Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i Homes & Gardens

We have a saying in my family if anyone mentions Christmas too early: ‘Go get the Brussels on’. It’s been a phrase for about fifteen years, ever since someone got the diary out to discuss festive plans in February – yes, February – and we all pretty much lost it. Having said that, the Homes & Gardens team starts to think about Christmas very early, too, so the proverbial Brussels are pretty much ‘on’ year-round for us. I’ve learnt to love it as I get to experience the joys of the holiday season more than once and the build-up is often the best part. For our decorating shoot (page 48), the brief was out-and-out colour and pattern. We wanted to share seasonal inspiration and fun ideas using simple ingredients such…

Paper trail Retro-style paper decorations are back in vogue and East End Press is leading the way. Founded almost 10 years ago by designer and printmaker Ellie Hodesdon in the east end of Glasgow, today the brand works with a family of craftspeople in Jaipur in India – the home of printmaking – to create its unique silk screen-printed products. Silk screen printing is a technique that creates bright, durable colours – it also features a slight blurring of edges for a vintage, handmade look. Offerings include jolly paper chain kits and garlands, from £12, as well as gift tags and wrapping paper, from £3. Be assured also that ethical business practices are a priority at East End Press. Decorations are made from 100% recycled paper and FSC wood; products…

TABLE SETTING Tablecloth and wallcovering in Tamarind linen fabric in Antique Red, £116m; Bullion fringe in Tomato/Olive, £136m, both Colefax and Fowler. Scalloped side plate with Red Double Rim, £42; cutlery set in stainless steel, £125 for a seven-piece set; Stripe linen napkins in Green and White, £27.50 each, all Summerill & Bishop. Mini Delft charm in Red, £68 for a set of six, Petra Palumbo. Dark Green Piped Taper large candle holder, £14.99; with Green Taper dinner candle, £7.49 for a pack of four, both Gisela Graham. Idra Red glasses, £315 for a set of six, NasonMoretti at Artemest. Eleanor dinner plates in Forest Green, £200 for a set of six; Julia Twisted cut crystal white wine glasses, £135 for a set of six, both Rebecca Udall. Small Green…

RICH BLEND ‘The exterior of our Dutch larder is in Kipper, a warm, chocolatey brown. It is a natural colour that sits harmoniously with blues and greens. Brown was a popular colour for “below stairs” joinery in Georgian houses as it’s pleasing to live with and practical to clean.’ Merlin Wright, design director, Plain English NOSTALGIC TONES ‘The melange of rich brown and caramel tones bring a warm and inviting atmosphere to this bathroom. These shades, especially contrasted with the blue pedestal basin, are reminiscent of 1970s colours and create a sense of nostalgia.’ Louisa Morgan, creative director, Mandarin Stone GREAT DEPTHS ‘We used a palette of natural, earthy tones in our new concept store – moss green, chestnut and muted reds feature throughout. We love the depth and richness…

Step across the threshold of Charles and Alice Holt’s west London home over the festive period and you know you’re in for a good time. The couple love nothing more than hosting an evening of champagne, cocktails and carols, complete with resident piano player, in a tradition passed down from Alice’s mother. ‘It brings together every generation and lots of friends,’ says the literary agent. ‘It’s our biggest yearly ritual.’ The couple moved here in 2020 with their children Freddie, now 14, Isabella, 12, and Olivia, eight, and soon realised that in order to strike a balance between form and function, a full reconfiguration was required. So they turned to Sophie Pringle, who’d also worked with them on their previous home. ‘From the first viewing, we could sense the bones…

Growing up in Limerick in the 1990s, a highpoint of Suzie Mc Adam’s Christmas school holiday was a trip to the theatre. As the lights dimmed, her attention wandered from the actors to the sets. The panelled ballrooms with moonlight falling in bars, a fulsomely curved staircase or the glitter of an over-scaled chandelier fascinated the future designer. It was here, sunk into her velvet seat, that Suzie learnt how interiors have the power, as she says, ‘to transport us... and make everyday life more romantic’. The owners of this rural Irish bolthole would agree. Set in the grounds of a turreted castle near Dublin, the building began life as a barn on a ‘model’ Victorian farm – built as a spick and span ideal of agrarian architecture - before…

