Indholdsfortegnelse for Jun-2018 i Homes & Gardens

I’m finally seeing more colour in mine and am willing it to flourish as, in my mind’s eye, I have a vision of what it could be. I’ve always loved pottering about outside, but the time I have to work in my small courtyard is limited, so every little improvement I make I hail as a great success. In this issue, we have focused our attention on glorious gardens, from a beautiful scheme (page 114) featuring herbaceous planting and clipped topiary to florist Jo Rodwell’s Norfolk garden, which inspires the wild, romantic nature of her designs (page 121). We also look at how to create an easy-to-maintain garden (page 126) and have a round-up of the Chelsea Flower Show designers whose creations demonstrate the healing power of the natural environment…

How would you describe your Instagram account? As a garden designer and plantsman, I work on many different projects and encounter lots of places. I like to use Instagram as a way to drop ‘postcards’ of plants I’ve been amazed by, garden scenes with great poetry and landscapes of natural beauty. My posts are always seasonal and try to communicate what it feels like to work closely with nature. Who would you recommend we follow and why? There has been such an exciting explosion of flower growers and florists in the UK recently. I look to accounts such as @simplybyarrangement for a daily dose of Constance Spry-style floral elegance.…

1| Rich in inspiring ideas, this offering sees garden designer George Carter describe his work in the context of the teachings of 18th-century landscaper Humphry Repton. Setting The Scene, A Garden Design Masterclass from Repton to the Modern Age by George Carter, £50, Pimpernel Press, pimpernelpress.com. 2| From the founder of Daylesford Organic Farmshops comes this collection of foodie notes, recipes and insights into sustainable farming and holistic health for anyone interested in living a little more simply. Nurture by Carole Bamford, £35, Square Peg, penguin.co.uk. 3| This takes a tour through some of Britain’s most beautiful and productive walled kitchen gardens, with archaeologist and TV presenter Jules Hudson, and is sure to become a coffee table favourite. Walled Gardens by Jules Hudson, £16.99, National Trust, shop.nationaltrust.org.uk.…

In tune with the seasons and inspired by the simplicity of Eastern art, the delicate ink paintings of self-taught artist Lucy Augé capture fleeting moments of nature’s evolution. Known for producing large bodies of work, Lucy is attracting a loyal following around the world. “I’ve learned to trust my instincts. I studied graphic communication at Bath Spa University, with a view to going into editorial design; but following a serious brain trauma I had to take three years out, confined to a wheelchair and suffering seizures, before completing my degree. My dad encouraged me to help him with his gardening; I loved it and it ignited my desire to paint plants. When I returned to my course, I was told that I couldn’t draw and would only succeed by copying.…

LIVING ROOM Pairing botanical designs with dramatically dark walls gives a surprising contemporary twist to a traditional look. Vibrantly coloured upholstery adds a further layer of richness. FURNITURE Sophie sofa, H8 3xW185xD90cm, £1,760 plus 13m of fabric, Bespoke Sofa London. Elystan chair, H86x W60xD81cm, £1,940 plus 5m of fabric; Georgian stool, H38x W102xD64cm, £740 plus 1m of fabric, both David Seyfried. Italian chest of drawers, H91xW116xD57cm, £3,800, Maison Artefact. Triomphe side table, H62xW60xD40cm, £525; Callanish dining table, H75xDia125cm, £1,825, both Oka. WALLS Inchyra Blue estate emulsion, £45 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball. FABRICS Sofa in Sahara II in Racing Green, cotton, £29m, Kirkby Design. Stool and cushion in Palmetto in Jungle, linen, £320m, Carolina Irving Textiles. Chair in Dedalo Linen/Raspberry, linen, £78m, Inchyra Designs. Curtains in Carnations in Cornflower/Emerald, linen,…

