Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Homes & Gardens

Our cover this month, by interior designer Sarah Brown, sums up the issue in one pretty picture. This edition is all about joyful colour and pattern, with a focus on what’s new for the season both within interiors and in the garden. April brings a welcome measure of optimism as we discover the latest interior collections while, simultaneously, observing springtime buds beginning to blossom. Having recently returned from Paris Déco Off, the annual fair that showcases the very best in design across fabric and wallpaper (and much more), it seemed only fitting to bring what we discovered to a coffee table near you. Our SS24 Decorating Report (page 35) is a deep dive into the colours, patterns, shapes and textures for the season – a ‘style smorgasbord’, if you will.…

ALTERNATIVE FLOORING With a mission to ‘tread lightly’, Alternative Flooring is bringing a refreshing transparency to the sector. Through a longstanding partnership with Ecologi, it is investing in projects local to where some of its materials are sourced, such as a mangrove coastal restoration scheme in Madagascar. With more than 85% of its products made from responsibly sourced natural materials, this British brand is expanding its design capabilities while prioritising people and planet. alternativeflooring.com ALUSID The result of an extensive research project at the University of Central Lancashire, Alusid has been transforming glass, ceramic and mineral waste into tiles and surface materials since 2015. Alongside collections made in Spain and Italy, the Sequel collection is handmade from 98% repurposed materials in Lancashire. The company also reuses its own production waste…

STUDIO WESTMAAS While she only spent one year with designer Rose Uniacke before setting up her own studio in 2016, designer Kay Westmaas was influenced by Rose’s understated and elegant schemes that combine soft hues, natural materials and antiques. To this, Kay adds a dash of Caribbean influence, thanks to her Barbadian heritage. Kay advocates simple, uncomplicated interiors that outlive trends. Having studied interior architecture at the University of Brighton, Kay worked in London on restaurant design and then moved to Barbados to gain experience in hospitality before returning to the UK. ‘The studio’s style draws on a palette inspired by time spent in Barbados and England alongside tactile fabrics and natural materials,’ she says. Studio Westmaas created this serene bathroom and dressing room for clients in Holland Park. studiowestmaas.com…

Ensuring the interior was at one with its surroundings was the mandate behind this serene holiday home in an idyllic location overlooking the sea on the Devon coast. ‘There are sand tones, blues and greens – we wanted the outdoors to be reflected inside, so we used a natural palette,’ says Pernille Lind of Pernille Lind Studio, who designed the interiors. For the clients, a couple with three children, this retreat was to be the antithesis of their main home in north London, exhibiting a soothing muted palette and relaxed natural materials in contrast to the colourful and sophisticated interior of their city base. The attraction of this house was undeniably the location. The property was redesigned by a local architect to incorporate an extension forwards towards the sea with…

BIRD WATCH Saville’s Dovecotes is a family-run business in Yorkshire dedicated to handcrafting dovecotes, titcotes and bird feeding tables. The titcote, starting at £270, is designed with smaller gardens in mind as it’s a half-scaled version of the dovecote. By altering the size of the hole, the design can suit other species of birds, such as nuthatches and house sparrows. Each is made from FSC-certified timber using time-honoured techniques. RURAL RETREATS Denny and Koo Akers, the founders of Bonni, craft exquisite garden buildings that blend with nature. Inspired by the couple’s passion for rural architecture and outdoor living, Bonni outbuildings are perfect as art studios or peaceful retreats. Prices range from £30,000 to £120,000; there are small, medium and large sizes available, with flat or pitched roofs, plus bespoke options…

I LOVE the feeling of enclosure and privacy that a courtyard garden provides – like it’s a secret that one might stumble across. There’s something magical about it. ■ Courtyard gardens really speak to my inner control freak; they are an opportunity to be incredibly precise in the design. In a way they are the hardest gardens to design; everything is on show. ■ You shouldn’t try to do too much in a small space, you have to really focus on what is important. Restraint is key. ■ The courtyard garden has to work in conjunction with the house; the building sets the tone, because you want the two spaces to be connected and seamless. You need to look out at it from the house and consider what you see…

