Innehållsförteckning för January 2021 från Living Etc

Chances are not many of the goals and plans you had for 2020 came to fruition in the end. Instead, this was the year that saw us all looking inward, taking breaks from the news cycle – if we were lucky enough to be able to – and focussing on our immediate surroundings. My fiancé has become a proficient indoor gardener (with over 50 plants at last count), and I invested in the Hepworth armchair we designed as part of Livingetc’s capsule collection for Love Your Home so I could curl up in peace and read the Wolf Hall trilogy at last. These weren’t the aspirations we’d started the year with, but design played a huge part in keeping our spirits buoyant. For me it was the enveloping curves of…

Renowned American glass artist Dale Chihuly has partnered with The Rug Company to translate his exquisite blown creations into woven form. A capsule collection of five designs, limited to 250 pieces each, captures the fluidity and delicacy of Chihuly’s work, with The Rug Company’s master weavers in Kathmandu interpreting the intricate, three-dimensional pieces in wool and silk. Yarns are layered together to create depth and a shimmering, glass-like feel in swirling colours, irregular forms and distorted patterns. Rosette rug, from £3,572 (therugcompany.com)…

There’s one plant dominating Yuletide this year, and it’s the hydrangea. Dried, preserved or faux, it’s up to you. Treat it as you would eucalyptus and mix the heads into wreaths, garlands, table settings and even onto your tree to add opulence and drama. Whites, reds and greens will create a traditional Christmas feel, while tones such as pink and ochre will give a more impactful, modern look. Oka’s faux stems are almost impossibly real, with textured leaves, elaborate detailing and two-toned petals. £15 each (oka.com)…

1 Smarter lighting Dyson’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connected lamp offers task, ambient and indirect light. It also tracks the sun’s position in the sky and adjusts the lamp’s colour temperature and brightness (2700K to 6500K) throughout the day, so if a cloud covers the sun, the lamp compensates. Dyson Lightcycle Morph, £499, dyson.co.uk 2 Easy reading A futuristic LED lamp specifically designed to make reading from screens more comfortable. It bathes you in a vast 90cm wide pool of light – 150% more than standard desk lamps – and adjusts brightness and colour (2700K-5700K) to suit your task. BenQ WiT e-Reading Desk Lamp, £169, benq.eu 3 Wireless charging Simply place any Qi compatible smartphone on the lamp’s base and it will charge wirelessly, helping to reduce unnecessary cable clutter in…

When dreaming of the kind of special space in which you would want to celebrate a new year, they don’t come much more full of exuberant positivity than the apartment Madrid-based interior designer Patricia Bustos de la Torre created for her old school friend Carmen Peñas. With a design philosophy that beautiful surroundings make people happy, it was easy for Patricia to collaborate with Carmen and her husband Alvaro to craft an upbeat family home that both reflects its owners – ‘they are a very fun family’ – and that guests gravitate towards. A former fashionista, Patricia first made her move into interior design nearly 15 years ago when she co-founded a business specialising in restaurants and public spaces. The focus on domestic projects came five years ago, and her…

home profile THE OWNERS Design consultant Milly Goodwin, her husband, photographer David Cleveland, and their two sons, Cosmo, six, and Wilbur, three. THE PROPERTY An end-of-terrace classic Victorian house in west London. On the ground floor is a double living room, a kitchen/dining space and WC. On the first floor is the master bedroom, two children’s bedrooms, a guest bedroom/utility, a bathroom and an office, with a loft room on the second floor. Christmas in this house is ever-evolving. ‘It changes each year,’ smiles owner Milly Goodwin. ‘We have an eclectic collection of decorations so we just see what we fancy – this year it’s simple greenery with a few kitsch pieces, last year it was Indian-style garlands in bright, clashing colours and gold.’ With the kitchen extension creating a…

CHEESEBOARD FINALE (Previous page) Don’t just think in two dimensions, stack up a mini mountain of different cheeses for a sculptural after-dinner showpiece. Cheeses (from top): Pecorino Moliterno with truffle, £4.90 per 100g; Valencay, £11.95 each; Spenwood, £5.60 per 100g; Coolea, £3.50 per 100g; Parmesan, £37.50 per 100g; fresh fruit, all Fortnum & Mason. Agate cheese knives, £25 for 4, Amara. Oxydation side table, £803, Ligne Roset DREAMY DINING (Previous page) A fantastical, undulating cloud arrangement of metallic balloons high above the table, like giant baubles, makes for a showstopping dinner setting. Beetle dining chairs, £267 each, Gubi at The Conran Shop. Tablecloth, £385; napkins, £35 each, all Summerill & Bishop. Black and white Oriente Italiano plates, £88 each, Richard Ginori at Amara. Cream bowls, £14 each; cream plates, £22…

