliesfollies@yahoo.com

15/03/2022 15:53

Some furniture is made for the here and now. Some is built to stand the test of time. At Neptune, we believe that the best can do both. Good design never grows old.

Neptune Chiswick, 020 3814 1220 Neptune Fulham, 020 7371 9997 Neptune Wimbledon, 020 3362 8240 neptune.com

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02/03/2022 01/03/2022 12:25 10:24

ABSOLUTELY

Contents APRIL 2022

72 14

C U LT U R E ABSOLUTELY LOVES

H E A LT H & B E A U T Y 57 BEAUTY NOTES

WHAT'S ON

CERAMIC ART LONDON

INTERIORS 68 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

10 things we’re coveting this month

What's hot and what's new

Your diary for April

The fair returns to Central Saint Martins

BEAUTY TECH

Results through gadgets

News from the industry

FOOD & DRINK 30 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

32 RECIPES

80 BED REST

FA S H I O N 46 THE SHOOT

LUXE 112 AUCTION LIFE

News from the industry

Several ways with eggs

Spring looks at Yves Salomon

52 JEWELLERY Natural gems

NEW AND IMPROVED

London's best extensions

The Vispring story

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N The online guide to inspirational London living that helps you stay one step ahead of the crowd and gives you the chance to win exclusive prizes.

Trends in collecting and investing

126 TRADE UP

Trading secrets revealed

O N T H E C OV E R yves-salomon.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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EDITOR IN CHIEF PENDLE HARTE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT RACHEL HOGG MAMA EDITOR CARLY GLENDINNING ART DIRECTOR PAWEL KUBA SENIOR DESIGNERS MIKE ROBERTS SAMANTHA SCOTT MIDWEIGHT DESIGNER CARMEN GRAHAM JUNIOR DESIGNER KAI NICHOLLS MEDIA CONSULTANTS STELLA ADAMS ANABELA KOLECI KATIE WOOD FINANCIAL DIRECTOR JERRIE KOLECI CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTORS CRAIG DAVIES, LEAH DAY, JAMES FUSCHILLO NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT

For editorial enquiries please email: pendle@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 3981 7187 or email: craig@zest-media.com

zest.london Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved. Social icon

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Fo l l ow Us O n Fa c e b o o k @ABSOLUTELYMAGAZINES T wi t t e r & In s t a g ra m @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS We b si t e

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Editor’s

LETTER ABSOLUTELY’S April issue highlights

Scalloping

Waves are everyhere. We love this pendant by David Hunt Lighting.

verbody loves it when Easter falls late, as it does this year. A mid-April date gives us a good chance of warm weather and the full spring experience. Plus, April is set to be an exciting month, as we reveal in these pages. Ceramic Art London is back after a two-year hiatus, bringing a larger than ever selection of clay works to Kings Cross as the field of ceramics continues to increase in popularity. Then there's the ever-growing Kensington Dollshouse Festival, which attracts collectors of miniatures from all over the world to W8, where they obsess over things like getting the right miniature cereal packaging for their 1950s dollshouses, or making sure that their collections include tiny working nail scissors, scaled-down novels with magnifying glass type and working reproduction Art Deco lighting, all in 1/12 scale. It's a fascinating world. Also this month we have our annual Luxe section, focusing on all things related to acquiring and spending money. We look at current trends in auction houses, take advice on trading and admire some fine jewellery. Happy Easter to all our readers.

Mood board Natalie Tredgett's stylish interiors.

4 Spring scent

The smell of the season.

PENDLE HARTE EDITOR

Egg-stravaganza All the best Easter eggs - including this spread from Hotel Chocolat.

Ceramic love

Ceramic Art London returns to King's Cross

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Wish LIST 10 things we Absolutely love COMPILED BY

PENDLE HARTE

C A N DY CRUSH Esme is an arty, comfortable, elegant dream of a dress. Inspired by the bold kimono shapes and with clever wrap dress detailing, Esme is a beautifully innovative yet simple design. She has roomy sleeves, an adjustable wrap front and a luxurious midi skirt. £165 palava.co

SHERBERT DIP Designed with an interior corset, Anouki's pink top is crafted from tulle and features a strapless silhouette, sweetheart neckline and ruched detailing. £470 koibird.com

EDITOR’S PICK

LIGHT HEART ENGLISH ROSE Cubitts' Belgravia collection takes inspiration from iconic English gardens. Three feminine frames are shaped and sculpted between geometric and organic curves. cubitts.com

The Phileas rechargeable cordless lamp is useful and stylish both indoors and out. £115 pooky.com

A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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ABSOLUTELY • LOVES

GEM APPEAL Gemfields' collaboration with Shachee Fine Jewellery, showcases Zambian emeralds. We love the Garden of Bliss Rose Earrings, £6,500 gemfields.com

R OS E GA R D E N Penelope Chilvers has launched a lifestyle collection of tablecloths and napkin sets, plus a pink shopper tote bag, all printed on 100% washed linen and made in Portugal. penelopechilvers.com

CHECK OUT Australian brand Kip & Co's colourful bedding collection includes this oral pink and golden brown check tartan linen, which will continue to soften over time. antipodream.co.uk

R OSY TO E S The Zoya sandal is designed and to bring joy and light-heartedness into our lives, with bright colours and simple, clean shapes. It's made for comfort too. £243 tanksteiger.com

PINK L A DY Dame Zandra Rhodes has teamed up with silk weaving house Gainsborough to create a bold new range of fabrics. There's lots of pink, naturally. gainsborough.co.uk

PINK FIZZ Marie Jo Ettie's beautiful ﬂoral pastel coloured balcony bra and shorts are available at Amelies Follies. ameliesfollies.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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RAYMOND GUBBAY PRESENTS

RAYMONDGUBBAY.CO.UK

UPLIFTING CLASSICS CROWNED WITH A GREAT BRITISH PROMS FINALE

with all your proms favourites HORNPIPE RULE, BRITANNIA! LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY Anthony Inglis conductor LONDON CONCERT ORCHESTRA Sunday 24 April 3pm

JAWS STAR WARS SUPERMAN HARRY POTTER JURASSIC PARK CLOSE ENCOUNTERS E.T. and many more...

Join the King of Ballroom and Strictly legend for conversation, laughter, song and dance.

RICHMOND THEATRE

Anthony Inglis conductor LONDON CONCERT ORCHESTRA

Lance Ellington guest vocalist

Saturday 7 May 2.30pm

Saturday 7 May 7.30pm

Sunday 15 May 3pm

atgtickets.com/Richmond

ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON southbankcentre.co.uk

RICHMOND THEATRE atgtickets.com/Richmond

THE THEATRICAL DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA OF 2022 Thursday 27 October 7.30pm Friday 28 October 7.00pm

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NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE, LONDON

atgtickets.com/wimbledon

TROXY, LONDON

troxy.co.uk

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C U LT U R E

WALES BONNER SPRING SUMMER 2015 AFRIQUE. PHOTO: DEXTER LANDER; FASHIONING MASCULINITIES: THE ART OF MENSWEAR AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM (V&A).

What's on 18 • Dolls houses in Kensington 20 • Ceramic Art London 22 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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The Agenda

A P R I L ' S H OT T E ST H A P P E N I N G S

A RT

Louise Bourgeois: The Woven Child Until 15 May SOUTHBANK CENTRE The Hayward Gallery is home to the ﬁrst major retrospective to focus exclusively on the ﬁnal phase of Louise Bourgeois’ career. During the last two decades of her life, she revisited a lifelong connection to fabric and transformed domestic textiles into a series of psychologically charged sculptures. southbankcentre.co.uk

T H E AT R E

Daddy A L ME I DA TH E ATR E . 6 A P RIL - 30 APRIL

American playwright Jeremy O. Harris has been heralded as “one of theatre's most exciting new voices” and received a record 12 Tony nominations for his previous work, Slave Play. After a two year delay his new play, Daddy, is ﬁnally coming to the stage in London. The melodrama tells a story of the turbulent romance between a wealthy white art collector, and his much younger black protégée. almeida.co.uk

A RT

Van Gogh's Self-Portraits Until 8 May T H E C O U R TA U L D G A L L E R Y Vincent van Gogh produced 35 works of self-portraiture over his career, about half of which are currently on display at the Courtauld Gallery. Many of these pieces have been reunited for the ﬁrst time since they were in his studio together, making this a must-see for fans of classic art. courtauld.ac.uk

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CULTURE • TALKING TOPICS

ART

E XH I BI T I O N

Fashioning Masculinities Until 6 November V& A M U S E U M The Victoria & Albert museum has partnered with Gucci to unpick menswear from the seams. The exhibition explores how masculinity has been sewn, woven, painted and sculpted over the centuries. Over 100 looks and 100 artworks are on display across three galleries, titled; undressed, overdressed and redressed. vam.ac.uk

T H E AT R E

T H AT G I V E S B A C K A chance to buy a beautiful minimasterpiece and support a great cause – what’s not to love? This April, London gallerist India Rose James will curate an extra special Art on a Postcard auction. All the money raised from the auction will be donated in support of the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Here’s a little about some of the artists in this month’s edition….

DANNY FOX Fox recently hosted a solo show at Saatchi Yates with works revolving around the British coast and the infamous occultist Aleister Crowley. His paintings are charmingly folkish and playful in style, yet webs of reference and research are masked within.

ALMA BERROW

BURNT CITY

Berrow has developed a signiﬁcant following for her jubilant ceramics, which often appear as detritus left over from a riotous party the night before. Oyster shells, cigarette butts and receipts with scrawled love notes are commonplace in her delightful porcelain creations, beloved by Instagram inﬂuencers.

21 April - 28 August P U N C H D R U N K T H E AT R E The theatre company internationally acclaimed for their pioneering immersive experiences have returned to London for the first time since 2014. Audiences can watch the fall of Troy play out over a 100,000 square foot stage, but you will be exploring this dystopian landscape on foot, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. punchdrunk.com

This Month’s Must See

ALMA BERROW

FOR T HE R ECOR D

THE P HOTO GRAPHER’S GALLERY ; UN TIL 12 J UN E

The Photography gallery’s newest exhibition is a love letter to the album cover, a 30x30cm square that has been the site of some of the most culturally signiﬁcant collaborations between artists and musicians. Over 200 iconic album covers will be on display, and this exhibit seeks to recognize the contributions of the visionary, but often overlooked photographers and visual artists that brought them to life. thephotographersgallery.org.uk

OLIVIA STERLING Sterling's vibrant paintings innovatively address questions of blackness and whiteness in contemporary Britain. Using an almost slapstick humour and a distinctively deliberate messiness, she creates a space to explore racial relations as they manifest in everyday interactions.

Auction runs from 7-21 April. For further information visit artonapostcard.com

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CULTURE • PREVIEW

Small

TALK

The Kensington Dolls House festival returns with its focus on all things tiny By P E A R L B OY D

he dolls house extravaganza is back at Kensington Town Hall for its two-day Summer Show. The best dolls house and miniatures makers from around the world are set to descend on Kensington to share their beautiful work. You will find everything you need for your tiny house from champagne glasses and boxes of chocolates to Chippendale chairs and flat pack furniture. All entries for the Perfection in Miniatures Award will be on display and there will be the chance for you to vote for your favourite. An incredible collection of over 200 tiny mechanical toys made by L & A St Leger over the past 45 years as well as Barbara Lycett’s beautiful dolls house collection will be on display, featuring country style dolls houses and outbuildings. The show is a great day out for all ages. The famous KDF Mouse Hunt will take place throughout the show for the young visitors with the chance to win a

specially commissioned mouse, and The Gingerbread Craft Club is back on Saturday 14th, where you can have fun making all kinds of things for your dolls house. There is nowhere else in London celebrating this tiny world and whether you have a dolls house or not, you will find something that makes you chuckle among all the incredible miniatures for sale. K E N S I N GTO N D O L L S H O U S E F E S T I VA L Summer Show May 13th - 11am – 6pm May 14th – 10am – 5pm Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX dollshouseshowcase.com Tickets: £5 - £25* *Family tickets available for entry on Saturday only.

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Ode to Joy RAYMOND GUBBAY PRESENTS

RAYMONDGUBBAY.CO.UK

BEETHOVEN’S 9TH Hebrides Overture Mendelssohn

Piano Concerto Grieg

Symphony No. 9 'Choral' Beethoven

Ivana Gavric ´ piano David Hill conductor The Bach Choir

Take a bold leap into another dimension in a new show that is out of this world.

THE MUSIC OF

THE AVENGERS, BATMAN THE DARK NIGHT, MAN OF STEEL GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY STAR WARS and many more

The monumental harmony of over 400 voices combines with the full force of the LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA.

GLINKA Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3 ‘Organ Symphony’ ORFF Carmina Burana

PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA

Ali Plumb presenter Lee Reynolds conductor LONDON CONCERT ORCHESTRA

Royal Choral Society Brighton Festival Chorus Goldsmiths Choral Union James Morgan conductor

Saturday 28 May 7.30pm

Saturday 3 September 7.30pm

Saturday 17 September 7.30pm

ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON southbankcentre.co.uk

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ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON southbankcentre.co.uk

ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON royalalberthall.com

15/03/2022 14:52

JANE CAIRNS

ON THE M A K E Ceramic Art London is back with an expanded cohort and lots of lovely creations. Absolutely has a preview

his month sees the return of Europe’s largest ceramics event. Taking place over three days in the grand concourse of Central Saint Martins, Ceramic Art London will build on three years of expansion that have seen audiences triple, with every event sold out. Organised by the Craft Potters Association and featuring 92 makers from 11 different countries and with price points ranging between £20 – £5000, Ceramic Art London is the place to see and buy the best contemporary ceramics, from the functional and decorative to the abstract and architectural.

By EVE HERBERT

This year’s cohort of exhibitors includes 24 newcomers, among them James Evans, whose textural corrugated works are crusted with rusted iron, Thai artist Eiair (or Hassakorn Hirunsirichoke) with his intricate and alienesque miniature forms and, from Canada, Toni Losey whose sculptural works draw on the natural world and evoke imaginings of new-fangled marine life. Other notable first-timers include Emma Lacey whose sublimely simple but tactile table wares recently made an appearance on The Great British Bake-Off, and Andrew Walker whose brutalism-inspired graphic vessels resemble stoneware paper lanterns. Returning makers include Tricia Thom, with her Japanese-inspired porcelain works, renowned maker Sue Pryke, who, as well as being a major designer for IKEA, is a judge

CARINA CISCATO

A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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CULTURE • PREVIEW CRAIG UNDERHILL

CHLOE DOWDS

“This 28,000 year-old artform has endured despite wars, environmental catastrophe, famine, and disease”

ZOE WHITESIDE

for The Great Pottery Throw Down and Patricia Shone, whose natural textures reflect the formation and erosion in the geology of the Isle of Skye where she lives and works.. Animals and nature are a recurring theme, from Jenny Southam’s pastoral scenes to Charlotte Pack’s Species Pots to Zoe Whiteside’s white stoneware polar bears. Covid19 impacted virtually every sector of society and the field of ceramics was no different. During the pandemic, unable to teach, or show, makers went back to their studios, experimented and reflected. For them, this year’s edition of CAL presents an opportunity for ceramic artists to reconnect with the public, and to reflect their evolution as makers. Lara Scobie, Ceramic Artist and Chair of Ceramic Art London, said:“Patience and resilience is a prerequisite for life as a potter, but the pandemic has tested the best of us to the limit. Potters are used to isolation too. While we are well-practised at being holed up in the studio – holed up in the studio, the past two years have shown us that we cannot do what we do in a bubble. It has shown us that we need other people; people who offer critiques of our output, who appreciate and buy what we make and, crucially, it has shown us how much we gain as part of a supportive community of fellow makers. So, I am beyond thrilled that the return of this important and joyous convening

PATRICIA SHONE

TONI LOSEY

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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CULTURE • PREVIEW

TONY LAVERICK

Friday 8 – Sunday 10 April

ANDREW WALKER

means that we get to see each other once again.” Programmed by Central Saint Martins Lecturer Duncan Hooson, ClayTalks returns with a series of illuminating talks given by prestigious names from the ceramic world. Highlights include Sara Howard – creator of Circular Ceramics, a handmade tableware collection made from industrial waste by-products – who will be speaking on the challenges of developing sustainable practises in ceramic making. She will be joined by Iris de Kievith and Annemarie Piscaer who, through their project Smogware, have developed a ceramic glaze partly formed of harvested pollutants. Together, they will be offering advice to makers on how to build sustainability into their practice. Antony Quinn, Course Leader BA Ceramic Design, Central Saint Martins said: “As we consider the impact of the pandemic on the world of ceramics - travel limitations, scarcity of materials and the vulnerability of self employment - it’s perhaps helpful to remember how this over 28000 year-old artform has endured despite wars, environmental catastrophe, famine, and disease. While the world convulses, the material remains constant - offering up endlessly mutable forms that serve as reassuring touchstones that mark out time. So, we celebrate the return of the makers, the potters, the ceramic artists and the people who love what they make. We can’t wait!”

Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London 1 Granary Square, N1C 4AA

ceramicartlondon.com

DAVID MILLIDGE

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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28 April - 2 May RHS Garden

Wisley GU23 6QB

Demonstrations • Food village • Live music

Purchase direct from 200 of the very best makers in the UK

9am – 6pm Thursday – Sunday • 9am – 5pm Monday (Garden open until 6pm daily) Admission to garden also gives admission to the craft fair. Free entry for RHS Members. CIF_Wisley_Spring22_134x190.indd 1

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CULTURE • PARTNERSHIP

“Her trademark use of colour is inspirational in its boldness”

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

KATE TRAFELI A look at the abstract artist's life and work

KATE TRAFELI

ate Trafeli is a thinker, a feeler, a sentimentalist, and a dreamer. Her connections to places and people are intensely significant — family, friends and a sense of place are embedded in her being. These bonds, together with memories and reveries on life’s moments, are expressed by Kate in concentrated colour and flowing shapes that are both emotive and universally relatable. That’s why art collectors love her work. She is the abstract artist whose paintings are admired even by those who claim aversion to abstraction. The intuition, illusion, imagery, and expression in her paintings charge everything with a dream-like quality, and her trademark use of colour is inspirational in its boldness. Kate has synaesthesia, which is when you experience one of your senses through another. For instance, you might hear a word but see a colour. You may hear music but see shapes. In Kate’s case, colours signify feelings or memories, and she explores

these concepts in several formats. Kate specialises in colour theory and structure: how colours interact and affect one another when combined with composition to make a whole that is mysterious and transporting. The artist explores how we each instinctively relate to colour and shapes strongly and individually. Using traditional media of oil and watercolour, Trafeli’s paintings trace experiences, histories, difficulties, decisions and journeys in jewel tones and a combination of the figurative and abstract. Kate has lived most her life between worlds, growing up in the tumbleweeds of the Western United States, she was a cowgirl who longed for city lights and a sense history. She moved to Boston as a young woman, then to New Orleans, Los Angeles, London and Northern Italy and back again. Having lived 10 years in Italy, the country’s language, history and culture have greatly influenced her iconography and palette. She now lives and works in North London. "The marriage and dissonance of vibrant hues, shapes and composition in my paintings reflect the way I experience the world: fractured but alive with possibility. My work comes from a deep emotive place - I want the viewer to feel that, and to be drawn in." - Kate Trafeli.

