Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i Homes & Gardens

Recently, I travelled to America for High Point Market – a vast international home furnishings show. While there, I took part in a panel discussion about the place luxury design has in our post-Covid, mid-global-financial-crisis world. It may not surprise you that everyone was in agreement: luxury in 2023 equates to designing for wellness. Aptly, this issue is dedicated to just that. Our story Sleep Soundly (page 70) is my favourite – it looks at every facet of curating a bedroom for replenishing sleep. We have two colour stories: one with joyful tones to uplift (page 42) and Glorious Green (page 44), which features shades to relax you. Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute (what a job!), shares his thoughts on hygge in No Place Like Home (page…

PRETTY PASTEL Chicago-based interior design firm M + M designed this fresh, colourwashed butler’s pantry. The space might be small, but the impact is mighty. By matching the soft pastel green hue used on the walls to the cupboards and woodwork, company directors Leslie Martin and Kim Meardon created a space that is filled with joyful colour that will outlive any passing trends or short-lived fads. STRONG PRESENCE Model and LUMA Beauty founder Jessica Hart called upon interior designer and long-time friend Carlos Mota to reimagine her home in the Hollywood Hills. A strong green features throughout the house, used on painted woodwork, for upholstery and textiles and in unexpected and creative ways, such as the wide-width striped ceiling. This contemporary twist helps to balance the combination of rustic textures.…

THE GENTLENESS OF LIMEWASH LIMEWASH paint gives a room such a special feeling that you experience as soon as you step into it. It doesn’t have a flat colour, like normal paint, and so the light seems to dance across the walls. It gives me so much joy. ■ The texture is wonderful – it is chalky and deep – and it is completely customisable depending on how many coats you use. You paint it on in these big, sweeping diagonal strokes. One brush coat gives a textured look; personally, I prefer two to three coats because it becomes more refined and the colour starts to get a bit deeper. ■ One of the most amazing qualities of limewash paint is how it looks in different lights. In a north-facing…

SLEEP-INDUCING COLOURS Bedrooms are deeply personal spaces and should be decorated accordingly, believes Farrow & Ball’s colour curator Joa Studholme. ‘If you are a morning person who likes to jump out of bed and attack the day, then you are probably more suited to having a clean, light, uplifting colour on the walls,’ she says. ‘Evening people will more likely embrace the dark, womb-like shades. For a bedroom used purely for sleeping, serene colours will induce a good night’s rest and a sense of calm.’ To bring an extra element and lift to a bedroom, use an accent colour on the wall behind the bed – this will ground the room and feel nurturing. To retain a peaceful feel, use two tones of the same colour with the darker on…

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME ‘Shapely sanitaryware is naturally easy on the eye and will help set the scene for relaxation,’ says Jo Sangster, senior designer at Ripples. The soft silhouette of the modern Totem basin by Spanish brand Acquabella is just the ticket for swerving harsh lines in a restful retreat. ‘Gentle cylindrical curves pair well with natural materials like wood, bamboo and rattan,’ adds Jo. Formed from resin and dolomite stone, the basin’s soft-touch finish yields added sensory benefits. Acquabella Totem basin in White, £1,423, Ripples. NATURAL ATTRACTION Gran Sasso – one of Italy’s tallest mountains – was the inspiration behind The Radiator Centre’s newest addition. But this handsome radiator’s benefits go far beyond its rugged good looks. ‘The Gransasso is made from recycled marble and uses radiation,…

EMBRACE SPACE When it comes to designing a wellness room, the luxury of space itself can provide a huge advantage. In this generous apartment in uptown Barcelona, interior design team That Home Studio were lucky to work with high ceilings, large windows and the potential to incorporate a vast walk-in shower area. The balance of textures was key; fluted timber, bouclé upholstery and carved mirror frames all serve to soften the hard surfaces, while enhancing that sense of lavishness usually only experienced at the most exclusive spa resorts. Painting the ceiling in dark terracotta (Little Greene’s Tuscan Red is similar), deflects from the imposing ceiling height for a more intimate atmosphere. LINGER FOR LONGER A bathroom may not seem the obvious home for upholstered seating but if you are planning…

