Country & Town Interiors - 2019

2019

The Finest

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A AF AFM AM I L IYL YS TSOT O R YR Y

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THE WORLD S MOST DESIRABLE KITCHENS

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Contents Regulars 8 10 152

EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS INDEX

Features MEET YOUR MATCH When it comes to hiring an interior designer, chemistry is everything. Catriona Gray’s guide to choosing the right designer also considers what their expectations are of you – after all, it takes two to tango

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MORE THAN A STORE Long gone are the days when a shop could just sell products.

Retailers are using the power of interior design to capture their clients and offer a tantalising alternative to online shopping, finds Amy Bradford

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CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME From pantos to soup kitchens, Britain’s interior designers have a decidedly creative approach to raising money for great causes, says Arabella Youens

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS Looking to hire a designer? Our exhaustive list offers interior styles to suit all tastes and budgets

Directory Design Services 72 Kitchens & Bathrooms 92 Fabrics, Walls & Floors 106 Furniture 134 Home Accessories 56

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ON THE COVER Home in the South of France

by Collett-Zarzycki Photograph by Richard Powers

Editor Carole Annett Editorial Director Lucy Cleland Managing Editor Anastasia Bernhardt Chief Copy Editor Emma Love Sub Editors Belinda Bamber, Clementina Jackson, Jenny Rowe Creative & Production Director Parm Bhamra Junior Production Designer Samuel Thomas Online Editor Rebecca Cox Digital Assistant Ellie Smith Junior Editorial Assistant Kerri Stolerman Technical Manager Hannah Johnson Associate Director, Property & Marketing Gemma Cowley Senior Account Manager Felicity Reid Senior Account Manager Ellie Rix Sales & Office Manager Daisy Orr-Ewing Group Publishing Director Tia Graham Finance Director Jill Newey Publisher Lucy Walford Managing Director Jeremy Isaac

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Copyright © 2019 Country & Town House Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. While every care is taken to ensure all information is correct at the time of going to press, it is subject to change, and Country & Town House Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. Country & Town House, Studio 2, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL, +44 (0)20 7384 9011

PHOTOS: CIRCE BATH BY KALLISTA AT WEST ONE BATHROOMS; SPINOCCHIA FREUND

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elcome to the second edition of Country & Town Interiors, an invaluable guide for anyone looking to engage an interior designer and a showcase of the tools of their trade, from lighting to furniture. Each year we assemble an expert panel to choose our 50 finest professionals, a headscratching task in view of the smörgåsbord of talent.

In order to cast a wide net, and to ensure each year’s edition has its own relevance, we invite an esteemed panel. This year, we are delighted that hotelier and designer Kit Kemp, of Firmdale Hotels (Ham Yard, Charlotte Street Hotel and The Whitby in New York among others) agreed to join.

So too broadcaster, podcaster and writer Pandora Sykes, and jeweller and homeware designer Stephen Webster.

The home team at Country & Town House, editor Lucy Cleland and I complete the group.

The 50 interior designers we have selected offer myriad styles, from traditional country house to laid-back luxe. Some have reams of projects under their belt, while others are enjoying the first rungs of success. It means that whether you’re after help revamping a couple of rooms or are planning to build a new country estate, there’s someone for you. Find the full guide on page 25.

There are also insightful articles to read. Arabella Youens discovers how some designers give back by way of unheralded charitable work (p20). Others, like Tim Gosling, make a song and dance about it – literally – by writing, directing and performing in a West End panto.

You may have noticed how the face of retail is changing. Amy Bradford explains how places like 5 Carlos Place, Matches Fashion’s retail experience and broadcasting hub, create interiors that invite clients to linger (p16). Catriona Gray also offers a practical guide to engaging an interior designer (p12).

Whether you’re after ‘unpretentious with a twist’, or a refined English look, there will be someone here to fulfil the brief. Download The House Guest podcast to hear a good chunk of this year’s 50 Finest chat about their work. There are plenty of personalities, I hope you enjoy getting to know them.

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PHOTOS: LONDON HOUSE BEN PENTREATH, PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATHERINE GRATWICKE; LUCIA CHAIR WITH PAINTED LEGS IN RUBELLI MAFALDA BY THE DINING CHAIR COMPANY; KITCHEN BY RITA KONIG

Editor’s Letter

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FABRICS & WALLPAPERS FURNITURE LIGHTING RATTAN LONDON + 44 (0) 20 7730 6400 NEW YORK + 1 646 201 9553 SAN FRANCISCO + 1 415 590 3260 ENQUIRIES@SOANE.COM WWW.SOANE.COM/CTH

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TH E PAN EL

KIT KEMP

STEPHEN WEBSTER

PANDORA SYKES

Kit Kemp has forged an international reputation for her unique hotels as co-owner and Design Director of Firmdale Hotels. In addition to publishing three interior design books, she is a successful textiles, fragrance and homewares designer. ‘I like harmonious, congruent interiors but that doesn’t mean every room has to look the same. Every space is important and I’m always so interested in the way that they interlink. I love colour and attention to detail.’

Combining a love of fine craftsmanship with a passion for music, fashion and art, Stephen Webster’s keen eye for detail, flair and wild imagination has ensured him unique status in the contemporary jewellery world. ‘When it comes to interiors, one of the most important things to me is what’s outside. I’m a sucker for a view.

I’m a huge John Soane enthusiast and love his obsession with bringing the outside in, skilfully dragging outside elevations and making them part of the inside, including the light.’

Writer, journalist, speaker and co-host of The High Low, an iTunes number one weekly culture podcast, Pandora Sykes cut her journalistic teeth as the Fashion Features Editor and Wardrobe Mistress columnist of The Sunday Times Style magazine up until 2017. Her taste is emulated by women up and down the UK. When it comes to her home, she says, ‘My interior design look is like my personal style: decorative but not cluttered; eclectic but (hopefully!) not ostentatiously kooky.’

Co-owner and Design Director of Firmdale Hotels

British jewellery designer

Journalist, podcast co-host and speaker

CONTRIBUTORS

What is the loveliest thing in your house?

Probably my 1930s sofa

by Danish designer Frits Henningsen, which I found in a country auction. It’s made by hand and the workmanship is incredible.

What is your idea of true comfort? I have a thing for Scandinavian design, so I would say the Liljevalchs sofa by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, which is bigger than most double beds. You could get lost on it!

Whose house would you most like to see inside? Architect and entrepreneur Osvaldo Borsani’s extraordinary modernist villa outside Milan, for its patterned marble floors and ceramic fireplace by Lucio Fontana.

ARABELLA YOUENS What is the loveliest thing in your house?

A watercolour by the Catalan artist Josep Coll Bardolet. My grandparents bought it from him in the 1960s when he was living in Mallorca and it depicts islanders dancing in their voluminous Sunday best – a far cry from the sun, sea and sandscapes that the island soon became known for.

What is your idea of true comfort? Really high quality bed linen. I think I currently own two pillowcases which qualify so this collection is work in progress.

Whose house would you most like to see inside? Antique dealer-decorator Edward Hurst’s house in Dorset. He has impeccable taste.

EMMA LOVE What is the loveliest thing in your house?

It is soon to be a pair of oak Ercol dining chairs with spindle backs, which I currently have on order.

What is your idea of true comfort?

Absolutely nothing could beat an armchair by a crackling fire in winter.

Whose house would you most like to see inside? It would be nice to peek inside the house of Maria Speake from Retrouvius, an architectural salvage and design business based in Kensal Green. So many of the design studio’s projects are dreamy and I love the combination of salvaged and new.

ILLUSTRATION: SAMUEL THOMAS

AMY BRADFORD

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Engaging the right interior designer is like choosing a spouse – not an exact science. Catriona Gray offers advice on where to begin, best practice and how to avoid common pitfalls

ne of Britain’s most famous decorators, the late, great David Hicks, said: ‘The best rooms have something to say about the people who live in them.’

Employing the services of a professional to help build or decorate your home can lead to a far more polished and coherent result than doing it by yourself.

But the process can be daunting.

Redecorating or renovating is one of the most substantial investments you will ever make, so it’s vital to approach it in the right way.

A good starting point is to pull together pictures of houses, room sets, furniture and styles that you like, and get a clear idea of your own taste and

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PHOTOS: © SIMON BROWN

MEET YOUR MATCH O

PHOTOS: © SIMON BROWN

the designers you’re drawn to. ‘You will live with these interiors for a long time, so it is best not to rush the process,’ advises Beata Heuman, known for her colourful and original schemes. ‘Before you contact anyone, think about your own style and aesthetics.’

The next step is to contact the designers that appeal to you. ‘Interior design is not just a creative business, it is also a project management one, so make sure you hire a company with an operation that can sustain the workload your scheme will entail,’ says Natalia Miyar, whose contemporary interiors exude glamour and luxury.

‘Make the time to visit their offices, so you can see the set-up and what their support structure is like,’ she advises. Both Heuman and Miyar agree that rapport is key. For a project to be truly successful, there has to be a mutual connection with a prospective client.

It may sound obvious, but if you are embarking on building work – either a new build or extensive remodelling – and are planning to engage an interior designer, contact them at the very beginning. ‘It’s best if the architect and the interior designer can work together,’ says Heuman. ‘It will give the best results and reduce the chance of mistakes that need correcting. In simple terms, making sure water pipes or plug sockets are in the right locations.’

