Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2021 i Homes & Gardens

& Over the past months, the H&G team has been working on the 2021 Design Awards. Every year our panel of esteemed judges whittles down thousands of entries to come up with the ultimate edit of people, products and projects (see the winners on p79). What the selection underlines to me is that living in beautiful surroundings is about more than just aesthetics – it can boost wellbeing, too. I see this as the art of luxury today – we now look for spaces that nurture and nourish us as much as we look for glamour. This issue is a feast of interiors to feed the soul, from Rose Uniacke’s extraordinary home (p32) to a sublime Edwardian villa designed by Philip Vergeylen (p112). Our Point of Focus decorating shoot (p40)…

To celebrate its 75th year, Farrow & Ball has joined forces with Liberty to create a stunningly curated collection of 15 paint colours from the firm’s archive of 114 much-loved hues. We caught up with Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball’s colour curator, to find out more. How would you best describe the overall look and feel of the collection? The combinations are irresistible! From the edgier but complex tones of Pantalon and Chemise to the simple appeal of Archive and Clunch, these 15 colours might have their roots in the past but they are perfect for the contemporary home and, like the fabrics they complement, feel both exciting and dependable. Can you explain the creative process when collaborating? It was natural – Genevieve Bennett from Liberty and I worked closely…

ELPIDA HADZI-VASILEVA, ARTIST Her works are startling in their concept and originality. SWIMMING POOL, RAC LONDON A stunning pillared art-deco beauty in the heart of London; it inspired one of our best-loved projects. PIRIPI, ALICANTE Among the best tapas bars in Spain; my daughter ate her first tapas here. ABERFELDY WATERMILL A wonderful independent bookshop cum art gallery cum coffee shop. NARWHAL GALLERY, LONDON Ken and Tija Mantel have championed Inuit art and education from their Chiswick base for 40 years.…

LIKE a tailored Savile Row suit, a bespoke piece of furniture should fit perfectly, function beautifully and look fantastic: some go as far as to dub it ‘interior couture’. Like their catwalk counterparts, artisan-designed solutions are an investment, but they offer standout and esoteric results. Commissioning a bespoke piece of furniture is a chance to have something completely individual, tailored to your tastes as well as helping to support a rich tradition of furniture design and craftsmanship. BOUNTIFUL BENEFITS Commissioning bespoke items can appeal to those who don’t want recognisable items in their houses. ‘It can answer design challenges, too,’ says Mike Fisher, founder and creative director of Studio Indigo. ‘Sometimes it’s simply impossible to find the right piece at the right price, finish or scale – going bespoke allows…

CONSIDER LIGHT TEMPERATURE The first rule is to use a consistent lighting temperature in fittings, says Irene Gunter of Gunter & Co. ‘We use 2700K warm white.’ Another favourite tool is thinking of how the lining of lampshades can impact the overall light temperature, as well as add a playful spin on the decor – not only can you use metallic card linings, you can also use patterned or coloured fabrics. ‘Don’t forget that it will impact the colour of the light it creates,’ adds Irene. ‘For instance, a green lining will provide a green light – not the greatest look!’ PLACING THE LIGHTS Consider how the light changes throughout the day when thinking about where to position lights to create the most impact. Think about flexible light sources for…

DECORATIVE STYLE Chinoiserie is a cultural phenomenon that first swept across Europe and America in the 17th and 18th centuries, flooding both interiors and gardens with all manner of things inspired by the Far East. Chinoiserie is traditionally defined as a style of building and decoration that was inspired by the East but manufactured purely in the West. A chinoiserie object is therefore not the same as a Chinese object. In many cases a real Chinese object would be given a European embellishment to increase its appeal, effectively turning it from a simple foreign artefact into a piece of chinoiserie. It was in England that chinoiserie can be said to have been most successfully absorbed into mainstream fashion, percolating further down the social scale than elsewhere. English chinoiserie took a…

SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT Removing a slim wall that had been put up to divide the hallway into two – the light and feel of the space are both so much better now. BIGGEST INDULGENCE The vintage brass coffee tables from Lova Design. We love them. GREATEST SUCCESS An obvious answer, but the whole feeling you get when you enter the apartment. Every time we visit it strikes us. YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORDS Timeless, elegant, harmonious. SECRET ADDRESS In Stockholm, you shouldn’t miss the ceramic and glass stores in the district of Södermalm; my favourites are Kaolin, Blås & Knåda and Konsthantverkarna. FAVOURITE BUILDING There are so many but to name two, the Sheats–Goldstein Residence by John Lautner in California and Villa Necchi Campiglio by Piero Portaluppi in Milan.…

Known for his opulent use of luxurious materials and fine detailing, and skill at instilling personality into previously characterless homes, Philip Vergeylen is used to the demands of clients who come with the territory of high-end restorations. In this instance though, he says, the owners were so delightful and enthusiastic that he instantly forgave their inevitable peccadillos. They had given Philip carte blanche – very rare – to design their home after seeing his work in a house they had considered buying. ‘They had fallen in love with it but it was too small, so when they found this one they called me in,’ says Philip who, with partner Paolo Moschino, is one half of Nicholas Haslam. It sounds like a dream commission but the reality was that Philip came…

GO-TO COLOUR Soft plaster pink. SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT Introducing a series of arches to the basement corridor. These little architectural details are so paramount when designing a new build. SOURCE OF INSPIRATION It’s such a cliché, but really everywhere – if you keep your eyes open, it is all around. SECRET ADDRESS Anton & K for antiques. FAVOURITE BUILDING Debenham House in Holland Park. DESIGN HERO Madeleine Castaing. NEXT GAME CHANGER IN DESIGN The art of the edit. Our clients want character, personality and a well-curated mix of old and new.…

Autumn is one of the best times to celebrate all that nature has to offer. ‘This beautiful bouquet was arranged straight from the garden of a friend in Sussex,’ says Alex Nutting of London-based florists Aesme Studio (@aesmestudio). The team at Aesme grow their flowers on a farm in Hampshire using organic methods. ‘The flowers and foliage we picked for this display were perfectly evocative of the mellow autumn weather. We chose ferns, speckled hydrangea, rudbeckia and zinnias, and finished with vines and seed pods.’ With the revival of small-scale flower farming, there is now a real movement for growing and sourcing flowers locally and seasonally. This creates displays that are fresher, as well as being more interesting, unusual and sustainable. It’s a trend worth tapping into.…

■ Select a key structural shrub for height, shape and colour; Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ – repeat, rhythmically if space allows. ■ Introduce large but light, airy grasses; Stipa gigantea (golden oats). ■ Fill in with seasonally colour-appropriate mid-height late-flowerers; Sedum ‘Matrona’, cerise aster. ■ Edge with frills of dark-burgundy foliage; Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’ or similar between contrasting silvery foliage, Stachys byzantina.…

“I LOVE USING EVERGREENS TO CREATE A GREEN STRUCTURAL PATTERN. AN EVERGREEN FRAMEWORK PROVIDES A RHYTHM TO THE GARDEN” ALICE FERGUSON, garden designer CHOOSE ASYMMETRICAL PLANTING The art of creating a structural framework with evergreens is key in anchoring the looser, natural-style planting fashionable at the moment. In borrowing wabi-sabi principles from Japanese culture, which appreciate the incomplete and imperfect, beauty can be found in balanced asymmetry. LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SHRUBS Balanced evergreen structure can be achieved without being formal or grand. Keep to a palette of no more than two or three types of shrubs for balanced rhythm. I love Myrtus communis, Osmanthus x burkwoodii and Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ where space allows. For a more clipped style, I choose Ilex crenata or Taxus baccata. A dwarf camellia,…

What are the new requirements in kitchen design since the pandemic? Multifunctional living has become a necessity as our clients want their homes to work even harder than they did before. Simple design features, such as a breakfast cupboard, built-in appliances and storage are popular but also the little luxuries, such as a separate boot room or walk-in pantry. Which new materials and finishes are growing in popularity? We see clients opting for bolder colours, and not just accents, but whole kitchens. Ten years ago, if you had asked me if clients really do buy dark navy islands, I would have said no, but over the years people have become braver with their design choices. Are there any new storage solutions for maximising space? The success and style of every…