Some people throw a huge party for their 50th birthday, others travel to a far-flung destination, but Valentina Rossi bought herself a new home. ‘It took me four years to find the right place,’ she says. ‘I wanted somewhere secluded, surrounded by greenery, yet close to the city.’ A yoga and oriental philosophy teacher, Valentina and her former husband used to live 30 minutes’ drive away from the urban buzz of Bologna but with their son now in his teens, she wanted to be closer to town. ‘Today, it takes him just five minutes to get there by moped,’ she says. ALL CHANGE The location of Valentina’s new home was ideal, but the house was not. Looking back on the work she undertook to make it right, Valentina says, ‘I…

Can you describe the project? This is the formal reception room and interconnecting dining room of a substantial Edwardian home in northwest London. The client has three children and two huge dogs, so she was keen for it to be a quiet, television-free space for entertaining and one that she could retire to with her husband. That said, the dogs and children do sometimes use the room, so the finishes needed to be practical as well as beautiful. What inspired the scheme? The room has strong architectural features, including a striking decorative plaster ceiling and an oak herringbone floor. These details definitely informed our choices, as did the fact that the owner wanted to include some of her pieces, in particular the mirror above the fireplace and a sofa. The…

PURE & SIMPLE Create a seamless connection between rooms leading off a hallway by using the same palette throughout. White walls, limed-oak floorboards and white parquet flooring have a calming effect, drawing the eye deeper into the house. CREATIVE CONTRAST Make a feature of different textures by pairing white-painted rattan furniture with whitewashed shutters and tongue-and-groove panelled walls. Rush matting on the floor enhances the relaxed beach-inspired feel. “In a predominantly white home, texture is absolutely key. By using different weights and weaves of fabric, you can animate a room, adding depth, warmth and visual interest.”CHRISSIE RUCKER , founder, The White Company, thewhitecompany.com. OPPOSITES ATTRACT Pairing black and white is a classic combination, but it can be given fresh appeal by introducing eye-catching decorative details. Natural materials, such as an…

HOW CAN I DRESS MY LOFT WINDOWS? I have white blackout blinds at three sloping windows in a loft bedroom. How can I use fabric at these windows for a more decorative finish? AL, West Wickham, Kent. Rebecca Day of soft furnishing specialist Merrick & Day, 01652 640498, merrick-day.com, suggests two options. The first is a simple curtain treatment. If the angle of the wall allows, fit curtains to a pole above the window and fix a parallel pole below the window. The curtains will be neatly contained behind the lower pole, both when open and when pulled across at night. Choose 1.5in diameter poles and fit the brackets at their outer ends to allow curtains to be fully pulled back and retain a neat outside edge line. Rebecca’s second…

The latest hotel to open its doors in the capital is one with a history as rich as its decor. The Principal London, which occupies an impressive Grade II*-listed building that was once the Hotel Russell, now offers guests understated glamour. The interiors of this grande dame, sensitively redesigned by Tara Bernerd & Partners, are beautifully simple. Room schemes, which exude an air of quiet luxury thanks to a layered palette of rich taupe and cream, all feature a trademark red telephone, while artwork has been carefully chosen in a nod to the hotel’s local Bloomsbury heritage. NEED TO KNOW The hotel has 334 guest rooms and suites. Prices start at £225 a room. Enjoy the salon feel of the Neptune restaurant, have a drink at the Gatsby-inspired Fitz’s bar…

Hard landscaping Breedon self-binding gravel has been used, alongside Stowmarket millstone flags (a York stone copy), which are also around the house and give structure and definition. Contrasting planting The rill is flanked by symmetrical Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’ (weeping silver pears), clipped into globes, and planted in plinths of box. Their silvery, willow-like leaves are thrown into relief by dark yew hedging, and their shapes contrast with the row of Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Fastigiatum’ behind the hedge. Keep it simple Jeremy advocates repetition in planting, for smartness and easier maintenance. Each section of the scheme features Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ fringed by low clumps of Hakonechloa macra. In between are daintier persicaria, variegated Hosta ‘Francee’, Astrantia maxima and white geraniums.…