Before works start, you should also have agreed upon a fee and have a clear idea of the proposed design. How fees are calculated varies hugely between

CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE TOP: Beata Heuman keeps the kitchen colourful in a Paddington pied-à-terre; playful patterns from the same project; this scheme by Natalia Miyar Atelier captures a relaxed but grown-up atmosphere; art often features in Natalia’s schemes; Natalia Miyar, whose design signature is glamour; Beata Heuman, known for her originality and use of colour

practices – some charge a fixed fee, some invoice for their time, and others fund their work through commission on purchased items.

While some practices present designs as mood boards, with suggested fabric swatches and floor plans, others produce detailed drawings or 3D renditions. Ben Pentreath, renowned for schemes that blend traditional aesthetics with bold colour and engaging detail, explains his studio’s process: ‘We like to be given as thorough a brief as possible, through tear sheets, Pinterest boards or conversations over books in the office.

We need to know what you like and what you don’t. Often, our role is in encouraging clients to draw out their own ideas; equally, to suggest ideas they wouldn’t have had alone. There are no rights and wrongs to decoration but there are many pitfalls. Having the experience to pull a project together is how we assist.’

Whatever the method, it’s important you can visualise what is being suggested. At this stage, agree a timeline and voice opinions or suggestions – changing your mind later on can be expensive and cause delay. You should also decide how involved COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 13

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DO

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Gather together images of interiors you like or make a Pinterest board.

Find an interior designer whose aesthetic matches your own and with whom you connect.

Have a budget in mind – it will help you in the choice of designer, and enable them to choose items you can afford.

Contact a designer before you commence any building work.

Visit their studio and have them come to see your home before engaging them.

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DON’T

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Embark on a project without having agreed upon a clear schedule.

Ask a designer to recreate an aesthetic that is significantly different to their own.

Repeatedly change your mind – it will slow down the project and cost you money.

Go against your gut instinct.

If you have a feeling something is wrong, it’s probably true.

Rush things. It’s important you are happy with your choices as you’ll be living with them for a long time.

you want to be in the process. Some interior designers welcome the opportunity to include their clients in research such as showroom visits or sourcing trips for antiques, while others prefer a hands-off approach. Typically, you will liaise more with your designer in the beginning, taking a step back once the project is under way, leaving them to manage everything from contractors to deliveries.

Taking the first step can sometimes feel like a fishing expedition – how do you hook the best trout

in a teeming pond? Or perhaps you need to engage a new designer due to a relationship breakdown – a personality clash or unrealistic expectations.

It’s not unusual for the initial excitement at the start of a project to wear off once you hit the first wall. In these situations, there is a helping hand: Sandy Mitchell set up the RedBook Agency after experiencing his own dilemmas and rocketing budget while renovating an 800-year-old Berkshire property. His business (with a roster of highprofile clients including the Duke and Duchess of Bedford) advises on how to launch a project by bringing together the best teams, from architects and interior designers to planning consultants and project managers. He takes a rigorous view of the matchmaking process.

‘We use spreadsheets initially as there are so many details to take into consideration, such as location, age of property and the needs of a family. The next stage is to find where a client sits stylistically. You get a clear idea from their response to internet and magazine images. Occasionally, we get someone with little idea of what they want.

A good starting point is to ask where they sit on a sliding scale of one to ten, from Ikea to oligarch.’

The RedBook team then collates, researches and whittles down potential design practices to two or three candidates. ‘We match personality, size of practice, technical capability, expectation and process,’ he explains. Only then is it time to introduce the client. ‘We offer more than one choice as it’s so important for a client to like who they are working with. It’s much easier to know if there is chemistry if you can make a comparison.’

Sandy’s final tip is to be decisive and answer emails or calls promptly. ‘Clients often want instant results but can be frustratingly slow at answering questions. Respond quickly and be aware that your delay is affecting workflow. And pay your bills quickly, you’ll be amazed what a difference it makes.’ There’s not a professional out there who would disagree. beataheuman.com; benpentreath.com; nataliamiyar.com; redbookagency.com 

PHOTOS: © SIMON BEVAN; © JASON INGRAM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: This Chelsea apartment designed

by Ben Pentreath blends traditional furniture with pops of colour; Ben’s subtle use of pattern in a project in Dorset; Ben Pentreath is an architect and interior designer

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MORE THAN A STORE As online shopping becomes ever more popular, smart retailers are working harder to make bricks-and-mortar stores worth a visit.

Amy Bradford reports on how their innovations are changing the face of the high street

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ritain may be a small country, but we certainly pull our weight when it comes to online shopping. According to statistics released by eMarketer in 2018, the UK has the third largest e-commerce market in the world – only China and the US are ahead of us, with nations like Russia, Japan and Germany lagging significantly behind. What’s more, according to accounting and consultancy firm Deloitte, Britain’s online sales grew at ten times the rate of store sales in the first half of 2018. These figures not only put headlines about the decline of the high street into sharp perspective, they also help to explain why we’re starting to see a new type of bricks-andmortar shopping experience emerge. The savviest retailers know that they need to adapt to this new consumer climate – and fast – or perish.

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‘Be more than a store’ is the advice that Deloitte offered to brands in its recent retail forecast. Stacking piles of product in a white space is no longer enough to lure shoppers from their sofas onto the streets, even in the most luxurious shopping districts.

Consequently, stores are starting to behave more like cultural attractions, offering dramatic spectacles, tailored customer events and experiences – or even, in the most forward-thinking cases, digital innovations.

This last element is still in its infancy, but is starting to move beyond click-and-collect to features such as ‘smart’ fitting rooms, which have interactive screens or mirrors that can suggest co-ordinating items, adjust lighting and summon assistants, all from the comfort of your cubicle.

Online retail may have convenience on its side, but for the most part it conspicuously lacks individuality. This is the physical shop’s secret weapon. ‘The era of digital change has coincided with the new era of experience,’ points out Denise Neri, retail architectural manager at Aesop. This beauty brand was a trailblazer for forward-thinking, responsive store behaviour. Although it has numerous boutiques all over the world, it has cleverly decided to make each one different, adapting sensitively to its locale and presenting a wealth of different design identities. ‘We focus on hosting customers,’ adds Neri. ‘When you come into an Aesop store, you’re welcomed as a guest in our home, and offered tea, conversation and unobtrusive personal service. We seek to provide calm, comfortable, human environments that nurture the

CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE: 5 Carlos Place is Matchesfashion. com’s townhouse, offering an immersive experience of the digital brand; Aesop stores feature interactive elements that allow customers to try out products, such as large washbasins; Tufnell Park’s Insidestore is like visiting someone’s home; Eight Holland Street recognises the importance of human interaction for clients

senses, and feel and smell as good as they look.’

The experience of visiting somewhere special and enjoying some human interaction is one of the principal aims at Insidestore in Tufnell Park, north London. Based in a beautiful converted factory building with its own courtyard, it’s run by Andrea Bates, a former buyer for Heal’s and Jamie Oliver, who had ambitions to create a more personalised shopping environment. ‘Our products have an interiors focus, so we love to welcome people into our home to chat and get advice,’ says Bates. ‘It’s not only more personal, it also really helps people to envisage pieces in their own homes. We’ve had so many customers who have been let down by faceless online companies and are turning back to real shops, where they can speak to a familiar face.’ The store’s first-floor gallery, dubbed ‘our place’, hosts workshops and interior design sessions that keep loyal clients coming back. As Bates lives in the area, she knows what locals want.

‘It’s all about developing a place in the community,’ she reflects.

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‘In order to survive, shops can no longer be just about selling,’ argues Sophie Ashby.

‘They need to be comfortable, visually rich and have the human touch’

Curator Rowena Morgan-Cox, co-founder of new Kensington gallery, Eight Holland Street, (with designer Tobias Vernon) is another retailer who recognises the growing importance of place.

Inspired by the intimacy of ‘house museums’ like Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, her townhouse brings together high-end craft and art pieces with smaller, more accessible finds – a vision that might look incoherent online, but makes perfect sense in a physical space. ‘We want people to spend time here, take a seat, chat and discover things,’ she says.

‘Architecturally, our space helps us do this – there are two old coal stores that make fun, cave-like

spaces for displaying accessories, for example.

We’ve yet to come up with a good way to replicate our shop online, but as one of our clients recently said, whatever we do, it would be impossible to recreate the experience of meeting us and feeling our enthusiasm for what we sell. Meeting clients is so important for us, too, because it helps us respond to what people want.’

In order to make their stores truly memorable, brands increasingly enlist the help of architects and interior designers. New Marylebone fashion store Casely-Hayford, which specialises in madeto-measure clothes, is a collaboration between Charlie Casely-Hayford and his wife, Sophie Ashby.

Its apartment-style feel reflects not only Ashby’s status as a sought-after decorator, but also the intimate experience of having a bespoke outfit made. ‘We wanted it to be immersive, with a feeling of escapism, so we’ve thought about everything, right down to the scents, flowers and music,’ Ashby explains. In the future, she thinks stores will become ‘entirely shoppable’, rather than just selling one type of product. ‘In order to survive, shops can no longer be just about selling,’ she argues. ‘They need to be comfortable, visually rich and have the human touch.’

Fran Hickman is another designer who’s carved a niche creating destination stores, including Emilia Wickstead’s Sloane Street outpost and the debut UK pop-up for Goop in Notting Hill. Her Goop design takes inspiration from the wellness brand’s California heritage and features indoor planting based on traditional physic gardens, as well as a palette of natural materials and oceanblue shades borrowed from Yves Klein paintings.

