Completely London // Issue 17 // Spring 2015

Completely London Completely London • No.17 – Spring 2015

No.17 – Spring 2015

kfh.co.uk

It’s spring inside Clearly brilliant glass ~ Girls packing a punch ~ Forward thinkers Spring on a plate ~ Embrace the change BURSTING OUT ALL OVER

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Donna Hardie, editor donna@completelylondon.co.uk

Completely afresh

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PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL MITCHELL. COVER IMAGE: ADRIAN BRISCOE, MING TANG-EVANS, ANDREW MONTGOMERY, CHRIS TERRY

SPRING TIME IN LONDON

full of the joys. Feed your stomach and your soul in the sublime surroundings of Spring at Somerset House. Feel the punch of a Bethnal Green boxing club’s new age of enlightenment. Be liberated by one Londoner’s quest for minimalism. Get a boost from the city’s forward-thinkers.

Lighten up with the architects transforming your home with glass. Find your village nirvana right here in the Capital. And make a fresh start by taking a peek at our homes for sale or rent at kfh.co.uk. Uplifted by London? Share your enthusiasm at donna@completelylondon.co.uk

30 WHAT’S INSIDE? 04 SPRING IS IN THE CITY AIR 13

A VILLAGE AFFAIR

18 KEEPING CALM IN KINGSTON 28 LEADING-EDGE LONDONERS 34 REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME 38 MARVELS OF MARYLEBONE 42 MINIMALIST TENDENCY 44 FIGHTING FIT IN BETHNAL GREEN 48 HEART OF GLASS 53 PENSIONS AND BUY-TO-LET 54 HAND-PICKED HOMES 62 SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? 66 THE £500K CHALLENGE 68 SEASONAL EATING AT SPRING 74

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward COMPLETELY LONDON

MY LONDON: BEN DE LISI

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Completely inspired

SPRING 2015

DIARY Look lively and let London put a bounce in your step this season...

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Completely Completely inspired Slug

area, a building site of 67 acres

SKIP AND HAPPENING It’s less rubble more rhubarb at the King’s Cross Skip

The project has expanded to include keeping bees and the produce grown is used in the on-site Skip Garden Kitchen café and has been sold to local eateries canteen. As the project goes from strength to strength,

• King’s Cross Skip Garden & Café is currently

Completely inspired

SNAPSHOT ON LONDON

acquired photographs from Caribbean and African artists, exploring the experience of black people in Britain in and self-representation. The striking Caribbean homes in the 1960s Anderson’s colourful depictions of 1990s (right). London features in the

vam.ac.uk

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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Completely inspired

GOING SWIMMINGLY

campaigning to bring it back to life.

Facebook.com/peckhamlido

UP, UP IN THE AIR Let your spirits soar and enjoy the view at the Streatham Common Annual Kite Day, 21 June. streathamkiteday.org.uk

BUILDING THE FUTURE Get a glimpse into the future landscape London Festival of Architecture across the Capital from 1 to 30 June. As of architectural talent from all the major

londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

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Completely inspired

Š

LIVE AND LEARN Wonderush is a monthly subscription service that gives you unlimited access to classes in subjects including ukelele, life wonderush.com

REBORN IN W1 In the shadow of the ongoing Crossrail works at the

Centre Point into a central a public piazza with shops, restaurants and an open-air

IT’S A NEW DAY London at Dawn

citiesatdawn.com

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Completely inspired

HOLLYWOOD’S FAIR LADY ‘People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anyone’ Audrey Hepburn

celebrated in an exquisite new exhibition Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon brings

npg.org.uk

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Completely inspired

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KFH

SOAP AND GLORY Generations have passed since London housemaid Louisa Isabella White wrote her notes on cleaning.

Now her grandson has brought her tips back to life

news

LOW RATES

Lawrence White recalls visiting his grandmother as a boy. She’d been in service as a girl and had left a stack of cleaning notes with his mum, including a recipe for laundry soap. It was this that saw the creation of Mrs White’s cleaning products, now stocked in Lawrence’s East Dulwich emporium Roullier White. After replicating her recipes at home, he decided to put them into production under his gran’s name. ‘Everything was natural until after the Second World War,’ he says. ‘People just used what they had in their house – vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, Brillo pads.’

And indeed, all 30 of Mrs White’s products have completely natural ingredients, from the traditional leather cleaner called Smell for Leather, to the lime-scented toilet cleaner, At Your Convenience. And what would Louisa make of the

The outlook’s rosy for homeowners and buyers, with mortgage rates at an all time low. John Phillips, comments: ‘Now is a fantastic time to remortgage. We haven’t seen a mortgage rate war like this in many years. The slight decline in mortgage business over the past few months has meant lenders have been unable to lend as much as they would like. Deals are therefore incredibly

roullierwhite.com

starts soaring again, these rates will disappear from the marketplace.’

ROYAL KNEES UP

STAMP DUTY

Henry VIII’s pleasure palace Hampton Court

The new, tiered Stamp Duty Land Tax means that those buying an averaged priced home in London (according to the Land Registry,

Join in the revelry taking place throughout storytelling and Tudor cookery sessions.

better off, needing to pay £13,246 in SDLT, rather than the £13,843 required under the old system.

Robert McLaughlin, regional sales director at KFH comments: ‘The

hrp.org.uk

PIMP YOUR POSTCODE

greatly from the recent Stamp Duty restructure and for many the windfall funded other transactional aspects including solicitors’ fees, mortgage fees and removal.’

The annual London in Bloom contest brings together neighbours and communities to make the Capital greener. This year sees the campaign supporting the Royal Horticultural Society’s national Britain in Bloom initiative to ‘green up’ grey, neglected spaces around the UK. There will be a special award given to the best example of Green Streets in the London region.

SOUTH BEST PHOTOGRAPHY: LOOP IMAGES, GETTY IMAGES

londoninbloom.co.uk

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The South West London region produced the top performing sales and lettings branches for 2014, with awards for our Tooting and Battersea branches. Tooting was a draw for young professionals, families and areas, while Battersea remains one of London’s most sought-after areas.

IN THE HOT SEAT Founder and KFH managing director Lee Watts has seen business boom since the company’s humble beginnings of us and we’d decorated it ourselves. We were there through the Brixton riots, and had cars ‘I’m still heavily involved in all areas, but I manage a lot of people who specialise in those trades.’ Indeed: as a small property management company called Kinleigh. Founded by Watts and Philip King, it was named after them but, Watts says, ‘Unfortunately Leeking property management, which wouldn’t Illustration Ursula Hitz

was a tiny room in Brixton. ‘There were only three

More than 30 years and several acquisitions, including Folkard & Hayward, later, Watts manages one of London’s most successful property services companies, offering everything from sales, lettings conveyancing and relocation services.

