Elle_Decoration_UK_September_2017

SEPTEMBER 2017 

Style 

38 Design We chat to designer Kenzo 

Takada and ELLE’s new Editor-In- 

Chief Anne-Marie Curtis. Plus, the 

history of furniture brand Baxter 

and why Italian creatives Giò Ponti 

and Angelo Mangiarotti’s influence 

on our homes is stronger than ever 

53 Decorating Interior designer 

Rebecca Wakefield shares her tips 

for arranging your living room, fresh 

paints from Earthborn and Little 

Greene, and new ways to use wood 

58 Architecture Peek inside our first 

ever Open House. Plus, we chat to Sir 

Norman Foster and Alison Brooks 

64 Technology The latest gadgets that 

are pieces of decor in their own right 

66 Colour The power of bronze – why it’s 

captured the imagination for centuries 

44 

KITCHEN 

TRENDS 

Delve into our edit of the nine hottest 

kitchen looks – packed full of ideas, 

inspiration and all of the details you 

need to update your home now 

69 

COVER IMAGE: HELENIO BARBETTA/LIVING INSIDE (PHOTOGRAPHY), CHIARA DAL CANTO (PRODUCTION) 

SUBS COVER IMAGE: FLOTSAM PRINT BY TOM PIGEON (TOMPIGEON.COM) 

ON THE COVER 

Our newsstand cover This month’s special 

features Villa Roccia. subscriber cover 

With a mix of 1960s is a celebration 

architecture and of British designer 

contemporary taste, Tom Pigeon’s 

it’s the perfect ‘New Flotsam print – a true 

Modern’ abode, p98. high street hit, p23. 

THE BIG 

HIGH STREET HOTLIST 

21 

Shop the season’s must-have looks without breaking the bank, 

with our definitive list of best buys and exciting new launches 

SEPTEMBER 2017 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 11

THE NEW 

MODERN 

98 New radical This updated 1960s 

Swiss house has an experimental 

spirit that’s totally contemporary 

108 Nature study Scandinavian 

simplicity takes a warmer, more 

textural turn in this Swedish abode 

118 Giò for it How to add Ponti’s 

on-trend style to your home 

124 Quiet confidence Luxe elements 

in restrained hues are the height of 

fashion in this Australian apartment 

– we show you how to get the look 

138 Mega mix Mixed materials is 

the trend of the moment. This 

Cape Town home perfects the style 

using texture and metallic touches 

146 Turn to stone From slate and 

concrete to decadent marble, 

it’s time to fill your home with 

a palette of subtle greys 

152 Sultry sophistication This Zurich 

apartment embraces the new 

modern palette – moody colours 

in seductive, sludgy tones 

162 Rural splendour Country style 

is given a reboot in this Tuscan 

farmhouse, which combines the 

traditional and the contemporary 

118 

173 

Escape 

124 

173 News The best UK spas to visit, 

an art festival in a picture-perfect 

Norwegian village and the Garden 

Museum’s brand new look 

181 Getaway Live like a local in Lisbon, 

soaking up the architecture, 

exploring concept stores and 

sampling freshly baked treats 

Finally 

18 Subscribe Fantastic offers for 

our most loyal readers 

184 Stockists Love something you’ve 

seen? Here’s where to buy it 

194 The story of the bathtub Tin 

tubs, avocado suites and beyond... 

12 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2017

THE VALUE FACTOR 

My father used to say that the value of anything is what you’re prepared to pay for it. I think this is an 

interesting premise, particularly when we consider the prevalence of affordable homeware on the high 

street, to which this issue devotes a special section. If you absolutely love a vase, and it’s only £10, 

is it ‘worth’ less to you than something from Baccarat or Lalique? Of course, there will be vast differences 

in the processes of manufacture and related ‘quality’, but that’s not necessarily a factor in ‘value’. Then, 

of course, there is the ‘if something’s too good to be true, it probably is’ adage. To pursue my analogy, 

can a £10 vase really be any good? Again, all relative, and nothing to do with value. If you love 

it, maybe it won’t matter if it chips rather than ages elegantly because it was mass produced rather 

than handmade. Perhaps, because it only cost a tenner, it won’t matter as much if it gets broken? I’m 

not sure. You see, the thing with valuing something is that it’s an essentially intangible quality, you 

simply either do, or don’t; it’s not a commodity that can be quantified in black and white terms. 

The thing with valuing something is that it’s an essentially intangible quality, 

you simply either do or don’t; it can’t be quantified in black and white terms 

The Collins Dictionary definition of value is ‘the desirability of a thing, often in respect of some 

property such as usefulness or exchangeability’. So, does this mean anything that you can’t bear 

to part with? Which prompts the next question: what would you let go from your life? Anything that 

no longer has any worth to you? Or, more personally, anyone that we feel no longer respects us? 

It’s interesting to me too that another definition of value is ‘the moral principles or accepted standards 

of a person or group’. As such, our values, and what we value, define us. 

So back to that ten pound vase. I think, if you spot a vase that you love, and you can get it for a steal, 

then you’re a supremely smart shopper. The high street is an incredibly fertile shopping ground, so 

to dismiss it would be folly. However, it’s crowded, and there is a surfeit of choice, so we’ve done the 

hard work for you in singling out the best buys. In other words, the pieces we feel adhere to the values 

we at ELLE Decoration have always held dear: integrity, elegance and honesty. Not forgetting a little 

dash of fairy dust! Another intangible quality… but that probably deserves a whole other letter. 

PICTURE: EMMA WEBSTER 

Editor-in-Chief 

Follow me on Instagram: @michelleogundehin 

Twitter: @ELLEDecoMO 

Visit elledecoration.co.uk 


MICHELLE OGUNDEHIN 

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There’s never been a better time to be an interiors 

shopper! The latest trends are hitting the high street 

quicker than ever, and with price tags that are sure 

to tempt. But with so much on offer, how do you find 

the real gems? Easy. All you need is this essential 

edit of the best affordable and stylish buys 

1IKEA X HAY 

Fans of affordable design, rejoice. 

Swedish superbrand Ikea is teaming 

up with Hay, the leaders of minimalist 

Danish style. The new ‘Ypperlig’ 

collection’s name translates from Swedish 

as ‘excellent’ – an accurate description of its look. 

‘Ypperlig’ vase, £12; table, £150; cushions, £5 

each; stools, £20 each; wall shelf, £12 (ikea.com). 

WORDS: ELIZA HONEY PICTURE: OSKAR FALCK PHOTOGRAPHY

2 of 

PERFECT PAIRING 

Inky blue and dusky pink is the high-street palette 

the moment – elevate it with a pop of mustard yellow 

3 

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COMPILED BY: MOLLY HUTCHINSON 

PICTURES: ANDREA FERRARI 

1 Influenced by designer David Hicks’ use of bold colour, ‘Hicks’ Blue’ paint is the prettiest navy hue. From £21 for one litre, Little Greene (littlegreene.com) 

2 These interconnecting ‘Shipwreck’ screenprints are inspired by objects found while beachcombing. £150 for a set of three, Tom Pigeon (tompigeon.com) 

3 We love the hand-painted abstract palm leaves of the ‘Fresco’ fabric in ‘002 Storm Blue’. £169 per metre, Dedar (dedar.com) 

4 With its gold frame, this wire basket is a stylish choice for storage. £5 for a set of two, George Home (george.com) 

5 Small in size, the ‘Mickey’ mango wood desk is perfect for compact home working. £219, Swoon Editions (swooneditions.com) 

6 We can’t believe this cheery yellow ceramic storage canister – perfect for pens – is only £5. Matalan (matalan.co.uk) 

7 Wall-mounted or free-standing, the caseless ‘Flip’ clock by Karlsson is a real eye-catcher. £95, Ross and Brown (rossandbrownhome.co.uk) 

8 The ‘Little Slam Dunk in Brass’ table lamp with its ‘Sea Salt’ linen shade is truly charming. £75, Loaf (loaf.com) 

9 This velvet fringe-trimmed cushion in yellow adds a touch of character to any scheme. £28, Urban Outfitters (urbanoutfitters.com) 

10 Sit down in style with this metal frame dining chair in ‘Nightshade’, inspired by mid-century school chairs. £169, West Elm (westelm.co.uk) 

11 We love the on-trend rose pink of this ‘Arran’ rug. £539, Furniture Village (furniturevillage.co.uk) 


Style | 

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WORDS: ELIZA HONEY PICTURES: STUDIO YAGÜE 

3 

Features Editor 

Amy Moorea Wong 

on why Zara Home 

is her go-to shop 

Why do I love it? 

Zara Home is first 

on my list when I want 

to update something 

small in my house. The 

amount of glassware, 

cutlery and linens 

it stocks could be 

overwhelming, but the 

fact that everything in 

store is organised by 

colour makes for a calm 

– and oddly satisfying 

– shopping experience. 

What is it best for? 

Mixing the latest trends 

with classic pieces. Like 

its fashionable sister 

brand, it doesn’t shy 

away from wild patterns 

and seasonally changing 

themes – but Zara 

Home uses soft whites 

and neutrals as its base, 

and features natural 

materials such as wicker 

and wood to create 

a timeless look. 

My top picks: This 

black cutlery (from 

£2.99 for a teaspoon), 

salad bowl (£19.99) and 

serving dish (£29.99). 

My cupboards are piled 

high with tableware, 

but I can find space 

for this breezy take on 

classic pottery colours 

(zarahome.com). 

4BRAND NEW 

John Lewis has always been a home shopping destination, but this autumn’s 

launches see the retailer going for gold as a home brand in its own right. The new 

season brings a bevy of in-house designed pieces that span everything from basics 

to luxurious extras. We’re especially taken by the ‘Palm Springs’ collection (above), with 

its 1950s-inspired retro curves, dark wood finishes and glass and brass accents. The goal 

is that, eventually, more than 50 per cent of the homeware products on the shop floor 

will be John Lewis’ own designs. With these releases, along with the popularity of its 

ultra-affordable ‘House’ range, it’s well on its way to success ( johnlewis.com). 

5 

BITS AND BO 

Danish retailer BoConcept 

is bringing lustre and luxury back 

to the dining table with its latest range 

of accessories. And, as the price tags 

are brilliantly affordable, we suggest 

combining a selection of its pieces 

to create an eye-catching look that’s 

all about texture and finish. The well 

named ‘Diamond’ candlestick (left, £51) 

has a gem-like quality, and we love the 

simple, coloured aluminium ‘North’ 

bowl, (left, £59). Want to add more 

glamour? How about the tarnished brass 

‘Oxidised’ vases (below left, 

from £62) or the elegant 

‘Vila’ candleholders 

(below, £36)? Head 

to one of its many UK 

stores (boconcept.com). 


WORDS: ELIZA HONEY 

6LUXURY FOR ALL 

This season, prolific fashion and 

homeware designer Jasper Conran 

is adding more furniture and home 

accessories to his ‘J by Jasper Conran’ range 

at Debenhams. The new designs nail the 

trend for luxe touches such as velvet, marble 

and metallics. Sink into his new midcentury-inspired 

‘Ellsworth’ sofa (£1,140), 

which looks especially striking when 

combined with this metal-framed marble 

side table (£400). It’s refined ostentation at 

seriously accessible prices (debenhams.com). 

7 

STRIKE A CORD 

Habitat’s growing, Quakerinspired 

‘Oregan’ collection uses 

timeless natural materials in 

a winningly modern way. The 

original design, the best-selling 

‘Oregan’ dining chair (left, £150), 

features a neatly woven cord seat 

and a beautifully curved wooden 

backrest. Its simple, elegant 

shape has inspired the new dining 

table (left, £200), with a delicate 

chamfered edge and curved legs 

– it’s available in oak or walnut. 

Other additions to the collection 

include a woven stool (£130), and 

a charming bench (£350) with 

a grey rattan seat (habitat.co.uk). 

Style | 

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HIGH 

STREET 

HITS 

Chief Sub Editor 

Clare Sartin sings 

the praises of 

Urban Outfitters 


Urban Outfitters 

is so much more than 

a hipsters’ paradise 

of retro gadgets and 

reclaimed clothing. 

It’s where I look 

if I need an injection 

of modern, bohemian 

style in my home. 


Washed out textiles 

that are knowingly 

kitsch, with an air 

of Californian cool. 

The brand has also 

embraced the trend 

for marbling – find 

it on everything from 

bedding to tableware. 

And, of course, it has 

a love of retro – its shag 

pile cushions may 

not be for everyone, 

but I love them. 

My top picks: The 

‘Banana Leaves’ print 

by Rafael Farias (from 

£29), ‘Concrete’ candle 

by Paddywax (£15) and 

‘Ida’ planter (£34; 

(urbanoutfitters.com). 


10 

GO WITH THE GRAIN 

The White Company has collaborated with 

Yorkshire-based furniture workshop Galvin 

Brothers on the ‘Brocklesby Ash’ collection, 

made from sustainably sourced English Ash. Simple, yet beautifully 

constructed, the set of tables – console, coffee and side – and the 

miniature stool have roughly hewn edges and smooth surfaces that 

highlight the wood’s grain and natural textures. It’s easy to tell how 

important provenance is to Galvin Brothers – it’s gone as far as to 

stamp each individual product with the date and place where the tree 

it was made from was felled. From £275 (thewhitecompany.com). 

9 

BELLE OF THE BEDS 

It’s time to make your dream bed a reality. 

Handmade bed expert Button & Sprung now 

offers designs that can be customised down 

to the last detail – plus, you can try them out 

in person at its Chelsea showroom. Our pick, 

the ‘Holly’ (above), brings a sense of drama into 

the bedroom with its tall, curved upholstered 

headboard. Choose from 80 different fabrics 

to cover it. From £825 (buttonandsprung.com). 

11 

THE INSIDER PICK Jason Wilary-Attew, 

buying and merchandise director at The Conran Shop 

I love our new black and green ‘MAG’ side tables created by 

The Conran Shop in collaboration with British designer Daniel 

Schofield. They originate from Auvergne in France and are made 

from a ceramic derivative of volcanic stone. I particularly like 

the way the glaze is poured and how it develops a crackled effect 

during the firing process. ‘MAG’ side tables, from £875 each (theconranshop.com) 

12 

FOODIE ESSENTIALS 

Further adding to its ever-popular 

homeware offering, H&M has launched its 

newly expanded range of kitchen utensils and 

tableware must-haves. ‘We wanted to create 

pieces that customers can collect over a long 

time,’ says head of design Evelina Kravaev. 

Take the new collection of matt dinnerware 

in three versatile colours – white, black 

and concrete – which is made for mixing and 

matching, and can easily be added to over 

the years as trends change. The wooden bowls 

and serving spoons offer a rustic finishing 

touch. From £1.99 for a plate or mug (hm.com).

INSTANT OPULENCE 

This combination of deep, rich purple and emerald 

13looks regal, but it’s more affordable than you’d think 

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WORDS: ELIZA HONEY PICTURES: TIM YOUNG, MORGANE LE GALE 

1 The embroidered ‘Kayapo’ fabric in ‘Perroquet’ is inspired by the geometry of formal gardens. £155.50 per metre, Lelievre (lelievre.eu) 

2 Named after the green mineral, this ‘Malachite’ paint is a real statement. From £39.50 for 2.5 litres of matt emulsion, Fired Earth (firedearth.com) 

3 Bring the royal botanic gardens into your home with the ‘Kew Palms’ screenprint by Lucille Clerc. £230, Print Club London (printclublondon.com) 

4 Use the ‘Globe Pearl Drop’ ceiling light as a stylish centrepiece. £135, Rockett St George (rockettstgeorge.co.uk) 

5 Bring a luxe feel to any space with this brass hammered pendant light by House Doctor. £79.99, Haygen (haygenshop.com) 

6 The understated ‘Bella’ solid oak coffee table in ‘Brunswick Green’ can be displayed individually or as part of a group. £195, Hay (hay.dk) 

7 Add a subtle metallic glimmer to your scheme with this ‘Huxley’ table lamp. £60, John Lewis ( johnlewis.com) 

8 This elegant glass vase in plum makes a pretty addition to any coffee table. £35, White Stuff (whitestuff.com) 

9 Give your flowers the stylish display they deserve with this ‘Scandi’ blue stone vase. £40, John Lewis ( johnlewis.com) 

10 A nod to mid-century style, the ‘Eden’ sofa in ‘Dusky Velvet Ocean’ is minimal and elegant. From £1,629, Sofa Workshop (sofaworkshop.com) 

11 Add a pop of colour and texture to your living room with this pleated teal cushion. £12.99, TK Maxx (tkmaxx.com) 

12 Plum is the shade of the moment, so this velvet cushion from the ‘J by Jasper Conran’ range is wonderfully in vogue. £35, Debenhams (debenhams.com) 

13 We can’t resist the tonal greens of the ‘Nodebo’ wool rug by S Edholm and L Ullenius. £250, Ikea (ikea.com) 

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14 

| Style 

Contributing Editor 

Eliza Honey on why 

you should pop into 

Oliver Bonas 


Aside from being the 

ultimate gift shop, with 

a great selection of 

cards, jewellery, and 

other crowd-pleasing 

doo-dads, the evergrowing 

chain is also 

becoming a place I rely 

on for the occasional 

interiors refresh. 


Trend-focused small 

furnishings and 

accessories. Need 

a cactus pattern in your 

life? Want Art Decoinspired 

metallic 

touches? Whether 

it’s a frame, a love seat 

or a side table, you need 

look no further. 

My top picks: 

Speaking of on-trend, 

rattan is high on my 

wish list. The ‘Miroco 

Rattan Bench’ (£295) 

works for the outdoors 

during the warmer 

months, but I like 

it even better as a 

textural touch indoors. 

Accessorise with the 

‘Foil Grid’ blue cushion 

(£30) that has a subtle 

metallic pattern 

(oliverbonas.com). 

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THE NEW SHOPPING DESTINATION 

Danish lifestyle store Arket opens on London’s Regent 

Street this Autumn. We already have our wish list ready… 

‘Bona’ coffee drip kettle 

by Hario, £49, Arket 

(arket.com) 

Beech wood large 

chopping board, £29, 

Arket (arket.com) 

16 

Bowl by Carina Seth 

Andersson, £19, Arket 

(arket.com) 

Buy this Velvet seating is the designer 

look of the moment, but it doesn’t 

have to cost the earth. The aptly-named 

and perfectly-sized ‘Snuggler’ armchair 

by stalwart of the British high street House 

of Fraser costs £1,650 (houseoffraser.co.uk). 

17 

BARE NECESSITIES 

Renters and new homeowners should have Made.com on their radar. The online 

retailer, known for making designer furniture more affordable by cutting out the 

middleman, has released its new ‘Essentials’ collection – with even more new 

designs set to launch in September. The pared-down pieces come in a neutral 

palette with the occasional pop of colour, making them a great base for your 

personal style. Covering everything from wine glasses and placemats to rugs, 

shelving, beds and more, the range is a complete starter set for anyone 

in a furnishing fix. ‘Alida’ home office set, 

£29; ‘Kleur’ shelves, £139; ‘Elkan’ 

rug, £89 (made.com). 