Storytelling is vital to good retail design, believes Hickman. ‘Online shopping has many advantages, but it can’t appeal to all five senses,’ she reflects.

‘This is why the experience of a well-designed physical space will beat a virtual one every time.’

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PHOTOS: 8 HOLLAND STREET – © JAMES MCDONALD / LOUISE LONG (SEE JPEG); CASELY HAYFORD - © ALEXANDER JAMES; COAL DROPS YARD - © ANDY DONOHOE / LUKE HAYES / JOHN STURROCK / HUFTON + CROW (SEE JPEG); GOOP - © APPEAR HERE; MATCHESFASHION - © CAT GARCIA; THE MAIYET COLLECTIVE © ALICIA WAITE

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Fran Hickman’s design for Goop’s Notting Hill pop-up is about appealing to the senses; Casely-Hayford, designed by Sophie Ashby, is an escapist apartment-style boutique; Coal Drops Yard is London’s new culturally-diverse shopping district in King’s Cross; Byredo’s store in Soho; Thomas’s, Burberry’s swishy eaterie on Regent Street

PHOTOS: 8 HOLLAND STREET – © JAMES MCDONALD / LOUISE LONG (SEE JPEG); CASELY HAYFORD - © ALEXANDER JAMES; COAL DROPS YARD - © ANDY DONOHOE / LUKE HAYES / JOHN STURROCK / HUFTON + CROW (SEE JPEG); GOOP - © APPEAR HERE; MATCHESFASHION - © CAT GARCIA; THE MAIYET COLLECTIVE © ALICIA WAITE

ADDRESS BOOK Aesop, aesop.com Insidestore London, insidestoreldn.com 8 Holland Street, 8hollandstreet.com Casely-Hayford, casely-hayford.com Studio Ashby, studioashby.com Fran Hickman, franhickman.com Emilia Wickstead, emiliawickstead.com Goop, goop.com Coal Drops Yard, coaldropsyard.com Burberry, uk.burberry.com Mariage Frères, mariagefreres.com Byredo, byredo.co.uk The Maiyet Collective, maiyet.com Matchesfashion.com matchesfashion.com

Among the most architecturally-led retail developments to open recently is Coal Drops Yard, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, which piques shoppers’ curiosity in a variety of ways. Located in a historical venue (a 19th-century former coal yard in King’s Cross, once an important industrial landmark), it brings together like-minded independent retailers in a community setting (the new-generation shopping mall), and weaves in dining and cultural hotspots so your visit is about more than just shopping.

Such diversity is also a focus for the big luxury brands, including Burberry, whose Regent Street store has hosted art installations and also boasts a chi-chi café, Thomas’s. At fragrance label Byredo’s new UK flagship in nearby Soho, an art gallery occupies the top floor, with a programme of rotating exhibitions and events starting this year. And in Covent Garden, cult French tea house Mariage Frères has just opened its first UK branch, complete with an antique-filled tea museum, restaurant and private rooms for tastings.

Other stores are completely reinventing the

traditional retail model. The Maiyet Collective is a kind of travelling retail theatre, hosting more than 50 ethical brands in fashion, beauty, homeware and jewellery via pop-up shops, talks and workshops.

It made its debut last autumn at Mayfair members’ club The Conduit, opening for just three days a month, with a store design by The New Craftsmen.

It moved to Harvey Nichols for a two-week stint in February, and the idea is it will continue to evolve in various temporary settings. ‘By opening for a short time we can focus on providing an intensive retail experience that people won’t want to miss,’ says founder Paul van Zyl. ‘We work with brands on a rotational basis, so that customers will always find something new.’

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the smartest innovations in physical shopping come from a retailer that started online. Last year Matchesfashion.com unveiled a five-storey Georgian townhouse in Mayfair’s Carlos Place that’s flagged as a personal shopping and events space – but in reality offers so much more. ‘It’s a totally new retail experience: a cultural and lifestyle venue and creative broadcasting hub,’ explains chief brand officer Jess Christie. ‘Customers can attend events in person or virtually, via live-streaming and podcasts, at any time, and from anywhere in the world.’ The townhouse has been designed so it’s completely flexible and can be reimagined for new events, whether that’s a supper club, a floristry class or a designer talk. As they watch online, shoppers can click to buy products or book a private retail session at the townhouse itself. This notion of store-as-broadcaster is all part of making shopping fun and inspirational again – something that seems to have been forgotten in the doom-and-gloom retail climate of recent times. ‘We think it’s key to bring back a sense of enjoyment to shopping,’ says Christie.

‘For us the future will be even more personalised.

It’s about using technology to really understand your customer and make their lives easier.’ 

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CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME From nurses’ stations and recovery centres to soup kitchens and emergency housing, the creative talents in London’s design studios are moonlighting their skills for the sake of various charitable and social endeavours, finds Arabella Youens

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cross the interior design spectrum there are many heart-warming examples of decorators taking the opportunity to channel their expertise, influence or buying power (in some cases, all three) to support causes that have no financial impact on their own company’s bottom line. The range of work is far-reaching. For example, Christopher Farr co-founder, Matthew Bourne, is enabling traditional hand weavers in Afghanistan to target the high-end rug design industry via HRH Prince Charles’ initiative, Turquoise Mountain.

Ilse Crawford has redesigned a soup kitchen in Earl’s Court, where food is prepared using supermarket surplus – she’s created a serene and welcoming space with a design that can easily be replicated in similar venues elsewhere. Then there’s Emma Deterding, who’s leaning on her contacts to get support for her mission to furnish and decorate a new children’s hospice in East Anglia, and Rachel Chudley, who put together the interiors for a pop-up restaurant in London that supports children in Aleppo. We’ve spoken to some of London’s top interior designers to see what else goes on behind the scenes in their studios.

Tim Gosling’s triennial panto, here starring Trevor Pickett, is a, design calendar highlight as well as a charity fundraiser

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Camp, crazy and raising £1m for charity: the Interior Designers’ Pantomime

TIM GOSLING AND A CHARITABLE PANTO The Interior Designers’ Pantomime may be one of the more esoteric charitable ventures in the business, but it’s fun, camp, chaotic and full of camaraderie.

One year, Joanna Wood dropped her live microphone down the loo and Tim Gosling had to scold one of Snow White’s dwarfs for being drunk backstage while dressed in knee-high Jean Paul Gaultier boots. It’s been staged every three years since 2001 and raised £1m for charity.

It all started modestly when a group of friends working in interiors put on a decorative show of Cinderella in Fulham Town Hall. After Tim Gosling had made his debut (as the White Rabbit), he decided to ramp up the production gears. Using his unstoppable energy as well as his background in theatre design, the panto transferred to the West End. This year’s production, Jack and the Blingstalk, will hit the stage for a week in November.

Previous theatrical runs – including Peter Pan, Designers of the Caribbean and Snow White and the Seven Designers – have had costumes designed by the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood (using furnishing fabrics). ‘It now has more costumes than Wicked and is just off the Richter scale in terms of bonkers-ness,’ says Tim. Rehearsals started in February for this year’s production, which will raise funds for two causes: Maggie’s and William Yeoward’s charity, Screw Cancer. There are lots of sponsorship opportunities, plus a gala dinner. For Tim as lead orchestrator, the challenge of pulling it all off is both exasperating and hugely rewarding. ‘Thank God it’s only every three years, otherwise I’d have a nervous breakdown,’ he sighs.

Rabih Hage’s prototype for a transportable, quick-assembly shelter, made of readily-available materials, grew out of his desire to address the crisis in temporary accommodation, in a range of contexts

Rabih Hage

RABIH HAGE AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING When a substantial redesign of a grand London house was coming to an end, the client of architect and interior designer Rabih Hage turned to him and asked for advice on her next project. ‘She was

a very sophisticated lady, whose children had grown up and had pretty much had everything. So I said, instead of starting an art collection or another more inwardlooking diversion, she could help those who don’t have so much.’

The idea struck a chord, not only with the client, but with Rabih himself, who set about channelling his professional skills into a project with a social conscience.

As with many unplanned schemes, timing is everything and this was shortly after the Haiti earthquake in 2010.

Rabih’s first approach looked at emergency housing and how it could be quickly, safely and economically constructed.

Studying solutions – and coming up against various frustrations – persuaded him to focus his next efforts back home in the UK, where he has devised a concept for transitional housing.

Rabih elaborates: ‘Everyone knows there’s a desperate shortage of housing in the UK right now. But instead of repeating the mistakes made after World War II, when social housing was built quickly and often badly, this transitional housing is intended to provide somewhere to accommodate people while local authorities and developers come up with something well-designed and well-built.’

The prototype he’s devised can be installed on site for a maximum of five years, after which it is dismantled, renovated and re-serviced for future use.

Rabih is looking to liaise with housing charities, private developers and local authorities who can provide suitable sites – these could include land earmarked for development but where construction won’t begin for a while – all in conjunction with the local community.

‘With the right support, I’m hopeful it will take off,’ he says. ‘The cost of these units will be much lower than putting families up in hotels, where they have to be moved on every six weeks.’

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Tricia Guild is working on the new Maggie’s Centre opening in Northampton in 2021

Karen Howes refurbished a nurses’ staff room at St Mary’s

KAREN HOWES AND ST MARY’S PADDINGTON

TRICIA GUILD AND MAGGIE’S Maggie’s is a charity that Tricia Guild of Designers Guild has long admired from afar. Founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks, it provides free practical and emotional support for people living with cancer, through centres built in the grounds of specialist NHS cancer hospitals.