‘In the early 1990s our vision was to be the biggest and best property services company in the borough of Wandsworth,’ says Watts.

‘Now it’s to be the biggest and best in London.’

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13 #1 VILLAGE LIFE

The

The

The

Well, not the candlestick-maker, but

Words Donna Hardie Illustration Charlotte Farmer

inviting

inviting

Just a few streets north of busy Hammersmith Broadway lies one of London’s most sought-after urban villages. With its coffee shops, bakers and delis – all artisan of course – these urban yet leafy lanes BEST FOR: Community spirit. The area has its own residents’ association that fosters a strong sense of community. According to the proprietors of the Brackenburys Deli, ‘Everyone is friendly and has the time to chat’.

BRICKS & MORTAR: Smart brick, two and three storey Victorian houses and pretty terraced cottages line the streets. Ironically, these same desirable homes, built between the 1860s and 1890s, were once so run down the council considered demolishing them. Instead, the homes were gradually renovated and the HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: There’s a cluster of speciality shops and restaurants on the corner of Brackenbury Road and Aldersley Road.

Indulge in cheese and charcuterie at Brackenburys Delicatessen, stock up on free-range meat at John Stenton Family Butchers or dine at the Fay Maschler-approved Brackenbury Restaurant.

POSTCODE SECRET: Just metres from Ravenscourt Park Tube, you’ll come across the park itself. This 13-hectare urban oasis is one of

CELEBRITY JUICE

kfh.co.uk

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‘Families and young professionals are

Laurie Kavanagh, sales manager at KFH Hammersmith 020 8563 9633, lkavanagh@kfh.co.uk

children’s play areas, paddling pool, football pitch, tennis, basketball and netball courts, a bowling green, garden centre and café.

SEATS OF LEARNING: Brackenbury has one of the UK’s bestknown all-girl schools, Godolphin and Latymer School, as well as West London Free School Primary, John Betts School, Brackenbury Primary and Flora Gardens Primary.

COMMUTE: Ravenscourt Park and Hammersmith Tube stations are in Zone 2, with journey times of around 20 minutes to the West End. WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG?

A four bedroom house ranges from £1.35m for an unmodernised, entry level property, up to around £2.5m for a high spec house.

BILL BAILEY

JEREMY VINE

and ADRIAN CHILES

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The gentle-sounding Abbeville Village manages to retain a hidden-away charm just yards from some of South London’s busiest thoroughfares. Locals describe it as ‘Clapham’s best kept secret’ and Abbeville’s rows of three bedroom plus terraces with good size gardens are a draw for young families looking for space to grow. Add a lively hub of shops, bars and boutiques and you BEST FOR: Its proximity to parkland and schools means it’s perfect for those looking to put down roots in a family-friendly area.

BRICKS & MORTAR: Grand Italianate mansions built by wealthy merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries eventually gave way to smart rows of three to seven bed Victorian and Edwardian terraces

inviting

SEATS OF LEARNING: The Ecole de Wix lycée on Wix’s Lane has attracted an increasing number of international buyers. Elsewhere,

Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School and Lambeth Academy.

COMMUTE: Both Clapham South and Clapham Common Tube stations are in Zone 2.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG? The average price for a two bedroom bedroom family house in good condition sells for between £1.4m

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: Abbeville Road retains period charm, with some historic shopfronts intact. Enjoy the view from dogfriendly gastropub The Abbeville or create your own cheese board at MacFarlane’s Fromagerie & Fine Foods. And the Ginger Pig POSTCODE SECRET: Clapham Common and Abbeville Village were quite heavily bombed during World War II. Built for the government, but opened up to public use in 1944, one of eight deep-level air-raid shelters lies beneath the common.

FAMOUS FACES

Diarist SAMUEL PEPYS

Jimmy Carr, sales manager at KFH Clapham 020 8675 5436, jcarr@kfh.co.uk

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

inviting

As you climb Blackheath Hill, leaving behind the dense urban areas of Deptford and New Cross, you emerge onto a vast open the space. This is Blackheath – an elegant common bordered by majestic terraces and boasting a church on the green, a pond and a cluster of cosy local pubs, boutiques and bistros.

BEST FOR: Young professionals and families looking to settle near good schools and open spaces, and in a beautiful environment where the classical architecture makes it more akin to Bath than London. However, rail links mean the City is under 30 minutes away.

BRICKS & MORTAR: Spanning two boroughs, Greenwich and

handsome buildings are well preserved and date from 1790 to 1880 in Georgian and Victorian styles. The stately crescent sweep of The Paragon – grand mansions connected by Palladian colonnades – overlooks the heath. On the gated Cator Estate, you’ll late 1950s span blocks designed by modernist architect Eric Lyons.

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: Taste delights such as beetrootCoquillage and butcher John Charles, or indulge in the heady scents of Neal’s Yard Remedies’ natural lotions and potions.

STAR-SPOTTING

kfh.co.uk

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of young professionals and families Patricia Irwin-Brown, sales manager at KFH Blackheath 020 8852 9451, pibrown@kfh.co.uk

POSTCODE SECRET: A subsidiary of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Greenwich, the Grade II listed Blackheath Halls hosts a popular Sunday Recital series as well as regular pop, jazz and classical concerts.

SEATS OF LEARNING: Excellent schools in the area include Heath House Preparatory School, independent nursery and primary The Pointer School, All Saints, John Ball and St Ursula’s Convent School.

COMMUTE: Blackheath train station is in Zone 3 and offers direct links to Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG? The average price for a two bedroom

house in SE3 will often achieve in the region of £1m.

LAURENCE LLEWELLYN-BOWEN

and musician JOOLS HOLLAND

inviting

Take a stroll by the Thames at Chiswick on a summer’s day and you could be forgiven for feeling that you’re not in London, but rather in rural Oxfordshire. This pretty, polished area that sits in a loop of the river offers its residents a more tranquil location without giving up the advantages of big city living.

BEST FOR:

looking for a slower pace of life, Chiswick is just a short Tube ride from central London and the City. Riverside views, open spaces like Duke’s Meadows, little local greens and period homes with large gardens all add up to this being a prime village location.

BRICKS & MORTAR: Chiswick experienced gradual growth that reached its peak during the 19th century as London’s tentacles country-style Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: The tree-lined Chiswick High Road and its surrounds have abundant shopping, eating and drinking opportunities. Indulge in French cuisine at the Michelin-starred La Trompette or pick up retro gems at vintage store The Old Cinema.

POSTCODE SECRETS: Enjoy open-air theatre and concerts at Chiswick House, one of the country’s most impressive classical buildings. Take a stroll along the Thames Path National Trail at the

LOCAL COLOUR

Satirical artist WILLIAM HOGARTH

Brewery, which has been on the banks of the river since 1828.

