Heart Home magazine issue 6 by Heart Home magazine

Winter 2012

Japanese Kimono Shop now

Wallpaper and fabric collections now available.

Squint Limited 1 North Terrace London SW3 2BA

Digitally printed in the UK on nonwoven paper.

www.squintlimited.com

Lisa Whatmough of Squint, arguably the

affair so here at Heart Home we have

designer of the most colourful furniture

dedicated this issue to bringing colour and

around today, and on page 80 we have a very

festive cheer into your homes. Not just for

sunny feature about how to successfully

the holiday period but into the New Year

bring primary colours into the home through

and beyond.

soft furnishing and accessories.

We have a very special Christmas

And of course we have our readers’

feature on page 12 which will definitely

homes, all of which use colour in different

inspire you to think to the past for your

but very effective ways. We guarantee you

decorating

will be inspired to get more creative with

ideas

this

year,

and

some

stunning but very achievable floral displays

the paint brushes soon.

on page 58. And to help get the party started there are some simple canapé recipes on

Cover photographer James Balston

Winter in the UK can be a cold and bleak

Don’t forget, colour is not just for Christmas!

page 74.

So here’s wishing all of our readers

But it’s not all about Christmas. Our ‘Day in the Life’ feature for this issue is with

a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Carole King Editor-in-chief

Daniel Nelson Art editor

Arianna Trapani Editor-in-chief

Photographer Nayab Haq

Carole, Daniel and Arianna

Contributors To all of the wonderful contributors that have helped to make Heart Home possible, we thank you...

Designer

Staff

Ilustrator

Roberto Banfi

Jo Llewellyn

Natalie Singh

Columnists

Kate Baxter

Mary Graham

Sign-up to our mailing list

Photographers

Joanna Henderson

James Balston

Laura Aziz

Nayab Haq

Patrick Butler- Andrew Boyd Madden

Writers

Kelly Lavender

Charlotte Packer

Ellie Liggy Griffiths Walker-Arnott

Victoria Dockrell

Stylists

Lauren Bryan Knight

Giedre Augustinaviciute

Claire Morgan

Pippa Jameson

Joanna Thornhill

01425 626147 • info@biancalorenne.co.uk • www.biancalorenne.co.uk

Contents Homes 22 Factory Girl – A warm family home filled with re-invented furniture.

Festive Features 12 Great Expectations – Holiday decorations with more than a touch of Dickensian England.

81 Life at Courtyard Cottage – A move to the country for one urban couple. 69 At Your Convenience – A light filled home carved out of an ex-public

74 Time to Party – Canapé recipes to help get the party started. 58 A Vintage Christmas – Floral decorating ideas to try at home.

lavatory. 33 Christmas Gift Guide – Our gift guide 64 All That Glitters – Electic, boho

for all the family.

glamour in Manchester. 93 Scandinavian Chic – A Norwegian Home filled with colour.

Features 80 Winter Brights – Soft furnishing and accessories ideas to keep you cheerful through the coming months. 40 Patchwork Harmony – Lisa Whatmough, owner of Squint spends some time with the Heart Home team. 105 Young Designer Award Winner – Jo Faulkner. 66 A Perfectly Round Cushion – to make for yourself.

Regular features 11 Stop Press – A last minute round-up of the latest design news. 117 The Great Date Guide – Miss Mary’s suggestions for a romantic winter date.

Interviews 88 Video Interview – Rupert Blanchard talks about recycling.

Home and Away 107 Johannesburg – Cultural re-

122 Hidden Gems – Butlers Emporium in Hastings. 105 Young Designer – Yvonne Ellen

generation is making this city the one to see in 2013. 111 Hotels – Wintery breaks where

Diary – Design events in the coming

you can celebrate the festive

months.

season in style.

115 Aspiring Kennedy - A lighthearted look at life by an American living in London

Flagship Store: Singel 434 1017 AV Amsterdam info@mariskameijers.com www.mariskameijers.com Shop now

Shopping 52 Arianna’s Christmas wish list - Walking in a white Winter wonderland 54 Daniel’s Christmas wish list - Ideas from Northern Europe for a Nordic Noël. 56 Carole’s Christmas wish list - Rich textures and always a touch of gold.

www.distinctivehome.co.uk

Furniture | Lighting | Interiors | Jewellery | Garden & Outdoors

£62.89 £202.39

£337

Win a

Kindle fire HD worth £159

Enter now *terms and conditions apply

.39

Stop press

Home event, 13-15 January 2013 Following last year’s success, this time it’s even bigger. Having ﬁrmly established itself as the must-see ﬁrst UK homewares and interiors event of the year, the second edition of Home is set to present a fantastic line-up of international brands and creative homegrown talent. Home 2013, takes place in Earls Court 2, London.

Series Two Bench & Table by Another Country

Meet The Blogger

Mini Moderns Pop-up Shoppe

Heart Home will be speaking at Meet the

Mini Moderns have opened their first ever pop

Blogger in Stockholm taking place 2nd &

up shop, bringing colour and pattern to the

3rd February 2013.

space downstairs at Supernice at 106 Columbia

We hope many of you

Road. Pay them a

will join us for this

visit on any of the

two-day conference in

following dates or

Stockholm dedicated

any Saturday or

to home design and

Sunday.

lifestyle bloggers. For those missing out do

Wednesday 12 & 19

not worry as there

December 5pm-9pm

will be another Meet The Blogger in London

Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit

Saturdays 11am-6pm Sundays 9am-4pm.

(March 2013, tickets on sale December 2012).

New Collection by Zoë Darlington

New Mini Indoor Allotment By The Balcony Gardener

Two beautiful

Bring the outdoors

collections and an

indoors and grow up

online shop celebrate

to three different

the one-year birthday of

herbs at once on your

Zoë’s company. ‘Tweed’

windowsill. This cute

is inspired by battered

wooden shed comes

paperbacks and English

complete with a white picket fence

tailoring. ‘Sirens’ is

with drainage trays for growing your

dramatic and elegant.

herbs.

Heart Shopping

A Christmas Carol Photographer Andrew Boyd Stylist Claire Morgan

Evoke the spirit of Christmases past with our nostalgic decorating scheme. Combine vintage finds from antique fairs and car boot sales, with hand-me-downs, some lovingly home crafted items, and a few carefully selected bought items that are destined to become family heirlooms. 12

Heart Shopping

The key to this look is muted tones, smoky glass, dull metallics, old lace, and a few home-made elements. Add to this the shimmer of chandelier crystals, mercury glass, twinkling fairy lights and the romance of real candles.

Stockists Who needs a tree when there are spectacularly shaped branches in the garden just waiting to be festooned with lights and hung with baubles?

Heart Shopping

Why not use a hatpin as a quirky alternative for place settings this Christmas?

Simple paper chains become more

Stockists

sophisticated when fashioned out of silver and gold paper

Heart Shopping

Not good at wrapping!? Scour car boot sales and antique markets for vintage tins, pop your present inside and finish

off with a beautiful ribbon and a vintage button or brooch.

Doily Pom Poms

Stockists

Take 5 paper doilies all the same size, fold individually in half. Place them flat on top of each other and stitch them together using white cotton along the fold line. Fan them out to create your Pom Pom.

Heart Shopping

Dipped Jam Jars Use clean recycled jam jars (top tip - remove the sticky labels by soaking in warm soapy water). To create the handle, cut a length of string or twine. Wrap around the lip of the jar, tie at each end. Pour paint into a large bowl and gently dip your jar up to the desired height - use emulsion paint to create a matt finish. Wipe underside of jar whilst drying to prevent drips and hang to dry. To complete the look add a tea light.

Reader Offer ONLY

£345

for Heart Home readers

£645

in high-end stores SAVE UP TO £300

“A sophisticated mix of classic curves and contemporary upholstery. The Lille looks beautiful from every angle.” Debbie, founder of Decoholic

The Lille French-style armchair is beautifully carved from durable mango wood and elegantly finished with cabriole legs. Available in dove grey cotton, natural cotton, natural linen and purple slate velvet. Decoholic handpicks coveted pieces and then tracks down the original makers, slashing prices by avoiding retail overheads. Normally £645 in high-end stores, all Heart Home readers can buy the Lille for £345, visit decoholic.co.uk/heart or call 020 3137 2464 to order. Only 80 available. While stocks last.

Heart Homes

Factory girl

arah Cole and her husband Philip are co-founders of the brand, Ines Cole, an online interiors company.

They live in a four bedroom Victorian terrace in the sought after area of Chiswick with their three children. “We moved in eight years ago and have done everything in the house from the loft conversion to the kitchen extension. The biggest change was the kitchen- it was a gallery style room with red brick walls when we first moved in, but obviously that’s changed a little!” she laughs. Despite

having

never

seen

the original kitchen, it’s easy to appreciate exactly how much work went into creating this beautiful room. The sharp white walls, soft grey tiled floor and

large skylight

give rise to a modern space, worlds apart from Sarah’s description of its

Designer and founder of Ines Cole, Sarah Cole, talks us through her home and industrial inspired approach to furniture reinvention.

former identity. But with every great achievement, there is often heartache. “The kitchen build was not a chapter I would like to revisit!” she admits. “When we first moved in we did most of the renovation work ourselves, but as our family grew time became more

Photographer James Balston Writer Liggy Griffiths

valuable so we took to using trades” she says coyly.