Now Tricia has converted her admiration into something altogether more practical by collaborating with architect Stephen Marshall and garden designer Arne Maynard to create the brandnew Maggie’s centre in Northampton, set to open in 2021. Everyone involved is aiming to keep costs to an absolute minimum.

‘I was delighted when they approached me to work on a new project,’ says Tricia. ‘The process of collaboration and ultimately of bringing people together was important to me. I felt that it reinforced the entire motivation behind Maggie’s.’

In her design, Tricia aims to create a comforting, cossetting and transporting space that makes possible a feeling of progression rather than regression, much like the Hammersmith centre in central London, which she knows quite well. ‘I hope that our design will radiate this spirit of optimism, hope and calm,’ she says.

The palette will be inspired by a summer sky and full of tonal colour, using blues, yellows and verdant greens alongside delicate neutrals that are gentle, restful and easy. Fabrics will be sourced from the Designers Guild collection and will be largely plains complemented by tactile textures and a modern cut-velvet pattern.

‘The varying textures of wallpaper, paint, velvet, linen and weave will add layers of richness and warmth to the space,’ adds Tricia.

One early summer’s day in 2018, Karen Howes of Taylor Howes received an email out of the blue from a ward manager at St Mary’s Paddington, who had found the studio via a simple internet search. It asked if someone in the company would be willing to refurbish the staff room for nurses looking after gynaecology patients on the Lillian Holland ward.

‘I wanted to give the nurses something different from chocolates and cards – something that had longevity,’ explains the ward manager, Nadia.

‘I thought it would be nice to create an environment where they really felt they could relax when they’re on a break.’

The idea piqued Karen’s interest. ‘The existing rest room was truly shocking and I couldn’t believe anyone would be expected to eat and relax in an environment that was dull, unwelcoming and cold.’ So Karen approached suppliers and called in lots of favours to get everything they needed. ‘No one said no,’ she adds.

The new ‘rest nest’, which is an uplifting space, bright with colour, took three days to install. The team at Taylor Howes designed an L-shaped sofa which is the length of two single beds and used near-indestructible fabrics that would stand the test of time. ‘I hope this will be part of a bigger picture,’ says Karen, whose own daughter is training to be a nurse. ‘Nurses do the most amazing work, it constantly blows me away.

If they have somewhere comfortable to relax – especially on difficult night shifts – they can be more focused on their work, which, in the end, benefits everyone.’ The story doesn’t end there: Taylor Howes The ‘rest nest’ for has further plans to expand nurses needing a break the concept in 2019. 

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VEEDON FLEECE A custom weaving house specialising in hand woven carpets

Purely Bespoke Interiors Defined

www.veedonfleece.com veedon@veedonfleece.com Tel: 01483 575758 veedonfleececarpets

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T H E

F I N E S T

INTERIOR DESIGNERS

This is the only A–Z you’ll ever need, putting the best UK-based creatives at your fingertips, whether you want to commission bespoke cabinetry or an in-home cinema, restore a Roman palazzo or redesign an avant-garde apartment. By Emma Love COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 25

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PHOTOS: © SEBASTIAN SCHUTYSER; © JAN LIÇGEOIS; © SIMON BROWN; © SIMON BEVAN; © JASON INGRAM

THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS ANDREW MARTIN Since he founded Andrew Martin more than 40 years ago, Martin Waller has garnered a reputation for translating his farflung travels into interiors.

‘Homes should be the backdrop to life, full of memories and things that have been collected,’ says Andrew, who considers art and artefacts the key to individuality. His design projects run the gamut from James Bond movie sets to a global bank. ‘The bank has strong links with Asia, so we reconstructed a Thai sala in the entrance hall, complete with its original wooden stilts and an antique Buddha on a plinth under the beams.’ He has also recently completed a home in London where he hung a yellow submarine on the red brick wall of an internal courtyard (‘that was pretty dramatic,’ he admits), and collaborated with Kit Kemp on a fabric and wallpaper collection. andrewmartin.co.uk

AXEL VERVOORDT

Since the 1960s, famed Belgian art and antiques dealerturned-decorator Axel Vervoordt has been creating harmonious interiors that eschew the overly decorative in favour of authentic materials. Today, Axel’s eldest son Boris heads up the interior design division as well as the Home Collection and Axel Vervoordt Gallery at Kanaal, a multi-use real estate development in a former gin distillery on the outskirts of Antwerp. ‘Art has always been integral to our work,’ says Boris. ‘I’m drawn to the idea of the contemporary “kunstkammer” – a classic art room – and living with artefacts from different cultures.’ Past studio highlights include the penthouse at The Greenwich Hotel in New York, which was inspired by the Tribeca neighbourhood’s industrial heritage fused with the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi (the notion of seeing beauty in the imperfect).

‘Building a future that respects the past is a central philosophy in all our work,’ he concludes. axel-vervoordt.com

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BEATA HEUMAN

‘Playful and irreverent’ – that’s how Beata Heuman describes her style. Since setting up her studio in 2013, the Swedish interior designer has quickly become known for her simple palettes embellished with bespoke furniture, colourful pattern and surreal details. ‘I’ve been using a lot of tonal blues and I’m getting excited about a particular shade of raspberry red,’ says Beata, who always starts with the furniture layout first. ‘When we produce a scheme we tend not to leave anything out, even in an initial presentation. It’s about the whole room and every item contributes to the overall feel.’ She only takes on projects that are a good fit for the studio, which means she is thrilled about all her ongoing work, from designing the interiors of a waterfront new build in Hamburg to refurbishing a 20th-century townhouse in Rotterdam and adding the finishes to a 19th-century, Greek revival, white-clapboard building in Nantucket. ‘It is our first big project in America. The house was absolutely stunning even before we began but I think we have managed to help make it a proper home.’ beataheuman.com

BEN PENTREATH Influenced by historical interiors of all periods, Ben Pentreath’s architectural and interior design studio has been championing English country style for the last 15 years, for a roster of A-list clients that includes Liv Tyler and Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge (whose Kensington Palace apartment he revamped). Alongside stand-alone residences, such as a Regency country house in Hampshire and a townhouse in London, he is working on a new development in Truro for the Duchy of Cornwall that features a Royal Crescent (‘to bring an architectural edge to the city’). He is also master planning and designing Tornagrain, a new town in the Scottish Highlands with 5,000 homes and an enormous park at its heart, for the Earl of Moray. At the end of last year he celebrated ten years of Pentreath & Hall, the Lambs Conduit Street furniture, lighting and homeware shop he set up in London’s Bloomsbury with decorative artist Bridie Hall. benpentreath.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

BRADYWILLIAMS

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CAMPBELLREY

Duncan Campbell and Charlotte Rey met more than a decade ago while editing Acne Studios’ biannual in-house publication, Acne Paper. They set up CampbellRey in 2014, first as creative directors and brand consultants, then branching out into interior design to create spaces that are playful, bordering on fantastical. ‘The way a room makes you feel is the most important thing,’ says Duncan, listing a house in Kent and a cinema, bar and entertaining space in the south of France as two ongoing commissions.

Their decorating schemes often feature an element of surprise, such as a hidden bar, as well as plenty of colour and texture. ‘Trompe l’oeil is something we return to and greenery is always fun. We love materials like coloured marble, rattan and rosewood, and have been working with Murano craftsmen for a number of years.’ One to watch. campbell-rey.com

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CARDEN CUNIETTI

A chance meeting at an antiques fair led Audrey Carden and Eleanora Cunietti to join forces in 1996, opening an interiors shop together in Notting Hill. For the past 12 years they have focused only on interior design, working with clients ‘to transform houses into homes’. Rattan, leather, woven textiles, and ceramics by Willer are all on their mood board right now, along with shades of Hermès orange and forest green. ‘We love working with colour, even if it’s just a pop in a neutral scheme, and wood and metal feature a lot in our custom cabinetry,’ says Audrey, who nominates Italian architect Carlo Scarpa as the ultimate design genius.

The pair also like to introduce the unexpected, such as a Georgian piece in a modern interior, ‘to bring a room to life’. Current projects include a country house in the Cotswolds, a villa in Tunbridge Wells and a penthouse in Los Angeles. carden-cunietti.com 28 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE

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PHOTO: © ANDREW BEASLEY; © REBECCA REID

Co-founded in 2013 by Shayne Brady and Emily Williams (who previously worked at David Collins Studio and Louise Bradley respectively), BradyWilliams specialises in timeless, elegant schemes. ‘Our work reflects what we both value in design, which is acute attention to detail, pared-back style and a love for combining materials influenced by nature and art,’ says Emily, who names French interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot as an inspiring contemporary. They are especially drawn to using interesting wall finishes, whether linen panels or hand-painted high gloss. ‘We also like to mix periods of furniture and vary our colour palettes, from very calm and neutral to rich and punchy, depending on the space and brief,’ says Shayne. Past commercial spaces include Café Wolseley at Bicester Village and Fenwick’s beauty and fragrance departments. They have recently completed two apartments for the Floral Court Collection in Covent Garden and a Regency house in central London. Last year the duo launched The London Collection, their first furniture range. bradywilliamsstudio.com

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CELINE ESTATES Former aviation finance lawyer-turnedinterior designer Noor Charchafchi currently splits her work time between show homes for a major UK developer, a penthouse for a private client in Kensington and a mansion in Surrey.