SEATS OF LEARNING: There’s a good standard and variety of schools in Chiswick. Choose from Belmont Primary, Grove Park Primary, St Mary’s RC Primary, Strand-on-the-Green Junior School, Chiswick Community School, William Hogarth Primary and Cavendish Primary.

COMMUTE: Chiswick rail station and Chiswick Park Tube station are in Zone 3, with journeys into the West End taking around 30 minutes. Nearby Turnham Green Tube is in Zone 2.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG?

in central Chiswick ranges from £650,000 to £750,000, and you can expect to pay between £1.2m and £1.4m for a three to four bedroom house in the village.

Paul Cooney, sales manager at KFH Chiswick 020 8987 0090, pcooney@kfh.co.uk

TOMMY COOPER

Completely Zen

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

Completely Zen

SUNNY DISPOSITION In the middle of a row of traditional red-brick and stucco houses in a Kingston street stands

Words Dominic Lutyens Photography Adrian Briscoe Stylist Sam Grigg

kfh.co.uk

Completely Zen

The house looks all the more modern for the starkly graphic, supersize number 10 on its glazed front door

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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O

n the morning I visited Mark and Jane Lawson’s house in

only poured in through several large windows in the hall

from SAD,’ jokes Jane, a massage therapist. She and Mark

wood frames surrounding some monumental Ikea mirrors,

Completely Zen

Completely Zen

Himalayas and Cambodia and buy things there’

development, mainly in southwest London and Surrey,

The Lawsons, who’ve lived in this area for 14 years and

Jane and Mark’s living space features intriguing artefacts including a trio of antique butter churns

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Completely Zen More properties in

KINGSTON

WARREN ROAD, KT2

£650,000 Contact

BERESFORD ROAD, KT2

£840,000 Contact

CANBURY AVENUE, KT2

£1,100,000 Contact

Completely Zen

‘We wanted our house to

There was a 1950s Anderson air raid shelter in the garden.’

‘There’s the Rose Theatre, John Lewis and there are good

DERWENT AVENUE, SW15 £2,450,000 Contact 020 8939 8191,

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A modern take on the the Lawsons’ interest in the ancient and the contemporary

Completely Zen

Completely clear

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PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL RIDDLE, GLAZING CONTRACTOR CANTIFIX, JULIAN CORNISH-TRESTRAIL, MARCUS PEEL, CARLO CAROSSIO, NICK KANE

YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE

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ALISON BROOKS

Extending out from a Victorian villa in Islington are elevated living room, stretching out like angular, elegant origami. Glass ceilings and walls capture light through the day, draw the garden into the house and frame precise views of a walnut tree. alisonbrooksarchitects.com

kfh.co.uk

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ROBERT DYE

Looking south over the rooftops of London from Hampstead Heath is Uphill House, a residence originally designed by architect Ted Levy in 1970, and reimagined as a glass-clad, light-drenched eco home that zig zags in tiers up the hill. A dramatic staircase winds up through a skylit central core. robertdye.com

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Completely clear

HOW TO CHOOSE AN ARCHITECT

• First check that any architect you choose is

registered with industry body The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Visit architecture.com/ enter the area you’re in and the tool will produce a list of RIBA members.

• Find out if they have experience of your type of property, look at how many projects they’ve been involved in, and check their track record of approvals with local planners. Ask for references from happy clients and be sure to follow them up.

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PAUL ARCHER

A large kitchen island unit ‘punches’ through the glass skin of the building in this Kilburn house, connecting the inside with out. Paul Archer’s international clients were bringing their family up in London and dreamed of a space that conjured up the warmer climes of their childhood home. paularcherdesign.co.uk

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DOS

Two Victorian terraces in Brook Green have been remodelled to become one gloriously luminous, airy and spacious home. This is enormously helped by the double-height glass box at the rear, enclosing a lofty dining room and creating a ‘soft transition between indoors and the rear garden’. dosarchitects.com

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PITMAN TOZER

Taking full advantage of the light, this traditional house in Notting Hill has been inverted, so daylight the bedrooms below. Glazing between levels opens to views from front to back, making you feel almost as if you’re in the open air. pitmantozer.com

Completely progressive

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BLAZING A TRAIL BLAZING

A TRAIL

Never content with ‘same old’ thinking, these Londoners are making the future bright with their boundless ideas…

Words Kathryn Reilly

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Ben Hammersley LIFESTYLE VISIONARY Coiner of the word ‘podcast’, editor at large of Wired magazine and previously the PM’s ambassador to Tech City, Ben Hammersley describes himself as futurist, meaning people pay him to predict future social trends.

‘The city is made up of people who are going to be massively interconnected to devices and objects which are connected to the internet. So we can’t get away from the idea that the city is going to be smart. There’s a theory that in the 21st century, the mobile phone will play the part that the car did in the 20th century, as far as town planning is concerned. Design for our cities will be centred around the demands of an always-connected person.’

Aside from air pollution sensors and pothole detectors, what will these advances mean for life in the city over the next decade or so? ‘We’re starting to see a huge roll-out of little devices which extend the reach of applications on the internet. The next

of where these apps can go. Another example is drones – they will be come a fundamental part of our lives. Reliable, affordable But what about the theory that technology has spawned a ago,’ he laughs, ‘people were excited about the fact the internet value in the clustering of people. Whether it’s in industries, the arts, or whatever, the city maximises social connection.’

Yet many people have concerns about overcrowding. Will we not move out? ‘The countryside is very nice to retire to but it’s not

monitors. From the information gathered about where you are

example. But it’s a different matter when it comes to public transport. That imbalance could be alleviated if we developed

offering an app that crowdsources data to build up a picture of how annoying people are. Or hot! Our imagination is the limit

Our aim should be to increase the vibrancy of this city.’ benhammersley.com

Photography David Yeo

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‘LONDON WOULD BE BETTER IF IT EMBRACED MIXED-USE BUILDINGS. THE CITY IS DESERTED AT THE WEEKENDS, FOR EXAMPLE. OUR AIM SHOULD BE TO INCREASE THE VIBRANCY OF THIS CITY’

Completely progressive

Completely progressive

2

Kit Miles INTERIORS VISIONARY Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2011, award-winning wallpaper, textile and interior surface designer Kit been lauded by The Financial Times and The such respected names as Heal’s, Hyatt and Conran + Partners.

A rising star in the design world, he marries the traditional and the contemporary in his methods and his screen and digital printing, but he still he combines richly coloured botanical and Baroque designs with surreal patterns, his meticulous attention to detail showing in the vibrant, exotic ‘Birds in Chains’ design and the dynamic ‘Diagonal’. give people something they haven’t seen

contradictory shapes and develop them into a jungle or a geometric universe smashed into a billion pieces, then so be it!’

