Innehållsförteckning för December 2020 från Living Etc

So here it is! Livingetc’s Christmas special. And my last issue as the voice behind these letters. I’m not leaving the business, I’m handing over the day-to-day running of the brand to the brilliant executive editor Pip McCormac as my remit expands the wider home-interest portfolio at Future plc. I am so delighted that Pip will be leading this brand into 2021 and beyond. In the decade that I’ve worked at Livingetc, the interiors editorial world has changed beyond recognition. Our lens is now international. In huge part due to Instagram and Pinterest, which both launched in 2010, the hope now is that we find the best ideas from all over the world. This scope means that the edit is more important than ever. It’s an exciting time to be…

Interior designer Susie Atkinson was in Copenhagen when she stumbled across these Scandi candles. Made from a mould designed in the 1950s by Jens Andreas Dahl Hansen, known for his sculptural way with wax, they stand tall at 34cm. ‘They’re fabulous and so different,’ Susie says. ‘I looked into the supplier as soon as I got home.’ The flared base eliminates the need for a candleholder and the candles burn without dripping, making them ideal for festive tables. Susie adds, ‘Because they’re handmade, each one is different which creates an organic feel.’ Made from 100% sustainable oil with a dash of honey, the candles have a sweet smell, burn for around 36 hours and come in a moody palette of wintery tones. ‘The black has the feel of onyx, while…

I’m going to drop the perfectionism this year as Christmas, ordinarily a time spent running between parties and places, friends and families, to Harrods or Selfridges to pick up last-minute decorative bits for the table or tree, will, undoubtedly, be a more subdued experience all round. The past months have been a roller coaster for everybody and we need to be kind not only to others but to ourselves, especially if hosting loved ones. And so I believe making allowances for yourself and others is key to the success of your festive season. When we celebrate in the UK, the family is all together in Manchester where I’m from. There are no less than 10 people around the table in a normal year. All the usual shenanigans ensue, of course.…

hazel Gardiner is not averse to taking risks. She left a job in TV to start a vintage clothing brand, but three years ago realised her true calling lay in floristry and made another leap of faith. She set up her business after training at world-renowned florist McQueens and has since worked across the worlds of art, fashion and design, creating fabulous displays for weddings, events and brands such as Eve Lom and Channel 4. Hazel lives with her husband Andrew and their goldendoodle Ringo in Stoke Newington, north London. Sum up your business in five words… Unexpected, vibrant, inclusive, seasonal, adventurous. What was your light-bulb moment? Sitting in my car about to start a 300-mile buying trip for my vintage clothing business and dreading it. Ordinarily, sourcing was a highlight but…

“Take inspiration from this serene tableau to deliver festive calm on what can be a frenetic day. Created by Scandi brand Broste Copenhagen (purveyor of all things pared-back), it celebrates natural beauty and artisan pieces that evoke a sense of stillness and peace”…

it’s a mishmash,’ says contemporary floral stylist Willow Crossley of the Grade II-listed extended cottage she lives in with her family near Woodstock, Oxfordshire. ‘It’s very higgledy-piggledy and wonky. The walls and doors are anything but straight, but it has so much character.’ Dating back to the 16th century (‘you know, I’m not sure when exactly!’), the Cotswold stone building was enlarged and added to over time, culminating in a floor plan that’s dizzying to behold. The family relocated to the countryside nine years ago, after stints in the South of France then London, moving from an urban one-up-one-down to this labyrinthine space, which seems almost custom-built for small children to explore. With woodland a five-minute walk away and a nearby river to swim in, life in this little corner…

NEW LOOKS Bathroom pieces are increasingly drawing inspiration from furniture design and this is evident with West One’s new addition – the Grate collection by Norm Architects for Inbani. A pleasing union of historical design and modern architecture, the pieces have an elegant palette of materials, such as such as marble, cement, wood and metal. The Grate collection, from £7,000 (westonebathrooms.com) Hot spot Radiators have never been top of our bathroom style list but thanks to the new Earth range by Bisque that is set to change. It has taken five of its most popular models and reimagined them in a selection of striking, bespoke colourways. We’ve had our head turned by the cheery Classic radiator in Farrow & Ball’s Dutch Orange. Classic radiator in Dutch Orange, from £460.80 (bisque.co.uk)…

