Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2017 i Homes & Gardens

My haven is our garden. I love pottering about in there and, although I feel it will never be quite the showpiece I dreamed of, it has provided me with many hours of enjoyment. A few of the plants have even followed us from house to house – the longest surviving is a bay, which has been with us for nearly 35 years. It began life in a container until we bought our current home, where I planted it in the ground. If we ever move, I’ll have to take cuttings from it as I cannot bear to leave it behind. I like to take ideas from different gardens and, on a lovely sunny Sunday, I often feel torn between staying in my own or visiting others. This issue, however,…

Can you tell us a bit about your background? I grew up in a cottage in Hampshire surrounded by woods, animals and books. I studied illustration at Falmouth University, where I focused on watercolour painting, although I also used embroidery as a calming way to experiment with materials. All of my needlework has been self-taught with the help of some dusty old books and lots of practice. Where do you find inspiration? I’m always drawn to detail and pattern, whether in ethnic textiles, an Arthur Rackham print or a field of wildflowers. I love visiting museums and second-hand shops to find curiosities. My illustration is also inspired by vegetables, plants and the idea of a simple way of life, and I’m always reading old folk tales from around the world.…

What inspired you to set up the company? Our creative backgrounds and a passion for interior design led to the creation of Olive & The Fox. I studied Design and Textiles at university and have a sensitivity to the relationship of style, texture and colour. Anthony’s family background is in interior design and we recognised a gap in the high street for quality design that is also quirky. What led to the decision to stock faux flowers? We initially used them to enhance the shop, but we realised our customers wanted to buy them after seeing just how convincing they had become. Our range has broadened with even better quality products and it’s now a major part of our business. We carefully source our stems and create bespoke displays and…

Ben Taggart founded his model-making and design business 25 years ago. As well as producing historical pieces for museums and architects, he undertakes private commissions, including beautiful framed miniatures of period homes, compelling architectural drawings and fascinating house histories, each of which offer a unique narrative. “Originally I wanted a career in film or television, so after graduating from St Martin’s School of Art, I joined a design company that made sets and props for the film industry. But I became slightly disillusioned seeing pieces I’d helped to create appear in adverts or films for just a few seconds and then disappear without trace. I wanted to work on projects that had more substance and longevity. It can be hard to explain what I do. Primarily I make models, but…

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Building a house from scratch demands a certain audacity, a willingness to be bold and make a statement. Building a successful home, however, requires something more nuanced, a vision not just of how the finished article should look, but of how it should function. Happily, Jennifer and Jimmy Oppenheimer, who commissioned this 10,000 square foot house in Chicago, understood this absolutely. “I had already spent ten years collecting images from magazines and ideas for materials before we began the process. We had also carefully considered how we live so the house could be tailored to our family’s needs,” says Jennifer. “I’m a wardrobe stylist and personal shopper, so I’m creative and particular about what I like. My husband is also very sure about how things should work.” A STROKE OF…

Carol and Hugh Lindsay have lived and breathed gardening for more than 40 years. She was Dorset county organiser for the National Garden Scheme (NGS); he was chairman of the Dorset Gardens Trust. For much of their married life, they had a notable garden in Dorset’s Bride Valley, which comprised a spectacular courtyard flower garden and acres of woods and glades. However, it was huge and hilly, and they were not getting any younger. By 2012, the Lindsays decided it was time to pass it on. “We loved the garden,” says Carol, “but we were reaching the age when we needed to be within walking distance of the shops and the doctor’s surgery.” Moving to a smaller property was the sensible thing to do. But where to go when you…

TOP FORM The latest incarnation of Hans K’s Y5 seating collection, this sculptural bar stool delivers simple Scandinavian style, comfort and flexibility, with interchangeable seats in a range of finishes. Named after the five upside-down Ys in its back, the stool is the work of Finnish designer Sami Kallio, and is available in blond ash (shown), oiled oak, white painted birch and black stain, £310. Contact Hans K, 0046 708 408067, hansk.se/en. MATERIAL GAINS Continuing its mission to discover new ways to reuse materials, Ikea, 020 3645 0000, ikea.com, introduces the Kungsbacka kitchen, clad in recycled plastic bottles – around 25 for each reclaimed wood kitchen front. “Our ambition is to increase the share of recycled materials in our goods,” says product developer Anna Granath. A 60x120cm door costs £33.…

