Innehållsförteckning för August 2022 från Homes & Gardens

1 Look for pieces that can be recycled – solid wood instead of veneer, for example. The easier a piece of furniture is to sand down or remake, the more likely it is to be a long-term purchase. 2 If we consistently swapped the climate-damaging paraffin candle for candles made from stearin, it would cut our carbon emissions by the same amount as if we removed 15,000 petrol cars from the roads. 3 Washing up by hand consumes three to four times more energy. A modern Grade A dishwasher uses 10-15 litres of water per cycle, depending on the programme. And, of course, only run the dishwasher once it’s full and use an eco-friendly detergent. 4 Having the radiator in the bedroom (or in any other room) set at a…

BEDROOM NATURALMAT When starting to make mattresses back in 1999, Naturalmat, believing natural fibres were best, took a different approach to the rest of the trade. The majority of mattresses were made using man-made synthetic materials, neither biodegradable nor from a sustainable source. Made by hand in Devon, without any chemical additives, and using environmentally-friendly packaging, all the elements that go into a Naturalmat product come from natural and renewable sources that are either biodegradable or recyclable. And the company buys from local sources where possible in an effort to keep its carbon footprint low. At the end of their lifespan, all the materials are 100% biodegradable, so they will return to nature. naturalmat.co.uk EXPERIMENTAL BRAND NATURE SQUARED Committed to holistic sustainability, Nature Squared transforms humble natural materials into beautiful…

It’s fair to say that this is no ordinary home – from a temporary welding hub in the basement to a fully soundproofed music studio in the attic, it’s been through as many eyebrow-raising iterations in the last two decades as its dynamic, fun-loving owners. These days, the stucco-fronted house, which backs on to London’s Regent’s Canal, is a fully-fledged family home but it has evolved in an unhurried and piecemeal manner. Initially Guy Hills, founder of fabric specialist Dashing Tweeds and his wife, corporate lawyer Natasha Good, bought two apartments within the building. Over time, and as their family expanded, they acquired the top floor and recently reconfigured the whole space with the help of Guy’s brother Adam and sister-in-law Maria Speake, founders of architectural salvage firm Retrouvius. Former…

Interior architect Anthi Grapsa’s design ethos is about honouring a building and its history and bringing out its quirks. ‘My raison d’être is working with what is existing, then adding a mixture of reclaimed materials or salvaged items, while still creating a home that works for modern living,’ Anthi says. When she was recommended to the owners of this three-storey Victorian terraced property in northwest London by a previous client, it was a match made in heaven. ‘The owners weren’t interested in ripping out the interior or extending the property, they simply wanted an eco-friendly home that reflected their personalities,’ she says. Although a dream project for Anthi, it had its challenges as the house was in a dilapidated state and needed a full refurbishment including new electrics and plumbing.…

The essence of the South Downs has been incorporated into this garden cradled in the folds of its undulating landscape, with the untamed wild beyond the garden’s shelter-belt of hedging and trees inspiring the romantic hillside planting. Garden designer Nigel Philips has emulated and augmented the Downs’ natural flora with a loose planting of grasses, mounds and drifts of perennial flowers and shrubs in heightened tones of nature’s more muted palette. Moving increasingly inwards, to the sunbaked heart of the incline, a riot of colour and texture and a greater concentration of billowing Mediterranean-style plants ensues, suited to the exposed and arid conditions that prevail. Nigel’s remit to ‘organise the space according to its owner’s use’ coincided with her desire to smother this lacklustre slope with ‘fairytale’ planting, drawing visitors…

CARBON NEUTRAL As part of Silestone’s commitment to make quartz and engineered stone surfaces a more eco-friendly proposition, the brand has launched its first carbon neutral collection. The CO2 emissions of the Sunlit Days range have been offset for the entire life cycle of the surface, gaining the attention of carbon zero developers. Produced using 100% renewable electricity, 99% reused water and 20% recycled glass, Sunlit Days heralds a new breed of hybrid composite in five enticing colours, including this delightfully earthy Arcilla Red. Sunlit Days engineered stone worktops, from £450sq m, Silestone SECOND CHANCE Just as pre-loved clothing is trending in fashion, second-hand kitchens are enjoying high kudos among eco-conscious shoppers. If you absolutely need a new kitchen, buying secondhand is universally acknowledged as a smart way to swerve…

SMART SAVING Water is a precious resource – climate change is making supply unpredictable, with increased frequency of drought across Europe. Yvonne Orgill, managing director at the Unified Water Label, says: ‘Heating hot water accounts for 25 per cent of home energy usage, so it makes sense to use water efficiently to help reduce energy bills.’ As well as using water carefully to minimise wastage, look for the Unified Water Label, which provides information about how much water and energy products consume, with the most efficient taps and showers delivering water at no more than 6ltr/min. The website (uwla.eu) has a searchable database allowing you to compare consumption figures. BASIN MIXER ‘Typically, across the market you would expect to see a standard basin tap offering a flow of 7ltr/min to…