1 PRESSED FLOWERS Flattened, botanic-study style preserved flowers are here, an ingenious way to extend the beauty of summer into the colder months. JamJar Edit’s wrapping paper (pictured) features a meadow’s-worth of out-of-season English blooms ready to nestle under the tree. 2 BLACK TILES It’s all about embracing the darkness and inviting it in this winter, as shadowy tiles adorn walls in kitchens and bathrooms. Stick to rustic, handmade designs such as Otto Tiles’ Zellige Black (pictured), which break up the dramatic colour with a pleasingly organic texture and shape. 3 TABLE SETTING The height of the tablescaping season is here. Our advice? Play with sculptural shapes and different heights. Next, mix in indulgent materials for a hit of luxe, à la Heal’s (pictured) – and opt for dried flowers…

THE WEEKEND BUY hey, good lookin’ Nordic designer Kristina Dam – known for her unconventional use of shape and expressive, sculptural forms – is heading up the creative team at Danish brand Broste Copenhagen (along with her own eponymous studio) as brand and design director. The result is quietly irreverent pieces such as this Layer mirror, which draws on imperfect organic forms. With three glass surfaces (two tinted in burnt, warming hues) playfully placed atop each other, it’s part functional object, part wall art. £327, Broste Copenhagen (amara.com) THE POWER PATTERN patch up Coveted for its kaleidoscopic colour, Missoni Home, available at Osborne & Little, never disappoints. This new wallcovering is a throwback to the 70s and exudes the full-blown Missoni effect. 10240 Patchwork, £167 a roll (osborneandlittle.com) THE FUTURE…

He’s the man who changed the face of design in this country, and it was with great sadness we heard the news that Sir Terence Conran died on 12 September, aged 88. It was Sir Terence who introduced the duvet to the UK from France, who brought us the chicken brick (a staple of 1980s dinner parties) and helped make innovative and forward-thinking homeware more affordable and less esoteric for so many British people. Visionary, creative, energetic, optimistic – these are the words written and spoken by design commentators in recent eulogies and obituaries. But the last time I was in touch with him, early last year, he used a different word to describe his outlook as a young designer confronting post-war austerity. That word was hungry. He described being…

“The living room has wonderfully elegant proportions, benefiting from lots of natural light via lofty bay windows” my favourite colour at Christmas is cobalt,’ enthuses Tricia Guild, founder and creative director of Designers Guild, the globally renowned homeware brand, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. ‘It’s surprising and to me, full of love,’ she says. Nowhere is this more vividly played out than in her London home, where she has quite literally splashed all the shades of blue and green found in nature, from soothing sea and summer sky to the depths of an evergreen forest, across walls, curtains and furniture. It also proves to be the perfect palette for complementing Christmas, when Tricia teams streamlined modernity with the feeling of the handmade. ‘At Christmas, I’m a traditionalist in…

‘We did the opposite of what people usually do,’ says Virginie Charlès-Dear, who moved with husband James and their young family from outside London to the centre of the city. Keen to live within walking distance of the kids’ school and to see if urban life would suit, they began by renting a flat for a year. It was an experiment that worked. ‘The flat has very high ceilings – about 4.5m – with huge windows, so the feeling of light and space is amazing,’ says Virginie, adding that their garden and proximity to London’s beautiful parks adds to the child-friendly feel of the location. So when, after their year of renting, the flat came up for sale, they moved swiftly to buy it and begin a renovation to make…

