Absolutely Buckinghamshire March 2021 by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Buckinghamshire MARCH 2021 / £3.95

Literary

TRAIL Local heroes and their haunts

MARCH 2021

SPECIAL 30 Pages of inspiration and advice

COLOUR BURST Zandra Rhodes and bright bedrooms

Shine B RIGH T NEW LOOKS FOR SPRING

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ABSOLUTELY

Contents MARCH 2021

66 10

C U LT U R E ABSOLUTELY LOVES

FA S H I O N 36 TEXTILE LOVE

WHAT'S ON

40 THE SHOOT

STEVE BACKSHALL

HOME 64 ZANDRA RHODES

10 things we’re coveting this month

Your diary for March

The local adventurer

BOOK TOUR

On the hunt for literary haunts

FOOD & DRINK 24 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL News from the industry

29 BOX FRESH

The best meals, delivered

30 RECIPES

One-pot dishes from Anna Jones

Maia London's lovely woven fabrics

Penelope Chilvers' fabulous footwear

The designers' new bedheads

70 LOCAL DESIGN

Q&A with interior designer Sandra Rothwell

E D U C AT I O N 90 YOLANDA BROWN A musical childhood

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.

93 UK GETAWAY

A family trip to Cornwall

O N T H E C OV E R Fanfare Symphony; garrard.com

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EDITOR IN CHIEF PENDLE HARTE DIGITAL EDITOR ABBIE SCHOFIELD ART DIRECTOR PAWEL KUBA SENIOR DESIGNER MIKE ROBERTS MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN MAGAZINE MANAGER ABIGAIL GARDNER MEDIA CONSULTANTS STELLA ADAMS, ANABELA KOLECI BRAND PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER NAVINDER LALL MARKETING MANAGER LUCIE PEARCE 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 07977 195732 or email: abi@zest-media.com

Studio G06, Wenlock Studios, 50-52 Wharf Road, London N1 7EU; 020 7704 0588 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

Projektityyny We are obsessed with these beautiful gingham colourways.

LETTER ABSOLUTELY’S March issue highlights

his issue is dedicated to the home, because who hasn't at least considered some home improvements in these long months? With spring in the air, now's the time to add some colourful elements to your home, whether it's a bright Zandra Rhodes headboard, a gingham quilt from our favourite discovery Projektityyny or a bright storage basket. This issue has 30 pages of ideas for everything from kitchen storage to paint colours, via bathroom essentials, sleep aids and advice from local interior designers. Meanwhile, we have ventured out of our homes for a tour of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire's literary locations, from Milton's Cottage to Great Missenden library (where Roald Dahl's Matilda found inspiration). My own brisk walks have been improved enormously now that I've discovered Penelope Chilvers boots, which are tough enough to withstand the mud, yet still look great, making them officially the footwear of the moment. All this makes March an exciting month. We hope you enjoy the issue.

PENDLE HARTE EDITOR

Penelope Chilvers

The best boots. Practical and stylish too.

Off the wall

4 A nna Jones

Her excellent new book of one-pot dinners

3 Roald Dahl

Matilda in Great Missenden

Beautiful historic designs, reinvented.

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Wish LIST 10 things we Absolutely love COMPILED BY

ABBIE SCHOFIELD

HELLO HERMÈS Luxury pre-loved consignment store Sellier Knightsbridge has one of the most swoon-worthy designer collections we've seen. From Chanel and Hermès to Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton, they are one of the UK's most trusted resellers. sellierknightsbridge.com

ROCK ROMANCE Gender ﬂuid artist Harris Reed's collaboration with M•A•C Cosmetics is inspired by Renaissance paintings, glam rock and dandyish dressing, with products just as bold as their packaging. maccosmetics.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

R E N TA L R EVO LU T I O N WITH THE BAND Sustainable jewellery brand Leo + Lumi focuses on minimalist, everyday pieces that can be worn alone or stacked together. The whole collection is made with 14k gold and lab-grown diamonds. Rings from £135 leoandlumi.com

Renting clothes is the answer to conscious shopping — no more buying an expensive dress only to wear it once. Peer-to-peer platform By Rotation allows you to rent out your own clothes as well as borrow other people's via an app. byrotation.com

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ABSOLUTELY • LOVES

FEELING FRESH

TO P T I PS

Ted Baker's SS21 collection is inspired by 'nostalgia, optimism and the joyous moments of everyday British life', with an uplifting film shot at the seaside by Felix Cooper. Cotton boilersuit, £149, trainers £119 tedbaker.com

Nail art is having a resurgence. And the 'it' style? The humble French mani. But rather than chunky white tips à la 2005, go for a thin line of a colour like Papaya by Peacći. £10 peacci.com

B E MY B U B B L E Supermodel Cara Delevigne and her sister Poppy have branched out into the world of wine. Della Vite is a light and ﬂoral Prosecco made in collaboration with a third-generation wine-making family in Italy. £25.95 dellavite.com

PRETTY P E TA L S Whether it's a birthday, commiseration or a simple 'I miss you', a ﬂower delivery is always a joy, especially right now. New service Floward specialises in elegant bouquets crafted by their expert designers. Coral roses, £90 floward.com

L I L AC LOV E Lucy & Yak's corduroy boilersuit comes in a variety of shades, but we are particularly charmed by this one called Orchid Bloom — very fitting for spring. £68 lucyandyak.com

BRIGHT STUFF Spring cleaning shouldn't stop at dusting — it's the perfect time to clear out your drawers and replace tired underwear with beautiful matching lingerie, like this set by Marie Jo. Trust us, you'll feel better. Bra £69, Briefs £35 ameliesfollies.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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ORIGINAL, LIMITED-EDITION ART DECO POSTERS

97 x 65 cm. Priced at £420 each (inc. UK sales tax).

Private commissions are also welcome.

@pullmaneditionsposters

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C U LT U R E

'POPFR-AIX', ED MOSES, C.2000. FEATURED IN WHIPLINES, WATERFALLS AND WORMS, JD MALAT GALLERY

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The Agenda

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

MU S E UM

Virtual Tour All month NATIONAL MUSEUM OF COMPUTING Delve into the world's most extensive collection of working historic computers at The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley. Their 3D and virtual guided tours are running throughout March, with experts on hand to discuss the codebreaking machines of WWII, the world's oldest working digital computer and more. tnmoc.org

THE COTTAGE GARDEN AT GLEBE FARM, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

V I RT UA L

TO U R

Garden Tour

Musical Drive In

The ever-resourceful gardeners involved in The National Garden Scheme are giving visitors virtual access to their exceptional private gardens in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire throughout lockdown. One such garden is at Glebe Farm, Buckinghamshire, which has been a labour of love for the owner, David Hilliard, for 28 years.

Until 21 March ONLINE Stream this uplifting 10-hour performance of the most-loved musical hits ever, with special appearances from the likes of Lucie Jones (Waitress) and Layton Williams (Everyone’s Talking About Jamie). westendmusicaldrivein.co.uk

TH E NATI O NA L GA R D E N S C HE ME • ON GOIN G

CO N C E RT

ngs.org.uk

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CULTURE • TALKING TOPICS

WO RKS H O P

Candle Making

Ongoing CANDLE BY EVENTS This candle-making experience company based in Marlow allows you to try the art of crafting candles from the comfort of your own home via a live online workshop. You'll learn how to make your own natural soy and beeswax candles and personalise your creations with a range of fragrances and dyes. candlebyevents.co.uk

B ELLY L AU G H S

Lighten the mood and take an online comedy class

HOOPLA IMPROV THEATRE

I M P R OV Laugh through lockdown thanks to Hoopla’s online improv classes, which have been attended by over 1,000 people so far. They offer drop-in and taster sessions as well as longer courses for those wanting to improve their comedy skills. hooplaimpro.com

T H E AT R E

LEMONS

This Month’s Must See

24-26 March P R O G R E S S T H E AT R E Reading's Progress Theatre, is screening a digital performance of Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons live on Zoom. With themes of communication, censorship, oppression and free speech, this dystopian drama, based on the book by Sam Steiner, is set in a world where the British government has introduced a "Quietude Bill" — a law that limits citizens' speech to 140 words a day. progresstheatre.co.uk

D OR I A N G R AY

ANGEL COMEDY CLUB

S TA N D U P Known for hosting the best up-andcoming names in comedy, Angel Comedy Club offers masterclasses and courses in stand-up and comedy writing for all levels, plus one-on-one sessions. angelcomedy.co.uk

6- 3 1 MA RC H • THE WATERMILL THEATRE + ELGIVA

wo local theatres in Newbury and Chesham are livestreaming different adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Gray for audiences to enjoy at home. Based on Oscar Wilde's sensational story about a man who never ages while his portrait turns decrepit, the themes are as relevant today as when ﬁrst published in 1890.

SKILLSHARE T U TO R I A L S Skillshare has dozens of video lessons from seasoned comedians on a range of topics, from '5 Techniques to Write Funny Jokes' to 'Mastering Sketch Comedy'. Plus, you can trial it for free. skillshare.com

watermill.org.uk • elgiva.com

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JUSTWARDROBEDOORS ADD SOME GLAMOUR TO YOUR BEDROOM

A NEW WAY TO BUY YOUR LUXURY WARDROBES from replacement doors to a complete installation

FULL WARDROBE INSTALLATION

REPLACEMENT WARDROBE DOORS

USE OUR LUXURY WARDROBE KITS

Visit us online to view our luxury door designs

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CULTURE • LOCAL

“This area we live in is so diverse, so varied and so spectacular as well”

Wild at

HEART

How Marlow resident Steve Backshall has retained his spirit of adventure during lockdown By JUDITH HURRELL

fter a year of staying put, we’ve all got cabin fever. We’ve been scratching our itchy feet by living vicariously through Marlow resident Steve Backshall. The TV presenter, naturalist, conservationist and adventurer, has taken to social media during lockdown. His live-streamed lessons about habitats, animals, and nature have inspired homeschooling kids and claustrophobic parents alike. His efforts were acknowledged in a poll conducted by BT Skills for Tomorrow naming him a Top 10 Digital Lockdown Hero. The poll drew votes from 1,000 UK parents. It recognised ten people who’ve used technology, online platforms and social media to help the needy, vulnerable and elderly during the country’s first lockdown.