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS For his own kitchen, Rapture & Wright’s design director Peter Thwaites commissioned individual freestanding pieces in colourful shades, including this red dresser. ‘The informality of the design was enhanced by using different planes of colour for each piece and there is tension and an equilibrium between them when viewed in combination. The rich red acts as a catalyst to the complementary and tonally equivalent olive-ish green and pale blue elsewhere, adding depth and playing with the perspective,’ says Peter. ‘Reds advance while greens recede. The red keeps the eye moving, breaking up the mass of the kitchen, creating interest and balancing the composition.’ SURPRISE HIT Channelling your red obsession to a tucked away space can make it extra special. ‘I love the red colour pop in this…

CONTEMPORARY GLAMOUR Interior designer Bryan O’Sullivan brings a new twist to modern elegance, creating sophisticated yet relaxed environments. He says he is inspired by the classical proportions of French and Italian architecture of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, blending in his own innovative ideas and curvilinear shapes. ‘A bathroom should feel glamorous and experiential, while equally being serene and restful,’ he says. ‘It should always be warm and inviting – after all, it is the first room we visit in the morning and the last before bed.’ Bryan says he enjoys using beautiful, natural marble with dramatic veining to introduce an element of surprise, likes to invest in a timeless yet modern bathtub to play a significant presence in the space, and to introduce rounded and organic shapes where possible…

1. My mantra is to have fun, laugh and smile – be it through the way we dress or the way we decorate. And if in doubt add a stripe, it will never go out of fashion. 2. Next summer we are moving from London to Wales. It will be a big building project and new way of life. I am super excited for all the space that the kids will have to run around in – and the animals… I’m thinking llamas. 3. I recently overcame my fear of carbs thanks to an incredible stay at the SHA Wellness Clinic. Now one of my favourite restaurants is Ave Mario – the crab linguine is sensational, and the red striped deco makes me feel very at home. 4. I have…

Just desserts The festive trifle has been reimagined by Phoebe Stubbs of Gather with a beautiful hand-blown creation, bursting with sweetie-like colours. It costs £855 and is available in Berry Pink or Peach. BOW WOW Bows are back in a big way, and we’re swooning over these pieces from The Primitive Home. Choose from the Big Bow at £75 or Extra Big Bow at £85, available in a variety of ginghams, checks and stripes. Each is finished with a matching velvet ribbon. Have a fabric in mind? Simply get in touch, as each is handmade to order. Perfect for topping the Christmas tree, hanging on a door or adorning anything that could use a little flourish. Creative companions Interior designer Beata Heuman and Catherine Wehtje Hustad, creative director at Swedish…

Impress Stylish gifts for those with an eye for design Intrigue Perfect presents to spark the receiver’s imagination Indulge Spoil your nearest and dearest with these little delights Inspire Pieces to encourage loved ones to get creative Invest Beautiful homeware that will stand the test of time…

AS someone who takes great pleasure in hosting, I often find preparing the house as fulfilling as the day itself – and sometimes, even more so. Decorating is a big part of this, which I start in early December; I love getting the tree up and having poinsettias and other nods to the season around the house. We always have a festive playlist playing as we decorate. ■ A traditional theme for the decorations, with a palette of joyful reds, greens and glittering golds, is what I tend to prefer. Personally, I think Christmas should be about abundance, family and a feeling of warmth. ■ Look outdoors and let the beautiful seasonal foliage dictate the decorations. Foraged branches, holly, ivy and winter berries add interest to mantelpieces and I love…

CLOSE QUARTERS Keeping a space intimate creates an environment for good conversation, as people feel at ease rather than exposed. Another good idea is to embrace a touch of imperfection and avoid too much symmetry, as shown here with the chair by the fire. Interior designer Nicola Harding believes that design always begins with a personal touch. ‘I place myself in the space and think about how I want to feel, crafting comfort and conviviality.’ She recommends using pieces from different periods to make a room feel dynamic and not too predictable. ‘And don’t forget atmospheric lighting – lots of it to evoke cosiness.’ BOOK WORM Above and beyond their obvious strengths as sources of entertainment and education, books crammed on shelves also muffle and absorb sounds, so they help…