Heart Homes

Sarah

These observations are understated; her

turned her attention to another love; furniture.

home is elegant, sophisticated, historical,

She is the queen of up-cycling. Her crisp pale

yet modern, bright and airy; a recipe most

walls are broken up with stunning reclaimed

would find hard to pull off. And despite this

furnishings, all of which have been lovingly

‘industrial chic’ style often falling victim to

restored to embrace a new, more modern, way

over

of life.

definitively achieved the look with great

With

the

renovation

complete,

“I like to think we soften edges of the

commercialised

replication,

she

has

aplomb and sincerity.

industrial pieces with great textures and

“We made the shelving unit from an old

finishes, making it much easier to fit within the

shoe factory trolley” she explains. “The built-in

house.”

shower mat in Pheobe’s bathroom was made from a plank of ash wood we had lying around.”

Heart Homes

“I like to think we soften edges of the industrial pieces with great textures and finishes, making it much easier to fit within the house”

Heart Homes

“Our vintage items are restored by hand, each vary slightly in detail and all tell a different story” 28

There is a great sense of calm throughout

aged mirror) cleverly guide the eye to the soft

the property (you wouldn’t know she had

mustard cushions and aubergine headrest.

three young children). She uses a distinct

There is no denying she has an effortless, yet

muted,

measured, talent for interiors.

almost

burnt,

colour

palette

to compliment the clean and neutral

Sarah’s love of furniture inspired her to

undertones. Flare and interest are added

launch her brand three years ago. The vision

with the use of fabrics, textures and standout

was to create unique individual pieces for

pieces.

the home, which she has achieved with

A fine example of this can be seen in the

gusto. Her online store sells a unique range of

bedroom, where earthy coloured glass vases

restored industrial lights, home accessorises

placed on a mantel piece (below a stunning

and reworked furniture.

Heart Homes

“Our vintage items are restored by

“We rework and re-interpret old pieces, making them relevant for today”

hand, each vary slightly in detail and all tell a different story” she explains. “We rework and reinterpret old pieces, making them relevant for today. British design for me, always draws on heritage but with an innovative focus; and that’s exactly what we try to do at Ines Cole.” Finally, a movement we can believe in- and it’s available in Liberty’s… what’s not to love? www.inescole.co.uk

Style steal

Get the look from Sarah’s house

Heart Shopping

LSA Buba 50cm Vase, £92, Beautiful Homes Direct

Jielde Lamp, £375, The Old Cinema

Orange Velvet Cushion, £50, Rume Jane Packer Orange Ranunculus in Sqaure Vase, £18, Debenhams Aviator Metal 3 Drawer Chest, £725, Alexander and Pearl Cable Knit Throw, £119.95, Nordic House

Lacquered steel chair by Tolix, £145, Made in Design

Monroe Chair in Dawson Dark Seaspray from £900, Laura Ashley

Silver Snow Glass Tealight Votives - Set Of 4, £29, Artisanti

Steel Table with Aged Leather, £1690 Ines Cole

Heart Shopping

e t d h i u e g

c ing hris

o f g y o i v j

g tmas ift

selected by jo llewellyn illustration by natalie singh Have you done the Christmas shopping yet? Just in case you are still looking for that last minute perfect gift, Heart Home have put together a few special ideas.

gifts for the girls 1. Owl Watch, £75, Olivia Burton

11.

12.

13.

16. Illy Francis Francis X7.1 Coffee

16.

17.

2. The Story Of Us Personalised Print, £45, Betsy Benn 3. VitaEos Feather Pendant Light, £50, Found Home Store 4. Mabel Scotty Red Linen Cushion, £20, Retreat Home 5. Animal Print Slippers, £25, House of Fraser

Machine, £199, Espresso Crazy 17. Crystal Topped Perfume Bottle, £12, Monsoon 18. Marc Jacobs Dot, £46.50, The Perfume Shop 19. Mulled Wine Pot, £27.99 Drinkstuff 20. AngelWings, £110, Sweetpea and Willow

Heart Shopping

10.

6. Scandinavian Retro Christmas Toy Kit, £20, Jane Foster at Etsy 7. Soft Tan Leather Handbag, £99, Whats About Town 8. Isabel Marant Embellished Leather Cuff, £175, Net-a-porter 9. Woodland Espresso Set, £20, Magpie 10. Flaked Gold Clutch, £99, Anthropologie

11. Knitted Stag Head, £45, Next

14.

15.

19.

20.

12. Fabric Hanging Calendar Advent Garland, £72, Sisters Guild 13. Serving Plate, £58, Cloudberryliving 14. Floozie by Frostfrench Babydoll, £25, Debenhams 15. Vintage Gold Ginkgo Necklace, £35, Notonthehighstreet

18.

gifts for the boys 1. Oak Tree And Acorn Twinset

11.

12.

13.

16. Wool Horse Throw, £58,

16.

17.

Tshirts, £32, Babatude 2. Silver Fingerprint Cufflinks, £95, Equinox Silver 3. Half Skeleton Dial Swiss made watch, £2395, Dreyfuss 4. Oliver Spencer Slim Fit Cord, £116.67, Mr Porter 5. Mens Police Contemporary Aftershave, £9.95, Blue Inc

JJ Textiles 17. Ted Baker Hip Flask, £25, Urban Cuckoo 18. Raw Patton Marshall Boots, £165, G Star Shop 19. Vintage Red Transistor Clock Radio, £42.50, Cotswold Trading 20. Reindeer Christmas Jumper, £21, Dunnes Stores

Heart Shopping

10.

6. Drift Messenger Bag, £169.99, Blokes Bags 7. Personalised Phone Cover, £20, Getting Personal 8. Tyler & Tyler Leather Washbag, £79, Cotswold Trading 9. Kintyre Check Folding Campaign Chair, £225, Alexander & Pearl 10. What Made The UK Great Print, £40, Rose & Grey

11. Touchscreen Leather Gloves,

14.

15.

19.

20.

£64.95, Savile Rogue 12. Sterling Silver Skull Bracelet, £119.95, What’s About Town 13. Leather Scented Candle, £32, Net-a-porter 14. Oiva Toikka Puffball Bird Pair, £170, Cloudberry Living 15. Moroccan Leather Pouffe, £95, Bohemia Design 18.

gifts for the kids 1. Floppy Crocheted Stripy Rabbit,

11.

12.

13.

16. iPad Mini. £269, Apple Store

16.

17.

£18.50, Haybaby 2. Birdhouse Applique Cushion, £32.50, Retreat Home 3. Berg Ferrari F1 GoKart, £274, PedalCar Shop 4. Squirrel Baby Print on Wood, £20, Petit Collage at Lula Sapphire 5. Nintendo 3DS Handheld Console, £130, Amazon

17. Pink Hearts Dollies’ Tea Set, £33, Lolly & Boo 18. Vintage Key Necklace, £49, Arnie & B 19. Soft Fabric Toy Wolf Maileg, £23.50, Sisters Guild 20. Slush Maker, £64.95, Prezzy Box

Heart Shopping

10.

6. Silver Snowflake Leather Wrap Bracelet, £39, Notonthehighstreet 7. Baby Bunny Night Light, £4.99, Hunkydoryhome 8. Philippe Starck Style Louis Ghost Armchair, £205, John Lewis 9. Kate Mack Biscotti Gold Ruffle Dress, £79, Alex & Alexa 10. Redyetirideon, £69.99, Nubie

11. Bob and Blossom Vintage pink

14.

15.

19.

20.

Tutu, £38, Barley Sugar 12. SOUL-LUDACRIS SL300 gold headphones, £269.99, Currys 13. John Crane Tidlo Kitchen Station, £71.95, Wooden Toy Shop 14. Emma Levine Cream Sequin FawnTee, £20, Bells and Whistles 15. Wolfie Cushion by DonnaWilson, £38, Home & Kids 18.

Heart Features

Patchwork by Design Lisa Whatmough, owner of Squint Limited, the bespoke furniture designers identifiable by their signature patchwork style, gives us an insight into a day of her life.. Photographer Andrew Boyd Writer Victoria Dockrell

South Kensington showroom

Lisa at the Albion Cafe

Lisa

founded

Squint,

unique,

independent design company producing bespoke,

hand-crafted

upholstered

furniture

patchwork and

home

accessories, in 2005. When explaining the name, Lisa says “I had a lecturer at college who used to insist you squinted before starting a drawing in order to lose the extraneous visual information ... it’s most definitely become a selffulfilling prophecy though as the work has gotten brighter and hotter over the years.” Despite coming from a fine art background Squint has gone from strength to strength, with celebrity clients including Mario Testino and Christian Louboutin. Lisa believes that their success is in part attributable to the artisanal nature of the business “the bespoke nature of the work really must make us quite unique these days and our approach is to try and say yes to everything and then figure out how to do it” she explains. Indeed she believes that having that philosophy as

Lisa with Stanley

one of its core principles has pushed the company forward in its manufacturing and is what keeps it fresh, “some days I do feel a bit like I have the starring role in Challenge Anneka but inevitably having to think outside of the norm introduces me to new ways of being which is refreshing” she laughs. Our tour starts at the Albion cafe, part of the Boundary in Shoreditch, a

“some days I do feel a bit like I have the starring role in Challenge Anneka’’

regular haunt where Lisa, along with ever present Stanley the dog, grabs her a daily morning coffee and breakfast. A firm favourite, she often hosts business

Lisa at Franze & Evans

meetings and summertime suppers on the rooftop terrace. “I really enjoy the quality

the choosiest of editors! Next

head

over

Squint’s

of the food and the fact that everything

Shoreditch High Street studio, their home

is cooked or baked daily on site, the space

for almost five years now. Lisa is normally

itself is beautifully done and very relaxed”

at her desk by 8am, the day often begins

she says.

with Chinese clients and wraps up with

En route to the studio we take a minor

a late night emails with large New York

detour to nearby Franze & Evans, another

based clients. Lisa’s favourite moments are

favourite eatery. Run by Nicola, who used

the brief periods at the beginning and end

to work in the furniture department at

of the day when she gets time to think and

Liberty, Lisa says, “he’s everything you’d

strategise about the overall direction of the

expect from a passionate Italian when it

business, that and taking an order “it is still

comes to the food and service, it’s only small

so flattering when people want to part with

in size but beautifully and deliciously done.”

their cash for things you’ve made!” she says.