Perfectly simple wooden 

salad set, £17, Arket 

(arket.com) 



18 

COCKTAIL HOUR 

Now you can pick up stylish accoutrements for your home bar along 

with your grocery shop. Our standout pieces from the supermarket offerings 

include Tesco’s gold or copper Moscow mule mugs (right, £5 each; 

tesco.com), and a classic cocktail shaker and set in stainless steel from 

George Home (above right, £14; asda.com). Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s 

has released the ‘Renaissance Boutique’ collection (right, decanter, 

£15; tumblers, £5 each; sainsburys.co.uk). The perfect storage 

solution? Marks & Spencer’s inky-black, Art Deco-inspired ‘Webster’ 

cabinet (above left, £599; marksandspencer.com). 

20 

19 

THE INSIDER PICK Oliver Tress, founder 

and managing director of Oliver Bonas 

With three small children and a busy diary, my home has 

to work for all of us. I’m not a fan of matchy-matchy design, 

and am relaxed around the informality of a mix of texture, 

style and colour. Here, the side table and stripy lampshade 

add elements of surprise and fun, which work well in 

contrast with the relative sobriety of the ‘1958’ sofa. 

Side table, £250; lampshade, £55; ‘1958’ two-seater sofa, £895 (oliverbonas.com) 

FOUR OF THE BEST 

FLOOR LAMPS 

Lighting that makes a big 

statement, without the price tag 

1 The white marble and gold ‘Luna’ lamp by Jasper Conran 

has a built-in shelf. £180, Debenhams (debenhams.com). 

2 Brass and marble are always elegant, as this ‘Kuriko’ lamp 

by Aaron Probyn proves. £250, Habitat (habitat.co.uk). 

3 The ‘Hammered Copper’ tripod floor lamp with its large 

copper lampshade is a glamorous take on the industrial 

look. £375, French Connection (frenchconnection.com). 

4 With a spun black metal shade and a burnished brass 

stem, the ‘Black & Brass Club’ floor lamp is effortlessly 

chic. £550, Cox & Cox (coxandcox.co.uk). 

1 

2 3 

4 

21 

Sub Editor Rebecca 

Hastings explains 

why she’s a firm 

fan of H&M 


As a self-confessed 

homeware obsessive 

and high street native, 

shopping in H&M’s 

homeware department 

is something of a 

spiritual experience 

for me. Having just 

moved into a new flat, 

I’ve been spending 

a little too much time 

in its Oxford Street 

branch – everything 

in there looks like it’s 

jumped straight off 

of a Pinterest board. 


Bedlinen, curtains 

and rugs – H&M has 

a swoon-worthy library 

of textiles to suit 

all colour palettes, 

from dusky greys and 

pastel pinks through 

to mustard yellows 

and botanical greens. 

My top picks: The 

slub-weave cushion 

cover (£6.99), with its 

eye-catching fish 

design, large smokeygrey 

glass vase (£19.99), 

wooden box (£17.99), 

and pale green and 

brass tealight holder 

(£2.99; hm.com).

22 

CHOOSE CALM 

Achieve tranquility on a budget with these 

pieces in pale purple and natural shades 

2 

Style | 

HIGH 

STREET 

HITS 

5 

1 

4 

3 

12 

10 

7 

8 

9 

11 

6 

13 

WORDS: ELIZA HONEY PICTURES: DOUGLAS FISHER 

1 This ‘Bamboo’ wallpaper in ‘W7025-05’ is the perfect backdrop for a calming bedroom. £65 per ten-metre roll, Osborne & Little (osborneandlittle.com) 

2 The ‘Koven’ linen fabric is embroidered with a black stitch pattern that has a delicate appeal. £84 per metre, Larsen (larsenfabrics.com) 

3 Industrial accessories are having a moment, and this hanging light by Gray & Willow is only £70. House of Fraser (houseoffraser.co.uk) 

4 We love the simple shape of this concrete pendant light. £85, French Connection Home (frenchconnection.com) 

5 This natural emulsion paint in ‘Slate’ is the ideal neutral wall colour. £41.50 for 2.5 litres, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint (edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk) 

6 The ‘Brunel Tripod’ smoked ash and steel table is robust but understated. £95, The White Company (thewhitecompany.com) 

7 The ‘Fredd’ bed in tan leather by Matthew Long has a cushioned headboard, ideal for sitting up against to read. From £895, Habitat (habitat.co.uk) 

8 Add a hint of bold geometric pattern with the ‘Broadchalke’ cushion in ‘Chalk Face’. £125, Eleanor Pritchard (eleanorpritchard.com) 

9 The soft colour of this faded coarse cotton cushion cover is a perfect pairing with a neutral scheme. £19.99, Zara Home (zarahome.com) 

10 Make a serious style statement with the modern ‘Hendrix Angular’ floor lamp in grey. £80, Very Home (very.co.uk) 

11 Cosy up with this knitted pom pom throw in softly feminine ‘Heather’ by Fox & Ivy. £40, Tesco (tesco.com) 

12 Parquet isn’t just for the floor – add some natural pattern with the ‘Hoxton Chevron’ wardrobe. £625, Next (next.co.uk) 

13 The grey tones of the ‘Nelly’ rug in silver perfectly complement most colour palettes. £489, Heal’s (heals.com) 


HIGH 

STREET 

HITS 

| Style 

23 

TRULY 

EASTERN PROMISE 

Asian-inspired patterns and prints are always stylish, and this season, we’re pleased 

to be seeing more of them than ever before on the high street. A real highlight is Ted 

Baker’s new bedding collection, which is decorated with delicate sprigs of pretty pink 

cherry blossom – just what we want to wake up to. From £115 (tedbaker.com). 

24 

INSIDER PICK 

Adam Daghorn, designer 

and head of French Connection Home 

I always like to use a mirror over 

a console table – it helps to throw 

light around the room and makes 

a design statement. Dark grey 

walls work really well with 

white marble, creating a strong 

and sophisticated contrast. 

Marble console, £355 (frenchconnection.com) 

25 

EVERGREEN 

For those who struggle to keep 

houseplants alive, brands are creating 

cool alternatives that require zero 

care. Yonder Living’s ceramic 

succulents (above right) come 

in a pleasing palette of greens, 

blues and pinks (from £14; 

yonderliving.com). Meanwhile Ross 

& Brown’s art prints of houseplants 

such as ficus, alocasia and strelitzia 

(above left) do not require watering 

(from £34; rossandbrownhome.co.uk). 

Equally low-maintenance is Abigail 

Ahern’s collection of realistic faux 

houseplants (cactus, above), which 

recently debuted at Debenhams. 

These beautifully detailed specimens 

will fool even the most green-fingered 

friends (from £9; debenhams.com). 

26 

Try this Have the perfect sofa in mind but can’t find it in any of the shops? 

Is there a dining table of your dreams? You need the newly expanded 

‘Made for You’ service by Heal’s, now available online and in-store. There are so 

many fabrics and finishes to choose from that the finished product is practically 

bespoke, but at a fraction of the price. £2,479 for a four-seater sofa (heals.com). 

27 

FOUR OF THE BEST HANDMADE CERAMICS 

This season, the high street is the place to find unique craft for your table 

Brickett Davda’s designs are 

inspired by the English countryside. 

From £26, Toast (toa.st). 

These inky, speckled dishes 

make a moody table setting. 

£8.99, Very (very.co.uk). 

This range by Nkuku is made 

by craftspeople in India. 

From £9, Heal’s (heals.com). 

Ikea’s ‘Efftertanke’ range made 

by women in Thailand – available 

October, from £5 (ikea.com). 

WORDS: ELIZA HONEY PICTURES: GITA PUSNOVAITE, BILDFELDT AB 


HIGH 

STREET 

HITS 

| Style 

28 

AESOP’S FABLES 

As beauty brand Aesop celebrates its 30th anniversary, we take a closer 

look at its inspirational high street shops – every one a design destination 

Not many brands have become as successful as Aesop without also becoming ubiquitous. That the 

Australian company has retained its allure is largely down to one thing: its approach to store design. 

Where others reproduce the same template over and over again, every Aesop store is different. 

Though the name is a familiar presence on London’s high streets – it will open its 19th UK branch, 

in Chelsea’s Duke of York Square, this September – it is never a predictable one. 

Details such as the green Moroccan tiles in Aesop’s Covent 

Garden store (below) offer inspiration for real-life homes 

This year is Aesop’s 30th anniversary, but the brand was unconventional from the start. The first 

stand-alone store, opened in 2003 in St Kilda, Melbourne, was housed in a tunnel-like ramp leading 

to an underground car park. Later openings were similarly experimental: the ceiling of the Adelaide 

boutique (above right), for instance, is decorated with over 7,000 amber glass bottles – the same 

material used for Aesop’s products. ‘We have always acknowledged the effect good design has, and 

endeavour to bring something worthwhile to every space,’ says creative director Marsha Meredith. 

Many stores, such as the one overseen 

by interior designer Ilse Crawford in Mayfair 

in 2008, take their cue from homes in an effort 

to make people feel at ease. Restful jade green 

walls and parquet floors featured in Crawford’s 

design (top left), while details such as the green 

Moroccan tiles in the Covent Garden store (right) 

and the red brick and copper sinks in the Ginza, 

Tokyo branch offer inspiration for real-life 

homes. It’s no surprise, then, that Aesop has 

a website dedicated to its retail projects 

– taxonomyofdesign.com. Here’s to many 

more years of stylish stores (aesop.com). 

29 

Features Writer 

Charlotte Brook 

champions Oxfam’s 

homeware gems 

Why do I love it? The 

Oxfam secret has been 

out among fashionistas 

for years (if you drop 

by a branch in a chi-chi 

London neighbourhood 

regularly enough, the 

chances are you’ll 

discover a designer 

gem). But I suggest 

bypassing the clothing 

and heading straight for 

the homeware. You’ll 

find unique items, 

contribute to a great 

cause, and help 

to reduce landfill waste. 


Either very simple, 

practical kit (stainlesssteel 

utensils or a set 

of plain glass tumblers) 

or one-off vintage 

showstoppers (a pink 

Art Deco glass bowl, 

polished brass 19thcentury 

weighing 

scales, or an emerald 

green lustreware jug). 

My top picks: 

Mid-century steel and 

antique Sheffield silver 

cutlery sets sell for 

a song. Also look out 

for original Wedgwood 

Jasperware 

(oxfam. 

org.uk). 

WORDS: AMY BRADFORD PICTURES: WARREN MACRIS, THE KALONY AGENCY, DIANNA SNAPE, ALAMY 


The power of Ponti 

Designer, architect, writer, inspiration – the work of the late, 

great Giò Ponti is a major influence on the ‘New Modern’ 

trend. Architectural writer Rowan Moore explains why 

‘Enchantment,’ said Giò Ponti: ‘a useless 

thing, but indispensible as bread’. This 

is not a slogan or a manifesto – he hated 

such things – but rather an expression 

of a feeling that was essential to Ponti’s 

life and work. Throughout his sixty-year 

career – whether the great man was 

working on fabrics, furniture, ceramics, 

coffee machines, homes, hotels, the 

interiors of trains, cutlery, churches, 

offices, a government ministry in Pakistan 

or the Denver Art Museum in Colorado 

– enchantment was never far away. 

Ponti’s best-known piece of furniture, 

the ‘Superleggera’ chair (above) – which 

is still being produced by Cassina today 

– sums him up. The seat is a work 

of both craft and engineering, its frame 

made from triangular pieces of wood 

that have been refined into barelypossible 

slenderness, and the bend 

in its back prompting a healthy posture. 

This is not just a beautiful object, but 

an accessory to the social nature 

of humanity. And then there is its 

moment of enchantment – it is so light 

that you can lift it with one finger. 

Or you could consider the interiors 

that he designed for the Parco dei 

Principi hotel in Sorrento, Italy, ➤ 

PICTURES: GETTY, GIO PONTI ARCHIVES

Style | DESIGN 

Clockwise from top left 

The Ponti-designed Pirelli 

tower, Milan. A room in the 

Parco dei Principi hotel. 

Ponti’s ‘D.655.2’ chest of 

drawers for Molteni & C. 

A bottle by Ponti for Venini. 

Domus magazine. Molteni 

& C’s ‘Heritage Collection’, 

including the ‘D.153.1’ chair, 

‘D.522.2’ table and ‘D.355.1’ 

bookcase, all by Giò Ponti 



GIÒ PONTI 

where he chose to create a different tile 

pattern (one shown on previous page) 

– no matter whether anyone would notice 

or not – for each of its 100 rooms, or the 

outbreaks of decoration within the clean 

lines and modern architecture of his villas 

in Caracas, Venezuela. Alternatively, you 

could look at the glass frill – the ‘crinoline’ 

– he put around a bottle designed for historic 

Murano glass brand Venini, at his use of the 

ancient intaglia technique (carving a pattern 

into or under the surface of stone or metal), 

or at his concept of the ‘furnished window’, 

by which objects are arranged in front 

of glass so that ‘the outside is seen through 

the foreground of the furniture’. 

Of all the great polymathic designers 

– such as Charles and Ray Eames or Alvar 

Aalto – Ponti moved most fluently through 

scales and techniques. He could plan mass 

housing, or he could decorate a vase, and 

you couldn’t say at which particular discipline 

he excelled most. What you can say is that 

he worked from the small to the large, from 

things you touch and hold to buildings, and 

from interiors outwards. His architecture 

in vain to achieve. But this lack of grandeur 

was consistent with Ponti’s approach 

to everything. He wanted design to embellish 

life, not to make statements. He chose 

lightness and enchantment. Which, for 

Ponti, were not just nice, diverting things 

to have around you – rather, they were 

fundamental to civilised human life. 

One writer has commented on the 

‘substantiality of the impalpable’ in Ponti’s 

pieces, meaning that they are suggestive 

of something beyond themselves, the lives 

that might be lived around them; nuances, 

qualities and atmospheres that can’t be 

put into words. ‘Comfort in the home lies 

in obtaining, through architecture, a measure 

for our own thoughts,’ Ponti said. Much like 

certain novels or poems, the designer’s 

spaces and objects evoke a sense of life that 

is beautiful, but also ephemeral and fragile. 

Ponti’s attitude was distinctly Italian, 

as he liked to note himself. He had an Italian 

view of the modern – not as a violent wrench 

with the past, but as the continuation 

of ancient patterns of culture. ‘We proceed’, 

he said, ‘we don’t progress’. Or, ‘in culture, 

Ponti could plan mass housing, or he could 

decorate a vase, and you couldn’t say at which 

particular discipline he excelled most 

From top A display from Molteni 

& C’s ‘Heritage Collection’, 

including Ponti’s ‘D.357.1’ bookcase 

and the ‘D.154.2’ armchair. Ponti’s 

‘Great Mother of God’ cathedral 

in Taranto, Italy. The interior 

of the Montecatini headquarters 

in Milan, designed by Ponti. The 

‘Superleggera’ chair for Cassina 

grows from intimacy, the bodily and mental 

enjoyment of rooms and furniture – what 

he called the joie d’y vivre, ‘the joy of living 

there’ – rather than determining a form into 

which the life of the building must fit. 

His writing, too, has inspired many. Ponti 

founded architecture and design magazine 

Domus in 1928 and edited it, with a six year 

break to found and run another magazine, 

Stile, until his death in 1979. This work 

was another part of his generous world view, 

his fascination with people and creativity. 

His personality allowed others to flourish 

– Italian-born Brazilian Modernist architect 

Lina Bo Bardi and painter, sculptor and 

interior decorator Piero Fornasetti both 

worked with him. Italian architect and 

designer Carlo Mollino once said that the 

support of Domus brought him to the 

attention of the world. Ponti was a mine 

of ideas that is still being excavated today 

by design practices such as Studiopepe and 

Dimore Studio – both trailblazers of what 

we refer to as the ‘New Modern’ aesthetic. 

If Ponti’s career lacked anything, you 

might say it was the single, indisputable 

architectural masterpiece (though the 

Pirelli tower in Milan certainly comes 

close) that critic Bruno Zevi pressed him 

everything is contemporary’. He hated fake 

recreations of the past, but could calmly 

combine new and old techniques and motifs. 

His early work had classical influences, 

which dissolved as his career developed, but 

he still saw himself as part of the same 

tradition as Italian architects of the past. 

His delicacy is more remarkable for the 

fact that he maintained it through decades 

of turbulence – first Mussolini’s dictatorship 

and then the destruction of war. Ponti felt 

that the best possible response to chaos was 

to continue the pursuit of the culture 

of delightfulness. ‘Italy has nothing but its 

civilisation to save its civilisation’, he said. 

Perhaps, as we also live in troubled times, 

Ponti’s belief in the ‘grace’ that can coexist 

with ‘barbarity’ is part of his attraction today 

– Cassina and Artemide are selling as many 

‘Superleggera’ chairs and ‘Fato’ lights 

as ever, and Molteni & C has started re-issuing 

more Ponti classics in response to his 

continued popularity. He spoke, too, of the 

Italian understanding of ‘the reckless gifts 

of freedom, independence and improvisation,’ 

of which we can see an echo in Studiopepe’s 

claim to be ‘inspired by the unexpected’. 

It’s clear that Ponti and his enchantment 

are still just as indispensible as ever. ED 

PICTURES: GETTY, ALAMY 



HISTORY OF A BRAND BAXTER 

One of the most original brands on the Italian interiors scene and an expert 

in luxury leathers, Baxter’s intriguing past is as rich as its design output 

When it comes to Italian furniture brands, it can be said that there is a typical style: clean 

lines, boxy shapes and neutral colours. Baxter is different. One of the younger labels on the 

scene – it was established in 1990 – it marries traditional influences with bold, modern twists. 

Baxter is a family-run company, with all its products crafted at its factory near Como. 

So far, so Italian – but why the British-sounding brand name? Apparently, this was chosen 

because Baxter’s original collection of upholstered furniture had a ‘typically English mood’. 

A hint of this can still be seen in its gentleman’s club-style armchairs and buttoned sofas. 

The ‘Chester Moon’ sofa epitomises Baxter’s skill for 

combining classic shapes with modern, witty details 

The Chesterfield-style ‘Chester Moon’ sofa (2009) is Baxter’s most famous design. 

Extravagantly buttoned all over and available in five widths, including an extra-large size 

measuring almost four metres, it epitomises the brand’s skill for combining classic 

shapes with witty, modern details. The sofa was designed by Paola Navone, who has 

collaborated with Baxter since 2003. Her inimitable colour sense – which encompasses 

jewel-like blues, botanical greens and 

oxblood reds – has played a major role 

in shaping the brand’s identity, as has her 

flair for big shapes and tactile finishes. 

For 2017, the brand is venturing into new 

territory with its debut collection of outdoor 

furniture. Overseen by Paola Navone and 

designer Antonino Sciortino, it features 

sculptural designs in tubular copper 

and high-tech, water-resistant 

leathers. It seems that Baxter’s 

Top of page (from left) ‘Blade’ floor lamp, 

‘Berbère’ rug, ‘Janette’ sofa, ‘Icaro’ small table, 

‘Loren’ small table, ‘Anais’ pouf, ‘Etienne Bergère’ 

armchair Above ‘Innsbruck’ bed Right ‘Leggia’ 

outdoor armchair, ‘Organique’ small tables 

expertise in skins knows 

no bounds (baxter.it). 

FOUR KEY FACTS 

ABOUT BAXTER 

Baxter’s three bestselling designs 

1 are all sofas by Paola Navone. 

In order of popularity, they are 

the ‘Chester Moon’ (below), the 

‘Budapest Soft’ and the ‘Casablanca’. 

Baxter’s leathers are tanned 

2 in wooden barrels using ancient 

techniques and all-natural dyes. 