GARDEN GUIDE LOCATION County Wicklow, Ireland ORIENTATION AND SIZE One acre in total, facing northeast towards the Wicklow Mountains SOIL TYPE Acidic SPECIAL FEATURES A garden on three levels: lower Courtyard Garden with container tulip display, steps leading to circular Inner Garden and adjoining Torc Garden with prairie-style planting GARDEN DESIGNER The owner TJ Maher AN OASIS of colour is the unexpected treasure to be found hidden behind the unassuming facade of Patthana Garden. Tucked away in the sleepy village of Kiltegan, on the edge of the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland, a pair of contemporary Corten steel gates contrasts with solemn granite walls behind which lies the exuberant triumph that is the creation of artist TJ Maher and his husband Simon Kirby. A botanical masterpiece, this living canvas has evolved…

Powerful material connections deliberately teeter on the cusp of clashing in this 70s renovation in Ireland. ‘The clients had given us a blank canvas and were ready to embrace absolute boldness with colour, materials and texture,’ recalls Roísín. Her absolute favourite thing? ‘The sugary pink polished Cosmopolitan quartzite. This space is a rabbit hole of sensory stimulation.’ Bespoke kitchen in rosewood veneer with red powder-coated metal handles, designed by Kingston Lafferty Design; made by DFL. Bespoke 20mm-thick Cosmopolitan quartzite, Miller Brothers. INTERIOR INSPIRATION…

GOLD STANDARD Standing as a beacon of warmth and richness amid pristine white interiors, this brass-clad island plays a starring role in Margit Argus’ own Estonian apartment. ‘The sheet brass was intentionally left without varnish or any other coating, allowing it to age naturally in time,’ explains the founder of Studio Argus. ‘As a living material, you can observe traces of life on it. I love how the material remains authentic and is gradually deepening in colour to a richer, darker brown hue.’ Bespoke brass kitchen island, from £4,380, Studio Argus. 1. LEVEL OUT ‘A split-level breakfast bar cleverly defines different zones for sitting/working and cooking/preparing,’ says Elizabeth Sherwin, creative director at Naked. ‘The lower seating also protects little ones from the hob, while creating a comfortable level to sit.’…

A striking brass bathtub shines bright in this otherwise mostly monochromatic scheme – and it’s perfectly placed to enjoy the view. ‘I blended Moorish details into my own Los Angeles-Mediterranean villa, creating a romantic ambience,’ says Martyn of the custom-made geometric flooring and arched side table. ‘To give the home an unexpected style, I mixed in carefully edited antiques from my personal collection’, resulting in a sophisticated yet decorative aesthetic. Bath, Catchpole & Rye. INTERIOR INSPIRATION…

PERFECT PAIR The GP & J Baker and Kit Kemp debut fabric and wallpaper collection blends Baker’s historic design expertise and rich heritage with Kit’s vibrant, eclectic style. The result is joyfully exuberant designs like Tall Trees wallpaper in Delft Blue, a spectacular large-scale mural in several colours. The fabric costs £450 per 2.1m panel, and the wallpaper is £450 per 3m panel. The whimsical cushions are Robina’s Dinner Party in Blue, £110m, celebrating ceramicist Robina Jack’s hand-painted folkloric plates depicting friendly creatures surrounded by a riot of intricate patterns. FINELY CRAFTED Collier Webb’s Cedric collection, a tribute to founder Cedric Collier and his Sussex roots, proudly unveils four exquisite lighting pieces. The standout Cooden wall light, £2,274, crafted from walnut and brass, is celebrated for its impeccable curved and…

CELEBRATION OF COLOUR To honour 25 years of its iconic Linara collection, Romo is expanding the unrivalled palette with 25 new colours – from rich oranges and leafy greens to calming neutrals. An industry-wide favourite, Linara’s beautifully soft finish and expansive spectrum has made it a go-to plain for all manner of applications. Originally launched with 76 colours, the collection has continued to evolve over the years, and the new additions now take the offering to over 380 shades. Fabric, £48m. TOUCH OF TRAVERTINE Durable, textured and timeless SENSE OF PLACE Bringing together a passion for heritage and design, Christopher Farr Cloth has partnered with Fogo Island Workshops to launch a collection of fabrics and wallpapers that pay homage to the culture and history of Fogo Island, a remote island…