She gets them to make their cakes for press

She admits that the philosophy behind the

days which get the thumbs up from even

brand has developed a lot since she started

Lisa at work at Squint’s Shoreditch studio

“Squint is a fast paced and exciting place to be most days, we’re very lucky and we know it”

‘The Garage’, South Kensington showroom

out, but keeping things within the UK remains a focus, “for as long as we can we will try and make all of our products here” she says. Indeed, Lisa cites her clients as her ultimate inspiration “they inevitably bring something fresh and unexpected to the table designwise and often put us to the test on shapes and construction. Squint is a fast paced and exciting place to be most days, we’re very lucky and we know it” she says. Although Lisa spends most of her time in Shoreditch, she tries to get over to ‘The Garage’, their new South Kensington showroom once a week or so. Originally an old car park, given their Shoreditch origins, “it made perfect sense for us to keep the

Squint furniture at the South Kensington showroom

rawness of the finish and I think it kind of feels like a piece of the East End has moved West.” It also provides a venue for customers to buy off the peg pieces as opposed to solely commissioned pieces. Their neighbouring Mint is another of Lisa’s favourite spots. “Mint has always been THE place in London” she says. Lisa loves the variety that the highly respected curator Lina Kanafani brings, “I absolutely can never second guess what the collection will be before I go in and I truly see things in there that I haven’t seen anywhere else, that’s quite something in this day and age”. To relax, Lisa heads to her small but perfectly formed contemporary house in

Lisa having a browse at Mint

Norfolk for the weekend, “it sits right on the sea wall and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on earth as far as I’m concerned” she says.”If I can have one day there spent pottering, gardening, swimming, playing on the beach, entertaining beloved friends and family and cooking then all is right with my world, it’s the one place where work does finally switch off for a few hours or more, no phone signal or tv” she confesses. Lisa says that Squint are currently focused on their next big steps forward and are hoping to open another store or two in the next couple of years, as well as expanding their product range to include

“I truly see things in there that I haven’t seen anywhere else, that’s quite something in this day and age”

linens, ceramics and glassware. “I think our papers and fabrics will lead the way in terms of print and we hope to expand into all international markets as we go forward”

www.squintlimited.com

she says, concluding “exciting times and all

www.albioncaff.co.uk

to play for”.

www.franzeevans.com

We agree Lisa!

www.mintshop.co.uk

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Heart Columns

Heart Home Design Award Winner

Jo Faulkner

ongratulations to Jo Faulkner who

interests together to create products under

recently won our Heart Home design

her own name using hand drawn patterns,

award. Jo Faulkner is a recent textile

inspired by Scandinavian and British design.

design graduate and illustrator, whose

Both the ‘bird watching’ greeting card

work is fun, colourful and charming. She is

range and the set of four patterned

inspired by landscapes, architecture, collage

notebooks are designed and produced in the

and everything hand drawn!

UK, on 100% recycled paper with entirely

Whilst continuing her work as a textile

eco-friendly processes. After producing a

designer and pursuing her love of drawing

sustainable screen printed textile graduate

and painting, she is now bringing her

collection, she now is looking to expand the

In association with

#HeartHomeAward

range to include tea towels and bags, so keep a look out for more products and design work to be released soon! www.jofaulkner.com

Writer Arianna Trapani Photographer Jo Faulkner

Christmas shopping Arianna’s wish list Shamley White Chandelier, £122.50, Laura Ashley

Stag Head Mirror, £79, Dwell Lauren Ralph Lauren Sequin Mesh Gown, £186.23, Nordstrom

Rachel Zoe White Vintage Faux Fur Coat, £323, Stylebop Electric Gardens Necklace, $198, Kate Spade

Nails Inc. Cambridge Terrace Nail Polish, £11, Debenhams

Osborne & Little Mandara Stone Wallpaper, £49 per roll, Fabrics & Papers

French Connection Bobble Bubble Mittens, £16, ASOS

Heart Shopping

Anya Hindmarch Silver Clutch, £332, Stylebop

3.1 Phillip Lim Snowflake Embellished Sweater, £416, Net-A-Porter

Holiday Lights Chandelier Earrings, £20, Banana Republic

‘Christmas to me means a time when dreams come true. A bit of fairy tale magic filled with lots of glitter and it definitely has to be a white Christmas’. - Arianna Trapani Nittin Goyal Pleated Cushion, £40, John Lewis

Jewel Snowflake Glass Bauble, £1.50, John Lewis

Lula Glitter Ballet Flats, £114.73, J.Crew

Linea Glittered Snowflake Decoration, £1.75, House of Fraser

Christmas shopping Daniel’s wish list GUBI sm-1 pendant, £169, mydeco

Teema Christmas decoration, £14, Skandium

Kilim Cushion, €56, store without a home

Christmas to me, means quiet times at home. The one day of the year that I don’t need to do anything. My table style is simple and elegant; nothing too fussy.’ - Daniel Nelson Wooden Bird by Architect Made, Oak Smoked Chubby, £55. Natural OakTall, £45, The Lollipop Shoppe Dot Cushion 2x2 Hallingdal, 649 DKK (approx £70), Hay Kub låg, 3100 SEK (approx £290), Artilleriet

Muovo Inflatable Dog bed, £97.99, Wayfair

Minimum DK WINTER 2012 Minimum Danish young fashion clothing brand

Aalto stool 60, painted seat €217, Finnish Design Shop Chappy Socks by Henrik Vibskov, £19, Henrik Vibskov Boutique

Linen Wool rug, £230 per m2, Nordic Rug Boutique Louis Poulsen Doo-Wop Suspension Light in Brass, £420, Nest

Hay strap mirror, 50cm, £167, mydeco

Rosewood occasional chair by Arne Vodder, £385 each, Førest London

Lyle & Scott Crew Neck Intarsia Sweater, £125, End Clothing

Tati coat rack large 130cm in Orange/Marble, 7625 SEK ( approx £720), Artilleriet

Christmas shopping Carole’s wish list Kate Benjamin Beaten Metal Gold Cuff £40, Accessories Direct

Cocktail Dress, £289, Hobbs

Pine & Eucalyptus Reed Diffuser, £45, Jo Malone

Masked Skull Medium Plate, £56 Graham and Green Pansy Clutch, £32, Accessorize

Elizabeth Fabric FQ052 04, Designers Guild

Smithfield Sofa in Slate, £3574 + 15 mtrs of fabric of your choice, Rume

Ted Baker Bird Cushion, £45, John Lewis

Snow effect tree, 125cm, £110, Debenhams

6 n

Heart Shopping

Krista R Cherry earrings, £41, Boticca

Set of 4 Espresso Cups and Saucers, £14, Next

Gold Shoe Hanging Decoration, £4, Debenhams

Lady Gaga Fame, £24.50 The Perfume Shop

‘Christmas to me means a reason to dress up even if only for cozy nights in. Rich textures and fabrics, comfort and luxury, and always a touch of gold’. - Carole King

6 Gold Glitter Connoisseur Christmas Crackers, £25, Marks and Spencer

Gold Jaguar Print Faux Fur Throw, £149.95, Style Abode

Parrot table lamp £100, House of Fraser

Ayhan Shoes, £140, Pied a Terre

Bone Inlay Bedside Cabinet,£435, Nikki Jones

Writer Vic Brotherson

Photographer Catherine Gratwicke

A Vintage

Christmas Christmas is a time that demands all of those who celebrate it to become involved in some sort of decoration. Here we look to the things that are available to us naturally and evoke a real sense of the season, making and using decorations that sit happily in the home without taking over.

Extract from ‘Vintage Flowers by Vic Brotherson’ published by Kyle Books, £25

Silent night

A frosty midwinter palette is created using lichen, white peppercorns, Christmas roses and icy white lilac in a pewter teapot. An old silver lampbase, impossible to rewire but too beautiful to throw away is reincarnated as a candlestick and wrapped in lichen branches simply attached with wire.

The old faithful

Dressed with a mixed bag of old and new ribbons, jam jars make a perfect run for a table centre. These dinky little hand-tied bunches consist of only the most vibrant flowers, each one slightly different from its neighbour.