Opulent yet understated, her flawlessly finished spaces are the result of ‘implementing hundreds of details’, from bespoke furniture and handpainted wallpapers (‘the hours of creativity and dedication that go into them is inspirational’) to metalwork set off against soft, stained timbers and fabrics. ‘There’s something about the irony of a cold, hard metal inserted very delicately into an interior that always seems to add depth and interest. We are using more metals in our joinery,’ she elaborates. Also in the pipeline are projects in the Emirates, Jordan and Qatar, as well as a family home in Knightsbridge. celineestates.com

PHOTO: © ANDREW BEASLEY; © REBECCA REID

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CHESTER JONES A stalwart of the British interior design scene, Chester Jones was an architect and managing director of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler before setting up his own studio in 1990. Today his two sons Ben and Toby are at the helm and take the same low-key approach for which their father is renowned. (Chester still occasionally designs interiors for close friends.)

‘We are interested in the identity of a building’s personality and the lifestyle of our clients,’ says Toby. ‘The pleasure is in finding a marriage between the two – or the degree to which a building may be changed to serve the owner while retaining its character.’ Signature touches include hand-polished furniture and materials such as cracked ebony and patinated, blackened steel. ‘Our interiors often resonate with the influence of French architects and designers Paul Dupré-Lafon and Pierre Chareau.’ chesterjones.com

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COLLETTZARZYCKI Order and symmetry are primary principles in pulling a room together for Anthony Collett and Andrzej Zarzycki. The Zambian-born, Londonbased designers began their interior and architectural design practice in 1988 and are recognised for their classic and contemporary aesthetic, which is applied whether the client has a villa in Zürich or a safari lodge in South Africa. ‘Having been born in Zambia, it was special to build something from scratch in Africa, it felt a bit like coming home,’ says Andrzej of the lodge. ‘The emphasis was on connecting inside-outside spaces.’ The duo are inspired by classical architecture and Arts and Crafts ideals, using natural materials such as wood, stone, linen and wool.

For the last two decades the studio has collaborated with Christopher Farr on bespoke rugs for residences, releasing a capsule collection this year for the first time. collett-zarzycki.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

DAVID COLLINS STUDIO LTD

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Led by creative director Simon Rawlings, the prolific David Collins Studio is behind some of the most prestigious hotel, restaurant and retail spaces across the globe. Last year, in the UK alone, this included designing Roux at the Landau, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at the Corinthia London, Harrods’ Fresh Market Hall and Men’s Superbrands fashion space, plus the Carriage House restaurant at Adare Manor in Ireland. ‘Practicality is the common thread,’ says Simon, speaking of their separate commercial and residential workloads.

‘Spaces must function like a well-oiled machine,’ he explains. Fabrics are often used in interesting ways, such as tapestry and embroidered velvets, pleating and embossed leather. This year sees the launch of the David Collins collection for Baker. davidcollins.studio

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DOUGLAS MACKIE

‘It’s a continual balance of pattern versus plain, starting from the rug upwards,’ says Douglas Mackie, who always uses textiles to create a cohesive scheme. ‘We will typically feature antique fabrics, often as accents on sofas and chairs, and, particularly in country houses, larger panels mounted or framed.’ He continually strives to marry up modern and old aesthetics, sourcing furniture from different eras as a backdrop for a client’s collection of artwork and sculpture. Plenty of colour is also key – earlier this year he visited the Mantegna and Bellini exhibition at the National Gallery and was wowed by the vividness of the paintings; he is also ‘in the middle of a love affair with burnt orange’. Whether he’s working on a large estate in Switzerland or a London townhouse, expect rich layers of texture, the most comfortable upholstery possible and an original palette. douglasmackie.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

ELICYON Trained architect Charu Gandhi – who worked as an interior designer for Candy & Candy before setting up her own practice in 2014 – focuses on the flow of a room and the interplay of light.

She and her team have worked on diverse properties, ranging from a One Hyde Park residence that featured marble sculptures

by Helaine Blumenfeld alongside bespoke joinery and straw marquetry, to a show apartment for the developer Omniyat at One Palm in Dubai. Small-scale commissions have included creating a jewel-like cabinet for a whisky collector. Charu only takes on assignments where the studio can give 100 per cent – whether that means scouring the globe for exactly the right type of stone, working with the world’s leading glass-makers or transporting a piece of embroidery back and forth between India and France as stitches are added. It’s important ‘to have an understanding of the ultimate balance between luxury and artisan techniques,’ she says. elicyon.com

13 FIONA BARRATT INTERIORS ‘My designs predominantly have a neutral palette so I add contrast through experimenting with materials, perhaps pairing marble and bronze with something lighter, such as glass,’ says Fiona Barratt-Campbell who, since setting up her practice 13 years ago, has worked on commissions as diverse as a villa in Sardinia and a lodge in Verbier. Select pieces from her FBC London collection (which includes furniture, lighting and wall coverings) are often threaded through an interior tempered with bespoke items, antiques and colourful art or ceramics. ‘Navy with gold, ochre and olive are all on my design boards now,’ says Fiona. ‘For me, inspiration should be project-based, so the Far East – Oriental furniture, carpets and textiles – is a focus at present due to a Chinese client.’

In a similar way, for a recent apartment in Rome, her design referenced Italian culture, including traditional art and frescoes, and the warm hues of the local landscape. fionabarrattinteriors.com

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STUDIO N EW K I TCH EN D ES IG N by CH ARL I E SMALLBONE

The Metallics Collection 4b Ledbury Mews North Notting Hill London W11 2AF

020 7566 6794

ledburystudio.com From an idea originated in collaboration with deVOL

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

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FRAN HICKMAN

‘I’m very bored of pink and brass,’ says interior designer Fran Hickman. It’s no wonder: her colour and material choices are far more imaginative than that. From the White City Television Centre show apartment – which featured animal prints and an aubergine-hued living room – to the Richard Meier-designed East Hampton home of stylist Elizabeth Saltzman, where she restored the interiors to their 1960s maximalist glory, she encourages clients to be adventurous and experimental (to this end she is thinking of joining the Institute of Making, a materials library). Fran, who set up her Notting Hill practice in 2014, describes her elegant design style as ‘purposeful and restrained’ and cites photographers Robert Polidori and Candida Höfer as inspiration. Her roster of ongoing work includes Locket’s wine bar in St James, a shopping salon for Farfetch in Tokyo and a country house in Gloucestershire. franhickman.com

HARDING & READ Nicola Harding and Orla Read (the practice was set up by Nicola in 2008; Orla joined three years later) are celebrated for eclectic spaces combining bespoke items with fabulous flea market finds. ‘We favour soulful, well-made pieces that tell a story, combined with unusual colours and compelling textiles to generate interiors rich in atmosphere,’ says Nicola. Case in point: transforming a tired working men’s pub in Kent into a charming seaside hotel, The Rose, which opened to much fanfare last year. The pair are currently completing a hotel in a Regency building overlooking the cathedral in Hereford, a Victorian family home on the River Thames, a timber-framed eco-build in Surrey and a penthouse apartment in Fitzrovia, owned by a film director. hardingandread.com

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‘Elegant, considered and beautifully created,’ says creative director Tim Murray, summing up the Helen Green Design philosophy. The studio, which was founded in 2002 by the late Helen Green, is also noted for its gentle colour palettes and collaborations with specialist suppliers that mean ‘clients can enjoy the uniqueness of the bespoke worlds we commission for them’. Fine wools consistently appear in both upholstery and architectural elements (say, as a cashmere sheer curtain), joinery detailing is exemplary and Tim is currently looking at various shades of green, particularly sage, which was prevalent on the men’s catwalks recently. ‘A malachite stone veneer crossed my desk from one of our artisan makers and I’m thinking of incorporating it into the design for a client’s drinks cabinet,’ he says. Most recently, the studio completed the interior of a new build family home in Melbourne, putting open air living at the centre of the scheme. helengreendesign.com

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HELEN GREEN DESIGN

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JO HAMILTON A confident use of colour – often soft, powdery tones used together – is one of Jo Hamilton’s calling cards. This textural interior designer, who set up her studio nearly 25 years ago, also likes to experiment with warm metals and velvets, wood and stone.

‘I can’t get enough of reeded glass at the moment, we’re using it as a curved divider for a lobby,’ she enthuses. ‘I steer clear of anything too matchy-matchy and like a space to feel tranquil, with a lovely honest edge.’ Jo has just finished a home in north London that involved creating a red-velvet-lined cinema, with vintage lights on individual tables by each seat. While she doesn’t follow design rules, she always invests in curtains and rugs. ‘They are like a good pair of shoes: they will make or break the rest of the room.’ johamilton.co.uk

PHOTOS: © HEIKO PRIGGE; © PAUL MASSEY

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

JOANNA PLANT INTERIORS Whether working on a Georgian house in Kew or a finca-style new build in the Ibizan countryside, Joanna Plant prioritises ‘comfort first, closely followed by beauty but always with an eye on practicality’. It’s an approach that has won her a legion of fans, including Poppy Delevingne. Antiques are essential to any scheme and, together with her husband Nick, she scours the internet and flea markets for pieces that give age to a room. ‘Patina is a much-used word in our office,’ she says.