The 47-year-old father of three has devoted his career to spreading the word on wildlife. In 2020 Backshall was awarded an MBE in the 2020 New Years Honours for services to wildlife conservation and his charity work — some of which benefited our local area. In 2010 he became President of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), commenting: ‘It’s a great honour. I’ve travelled the world visiting extraordinary places, but I think it’s so important to treasure and conserve the natural beauty in our own back yard. It’s our heritage and our responsibility to protect it’. ‘The Chiltern Hills has become my home over the last decade, and it’s somewhere that’s very, very special to me. Almost every day, I go out on the Thames near me and watch hobbies catching mayflies right over the deck of my kayak. I see the kingfishers every single day, and I’ve seen this

incredible host of fledgelings going out onto the river and doing really, really well. They all become a part of my life, they’re almost like my personal friends out on the river.’ 2021 will see Steve on another global journey, taking in sun-drenched tropics and mysterious ocean depths for a new documentary — ‘Shark’ — which premieres on Sky Nature in the summer. The documentary is dedicated to celebrating these marine marvels, dispelling the myth that sharks are merely cold-blooded killers. ‘My new series due in the summer of 2021 focuses on the evolution, biology and catastrophic conservation crisis facing the Sharks and rays,’ he says. Depending on what the summer holds, this is perhaps the closest many of us will get to farflung adventure this year. Luckily, for residents of Berks and Bucks, there’s much to discover on the doorstep. ‘Nothing’s more important than the wildlife that we have in our own backyard,’ Backshall reminds us when talking about the work the Wildlife Trust does in conserving these areas. ‘It’s ours, it belongs to us. It’s part of our history and our heritage, and it’s part of our responsibility to protect it really. This area we live in is so diverse, so varied and so spectacular as well.’ Well said, Steve! Bringing wild animals into our living rooms was a feat, but opening our eyes to the wonders of our local area is the real game-changer. A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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D PETROL PUMPS IN GREAT MISSENDEN, AS REFERENCED IN ROALD DAHL'S DANNY, CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

Local

HEROES

id you write a book during lockdown? Or perhaps World Poetry Day on 21 March is inspiring you to put pen to paper? Publishers of all genres are reporting a deluge of manuscripts — it seems the unique circumstances of recent times have inspired would-be authors to get writing. Coronavirus isn’t the first pandemic to inspire creativity. History is full of great art that has risen from the ashes of plague, pestilence and pandemics — none more than Paradise Lost by John Milton (1608–74), which describes the “red right hand that plagues us” about the great plague of 1665. Milton may never have lived to finish his epic poem had he not escaped ‘the heat of the plague’ in London by fleeing to Chalfont St Giles. It was here — in a ‘pretty box’ farm workers' cottage that still stands today — where he completed his most remarkable work and dreamed up its sequel, Paradise Regained. The cottage has been a museum (miltonscottage.org) since 1887, remaining open through two world wars — indeed, March 2020 was the first time the museum wasn’t able to welcome visitors in spring. But want-to-be authors can still find inspiration by visiting the museum’s website for a virtual tour in verse. Writing prompts, journal ideas and creative writing tips also will inspire homeschooling children and adults to channel inspiration during isolation, just like Milton. Milton wasn’t our only local literary sensation. The American poet Robert Frost (1874 —1963) lived in a bungalow on Reynold’s Road, Beaconsfield, after moving to England in 1912. His famous poems, Mending Wall and Birches, were penned while he lived there.

A tour of Berkshire and Berkshire's colourful literary history By JUDITH HURRELL

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CULTURE • LOCAL HISTORY GREAT MISSENDEN LIBRARY

T. S. Eliot (1888 – 1965) taught a term at the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe. Rumour has it the experience inspired him to write The Wasteland. Charming. He left the profession and moved to Marlow in 1917. His teaching room — Room 26 in the Main Block — is still an English classroom where today’s teachers are much more enthusiastic. D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) rented a cottage on Bellingdon Farm in Cholesbury near Chesham while working on The Rainbow from 1914-1915. The prominent modernist writer Katherine Mansfield, who Lawrence knew from The Bloomsbury Group, lived next door while having an affair with fellow writer John Middleton Murry. The characters Gudrun and Gerald in Lawrence’s Women in Love are based on Mansfield and Murry. Former Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984) was a teacher at Thorpe House School, Gerrard’s Cross, before working as a private secretary. He spoke fondly about the area in his autobiographical work Summoned by Bells (1960), recalling that “Metroland / Beckoned us out to lanes in beechy Bucks”.

INSIDE MILTON'S COTTAGE

“Milton may never have lived to ﬁnish his epic poem had he not ﬂed to Chalfont St Giles” MILTON'S COTTAGE

Perhaps one of Buckinghamshire’s most famous literary sensations is Roald Dahl, who lived in Great Missenden for 36 years. Gipsy House, which provided the backdrop for Matilda, Fantastic Mr Fox and Danny, the Champion of the World, is now privately owned. However, the house that inspired Sophie’s orphanage in The BFG, Danny’s dad’s petrol pumps, Matilda’s library and Roald Dahl’s grave are popular sites around town. Fans can also explore Dahl’s famous writing shed and gipsy caravan when museums reopen. The Thames-side scenery of the unspoiled village of Cookham Dean in Berkshire inspired Kenneth Grahame’s best-known work, The Wind in the Willows. Wannabe writers can take creative inspiration from the beautiful setting with a walk past Grahame’s boyhood home in the village and then on through Quarry and Fultness Woods — the inspiration for the book’s Wild Wood’. So, if you’re a Bucks or Berks resident with a story to tell, you’re in good company. A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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LET US HELP YOU TO FIND LOVE

Ask one of our expert Membership Advisers about how they are helping people throughout the home counties to find love during these difficult times call us on 0800 644 4123 and quote ‘home counties’ or learn more about us by visiting our website www.countrypartners.co.uk/homecounties

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CULTURE • PARTNERSHIP ENGLAND IN ACTION

KICK OFF TIME Win two hospitality tickets to an England Rugby match, courtesy of Keith Prowse

“You'll watch the match from the upper tier's best seats with a full view of the action” BRITISH AIRWAYS ROSE GARDEN

lthough we’re in unprecedented times, which may see this year’s Guinness Six Nations fixtures take place behind closed doors, rugby passion is rising. Keith Prowse, the principal hospitality sales partner to England Rugby, is offering readers the chance to win a fully inclusive hospitality experience for two in the British Airways Rose Garden this autumn, when England will take on an Emerging Nation at Twickenham Stadium. Taking its rugby heritage from the rose embossed crest given to Rugby School by Elizabeth I, the British Airways Rose Garden is one of Twickenham’s liveliest match day venues with incredible views over London. Up to two hours before the match, you will be able to enjoy unlimited street food including stone-baked pizzas and a rotisserie carvery, washed down with a wide range of real ales, Guinness, premium lager and selected wines. A build-up of live band music from the stage will create a vibrant atmosphere rich with anticipation. You’ll then take your seats and watch the match from the upper tier’s best seats with a full view of the on-pitch action – don’t forget to pop back to the British Airways Rose Garden for a half time pint! No game would be complete without the obligatory post-match analysis and guests are welcome to stay behind for ninety minutes after the game. Don’t miss out on the chance to win this ultimate rugby hospitality experience courtesy of Keith Prowse.

H OW TO ENTER For the chance to win the ultimate rugby hospitality experience courtesy of Keith Prowse, visit: absolutely.london/win-rugby Terms and conditions apply.

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

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FOOD & DRINK

AMUSE BOUCHE FINISH & FEAST

Finish & Feast launched in November 2020, and was the first at-home restaurant service to specialise in fine dining. Muse by chef Tom Aikens is the latest Michelin-starred restaurant to be added to the platform, delivering a luxurious menu direct to UK homes. finishandfeast.com

Food notes 24 • Meal kits 29 • Recipes 30 A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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WHAT TO DRINK

GRAPE news Wine recommendations for the month

TASTING NOTES

Local food news and exciting deliveries to try this month By JUDE HURRELL & ABBIE SCHOFIELD

By BERRY BROS. & RUDD

2016 Viña Amézola Crianza, Bodegas Amézola de la Mora, Spain  £16.50 Aged for 15 months in oak, this wine gives subtle hints of vanilla spice and nutmeg. Fine-grained tannins are complemented by oozing dark blackberry fruit and lifted by a red-fruit freshness which mirrors the elegant nose. Try it with Vietnamese food or tapas.

2019 Sancerre, Blanc, Brigitte and Daniel Chotard, Loire  £19.95 This is an expert blend of parcels covering three distinct soil types – limestone, pebbly griottes and marl; each brings something to the party.. Fresh and grassy with subtle stone fruit character, this cuvée has a long ﬁnish with a saline note.

Berry Bros. & Rudd Crémant de Limoux by Antech, Brut, Languedoc  £13.95 A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 15% each of Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, this is a balanced wine, with elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice. Aged traditionally on its lees, it shows more exotic fruits with a clean, pebbly backdrop. BERRY BROS. & RUDD Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant, having traded from the same shop since 1698. Today the company also has offices in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, a Wine School and an exclusive fine wine and dining venue in St James's.

bbr.com

Outside the Box P E T E R S H A M N U R S E R I E S CA F É

Petersham Nurseries has launched a four-course feasting box available for nationwide delivery from Restokit. Featuring luxurious seasonal dishes ready to ﬁnish and assemble at home, enjoy the likes of fresh tagliatelle with tema artichoke, anchovy, chilli and garlic pangrattato, and Haye farm porchetta, rolled with winter garden herbs. They’ll also send you a pretty hyacinth bulb in a terracotta pot and two rustic candles. Petersham Road, TW10 7AB; restokit.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK• NOTES

SWEET TOOTH Indulgent dessert deliveries

C A K E O R D E AT H

Magic beans

Letterbox brownie company Cake or Death is based in London, but can deliver nationwide. Choose from gooey caramel, raspberry, peanut, Biscoff or a mixture of them all, encased in Instagramworthy pink packaging. cakeordeath.net

ROAST LAB COFFEE

Start the day right with freshly-roasted single-origin coffee from Roast Lab Coffee Roasters. Based in Farnham Common, straddling Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, this family business is dedicated to elevating the every-day cuppa. They source the best quality green beans from independent farms and roast in small batches using their snazzy precision roaster, which allows them to tweak the roast proﬁles ro perfection. roastlab.coffee

LOCAL LUNCH THE GROCER SHOPS

Based in Amersham, The Grocer Shops are a labour of love founded by Kim Bates and Marcello Cinelli. They have a fantastic home dining offering for Mother's Day, starting with cherry tomato & basil soup followed by roast free-range cornfed chicken and rhubarb Eton mess, with added sparkle from DeStefani Prosecco. Cheers! thegrocershops.co.uk

KIPFERL Authentic Austrian restaurant Kipferl makes incredible Sachertorten — sponge cakes filled with apricot jam with a chocolate glaze. Available for delivery across the country, the traditional Viennese cakes can also be personalised. kipferl.co.uk/shop

T R E AT TOWER BACK IN TIME FOR TEA

Perfect picnics CHILTERN DELI

As the weather warms and restrictions begin to ease, order a picnic from Chiltern Deli, a Chesham-based business born in lockdown. The Grazer Gift Box features a lovinglycurated selection of goodies, including Chiltern charcuterie chompers with a side of Nettlebed Creamery Bix Organic soft white cheese. chilterndeli.co.uk

PRIMROSE BAKERY Those looking to improve their baking skills can order Primrose Bakery’s at-home kit, with the choice of a five-layer rainbow cake, vanilla cupcakes or a simple decorating box. Included are all the dry ingredients, food colourings and toppings you’ll need, plus a step-by-step recipe card. plateaway.com

Enjoy a beautifully presented afternoon tea at home thanks to Back In Time For Tea, a Newburybased service providing "a little bit of luxury at home". It has rave reviews on Facebook, and with petite lemon fondants, Viennese whirls and white chocolate and caramel blondies on the menu, we can see why. backintimefortea.biz A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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FOOD & DRINK • NOTES

DRINKS CABINET

Hygge drinks to warm you up this month By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

REVIEW

GINGER SNAP TEELING X UMBRELLA Teeling Whiskey and Umbrella London have launched a whiskeyﬁnished ginger beer, the ﬁrst of its kind. To create it, 500 litres of ginger beer were left to rest in used former bourbon hogshead barrels for two years before carbonation. The result? A deliciously unique drink with 5.5% ABV. £30 for 8 cans

theumbrellaproject.co.uk

In High SPIRITS AY U U K The perfect accompaniment to this mezcal-inspired spirit? Cherry soda. From Copenhagen distillery Empirical, it was nominated for Best New Spirit of the Year 2020 at the Spirited Awards and is made with Pasilla Mixe chilli, Danish wheat and Pilsner malt rested in a sherry cask.