A naturalist’s vase

This simple foliage arrangement would be happy on its own for a couple of weeks and the flowers could be added or taken away if the water is

changed. Placing an arrangement in front of a mirror will give you a tremendous sense of volume; it is a fantastic cheat to double the effect.

How to make a wreath Step 1: You will need: wire frame, scissors, reel wire, sack moss,, 5 large pieces blue pine, 4 jasmine plants. Choose a wire frame (available from florist suppliers), bearing in mind that the finished wreath will end up considerably larger than the frame you started with. I used a 25cm frame for this jasmine wreath and it finished up as 45cm in diameter. Attach a reel of wire to the outside of the frame by looping it around several times. Step 2: Fill the frame with generous handfuls of sack moss making sure it is damp and fresh, packing it tightly so that it feels solid and dense. Take the reel wire right the way around the outside of the moss several times and pull against the frame tightly to secure it. Continue all the way round, binding the moss in place with the wire, until the wreath base is complete. Turn the wreath over and cut the wire, leaving a little tail and twist the end back into the original wire frame. Cut the pine into ‘fingers’ to make it easier to attach, discarding the very pointy ends. Step 3: Take a generous handful of greenery, keeping the stems together, and fix them into the moss by taking the wire several times right the way around the base, pulling it tight to secure. Keep the jasmine on its root to make it last longer, wire in place first, close to the moss and then place some sprigs of pine over the top to cover the root ball and stop it from drying out. Continue adding foliage, paying special attention to the outside edge to ensure the moss is covered. Push the final handfuls of foliage in deep so it isn’t noticeable where the wreath should look bushy and full. To keep it looking fresh, immerse the base in water and leave to drain before hanging, or keep spraying it with water.

Heart Homes

All that glitters

An Edwardian property in Manchester is given a lively update to become a home that is full of glitz and glamour Photographer Laura Aziz Writer Kelly Lavender

Heart Homes

ince moving into their three-bed Edwardian property in Cheadle Heath near Manchester a little over two years ago, interior design enthusiast Kimberly Hughes, along with her partner Wayne, have been busy making the house into a home. Dating back to 1906, the property certainly

has a sense of tradition about it, but drawing

on inspiration from blogs and advice from other ‘do-ityourselfers’ Kimberly has brought the interior bang up to date. Kimberly, who is originally from Pennsylvania and has lived in the UK since 2001, describes her style as ‘eclectic boho glam’ – a wonderful turn of phrase which does indeed hold true when you look around her home. “Glam is the aspirational part of me with my passion for high end, glittery finishes, the bohemian is the comfortable, relaxed side of things, while the layers and colours and pattern you find everywhere are a nod to the eclectic side of me,” explains Kimberly. “I like to aim for somewhere in the middle of all three and create a space that is not too stuffy, is comfortable but has a glitzy edge.” This ‘glitzy edge’ is apparent in almost every room of the house, with lots of gold and brass used throughout, but Kimberly insists that boyfriend Wayne does have some influence over the decoration. She says: “Wayne will certainly make his voice heard if there is something he doesn’t like and if he thinks I’ve gone too far to the weird, eclectic side of things he will pull out the veto card. I do try to stay just this side of that real feminine sort of look, so you can tell there is a male in the house.”

“As soon as we moved in I pretty much stuck my flag in the room and said ‘this is going to be my dressing room.” 67

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There is one room in the couple’s home though that is definitely ‘girls only’ and that’s Kimberly’s dressing room. “That really is pure indulgence!” she admits. “As soon as we moved in I pretty much stuck my flag in the room and said ‘this is going to be my dressing room.’ It really is all-out girly glamour, with lots of pinks and turquoises and flowers. I pretty much said to myself ‘if you’re gonna go bold just go all the way.’” Another bold step came with opting for black walls in the master bedroom, an idea that Wayne originally vetoed but has since warmed to, according to Kimberly. “The design of the bedroom was inspired by Abigail Aherne, as I’m a big fan of her style. I wouldn’t go black in just any room but I was confident

Heart Homes

that the bedroom with its high ceilings and big windows had the right architectural proportions to take it.” While Kimberly and Wayne’s home continues to be a work in progress that

they

are

making

their stamp on ‘little by little’, Kimberly admits her favourite room is always the one that they’ve just finished. She says: “At the moment I’d have to say it’s the living room, as it’s the one that’s most complete and the closest I’ve got to what I originally envisaged.” Kimberly, who has recently landed a dream job as a lifestyle blog editor for an online

appliance

company,

has

been

blogging about home interiors ever since work on the house began. She says: “It started

somewhere

save

inspiration and as a sort of catalogue of the work we had done to the house. It quickly became somewhere that I could share my passion for interiors with like-minded people and it’s a great place to share and gain inspiration and ideas.” With the next big project on the horizon being to refit the bathroom in the new year…watch this space at ‘Getting it Swoonworthy. gettingitswoonworthy.blogspot.com

“If you’re gonna go bold just go all the way.”

Heart Homes

“I wanted to create a space that is not too stuffy, is comfortable but has a glitzy edge.”

Style steal

Get the look from Kimberly’s house

Heart Shopping

Large Ornate Fuchsia Pink Chandelier, £129.99, Contemporary Home

Large Convex Sunburst Mirror, £199, Exclusive Mirrors Grove Garden Wallpaper by Osborne & Little, £56, per roll Fabrics & Paper

Chippendale Bamboo Dining Chair, £188, Against The Grain

Eric Cushion, £65, Bluebellgray Spruce & Scots Pine Mix, £45.50, The Little Log Company Morton Skull Gold, $14.95, Z Gallerie

Velvet Love Tub, £545, Oliver Bonas

Flamingo Print, £12, Etsy

Claridges Lamp, £199, The French Bedroom Company

Prepare to Party By Giedre Augustinaviciute

Wow your friends with our selection of light canapés to get the festive season into full swing. We promise you that these taste as good as they look!.

Avocado and feta pesto 175g pack puff pastry 25g parmesan cheese, finely grated 2 tbsp pine nuts 100g feta, crumbled 1 garlic clove, crushed 4 tbsp olive oil ½ small avocado, mashed 2 tsp dry dill ½ pomegranates

1. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. 2. Roll out the pastry on a surface, sprinkle with grated cheese. Stamp out 12 rounds using a 6cm plain cutter and line on a baking tray. Prick each pastry base with fork and bake for 15 – 20 min until golden.

3. Meanwhile, chop pine nuts. 4. Mix nuts with feta, avocado, garlic, olive oil and dill.

5. To serve, dollop a spoonful of avocado feta pesto on the tarts and top each one with seeds of the pomegranate.

Heart Features

Smoked salmon and soft cheese 150g smoked salmon 100g soft cheese 1 tbsp dry dill ½ avocado, mashed

1. Mix soft cheese with dill. 2. Take one piece of smoked salmon and top with soft cheese mixture. Repeat the process with the rest of salmon and soft cheese.

3. Once finished, put in a freezer for ½ - 1 hour. 4. Cut salmon and soft cheese tower into squares.

5. Swirl the top with mashed avocado.

Heart Features

Apricot and blue cheese 100g dried apricots Handful of pistachios, chopped 100g crumbled blue cheese ½ tsp honey

1. Top each apricot with ½ tsp of cheese. 2. Sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle with honey.

Now all you have to do is break open the bubbly and enjoy! 79

Heart Shopping

Photographer Joanna Henderson Production & Styling Pippa Jameson Styling Joanna Thornhill

Wint Brig

ter ghts

We had better get used to bold and bright as it’s here to stay! With a little planning and some carefully chosen textiles, you can create a look you’ll love. Follow our guide on how to create our Winter Brights look.

Heart Shopping

Grey is on trend and grey with white is a classic combination.

Stockists

Choose your colour palette and select your accessories, be sure to have some fun as this scheme is all about cheerful bright zingy hues.

Heart Shopping

Include graphic patterns, stripes and spots - there’s no place for florals in this scheme.

Draw the eye up with the introduction of artwork and lighting.

Stockists

Heart Shopping

Don’t forget to add some texture with knits and weaves.

Stockists Use a neutral colour as your backdrop (such as the sofa, walls & coffee table) this makes the colours pop out.

Stand back and check you have a good balance of colour. 87

Heart Interviews

“As a child, I would enjoy riffling through watchmaker’s drawers. Each drawer full of every useful object that you could ever need. Everyone should have a useful drawer.”

Portrait photograph Spitalfields Life

By The Gentle Author

Photographs Rupert Blanchard

Play video Watch the video interview in partnership with Crane.tv

If you go North from Shoreditch High Street, up the Kingsland Road, under the railway bridge, and turn immediately left down a tiny nondescript alley, you come to a metal door without any sign, that is the entrance to the secret world of Rupert Blanchard.

Extract taken from spitalfieldslife.com Spitalfields Life, a handsome illustrated hardback book of one hundred and fifty favourite stories by The Gentle Author is published by Saltyard Books at £20.