‘Old things give a room so much personality from the off.’ Other recurring themes are cosy rugs, simple lighting and archival prints and pattern. Her style is rooted in traditional English decorating and she often visits historic houses and gardens for inspiration.

Ultimately, though, her primary aim is ‘to design houses that look like you could have a good time in them’. joannaplantinteriors.com

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KELLY HOPPEN One of the best-known names in British interior design, Kelly Hoppen OBE is renowned for her love of taupe. ‘Neutral palettes are timeless and luxurious: they will always provide the foundation of my designs, with colour added through accessories and soft furnishings,’ says Kelly. ‘I love matte black too, especially metals – in taps and grid style, framed windows and interior panels. Black adds drama and matte black in particular adds depth and modernity, while being much softer than gloss.’ Her work is divided between commercial (she designed the Celebrity Edge ship for Celebrity Cruises) and residential.

For the latter, she says, it’s important to find out what makes someone tick. ‘People often find it difficult to articulate what they want, so I might ask them what song they would choose to describe how they want the room to feel.’ kellyhoppen.com

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KITESGROVE A family home in Hammersmith, a period property in Cambridge and an apartment within Battersea Power Station are all current Kitesgrove projects. Texture and colour combine with art, antiques and bespoke pieces ‘in narratives that capture the spirit of the client and the essence of a space’. The six-year-old studio, headed up by creative director Sophie Elborne, lists ‘quality, comfort, liveability and authenticity’ as its cornerstones of good design. ‘We want to ensure longevity, so that homes evolve and improve over time,’ says Sophie, who has been working on products themed around slow living. ‘Naturally this is filtering down to our interiors and raising questions about how the spaces we live in influence our daily habits and define us.’ kitesgrove.com

PHOTOS: © MEL YATES

LINLEY

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The big change at Linley is that last year Keech Green became part of the interior design division of the brand. Creative directors Michael Keech and Graham Green – who were part of the team at Ralph Lauren Home before branching out on their own in 2002 – made a name for themselves with their unobtrusive aesthetic that puts architecture first. ‘Our approach is quite simple: it’s important not to impose a style on clients,’ says Graham, who cites a superyacht as their most memorable design. ‘Some clients want to radically change an entire house, others simply add a staircase and reorganise a space; in each case we start with the building itself.’

They are working on ‘three vast classical country houses, dotted around the English landscape’ – a 48,000 sq/ft new build, Baroque-style country house in Yorkshire, an Edwardian house in Berkshire and a Georgian mansion in Hampshire, with a medieval core. davidlinley.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

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MARTIN HULBERT DESIGN

Martin Hulbert and Jay Grierson create awardwinning interiors for hotels such as Barnsley House, Chewton Glen and the Grove in Narbeth, where they have just returned to complete public spaces such as the drawing room, bar and restaurant. The pair have worked together for the last 19 years and specialise in ‘tailored design with an air of relaxed spontaneity’. Continuing projects include a private estate in Italy, a holiday home in Corfu and a new, still-under-wraps, country house hotel in the UK. ‘We tend to use natural pigment-type colours across the spectrum, depending on the aspect of a room. If a colour is too intense it can be tiring,’ says Jay. ‘We often mix linen with antiques, perspex and glass, and particularly like handmade things that add personality and a sense of place.’ martinhulbertdesign.com

MARTIN KEMP DESIGN Whether designing a polo club in Saint-Tropez, a sensational ski chalet or a private jet, former Candy & Candy director Martin Kemp takes a discreet approach to design – which is just one of the many reasons he has been a go-to for the super prime market since setting up his own company seven years ago. He cites one of his standout designs as Clarges Mayfair, a development overlooking Green Park that consists of luxury residences, a spa and cinema, completed last year. ‘It was one of our largest multi-units to date and it embodies a spirit we love to embrace: elegant and individual,’ reflects Martin, who is currently working on two homes in the Bahamas, an apartment in New York and a couple of superyachts. ‘Our objective is always to achieve a sense of comfort, whether the style is dynamic and modern or timeless.’ martinkempdesign.com

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NATALIA MIYAR

‘Materiality is at the heart of my style,’ says former Miami-based architect Natalia Miyar, design director at Helen Green Design before she set up on her own in 2016. ‘We use layered finishes to soften a space: rich cut-velvets for upholstery, deeply grained woods, hammered metallics, vintage mirroring, coloured marble, lustrous gemstones. We just finished a ceiling with ripped and hand-painted tea paper and the walls had a contrasting gesso finish.’ Weaving colour and pattern together with a glamorous sensibility in well thought-out spaces, she prides herself on helping clients find their own design identity – whether working on a refined villa with grand architectural proportions in St John’s Wood, a family house in Holland Park with a dramatic pool, or an apartment in Knightsbridge with earthy tones and striking fabrics that complement the client’s art collection. Current inspiration? ‘1970s Mexican design for colours: ochre, burnt orange and avocado green.’ nataliamiyar.com

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NINA CAMPBELL From a royal residence in Jordan to a palazzo in Rome, a chalet in Gstaad to a country house in the UK, Nina Campbell’s extraordinary portfolio reflects almost 50 years’ experience in the business. Whatever the property, she deems the floor plan to be the most important factor. ‘I ask questions about the way people live, how they entertain and what happens in the room, then try to find little ways of drawing everyone in and making sure that they are comfortable,’ says Nina, who is busy decorating extra rooms for members’ club The Brook in New York and working on a private hunting lodge in Savannah. Influences at the moment include the subtle pinks, purples and greens favoured by the Scottish School of artists.

‘One is always inspired by seeing things; I’m waiting for a revival of Queen Anne furniture, having watched the film The Favourite.’ ninacampbellinteriors.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS PAOLO MOSCHINO FOR NICHOLAS HASLAM Since he took over Nicholas Haslam nearly 25 years ago, Paolo Moschino has steadily grown the business, which consists of a fabric and furniture collection and an interior design studio (the latter is overseen by Philip Vergeylen, who joined him in 2008). Expect ‘classic with a twist’ schemes that involve natural materials (reclaimed floors, bronze, linens) and eye-catching elements.

Take one of their latest projects, a hunting lodge in Scotland. ‘We were tasked to create warm interiors that hug people. For the library/bar, we featured oak panelling treated by a world-class Belgian company, a dove-blue painted ceiling with antique brass detailing, and deep red and tan leather chairs. For contrast, there is also a burnt orange contemporary rug made of sari silk,’ says Paolo, whose influences range from French antique dealer and designer Madeleine Castaing to American interior designer Albert Hadley.

Slated for this year are chalets in Courchevel and Gstaad, several houses in the Dominican Republic and, in Portofino, working with a client whose ambition is ‘to have one of the best gardens in the Mediterranean’. nicholashaslam.com

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PENNY MORRISON South African interior designer Penny Morrison’s trademark style is comfortable living: elegant yet relaxed interiors compiled from a deliberate jumble of the old and new, resulting in a congenial, welcoming atmosphere.

‘I think all spaces should be adaptable and have a little surprise,’ says Penny, whose career in the industry spans 35 years. Large pictures and paintings, lots of lamps and vintage textiles usually all appear somewhere; also key to her style is her range of ‘floppy linen’ fabrics and bespoke wallpapers, printed to order in her studio on the Welsh Borders. ‘I tend to start with the furniture and rugs as these are the hardest things to find, get the layout working and then build up with decorative accessories,’ she continues. A fan of lacquered walls in dark rooms, to reflect the light, she also likes to mix colours without worrying too much about them matching. Ongoing projects are a partial rebuild in Sussex and a house in Berkshire. pennymorrison.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS PETER MIKIC Since former fashion designer Peter Mikic switched to interiors in 2006, the Australian has shown a natural flair for playful yet luxurious spaces filled with intriguing pieces.

‘The transition was smooth because both require the same level of dedication,’ says Peter, whose first solo commission was a yacht called Elisabeth F that went on to win awards at the Monaco Yacht Show. ‘I like to start afresh with every client and aim for the almighty: no copy, no paste, no guide book.’ He has a flair for making period houses feel positively fresh (he has just completed a townhouse in Notting Hill, where he combined the client’s Victorian and Georgian pieces with colour blocking and mid-century furniture). As well as sourcing antiques from all eras, he designs his own range of bespoke furniture and collaborates with forgers and glass-blowers to produce beautifully-crafted pieces.

Quality and harmony are especially important: ‘a room should be comfortable and opulent, whether minimal or maximal,’ he concludes. petermikic.com

29 Beirut-born architect, designer and chartered RIBA member, Rabih Hage is a passionate believer in ‘quiet architecture’ – the philosophy of creatively repurposing existing structures where possible rather than bulldozing and rebuilding. This thoughtful and considered approach, which looks at architecture, interiors and furniture design as a holistic entity, can be seen in his book of the same name, published at the end of last year, which features 16 case studies split into country and town houses, pied-à-terres and hotels. ‘There is no need to wipe out an existing building to start anew just for the sake of it.