Jennifer Conner is the Art Advisor at After Nyne Contemporary. afternynecontemporary.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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FEAST ON EASTER Be inspired by colourful essentials for Easter baking, roasting and gifting. EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU VISIT A LE CREUSET STORE • BESPOKE CUSTOMER SERVICE • EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT RANGES AND OFFERS • PRODUCT EXPERTISE AND AFTERCARE • FREE DELIVERY OVER £50 • LOYALTY REWARDS • FREE RECIPE CARDS CALL & DELIVER | PAY BY LINK | FREE UK DELIVERY WHEN YOU SPEND £50 OR MORE | CONTACT THE STORE FOR MORE DETAILS LE CREUSET FULHAM ROAD, 156 FULHAM ROAD, LONDON. SW10 9PR. TEL: 0207 3707509 • E-MAIL: FULHAMROAD.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM LE CREUSET HAMPSTEAD, 31 HEATH STREET, LONDON. NW3 6TR. TEL: 0207 4356109 • E-MAIL: HAMPSTEAD.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM LE CREUSET ISLINGTON, 137 UPPER STREET, LONDON. N1 1QP. TEL: 0207 2261595 • E-MAIL: ISLINGTON.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM LE CREUSET MARYLEBONE, 6 NEW CAVENDISH STREET, LONDON. W1G 8UH. TEL: 0207 4865404 • E-MAIL: MARYLEBONE.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM

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LE CREUSET MUSWELL HILL, 74 MUSWELL HILL BROADWAY, LONDON. N10 3RT. TEL: 0208 8834394 • E-MAIL: MUSWELLHILL.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM LE CREUSET NOTTING HILL, 54 LEDBURY RD., NOTTING HILL, LONDON. W11 2AJ. TEL: 0203 2200017 • E-MAIL: NOTTINGHILL.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM LE CREUSET ST. ALBANS, 27 MARKET PLACE, ST. ALBANS, HERTFORDSHIRE. AL3 5DL. TEL: 01727 850453 • E-MAIL: STALBANS.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM LE CREUSET WIMBLEDON, 4 CHURCH RD., WIMBLEDON VILLAGE, LONDON. SW19 5DL. TEL: 0208 9440624 • E-MAIL: WIMBLEDON.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM

11/03/2022 14:26

FOOD & DRINK

Essence of India BOMBAY DELIGHT

Chef Ajay Chaurasia founded his new Wimbledon restaurant with the goal of showcasing all that Indian food has to offer. The menu features hidden gems of regional Indian cuisine alongside a selection of longstanding favourites, and you can wash everything down with an exclusive Bombay Delight Lager.

bombaydelight.uk

Food notes 30 • Mood food with Joe Wicks 38 • Easter eggs 37 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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TASTING NOTES

WHAT TO DRINK

London’s food news and most exciting openings this month

GRAPE news

B y R AC H E L H O G G

Wine recommendations for the month

Anna de Codorniu Brut Cava, Spain  £11.99 Anna de Codorníu is a huge success in Spain, outselling every other cava in the restaurant and bar trade. The addition of Chardonnay makes the Cava richer with tropical pineapple notes on the nose and a smooth creamy mouthfeel.

thewhiskyexchange.com

Villa Antinori Bianco Toscana, Italy  £13.00 Villa Antinori Bianco is straw yellow in colour with greenish hues. On the nose, it is refined, elegant, fruity, and floral, with notes of banana, pears, pineapples, and orange blossom. The palate is aromatic and features a lingering fresh mineral finish.

waitrose.com

Drappier Carte d’Or Champagne, France  £37.95 With a very high proportion of Pinot Noir, Drappier Carte d’Or is nearly a Blanc de Noirs. The taste begins with stone fruits such as white vineyard peaches. A spicy note emerges with a powerful and complex mouthfeel and aftertaste.

waitrose.com

A New Dawn S K E TC H

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Sketch London has bid farewell to its signature pink interior and ushered in a new age of sunshine yellow. British-Nigerian artist, Yinka Shonibare CBE, revered for his exploration of race, class and post-colonial identity, has joined forces with the project architect and colourmaster India Mahdavi. Together they have transformed the space into a powerful celebration of African culture and its legacy. sketch.london

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FOOD & DRINK • NOTES

SIP SIP AWAY These experiences will get you in the tasting spirit

G & TEA TIME MANETTA'S BAR

Tropical Tastes WO O D A N D WAT E R

W H I S K E Y F E S T I VA L Coming to Croydon for the first time on Saturday, April 2nd, festival-goers will be able to experience five solid hours of whiskey enjoyment. exploringwhisky.co.uk

You’ll get a taste of Island life at Wood and Water in Brixton, the restaurant founded by former Miss Jamaica Universe April Jackson that pays homage to her Carribian upbringing. A tropical inﬂuence is felt throughout the menu, from share plates packed with sweet and spicy ﬂavours to delicious rum cocktails. woodandwater.uk

A luxury new high tea experience has come to Flemings Mayfair. At G & Tea, you’ll ﬁnd everything you would expect from a traditional English high tea. Tiered stands full of fresh-baked pastries, served alongside tea blends from the East India Tea Company. For those who fancy something slightly stronger, the expert bar team will be on hand to pour you a refreshing gin tipple. ﬂemings-mayfair.co.uk

GIN JOURNEY Every Saturday in Shoreditch and Soho, you can be chauffeured between bars and distilleries, drink, and be regaled with gin-soaked stories of the city. ginjourney.com

SECRET GARDEN H U S H M AY FA I R

Sicillian Spin SOFFICE

Soffice is London’s ﬁrst Italian restaurant to adopt a gastro bakery approach. Patrons will be able to dine-in and enjoy authentic Sicilian dishes prepared by the experts, and then visit the adjoining bakery and deli to purchase the fresh ingredients needed to recreate their own version at home. sofficelondon.com

AG AV E S E S S I O N S Agave aficionados will love this tequila masterclass, where you learn the history of Mexico’s legendary spirit and do plenty of sampling in the process. the-distillery.ondon

One of central London’s favourite outdoor dining spots has been given a makeover just in time for spring. The courtyard at Hush Mayfair has been transformed into a garden oasis. It is the perfect spot to escape the chaos and enjoy a cocktail or something off of the Brassiere menu. hush.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Three ways with eggs from Clarence Court

GOOD

eggs

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

White chocolate blondies

with pecans & cranberries Makes 12–16

Why do brownies get all the attention? Blondies are just as delicious and easy to make! Try our fruit and nut version with extra white chocolate – for good measure. Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS • 120g unsalted butter • 250g soft light brown sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence • 1 Clarence Court duck egg • 1 lemon, zested and ﬁnely grated • 200g self raising ﬂour • Pinch of sea salt • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon ground ginger • 50g pecans, chopped • 50g dried cranberries • 100g white chocolate, chopped into chunks plus 30g extra for melting and drizzling • 50g caramelised white chocolate, chopped (optional) • A small handful of fresh raspberries (optional)

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 175°C/155°C fan. Grease and line a 20x20cm square cake tin. 2 Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan, then stir in the sugar and vanilla essence. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes then whisk in the egg and lemon zest. Fold in the ﬂour, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Stir in the chopped pecans, cranberries and chocolate then spoon into the prepared cake tin. 3 Gently press the chopped caramelised white chocolate and fresh raspberries into the blondie mix. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until just set with a light crust on top. Allow to cool in the tin placed on a cooling rack, then cut into pieces and serve. Drizzle over a little melted white chocolate if you fancy.

Ultimate Steak & Egg Sandwich Serves 2

(with extra sauce to keep for a week)

Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Juicy steak and glorious, runny fried eggs make such good bread fellows – especially when paired with rich melted cheese and a punchy, herby chimichurri sauce. We’ve taken the joy of a classic steak sandwich to new, heavenly heights. Prep time: 5 mins + 30 mins freezing Cook time: 10 mins

INGREDIENTS • 1 large sirloin steak • 1 large bunch of parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped • ½ bunch of coriander, leaves picked and finely chopped • 200ml vegetable oil, plus a little extra for frying • 100ml red wine vinegar • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • Unsalted butter • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 50g mozzarella, grated

• 50g provolone, grated • 2 Clarence Court Old Cotswold Legbar eggs • 2 demi baguettes or large submarine rolls • A handful of fresh rocket leaves

METHOD 1 Trim the fat from the steak, place into a sandwich bag and pop into the freezer for 30 minutes (this helps to tense the meat so it's much easier to thinly slice.) Meanwhile, to make your chimichurri sauce, finely chop the parsley and coriander, if you haven’t already. Place into a bowl and combine with the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, chilli, garlic and oregano. Cover and allow the flavours to infuse. 2 Once the steak has had its time in the freezer, take it out of the bag and slice as thinly as you can. Preheat the grill to high and place a large frying pan on a medium-high heat. Halve the baguettes, butter them, and place on a baking tray cut side up. Toss the steak in a little vegetable oil and add to the hot pan. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until slightly crisp on the outside and just cooked in the centre. Arrange the steak on the cut halves of baguette and scatter the cheese over evenly, leave to one side whilst you fry the eggs to your liking (sunny side up is our favourite for this.) Place the tray of baguette halves under the grill for 2 minutes or so to melt the cheese and toast the bread. Remove from under the grill, drizzle over enough chimichurri sauce to taste. Crown with an egg each, drizzle over more sauce and finish with fresh rocket. Sandwich together and devour!

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

METHOD

INGREDIENTS

California Sunshine Salad Serves 4

Salads are an absolute joy and this is no exception. Inspired by the produce of California, it’s full of sunshine and freshness. Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins

• 4 Clarence Court Old Cotswold Legbar eggs 300g quinoa • 50g blanched almonds • Juice of 2 limes • Juice of 1 orange • 1 pomegranate • 1 small bunch of coriander, ﬁnely chopped • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 40ml walnut oil • 125g soft goat's cheese • 1 ripe avocado, quartered and destoned • 4 ripe apricots, halved and destoned • 30g selection sprouts (like pea, alfalfa) • Flatbreads and hummus, to serve

1 Softly boil the eggs to your liking, cool in iced water and peel. Cook and cool the quinoa according to the packet instructions, then tip into a large mixing bowl. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan and place the almonds on a small baking sheet. Roast the almonds for 5 minutes or until golden, then remove from the oven and allow to cool. 2 Tip the lime and orange juice into a jam jar. Halve the pomegranate and squeeze the juice out of 1/2 through your hands into the jar. Add most of the chopped coriander, season and top up with 40ml walnut oil. Shake well and tip half over the quinoa and mix. 3 Griddle the avocado and apricots until lightly softened and charred. Crumble the goat's cheese. 4 Roughly chop the almonds and mix most into the quinoa along with the goat's cheese and pomegranate seeds, leaving a few to finish. Spoon onto a large platter. Halve the eggs and arrange them on top with the avocado and apricots. Spoon over more dressing. Sprinkle over the remaining coriander, almonds, pomegranate seeds and finish with the sprouts and a pinch of salt. 5 Serve with flatbreads and hummus then revel in the fresh Californian vibes.

Recipes featured in Eggstravaganza, Clarence Court’s first cookbook available online at clarenceboutique.co.uk RRP: £20

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FOOD & DRINK • EASTER NEUHAUS Easter Tube, £26.99 fenwick.co.uk

COCOBA Mini Egg Hot Chocolate Spoon, £2.95 harveynichols.com

HARRODS Strawberries & Cream Easter Egg, £30 harrods.com

BUTLERS CHOCOLATE Box of Chicks Easter Chocolates, £9.95 harveynichols.com

HOTEL CHOCOLAT Assorted Eggs hotelchocolat.com

BISCUITEERS Beatrix Potter Biscuit Tin, £45 harveynichols.com

ON THE HUNT

THE CHOCOLATE DETECTIVE Clutch of 12 Chocolate Eggs , £12.75 chocolatedetective.co.uk

All the ﬁnest treats for Easter By P E N D L E H A R T E

MELROSE & MORGAN The Classic Easter Hamper, £65 melroseandmorgan.com

ALLPRESS ESPRESSO Chocolate Easter Eggs by Bennetts Of Mangawhai, £15 allpressespresso.com

EDITOR’S PICK CHARBONNEL ET WALKER Dark and Milk Selection Egg Box, £32.00 fenwick.co.uk

HARVEY NICHOLS Bunny Bottoms & Carrots Marzipans, £8.95 harveynichols.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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“Putting good food in your body means you can take on the day feeling energised”

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FOOD & DRINK • Q&A

M o o d

FO OD Absolutely quizzes Joe Wicks about his new book, and we take three recipes to try Wo r d s E V E H E R B E R T

Q Your new book Feel Good Food takes

you in a new direction, what made you pivot to writing about food to feel good? A There’s been a massive shift in my narrative over the last couple of years, especially through the pandemic and the links that have surfaced between mental health, the food we eat and the exercise we do. There’s always such a big emphasis on food for fat loss and getting lean by cutting things out, but actually I think the most important thing that draws people back to healthy food and home cooking is the feeling the get when they spend time in the kitchen, creating wonderful recipes with their family and enjoying the food and the energy it gives you. There’s a big conversation that needs to be had around just how much food impacts our mood - I think people often think adequate exercise and sleep is enough to feel fine, but if your diet consists of mainly heavily processed foods, then it isn’t going to give you energy and will instead bring you down. Feel Good Food is about getting in the kitchen and enjoying the process of prepping food, understanding what you’re putting in your body and how this can benefit your energy levels, focus, attention and mood.

For me personally, when I eat junk food I notice I can be more snappy and irritable. Allowing myself treats every now and then is totally fine, but I’ll always come back to nourishing my body with food that makes me feel good. It’s something I’m really passionate about – food, sleep and exercise are all very important to me, because without one of them, it’s very easy to feel off balance. Q Why is it important to start eating

food that makes you feel good now?

A It’s so easy to get fast food delivered to

your door, or to grab a ready meal from a supermarket, but these meals have such highly processed ingredients that they aren’t going to give you energy, and an excess can hold you back from really feeling your best self. When you have great ingredients in your cupboard and access to recipes that you can bang out in 15/20 minutes, it’s going to set you up for a day of energy, leaving you feeling more focused, calm and tolerant. I think this book contains a really important message for everyone going through a difficult time at the minute – there’s still a lot of anxiety and people feeling low, especially with Covid still lingering, so putting good food in your body means

you’re giving yourself the best chance to take on the day feeling energised. Q Have any significant life

experiences inspired the book?

A 100%. Becoming a parent and trying to

balance work (e.g. filming my workout videos) and life (e.g. trying to get the kids to bed and have enough sleep myself) has inspired me to think more about batch cooking and family style food – hence the pies, the curries and chillis – they last 2 or 3 days in the fridge too. For me, batch cooking means leftovers, which in turn means less hassle in the kitchen as well as less dishes, which is great if you’re a fan of speed and simplicity like me. Q What is your top tip for how to

boost your mood with food?

A The most important things for me are

consistency and getting organised. Having ingredients you need in the house and prepping parts of your meal where possible in advance can really set you up for success. If you’re exercising and putting great food into your body, you will feel better, you’ll have more energy to exercise, which in turn means you’ll sleep better and you’ll start to see and feel the links between everything. A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Sweet Potato Nachos Serves 4 This is actually a really healthy recipe with loads of good stuff. It’s one of the best things to make as a family and then all just steam into when it comes out of the oven. Cheese all dripping down your chin... Mess everywhere... Fighting over the last crispy bits!

INGREDIENTS • 4 medium sweet potatoes (around 600g), peeled and sliced into 5-mm thick coins • 1 tbsp light olive oil 1 tsp salt • 60g Cheddar cheese, grated • 4 tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt, to serve Spiced Mince • 1 tbsp oil • 1 red onion, diced • 100g veggie mince (or minced beef) • ½ tsp ground cumin • ½ tsp ground coriander • ½ tsp smoked paprika pinch of chilli powder • 130g frozen sliced bell pepper (or the same amount of fresh, sliced) Refried Beans • 400g tin of black beans, drained but liquid reserved • pinch of salt • 1 tsp ground cumin

Salsa • 200g cherry tomatoes • roughly chopped big handful of fresh coriander, • ﬁnely chopped juice of 1 lime • pinch of salt

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. 2 Toss the sliced sweet potatoes with the oil and salt on a large baking tray, then spread them out into a single layer (you may need a second baking tray). Roast for 30–40 minutes, ﬂipping them over halfway through, until starting to turn golden. 3 For the spiced mince, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a mediumlow heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the mince, breaking it up with your spoon, and cook for a few minutes according to the packet instructions, or until the mince is no longer pink if using beef. Stir in the cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli powder and frozen (or fresh) sliced peppers. Stir until the peppers have defrosted and warmed through (about 5 minutes if using fresh, until softened). Tip into a bowl and set aside. 4 For the refried beans, return the same pan to the heat and add the drained beans along with 100ml of the liquid reserved from the tin, the salt and cumin. Mash with a potato masher in the pan, loosening with more bean liquid as needed, to make a creamy, slightly chunky paste. Remove from the heat and set aside. 5 Mix together all of the salsa ingredients in a small bowl and set

aside. 6 Once the potato nachos are roasted, top with spoonfuls of the refried beans, followed by a layer of the mince mixture and ﬁnally sprinkle over the grated cheese. 7 Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes until the cheese has melted and crisped up in places. 8 Remove from the oven, top with the salsa and some dollops of yoghurt, then serve.

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• XXXXX • Q&A FOOD XXXXXXXX & DRINK

Chicken Caprese Burgers Serves 4 Just look at this burger. Oh my days… It’s heavenly, isn’t it? I love everything about it. The chicken, mozzarella and pesto are a match made in heaven. Don’t skip this recipe because I think its one of the best burgers I ever created.

