Innehållsförteckning för January 2016 från Homes & Gardens

THE COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS IS ON and the clock is ticking for all those last-minute festive tasks, from decorating the house and planning meals to preparing for guests and buying presents. While shopping for my family is always relatively straightforward, I agonise over gifts for Homes & Gardens’ annual Secret Santa and those to thank hosts of dinners, parties and overnight stays. If you also find it hard to pick the perfect items for such occasions, then take a look at our thoughtful selection of gifts (page 33), featuring gourmet delicacies, scented soaps and charming accessories, specially chosen by our decorating team and sure to please. When it comes to decking the halls, nothing sets the Christmas scene like seasonal greenery, flowers and clusters of berries. If your garden is…

1 | GREAT GARDENS OF LONDON, Victoria Summerley, £30, Frances Lincoln. As is to be expected in such a verdant city, London’s gardens come in a host of sizes and styles. With exquisite images and fascinating stories, this book reveals 25 of the capital’s finest designs, many of which have never been open to the public. Included are Winfield House, the US ambassador’s residence in Regent’s Park; historic Strawberry Hill; unique high-rise and floating oases; and private gardens from Hampstead to Dulwich Village. 2 | OUTSTANDING AMERICAN GARDENS: A CELEBRATION, £30, Abrams & Chronicle Books. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Garden Conservancy, this book documents a selection of the beautiful public and private spaces with which the US non-profit organisation has worked. A wide variety of regions, habitats, designs…

JUSTIN VAN BREDA Interior designer, j-v-b.com. LAST-MINUTE DECORATING IDEAS I like to use bunches of rose hips, berries and spruce tied with ribbon. If the tree is a little sparse around the base, huge gift-wrapped boxes placed at its foot are great gap fillers. When it comes to dressing the Christmas table, it’s a case of more is more. Mine features plenty of candles, silverware and flowers, and I also decorate it with sculpture, books and urns. FAIL-SAFE GIFT IDEA Philip Morrow, morrowsoutfitters.com, has reopened his great-grandfather’s business, making the best socks ever for men. For women, I think beautifully scented drawer liners make a wonderfully old-fashioned gift. DREAM CHRISTMAS DESTINATION There is nothing better than being at home in Gloucestershire. It involves a traditional English Christmas with a real…

IN THE ROUND Wreaths are not just for the front door; make them of anything you fancy, and to any size you wish, hanging one on its own or in multiples to dress cupboard handles, mantelpieces and window latches. You could even hang a wreath in the centre of a mirror or in among a wall of pictures. SHINING LIGHT Flickering candles make a delightful decorative touch for window sills and festive dinner tables. For this arrangement, place a pillar candle in a small bowl and dress it with sprigs of foliage and faux flowers, secured in pre-soaked wedges of florist’s Oasis. Be creative when it comes to containers: choose pretty cups and saucers, terracotta pots or even jam jars lined with moss. As a finishing touch, frame the display…

CHRISTMAS CACTUS AND PAPERWHITES FOR THE SEASONAL HOME NEW TRI-COLOURED CHRISTMAS CACTUS Those looking to brighten up their homes during the dark days of winter will love this gorgeous Christmas cactus with its tri-coloured blooms. Flowering from late November for two months, it will be in full bloom on 25 December, ensuring a sensational Christmas display. Offering a range of beautiful shades from soft pink to cerise, with a height and spread of 20-40cm, it would also make a perfect seasonal gift for family or friends. The Christmas cactus will be supplied in a 9cm pot in 14 days. Buy 1 for £14 or buy 3 for £21, SAVING 50 PER CENT. NARCISSI PAPERWHITE Sporting clusters of dainty, fragrant white flowers and measuring 25cm in height with a 20cm spread,…

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SPACE? This 1930s house in Highgate, north London, had a tired ensuite shower room, which my clients were keen to update. They came to see our showroom, on the recommendation of a friend, after feeling uninspired by a design created by another company. HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE LAYOUT? Our Blues vanity unit instantly appealed to my clients thanks to its Art Deco-inspired styling and bold geometric shape, which they felt would suit the age of their home and echo the period detailing on the original window in the room. It was the positioning of the vanity unit as the focal point that dictated the layout of this compact space. WHAT ABOUT DEVELOPING THE DESIGN? To create a smart, sleek finish, we brought the wall behind…