Picture the perfect place to spend a country Christmas and this idyllic Carolean manor house in Sussex with its elegant interior would surely be a top contender. The ancient Grade II-listed property has undergone a substantial renovation, and celebrating its bones, while coaxing it into the 21st century, was the challenge that faced interior design studio K&H Design. The clients had completely fallen in love with the enchanting building, but wanted to develop it into a practical and beautiful family home. ‘The brief was to restore and enhance its DNA and make it fit for modern living,’ explains K&H Design’s founder, Katie Glaister. ‘It meant respecting the original and listed features and bringing them into alignment with the new design. For example, we were careful to incorporate panelling to conceal…

1. Composition of living sculpture A sculpted copper beech spiral, surrounded by layered beech and domed yew topiary, provides a playful focal point and year-round structure at the north corner of the house at Allt-y-bela in Monmouthshire, home of garden designer Arne Maynard and his partner William Collinson. Arne says: ‘Topiary forms provide wonderful structure in a garden, offering anchorage, scale and contrast for softer summer herbaceous planting and as important winter interest. I see them as individual characters, acting a part in the wider garden performance. I love seeing them dusted with frost or snow in the colder months, playing a game of dramatic shadows on the frozen white lawns when the garden can be at its most atmospheric.’ 2. Decorative tracery ‘In the winter, the formal shapes of…

MODERN COUNTRY Octavia Dickinson blends traditional design with her own sense of colourful individuality and decorative flair to create a new take on English country house style, combining antique and modern pieces to produce comfortable, elegant interiors. ‘I would like my dream kitchen to feel calm and welcoming,’ she says. ‘A room for entertaining and living in, without a “built-in” feel.’ For this reason, Octavia favours bespoke joinery and unfitted furniture, such as a free-standing dresser or shelves piled high with antique china, plus an inviting sofa and kitchen table. ‘I might also include an antique rug and iroko wooden worktops to add to the sense of warmth, while cupboards in a stone-coloured dragged paint effect would bring in subtle texture and softness,’ she says.…

GROWING up in Australia, our family holidays were often spent close to home, usually along the north coast of New South Wales in Byron Bay. Back then, it was a sleepy beach town with just one main street. Now, with my brother living in the Byron hinterland, I always make time to visit whenever I’m back in Australia, often at Christmas. I prefer to travel somewhere warm in December so it’s the perfect destination for escaping the winter chill and reconnecting with family. ■ Only moments from the centre of town and main beach, The Atlantic (top right) is a wonderful option if you want to be in the thick of things. It’s easy to forget you’re staying in a hotel and not a friend’s expansive beach house – think…

‘I GREW up on the rural west coast of the Scottish Highlands which has in so many ways shaped my practice. I was always encouraged to be creative, but beyond that, resourceful,’ says Iseabal Hendry. In a village with only a handful of houses, an hour away from the nearest city and in a part of the country where postal charges were ‘astronomical’, most of the family furniture was made by Iseabal’s father, with her in tow. From the locally woven baskets at home to the thatched roofs of Hebridean holiday cottages, craft has been a constant presence in her life. ‘From a young age, I liked working with my hands and felt drawn to detailed, material-focused work.’ Aged 17, Iseabal enrolled on a traditional clinker boatbuilding course, and later…

ALICE FUNGE CERAMICS Alice Funge Ceramics immortalises beloved passed-down-the-generations recipes by replicating them, distinctive handwriting and all, on pieces of kitchenware. Hand thrown in her Warwickshire studio – choose from plates and jugs with full recipes on, decorated with colours representing the final product (soft brown for gingerbread and Christmas cake, pale yellow for lemon drizzle and so on). Or for smaller messages and words, there are also ceramic utensils, vases, pots, mugs and dishes. alicefunge.co.uk ANYA HINDMARCH The fashion world’s go-to for all things initials, monogramming and customised, irreverent British brand Anya Hindmarch is known for adding an individual touch to its bags, purses, travel accessories and much more. From clutch bags in a choice of colourful fabrics, keepsake boxes with inlaid photos and messages hidden inside, and…

RAVINDER BHOGAL This award-winning journalist, author, chef and restaurateur was born in Kenya to Indian parents and her cooking is inspired by her mixed heritage. ‘I’ll be spending Christmas Day with my husband and my in-laws at home. As a chef and food writer, I’m often testing festive recipes as early as July, so I always have a pretty good feeling around what I will cook. Given how diverse the communities in this country are, and how I cook across borders, my Christmas is never traditional. I think it’s a great opportunity for disparate cultures to come together, particularly with food. ‘One of my own traditions is to make a birthday cake (which I prefer over the dense shotput of Christmas pudding), as it was my late father’s birthday on…