1| Printed from an original wax resist motif. Yvette cushion in Indigo, 60cm sq, £110, William Yeoward, 020 7349 7828, williamyeoward.com. 2| Perfect for hanging as a work of art. Speckled face plate in Blue on semi-porcelain, Dia18cm, £50, Ella Hookway, ellahookway.com. 3| Wide-width wallpaper with a graphic motif. Solstice FP507001, W137cm, £160.80m, Pierre Frey, 020 7376 5599, pierrefrey.com. 4| Belgian design meets North African craft. Visage lamp, H45xDia20cm, €155, Lrnce, lrnce.com. 5| Inspired by the statues on Easter Island. Visage vase, H21xDia8.5cm, £25, Habitat, 0344 499 4686, habitat.co.uk. 6| Make a statement with bohemian flair. Ida mirror, Dia35cm, £198, Anthropologie, 00800 0026 8476, anthropologie.com. 7| Noteworthy ideas based on a Roman god. Janus notes, A5, €14.50, Octaevo, octaevo.com. 8| Cast from white porcelain for a refined look. Giuliette pitcher,…

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? I worked for a short time in travel PR, then I got married, had my first baby very young, and became a full-time mum. I always knew that when my children grew up I would have a career; I just didn’t know what that would be. I’d done art O and A levels, and I’d always been creative but never sure how to channel it. Finally, six years ago, I signed up for an art foundation course at UCA Farnham. We experimented with different mediums, but as soon as it came to textiles I knew it was something I wanted to pursue. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing, but I loved pattern and working with fabric. How did…

When Ky and Mick Drury and their four children departed the suburbs of Sydney in 2009, they were in search of a more expansive, rural life in Byron Bay. However, neither Ky nor Mick imagined the scale of the challenge they would undertake. We spoke to Ky to find out more. What drew you to Byron Bay? The landscape and coastline are really incredible and while it has a relaxed feel, the area is cosmopolitan so you get the best of both worlds. How did you find the house that would become your initial home? We rented for a year so we could get to know the area and whenever we had a free afternoon, we would take exploratory drives along the country roads. What drew us to this place,…

THIS MONTH, we admire a cleverly renovated London townhouse (page 72) and a stylish contemporary villa in Italy (page 83). Plus, we explore a serenely decorated family home (page 93) in Sydney’s Surry Hills and an imaginatively restored tobacco-drying tower (page 102). Outside, Greek Revival architecture inspires a Connecticut garden (page 114), while we go behind the scenes with floral designer Jo Rodwell (page 121). We also share our low-maintenance garden tips (page 126) and speak to RHS Chelsea Flower Show designers about the therapeutic power of plants (page 133).…

Time was of the essence when interior designer Bianca Fraser and her architect husband Jason were house-hunting in 2014. The couple, with sons Hunter, then a boisterous two-year-old, and Noah, who was a babe in arms, had outgrown their Sydney apartment, and urgently required more space and a garden in which their young family could flourish. Work and family commitments had deterred Bianca and Jason from taking on a renovation project, so they were delighted when they stumbled upon a recently updated terraced house in the coveted area of Surry Hills. The property’s clean, elegant aesthetic reflected their own, so no work was necessary. This allowed Bianca to focus on styling the interior to create the understated yet luxurious home they longed for. Pale grey walls with crisp white ceilings…

Can I have a ‘no’ maintenance garden? No garden is completely maintenance-free; even one without plants would have to be cleaned now and then, but in my opinion this would not be a true garden. Grass, plants and trees by their nature grow and therefore need mowing or pruning, and weeds will always find space to make a home in any bare soil. Many types of paving and decking are porous and attract the moisture that algae needs to grow, so they will also need regular cleaning. What types of planting would you recommend? Using a higher proportion of shrubs versus perennials or annuals will help to keep maintenance to a minimum, though you may sacrifice some colour and flowers, especially in the summer. Evergreens do not drop their leaves…