A LIGHTER TOUCH In ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental impact, Little Greene launches Re:mix, a collection of 20 shades formulated from leftover, unwanted and returned paints. We applaud this bid to prevent as much as 60,000 litres of paint going to waste each year. Favourites such as Sunlight (on wall), £28 for 2.5ltr, have a lovely flat finish suitable for interior walls and ceiling. It is teamed here with Ceviche intelligent satinwood (woodwork), £39 for 1ltr. CRAFTED COMFORT Although it has been making luxurious beds since 1905, Savoir is at the fore of innovative design. Responding to demands for eco-friendly options, it has created the Reformer No 4v. Made entirely from plant-based materials – including tampico (agave), bamboo, organic flax and organic cotton – it is certified by The…

THERE’S always something unexpected in a de Le Cuona collection. This year’s The Golden Age features couture silks, super-fine merino, wool bouclés and linens threaded with vintage metallics – beautiful neutrals dressed up with rich accents. A few years ago, eyebrows were raised when the company released its (now iconic) Vintage Canvas – a linen cloth that had been painted before being washed several times to render it down to the texture of an artist’s canvas. Prior to that came the invention of stonewashed and embossed linens for interiors, none of which had ever been seen on the market before. And one of the first fabrics was Buffalo, a robust linen washed with large pumice stones to resemble beaten-up buffalo skin. It has, according to founder Bernie de Le Cuona,…

TEXTURAL WALL TREATMENTS I’M always looking for ideas on how to make walls interesting when my clients don’t have great art. It’s about creating lovely textured walls that bring calmness within the home. Tiles, timber, leather and suede, for example – they add a kind of atmosphere. What is really lovely is when you don’t need so many layers of decoration because the walls are providing it. ■ For me tiles have always been a fantastic material: sculptural, textural, practical. And on the whole, I prefer to always just do the entire wall in tiles. I would rarely put a small tiled splashback for instance. In effect, you’re treating the tile like it’s paint. I prefer ceramic and glazed tiles or they could be smaller panels of marble or stone.…

Bill Caleo never imagined having a second home in the woods, but a visit to a sustainable community in the Catskills region of upstate New York changed that. ‘It was that powerful of an experience,’ says Bill, who is co-founder of property development and interior design firm The Brooklyn Home Company. ‘I was drawn to the way in which the houses were designed – to sit amid nature while disturbing as little of the woods as possible.’ Comprising 26 timber-clad homes within 131 acres of forest, Hudson Woods is the brainchild of Manhattan-based architect Drew Lang. ‘The houses are very simple; they had to be in order for nature to be the dominating experience,’ Drew says, adding, ‘We took the forms from local farm buildings and sheds and used eco-friendly,…

There is a world beneath our feet we cannot see. Soil is alive, teaming with life; astonishingly, there are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than people on earth. And it is upon this life – these billions of microbes – that our life depends. Soil is a delicate ecosystem made up of minerals, water, air, plant roots, organic matter, insects and a complex web of microorganisms. We rely on its health for our food and our future but, rather than treating it with care, we continue to damage it at an alarming rate, behaving as if it is an inexhaustible resource. Deforestation, over-ploughing and over-grazing were practised by the Greeks and the Romans. The birth of modern agriculture has exacerbated the crisis and the impact of chemical farming…

INFORMAL DESIGN ‘The aesthetic of the English garden is changing to a softer and looser look, not just in response to climate change, but to create an oasis for wildlife and a nectar-rich space for biodiversity. There has been a definite move to a more naturalistic style that is eminently adaptable. There is a layering and juxtaposition of plants that doesn’t rely on one element singing out,’ explains garden designer Dan Pearson. PLANT FOR EXTREMES ‘Our planting palettes have had to adapt to increases in weather extremes – very cold and dry springs, hot Junes and lots of rain in late summer. We now see plants that we previously wouldn’t have considered for English gardens being a regular feature. At Soto, our selection includes olive to bay trees, agapanthus to…

LABELS Appliances are labelled to help consumers identify the most energy-efficient products. Since 2021, dishwashers, fridges and freezers are labelled from A (high efficiency) to G (low efficiency), while ovens and microwaves are rated as A+++ dropping down to D. ‘The appliance rating is based on how much energy it uses in typical use, compared with similar appliances,’ explains Joanna O’Loan, knowledge manager at Energy Saving Trust. As appliances are categorised by size, a large and small fridge might have the same energy rating, but the larger model may use more electricity. ‘Look for the product with the best energy rating for the size you need,’ she explains. DISHWASHER Likely to be among the most energy hungry of your kitchen appliances, it is worth running with a full load each…

SECLUDED in the Tuscan hills, Borgo Pignano is the stuff of Italian countryside fantasies. The sensitively restored 750-acre estate boasts an 18th-century villa, a pool intricately carved into a quarried rock edge, layered semi-formal gardens and a fully operational organic farm, which produces most of the ingredients served in its restaurant. Seduced by the serenity of the estate, guests don’t tend to wander far, opting instead to swim, paint, practise yoga, go horse riding or mountain biking or stroll through the orchards, and attend tastings in the historic wine cellar. This is an environmentally friendly haven, too. There is no single-use plastic – toiletries come in pretty porcelain bottles and the perfumes, oils and soaps are made by hand in the herbal laboratory. The estate also boasts an ingenious heating…