From £13, www.empirical.co

NEAT NECTAR M E TA X A METAXA is a Greek amber spirit made with a combination of aged wine distillates, botanicals and Muscat wines from the island of Samos. It has notes of honey, chocolate and black raisins and is best enjoyed neat in your favourite tumbler. £70.45

thewhiskyexchange.com

Party of 1 How to recreate that Friday feeling By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

e're deep into lockdown number 3 and the days are blurring together. With no restaurants to eat at, no bars to visit and no friends to see, Friday nights are identical to Monday nights — a concept I would have been horriﬁed at a year ago. When the pandemic ﬁrst hit, I stopped saving things 'for best': candles, bottles of wine, my favourite tops. But now I've gone the other way. In a desperate attempt to cheer myself and my family up, I've gone gung ho with the treats. Wine on a Monday? Why not! Takeaway on a Tuesday? Yes please. But this means that the joy of the weekend has been destroyed. Every day is treat day, which makes it pretty boring after a while. Perhaps we should be saving the special things for the weekend, like the good old 2019 days. So, in an attempt to resurrect the 'Friday feeling', I spent a week depriving myself of weekday treats. I was sent an Original Pornstar Martini Cocktail Kit by the inventor of the passionfruit cocktail himself, Douglas Ankrah, and despite being tempted to shake one up on a particularly gloomy Tuesday, I resisted. Come Friday night, I was giddy with excitement at the prospect of having a proper cocktail. I even put on a DJ set (@millie_cotton has some great ones on her Instagram and Soundcloud) to liven things up. We all need things to look forward to right now, and recreating the 'Friday feeling' is a great place to start.

ORIGINAL PORNSTAR MARTINI

Cocktail Kit, £24.99

originalpornstarmartini.com

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FOOD & DRINK • MEAL KITS

TA K A Excellent Marylebone eaterie Taka has launched Taka-way, with an impressive set menu for two. We loved miso-glazed plantain and popcorn shrimp tempura, plus lamb rack with ginger onion sauce, salmon tataki, tuna crunch rolls, edamame and tangy salad. This one's a real treat. £80, takalondon.com

B O X F R E S H OUR FAVOURITE FOOD DELIVERIES OF THE MONTH

ATC H A Atcha delivers bold Indian flavours in light. lunch-friendly incarnations. With a menu devised by an exCinnamon Club chef, options include a delicious no-butter chicken bowl and a tasty paneer sarnie on excellent sourdough plus various soups, salads and sides, all delivered to your door. atcha.co.uk

ZESTED This environmentally conscious recipe box plants a tree with every order and contains almost no plastic packaging. Designed by chef Wil Hopson, the dishes are packed with seasonal goodness. We love the Soy chicken with shredded cabbage and Schezuan rice — like a healthy, gourmet Chinese takeaway! From £12 zested.com

S H O R T E AT S

2 5

Our Short Eats delivery arrived by bike – this Sri Lankan/Trinidadian melting pot from East London couple Melissa and Shahnan Bakth is a winner. Our vegan set menu included aubergine curry, red lentil dhal,spiced chickepeas, spinach and rice plus raita and carrot sambal – all of it full of flavour and spice with a real homemade feel. £27 shorteatslondon.com

DA N N Y JAC K

'Eco chef' Tom Hunt has collaborated with chef Danny Jack to create a special recipe box based around his recent cookbook, Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet. The Regenerative Menu Box is a fivecourse feast for two with a themes — previous boxes celebrated Valentine's Day and Fairtrade Fortnight. £75 chefdannyjack.com

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One POT Spiced dishes for simple yet sophisticated suppers Wo r d s A N N A J O N E S Phorography ISSY CROKER

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

Lemon, chickpea and green herb stew Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS • Coconut or groundnut oil • Bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, • Small bunch of coriander, stalks chopped and leaves picked • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric • 3x400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 200ml hot vegetable stock • 1x400ml tin coconut milk • 2 unwaxed lemons, zested and cut in half • 2 shallots, peeled, halved and very thinly sliced To serve • Large handful of green herb leaves picked and torn (I use a mixture of mint, basil and coriander) • A pinch of dried chilli ﬂakes

METHOD This lemony, coconut and herbtopped stew has a freshness I love, but it’s hearty and filling at the same time. You add the halved, squeezed lemons to the stew as it cooks, which imparts a great citrussy zin. Not all chickpeas are created equal. Some pre-cooked tinned chickpeas can be hard as bullets, so I plump for the jarred: I find that they are more carefully cooked and expertly seasoned. 1 Put a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add a little oil, the spring onions, garlic and coriander stalks. Cook for about five minutes or until the spring onion is soft and sweet. 2 Add the turmeric and cook for a couple of minutes to toast and release the oils. Add the chickpeas, stock and coconut milk, the zest and juice of both lemons and the squeezed lemon halves. 3 Bring to a boil and simmer over a medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened and a vivid yellow. 4 In a separate frying pan, heat three tablespoons of oil and fry the shallots over a medium-low heat until golden and slightly crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 5 Once the stew is ready, scoop out the lemon halves, stir through most of the herbs and serve topped with the crispy shallots, remaining herbs and chilli flakes.

Cinnamon and cherry tomato koshari Serves 6

INGREDIENTS • 150g green/brown lentils • 750g fresh cherry tomatoes or 2x400g tins cherry tomatoes, drained • 4 cloves of garlic • 6 shallots, very thiny sliced • 5 tbls extra veiring olive oil • A small bunch of coriander, including stalks, • 1 teaspoon ground allspice • 1 stick cinnamon • 300g rice, rinsed • Rapeseed oil • Small bunch of parsley, chopped, • Small bunch of mint, chopped

METHOD 1 This bravely spiced rice and lentil dish is more than the sum of its parts and comes (mostly) from the store cupboard. It’s topped with a crown of crispy fried shallots, which brings a key level of crunch and contrast to what is otherwise soft and comforting. In its pure Egyptian street food form there is pasta – macaroni to be precise – and often chickpeas too.

I’ve just used rice and lentils here for simplicity, but you could add a handful of macaroni to the rice, or a drained can of chickpeas to make it a little more authentic. 2 First, soak your lentils in 300ml warm water for an hour, then drain and rinse. Preheat the oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6 3 In a large cast-iron pot with a lid, put the tomatoes, garlic, a quarter of the sliced shallots and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Chop the coriander stalks then add those as well, along with the allspice and cinnamon stick. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes then remove and sprinkle on the rice and rinsed lentils. Add 900ml boiling water, season with salt, cover with the lid and place in the oven for another 25 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, make the crispy shallots. Fill a saucepan with a 3cm depth of room-temperature rapeseed oil. Put over a high heat and then once hot, add the remaining shallots. Give them a quick stir so they are all evenly submerged in the oil, then leave to cook for around 4 minutes, keeping an eye on them as they cook. Once they start turning a light golden colour, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and leave to cool completely on some kitchen paper. 5 Remove the rice from the oven and using an oven glove, take off the lid and remove the whole garlic cloves. Let the rice stand for 10 minutes and meanwhile, pop the garlic out of its skin and mash with some sea salt and A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

a gas hob it will take 4-5 minutes on each side, so about 20 minutes in total. They need to be softened all the way through. Leave them to cool so that the skin comes away from the flesh. 3 For an authentic finish, peel the tomatoes (I sometimes skip this step if I am in a hurry); score a cross in the base of the fruit, place them in a heatproof bown then cover them with just-boiled water. Leave for 30 seconds to a minute, then drain and cool slightly before peeling off the skin. Chop finely. 4 Heat the spices in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Add a glug of oil, tomatoes and garlic, season well and fry for a few minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down. Stir through the tomato puree, vinegar and sugar, then squeeze the flesh from the charred aubergine into the tomatoes. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened slightly. Transfer to a bowl, then give the pan a quick wash. 5 If you are serving it with halloumi, heat the frying pan over a high heat. Cook the halloumi for 2 minutes on each side until melting and golden brown. Serve it on top of the warm dip. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add the herbs and scoop it all up with warm flatbreads.

Spiced aubergines with halloumi Serves 4

INGREDIENTS • 2 medium aubergines • 600g tomatoes • A pinch of cumin seeds • A pinch of smoked paprika • Olive oil • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and ﬁnely chopped • 1 tablespoon tomato puree • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar • ½ teaspoon sugar

To serve • 200g block of halloumi, sliced lengthways into 1cm slices • Extra virgin olive oil • Small bunch of mint, parsley or both, leaves picked • Warm ﬂatbreads 1 This recipe is based on zaalouk, that I am told is half-dip, halfsalad, and is Morocco’s answer to baba ganoush. I eat it topped with grilled halloumi (but not in any way traditional, but delicious), with some ﬂatbreads and a good green salad. It would also be brilliant as part of a spread when you have people round. 2 Blacken the aubergines all over, either under a hot grill or on a foillined tray or by turning them with tongs over a gas hob or hot barbecue. Make sure they char completely. On

One Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones is published this month by 4th Estate, £26 h/b

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FA S H I O N

THE FRILL OF IT SHRIMPS

Shrimps' new collection has a fairtytale feel. This dreamy Mia Dress is cut from lemon yellow organza embroidered with a frilly hearts’ motif in black and coral. The long skirt is embellished with a ring of draped silk bows. shrimps.com

In the weave with Maia London 36 • Jewellery 39 • Penelope Chilvers' new boots 40 A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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25/02/2021 16:10

LAURA MILES

Q&A

New

W E A V E Absolutely meets Laura Miles of MAIA LONDON to discuss her new collection and her love of handloom fabrics

Interview PENDLE HARTE

Q Your background is in textile design and this is your first independent fashion venture. How did Maia come about? A I was introduced to the fabrics of Womenweave by a friend with a view to developing their collection further for the international market. While doing this I fell in love with the organisation and decided to launch a small collection of my own. I wanted to show that handloom fabric works really well in more modern styles and can also look completely different in brighter colourways.

“I wanted to show that handloom fabric works really well in modern styles ”

Q You have worked with countless brands and also taught at the Royal College of Art. What have been your career highlights so far? A I have loved how much travel I have been able to do with my career, working with indigenous weavers in Uzbekistan and Indonesia has been a particular highlight. Another high point was waking up to see one of my textile designs splashed across all the front pages of the newspapers on Michelle Obama shortly after she became FLOTUS. Q Talk us through Maia’s new collection? A For summer we are really focusing on

colour, lots of faded brights in primary

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FASHION • Q&A

and agricultural labourers with no family income thus empowering the weakest and poorest section of society. It’s a really joyful place to work and they also provide schooling for the weavers children and a creche for the younger kids so that the women can work happily knowing their children are safe and close by.

colours with accents of lilac and tangerine. We have recently added shirts to the collection in lighter fabrics which have been really popular, we will be making them in quirky pastel shades for the new collection. Q Can you describe your own style? A Pretty relaxed – I’m always on the go

either with my children or the dog or running around to various suppliers, so I dress comfortably to accommodate this but also don’t want to sacrifice on style. I now mostly wear Maia and I love how it works for the day but also also be dressed up for the night…. once we can finally go out again. Q What designers do you admire? A For day wear I love Isabel Marant,

its stylish but not too dressy so works for everyday life. For inspiration and textiles it will always be Dries van Noten and Chanel for their amazing tweeds.

Q What is it about woven textiles that interests you? A I love that you are making something from nothing. Particularly in handloom each individual thread is placed there by hand and weaving has so many different processes from warping to thread the loom and finally weaving which are all enjoyable Q Tell us about the charity Women Weave. A WomenWeave was founded by Sally Holkar and has supported the role of women in handloom weaving since its inception in 2002, working towards making handloom a profitable, fulfilling, sustainable and dignified incomeearning activity particularly for women in rural areas of India and keeping alive the traditional craft of handweaving. WomenWeave favours women who are divorced, widowed, separated, disabled,

Q How have you managed to carry on during the pandemic? A It’s been difficult but it was really important for me to keep working with Womenweave throughout this as there is very little state aid in India so the women rely on this for their income even more. I would usually travel there a couple of time a year but we have managed to work via zoom and whatsapp. I have had to take a slower approach to growing the business than I would have wanted. I do think that one side effect of the pandemic has been that consumers are buying less and that they finally care about where their clothes are coming from and what will happen to them at the end of their life span. We are committed to using natural fibres which will biodegrade once they can no longer be worn. Q What’s next for you and Maia London? A I want to grow the brand slowly,

adding more styles and expanding the sleepwear and home collection that we introduced in the last few months. maia-london.com

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The Jewellery Workshop of Amersham

The inspiration for this piece and many others in the collection, Victor took from the Heart of Viana. It has a religious origin from Portugal in the 18th century but in today’s modern times it also symbolizes life, friendship and love. Brides are given these as lucky charms by their mothers.