Can you describe the project? Our client was moving from Switzerland to Kensington, west London, and asked us to gut this seven-bedroom house from top to bottom and create a family home she could move straight into. We bought every piece of furniture and even toys for the youngest of her four children. The brief was to make the house feel lived in; she didn’t want a slick, over-designed look that’s more hotel than home. How did you approach this bathroom? This is the master en suite, which has open access from the bedroom as the owner agreed that in terms of flow and light it would work better without a door. The room has beautiful French doors opening onto a balcony, which took us down a slightly more glamorous…

“A garden studio has many benefits over an extension. They’re perfect for work as they are detached from the main house, and are usually less expensive and completed in a fraction of the time.”AMIRA IDRIS-TOWN , architect and co-founder, Ecospace, ecospacestudios.com. “For a seamless transition between the garden structure and outdoor space, incorporate frameless glass and sets of oversized bi-fold doors.”KAREN BELL , sales and marketing director, David Salisbury, davidsalisbury.com. FURTHER CONTACTS MODULAR ROOMS AND PODS Garden Hideouts, gardenhideouts.co.uk. Green Studios, green-studios.com. RAPOD Garden Rooms, rapod.co.uk. Renson, renson-outdoor.com. Spacetwo Garden Rooms, spacetwo.co.uk. 3rdSpace, 3rdspace.co.uk. CABINS, SHEDS AND SHEPHERD’S HUTS Breeze House, breezehouse.co.uk. Out of the Valley, outofthevalley.co.uk. Plankbridge, plankbridge.com. The Posh Shed Company, theposhshedcompany.co.uk. Roundhill Shepherd Huts, roundhillshepherdhuts.co.uk. BESPOKE STRUCTURES The Caulfield Company, caulfieldcompany.co.uk. Crown Pavilions, crownpavilions.com.…

• New garden structures must be carefully considered in terms of proportions (footprint and height) and orientation. When planning, think about the view from the house and how you will navigate through the garden to the room. In a smaller outdoor space that will be overlooked from the house, consider a green roof. • There are a few shortcuts to make something new feel older. Materials that are well crafted and sympathetic to the natural habitat will help to ensure the structure sits easily in its environment. Planting right up to the building will anchor it to its surroundings – be generous with the depth of the beds to allow for successional planting. • An attached pergola or overhead structure could help blur the boundary between the garden and the…

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP Serves 2 generously This really is the most comforting soup, full of goodness with the sweetness of corn and zing of lemon. Ideally, use fresh home-made stock and chicken left over from a roast. 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated ½ red chilli, chopped (deseeded if you want less heat) Handful of fresh oregano leaves 2 large carrots, chopped 2 large celery sticks, chopped Large handful of mushrooms, chopped 2 bay leaves Sea salt and black pepper 1 litre chicken stock 200g cooked chicken, shredded 200g tin sweetcorn, drained 100g dried rice noodles (brown or white) 250g baby spinach Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges to…

A Alternative Flooring, 01264 335111, alternativeflooring.com. Amara, 0800 587 7645, amara.com. Amtico, 0121 745 0800, amtico.com. Ann May & Daughter, 020 7731 0862. Anthropologie, 0800 0026 8476, anthropologie.eu. Arlo & Jacob, 0330 037 9199, arloandjacob.com. Artisanti, 0845 259 1410, artisanti.com. Atrafloor, atrafloor.com. Axminster Carpets, 01297 32244, axminster-carpets.co.uk. B B&Q, 0845 609 6688, diy.com. Bennison Fabrics, 020 7730 8076, bennisonfabrics.com. BoConcept, 020 7388 2447, boconcept.com. Bolon, 0844 561 0918, bolon.com. Brintons, 0800 505055, brintons.co.uk. Brockway, 01562 828200, brockway.co.uk. C Cane-line, cane-line.com. Cappellini, 020 7014 5980, cappellini.it/en. Caravane, 020 7486 5233, caravane.fr. Carpetright, 0330 3333444, carpetright.co.uk. Colefax and Fowler, 020 7244 7427, colefax.com. Colour Flooring Company, 020 7254 3526, colourflooring.co.uk. The Conran Shop, 0844 848 4000, conranshop.co.uk. Cox & Cox, 0330 333 2123, coxandcox.co.uk. CP Hart, 0845 600 1950, cphart.co.uk.…