Respecting the past is modernity,’ says Rabih in the introduction. What all his interiors share is a feeling of ‘wit and warmth, integrating a contemporary design edge with functional and sculptural objects’. A hotel in Finland is in the pipeline and he has built a self-initiated prototype for a social housing development that can be constructed across the world. rabih-hage.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

RACHEL CHUDLEY

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REDD KAIHOI This January, to mark 11 years of working together, New York-based interior designer Miles Redd made David Kaihoi a partner (re-naming the studio accordingly). The pair met when David was an art installer and Miles was establishing his trademark ‘glamorous but cosy’ interiors. Influenced by fashion and film, Miles did an apprenticeship with Bunny Williams before spending ten years juggling his own clients with his role as creative director of Oscar de la Renta Home. ‘I am a magpie, so I love anything mirrored, as well as chinoiserie walls, patterned floors and, if I get my way, a little bit of pale blue in almost every room,’ he says. For David, balancing materials is integral: ‘lacquer paired with crumbly terracotta’ for instance. The pair have just completed a ranch near Houston, inspired by Wes Anderson. reddkaihoi.com

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RETROUVIUS

Driven by the notion that good materials and wellmade objects are precious and therefore worth saving, Retrouvius was set up in 1993 by Adam Hills and Maria Speake. Today it’s a destination salvage warehouse and design studio (Adam looks after the former, Maria the latter), with a contemporary style that always nods to the past.

‘Our work is reflective of what a material has the potential to be,’ says Maria, who only takes on a few select clients each year. ‘It is about the continuation of the life of an object – the past and how we work with it.’ Whether planning a modern penthouse or a medieval priory, a superyacht or a boutique, salvaged materials always feature in some form. Regular collaborators include artist Blott Kerr-Wilson, who ‘turns a shell into a masterpiece’ and Kirsten Hecktermann, whose ‘magical textiles’ combine antique and hand-dyed fabrics. retrouvius.com 44 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE

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Up-and-coming interior designer Rachel Chudley may only have set up her eponymous practice four years ago but she is already making a name for herself with her artsy, imaginative spaces that have a real sense of fun. ‘I believe quality of life is improved with art – every project we have worked on has had art as a focus in some way. Whether it’s a client’s painting that has provided inspiration for a scheme or a bespoke item we have procured, art is at the centre of our interiors,’ says Rachel, who studied history of art at The Courtauld Institute and employs artists and designers at her east London studio. Clients (who include her friend, playwright Polly Stenham) push her to think out of the box, and she counts American colour consultant Donald Kaufman as a collaborator and mentor. ‘The joy of decorating is experimenting with new colour combinations,’ she says. rachelchudley.com

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RITA KONIG ‘If you walk into somewhere and want to sit down – that’s a good room,’ says Rita Konig, who specialises in effortlessly pretty spaces.

‘I love mixing old things with more contemporary pieces, it helps to make a room feel lived-in and personal.’ Decorating is in the genes – her mother is Nina Campbell and she started out working in the family shop – but Rita’s style is firmly her own, honed during a stint living in New York before she moved back to London eight years ago. She juggles work on both sides of the Atlantic, including Jeff Klein’s new Hotel 850 in LA (‘American horticulturalist Bunny Mellon influenced how I wanted it to feel’), and a family home in the north of England, where the colour scheme ranges from a Plain English kitchen in Army Green to a bedroom painted in Edward Bulmer’s pale-pink ‘Cuisse de Nymphe Emue’. ritakonig.com

PHOTOS: © DANIELLA CESAREI; © SIMON BROWN; ©MICHAEL SINCLAIR; © JOAKIM BLOCKSTROM

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ROBERT KIME An antique dealer, interior decorator and fabric designer, Robert Kime is best known for his relaxed, homely style that stems from combining cosy textiles.

‘Antique carpets are my favourite place to start in a room, it’s the essential visual base for a scheme,’ he explains. ‘We strive to layer textiles that add variety and embellish colour, tying in lampshades and cushions.’ It’s this vision that has won him countless fans, including the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Beaufort. He produces an annual collection of prints and weaves (last year’s featured ‘Vendome’, a design inspired by a 17th-century Indian textile) and favours fabrics such as wool and linen. He is currently splitting his time between clients in Switzerland, France, the Cotswolds, Somerset and London. robertkime.com

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SIBYL COLEFAX & JOHN FOWLER Established by Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler in the 1930s, their eponymous company became a major influence in the evolution of English decorating style. Today there are eight design teams, each overseen by an experienced director (including Roger Jones, Emma Burns and Philip Hooper), who take on homes around the world, from a chalet in Switzerland to a period stone country house in America.

‘We have a deep and informed interest in furniture and works of art and a thorough grounding in the technical aspects,’ says Wendy Nicholls, managing director, whose top tip for adding luxury to a space is upholstered walls, whether printed, velvet or linen.

‘A client’s individuality must come across. Half the fun of being an interior designer is helping to extract people from their view of themselves and bringing it to life in their environment.’ sibylcolefax.com

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SIMS HILDITCH Quiet colours and natural materials are paired to form ‘classic interiors that stand the test of time,’ says Emma SimsHilditch, who launched her Cotswolds-based design studio a decade ago. ‘We specialise in a style that is calm and understated but with depth and authenticity.’ Warm ochre and rich spice shades are a paint palette favourite, and she often sources antiques and fine art to add personality. ‘We like to play with scale, so a small print from Fermoie might be used with a larger pattern from Christopher Farr or Mark Alexander.’ She is finishing a full refurbishment of a Grade I-listed townhouse in Bath, ‘full of original architectural detailing, character and soul,’ while at the other end of the country she has completed the interior of a large, timber-framed barn in Norfolk. ‘I like to think that good design can truly transform lives, so success is all about making our clients’ home work for their lifestyle.’ simshilditch.com

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SOPHIE PATERSON INTERIORS

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To say that Sophie Paterson is going to be busy this year is an understatement: the studio is working on 14 buildings, including a handful of Grade II-listed period properties. ‘We seem to have found a niche working on listed properties across London,’ says Sophie, who set up her studio in 2008.

‘One is a family apartment that spans the entire length of a building neighbouring the Royal Albert Hall. It’s particularly exciting because the rooms have ballroom-like proportions and such beautiful moulding and panelling.’ Typical characteristics of her design style include a mostly-neutral colour palette (pepped up with soft shades such as celadon green), embossed linens and wallpaper. ‘We rarely paint walls. I love using wallpaper, whether it’s a hand-painted chinoiserie, such as those I launched with Fromental last year, a vinyl or a specialist plaster. I feel that every room benefits from something special on the walls.’ Other exciting collaborations include linens for VIS-A-VIS and a capsule furniture collection for The Sofa & Chair Company. sophiepatersoninteriors.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

SPINOCCHIA FREUND A former creative director at Candy & Candy, who set up on her own a decade ago, Italian-Greek interior designer Spinocchia Freund always centres a space around a specially commissioned installation or art piece – whether it’s a large-scale suspended sculpture by Eve Menz or a lighting feature by Richard Long.

‘I work very closely with the artist and client to develop a piece, as it is integral to the complete look – these are the kind of touches that make somewhere unique,’ says Spinocchia, who is an avid art collector herself. ‘I am passionate about supporting and sourcing conscious luxury pieces – from emerging and established designers – that are not only bold and eccentric but have an incredible DNA for sustainability.’ Her style has evolved over the years: at the beginning she was heavily influenced by Art Deco but now she takes a more eclectic approach to interiors, whether it’s a palace in Asia or a villa in the Balearic Islands. spinocchiafreund.com

39 STAFFAN TOLLGÅRD Husband and wife interior designers Monique and Staffan Tollgård admit to being staunchly functionalist when making design decisions. ‘We ensure that our clients’ homes are fit for purpose, using every square inch we can carve out,’ says Monique, head of the design studio. ‘We believe in longevity of materials, the joy of colour and the importance of drawing the outside world in.’ Their diverse current projects include a heritage apartment in Copenhagen, the headquarters for a fast-growing tech company in London and a villa in Jordan. Yet Monique's seminal experience was working on a Grade II-listed building just off the King’s Road. ‘It was a crooked house with a perfectionist owner who wanted to square every inexact corner. Over the course of two years it taught me everything I needed to know about the workings of a period property and how to squeeze every modern convenience under the skin of a traditional home without losing its charm.’ tollgard.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

STUDIO ASHBY

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SUZY HOODLESS One of Suzy Hoodless’ most hotly anticipated launches is the women-only private members’ club, AllBright, in Mayfair. ‘As an all-woman design studio, we were delighted to create a space that would resonate with contemporary women without being overly girly,’ says Suzy, who took her design cues from Savile Row. ‘We’ve incorporated traditional suit fabrics but given them a feminine twist.’ Her aesthetic is ‘an alchemy', she adds. 'I'm not hung up on a particular period but I am interested in the best of design across the board.' Her work is a collaborative process, whether creating a private home or an identity for a brand. ‘We spend a lot of time space planning. For example, when designing a sitting room we set out lots of different areas: a card table, handsome and firm fireside seating for reading, soft low seating for socialising, chairs next to windows with amazing views.’ suzyhoodless.com

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SUSIE ATKINSON Beaverbrook House in Surrey, Babington House in Somerset, Soho House Berlin... Susie Atkinson’s CV is a veritable Who’s Who of fashionable hotels and private members’ clubs. Clients come flocking to her for inviting schemes, which start with her considering the direction of natural light, ‘as this affects every decision.’ She aims to enhance the architecture, whether she is designing a 1930s motor yacht, a cottage in Scotland or a beach house in the Caribbean. Her biggest source of inspiration is British craftsmanship. ‘The New Craftsmen showroom in Mayfair is somewhere I go regularly.