• Good lighting is crucial in an entrance hall. For practical reasons – to help you gather what you need before you leave and to create a warm welcome when you return – it’s good to have a well-lit area as you step through the door. • Successful lighting is dependent on your hallway’s proportions and scale. If you have ample space, be bold and go for a large-scale light, or a cluster of smaller fittings, to create a dramatic statement. Take advantage of high ceilings and experiment with lighting designs that have varied drops, as they will add interest at different levels. • If you have a narrow hallway, using mini wall lights or a single pendant works really well, but be aware that wall lights with too wide…

LIGHTING Amos Lighting, 01392 677030, amoslighting.co.uk. Best & Lloyd, 020 7610 9191, bestandlloyd.com. Charles Edwards, 020 7736 8490, charlesedwards.com. CTO Lighting, 020 7686 8700, ctolighting.co.uk. Där Lighting, 01295 672200, darlighting.co.uk. Fritz Fryer, 01989 567416, fritzfryer.co.uk. Jim Lawrence, 01473 826685, jim-lawrence.co.uk. John Cullen, 020 7371 5400, johncullenlighting.co.uk. Original BTC, 020 7351 2130, originalbtc.com. Vaughan, 020 7349 4600, vaughandesigns.com. Villaverde, 020 7610 9797, villaverdeltd.com. FLOORING Alternative Flooring, 01264 335111, alternativeflooring.co.uk. Artwood, 020 7736 7900, artwood-floors.com. Blenheim Carpets, 020 7823 6333, blenheim-carpets.com. Floors of Stone, 01509 234000, floorsofstone.com. Junckers, 01376 534700, junckers.com. Mandarin Stone, 01600 715444, mandarinstone.com. Roger Oates, 020 7351 2288, rogeroates.com. Stone Age, 020 7384 9090, stone-age.co.uk. Ulster, 028 3833 4433, ulstercarpets.com. FURNITURE Atkin and Thyme, 0844 409 9834, atkinandthyme.co.uk. Benchmark, 01488 608020, benchmarkfurniture.com. The Conran Shop, 0844 848 4000, conranshop.co.uk.…

ROSEWATER AND CRANBERRY VODKA SPRITZ Serves 8 or makes 16 glasses This sophisticated fizz will get everyone in a festive mood. As the quantities given allow for two rounds, make up in batches as required. Cranberry juice with a drop of rosewater is a good alternative for children. 300ml vodka, chilled in the freezer2 tsp rosewaterJuice of 1 lemon600ml cranberry juice, chilledAround 3 x 750ml bottlesProsecco, chilledFrozen cranberries and a fewstrips of orange peel, to garnish • Combine half each of the vodka, rosewater, lemon juice and cranberry juice in a jug. Pour into 8 Champagne coupes or flutes. Top up with Prosecco, add a few cranberries and some orange zest and serve immediately. • When you are ready for a second round of drinks, use the remaining ingredients to…

A Abigail Ahern, 020 7354 8181, abigailahern.com. Amara, 0800 587 7645, amara.com. Anthropologie, 020 7870 4821, anthropologie.eu. Aria, 020 7704 6222, ariashop.co.uk. B B&Q, 0845 609 6688, diy.com. Bloom, 0844 482 2332, bloom.uk.com. Bloomsbury Flowers, 020 7242 2840, bloomsburyflowers.co.uk. Bohemia, 0131 555 2485, bohemiadesign.co.uk. Bonne Maison, bonnemaison.fr. Brissi, 020 7229 2323, brissi.com. Broste Copenhagen, brostecopenhagen.com. Burford, 01993 823117, burford.co.uk. C Carluccio’s, 020 7580 3050, carluccios.com. C Best, 020 7720 2306, cbest.co.uk. Ceramica Blue, 020 7727 0288, ceramicablue.co.uk. Chinacraft, 020 8206 7407, chinacraft.co.uk. The Christmas Forest, 01865 427067, christmasforest.co.uk. The Conran Shop, 0844 848 4000, conranshop.co.uk. Crocus, 0844 557 2233, crocus.co.uk. D Darkroom, 020 7831 7244, darkroomlondon.com. David Mellor, 020 7730 4259, davidmellordesign.com. Dee Puddy, 01794 323020, deepuddy.co.uk. Designers Guild, 020 7351 5775, designersguild.com. Design Vintage, 01273 558675, designvintage.co.uk. Dove Street…