THE JEWELLERY WORKSHOP OF AMERSHAM

has an extensive stock range to help you ﬁnd a special piece of jewellery and will go that extra mile to ensure you get what you want. Victor, the on-site goldsmith with over 30 years experience can repair treasured items or create a unique piece of jewellery.

Due to Covid, click and collect is available. Please see the website for details on how to “request an envelope” to post repair work in.

amershamworkshop@hotmail.co.uk | 01494 434178 | jewelleryworkshopamersham.co.uk TJW.indd 1

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FASHION • JEWELLERY

Rainbow vision Colourful jewels for a brighter mood By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

MAYA GEMSTONES

KAVANT & SHARART

BUDREVICH

Ruler Bracelet, €2,500 mayagemstones.com

18k Yellow Gold with Tsavorite Earrings, £12,415 kavantandsharart.com

Versa Blue Ring, £2,750 budrevich.co.uk

CRYSTAL HAZE

EMILY P. WHEELER

BOODLES

Aquamarine Necklace, £79 crystalhazejewelry.com

Sunrise Ombre Ring, $7,400 emilypwheeler.com

Woodland Yellow Beryl Pendant, £7,500 boodles.com

DINNY HALL

BUDREVICH

SIMONE ROCHA

Green Tourmaline and Diamond Ring, £2,850 dinnyhall.com

Amethyst Pear Earrings, £3,500 budrevich.com

Long Cluster Drip Earrings, £275 simonerocha.com

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B O O T C A M P Penelope Chilvers' enduringly stylish boots and shoes are built to last P E N E L O P E C H I LV E R S . C O M

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

C E LE B RAT E YO UR H E A LTH HUMAN HEALTH

Is your health holding you back from really enjoying life and doing the things you love? Human Health knows how precious life is and they want you to be able to make the most of it as your healthiest self. drmhumanhealth.co.uk

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Beauty notes 49 • The best fitness apps 53 • Women-run beauty labs 55 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • NOTES

BEAUTY NOTES

The latest in luxury makeup and skincare By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

EDITOR’S PICK

NO SCRUBS

By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

Winter equals dry skin, and if you need to level up from your regular body scrub, try the Dr Dennis Gross Exfoliating Body Treatment. The textured wipe is soaked in acids, enzymes and baukichol (hailed as the natural retinol) to lift off dead skin without stripping moisture. £58 for eight, drdennisgross.com

Patch UP MIJ

Celebrity skincare lines are the new celebrity fragrances (i.e. everywhere), but presenter Maya Jama's MIJ masks are worth paying attention to. Made from bio-cellulose (a top quality biodegradeable fibre) they contain hero ingredients such as hyaluronic and glycerin to boost radiance and hydration. From £13.99, mijmasks.com

B O B B I B R OW N

Chinese actress NiNi is the face of Bobbi Brown’s new limited edition collection. Inspired by the illuminating glow of New York City, we love the Luxe Eye Shadow Quad and Highlighting Powder for a multidimensional, radiant look. From £36.50, bobbibrown.co.uk

SKIN HERO Bespoke skincare boxes by West Room Aesthetics

DR DENNIS GROSS

R OSY G LOW

FOCUS

kincare boxes are hot right now. And what's not to like about purchasing a collection of best-selling luxury products in one go for a discounted price? They're normally compiled by big beauty retailers with a trusted ‘skinfluencer’ (like blogger Caroline Hirons and Cult Beauty's recent collaboration). But the problem is, skin is not one-size-fits-all. While the products in a beauty box may be fantastic for some, they won't suit everyone, for example if you have sensitive skin. There are also differences in skin anatomy depending on skin colour, and issues such as hyperpigmentation and inflammation can affect black women differently to white women. To tackle this problem, Skin Health Specialist Dija Ayodele, founder of West Room Aesthetics, has created four different Skin Heroes boxes: Dry, Combi, Oily or Oily+. They contain products from top brands that Dija actually uses in her clinic such as Osmosis and Cosmedix. “Every single product has been handpicked by me, backed by years of experience about what really works for skin, especially black and brown skin," says Dija. "I also want to uncomplicate skincare and reduce some of the negative noise and sensationalism around the options available to black women and the products we should be using.” You can even subscribe and have your box automatically delivered every 12 weeks. SKIN HEROES BOX

£345 with a complimentary facial westroomaesthetics.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND

BEAUTY PIE

EDITOR’S PICK

Plantastic Apricot Butter Cleansing Balm, £50, £13.93 for members beautypie.com

ALLIES OF SKIN Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser, £37 alliesofskin.com

IRENE FORTE Almond Cleansing Milk, £69 ireneforteskincare.com

HONEST BEAUTY Magic Gel to Milk Cleanser, £20 cultbeauty.co.uk

ERBORIAN Centella Cleansing Oil, £25 uk.erborian.com

DR DENNIS GROSS Meltaway Cleanser, £30 spacenk.com

JUST ADD WATER

ELEMIS

The best facial cleansers for removing makeup and dirt, tried and tested

Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter, £30 uk.elemis.com

By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

HOUSE OF PURPLE ROSE Brighten & Clarify Cleanser, £18 houseofpurplerose.com

BIOSSANCE Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil, £25 cultbeauty.co.uk

THE ORDINARY Squalane Cleanser, £5.50 theordinary.deciem.com

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

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5151

25/02/2021 16:23

When it comes to your health, you deserve the very best A world-class preventative health programme carefully tailored to your individual needs - now available right on your doorstep. Bringing together two world-renowned names in healthcare and medical research, the Health and Wellness Plan from Mayo Clinic Healthcare in partnership with Oxford University Clinic combines access to an unrivalled network of international medical experts with world-class diagnostic and screening facilities. Developed for discerning individuals who expect and deserve the very best, we help you to take a proactive approach to your health for a healthier, happier future for you and your family.

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Email:

appointments@mch-ouc.co.uk

Website:

www.mch-ouc.co.uk

21/02/2020 14:54

HEALTH & BEAUTY • FITNESS

FITNESS

TOP

PICKS Net-A-Porter ’s new sports collection

NOTES By A B B I E S C H O F I E L D

NET-A-PORTER.COM

FOR THE RUNNER APL’s TechLoom Breeze trainers remind us of a crisp spring sky. No excuses for not completing that Couch to 5k now. £190

F O R T H E YO G I This P.E. Nation triangle sports bra with adjustable straps is the perfect level of soft comfort for low-impact exercise. £65

GET APPY With gyms still closed, here are 3 wellness apps to try FO R T H E LO U N G E R With cream jersey at the front and brown terrycloth at the back, this JW Anderson sweater and joggers set is super cosy. From £230

FOR THE SPINNER The Centre Stage leggings by All Access stretch eight ways for the ultimate compression, plus the wide waistband supports the core. £120

TO N E & S C U L PT

S LE E P S C HO O L

D E L I C I O U S LY E LL A

 Rather than focus on weight loss, Tone & Sculpt encourages a healthy and sustainable approach to ﬁtness. It has over 400 home and gym workouts to follow as well as customisable meal plans and a brilliant community to keep you motivated. Co-founder Krissy Cela is a mega-inﬂuencer with 2.3 million Instagram followers, and now powerhouse Danyele Wilson is onboard as a global trainer. An athlete gymnast and cheerleader, Danyele's motivational speeches are extra perk. £13.99 per month, toneandsculpt.app

 42% of the UK population's sleep has worsened since the start of the Covid pandemic. Sleep School offers evidence-based sleep support in various ways, from daily tips to seven-day or 30-day courses, guided by sleep expert Dr Guy Meadows. Each user is given a personalised sleep plan based on clinically proven education and tools rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (a type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). Even the app itself was designed with the help of neuroscientists. £29.99 per year, sleepschool.org

 Ella Mills’s plant-based empire has relaunched the Deliciously Ella app. Aiming to be a hub for all things holistic health, you can track your 'Five Pillars of Wellness' (sleep, eating, water consumption, mindfulness and movement) with the My Tracker tool as well as discover plant-based recipes and follow mindful workouts. With more than 600 meal ideas to choose from and over 200 yoga, pilates and cardio videos, you’re truly spoiled for choice with everything in one place. 99p per month, deliciouslyella.com/app

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25/02/2021 16:24

INDEPENDENT LIVING CONSULTANTS

“

Products can be tried at the shop and/or demonstrated in your own home

Established in 1998, Independent Living has been supplying top-grade mobility equipment to clients across Buckinghamshire and Berkshire for more than two decades. The friendly fully trained professional staff guide you through the maze of products available to make your life easier. Scooters, wheelchairs, walking aids, rise and recline chairs as well as smaller everyday products can be tried at the shop and/or demonstrated in your own home.

QUALITY EYECARE TAILORED TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

”

We are an essential service and open throughout lockdown for your eye care needs with strict covid measures in place •

Open for all optical care and injuries Please call to book an appointment

■ Independent Living Consultants. 10 Cross Court, Plomer Green Avenue, Downley, High Wycombe HP13 5UW ■ 01494 443 933 ■ info@independentliv.co.uk ■ independentlivingconsultants.co.uk

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01494 258586 | hello@hillvision.co.uk 53 Hill Ave, Amersham, HP6 5BX hillvision.co.uk

26/01/2021 18:35 HV.indd 1

• HALVES QUARTERS_USE.indd 2

Full social distancing precautions taken • Staff in full PPE

26/01/2021 16:41

26/02/2021 13:17

HEALTH & BEAUTY • SKINCARE PAI SKINCARE

FORMULA FOR

SUCCESS

The women-run beauty labs leading the small-batch skincare revolution By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

NEIGHBOURHOOD BOTANICALS

MICAELA NISBET

MONTANA ASHLEY-CRAIG

ake a look at your beauty stash. That expensive night cream in your cupboard? It’s probably not as worth it as you think. It may surprise you to learn that most skincare is not created by the brand itself. Known as white label products, a cosmetic lab can produce a formula that any brand's marketing team can purchase off-theshelf. All the brand needs to do is design the packaging to give the perception of a totally unique product. But there’s a new wave of women in the beauty world who are creating their own formulas in independent labs. Trained cosmetic scientists and formulaters, they are leading the way with small-batch and sustainable skincare that works. Micaela Nisbet is a former sound engineer who fell in love with face oils while touring in the US. She took a formulation course to learn how to make her own blends, and Neighbourhood Botanicals was born. With a

focus on naturally-derived ingredients and raw cold-pressed oils, the brand’s original formulas are always backed by research. Micaela has synaesthesia, a condition that links her senses together, which was a surprising advantage when it came to creating her own products. “All the ingredients have their own unique colours in my mind which allows me to find the perfect combination. I also chose the colours on the labels to reflect the smell and feeling of the products.” Sustainability is key to Neighbourhood Botanicals, despite its challenges. “There is so much greenwashing in the beauty world, when brands use eco-friendly language when they are not. Being sustainable is often the more expensive or inconvenient option.” Another female founder with a passion for sustainability is Montana Ashley-Craig, a Glaswegian cosmetic scientist with experience creating formulations for the likes of Aesop and Cowshed. Montana began her own brand, MONTAMONTA, after her friend (award-winning bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana) asked her to create a hand soap for his bar. Soon, she was creating bespoke products for bars and restaurants across east London. Pai Skincare is perhaps a more wellknown brand using sustainable and ethical ingredients and processes. The brand has recently launched Pai Labs, which Justyna Jonczyk, Pai's New Product Development &