PARADISE FOUND You can always count on Jane Churchill to deliver pleasing, pattern-rich textiles in a refreshingly zingy palette and this season it’s the Paradiso collection that’s hitting the right notes for us. Ten new designs across florals, hand-drawn botanicals, ikats and decorative stripes are seen on embroidered, stitched and printed cloths. They’ve also introduced new colourways for favourites such as Havana, £114m, shown here on the headboard in Red/Blue. DEBUT COLLECTION Designer Henry Holland was pulled away from the frenetic world of fashion to the meditative craft of ceramics during the pandemic. Building on his tableware and planters collection, Henry is now debuting his first range of floor and table lights. Each piece, including Lamp, £2,400, has been hand-built in Hackney by Henry and his small team of ceramicists.…

EFFE has almost single-handedly reworked and modernised the concept of traditional heat rituals at home. This year, it ventured outside and released Cabanon, a modular outdoor sauna with a nod to the original Finnish sauna design typically located outdoors and immersed in nature. Designed in collaboration with Rodolfo Dordoni, the innovative structure means it can be transported to and installed in even the most inaccessible places. How it started The original founders, Maurizio Borghetti and Orlando Gozzi, began making Finnish saunas under the name Effegibi in 1987 from a base south-west of Bologna in northern Italy. In the early 1990s, Effegibi became a family-run business when Maurizio’s brother Marco joined to co-lead the company. At the time, Finnish saunas were found mainly in public spaces and Effegibi set about changing…

1 Our love of nooks and cosy corners may be due to the feeling of safety or comfort they offer. Most of us shy away from sitting in the middle and would choose the edge, but we could instead make the space in the middle better by creating small nooks and pockets. 2 Give your senses things to enjoy and think about how your surroundings are constructed to support how you want to live there. Plants add life. Books offer exploration and contemplation. Rugs and paintings give warmth and texture and transform the sound of voices. 3 Add more softness for comfort. Cushions, blankets and rugs: if you can wrap it around you or it is comfy to sit on, it is hygge. If you don’t have space for a…

THE RIGHT AMBIENCE This beautiful wall of bespoke joinery painted in a moody hue is hugely characterful and provides plenty of open and closed storage. The finishing touch was the lighting. Without the right lighting it could end up looking almost black during the evenings, so a blend of wall and overhead lighting was needed to create the right balance of atmosphere and practicality. ‘We used a deep smoky colour on the walls and joinery of this north-facing space’ says Emma Sims-Hilditch, founder and creative director for Sims Hilditch. ‘The aim was to embrace the darkness of this space, transforming it into a moody and cosy haven. Soft wall and overhead lighting add to the ambience.’ COVER STORY The TV is a ubiquitous presence in sitting rooms but its black…

According to revered American decorator Billy Cotton, there’s a beguiling tension between architectural simplicity and decorative richness, something that he attributes to his Vermont upbringing. ‘There, the tendency was to eschew intricate accents in favour of relatively puritanical interiors,’ he reflects. ‘As a result, I’ve harboured a life-long fascination with the juxtaposition between humble and grand.’ Of all his projects, that tension is perhaps most evident in this mid-19th-century home in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. Its clapboard exterior melds into a snow-laden landscape at this time of year. Inside, however, a melting pot of antique fabrics, European furniture, Delft tiles and English wallpapers creates a simple yet texturally detailed home for its hotelier owner, a man who was looking to swap the frenetic pace of Manhattan life…