1 FLOWING FEATURE A popular design feature, a ‘waterfall edge’ involves continuing the worktop seamlessly from horizontal to vertical. ‘Deeply veined marbles look particularly fabulous, especially if you source a slab large enough to allow the veining to flow right down to the floor,’ enthuses Oana Sandu, lead designer, Blakes London. ‘It’s important to think about the flooring and how it will complement your choice of worktop – usually a contrast works best.’ Bespoke kitchen with Paonazzo marble worktops, from £45,000, Blakes London. 2 DYNAMIC FORM Think outside the box with an island shape that’s totally unique. ‘It’s a brave move to step beyond classic rectangular designs but the pay-off can be huge in terms of visual impact. Here, we designed the island to look like a beautiful piece of…

“I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HAPPIEST NEAR THE SEA AND MY CHILDHOOD WAS SPENT SWIMMING, REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER” MONICA Vinader discovered jewellery design after studying fine and decorative art at the City and Guilds of London Art School. She worked as a jewellery maker and interior designer before launching her brand with her sister Gabriela in 2006. The business has grown from her kitchen table in Norfolk and now has standalone boutiques and space in department stores. Monica lives in north Norfolk with her husband, Nick Zoll, daughter Scarlett and dogs, Spinner and Olive, and four puppies. ■ We live very close to the sea in the northern part of Norfolk. It’s a historic building; an old farm which dates back to Saxon times with a medieval pond at the…

LOOKING for a house that’s close to one-of-a-kind interiors shopping? The rush out of cities and into rural locations has thrown a spotlight on those that offer the best of both worlds: access to glorious countryside with an array of distinctive shops and independent cafes and restaurants. ‘When it comes to selling houses, being within an easy distance of one of these towns can make or break a sale,’ says Lindsay Cuthill, head of the country house specialists at Savills. HARROGATE, YORKSHIRE This Yorkshire spa town stands at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales and has a happy balance of high street favourites and independents. ‘There are two sets of people in Harrogate,’ says Toby Milbank of The Search Partnership, a buying agency. ‘An up-and-coming crowd and those who’ve retired…

TREND-FIRST TILES The Arch Collection of encaustic tiles has been designed by Bert & May alongside our friends at Livingetc; a celebration of both brands’ love of clean architectural lines. The range, costing £8.40 a tile, is made up of soft, yet striking, patterns such as soaring columns, gentle arches and playful circles in a muted palette for a laid-back contemporary look. DESIGNER WALLS This autumn British designer Susie Atkinson launches her first wallpaper collection. Susie worked with artist Ellen Merchant to create a range using traditional techniques. There are three florals in several colourways, Eastern Garden (top), Dipley (bottom) and Wild Daisy, from £90 a roll. HIGH-STREET HERO Sofas & Stuff’s new collection of fabrics and furniture in collaboration with the V&A draws inspiration from 16th- and 19th-century illustrations…

‘Being polychromatic, brown goes with everything, but in deeper, very rich hues it is particularly good at flattering beautiful, well-drawn patterns.’ EDWARD BULMER, interior designer and founder, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint ‘A soft brown, like our Millbank, can be used to highlight key architectural details in a room. For a modern look, try inverting the usual colour treatments by painting the woodwork and architrave detailing or ceiling and leaving the walls off white. This creates a striking effect without the colour becoming too dominant in the room.’ DOMINIC MYLAND, CEO, Mylands ‘I’ve used Farrow & Ball’s London Clay in my drawing room (below, far right). I love it as a background for the paintings and the furniture.’ Its magenta pigment gives it a soft, earthy look. EMMA BURNS, managing director,…