1 PULLMAN EDITIONS Designs striking original limited-edition posters that capture the enduring appeal of Art Deco. Their posters feature winter sports, glamorous resorts around the world, and historic automobiles. Over 100 designs available at £395 each. 020 7730 0547 or view and buy online at www.pullmaneditions.com 2 NATIONWIDE CLASSIC VERANDAS, Offering a selection of frames and choice of glass or polycarbonate roofing. Combine heating and lighting so that no matter the season,you may relax in comfort. 0800 047 4028 www.nationwideltd.co.uk 3 THE LAUNDRY LADDER BY JULU ‘Love your Laundry’, indoor drying has just become elegant with this piece of British designed furniture. www.juluhome.co.uk 033022 32855 4 PIGGYGARDEN Offers an extensive range of garden furniture ranging from traditional teak to contemporary designs. Pictured is their Steel Firetable and 4 log store benches,…

This is the time of year to indulge our love of rhubarb. Simply roasted with coconut sugar, it’s a delicious accompaniment to all sorts of dishes. Use as a topping on granola, layer with custard and chill for a sumptuous summer dessert or go down the traditional route and make a crowd-pleasing crumble. Roasted rhubarb will keep in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. Carl Hansen CH46 armchair, from £806, Skandium, skandium.com. Douglas fir table, £3,200, House of Grey, houseofgrey.co.uk.…

Discover the story of wild flowers, from their use in folkloric charms and role in literature to their importance in today’s wider ecology. Britain’s Wild Flowers by Rosamond Richardson, £10, National Trust, shop.nationaltrust.org.uk. World-renowned garden designer Jinny Blom shares her approach from the past 20 years, with insight into the creative process and expert knowledge. The Thoughtful Gardener by Jinny Blom, £35, Jacqui Small, quartoknows.com. A superb illustrated resource for fruit lovers, this is full of inspirational ideas and practical advice on choosing, planting and caring for trees. An Orchard Odyssey by Naomi Slade, £24.99, Green Books, greenbooks.co.uk.…

Can you tell us about your Instagram account? The ease with which you can take a picture on a phone means you can end up with too many images. Instagram forces you to be selective and creates a virtual photo album. I set myself two rules. The picture had to be taken in our garden; and I had to post one a day for a year. Would it be possible to make that interesting? That was the challenge. Who would you recommend we follow? Isabel Bannerman, @isabelbannerman. The gardens designed by Isabel and Julian Bannerman are quirky, stylish and inventive. Isabel’s Instagram posts are no different: with the eye of a magpie, she finds visual inspiration in unlikely places.…

For the Australian film producer Jan Chapman, who has worked on several award-winning pictures such as The Piano, Bright Star and The Daughter, home is a welcome retreat. When she is not busy, she likes to unwind and recharge at her home in an eastern beach suburb of Sydney, which she and her husband Stephen refurbished to create a space that embraces indoor-outdoor living, offering plenty of opportunity for relaxing. We asked Jan to tell us more about her home. How much work did you do on the house? The building is a 1920s Federation-style house that had already been renovated, so we just wanted to add our own aesthetic. The main thing we did was to move the kitchen to the back and open it up to create one…

Can you describe the space? This is the formal living room of a new-build family townhouse in London. The client wanted the décor to be quite muted and tonal, so the challenge was to make the neutral scheme more dynamic, enlivening it with occasional hits of colour in the form of artwork, accessories and plants. What informed your choice of materials? I’m intuitively drawn to materials that are evocative of nature – if you look closely at a handful of sand, you will see that it has many tones and textures and this is what I wanted to reflect in this scheme. The sofa fabric is a low-pile chenille featuring a complex check in different weave structures, and onto this I’ve layered cushions in cotton, linen and antique leather. Similarly,…

“The planting is predominantly green, with leaves in different shades and shapes that contrast well with the black fencing.” What was the client’s brief for the garden? The garden belongs to the ground-floor flat of a young professional. He asked me to create a design that would provide a cool, contemporary space for entertaining, but that would also be easy to maintain, as he is a novice gardener and has little spare time. Apart from that, the brief was completely open and he left it to me to come up with a concept and style. How did the space look before you set to work? The site was surrounded by old, broken bamboo screening, with weed-infested gravel on the ground and a few random plants in pots. The Victorian house…