What was your brief for this project? This open-plan space is in a family home in southwest London. The clients wanted to update the kitchen and alter the layout now their children are growing up. The space was beautiful, with stunning glass doors to the garden, a vaulted ceiling in the dining area and amazing light. They wanted to retain the openness, but to put the focus more on sharing time together and catering for work and study needs. How did you approach the kitchen design? The island unit is a statement piece and the heart of the kitchen. It features an integrated L-shaped breakfast bar, around which six stylish bar stools have been arranged, so it’s an easy, sociable gathering place for the family, and also connects nicely with…

Can you describe the project? This is the main guest bedroom of a beautiful Grade II-listed Georgian property on a country estate in Oxfordshire, which has been in my client’s family for generations. The owner was keen to inject new life into the scheme while respecting the classic style of the architecture; he also wanted to include existing pieces of furniture and artwork. What was the starting point for the scheme? I arrived with a big sample of Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster, a dusky pink shade that looks particularly wonderful in historic homes. This room is at the front of the house and is south facing, so the colour takes on a more peachy tone as the day progresses, making the room incredibly inviting. I then chose mossy green…

• Small accents of white are a wonderful way to lift and freshen any colour scheme. Accessories made from mother-of-pearl, white candles and white flowers will elevate the whole palette and draw the eye. • I love to work with a blend of white and off-white wallcoverings as a foil for richer finishes such as gilt or dark wood. White silk wallpaper or pearlised polished plaster – something I believe we’re going to see more of as it gives a subtle richness and texture to walls – are great for bringing a contemporary feel to more traditional interiors. • Crisp white works wonderfully in bathrooms. Nothing beats the pure white backdrop achieved with high-grade Calacatta Oro or Statuario marble slabs, which I like to set against chrome taps. • White…

ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE AND HONEY JELLIES Serves 4-6 These look pretty served with delicate edible flowers or rose petals in vintage glasses. It’s a light alternative to a heavy, sugary dessert and is great for parties, too, as it’s easy to multiply the recipe and you can make it in advance. 2 50ml water 60g good-quality floral honey (we love to use heather honey) Zest and juice of 1 lemon 12g gelatine leaves 200ml rosé Champagne or sparkling wine – you can use cheap bubbly, but don’t use anything too sweet. Bear in mind setting times will be longer if you double the quantities • Put the water and honey in a pan and simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the lemon zest and juice and stir to combine.…

What would the 18th-century landscape designer Humphry Repton (whose bicentenary is commemorated this year) have made of the 13 designs in this supplement of current British gardens through the year? Modern plant varieties and leitmotifs aside, as the man who re-established the use of flower beds, gravel paths and terraces immediately around the house as a means of easing it into the wider landscape, and who also created separate spaces for ornamental and themed planting, he would, I think, find much in each of these gardens that is familiar and inspirational. I would like to thank the designers who have revealed the ideas behind their schemes, and shared some of their expert tips and plant lists. I hope their insights will inspire you to visit their gardens, and perhaps to…

+ For a striking look, plant generously with big blocks of the same species; Jeremy has used 50 or 60 plants in each group. + Use tall grasses, such as Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, as a contrast and to enhance the stronger colours of late-summer flowering perennials. + To reduce maintenance, do not include plants that need staking. + Clipping back perennials in late May will encourage more compact growth and prevent taller plants from flopping. + Hold off cutting down dead flower stems until February, so the newly emerging crowns of the plants are protected from the cold. + Mulch the bed, particularly if your soil is heavy clay. This will help suppress weeds.…

FINELY CRAFTED Part of a growing trend of using natural materials in lighting design, the pale tones and simple beauty of this three-tiered Bamboo ceiling lampshade caught our eye. Available from Plümo, 0844 557 3590, plumo.com, it measures H51xDia47.5cm and costs £119. LION’S SHARE Created by the late British artist Mary Fedden for Emma Bridgewater, 01782 407733, emmabridgewater.co.uk, this design is based on soft toys she made for family and friends, including Emma’s children. The collection comprises the Lions large dish, £89.95 (right); 8½in plate, £17.95; and half-pint mug, £19.95. FUTURE CLASSIC Drawing inspiration from mid-century style, the weathered oak Spindle bed is the latest offering from Loaf, 0845 468 0697, loaf.com. Delightfully understated, the bed starts at £895 for a double, while the Little Groover side table (also shown),…