ORIGINAL BTC This family-owned, Oxfordshire-based lighting design company was established in 1990 and makes all its products in England.originalbtc.com DÄR LIGHTING One of the best-known designers and distributors of lighting for the home, whose products are sold through a selection of specialist retailers. darlighting.co.uk POOKY A design-led decorative lighting company with showrooms in London and the West Country, known for its affordable prices and wide choice of styles. pooky.com HEAL’S A long-term favourite source of modern designer lighting, ranging from top brands to the latest contemporary styles, with on-site advice from experts. heals.com…

THE JUDGING PANEL SEBASTIAN COX Furniture designer, craftsman and environmentalist CHARU GANDHI Founder and director of interior design studio Elicyon KIT KEMP MBE Founder and creative director of Firmdale Hotels LULU LYTLE Co-founder and director of Soane Britain SARAH SPITERI Editorial director of Homes & Gardens TOBIAS VERNON Interior designer, gallerist and founder of 8 Holland Street THE PEOPLE AWARDS INTERIOR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR WINNER: ADAM BRAY With a penchant for crisp gloss finishes, rich-hued velvets and rare textiles, Adam Bray’s interiors are comfortable and unpretentious yet filled with character. A master at sourcing unexpected, eclectic furniture and objets d’art, the former antique dealer is also known for his bespoke pieces and distinctive colour palettes, which come together to create contemporary, luxurious and inviting spaces that always feel like…

For architects and interior designers starting out, there is nothing quite so daunting as their first few projects. Yet when Michael and Alexandra Misczynski of Atelier AM met the owner of a villa in Rancho Santa Fe, California, a journey of trust, travel and discovery unfolded. It meant a seminal project for the fledgling firm (founded in 2002), and one that would dictate the shape of things to come. ‘Our client had no idea who we were but he put his faith in us,’ says Michael. The client, an industrious businessman from Chicago, had bought the house rather on impulse. ‘He acquired the property really for its 30 acres of land,’ says Michael. ‘It’s in horse country and it has stables and an orange grove.’ The villa itself was a…

GO-TO COLOUR Not Totally White from Papers and Paints. DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORDS European, sophisticated, with a sense of humour. SECRET ADDRESS Two – both are related to setting beautiful tables: Fiona Finds (run by my friend Fiona Dreesmann) and La Tuile à Loup in Paris for more rustic china. YOUR DESIGN HEROES Albert Hadley, Bill Blass and Stéphane Boudin. MUSEUM TO VISIT Musée Nissim de Camondo (a spectacular hôtel particulier in the centre of Paris where time stood still). PRIZED POSSESSION My collection of drawings by Jean Cocteau.…

“OUR FIRST CONVERSATIONS FOCUSED ON THE EVER-CHANGING VIEWS FROM THE APARTMENT AND THE QUALITY OF LIGHT” With layers of dark timber, hand-trowelled plaster and riven stone, this family home feels reassuringly grounded. This is all the more surprising when you discover it is located six storeys above the buzzy, hedonistic setting of Miami’s South Beach – but that was precisely the aim of its designers at mwworks. This apartment was designed for a family with strong Miami roots, returning to Florida from Seattle. ‘The idea was to create a quiet, atmospheric environment that is rich in tones and materials,’ explains Eric Walter, co-founder of mwworks. ‘In this way, the space allows the family to focus on being together in a setting that suggests permanence, a quality not often associated with…

What inspired you to become a gardener? Quite simply, I love plants. I grew up in the countryside on the Isle of Wight and my mother was a passionate gardener, too. As a teenager I did some work on a fruit farm and my fascination grew from there. Then I did a horticultural course and realised gardening was the career for me. “FINDING TIME TO FIT EVERYTHING IN IS A CHALLENGE. YOU NEED TO BE MULTI-DISCIPLINED AS A GARDENER. I REALLY NEED A 48-HOUR DAY” You trained at Wisley, Kew, Pershore. It’s quite a CV… I spent a wonderful formative year at Wisley and from there went to Pershore, where I did a gap year in Oregon in the Pacific Northwest working in a tree nursery. Then I studied for…