If you are feeling artistic and fancy a change from the traditional festive tree, then you may like to take inspiration from our striking fir and Christmas bauble centrepiece. Made by wiring fir branches to the waistline of a tailor’s dummy to create a skirt, it is finished with a cascading corsage of baubles, clip-on hummingbirds and a ribbon tied in a giant bow.…

Can you tell us about your background? I trained as a graphic designer at Central Saint Martins and then joined a design company where I worked on merchandise projects with artists, including Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry and Jeremy Deller. That five-year experience helped me learn how to combine creativity and commercial practicality. Although I’ve spent most of my adult life in London, I grew up in Korea and its heritage plays a big part in my work, which is why my brand name is Kim Sera as using your surname first is normal in Korea. Where do you find inspiration? I highly recommend the Korean collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. There’s a monumental white vessel by Park Young Sook, which Alain de Botton described as “the ideal of…

A star-shaped tealight holder finished with velvet ribbon and a sprig of winter foliage makes a striking alternative to the traditional door wreath. Less is more in this rustic hallway display, where gifts tied in linen cloth add a note of fun to a small fir tree draped in twinkling fairy lights and charming ceramic bells. For gifts with a difference, these festive boxes can be filled with sweet treats to give to your guests upon departing. Atmospheric lighting makes all the difference to the ambience of a room. Here, fairy lights have been strung over a twig tree in a large planter to eye-catching effect and entwined with faux garlands to decorate a sideboard. Both are complemented by a further layer of flickering candlelight. Artful touches, such as mini…

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SPACE? This is the main living room in a two-floor apartment that spans two houses within a Grade I-listed Georgian crescent in Bath. The room is positioned on the first floor, with three south-facing windows that overlook the city. The wall behind the camera lens has two openings that link this space with the kitchen, giving it a semi open-plan feel. HOW DID YOU DEVISE THE LAYOUT? Rather than compartmentalise this long room, I was keen to create a sociable seating arrangement that used the whole space. I designed a pair of large, clean-lined sofas that face each other and maximise the length of the room. Instead of a conventional coffee table, I opted for two upholstered stools, as I felt the room needed more fabric…

DESIGNER PROFILE Having spent 11 years as a film set designer, Sara Jane Rothwell retrained in horticulture and garden design, and set up her award-winning London design practice in 2002. Spanish horticulturist and landscape architect JoanMa Roig Ortiz joined in 2012. They designed this scheme together. WHAT DID THE SPACE LOOK LIKE BEFORE? It was a nice garden, with mature trees and a lawn, but the client wanted something a little more exciting. It was essential for the design to include an unimpeded route between the parking spot at the bottom of the garden and the house. The car dominated the view from every angle and finding a way to disguise it proved to be our greatest challenge. The client was also keen to keep the garden’s sense of maturity,…

1| Industrial chic. Extra large Hex box pendant in weathered brass, H53xdiam56cm, £899, Davey Lighting, 020 7351 2130, davey-lighting.co.uk. 2| Designer metallics. Melt pendants in Gold, Chrome and Copper, from H27x diam30cm, from £370 each, Tom Dixon at Heal’s, 020 7896 7451, heals.com. 3| Classic style. Uxbridge chandelier in antique brass, H112xW91.5x D91.5cm,£995, Christopher Wray, 020 7013 0180, christopher wray.com. 4| Enchanting craftsmanship. Magic Forest chandelier in porcelain, H155xdiam60cm, from £12,900, Lladró, 0800 015 2413, lladro.com.…