Kit believes that technology can only improve design. ‘Material science is the change the role of the print designer into We’ll be faced with the challenge of lightemitting textiles, where relief will rise and fall under different environmental circumstances.

Technology is a platform from which we can peer past our current horizons of kitmiles.co.uk Photography Ben Robertson Stylist Sarah McNabb

Completely progressive

Completely progressive

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PriestmanGoode TRANSPORT VISIONARY The news that, from 2020, Tube travelling will be more will go and, eventually, even drivers. Paul Priestman, co-founder of global design consultancy PriestmanGoode, reveals how his throughout their journey.’ design that is beautiful, simple, functional and maintainable,’ heritage and contemporary architecture – such as the grooved

Mark Ward

by which time there will have been an awful lot of bums on seats. ‘The materials are intended to wear in over time, rather than wear out. Some, of course, have a shorter life span, but overall, the trains should adapt very well to future developments.’ priestmangoode.com

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Completely progressive

life-changing

Words Jessie Hewitson

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Pip

THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING LIVING IN LONDON Sonyae Wilson

Having recently moved from Manchester, Sonyae

HOW MUCH RENT WILL YOU PAY? A rental map produced by the Mayor of London, london.gov.uk/priorities/housing-land/rentinghome/rents-map, shows typical rents across London.

For KFH lettings contact details, see p72-73

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life-changing

BUYING A FLAT

IN BRIEF: FIRST-TIME BUYER SCHEMES Help to Buy equity loans

Help to Buy guarantees

Shared ownership

For KFH Financial Services, call 020 8739 2068

Stefanie [left] and Nicola at the front door of their period home in Seven Sisters

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RENTING A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

life-changing Properties to suit a

FIRST TIME BUYER

ELSLEY ROAD, SW11

£450,000

trade, c

Contact

DENTON ROAD, N8

£410,000 Contact

CENTRAL HILL, SE19

£325,000 Contact

St John’s Square, EC1

For KFH Commercial Property, contact

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7

4

4

2

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

2

7

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Completely W1

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD )

W1 MARYLEBONE 2

Imagine being able to say: ‘Back in a tick, I’m just popping out to Selfridges.’ You can if you live in Marylebone, says resident Sinead McHale. It has the best of everything – a village atmosphere where locals know your name, but with the happy chaos of Oxford Street just a few feet away Sarah Holmes

Adrian Briscoe

BEHIND THE FAÇADE

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Left: Sinead McHale enjoys the relaxed atmosphere of favourite local café Daisy Green on Seymour Street

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Completely W1

Mai Pexton,

on

THE HIGH LIFE

2

DESIGNS ON W1

For more detailed information on Marylebone, see the KFH area guides at kfh.co.uk/living-in-marylebone

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4

Completely W1

MARYLEBONE

GLOUCESTER PLACE, NW1

9

3 £649,995 Contact

BAKER STREET, NW1

£1,350,000 Contact

11

2

OLDBURY PLACE, W1

£3,999,999 Contact

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2

kfh.co.uk

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Completely unburdened

Words Peter Watts Photography David Yeo

In her quest to lead a simple life, minimalist REGINA WONG found she had uncluttered her mind as well as her space For Regina Wong, minimalism began with William market in Hackney when she saw a piece of driftwood inscribed with Morris’s famous dictum, ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’ It struck she says. ‘I worried I was spending my life earning money and buying stuff while waiting for retirement. This stopped me in my tracks.

I loved it. And so I bought it even though I had no space in my house to hang it up.’

That was about to change. Regina read a book, The Power Of Less by Leo Babauta. ‘It got me thinking,’ she says. ‘I realised there was so much stuff in my house I didn’t use. You don’t notice, but things pile up or are shoved in cupboards.’

LIBERATION NOT LOSS Regina decided to start decluttering. ‘Now, I’m not the kind of person who did it one item a day, which is what some books recommend,’ she laughs. ‘I went through it like a bulldozer. I looked at every single item in my house. In minimalism, you decide to keep, trash or donate. I got rid of paintings, things I bought on holiday, clothes, books.’ She noted immediately the connection between physical and mental space. ‘There’s a great sense of freedom. Once you get started you feel psychologically unburdened.’

To underline this, Regina insists that ‘the only things I need are my wallet, keys, phone and passport. I carry them all the time. I like the idea of having my passport in case I decide to go to France on a whim. I never do, but I like that it supports the idea of freedom.’ After her decluttering spree, she she didn’t want to buy anything. She extended the process from the physical world into her social and emotional ones, avoiding situations and people that drained her energy. Downscaling her digital life was listen to and set rules about when she uses emails, social media and her phone. She even extended it to work, capping meeting times at 15 minutes.

She also became more involved in the wider minimalist world, corresponding with international groups like The Minimalists, an American duo who preach the ‘less is more’ faith. Regina organises a monthly London meet-up, discussing different ideas about minimalism with members.

For Regina, the point is to devote time, space and money only to things that bring satisfaction.

‘It’s not a deprivation, it’s the opposite,’ she says.

‘The whole point is that to live the simple life is to live it more fully; it’s more intense as you focus on the things that bring you happiness.’

Regina Wong blogs at simpleandminimal.com The London Minimalist page is on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/ldnminimal

Regina’s top tips for...

DECLUTTERING YOUR LIFE • Start small – a wallet, then a drawer, then a cupboard.

• Some things are easy to get rid of, but give yourself a lag time – even six months – until you feel sure.

• Always remember the three most dangerous words in minimalism, ‘Just in case’. Instead ask, ‘Does this add value to my life? If yes, keep; if it’s no, discard.’

Completely knocked out

Housed in a former Victorian bath house in Bethnal Green, the once boys-only Repton Boxing Club is opening up its

Words Sarah Holmes Photography Martin Usborne

kfh.co.uk

Completely knocked out

W

hen it comes to making a name for yourself in the East End, local lads know there are two ways of going about it.

Either you follow in the footsteps of Sir Bobby Moore and secure your legend in the world of professional football. Or you box your way to fame and glory, in which case the Repton Boxing Club off Brick Lane is the only place to train.

Kellie Omer knows all about Repton’s champion-maker reputation. She’s documented the club’s successes for the

we can’t put women’s boxing on the back foot anymore.’

Established in 1844 by Repton College in Derbyshire, the club was founded as a sports and social mission for the funding was withdrawn in 1971, the club relocated to its current E2 postcode and became a boys-only boxing gym.

RING THE CHANGES

Last summer, the Repton regular shaped club history herself when she championed plans to build a women’s

most under the tutelage of renowned coach Tony Burns, who trained alongside Ronnie and Reggie Kray. of plaques and photographs pays testament to the countless Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) champions to pass

walk out of the room. But when Repton changed from a

Kinleigh Folkard and Hayward

ring, the launch pad for a roll call of professional success stories, including that of world champion Maurice Hope.