INGREDIENTS • 4 skinless chicken breasts • 50g plain ﬂour • 1 tsp dried oregano • 1 egg • 75g panko breadcrumbs • 2 tbsp olive oil • salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve • 1 x 125g ball of mozzarella cheese, drained • 4 heaped tsp basil pesto • 4 medium tomatoes, sliced • a handful of fresh rocket • 4 ciabatta rolls, halved

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan and line a large baking tray with baking paper. 2 Take a large piece of

baking paper, place a chicken breast on the left half of the paper and fold the right half of the paper over the top. Whack the chicken with the end of a rolling pin until it’s an even thickness all over. Set this chicken breast aside and repeat with the remaining chicken. Cut each breast in half so you have 8 smaller pieces in total. 3 Take 3 wide, shallow dishes. In one, mix the flour, dried oregano, a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. In the second dish, mix the egg with a pinch of salt. In the third dish, place the panko breadcrumbs. Dip each chicken piece in the flour, the egg and finally the breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place onto the lined baking tray spacing them a few centimetres apart. Drizzle with half of the oil, then flip them all over and drizzle with the remaining oil.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, ﬂipping them over halfway through the cooking time, until golden and crisp. 5 Cut the mozzarella into 8 slices and place one slice onto each piece of chicken. Return to the oven for 5 minutes so that the cheese can melt. 6 Remove from the oven and top each piece of chicken with a little pesto. Serve in the ciabatta rolls with the rocket and tomatoes. 4

Baked Ricotta & Strawberry Cheesecake Serves 8-10

Cheesecake? Oh, yes please! This is a real showstopper, so if you have friends coming over or a party coming up, pull this recipe out. It’s tangy, refreshing and creamy and I’ll bet everyone loves it.

INGREDIENTS Base • 35g unsalted butter, melted • 75g ground almonds • 25g plain white flour pinch of salt • 1½ tsp caster sugar Cheesecake Filling • 250g ricotta cheese • 340g light cream cheese • 100g caster sugar • 2 tbsp cornflour • 3 large eggs • finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon • 1 tsp vanilla extract

the cake tin and press down into an even layer. Bake for 6–8 minutes until golden, then remove from the oven and set aside. 3 Turn the oven down to 160°C/140°C fan. 4 Sandwich the ricotta cheese between 4 layers of kitchen paper, patting it down to form a flat circle (this removes excess moisture from the cheese). Uncover and tip into a large bowl, then add the cream cheese and use a whisk to stir until smooth. Mix in the sugar and cornflour followed by the eggs, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. 5 Pour the cheesecake filling over the baked crust and place the tin onto a baking tray. Bake for 50–60 minutes until the edges are set and the middle has a slight wobble. Carefully slide a knife around the outer edge of the baked cheesecake, then set aside to cool completely. 6 Meanwhile, make the strawberry topping. Tip 100g of the strawberries into a food processor with the honey and blitz until you have a smooth purée. Cut the remaining strawberries into quarters and place in a medium bowl. Add the strawberry purée and stir to coat. 7 Cut the cooled cheesecake into wedges and serve with the strawberry topping spooned over.

Strawberry Topping • 400g strawberries, hulled • 2 tsp runny honey • 1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Use some of the melted butter to grease the sides of an 18-cm springform cake tin. 2 Mix all of the base ingredients together in a medium bowl. Tip into

Recipes taken from Feel Good Food by Joe Wicks, HQ, £20

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FOOD & DRINK • REVIEW

ABSOLUTELY eats out…

“All of it looks delightful and tastes frankly amazing”

JERU

Mayfair’s impressive newcomer offers an innovative menu of delicious dishes

Middle Eastern with a creative twist

B y PENDLE HARTE

his new Mayfair eaterie is the kind of place that could exist anywhere in the world. Not just for its international crowd, but for its modern global vibe. It says it’s ‘Middle Easterninspired” but Australian chef Roy Ner is dedicated to creativity and his interests include bread and charcuterie, and his menu is full of innovation and confidence. It’s a glamorous entrance, and we are led through the restaurant

FOOD

DECOR by a characterful maitre d’ in a long leather coat, a fedora and goatee beard. He darts around all evening, creating a sense of intrigue. Other staff are impossibly smily and friendly. On the ground floor is a large dining space with a long exposed kitchen, and downstairs is the Layla bar, with more dining plus a DJ and an impressive cocktail list. We’re here for the chef’s sharing selection, an expansive menu of treats. First off there’s potato fermented wood fire bread with truffle honey, slightly charred and delicious. Then there’s cured yellowtail kingfish with date, ginger,

Glitzy and global

PRICE Set menu £69 per head

persimmon and lime leaves, where each ingredient really sings. Tarbes Farm Angus rump basturma, incredibly thin slivers of sweet beef, is delicate and delicious. Next up are fried halloumi doughnuts with goats curd (cute, crispy and moreish), hasselback Jerusalem artichokes with goat whey and anchovies (very possibly the best dish of all with its caramelised crust and tahini texture), charcoal octopus with cuttlefish rago, black spinach and chill, plus roast aubergine with macademia dukkah and smoked herb tahini. All of it looks delightful and tastes frankly amazing. The third act brings kingfish with Nablus tahini and fermented chickpea, a perfect complement to just-cooked fish, and lamb neck with sweetbreads and bean stew, which is soft and meaty. Sides of a half baby gem with parmesan and crispy gratin potato are excellent. This is the kind of place that reminds you why you love restaurants. With elements of surprise and delight in each dish, it’s a treat of a spot.

VERDICT

JERU

Outstanding food, glamorous vibe

11 Berkeley Street, W1 jeru.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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What other class of gin did you expect to see gracing these pages?

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CURATED COLLECTIONS FOR STYLISH HOMES Unleash your inner creativity with our striking selection of Ca’ Pietra statement stone & designer tiles Benefit from our wealth of design experience as tile specialists at our boutique one-stop destination

The Old Firestation, 67 High Street, Ascot SL5 7HP | 01344 620211

www.hyperiontiles.co.uk Untitled-2 1

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FA S H I O N

HIGH LIFE JORI PAPA

Designing shoes as a unique piece of art is the heart of Jori Papa. From structured heels to modern shapes, Jori’s designs are for the bold woman who does not recognize herself in classic styles and wants to stand out. Jori’s muse feels fearless in expressing herself through the way she dresses and dares to play with colour and texture. joripapa.com

Spring shapes at Yves Salomon 46 • Jewellery 52 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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A PLACE IN THE

SUN Strong shapes for spring at Yves Salomon

Y VE S-SALOMON.CO.UK

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24/03/2022 16:28

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23/03/2022 14:59

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FASHION • JEWELLERY

Nature’s Way Return to the earth with these natural gemstones B y R AC H E L H O G G

CARRIE ELIZABETH

FOOL’S GOLD

DINNY HALL

Moonstone Bracelet in Gold, £80 carrieelizabeth.co.uk

Moonstone & Diamond Set Statement Ring, £180 foolsgoldjewellery.co.uk

Gold Opal and Diamond Wristlet, £695 dinnyhall.com

HONOURA JEWELLERY

JIA JIA

MISSOMA

Vye Rose Quartz Gold Necklace, £125 honoura.co.uk

Gold Amethyst Necklace, £445 net-a-porter.com

Rhodochrosite Lena Charm Necklace, £125 missoma.com

ILAYA

SHAR OKE

MONICA VINADER

Aqua Veronica Drop Earrings, £142 wolfandbadger.com

Aquamarine & Hermiker Diamond Beaded Bracelet, £126 wolfandbadger.com

Gold & Aquamarine Siren Cluster Cocktail Ring, £180 monicavinader.com

A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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ESCAPE TO ENGLAND'S LARGEST LAKE.

Relax… unwind. Indulge in simply great food. Explore one of the most beautiful places in the world.

storrshall

storrs_hall

Storrs Hall, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria LA23 3LG Tel. 015394 47111 | Email. reception@storrshall.com | www.storrshall.com AA 2 Rosette Culinary Excellence | AA 4 Star Hotel

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

T HIS M O N T H BEAUTY FROM WITHIN Are you ready to glow? Whether it's shiny hair, strong nails, or clear skin you’re after, this month Absolutely has rounded up the supplements and vitamins that will help you on your way.

Beauty notes 57 • Trend: inner beauty 59 • Fitness 65 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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A MI L L I O N MI L E S FRO M E V E RY DAY The rural retreat. A twist on tradition. The clatter of hooves. The English countryside. The miles of possibility. The feeling of home. Coworth Park.

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A S C OT + 44 (0)1 3 4 4 8 7 6 6 0 0 D O R C HES T ER C OL L E C T I ON .COM #DCmoments CoworthPark CoworthParkUK CoworthPark

25/03/2022 21/03/2022 09:32 13:36

HEALTH & BEAUTY • NOTES

BEAUTY NOTES

The latest in luxury makeup and skincare B y R AC H E L H O G G

NEW IN

FOCUS

SKIN WOW

fragrance HOUSE OF CREED

The personalised facial that really gets to know your skin

After nearly five years of development, House of Creed has released its newest feminine fragrance; Wind Flowers. Inspired by the grace and strength of a dancer’s movement, master perfumer Oliver Creed created a fragrance that balances enchanting fresh, floral notes with undertones of sandalwood and musk, £260.

B y R AC H E L H O G G

creedfragrances.co.uk

Bright Under Eyes SKIN PROUD

Straight-talking brand Skin Proud’s new Bright Eye Cream is just the thing to moisturise and protect the delicate skin under your eyes. The lightweight gel-cream formula is infused with a nourishing combination of pomegranate, vitamin C, shea butter and 2% niacinamide, £14.95. boots.com

I NDULG E YOU RS EL F CHANEL

Fans of the sensual scent of Coco Mademoiselle are going to love indulging in Chanel’s newest launch, the Velvet Body Oil. A clear, drytextured body oil, that perfumes the body with the distinctive fragrance, and leaves skin feeling silky soft and radiant, £60. chanel.com

EDITOR’S PICK

he Wow Facial is the customisable skinboosting treatment currently taking the aesthetics industry by storm. The facial involves a series of six carefully ordered stages, that utilise some of the most advanced skincare technologies available on the market. Each stage can be adapted to target a variety of specific skin concerns, including hyperpigmentation, dehydration and fine lines or wrinkles. The procedure is currently being offered at the award-winning clinic, Vie Aesthetics, where one of their expert skin care practitioners will sit down with you, get to know your skin and discuss the kind of results you are wanting. From there they can tailor the facial to meet your needs, starting with choosing from one of four exfoliating peels. Then, they mix you a personalised serum of powerful active ingredients, that are infused into the skin using a gentle micro-needling treatment. The facial is concluded with the use of a LED mask to stimulate collagen growth and encourage the skin’s healing process, followed by the application of a supercharged hydrating mask. The result is the luminous, youthful complexion of your dreams and to make sure your skin stays flawless between appointments, WOW at-home treatment packages are also available for purchase. VIE AESTHETIC S The Wow Facial, from £250;

vie-aesthetics.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND

STARPOWA Hair, Skin & Nail Gummies , £39.99 hollandandbarrett.com

ZITSTICKA Blur Potion, £48 zitsticka.co.uk

CENTRED

WELLECO

Tender Love and Hair, £30 wearecentred.com

The Skin Elixir, £35 welleco.co.uk

BEAUTY PIE Collagen Super Powder, £100, £28.82 for members beautypie.com

EDITOR’S PICK

111 SKIN

BEAUTY PIE Like Sun Supplement, £40, £12.79 for members beautypie.com

INSIDE OUT

Beauty can come from within thanks to these supplements B y R AC H E L H O G G

The Clarity Beauty Dose, £115 111skin.co.uk

HUM NUTRITION Hair Sweet Hair, £27.25 cultbeauty.co.uk

ABSOLUTE COLLAGEN Marine Liquid Collagen Drink, £32.99 absolutecollagen.com

VIDA GLOW Natural Marine Collagen Sachets, £39 uk.vidaglow.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • TOOLS

B E A U T Y T E C H PRECISION TOOLS AT THE READY

FA S T C U R L

G H D C U R V E T H I N WA N D

For quick and long-lasting curl definition with no extreme heat, the ghd thin wand works at 185 degrees with a speedy 30 second heat up time, delivering tight curls in 3 seconds. £139 ghdhair.com

Z E R O WA S T E

SURI

Suri is the world's most sustainable electric toothbrush, with a plantbased head/bristles and modular aluminium body that's designed to be deconstructed and recycled or repaired by SURI for free. £120 trysuri.com

POD LIFE REDUIT UNI

This multi-use device can be a cleanser, moisturiser, serum or spot treatment for skin, as well as a conditioner or volumizer for hair. Just pick a pod and go. £89 reduit.com

L I G H T T H E R A PY SW E A R BY SK IN

The LookLit LED mask treats skincare problems ranging from spots to unwanted lines. Just wear the mast for 10 minutes three times a weel and let the light do its magic. £75 swearbyskin.com

STRAIGHT UP DY S O N C O R R A L E

This is the ultimate straightener: it's cordless and uses minimal heat, so less breakage and frizz. Still, it can create curls and waves as well as smooth and sleek locks. £399 dyson.co.uk

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If something doesn’t feel right, we’re here to help Whether you have an ongoing health concern, you’re waiting for NHS treatment, or want a second opinion, you can access specialist healthcare now. To book an appointment with a consultant doctor or to enquire about self-pay prices, simply phone or email us using the contact details below.

Specialist appointments available for: ✓ Cardiology

✓ Men’s health

✓ Cosmetic surgery

✓ Orthopaedics

✓ Dermatology

✓ Pain management

✓ Diagnostic imaging

✓ Physiotherapy

✓ Digestive health

✓ Podiatry

✓ Ear, nose and throat

✓ Private GP

conditions

✓ Sports injuries

✓ General medical

✓ Urology

conditions

✓ Varicose veins

✓ General surgery

✓ Women’s health

✓ Gynaecology

Appointments available from

£220

For appointments call 020 3930 5285 For self-pay prices call 020 3603 1895 or email selfpay@theholly.com Highgate Private Hospital, 17 -19 View Road, Highgate, N6 4DJ

highgatehospital.co.uk/selfpay *Subject to availability

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • PARTNERSHIP

“Practising good sun-safety habits from childhood may prevent longterm damage"

SUN-SAFE SUMMER Highgate Hospital's guide to keeping your family’s skin safe from the sun, so you can enjoy the warmer weather together

kin cancer is one of the fastest-growing cancers in the UK. Most cases of skin cancer develop as a result of sun exposure. Five or more sunburns in youth can increase the lifetime risk of developing melanoma (the most serious type of skin cancer) by 80%. With the summer on its way, learn how to protect your child’s skin from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. Dermatologists recommend the use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains UVA and UVB protection. Sunscreen should be applied at least 30 minutes before going outdoors and re-applied every 2 hours. Sunscreen should be used daily if you are going to be outdoors. Be mindful that even on cloudy days, up to 80% of

the sun’s harmful rays can penetrate the skin. Sand and water reflect the sunshine and increase the need for sunscreen. Children below the age of 6 months should be kept out of the sun, as their skin is too sensitive for the use of sunscreens. Babies should be protected from the sun with lightweight clothing that covers their arms and legs. They should also wear a hat to shield their face, ears and neck. After the age of 6 months, it is safe to use sunscreens. Sunscreens are only part of the defence against ultraviolet radiation. Older children still need to be kept safe by spending time in the shade and wearing protective clothing, hats and sunglasses. Babies and children are extremely sensitive to the effects of sunlight and their skin mustn’t be allowed to redden or burn. Practising and forming good sun-safety habits from childhood may prevent long-term damage to the skin in the future.

A S P E N H E A LT H CA R E Highgate Hospital has a team of dermatologists, who specialise in skin health. To make an appointment, please call 020 3918 9522. highgatehospital.co.uk

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • FITNESS

FITNESS

TOP

PICKS

NOTES

LuLuLemon pieces designed with yoga in mind

By RACHEL HOGG

F O R M OV E M E N T The Align Tank is a fan favourite for a reason: the fit contours to your body and manages to be full coverage and incredibly flattering at the same time, £45 lululemon.co.uk

FLYING FANTASTIC

DISCO YOGA

FOR COMFORT The Align High-Rise Pant is designed to minimise distractions and maximise comfort, and their next-to-nothing feel makes them a real closet staple, from £88 lululemon.co.uk

FOR SUPPORT The Free to be Elevated Bra is just the thing for low-impact activities. The strappy open back allows for a full range of motion without sacrificing support, £38 lululemon.co.uk

YOGA WITH A TWIST Relax and unwind with these playful yoga classes DI S CO YO GA

F LY I N G FA N TA ST I C

 Forget stretching, before this class you’ll need to glitter up instead. Disco Yoga is a fun and light-hearted alternative to a traditional yoga class. You will shimmy your way through your sun salutations and swap out Savasana for a disco nap. It’s the perfect way to connect with friends and a free after-class cocktail is included in your ticket price, so you can keep the party going. discoyoga.uk

 You can take your practice to the skies at London’s only aerial fitness school, Flying Fantastic. Their aerial yoga classes are just the thing for someone looking to add a vertical challenge to their stretches. It’s a great way to relieve pressure in the joints, increase your muscular flexibility, allow your spine to decompress. You'll stretch yourself to the limit and might even leave the class feeling a bit taller. flyingfantastic.co.uk

RO LLING W I T H MY YO GIS  There’s a new prop on the block. This Gymbox class incorporates a yoga wheel, a versatile piece of equipment that will prove itself useful to every type of yogi, from the beginner to the well-seasoned. With its help, you’ll be able to roll deeper into your inversions, improve your strength and stability and who knows you may even ﬁnally master the backbend. gymbox.com

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INTERIORS

BRA N CH OUT B E R G S P OT T E R

Bergs Potter's stylish pots come in all shapes, sizes, colours and glazes. This sculptural Willow vase has a woven pattern reminiscent of old wickerwork and makes a stylish base for a homespun Easter tree. bergspotter.com

Interior inspirations 68 • London's best extensions 72 • Iconic chairs 101 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS N OT E S Ideas, designs and styles for your home By PENDLE HARTE

FRESH LIGHT HOUSEOF

Houseof specialises in creatively engineered lights with a strong focus on sustainability. Founded in 2019 by Helen White and Michael Jones, who between them had spend 20 years working for the high street's biggest names, the brand pledges to bring a fresh approach to a sometimes stale industry. This Tube table lamp is bold and stylish, £119. houseof.com

PAT T E R N CU T S AMECHI FOR DADO

Celebrating the indigenous traditions of West Africa, Cameroonian-born designer Amechi Mandi’s characterful textiles have now been reworked into a series of wallpapers for Dado, with designs that sit between sophisticated and statement. dadoatelier.com

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INTERIORS • NOTES

TA K E FIVE Stripes JOHN LEWIS Coastal Retreat picnicware johnlewis.com

G O LD E N AG E

F LO O R F I N E RY

DE LA CUONA

THE RUG COMPANY

Mary Katrantzou's new collection for The Rug Company, A Life in Pattern, showcases two new designs in two colourways and highlights the appreciation of beauty, craftsmanship and bold patterns that both brands share. This is art for the floor. therugcompany.com

MINDTHEGAP Linen cushion, £129 mindtheg.com

De La Cuona's new luxury fabrics embrace optimism and escapism with a touch of drama, recalling the Golden Age of the 1920s. A luxurious palette of nuanced naturals with rich accents of silver and gold makes this a glamorous yet understated collection. delacuona.com