1| Soft Mint toothbrush mug , £13.50 , Nordic House. 2| Binchotan Charcoal toothbrush , £7.50 , Morihata at Liberty. 3| Whitening Mint toothpaste , £8.50 , Marvis at Liberty. 4| Round table mirror , £14.99 , H&M Home. 5| Edison Bronze soap pump , £45 , Balineum. 6| Black mesh shelf , H9xW60xD17cm, £36 , Design Vintage. 7| Wall-mounted basin tap with wheels in Matt Black, £964.66 , Studio Ore at Bert & May. 8| Black towel hanger , €35 , Ferm Living. 9| Pedal bin , 4L, £209 , Vipp at Skandium. 10| Nero toilet roll holder in Satin Black, £92.16 , Aston Matthews. 11| Concrete soap dish , £20 , Such & Such. 12| Santal soap , £8 , My Happy Soap at Skandium. 13| Oscar towel…

New Designers, an annual exhibition, opens in north London at the end of June. It’s where more than 3,000 new graduates from 200 of the UK’s leading design courses show their work. For the past 14 years, an important part of the show has been One Year In, the section devoted to those who have been in business for 12 months or less. The curator of One Year In is Rheanna Lingham (above), who set up her own jewellery brand after graduating from university, then opened a shop, Luna & Curious, lunaandcurious.com, with friends. She chooses the exhibitors, then acts as their mentor. ‘I work very closely with the designers for around five months before the show,’ Rheanna says. ‘I support them with product and brand development, plus pricing, marketing…

CLASSIC LOOKS CONTEMPORARY CHOICES…

An array of colour, pattern and texture immediately impresses as you walk into the west London home that Lucinda and Edward Sanford share with their daughters, Clementine and Matilda. The vast, airy space that opens up in front of you at the end of the entrance hall is, however, a complete surprise. The effect, which you are not expecting when you first see this worker’s terraced cottage, is thanks to the fact that the house has been entirely and intelligently reworked. ‘As an interior designer and master builder, I believe in fully integrating the design and build from start to finish,’ Lucinda says. ‘It is really important to understand how a property is put together. I see buildings from the inside out rather than the outside in.’ We asked Lucinda…

Superlatives spring easily to mind as you gaze at the glorious views from the terraced garden of Anna Serra and Luca Giampani’s farmhouse in Tuscany. The couple, who are both architects, bought the property as a renovation project in 2005 and spent the next three years painstakingly rebuilding the house to create a rustic, yet luxurious, country retreat, which they share with daughters, Marta, 21, and Marianna, 18. Situated close to the medieval town of Anghiari, the property and its heritage are deeply entwined with the region’s history. A thriving tobacco industry in the 17th century led to the rebuilding of a farmhouse that stood on the site, turning it into a stone-walled tobacco-drying tower. That building, however, was in a state of disrepair by the time Anna and Luca…

JO RODWELL is a classically trained florist whose romantic floral arrangements are inspired by her observations of flowers and foliage growing freely in nature. To ensure her creations are seasonal and of good provenance, she grows almost all of her stock in her Norfolk garden, and uses her designs, studio workshops and countrywide events to share her ethos. “What are your early memories of gardens? As a child, I loved to visit my grandparents’ wonderful garden. I would spend hours watching my grandfather tend his vegetables and my grandmother seeing to her flowers. When I was in my late teens, it was those memories that encouraged me to start growing vegetables and flowers in pots and containers in my own small garden. I began to experiment with growing flowers from…