Here, reputations aren’t made by the acquisition of money and managers, but rather through the untiring pursuit of or didn’t make it, the minute you walk through those doors ethos that has allowed unknowns like Charlie Smith, an ex-

the lads in preparation. Tony put Charlie in the ring. Audley thought he could take anyone, but this lad was hard as nails.’

‘Repton Boxing Club has produced 93 Olympians over the past 40 years’

Use London as your gym...

GET FIT IN THE PARK

like a beast and knocked his block off. By the end, Audley was crying to get out of the ring.’

Charlie’s plucky triumph is a testament to the club’s motto

• The Great Outdoor Gym Company has free tgogc.com • From Buggy Fit sessions to boot camp classes, Our Parks has a programme of free exercise

accept Kellie’s million-dollar babes into the fold.

register at ourparks.org.uk

reptonboxingclub.com

host of different London locations. Register once parkrun.org.uk

Kellie puts on her handwraps before getting into the ring

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Completely Slug

GLASS ARTISTS

CLEAR WINNERS

Words Jessica Cargill Thompson

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

gleaming

Look carefully at glassblower Michael Ruh’s soft, smoky lampshades, his delicate vases or his popular, tactile drinking glasses, and in what you may have mistaken for a plain glass surface you’ll see faint lines winding their way around the form. Each piece is completely individual.

‘The lines are scribed within the vessels when they are still very, very hot,’ he explains. ‘That has become my signature. It’s a trace of my interaction with the piece.’

Ruh’s work has a softness and subtlety to it that belies the inner complexity rewarded by prolonged observation.

A secret world. ‘I like this idea of trying to say as much as possible with as few words as possible. Like a haiku.’

MAKING THE EVERYDAY BEAUTIFUL the end of a long rod or ‘punty’ until it’s molten and malleable, then transferred to a blowpipe and heated further before a small bubble of air is blown into it. What follows is essentially a ritualistic repetition of dipping the coloured glob into the furnace to recoat or layer it with clear glass, blowing, turning and shaping with various tools as the piece grows. ‘The cliché would be to say that it’s similar to meditation,’ says Ruh. Just as his lights and vases tend to be soft and feminine in shape, so Ruh favours muted tones for his colour palette, with the occasional accent of something more intense. ‘I try not to gain possessions; instead I collect memories of colour.’

‘The longer I’ve been making glass, the more and more I like the idea that a beautiful object is incorporated in your daily life rather than sitting on a shelf somewhere, that it becomes an essential item like something you drink from.’

michaelruh.com Ruh will be taking part in the Dulwich Festival Artists Open House event on 9-10 May, dulwichfestival.co.uk/openhouse Photography Andrew Montgomery

kfh.co.uk

Photograph Julian Love

‘AS WE WORK TO CREATE LIGHT FOR OTHERS, WE NATURALLY LIGHT OUR OWN WAY’ This quote from artist Mary Anne Radmacher is a good motto for anyone’s life, but particularly for Maya Stanic: ‘My aim is that through the colours, light and illumination, my work will provoke happiness.’

For more than a decade, Stanic has been spreading her particular brand of happiness to homes across London, as well as institutions such as The Ivy and the ENO, designing bespoke windows or doors or restoring pieces. ‘Stained glass gives a space something special. If you have it on the front door, no matter what the weather is, light and colour are changing all through the day.’

FLYING COLOURS On the workbench in her studio, a colourful panel is being pieced together, with numbered shapes being matched to a precise map, then held in place with lead strips. might be composed of hundreds of individual pieces and take a week to complete. Stanic compares herself to a tailor cutting cloth, ‘What’s the most from the sheet without having too much left over?’

Does she have glass at home? glazing, but I have stained-glass panels leaning against the windows so I can still bring light and colour in.’ mayaglassstudio.co.uk

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Completely gleaming

When photography went digital, photojournalist Deborah Sandersley turned to glass to provide the hands-on craft element she’d lost from the darkroom. Using her reportage-style photography, Sandersley’s work features bold montages of London’s streetscapes, screenprinted onto glass and then often layered with etching, hand painting, foils and other traditional techniques. In both craft and content, it’s all about mixing the old and the new.

‘One picture never really captures the mood of a place, what it feels like to be there. When I started printing onto glass, I started collaging at the same time. My glasswork shows what’s going on through

Look hard at the exquisitely penned black and white drawings that spread across Pippa Stacey’s glass pieces and you may just see the outlines of faces worked into the

convey that mood,’ says Deborah.

CLEAR VISIONS As the camera ventures down side alleys and into the city’s nooks and crannies, it spots human activity too where I’ve been for a while now, is changing so much. Part of my work is documenting those little spaces that are now being lost. All those little façades that make, or made, London what it is.’ deborahsandersley.com One of her public commissions can be seen at Food at

‘I like the fact that glass is very strong, but it’s also very fragile. I think that sits well with the subject matter – which is largely London‘ (Below: ‘Beigel bake’)

animals hidden among a zebra’s stripes. These optical illusions that run through her work are inspired, she says, by illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and the Victorians’ love of silhouettes. Other optical modern artists such as Bridget Riley.

ANOTHER DIMENSION ‘To put my drawings onto glass creates a different perspective because I can use layers you can see through. I can then create shapes or textures within those layers. It’s a very three-dimensional material.’

One particularly elaborate piece, glass cabinet, spilling the narrative out of a glass book and over three glass shelves of objects.

Recurring themes include forests, animals, feathers, topiary and ginko leaves. There are bold plates with close-ups of the faces of big cats or stag beetles, and delicate dishes with do with nature. Glass is also a very tactile material. People often ask me if they can touch a piece and I have to say, “Yes! Please!”’ pipstaceyglass.com

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Completely investing Properties ideal for

BUY-TO-LETS

WELLFIELD ROAD, SW16 This light and airy two double bedroom Victorian apartment is located close to Streatham and Streatham Hill stations. £425,000 Potential rental income: £1,550pcm Gross rental yield: 4.3%

FEATHERING THE NEST

Contact Robert Cornthwaite at KFH Streatham 020 8769 8744, rcornthwaite@kfh.co.uk

The government’s pension changes might just spawn a canny new generation of buy-to-let silver investors BIRKBECK ROAD, N8

Illustration Ben Jennings

Moments from Priory Park, this superb

From April 2015 new rules about the way pensions work come into effect meaning that the 3 million people aged 55 or over who retire each year with money-purchase pension schemes (as opposed to salary-related pensions) will be in charge of their pension and able to take as much money out of their pension ‘pot’

resulting in a bill of £60,000. For this reason, it is likely that most retirees will withdraw smaller amounts of money in stages.

Pensioners will no longer need to take out an annuity to provide retirement income, as most with money-purchase schemes previously did.

This means that retirees will have a choice about

are able to meet the lenders’ requirements.