3 

All Baxter 

designs 

are made to 

order using 

largely manual 

methods that 

allow for high 

levels of customisation in terms 

of colour, pattern and material. 

Even the shade of the thread used 

for stitching can be specified 

by the customer. It can take several 

months to craft just one piece. 

4 

You can see Baxter’s designs 

at the new Silvera Showroom 

on King’s Road, London. 

WORDS: AMY BRADFORD 

PICTURES: ANDREA FERRARI 


KENZO TAKADA 

PATTERN PROVOCATEUR 

We catch up with the flamboyant fashion designer at home to discuss his latest 

project – creating a new look for Roche Bobois’ ‘Mah Jong’ sofa 

Jerry Hall disco-ed down the catwalk 

waving a Champagne bottle above her 

head for Kenzo Takada’s wild 1976 fashion 

show, but the designer claims he now prefers 

a quieter life – he officially ‘retired’ in 1999. 

Step into Takada’s townhouse just off the 

elegant boutique and bistro-lined streets 

of St Germain on Paris’ left bank and you 

enter four floors of hushed, immaculately 

curated rooms. Each one is painted white 

and filled with fine art; the air perfumed 

by white freesias, roses and towering arum 

lilies. A black lacquer take on the traditional 

Japanese shoji screen partially conceals 

Words CHARLOTTE BROOK 

glass buddhas – designed by Takada for 

French crystalliers Baccarat – sitting crosslegged 

atop a marble mantelpiece. 

So far, so zen. Can this really be the home 

and studio of the Himeiji-born youth who 

daubed mad Henri Rousseau-inspired 

murals onto the walls of his first shop in the 

70s, called the look ‘Jungle Jap’ and sold 

out of the kaleidoscopic, culture-clashing 

athleisurewear he designed and sold there? 

Absolutely. After a childhood in rural 

Japan, Takada set sail on a six-week crossing 

to Paris in 1964. He’s never looked back, but 

still draws on his birth country’s craft and 

culture for inspiration. As outlined in our 

August issue, the Japonisme look is having 

a moment in the design world: simplicity, 

black carbonized wood, the imperfect wabisabi 

aesthetic. At the opposite end of that 

trend sit the pixelated Tokyo pop-culture 

references and the kimono-style graphics 

of Kenzo clothes. When did one era end and 

the other begin? ‘Never!’ he tells us. ‘I need 

black and white, the sober colours of zen, 

but I also love colour-saturated pattern. It’s 

the contrast between the two that I love.’ 

Having disrupted the abiding aesthetic 

of tailored silhouettes and the pared-back ➤


‘I need black and white, 

the sober colours of zen, 

but I also love coloursaturated 

pattern’ 

Far left Takada on the ‘Mah Jong’ sofa at his home Top left Jerry Hall 

modelling at Kenzo’s 1976 show Centre A young Takada Above and 

below Patterns created for the ‘Mah Jong’ range for Roche Bobois 

PICTURES: ERIC MATHERON-BALAY, GETTY 


KENZO TAKADA 

palette of French fashion (‘I gave the 

French journalists something fresh to talk 

about,’ he fondly reminisces), Takada sold 

what had become a cult label to luxury 

power corporation LVMH in 1999, and 

announced his retirement from fashion 

in order to focus on his art. Oil painted selfportraits 

hang on the walls of his home, 

sketches are everywhere, and he recently 

tried his hand at pottery in rural Japan. 

Takada hasn’t completely stepped out 

of the limelight, though. The family of French 

furniture brand Roche Bobois spotted his 

eye for colour and invited him to design 

three new fabric covers for its signature 

sofa: the ‘Mah Jong’. Designed for modern, 

informal living, the modular ‘Mah Jong’ 

can be bought piece-by-piece to create 

a mismatched effect, and has, remarkably, 

been the brand’s best-selling product every 

year since its launch in 1970. The latest 

in a line of designers to have ‘dressed’ the 

sofa, including Jean Paul Gaultier and the 

Missoni house, Takada has created six 

geometrically-patterned fabrics inspired 

by the kimonos worn in productions at Noh 

theatres in Paris (Noh is an ancient form 

of Japanese storytelling, where actors wear 

opulent attire and masks, often heavy with 

symbolic motifs). The patterns come in three 

colourways that echo the changing light 

of day – Asa (dawn, pastel pinks and yellows), 

Hiru (midday, crimson and sky blue) and 

Yoru (evening, midnight blues). The designs 

are indicative of the optimistic playfulness 

that pervaded Takada’s fashion lines. 

Having lived in Paris for over fifty years 

now, which country does the designer feel 

most connected to, France or Japan? He 

Takada is the latest 

in a line of designers to 

have ‘dressed the ‘Mah 

Jong’ sofa, including 

Jean Paul Gautier 

pauses for thought. ‘In Japan, I feel so French, 

but when I’m in Paris, I definitely feel 

Japanese.’ This East-West mélange clearly 

manifests itself in Takada’s home: bohemian 

artist Jean Cocteau’s matador drawings hang 

beside a Japanese ink calligraphy sketch; 

the delicately corniced wall in one of his 

workspaces is decorated with a 100-strong 

fleet of origami birds, painted pure white. 

He uses a beloved 18th-century Provençal 

dinner service for parties, and drinks his tea 

from Japanese porcelain cups. 

Any remaining dreams? ‘To buy a major 

piece of modern art.’ By who? ‘I’m not 

saying!’ Indeed, Takada’s mischievous and 

nomadic spirit has not faded: according 

to his studio assistants, who are cheerfully 

beavering away on sewing machines next 

door in the light-filled ‘workshop’ as we talk, 

their boss may be scheming to move once 

more. He dreams of a riverside apartment, 

as he’s never lived on the Seine. ‘My perfect 

abode would be a mix of Haussmann (the 

five-floor, symmetrically proportioned 

19th-century Parisian buildings) with 

a Japanese aesthetic,’ he decides. ‘A little 

contemporary, but I don’t care for too 

much modern – no Corbusier! After all,’ 

he muses, looking about his tree-filled 

drawing room, ‘it’s all about atmosphere’. 

Takada plans to continue experimenting 

with ceramics, painting, travelling – and 

working. ‘Now, I like work. I need it. I must 

work to stay young!’ he exclaims, though 

he’d prefer to collaborate than work on solo 

projects. Indeed, Takada is all about the 

final adornment of an already existing 

form – whether that’s Jerry Hall or the 

‘Mah Jong’ sofa. roche-bobois.com ED 

A selection of accessories from the modular ‘Mah Jong’ 

collection, in ‘Hiru’ reds (above) and ‘Yoru’ (top right) 

PICTURES: MICHEL GIBERT, GETTY, ERIC MATHERON-BALAY


‘MAH JONG’ 

DAWN TO DUSK 

A closer look at the three colourways 

of Kenzo Takada’s new collection 

‘Asa’ 

‘Ichimatsu’ cushion, £80; ‘Aka Muji’ 

vase, £435; ‘Aka Uroku’ vases, £725 each 

‘Hiru’ 

‘Aka Hanawa’ vase with gold decoration, 

from £2,175; ‘ Hanagame’ cushion, £80 

‘Yoru’ 

‘Ichimatsu’ cushion, £80; ‘Aka Muji’ 

vase, £435, all from Roche Bobois 



DESIGN HERO 

ANGELO MANGIAROTTI 

Agape Casa’s ‘Mangiarotti Collection’ is placing 

this designer’s legacy firmly back in the limelight 

Who is Angelo Mangiarotti? 

Haven’t heard of him? Italian 

brand Agape Casa is on a mission 

to change that. Responsible for 

railway stations, office buildings, 

factories and even a glass church 

in Baranzate, Milan, this very 

prolific architect (1921–2012) 

also extended his talents into 

industrial design, creating many 

timeless chairs, tables and 

shelving units from the 1950s 

onwards. Since 2010, Agape Casa – the homewares division 

of bathroom specialist Agape – has re-issued many of the 

great man’s original designs, adding slight styling tweaks and 

material updates to suit contemporary tastes – all with the 

blessing of the architect’s studio. Now, Agape Casa’s 

‘Mangiarotti Collection’, as it is known, has flourished into 

a cohesive and highly covetable range. 

The Angelo Mangiarotti magic touch 

involves combining complex feats of 

engineering and objects of sculptural 

beauty. It’s a look that is still highly 

covetable and incredibly on-trend 

WORDS: ELIZA HONEY PICTURES: LEO TORRI 

What’s his signature style? The Mangiarotti magic touch 

involves combining complex feats of engineering and objects 

of sculptural beauty. For example, his 1971 ‘Eros’ table (above 

right), of which there are more than 25 configurations, 

consists of a slab of marble deftly supported on pillar-like legs 

without joints or clamps (from £3,004). The recent addition 

of two new versions in rich green 

Verde Alpi and brown Emperador 

marbles has made this piece even 

more desirable than ever. 

What else does the collection 

include? The new ‘Asolo’ table has 

two almost impossibly thin marble 

legs that slot perfectly into the 

tabletop, again without any visible 

joints (from £4,215). Meanwhile, 

the shelves of the ‘Loico’ bookcase 

(right) appear almost weightless 

in contrast to their stocky column 

supports (from £5,641). These ontrend 

designs are complemented 

by some of Mangiarotti’s chairs, 

such as the three-legged ‘Tre 3’ 

from 1978 (centre right), which 

features a strip of tanned leather for 

the seat (from £818; agapecasa.it). 

From top ‘Eros’ dining table . 

‘Loico’ shelving unit. ‘Asolo’ 

dining table. ‘Tre 3’ chair. 

‘Eccentrico’ coffee tables 



1 

MY CULTURAL LIFE 

ANNE-MARIE CURTIS 

We ask a style icon to share what they are 

reading, watching, listening to and more 

Starting her fashion career in the early 1990s as part of Wallpaper* 

magazine’s founding team, Anne-Marie Curtis was fashion 

director of ELLE for 12 years and has just been appointed the title’s 

Editor-in-Chief, a role she describes as her dream job. 

The first issue under her impeccably chic leadership, the 

September edition, is out this month (@amcELLE; elleuk.com). 

The song that makes me feel instantly happy 

is You’re the First, the Last, My Everything by Barry 

White. It was the first dance at my wedding in 2009. 

Tony and I got married at the Institute of Contemporary 

Arts just before Christmas, when our children Cecilia 

and Luca were nine and seven respectively. It snowed 

as we exchanged vows, I wore a beautiful Erdem dress 

and we had all the people we love there. 

I’m currently listening to anything from my 15- 

year-old son’s Spotify playlist! He’s taken to ‘educating’ 

me about music – Royal Blood (7) is a current 

favourite. It’s interesting to see the bands he’s 

discovering, such as the Smashing Pumpkins 

and Soundgarden, that I was into in the 90s. 

I am a big reader of novels, and I find Truman 

Capote’s writing utterly transporting, I have 

read and re-read all of his stories and always 

take a battered copy of A Capote 

Reader on holidays – my favourite 

story is The Grass Harp (2). 

The famous quote that makes 

me think is ‘Be yourself, 

everyone else is taken’ – coined 

by Oscar Wilde. It’s a brilliantly 

simple life philosophy, and one 

I always come back to – when 

you’re working in the everchanging 

world of fashion, it’s 

easy to lose sight of who you are. 

My favourite film has to be 

Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (3), for 

its brilliantly funny writing and 

6 

4 

3 

7 

2 

iconic fashion. I also love the 

sweeping epic drama and the 

incredible Ennio Morricone music 

score from Once Upon a Time 

5 

in America, directed by 

Sergio Leone. I’ve lost count 

of how many times I’ve seen 

When Harry Met Sally and 

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, too 

– pure comfort viewing. 

My perfect evening 

involves dinner with friends 

at my favourite restaurant, 

Patron in Kentish Town (5). 

It’s a French brasserie that 

feels like a little slice of Paris. 

The last exhibition I went to was the ‘Christian 

Dior, Couturier du Rêve’ exhibition at Paris’ Musée 

des Arts Décoratifs (4), which celebrates the 70th anniversary 

of the creation of the House of Dior. It’s truly extraordinary. 

My favourite place in the world is India (1). I’m hoping 

to go again soon, to celebrate a friend’s 50th 

birthday in the northern city of Varanasi 

– it’s supposed to be magical. For family 

holidays, it has to be the Cyclades Islands 

in Greece (6). The food, the landscape 

and the waters are absolute heaven. 

My next stop? New York, for work. To 

paraphrase Samuel Johnson, ‘When a (wo) 

man is tired of New York, (s)he is tired of 

life.’ There’s always somewhere new to try. 

WORDS: CHARLOTTE BROOK PICTURES: LES ARTS DÉCORATIFS/NICHOLAS ALAN COPE, GETTY, ALAMY, DAVID LOFTUS, WIRE IMAGE 


Style | DECORATING 

WORDS: AMY BRADFORD PICTURES: SARAH HOGAN 

DECORATOR INDEX 

REBECCA WAKEFIELD 

We talk to our favourite 

interior designers about 

their work and ask them 

to share their styling tips 

Who is she? British interior 

designer Wakefield is a qualified 

architect, but realised during 

her degree at Newcastle 

University that she was ‘far 

more fascinated by the internal 

experience of a space’. After graduating, she worked at 

clothing retailer Gap for six years as a visual merchandiser, 

which instilled in her a strong sense of how to create 

immediate visual impact. After that, she went to work for 

a property developer, specialising in London warehouse 

apartments. In 2011, she joined Banda Property, where she 

is now creative director. This London firm undertakes 

everything from bespoke property development to private 

interior decoration commissions and furniture design. 

Its recent projects have included revamping a group of flats 

in a stuccoed Regency terrace and the conversion 

of a Richmond brewery. Wakefield oversees the creative 

aspects of every project, so she has an impressive contacts 

book of architects, structural engineers and artisans. 

What’s her style? Typical Banda interiors feature 

understated colours, beautiful parquet floors (as seen 

in the interior Banda designed for a Marylebone flat, above 

right and below right) and precious materials such 

as marble and brass (as demonstrated in the firm’s kitchen 

for Parkgate House, Battersea, below left). ‘I’m drawn 

to a simple and effortless look, so I love exploring textures, 

tones and materials within a restricted palette,’ she says. 

Wakefield’s special skills include matching pieces of 

art to interiors and creating rooms that harmonise with 

historical buildings. ‘I always start a concept with the 

architectural element at the forefront of my mind,’ 

Wakefield explains. ‘Architecture and interiors are 

‘Architecture and interiors are so heavily 

intertwined that one skill set without the 

other can prevent exceptional design’ 

so heavily intertwined that one skill set without the other can prevent 

exceptional design.’ Her inspiration comes from unexpected sources: 

hidden buildings in the capital, Swedish fashion label Acne and 

London florist Petalon, which creates modern-rustic arrangements. 

What are her recent projects? The 

Heritage Collection, a set of apartments 

in a converted bakery in Battersea, saw 

Wakefield team up with restaurateur 

Mark Hix on a dark wood and marble 

kitchen design. She has also worked 

on a house in Oxfordshire, which was 

constructed using traditional Cotswold 

stone and decorated in classic countryhouse 

style with a modern twist. 

What is she currently working on? 

Several interior design commissions, 

including a riverside apartment in 

Richmond, a Brixton townhouse and 

a small pied à terre in Chelsea. 

She says ‘I love gritty, urban areas 

of London, so my dream project would 

be a warehouse project – something like 

a boutique hotel, for example.’ 

Turn over for Rebecca Wakefield’s 

advice on arranging your living room ➤ 



DECORATOR INDEX: EXPERT ADVICE 

REBECCA WAKEFIELD’S INSIDER GUIDE 

TO ARRANGING YOUR LIVING ROOM 

How to place your furniture and objects for maximum impact 

1 The rule of three There 

is an unwritten rule of still-life 

styling that says you should 

work with uneven numbers. 

Avoid symmetry and ‘coupling’ 

objects; instead, think about 

balance for a more interesting 

and appealing composition. 

Arranging a lateral object 

(such as a book or tray) with 

something tall and vertical 

(like a vase or candlestick) and 

something low and bulky (such 

as a paperweight or bowl) is a 

great starting point for styling 

a coffee table or sideboard. 

2 Work with your room size 

If you have a large room, don’t 

be afraid to buy an oversized 

sofa and armchairs – you can 

often get away with much 

bigger pieces than you’d think. It will look underdressed if you scrimp 

with small furniture. You can add more delicate elements with lamps 

and side tables. With a small space, it’s the opposite: you often have 

to downscale more than you’d think 

to create the illusion of an open, airy 

space. Get a sofa that is less deep but 

as wide as the room can take, placing 

it against the wall. Armchairs should 

be smaller too, but if you don’t have 

room for any, don’t force them 

in – they will overpower the space. 

3 Get the right rug A rug should 

be the main anchor of your room. 

Avoid it being too small; a rug 

covering only the floor around 

a coffee table will make the space 

feel incohesive. Go for the largest 

rug you can – they should extend 

at least halfway under sofas and 30 

centimetres either side of them; side 

tables need to sit either fully on or 

offto avoid a messy look. 

4 How to hang art I am a huge 

advocate of unexpected artwork 

positioning and sizing, which adds 

real interest to a space. If you’re not 

confident doing this, use your 

furniture layout and architectural 

features as a guide. Don’t just hang 

an artwork precisely in the middle 

of a wall, as it can look contrived. 

Hanging a small piece above a side 

table in the corner of a room, and 

adding a lamp alongside, can create 

the illusion of a secondary space. 

LINEN ROCKS 

William Clark & Sons’ new ‘Earthed’ range is the 

world’s first ever collection of digitally printed 

Irish linen – an intriguing concept, since the brand 

is known for its traditional production methods 

such as beetling (pounding the cloth with mallets 

to create a closer weave). Part of this range is the 

new ‘Sub Surface’ collection, which evokes the 

colours and textures of natural stones and minerals. 

From £70 per metre (earthedbywmclark.co.uk). 

LIGHT THE WAY 

Get ready for darker autumn evenings 

with Italian brand Giorgetti’s new 

‘Gea’ table and floor lamps, which look 

just as good in your garden as they 

do indoors. Conveniently, the lamps can 

be battery powered 

– perfect for when 

you’re out in the open, 

away from an 

electrical source. 

Designed by architect 

Chi Wing Lo, the steel 

frame lamps have 

a light appearance 

that’s complemented 

by the rich glow 

that emanates 

from their onyx 

or crystal lanterns. 

From £776.40 

(giorgettimilano.it). 

WORDS: AMY BRADFORD, ELIZA HONEY PICTURES: SARAH HOGAN 


EMERALD PRETTY 

Bring a sense of British history to any room with kitchen specialist Devol’s 

new range of handmade tiles in a deep emerald green. Reminiscent of the 

traditional tiles that adorned old London tube stations and Victorian pubs, 

they have a lovely irregularity that comes from their being painstakingly 

glazed by hand. Try them on a kitchen splashback or an entire wall to add 

depth. From £15 per tile (devolkitchens.co.uk). 

SHOW YOUR METAL 

Tile brand Indigenous’s new metallic 

collection includes natural and oxidised 

copper (above left), brass and zinc tiles that 

all boast a beautiful patina. There’s also 

the ‘Oak & Metal Patchwork’ range (above 

right), which mixes the new metals with oak 

tiles, creating a checkerboard that’s perfect 

for a feature wall. From £214.80 per square 

metre (indigenous.co.uk). 