Formulation Chemist, calls “a new incubator branch of the brand that we created to bring product ideas to market faster and with more creative freedom. It's about testing new products and ingredients. “The platform gives Pai the opportunity to be experimental with creative ideas that address very specific consumer needs, and bring them out as soon as they’re ready,” Justyna says. “That means producing in smaller runs, with pared-back packaging and only selling them through our website.” It’s unlikely that the world’s beauty giants will move away from massproduced white label products any time soon. However, sustainability is high on the industry’s agenda for 2021 as consumers look for more considered, more effective and less wasteful products. A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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Luxury Kitchens since 1892

Clear structures, sensible space. +SEGMENTO Y

Poggenpohl Marlow 75 High St | Marlow | SL7 1AB phone 01628 326 061 | marlow@poggenpohl.com www.marlow.poggenpohl.com

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26/01/2021 18:56

SHADE SHIFT THE JOY OF COLOUR

A colourful home is a happy home. Who agrees? Too much of a neutral can be joyless and any space can be revived with an injection of colour, even if it’s quite subdued. HOME looks at colour blocking. p83

inside this section: IN BED WITH ZANDRA RHODES p60 SLEEP ESSENTIALS p65 CUSHIONS AND GINGHAM: PROJEKTITYYNY p66 M O T H E R S D AY AT H O M E p 7 7 CROWN PAINTS SS21

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

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25/02/2021 16:27

ANTIQUE OAK FLOORING

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21/02/2020 17:32 12:34 08/09/2016

H O M E | NEWS

FROM THE ARCHIVE

CREATIVE

S U R FA C E V I E W

Surface View archival prints and patterns - from William Morris wallpapers to Japanese block print designs - are made to order and available in mural wallpapers, printed ceramic tiles, art canvases, art prints, wall charts, blinds and window films. surfaceview.co.uk

R E V I E W Updates from the industry Compiled by P E N D L E H A R T E

19 70 V I N TAG E BELLA FREUD

The Bella Freud Ceramic Candle Collection is a new oversized take on the original 1970 Bella Freud candle. Blended in the UK, the fragrance is inspired by the incense-heavy scents of the era. £95 bellafreud.com

RADIO HEAD

CO LO U R DROP

RUAR K AU D I O

NIMI PROJECT

The leading purveyor of stylish standalone sound systems, Ruark Audio, has updated its iconic R1 DAB/Bluetooth radio. An evolution of the original design, the new model sees a more progressive style available in Light Cream and Espresso finishes, including a handcrafted slatted wood grille. £229 ruarkaudio.com

Moheim fuses contemporary design with revered Japanese craftsmanship to create functional homeware that will never go out of style. These Color Drops bud vases make a single bloom as joyful as a full bouquet. £28, nimiltd.com

SILK CUT CAROLINE DICKINSON

Caroline Dickinson's debut collection of limited edition printed silk scarves has a focus on sustainability. Designed to be framed and hung on the wall as statement pieces, they are inspired by summer landscapes and moments with soft tonal shapes and brushstrokes.

carolinedickinson.co.uk

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26/02/2021 13:24

“I don’t think people should be afraid of colour, colour isn’t frightening”

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

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26/02/2021 15:39

H O M E | PROFILE

S h e ’ s

R A I N B O W Zandra Rhodes has turned her attention to sleep in a luxurious new collaboration with Savoir Beds. Absolutely meets her

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

nown for her pink hair and colourful presence, Zandra Rhodes has had a fascinating and varied career. She has designed clothes for icons as diverse as Lady Diana and Freddie Mercury; she has created costumes for the English National Opera and the San Diego Opera; she founded Bermondsey’s Fashion and Textile museum, the iconic pink and orange building where she also lives. But until now, Rhodes had never designed a bed. Her latest collaboration is with Savoir Beds, the luxury bedmaker that takes its name from the Savoy Hotel, for which it has famously supplied hand-made beds since 1905. It’s perhaps an unlikely match, the traditional bedmaker with its values of quality materials, longevity and comfort, and Dame Zandra with her penchant for clashing colours and bold prints – but there is a shared appreciation for luxury. Rhodes in fact trained originally in furnishings at the Royal

College of Art and only switched to fashion when she couldn’t sell them, so for her this is also a kind of return to her roots. The venture came about when Rhodes encountered Savoir at a showcase of Walpole’s luxury brands. Rhodes says: “We were asked to decorate the foyer and there was a gorgeous bed there; we threw some cushions at it. But when you sat on it, it was a dream – that was how I learnt about the incredible brand and we started talking about me doing a special headboard for it.” Rhodes’s collection for Savoir is all about the headboard, which sits atop the classic Savoir bed and mattress as enjoyed by Sir Winston Churchill, Giacomo Puccini and Marilyn Monroe, among other glamorous guests of the Savoy. Savoir’s Bed No 1, for instance, requires at least 120 hours of handcrafting and materials include horse tail, sheeps wool and pure cashmere as well as Mongolian yak hair - and not just any old yak hair either. This stuff is hand-combed once a year from semi-wild yaks that roam on the mountains Khangai region of Mongolia. That’s how special these beds are, and explains why fewer than A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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25/02/2021 16:36

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26/02/2021 13:08

H O M E | PROFILE

“I wanted it to feel almost like a rainbow behind your head. It creates a mood” 1,000 are made each year. The pocket springs are hand-tied, the horse hair is hand-teased. And now Zandra Rhodes’ headboards are designed to crown the beds with a rainbow, says Rhodes. “I wanted it to feel almost like a rainbow behind your head. It creates a mood, the peaceful never-ending curve of a rainbow. It’s feminine but not too feminine.” Rhodes’ print design for the headboard is based on her classic lily design, inspired by a lily given to her by Issy Miyake in Japan in 1971. “I started drawing lilies with my classic wiggle and was thinking about the idea of bringing nature into the home. Isn’t it lovely to wake up with lillies?” It comes in six colourways that create quite different looks. “Blue and white gives complete peace, then there’s silvery greys, and a green one that’s very lively,” says Rhodes. “I don’t think people should be afraid of colour, colour isn’t frightening, it can work on you psychologically without you realising it and it can create a different mood.” For Alistair Hughes of Savoir, it’s all about creating the best possible sleep environment, and he believes that Rhodes’ colourful designs make a positive contribution to wellbeing. “We’re all aware that sleep is incredibly important for mental and physical health. People are really keen to get their bedrooms right and to sleep on something that supports them in the right way. Savoir has always been about creating the right environment for sleep,” he says. “We expected an explosion of colour from Zandra - but some are quite subtle. What can be better than to have your favourite colours in your sanctuary?”

These beds are more than special. Hughes explains: “What we have produced here is something so considered, each one is printed bespoke, headboard by one craftsman for a particular client, signed by the craftsman and also by Zandra. There’s a real connection there.” This explains the hefty price tag: Lilies is available on a Savoir Nº2 Slim Bed Set, UK Super King from £33,680. It really is the ultimate in sleep luxury. savoirbeds.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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25/02/2021 16:36

new houses | extensions | refurbishments | basement excavations | swimming pools

If you have an architectural or interior design project please email gp@gregoryphillips.com

LONDON | LOS ANGELES

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gregoryphillips.com | +44 20 7724 3040 |

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25/02/2021 10:21

H O M E • ACCESSORIES

1 1

S L E E P T EC H

CA R PE DIEM BEDS

S W E E T D R E A M S WORLD SLEEP DAY IS 19 MARCH. HERE ARE SOME NIGHTTIME ESSENTIALS

Swedish experts Carpe Diem Beds have devised the floating bed, which is the ultimate in sleep tech. Adjust your position for maximum comfort using the handheld remote or your smartphone and use an app to adjust and save your favourite positions. carpediembeds.com

W H AT TO W E A R ? YAW N

Yawn is a British sleepwear brand using beautiful prints that are hand-drawn in their London studio. All fabrics are bespoke cotton blends (most of which are organic and breathable). You're almost guaranteed to sleep well. loveyawn.com

C A N ' T TO P I T PA N DA L O N D O N

Revive your mattress with Panda's insanely comfortable hydrofoam mattress topper. It adds a thick layer of blissfully supportive gel-infused technology to your bed, and its breathable, ethically-sourced bamboo cover is hypoallergenic too. From £99 mypandalife.com

LOV E L I N E N TOM AND DICK'S

Tom and Dick’s Portland linen range is laid back and light with a beautiful natural texture. Linen keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer, and its casually rumpled look is a beautiful addition to your bedroom. Tom and Dick’s stylish packaging is a real treat too. Bundles from £125, tomanddicks.co.uk

PATC H P E R F EC T PROJEKTITY YN Y

The Leinikki gingham patchwork quilt is hand-made and embroidered in 100% linen, making it a beautiful and comfortable addition to any bedroom, £375 projektityyny.com

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

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25/02/2021 16:37

C P

U R

S J

H C

HOME meets Nora Evans, founder of stylish textile brand Projektityyny Words P E N D L E H A R T E

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H O M E | DESIGN

Your textiles are beautiful. Can you describe your style? Well I love colour and am very particular and passionate about how colours are combined. I think fresh colourways can bring a real contemporary twist to age-old traditions like patchworking or handloom weaving. All our quilts are handmade and I think that also shows - that beautiful element of wabi sabi. How did you come to be involved in textiles? I have worked as a fashion buyer for over 10 years so have had a very close connection to textiles and working with fabrics from the start. Where does the name Projektityyny come from? It simply means ‘cushion project’ – that was the humble beginnings of my brand some years ago. You are stocked in Liberty, which is exciting for a brand. How did that come about? I have been working with Liberty a couple of years now. It is my favourite store in the world! I had been in touch with the Homewares Buyer there a few times and then one summer during our holidays in south of France I received an email; I think it was when I became more active and visible on instagram they had spotted my brand. I give a lot of credit to instagram for the way my brand has spread. We were part

Fresh colourways can bring a real contemporary twist to age-old traditions like patchworking of the amazing Floribunda range - a curated edit by a select 12 women-led brands which launched October19 – and we have been part of their homewares offering ever since. What is your own home like? We live in a tiny hamlet near a small historical village in West Dorset. There are about five houses and lots of space. My home of course is a reflection of me, most of our furniture has been scoured and found from vintage markets and all the textiles come from my range. Everything has a meaning and everything is treasured and most of our objects have a function. I like to think that even the smallest thing can be made beautifully. I love light spaces and the whole of our downstairs is one open space, with no curtains. I love how it feels going downstairs in the morning and seeing all that light engulf the space. We have three children and a dog so our home isn’t always as harmonious as I’d like (especially during lockdowns) - but having space definitely makes that easier. A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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25/02/2021 16:40

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29/01/2021 12:19

H O M E | DESIGN

How did you come from Finland to Dorset? I didn’t. I moved from Finland to London, firstly to study and then I worked in TV, then in fashion. I lived in London about 23 years and it was only four years ago that we moved to Dorset, a month before my youngest was born. It was time for me to do something on my own, have some creative freedom (I had worked as a fashion buyer over 10 years previously) and escape the hectic city. What inspires you? I always find this question very hard - everything inspires me! I have my camera on me all the time, there almost isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t see something that I want to capture and remember. I see detail that many people don’t. I take in a lot from the simplest of everyday events. How do you spend a normal day? Are we talking about pre-covid normal or current ‘new’ normal? When the kids are at school, we have the normal big rush in the morning to get them all ready. After that I go to my studio in an old barn, which is just a few minutes from our house. It’s the most gorgeous, peaceful place to work - I have total peace to concentrate and create. I always start with emails from India as it’s very

I always have my camera on me. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t see something that I want to capture late there and we often need to communicate on urgent production issues etc. Then I do all other emails - reply to retailers, customers, press etc. As a one man brand I do everything. I will spend the day either designing new product and dealing with all the details, or planning shoots and seeing how it all comes together. I work on costings, deal with deliveries, and suppliers. I also deal with orders, packing, post updates on social media, accounting etc etc - anything and everything the day throws at me. The focus shifts depending on the time of the year ; at the end of the year there is naturally a sales peak so most of our time goes into packing orders, then in January most of my time is taken by finance and accounting, as well as dealing with all the new product that has gone into work before Christmas. projektityyny.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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25/02/2021 16:41

SANDRA ROTHWELL

Q&A

COLOUR SCHEME

Interior designer Sandra Rothwell discusses her classic contemporary style and the importance of creating mood By EVE HERBERT

Q What makes a good interior? A A good interior is one that unlocks

your home’s full potential. It’s getting the right balance between space, proportion, light, colour, texture, and pattern. It’s also about creating a mood, whether that’s glamourous, modern or relaxing – it needs to create a harmonious blend of individual style and functionality. Q Can you describe your signature style? A I would say Classic Contemporary

is a good description. Working with so many different properties and clients, it’s impossible to have a style to suit everything so all my designs are very individual. I love colour, texture, statement lighting and bespoke furniture. Q What mistakes do people commonly make? A Not having a plan. Design works best when fully thought through and carefully planned. Many people have a favourite item they want to work their scheme around and feel the whole room must match. Mixing

colours and style will add character and interest – not everything has to match! Proportions can also be an issue – rugs are often the last thing people consider and they choose a rug that’s too small for a space. The right area rug can anchor a room and define a space. Bigger is often better. Q What are you working on at the moment? A I am working on a new kitchen for a family home in Berkhamsted, a redesign of a living room to incorporate bespoke cabinetry for a TV and recessed fire, a master bedroom in Cookham that hasn’t been renovated for a very long time and a family home in Esher that had been rented out and is now being reclaimed for the owners (with many updates needed). I am also launching Roomology – a micro design service which is a quick and affordable way to transform a room and allows work to be carried out in phases. It can be executed by clients on their own through design advice supplied, and all can be done remotely at their own pace.