‘Most will lend to buyers over the age of 55.

However, if the required term of the mortgage takes the borrower above their planned retirement age, most lenders would need to see proof of a pension income to sustain the monthly mortgage payments. Some lenders only want to see evidence of a pension payment being made, while others will want to see projections on those incomes.’

that many will opt for a buy-to-let investment.

Here is what potential ‘silver landlords’ need to know before committing themselves:

• Retirees will no longer get just one chance to take a single tax-free lump sum worth 25% of their pension pots. Instead, they will be able to dip into their pension when they like and get the remainder taxed as income.

• This means that accessing the remaining

75% of a pot could get expensive when added to any other income, if it tips into the higherrate tax bracket. A higher-rate taxpayer taking his or her entire pot of £200,000 in cash, for example, would pay tax at 40% on £150,000,

•

director at KFH, notes that mortgage-wise

well presented and features a spacious kitchen/diner. £375,000 Potential rental income: £1,400pcm Gross rental yield: 4.3% Contact Barrington Dutton at KFH Crouch End 020 8348 8181, bdutton@kfh.co.uk

• Johnson expects that a more likely scenario, however, will not be retirees getting a

withdrawing a lump sum to entirely fund the investment property, potentially done over time to avoid higher tax. ‘They would then look at replacing the pension income with rental income instead,’ he says.

AUCKLAND ROAD, SE19 In excellent condition, this vintage style two bedroom Victorian conversion is situated within the Crystal Palace conservation area. £379,950 Potential rental income: £1,350pcm Gross rental yield: 4.2% Contact Tyrone Eneh at KFH Crystal Palace 020 8766 5920, teneh@kfh.co.uk Rental income and gross rental yields are

Jessie Hewitson is a property and personal

approximate, and in line with current market trends.

Completely panoramic

kfh.co.uk

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Completely panoramic

Take a moment to feast your eyes on four stunning properties…

THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

W6 DIGBY MANSIONS

This two bedroom loft style apartment Victorian mansion block. With a location on the riverside adjacent the best of old and new. Enjoy views

you have easy access to the amenities of Hammersmith Broadway and its excellent Tube links. £1,150,000 Contact

Paul Raeside Stylist Sam Grigg

Completely uplifting

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This exquisite property is ideally located for Imperial Wharf station

kfh.co.uk

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SW6 EDENVALE STREET a spacious reception room and open plan kitchen/diner. It is situated within the popular Sands End area of Fulham and ideally located for ÂŁ1,100,000 Contact

Adrian Briscoe Stylist Sally Cullen

Completely uplifting

Completely graceful

kfh.co.uk

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Completely graceful

SW16 PRETORIA ROAD

The desirable and leafy area of Furzedown borders

such as this excellent four bedroom example. A

ÂŁ1,000,000 Contact

Paul Raeside Stylist Sam Grigg

Completely idyllic

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SW20 PENDARVES ROAD

With a desirable location in Lambton Conservation Area in Raynes

as well as the shops and restaurants of Coombe Lane. ÂŁ1,200,000 Contact

Polly Wreford Stylist Sally Cullen

ABOVE: A kitchen/diner with

means this house is perfect for LEFT: Contemporary to enhance this period property

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Completely idyllic

A simply stunning end of terrace family home

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Completely restless

SHARON BEXLEY

Photography Paul Stuart

TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE? CLAIRE HUNTE… LOVES TO MOVE When Claire Hunte and her partner Lindsay

started on the separate house in the garden. This already had itchy feet. ‘We’d bought it for just under £120,000, spent £19,000, and sold it for

the potential in it and creating the best house

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Just some of Claire and Lindsay’s previous projects. They are available for commissions on livingfunky.co.uk

Completely restless

Completely settled

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HENRIETTA QUARTANO… STAYS PUT

When it did, the couple took on a dilapidated

pressure through lack of space – and that anything

‘I love knowing the house will always be big enough’

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Completely moveable

A HOUSE FOR LIFE it possible to incorporate all these needs into the fabric of a building?’

the housing ladder. to this, South London architects Geraghty Taylor staircase is situated at the side of the building and

he adds.

Geraghty Taylor, gtarchitects.co.uk, 0203 696 5530

can evolve with you as your life changes

Completely in budget

66 NW8

With the average house price in London now £458,283, we bring you a selection of KFH properties priced between £400,000 and £500,000

N6 N8 NW1

SW6 SW2 SW11

WHAT CAN I GET FOR

SE4 SE3 SE6

£500,000?

NW8

ABERCORN PLACE, ST JOHN’S WOOD, NW8

N6

MILTON AVENUE, HIGHGATE, N6

apartment. The property boasts lots of natural light, access to communal gardens and modern bathroom and kitchen. £499,995

An attractive period conversion situated in this popular part of Highgate village and close to Highgate Tube.

The property boasts two bedrooms, a spacious reception and attractive contemporary styling throughout. £499,999

Contact Daniel Leigh at KFH

Contact Matthew Smith at

St John’s Wood 020 7586 8001,

KFH Highgate 020 8341 6666,

dleigh@kfh.co.uk

msmith@kfh.co.uk

Set in a portered block close to St John’s Wood High Street and Tube station, this

N8

NW1

BERKELEY ROAD, CROUCH END, N8

LYME STREET, CAMDEN, NW1

Excellently located, this stunning one bedroom

This stunning one bedroom conversion with direct access to a shared garden is situated on the ground

is located in the heart of from a spacious living area, a modern kitchen with breakfast bar and a private garden. £500,000

and is only moments away from the amenities of Camden Town. £450,000

Contact Barrington Dutton at

KFH Highgate 020 8341 6666,

KFH Crouch End 020 8348 8181,

msmith@kfh.co.uk

bdutton@kfh.co.uk

kfh.co.uk

Contact Matthew Smith at

67 SW6

Completely in budget SW11

REPORTON ROAD, FULHAM, SW6

CHIVALRY ROAD, BATTERSEA, SW11

This charming and beautifully presented Victorian conversion

Set over the raised ground

attractive period building private entrance. £450,000

substantial period building near Clapham Junction is this beautiful split level apartment, which would

Contact Anthony Bell at

or investment purchase. £499,950

KFH Fulham 020 7731 0051,

Contact Tim Beattie at

abell@kfh.co.uk

KFH Battersea 020 7228 2666, tbeattie@kfh.co.uk

SW2

SE4

MAPLESTEAD ROAD, BRIXTON, SW2

WICKHAM ROAD, BROCKLEY, SE4

A stunningly presented

Contact Jimmy Carr at

Offered to market with no onward chain is this very well presented two bedroom Victorian conversion with direct access to garden. With a great location in a conservation area, it is close to Brockley station and local cafés and restaurants. £465,000