BREATHE EASY 

Walls in need of a colourful 

refresh? This time, choose 

a paint brand with products 

that are free from chemicals. 

One of the leaders in that 

department is Earthborn, 

whose ‘breathable’ paints 

are free from oils, acrylics 

and vinyls. Its ultra-matt 

Claypaint goes on thick 

and is extra quick to dry 

– try it in one of the brand’s 

five new hues (right, from 

top) ‘Can-Can’, ‘Hobby 

Wood’, ‘Peach Baby’, 

‘Sapling’ and ‘Trumpet’. 

From £38 for 2.5 litres 

(earthbornpaints.co.uk). 

THE NEW 

DAYS OF ROME 

Decorate your walls 

with elaborate frescoes 

by some of ancient 

history’s greatest artists. 

Italian wallpaper brand 

WallPepper’s ‘Classic’ 

collection includes 

faithful reproductions 

of famous murals, motifs 

and architectural details. 

Take the ‘Livia’ design 

(left), which recreates 

the garden-inspired art 

that once adorned the 

walls of Emperor 

Augustus’ wife Livia’s 

Roman villa from 39BC 

(now the Palazzo 

Massimo). Some things 

never go out of style. 

£78 per square metre 

(wallpepper.it).



COLOURFUL PAST 

Dipping into Little Greene’s 

2017 ‘Colours of England’ 

range is a time traveller’s 

delight – it features several 

years’ worth of the British 

paint manufacturer’s colours. 

Prefer a more contemporary 

aesthetic? The collection also 

includes seven new launches 

– among them is ‘Mortlake 

Yellow’ (right), a warm, 

creamy shade of mustard that 

is as on-trend as can be. £21 

for one litre of Absolute Matt 

Emulsion (littlegreene.com). 

Visit this New one-stop shop Style 

Library brings fabric, wallpaper and 

paint giants Zoffany, Morris & Co, 

Sanderson, Harlequin, Scion and 

Anthology all under one roof at its 

showroom in Chelsea Harbour 

Design Centre (stylelibrary.com). 

TOUGH BY NATURE 

Surface specialist Caesarstone has added three new natural finishes 

to its ‘Supernatural’ quartz collection of heat-, stain-, and scratchresistant 

stones that are designed for the demands of kitchens 

or bathrooms (no need to seal them!). We also love the equally tough 

‘Concrete’ series – its new ‘4033 Rugged Concrete’ look (above) 

is ideal for lovers of industrial style. From £300 (caesarstone.co.uk). 

DREAM WEAVE 

Wallpaper and fabric brand CLJ 

(the name stands for the initials of its 

founder, Charlotte Lawson Johnston) 

has given the classic cane weave 

pattern a refresh with its ‘Slatcane’ 

linen collection. In pale but interesting 

tones of yellow, green, dusty pink 

and navy blue, the design has 

a slightly retro feel – à la famed 

interior designer David Hicks’ classic 

geometric patterns. Try it out 

on curtains or a chair for a playful 

effect. £56 per metre (cljhome.com). 

THREE NEW WAYS WITH WOOD 

There’s an ever-widening 

world of possibilities when 

it comes to wooden floors 

1 The ‘GrandPattern’ 

by Dinesen sees the Danish 

brand put its own twist 

on classic herringbone, 

with extra-wide oak or 

Douglas fir planks dyed deep 

black. From £50 per square 

metre (dinesen.com). 

2 ‘Oak Surface Plane 

Chevron’ by Ecora shows 

off the new and reclaimed 

flooring specialist’s planing 

technique that allows the 

oak to display some of 

its naturally coarse grain. 

From £139.85 per square 

metre (ecora.co.uk). 

3 ‘Square’ by Ted Todd 

is a subtly unconventional 

alternative to planks. Known 

for its historic parquet 

patterns, Ted Todd’s 

contemporary collections 

are always guaranteed to turn 

heads. From £59.75 per 

square metre (tedtodd.co.uk). 


Style | ARCHITECTURE 

WORDS: JACKIE DALY PICTURES: LOUKAS YIACOUVAKIS 

OPEN HOUSE 

LA COLOMBIÈRE BY YH2 ARCHITECTS 

Transformed from a small hut to an ultra-contemporary 

woodland dwelling, this architectural gem is a masterclass 

in blending a home into its natural surroundings 

This is a house that has grown out of the forest. Located in Quebec, 

Canada, it was originally a storage space owned by a lumberjack. 

It was turned into a small cottage by subsequent owners, and in this 

third incarnation, conceived by YH2 Architects, it stands tall amid 

bark and leaf like a giant birdhouse. Indeed, its name, La Colombière, 

means dovecote or pigeon house in French. 

The unique building resembles a giant 

birdhouse, standing tall amid bark and 

leaf in a forest outside Quebec, Canada 

To preserve the surrounding landscape, the building was extended 

upwards instead of outwards, leaving the original footprint of the 

property exactly the same. To further limit damage to the forest, 

the new extension was completed without the use of heavy machinery 

and without any trees being felled. The whole building is clad in dark 

cedar, and blends chameleon-like into the thicket. 

Inside, a wooden walkway cuts through the white space, morphing 

into a staircase that zigzags between floors. At intervals, the stairs 

appear held up by a single piece of folded metal. On the top floor, the 

wooden path becomes a bridge, leading to the diamond-shaped outdoor 

terrace, which is accessed through glass doors. Perched in the house’s 

canopy, it is a comfortable, covered observation post in which to sit 

and take in the views of the glorious greenery. yh2architecture.com 



WORDS: JAMES WILLIAMS PICTURES: GETTY, HUFTON + CROW 

V&A TRANSFORMED 

London’s Victoria & Albert museum is now 

home to a new, futuristic design destination. 

Described by the V&A’s new director Tristram 

Hunt as ‘a hugely exciting moment... our 

largest architectural intervention in the last 

100 years’, the Exhibition Road Quarter is 

a modern addition to one of the capital’s most 

loved museums. Designed by Stirling Prizewinning 

British architect Amanda Levete and 

her practice AL_A (ala.uk.com), the complex 

on the western wing features exceptional spaces. 

The Sackler Courtyard (above) – the first 

porcelain-tiled public courtyard in the country 

– will offer intimate pop-up performances 

throughout the year. Below it sits the underground Sainsbury Gallery, a 1,100 metresquared 

column-free exhibition hall – purpose-built for temporary exhibitions – which 

will allow artists to exhibit work in an open, free and flexible environment. In addition 

to the new spaces, many of the museum’s existing period features have been restored, 

including the original 1909 entrance arches (above right) designed by Victorian 

architect Sir Aston Webb, the creator of Buckingham Palace’s iconic facade (vam.ac.uk). 

Date for your diary Now in its 25th year, Open House 

London is partnering up with RIBA to reveal more 

architectural delights to the public. Don’t miss your 

chance to see the views from the redesigned GRID 

Architects’ Vantage Point – formerly Archway Tower 

(16–17 September; openhouselondon.org.uk). 

FIVE MINUTES 

WITH SIR 

NORMAN FOSTER 

ELLE Decoration’s 

Associate Publisher 

Chris Daunt talks with 

the architectural icon 

Sir Norman Foster is one of Britain’s 

best-known architects. In London 

alone, his architecture firm Foster 

+ Partners has been responsible for 

iconic structures such as City Hall, 

Wembley Stadium, the Gherkin, and 

the British Museum’s Royal Court 

(below). But his reputation is global, 

his influence stretching far beyond 

British shores. I talked with Sir 

Norman at the opening of ‘Cartier 

in Motion’, an exhibition he curated 

for the French 

watch brand 

at the Design 

Museum, 

London. We 

discussed one 

of his early 

projects: 

fashion label 

Katharine 

Hamnett’s flagship store on 

London’s Brompton Road. Housed 

in a converted car repair workshop, 

the store was set back from the 

street and reached via a bridge 

of illuminated etched glass panels 

(below) – an approach designed 

to conjure up a catwalk. The interior 

was a cavernous white room, with 

mirrored panels and old industrial 

windows, which were re-glazed with 

translucent white glass. He told 

me that he had 

created the space 

on a shoestring and 

completed it in 

a matter of months 

– therein lies genius. 



2 

1 

ASK AN ARCHITECT 

ALISON BROOKS 

3 

4 

This month, we talk 

to Alison Brooks, 

creative director 

and founder 

of award-winning 

practice Alison 

Brooks Architects, 

which has worked 

on projects ranging 

from the innovative 

Cohen Quadrangle 

for Exeter College 

in Oxford (1) to the 

joyful ‘The Smile’ 

structure (4) for 

last year’s London 

Design Festival 

5 

What inspired you to become an architect? 

Expo ’67 in Montreal, Canada, even though 

I was only five years old. From the house I grew 

up in, to the grand Toronto City Hall (2), 

to just driving around southern Ontario with 

my mother, looking at the Georgian farmhouses 

and Romanesque university buildings. 

What has been your favourite project 

to date? It’s like choosing between children, 

but I’d have to say our new building in Oxford 

– the Cohen Quadrangle (1) for Exeter College, 

part of Oxford University, which holds Oxford’s 

first social learning space. It tells a story as you 

move through it. Its curved, stainless steel 

shingled roof was conceived as a cloak that 

drapes itself over the building in a series 

of waves, and its checkerboard pattern was 

inspired by the college’s famous Neo-Gothic 

chapel and the work of textile designer William 

Morris, an Exeter College alumnus. 

Can you describe your personal working 

process? I love to draw. Sometimes, the 

smallest sketch leads to the clearest and most 

sophisticated solution. I think and sketch 

in perspective, like a photographer moving 

through spaces to find the best shot. Sketching 

allows me to test my first instincts, then quickly 

move on to try the exact opposite. If you can 

describe your major concept and architectural 

ideas in words, they 

act as a conduit 

to a clear design. 

What is your 

favourite room 

in your house? Our 

bedroom – a very 

recent loft conversion 

designed with my 

partner, architect 

Charles Walker. It’s 

like going into another 

dimension at the top 

of our 1899 house. You 

disappear into a solid 

cherry wood 

suspended staircase (5) that 

spirals up to herringbone floors, trapezoidal 

spaces, flared dormers and windows that let you 

watch the moon travel across the sky at night. 

What does the word ‘home’ mean to you? 

Home is a repository of meaningful things 

– a retreat, a place for light, being part 

of a neighbourhood. Trees rustling in the wind 

that you can hear from your bedroom window. 

Cherry wood furniture, a front hall that can 

hold lots of people, or a garden for barbecues 

– all those little details that make you smile. 

‘Sometimes the smallest 

sketch leads to the most 

sophisticated solution’ 

If you weren’t an architect, what do you 

think you would be? A writer, a photographer, 

a designer or a giant slalom ski racer. 

This year, you celebrate the 21st 

anniversary of your practice. What have 

been your proudest achievements? I’m very 

honoured to have delivered a major education 

building in Oxford. I’m also proud of my great 

team – some of whom have been with me for 

over ten years – as well as being part of the 2008 

Stirling Prize-winning practice and being 

shortlisted for the 2017 European Union Prize 

for Contemporary Architecture for Ely Court 

(3), a housing and regeneration project. And 

of course, my two sons, Dylan and Declan. I had 

Dylan the same year that I founded ABA, so for 

years I had to think of him first to remember the 

age of my practice. alisonbrooksarchitects.com 

WORDS: JAMES WILLIAMS PICTURES: BEN BLOSSOM, SONIA RUBIO, GETTY 


Style | TECHNOLOGY 

A NEW PERSPECTIVE 

Last issue, we looked at a TV cleverly designed to blend into your home’s decor. Loewe’s ‘Bild 9’ (above), however, is the decor. The 

German brand collaborated with London-based designer Bodo Sperlein over the course of seven months to create this exceptionally 

slim statement 4K (the new peak of picture quality) TV that ‘floats’ on a hand-forged steel frame. Sperlein’s Bauhaus-inspired design 

– he describes it as ‘a strong statement, without being too fashion-orientated’ – also extends to the TV’s six standalone speakers. 

A piece of art in its own right, this is technology that demands attention. From £6,990 for a 55-inch screen (uk.loewe.tv). 

Buy this Concerned about home security? The ‘Arlo Pro’ smart camera 

is our favourite digital guard dog. It’s wire-free (meaning it’s simple 

enough to install without calling an electrician), rechargeable and 

weatherproof. The price includes an app that lets you keep an eye on 

your home from your smartphone, wherever you are. £300 (arlo.com). 

THE ART OF SPIN 

A significant proportion of home gym equipment 

ends up gathering dust, but it’s hard to imagine 

that fate befalling the uber-modern 

‘Fuoripista’ exercise bike. 

Handcrafted in Italy, 

it’s an extravagant 

workout tool made 

of wood, leather and glass. 

Place an iPad in the 

stand and you can 

tackle virtual 

alpine climbs from 

your bedroom. 

From £11,000 

( fuoripista.eu). 

SOUND OF THE SUMMER 

Blending simplicity with cutting-edge technology is no easy 

feat, but Swiss company Geneva Lab’s ‘Touring S’ DAB radio 

with Bluetooth achieves it with effortless precision. The 

1970s-style milled aluminium shell contains speakers that 

deliver audio as crisp as mountain air, while a powerful battery 

provides 20 hours of tunes on the go. £170 (genevalab.com). 

WORDS: TOM BAILEY PICTURE: FABRIZIO MUSA 


Style | COLOUR 

PANTONE ® 

8582 

BRONZE 

A metallic hue with a warmth 

and strength that has fascinated 

mankind for many centuries 

There’s a reason that so many fairy tales have fishermen 

as protagonists. When they cast their nets into the sea, they 

do it blindly: who knows what they might catch. 

In 1926, a fisherman in a boat just off the northwest coast 

of the Greek island Euboia hauled up something unexpected. 

There, at the bottom of his net, was a gigantic left forearm 

cast in bronze. It would take another two years before the 

statue – now known as the Artemision Bronze – was recovered 

in full and could be appreciated as a whole. Over two metres 

tall, it depicted the god Zeus in the act of hurling a lightning 

bolt. Although it had been made around 460BC and had 

lain at the bottom of the sea for a millennium 

or more, it was nearly intact. 

A mixture of copper and tin, bronze has 

a low melting point, and so was one 

of the earliest metal alloys that human 

beings used to make tools. These days, 

craftspeople enjoy using it to create 

more refined objects. Its warm colour 

– deeper toned than copper – makes 

bronze a popular choice for lighting. 

Habitat has used it on the interior 

of its ‘Grande’ lampshade (from £60; 

habitat.co.uk), as has British design brand 

Original BTC on its ‘Titan’ pendant light 

(£239; uk.originalbtc.com). True bronze 

enthusiasts will fall for Cole & Son’s 

African-inspired ‘Ardmore’ wallpaper range, particularly 

‘Matrinah’ (£80 per metre) and ‘Senzo Spot’ (£75 per metre; 

cole-and-son.com), which both allow entire rooms to bask 

in the glow of this sophisticated hue. 

Bronze lends weight and structure to off-kilter designs 

that might seem kitsch when made from other metals. The 

quirkily architectural ‘Don Diego’ side table from Bellavista 

Collection (from £1,000; bellavistacollection.com) is a case 

in point – it’s composed of twin hammered bronze struts 

joined at the top to form a handle. For something more 

Its warm colour – deeper toned 

than copper – makes bronze 

a popular choice for lighting 

monumental, it’s hard to beat Fredrikson 

Stallard’s ‘Hybrideae’ planters (from 

£10,578; fredriksonstallard.com), 

made by forming tiny models 

in terracotta, digitally scanning 

them and then enlarging the 

design – fingerprints and all 

– before finally casting them 

into otherworldly pale bronze 

sculptures. Although playful, 

these designs have a strength 

and permanence to them, too 

– like the Artemision Bronze, 

they are made to last. 

Paints to try ‘Old Bronze’ 

metallic emulsion, £62 for 

one litre, Eicó (eico.co.uk). 

‘Millionaire’ metallic emulsion 

by Crown, £18.99 for 1.25 litres, 

Homebase (homebase.co.uk) 

WORDS: KASSIA ST.CLAIR PICTURE: ALAMY 


ELLE Decoration | PROMOTION 

HOMES, BY DESIGN 

A unique, bespoke approach to kitchen and furniture 

design – discover it for yourself with Extreme 

A home is a reflection of the people who inhabit it. At its most 

successful, that extends beyond surface ornamentation and is 

embedded within the very DNA of its design. Creating that vision, 

however, requires a bespoke service that seems out of reach for many. 

Enter Extreme. Established in 1993 to deliver a fully personalised 

approach to kitchen design that its founders believed to be missing 

from the wider market, the company prides itself on its uniquely 

collaborative methods. Extreme’s designers work closely with you 

through every stage of the process – from concept sketches and mood 

boards to the completed project – to create a space that resonates 

personally, reflecting your style, passions and achievements. From 

the kitchens it is best known for to custom-created furniture designs 

for any room in your house, it’s easy to tell your story with Extreme. 

TRUST IN EXTREME 

Whether you’re renovating a single room or building your 

dream home, Extreme’s boutique, tailor-made service 

will guide you through the entire process with professional 

ease, turning each project into an exciting collaborative 

journey from start to finish. As Extreme’s creative director, 

Marcello Cuconato, says: ‘There are no limitations.’ 

Find out more at extreme-design.co.uk

KITCHEN 

TRENDS 

Revealed: the nine big trends 

in kitchens right now! Delve into 

our definitive edit, packed full 

of ideas, inspiration and all 

of the details you need to make 

your dream room a reality 

Words ELIZA HONEY 

PICTURE: ALEXANDER & CO (ALEXANDERAND.CO), CLARE DELMAR (STYLING) 


Sourcebook | KITCHEN TRENDS 

THE BLUE KITCHEN 

Consider blue the new neutral kitchen hue – a serene and 

calming backdrop to your daily routine. Reform, the Denmark-based 

company known for its designer fronts for Ikea cabinets, makes 

a strong case for the colour with the ‘Basis 01’ linoleum kitchen 

in ‘Pewter’, complete with oak detailing and circular handles 

inspired by 1960s architecture. The design can be ordered to fit 

all Ikea kitchen dimensions (from £1,903; reformcph.com). ➤ 



THE MOROCCAN KITCHEN 

If the kitchen is the heart of your home, make sure it’s cosy by layering texture and pattern. This simple, 

whitewashed space feels warm and inviting, thanks to its stylish mix of accessories with a crafted feel. 

The Beni Ourain rug (£1,215), Tunisian seagrass lampshade (from £258) and the ornate Moroccan 

cement tiles on the splashback (24 tiles for £86) are all from Finnish shop Zoco Home (zocohome.com). ➤ 



THE LOUNGE KITCHEN 

An open-plan kitchen and living area is practical and popular, 

but what about when you want to hide away the culinary 

clutter? That’s when you’ll need Boffi’s ‘On-Off’ kitchen. This 

compact, matt black design has everything the modern cook 

needs, including integrated melamine-coated cabinetry 

and hidden appliances, but can be quickly tucked away from 

view behind a remote-controlled screen that descends 

from the top of the workspace, leaving your lounge calm 

and pristine. From £32,000 (boffi.com). ➤ 



THE LIBRARY 

KITCHEN 

Display your prized cookbook collection 

in style, with its own custom-made shelf. 