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

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H O M E | DESIGNER Q&

“Mixing colours and style will add character and interest – not everything has to match”

Q What first led you to interior design? A My original career was in graphic design.

I fell in love with interiors when I moved to this area from London many years ago and bought an old church that had been very badly converted into a home in the 1970s. During the renovation process, the interior design of it came naturally – so much so that I opened a shop in the village to offer a design service plus all the furniture and accessories I had to go up to London to source for my own property. During all of this I trained at KLC design in Chelsea Harbour to obtain my qualifications.

Q Tell us about your own house. A I live in a beautiful Grade 11 listed building

in the village of Cookham Dean. The house was derelict when I bought it and we have lovingly brought it back to life, keeping as many of the original features as possible but updating the interiors. My studio is a stunning double height conservatory which lets the light flood in and overlooks the garden, so a very motivational space to work. The house has many low beamed ceilings and inglenook fireplaces and works really well as a family home. As there is so much wood on display in the house, the walls are painted a neutral colour, with texture and colour added through the furniture and soft furnishings. SA N D R A R OT H W E L L I N T E R I O R S facebook.com/sandrarothwellinteriors sandrarothwellinteriors.com

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

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25/02/2021 16:43

ARCHITECTURAL STUDIO CREATE > DELIVER > BUILD

STAY HOME AND CREATE YOUR DREAM HOME WITH US! Have you been thinking about how to upgrade your home over the lockdown? We’ve shifted our entire process online, so we can continue serving our clients during the COVID-19 isolation period safely. Why not use this time to start your journey to enhancing your home. Book a 15 minute call with a member of our team now info@designworkstudios.co.uk | 0118 357 0071 www.designworkstudios.co.uk/book-a-consultation

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designworkstudios designworkstudio 26/02/2021 14:56

H O M E | NEWS Compiled by

PENDLE HARTE

I N T H E N E WS U P DAT E S F R O M T H E I N D U S T R Y WOOD WORK ANDREW DOMINIC Andrew Dominic Furniture has returned to Devon from South Africa. Each piece is handcrafted using age-old methods and timehonoured skills, from sustainably sourced hardwood with natural oil and water-based finishes – and they’re close to creating a zerocarbon footprint in their workshops. andrewdominicfurniture.com

IN THE MIX CUISINART This dinky cordless blender is a clever tool for on-the-go smoothies. With its USB charger it's great for taking to work or even for picnics, and it's handy at home too. Whether it's a healthy smoothie, a pina colada or a salad dressing, it'll become an instant essential. £100 cuisinart.co.uk

TH E H EAT IS ON CASTRADS

PAN LONDON

Perfectly suited for London’s Victorian properties, the Neptune cast iron radiator is the best choice to bring style to your heating system, an exceptional radiator for remarkable interiors. Neptune II 620mm with 8 sections finished in Beaten Brass and accessorised with Windsor Natural Brass valve, £1,427. castrads.com

SMEG

Smeg's all-new cookware embodies the brand's 50s retro style signature look. Comprising two different sized frying pans, a wok and a casserole dish, the range will complete your stylish kitchen. smeglondon.com

BASKET CASE L A BASKETRY Make your own basket with one of LA Basketry's brilliant home kits that come with full instructions. With a bit of patience and concentration you'll create a colourful piece and probably get the bug. labasketry.com

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

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26/02/2021 13:23

H O U S E

W O R K S Jeevan Gill of Design Work Studios explains how our homes can enhance our wellbeing By JUDITH HURRELL

hen designing our homes, functionality is often a driving force: the desperatelyneeded home office to accommodate new working patterns, the third bedroom for a new baby or the open-plan space for the family to get together. These must-haves often dictate home design above all else. But what’s the point of a third bedroom if it feels pokey, a home office that’s too noisy or an open-plan layout that offers nowhere to escape? While the nuts and bolts of good design remain rooted in functionality, looking at plans from a wellbeing perspective is vital if a house is to feel like a home.

We spoke to Jeevan Gill from Design Works Studios, a modern architectural studio who specialise in high-end projects in southeast England which are designed around wellbeing principles.

Doing their homework

The first thing that strikes me when I speak to Jeevan is that Design Works Studios have certainly done their homework. Founders, Danny and Pete, have 27 years of combined experience and are highly regarded in the industry. You immediately get the sense that expertise, knowledge and skill make for strong foundations at the Studio. Yet, the feel is also fresh and visionary. Their approach to wellbeing is case in point. ‘There’s been so much focus in the past few years about workplace design to enhance employee wellbeing, so everyone

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25/02/2021 21:15

H O M E | FOCUS

“Good design is about understanding how to make the most of a client’s situation in a way that satisfies their unmet needs” 03

can perform at their best,’ Jeevan tells me. ‘You know, talk about temperature, light, space for collaboration. So much research and thought have gone into this area. We’re taking that thinking, and applying it to homes. These theories have existed in other cultures for centuries: think Chinese Feng Shui and Indian Vastu Shastra. We’re developing our own response to the wellbeing element of design.’

Making it personal

For Design Works Studio, that means there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. ‘Wellbeing is so subjective. There’s no right or wrong answer. So, what would deliver wellness to you may be different to me.’ ‘It’s about delving a little bit deeper and making an emotional connection with our clients. We call it a “design journey” because it’s about understanding them, connecting with them. This sort of design collaboration delivers far more than, you know, just a fourth bedroom.’

Problem-solving from the heart

Building this rapport with clients allows the designers to peel back the layers and understand the drivers behind requests. ‘A client may come to us saying they hate the entrance to their home. Their heart sinks when they open the door,’ Jeevan explains. ‘But spending time talking to them about how they feel, what bugs them about their current set up, ends up revealing they hate the clutter and gloomy feel. So really it’s a storage and light issue. Understanding what makes a client tick allows the designers to create schemes that get to the heart of health and happiness.’

Maximising potential

Good design is also about understanding how to make the most of a client’s situation

in a way that satisfies their unmet needs. Design Works have the know-how to maximise the feel-good vibes of any setting. Whether that’s maximising outdoor space with a roof terrace, balancing communal areas with a quiet reading nook or making space for a home gym, they see the potential in every environment and have the case studies to prove it.

Practising what they preach

Living well is part of the foundations at Design Works Studios. Virtual team walks, volunteer days, a monthly wellbeing allowance and a Chief Happiness Officer tasked with ensuring everyone’s working life runs smoothly proves wellbeing is more than a passing trend at the Studio; it’s a way of life — a way of life they’re keen to pass on to clients. If you’d like to explore how to bring a greater sense of wellbeing into your design project, get in touch with Design Work Studios here: designworkstudios.co.uk.

01 WINNELLS This design features an indoor/ outdoor entertaining space, complete with a fire pit and overhanging veranda. This design is about bringing people together outdoors in all seasons. Details like the flooring, which runs seamlessly from inside to outside, brings the outside in, and vice versa. 0 1 H I D E AWAY With a hot tub, sundeck on the roof and beautiful view of the surrounding trees, this design is all about harnessing the power of vitamin D, connecting with nature and relaxing in a private space. 01 PURLEY RISE The three-story Purley Rise sits in hundreds of miles of Berkshire countryside. The design captures the stunning views from multiple perspectives via balconies, glass gables and generous glazing - the result is a tranquil home that’s flooded with natural light.

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

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25/02/2021 21:15

Your Local Trusted Builder

Sunningdale Building Services Ltd is a well established Building Contractors company that has built up an enviable reputation over the last 20 years. We pride ourselves on our commitment to provide a professional and speedy service at all times, whilst maintaining the highest quality of work. We have a proven track record of innovative designs, effective problem solving and attention to detail and our goal is to meet and exceed the expectations of every customer. enquiries@sbs-homes.co.uk | 07927 714786 Sunningdale Building Services Ltd, 8 Crossways, Ascot SL5 0PY www.sbs-homes.co.uk SUNNINGDALE.indd 1

26/02/2021 12:47

H O M E | TREND

CHARLOTTE JADE Colony Luxury Velvet Cushion, £130 charlotte-jade.co.uk

BARKER & STONEHOUSE Sunburst Mirror, £60 barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

&YOU The Bel Meditation Candle £165 andyoulifestyle.com

BARKER & STONEHOUSE Pink Wonder Framed Print, £99 barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

COLLINGWOOD OF SOMERSET Butterfly Gift Set, £60 collingwoodofsomerset.co.uk

Mother’s DAY

MONOWARE Ceramics from £17 monoware.com

Stylish interiors gifts for the mums in your life By A B B I E S C H O F I E L D

SMYTHSON Wonder Woman Soho Notebook, £165 smythson.com

BEARDS & DAISIES Medinilla Magnifica, £22.99 beardsanddaisies.co.uk

BARKER & STONEHOUSE Rabbit Table Lamp, £135 barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

BARKER & STONEHOUSE Luella Rug, from £229 barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

JIA JIA Celestine Geode, £335 net-a-porter.com

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

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25/02/2021 21:19

CIRCLE TIME Kitchens are working harder in lockdown than ever before, says stoneCIRCLE’s Steve Vanhinsbergh Words E V E H E R B E R T

This large Dekton island has plenty of seating space for all the family

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

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25/02/2021 21:22

H O M E | FOCUS

You don’t need to sacrifice looks to achieve practicality he last year has seen many of us working from home at the same time as the kids are being home schooled, and made us realise that our homes aren’t set up for it. Steve Vanhinsbergh, director at stoneCIRCLE, one of the largest stonemasonry companies in England, talks us through how to adapt your kitchen to make it a great place for work and school.

S PAC E

Although it’s not always practical to create more space in an existing room, lockdown has made us realise that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and is often the area chosen to work in. As such it deserves to have as much space dedicated to it as possible. A large island top with a seating area keeps everyone together, and lets adults work while keeping an eye on the kids to make sure that they are doing their school work. Sockets built in to the top mean that there is no problem with charging laptops. Food preparation areas can be kept separate from the seating area by using different heights of worktop.