PARAMOUNT PLANTS Specialises in sourcing, selling and delivering mature plants and trees, including evergreen screening and hedging to provide the plant framework for your garden or landscape direct to your door. paramountplants.co.uk ARCHITECTURAL PLANTS Good for a great selection of sculptural evergreens and strong shapes that bring a distinctive year-round presence to the garden. Offers garden design and construction, courses, talks and events. architecturalplants.com MIDDLECOMBE NURSERY This friendly family-run company offers a good range of quality plants, including evergreen shrubs, with helpful and experienced horticultural advice on offer, too.middlecombenursery.co.uk…

IN MANY HOMES the bathroom is the one place we can escape the pressures of technology, but are we in danger of missing out in the process? ‘Technology improves our lives in many areas, so why not the bathroom?’ asks Sarah Evans, Hansgrohe’s head of product UK. The German brand is one of many bathroom manufacturers embracing technology, most recently in a collaboration with Philips Hue called RainTunes, which uses water, video, sound, light and aroma to create multisensory shower scenarios. WHAT’S AVAILABLE? Technology is being harnessed for a variety of uses, from pampering and convenience to safety and health monitoring. Adding luxury is a big focus and examples include controllable lighting with chromotherapy scenes, digital showers with personalised settings, mirrors and showerheads with built-in speakers and automated aromatherapy. There’s…

WHITE OUT A white-on-white palette is fresh yet sophisticated and, mixed with time-worn antiques, can channel the laid-back chic of an exclusive country spa hotel. For her own home, White & Faded founder Janet Parrella Van Den Berg layered up the texture – sheepskin, washed linen and old, whitewashed floorboards – to create a crisp white bathroom that’s surprisingly warm and inviting. ‘With a white palette it’s all about how the light falls, the sun shines and the shadows play,’ she explains. ‘White changes through the day and brings details and shapes into focus. It makes me feel uplifted but calm.’ MINIMALIST TIMBER From red cedar saunas to Scandi-style Douglas fir, wood will always have natural associations with the spa aesthetic. For timber with a contemporary twist, leave the rustic…

Tell us about yourself. We’re a newly launched home store curated by the team behind HÁM, our family-run design-and-build practice based near Henley-on-Thames. We create original interiors filled with art, antiques and intriguing objects. Studio HÁM is an organic response to requests for our eclectic aesthetic. Describe your Instagram account. A destination for those seeking artwork, furniture, decorative antiques and homeware, the look reflects our style – elegant and a little eccentric. Our Made by HÁM collection is designed in-house and handmade in England, while the Found by HÁM antiques collection is sourced by the team. What’s your account’s USP? Our peppy colours and unique products. We always try to bring a sense of style and fun to our work and we hope that shows. Which accounts would you recommend…

Tell us a little about yourselves and the background of your business. Back in 2000, my friend Paul Hoeve and I were bemoaning the state of the world. Having had successful careers in finance, we felt it was time to ‘give something back’. So, we took our key drivers: a passion for nature, a desire to preserve heritage skills and to create jobs in developing countries, our view of sustainability… and came up with Nature Squared. What products do you create? We make surfaces out of sustainable natural materials, using superlative craftsmanship. We now employ 160 artisans in the Philippines, most for well over 10 years. We take organic waste, divert it from landfill, and turn it into solid surfaces, largely for architectural and interior use. What techniques do you…

MAKE AN ENTRANCE  Graphic prints hung side by side over a bespoke metal console create a striking impact. Shapely accessories in glass and marble further enhance the ensemble. VA-VA-VOOM VELVET A lavishly curvaceous red sofa takes centre stage, tempered by elegant monochrome furniture and understated geometric curtains. MONOCHROME MOMENT Generous in scale and pattern, this rug makes a bold statement. Pair with simple lines and calm tones so as not to overwhelm a space. DELICATE DELIGHT An sculptural white chandelier offset against grey walls makes for a delicate yet characterful centrepiece for a dining room. SHAPELY SILHOUETTES The sculptural side table with dark burnished brass discs offers a counterpoint to the pale curves of the headboard, but both say ‘look at me’. FAIREST OF THEM ALL  A decorative 1940s-inspired mirror…