Simon Tcherniak, senior furniture designer at Neville Johnson “If you have a large bedroom, you could create a walk-in wardrobe with a simple stud wall with (or without) a door opening. Or, if you have a spare bedroom, you could knock a wall through. Alternatively, if you have a really long room, you may be able to create a walk-in wardrobe in between an en suite and the bedroom, so you can dress en route from the bathroom. Whatever the layout of your room, however, you’ll need at least 4x3m to create a walk-in wardrobe, giving you the space to organise storage effectively. Start by looking at how much you want to store and what space you have. You can then decide on the storage that is right for you.…

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK WITH CHORIZO AND FRIED EGGS serves 4-6 500g potatoes, peeled and cubed200g chorizoLeaves of ½ bunch thyme50g fresh breadcrumbsKnob of butter2 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra drizzle3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped1 leek, trimmed and shredded150g kale, stems removed, leaves shredded200g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded1 tbsp English mustard1 egg, lightly beaten2 tbsp plain flourLeaves of ½ bunch rosemary Zest and juice of 1 clementineSalt and ground black pepper4-6 eggs 1 Put the potatoes in a large pan of salted water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes until just cooked. Drain, then tip them back into the pan and roughly mash. 2 Meanwhile, remove the chorizo from its casing into a large frying pan. Fry over a medium heat, constantly breaking it…

1 AARON PROBYN After creating tableware for brands including Tom Dixon, Studio Conran and Normann Copenhagen, British designer Aaron Probyn has launched an own-brand collection – expect his signature minimalist curves and luxe material combos (Eclipse candleholders pictured). 2 MARBLING 2.0 What exactly is it about ink floating on water that’s so beguiling? The latest takes on the craft are pushing it to its boundaries – we’re enamoured with Nat Maks’ wallpaper (pictured), made with the Japanese Suminagashi technique. 3 DOOR SCAPING Adapt to limited indoor guests and take the Christmas spirit to the streets. Touch up your paintwork and door furniture then add foliage (Neptune Pepperberry wreath pictured) and festive accoutrements. 4 PARED-BACK POTTERY Ceramics come in calm colours for 2021 – NKDWare’s debut collection focuses on handthrown clay…

It’s not often that a present sack is more exciting than what’s inside it, but that was before House of Hackney’s Saturnalia bag came onto the scene. Created with a patchwork-style velvet made up of hexagons in a mixture of the brand’s designs, the pattern merges colourful plants and flowers in an array of clashing styles – from hyperrealistic tulips, poppies and lilies to William Morris-esque fronds and foliage. Finish with a drawstring rope and you’re Christmas morning-ready for years to come. £85 (houseofhackney.com)…

Textile house Jane Churchill’s newest fabric and wallpaper collection is bursting with covetable graphic shapes, vivid colours and playful patterns. Realised in handcrafted weaves and bold prints, these motifs clash and complement each other in equal measure. The Ira fabric (on headboard) draws its triangle pattern from classic kilims – team it with other inky-hued pieces from the range to create a sense of faraway lands. £79m (janechurchill.com)…

1 take your time Don’t rush! Take time to develop a cohesive story and a brand that represents the aesthetic and message you are trying to convey. It’s always good to have a goal or a timeline to work towards, but don’t launch something until you are sure it represents what you are trying to achieve. Jehanara Knowles, founder, Kam Ce Kam, kamcekam.com 2 be original Start with the product, not the brand. No amount of clever marketing or a fancy name will rescue a product that does not deliver. You have one chance at making your customer happy and, if you blow it, that customer will make it their business to spread the sad tidings as fast as they can! Edward Bulmer, founder, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk 3…

“We adore this festive-with-a-Scandi-twist dining area, where a cloud of flowers hovers over an elegant table. The dreamy scene was imagined by Danish food and drink company De 5 Gaarde – a brand that’s all about creating the best food and taste experiences and this nails good taste”…

I’m a really calm person so I need an energetic atmosphere. In my home I’ve used red – often several shades. I avoid the brighter ones because I don’t like intense rooms, but if a shade is warm and a bit bold I think it communicates strength. It also adds personality and atmosphere. While I love a warm red, I rarely use it on walls and prefer it on furniture – like my sofa – and textiles. The beauty is that it works well with practically any colour apart from bright yellow (because it creates a fast-food restaurant vibe). I have a few rules like this in the studio (right). For example, I never use blue with yellow because it reminds me of the Swedish flag. And you can’t use…