The small oak cut-out in the cabinetry of this 

kitchen by Extreme Design frames the books 

as if they were artworks, and stands out from 

the grey lacquered cupboards and similarly 

coloured marble worktop. From £35,000 

for a custom kitchen (extreme-design.co.uk). ➤ 



THE SOCIAL KITCHEN 

Love entertaining? You need a kitchen that allows you to be the ultimate host and a consummate chef. Italian 

designer Vittore Niolu’s ‘Motus’ design for Scavolini visually blends your living room and kitchen, encouraging 

guests to mingle as you cook. Its lacquered cabinets function as storage for everything from books and ceramics 

to tableware. Meanwhile, the kitchen island – with its elegant angled legs – acts not as a room divider, but an 

invitation for people to perch while you put the finishing touches to a meal. From £20,000 (scavolini.design). ➤ 



THE OAK KITCHEN 

Think outside the box when it comes to wooden kitchens – oak doesn’t 

have to be rustic or traditional. Here, Australian design firm Robson 

Rak (robsonrak.com.au) has used French oak floorboards, arranged 

horizontally, to conceal the pantry and most of the kitchen appliances. 

It’s a modern celebration of the material’s natural grain, and a great way 

to add warmth without compromising on slick style. The oak bookshelf 

built into the white kitchen island continues the look, as does the trio 

of Another Country’s ‘Bar Stool One’ (£395 each; anothercountry.com). ➤ 



THE ORGANISED 

KITCHEN 

As the expression goes, ‘A place for everything and 

everything in its place’. With his sleek ‘Alea’ scheme 

for Italian kitchen maker Varenna, designer Paolo Piva 

has turned storage into an art form. The modular open 

cabinets above the worktop are all purpose-built for 

kitchen essentials, helping you to organise spice 

jars, glasses and other necessities, and keep them 

all within reach. From £40,000 (varennacucine.com). ➤ 



THE KITCHEN 

IN A CUPBOARD 

Not a fan of open storage? Bulthaup’s ‘b2’ kitchen fits everything a modern 

cook needs into two walnut workshop cabinets – one holds tools and pantry 

essentials, the other houses appliances. All that’s left on display is a stainlesssteel 

‘workbench’ with a built-in sink. From £15,000 (bulthaup.com). ➤ 



PLUS, IF YOU 

ONLY DO 

ONE THING… 

UPDATE YOUR 

SPLASHBACK 

1 METRO TILES The craftspeople at Plain English have 

opted for a soft, neutral shade, rather than the classic white metro 

tile. To further update the look, they have gone big, extending 

the splashback all the way up to the ceiling. An offcut of marble 

is propped above the stovetop, breaking up the uniformity. 

Kitchens from £60,000 (plainenglishdesign.co.uk). ➤ 



UPDATE YOUR SPLASHBACK 

2 SQUARE TILES Handmade ‘Field’ 

tiles from The Winchester Tile Company 

(£84.96 per square metre; thetilebox.co.uk) 

create a neat grid. It is an artful contrast to the 

vertical oak boards that adorn the custom-made 

kitchen island in the Belgian home of designer 

Frederic Kielemoes (frederickielemoes.be). 

4 MARBLE Delicately veined Carrara marble 

is the height of luxury and a beautiful choice for 

a splashback. Make like Sydney-based interior design 

company Alexander & Co (alexanderand.co) and use 

marble to make a statement in your kitchen – Lapicida 

is a Carrara expert (£234 per square metre; lapicida.com). 

3 MIRROR A reflective 

splashback creates the illusion 

of space. This beauty was designed 

by London-based architectural studio 

Mwai (from £30,000; mwai.co.uk), 

but you can get a similar look 

with ‘Silver Mirror’ from DIY 

Splashbacks (£387.50 per square 

metre; diysplashbacks.co.uk). 

PICTURE: CARLA ATLEY, CLARE DELMAR (STYLING) 

5 CHEVRONS Australian studio Turner Interior 

Design (turnerinteriordesign.com.au) chose Mutina’s 

‘Mews’ tiles, designed by Barber & Osgerby, to give this 

space some geometric flair. Hesitant to use a bold 

pattern? Choose a soft palette – this is ‘Soot’, a range 

of 15 shades that resemble artists’ charcoals (£242.28 

per square metre, Domus; domustiles.co.uk). ➤ 




6 ANTIQUED GLASS In this 

light, bright kitchen by Humphrey Munson 

(humphreymunson.co.uk) the foxed glass 

splashback adds an element of texture and 

patina. For a similar look, try the ‘Smoked 

Antique’ toughened glass from Antique 

Mirror Glass (from £350 per square metre; 

antiquemirrorglass.com). ➤ 




7 QUARTZITE In this moody bespoke 

kitchen designed by Smallbone of Devizes, 

dark grey stained oak cabinetry may dominate 

the space, but it’s the ‘Sky Gold’ quartzite 

splashback with its burnished veins that 

caught our eye. Kitchens from £45,000 

(smallbone.co.uk). 


THE POWER OF QUARTZ 

Uncompromising quality and pioneering innovation in a material that’s 

as easy to install as it is to maintain – look no further than Caesarstone 

Kitchens are more than practical spaces 

in which we gather to prepare and eat food; 

as the focal point of many modern homes 

they increasingly serve multiple purposes. 

The inexorable rise of the kitchen island 

as both a design feature and focus for family 

activity is one recent example of this. 

Functioning as everything from worktop and 

cooking space to informal dining table 

or bar, at their best they are hardwearing, 

practical and essential for a modern kitchen. 

Which is where Caesarstone comes in. 

An innovator in creating premium quartz 

surface materials that offer good looks and 

outstanding performance on everything from 

walls and floors to worktops, its products are 

ideal for both kitchens and bathrooms. 

As one of nature’s strongest materials, quartz 

is more durable than most stone, marble and 

granite. It doesn’t stain, scratch or crack and 

is highly resistant to temperature extremes. 

With up to 93 per cent quartz in its surfaces, 

Caesarstone perfectly marries practicality 

with a stunning array of finishes that will suit 

every home, from classic marble and bold 

granite-inspired finishes to industrial styles. 

‘Rugged Concrete’ (above), for example, 

is the latest addition to the brand’s ‘Concrete’

ELLE Decoration | PROMOTION 

Main image Kitchen island, built-in storage and walls in ‘Rugged Concrete’. 

Left Kitchen island and wall in ‘Statuario Maximus’ Above Worktop 

in ‘Montblanc’ Below, left Walls and floors covered in ‘Calacatta Nuvo’. 

All by Caesarstone. From £500 per square metre (excluding installation) 

series and taps into the current design trend 

for raw, urban-inspired finishes. Expertly 

crafted to replicate the appearance and finish 

of the material it is inspired by – complete 

with imperfections and a textured look – its 

deep, dark grey tone is as rugged-looking as 

its name suggests. It’s perfect for anyone 

wanting to make a bold, industrial-inspired 

design statement. A slightly more muted, but 

equally showstopping take on Caesarstone’s 

natural aesthetic is apparent in another new 

release: ‘Montblanc’ (above right). Part of the 

‘Supernatural’ collection, it is a neutral, 

harmonising light grey infused with rich, 

‘One of nature’s 

strongest materials, 

quartz is more durable 

than most stone, 

marble or granite’ 

warm lines and random patternation designed 

to replicate the beauty of natural stone. 

Easy to install and incredibly flexible in its 

use (it can be curved and shaped as required), 

Caesarstone’s surfaces can be adapted to 

almost any environment. Plus, with no need 

to seal, treat or polish any of its designs, it 

offers the kind of easy-care maintainence that 

many other natural finishes are unable to 

provide. Performance and impeccable looks; 

in any modern, design-conscious home that’s 

got to be a win-win. Find out more about 

the range at caesarstone.co.uk, or email 

info@caesarstone.co.uk to request samples

THE 

NEW 

MODERN 

THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES 

ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK

NEW 

RADICAL 

Designed in the late 1960s and recently updated, Villa Roccia 

has an experimental spirit that remains totally contemporary 

THE NEW MODERN 

Words HANNAH BOOTH 

Photography HELENIO BARBETTA/LIVING INSIDE 

Production CHIARA DAL CANTO

n 1969, this striking house – with its concrete-clad, openplan 

interior and vast panes of glass – was considered highly 

radical, particularly in conservative Switzerland. Today, expertly 

expanded and restored, the property feels just as progressive. 

The aim, says its owner François Droulers, was to preserve 

its original character and experimental nature, but also to evolve it for 

21st-century family life. ‘We didn’t want a 1960s or 70s-themed house,’ 

says François, who lives here with his wife Chiara Costacurta and their 

four children, Stefano, Carola, Leonardo and Delphine. ‘We wanted 

to make the most of its space, height and light, and put our stamp on it.’ 

Known as Villa Roccia (Rock House), the property is located 

in Muzzano, on the hills surrounding Lake Lugano in Italian-speaking 

Switzerland. It was originally designed by local architect Mario Campi 

for the artist Felice Filippini, known for his bold, abstract paintings. 

Campi, inspired by Le Corbusier and Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, 

dreamed up the building’s open-plan flow, 5.5-metre-high living 

space (originally Filippini’s studio), and dramatic staircase. The 

house’s design has a subtle symmetry – every dimension, from the 

size of the windows to the rooms, is developed in multiples of 60 

centimetres. ‘It lends the house a certain harmony,’ says François. 

The biggest change has been the expansion of the property from 500 

square metres to 800 square metres. ‘It had previously been lived in by 

single men, but we are a family of six, so we had to do some “massaging” 

to accommodate everyone,’ says François. The house is now divided into 

four areas: François and Chiara’s bedroom and bathroom is on the top 

floor, which has its own private grassed terrace; on the first floor is the 

living space, dining area and kitchen; and the four bedrooms for the 

couple’s children, along with a pool and sauna, cinema room, and 

office are on the ground floor. ‘We wanted everyone to enjoy the house 

together, but to have their own private areas, too,’ explains François. 

François’ sister, Nathalie Droulers (from Droulers Architecture), 

redesigned the interior, including the bespoke seating and tables. The 

house is filled with European design classics and bespoke furniture, 

as well as 17th- and 18th-century antiques. The materials used are wideranging: 

Italian walnut, teak, steel window frames, white Italian 

Statuario marble, and, of course, cement and concrete. ‘We used 

materials that were in vogue at the time of construction, to keep the 

feel of the original design,’ says François. droulers-architecture.com 

Living room The sofas, armchairs and silk-topped coffee table are bespoke pieces 

by architect Nathalie Droulers. Zara Home sells velvet cushions, and John Lewis 

is a good source for brass lamps Previous page The ‘Barcelona’ daybed is by Mies van 

der Rohe for Knoll (available at Aram Store). The desk chair is Mario Botta’s ‘Prima’ 

(try 1st Dibs), and for similar table lamps, try India Jane Stockist details on p184 ➤ 


The building’s original design 

was inspired by famous architects 

Le Corbusier and Carlo Scarpa

Kitchen For similar handleless cabinetry, try 

Bulthaup. The marble dining table is bespoke. 

The black light above the table is by Serge Mouille 

and the dining chairs are the ‘Standard’ by Jean 

Prouvé for Vitra Stockist details on p184 ➤

Dining room The glass 

table is bespoke (Glas Italia 

sells similar pieces, available 

at Made in Design). For 

black pendant lights in this 

style, try Artifact Lighting 

Stockist details on p184 ➤

DESIGN DETAIL REWORKING A CLASSIC 

Five tips for sensitively updating your property 

1 Stick closely to the house’s original materials. They 

were chosen for a reason, and will help you to retain cohesion. 

2 Avoid being tied down to specific themes by choosing 

furniture from different eras and styles and mixing them 

all together, from antiques to contemporary pieces. 

3 Bring the outside in. You don’t need double-height 

windows – a small balcony filled with plants will do. 

4 Be prepared to work hard. The owner removed white paint 

from every wall to uncover the original finishes in this home. 

5 Don’t be afraid to put your own stamp on a house 

– its evolution adds to its character and sense of modernity.

Stairway The stairs are fitted 

with a coconut fibre runner 

(try Natural Stair Runners for 

similar). The Totem pole in the 

living area is by artist Pino 

Urbano (for similar sculptural 

artworks, try artgallery.co.uk) 

Swimming pool The blue water 

is reflected in a ceiling mirror 

Stockist details on p184 ED

‘We wanted everyone 

to enjoy the house 

together, but to have their 

own private areas, too’


NATURE 

STUDY 

The contemporary twist on Scandinavian simplicity involves a shift 

towards a warmer, textural approach. This Swedish home perfects the look 

Words AMY BRADFORD Photography PETRA BINDEL/HOUSE OF PICTURES Production EMMA PERSSON LAGERBERG

It’s easy to imagine the ways in which an ultra-modern, 

new-build home might be at odds with nature, but Sofia 

and Johan Wäborg’s villa in southern Sweden has no such 

shortcomings. So skilful is the use of natural materials 

and colours in this abode that it almost seems as though 

the house has grown organically out of the landscape. 

The couple has lived here since 2012 with their twins Emmy 

and Isak, now eight. Their previous home was an apartment in Malmö, 

but, after the children arrived, they realised a move was necessary. 

‘We wanted a house with a garden,’ explains Sofia. ‘We are both very 

much into architecture and love big projects, so we decided to buy 

our own plot of land and create a new house just to suit us.’ Sofia’s 

job as a project manager for a property developer gave her a head 

start (Johan is in the pharmaceutical industry). She contacted 

an architect she had worked with in the past, Hanne Birk, to help 

design their new home. ‘I knew Hanne could give us what we wanted. 

She gathered a lot of images that inspired us – but really, the process 

was as much about creating a feeling of harmony and mindfulness 

as it was about architecture and interiors.’ 

When it came to picking the location, the couple didn’t have 

to travel far. ‘We visited a few villages around Malmö and felt 

at home in Höllviken,’ says Sofia. ‘It’s very green, but still close 

to Malmö, and Copenhagen is just across the Øresund bridge. 

It used to be popular for summer houses, as it has a big pine forest 

and sandy beaches, but now it’s inhabited all year round.’ 

Both Sofia and Johan grew up close to the coast and wanted their 

villa to be an escape from the stresses of working life. ‘Our idea was 

to create a home in which nature becomes part of the architecture,’ 

says Sofia. ‘We wanted it to feel as though it had always been there.’ 

The three-bedroom stone building took a year to plan and another 

year to build. A wooden terrace and pathway wrap around the 

structure, while an outdoor shower area maximises the potential 

for enjoying time outside. The garden has a wild feel to it: pine trees 

and rhododendrons mix with crops of blueberries, strawberries and 

raspberries. ‘We had no desire for a “perfect” garden,’ says Sofia. 

Inside, the layout revolves around the kitchen, with a huge openplan 

room that can accommodate lots of friends and family. The 

mantra for the decoration was ‘simple and real’: natural materials 

such as stone, wood and leather, and pale, sandy colours that reflect 

the coastal landscape. Sofia and Johan chose white stone for the 

interior walls as a ‘natural base’ and hand-picked pieces of Douglas 

fir timber from Danish company Dinesen, which were used for 

flooring and doors, as well as to clad built-in storage. The only 

non-natural element is the polished concrete used on the floor 

of the main living space, but even this blends seamlessly with the 

serene palette. Sensual fabrics, such as sheepskin and raw linens, 

bring a sense of comfort, while a striking contemporary fireplace 

has as much warmth as any traditional design, and is a natural 

gathering point. ‘For me, the most important element of any home 

is family,’ says Sofia. ‘This is where we all come to feel calm.’ 

Kitchen The SieMatic kitchen boasts Gaggenau appliances and Carrara 

marble worktops. The curtains are from Designers Guild. The ‘Saucer Bubble’ 

pendant lights are by George Nelson for Herman Miller (available from SCP) 

Previous page The ash ‘CH006’ dining table and ‘Wishbone’ chairs are all 

by Hans J Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn (try Skandium), and are accessorised 

with vintage crockery. The pendant light is the ‘PH Snowball’ designed by Poul 

Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, sold at Skandium Stockist details on p184 ➤ 


So skilful is the use of natural materials 

that it almost seems as though the house has 

grown organically out of the landscape 

Detail The vintage ‘Fjord’ cutlery was designed by Jens Quistgaard 

for Dansk – you can buy modern reissues at MoMA Design Store 

Living area This cosy spot is part of one big room that also contains the kitchen and dining 

zone. The leather ‘Trifolium’ chair and ‘Ox’ stool are from Danish store Ox Denmarq. 

The huge rug is from Designers Guild. The modern glass fireplace is double-sided, allowing 

views through to the kitchen while sitting by the fire Stockist details on p184 ➤

‘The process was as much about creating 

a feeling of harmony and mindfulness 

as it was about architecture and interiors’ 

Opposite The ‘901’ tea trolley is by Alvar Aalto for Artek (try Nest in the UK). 

Muuto’s ‘The Dots’ wall hooks are used to hang coats and bags (find them at Utility). 

The ‘Fast’ downlights are from Malmö lighting store Ljusmiljö 

Above The floorboards and window seat are made from white-soaped Douglas fir from 

Dinesen. The sheepskins were bought from a farm on the Swedish island of Gotland, 

and the ‘Flag Halyard’ chair by Hans J Wegner for PP Møbler is sold at Skandium 


DESIGN DETAIL ‘NEW MODERN’ SCANDI STYLEFive 

Homeowner Sofia Wäborg’s top four ways to get the look 

1 Take inspiration from the local landscape The natural materials, colours and textures 

in this house – the stone, the Douglas fir, the concrete, even the sand-coloured rug in front 

of the fireplace – were inspired by the surrounding forest and the beautiful nearby beach. 

2 Choose your materials carefully The incredible grain on the white-soaped Douglas 

fir timber from Danish company Dinesen, used throughout the interior, is no accident. 

‘We hand-picked almost every piece of wood we wanted to use in the house,’ says Sofia. 

3 Buy sustainably ‘We tend to buy most of our furniture via secondhand stores online, 

such as Lauritz.com,’ explains Sofia. The couple has found many design classics this way 

– their collection of pre-loved Hans J Wegner pieces adds bags of character to their abode. 

4 Keep it simple ‘To create a calm feeling in our home, we felt it was important not to use 

too many different materials or colours,’ says Sofia. Nothing in the house jars with the serene 

country location, and the restrained palette creates a sense of rhythm and harmony.

Bathroom Try Travertine Direct for similar white tiles. 

The shower fittings are by Vola. For a cane basket, try Ikea 

Bedroom For similar bedlinen, try The Linen Works. The 

curtains are from Designers Guild. The cupboards are clad 

in Douglas fir from Dinesen. The ladder was made to match. 