ROCKETT ST GEORGE Striped planter, £53 rockettstgeorge.co.uk

TORI MURPHY Striped napkins, £30 for two torimurphy.com

JONATHAN ADLER

DOWN UNDER ANTIPODREAM

Antipodream brings an exclusive range of products to the UK from some of the most exciting new artists and designers from Australia and New Zealand. Brands include Kip & Co, Bimby + Roy, Sage x Clare, Society of Wanderers, Castle & Things, Bride & Wolfe, Tiff Manuell, Formantics and Mustard. antipodream.co.uk

Scala canister, £348 jonathanadler.com

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INTERIORS • CERAMICS

China

GIRL

Emma J Shipley’s new collection of tableware is adored with her colouful and imaginative drawings By P E A R L B OY D

mma J Shipley’s new collection will spark joy in anyone bored of tasteful, minimalist homes with muted shades and lots of beige. The British designer has launched a range of fine bone china tableware that’s covered in her colourful hand-drawn prints inspired by myth, legend and the beauty of the natural world, and it’s stocked exclusively at Liberty. Emma J Shipley started out as a fashion designer, launching her label at London Fashion Week in 2012, after graduating from the Royal College of Art. Immediately, Browns stocked her graduate collection of printed scarves, and the brand is now stocked around the world, including at Liberty and Harrods. She has won multiple awards, including the Emerging Brand prize at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards and the Newcomer Award at the UK Fashion & Textile Awards, presented by HRH Princess Anne. Emma has collaborated with high-profile brands including Disney on a Star Wars collection and Aspinal of London on a collection of printed leather bags, and has previously worked with Atelier Swarovski and Anthropologie. China is new to Emma. Aligning with the brand’s commitment to ethical and sustainable making, each piece from the collection is crafted from scratch and hand-decorated by skilled artisans in Stoke-On-Trent, UK. Twelve individual layers of colour have been used to build up the exquisitely detailed and colourful artwork on each piece, and designs are all hand-drawn in pencil. This is Emma J Shipley’s first ever collection of fine china

dining pieces, and will team beautifully with the brand’s existing placemats, coasters and trays. She says: “It’s been so exciting to work on a completely new category and material for me, especially working with such talented makers here in the UK. It wasn’t easy translating my detailed designs, however it was worth all the hard work and I’m delighted with the outcome. I can’t wait for people to be able to spark their imagination with my designs for every meal or cup of tea of coffee!” emmajshipley.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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SPACE

NON BOXY LOFTY BY FRAHER & FINDLAY

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INTERIORS • ARCHITECTURE

New London Architcture’s annual competition for the capital’s best residential renovations is back. Here are some of the shortlisted projects By EVE HERBERT

TALK ARTIST STUDIO CONVERSION, KITCHEN © ARCHITECT AND PHOTOGRAPHER VATRAA

total of five renovation projects have been shortlisted as some of London’s best home improvements for the 2022 edition of New London Architecture’s (NLA) Don’t Move, Improve! This annual competition celebrates the most innovative home improvement projects from across London. Significant 2022 trends include interconnected indoor/outdoor spaces, use of wood and natural materials, natural tones and pastel colours alongside bold shapes, including curves and circles, often inspired by art-deco. Noticeably visible are also statement ceilings and colourful structures. The most popular boroughs for home improvements within the shortlist are Lewisham, Southwark, Kensington and Chelsea and Hackney. The most common types of extension are rear and side, with interior refits, as befitting London’s semi-detached and terraced housing. Designed by Turner Architects, A Tuscan Veranda features a kitchen remodelling and extension of a family home in Lambeth. Drawing on the Italian style of the terraced house with classic and perfectly proportioned Romanesque arches, A Tuscan Veranda offers framed views of the house through the garden. The repeated form draws on Raphael’s Pillars of Knowledge, and the result is a relaxed space for conversation and entertainment, with a table functioning as the centrepiece of family life. Over in Lewisham, four houses have been shortlisted, including Little Brownings, Non A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Boxy Lofty, Pergola House and Transitions. Little Brownings is a home extension set in a three storey 1960s terraced house on the Dulwich Estate in Forest Hill. Designed by Archmongers Architects, the extension improved the existing house without losing any of its 1960s character, turning it into an uncompromising modern house for years to come. Designed by Fraher & Findlay, Non Boxy Lofty looked at different ways to extend spaces at roof level. The architects looked at traditional ways of forming bedroom spaces at loft level and designed an inverse plan with the kitchen and dining spaces overlooking the rooftops, with the bedrooms underneath them. The result is a light living and landing space connected by a perforated metal staircase. Pergola House by Benjamin Wilkes is a timber framed single-storey extension to a Victorian family home in the Lee Manor Conservation Area. Wilkes enlarged the kitchen space to accommodate the needs of a growing young family. To reduce site wastage, bricks from the existing external wall were salvaged and reused on the flank walls. The pergola structure is formed by a series of oak ribs, which afford both privacy and shade. Warm and tactile materials, such as clay render, oak, and terrazzo, create a bold and colourful interior. Transitions by Red Squirrel Architects features two small rear extensions and the remodelling of the lower area of the rear elevation, and the addition of a landscaped external terrace. The transformation of the house was achieved by adding only 10 square metres of additional floorspace. In Southwark, two houses have been shortlisted: Coffered House by Proctor

SHOJI APARTMENT BY PROCTOR AND SHAW ©STÅLE ERIKSEN

“A SINGLE JOINERY ELEMENT BRINGS FUNCTIONALITY, WARMTH, AND TACTILITY TO A REIMAGINED FAMILY SPACE ” and Shaw and Curve Appeal by nimtim architects. Coffered House reveals a deep retrofit to the upper storeys of the Victorian home. Additional rooms and a master bedroom ensuite are created under the new, highly insulated roof. The loft extension is a custom Accoya timberframed window system, contrasting the horizontal composition with a vertically coffered design. The master bedroom ensuite occupies the full width of the front of the house, enjoying abundant light from a series of six windows. The interior is defined with generous fixed cabinetry, designed by Proctor & Shaw, finished in scalloped oak, oak veneer and shop sprayed wardrobe doors with a contemporary coffered panel design. Curve Appeal by nimtim architects completely reinvents an existing 1920s semi-detached house through the addition of a single joinery element that brings

functionality, warmth, and tactility to a reimagined family space. The joinery showcases the clients’ collection of objects through fragments of arched alcoves, a motif throughout the new design. As well as storing books, cupboards for crockery and a crafting area, the joinery partitions conceal structural elements, large sliding doors and include glazed openings that allow playful glimpses to and from adjacent spaces. In Kensington and Chelsea, architecture and interior design studio VATRAA, winner of last year’s Compact Design of the Year prize, redesigned Artist Studio Conversion – a conversion of a former artist studio into an energy efficient, fourbedroom home. Inspired by the clients’ interest in spirituality and meditation, VATRAA explored the spiritual quality of the space through views, light and materials orchestrated in a simple, calm composition. In North Kensington, Oliver Leech

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INTERIORS • ARCHITECTURE BAY WINDOW HOUSE © GUNDRY DUCKER AND JIM STEPHENSON

Architects remodelled Pink House, a Victorian terrace that required a full overhaul. The clients wanted to celebrate natural materials, travel memories, and create a home perfect for entertaining. The design team stripped the house back to its bare bones, digging a new basement under the existing structure to provide a new kitchenette, guest bedroom and cinema room. The use of simple materials, such as exposed Douglas fir timber beams and steelwork, polished concrete, and unfinished plaster, create a raw and warm environment, which will age gracefully over time. In Hackney, two home improvements are within the 2022 shortlist: Bay Window House by Gundry + Ducker and Concrete Plinth House by DGN Studio. The remodelled space in Bay Window House features the addition of a modern staircase that connects the ground floor to the new space below. The extension is designed in the form of a new bay window as a counterpoint to the original bays. The Victorian character of the original house has been restored while thermally upgrading the envelop. As the name suggests, Concrete Plinth House features a series of concrete plinths, embedded into the ground of a Victorian end-of-terrace house. These

PERGOLA HOUSE BY BENJAMIN WILKES © BILLY BOLTON

CONCRETE PLINTH HOUSE BY DGNS © BUILDING NARRATIVES

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plinths stage the solitary and communal activities of a young family, and support the oak frame and steel structure, which make up the fabric and lining of the new space. While the sunken concrete base grounds the house with an atmosphere of permanence, the glazed and panelled oak frame filters light into the house, in order to create a serene space. Nestled in Highgate Conservation Area in Haringey, Church Road by RUFFARCHITECTS, is set amongst the only remaining ancient oaks outside Highgate Wood. The design team has created an innovative playful design, constant landscape interaction, establishing this family home within the close-nit neighbourhood through shared benefits of flood protection, passive supervision, and public realm improvements. Stripping to sound structure allowed reconfiguration to provide multiple family living spaces, engaging with changing seasons, enhancing biodiversity and creating a quality of life, which is unparalleled in this urban setting. Shoji Apartment in Camden by Proctor and Shaw is a fine study in materiality, transparency, and enclosure. This house renovation project is conceived as a prototype for micro-living: poky and uncomfortable cellular rooms have been replaced by a generous multifunctional living space arranged around a translucent sleeping pod inspired by

COFFER HOUSE BY PROCTOR AND SHAW ©NICK DEARDON

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INTERIORS • ARCHITECTURE PINK HOUSE BY OLIVER LEECH © STÅLE ERIKSEN

CURVE APPEAL BY NIMTIM ARCHITECTS. PRODUCT IMAGE DINING TABLE PENDANT © MEGAN TAYLOR

“A PROTOTYPE FOR MICRO-LIVING: POKY AND UNCOMFORTABLE CELLULAR ROOMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY A GENEROUS MULTIFUNCTIONAL LIVING SPACE” A TUSCAN VERANDA BY TURNER ARCHITECTS PHOTOGRAPHER © ADAM SCOTT

Japanese Shoji screens. By cleverly stacking accommodation in a single height volume, additional floor area is conjured to provide a real sense of luxury and design quality in under 30 square metres. Slide and Slot House in Enfield features an extension and internal refurbishment to a 19th century cottage, designed by Ashton Porter Architects. Located within the Enfield Lock Conservation Area and situated on a narrow strip of land between the River Lea and Lee Navigation, Slide and Slot House features a conversion of a 2-bedroom house to a 3-bedroom modern living accommodation, with the addition of a new living space. Anthracite zinc was selected to refer to the industrial heritage of the small arms factory whereby materials were typically transported via the adjacent canal to the factory. Forest House in Waltham Forest by AOC is a remodelled and extended semi-detached Victorian house on a tree-lined street in Highams Park. After four years in the house, the homeowners wanted to retain the comfortable intimacy but introduce more space. A single storey garage was removed, and a set of new connected spaces wrapped around the side and rear of the house. A triple height kitchen sits at the heart of the home, overlooking a garden room, with an attic room perched above. Over 200 family home extensions were submitted to the Don’t Move, Improve! 2022 competition. These 15 best projects were chosen by an eminent judging panel, chaired by NLA’s Director Amy Chadwick Till. Winners will be announced in May. nla.london A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS • TRENDS

Colour

WAYS

House of Hackney launches paint colours inspired by nature By EVE HERBERT

he colour cauldron at House of Hackney has been bubbling away in preparation for the brand’s biggest launch of the year. The Art of Nature is House of Hackney’s first paint collection, artistically crafted in house and designed to transform any space in a matter of two coats. Inspired by the sublime palette of nature and the importance of the home as a sanctuary, founders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle hope to bring light and joy into people’s homes and make the everyday sing with colour. Interior revolutionaries and colour pioneers Gormley and Royle launched House of Hackney 10 years ago with a dream to infuse people’s home with colour and create well-crafted future heirlooms. They launched a riot of colour and print, capturing the mood of the zeitgeist and ushering in a revival of wallpapers and textiles for a new generation. Breaking away from the traditional rules of interior design, House of Hackney’s team of expert consultants have helped guide people in colour matching paint to their chosen wallpapers for years now. In this context, launching a paint collection was a natural, bold step, giving people wanting to wrap themselves into the world of print and those looking for a pop of colour the opportunity to do so in House of Hackney’s palettes. The earth’s natural apothecary was a springboard for this first collection. House of Hackney experimented with colours and shades, and minerals, roots, rocks and berries form the base of the vivid colours that make up the paint collection.

“Taking care of Mother Nature is at the heart of what we do and so our new paint collection is an ode to her colourful ways. Not only are the mix of colours bright and vivid, some even offering an element of subtlety we’re not usually known for, but the paint is practical and easy to apply, with long- lasting coverage that makes it easy for any novice or expert to use. As with most of our products, our paint is made to order in the UK, hoping to achieve minimal waste,” says Frieda Gormley. Every paint tin sold enables House of Hackney to purchase and protect 35 square metres of forest in partnership with the World Land Trust. houseofhackney.com

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SPRING

FEVER

Vispring’s mattress technology has remained fairly constant for more than a century. What’s the secret of its success? Absolutely ﬁnds out By PENDLE HARTE

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INTERIORS • BEDS

WOOL MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION

ur homes have changed beyond recognition within the past century. Even the past decade has brought vast changes – but still some things remain reassuringly constant. The mattress I currently sleep on, for instance, is made from pretty much the same materials as it would have been 100 years ago, when Vispring launched the pocket spring in London, not far from my house in NW10. Sleeping on it is giving me a strong sense of connection with the past, even though the working class inhabitants of my Victorian house would have been unlikely to have a Vispring mattress in those days. Such luxury was reserved for passengers on the Titanic, say. But today a high quality mattress is recognised as an invaluable asset to wellbeing, because we all know that without sleep, nothing functions. Pocket sprung mattresses may be commonplace now, but their development marked a milestone in mattress history.

British engineer James Marshall made a supportive mattress with coiled springs wrapped in muslin for his wife in 1899. We might not know what happened to her, but two years later her bed became the basis of the Marshall Sanitary Mattress Company in London, which had a factory in Victoria Road NW10, and the spring was known as the Marshall Coil. In 1911 the company took a major order from the Titanic, which commissioned luxury mattresses for its suites and first class cabins, and soon the company’s patented coil mattresses were to be found in luxurious hotels, clubs and ocean liners all over the UK. In the 1930s Marshall rebranded as Vispring, and in the early 1970s the factory moved to Plymouth – but the patented coil (now known as the pocket coil) remains the same, as does the Vispring commitment to using natural materials and craftsmanship. And what’s inside, apart from springs? Johnny Mitchell of Vispring UK explains: All our mattresses contain one, two or three layers of calico pocketed springs. They also contain high quality wool and a selection of natural materials ranging from silk to

“A HIGH QUALITY MATTRESS IS RECOGNISED AS AN INVALUABLE ASSET TO WELLBEING” alpaca and mohair. Each mattress has handside stitching and comes with air vents for optimal airflow.” It takes one craftsman up to eight hours to side-stitch a mattress, he says. “Unlike mass-produced mattresses, our iconic side-stitching is all done by hand. It’s an intricate, labour-intensive technique that takes years to master. A major part of our core DNA, this process is integral to the quality and comfort of every Vispring.” The principle is that keeping the springs separately wrapped, rather than wired

HAND-CRAFTING AT VISPRING

together, allows for motion separation between the sides of the bed. Which means that when you have a parter who’s heavier than you and moves around a lot, you might spend the night being thrown around. With the Supreme mattress, there’s no reciprocal impact when one person moves. And in terms of temperature, anyone who’s ever slept on a cheap foam mattress will understand the importance of breathable, natural materials that keep you warm without overheating. Wool is naturally temperature regulating and helps the mattress breathe. My Vispring feels both substantial and cosy – medium support means that there’s no sagging or sinking, but it still feels welcoming, in a five-star-hotel way. The usual lifespan of a mattress is around 15 years. Generally at that point it’s a sorry thing, sunken and spent, and disposing of it is both physically awkward and environmentally problematic. Vispring promises a 30 year lifespan for each mattress, which is a long time by any standards, and makes a significant difference in terms of environmental impact. If all mattresses lasted 30 years, we’d certainly see fewer abandoned ones on street corners, and there would be less pressure on landfill. Mitchell says: “By inventing the pocket spring, we changed how the world sleeps.” Every mattress is made to order from start to finish at the Plymouth workshop. There’s a choice of 74 distinct spring types, and they’re able to tailor the spring tension to your own specific needs — whether that’s soft, medium, firm or extra firm. So anyone looking for a good night’s sleep should take note: a Vispring is a sensible investment. vispring.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Introducing the Emmeline. Call now to bring personality to your home heating. Castrads’ bespoke radiators are efficient, beautiful and unique to your home. 020 3397 7295 w w w. c a s t r a d s . c o m

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INTERIORS • TREND DAVID HUNT LIGHTING Scallop pendant, £POA davidhuntlighting.co.uk

ROSE & GREY Blue twister side table, £310 roseandgrey.co.uk

ORIGINAL BTC London table light, £615 originalbtc.com

CULT FURNITURE Century medium coffee table, £279 cultfurniture.com

EDITOR’S PICK

NEW WAVE

THE RUG RETAILER Orange retro rug, £71 therugretailer.co.uk

Curves and scalloping deﬁne the new look By P E N D L E H A R T E

CIELSHOP Cane Curved Screen Black, £475 cielshopinteriors.com

FIONA HOWARD

POOKY

Sway wallpaper, £69 fionahoward.com

Murphy table lamp, £110 pooky.com

THE HOUSE OFFICE Kastan Curved Edge Console Table, £221 thehouseoffice.co.uk

ERCOL Heritage loveseat, £870 ercol.com

SWEETPEA & WILLOW Evernest curved sofa, £4,465 sweetpeaandwillow.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS • HOUSE TOUR

ART

HOUSE This house in Holland Park was designed by Natalie Tredgett for an art collecting couple. Absolutely quizzes her about the project Interview PENDLE HARTE

Q What was the brief for this project? A My client and her husband have

three children and a beloved dog. They wanted to live in their home and to feel comfortable, without compromising their space by sectioning off areas. They have a vast art collection and I wanted to elevate the art with colour and pattern to reflect their electric asthetic. Q Where did you begin? A We started with a floorplan and

organised the pieces that she already owned, establishing the items she wished to refurbish or reupholster and those she wanted to replace. Then we

created a list of new pieces to source. From the outset, we needed to think carefully about where the client’s extensive art collection would hang. This dictated the colours, textures and decorative focal points needed to enhance the art and give it the attention it deserved. Q How did incorporating the art fit in? A My client is an artist. Together with

her husband, they collect art, so their collection is central to their home. The art actually led the project as it is such an integral part of the identity of their home. It's so colourful, yet the walls are neutral. Once we had worked out the floorplan, A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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we focused on the art and where it would be best positioned. This formed the basis for our decisions regarding the rest of the scheme. Q Did you consider other colours? And

what paint colours did you use? A Absolutely. We thought about other paint colours, as well as patterns, wallpapers and textured wall coverings. We experimented with lots of ideas but ultimately the art works demanded a neutral palette to allow their impact to fully resonate within the space. That said, we did extend the use of colour from the art to the floor covering and soft furnishing choices.