What type of container should I choose? The bigger the better as plants thrive in a good amount of soil. Large pots also hold more water, so need less watering, feeding and repotting. Choose glazed terracotta rather than plain pots as they are less likely to crack in freezing weather, and avoid steel, which provides limited insulation and eventually corrodes. Also, make sure pots have drainage holes to prevent water logging. Which plants do you recommend? For ease and impact, use drought-tolerant larger plants with year-round interest. In sunny sites, try purple sage and Myrtus communis subsp. tarentina (dwarf myrtle), which has small white summer flowers followed by berries that blackbirds love. In shade, combine Euonymus ‘Emerald Gaiety’ with a small-leaved ivy, such as Hedera helix ‘Glacier’, or trailing bacopa,…

LIGHT FANTASTIC A highlight of this spring’s Maison & Objet design fair was Michaël Verheyden’s Lucid 200 pendant, created for CTO Lighting, 020 7686 8700, ctolighting.co.uk. Inspired by Parisian brasseries and snow globes, the light is crafted from oxidised silvered brass and honed alabaster for a look that the Belgium-based designer refers to as ‘humble luxury’. Hang it singly or in a row above an island to elevate simply styled cabinetry. The pendant is available in two diameters, 20cm and 30cm, starting from £2,050. SMOOTH & SIMPLE Effortless installation is the next chapter in the combined induction hob and extractor story, and the stylish Sintesi 90, from £3,143, by Falmec, 01206 849900, falmec.co.uk, promises just that. Thanks to filters featuring zeolite, a mineral that absorbs vapours at source, there is…

Can you describe the space? The bathroom is on the first floor of a detached Eighties family home in Berkshire. It’s a shared room, broadly rectangular in shape with doors on opposite sides giving direct access to the children’s bedrooms. What was the brief for the scheme? The client wanted an effortless and functional yet beautiful space. The house has a country home aesthetic, which we’ve carried through to the styling of this room: it is informal and conceived as a series of freestanding pieces within a large, simple layout. The dusty tones marry with the owner’s existing furniture and speak of timeless luxury and faded grandeur. How did you decide on the layout? The space had been two separate bathrooms serving the children’s rooms. By combining them into one…

• Just like any other colour, the variation in white tones ranges from cool through to warm. When looking for the right white for a room, always buy a range of tester pots and paint large sheets of paper so you can see how they look in different lights throughout the day. Warm, south-facing rooms can bleach out gentler shades, so a stronger white would work well in these areas. In cooler, north-facing rooms either emphasise the coolness by selecting a crisp white – ideal for kitchens – or, to warm up a living space, choose a white with a hint of red pigment. • If you’re looking to increase the feeling of space in a room by using white, paint all walls and woodwork the same shade. Use it…

A  Abbott+Boyd, 020 7351 9985, abbottandboyd.co.uk. Alternative Flooring, 01264 335111, alternativeflooring.com. Amara, 0800 587 7645, amara.com. Anthropologie, 0800 0026 8476, anthropologie.com. Aston Matthews, 020 7226 7220, astonmatthews.co.uk. B  Balineum, 020 7431 9364, balineum.co.uk. Ben Lowe, 01452 863796, benlowe.com. Bert & May, 020 3744 0776, bertandmay.com. Bespoke Sofa London, 020 7736 9900, bespokesofalondon.co.uk. Blue Dot Pottery, polishpotteryshop.co.uk. Brian Yates, 01524 35035, brian-yates.co.uk. British Ceramic Tile, 01626 834774, britishceramictile.com. Broste Copenhagen, brostecopenhagen.com. C  Cane-line, cane-line.com. Capital Garden Products, 01580 201092, capital-garden.com. Carolina Irving, carolinairvingtextiles.com. Chase Erwin, 020 8875 1222, chase-erwin.com. Chelsea Textiles, 020 7584 5544, chelseatextiles.com. Christopher Farr, 020 7349 0888, christopherfarr.com. Clarke & Clarke, 01706 242010, clarke-clarke.com. Colefax and Fowler, 020 7244 7427, colefax.com. Cox & Cox, 0330 333 2123, coxandcox.co.uk. CP Hart, 03458 731121, cphart.co.uk. Crocus, 01344 578000, crocus.co.uk. CTO…