B E AU T I F U L P R AC T I CA L I T Y

You don’t need to sacrifice looks to achieve practicality. Your kitchen can work hard for you as a family, and still look stunning. Using natural stone is a way of ensuring that it will stand the tests of both design and time. Stone is one of the most durable and easy to maintain materials for a kitchen worktop, whether you choose granite, quartz or sintered stone. You can ring the changes by using different types or colours of stone to delineate zones in your kitchen dedicated to food preparation, eating and working.

WHICH TYPE OF STO N E ?

Granite is the most suitable natural stone for kitchen worktops: strong and durable, it is easy to care for and will stand the test of time. There are hundreds of different granites available, from the understated speckled Bethel White, to more dramatic veined and coloured varieties, such as White Beauty with its abstract patterns of white, green and black. For those that prefer a more uniform look than is possible with natural stone, quartz is the traditional choice and is available in

many different brands and colours – some of the most popular being manufactured by Silestone and Caesarstone. Alternatively, sintered stones such as Dekton, from the makers of Silestone, are extremely tough, heat and scratch resistant and are available in designs which mimic natural marble, a stone which is not recommended for kitchen worktops due to its tendency to staining and acid etching. stoneCIRCLE has been in business for over 50 years fabricating beautiful stone for interiors. Everything that they produce is done to the client’s specification in the stone of their choice. The showroom staff can guide you through the process, helping you decide on the best stone for your kitchen, and create the kitchen of your dreams.

STO N E C I R C L E Find out more at stone-circle-home.com or contact the showroom for an appointment. 0333 003 0621; sales@stone-circle.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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25/02/2021 21:23

A FAMILY BUSIN ESS SINCE 1977 MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO COME AND VISIT OUR LARGE SHOWROOM!

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H O M E | SPOTLIGHT

C H E F S P E C I A L Professional quality, handcrafted kitchens are the focus at Inglis Hall Words E V E H E R B E R T

nglis Hall was founded in 2013 on the belief that there is a discerning audience that want exquisite handmade kitchens that combine a considered attitude to modern design, fine craftsmanship and real materials. This is the niche in the market that Inglis Hall satisfy. Working from their Workshops and Design Studio in the picturesque county town of Lewes, they have a devoted following across Sussex and the South East, but with ever increasing demand and new workshops planned for next year, they are set to be the next big thing on the London scene. So what is so different? Firstly, their combined love of food and all things cookery. Drawing inspiration from professional kitchens and restaurants, a unique approach to kitchen layout is the foundation which underpins everything. Secondly, their use and understanding of real materials and true craft. With a love

“Our aim is simple: to design and make wonderfully considered kitchens” of raw Band-Sawn oak from his years as a timber frame carpenter, founder Toby Hall has perfected a method of working with this tactile, organic material within a modern designed kitchen. Band-Sawn oak cabinetry, both in a ‘raw’ and ‘blackened’ finish, are at the very heart of their kitchens. Considered design and beautiful detailing, the Band-Sawn oak texture is balanced and complimented by a select range of modern panel products including Richlite, a compressed paper that ‘is so dense that it dulls even the finest cutting edge’ explains Toby.

With a current capacity of just 20 kitchens a year, the level of service, including an industry first anniversary check-up and lifetime guarantee, is personal and dedicated. So how do they do it? It requires a dedicated team of people, with a shared set of standards and processes that are continuously being improved. A balance of precision modern machinery as well as skilled experienced hands invest an average of over 700 hours of careful work into every kitchen that Inglis Hall produce. The result is enduring quality….. Inglis Hall would love to hear about your kitchen projects.

INGLIS HALL Unit 3, Phoenix Works, Lewes, BN7 2PE 01273 486 177 inglishall.com

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for the f inest British Alpaca socks

perilla.co.uk tel: 01886 853615

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H O M E | TREND

OTTOLINE Tulips of Belgravia cushion £148 ottloine.co.uk

CROWN PAINTS Witty Mid - Enchanted Ivy and Satin Lining Flat Matt Emulsion, English Fire, Mustard Jar and Powder Blue Matt Emulsion, Dance Fever Feature Wall crownpaints.co.uk

ORIGINAL BTC London table light, £293 dusklights.co.uk

AUDENZA Gianna LED neon canvas, £265 audenza.co.uk

BEAUMONDE Ultramarine green vase, £45 beaumonde.co.uk

DYBERG LARSEN EJKA pendant light, £220 limelace.co.uk

HELLE MARDHAL Bon Bon vase in bubblegum, £425 couvertureandthegarbstore.com

TRUE CO LO U RS Bright ideas to lift the mood By P E N D L E H A R T E

LOLA & MAWU Bolga vase basket, £89 lolaandmawu.com

KIP & CO Petal cushions, £45 playhausinteriors.com

BOMBAY DUCK Question mark linen cushion £25 bombayduck.com

THE FRENCH BEDROOM CO Chartreuse yellow velvet throw, £220 frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

GREEN TONES Orange eco dining set £20 greentones.co.uk

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Thorpe House School in Gerrards Cross, proud to be tailored for boys At Thorpe House our aspirations push us to achieve higher. There is no such thing as failure, only a desire to learn and become the best version of ourselves.

Our Virtual Open Morning Wednesday 17th March, 09.00 – 11.00

Book your place at

Thorpe House is an all-through school for boys aged 4-16

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thorpehouse.co.uk 29/01/2021 11:31 12:29 27/01/2021

E D U C AT I O N Mind Games 87 · Family getaway 93 A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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Scholarships and bursaries available

www.mtsn.org.uk Coaches: Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter & Denham

Tel. +44 (0)1923 845514 Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge, Email. admissions@mtsn.org.uk Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT

Excellence, integrity and distinction since 1561

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Moor Park (Baker Street 35 minutes)

For boys 3 - 18

26/01/2021 18:55 26/01/2021 09:12

EDUCATION • FOCUS

LEFT The Positive Doodle Diary helps children process their feelings

Mind

GAMES

A new crop of games and journals offer fun and useful tools to help even young children get in touch with their feelings and express themselves

ne of the legacies of 2020 is a focus on how we maintain mental health in tough times. Even before the pandemic there was a growing awareness of the risks when feelings stay bottled up. While it can be hard enough for adults to process negative thoughts, children may not be able to understand or name what the feeling is. Games and journals are riding to the rescue here and offer a useful way for young people to make connections with their emotions – also helping adults to be more open. So here are three of our favourite ideas to help start the process.

THE POSITIVE DOODLE DIARY

Founded by a creative team with personal experience of low mental health, The Positive Planner has been designed to encourage everyday positivity through journaling with added mindfulness. There are diaries and books in the collection for adults, but The Positive Doodle Diary is designed especially for children aged from 5 to 10, although younger children may appreciate a bit of adult input to get them started on their diary-keeping journey. It's brilliantly designed, with cheerful graphics and ideas for simple creative activities. These range from colouring in to breathing exercises, as well as prompts and positive reinforcement messages to help them both record their thoughts and absorb confidence-building messages. thepositiveplanners.com

FEELIT! ABOVE FEELIT! card game

A game designed for all the family to play together, FEELIT! was created by Nadim Saad, a parenting coach and the author behind Kids Don't Come with a Manual. The game can be played multiple ways to

suit the age and stage of players, with Snap, Articulate or Charades as options. Each of the 52 cards lists a feeling with a definition. The cards are colour coded into pleasant and unpleasant emotions. So, in the green and yellow corner we have Loved, Grateful, Hopeful and Proud, while red and blue include Shy, Confused, Angry and Afraid. The thinking behind the cards is that if we can identify and name the emotion, we can start to understand and manage it – in other words, build emotional intelligence and resilience. It's one of a collection of products being designed under The Happy Confident Company umbrella and the website also has some useful tools and exercises for children and families. happyconfident.com

WISDOM WHILE YOU WORK

Libbla Kelly describes herself as a nanny, aunt, godmother and stepmother, but she also has a long career in personal training and positive psychology. Wisdom While You Work is a journal that distils some of her understanding of how to turn things around when life is looking less than rosy. The journal is perfect for doodles and note taking and each page has a line of wisdom at the top and an explanation about why it matters. Core values are covered, along with thought-provoking lines about character traits, happiness, positivity and citizenship. The book is already used by schools as part of PSHE, and it's a great gift for stationery -loving teenagers who want to write their thoughts, and hear positive messages and words from the wise. The company has now published a set of revision cards as part of its collection. wisdomwhileyouwork.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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WhereWhere Girls LoveLetaorLnearn Girls Love to

rn re Girls Love to Leeaa WWhheere Girls Love to L rn

Where Girls Love to Learn

WHERE GIRLS LOVE TO LEARN Join us for our Virtual Open Day on Monday 1st March at 11.30 am Meet our Headteacher, Deputy Head, Head of EYFS and Registrar with an opportunity to have your questions answered in a live Q&A at the end of the session. Please contact Laura Chell our Registrar on 01628 624 918 or email office@highfieldprep.org to sign up.

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EDUCATION • OPINION

“Bilingual people can not only communicate more widely but also build bridges between societies”

ABOVE Lycée International de Londres

Global

R EACH

The pandemic has underscored our interdependency, says the International Programme Coordinator at Lycée International de Londres By MAAIKE KAANDORP

he COVID-19 crisis prompted many countries to turn inward and focus on the needs of their own people. But the inexorable trend toward globalisation is bound to re-emerge when the pandemic fades. That’s why we’ve never wavered from our mission to educate students concurrently in at least two languages and to give them the cultural awareness they need to succeed as global citizens in the 21st century. The world is changing quickly and nations are continuing to become more interdependent, whether in trade or in public health. Language learning unlocks access to this emerging world because bilingual people can not only communicate more widely but also build bridges between

societies. Equally important, learning in multiple languages gives students a more nuanced understanding of the material they’re studying because they learn to see it from different perspectives. Isn’t it enough to speak just English these days when it comes to business and entertainment? No, is the answer. Counting on other people to span the gap lessens the opportunity for interpersonal connection and can lead to misunderstandings. What’s more, there are benefits to bilingualism at a personal level that go far beyond international exchange. The students at our school, for instance, have very diverse backgrounds and needs. Some of them have parents from two different countries, say Britain and France. Or maybe their parents are both native French speakers but they grew up in the US or another country, attending school in

English. Mastering both French and English puts them in touch with different sides of their identity, helps them appreciate their background, and boosts their self-esteem. Being bilingual opens yet more doors after graduation. Our students are admitted to universities all over the world — the US, Canada, the Netherlands, and, of course, Britain and France. This is partly due to their language skills, but also because they often have more self-confidence. Their education gives them a greater awareness of the links between languages and cultures, and they are less afraid of engaging with others than students who haven’t had the same opportunity. Furthermore, their ability to tap into sources in different languages helps them develop strong critical-thinking skills and broader understanding of particular topics. That can lead eventually to better career opportunities. Studies have shown that even in the US, people who speak additional languages have preference in hiring. As the job market becomes more global, intercultural understanding and awareness are becoming appreciated as critical components of professional success. To accommodate the myriad needs of our families and community, Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill has crafted curricula that lean more heavily toward French or toward English, including an authorised English-language International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. But in the end, the goal is the same: helping students get ready for a world that needs their talents to move beyond the understandable self-interest of recent times and into greater mutual support and cooperation.