1 IMPROVE FLOW Activate the ergonomic benefits of curves to get the party flowing. ‘A rounded island comes into its own when entertaining, especially in kitchens with multiple entrance/exit points, making it easier for guests to socialise and encouraging smooth transition between spaces,’ says Shehryar Khan, director, Sheraton Interiors. ‘A curved island can also include a more expansive seating area, allowing guests to comfortably eat and socialise around the island.’ Bespoke painted kitchen with fluted island and terrazzo, from £25,000, Sheraton Interiors. 2 EXTEND A WARM WELCOME The constant reassuring heat of a traditional cast-iron range cooker will naturally draw everybody towards the kitchen. ‘A classic choice, AGAs epitomise warmth, comfort and a sense of togetherness, often forming a natural hub within a home,’ says Richard Moore, design…

MARBLE All surfaces in a bathroom need to be practical as well as pleasing – and this is especially true of countertops, which are likely to be splashed with water, not to mention toothpaste, soap and more. ‘Marble is perhaps the ultimate luxury ingredient in a bathroom,’ says interior designer Samantha Todhunter. ‘Bold or pared back, it is an instant elevator.’ However, marble is more porous than other natural stones, so it will usually be supplied sealed and need ongoing care to keep it looking its best. Some feel the odd mark adds to its natural beauty, but if this is likely to worry you, a man-made surface may be best. QUARTZ This man-made stone is about 90 percent quartz mixed with resin, making it a resilient and water-resistant material.…

LEEK & WALNUT LASAGNE SERVES 4 1 tbsp salted butter4 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced1 garlic clove, crushed10g thyme, leaves finely chopped200g mixed wild mushrooms400g chestnut mushrooms, chopped2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves chopped200g spinach150g fresh lasagne sheets100g walnuts, toasted40g mature Cheddar, gratedSea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE WHITE SAUCE 50g salted butter50g plain flour500ml milk1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg ■ Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 7. In a pan over a low heat, melt half the butter and cook the leeks until soft. Add the garlic, thyme and seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside. ■ Melt the remaining butter in the same pan. Fry the mushrooms until coloured, then set aside with the leek. Sprinkle over the chopped rosemary. ■ Melt the butter for…

BEING AT ONE WITH NATURE Outdoor spaces have always been seen as extensions of our homes, incorporating areas for relaxation, entertainment and dining. ‘I believe in the ethos that gardens are for people, for family and pleasure,’ says garden designer Matthew Childs MSGD. Married with that should be a palette that allows us to ‘sit in among plants and feel connected with nature; a harmonious balance between hard landscaping elements and more naturalistic planting’. Matthew was a double winner for the Medium Residential Landscapes & Gardens and Judges’ awards for his Heathside pool garden, which shows that a design with the needs of people at its heart can also still meet the needs of wildlife. SCULPTURAL STEPS By challenging typical approaches to the design of a suburban sloped garden with…

‘Orange is the perfect colour for an open-plan kitchen, providing a dramatic yet familiar backdrop to a hive of activity. Rather than opt for the habitual white on kitchen cabinets, consider a warm pink hue such as Roben’s Honor, which will provide a playful touch when paired with orange.’ ANDY GREENALL, creative director, Paint & Paper Library 1. ‘Colour will always look great when scaled and balanced correctly. We incorporated orange elements in the rug, pattern on the chair and artwork to make the tangerine wardrobe feel suitably at home in the room.’ TESS MACGEACHY, interior designer, Amber Yard 2. ‘We choose paints that are rich in earthy pigments as they give an exceptional depth of colour. Once we’ve got the tone right we like to disrupt it by adding…

BRIIV Briiv uses 90% renewable and natural materials to filter the air in your home, working to remove pollutants and creating cleaner air. Every time you cook, light a candle or even use cleaning products, particles are released so this nifty device has been designed to remove these impurities. Owning a state-of-the-art Briiv air purifier, £299, is the equivalent to having more than 3,000 medium-sized house plants in your home. briiv.co.uk BYREDO Founded in Stockholm in 2006, Byredo creates high-end fragrance, make-up and home goods. The brand is known for its carefully considered packaging, an aesthetic synonymous with many Scandinavian brands. However it was the new limited-edition Tree House scented fan that caught our eye recently, made from hand-polished birch and fragranced cotton, and printed with its signature Alphabeta pattern.…