On the ceiling is a copper ‘Star 6’ light by Jonas Bohlin for Örsjö 

Stockist details on p184 ED


FOR IT 

The design world is taking 

inspiration from the late, great 

Italian designer and architect 

Giò Ponti. Here’s how to Ponti-fy 

your home, with a mix of new 

creations and classic pieces 

Photography DAMIAN RUSSELL 

Styling SANIA PELL 

From left ‘Over 10’ flooring tiles by India Mahdavi, £184.80 per square metre, Bisazza (bisazza.it). ‘Lead III’ grey paint, £46.50 for 2.5 litres, Paint & Paper 

Library (paintandpaperlibrary.com). ‘Deep Space Blue’ paint, £42 for 2.5 litres, Little Greene (littlegreene.com). ‘Net’ side table by Benjamin Hubert, £708, 

Moroso (moroso.it). Carafe, £53; beaker, £32, both in ‘Bottle’, Mud Australia (mudaustralia.com). ‘D.154.2’ armchairs (two pictured) by Giò Ponti, £3,708 each, 

Molteni & C (molteni.it). ‘Abstract Shard’ cushion cover, £75, The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk). ‘Cloud’ medium coffee table, £565; small coffee table, £540, 

both by Nendo, Moroso (moroso.it). ‘Fish’ platter in ‘Bottle’, £91, Mud Australia (mudaustralia.com). Paperweight by Michael Anastassiades, £140, Salvatori 

(salvatori.it). ‘Constructed Vessel’ ceramic pot, £378; ‘Large Angled Vessel’ vase, £634, both by Derek Wilson, Contemporary Ceramics Centre (cpaceramics.com). 

‘Blue Room’ tapestry, £3,299, Nicolette Brunklaus (nicolettebrunklaus.com). ‘Pugil’ floor lamp, £980, Bert Frank (bertfrank.co.uk). ‘Blue’s Blue’ paint, £46.50 for

2.5 litres, Paint & Paper Library (paintandpaperlibrary.com). Untitled #41 (2014) framed print by Richard Caldicott, from £4,050, Atlas Gallery 

(atlasgallery.com). ‘Navy Alalpardo’ curtains, from £408, Bert & May (bertandmay.com). ‘Homework’ desk by Niels Bendtsen for Bensen, £1,595, The Conran Shop 

(conranshop.co.uk). ‘Creative TRC9-3’ green tiles (on desk),£214 per square metre, Ateliers Zelij (zelij.com). ‘Earlobe’ brass bookends by Carl Auböck, £415, 

Sigmar (sigmarlondon.com). Concrete sculpture, from £210, Jeffrey James (jeffreyjames.org). ‘Serious Structure’ notebook by Normann Copenhagen, £24.50, 

The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk). ‘Shear’ table lamp, £443, Bert Frank (bertfrank.co.uk). ‘Shortwave’ chair by Diesel, £720, Moroso (moroso.it). ‘Monotone I’ 

oak sculpture, £350; ‘Monotone III’ oak sculpture, £500, both by Dominic McHenry, India Dickinson Gallery (indiadickinson.com). ‘Petrol Blue’ vinyl flooring, 

£28 per square metre, The Colour Flooring Company (colourflooring.co.uk). ‘Roxburgh Indigo’ rug, from £795, Designers Guild (designersguild.com) ➤ 


GIÒ FOR IT 

From left ‘Eclipse 25’ flooring tiles by India Mahdavi, £169.20 per square metre, Bisazza (bisazza.it). ‘Sage Green’ vinyl flooring, £28 per square metre, The 

Colour Flooring Company (colourflooring.co.uk). ‘Scala’ wall panels by Anya Sebton, from £269 for a 603x800mm panel, Abstracta (abstracta.se). ‘-ISH’ divider, 

£920, De Allegri and Fogale (deallegrifogale.com). ‘Karui’ large brass tray, £216; small brass tray, £100, both by GamFratesi for Skultuna, SCP (scp.co.uk). Cup 

by Kasper Würtz, £35, Sigmar (sigmarlondon.com). ‘Conical Constructed’ vessel by Derek Wilson, £378, Contemporary Ceramics Centre (cpaceramics.com). 

Beetle’ chairs (two pictured) by GamFratesi for Gubi, £858 each, SCP (scp.co.uk). ‘Snaregade’ dining table by Norm Architects, £1,749, Menu (menu.as). Monotone 

I’ and ‘Monotone II’ sculptures (on table) by Dominic McHenry, £350 each, India Dickinson Gallery (indiadickinson.com). ‘Italic’ pepper mill by Carl Auböck and 

Michael Anastassiades, £550, Sigmar (sigmarlondon.com). ‘Plat-Eau Classic 04’ platter by Silvia Fanticelli, £195, Salvatori (salvatori.it). ‘Triad 9’ chandelier

y Apparatus, £8,680, SCP (scp.co.uk). ‘Lead III’ paint, £46.50 for 2.5 litres, Paint & Paper Library (paintandpaperlibrary.com). ‘Storybook’ paint (in square), 

£38 for 2.5 litres, Earthborn (earthbornpaints.co.uk). White wall panel, from £2,200, Talisman London (talismanlondon.com). ‘A’dammer Twist’ sideboard 

by Aldo Van Den Nieuwelaar for Pastoe, £1,345, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). White enamel plate by Astrid Keller, £442, Flow Gallery (flowgallery.co.uk). ‘Angled’ 

vessel, £354; ‘Constructed’ concrete sculpture, £1,220, both by Derek Wilson, Contemporary Ceramics Centre (cpaceramics.com). ‘Fato’ square table light 

by Giò Ponti, £250, Artemide (artemide.com). White bowl by Kasper Würtz, £50, Sigmar (sigmarlondon.com). ‘Brookland’ side plate, £6; pasta bowl, £7, both 

Habitat (habitat.co.uk). ‘Mantis BS1’ floor light by Bernard Schottlander for DCW Éditions, £920, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). Untitled #40 (2014) framed print 

by Richard Caldicott, from £4,050, Atlas Gallery (atlasgallery.com). ‘Baba’ chair by Serena Confalonieri, from £704, My Home Collection (myhomecollection.it) ➤ 


GIÒ FOR IT 

From left ‘Eclipse 25’ flooring tiles by India Mahdavi, £169.20 per square metre, Bisazza (bisazza.it). ‘Baba’ chair by Serena Confalonieri, from £704, 

My Home Collection (myhomecollection.it). ‘Snaregade’ dining table by Norm Architects, £1,749, Menu (menu.as). ‘Brookland’ side plate, £6, Habitat 

(habitat.co.uk). ‘Plat-Eau Classic 04’ platter by Silvia Fanticelli, £195, Salvatori (salvatori.it). ‘Karui’ brass and green tray by GamFratesi for Skultuna, £100, 

SCP (scp.co.uk). Black and white enamel plate by Astrid Keller, £265; ‘Stripe’ jug by Justine Allison, £208, both Flow Gallery (flowgallery.co.uk). ‘Yves Klein 

Blue’ wallhanging by Martino Gamper and Brigitte Niedermair, from £5,200, Dedar (dedar.com). ‘Homework’ desk by Niels Bendtsen for Bensen, £1,595, 

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: DAVID LINTON STYLING ASSISTANTS: ENRICO DONADELLO, CAROL DALY

The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk). ‘Earlobe’ brass bookends by Carl Auböck, £415, Sigmar (sigmarlondon.com). Concrete sculpture, from 

£210, Jeffrey James (jeffreyjames.org). ‘Stop’ marble bookend by Philipp Mainzer for E15, £144, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). Smarrimenti book by Guido 

Scarabottolo, £17, La Grande Illusion (lagrandeillusion.it). ‘Serious Structure’ notebook by Normann Copenhagen, £24.50; brass pen by Not Another 

Bill, £45, both The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk). ‘Shear’ table lamp, £443, Bert Frank (bertfrank.co.uk). ‘C3’ chair by Carl Jacobs for Kandya, 

£380, Béton Brut (betonbrut.co.uk). ‘Blue’s Blue’ paint, £46.50 for 2.5 litres, Paint & Paper Library (paintandpaperlibrary.com) 



A rich, yet restrained palette of materials is the 

epitome of modernity in this Australian apartment 

Words KARINE MONIÉ Photography BROOKE HOLM Styling MARSHA GOLEMAC

The air of sleek, modern luxury that defines Helen 

Russell’s Melbourne apartment is a far cry from 

the original florid, mock-Georgian duplex that she 

commissioned interior designer David Flack of Flack 

Studio to ‘de-faux’. His considered approach was 

to retain the classical-style features of the apartment 

that still worked – the herringbone parquet floors, solid 

panelled doors, 3.6-metre-high ceilings and mouldings 

– but strip the space of its frills in favour of strong, 

graphic details. The result is strikingly modern. 

David revised the layout of the apartment to create 

a sense of spaciousness. Helen, who enjoys entertaining 

at home, has both a formal living room and an open-plan 

kitchen-dining-living space, which spills onto a sundrenched 

courtyard. But it is David’s rich, dark palette 

of materials that elevates the fluid backdrop into 

something spectacular. ‘My studio is known for using 

deep tones, but Helen is cautious about colour, so we 

explored this in another way, by selecting hand-rubbed 

bronze detailing, chocolate oak flooring, black American 

oak cabinetry and white Calacatta marble,’ he says. 

‘It was important to Helen that the interior conveyed 

a sense of sophistication to her guests, but it is also her 

home, and had to feel comfortable.’ The finished aesthetic 

deftly skirts the fine line between cutting-edge and 

classic. ‘This home has a contemporary ambience, and 

yet feels as though it has some age to it,’ says David. ‘You 

can’t pinpoint exactly when the house was designed 

– to me, this exemplifies the “new modern” look.’ 

The consideration of symmetry and the repetition 

of key features – such as the brass-lined American oak 

cabinetry, which is the focal point of the kitchen and 

is also used on the bookcases in the living room and the 

units in the bathrooms – creates a sense of cohesion, 

with every element meticulously executed. David’s team 

even experimented with the level of bronzing (a process 

that involves applying acid to raw brass) that would 

perfectly frame the furniture. ‘The more acid and 

rubbing you apply, the darker the brass becomes,’ 

he explains. ‘Modernism is always simple in execution, 

but usually has one standout detail that is repeated.’ 

Elsewhere, design classics – the ‘Beetle’ chairs by Gubi, 

‘Bristol’ sofa by Poliform and the Serge Mouille ceiling 

light – add to the air of timeless elegance. 

Feeling completely at ease in her new home, Helen 

loves to sit by the open fire and read a book. She 

particularly appreciates having plenty of room for her 

grandchildren when they visit, and enjoys watching 

them from the kitchen as they play. flackstudio.com.au 

Living room A black marble fireplace is flanked by American oak 

bookcases, which have been edged with brass. The ‘Beetle’ lounge 

chair by GamFratesi for Gubi and ‘Naviglio’ sofa by Arflex complete 

the scheme. A painting by Australian artist Craig Waddell hangs 

above the fireplace Stockist details on p184 ➤

Dining area The ‘Lim 3.0’ table 

is by Bruno Fattorini for MDF Italia, 

and the ‘Doll’ chairs are by Emilio 

Nanni for Billiani. A ‘Trapeze 10’ 

light by Apparatus hangs above 


‘MODERNISM IS 

ALWAYS SIMPLE IN 

EXECUTION, BUT 

USUALLY HAS ONE 

STANDOUT DETAIL’

‘YOU CAN’T PINPOINT EXACTLY 

WHEN THE HOUSE WAS DESIGNED 

– TO ME, THIS EXEMPLIFIES THE 

“NEW MODERN” LOOK’

Kitchen This space is defined by a strong palette 

of materials: black American oak cabinetry edged 

with brass and luxurious white marble countertops 


GET THE LOOK 

Sophistication is simple to achieve when you use this home’s winning 

combination of dark oak, richly-veined stone and hints of bronze 

1 

2 

Above In the kitchen, black 

American oak cabinetry with brass 

detailing allows the white marble 

countertop and splashback to shine 

Right The home’s original parquet 

flooring has an aged beauty 

Stockist details on p184

3 

4 

PICTURES: HEARST STUDIOS 

5 

1 ‘Calacatta Oro’ white marble, from £750 

per square metre, Stone Age (stone-age.co.uk) 

2 ‘Iona’ oak herringbone floorboards, from £129 

per square metre, Solid Floor (solidfloor.co.uk) 

3 ‘Deco Mirror’ by Deco Glaze, from £99 for 

a 60x75cm sheet, John Lewis (johnlewis.com) 

4 ‘Natural Engineered Oak Jet Black Brushed 

UV Lacquered’, from £30 per square metre, 

Wood and Beyond (woodandbeyond.co.uk) 

5 ‘Light Bronzed’ brass, from £295 per square metre, 

James Gilbert & Son (jamesgilbertandson.com) 

6 ‘Cosmic Black’ titanium granite, from £170 

per square metre, Stone World London 

(stoneworldlondon.co.uk) 

6 

Top Black granite clads the wall and the basin in the bathroom 

Above The details of the granite complement the splashes 

of bronze used as accents throughout the house. Here, the stone 

is paired with aged brass taps by Astra Walker 

Stockist details on p184 ➤ 


‘IT WAS IMPORTANT 

THAT THE INTERIOR 

CONVEYED A SENSE 

OF SOPHISTICATION, 

BUT IT ALSO HAD 

TO FEEL COMFORTABLE’

Hallway A ‘Zanuso’ table lamp by Oluce 

sits on a console table by the front door 

Formal living room This space also 

includes a ‘Beetle’ lounge chair from 

Gubi, as well as a ‘Bristol’ sofa by Poliform, 

a ‘45°/Tavolino’ side table by Ron Gilad 

for Molteni & C and a Serge Mouille 

floor light (try Tanguy Rolin) 


DESIGN DETAIL MODERN LUXURY 

Interior designer David Flack’s five tips for 

creating an elegant and contemporary home 

1 Keep it simple The original proportions of the 

rooms in this apartment were good, but there were 

too many elements going on, which confused the 

eye and made the space feel cramped. I de-cluttered 

it, removing everything from the wallpaper to the 

crystal chandeliers, and retaining only the features 

that brought classic touches to the home. 

2 Don’t commit to too many ideas A scheme needs 

a thread that pulls it together and allows you to use 

the same language in every space. In this duplex, 

we employed a limited palette of materials and colours 

to subtly convey both contrast (light and shade), and 

repetition – this creates a sense of harmony in a home. 

3 Choose strong, statement materials Bronze, 

wood and marble add a glamorous edge to classical 

architectural details. 

4 Work with the dimensions of your home 

Make the most of your house’s best features, such 

as gloriously high ceilings. 

5 Create strong sight lines Here, some of the most 

impactful pieces of furniture and lighting direct the 

attention to a specific space or corner of a room. Playing 

with perspective creates flow through a space.

Bathroom Black ‘Titanium’ granite creates a dramatic scheme, 

combined with a bronze-edged mirror from In-Ex Living 

Bedroom The ‘Ipanema’ bed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poliform is paired 

with a ‘You’ bedside table by D&T, also for Poliform. The ‘Geolight’ table light 

is by Sébastian Bergne and the large artwork is the NTBD#4 by Ry David 

Bradley from Tristian Koenig Stockist details on p184 ED

THE N EW MODERN 

MEGA MIX 

Mixed materials is the trend of the moment. Think 

textural walls in natural finishes elevated by accents 

of lustrous metals, as seen in this Cape Town home 

Words KERRYN FISCHER Photography ELSA YOUNG/FRANK FEATURES 

Production LUANNE TOMS

eil Roake had an ambitious vision 

for his new-build Modernist home. His 

plan was to construct two concrete 

residences on this steep plot in Bakoven, 

Cape Town – one an investment property, split over 

two levels and accessed at street level, the other 

Neil’s private 350-square-metre apartment spread 

over three floors. The decor would be a talking point, 

and each of the rooms defined by walls of blue 

stone, wood or marble, inspired by the rugged coastal 

setting. ‘I wanted to instil a sense of history by using 

raw materials, but also to create respite and calm 

from the relentless sun and the noise of the nearby 

beach,’ says Neil, who is a chef and cookbook author 

as well as a retailer and hotelier. ‘Naturally, creating 

my dream kitchen was central to the plan.’ 

Stellenbosch-based architect Willem Bosch was 

commissioned to bring Neil’s ideas to life, and his 

conservatory-encased kitchen sits at the heart of this 

new home. It is a ‘theatre kitchen’, from where Neil 

commands the room and his guests’ conversation 

inevitably turns to the striking design of the cabinetry, 

which is punctured by copper-clad wall units. Beyond 

the kitchen, there is a leafy sunken courtyard with 

a natural swimming pool as well as a two-metre-high 

vertical garden that trails down to a water feature. 

The main living spaces are screened from the nearby 

buildings by a large glass structure (below right). 

‘I designed the screen myself – it took eight men 

to move it onto the site,’ Neil says. ‘At sunset, the 

screen is transformed into a magical sculpture set 

aglow by the crimson sun.’ While the architectural 

details are cutting-edge and visually engaging, their 

sole purpose is to enhance the level of comfort inside 

Neil’s home. ‘This is very much a family space, where 

I can spend time catching up with my grown-up 

children,’ he says. ‘There are two en suite bedrooms 

for guests on the first floor, while the balcony room 

belongs to my daughter, Jordan Alexandra, and the 

twin bedroom next door is reserved for Tyler Hope, 

my son.’ Neil’s bedroom, meanwhile, occupies the 

entire top floor and segues into a dressing room and 

shower area – all with sweeping views of the Twelve 

Apostles mountain range and Bakoven beach. 