Heart Interviews

upert Blanchard has developed a

is wonderful in its way; Rupert has found

trained eye for the beauty of the

means to give new life to these artefacts

disregarded and, as a consequence,

once their original incarnation is defunct.

lives at the mercy of his compulsion to

There is both poetry and humour in

hoard it, taking him to at least three car

Rupert’s work, which plays upon the tension

boot sales a week and connecting him to

between an appreciation of the soulful

an elaborate network of scavengers, junk

nature of the material and the contemporary

dealers, house clearance people, skip raiders

sensibility of his conception.

and demolition workers. “Time will run out

Everything that Rupert collects becomes

before the rubbish does,” he pronounced,

a potential piece of a puzzle, just waiting to

pulling a long quizzical face, shaking his head

be reassembled in an unexpected new way

and crossing his arms in bewilderment at his

to create unique furniture which declares

crazy hoarding instinct. Yet everything here

the eclecticism of its origins.

Heart Features

A Perfectly Round Cushion

Words Rachelle Blondel Photographs Catherine Gratwicke

There is nothing nicer than a perfectly round cushion. They are suited to all sorts of locations around your abode but are especially at home on top of a freshly painted stool. Now this recipe is one that originally began as a much smaller lavender pillow designed for my first sewing exam at the young age of 12. So with a bit of tweaking and twiddling this larger version works a treat, in fact I guarantee once you have made one you will be quite smitten with everything that is round and cushiony like.

Rachelle x

Ingredients

* a large piece of paper * a round cushion pad * scraps of fabric * a square of base fabric * 2 spiffy buttons big enough to cover the centre gathering of your cushion

* your handy dandy sewing kit

Recipe

Place your cushion pad on a large piece of paper and carefully draw around it to create your template. Add 1cm around the edge for your seam allowance. This is your cushion back template. Measure around the outside edge of your cushion pad and add 2cm for seam allowance. This is the length of your fabric scraps. Divide the diameter (measure across the centre from edge to edge) in half and add 1cm. This is the width of your fabric scraps. Place your cushion back template onto your base fabric and cut around it. Cut your fabric scraps to the correct width and then stitch up your scraps into a long strip, making sure they are the correct length. Press all the seams flat. Stitch the short ends of the strip together to create a tube and press the seam. Pin a long edge of the strip around the edge of the base fabric. You may also wish to tack the fabric at this stage. Stitch around the edge, clip the seams and press. Turn your cushion cover to the right side and lay your pad onto the wrong side of the base. Taking a double length of strong thread,

sew small stitches along the top of the fabric, gathering your stitches as you go.

Heart Features

Just a note:

If you wish, you can use one long strip of fabric instead of scraps. Just cut it to the correct width and length and follow the steps accordingly, or add a doily or round of fabric instead of a button..

Gather all the stitches up tightly and secure. Thread a button onto the needle and stitch through to the centre of the back of the cushion. Pull the thread tight and then secure. Cover these stitches with another button, doily or something else that takes your fancy, smooth out the fabric and place somewhere for all to admire. Taken from Granny Chic by Tif Fussell and Rachelle Blondel, is published by Kyle Books, Priced £16.99.

Heart Homes

at your

convenience Photographer James Balston Writer Charlotte Packer

Planning wrangles, a bleak economy and hard labour were not enough to deter archictect Laura from turning a bleak underground loo into a sleek lightfilled one bedroom apartment.

hen architect Laura Clark told friends

of challenge she was looking for. “I’ve always

and family that she was planning to

loved the idea of micro-regeneration,” she

live in an underground ex-public lavatory

explains. “For me that’s about saving sites

in south east London, their responses

with an interesting history, but which

ranged from hilarity to horror along with

have been abandoned and forgotten.” Her

quite a few polite enquiries as to the state

initial plan was to transform two adjacent

of her mental health. “I was known as Laura

ex-lavatories (men’s and women’s) into a

Toilets for a while,” she laughs. And there

groovy bar or tiny cinema.

were moments during the project’s lengthy

However, bringing this particular site

gestation period when Laura questioned

back to life was very nearly a lost cause:

her own sanity as well. For a relatively

the loos were built at the point where three

small renovation, barely 600sq foot, the

council boundaries met, and it took the best

project faced far more than its fair share of

part of two years for Lambeth to establish

delays and planning wrangles.

that it was the council responsible for them.

Laura first spotted the loos - with their

And then, having cleared this hurdle, the

chained gates and boarded up stairwells -

bleak state of the economy by the end of

back in 2005, when she moved to London

2008 meant developing it into a commercial

having completed her degree at Glasgow

premises was no longer viable. Just as she

school of Art, and this was exactly the sort

was about to draw a line under her scheme,

Heart Homes

“I ended up doing a lot of the labouring work myself”

Laura realised she could rework her designs into a sleek one bedroom apartment. Up until this point Lambeth council’s regeneration department had been very positive about her proposals, but as soon as Laura revealed that she wanted to live in the loos, concerns were raised about pretty much every aspect of the build, from lack of light to lack of a view. It took Laura many months, during which light levels were monitored and measured, to convince the planners that the space was habitable. When she had, Lambeth then discovered that the toilets weren’t listed on the land registry. Suddenly the whole sale was in doubt: despite being responsible

for

them,

Lambeth

wasn’t sure if it actually owned the loos and so couldn’t be sure that it had the right to sell them. It took nearly another three years before Laura found herself the proud owner of the underground public conveniences, built in 1929, last used some time in the 1980s and now filled thigh-high with rubbish. She lost no time getting stuck in, working alongside builders and labourers in order to transform the dank and frankly creepy space into a bright and airy home. “I ended up doing a lot of the labouring work myself, mainly because it was

Heart Homes

“I was known as Laura Toilets for a while” 74

Heart Homes

such horrid, hard work that I struggled to keep people on the job,” she says.

Remarkably,

the entire project cost only £65,000. Today

it’s

hard

imagine that the light-filled one

bedroom

its

streamlined

flat,

with

shelves,

glamorous gold-leaf bathroom and subterranean garden, was once a derelict public toilet. There are clues though. The tiles that form the splash back in the kitchen were reclaimed from the site’s original use, as was a mirror in the living room. And propped on a kitchen shelf is a small public health poster warning of the perils of VD.

Heart Homes

“For me that’s about saving sites with an interesting history, but which have been abandoned and forgotten.”

At long last for Laura, this is home. And it is entirely due to her vision and tenacity, not to mention some impressive lateral thinking, that it is a home at all. The fact that she is no longer called Laura Toilets, or at least not that often, is testament to the success of the transformation.

Heart Homes

Laura Clarke can be contacted at www.lamparchitects.co.uk

Style steal No.19 Bus Framed Art Print, £73.13, Easyart

Heart Shopping

Get the look from Laura’s house Red Skulls And Roses Cushion by twentysevenpalms, £16, Notonthehighstreet

iSi Soda Syphon Black, £39.99, Drinkstuff

Karlsson Retro Station Clock, £42.70, Red Candy

Cross Back Red Bentwood Dining Chair, £125, Alexander & Pearl

American black walnut, £38 m2, Ambience Hardwood Flooring Co.

Luxaflex Bamboo Wood Venetian, £105, Sunway Blinds

Baroque & Rock Pitcher, £24, Red Candy

Cheers Decanter with Buckler, £35, Red Candy

Deluxe Hanging Egg Chair, £395, Dobbies

Heart Homes

Life at Courtyard Cottage Interior Designer Laura Holmes talks us through her beautiful country retreat and love of all things local.

Photographer Patrick Butler-Madden Writer Liggy Griffiths

Heart Homes

aura wanted to find the perfect home to provide an escape from her busy London life and whilst searching, she

fell in love with an idyllic country retreat near the Dorset coast; it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why. It’s a Grade II listed stable block with an original cobbled courtyard, nestled in the grounds of a private estate. She and her fiancé, photographer Patrick Butler-Madden, moved in with their Maltese Terrier, Coco a year ago. “We were looking for somewhere in the countryside near the Dorset coast, but within walking distance of pubs and restaurants. I love period properties with character and Patrick wanted a light bright space. We were so lucky we found this house, it ticked all the boxes!” Their luck continued; the property was in such good condition it didn’t require any structural work, allowing Laura to devote all her time to the interiors. Her thrifty ideas and eye for a bargain enabled her to complete the beach inspired décor on a modest budget. “We didn’t have much left over after buying the property “ she admits “but luckily there are some wonderful places around town to pick up some real bargains. I was also fortunate with pieces like the dresser in the kitchen, it was a family heirloom. I stripped and painted it myself, and now it fits really well with the coastal theme.”

“there are some wonderful places around town to pick up some real bargains”

“It’s lovely and rustic”

“I stripped and painted it myself, and now it fits really well with the coastal theme”

Throwing themselves into the

local

They also hired a local carpenter to complete

way of life, the pair love nothing more

the more unusual task of creating a dining table

than spending a Saturday morning at the

out of reclaimed scaffolding planks, and had the

Bridport antiques market (which sounds

footstool upholstered in an old grain-sack.

perfect for picking up those one off gems

“It’s lovely and rustic” she smiles, “it also

- £20 for a working 1920’s Singer sewing

means we can mark it without worrying – it all

machine anyone?)

adds to the character!”

Followed by a coastal

walk, pub lunch, log fire, hearty dinner, with some home grown vegetables to boot.