Ceramics are having a resurgence – and it’s female crafters leading the way. ‘The growing interest, especially with women, is a testament to the inherent quality of expression and creativity that clay possesses,’ says Malory Tate from the Craft Potters Association. Leading design stores like The Conran Shop have even expanded dedicated spaces. Henrietta Klug, head of buying and merchandising, says: ‘A beautifully handmade piece of ceramic can instantly change the look of a room. The trend is set to stay.’ YASMIN FALAHAT ‘I never really considered ceramics would be something I would do, even though I’ve loved making things with my hands since I was a child,’ says rising star Yasmin Falahat, who has become popular on Instagram and Etsy for her mouth-watering fig and pomegranate dishes. ‘I just…

Bursting with curiosities and colour, the master bathroom in Kate Moss’ Cotswolds home is grandly conceived yet full of home comforts. Seeking to refresh rather than completely overhaul, Kate retained some existing fittings and, having used Drummonds in her London home, she returned to the British manufacturer for new taps, sanitaryware and accessories. ‘Drummonds produce beautiful pieces that allow luxury and escapism,’ she says. To avoid disruptive plumbing work, Kate stuck to the original layout, which is centred on an antique Victorian bath painted in a dusky pink – Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir is similar. The Double Lowther vanity basin suite may be new, but its elegant design takes references from that era. The unlacquered brass finish of the washstand and taps will naturally patinate with age, helping new and…

LAY LONDON With the tag line ‘revolutionising the way we host’, Lay London, which launched back in February, is the capital’s first curated tableware service. Founded by sisters Jemima and Alice Herbert, Lay London offers a ‘More fun. Less fuss. No waste’ approach to entertaining at home. There are five beautiful collections to choose from, delivered to your door in swish Lay London branded padded bags from £25 a place setting. They even provide name cards for you to handwrite the names of your guests on. (laylondon.com) DUCHESS & BUTLER Boasting nothing but the finest glassware and dinnerware, Duchess & Butler offers tablescapes and party planning for people who are serious about entertaining. Their eye for opulent traditional style has proved so popular you can now also shop the tableware…

1 SPICED APRICOT INFUSION In a cocktail shaker, mix: 1oz Herradura Blanco, 1oz Herradura Reposado, 1oz lime juice (preferably fresh, but you can also use concentrated), 1oz simple syrup, ½oz spicy apricot infusion (see below) and ¼oz grapefruit juice. Add ice, shake and strain into a tall Collins glass. Top up with 2oz sparkling lemon and lime water and add a garnish of fresh jalapeño for kick! Note: to make your own spicy apricot infusion cut up three jalapeños and steep in a bottle of apricot liqueur for 24 hours beforehand. 2 STRAWBERRY MEZCAL Take a mixing glass and add 1½oz of Peloton Mezcal, 1¼oz of Harmless Harvest Strawberry Rose Coconut Water, ½oz Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Sherry and a bar spoon measure of strawberry syrup. Add ice, stir and…

DING DONG! Install this new video doorbell to know which of your guests are arriving (and perhaps prep their favourite aperitif). Plus, with HD video recording and night vision viewable immediately from your phone, it offers extra security for when you’re off having fun elsewhere. Arlo video doorbell, £179.99, arlo.com GATHER ROUND Bang & Olufsen’s newest portable speaker not only comes with integrated Bluetooth and built-in Alexa, but the excellent call clarity from its three microphones means you can use it as a speaker on phone calls, when everyone wants to be a part of the convo. Beosound A1, £200, bang-olufsen.com/en SAY CHEESE Instant cameras are back in a big way, but we’re not ready to give up on looking good in snaps just yet. The new offering from Instax…

“It’s not often a hotel is so special it gets its own coffee table book just a year or so after opening, but our favourite staycation spot has done just that. The Fife Arms (£90, Phaidon) is an impressive tome that takes a deep dive into the considered decor, art and culture of this dazzling country inn”…

1 THE WORKSHOP Festive flowers The pretty market town of Horsham in West Sussex sets the scene for Bryant & Bloom’s Christmas flower workshops. You can learn how to craft wreaths, table arrangements and seasonal bouquets in a warming environment where mulled wine and canapés lay waiting to welcome you. bryantandbloom.co.uk 2 APP ALERT Into the wild The festive season can take its toll on us. There are turkeys to baste, toys to snatch from emptying shelves and a Christmas card list that seems ever more redundant in the age of constant texting. If your mind needs to step away for a moment, perhaps to a beach at sunset with gently lapping waves or an alpine wood and its cool, crisp air, we’ve found the app for you. Wild Journey…