Joy is a US-based designer but her work takes her all over the world. Now running her own studio – Joy Moyler Interiors – she has over 25 years of experience and a degree in architecture. She is celebrated for her use of colour and pattern. “It’s hard to mask my excitement when I walk into a new project with large spaces – they usually allow for more creativity. Then the dreaded panic sets in, if only for a moment. ‘Oh my goodness! What are we going to do here?’ How are we going to create a cosy, dreamy space within such vast parameters? After a catching of breath, sensible thinking kicks in. We will do what we always do! I start by taking stock of the architecture. This is…

The design team at Light and Dwell preface every client presentation with the words: ‘There will be concepts and elements that make you feel uncomfortable and that you’ve never seen before. But trust in us that we have your best interests in mind. We were hired to design a timeless yet innovative home, tailored perfectly to you.’ Persuasive talk that has put this Oregon-based studio on the receiving end of some enthusiastic accolades and design awards in recent years. ‘We like to create one-of-a-kind homes that reflect not only the owners’ tastes, but also the environments that surround them,’ says founder, Aymee Kuhlman. ‘Our initiative stems from localism, as we source materials and antiques in the homeland of each of our projects.’ This sort of thinking clearly colours a recent…

FOR most people, choosing interior decor would be the priority when purchasing a new property. But for Terry Winters, the one-acre garden was more important when he and wife Vanessa bought Ordnance House, near Salisbury, in 2008. ‘I had sketched out the garden design before we even moved in!’ he laughs. Having worked as an advertising executive, Terry had art directed many photo shoots. ‘I conceived the design as a series of interconnected views, seeing each vista within its own imagined picture frame from both inside the house and in the garden itself. I used Google Maps to get an aerial view and then applied the measurements, which I paced out while viewing the property.’ In 2020 when the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was cancelled due to the pandemic, Terry’s…

NATURAL AFFINITY Marazzi’s Vivo wood-look porcelain flooring brings nature’s charm indoors with unrivalled realism. The secret to its realism lies in cutting-edge 3D Ink technology, which ensures a perfect alignment between pattern and structure, creating an intricate, lifelike finish. The slightly shiny inclusions on the matt surface add depth and difference, lending each tile the uniqueness of real timber. Available in four shades, Sabbia, Grano, Tabacco and Castano (shown), plank sizes range from 22.5x180cm to 20x150cm. Marazzi Vivo, from £95sq m, Domus. CUPBOARD LOVE Flex your storage needs with Nicola Harding’s clever cabinet that can turn its hand to any occasion, or rather room. Called Clobber, the freestanding piece can be adapted for use in the kitchen, bedroom or anywhere your storage requirements demand. ‘We have long-needed a fail-safe freestanding…

1. WELL RESTED For a relaxing stay, Elicyon recommends raising the bar with a bathroom that encourages guests to linger. ‘The strategic placing of the bath was aimed at capturing the apartment’s phenomenal views of London, creating a serene environment to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings,’ recalls founder and director Charu Gandhi. To support restfulness, Charu chose a palette of warm neutrals, layered with a harmony of hard stone, contrasting matt black and polished silver metal. 2. PRETTY AS A PICTURE Simple touches can make all the difference when aiming for a guest bathroom that’s comfortable, practical and appeals to all generations, so says interior designer Samantha Todhunter. ‘Here, hanging botanical prints above the bath creates an easy, effortless atmosphere and takes away from the utilitarian traits of the…

FESTIVE ROAST PORCHETTA SERVES 8-10 1 porchetta, prepared by your butcher and with the skin scored, weighing about 4kg A knob of butter 5 shallots, finely diced150g soft dried apricots, finely chopped 125g dried cranberries, chopped Juice of ½ lemon Zest and juice of ½ orangeA generous handful of sage leaves, finely chopped A generous handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped125g panko breadcrumbs ½ tsp fine salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper1 tbsp flaky sea salt ■ Remove the porchetta from the refrigerator at least an hour before you start cooking. Unroll it and pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. ■ When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7 – it needs plenty of time to get really hot, or the skin won’t crackle. Place…