Q What are your favourite

elements in the house?

A It has to be the family room, which is

where the vast double sofa is placed.

Q What were the project's challenges? A It’s a rented property, so this meant that

we needed to avoid making any structural changes or investing in choices that didn’t offer the clients longevity as well as flexibility. Q Tell us about the vast

double cornered sofa.

A This is the heart of the home, where the

whole family can come together to relax and enjoy their space. It’s all about comfort.

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INTERIORS • HOUSE TOUR

“AT THE HEART OF MY WORK IS AN OBSESSION FOR COSY, JOYFUL, EASYGOING LIVING” Q There are a lot of different

textiles - tell us about those?

A I love layering textiles. We are not

simply dressing a home - we are building on the back of individual personalities and life stories whilst working on the fabric and structure of the home itself. At the heart of my work is an obsession for cosy, joyful, easy-going living. This fundamental baseline is then layered with colour, texture and pattern and completed with artful pieces that are well chosen, thoughtfully collected and purposefully placed. Q What is the best advice you could

give someone about their home?

A It’s a mix of the following, which

incidentally is at the heart of my Principle of Living Well. We need to fuss more about our cherished memories and objects of beauty. They bring us pleasure. If you don’t make a fuss it will pass you by like any other day. Pleasure is important in life. Always celebrate the little things: the little things are really the big things in the end. The decoration of one’s home and how one lives is not a contest or something that should be constrained by social convention. It’s about you and who you and your family are. When I look at the results of a design project, I ask myself: have I successfully shown who that person is and reflected the way they wish to live? That is a success for me, and for my clients' wellbeing and life at home. natalietredgett.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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FLOWER

POWER

Exploring the Liberty Garden outdoor fabric collection By P E A R L B OY D

he Liberty Garden in all its glory is captured in Liberty’s new outdoor fabric collection. Muchloved archival classics have been reimagined, appearing alongside brand-new artworks in a playful and eclectic combination of designs. Supernatural botanicals and boldlyscaled florals sit alongside simple geometrics, stripes and plains – all designed and proportioned especially for outdoor use, and expertly printed and woven in Italy and Belgium on beautiful high-performance bases. Harmonised across three distinctive ‘garden rooms’, the collection of 14 designs is criss-crossed by narrative stories of print and colour to reflect Liberty’s eclectic spirit. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of Arts and Crafts gardens, decadent ornamental florals appear juxtaposed against geometric botanical layouts and the classic nostalgia of Liberty ditsy florals – unique and beautiful settings for outdoors, painted in living colour. Liberty’s signature small-scale florals were first popularised in the 1920s and ‘30s – their timeless appeal steeped in nostalgic charm. For The Liberty Garden collection, classic archival 30s prints Betsy Flora and Betsy Bloom have been reworked for outdoor use. Betsy Flora is a larger-scale adaptation of Betsy, originally created for Liberty in 1933. This charming, stylised pattern has proven to be one of the top selling Liberty designs of all time. Reimagined in a myriad of colourways throughout the years, Betsy remains one of Liberty’s most cherished prints. Betsy Bloom is a brand new version of the muchloved Betsy, resized and recoloured as a two-tone pattern. Delicately redrawn with Liberty’s characteristic fine outline, its monochrome stylised flowers create a distinct aesthetic for a fresh and contemporary look.

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INTERIORS • OUTDOOR

Studio-drawn designs such as Grand Milo, Fantasia Jungle and Chile Palm sit alongside archival Liberty classics like Persian Voyage, reworked for outdoor use using jacquard and print techniques. These are vivid and exuberant botanicals with a mood of verdant lushness and discovery. Based on a Liberty print hand-painted during the 1970s, Grand Milo was largely inspired by the tales of the Mughal emperor as depicted in the South Asian manuscripts, and the princes that were deployed to protect the kingdom from predatory tigers and wild animals. Adapted from seasonal print Prince Milo, this rescaled version highlights all the original intricate details and dense linework. Designed and hand-drawn in fine liner in the Liberty Fabrics studio, Fantasia Jungle offers a glimpse into a fantastical world of giant tropical poisonous plants inspired by Kew Gardens. This meandering tropical floral features majestic foliage including passion flowers, pomegranates, acanthus leaves, dicentra, trumpet flowers and palms. It appears here reworked and developed into a bold new scale. Originally hand painted in-house, Chile Palm draws inspiration from the diverse plant life of tropical rainforests. Overlapping palm leaves create a lush jungle canopy filled with light and shadow, subtle movement, definition, and depth. It appears in this collection translated into a sumptuous woven jacquard in four colourways. The bold checked design of Arbour sits harmoniously alongside the vibrancy of Candy and Cabana Stripes, with Marquee offering clean lines and simple graphic forms to complement the ebullient florals. The collection is offset with textured and smooth plain fabrics, Reef and Tempera. Originally created as a printed fabric design in 1976, Cabana Stripe is versatile and practical, with a highly tactile texture and complementary colours reminiscent

“Chile Palm draws inspiration from the diverse plant life of tropical rainforests” A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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03/06/2021

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INTERIORS • OUTDOOR

“ In The Liberty Garden, ﬂowers are ebulliently colourful and choreographed according to colour and season”

of classic deckchair prints. Developed from the archive, this new design translates a bold mixed vertical stripe into textured weave effects – offering a strong contemporary colour contrast to the printed designs. Based on a tiny piece of woven Liberty fabric dating from the 1890s, Palazzo has been revived and reconstructed exclusively for outdoor furnishing fabrics. This undulating geometric features a wavy diagonal check, arranged in an elegant ogee layout. Developed from a silk jacquard in archive, it is translated into a tone-on-tone, yarn-dyed mid-scale geometric. The collection comprises four colour groups, an evolution of the Liberty archive colour stories found in all Liberty Interiors collections: Lacquer, Jade, Pewter and Lapis. Originally drawing inspiration from exquisite 19th century Chinese artworks and textiles, the Jade story is transformed for outdoor use into a richly verdant palette of bold palm greens and vibrant accents, perfect for cushions and day beds. Drawing from the exuberant tropical greenery of calathea and Persian shield, the story sees jadeite and acacia greens offset by the bright pink and turquoise hues of cashew nut plants and banana and passion flowers. Drawing from the rustic philosophy of the Arts and

Crafts movement, this story pays tribute to the beauty of vivid organic shades – painted in flowerbeds and trellises with living colours. For the outdoor collection, lacquer and ointment shades found in country house interiors are reflected in the mainstay garden hues of blushing English roses, poppies, orchids, alliums and lupins – balanced by cooler lichen, acacia and fennel, reminiscent of the hardy traditional native plants found in English gardens. Drawn from the crisp hues of 19th century pottery, the Lapis story is recontextualised for outdoor use into a beautiful coast-to-coast palette of vivid-petaled cobalts and azures. Borage, cornflowers, bluebells, irises, peonies, zinnias, alliums, dahlias and periwinkle inspire this group of vibrant blues and pinks, appearing as if harmonised together in porcelain pots and planters and framed by ceramic tiling – made to be coordinated with confidence. With its serenely muted palette tempered with intricate florals and botanicals, Pewter is a modern neutrals story reimagined for the outdoor collection. Refined and contemporary tones of off-white, beige, rich taupe, dusky pinks, warm greys and sage greens are taken from the soft colouration of plant borders: Nigella, cosmos, winter rose, anemone, wild carrot plant, eucalyptus, Astrantia, camomile, sweet pea and salvia, planted snugly in beds edged by foot-worn stone pathways. Liberty designers took as their muse the Arts and Crafts gardener Gertrude Jekyll, with her focus on natural planting arranged within magnificent geometric frameworks of terraces, pergolas, walkways and ornate steps, interspersed with statues and sunken pools. In The Liberty Garden, flowers are ebulliently colourful and choreographed according to colour and season – a method of painting pictures, using living plants. A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS • GARDENS

G A R D E N P A R T Y FABULOUS ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE

N E W W E AV E J YSK

This garden lounge chair from Swedish brand Jysk is made of powder-coated aluminium and polyrattan. It's a stylish and comfortable piece, £99 jysk.co.uk

G I M M E S H E LT E R DEN KIT CO

The Cottage Garden Den Kit was designed to capture creative imaginations, encourage resourcefulness and innovation, provide escape and sanctuary, and most of all supply hours and hours of simple fun. £45 thedenkitco.com

RAIN PROOF CELI NA DIGBY

Celina Digby's outdoor bench seat pad is water resistant and practical. These durable, practical removable covers are two-sided and come in a variety of prints. £69.99 celinadigby.co.uk

I V Y L E AG U E DA N E T T I

The Ivy Corner Bench is a statement garden piece, creating a social hub for outdoor dining. With a detailed rope back and practical matt finish, this bench is the perfect way to modernise any outdoor space. £1,679 danetti.com

B E AC H V I B E CONR AN SHOP

The Conran Shop-exclusive Beach Hut Watering Can by Julie-Anne Pugh features a bold stripe inspired by traditional British beach huts with a contrasting handle and spout, all handpainted by Pugh. £85 conranshop.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Home

GALLERY The founders of online gallery Murus Art are on a mission to help people ﬁll their homes with original pieces By R AC H E L H O G G

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INTERIORS XXXXXXXX • XXXXX FOCUS FOUNDERS ERICA DAVIS & ROSE O’SHEA

QUADIR BY MARKUS AITKEN

he idea for Murus' online gallery was originally conceived during a conversation around the kitchen table. “One of our friends was saying she wanted to buy some art for her home, but she just didn’t know where to start or how to look for it,”, said Erica Davis. It made her realise that building an art collection can be an intimidating process for many, made more so by the often impersonal approach of many traditional galleries. She and her friend Rose O’Shea saw a gap in the market for a place to buy original art that was easily accessible and more suited to the needs of modern living. The value at the core of their business is the fact that they see art as a personal experience, and for them “it’s about putting people and their homes at the centre” of the buying process. Having both come from fashion backgrounds, “part of our approach is about the fact that we focus on what customers want and what customers need”. The key to matching people with their perfect piece lay in making their website “really user-friendly, to help people find specifically what they are looking for”. Davis says: “being able to

“It’s about putting people and their homes at the centre of the buying process" A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Eltham

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“My local advisor helped me find a blind to fit my budget. The service was second to none”. Laura Jackson, customer

• Ask me about multi-blind discounts • I won’t be beaten on price* • Electric blinds available

Call me for a free in-home appointment: Kris Lewis 07456 845494 *Based on the same spec, size & levels of service.

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INTERIORS • FOCUS

"Homes aren’t white walls, so you need to understand how a piece is going to ﬁt into your lifestyle”

Three Artists to Watch

REFLECTION AT KEW BY CLAIRE HALIFAX

D AW N B E C K L E S

browse art online means you don’t need to be intimidated. You can get a feel for what you like, what styles you like and the more you look, the more you start to see what things evoke in you and what you get drawn to.” Available on murus.art is a carefully curated selection of original paintings and limited-edition prints made by a talent pool of emerging and already established artists. Each piece is also accompanied by a selection of lifestyle photography, showing how it looks inside the homes of other CACTUS DREAM BY NADIA ATTURA

people because, as Davis says: “people’s homes aren’t white walls, so you need to understand how a piece of art is going to fit into your lifestyle”. Knowing this is quite a hard thing to properly envision, and because “a lot of the time it’s hard to see what it’s going to look like on your wall”, Davis and O’Shea wanted to utilise technology to take some of the abstraction out of this process. The website is accompanied by an AR app that allows shoppers to transpose artworks onto the walls of their own homes. It provides a way for people to easily visualise the scale of the piece, how it might fit in with other works of art and how it could potentially exist within the clutter and the chaos of daily life. Davis hopes that this technology can "give people confidence and make people feel really happy about their purchase”. At murus.art there is something for every taste, from abstract and graphic to landscapes – also a wide budget, with pieces ranging from £450 to £6,000 plus. The gallery offers an interest-free finance option via the Art Council's Own Art scheme, so you can pay for your piece over 10 months. Ultimately, the curated artworks here have been designed with one goal in mind – making it easier for us to bring more colour and individuality into our homes. murus.art

A mixed-media artist whose vibrant and contemporary interpretations of classic still lifes celebrate the intimate relationship between an object and its owner.

M I R A N D A B O U LT O N

A contemporary British painter whose work engages a conversation between the past and the present and explores historical narratives using new forms.

N AO M I M U N U O

A fine art painter whose representational work is characterised by her use of richly textured surfaces juxtaposed with flat patterned areas to capture form.

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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The Planter Specialist

From window boxes to tree planters, choose from wide range of stocked designs or custom-made to suit your space

www.iotagarden.com

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INTERIORS • CHAIRS

MAKE A WISH CA R L H A NSEN

H O T S E AT

Hans J. Wegner designed the Wishbone Chair in 1949 and Carl Hansen & Son has produced the chair continuously ever since. Now Ilse Crawford has selected nine matte colours that give the chair a new perspective. £509 carlhansen.com

FIVE ICONIC CHAIRS

PA L E S H A D E ERCOLA NI

The Reprise chair is an effortlessly graceful seating solution with a refined, subtle presence. Launched in 2020, the chair is a collaborative effort between L.Ercolani and Norm Architects. £2,215 ercolani.com

FINE ANGLE VA R I E R

The Ekstrem chair is one of Norway’s first postmodern designs. Its unexpected geometrics allow you to sit forward with feet on the ground, sideways with legs on the armrests or completely backwards. £1,869 varierfurniture.com

2 5

BEND IT ERCOL

The Windsor chair is a classic design in solid ash timber. The steam bent back rail forms an elegant profile. Finished in a wide choice of pale or dark wood finishes, this isis a versatile piece of furniture. £450 ercol.com

IN CHROME MARCEL BREUER

Born from the Bauhaus, the Cesca Chair is one of Marcel Breuer's finest pieces for Knoll, and still as radical today as it was at its inception, nearly 100 years ago. £1,098 conranshop.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Add a bit of luxury velvet with our collection of cushions and throws

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INTERIORS • DESIGN

T A B L E T A L K Round tables are good for small spaces, and they encourage conversation too. Absolutely admires Ercol’s new pieces By EVE HERBERT

SIENA BREAKFAST TABLE

HERITAGE CHAIR

ith its curved edges and pared back aesthetic, the Siena collection introduces a claming softness to your room scheme. Inclusing a dining and breakfast table, Siena’s smooth lines and light finish complement all manner of interior styles, form mid-century to modern rustic. Versatile in form and function, the Siena dining table sits beautifully in eat-in kitchens, while the breakfast table creates a useful and cosy corner for eating, reading and relaxing. Ideal for maximising space, circular and oval tables have a smaller footprint than rectangular or square. The lack of sharp corners encourages openness and flow in both movement and conversation, while the addition of a central pedestal base allows for more chairs. Showcasing ercol’s timeless aesthetic and unwavering quality, Sienal is crafted from solid oak and oak vneers with a clear matt lacquer finish to highlight the pattern of the grain and the beauty of natural wood. Ercol was established in 1920 by Italian designer Lucian R Ercolani in High Wycombe, the centre of English furniture making. He was intent on designing and producing relevant and honest furniture, design and people were the cornerstones of his company from the very beginning. This remains true of the company today, it remains family owned with Lucian’s grandson and great grandson both in the business to continue his beliefs.

SIENA DINING TABLE

“Circular and oval tables have a smaller footprint than rectangular or square ones”

ercol.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS • TREND

MARIMEKKO Oivia buildings mug, £18.50 abodeliving .co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

MARTHA BROOK Gold Speckled White Mug With Spoon And Lid , £15.95 marthabrook.com

BROSTE COPENHAGEN Nordic Vanilla mug, £8.99 silvermushroom.com

MARIMEKKO Karhuemo mug, £14.50 royaldesign.co.uk

A MUGS GAME

HK LIVING Cappuccino mugs set, £39 folkinteriors.co.uk

A handle on all the loveliest mugs

THE CONRAN SHOP

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

Keijo Reactive Mug, £16 conranshop.co.uk

FIVE AND DIME Ombre glazed mug, £10 fiveanddime-interiors.com

KELLING COLLECTION Marmalade mug, £26 kdloves.com

LOAF Muggins mug, £12 loaf.com

TWENTY BIRDS Wren mug, £16.50 twentybirds.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS • PARTNERSHIP

Get SMART The experts at Swish Fibre on how to create a technologically advanced home

– Full Fibre broadband is best as the fibre runs straight into your home, boasting speed and reliability. As smart-technology use grows in your home, you may notice your internet speeds slowing down when using other devices all at the same time. The truth is, smart home devices require a fair amount of bandwidth and high-speed broadband so they can work seamlessly together. With Swish Fibre, you can say hello to 4K streaming, hardcore gaming, crystal clear video calls and smart home living, across multiple devices 24/7. They make every millisecond count by delivering an upload speed that matches the eye-watering download speed of your chosen package.

CONTROL SETTINGS IN YOUR HOME AT A TOUCH OF A BUTTON

ake up and smell the coffee, literally. Gone are the days when switching the lights on and off via an app was viewed as ‘out of this world’. Now, with smart technology you can press a button on your phone and have your coffee made for you. The world of smart homes is evolving fast, and devices like these are now at our fingertips. If you’re looking to turn your new home, build project or your current abode into a smart home, here’s a few ways you can do so.

SMART SPEAKERS, SMART DISPLAYS AND APPS It’s common for people to use either a speaker, display or app to act as the central hub to control the rest of their smart devices. Do your research and find out what works best for you and your needs. Alexa or Google Assistant? Screen or speaker? When buying a new smart tech device, be sure to check if it’s user-friendly and works with your chosen companion. Most devices will let you easily use voice commands, egg-timers, radios and audiobooks.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT More sophisticated than your traditional thermostat, smart meters can allow you to control the temperature of your home remotely and even turn on the heating on your way home for a warm reception. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat even has a remote room sensor and has a voice control with Alexa support and voice commands – so you can manage your smart tech set-up seamlessly.