WHEN it comes to displaying art, the options in a framer’s arsenal present an opportunity to make or break a piece. Good, clever framing can greatly elevate simple or even pedestrian works, while badly considered, off-the-peg numbers can result in a diminishing effect on paintings and prints that may otherwise be enchanting. We spoke with Harry Burden and Emily Taylor of Frame London, a bespoke studio that has worked with galleries including the V&A and the Royal Academy of Arts, who told us it all starts with the type of frame you choose: ‘For works on paper, most opt for either a box frame or a standard window mount frame, both of which are behind glass. Box frames offer depth that allows several different styles of mounting, while standard frames…

SOME of life’s simple pleasures… a beach walk, watching a sunrise or sunset, blowing out birthday candles, holding a newborn for the first time. There are just so many to mention. How dare I forget the utter delight of freshly cut grass? One of my all-time favourite pastimes is being surrounded by nature. I am a city girl, but oh how I adore the countryside. Whenever I need to calm my head and connect with nature, a garden is where I can be found. There’s just something magical about feeling the grass between your toes. I fondly remember one such occasion. I had only moments before landed at LAX airport, and I famously urged the taxi driver to pull over to the curb, stopping the car, only to snatch my…

Alix Walker, an award-winning editor, never set out to build a house from scratch. Nor did she ever plan to hire an interior designer. But on moving from north London to Hertfordshire in 2021, the property she and her husband Matt found required so many changes, a builder suggested it would be simpler to pull it down and start again. ‘We got swept up in the idea,’ says Alix, who was expecting her fourth child at the time. Matt, a chiropractor by trade, turned architect as he drew out the family’s perfect home on graph paper; on their wish list was a guest annexe downstairs, and a boot room with drawers and cupboards to keep the family’s many coats (and football boots) stashed away. To improve the chances of their…

ELIZABETH TYLER After studying politics at Cambridge, Elizabeth Tyler had a change of heart in her 20s leading her to study Garden Design at KLC. She worked at Marcus Barnett Studio before launching her Wiltshire-based business in 2017, specialising in gardens with history. Her outdoor spaces are borne from her playfulness and joy. ‘I love gardens that are all-encompassing in their beauty, with light, scent and colour,’ she explains. ‘I love the early stages of developing a design when it all feels rather dream-like and unboundable.’ Italian Renaissance gardens are particularly inspiring to her. She and her team look forward to plans to work on a stately Georgian hall in Gloucestershire and an arts and crafts home in Hampshire. elizabethtyler.co.uk CARGILL SYKES Duncan Cargill is a trained painter with a…

1 LAND FORMS Garden design by Matt Keightley, Rosebank Sculpture is not limited to artefacts, the landscape itself can be sculpted to achieve aesthetic and functional goals. Matt Keightley says he ‘deliberately designed the sculpted organic landform shapes to slow down the pace of passage in RHS Wisley’s Wellbeing Garden. We’ve embraced nature throughout the contemporary design: the trees themselves become focal points – raised on vast, sculpted grass and stone podiums, they draw you through the garden. At ground level, Ben Barrell’s accomplished Pebble Seats are elegant, robust, ergonomically pleasing, a destination, a talking point, providing a place to sit or scramble, working art which sits so comfortably in the garden’s context.’ 2 SENSE OF PLACE Garden design by James Scott ‘It’s important to find a connection between the…

“IT’S GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN PHASE A GARDEN, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE” WHEN Paul Glenister bought his Victorian house in Kent, the property and the garden both needed attention. The 100m long x 14m wide garden incorporated a patio, lawn, dilapidated outdoor pool and overgrown woodland. Rather than take the usual route of renovating the house first then the garden, Paul decided to upgrade both simultaneously. Doing them together allowed him to allocate a fair budget to each project. There would also be easier access to the back garden before a planned house extension was built. It also meant that when the house was finished, Paul and his wife Sally could enjoy their garden rather than have to wait for the hard…