MAAIKE KAANDORP International Programme Coordinator Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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Music

CHAMPION The MOBO Award-winning saxophonist and broadcaster – and Bancroft’s alumnus – YolanDa Brown talks about her work to get young people making music

Where did you go to school and what inspired you to start making music? I went to Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green. I loved the school and there were lots of extra-curricular activities to get your teeth into. From an early age, my interest in learning an instrument was supported by my parents and at school. I had piano lessons privately, while at school I learnt the drums and then, from 13, the saxophone. I loved that I could apply my music making outside of oneto-one lessons into groups like the wind band and concert band. I was also in a saxophone quartet with three of my close friends – we were called the Sax Pack! Who/what were your key music influences and why the saxophone? I think my primary influence was the wide variety I heard growing up. My Dad has an amazing record collection and I was hearing an eclectic range of music – from soul to classical, rock-and-roll to Latin jazz, opera through to reggae. I couldn’t wait to start making my own music. The saxophone was my first wind instrument and I instantly loved the connection I had with it. Using my breath to create sound was a new experience. Every other instrument I had learnt I was playing on – but the saxophone was my voice. You moved into music after a FirstClass degree, PhD and a potentially star career in management science. So, what gave you the courage to swap paths? I don’t think I ever saw either path as more perilous. I remember not knowing what I wanted to study at university and a family friend asked me what my favourite subjects were. I loved Business, Maths and Spanish, so that’s what let me to study Management Science, which included a year in Oviedo, Spain as part of the Erasmus project. I did take my saxophone to university and to Spain and music was always a great way to meet people, join jam sessions and just enjoy the instrument. I joined a band in the summer before my PhD and it all grew organically from there. Four years later, while teaching undergraduates and reading for my PhD at the University of Kent, I realised that I was spending more time working in music than on campus. I had to make the difficult decision. An encouraging sign was that a couple of months after making the decision, I was awarded an honorary doctorate for my contribution to music by the University of East London. That

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EDUCATION • PROFILE

was a moment of confirmation for me that I had made the right choice. With two MOBOs, TV appearances and a phenomenal range of collaborations, what inspired you to reach out to very young audiences? I have always been passionate about music education and offering young musicians and young people the opportunity to learn in a way that resonates with them. On tour I always make sure I hold workshops in local schools (across all ages) and in music schools, based on improvisation and exploring the students’ interests and building around their learning. I am thrilled that my journey has allowed me to build on that year on year. Could you explain more about your philanthropy work and role with Youth Music, BBC Teach and The Prince’s Trust? I think it is very important to give back. I love working with the variety of charities in the different roles that I have, both as an ambassador and patron. It has been a joy to be the Chair of Youth Music (the largest music education charity in the UK) and helping young people have access to music-making opportunities. I also launched my charity with businessman and philanthropist James Drake. Called the Drake YolanDa Award, it provides funding for independent and emerging artists for their music careers.

ABOVE YolanDa Brown developed her passion for music at school and at home

“It has been a joy to be Chair of Youth Music – the largest music education charity –and help young people have access to more opportunities”

Your hit CBeebies show YolanDa’s Band Jam has inspired a new album. Tell us more about the show and the album. Hearing how children around the country are dancing and playing along with their toy instruments and learning about different aspects of music is so heart-warming. We have a great time in the studio when filming, I’m so glad this comes through on screen. I have also loved hearing from teachers, who have said they use the show as a resource for music lessons. The album features some of the favourite songs from series 1 and 2, so families can listen whenever they want to. The music gets you up and moving and introduces some music terms. We have built a music lesson resource for schools around the songs, developed in collaboration with Super and Sony Magic Star, for young music makers to get involved.

Has lockdown altered perceptions about the value of music and sharing music in childhood? Music is very important to our health and well-being. When our everyday life is disrupted and there are lots of changes plus emotions to deal with, music becomes an important escape. It is a way to communicate and connect, change moods and add inspiration. Also, the use of technology to link virtual choirs and stream performances, has been a great way to stay engaged with music. In childhood, the opportunity to be expressive in your own way is so important and that freedom in music should be encouraged. What is your roadmap for improving music opportunities for young people? I feel the pull to be a part of bringing more

music-making opportunities into schools, also enabling young people finding their own voice in music. I am really excited about my ‘Join the Jam’ resource, which provides readymade lesson plans that teachers can bring straight into the classroom. I am also passionate about the music industry providing opportunities for young people to get involved in the industry – from production to live events and the commercial elements of releasing music – to help and support a smoother transition into careers, or simply to gain knowledge.

YolanDa’s Band Jam is out now via Magic Star. yolandabrown.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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olzeath is a tiny beach town on Cornwall’s north coast, within easy reach of Padstow and Port Isaac. It’s an area of stunning natural beauty, whatever the season. Port Isaac is atmospherically beautiful and Rick Stein’s Padstow is famously well-equipped with seafood establishments.

Accommodation

even stylish, contemporary and highspecification residences were builtin 2016 to take full advantage of the impressive view over a wildflower meadow and to the sea. Ours is Bailey, a spacious three bedroom house with an upside down configuration – open-plan living area upstairs, bedrooms below, to take full advantage of the light and the view. Our living area has floor-to-ceiling windows that create a dramatic vista and it’s equipped with everything you need. There’s a large dining table and a well-equipped kitchen,

underfloor heating as well as a large free-standing wood burning stove, ample sofa space, a huge smart tv and even (to our children’s great joy) two outsize beanbags that you can jump off the stairs on to.

THE SITE

his is a golf course (though golf is optional) and there’s a health club attached, free to use for anyone staying, with a pool, gym, dance studio and a programme of classes including spin and yoga. There’s a trail of walking routes and a great feeling of space, sky and freedom. Dogs are welcome too.

WHAT TO DO

bviously, surf. The nearest beach, at Polzeath, is a 15-minute walk away and there are others all around. Otherwise, walking, eating and shopping are good activities. We visited the Eden Project, a small drive away, with its impressive rainforest biome offering some welcome relief from the chill. At 50 metres tall, this is the world’s largest rainforest in captivity and it is filled with tropical plants, a real waterfall and an aweinspiring treetop walkway.

weekend

The Area

D ESTINATI O N S

EDUCATION • FAMILY GETAWAY

THE POINT AT POLZEATH C O R N WA L L

By P E N D L E H A RT E

Beach views, space and luxury THREE BEDROOM COTTAGES START AT £600 PER WEEK The Point at Polzeath, St Minver, Near Polzeath, Cornwall, PL27 6QT 01208 864 603; thepointatpolzeath.co.uk

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PROPERTY

VINE COTTAGE SL6

Price Guide

£1,295M

ine Cottage, set in Cookham's picturesque High Street is a genuine grade 2 listed period treasure, combining attractive and characterful accommodation from the early 1800's with a luxurious contemporary interior. The property is within easy walking distance of the River Thames, having a magical walled garden with the benefit of off street parking and a garage. For full details and brochure contact Barker Stone.

BARKER STONE 01628 947 888 enquiries@barkerstone.co.uk

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26/02/2021 14:02

FIVE REASONS TO LOVE LIVING AT Castle View, Windsor The concept of living in a retirement

development when it opened in 2018 and

development there is a close and

now proudly serves a happy community

accountable team. Their support and

of just over 30 property owners.

commitment is exceptional, which

Having just celebrated its second birthday

was demonstrated when the Village

we asked the property owners what they

Manager and Chef moved in to the

loved most about living at Castle View…

development during lockdown, all of which helped keep spirits high and why

village is relatively new and not fully understood in the UK. However, the

1. Owning your property,

benefits of owning your own property

with peace of mind

whilst living amongst a community

At Castle View you own your property

3. The People

have been highlighted significantly

outright but do not have to worry

Apartments are exclusively for

given the events of 2020. Castle View in

about the maintenance or garden.

those aged over 55 years and whilst

urban retirement villages in the UK, was

2. The Management Team

hobbies and interests which is what

awarded the most outstanding retirement

As an independently owned and run

keeps life interesting, everyone is

we have remained covid-free to date.

everyone has different stories,

Windsor is one of the most innovative

Open Weekend on Fri 12th - Sun 14th March Call our friendly Customer Care Manager, Ruth, on 01753 378 127 to find out more or arrange a safe viewing. Castle View, Helston Lane, Windsor SL4 5GG | www.castleviewwindsor.co.uk CV.indd 3

26/02/2021 12:13

Castle View Retirement Village

“

It’s just a wonderful place to live!

Great people

Rooftop apartment

like-minded and respectful. People

5. The Views

can join in with as much or as little

Which are arguably the best in Windsor.

community activity as they wish.

Whether it’s watching a glorious summer

4. The Location

terrace, or wonderful winter sunrise in the

sunset with a glass of bubbles on the Historic Windsor has extensive

warmth of the sky lounge with coffee and

services, restaurants and shopping

paper, it’s amazing to think this is our home.

facilities. Communication links are excellent with two railway stations providing good links to London and easy access to the M4 providing easy access to Heathrow Airport and Central London. There is plenty to do and entertain any guests that come to visit.

CASTLE VIEW VIRTUAL TOUR

www.castleviewwindsor.co.uk

Castle View, Windsor is a special place. Superb 1, 2 and 3 bedroom properties starting from £375,000, with full access to on-site facilities such as the restaurant, library, sky lounge and terrace, stunning views and the nicest people. But don’t just take their word for it, visit and have a look to see for yourself.

Roof terrace

There has never been a better time to consider living at Castle View. For testimonials, virtual tours, image gallery and how we have remained Covidfree, visit www.CastleViewWindsor.co.uk

info@castleviewwindsor.co.uk | 01753 378 127 Castle View CV.indd 4

26/02/2021 12:14

PROPERTY • DEVELOPMENT

Private LIFE

Luxury living – both classic and contemporary – at Hareﬁeld Place in Ickenham

ocated close to the Capital and offering private outside space as well as highly specified, flexible living accommodation, Harefield Place is a luxury collection of just 25 exquisite two and three-bedroom apartments. In addition to their own balconies or terraces, the homes are set within 8.5 acres of private grounds. Situated alongside the Colne Valley Regional Park in Ickenham, many of the apartments boast spectacular views out across the valley, while all the homes offer access to the development’s own private grounds and facilities. Residents benefit from exclusive use of a leisure suite, with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and fully-equipped gym along with access to their own tennis court and mature wooded grounds, complete with a lake.

Harefield Place offers a mix of both classic and contemporary homes. The original Georgian mansion now comprises nine luxury apartments, known as the Classic Collection. Steeped in the history and grandeur, the Classic Collection of apartments retains many period features while providing generous living space. Alongside this sits a new collection of 16 homes, the Contemporary Collection. Built to complement the Georgian Mansion with high ceilings and large windows, the Contemporary Collection of apartments offer more modern open-plan living space. Harefield Place is situated in Ickenham, just off The Drive, one of the most desirable private roads in Middlesex. All the homes at Harefield Place achieve the highest level of specification and include underfloor heating throughout. The homes include fully fitted, handmade bespoke kitchens with built-in Siemens

appliances, in addition to carefully planned added extras to include Quooker boiling water taps and wine coolers. The beautifully presented bathroom suites are fully tiled with Minoli porcelain tiles and include bespoke vanity units and stunning suites. The majority of bedrooms offer fully fitted wardrobes and their own ensuites, while the master bedroom in each apartment boasts not only an en-suite but a dedicated dressing room too. There is secure allocated parking (two spaces per apartment), in addition to large, individual storerooms for the properties. The homes enjoy their own private outside space ranging from large terraces and balconies to roof terraces. The homes are well connected by both road and rail. The M40, M25 and M4 are all easily accessible and Stockley Park, Uxbridge Business Park and Heathrow Airport, are within a 15-minute drive of the development. Ickenham also benefits from being within close proximity to Ickenham, Hillingdon and Ruislip tube stations (on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines), and West Ruislip (central line) - all in Zone 6. H A R E F I E L D P L AC E Prices from £995,000 to £1.595m Selling Agent, Stubbings Property Marketing offer viewings at Harefield Place by appointment only. For more information or to make an appointment call 01895 733523, email enquiries@harefieldplace.com or visit harefieldplace.com

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

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Visit ripplesbathrooms.com to find out more or to book a free virtual design consultation

Ripples Beaconsfield, 25 Mayflower Way, Buckinghamshire HP9 1UG Tel: 01494 927411

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26/02/2021 22/02/2021 14:54 12:02

Absolutely Buckinghamshire March 2021

Articles inside

STEVE BACKSHALL

BOOK TOUR

CULTURE

RECIPES

WHAT'S ON