SMART FRIDGES Going beyond these types of smart technology products, you may want to get even more sophisticated with a smart fridge. You can use both Alexa and Google Assistant to monitor and set the temperature, turn on the ice maker or the air filter. The LG Smart Refrigerator has a built-in display that will let you order groceries and even play music to make your kitchen feel calmer and more productive. This is where it all comes together; you’ll need a stable, robust broadband connection

“SMART HOMES REQUIRE A FAIR AMOUNT OF BANDWIDTH AND HIGHSPEED BROADBAND” With split-second response rates, Swish always delivers when it matters most. If you’re a resident of Beaconsfield, Marlow or Gerrards Cross, the good news is Full Fibre is available in your area. You can register your interest for more information on what they can do for you, to find out when your home is ready to be connected or to pre-order your desired service. Visit their Hub in Marlow to put the latest smart technology to the test and see the results of Full Fibre for yourself. swishfibre.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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LUXE SUMMER BREEZE BREEZE HOUSE

inside this section B U Y I N G AT AU C T I O N p 1 1 2 LUX E WO R KS PAC E p1 1 8

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THE GLASSHOUSE

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WOOLLEY & WALLIS CHINESE PAINTINGS SPECIALIST FREYA YUAN-RICHARDS WITH A SCROLL PAINTING BY CHEN ZHIFO (SOLD FOR £281,250)

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LUXE • COLLECTOR

SMART LOT

Auctions are on the up – and the smart money is increasingly going online. Absolutely ﬁnds out more By LIBBY NORMAN

ou've spotted your dream lot and you're watching the price tick up. The auctioneer is fielding buyers from Japan, from Puerto Rico, South Africa and Australia. Then you place your bid and watch the gavel come down – you've won, and you're still in your dressing gown and slippers. Welcome to the heady world of online auction shopping. There's an increasingly global audience not just for the big-four auction houses, but for smaller regional salerooms across the country. The rise is down to a combination of factors. eBay made us familiar with bidding for treasure online and auction houses had already moved online – aided

BURMESE 20TH-CENTURY GILTLACQUERED BUDDHA, SOLD AT A RECENT ASIAN ART SWORDERS SALE FOR £2,400

by platforms such as thesaleroom.com (this first arrived on the scene way back in 2006). The pandemic switched things up several gears, but it did something more too – giving people stuck at home a frisson of retail therapy in strange times. And some of that frisson has stuck. Wiltshire auction houses Woolley & Wallis may have a new showroom in the heart of Salisbury, but it has seen an exponential rise in private clients via online routes even since the end of the first lockdown in 2020. Many other auctioneers say the same thing. At Sworders, on the EssexHertfordshire border, the impact of online has been "massive" says Director and Head of Design auctions John Black. "We now hold many of our sales without meeting clients – our processes have

EBEL 1911 STAINLESS STEEL CHRONOGRAPH, SOLD BY SWORDERS FOR £620

been tweaked and we now give potential bidders more information in the way of photos and condition reports than we did two years ago." Like many salerooms, Maidenhead and Hampstead auctioneer Dawsons went online at the start of the pandemic and, says commercial director Pete Liggins, that sudden enforced switch shifted the whole market. "What we quickly discovered is that there is a new online audience very keen to explore the world of auctions," he says. "The auction industry has seen a huge uplift in online spending." Online auctions are great news for anyone with limited time and an eye for something different. Good too for the cautious bidder because, let's face it, the physical auction room can be a daunting place. The fear of losing out to a permatanned man from the trade is only matched by the irrational but ever-present worry of carting home an unwanted what-not or tallboy if you scratch your nose at the wrong moment. No such fear with online auctions because bidders remain unseen – a paddle number is assigned and pops up on the auctioneer's screen when you bid. There's a delightful feeling of anonymity and full freedom to scratch your nose. Online auctions organised by the auction houses are very well regulated – you may be unseen, but you have to pre-register in advance. You may be asked for proof of identity the first time you bid and will definitely need to supply your credit card number. Formalities over, you have a live auctioneer on your screen, complete with gavel and all the other saleroom paraphernalia you'd expect. It's surprisingly immersive and can be nail-biting fun when you're watching a lot that shoots off the scale. A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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MALVERN GARDEN BUILDINGS

Discover our premium range of garden offices, designed for nature-infused homeworking. Gold Medal Winners RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021

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LUXE • COLLECTOR

ABOVE: GRAYSON PERRY 100% ART PLATE, SOLD BY SWORDERS FOR £280 BELOW: DIAMOND AND RUBY TARGET RING, SOLD BY SWORDERS FOR £1,700

Auction houses are investing heavily in all the front end and behind-thescenes elements needed to instil buying confidence. Websites have been refined and many houses have their own online platforms. This looks slicker and, in most cases, places virtual buyers on an equal footing with 'in the room' buyers when it comes to buyer's premium/commission (see Auction knowhow). You'll find really good images – five to ten detailed shots are not unusual – plus the option to get a detailed condition report or do a 'walk round' via video link before the sale.

So what are people buying? The answer would be look for it and you'll probably find it online. On saleroom.com alone there are around four million lots from more than 700 auction rooms each year. But there are definite trends among luxury hunters. Jewellery remains buoyant and, while you always expect peaks in times of economic uncertainty, that doesn't tell the whole story. Sworders recently added monthly jewellery auctions alongside its twice-yearly Fine Jewellery and Watch sale. John Black says watches are a key area of growth at the moment. There is lots of interest in period jewellery – Art Deco, for example – alongside more contemporary pieces. Diamonds are always going to have intrinsic worth, but interesting provenance or a really interesting cut or setting boosts interest. Period 'brown furniture' that was once such a mainstay remains depressed, so a snip in relation to high-end contemporary – you can pick up a smart Georgian chest of drawers or desk for a few hundred pounds. These days, says John Black, the focus is on the right piece not necessarily the history. "The ‘Decorative’ market – those items that are all about ‘the look’ rather than great concern for period and authenticity – is an area that is seeing growth." He also points to another growth

“NO NEED TO FEAR CARTING HOME AN UNWANTED WHATNOT IF YOU SCRATCH YOUR NOSE AT THE WRONG MOMENT”

DANISH TEAK BOOMERANG ROCKING CHAIR BY MOGENS KOLD, SOLD BY SWORDERS FOR £1,100

ROLLING STONES PROMO POSTER, SOLD BY DAWSONS FOR £30,000

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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EST. 2010

JOULBERRY JEWELLERY

Rose Gold Collection Step into Spring with Joulberry's curated 9ct and 18ct Rose Gold collection.

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LUXE • COLLECTOR

“THERE'S A NICE BLURRING BETWEEN SHOPPING AND COLLECTING” MEG RANDELL, HEAD OF DESIGNER HANDBAG AND FASHION DEPARTMENT AT BONHAMS KNIGHTSBRIDGE ASIAN ARTWORKS ARE DOING WELL – WOOLLEY & WALLIS JAPANESE SPECIALIST ALEX AGUILAR WITH A JAPANESE KORO

area – for contemporary and modern design. Visit a 20th century auction and you'll see that some mid-century Scandinavian and British names are hitting surprising prices thanks to quality of materials, craftsmanship and clean aesthetic. There's also the curious rise of 'talking point' pieces. Sworders' regular Out of the Ordinary sales feature everything from erotic artworks to circus artefacts (collection of crystal balls anyone?), taxidermy and even, recently, a life-size model of Lara Croft. Woolley & Wallis sold a pair of six-foot carved wooden devils by Francesco Toso for £87,500 in 2020 – almost six times the estimate. The maker came to an untimely end showing similar devilish wares at the Chicago World Exhibition in 1893, possibly adding to their allure. "The trend for the striking, the unusual or the just plain weird has been growing for some time," says Associate Director and European Ceramics Specialist Clare Durham.

TEAK WRITING BUREAU DESIGNED BY JOHN HERBERT FOR YOUNGER FURNITURE, SOLD BY SWORDERS FOR £260

Asian artworks have been a boom area for a while now, but the whole area of contemporary arts and prints is booming, say both Bonhams and Sworders. It can be gratifying to secure a Banksy, Peter Blake or Grayson Perry piece – also more affordable than you might imagine. Then there's the real rarity, such as a Rolling Stones poster promoting a set at the RickyTick Club in Windsor. Like the band, there's some wear and tear, but it made a worldrecord price of £30,000 last November. At the pop end of luxury, buyers are snapping up classic motors and designer fashion. Rarity value no doubt plays its part – a Yamaha OW-01 or roadworthy Jaguar XJS (both recent sales successes at Dawsons) conjure up a world of gas-guzzling hedonism. When it comes to fashion, leader of the pack is the Hermès' Birkin bag. At Bonhams' March sale of Designer Handbags and Fashion in Knightsbridge, star lot was a cocktail Birkin, which realised a stratospheric £34,000 including premium. The head of the Designer Handbag and Fashion department at Bonhams Knightsbridge Meg Randell says part of the allure is because it is so very hard to buy a new Birkin and the bags are always made in extremely limited numbers. So having a Birkin in the back of your cupboard could make financial as well as fashion sense – you can always auction it off down the line. But do collectors paying these prices actually dare to carry the bag? Meg Randell says the interesting thing is that designer fashion auction hunters sometimes do. "There's a nice blurring between shopping and collecting," she says. Actually, that whole blurring between shopping and collecting seems to sum up pretty well what today's luxury buyers love most about the whole experience of going to an online auction. Even better is the knowledge that, if you tire of it, you can always sell it on.

Auction knowhow Buyer's premium is typically 2530% – check terms before bidding. Auction houses' online platforms often charge less commission than general auction platforms.

•

Artist's resale rights may apply to contemporary art and this should be flagged on the lot.

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Don't forget shipping – more costly for breakable and large items and valuable lots.

•

Auction houses may ship and can always recommend trusted couriers.

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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LUXE • SPACE

work

LIFE How luxe Belgravia workspace 25EP is leading the way for the new world of work B y C A S P A R D AV I D

L “More like a chic members' club than another office space”

ondon’s newest co-working space, 25EP, has been designed to offer the look, feel and working environment of a chic private members club, rather than just another office space. This design-led building, hidden away in Eccleston Yard in the heart of Belgravia, offers 2 floors of private offices, permanent desks and hot-desking options. As well as vast open spaces adorned with plush sofas and furnishings, little nooks for meetings, private phone boxes for video calls and fully equipped kitchens, vanity rooms and bathrooms, as well as a dedicated members lounge and bar area for thirsty Thursdays! Whether you are excited to finally leave the WFH life behind, or just finding your feet and wanting a home from home working environment, 25EP has something for everyone, from one man

bands and small startups, to larger companies and everyone in between… including your furry four legged friends. 25EP prides itself on being very dog friendly, offering all members dogs a new bed and bowl on their first day and plenty of treats throughout. Gone are the days of spending 8 hours tied to your desk, why not venture out into the yard for a lunchtime sweat session at Barry’s Bootcamp or Hotpod Yoga, what about a quick coffee from Morena, or a light lunch at Wild By Tart and an afternoon snack from Ole & Steen? All of which offer 25EP members discounts. However, for those days when you simply cannot leave your desk, worry not, the afternoon drinks trolley comes round with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and lemonades to keep you focused, and on Thursdays and Fridays treat yourself to a well deserved glass of something more, from a carefully curated, ever changing menu of white, red and rose wine and artisan beers. From the front desk to the management, the team at Belgravia’s 25EP excel in the art of service and have been handpicked from a selection of London’s finest hotels, including The Savoy, Browns and The Arch, as well as bringing long standing experience from the flexible co-working sector. Since opening, 25EP has bucked the pandemic trend, and attracted independent businesses, innovative entrepreneurs and distinguished talent from a wide range of industries, drawn by the unique formula of hi-tech working facilities, comfort, style and a wide range of member benefits and perks. 25-ep.com

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Precious PIECES

“Aboremp orerisque et labor solo volorehenda eiunt, odiam fuga. quam eum volut”

High-end ﬁne jewellery at Joulberry Boutique By EVE HERBERT

here’s something incredibly special about Joulberry Boutique in Hampton Court. The frontage alone speaks to beauty and of what customers will find inside. A stone’s throw from Hampton Court Station, the moment you walk in there’s a subtle but rich smell of fig to welcome and relax you while browsing the stunning pieces laid out in a way that’s conducive to appreciate the design of each. The owners are as warm and welcoming as the environment they’ve both worked so hard to create since starting their business in 2010. Working closely with a team of excellent jewellers and craftsmen, Joulberry designs and retails high-end fine jewellery. Alongside their jewellery collections, they also offer designs which are exclusively made-to-order allowing customers a high level of customisation. Visit their Hampton Court Boutique or browse their collections online.

“With a team of excellent jewellers and craftsmen, Joulberry designs ﬁne jewellery”

J O U L B E R RY B O U T I Q U E 28 Bridge Road, Hampton Court KT8 9HA 0208 9795774 Instagram@joulberry joulberry.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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LUXE • TRAVEL

Highland FLING

Glenmor Holiday Homes offer space and privacy in one of the world's most soughtafter destinations, The Gleneagles Hotel By EVE HERBERT

ased beneath the Ochil Hills in the heart of Gleneagles’ spectacular grounds, Glenmor Village is a development of luxurious two, three, and fourbedroom holiday homes set around a traditional village green, and available for guests to rent for 3-, 4- or 7-night stays. Presenting the perfect Scottish gateway, the homes are uniquely designed to imbue a sense of understated luxury expected from a world leading hotel, but with a comfortable, homely feel. Those in residence are treated to their own en-suite bedrooms, open plan kitchen and dining area and a spacious outdoor terrace showcasing magnificent views. The dedicated Glenmor concierge team are on hand to help with guests’ needs throughout their stay including arranging freshly baked bread to be delivered in the morning. This warm, charming and characterful home away from home allows guests to completely relax while soaking

up the style, glamour and exceptional service for which Gleneagles is famed. Guests will have full access to all of the facilities of the 5-star resort, and the iconic sporting estate has something for everyone. Gleneagles’ Glorious Playground offers families a brilliant 850-acres of tailor-made activities and over 50 country pursuits, from tree climbing and horse riding to fishing and archery, all with expert tuition from the hotel’s knowledgeable instructors and guides. Children are encouraged to roam free and reconnect with the great outdoors, learning essential life skills along the way. Animalloving families can discover gundog handling practices, while The Laird's Walk with a Hawk experience is an informative and unique opportunity to fly a Harris Hawk through the ancient woodlands and neighbouring estates. Elsewhere, adults can enjoy The Health Club or unwind with treatments from the new Spa, with treatments designed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading wellness brands. With access to three world-class courses – including the PGA Centenary course, venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup – keen golfers and novices alike will be in paradise. Glenmor Holiday Homes allow guests to enjoy all the hotel’s dining options, from the two Michelin star, multi-award-winning Andrew Fairlie Restaurant to the casual Mediterranean-inspired Birnam Brasserie. Or guests can don their finest eveningwear ready for The Strathearn restaurant. Glenmor is the perfect option for families or groups seeking a private escape. G L E N E AG L E S Prices from £3,500 for a 2 bed, £4,410 for a 3 bed and £4,840 for a 4 bed for 7 nights. For more information, visit gleneagles.com/glenmor, call 01764 694 321 or email own@gleneagles.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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LUXE • PARTNERSHIP

D R E A M S P A C E How to design your bedroom for sleep comfort as well as aesthetics By EVE HERBERT

S “The look is luxurious but minimalist, and the neutral tones are designed to be mixed and matched”

wedish bedrooms are worldleading for their fusion of nature and innovation, and for their muted, minimalist aesthetic and clean lines. One brand that embodies this is Carpe Diem Beds, a household name in Sweden, associated with the ultimate in sleep comfort and design credentials. Treating sleep as a luxury and yet also a necessity is one of their core brand values – and therefore crafting a serious space for it is paramount. Carpe Diem Beds' ethos centres on creating a cohesive bedroom, incorporating a range of considered pieces that complement the bed as centrepiece, with a dedication to optimising the bedroom environment as an oasis of calm (and thereby revolutionising your sleep). While choosing the perfect mattress for you is at the heart of the in-store experience, there’s a strong focus on bedroom design and streamlining, so that the bed you choose can be housed in an environment that’s conducive to optimum sleep health. For the UK market, Carpe Diem Beds introduced 36 different Designers Guild fabrics for beds and headboards that can be colour matched with carpets, cushions and curtains. Rui Franca of the Wigmore Street showroom explains: “In selecting the fabrics we look at colours that are neutral and subtle. Bright colours are energising and we need to be relaxed in a bedroom, so no oranges or shiny finishes. It’s all about neutral tones. Scandinavian design usually keeps tones neutral to create a sense of calm in the mind.” Fabrics are beiges and greys with some darker tones and maybe some light pinks at the colourful end of the neutral palette. “In store we have access to side tables, carpets and throw cushions. We have a slick metal side

table and lamps too, with finishes in chrome and marble, all in calming soothing tones.” The look is luxurious but minimalist and the neutral tones are designed to be mixed and matched, alongside lifestyle products such as kimonos, slippers, sleep masks and scented candles. All this high-tech innovation is fundamentally grounded in a respect for nature and craftsmanship. Using the best and most sustainable raw materials including slow-growth Nordic pine, Talalay latex and organic cotton, expert bed-makers craft each bed by hand in a Swedish manufacturing facility. Each bed is built from start to finish by the same person, who signs the frame at the end as an ultimate marker of quality. Carpe Diem Beds’ innovative approach is visible on their website, where an interactive bed configurator introduces the available options, revealing how each bed can be matched with personal preferences. Each bed is customisable in size, finish and fabric, with a variety of headboard options. CA R P E D I E M B E D S 15 Wigmore Street, W1 • 020 3982 3252 carpediembeds.co.uk

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Trade

How to become a proftable investor in the space of four months B y A D A M F O R S H AW

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here has never been a more important time to take in the financial markets and understand this knowledge. The world is progressing into a fast-paced digital currency environment. My business is all about one thing – and that’s turning normal people into profitable investors who know how to analyse a chart. This will require some studies and that’s why I have devised my mentorship program for anyone looking to take this skill to the next level. If you are someone who wants to just learn more about the financial markets or turn this into a secondary income then Capital A Trading is for you. This course will take approximately four months to complete with 30 slideshow lessons. This will cover everything from the basics of candlesticks, pips, and liquidity areas to learning how the big banks place a contract into the market. When the mentorship program has been

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LUXE • TRADING

ADAM FORSHAW

completed and your understanding of the charts is to a good standard we then begin to trade together. We will then spend the next six weeks communicating every day via zoom call analysing the markets for the best trading opportunities. We will speak every Sunday and monitor three key opportunities for the week and check back in daily on the progress. All of this throughout the week is documented inside my Discord Channel, where I post updates on the markets for my students to follow during the week. If that isn’t enough to get you going then we have the Forex Weekly released on my Youtube channel every Sunday. This is usually a 10-15 minute video with me scanning the markets and showing you how I will tackle these endless opportunities.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The mentorship program will begin with the very basics of me showing you around trading view and getting you used to a few set indicators we will be using. The beginner's guide will warm you to the markets to build up your understanding of the bigger picture. This will cover the topics around support and resistance, buying and selling, trending markets, and trading orders. The basic stuff will then lead to lessons around how the big banks and financial institutions collectively manipulate the markets. They have to move around such large sums of money that it leaves these particular clues on a consistent basis. The stronger your understanding of these scenarios then the better trading results you will yield. If you're someone totally new to trading or

“The world is progressing into a fast-paced digital currency environment” already have an understanding but want to learn a new strategy then Capital A Trading has something for all levels of ability.