WE’VE been travelling regularly to this beguiling city for the last decade. Our first trip was to celebrate Philip’s birthday at Villa Josephine in the Old Mountain district. Since then, we’ve come to know the area well and have started incorporating some of its traditional design elements and colours into our collections, from rattan furniture to a new fabric called Hadiqa, which means ‘garden’ in Arabic. ■ This is a place that appeals to the senses. We love Tangier’s vibrant colours, intricate patterns and rich cultural influences. It also embraces earthy tones like deep reds, oranges, yellows and blues, inspired by the desert landscape, ocean and busy marketplaces. We spend a lot of time walking around and absorbing the atmosphere. ■ A must is a simple lunch on the beach.…

Marrying intricately carved, classical cabinets with strong industrial materials shouldn’t work, but in this commanding country kitchen it’s the perfect dynamic. ‘The ornate detailing of the cabinets creates harmony by carrying the weight of such an expansive space,’ explains Kara. ‘The patinated zinc vent hood and splashback are then completely dramatised against the pale cabinetry and white oak flooring. Together they reflect warmth and texture.’ Bespoke kitchen, Kara Childress; painted in Sherwin-Williams’ Agreeable Gray. INTERIOR INSPIRATION…

EMERALD ISLE This striking kitchen is part of a larger entertaining space, so all restraint went out of the window to create a show-stopping design. ‘I wanted the island to feel almost otherworldly, as if it was one huge block of marble,’ explains Tiffany Duggan, founder, Studio Duggan. ‘The Verde Guatemala stone brings a huge amount of colour, depth and vibrancy.’ Bespoke kitchen designed by Studio Duggan and made by 202 Design. Lapicida stocks Verde Guatemala marble, from £195sq m. Sarnen pendants, from £479 each, Visual Comfort & Co. 1. ON REFLECTION Use mirrored glass splashbacks to carry vibrant green through your kitchen. Here, antique mirrors span the full height. ‘The glass has been chemically toughened and hand decorated to lend a patina,’ says designer Francesca Fender. Artisan kitchen, from…

1 SET YOUR GOALS Like any successful project in life, every great kitchen starts with a plan. ‘The more information you give to your designer at the initial meeting, the better. One tip is to look around your existing kitchen and note the pros and cons of the space,’ recommends design director Tom Howley. ‘List any storage preferences and priorities. Maybe you’ve dreamt about an integrated seating area or statement island. Write all of this down.’ 2 ESTABLISH A BUDGET Be clear and upfront about your spending limits so your designer can help you choose where to invest and save. ‘Sticking to a budget is often about identifying the showstoppers and being clever on how to make them a reality,’ says Paul Welburn at Roundhouse. ‘In this kitchen, an antique…

‘We aimed to capture the look and feel of a cabin but contrast the rustic elements with refined finishes to create an eclectic mix,’ says Tom of this forest escape property in Devon. ‘The deep-red accent introduces a vibrant pop of colour but stays true to the natural feel,’ he says. The green door adds another hit of colour, while wood on the walls and ceiling creates a cosseting feel. Bathroom design, Hám Interiors. Malmo vanity, POA; mirror, £995; Alby wall lights, £595 each, all Studio Hám. Basin mixer, Samuel Heath. INTERIOR INSPIRATION…

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT A bespoke bath, made from sand and clay mixed with pigments and minerals, takes centre stage in this design, surrounded by walls clad in tadelakt. ‘This is an entirely natural polished plaster, which contains no harmful chemicals and throughout its life cycle is one of the most ecologically healthy materials there is,’ explains Louisa Grey, founder of House of Grey, a studio known for its emphasis on creating environments designed to actively promote health and have a positive impact on the planet. Bathroom design, House of Grey. 1. GREEN SCENE Homeowner Jess Shah selected a striking tub to take prime position in the main bathroom of her Victorian home. ‘The fluted detail is reminiscent of a butler’s sink, contemporaneous with our house – and the colour creates a…