PROFILE Celia Rufey has been the Homes & Garden s decorating expert for more than 30 years. She has a wealth of interiors knowledge and has also designed her own range of fabrics. WHAT IS THE BEST WOOD FOR A SOAP DISH? I’m looking for a wooden soap dish to sit beside my kitchen sink, as I’ve broken my last two china ones. Do you know of any suitable designs? CP, Wadebridge, Cornwall. Choose a style that lets water drain away, allowing the dish and soap to dry after use. Olive wood has water-repellent properties and rubbing in a little olive oil occasionally will prevent it from drying out. An attractive option is the Olive Wood soap dish, 11x7cm, with drainage holes and rubber feet, which costs £3.41 from online…

1 tbsp grated horseradish 2 tbsp crème fraîche • Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, until starting to soften. • Add the greens and stir to coat in the butter. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Stir in the horseradish, crème fraîche and remaining butter and toss until well combined. DAINTY FRUIT TARTS Serves 8-10 These delicious little fruit tarts make a great, light ending to a rich meal. For the pastry 150g icing sugar150g unsalted butter, diced,at room temperature4 medium egg yolksPinch of salt5 tbsp iced water400g plain flour, sifted, plusextra for dusting For the crème patisserie…

1 GORGEOUS CARPET BAGS Are ideal for a stylish and unique gift. These individually hand crafted treasures are made in the heart of East Anglia using velvety soft yet tough viscose and cotton rugs. There are a number of different carpet designs to choose from and a range of styles. www.carpetbags.co.uk Tel: 01379 687690 2 ABODE A beautifully selected range of decorative letters, contemporary home accessories and designer furnishings. Abode offers great gift inspiration and helps you to add personality and style to your interiors. 01273 621116 www.abodeliving.co.uk 3 ATLANTICO RUGS Create exclusive handmade tapestry rugs in pure wool. Designs range from traditional classic florals to modern contemporary linear patterns. Many designs, in various sizes, can be viewed at the showroom by appointment. www.atlanticorugs.com anne@atlanticorugs.com 020 8780 5288. 4…

HOT DESK For a home office you’ll want to work in, the Townsend desk, H75xW140xD60cm, £4,595, is just the thing. Made in oak and leather with a brass frame, its clean lines and simple shape will slot into classic and contemporary schemes. Contact The Sofa & Chair Company, 020 8752 8935, thesofaandchair.co.uk. WONDER WALL This striking wallpaper from trompe l’oeil aficionado Deborah Bowness, 01757 248500, deborahbowness.com, offers a vibrant twist on industrial style. Painted Wall in Moscow, £129 a roll, is one of nine new designs that are inspired by distinctive wall surfaces from around the world. KEY PIECES Made in laser-cut leather and with a metal tag that can be engraved, these smart Letter key rings, £10 each, by One Must Dash, 07919 861967, onemustdash.com, make great gifts. FOOD,…

STAY A real gem located at the foot of the ski slopes is the family-run hotel La Marmotte, hotel-marmotte.com hotelmarmotte.com, which has been recently remodelled and features a relaxing spa and pool. Double rooms cost from £271 a night. If I’m going away with a large group, I like to stay at Ferme de Moudon, fermedemoudon.com, a ski chalet converted from a 300-year-old farmhouse. It is the most magical, private retreat that combines home comforts and luxurious touches, along with spectacular mountain views. It sleeps ten people and costs from £12,000 a week, including five chalet staff, meals and drinks. EAT I love to stop for lunch on the piste, and La Païka, restaurant-paika.com restaurantpaika.com, once an old farmhouse, is perfect for a long sojourn. There are plenty of simple classics on…

