Luxury lifestyle, prime property
STAY COOL
FROM HOMES BY THE RIVER TO ICE PLUNGES
LIGHT THE WAY
The latest in summer homeware that will make a house feel like a home
AMAZING GRACE
The Gracie collection by Heathfield & Co, reimagines art deco lighting as a pendant and table lamp with a modern, sculptural edge, using hand-blown volcanic frit glass. The Gracie Pendant (above) is £595. The range is available from 2 June. heathfield.co.uk
DRIVING SEAT
CALLUM and Daniel Hopwood have created a limited-edition lounge chair that blends automotive design with luxury interiors, featuring bespoke detailing and sustainable Muirhead leather. Handmade to order, the £13,500 chair showcases British craftsmanship with a focus on refined design and lower environmental impact. callumdesigns.com
BRITISH SUMMER TIME
Founded by Polly Eddis and her daughter Susie Eddis, ParasolUK is known for its artisanal parasols, tents and gazebos. Decoratively designed to withstand the weather, Corniche Stripe joins a growing family of canopy prints, including Punya Sea Story, as seen above on Horkesley’s inner canopy. parasol-uk.com
Paw-fect comfort
Charley Chau has launched a bespoke 'styled to order' dog-bed service, offering more than 65 colours and designs to suit both pup comfort and home interiors, with a commitment to canine wellbeing. charleychau.com
SUNDAE LIVING
Dualit launches its first ice-cream maker, combining precision with taste just as demand heats up. Create gelato, sorbet, frozen yoghurt and slushies in as little as 30 minutes – ideal for post-barbecue sweet treats and beating summer heatwaves. £349.99, dualit.com
New English
The duo behind Macfarlane Van de Heul share how classic English style informs their approach to every interior
Sometimes it takes an outsider to notice what the locals have come to overlook. For centuries, English interior design has been synonymous with understatement – a quiet confidence rooted in heritage, patina, and a certain lived-in elegance. Yet it’s two expats who are reminding the British of their own design genius.
When Canadian Elizabeth Macfarlane and Netherlands-born Eva Van der Heul fi rst settled in England, it wasn’t grandeur that captivated them – it was nuance. The faded florals in a country manor, the eccentric jumble of antiques in a Notting Hill terrace, the fearless mix of colour, and pattern that seemed to defy rules yet felt completely right.
Interior design studio Macfarlane Van der Heul was born from that shared fascination. Their vision is to create a New English s tyle, reflecting the charm of heritage design through a modern lens.
Elizabeth Macfarlane explains: “We design characterful homes inspired by English tradition but with unexpected
twists – authentic, comfortable spaces that are full of personality. Every project begins with a client’s own passions and possessions. The goal is to design spaces that are eclectic yet harmonious and can be evolved over time long after we’ve gone.”
Working closely with architects and builders from the outset, the studio brings together leading craftsmen and artisans to ensure exceptional quality on every project.
In addition, Macfarlane Van der Heul o ers a bespoke sourcing service – from antiques and vintage fi nds to contemporary art and one-of-a-kind commissions.
“Our approach is interpretation, not imitation ,” says Eva Van der Heul. “We aim to distil the essence of English interiors – comfort, history, restraint – and present it with fresh clarity.”
L
View projects by Macfarlane Van der Heul and get in touch about your own project by visiting mvdh.co.uk
CROWN JEWELS
Cut-outs, clockwise from top left: Rose- gold Raven’s Watch set with a cabochon opal, oval-cut sapphire and brilliantcut sapphires and labradorite, £30,000; 18kt gold Tudor Skyline collar, set with cushion-, carré - and baguette-cut diamonds, POA; 18kt yellow-gold After Dark pendant, set with emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, opal and onyx, POA
HISTORIC TREASURES
FROM THE TOWER OF LONDON TO HAMPTON COURT, LONDON’S HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES PROVIDE THE INSPIRATION FOR A NEW HIGH JEWELLERY COLLECTION, DISCOVERS KATE YOUDE
Boodles’ latest jewellery designs are shaped by history. The chiselled look of gold vine leaves in some pieces draws on the work of the master woodcarver Grinling Gibbons, the gemstones in others echo the colours in a mural by the baroque painter Antonio Verrio.
The Boodles Palace high jewellery collection, created in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, features 12 suites inspired by often overlooked details of the six properties under the charity’s care. Five of these are in the capital: the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. The sixth is Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland.
An 18thcentury painted ceiling by William Kent at Kensington Palace, the ravens that reside at the Tower of London and an 18th century Spitalfields silk mantua (a
wide court dress) from Hampton Court Palace are among the exquisite features translated into precious metals and gemstones for rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
Rebecca Hawkins, design director at Boodles, says there is a “natural synergy” between the 228-year-old British jeweller and Historic Royal Palaces because, just as it was the best architects, artists, designers and artisans who worked on the palaces, so Boodles uses specialist craftspeople, goldsmiths and stone cutters to create its intricate jewellery.
“The palaces span, in terms of architecture and design style, about 1,000 years from medieval all the way through to Victorian but we’re not trying to make it look like a Tudor piece [of jewellery] or a Victorian piece,” says Hawkins, whose designs are priced at between £15,000 and £1.5m. “We want it to look very much like a Boodles piece but referencing those elements and also taking forward that very detailed artisanal approach of the craftsmen at the time.”