LUXURY ITEMS ‘We wanted to make a statement, taking inspiration from art-deco design and using discreetly luxurious materials,’ explain designers Christophe Poyet and Emil Humbert of Humbert & Poyet. ‘The impressive basin has been carved in solid and fluted Arabescato Statuario marble to add texture and depth.’ The ceiling is crowned with alabaster lit from above to create a calm glow in the space. Bathroom design, Humbert & Poyet. 1. FLOOR SHOW Floor tiles add impact here, with dashes of soft apricot picked up on the wall. Porcelain stoneware is non-absorbent, resistant to wear and easily cleaned, making it a low-maintenance alternative to natural stone. Thékē Pietre floor tiles, from £76.98sq m; Tempere Pesca wall tiles, both Iris Ceramica. 2. ELEGANT EFFECT Tile manufacturer Marazzi employs the latest 3D ink…

1 SET YOUR GOALS ‘Think very carefully about how you will use your bathroom and what will suit you and your family,’ advises interior designer Anna Haines. Note the key pieces you require, such as a luxurious bath, roomy walk-in shower, vanity with twin basins, a steam shower and large radiator for warming multiple towels. Planning at this stage will make the next steps so much smoother. 2 ESTABLISH A BUDGET Yiota Toumba, senior designer at Ideal Standard, advises allowing about half of your budget to products, half to installation costs. ‘This is a good indication of the split, although much depends on product costs – not just the fittings but also tiling, flooring and lighting. And don’t forget that even small changes, such as new brassware, can have a…

‘Cornhill No.128 exudes timeless sophistication with its warm, muted tones, making it an excellent choice for any space in need of subtle colour. The versatile yellow creates a calming atmosphere, and its neutral character allows for easy pairing with various shades, creating a classic scheme with whites and browns, or a contemporary feeling with soft blues and greens.’ DOMINIC MYLAND, CEO, Mylands…

GATHERED TOGETHER ‘There’s a romance to a four-poster bed that is hard to beat,’ says Henriette von Stockhausen, creative director of VSP Interiors. Her approach to decorating them always finds that delicate balance between tradition and contemporary comfort. She places fabric and pattern front and centre. In this bedroom, she chose a Chinoiserie by Watts 1874 for the walls and picked out the jewel tones for the rest of the fabric for the scheme. ‘I adore having darker fabrics on the inside of the four-posters as it just makes it even cosier. Lots of antiques and another strong colour pop with red lacquer bedside chests create this vibrant mix of traditional and modern which was my main brief from my client.’ ON A PANEL Lining walls with fabric is a…

In 1946, Winston Churchill came up with a phrase to describe the particular symbiosis between the US and Britain. He called it the ‘special relationship’. It is a description that applies to Kathryn Sharp and Justin Nicholson’s house in Saratoga Springs, a city in New York State and the heartland of US horse racing. With its pastel-painted timber frontage, deep, lacy-edged veranda and neat picket fence, the 1880s house looks quintessentially American. The interior tells a different story. Designed by Londoner Sarah Brown, the interiors are a millefeuille of pattern, colour and antiques that radiate the gently settled, always-there appeal of modern British decorating. In search of a designer who could pull off ‘a comfortable balance between boldness and function,’ as she puts it, Kathryn discovered Sarah’s work online. ‘As…

Pretty streets lined with jacaranda trees, striking harbour views and rows of Victorian terrace houses, cottages and charming old pubs are the distinguishing features of Paddington, an inner-city suburb of Sydney that Tania Handelsmann gets to call home. When a friend mentioned a grand Regency-style terrace was up for sale on her street, Tania knew it would make the perfect family home for her and husband Andrew, children Harper and Oscar and Russian Blue cat Babushka. ‘I was drawn to the house for its original charm and sense of history,’ says Tania. ‘As it was built in the Regency style, there are subtle stylistic differences to its Victorian neighbours including the deep flagstone porch, dentil mouldings, classical columns and soaring 12ft ceilings.’ As one half of interior design studio Handelsmann…