Traditional sugared fruits and nuts are not only delightful to eat but look beautiful presented in vintage-style bowls. A delicate palette of greys, pale blue and cranberry is a contemporary take on classic seasonal colours and creates a stylish yet understated festive scene. A pretty dresser filled with sparkling glass and cocktail accessories makes an enticing bar area, while cascading clusters of baubles (above) add to the celebratory mood. THE MENU For recipes, see page 142 Comforting yet elegant is the ethos of this indulgent feast. The smoked haddock starter can be made in advance, while a main course of beef and spiced pears makes a surprisingly good match. To finish the meal are exquisite tarts, overflowing with exotic and seasonal fruit in rich wintery hues. STARTER Smoked haddock pâté,…

Not many octogenarians downsize to a new-build apartment and then line its walls with untreated antique barn wood but Fiona Thyssen, sought-after 1950s model, 1960s society darling and 1970s gossip-column favourite, is not your average senior citizen. Over the years she has travelled the world, but the focus of her life these days is her children and grandchildren, buying and selling antiques, and making the most of her artistic and creative talents. We spoke to her, to find out more about her new home. What made you choose this apartment? Having cared for my mother in her dotage and now having arrived at mine, I wanted to move somewhere that could offer more support. I am 83 years old and I’ve lived in many different properties and countries, including New…

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROPERTY? It is an Edwardian terraced house in west London, which I share with my partner, Bart Carnahan, and our four-year-old daughter, Zinzi. Bart’s three older boys visit frequently, so it’s a real family home. It was in good condition when we bought it, but it had been extended to one side and the ground floor was divided into lots of little rooms. We often have people staying and love to entertain so, while the vertical space was great, the multi-room layout didn’t suit. HOW DID YOU ALTER THE ARCHITECTURE? The ground floor was completely opened up. We moved the central staircase to one side, enabling us to position the kitchen in the middle, with a dining area at one end and a large living space…

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SPACE? This bedroom is located on the first of two basement levels in a triplex apartment within a new-build development in Knightsbridge. The building has been cleverly designed to mitigate any sense of it being below ground, with high ceilings and deep light wells bringing natural light into the rooms. WHAT WAS THE DESIGN BRIEF? The bedroom belongs to the clients’ ten-year-old son and they wanted a scheme that would grow with him and still be relevant in a few years’ time. My approach was to create a cool, moody backdrop with different tones of grey and to add “younger” colourful accessories that can easily be changed in the future. CAN YOU DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT TEXTURES YOU HAVE USED? Layering is key to my design ethos.…

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS A narrow console table is the perfect place for displaying an eye-catching floral arrangement that can be changed with the seasons. Choose a console with drawers to keep the surface clear of keys and wallets and, at Christmas, add an extra flourish with a wreath in co-ordinating wintry blooms hung on the inside of the door. SALON STYLE Furnishing a grand entrance hall successfully, while ensuring an unobstructed flow for visitors, can be deceptively tricky. Taking the salon approach with an upholstered sofa and a generous-sized, centrally placed round table – perfect for displaying intriguing collections – will introduce comfort and interest to a large space. IN THE FRAME A well-chosen mural can dramatically alter the spatial proportions of a room. This wallpaper by Zuber, 020…

• The thing to bear in mind about entrance halls is that we don’t tend to spend long periods of time in them, so you can be a bit bolder with strong or oversized patterns and colours that, in time, might become overpowering in another room. A large repeat-pattern wallpaper is particularly effective on a staircase, as you have a long drop to show off its full glory. • A trick I often use in halls with little or no natural light is to go quite dark with the wall colour. This makes for a dramatic entrance, but also gives the impression that the rooms leading off the hallway are filled with light. • Plain walls and flooring in the same colour can help to make a narrow hall feel…

The House Clinic service is free to all Homes & Gardens subscribers. There is a £12 fee per query for non-subscribers, who must send their query and payment by post. EMAIL Subscribers, send your query, subscriber number and address to hgcontactus@timeinc.com. POST Send your query, subscriber number or payment and a sae to Homes & Gardens, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU. Make cheques/postal orders payable to Time Inc (UK). We are unable to answer more than one question per reader each month. Celia Rufey can also help you create an individual design for any room in your home, with ideas for colours, fabrics, paint, wallcoverings and flooring. For full details, visit housetohome. co.uk/decorationservice…