KFH Clapham 020 8675 5436,

Contact Simon Smith at

jcarr@kfh.co.uk

KFH Brockley 020 8469 0202,

converted Victorian house and situated on a desirable residential road. This lovely property boasts good dimensions throughout rear private garden. £500,000

ssmith@kfh.co.uk

SE3

SE6

THE GLEBE, BLACKHEATH, SE3

PERRY HILL, CATFORD, SE6

This is a beautifully presented two bedroom period conversion set on a leafy street close to the heart of desirable Blackheath village and handy for the station. £500,000

This truly charming mid terrace three bedroom Victorian house is conveniently located for shops, bars and restaurants

Contact Patricia Irwin-Brown at

having been completely refurbished. £425,000

KFH Blackheath 020 8852 9451,

Contact Javaid Ahmed at

pibrown@kfh.co.uk

KFH Forest Hill 020 8699 1596, jahmed@kfh.co.uk

Completely seasonal

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Spring on a plate: Celeriac with toasted walnuts, chickweed and radicchio

kfh.co.uk

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Completely seasonal

BLUE SKYE THINKING ‘Spring is possibly my favourite season –

SKYE GYNGELL

Words Zeren Wilson Photography Chris Terry

Completely seasonal

S

kye is back. For those of us immersed in the world of London restaurants and the chefs behind them, this is big news and gives us a little frisson of excitement as we reach for the phone to make a reservation.

As head chef of Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond from 2004-2012 (winning a Michelin star in 2011), Skye Gyngell forged a reputation for her beautifully presented and uncompromisingly seasonally driven dishes, inspiring diners from across the country to make the pilgrimage to an unlikely yet endearingly unique setting to dine amongst the with soil beneath the feet and quaint metal garden furniture as tables and chairs, this was the most idyllic and bucolic place in town to have lunch on a sunny summer day.

Skye’s return to the London restaurant scene has been keenly anticipated, even given that it comes at a time when there is a white heat of intensity to the this fervid anticipation must have involved a certain nervous energy on Skye’s part, a need to make sure

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70

that the whole venture was a success from the kick off: London food critics can be ruthlessly trigger happy when it comes to mercilessly skewering a new site, often summing up the quality and worth of a new venue within days of the opening.

‘Of course it’s been stressful, but that’s when you know how much something means to you,’ Skye admits. Early reviews were positive and those sometimes meddlesome knee-jerk opinions were successfully negotiated. Praise for the food was unerringly glowing. Job done. Skye is happy.

‘Having seen the restaurant transform from a few ideas in my head, to having a site, to working with all the people involved along the way, has – second only to my two daughters – been the best experience of my life. Standing in my kitchen, with a fantastic team around me, and knowing it was all real. It’s a oncein-a-lifetime feeling.’

WORKING WITH THE SEASONS frilly language, just laconic listings of ingredients with the odd nod to a cooking technique here or there: halibut with spinach, chilli and preserved lemon dressing; carpaccio of wild seabass with tomatoes,

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Portrait photograph Amber Rowlands

marjoram and chilli; mozzarella, coppa, artichokes and black olives. The menu changes at least once a week, with the addition of a daily menu in The Salon, an extension to the restaurant opening in April that will focus on smaller plates.

‘Coming up on the menu in the next few months we will have some early asparagus, wild garlic, which is just delicious, and some spring lamb, which I can’t wait for either. The Salon will be a great way to show off some of the new season produce,’ she says.

The room is a real looker, too, housed in the New Wing of Somerset House (the Inland Revenue’s Briony Fitzgerald. Soothing pastels, a grand sweep of a high ceilinged main room, it’s all very serene and quietly classy.

‘It was imperative to have someone leading the design that really understood my vision, and there is nobody better placed to do that than Briony. She knew exactly what I was thinking, sometimes even before I did. To me, the décor and interior are the perfect backdrop for my food, and with the waiters and waitresses in their amazing uniforms too – it all works so well together.’ springrestaurant.co.uk

Completely seasonal

‘Standing in my kitchen with a fantastic team… it’s a once-in-a-lifetime feeling’

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Completely everywhere

CHISWICK 163-165 Chiswick High Road, W4 2DT Sales: 020 8987 0090 chiswick.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8987 0099 chiswick.lettings@kfh.co.uk CLAPHAM 44 Abbeville Road, SW4 9NF Sales: 020 8675 5436 clapham.sales@kfh.co.uk CLAPHAM COMMON 30 The Pavement, SW4 0JE Sales: 020 3700 8555 claphamcommon.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 3700 6300 claphamcommon.lettings@kfh.co.uk CROUCH END Sales: 020 8348 8181 Lettings: 020 8341 1110 CRYSTAL PALACE 15-17 Westow Hill, SE19 1TQ Sales: 020 8766 5920 Lettings: 020 8766 5930 DULWICH VILLAGE 39 Dulwich Village, SE21 7BN Sales: 020 8299 4499 dulwichvillage.sales@kfh.co.uk EALING 45 The Mall, W5 3TJ Sales : 020 8799 3890 ealing.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8799 3899 ealing.lettings@kfh.co.uk EARLSFIELD Sales: 020 8944 6464

KFH RESIDENTIAL SALES AND LETTINGS BALHAM 124 Balham High Road, SW12 9AA Sales: 020 8675 1123 balham.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8675 3639 balham.lettings@kfh.co.uk BATTERSEA

Lettings: 020 8875 2980 BECKENHAM

BROMLEY

EAST DULWICH

Sales: 020 8650 8268 beckenham.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8658 8443 beckenham.lettings@kfh.co.uk

Sales: 020 8460 6066

Sales: 020 8299 8800 eastdulwich.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8299 8980 eastdulwich.lettings@kfh.co.uk

BELSIZE PARK

Lettings: 020 8464 5353 BROOK GREEN

Sales: 020 7483 4302

Sales: 020 7228 2666

Sales: 020 3542 2020 Lettings: 020 7586 9006

Lettings: 020 7228 8688 BLACKHEATH BATTERSEA PARK 1 3BP Sales: 020 7924 1944 BAYSWATER

Sales: 020 8852 9451 blackheath.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8297 0181 blackheath.lettings@kfh.co.uk

CANADA WATER SE16 7AQ Sales: 020 7231 3800 Lettings: 020 7237 3222

BROCKLEY

Sales: 020 7724 1222

Sales: 020 8469 0202

CHISLEHURST

Lettings: 020 7563 5090

Lettings: 020 8104 0101

Sales: 020 8285 9900

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

FINCHLEY 767-769 High Road, N12 8JY Sales: 020 8970 7856 Lettings: 020 8980 7858 FOREST HILL 7 Sales: 020 8699 1596 FULHAM Sales: 020 7731 0051 fulham.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 7736 6737 fulham.lettings@kfh.co.uk