AS spring days lengthen and pale sunshine warms the garden, it’s time to refine ideas for flower beds and borders. If you plant one thing now make sure it’s a mix of gorgeous dahlia varieties. Blooming right through summer and into autumn in a rich palette of sunset hues (or soft pastels if you prefer), they will light up flower beds like nothing else. It’s easy making them the focal point of your planting design too, as they suit most garden styles. ‘The dahlia is the empress of all plants, with the best possible colours, textures and shapes to choose from,’ says plant expert Sarah Raven. ‘Single and anemone-flowered dahlias are brilliant for pollinators too, as they’re stacked with both nectar and pollen.’ RED VALERIAN ‘My hero summer bloom is…

SINALOA-STYLE AGUACHILE / AGUACHILE ESTILO SINALOA SERVES 4 20 raw prawns, cleaned, shelled, deveined and cut in half350ml freshly squeezed lime juice2 tbsp sea salt1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped (depending on how spicy you like your food)1 red onion, thinly sliced1 cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced TO SERVE TostadasAvocado salsa (see opposite) ■ Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently to mix everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Leave to rest for 1 minute. After 1 minute, serve the aguachile straight away with the tostadas and avocado salsa. AVOCADO SALSA / GUACASALSA MAKES ABOUT 700G 5 avocados, stoned and peeled Bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped5 jalapeños, stems removed and cut into 3 pieces120ml lime juice1 tbsp salt120ml olive oil ■…

1. Because I work alone and in the house, I feel the need to get into water quite often to change the elements around me. I swim frequently at London Fields Lido, often for over an hour, gently watching the sky change. 2. After my swim, I might wander over to e5 Bakehouse, which does the best bread in London. 3. People complain about Instagram, but for me it’s a great way to connect with other people and particularly my clients. It’s also a great way to express yourself. 4. I love doing ceramics workshops at The Bull at Burford in the Cotswolds; the space has been so beautifully designed, it’s like a home from home, designed in a way to encourage people to connect. 5. We get our vegetables…

A facelift was required for this tired kitchen to link it with a new garden extension and better reflect the owner’s traditional taste. ‘She loved chinoiserie, so the wallpaper was a natural choice. We pulled out colours from the pattern onto the kitchen units and, as there was a lot of cabinetry, I choose a two-tone look to break it up and add lightness,’ recalls Laura. ‘The walls, ceiling and cornice were painted in a specialist plaster-style finish to create a soft backdrop.’ Light fixtures were also updated, with frilly shades adding a whimsical touch. For similar cabinetry, try Tom Howley. INTERIOR INSPIRATION…

IN HARMONY Golden-brown blackwood timber, a luxury hardwood, was chosen to match existing wood panelling in this original art deco home. ‘The warm tones create a sense of familiarity and seamless unity, which blends the old with new spaces,’ explains architect and interior designer Luke Fry. Bespoke kitchen in blackwood timber and Sirius Black marble, Luke Fry. Try Naked, from £25,000, for similar kitchens. Koyohen porcelain tiles, £143.89sq m, Raven. 1. GO WITH THE GRAIN ‘The choice of oak was important for its extensive range of grain and its ability to bring forms to life,’ says French interior designer Fabrice Juan. ‘On the Leopold sideboard, the oak work was crafted from saw blades that form intersecting streaks.’ Bespoke kitchen, Fabrice Juan. 2. METAL WORK ‘Walnut or smoked oak, as darker…

MARVELLOUS MARBLE ‘A favourite colour combination of pink and green was the starting point for this powder room,’ says Sarah Peake of Studio Peake, who sourced Fior di Pesco marble for the custom-made basin. ‘It’s veined with pink tones that are beautiful, but not overpowering,’ she says. The marble is teamed with a striking palm frond wallpaper. Interior design, Studio Peake. Casablanca Afternoon Palm Green wallpaper, £125 a roll, Ulricehamns. 1. HAVING FUN Interior designer Lucy Barlow combined joyful colour in this enchanting scheme. ‘We wanted to create a fun, whimsical, child-friendly bathroom that adults would enjoy, too,’ she explains. An unexpected pop of zingy citrine adds another exuberant touch. Bathroom design, Barlow & Barlow. 2. ALL IN THE DETAIL Interior designer Chantel Elshout selected a traditionally made fireclay basin…