DESIGNING STORAGE Ottomans are a decorator’s secret weapon when it comes to packing storage space into a room. Whether buying one off the shelf or commissioning one bespoke, don’t be afraid of making it too big, says decorator Katharine Paravicini. ‘It’s a mistake a lot of people make but the bigger the better and it will obviously give more room to store things.’ She recommends elevating the design from a standard storage box but focusing on the fabric and trimming details. ‘It’s important that they look decorative. I like to design them with vintage textiles on the top and maybe another fabric around the edge.’ BESPOKE JOINERY When commissioning a piece of bespoke joinery, consideration is needed to ensure that the cabinetry style complements the room’s aesthetics as well as…

Lisa Buxton’s interior schemes draw on influences gleaned from American and European design, as well as from her native Australia. Her unique, pared-back style makes her the perfect sometime collaborator of architect and friend Lucy Bowen. The pair have produced five projects together to date. ‘Our styles are very complementary. And I guess it helps that we’ve known each other since we were ten,’ says Lisa. Their latest project is this Spanish Mission-style house, built in the 1920s, refitted in the 1960s and, by 2020, in dire need of an overhaul. The owners had lived there for a couple of years before discovering Lucy’s work. Lisa joined the project soon after, doing most of her consultations via Zoom due to the pandemic. ‘I would drop samples on the doorstep and…

While some may dread the freezing temperatures, winter for Sylvie Schweig is a time to celebrate, delivering gifts no other season can. As the days shorten, her garden becomes a sparkling sculpture park of sinuous hedges, burnished grasses and architectural trees crystallised by ice. Stems stripped of foliage add to the drama, while crisp seedheads offer reminders of the summer just gone and flowers yet to come. Sylvie lives with her husband in a 19th-century house in the village of Hosingen in northeast Luxembourg, while her daughter Michèle and her husband and children have a modern home behind it. ‘My parents moved here when I was three,’ says Sylvie. ‘My father farmed the land, but he also had a large vegetable plot and my mother loved her flower garden, so…

WORKTOPS As the centre of home life, the kitchen usually sees more foot traffic than any other room in the house. Concerns about hygiene, especially following the pandemic, have made us re-evaluate our approach to cleanliness in the room where we prepare and eat food, and manufacturers have responded accordingly. Some of the latest high-performance worktop materials, such as ultra-compact surface Dekton, have near zero porosity. ‘It prevents water and other liquids from being absorbed, which makes cleaning easy while offering protection against bacteria,’ says Laura Davie, marketing manager at Cosentino. Other hygienic worktop materials include stainless steel – long a favourite in professional kitchens. CUPBOARD DOORS ‘A new generation of high-tech materials makes it possible to create cupboard doors and drawer fronts that are especially easy to keep clean,’…

RIGHT up in the north is Ibiza’s latest treasure, a wellness sanctuary-cum-design hotel by Six Senses. While many look to Ibiza only for its party scene, wellbeing and community are in fact very much part of the island’s DNA, and this new resort pays homage to this holistic side in a heavenly way. The property sprawls across a craggy, pine-sprinkled landscape and tumbles down towards the turquoise bay, with terracotta brickwork, bamboo details and green roofs to ensure it almost disappears into the hillside. The interiors see stone and earthy tones combine with organic materials to create restful, laid-back schemes. There are numerous room categories, but the most beautiful are the multi-bedroom Residences, with pools, kitchens and amenities aplenty. Views across the water make them difficult to leave but leave…

THERE’S an element of humour in the way I design – I think design ought to be fun because life ought to be as fun as it can be. I designed a public playground in Dagenham, east London, and really thought about what I could do to get the children who go there to smile as soon as they arrive. It ended up having bouncy spring rockers in the form of tropical-looking flamingos. Instant joy! From flamingos to typography and sunshine brights that tend to characterise my products, they’re all about getting people to smile. This helps them to make memories, which live on in their hearts. Memories made with others is the best way to get bonds to form. This has to be the starting point for when you’re…