BENEFITS

My Youtube channel was launched around a year ago and already the milestone of 100 videos have been released in that time. These videos range from educational, student reviews, case studies & the Forex weekly. Over 1,000 people have already taken advantage of the channel by subscribing and keeping up to date with the weekly updates. There have been a couple investment opportunities mentioned on the Youtube channel on the CADCHF & AUDNZD which both provided some positive percentage gains. The AUDNZD trade was a good example of how a market will look when being manipulated and how you can spot the early signs. The how-to catch a trade video details all the subtle clues that the market makers leave when preparing to move the market. The benefits all of this will have on any inspiring investor are that you’re going to gain a real powerful understanding of how the

markets are moving. I have trained over 50 students now and the different avenues you can take this skill is remarkable. Some have taken the skill to go on and teach others in their local communities and start a business while others are making good weekly gains. The world is definitely changing and this is something that eventually will need to be understood by everyone. I would personally like to see this rolled out into higher education for people to gain an early insight. It's confusing that 95% of life is controlled by your ability to understand finances and very little is explained in the school curriculum. The world is moving into a new fast-paced digital environment where life will come at you thick and fast. The time is now to gain an insight into the financial world. CA P I TA L A T R A D I N G Youtube channel – Capital A Trading capitalatrading@hotmail.com capitalatrading.co.uk

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G G a r d e n R E T R E A T

It’s time to head outdoors. Breeze House is on a mission to help you make the most of your garden B y C A S P A R D AV I D

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ood health and celebrating good times with loved ones are essential luxuries. Breeze House was founded with the purpose of crafting quality garden gazebos where memories can be made, surrounded by nature, while in absolute luxury. Some 27 years on, getting closer to nature, unplugging from devices and reconnecting with each other could not be more relevant. Recent world events have redefined the concept of luxury. The new luxe is about time, space and experiences. A Breeze House will transform your garden into a destination. It empowers you to be at one with nature and make luxury part of your everyday life. A space to rediscover what is important to you. A nature-based experience to feed your soul and find clarity in comfort. A place to cherish special moments together with friends and family in the present and into the future. Breeze House’s mission is to make you feel luxurious; from excellent service and a unique customer experience to your story unfolding as a Breeze House owner. Each Breeze House is crafted in Britain from the best sustainable materials money can buy, creating your own exclusive retreat from the world where you are free to connect with yourself, nature and the natural rhythm of life. Andrew Peck, Founder of Breeze House, says: “When I founded Breeze House, my purpose was to craft a quality garden gazebo where spirits are lifted and memories are made, surrounded by nature, while in absolute luxury.”

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LUXE • OUTDOORS AN OVAL BREEZE HOUSE

A BESPOKE BREEZE HOUSE

CIRCULAR BREEZE HOUSES

The open sides of these luxury circular gazebos make getting a daily dose of nature a breeze. Surrounded by greenery and uninterrupted views, a small to medium Breeze House is the perfect place to enjoy time out from ever busy lives. Each building is handcrafted from sustainable Redwood treated to retain the natural beauty of the wood’s grain and texture. Its natural shape and the form of the Cape Reed thatch, Canadian forest cedar shingle or slate effect roof creates an impressive feature in your garden and a retreat tempting you to venture outside. The cosy interior of a Breeze House gives indoor comfort while connecting you with the great outdoors right on your doorstep. It feels so good to spend time in a Breeze House. They tap into our innate desire to live close to nature. Explore this covetable range of deceptively spacious getaways where you can slow down, de-stress and regain focus.

“93% OF BREEZE HOUSE OWNERS SPEND MORE TIME IN THEIR GARDEN SINCE HAVING A BREEZE HOUSE” OVAL AND BESPOKE BREEZE HOUSES

The collection of Oval Breeze Houses offers the same immersive, naturebased experience as the circular range, but with more space to indulge and entertain up to 30 guests. Oval Breeze Houses have separate areas for dining and lounging or can be adapted to accommodate swim spas or gymnasiums. With an oval or bespoke Breeze House your options are limitless. Create an outdoor room to transform your property for entertaining or keep it to yourself and enjoy your time at home even more. Over the years Breeze House have created the most stunning multifunctional spaces to include outdoor kitchens, garden dining rooms, garden bars and swimming pool rooms. These fabulous open-sided structures allow plenty of light and scenery to be absorbed in the summer, while protective canvas covers are available to utilise in adverse weather, creating a safe and comfortable cocoon in your outdoor area which can be enjoyed all year round – even in winter. Indulge in nature through the seasons and live your best outdoor life in the luxury of a Breeze House gazebo handcrafted in the UK from the finest sustainable materials.

A CIRCULAR BREEZE HOUSE

BREEZE HOUSE Request a brochure, or visit a Breeze House display showsite to discover the collection breezehouse.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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oConcept, a Danish furniture brand, elevates home interiors with iconic designs created by the world’s most respected designers. From stunning sofas and armchairs to modular storage units and beautiful accessories, they have crafted an incredible collection of home furniture oozing with creativity and ingenuity. Beautifully finished in exquisite Danish craftsmanship, as you’d expect from a luxury retailer. It’s not just the collection that distinguishes BoConcept from the competition; it’s also the truly personalised service they provide. Every customer receives a free comprehensive interior design service, whether at home, virtually, or in-store, for a small room update or a large whole-home transformation. Their interior designers collaborate with you to incorporate decor ideas, home accessories, and other elements to create a one-of-a-kind look for your home. Perhaps you want to create a Nordic mood in the dining room with Scandinavian style sideboards, elegant dining tables and dining chairs, or a luxury hotel vibe in your living room with sofas, recliner armchairs, and daybeds in leather, velvet, or your preferred fabric. How can this level of customisation be possible? BoConcept’s furniture can be customised exactly to your needs and tastes to give you a truly personalised home, and they are renowned for their modularity, functionality, and uncompromising quality – all expressed with effortless style. Because material is everything, they offer

NORDIC

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INTERIORS • PARTNERSHIP

space. The colours chosen for Scandi fans depart from the traditional Nordic base of whites and near-whites in favour of warmer, creamier hues. There’s a reason why so many people all over the world yearn for an authentic Scandinavian aesthetic in their home. A modern Nordic interior, with its muted colours and minimalistic designs, is both calming and homely while also grand and impressive. This foundation palette will assist you in achieving an authentic Scandinavian base to which you can add pops of your own personal style. It also looks great with blonde oak, stony ceramics, and cement accents. Consider this palette to be a deep exhalation. A midsummer sunset. Shady sand. Chai latte. Artisan pottery. Everything about it is designed to soothe and calm.

QUIET LUXURY

over 120 different fabrics and materials to choose from, including aniline leather, felt, velvet, oak, walnut, chrome, steel, and many more. Together with you, they can combine these materials and surfaces to create bespoke combinations that are tailored to your tastes and perfectly complement your personality. Here are a few timeless trends from BoConcept that will help inspire your design journey.

CALMING NEUTRALS This Scandinavian expression adds a natural and warm touch to a design or

With its deep, saturated earthy tones and subtle brown, blue, and blacks, this contemporary expression adds a vibrant city sophistication to a design or space. This colour scheme is a tribute to the world’s great cities. Those in which you live and those in which you yearn. The Quiet Luxury palette is, indeed, a metropolis of inspiration. It comes with deep, saturated earthy tones – an amplified response to our desire for the natural. Its black base has now veered into subtly brown and blue territory as well. Dark oaks, natural leathers, and plush fabrics will add a moody touch. With spring on the way, now is a great time to find a home for all of those miscellaneous items we all accumulate. Storage can be unique, expressive, and inventive, giving you a great opportunity to express yourself. BoConcept takes pride

"PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD YEARN FOR AN AUTHENTIC SCANDINAVIAN AESTHETIC" in their ability to customise their storage systems to you and your space. They can create anything from a simple shelving system to a unique and personalised combination by combining different inserts, fronts, and materials. The versatility of BoConcept’s wall systems allows them to meet any storage requirement in any room. In their factory in Denmark, they design and manufacture storage systems out of the finest materials. In your custom solution, their craftsman combine glass, veneer, oak, walnut, and lacquered surfaces. With so many different materials, colours, inserts, doors, drawers, and other features to choose from, customising the perfect storage unit for you can be difficult. In fact, figuring out how to make the ideal furniture solution can be difficult. That is why all BoConcept stores have professional interior designers on hand to assist you in measuring, selecting, and designing. The beautiful shops have everything you need and more. There is a large selection of Danish-designed sofas, chairs, tables, beds, storage solutions, and accessories available, as well as professional interior design advice. Shop in-store at BoConcept Battersea Reach, Harrods, Finchley Road, Notting Hill, Tottenham Court Road, Guildford, Bentalls Kingston, Westfield London and Fenwick Brent Cross. A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Unique Cornish Holidays POLZEATH ROCK DAYMER BAY

thepointholidays.co.uk Discover our facilities in the hills above Polzeath thepointatpolzeath.co.uk

01208 863000 stay@thepointholidays.co.uk

GOLF | LEISURE | FOOD & DRINK

Luxury Holiday Rentals at Glenmor Make yourselves at home in the heart of Gleneagles The Gleneagles experience is one of a kind – you can now enjoy it from the comfort of a Glenmor luxury holiday home, located in the heart of Gleneagles. On your stay you can enjoy complimentary golf for one person, plus access to all of the leisure, dining and pursuits of the 5 star estate. We have 2, 3 and 4 bedroom properties available, perfect for all the family. With prices starting from £3,500 for a 2 bed, £4,410 for a 3 bed and £4,840 for a 4 bed for 7 nights.

Find out more: GLENEAGLES.COM/GLENMOR +44 (0)1764 694321 OWN@GLENEAGLES.COM

The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulation 2010 requires Gleneaglesto provide you with certain key information in relation to the proposed seasonal ownership contract. A standard information form which contains this key information in relation to that contract may beobtained by contacted us via the above methods.

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TRAVEL

ISLAND LIFE VERDURA RESORT

Sicily's Verdura Resort has availability for hte Easter holidays and it's an excellent time to go. Activities for children of all ages and interests will leave nobody disappointed . roccofortehotels.com

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SONNWIES

EASTER

ESCAPES Planning a last-minute break? Here are Absolutely’s top six April destinations By EVE HERBERT

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TRAVEL • EASTER

Sardinia

AC T I O N - PAC K E D F O R A L L T H E FA M I LY AT F O R T E V I L L AG E R E S O R T

CYCLING AT FORTE VILLAGE

South Tyrol

M O U N TA I N O F M E M O R I E S F R O M F A M I LY H O L I D AY I N S O N N W I E S

hildren’s personalities can be shaped and developed by their childhood experiences and adventures on annual family holidays. Sonnwies, a family only paradise situated in South Tyrol on the border of the Dolomites, offers an activity-fuelled mountain holiday leaving families with lifelong happy memories. Escaping to the crisp mountain air is important in regaining balance in family life. The pressures of work and school can take a toll, and regular time away from home is key to restoring some equilibrium. Sonnwies has a weekly programme of activities for families including hiking, biking, cooking, treasure hunts, picnics in the mountain huts, wildlife spotting, pony rides or a visit to the nearby lake. During the warm summer evenings, children can sit around campfires roasting marshmallows and sleepovers are organised in the barn amongst hay bales. Keep the family active and escape from the screens by going back to basics and enjoy visits to the farm to collect eggs, learn the art of butter churning and cheese-

making and then end the day sleeping under the stars with sleepovers in the barn amongst hay bales. The perfect family holiday involves escaping the usual daily routine and having the freedom of choice. Parents can escape to the adult-only spa whilst taking advantage of the 70 hours of free childcare. Wellness and mental wellbeing are of course very important for children too and so the family spa entertains children with a cinema sauna, which is kept to a comfortable temperature for children. Sonnwies is a family-only hotel with 70 stylish rooms, suites and villas which are available for families of all sizes including single parents. Many house elegant glass fireplaces, private saunas, hot tubs, balconies and gardens. Check in to one of the new Family Suites which allow parent and child areas to be separate, so that different sleeping times can be taken into account. All rooms have a spacious terrace with views over the forest, meadows and mountains. Rates at Sonnwies start from €380 per room per night based on two adults and two children sharing a Double Room on a half board basis. For booking visit sonnwies.com/en/family-hotel

eachable in just 2.5 hours with direct flights from London, Forte Village is located in southern Sardinia, the perfect destination for a spring getaway. The island’s location allows for a beautiful climate in which guests can enjoy the region’s pristine white coastlines. Offering both adults and children plenty to do, Forte Village offers a choice of 5 five-star hotels, 3 four-star hotels and 13 luxury villas. New this spring, the Acquaforte Thalsasso & Spa has been totally remodelled and has a new concept. The spa has long been renowned as a pioneer of thalassotherapy and the health benefits surrounding it. A circuit of six pools of varied salt densities – created with the help of the Thalasso Research Centre at Milan University – lies at the heart of the outdoor spa. Forte Village offers a wide choice of restaurants offering fine Italian and world cuisine prepared by Resort Chefs. Try the sublime cookery of Massimiliano Mascia, winner of 2 Michelin stars or the Belvedere restaurant, which serves some of the most exclusive dishes from traditional Italian and regional cuisine. BOOK IT: Forte Village offers stays for a family of four from €663 per night on a half-board basis. fortevillageresort.com

BOOK IT:

FORTE VILLAGE CABANA

SONNWIES

“THE PERFECT FAMILY HOLIDAY INVOLVES ESCAPING THE USUAL DAILY ROUTINE” A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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“UNIQUE SERVICES HAVE MADE VERDURA RESORT FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN”

VERDURA RESORT

Sicily

V E R D U R A R E S O R T, S I C I LY NEW VILLAS AND AN ENTICING EASTER PROGRAMME FOR THE W H O L E F A M I LY T O E N J O Y

pring is a wonderful time to visit Sicily, with mild temperatures, verdant meadows bursting with colour as wildflowers bloom and pristine beaches. Verdura Resort has a fabulous programme for the whole family to dive into over the Easter holidays. As well as the variety of academies and programmes on offer, guests can participate in a daily schedule covering a wide range of activities across sports, fitness and culinary themes, from the junior golf academy and silent fitness to hatha yoga, pizza making, wine tasting and live music in the evenings. Children can spend days creating Easter wreaths, decorating eggs and pasta making, while teens will be kept busy with ping pong, graffiti classes and biking. There's a Football Academy with Italian legend Gianluca Zambrotta from 11 to 18 April; a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, footballer Gianluca Zambrotta enjoyed a successful career in Italy as well as in Spain playing for Barcelona. There's a Tennis Academy with former UK

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number 1 Jeremy Bates; 13 – 20 April: after retiring from the professional circuit, Bates served as the captain of Britain’s Davis Cup team from 2004 to 2006 and is now passing on his tips and tricks to guests at Verdura this April. Last year Verdura Resort launched the first 20 branded Rocco Forte independent villas, overlooking the resort’s sparkling bay. The new villas guarantee ultimate privacy and security, combined with the unique services that have made Verdura Resort famous throughout the Mediterranean. Set on the hillside of the resort’s expansive grounds, the 3- and 4-bedroom villas range from 200sqm to 300sqm and have large private pools set in landscaped gardens. Designed and styled by Olga Polizzi, their architecture is inspired by Sicily’s natural beauty and incorporates the characteristic features of a traditional Sicilian ‘baglio’ building: wooden beams, flat roofs and external stairs. Ideal for multi-generational stays and groups of families and friends. Verdura Resort offers rooms starting from €365 per night in a Deluxe Room on B&B basis. For additional information visit roccofortehotels.com/hotelsand-resorts/verdura-resort BOOK IT:

FALCONRY AT BOVEY CASTLE

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TRAVEL • UK

North Devon E SCA P E TO A CO U N T RY LO D G E I N B U C O L I C D E VO N

he majestic Bovey Castle is located near the market town of Moretonhampstead in North Devon, set within 275 acres of beautiful countryside and rolling valleys within Dartmoor National Park. Originally built by the WH Smith dynasty in 1907, the striking neo-Elizabethan architecture of the house and grounds has wide appeal. Bovey Castle is made up of 60 rooms and suites and 22 country lodges scattered within the estate’s stunning grounds. Ideal for larger groups or families, the Country Lodges are a wonderful alternative to traditional guestrooms, sleeping up to six with plenty of living space and a separate kitchen, so that you can mix up dining at Bovey Castle’s relaxed Smith’s Brasserie or prepare homecooked meals. There is plenty to do on the estate: pack in afternoons playing tennis or learning to clay-pigeon shoot with Bovey’s outdoor expert, or why not set up a miniature golf tournament on the estate’s 18-hole golf course? Bovey Castle offers rooms from £325 per night, based on two adults sharing on a B&B basis. Lodges are available from £750 per night. boveycastle.com BOOK IT:

BORGO PIGNANO

Puglia

BORGO EGNAZIA

orgo Egnazia is located in Savelletri di Fasano, between the brilliant-blue sea and rolling green hills, and within a short drive of local towns such as Lecce and Ostuni. The property is the perfect destination for authentic, local experiences, just less than one hour from both Bari and Brindisi airports. Borgo Egnazia is inspired by the shapes, materials and colours of a typical Apulian village. Designed by local architect Pino Brescia under the vision of the Melpignano family, Borgo Egnazia is a tribute to traditional architecture and the surrounding countryside and coastline. Its facilities include a championship golf course, two private beaches, three outdoor pools, an exquisite spa, and many food options including traditional Puglian dishes and a Michelin-starred restaurant, Due Camini. They have a huge focus on wellbeing and their Vair Spa runs programmes including a Happiness Break for both individuals and families alike. Treatments are inspired by ancient Apulian rituals using local ingredients, Roman-style baths and plunge pools. There are many fun activities for guests to enjoy in the wider region – including the chance to explore the nearby picturesque Apulian village of Savelletri by bicycle or enjoy a picnic amongst 2,000-year-old olive groves.

BOOK IT: Borgo Egnazia offers double rooms in La Corte from €329 per night on a B&B basis. borgoegnazia.com

Tuscany

F A M I LY M O O N L I G H T T R E K K I N G AT B O R G O P I G N A N O

orgo Pignano is set in the heart of a picturesque 750-acre organic estate in Tuscany. The property is just a short drive from the medieval hill towns of Volterra and San Gimignano and only 1 hour’s drive from Florence and Pisa. Borgo Pignano is perfect for a family escape with plenty of experiences and activities on offer. There is no better way to fully appreciate the romantic charm and sweeping hillsides than in the Tuscan countryside on horseback. Borgo Pignano is home to a group of gentle and well-trained horses and offers a great variety of horse-riding excursions for families to properly immerse in rural Italian life. Children can learn the art of trust, respect, and patience in a Cowboys vs Indians experience in the practice area or families can go moonlight trekking. Other highlights include painting lessons in their art studio with all equipment and paints free for guests to use as well as guided tours around the property to learn about the brilliant sustainability initiatives at the property. Children can help make breads, pastry and fresh pasta from the ancient wheat flours produced in the on-site Flour Lab from grains grown on the property and help the in-house herbalist, gather wild and cultivated herbs to create all the guest bathroom products including perfumes and soaps.