ASH & PLUMB There’s a serene beauty to the hand-turned pieces at Ash & Plumb. Lampshades, vases, vessels and bowls made from sheeny wood by this Brighton-based duo of designer-makers reveal whorls in the grain as evident as the whirls created by the lathe the objects have been worked on. The elegant bud vases, perfect for single dried-flower stems, are the brand’s standout. Grouped together, they become an instant art installation, imperfections only adding to their beauty. From around £35, they’re collectable, covetable and the ideal Christmas gift. ashandplumb.co.uk…

THE COLLAB matthew williamson x pooky Colour-and-pattern-loving designer Matthew Williamson has lent his vibrant handwriting to lighting brand Pooky, creating a lively collection of lampshades. Four playful prints – Ikat, Floral Paisley, Leopard Love and Palm Print – are shaped into traditional pleated shades, adding a surreal element to Matthew’s work. A total of 11 options can be combined with any of Pooky’s bases. Teal Ikat shade, £33; Kelpie table lamp, £67 (pooky.com) THE HIGH-STREET HERO artists’ canvas Ever since Habitat was founded by the late Sir Terence Conran in 1964, it has led the charge of championing up-and-coming talent. This year, the retailer partnered with us on our Inclusivityetc initiative to bring product by new faces to market and its new AW20 collection is a further case in point.…

THE HERITAGE REBOOT back to life Created by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen from 1927-31, the PH Septima light comprises seven glass shades, each covered in alternating clear and frosted sections to direct and diffuse light. It was taken out of production in the 1940s due to a materials shortage, but now it’s making a triumphant return. £7,645 (louispoulsen.com) THE BOLD TOUCH under the stars The circus is in town with Luca Nichetto’s new collection for textile house Rubelli, which is inspired by the Carnival of Venice. His Festa fabric is a vision of the night sky with stylised stars, a contemporary interpretation of a piece designed by Vittorio Zecchin for Rubelli in 1934, from the brand’s archive. Available in eight shades, the two-tone base colour allows the light of…

1 all booked up We will be creating our ‘tree’ out of stacked books. It will be as dainty or as huge as we dare, starting with a wide base and getting narrower up to a single book at the top. It might be a colourful version with the spines of each book facing out, or a neutral version with the pages of the books towards the outside. We’ll decorate with warm white fairy lights and a simple star, an angel or a large pine cone placed on the top. Angus Buchanan, creative director, Buchanan Studio 2 conscious collab Our Christmas table will have a natural, other-worldly feel. It’ll be sustainable: I’m using offcuts of a William Morris Golden Lily fabric to make a tablecloth and napkins – it’s cream,…

■ Never miss an issue with convenient home delivery ■ Receive a free Christmas card when purchased as a gift** ■ Find the coolest homes and an insight into modern design choose from 3 simple ways to subscribe ORDER ONLINE at magazinesdirect.com/LETCDEC ORDER BY PHONE 0330 333 1113 Quote Code ACK2 Lines open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (UK time). ORDER BY POST using the FREEPOST coupon THE DIRECT DEBIT GUARANTEE. This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit, Magazines Direct will notify you 3 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Magazines Direct to collect a…

it is no wonder the elegant façade of this Georgian terrace in north London drew Solenne de la Fouchardière, co-partner at furniture and lighting company Ochre, and her husband Simon Lee with its grace. Located on a charming, tree-lined road, the four-storey house retains its period features, including the original cobbled pavement at the front. There’s even an attractive gastro-pub on the corner. ‘Living here, it feels like you’re almost walking into the countryside,’ says Solenne. ‘You feel calmer just coming home.’ This calm prevails on the inside, too. Here, the style pendulum swings away from anything eclectic, instead towards spare minimalism and artisanal design. Nothing is too fluffy, nor is it too grand. ‘Our design is elevated yet hopefully still homely,’ explains Solenne. ‘My daughter wishes we had cream-coloured…