It took contemporary craftspeople
An ornate, goldantlered yale looks out over the grounds of Hampton Court Palace
Opposite: Boodles’ design director Rebecca Hawkins takes in the splendour of Hampton Court Palace’s artwork
HERALD THE MUSE Bottom left:
HEAVENS ABOVE
HAMPTON COURT PALACE’S BAROQUE
TheBLUEbig
FROM MORNING RUNS ALONG THE THAMES PATH TO PUB DRINKS AS THE SUN SETS OVER THE WATER, A HOME NEAR THE RIVER OFFERS AN UNRIVALLED SLICE OF LONDON LIFE. ALEXANDRA GOSS EXPLORES ENVIABLE OPPORTUNITIES IN TOWN AND TIMELESS TREASURES UPSTREAM
Culture club
STRIKING THE BALANCE BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT, CULTURAL EXPRESSION IS ONE OF THIS YEAR’S GOLDEN THREADS AT WOW!HOUSE, FINDS TALLULAH RUSHAYA
As the acclaimed WOW!house returns this June to Design Centre Chelsea Harbour (dcch.co.uk), award-winning designers are pulling out all the interior stops. For its fifth edition, running from 2 June to 2 July 2026, the showhouse once again transforms into a vibrant celebration of creativity, where leading talents collaborate with premier brands to craft immersive full-scale rooms.
This year features a particularly strong thread of reimagining British heritage and tradition through a fresh contemporary lens. While deeply rooted in classic British interior and architectural styles, from country-house elegance to eclectic layering, the rooms feel convivial and characterful. The series of spaces that honour Britishness while confidently redefining it for today is just one of the many ideas visitors can look forward to.
Garden Folly Facade
BY DARREN PRICE OF ADAM ARCHITECTURE FOR HECTOR FINCH adamarchitecture.com; hectorfinch.com
Inspired by the theatrical sensibilities of architects such as Sir John Soane and Vanbrugh, Darren Price has designed a fac ade full of surprise and emotional depth. Using proportion, light and shadow to heighten the experience, he draws on the tradition of garden follies, playful, romantic structures often set slightly apart from the main house. “The ambition is to create something which feels classical but is softened by atmosphere,” says Price. The
space invites guests to slow down and step into another world. The ambience is warm, intimate, and gently mysterious, evoking dusk in a garden, with low, filtered light and a soft, draped, canopy-like presence. “It’s not about loud spectacle,” he notes, “but about creating charm, depth, and a little magic.”
Lighting takes centre stage as a core architectural element rather than a mere accessory. In close collaboration with British lighting designer Hector Finch, the fixtures are seamlessly integrated to shape mood, reveal form, soften edges, and bring the space to life. “What inspires me about Hector Finch is the depth of the collection and the way its lighting creates atmosphere without shouting,” explains Price. “The pieces have real presence, yet they never dominate.”
Equally vital is the partnership with Romo. Its fabrics become an essential part of the architectural language. “Romo helps curate the entire atmosphere through texture, tone,
SCENE SETTER
DARREN PRICE, DIRECTOR OF ADAM ARCHITECTURE
and layering,” he says. “The fabrics filter light, introduce movement, soften hard forms, and create that beautiful tension between structure and softness, allowing the facade to breathe and feel alive.”
Benjamin Moore Minhwa Salon
BY YOUNG HUH benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk; younghuh.com
“Rooms that tell a story and give visitors a sense of discovery are always the most fascinating,” says New York-based interior designer Young Huh. For her collaboration with Benjamin Moore Paints, Huh has created the Minhwa Salon, drawing inspiration from her Korean heritage and traditional folk art.
“Minhwa” meaning “painting of the people”, emerged during the Joseon Dynasty, offering a glimpse into everyday Korean life. Huh also found inspiration in Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace, particularly its opulent Millions Room adorned with Indo-Persian miniatures. “I wanted to create an experience defined by colour and joy,” she explains. Vivid Benjamin Moore shades, including Citron 2024-30 and Magenta 2077-10, bring the concept to life through bold colour blocking. “My favourite design feature is certainly the way Young has harnessed a gloss-paint finish, elevating the sense of luxury,” comments Helen Shaw, d irector of marketing (i nternational) at Benjamin Moore, who is looking forward to guests seeing the juxtapositions for themselves
PURE DRAMA
WITH A VAST ENTRANCE ATRIUM, SIX BEDROOMS AND AMPLE PRIVATE GARDEN, THIS ARCHITECT-DESIGNED QUEEN'S PARK FAMILY HOME OFFERS VERSATILITY IN SPADES
Zach Madison, director, Strutt & Parker Private Brokers: “This house on Aylestone Avenue is an inspired masterpiece of functional but elevated family living, created by the current owners from the ground up. The house is a Tardis; upon stepping inside you have a dramatic entrance hall. With lateral living over two floors, every square foot has been utilised to create flexible spaces, ample storage, and a sense of character that blends perfectly with the high specification finish and natural materials used throughout. On the first floor there are vaulted ceilings which create a feeling of space and volume. You’re close to the green spaces of Tiverton Green and Queen’s Park, excellent schools, and restaurants and cafes in Salusbury Road, Chamberlayne Road, and Lonsdale Road, making it a popular address for upsizing families.”
Aylestone Avenue, Queen’s Park is offered with a guide price of £5.95m through struttandparker.com; call