Adding to her clever use of up cycling, it is

apparent that Laura has a penchant for

The pair are great supporters of local

vintage. The floral fabrics, pastel shades and

businesses and employed some nearby

the romantic use of white are all evidence of

hands to help with the painting and tiling.

this pretty theme. But before this courtyard

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“I like to work with a neutral pallette and add splashes of bold colour with standout pieces”

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“it really is the perfect escape from the city”

Heart Homes

cottage whimsically transports you back

what you’d expect at all in a listed cottage;

in time, sudden interjections of modern

it really is the perfect escape from the city.”

patterns and use of vibrant colour provide

Despite living deep in the country, Laura

a contemporary twist ensuring that the old

and Patrick are rarely without company;

is brought back into the new.

they love nothing more than hosting friends

“I like to work with a neutral palette and

from London in their beautiful rural retreat.

add splashes of bold colour with standout

Perhaps they would consider extending this

pieces. My favourite pieces include two

offer to the wider public - I’m sure they’d

brightly coloured rugs and a bright pink

have plenty of takers!

Nina Campbell armchair” she explains. “Our favourite room is the kitchen/ dining/sitting room; it’s such a light, bright space and has a real wow factor. It’s not

To learn more about Laura and her style visit her blog www.littlemisshomes.com

Style steal

Get the look from Laura’s house

Josephine Chandelier, £175, Laura Ashley

Heart Shopping

Small Pavillion Birdcage Lantern, £14.50, Dotcomgiftshop

Antique Rose Bouquet White Eiderdown, £120, Cath Kidston

Cornishware Beaker, £10, T.G.Green

Eames DSW Chair, £321, The Conran Shop

Jali Dove Rug, from £485, The Rug Company

Westminster Dining Table, £169, Littlewoods Crate on Wheels,£39, Ines Cole

Pallio bed, £729, Feather & Black

Saloon trunk, £263, Beautiful Modern Thing

Scandinavian Chic Photography Sveinung Bråthen Stylist Christine Hærra Writer Kelly Lavender

With every room filled with colour, Dagny Thurmann-Hoelseth’s Norwegian home has an unmistakable air of Hollywood glamour about it.

Working as creative director for Norway’s biggest wallpaper, paint, fabric and flooring chain by day and writing a popular blog on Scandinavian Chic in her spare time, it’s little wonder that Dagny Thurmann-Hoelseth’s own home is full of colour. Home

for

Dagny

three-storey

property in the suburbs near Oslo, which she shares with husband Pål and their two daughters, four-and-a-half year old Indie and Stella who is three. Since moving into the property four years ago, Dagny and Pål have worked hard to transform the three-bedroom space into one that is full of colour and vibrancy. Asked what attracted the couple to the house initially, Dagny explains: “I think it was the possibility of making something chic from something bad.”

Heart Homes

“The colours make me happy and they fit my style and personality perfectly.”

Dagny and Pål undertook the majority of the £100,000 renovation work themselves rather than hiring architects and designers, with the only tradesmen lending a hand being the carpenters. Every inch of the space has been given a new lease of life, including the floors, walls and ceilings in each of the rooms and a new bathroom and kitchen.

Heart Homes

“I enjoy nothing more than sitting in the kitchen, catching up with the family”

Fans of Dagny’s blog will be familiar with her passion for colour and this is evident throughout the interior of her home too, with splashes of brightness on the walls and soft furnishings, as well as used to breathe new life into old furniture. She says “most of the DIY projects are upcycled furniture that has been painted. The colours make me happy and they fit my style and personality perfectly.”

Heart Homes

“The house is filled to the brim with happy and relaxing colours, so it’s a good place to hang out.”

101

Opting for such a bold range of colours is

says she is particularly pleased with how

a somewhat brave move, but Dagny insists

the laundry room and the master bedroom

that the only real design disasters along the

have turned out and admits that the time

way were when she opted for more neutral

has now come to sit back and enjoy the

tones. “I did paint the master bedroom beige

space with family and friends. “The house

first and hated it” she comments.

is filled to the brim with happy and relaxing

Describing her style as ‘elegant with an

colours, so it’s a good place to hang out,” she

eclectic touch’, Dagny’s love of the internet

explains. “Lately we haven’t entertained

means she has been able to hunt down

much at all because of busy schedules, so

unusual pieces that make the space truly

it’s definitely a New Year’s resolution to

individual. She says “much of my inspiration

entertain more in 2013.”

comes from blogs, Instagram, magazines and

And are there plans to make further

fashion and my favourite places to shop are

improvements to the property in the future?

eBay and Etsy – I find bargains all the time,

Dagny is certain with her response: “No, we’re

I’m a true bargainista!”

done here. I absolutely love it the way it is

With their home now complete, Dagny

right now.”

102

Heart Homes fargerike.no instagram.com/Fargerike_Dagny scandinavianchic.com

“I did paint the master bedroom beige first and hated it”

103

Style steal Brasa Pendant lamp, £69, IKEA

Get the look from Dagny’s house

Heart Shopping

In Bloom Purple Cushion, €129, Mariska Meijers

Pom Poms Set of 3, £18, Bodie & Fou

Richard Nixon Throw, £295, Jonathan Adler

Zigzag Duvet Cover, from $79-$99, Urban Outfitters LOVE Print in Candy Lemon, $25, Made By Girl

Charade Studded Taper Vase, £88, Jonathan Adler

Dahlia Pompom Giggleswick Wall Flower, £299, Lorna Syson

Bentwood & Rattan Rocking Chair, £55.98, eBay

Hudson Supreme Shaggy Rug, from £19, Very

o t n w a r D

Heart Columns

Vintage

Designer Yvonne Ellen has taken her hobby for sketching and vintage finds and combined them to create a quirky ceramic collection.

Writer Rosalind Erskine Photographer Jon Aaron Green

105

fter graduating from Textile Design at Nottingham Trent, 29 year old Designer Maker Yvonne Ellen moved to London and

started working as a Fashion Designer, but it wasn’t until she created a hand-drawn, bespoke vintage cake stand for a friend’s wedding that she started to consider turning her hobby into a business. “I got lots of compliments and requests to make specific pieces so I started looking for more vintage pieces to illustrate on to” explains Yvonne. Not that this was a hard task: “I love car boot sales, fairs, charity antique shops, and seeking out interesting old crockery, it has been a hobby since I was young.” During this search Yvonne looks for good quality pieces that she would be happy to have in her own home. “Once I have found something that I love, I then work out what will work best as an image. The size and shape of the dish, plate or cup will influence the design and how much pattern I will draw on” she explains. Her pieces are adorned with contemporary, curious creatures that include a DJ-ing Owl and a pair of Partying Mice surrounded by beautifully intricate patterns. So why such whimsical animals? “I grew up in rural Oxfordshire and my Dad was an avid birdwatcher so wild animals were part of my childhood. I draw them wearing top hats or bow ties or with ‘human’ attributes to add a certain charm and charisma” she explains. Yvonne currently lives in London with her boyfriend Craig and creates all her designs from home. She often sells her collection in markets and craft fairs as well as online on Etsy and Folksy. Although still a young business, her pieces are selling well and she has high hopes for the future: “I’d love to expand into a strong, recognisable brand that includes textiles and stationery.” yvonneellen.com

106

Heart Travel

A Journey of Reinvention

By Kate Baxter

Buoyed by the success of the 2010 World Cup, Johannesburg is slowly but surely shaking off its once notorious reputation as a crime capital, with cultural regeneration sweeping away urban decay and giving rise to a melting pot of creative and contemporary music, fashion, art and food scenes.

STAY Located in the upscale neighbourhood of

with the latest in modern comfort and

Melrose, the eco-chic Peech Hotel does

technology. There are sixteen bedrooms

contemporary style with a quirky African

and suites located in the main house and

twist, combining indigenous décor pieces,

garden annexes, all offering the perfect

such as tribal masks and blesbok skins,

space to unwind and relax away from the hectic hustle and bustle of the city.

Peech Hotel

Peech Hotel, 61 North Street, Melrose

SHOP The Maboneng Precinct is a cultural hub known for its mix of galleries, artist studios, creative venues, offices and retail spaces, that began with the development of Arts on Main; a unique creative venue housed in an early 1900s bonded warehouse. The highlight is a

107

lively Sunday food and crafts market

Maboneng Precinct 04

HISTORY No trip to South Africa can be truly appreciated without taking time to better understand the social, political and cultural history of the country. Liliesleaf, situated in residential Rivonia, is an insightful and interactive museum experience that honours South Africa’s remarkable heritage and socio-political past, having once been the headquarters

Canteen - Arts on Main

of Umkhonto we but throughout the week there

Sizwe; the military

are still a wealth of quirky cafés

wing of the ANC

and bars to explore, from the Eat

and the Congress

Your Heart Out urban deli to the

Alliance. For

hip Chalkboard Collaboration

anyone wanting

café. The nearby Living Room

to understand

Restaurant atop The Main

and experience

Change is also a must-visit,

what apartheid

boasting magnificent views

South Africa was

across the city juxtaposed by the

really like, a visit

host of greenery blossoming in

to the Apartheid

every corner of the terrace.

Museum is

Maboneng Precinct 01

fundamental.

From the moment you enter the turnstiles as either “Non-white” or “White” (as indicated on your ticket stub) you begin an extraordinarily powerful, and often harrowing, journey through the country’s oppressive past which drives home just how much has had to happen to craft modern-day Johannesburg. Lilesleaf, 7 George Avenue, Rivonia; Apartheid Museum, Cnr Northern Parkway & Gold Reef Roads, Ormonde

108

Heart Travel Across town, an independent initiative

a wealth of handcrafted jewellery and

by entrepreneurs Justin Rhodes and

vintage treasures.