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HAMMERSMITH

PUTNEY

Sales: 020 8563 9633

Sales: 020 8780 0033

Lettings: 020 8563 9889 HAYES 4 Station Buildings, BR2 7EN Sales: 020 8462 2246

Lettings: 020 8785 3433 RAYNES PARK

Completely everywhere

RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS AND MANAGEMENT Lettings Management KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2100 llm@kfh.co.uk

EDITORIAL

Lettings Client Accounts

Creative director

KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA

Editorial director

Sales: 020 3542 2000

020 8739 2110 lca@kfh.co.uk

Group editor

Lettings Renewals

Editor

Lettings: 020 3542 2010

KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA

Art director

020 8739 2190 lrd@kfh.co.uk

HIGHGATE SOUTHFIELDS Sales: 020 8341 6666 highgate.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8342 7030 highgate.lettings@kfh.co.uk HOLLAND PARK Sales: 020 3542 2111

Sales: 020 8871 9655 SOUTHGATE Sales: 020 8882 3333 southgate.sales@kfh.co.uk ST JOHN’S WOOD

Lettings: 020 3542 2120 ISLINGTON Sales: 020 7226 2487 islington.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 7359 3636 islington.lettings@kfh.co.uk KENNINGTON Sales: 020 7582 7773 kennington.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 7582 4040 kennington.lettings@kfh.co.uk KINGSTON 55-59 Fife Road, KT1 1SF Sales: 020 8939 8191 kingston.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8939 8181 kingston.lettings@kfh.co.uk LEE Sales: 020 8857 9494 lee.sales@kfh.co.uk LONDON BRIDGE Sales: 020 3465 9230 Lettings: 020 3465 9240 MARYLEBONE Sales: 020 7486 5551 Lettings: 020 3040 6270 MUSWELL HILL Sales: 020 8883 0123 muswellhill.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8883 2340 muswellhill.lettings@kfh.co.uk PECKHAM

Sales: 020 7586 8001 stjohnswood.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 7586 8817 stjohnswood.lettings@kfh.co.uk STREATHAM Sales: 020 8769 8744

CHARTERED SURVEYORS Greater London KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2040 surveyors@kfh.co.uk

PUBLISHING

Hertfordshire, Kent, Oxford, South Wales,

Account manager Stephanie King

Suffolk, Surrey 0800 328 8898

Ad sales 020 7749 3300

surveyors@kfh.co.uk

KFHads@augustmedia.com Published by

FINANCIAL SERVICES Greater London

020 7749 3300. info@augustmedia.com

KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA

Printer: Repro:

Greater London 020 8222 7200 newhomes@kfh.co.uk

WEST DULWICH

newhomesse@kfh.co.uk

Sales: 020 8761 0900 westdulwich.sales@kfh.co.uk

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Cover paper:

Matt Text paper:

AWARDS Editor of the Year

South East First Floor, 44-48 Borough High Street,

Editor of the Year

SE1 1XW 020 3486 2250 Designer of the Year 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA

Grand Prix

020 8739 2090 commercial@kfh.co.uk

Best Launch

BLOCK MANAGEMENT

Best Use of Photography

Nelson House, 58 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7PA 020 3542 0200 propman@kfh.co.uk

Sales: 020 8785 2122

HEAD OFFICE

WEST WICKHAM

KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2000 ho@kfh.co.uk

WIMBLEDON 49 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7QW Sales: 020 8944 4000 wimbleon.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8944 4040 wimbledon.lettings@kfh.co.uk

Thanks to

Managing director

180 King Street, W6 0RA

Sales: 020 8777 2381 westwickham.sales@kfh.co.uk

Production manager

Essex, Gloucester, Hampshire,

Sales: 020 8767 1400 tooting.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 8767 2666 tooting.lettings@kfh.co.uk

WEST PUTNEY

Staff writer

Bedfordshire, Birmingham, Cambridge,

LAND AND NEW HOMES

WEST HAMPSTEAD 19 Sales: 020 7328 2238 westhampstead.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 7604 5150 westhampstead.lettings@kfh.co.uk

Picture editor

SURVEYORS ALSO COVERING:

Lettings: 020 8769 3337 TOOTING

Chief sub editor Janetta Willis

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward is the trading name of Kinleigh Limited, registered in England 913323.

KFH House, 5 Compton Road London, SW19 7QA The prices of properties featured for sale and to let in this publication are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. Before arranging to view any of the featured properties, please whether or not they are still available, the current asking price and, in the case of properties to let,

Sales: 020 7639 2029 peckham.sales@kfh.co.uk Lettings: 020 7635 0034 peckham.lettings@kfh.co.uk

whether or not they are furnished. Any internal photographs are intended as a guide only and it should not be assumed that any of the furniture/

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74

Completely devoted

3

1 2 4

My London BEN DE LISI The fashion and interiors designer talks

5

bulldogs, Battersea and taking inspiration from London’s icons for his latest collection

9

I came to London for love.

I followed my heart here from New York in 1982. Little did I know the true love affair would begin after I arrived, with the city itself.

Home is a gorgeous townhouse just off Battersea Bridge shared with my three French bulldogs, Luca, Noah and Te’a. As housemates go, they’re the most relaxed I could ask for.

Battersea is the perfect place for scenic walks. Being a daddy to three bulldogs, it’s useful having the river right at my feet. Most days we’ll saunter past the Royal College of Art, before crossing the bridge to King’s Road in Chelsea.

Saturday means perusing antiques in Marylebone.

Street is a treasure house of relics. hand-painted mirror from a 1950s nightclub in Paris.

London inspired my latest interiors collection for Debenhams, particularly the embroidery designs for the cushions and accessories.

The street names and iconic buildings feature heavily.

My earliest memory of London is its architecture. Buildings like Westminster Abbey were built hundreds of years before America was even discovered.

Had I designed any London landmark, I wish it were the Shard. I love buildings that push forward the limits of design.

Since I’m not a big drinker, the whole night scene is wasted on me but dinner out at Eight Over Eight in Chelsea always raises a smile.

I’d rather host a dinner party in my city garden. Most summers, my friends and I will sit out on the terrace and enjoy a sunset dinner before chatting late into the night.

For the best fashion bargains, head to the sales at Joseph on Bond Street or The Shop at Bluebird on King’s Road.

The Principles by Ben de Lisi and Ben de Lisi interior collections are available at debenhams.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 1 De Lisi’s bulldog cushion; 2 wire fruit bowl; 3 Westminster Abbey; 4 lime coffee table; 5 Battersea Bridge; 6 London-inspired cushion; 7 bulldogs; 8 King’s Road street sign; 9 The Shard; 10 The Shop at Bluebird

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ADRRIAN BRISCOE, AWL, AXIOM PHOTOGRAPHIC, GETTY IMAGES

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