WORK OF ART High-value (be it in real terms or personal) art needs to be treated with careful consideration when it comes to lighting – especially if the aim is to make it a standout feature of the room. ‘Lighting a picture has the double advantage of showing off the work and reflecting light back into the room,’ says interior decorator Nicola Harding, who designed this scheme. She chose a wall colour with a lacquer finish to reflect natural light; the artificial light above stands in place during darker hours. ‘That reflected light is more atmospheric than something that lights the whole room. I also enjoy playing around with wall lights that weren’t specifically designed as picture lights. Anything with an articulated arm can work.’ SCULPTURAL LOOK An architectural feature…

FABULOUS ENTRANCE HALLS I ALWAYS advise using really interesting furniture in a hall – a beautiful console table or a sculptural piece. It’s unexpected and because it’s not a space you’re going to sit in for ages, you don’t have to focus on functionality or, indeed, comfort, so you can get away with doing something that’s quite frivolous. ■ Entrance halls have a structure to them and you can add a very heavy, monolithic piece of furniture that’s going to stay there. While you wouldn’t necessarily want to have a very chunky, oversized marble table in the living room as you wouldn’t be able to move it around, it can stay in place in the hall. ■ I love putting mirrors in entrance spaces because they can tend to feel…

This apartment may lie in the heart of Stockholm but there is very little about its interiors that gives away its Scandinavian location. ‘Our aesthetic tends to incorporate influences from further south in Europe – we love sourcing pieces from Italy and France, for example,’ notes Joanna Lavén of Swedish interior design firm Studio Lawahl, who, together with her co-founder David Wahlgren, has entirely remodelled the spaces. She continues, ‘The building is situated on the waterfront address of Strandvägen and when it was designed in the late 19th century, the architects took inspiration from other major European cities to reflect its prestigious location. It therefore felt appropriate to give the interiors more of an international feel.’ The clients are a doctor and lawyer with three young children, and Joanna and…

MOST SUCCESSFUL ASPECT OF THE PROJECT Having a happy client. It was one of our first commissions and he had no idea who we were. It wound up being an incredibly important project. GO-TO COLOUR We don’t have one, but the colours we do use are ones you would find in nature. They’re unusual and not super saturated. SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT Adding in the steel windows and doors. SECRET ADDRESS Abhaya, an Asian antiques dealer in New York (abhayatribeca.com). MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THE RENOVATION Reconceptualising the entire project halfway through. But worth it completely. FAVOURITE FURNITURE DESIGNER Jean-Michel Frank. So simple, but so thoughtful.…

Eric Walter shares his style vision and loves GO-TO COLOUR A simple palette of neutrals leaves room for flourishes of colour in a decor that may change over time. SMALL CHANGE, BIG IMPACT Custom-made and very minimal door handles allow for a seamless flow of space between rooms when the doors are open. GO-TO INTERIORS BRAND The Vero Stone blends timeless traditional craftsmanship with modern design. WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION For this project, it was the natural light – it is something that has an almost tactile quality in Miami. DESCRIBE THE PROJECT IN ONE WORD Craft, with a strong focus on the detailing and materials.…

ORIENTATION The main garden faces south, but the open aspect delivers sunshine to all areas. SOIL TYPE Slightly alkaline, a mix of heavy clay but chalky and well-drained in places. Generally moist and deliberately no irrigation. SPECIAL FEATURES Wildlife pond, year-round borders, parterre, evergreen structural box and yew and mature ‘woodland’ trees. GARDEN DESIGN Acres Wild Landscape & Garden Design, 1 Helm Cottages, Nuthurst Street, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 6RG, 01403 891084, acreswild.co.uk. PLANTING DESIGN Sarah Pajwani.…