Cameron Munro is also flourishing. Neighbourgoods Market arrived in the

Maboneng Precinct bordered by Market, Albrecht, Main and Berea Street;

vibrant neighbourhood

Neighbourgoods

of Braamfontein in late

Market, 73 Juta Street,

2011, taking ownership

Braamfontein

of an imposing large scale concrete façade

ART

by celebrated sculptor

You can find art in

Edoardo Villa. The

abundance wherever

popular Saturday

you go in Joburg, from

market is home to an

the street venders

abundance of aromatic

peddling wares at the

food stands and crafty

‘robots’ (traffic lights)

fashion stalls, selling

to the urban graffiti Circa Gallery Soweto Towers

VISIT SOWETO Taking its name from its designation as South Western Township, Soweto is home to roughly a third of the population of Johannesburg, as well as not one, but two, Nobel Peace Prize winners; Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. The best way to explore the area is on bicycle, making sure to take in the austere Hector Pieterson Museum that commemorates the 1976 uprising, before venturing further afield to scale the 100m-high Orlando Towers for breathtaking views across the township, and perhaps a daredevil bungee-jump if you’re feeling exceptionally brave! www.sowetobicycletours.com Soweto Bicycle Tours, offering 2hour, 4

www.orlandotowers.co.za Orlando

hour and full day tour;

Towers, Dynamo Street, Orlando

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adorning the brick walls of the CBD. The

Tashas

very best offerings though, are contained within the walls of the art houses on and around Gallery Row. Everard Read, Southern Africa´s most famous commercial art gallery, has become synonymous with the finest art emanating from the continent, while CIRCA, its sister gallery next door, houses large-scale contemporary installations inside an oval shaped modernist building. Goodman Gallery, established in 1966, has a long history of actively supported artists who powerfully explore politics, post-colonialism and social despotism.

Serving exceptional Africian dishes

CIRCA, 2 Jellicoe Avenue &

alongside live African music, Moyo is

Everard Read, 6 Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank;

the realisation of one man’s passion for

Goodman Gallery, 163 Jan Smuts Avenue,

all things African - from art and design

Parkwood

to music, cuisine and crafts – which makes for a very lively night out! For

EAT

more contemporary dishes with an international flair try Tashas boutique café, where stylish art installations made from vintage books hang from the ceiling and mouth-watering pastries line the counter, or Arts on Main’s very own Canteen, nestled comfortably between the olive trees and art galleries. Moyo, Zoo Lake; Tashas, The Zone Rosebank; Canteen, Arts on Main

Bon Voyage Heart Home was hosted in Johannesburg by South Africa Tourism. Tashas

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Heart Travel

Festive Fun By Ellie Walker-Arnott The Christmas lights are on, that magical morning is just around the corner and there’s only a matter of days before 2012 is a distant memory. We’ve found three wintery breaks so you can see in the festive season in style...

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Reception at Butterfly House

HOST A LAVISH NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY Butterfly House, Dorset

From £2,510 for a two night stay Butterfly House is the ideal place to see in the New Year. Spend the last day of 2012 stomping around the lush Dorset countryside before donning your finery and seeing in 2013 in style. The grand 16th Century country house sleeps up to 14 people, so whether it’s a lazy stay with friends, a bustling weekend with extended family or a wild party you fancy, a trip to Butterfly House will certainly deliver. Inside it’s the perfect mix of traditional yet contemporary design, with an abundance of stylish rooms for refined entertaining - the house boasts a huge open plan kitchen and dining room, an impressive drawing room complete with open fire and a cosy, state of the art cinema room with HD TV. Set on a edge of a pretty hamlet, Butterfly House is peacefully rural but still within minutes of Dorset’s pretty villages and pubs –plus it’s a mere half an hour away from the coast if you think you’ll be up for a bracing walk the morning after...

Grounds at Butterfly House

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HAVE A CHIC AND SIMPLE CHRISTMAS DAY Ty Glas, near Newport, Wales

From £239 for a three night stay

Interior of Ty Glas

Exterior of Ty Glas

Ty Glas is a picture perfect rural cottage, ideal for spending a cosy Christmas away from it all. Forget feeding the five thousand, family arguments and mountains of washing up - just light the fire, play some festive tunes and grab a glass of wine... Who says Christmas needs to be stressful?! The charming cottage sleeps just two adults, so is perfect for a secluded, romantic break – but you can also rent nearby Little Barn making the location ideal for friends or a bigger family, too. Ty Glas is designed simply and rustically, but with open fireplaces, under-floor heating and a gorgeous roll top bath, you don’t have to compromise on comfort at this idyllic Welsh getaway. Outside there are pretty organic gardens and 40 acres of meadows and woods, too, which would make for a bracing and breathtaking Christmas morning walk.

FINISH YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING Great John Street, Manchester From £115.20 a night

Rooftop of Great John Street Hotel

A former Victorian school house, Great John Street is the ideal location for sorting all that pesky Christmas shopping. The hotel is handily within walking distance of Manchester’s best shops -think Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. It’ll turn a Christmas necessity into a luxurious break that’ll take the stress right out of finding all those stocking fillers... After pounding the pavements of Manchester’s shopping district you can flop down on your king size mattress, soak your weary feet in your duck egg shaped bath or snuggle up in front of the telly. Or – if you fancy celebrating your Christmas shopping success – why not pop down to the hotel bar and indulge in Festive Mulled Wine Afternoon Tea (turkey and cranberry finger sandwiches, scones with cream, Christmassy cakes and homemade mince Entrance to Great John Street Hotel

pies - in case you were wondering...)

Aspiring Kennedy Diary of a Texan living in the UK By Lauren Bryan Knight

’m not sure any other place in the

all of these foreign staples may actually

world has quite the hold on Christmas

entail, England seems to have written the

that London seems to have. I’ll go

textbook on Christmas tradition.

ahead and credit Mr. Dickens for

setting the standard of what Christmas should feel like to a decidedly English tone. Even though the majority of Americans have never had a Christmas Goose on their dinner table, remain absolutely ignorant to what a Christmas Pudding is, and are completely horrified at the thought of what

If you zoomed back a few years to peek at my Christmas past, you’d see a picture of American suburban bliss. The weeks leading up to Christmas were spent running through malls- decked in our coziest sweaters with a seasonal Starbucks in hand. Regardless of the 20 degree weather outside, there was Christmas music playing, candy canes type of animal was slaughtered to create a

draping the windows, a Salvation Army

mince-meat pie, we still bow in submission

Santa ringing his bell and all of us together.

to these idyllic standard. Regardless of what

That was Christmas to us.

This year, my family is digging up our (non-existent) Christmas Cactus and heading to England where my husband and I will get to celebrate with them here on our new turf. We have every intention of shuttling them through classics like the candlelight service at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day Afternoon Tea at a swanky hotel in Mayfair, and shopping along the famous arcades and streets decorated with twinkling lights and garland. Hopefully, we can show off Christmas in London with such success that we can influence their plans for the indefinite Christmas Future. Whether or not you find yourself in Read Lauren’s blog post at Heart Home for her list of places to visit during Christmas

this great city to celebrate Christmas, it’s inevitable that wherever you end up- you’re celebrating Christmas with people you love. And regardless of the hauntingly charming precedent that Mr. Dickens might have left for us in his charming way, sharing the day with the people closest to you is really the only way it should be. Merry Christmas, y’all.

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Miss Mary’s suggestions for a Winter date... The Bobbin One of my favourite things about winter?

small, delicious and as snug as a tea cosy! There’s sure to be a cosy pub near

Hunkering down in a cosy pub on a Sunday

you, but if you’re in London on a winter’s

afternoon! They’re ten a penny in the

day then a dinner for two (including drinks)

countryside, but even in London you can

at The Bobbin isn’t going to set you back

find some real gems. After a romantic

much more the £40.

stroll on Clapham Common I love to head

www.thebobbinclapham.com

over to the Old Town where, hidden away down a smart residential side street, lies

Jollydays Camping

The Bobbin; a little gem of a pub described as a “superior locals’ local”. It’s the perfect place for a date; part cosy and romantic, part friendly local.

Winter camping - are we mad? Possibly! But with a roaring stove and hot showers inside your tent it sounds appealing, doesn’t it? At Jollydays, in Yorkshire, the beautiful woodland setting protects you from the worst of the elements and just imagine how breathtaking it looks in the frost and snow. You’ll truly be walking in a With a crackling log fire, deep blue

Winter Wonderland!

painted and panelled walls and inviting

While away the days making

wool plaid banquette seats, The Bobbin is

pumpkin soup, picking sloes (for gin, vodka and even whisky) or head to a Christmas

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festival in York, perhaps the most festive

city in Britain. Take in the wonderful

enjoying a film on a state-of-the-art plasma

Christmas markets, ice-skating in the

screen!

shadow of the castle, shopping for presents,

As the

or simply enjoy the wonderful bars and

Christmas season

restaurants before heading back to your

approaches,

magical woodland dwelling.

you’ll be able to cosy up with feel-good classics including Love Actually, Elf and It’s a Wonderful Life. Then in the New Year you

The short days give you the perfect

can laugh away the January blues with

excuse to cosy up with candles and

Anchorman and Four Weddings and a

firelight, cooking on the campfire and

Funeral; while the romantics amongst you

experimenting with hot toddies, ciders and

can fall in love in February with screenings

wine. Each of the tents has its own wood

of The Bodyguard, Romeo + Juliet and

burning stove, duvets, woollen blankets,

Breakfast at Tiffany’s. My idea of heaven…

and hot water bottles to make your stay as warm and comfortable as possible! Prices vary depending on when you

Check out your local newspapers for similar events but we’d recommend making a day of it in London and heading to Hush

are staying, but one night in a Luxury

where screenings will be taking place every

Lodge Tent in December is £120 with a 10%

Saturday until 2nd March 2013. There is

discount if there are only 2 people staying.

a £10 booking charge per table and main

www.jollydaysluxurycamping.co.uk

courses range from £12 to £26. Call the restaurant to book on 020

Hush Classics in the Courtyard

7659 1500.