‘This project has changed me, and I like that,’ says 

Neil. ‘Often I’ll be downstairs when I’ll suddenly 

realise that there’s magic happening over the ocean, 

and I’ll nip upstairs to see the sun setting on the 

horizon, like a firecracker leaving its mark in the 

sky. I hope this house has the same mesmerising 

effect on the landscape.’ wpboscharchitects.co.za 

‘NATURALLY, 

CREATING MY 

DREAM KITCHEN 

WAS CENTRAL 

TO THE PLAN’ 

Kitchen The cabinetry is bespoke, with copper-clad units and granite worktops 

(try The Marble Store for similar). A giant Iroko wood chopping board sits on top 

of the island and a ‘Yeats Hanging’ pendant light by Egg Designs hangs above 

Dining room A ‘Little Miss Fat Marble Round’ table is teamed with ‘Wire 69’ 

chairs, all from Egg Designs Stockist details on p184 ➤ 


‘I WANTED TO CREATE RESPITE 

AND CALM FROM THE RELENTLESS 

SUN AND THE NOISE OF THE 

NEARBY BEACH’

Garden The sunken pool and pebbled 

courtyard are perfect spots to relax 

Living room Natural materials define 

this space: one wall is blue stone, while 

the other is covered in moss-coloured 

wallpaper (try Graham & Brown’s 

‘Crocodile’ design). The floors are solid 

white gum timber. The ‘Shaker’ sofa 

and ‘Sling’ chairs are from Egg Designs 


Bedroom This completely serene space 

includes a ‘Safari’ bed from Weylandts, and 

a table and chairs from Cécile & Boyd 

Bathroom The sleek, white tub is by Dadobaths 

and the minimalist, black side table is from Lim 

Stockist details on p184 ED 

SLEEK, MODERN FURNISHINGS 

ALLOW THE STUNNING VIEWS 

OVER BAKOVEN BEACH 

TO BE THE MAIN FOCUS


From hardwearing slate and 

concrete to decadent marble, 

this timeless material is being 

updated with sculptural designs 

Photography ENOK HOLSEGÅRD 

Styling SOFIE BRÜNNER 

From left ‘Archetype’ chair, £1,570, Sofie Østerby (sofieoesterby.com). ‘O’ table by Dennis 

Marquart, £590, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). Iron pitcher by Aldo Bakker, £65, Georg Jensen 

(georgjensen.com). Black and white vase, £95, Gurli Elbækgaard (elbaekgaard.dk). ‘Twinkle’ 

black jewellery jar by Finnsdottir, £118, Wayfair (wayfair.co.uk). ‘Belle’ gold jewellery jar 

by Claesson Koivisto Rune for Skultuna, £113, Skandium (skandium.com). ‘Lens’ round pot 

by Thomas Jenkins for Hay, from £49, Amara (amara.com). Grey box, stylist’s own. Black saucer, 

from £10 with flowerpot, Hay (hay.dk). ‘Fog’ pendant light by Front Design for Zero Lighting, from 

£455, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). Black diamond object (on floor), stylist’s own. ‘Lektor’ table lamp 

by Niclas Hoflin for Rubn, £380, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). ‘Drop’ chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz 

Hansen, £294, Skandium (skandium.com). ‘Taille’ hat rack, £620, Kevin Josias (kevinjosias.com)

Pink bowl, £31, Bjarni Sigurdsson (bjarnividars@simnet.is) 

Oval tray, £103, Gurli Elbækgaard (elbaekgaard.dk). Rings and bracelet throughout, a handmade selection from Lady Fingers (lady-fingers.dk) 

Black saucer, from £10 with flowerpot, Hay (hay.dk) 

‘Gold Dot’ glass by Scholten & Baijings, £13, Hay (hay.dk) ➤ 

Black plate, £37, Gurli Elbækgaard (elbaekgaard.dk) 

Domed blue pot, stylist’s own 

‘Bonbonnière’ black bowl by Uh La La Ceramics, £62, Stilleben (stilleben.dk)

TURN TO STONE 

Opposite page, from left Midnight print, £85, Kristina Krogh (kkrogh.dk). ‘Afteroom’ dining chair by Afteroom for Menu, £249, Nest (nest.co.uk). ‘POV’ 

candleholder by Note Design Studio for Menu, £35, Utility (utilitydesign.co.uk). White diamond object, stylist’s own. Pitcher by Aldo Bakker, £188, Georg 

Jensen (georgjensen.com). ‘Prism’ large sculpture (three bases and a triangular top), from £583 for a base, Étage Projects (etageprojects.com). White 

marbled vase, £72, Bjarni Sigurdsson (bjarnividars@simnet.is). ‘Stilleliv’ metal containers, prototypes, Maria Bruun (mariabruun.com) 

Above, from left Glass sculpture, £170, Marion Fortat (marionfortat.com). Grey vase by Hanne Willmann for Menu, £80, Selfridges (selfridges.com). White 

marble box by Nordstjerne, £32, Royal Design (royaldesign.co.uk). Elastic ball, £5, Hay (hay.dk). Marble clock by Norm Architects for Menu, 

£219, Heal’s (heals.com). ‘Bonbonnière’ lidded round pot by Uh La La Ceramics, £62, Stilleben (stilleben.dk). Marble board by Hay, from £90, Home Institute 

(homeinstitute.co.uk). Small bowl, £31, Bjarni Sigurdsson (bjarnividars@simnet.is). ‘Chawan’ bowl, £81, Arhøj (arhoj.com) ➤

‘Base’ concrete lamp holder 

by NUD, £56, Trouva (trouva.com) 

‘Kub’ marble and glass cube by Eva Lilja Löwenhielm, £409, Asplund Store (asplundstore.se). Sugar bowl, £54; pourer, £45, both 

by Aldo Bakker, Georg Jensen (georgjensen.com). ‘Lup’ black candlestick by Shane Schneck for Hay, £19, Utility (utilitydesign.co.uk) 

‘Lens’ pot by Hay, from £49, 

Amara (amara.com). ‘Vulcan’ 

vase, £137, Bjarni Sigurdsson 

(bjarnividars@simnet.is) 

Small black vase, £57, Bjarni Sigurdsson (bjarnividars@simnet.is). Pencil pot, £23, Mette Duedahl 

(metteduedahl.com). Pencil, £2; gold clip, £5, both Hay (hay.dk). ‘Diamond Light’ bulb by Frama, £33, 

Dyke & Dean (dykeanddean.com). Platter by Röshults, £191, Ambiente Direct (ambientedirect.com) 

Black cutting board by House Doctor, £18.50, Design 

Vintage (designvintage.co.uk). White vase, £17.50, 

Bjarni Sigurdsson (bjarnividars@simnet.is). ‘Clip Clip’ 

brass spoon by Hay, £8, Trouva (trouva.com)

TURN TO STONE 

From left Round clothing rail (on wall), £215, Annaleena (annaleena.se). ‘Ninety’ bench by Dennis Marquart for Ox Denmarq, £949, Viaduct (viaduct.co.uk). 

‘Plissé’ folder by All the Way to Paris for Hay, £18, Finnish Design Shop (finnishdesignshop.com). Geometric object, stylist’s own. ‘PK62’ low table 

by Poul Kjærholm for Fritz Hansen, £1,633, Aram Store (aram.co.uk). Table lamp by Maurizio Navone for RestartMilano, £480, Mint (mintshop.co.uk). 

‘Bonbonnière’ lidded pot by Uh La La Ceramics, £62, Stilleben (stilleben.dk). Lavastone board, £43, Made a Mano (madeamano.com). Plate, £66, Gurli Elbækgaard 

(elbaekgaard.dk). Waves print (on floor), £86, Kristina Krogh (kkrogh.dk). ‘Äng’ oblong vase by Klong, £104, Royal Design (royaldesign.co.uk). Pencils, £2 each; 

scissors, £6, all by Hay, Nook (nookshop.co.uk). Side table by JLK/DS, £3,662, Made a Mano (madeamano.com). Marble tealight holder by Andreas Engesvik 

for Menu, £45, Amara (amara.com). ‘Geometri’ candlestick, £53, Kneip (kneip.no). ‘Half Lamp’ table light, £170, Marion Fortat (marionfortat.com) ED


Sultry sophistication 

The new modern palette embraces moody colours in seductive, sludgy 

tones. Team them with statement lighting, as in this Zurich apartment 

Words AMY BRADFORD Photography FABRIZIO CICCONI/LIVING INSIDE Styling FRANCESCA DAVOLI

Living room The walls are painted brown – try ‘Chocolate Colour’ by Little 

Greene – to highlight the painting by Israeli-born artist Natanel Gluska. 

An ‘EcoChair’ by EcoFurn and an armchair by Norman Cherner (try The 

Conran Shop) are placed beside a leather daybed – try Poul Kjærholm’s ‘PK80’ 

for Fritz Hansen. The carpet is from Tisca Tiara Stockist details on p184 ➤

Vera Miler has the spirit of adventure. An avid 

traveller and the manager of Burberry’s store in Zurich, 

she has owned this elegant apartment in the city’s 

popular Seefeld district since 2005. Situated on the 

third floor of a beautiful Art Nouveau building dating 

from 1908, her home is as outward looking as she is: it boasts three 

balconies, two of which look out towards Lake Zürich. 

Vera found the apartment through a friend, who had been using 

it as an office. ‘There was no real bathroom or kitchen, but I fell 

in love with the parquet floors, the huge bay windows and the 

four-metre-high ceilings,’ she recalls. To turn it into a family home 

for herself and son Max (17), she enlisted the help of interior 

designer Hanne Poli. It was Hanne who suggested the apartment’s 

grown-up colour scheme of warm greys and chocolate browns 

– ‘colours with no name’, as she describes them. ‘The building 

exudes old-world nobility and refinement – I wanted to underline 

that aspect but in a modern, personal way,’ says Vera. 

The dark colours were a bold choice, especially in the hallway, 

which has little natural light. Hanne and Vera made them work 

framing them with paler shades and installing mirrored walls, 

which are discreet, but create the illusion of more open space. They 

‘The building exudes old-world nobility 

and refinement – I wanted to underline that 

aspect but in a modern, personal way’ 

experimented in other ways, too, particularly with lighting – which 

Hanne prefers to hang in the corners of rooms, rather than 

in the centre, to create drama – and with wooden furniture, which 

contrasts with the apartment’s refined proportions. 

Though Hanne and Vera kept pattern to a minimum, there 

is plenty of texture. It catches the eye in a modern, understated 

way. ‘Because I work in fashion, texture is like an addiction for 

me,’ explains Vera. ‘I love precious fabrics like linen and cashmere, 

and refined tone-on-tone patterns, such as the white wallpaper 

in my bedroom.’ Vera sees her home as a work in progress, and 

goes to greater lengths than most to find the perfect pieces 

to furnish it. Recently, she saw a picture of a sofa by Danish designer 

Oliver Gustav and promptly hopped on a plane to Copenhagen 

so that she could meet him and see his design in the flesh. ‘I think 

this sofa will be the next thing I buy,’ she says. hannepoli.com 


Library The white sofa 

is by Josef Hoffmann – try 

Paolo Piva’s ‘Metro’ design 

for Wittmann – and is 

complemented by two ‘Spillo’ 

side tables from Extendo 

Hallway ‘Battersea’ pendant 

lights by Toscot add drama 

to the dark walls and ceiling 


Dark colours were a bold choice in the 

hallway, but framing them with paler shades 

makes up for a lack of natural light 


Design tricks to steal 

Interior designer Hanne Poli reveals the 

ideas that make this apartment a success 

1 The colours 

I use exactly the same shades as I did 20 years ago, 

when I started my business: all kinds of nudes, warm 

greys – colours that have no name, if you like. Some hues 

in Vera’s apartment were borrowed from artworks: for 

example, the chocolate brown behind the dining table 

was taken from the Natanel Gluska painting hanging 

on the wall. I knew that using it would make the piece 

pop. I often mix my own colours, and I can see right 

away which shade will make a room fantastic. 

•Entrance ‘Tallanstown 

Grey’ by Paint & Paper 

Library matches the colour 

in the hallway. £46.50 for 2.5 

litres of Pure Flat Emulsion 

(paintandpaperlibrary.com). 

•Living room ‘Chocolate 

Colour’ by Little Greene 

is similar to this deep shade 

(above). £21 for one litre 

of Absolute Matt Emulsion 

(littlegreene.com). 

•Kitchen ‘Dimpse’ 

by Farrow & Ball is a good 

match for this pale grey 

(far right). £43.50 for 2.5 

litres of Estate Emulsion 

(farrow-ball.com). 

2 The lighting 

You will seldom see 

a light fitting in the 

centre of a ceiling 

in my interiors. I love 

creating asymmetry 

in a symmetrical 

space – it’s about 

producing dramatic 

scenery as well as 

functionality. I always 

ask clients what they 

want to use lighting 

for – reading, eating 

or snuggling up. 

3 The mirrors 

I use a lot of mirrored 

walls in my interiors 

projects; they’re 

a smart way of getting 

light into a room 

or making it appear 

larger or taller. 

They’re incorporated 

in such a way that 

it’s hard to see they 

are even there. I like 

the idea that people 

might not really 

understand what 

something is, only 

the effect it creates. 

4 The library 

Vera’s apartment 

used to be an office, 

and the area where 

the big bookcase now 

is used to be a library 

– so for me, it was 

a no-brainer to use 

this space for her vast 

book collection. 

To create a sense 

of grand proportions, 

two rooms were 

opened into one big 

living space and 

a huge white sofa was 

placed in front of the 

wall of shelving. The 

overall effect is so 

arresting; it has such 

an impact when you 

walk into the room. 

2 

3 

4 


Kitchen The stainless-steel kitchen units and 

wall shelves are from Ikea. For a similar black 

metal shelves, try Cox & Cox. In one corner of the 

room hangs a pair of cage lamps, bought in New 

York (try Urban Cottage Industries) and 

a portrait of Jane Birkin by fashion photographer 

Xandra M Linsin Stockist details on p184 ➤

Bedroom Vera’s bed is dressed with 

linen sheets, which she buys on her 

travels. She found the pendant lights 

by the bed in Merci, a store in Paris, 

and the fabric for the curtains is from 

Parisian brand Houlès. For stylish 

textured wallpaper, try Anaglypta 

Stockist details on p184 ED 


‘I love precious fabrics, such 

as linen and cashmere, and 

refined tone-on-tone patterns’

T H E N E W M O D E R N 

RURAL SPLENDOUR

Country style is given a glamorous 

reboot in this 15th-century Tuscan 

farmhouse, which showcases the best 

of the traditional and the cutting-edge 

Words CLARE SARTIN 

Photography MONICA SPEZIA/LIVING INSIDE 

Production MARZIA NICOLINI

P 

Statement 

erched amongst the ancient orchards 

and picturesque olive groves in Travalle, 

a Tuscan village situated near Florence, 

Podere Bussolaio is a picture-perfect 

15th-century farmhouse with a difference. The 700-square-metre 

estate belongs to two creative sisters, Claudia and Elisa, who 

together embarked on a four-year renovation project, undertaken 

by architecture firm B-Arch, transforming this historical property 

into two very on-trend family homes. 

The challenge of the project was to respect the building’s original 

Tuscan architecture without being restrained by it. In Elisa’s section 

of the farmhouse, where she lives with her husband Diego and their 

two children, Niccolò and Tilda, the building’s exposed beams and 

bare stone walls co-exist with urban materials such as slick poured 

cement floors and limewash walls. The palette is soft and subtly 

modern, but the furnishings are daringly contemporary, from the 

‘Modo’ chandelier by Roll & Hill to ‘Beetle’ chairs by Gubi and 

a ‘Cloud’ sofa by Francesco Rota for Lema. These statement designs 

elevate what could be a classic country home into something very 

special – a new kind of modern. A highlight of the interior is the 

metallic bookcase in the living room – designed by B-Arch architects, 

it resembles a golden, glistening birdcage. Amid this modernity, 

there are still knowing nods to the past: in the kitchen, a traditional 

fireplace and restored bread oven add charm to the custom-designed 

cabinetry. It is a stylish reinvention of the farmhouse kitchen; still 

the beating heart of the home, but completely open-plan, finished 

in white marble and stainless steel. 

Outdoors, large gazebos sit beside the swimming pool, giving 

Claudia and Elisa’s families a beautiful place to relax together, 

listen to the chirping of the cicadas 

and enjoy the views as they cook on 

the barbecue. Life here is the perfect 

balance of old and new, traditional 

and modern, combined with an eye 

for the fashionable. b-arch.it 

designs elevate 

what could be a classic country 

home into something very 

special – a new kind of modern 

This house features in our ELLE 

Decoration Country book – the place to find 

the world’s most beautiful homes in the 

country. For more inspiration and to buy 

it now, go to elledecoration.co.uk/country 


Portrait Homeowner Elisa and her husband 

Diego with their children, Niccoló and Tilda 

Living room A leather ‘Cloud’ sofa 

by Francesco Rota for Lema provides modern 

relaxation and is paired with a classic Eames 

lounger (available from Skandium). The side 

table is the ‘Habibi’ by Philipp Mainzer for E15 

and the bookcase is a bespoke design by B-Arch 

architects Stockist details on p184 ➤

Exposed beams co-exist with 

contemporary, urban touches, 

such as slick poured cement 

floors and limewash walls

Dining room The vintage table 

is surrounded by ‘Beetle’ chairs 

by Gubi (available at The Conran 

Shop). The ‘Modo’ chandelier 

is from Roll & Hill 

Kitchen Gubi stools provide 

a spot to eat breakfast at the 

marble and stainless-steel island 


Still the beating heart of the home, the 

farmhouse kitchen has been reimagined 

in white marble and stainless steel

Kitchen The restored fireplace and bread oven 

contrast with the modern marble and stainlesssteel 

island designed by B-Arch architects. 

The large ‘Caravaggio’ pendant lights by Cecilie 

Manz for Light Years accentuate the feeling 

of spaciousness Stockist details on p184 ➤

Bedroom The metallic look of the ‘Harold’ 

wardrobe by Jesse Visser is mirrored in the brass 

finish of the ‘Habibi’ bedside table from E15. The 

pouf covered in pink velvet is a bespoke design 

by B-Arch architects Stockist details on p184 ED

HOTELS • RESTAURANTS • GARDENS • GETAWAYS 

ESCAPE 

SPA FROM HOME 

Chinese spa Amanyangyun opens this month, and is as far from 

a sterile salon as a health centre can be. Run by Aman Resorts, the site 

offers traditional Chinese medicinal healing using locally-grown herbs 

and flowers, as well as hydrotherapy, reflexology and yoga. Guests can 

stay in one of the thirteen ancient villas, perched on ornamental lakes 

and flanked by lush camphor trees that bely the minimalist, very chic 

bamboo and stone interiors designed by Australian tropical 

architecture specialists Kerry Hill Architects (aman.com). 

WORDS: CHARLOTTE BROOK 

Turn over for more spas 

to visit closer to home ➤ 


Escape | NEWS 

THREE OF THE BEST EUROPEAN SPAS 

1 JW Marriott, Venice The ‘JW Marriott’ collection 

(right) is the highest-end and most imaginative of the 

Marriott group’s outposts. Created by Milanese design 

supremo Matteo Thun, it’s a mix of Venetian 20thcentury 

buildings and new builds, and is surrounded 

by fruit orchards, olive groves and idyllic manicured 

lawns on Isola delle Rose (an island in Venice). After 

visiting the churches and fish markets of Venice, 

make use of the sauna, bio-sauna (milder temperature 

and higher humidity), yoga lessons and rooftop 

swimming pool ( jwmarriottvenice.com). 

2 The Lanesborough Club & Spa, London Brighten up 

your daily workout by joining the capital’s most glamorous 

new health and fitness centre. The state-of-the-art gym 

(starring Art Deco mirrors and spotlighting) and hydro 

pool are perfectly complemented by the changing rooms 

(left), which feature glass chandeliers, luxurious leather 

banquettes and lockers designed to resemble built-in 

wardrobes. Its massages and facials make use of Swiss 

brand La Prairie’s products, and a pedicure in the Painting 

Room is an essential indulgence (lanesborough.com). 

3 Le Roch Hotel & Spa, Paris The spa at this 

new hotel – of which the interiors were overseen 

by French designer Sarah Lavoine – is well worth 

a Eurostar trip. Tucked away in a quiet spot within 

the city’s 1st arrondissement, it features an extremely 

stylish candle-lit swimming pool made from black 

lava rock (right), a relaxing hammam and an enticing 

à la carte menu of beauty treatments masterminded 

by cool young skincare brand Codage, whose 

tailor-made tinctures are inspired by traditional 

French pharmacies (leroch-hotel.com). 

WORDS: CHARLOTTE BROOK PICTURES: MIRCO TOFFOLO, FRANCIS AMIAND, JUSTIN PAGET 

GEORGIAN BRITAIN NEEDS YOU 

Beavering away in its headquarters in an unassuming townhouse 

on London’s Fitzroy Square is The Georgian Group, which saves, 

consults on and champions the cause of Georgian architecture, town 

planning, applied arts and craftsmanship. It is a font of information 

and inspiration for all – we love the individual illustrated guides 

to the history, design and restoration of the era’s decor that are available 

to download from the website. The group is celebrating its 80th 

anniversary this year, which is a good excuse to join the cause – the 

£40 annual membership fee (£25 for under-35s) goes towards its rescue 

projects. Moreover, you’ll be invited on weekend jaunts and evening 

parties held at famous Georgian landmarks or celebrating little-known 

masterpieces – as well as visits to the studios of craftspeople 

commissioned to help with restorations (georgiangroup.org.uk). 