BOOK IT: Borgo Pignano offers Maisonnettes with two bedrooms from €600 per night on a B&B basis. Return flights to Florence start from £80 in the Easter holidays. borgopignano.com

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Open Morning Saturday 7th May 10.00-12.30 Scholarships and bursaries available Tel. +44 (0)1923 845514 Email. admissions@mtsn.org.uk

Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT

Excellence, integrity and distinction since 1561 Untitled-1 1 CW0123_MTS_Absolutely London A4.indd 1

www.mtsn.org.uk

Coaches: Hampstead, Highgate, St John’s Wood, Edgware, Mill Hill & Ealing Moor Park

For boys 3 - 18 10/03/2022 14:29 16:24 10/03/2022

E D U C AT I O N

SCHOOL DAYS

Bassett House School is a unique, small co-ed prep school nestled in leafy Notting Hill, for boys and girls aged 3-11. Boasting robust and child-centred provision in newlyrenovated Bassett Bear House and a highly successful Prep School Curriculum, it are small enough to be bespoke, yet big enough to thrive. bassetths.org.uk

Online tutoring tried and tested 140 • Shakespeare for young people 143 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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ONLINE TUTORING AT HOME CAN BE FITTED IN LIKE REGULAR HOMEWORK

TUTOR TEST With online tutoring options growing fast, Absolutely Education co-opts a student keen to get some help to road test Cognita’s new teaching platform

ome children are fully booked with tutor sessions from Reception onwards, while others might sign up for a few sessions pre-GCSE. There are countless reasons why we might consider a tutor for our children, but for us a flexible approach appealed to my reluctant Year 8 daughter. She was prepared to engage with a few one-to-one sessions to help with specific areas, but she wasn’t keen on committing to a regular schedule. Some parents would, of course, say that these decisions should lie with adults; for me, I’m not sure. I don’t want to put my daughter under pressure, but nor do I want her to feel totally at sea in her maths

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By PENDLE HARTE

lessons. Like countless dyslexic children, the support she receives at her (inner London state) school is patchy, and she struggles with most subjects to varying degrees. It’s been this way since primary stage, and now, in the years leading to GCSE, we agree that it’s time to take action. Online tutoring existed pre-pandemic as a lesser option, but now it’s the obvious

“Each tutor is a qualiﬁed teacher, a subject specialist who’s fully immersed in the curriculum”

choice and makes in-person sessions seem like a hassle. Why travel somewhere when you can study from your own bedroom? Online feels more like regular homework and less like an extra activity, while for tutors who might have spent the day teaching at school, an online session in the evening is a far simpler prospect than traveling to a pupil’s house. Cognita is the UK’s largest independent schools group and its online tutoring offering spans Year 3 to GCSE. Each tutor is a qualified teacher, a subject specialist who’s fully immersed in the curriculum. The process is simple: pick a subject and a year group on the website and a list of potential tutors appears, with photographs of smiling, approachable-looking faces and an informal, ‘get to know me’ biography. It’s an accessible approach that fully

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EDUCATION • TUTORING

“She came prepared with a list of speciﬁc questions directly related to her lessons in school, and the session served as a thorough catch up” recognises the personal nature of the pupil/tutor relationship. It also works well in presenting tutors as relaxed and personable, which is especially relevant for a reluctant child who perceives many teachers at school as "strict" or "shouty". We booked four sessions: two English and two Maths/Science. An informative welcome pack arrived instantly, along with a preliminary form with some background questions about my daughter and her aims. Already familiar with Microsoft Teams, L entered her first session easily and was quickly put at ease. Her tutor introduced herself to both of us, and told us about the school she taught at (highlighting its excellent exam results – perhaps more for my benefit). She asked us about our aims for the sessions and whether we had specific goals. Our aims were nonspecific; L wanted to catch up and gain confidence in class. She said that she’d been enjoying poetry and so a single session based around one of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes ensued. After 45 minutes I was called back and given clear feedback from the session by the tutor. All sessions are recorded, so children can go back through bits they’re unclear about, and parents can examine the whole thing if they like. L was left with some

clear tasks and pointers to consider before the next session. This meant she came prepared with a list of specific questions directly related to her lessons in school, and the session served as a thorough catch up on issues that had baffled her in Macbeth. L reported feeling comfortable and not "stupid" as she sometimes does when putting her hand up in class. Similarly, the combined Maths/Science sessions were able to focus on specifics. Ratios had caused L much distress in class, but she emerged with a vastly improved understanding and attitude – less fear. Children often develop blocks about subjects and refuse to engage, and it’s situations like this where a tutor can provide a new viewpoint and a fresh start. Cognita’s commitment is clear. Signing up for weekly sessions gives children unlimited access to a digital learning platform, and they’re able to contact the tutor via chat between sessions. Homework is targeted and manageable. Communication is impressive, and tutors were flexible when we needed to move the timing of a session. We’re not in the market for a weekly commitment right now, but we’ll be dipping in and out of tutoring as needed. For this, our verdict is that Cognita is perfect.

Cognita Tutoring OFFERS Ongoing support as well as specific catch-up or revision AGES Year 3 to GCSE COST £55 per hour, including unlimited access to the digital learning platform. First session free SUBJECTS Maths, English, Science, 11+ preparation PROGRESS Feedback after every session and a mini parents' evening at the end of a block of six sessions cognitatutoring.com

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EDUCATION • THEATRE

B OO K A WO R KS H O P A programme of interactive Macbeth workshops for ages 5-8, 9-12 and 12+ runs alongside the production. These use a range of activities and games designed to draw out elements of the play’s language, characters and themes, and are led by one of the Globe’s highly experienced practitioners who include actors, teachers and directors. Book online as part of the Globe’s Telling Tales programme. SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE PERFORMANCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Stage FRIGHT

A production of Macbeth designed for young people comes to Shakespeare’s Globe this spring. Absolutely enjoys a preview

By PENDLE HARTE

CSE revision frenzy is upon us. All over the country, 16-year-olds are printing out revision timetables, covering them in highlighter and sticking them to their bedroom walls. And with Macbeth one of the most studied plays at GCSE, Shakespeare’s Globe has a new special schools production at just the right time. As a revision session away from the desk, it’s a welcome break for Year 11s, as well as a good introduction

to Shakespeare for all ages and stages. This year marks the 16th anniversary of the Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project, which provides over 20,000 free tickets for students aged 11-16 in state secondary schools across London and Birmingham. The scheme continues to transform the way in which thousands of young people experience Shakespeare. Its productions are designed specifically for young people and are backed up with a host of free online teaching resources from the Globe. This Macbeth is a full-scale, gripping, 90-minute production. While the National

Theatre’s last production of the play came in at almost three hours, this condensed show is focused on engaging an audience more used to TikTok than drama in five acts. Director Sarah Frankcom sees Macbeth’s themes as particularly relevant for the young generation: “As young people continue to ask big questions about their future, I can’t think of a better play to explore how personal ambition and the abuse of power can corrupt the individual and destroy nations.” A significant proportion of young people in this country rely entirely on their school for access to the arts and this project has given schools an invaluable way to bring Shakespeare alive for their students. To coincide with this year’s performances, eligible schools will also receive free workshops for students, free CPD for teachers, and award-winning free online resources to support the teaching and studying of Shakespeare plays in the GCSE and A-level curriculum. This year has already seen over 21,000 students receiving free tickets and over 200 teachers signing up for online and in-person CPD courses. Playing Shakespeare is supported by Deutsche Bank as part of Born to Be – a youth engagement programme to help young people reach their full potential. Public performances run until 16 April. shakespearesglobe.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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DISCOVERMORE

An independent co-educational senior school for students aged 11-18 in West London

Embracing an innovative, modern approach whilst keeping traditional values at its core, Kew House School takes an exciting stance on 21st century education. With state-of-the-art facilities, a broad curriculum and excellent pastoral care, Kew House is a place where you would want to be – a place of learning and discovery, laughter and friendship.

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Book your place at one of our Open Events at www.kewhouseschool.com/ openevents T: 020 8742 2038 W: www.kewhouseschool.com @KewHouseSchool

14/12/2021 11:50 18:52 24/11/2021

EDUCATION • OPINION

INQUIRING MINDS The Primary Years Programme Coordinator at Southbank International School says that the IB system teaches both learning skills and values for life FLORA WINTER

he International Baccalaureate curriculum teaches young people aged 3-18 how to develop specific characteristics that are representative of being ‘a good learner’ and ‘a good person’. At the same time, it aims to develop specific skillsets – recognising that young people need to be able to collaborate, negotiate, problem solve, be creative and become critical thinkers. Right from the start, the IB aims to foster curiosity and encourage young people to ask questions. In doing so, we identify common threads and an understanding of how young people approach different subjects, teaching them to be able to share their thinking, to ask questions and to problem solve together. For the youngest children at Southbank International School there is a big focus on how they can help one another improve. In grade 1 (age 6-7), students participate in a ‘Unit of Inquiry’ on how to express themselves in various contexts. Working in small groups, they develop questions, allocate roles so they know who will take responsibility for each aspect, and then they present their findings to the rest of the school and to parents. Every year the PUPILS AT SOUTHBANK INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

“Everything we teach is underpinned by a sense of community – essential to children developing an understanding of their role in society” children learn from one another, critiquing their work and making improvements along the way. We also have specific units of inquiry looking at ourselves and our cultural identity. It is the school’s belief that understanding ourselves helps us to understand others better, which is something that our parent community support through participation in events, sharing cultural practices and elements of their home life in different languages. Among the many advantages of being a school in central London is that there are so many opportunities for students to go out and explore different parts of the city, and for people to present new ideas and perspectives to them. We see London as our classroom and this helps children to develop an understanding of the world around them, consider alternative perspectives and see the world through more than just their own eyes. A core element of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is encouraging children to take ‘Action’. We talk about five different types of action in response to learning: Participation and being involved in the community (in the classroom and beyond); Advocacy (individually or as a group); Social Justice (taking action for positive change); Lifestyle Changes (healthy eating or keeping fit); and Social

Entrepreneurship (locally and nationally). This is further supported through linking back to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating to students the relevance of what they are learning. One example was the ‘Gratitude Project’ last year, when the school council worked with the PTA to raise money for North London Food Banks. Smaller things happen daily too. For instance, some children undertook a unitive inquiry on pollution. Noticing parents were leaving their vehicles running at

drop-off, they made signs reminding drivers to switch their engines off. Everything we teach is underpinned by a sense of community, which is essential to children developing an understanding of their role in society. They are taught to take responsibility for something beyond themselves. It could be as simple as caring for a plant, helping a friend who is upset or putting things away tidily. These are the sorts of attributes we believe children need to develop, learning at a micro level from a very young age and then applying the same principles to life as they progress through the school and beyond. A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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UK STE

RAIL D from

TRIP AY

£115

The Dorset Coast Express Thursday 21st July, 18th August and 1st September 2022

EST.1997

Visit the beautiful Dorset coast and relive the ‘golden age’ of steam, hauled by a steam locomotive that was built for express passenger train work. Spend time at the celebrated seaside resorts of either Bournemouth or Weymouth. Price • Standard Class £115pp/£358 family – includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four. • First Class £185pp/£565 family – includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam. • Premier Dining £285pp/£870 family – includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner served at your seat.

Bob Green

For more information including approximate timings please call or visit our web site…

To order free UK Steam Rail Day Trips, UK Rail and European Rail Holiday brochures please visit our website.

01553 661 500 www.railwaytouring.net

25 EST.1997

Have a great day – The Safe Way – your welfare is our priority and our Covid-19 travel procedures are available to view on our website. Refreshments available to purchase on board. Junior fares available. Organised by The Railway Touring Company. The Railway Touring Company’s standard conditions of booking and travel apply – see website or brochure for details.

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EDUCATION • FOCUS

Testing

TIMES

Building a positive approach to exams

his summer's GCSE, A Level and IB exams are set to go ahead for the first time since 2019. That means this year’s A Level and IB cohort will become the first to sit sixth form exams without having taken formal GCSE papers in Year 11. New research from private tuition and home-schooling company Enjoy Education finds that in light of exam cancellations over the last two years, exam anxiety is one of parents’ greatest concerns. The research, which surveyed 1,500 parents of schoolaged children, found that nearly two thirds of sixth form parents are worried that their teenager hasn’t sat national exams before, while 29% of students negatively impacted by returning to school this year are struggling with exam anxiety. After two years of disrupted education, it’s more important than ever that exam students this year feel confident and prepared for their exams – and we all have a role to play in helping them feel ready this summer. The research finds that despite the growing worries around exams, there is a bright side.

Lockdown learning has helped parents to feel closer than ever to their children’s learning, empowering parents to make decisions to help their children and teenagers feel confident ahead of exams this year. 61% of those surveyed said they had learnt something new about the way their child learns, while 60% feel they previously had misconceptions about their child’s learning style. “As the research shows, there are unique pressures surrounding this year’s exam cohort and we are committed to making sure students have the support they need”, says Enjoy Education Founder Kate Shand. “If your teenager is facing exams, they will likely need more help this year navigating the path positively and with confidence, which is why we’re offering all parents free consultations to make sure the right content, revision and exam strategies are in place during these final months.” Book your free Revision and Exam Consultation with an expert consultant at Enjoy Education to help your teenager build a positive and achievable revision plan for exam success this summer. enjoyeducation.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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North Bridge House

New tion 4+ Recep ep, r entry to P Regent’s Park

North Bridge House is on a constant journey of getting to know and understand every child as an individual, realising their true academic and personal potential through specialist provision at every school stage. NURSERY & PRE-PREP WEST HAMPSTEAD 2 - 7 YEARS FRIDAY 6 MAY FRIDAY 10 JUNE

NURSERY & PRE-PREP HAMPSTEAD 2 - 7 YEARS TUESDAY 3 MAY (NURSERY 2+) THURSDAY 5 MAY (PRE-PREP 4+)

PREP SCHOOL REGENT’S PARK 4 - 13 YEARS FRIDAY 20 MAY

SENIOR HAMPSTEAD 11 - 16 YEARS THURSDAY 28 APRIL THURSDAY 30 JUNE

SENIOR CANONBURY 11 - 18 YEARS TUESDAY 3 MAY

Book an open day or private tour at northbridgehouse.com/open

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EDUCATION • INSIDER

WORKING TOGETHER The Managing Director of Gardener Schools Group makes the case for co-educational schools in helping to prepare young people for future life and work

he ethos of the Gardener Schools Group (GSG) promotes a nurturing environment – we encourage a growth mindset, instil resilience and stress the importance of empathy for others. Underlining our philosophy is the belief that boys and girls should be educated together. Whenever I meet potential parents at our schools I tell them, ‘The world is co-educational’. We live in a time where the role of sex and gender has never been more keenly felt. When a child starts school, one of the most important things they do as a four-year-old is socialise by playing with others. Learning how to interact, listen and be emotionally intelligent is part of their journey. Why remove half the population? If you want children to feel naturally comfortable with other people, this should begin at school. Many arguments against co-education are made by girls’ schools. Girls do better in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,

“A mixed school prepares you for university and work – it is our job to consider the future our children will be living in” Mathematics) subjects, for example, in single-sex schools. Acknowledging this, it is important to promote these subjects to girls specifically and to stress they are not ‘boys’’ subjects. Another argument is that girls and boys learn in different ways. This, however, is overly simplistic. Everyone learns differently, regardless of sex. This

By THEO BREHONY

STUDENTS AT KEW HOUSE SCHOOL, PART OF THE GSG

learning could be kinetic, visual, aural or a combination. We ask our teachers to know their pupils and differentiate their teaching approach to suit individual needs. If you create a culture of equality and tolerance from the start, if you value the individual, if girls are perceived as leaders and ‘leaning in’ is a natural part of learning, everyone benefits. I cannot say for certain, but the problems highlighted across schools by Everyone’s Invited may have been on a lesser scale if this had been the starting point. Increasingly schools are moving from single-sex to co-educational. Winchester College’s Sixth Form is one of the latest to do so. Latymer in west London has been co-ed for some time now although, surprisingly, in the capital there has been a dearth of co-ed senior schools in comparison to the rest of the country. In the last eight years, the GSG has responded to a growing demand from pupils and parents and founded two coeducational senior schools in Kew and Maida Vale. Other school groups like Thomas’s Schools are following a similar co-ed model.

Nurseries are typically co-educational. Why do some pupils then go on to single-sex schools until university? Certainly, attending a mixed school will prepare you for university and work life in a way that single-sex schools cannot. There are, of course, remaining bastions of single-sex education and some of the best schools are among them. That said, it is our job to consider the future world our children will be living in. At Gardener Schools Group, we firmly believe a pillar of success for all young people will be the ease with which they relate to others.

THEO BREHONY Managing Director Gardener Schools Group A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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RAVENSCOURT PARK

preparatory school

An Independent School for Boys and Girls aged 4-11 Quality of Pupils’ Achievement and Learning - “Excellent” Quality of Teaching - “Excellent”

Quality of Extra-curricular Provision - “Excellent” Quality of Pastoral Care - “Excellent”

Quality of Links with Parents - “Excellent”

Quality of Pupils’ Personal Development – “Excellent” ‘’The curriculum is excellent for all ages and abilities, and is expertly matched to meet the needs of the range of pupils in the school.’’ Independent Schools Inspectorate Report - March 2016

Open Mornings Open Mornings

9.15am Tuesday 14th November To book your place on an open morning,

9.15am Thursday 9th May 2019 please go to www.rpps.co.uk/openmornings 9.15am Thursday 18th January 2018 9.15am Tuesday 11th June 2019 or phone 020 8846 9153

9.15am Thursday 1st February 2018

To your place on an open morning, pleasemornings, go to To book register your attendance at one of our open rpps.co.uk/admissions phone 020secretary@rpps.co.uk 8846 9153 please phone 0208 846 or 9153 or mail

Ravenscourt Park Prep School 16 Ravenscourt Avenue, London W6 0SL

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KEW GREEN preparatory school

An Independent School for Boys and Girls aged 4-11 Quality of Pupils’ Achievement and Learning - “Excellent” Quality of Teaching - “Excellent”

Quality of Extra-curricular Provision - “Excellent” Quality of Pastoral Care - “Excellent”

Quality of Links with Parents - “Excellent”

Quality of Pupils’ Personal Development – “Excellent” “Pupils of all ages benefit from a rich and exciting curriculum.”

Independent Schools Inspectorate Report - July 2015

To book your place on an open morning, please go to www.kgps.co.uk/openmornings or phone 020 8948 5999

Kew Green Preparatory School

Layton House, Ferry Lane, Kew Green, Richmond TW9 3AF

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