Open air cinema in the winter – again,

www.hush.co.uk

are we mad? Absolutely not because at Hush, hidden in a cobbled courtyard in the

Mary Graham is the author of popular

historic heart of Mayfair, you can snuggle

website The Great Date Guide.

up under a bespoke blanket while indulging in a Winter Warmer cocktail, gourmet popcorn or a full a la carte menu whilst

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Heart DEC Home JAN Diary FEB

Maison & objet paris Paris Nord Villepinte, 18 - 22 January 2013. Maison & Objet is a major French trade fair for interior design. Held biannually, it has been described as “among the three most important European events for interior design”. More than just a trade show, Maison & Objet is the pole of attention for every professional. Design, fashion, home, objects, art, the fair explores every decorative universe and style.

9 11 12 13

The Christmas Arcade Somerset House, London 16 November 2012 - 6 January 2013. Tickets: £free

Shop for the perfect gift this

season at The Christmas Arcade,

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Peter Blake / American Trilogy / Courtesy CCA Gallery

a new luxury pop-up shopping mall overlooking the ice rink at Somerset House. The Christmas Arcade celebrates the best of British design selling winter accessories, jewellery, artisan furniture, gift sets and decorations from exclusively British boutique brands.

23 24 25 27

London Art Fair Business Design Centre, Islington, London, 16 - 20 January 2013 Day Ticket: £12 advance / £16 on the door / £12 concessions

London Art Fair, the UK’s largest art fair for Modern British and contemporary

art will return to the Business Design Centre, Islington, between 16 and 20

January 2013. The 25th London Art Fair will feature galleries presenting the

great names of the 20th century as well as exceptional recent works from

established artists and emerging talent.

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D Heart Diary

Wayne McGregor, Random Dance performs in Rain Room The Curve, Barbican Centre 4 October 2012 - 3 March 2013 Tickets: £free

2 3 4

Random International invites you to

experience what it’s like to control

the rain. Visitors can choose to simply

watch the spectacle or find their way

carefully through the rain, putting their

trust in the work to the test.

More than the technical virtuosity necessary for its success, the piece

relies on a sculptural rigour, with

the entire Curve transformed by

the monumental proportions of this

carefully choreographed downpour and the sound of water.

16 17 Christmas Past: 400 Years of Seasonal Traditions in English Homes The Geffrye Museum of the Home, Kingsland Road, Lnodon E2 8EA 27 November 2012 - 6 January 2013 Tickets: £free

18 19 20 21 22

Recapture the magic of Christmas

with a visit to Christmas Past.

Each year, the museum’s period

rooms are decorated in authentic

festive style, evoking some of the rich and colourful traditions and

celebrations of Christmases past

which are often forgotten amid

the hubbub of the modern festive

season.

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night only.

directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea for one

presents ‘Memories of Underdevelopment’

inspiration in their work. Urban-Think Tank

and fashion present a film which has been an

Leading names from architecture, design

Film Nights with Disegno Magazine - Urban-Think Tank RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London. 15 January 2013. Tickets: £8.50 NonMembers / £5.50 Members & Students

Heart Diary

UNEXPECTED PLEASURES: THE ART AND DESIGN OF CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY Design Museum, London. 5 December 2012 - 3 March 2013 Tickets: £8 adults / £7 concessions / £5.50 Students Bringing together almost 200 objects from around the world, Unexpected Pleasures celebrates the work of contemporary jewellers who have challenged the conventions of jewellery design. The exhibition will feature prominent UK and international jewellers including Wendy Ramshaw, renowned for her complex geometric designs, Hans Stofer’s intricate wire form jewellery, Gijs Bakker’s conceptual adornments and delicate abstract pieces by Dorothea Pruhl.

11 12 13 14

Interiors UK NEC Birmingham, 20-23 January 2013 Tickets: £free for trade only Interiors UK is the definitive business interiors event

for people passionate about design and sourcing great

product. The show covers furniture, lighting, flooring, soft

17 18

furnishings and accessories, from high-end to volume and traditional to modern, for both the contract and residential markets. With help from Nina Campbell, one of the world’s

most respected and influential interior designers, as one

of the guest designers, designing the shows entrances

21 22

and more, Interiors UK will be an essential show for interior designers and press to visit.

23 24 25 26

Skate at Somerset House Somerset House, London. 16 November 2012 - 6 January 2013. Tickets: from £7.50 - £17 Once again, the courtyard at Somerset House opens

its ice rink with one of the most impressive skating

backdrops in town. The skate school offers lessons for

beginners, as well as late-night skates and club nights with DJs on selected dates. Tom’s Skate Lounge, a rinkside bar and lounge open to both ticket and non ticket holders, serves drinks and snacks throughout the day.

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Heart Features

Hidden Gems:

Butlers’ Emporium

Writer Victoria Dockrell

Rose Ratcliffe describes how she transformed a traditional hardware store in Hastings in to a treasure trove of old and new; a stylish curation of accessories from local artisans, vintage and graphic homewares, prints and unique gifts.

“You feel as if you’ve been thrown into a beautiful menagerie of goodies from a bygone era” 122

Heart Features

ose has been in retail for around

“We mainly sell things I love” Rose

16 years now, having worked in a

confesses.”

our

customers

find

Covent Garden florist, The Wild

something different.” The stock of the shop

Bunch and as a stylist for Elle

varies but is always underlined by Rose’s

Decoration as well as running her own cafe.

signature sense of style. The shop currently

She originally moved down to Hastings in 2009

stocks a mixture of accessories for women

and opened a shop called Odd which she ran

including scarves, jewels, French soaps, and

along with another shop Grace and Favour in

leather bags and purses Rose has made in

London.

Morocco, along with unique homewares,

She opened Butlers’ in March 2010,

haberdashery and other covetable knick

having fallen in love with its traditional

knacks and vintage trinkets. Some current

interior, “when the shop which is Butlers

favourite items include mohair blankets made

Emporium came up I knew I had to have it”

in Yorkshire, hand-thrown mugs, recycled

she says. Tucked away on George Street in

saris, vintage flowers and antique ribbons and

Hastings Old Town, the shop dates from 1832

trims. Rose also supports local artists; hand-

and was originally a hardware store which

painted cards nestle alongside the antique

sold ovens and ranges, “it was famous in

paintings that decorate the shop.

the town as the place where you could get everything” she says.

While her product range may be eclectic, the curation and display is thoughtful and stylish, you feel as if you’ve been thrown into a

123

secret vault of goodies from a bygone era. The

“We mainly sell things I love”

shop has beautifully high ceilings and is huge,

destination with its independent boutiques

“it is quite ‘New-Yorky’ for me in that sense” she

and antique shops, not to mention the Jerwood

says, continuing “though the shop is cluttered I

Galley which opened in the summer. Rose

like the space above.” The traditional interior

recommends visiting Made in Hastings (hand-

is virtually intact and Rose has taken full

crafted gifts, clothes and homewares) Wayward

advantage of this, choosing to shun modern

(vintage haberdashery), Hendy’s home store and

fittings in favour of old furniture and cabinets

kitchen (homewares) and Wardrobe (vintage

to display her wares. “I’ve never used modern

clothes), Vintage Bird (textiles and wallpapers)

shelving but always used old chairs, baskets

and once you’re all shopped out, the Land of

and the like for display, it is only now that the

Green Ginger and the Little Larder for teas,

rest of retail has caught up” she says.

coffees and lovely cakes. She also recommends

Rose is looking forward to the run up to

the numerous old style fish and chip shops and

Christmas, saying, “now is the best time, before

pubs to warm up in as well as the traditional

Christmas when all the lovely gift ideas come

fish huts for locally caught fish.

into play” she says. Rose lets every customer

So if you’re looking for an excuse to get

take home a little bit of her vintage ethos “we

away for the weekend as well as some inspired

wrap as much as we can for customers using

Christmas gifts we would definitely recommend

brown paper and vintage ribbons” she says.

a visit to Butlers’ soon!

Hastings, only an hour and half from London on the East Sussex coast, is making

Butlers Emporium, 70 George Street, Hastings

a name for itself as a favourite weekend

Facebook page: Butlers Emporium

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Walkin’ in a

Winter Wonderland Spring issue out 7 March 2013 Sign up to our mailing list to be the first to read the Spring issue.

Photographer Nayab Haq