• There are many aspects to take into account when decorating an outdoor room. In a structure with a large amount of glazing, certain design elements are needed to help combat the effects of UV rays on furnishings. Install low-E glass to reduce the amount of UV and IR light passing through the panes, and fit blinds to the roof and sides to shade the interiors from direct sunlight. • As these rooms are often used for relaxing, upholstered pieces are the most comfortable. Choose natural fabrics blended with polyester, nylon and acrylic, in a neutral palette, as they are generally less likely to fade. Accent colours can certainly be used, but may need updating now and again. • When choosing wooden furniture, be aware that walnut can fade, while…

HOW CAN MY WALLPAPER BE PROTECTED? The wallpaper in our hall also covers a secret door to a guest bathroom and I’m worried that it will get marked as the door is opened and closed. Is there a product I can apply that will give the paper a wipeable finish? VC, Dartmouth, Devon. As wallpaper isn’t designed to have finishes applied after it’s hung, it’s important to do a trial first. One product you could test is Decorators Varnish by Polyvine, 0845 017 1671, polyvine.com. This clear acrylic varnish, designed to protect wallpaper, comes in a dead flat finish and the 500ml size, £10.57, should be sufficient for treating your door. Ensure the varnish is well mixed before applying one or two thin coats. It dries quickly, is water and…

Once a series of Victorian bothies, The Walled Garden at Sibton Park’s Wilderness Reserve is a masterclass in modern country style. Perfect for a special gathering of family or friends, this luxurious property includes eight suites and three new glasshouses inspired by Sir John Soane, which house a kitchen, games room and cinema. The dining hall has all the charm of a provincial château and is a lovely setting for enjoying fresh fish bought from nearby Aldeburgh. Rural escapes don’t come much better than this. NEED TO KNOW The property has eight en-suite bedrooms, a kitchen, dining hall and sitting room. Prices from £1,628 a night. Sibton Park is a 20-minute drive from Aldeburgh. The Walled Garden, Wilderness Reserve, Yoxford Road, Sibton, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 2LZ, 020 7484 5700,…

BEST OF BRITISH With a deliciously English sense of the exuberant, Soane Britain, 020 7730 6400, soane.co.uk, blends exquisite craftsmanship with joyful design. Its extensive new collection features a range of tempting fabrics, wallpapers, furniture, lighting and accessories, perfect for those looking to add a touch of classic style with a playful twist. DAINTY DESIGNS Those looking to create co-ordinated schemes will be pleased to see that the delightful small print fabrics from Nile & York, nileandyork.com, are now available as wallpaper, too. The collection comprises 14 beautifully coloured motifs, including geometrics, paisleys, sprigs and dots, shown right. The spongeable, easy to hang wallpaper is produced in the UK and costs £78m. FLUFF IT UP Give your bathroom a summer refresh with these pretty Chevron towels featuring a sculpted zigzag…

Nothing says exotic quite like a verdant palm leaf design. Here, it creates a striking feature wall that echoes the tropical planting outside. A circular table partnered with pretty upholstered stools is a good choice for maintaining the streamlined feel of an open-plan living space, while the simple rattan lampshade will cast playful shadows for atmospheric dining. Blending fresh tones of ocean blue and lush botanical green with natural materials strengthens this scheme’s affinity with the outdoors. A delicately coloured sheer provides privacy while filtering harsh sunlight for a softer look. Pops of vivid colour are ideal for adding a vibrant note to simply crafted furniture, giving an alfresco dining space an air of breezy summer playfulness. Contrasting textures are a great way to introduce a sense of depth to…

Can you describe the project? The home is a Georgian farmhouse set in the rolling Hampshire hills. The clients, a family of five, wanted a sociable kitchen with an good connection to the garden. The kitchen was originally at the front of the house; moving it to the rear, next to the dining room, made much better sense. The back door leads to a terrace and a swimming pool. What was your main brief? The kitchen needed to be a family-orientated space where the children could eat breakfast together, but also a room that worked for entertaining. The clients love to have friends to stay so wanted a relaxed, open-plan space where they could cook and chat to guests. They were looking for cabinets that reflected the design of the…

Can you describe the project? This is the master bedroom of an Grade-I listed country house that is being painstakingly restored. The core of the building is Elizabethan, although the greater part of the original property was rebuilt in the 17th century and then altered in the 18th century. At some point in the past, the glass panes in the large window behind the bed were replaced with antiqued mirrors, and this has had to be left untouched. What was your brief for the room? Although this is a private house, the state rooms are sometimes hired for weddings, and this is used as the bridal suite. With this in mind, the owner asked for a pale, light interior. We wanted to let the room speak for itself, celebrating the…