“WHEN HERBACEOUS PLANTS DIE BACK AND LEAVES FALL, THE EVERGREEN STRUCTURE RETAINS THE GREEN ELEMENT AND DEFINES THE SPACE” RAE WILKINSON, garden designer EVERGREEN shrubs work hard to earn their place in every garden, adding interest and structure whatever the month. Even better, they tend to be low-maintenance. Some add colour with blooms and berries, too, while others are scented, so they bring far more than just year-round, good-looking foliage. Garden designer Kate Gould (kategouldgardens.com) recommends using a high percentage of evergreens to provide a framework against which other plants can shine: ‘Ideally, 50-70 per cent of planting. It doesn’t mean that such plants only have green leaves. Camellia, rhododendron and nandina, for example, also have the advantage of flowering at different times of the year.’ STRUCTURE AND ENCLOSURE ‘I…

NOSTALGIC TOUCH Already known for its gentle nod to the past when it comes to kitchen design, deVOL has gone one step further and launched the Heirloom collection. It’s a curated edit of well-crafted pieces, including cabinetry, plate racks and lighting, which evoke childhood memories and manage to look vintage yet thoroughly modern. Described as an ‘ever-evolving’ range, expect to see regular additions to the classic designs. The Heirloom collection starts from £10,000, deVOL STANDOUT SHOWER Drummonds has remodelled the shower tray with its latest offering, the Test shower, which features a gently curved skirt, in the style of the rounded edges of its signature baths. Cast in iron, the tray, which comes in three finishes, is enamelled while the exterior is hand-finished to order. The solid brass frame is…

4LITE Choose smartphonecontrollable bathroom lighting with this firm’s hub-free connected range, which includes downlights, ceiling lights and LEDs. 4lite.co.uk KALDEWEI This German brand has developed Sound Wave, a system of acoustic panels and transducers that turn its baths into Bluetooth controllable speakers. kaldewei.co.uk NOKEN Porcelanosa’s designer brand is committed to digitising its bathroom fittings with electronic taps, digital showers, smart toilets and smart mirrors. noken.com SCAVOLINI The Dandy Plus collection features a Task Bar with integrated Amazon Alexa, from which users can control music, lights, blinds and showers. scavolini.com…

A CHIC new edition to the hotel scene, Les Sources de Cheverny’s village-style hotel is nestled in the heart of the Cheverny forest, just two hours from Paris by train or car. Its 49 rooms and suites are spread over six buildings with whimsical names like La Maison des Fleurs, La Maison des Fruits and Le Baron Perché (the baron in the trees). Rooms with forest views are painted in calming shades of green and furnished with pieces from local brocantes. When you enter the spa, which forms the centrepiece of the retreat, with both indoor and outdoor pools and large barrel hot tubs to soak in, you will find cabins illuminated by rustic frescoes of the surrounding landscape by artist Claire Blaser. If it’s a romantic getaway you’re after,…

CRÈME BRULÉE SERVES 4 1 vanilla pod 400ml double cream 5cm piece of organic orange peel 5 egg yolks 5 tbsp sugar 2 tsp orange-blossom water (optional) YOU WILL NEED four ovenproof ramekins ■ Slit open the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Bring the cream, orange peel, vanilla pod and seeds to the boil in a saucepan, remove from the heat and let the vanilla cream steep for 10 minutes. Beat the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar together until fluffy, sieve the vanilla cream, then stir in with orange blossom water (if using). Pour into the ovenproof ramekins. ■ Preheat the oven to 120°C/Gas ½. Place the ramekins in a large gratin dish and pour hot water into the dish until the ramekins are two-thirds…

I WAS such a tomboy as a child – I was always out playing cricket with my brothers or climbing trees. Even so, I have a vivid memory of one part of the inside of my childhood home: the linen union fabric my mother used to make loose covers for the sofas. I still love the handmade look of re-covered sofas; they might be a bit old and sagging but there’s something rather lovely about them. MY earliest memories of home are of riding on the back of one of the sofas pretending it was a horse. Also, the glorious feeling of sliding across polished wooden floors – there’s nothing quite like it! Another happy memory is of rooting through my mother’s fabric collection, looking at materials she’d collected to…