1 Aram Store London’s favourite contemporary design destination never disappoints with its extensive storage offering. Find the smart Montana and practical USM brands here. 2 Calligaris If you, like us, believe that storage should be functional as well as cutting a dash, then head straight to this Italian stalwart. 3 St ring The iconic modular shelving system is unchanged since its inception in 1949; modern and timeless, it easily adapts to any space. Kids will need very little (okay, slightly less) persuading to hang up their clothes, thanks to this zingy rail – also in Pink and Mint Green – with sturdy rack for stowing footwear. £338, Smallable…

Proving that storage shouldn’t be merely functional, Ligne Roset has revealed 13 new lacquer colours for its popular Book & Look sideboard, which still maintains its droolworthy status more than a decade after its launch. This warming shade of deep brick red – which goes by the name of Brisque – gets our vote. £3,883 Natural materials bring the warmth and texture to interiors that we’re all craving. Rock an effortlessly chic yet bohemian look with the modern-rustic weathered cedar frame and rattan drawer fronts of the Willow chest of drawers. £795, Loaf…

KAGU INTERIORS Full of the sort of curves and finishes you might find in the furniture of a Kelly Wearstler project, and unusual and curated accessories that would be right at home in Athena Calderone’s brownstone, Kagu Interiors may be American-influenced, yet it just happens to be in Tenterden in Kent. In this unlikely location (and online), founder Ben Stokes is offering a trove of highly designed pieces, like this Pond mirror, £295, and finishing touches you could use as starting points for your next deco overhaul. kagu-interiors.co.uk…

the architect Je Ahn is the director at Studio Weave, an award-winning RIBA Chartered Architecture Practice, which places value on happiness, community and the individual. He lives in east London. As a design studio, we start with a central concept: happiness. It sounds simple, but it’s a complex topic and it’s our job to try to design the right conditions for people to feel happy. It’s a good starting point for anyone thinking about how they want to shape their own futures. The main thing we need to do to make our lives better is to integrate more into our community. In the last 50 years, that way of living has reduced so we’re often very solitary. I come from a large, messy family and it was a lot of…

Deck the halls and other spaces with festive fare, as baubles, berries and boughs break loose from the tree and explore the rest of the house. The starting point for a Christmassy vignette could be a piece of furniture, a door or windowsill, or any overlooked area; why not create a candlelit bar in a dark corner or a sparkling scene on a side table? The key is a mix of heights, a splash of greenery, a wintry scent and a considered edit of decorations. Cocktails: optional. Carlo sideboard, £550; candleholders, from £35 each; Harry penguin cocktail shaker, £35; Judson decanter, £25; baubles, from £8 each (habitat.co.uk)…

A monolithic chunk of lacquered cabinetry, the Florens unit – conceived by Italian designers Oscar and Gabriele Buratti in their first partnership with Lema – conceals a host of storage solutions for the living and dining room within its impassive exterior, from eco-leather cutlery drawers and shelves to internal lighting. Atop the metal structure, which can be lacquered in glossy or matt shades, sits an optional oak or walnut section holding removable timber trays and open compartments. Want to keep it simple? Replace it with a flush slab of monochrome marble or coordinating lacquer. From £2,915 (lemamobili.com)…

Sophie Ashby’s debut homeware collection, Sister, is designed to be full of playful energy Interior designer of the moment Sophie Ashby is continuing her decorative dominance with the launch of Sister. It’s her first line of furniture, accessories and art, characterised by Studio Ashby’s signature use of crafted detailing, whimsical twists and art inf luences. The collection includes refurbished antiques as well as original designs, such as the paw-shaped Polar chair, the Toucan daybed – a modernist-inspired form covered in tropical upholstery – as well as characterful cushions, ceramic objects, shapely basketware and more. It is initially launching online, but a London store will follow in 2021. ‘Sister is a realm in which I can be creative without the conf ines of a specif ic project,’ says Sophie. ‘Where I…