marianne Cotterill certainly doesn’t do things by halves. The renowned creative director and Livingetc favourite has been responsible for some of the most memorable shoots you’ll have spotted in these pages over the years and her flamboyant approach naturally spills over into her own home. The spectacular double-fronted pile is a showcase of Marianne’s magpie collector’s eye. Her stylist’s touch is evident throughout – and has resulted in an impactful mix of vintage and modern, flea-market finds and designer items that all hang together and, thanks to its very eclecticism, has stood the test of time. ‘I like beautiful things and they can be 5p or £500,’ she says. ‘I don’t care if something is new or old, chipped or perfect, as long as I like it and it all…

The most welcoming front door can lose its wow factor if it’s not protected from the elements. ‘To achieve a look that lasts, you’ll need an exterior paint that has a UV-resistant formula and provides protection against cracking, flaking and peeling,’ says Sue Kim, senior colour designer at Valspar. Consider the character of your home and the materials it’s made from, too, so that your door colour acts as an accent to the rest of the exterior. ‘If you have a period property, you may decide to go for a classic colour such as grey or black, or a soft tone such as Sung Blue,’ says Jessica Plateo, marketing manager at Craig & Rose. ‘That’s not to say that bold, unorthodox choices don’t work here – they often do –…

Dried flowers are having a moment, seen in vast displays in hotels such as Heckfield Place, The Newt and Birch. The wonderful thing about them is that they can be displayed throughout the year and added to whenever you find an additional foraged stem that suits. That said, it’s important to note that dried stems are very delicate and are also prone to getting dusty. This can be avoided by holding a hairdryer on its lowest setting about 25 centimetres from the flowers, once a week or so. Some specialist dried-flower florists offer a reconditioning service and can work on existing pieces for you. In terms of colour, dried wreaths are generally more muted than the traditional ones and feel calmer, less opulent, more homespun, homely and handmade. But this…

‘For flooring, it’s always good to have a hard-wearing surface that can be easily cleaned. As guests will be pulling chairs in and out you want something that is not going to scratch or mark; wood, vinyl or tiles are good options. Assess the usage of the table. If it’s more of an everyday dining table, then wood is a great material; it’s natural, hygienic and warm to touch. If you love marble, be warned, as this can be marked with acidic products, such as wine or lemon juice.’ Hayley Robson, creative director, Day True ‘Colour changes our mood, lifts us, inspires us. For this dining room (above), I love the sense of peace and grounding the deep green of the walls creates. The bottle chandelier and the velvet dining…

December is the party season, but there’s nothing more antisocial than social distancing. This year there’ll be more red tape than tinsel, but that doesn’t mean a drab shindig. Think of yourself as a fairy godmother, your wand the most recent governmental guidelines, magicking social bubbles into social baubles. You can have a lot of fun two metres apart. To begin with, manage guest expectation. Dress codes are passé, so encourage sparkle but expect athleisure in this climate of comfort. Annoyingly, Venetian masks only cover the eyes, but an apocalyptic theme can go a long way – there’s personal safety in a Blitz gas mask. Invited via a paperless emailed QR code, guests can Banksy their contact track and trace details on the windows in spray snow. Anyone refusing must…

A showstopper of a dessert, this torte is almost meditative to make CINNAMON LAYER TORTE serves about 16 FOR THE PASTRY LAYERS 375g unsalted butter, at room temperature, chopped345g caster sugar2 eggs480g plain flour, plus extra1½ tbsp ground cinnamon1 tsp baking powder FOR THE FILLING 1ltr whipping cream55g icing sugar, sifted1 tsp vanilla extract YOU WILL ALSO NEED 75g dark chocolate shavings 1 Start this recipe the day before serving. Beat the butter and sugar until pale. Add the eggs, beating, then beat in the flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Form the dough into a log, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. You will need two baking trays and a template that is 22cm in diameter (a…