AN APPETITE FOR DESIGN 

Our favourite new restaurants are either small but perfectly formed, or grand in both scale and style 

MINIATURE 

Ben Chapman, the owner of Kiln 

(2) – a new Soho gem serving 

fragrant ‘side-of-the-road’ dishes 

from Thai villages – built the 

restaurant’s interior himself with 

the help of friend and woodwork 

craftsman Dan Preston. Out of the 

oven, dishes such as smoky cumin 

Cornish lamb and turmeric curry 

of wild mussels appear, served 

in terracotta pots (kilnsoho.com). 

Down in south London, Plot (3) 

– a British kitchen in Tooting 

Market – has just opened, serving 

modern brasserie-style dishes: 

think old-fashioned ham hock 

terrine with delicate pickled 

cucumber (plotkitchen.co.uk). 

Meanwhile, in Spitalfields, 

Madame D’s (1) has opened 

in the room above a bar with just 

nine tables and a copper counter. 

Try the Himalayan-inspired 

plates, such as steamed Tibetan 

duck dumplings followed by date 

pancakes (madame-d.com). 

1 

2 

3 

4 5 

6 

MONUMENTAL 

The Midland Bank in the City 

of London has been 

repurposed into The Ned, Soho 

House’s latest project, with 

a whopping nine restaurants 

– the best for a special lunch 

is Millie’s Lounge (6), where 

Dorset crab and English 

sparkling wines are served 

under the high ceilings of the 

Edwin Lutyens-designed 

building (thened.com). 

Opening this month at the 

Langham Hotel, new tavern 

The Wigmore (4), designed 

by Martin Brudnizki, is also 

housed in a former bank, 

offering old-school dishes 

(the-wigmore.com). 

Meanwhile, London designer 

Robert Angell has refurbished 

historic restaurant Simpsons 

in the Strand (5), but Charles 

Dickens’ former haunt will still 

serve the rib of roast beef 

on a trolley that it has dished 

up since opening in 1828 

(simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk).

Escape | NEWS 

NORWAY’S SUMMER OF ART 

Once a year, the Lofoten Islands on the country’s west coast become a hotspot for contemporary 

art – the month-long Lofoten International Art Festival (LIAF) is held this year in the postcardperfect 

cod fishing village of Henningsvær. Artists will be performing, screening films and 

exhibiting site-specific works in keeping with the 2017 theme of ‘I Taste the Future’ (1 September 

– 1 October; liaf.no). Make an odyssey of it and explore the surrounding fjords. Not sure where 

to stay? Try the timber-clad Storfjord Hotel (£204 per night; storfjordhotel.com) or the Juvet 

Landscape Hotel, a glass-fronted eco cabin perched in Valldal’s aspen, pine and birch forest 

(£154 per night; juvet.com). Alternatively, opt for a sophisticated stopover in one of Hotel 

Brosundet’s suites by cool Nordic design studio Snøhetta, either in a converted Art Nouveau 

warehouse or a nearby lighthouse on Ålesund seafront (£118 per night; brosundet.no). 

WORDS: CHARLOTTE BROOK PICTURES: SIMON BROWN, JAMES BEDFORD, ALAMY, TIZIANO SARTORIO 

ROOM WITH A VIU 

Hotel Viu is Milan’s swankiest new five-star hotel – Arassociati 

architects dreamed up the building, collaborating with Nicola 

Gallizi Studio for the interiors and Italian superbrand 

Molteni & C for furniture. Although it is very contemporary, 

nature abounds in everything from the building materials 

to vertical gardens of jasmine and wisteria and the plant-based 

Malin + Goetz toiletries. Best of all is the rooftop swimming 

pool – amazingly, the city’s first – which is fringed with young 

olive trees ( from £194 per night; hotelviumilan.com). 


AWAY DAYS 

Need to recharge and reboot? Book a weekend 

in one of these quaint or quirky retreats 

2 

1The Little Cottage, Cornwall The second home of architect 

Alex Michaelis can be rented out by regular holidaymakers. 

Its name is ironic: the property’s super Modernist white 

design is more Los Angeles villa than country cottage, and 

it sleeps up to 11 people. The building has a grass-planted roof, 

and its silhouette echoes Cornish Art Deco vernacular style: 

no wonder that The Little Cottage is now listed on Holiday 

Architecture, the go-to website for architecturally top-notch 

rentals (from £825 for three nights; holidayarchitecture.com). 

2The Woodman’s Treehouse, Dorset Crafty Camping 

– a woodwork and eco-glamping site in the West Country 

– is the location of this treehouse for grown-ups, 

handmade by owner and cabinetmaker Guy Mallinson. 

The two-person retreat sits on stilts around an untouched oak 

tree and offers an outdoor shower and wood-fired pizza oven. 

After a spell in the sauna yurt, or an evening playing board games 

by the fire in the communal tent, book a slot in a wood-bending 

workshop with Mallinson himself, who has starred on BBC’s 

Mastercrafts series (from £310 per night; mallinson.co.uk). 

3No 38 The Park, Cheltenham Part of The Lucky Onion 

– a group of cosy-but-chic Cotswolds hotels, restaurants 

and country pubs – this 13-bedroom converted Regency 

townhouse in Gloucestershire’s spa town makes the 

perfect weekend retreat. Excellent extras – such as Bose iPod 

docks, an honesty bar serving local cider and Champagne 

and luxurious in-room spa treatments using organic 100 Acres 

products – are on offer (doubles from £120; theluckyonion.com). 

3 

4 

4The Birdhouse, Shropshire The Landmark Trust, 

which rescues historically or architecturally interesting 

buildings from deterioration and lets them 

out to the public, has a new, superbly positioned 

one-bedroom property on its books. Commissioned in the 1790s 

to enhance a natural ravine in the estate of wealthy industrialist 

and architect James Wyatt, the micro-pavilion is built in the 

Greek Revival style and has a loggia overlooking the valley 

(four nights from £280; landmarktrust.org.uk). 

1

Escape | NEWS 

WORDS: CHARLOTTE BROOK PICTURES: DAVID GRANDORGE, RICHARD BRYANT/ 

ARCAID IMAGES, ALAMY, GETTY, JOHN MILLER, NICK GUTTRIDGE, CHRIS TERRY 

NEW GROWTH 

Following a £7.5 million spruce-up, 

The Garden Museum is back in full 

bloom. Permanent collections 

include horticultural paintings 

and equipment acquired over 

centuries, while the opening show 

is a celebration of botanical illustrations, anchored by ‘Tradescant’s 

Orchard’, a 17th-century collection of watercolours (until September). 

There will be talks, interviews and three exhibitions each year celebrating 

figures ranging from – in the museum’s words – ‘forgotten plant-hunters 

to the designers and writers in fashion today’ (gardenmuseum.org.uk). 

Visit this Perennial favourite Kew Gardens opens 

its inaugural sculpture exhibition this month. Titled 

‘Sculpt At Kew’, it will see the site sprinkled with 

twentieth-century and modern pieces by various 

artists (18 September – 15 October; kew.org). 

BRANCHING OUT 

These days, you’re likely to find the 

skylines of Britain’s finest gardens 

punctured with frothy fronds sprouting 

from the trunk of a Dickonsia Antarctica. 

Tree ferns, as they’re more commonly 

known, are the heroes of contemporary 

green spaces. We first spotted them in 

landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith’s 

2013 design for the Keepers’ House garden 

at the Royal Academy (left) – a sheltered, 

walled space rendered tropical by these 

evergreens, whose punky perennial foliage 

thrives in shady, humid spots. They are 

now the urban jungle’s tree du jour, adding 

an architectural high point. Make a space 

in your patch for this slow-growing sapling 

immediately – it’s yours for £55.99 from 

Waitrose Garden (waitrosegarden.com). 

IN THE WHITE GARDEN 

There’s nothing more magical than 

a garden filled only with white 

flowers – ivory irises, pearly puffs 

of white lilacs and star-shaped 

jasmine, whose scent is 

insurpassable. Take inspiration for 

your flower bed, trough or window 

box from The White Garden at 

Sissinghurst (above): the venerated 

20th-century plantswoman Vita 

Sackville-West’s design prioritised 

the plants’ silhouettes. At night, 

it glows. A white garden does require 

forward planning: to enjoy a white 

plot next summer, install the 

following favourites this autumn… 

Allium bulbs The ‘Mont 

Blanc’ version of these 

puffballs of petals pack 

a pearly punch. 

Summer jasmine Plant 

a small common white 

jasmine tree by a sheltered, 

sunny wall or trellis. 

Lily bulbs Tie the stems 

of the surprisingly hardy 

white trumpet lily (try 

Lilium Candidum) to 

bamboo cane stakes when 

they emerge in June to 

support the burgeoning 

bloom on the top. 

White lilac Frothy clusters 

of the flowers on the lilac 

tree are back in vogue – the 

‘Madame Lemoine’ variety 

is particularly splendid. 

White Agapanthus bulbs 

Position ‘White Haven’ 

agapanthus in well-drained 

pots by your front door and 

their dense orbs of petals 

will rise up to a metre 

to greet you come June 

(rhsplants.co.uk). 


LIVE LIKE A LOCAL 

PRÍNCIPE REAL 

AND BAIXA, LISBON 

Planning a Portuguese city break? Visit chic Príncipe Real 

and characterful Baixa to get an authentic taste of Lisbon 

Words JACKIE DALY 

THE NEIGHBOURHOODS Modern Lisbon – the ‘city of seven 

hills’ – is a patchwork of eclectic red-roofed districts that sit beside 

the Tagus river. To the north, with bird’s eye views of the historic 

settlement, is Príncipe Real. Its trendy eateries and boutiques rest 

quietly on the hilltop above the Bairro Alto – the hub of the city’s 

nightlife. Head south into downtown Baixa and you’re in the 

throng of Lisbon life: a heady mix of smart shopping malls, 

waterside bars and must-see monuments. ➤ 

PICTURE: GETTY 


LIVE LIKE A LOCAL 

WHERE TO STAY 

The five-star Memmo Príncipe Real boutique hotel (1) claims to have 

the best views of Lisbon – and it doesn’t disappoint. Concealed behind 

a cobbled street, its 41 suites are suitably contemporary: check out the 

huge rain showers and Hermès toiletries in the bathrooms. Take the 

hotel’s free city tour – it’s a wonderfully welcoming introduction 

to Lisbon (rooms from £205 

1 

per night; memmohotels.com). 

Baixa House (2), situated in 

an 18th-century villa, sits at the 

heart of the city’s shopping and 

sightseeing mecca. Its 12 airy 

apartments have a modern feel, 

with traditional artisanal details 

such as Portuguese patterned 

tiles. Expect fresh bread 

delivered to your door, a fridge 

stocked with the essentials 

and all your home comforts 

(apartments from £151 for three 

nights; baixahouse.com). 

1 

2 

DAY TO NIGHT 

Amble around leafy Príncipe 

Real to peruse the many design 

shops and galleries – we love the 

selection of new and covetable 

brands at 21pr Concept Store 

(4) and the neo-Moorish 

surroundings of Embaixada (8), 

a shopping centre housed 

in a 17th-century mansion that 

showcases mostly Portuguese 

brands. Then head down the hill 

to Chiado, a modern shopping 

district, where fashion houses 

and historic cafes sit beside 

museums, bookshops and smart 

restaurants. As night falls, head 

into the nearby Bairro Alto 3 

(3), the city’s edgy nocturnal 

neighbourhood. This warren of cobbles and 

sun-bleached buildings bustles with bohemian 

bars, and is the home of traditional Fado music 

(soulful melodies with melancholic lyrics). 

4 

LOCAL DELICACIES 

Manteigaria bakery (9) in Chiado is the 

place to sample Portugal’s famous pastel 

de nata (left), an egg tart with a crisp, 

melt-in-the-mouth pastry. Wait for the 

bell to ring – that’s when a fresh batch 

is served from the oven. Head to a local 

supermarket or deli to try the Portuguese 

cheese: São Jorge is considered among 

one of the best in the country, and the 

spicy Beira Baixa cheese made from 

sheep’s or goat’s milk is a delight. For 

dinner, book a table at Can the Can 

(5) on Praça do Comércio and savour 

its unexpected signature delicacy: 

tinned sardines (canthecan.net). 

PICTURES: GETTY, ALAMY

Escape | GETAWAY 

6 

7 

ART AND CULTURE 

Just a short stroll from Baixa 

– a magnificent mix of Art 

Deco-fronted stores, 

tobacconists, cafes and 

boutiques – is an imposing 

18th-century arcade that 

leads to Praça do Comércio 

(6), said to be the largest city 

square in Europe. From here, 

scale the hill (or take the 

tram) to the Moorish 

São Jorge Castle (10), a citadel with striking battlement vistas, surrounded 

by the shops and taverns of Alfama. On the way, you’ll see the rose-windowed 

Lisbon Cathedral (11) – the city’s oldest building – and further up the hill 

is the Decorative Arts Museum (7), housed within the 17th-century Azurara 

Palace and showcasing Portuguese crafts such as gilding, woodcarving and 

bookbinding. Beyond the castle is the National Pantheon Church (12). 

POP IN FOR A DRINK 

Gin Lovers & Less (13)– a bar, restaurant and shop – is a true haven for 

gin enthusiasts. Across the road is Lost In, a terrace bar within an Indian 

emporium – nestled next to the Memmo Príncipe Real hotel, it shares 

its incredible views. Just a short stroll from here is Pavilhão Chinês (14), 

a kooky bar stuffed with toys, hanging airplanes and military uniforms. ED 

5 

4 8 13 

14 

PRAÇA DO PRÍNCIPE REAL 

5 

1 

PRÍNCIPE REAL 

10 

12 

CALÇADA DO COMBRO 

RUA DE S. PAULO 

RUA DOM LUIS I 

3 

9 

R. DA MISERICÓRDIA 

RUA DO ALECRIM 

RUA ANTONIA MARIA CARDOSO 

RUA DO ARSENAL 

RUA DA PRATA 

RUA DOS FANQUIEROS 

RUA DA MAGDALENA 

5 

6 

2 

11 7 

BAIXA 

RUA DA ALFÃNDEGA 

AV.INFANTE DOM HENRIQUE 

R.JARDIM DO TABACO 

CAIS SODRÉ 

AV.RIBEIRA DAS NAUS 


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soft, chalky matt finish. Choose from 72 

stunning colours for both modern and 

period interiors. Call 01544 388535 or visit 

www.edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk for your 

complimentary colour chart. 

Why compromise? 

FREE TREE STUDIO 

Free Tree Studio hand makes live edge 

tables, reclaimed wood furniture and tree 

stump tables. The soul of each creation is a 

piece of solid wood exhibited in the frames 

of modern materials. The basic premise of 

each project is maintaining the natural form 

of the wood and underlining its beauty. We 

customise size and colour of our furniture. 

www.freetreestudio.com

Classifieds | A–Z 

LIGHTING & INTERIORS 

TO ADVERTISE HERE, PLEASE CALL THE CLASSIFIED TEAM ON 020 3728 6260 

TIMELESS BESPOKE LIGHTING 

WWW.NICHEMODERN.COM/ELLE 



INTERIORS & ANTIQUE FURNITURE 


RUGS & INTERIORS 

Vibrant Contemporary Rugs 

www. sonyawinner. com 

www.casabotelho.com 

ANTIQUES 

BESPOKE 

LIFESTYLE 

augustusbrandt.co.uk 



FURNITURE & KITCHENS 


barnby 

design 

furniture design 

handmade in HAY. 

view the range at: www.barnbydesign.co.uk 




FURNITURE 



FURNITURE & FURNISHINGS 


O O 

T W 

British midcentury and modern design 

www.britaincanmakeit.com 

Use discount code robinday to get 15% off 

Valid until 31/12/2017 

COVELLI TENNANT 

Vintage Textiles & Bespoke Upholstery 

020 8876 0131 

07855 256 007 07971 043 916 

www.covellitennant.com 




FIREPLACES, FLOORING & TILES 

These legendary French fireplaces 

are now available in the UK. 

For stockists and to see the full range 

of fireplaces and contemporary stoves please visit: 

www.focus-fireplaces.com 

79 Margaret Street, 

London, W1W 8TA 

02074956 706 

NEW LONDON DESIGN CENTRE 

NOW OPEN 

The finest new, antique and reclaimed wood floors 

www.woodworksbytedtodd.com 



LUXURY HOMEWARE, BLINDS & GARDEN ART 


LUXURY ACCESSORIES 

www.aurumhome.co 

Björk Haraldsdóttir 

Contemporary Handbuilt Ceramics 

www.ceramicsbybjork.com 

Unique, organic, ceramic sculptures 

Bespoke commissions 

www.kiramics.com 




DOORS, SHUTTERS & DANISH FURNITURE 

NORTH4.COM 

DORGLAZE 

VISION 

PANELS 

FOR 

DOORS 

® 

NORTH 4 DESIGN LTD T: 0208 885 4404 / NORTH4.COM 

steel reinforced 

natural hardwood doors 

entrance doors 

internal feature doors 

garage doors 

made and designed in UK 

urbanfront.co.uk 

+44 (0)1494 778787 


THE STORY OF THE BATHTUB 

We focus on the fascinating history of humble household items. This month, the biography of the bath 

Before bathing became a solitary, indulgent activity, it was a practical, shared pleasure. From Southwark’s medieval bathhouses 

to Tudor knights’ sessions in a herb-infused pool in the Tower of London, the bath was enjoyed by all. Lucy Worsley, author of If Walls 

Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home (Faber, £12.99) tells us that the modern love of bathing arrived with the birth of the 

bathroom in the early 20th century. ‘It became positive to wallow in a bath thanks to Hollywood – when people saw film stars drinking 

cocktails and talking on the telephone in a bubble bath,’ she says. Here are some highlights of the tub’s deep, occasionally murky, history. 

27 BC MARBLE BATH, Rome The apex of elegance, the 

marble bath has its origins in Ancient Rome and is enjoying 

a resurgence in popularity. Bert 

& May sells reclaimed versions, 

and at Villa Cetinale in Tuscany 

there is a bespoke tub carved from 

a single piece of marble. 

1800S HIP BATH, UK The Victorians’ go-to 

bath for the masses, this armchair-style bowl 

made washing easy for 19th century 

families – who would have filled it with 

hot water and taken turns to soak 

in it – and helped spawn the popular proverb 

that ‘cleanliness is next to godliness’. 

700 FURO, Japan Usually made 

from watertight, fragrant Hinoki 

timber, steep-sided furos are found 

in homes across Britain, thanks 

to the western world’s interest 

in the Japanese ritual of bathing 

and the tub’s minimal design. 

1500S WOODEN TUB, Hampton Court Palace 

The tub commissioned by Henry VII continued 

to be favoured by queens until the late 

Georgian era. They enjoyed botanicals 

such as sage and camomile, steeped 

in hot water pumped up to the palace’s 

Bayne Tower (from the French bain). 

1970S AVOCADO SUITE, UK 

When plumbing became a legal 

requirement in all properties, 

homeowners lusted after the 

fabulous new bathroom look 

– an avocado-coloured bathtub 

with matching sink and loo. 

2000S FREESTANDING ROLL TOP BATH, UK 

This is the bath on the wish list of many 21st-century 

homeowners – ideally situated 

in a large, open-plan bedroom. 

Go for the classic clawfoot tub, 

or a matt black version instead, 

such as ‘Cuna’ by Agape (right). 

Free next month… ELLE Decoration Bathrooms Volume 2 – your essential guide to creating the perfect bathroom 

WORDS: CHARLOTTE BROOK PICTURES: GETTY, ALAMY

Elle_Decoration_UK_September_2017

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