MOTH REPELLENT BAGS One of the easiest ways to prevent moths from taking up residence in your wardrobe is to make your own repellent bags. Moths detest the aromas of strong herbs like lavender, rosemary, bay and thyme. You could gather bunches of these herbs from your garden, hang them in a dark place for some weeks to dry out and then make up these sachets to put in your wardrobe, cupboards and drawers MAKES 4-6 BAGS You will need 1 large bunch of dried lavender stems 1 large bunch of dried thyme stems 1 large bunch of dried rosemary 1 large bunch of dried chamomile 1 bowl and spoon Reusable organic cotton bags Ingredients 4-6 dried bay leaves Lavender essential oil (optional) ■ Strip the flowers from the dried…

(From top, L-R) Created on an Evo bio-nylon base, Evo is a new hi-tech yarn obtained from castor beans. Camilla in Argento, £156m, Rubelli. Crafted from a yarn made from recycled polyester produced from waste plastic bottles. Stack in Aquamarine, £99m, Kirkby Design. A hard-working corduroy velvet that’s made from both recycled yarns and cotton from the Better Cotton Initiative. Cassia Cord in Cirrus, £85m, Designers Guild. This eco fabric has been designed using recycled polyester and sustainably grown organic cotton. Porthole in Sand, £20.40m, Prestigious Textiles.…

‘Rhubarb is my go-to colour; added to a neutral scheme, it creates warmth, depth and a touch of the unexpected. Used on its own, it is a very easy colour to live with and yet it also works beautifully with blues, greens, pinks and reds.’ GEORGIE WYKEHAM, founder, Georgie Wykeham Designs ‘When colours hover between one shade and another they can take on interest and intrigue. Our Etruscan Brown is so named to recognise that it owes as much to the cinnabar red of Etruscan fresco decoration as the earth tones of a classic brown. It gives you all the redness you need for a “red” room but in the evening light it pounds with the soft deep neutral appeal of brown, warm and chic.’ EDWARD BULMER, founder, Edward Bulmer…

“WE DISMANTLED THE HOUSE, LEAVING ONLY THE EXTERIOR WALLS, AND CREATED A NEW FLOOR PLAN BUT WE WANTED TO PRESERVE AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE TO RETAIN ITS ORIGINAL CHARM” From the windows of David and Anouschka Rijks’ farmhouse the view is of a sleepy river drifting through meadows, slow-moving enough for lily pads to gather at its edge. Across the fields and beyond a small wood are the outskirts of Amsterdam, a metropolis that seems implausibly close given the rural character of the region. Just on the city’s edge, the Gein Noord district is only a 20-minute metro ride away. ‘We were living in Amsterdam in a ground-floor flat with a small garden but after the birth of our second son we decided to move to somewhere we could…

GREEN CLEAN Soak away the day’s stresses with a clear conscience in the Aurora Bijoux bath, now available in White Tec Plus. Developed exclusively for Devon&Devon, this innovative material features plant-derived resins that can be repaired, recycled and reused, and boasts Greenguard Gold certification from LEED (the US energy efficiency and eco footprint rating system). The addition of titanium dioxide provides an antibacterial and antiviral boost. Devon&Devon Aurora Bijoux in White Tec Plus, £8,553, West One Bathrooms. PERFECTLY IMPERFECT Bert & May’s dedicated Spanish team is on a constant mission to save beautiful old tiles headed for landfill. ‘We collect as many lots as we can each month then send them in bulk to the UK, to be as environmentally conscious as we can,’ says founder Lee Thornley. ‘Don’t worry…

1 BUY ONCE Decorating with longevity in mind is crucial for a more sustainable future. In this bathroom design for C.P. Hart, interior designer Peter Mikic’s main objective was to choose products that would stand the test of time. The project favours recycled materials, including flooring made from recycled shipping pallets and terrazzo tiles from stone offcuts, but, Peter believes, it is shopping for solidity and endurance that will keep bathroom fittings out of landfill for years to come. Matki Classica shower door and panel in aged brass, £12,578; Domus Docks reclaimed wood flooring, £200sq m, £6,322, all C.P. Hart. 2 RESTORE ORDER A statement bath can swallow excessive budget, not to mention excessive landfill space. If you love the shape and style of an existing…

I WAS recently, and very politely, asked to justify the cost of my furniture in an interview about craft. The questioner asked if, because our furniture is priced in thousands and not hundreds of pounds, craft today is only for the rich? I grapple with this issue frequently, so I spilled out a long answer covering everything from globalisation to how we apportion and prioritise our incomes these days. I recognise the context of our current cost of living crisis, where many families will be having to make the appalling choice between eating or heating this winter, so my answer focused on those who can afford to spend money on luxury furniture. I concluded by suggesting that if we consider a cost per use, where our furniture will last several…