ANTI-BAC CHARGING While we’re all now expert hand washers, how often have you thought about the bacteria build-up on your smartphone? This wireless charging bucket takes the faff out of cleaning your phone thanks to the inclusion of a built-in LED lamp that emits anti-bacterial UV-C light with ionizer technology that sanitises your phone as your battery tops up. It works with any Qi-certified smartphone up to 3.3” wide. Lexon OBLIO smartphone charger and UV sanitiser, £80, selfridges.com ALEXA, CLEAN MY HOUSE! The most stylish robot vacuum on the market, and also the best-by-far at navigating around your home and picking up a huge amount of dust and pet hair. The motor automatically adjusts across hard floors and carpets, it can be controlled using Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant voice…

home profile THE DESIGNERS Amanda Jesse and Whitney Parris-Lamb, co-founders of Jesse Parris-Lamb. THE PROPERTY A converted former industrial space in SoHo, New York. An entrance area leads into the open-plan living space, with a kitchen, dining area, living room and smaller seating area. There are two bedrooms, both en suite, and a WC. With velvet banquet te seating that wouldn’t look out of place in a Manhattan club and a kitchen island shaped like a cocktail shaker, this SoHo loft home is all about partying and having fun. Interior designers Amanda Jesse and Whitney Parris-Lamb had a blast creating this apartment that comes into its own on a Saturday night, but their challenge was to also include more restful spaces that are perfect for lazy Sunday mornings. ‘The owner…

immediately upon entering David Chaplain and Alexandre Roussard’s Paris apartment, visitors are drawn into a seductive enclave. Conjured by these two connoisseurs of both scent and interior design, the property is not only a treat for the eyes but also the nose. David works for perfume company Kilian Paris and Alexandre for Diptyque, so each room is punctuated by candles. ‘We up the candle quota for the festive period. They are everywhere,’ says David. It was five years ago that the couple decided to sell their respective studio apartments and club together to buy their first shared home. ‘We were very specific about what we wanted and in no rush. We had so many viewings,’ recalls David. He didn’t tell Alexandre he had booked to see this apartment as the…

“Painting jobs just got simpler with Paint & Paper Library’s new finish – the eco-friendly architects’ satinwood. Suitable for a range of surfaces, from walls to wooden trims, furniture and cabinetry, the result is a subtle sheen that’s incredibly hard-wearing and fully washable”…

SPACE SAVER With space being at a premium for many bathrooms, Geberit has created Geberit ONE, a range of products designed to help enhance compact rooms and work just as well for larger ones. It has some smart storage solutions, including a mirror cabinet that appears flush with the wall. Vanity basin, £690.73; mirror cabinet with lighting, £2,302.40; wall-hung WC, £810.14 (geberit.co.uk) Instant heat The slow demise of the humble kettle continues with the launch of a new hot water tap by Dowsing & Reynolds. The Monroe has a sleek design and compact tank, which makes it perfect for smaller kitchens or utility rooms. Instant hot water is activated with a safety button while standard hot and cold water can be accessed with a mixer tap. Monroe hot water tap…

1 When using colour, identify a palette of three or four shades and start to weave in patterns in this colour family. 2 Use confident tones, but always consider how they’ll work with whites and naturals – a counterbalance to control the strength and provide a harmonious feel. 3 Plan at scale. Represent colours and patterns in the correct proportions on a mood board – we have a useful tool on our Designers Guild website that may help. 4 Don’t be afraid of abundance. The mechanics of florals and how they engage with each other is what really makes a room perform. 5 Use intense colour in a small room and it becomes a jewel box; a beautiful surprise behind the door that brings an instant sense of joy. Intensify…

For timeless storage, you can’t go wrong with Pinch, known for its understated, brilliantly crafted pieces. Standout designs include its Joyce cabinet, seen here rocking the new Black Out lacquer exterior. £7,945 with European oak with white oil interior; or £8,150 in black American walnut interior with lacquer finish HEAVY METAL If you’re looking for storage with a utility chic vibe, you’re in luck. The Mikko small sideboard nails industrial style with its iron body, polished white marble top and glass doors for showcasing favourite pieces. And it’s finished off with scroll-shaped legs inspired by more traditional styles. We’re crushing on the drawers that open to the side, adding an extra twist. £650, Graham and Green…

A simple way to set a tidy tone for your home is to keep its entrance clut ter-free, say founders Corrie Jackson and Jennifer Bakker. We always advise our 60-second rule: every time you come into the house, spend one minute putting things away. If your hallway is sorted, it has a knock-on effect on the rest of the house. We often design ‘drop zones’: specific places to store your mail, keys and other essentials. It can be tricky to find space for shoes and coats, so they tend to end up in the hall. Store winter stuff in summer (and vice versa) in under-bed storage or vacuum pack bags. We also like to use adjustable shoe racks to make use of vertical wall space in the hall. Try to…