We have a wealth of talented makers in this country and it is so exciting to find someone new – whether it be a ceramicist, weaver, furniture maker, leather worker, or lamp designer.’ susieatkinson.com

42 PHOTOS: © JON GORRIGAN; © JASON ALDEN; © PHILIP VILE

‘The only way I know how to design is to imagine something as my own,’ says Studio Ashby’s creative director, Sophie Ashby, who studied interior design at Parsons School of Design in New York before setting up the practice five years ago. Her impressive roll call of commissions includes One Crown Place, the penthouse at South Bank Tower and the interiors of the new Casely-Hayford flagship store on Chiltern Street (in collaboration with her menswear designer husband, Charlie). ‘I think good design has meaning: the things we surround ourselves with every day should move us. It is these qualities that I seek to bring out in our interiors – ultimately it is a soulfulness that connects people to the spaces they inhabit,’ she says. Sophie usually designs a room around works of art and meaningful objects, incorporating vintage furniture to make ‘a real and authentic sense of home’. studioashby.com

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PHOTOS: © JON GORRIGAN; © JASON ALDEN; © PHILIP VILE

TARA BERNERD Internationally famed for her handsome style with an industrial edge, Tara Bernerd is often influenced by modern architecture. ‘I am working on the Equinox Hotel in LA with the incredible Frank Gehry, who has always been a great source of inspiration to me, so it’s a real honour to be collaborating with such a design icon,’ she says. ‘Many of the interior design elements draw upon the organic form and energy of the landmark that will house them.’ It’s perhaps no surprise to learn that 75 per cent of her time is taken up with the hospitality industry (this currently includes the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale, The Hari in Hong Kong and creating the design DNA for a new hotel brand in Japan); the rest is devoted to residential and yachts. ‘For me, the most important aspect of design is seeking components that are authentic and will stand true in time. It is essential to perfect the layout of a space – something that often gets overlooked.’ tarabernerd.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

TAYLOR HOWES 2018 was a big year for Taylor Howes. Not only did it mark 25 years since Karen Howes co-founded the company (she took over as sole director in 2011), it was also the launch of the studio’s first furniture collection, Love at Dusk (for which specialist artisans developed handcrafted finishes such as gold thread ombré and handdyed parchment), plus a membership platform that offers events throughout the year, from experiential dining to ‘in conversation’ talks.

‘These are projects I was heavily invested in and will take Taylor Howes to the next level,’ says Karen, whose roster of 30 commissions ranges from a new build home in the Cotswolds – it will have the largest thatched roof in Europe – to a palace in Kuwait. She's also ‘putting the traditional heart back into a mansion on the edge of Epping Forest’. The studio is known for its detail, glamour and carefree approach to colour. ‘I am into semi-precious hues at the moment, from blue topaz to citrine, which we’re introducing into our designs via objets and soft furnishings.' taylorhowes.co.uk

45 TH2DESIGNS From the stable of Taylor Howes, th2designs was launched 14 years ago by Gail Taylor, Karen Howes and Sheila El-Hadery, and focuses on furnishing homes with an understated style (think soft palettes and materials such as timber and stone). ‘Our relaxed interiors prioritise comfort and quality with value and speed,’ says Gail, neatly summing up the studio’s ethos. In addition to private commissions, th2designs completed more than 100 luxury rental apartments in 2018, for residential developments in Soho and Westminster. This year looks set to be just as busy, with a Grade II-listed development near Regent’s Park and a Cornish beach house in the pipeline. ‘We have just been asked by a returning client to furnish their family retreat overlooking a Cornish beach; we have a great relationship and understand their needs, so it is wonderful to work with them again.’ th2designs.co.uk

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TIM GOSLING The one thing Tim Gosling doesn’t do at the start of the design process is ask clients to send him pictures of things they like.

‘I think it’s wrong to start with images of someone else’s home: we want to create something unique.

We look over the plans of the house and let the architecture have the opening dialogue. It then becomes very clear if you’re playing with the period of the building or against it,’ explains Tim of his clean-cut, sophisticated interiors. He has just finished a house in north London, for which he designed many pieces of bespoke furniture, including a 1930s-inspired walnut library. He is as interested in working with new materials as he is in preserving the heritage of antique furniture.

‘We must fly the flag for antiques because, without them, how will we create the interiors of the future? You need to understand how to draw on history in order to break the rules.’ tgosling.com

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THE FINEST 50 INTERIOR DESIGNERS

TURNER POCOCK Based between London and Geneva, Bunny Turner and Emma Pocock have made a name for themselves with their love of colour and pattern. ‘Green-blue is a hue we cannot escape; although we ban it from our studio, it often creeps back in,’ says Emma. ‘Colours come in waves – at the moment we are surrounded by ochre and rust.’ The pair always start with 'a linchpin’: a fabric, rug or painting. ‘It needs to have more than three colours because we use this item to pull hues for the rest of the scheme.’ This approach is currently being applied to chalets in Val d’Isère and Morzine, an estate in Berkshire and two megahouses in London. ‘One is in the east American style and the other is a chic Kensington home for clients who are moving back to the capital after 20 years of living in Kent.’ turnerpocock.co.uk

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Selling furniture, porcelain and decorative objects from a stall on Portobello Road proved to be an excellent grounding for Veere Grenney, who went on to train under Mary Fox Linton and David Hicks before later becoming a director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler.

Now one of the most esteemed names on the British interior design scene, he is renowned for creating cohesive, calm spaces with a feeling of tranquillity.

‘Our style is classical: there is always an element of contemporary but never forgetting the importance of comfort and practicality,’ says New Zealand-born Veere, who zigzags across the globe for far-flung clients, from Mustique to Monaco and Long Island to Tel Aviv. Any design rules we should follow?

‘An element of order and balance will always give the eye a sense of harmony.' veeregrenney.com

PHOTOS: © JOHNNY ROZSA

VEERE GRENNEY

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50 VSP INTERIORS

PHOTOS: © JOHNNY ROZSA

There’s no doubt that a spell working at Sotheby’s influenced Inchbald-educated Henriette von Stockhausen’s style, which she describes as ‘classic country house with modern vibrant touches’.

Together with business partner Jane Petti, she set up the small but excellent Dorset-based practice nearly 20 years ago, and often dedicates around two years to designing a home, whether it’s an old farmhouse or a contemporary London apartment. Antiques are essential (‘I can’t imagine designing a room, let alone a house, without antiques in it; I love sourcing pieces and giving them a new lease of life’), as is collaborating closely with British artisans. ‘Handmade pieces make all the difference and distinguish our interiors from others. I love working with antique textiles and trimmings and using fabric wallcoverings.’

Current undertakings include a Georgian house in Oxfordshire, with a landscaped garden by Bunny Guinness, and a 1920s home in Dorset with de Gournay wallpaper and custom finishes. vspinteriors.com  COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 55

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DESIGN SERVICES There are some things you just shouldn’t do yourself, so leave it to the professionals

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Charlotte Street Hotel by Kit Kemp

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DESIGN SERVICES

ELICYON

Creating beautiful tailor-made interiors with a wow factor

F Elicyon Avon House Avonmore Road Kensington Village London W14 8TS +44 (0)20 3772 0011 elicyon.com elicyon

ounded by Charu Gandhi in 2014, Elicyon is a multi award-winning design studio whose work ranges from ultra-luxury developments to complex heritage homes involving clever space planning and bespoke joinery. Always working with clients ‘to weave a story around the project that is informed by the location, history and setting of the property,’ the studio considers everything from where the spare linen will be stored to stocking up the drinks cabinet with suitable cut glass, lemon slices and nuts.

Yet, Charu says, these are far from ‘instant homes.’ Instead, the storyline is the backdrop, often featuring incredible pieces sourced from around the globe. ‘We have curated complete art collections for projects or displayed and celebrated clients’ existing sports memorabilia or antique jewellery.’

Over the last five years Elicyon has evolved from a core design collective of five (which includes creative director Cecilia Halling and projects director David Harris) to a team of 20.

As part of a vision to be regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious interior design brands,

the studio is very selective about commissions, only committing to a project when they can give it complete dedicated focus. Obsession with design, perfection and detail, as well as always bringing projects in on time, on budget and with a significant wow factor, ensures client expectations are exceeded. Charu is personally involved in the creative vision of each project but the team works collaboratively so that clients benefit from the best of their collective knowledge.

Interiors typically combine sumptuous fabrics and textures with rich colour palettes to create rooms that feel truly holistic, fresh and timeless. A network of trusted artisans contributes joinery, furniture and lighting made especially for the proportions of the space.

And popular interior trends such as the use of textured stone finishes and blackened metals may feature in a scheme (for instance, by adding a blackened brass trim to a piece of joinery in weathered blond timber).

The studio is also moving away from heavier curtains to explore using exquisite sheer fabrics and replacing traditional rugs with abstract, deconstructed pieces.

Current projects in the UK include an apartment in Knightsbridge and a property in Mayfair (Elicyon recently completed its fifth apartment at One Hyde Park). On the international stage, the studio is working towards the August completion of a 29,000 sq/ft penthouse in Dubai and branching out into hospitality design with a hotel project in Sri Lanka. Last month saw the Elicyon Studio move to a beautiful, spacious new home in Kensington Village, which will act as a showcase of the design journey offered to clients, with a spectacular sample library and several pieces made especially for the space.

‘We create interior couture for some of the best addresses in the world through the most exquisite design vision and truly bespoke solutions, championing craftsmanship and artisan products,’ concludes Charu, whose future ambitions include a luxury home accessories and furniture collection and a boutique where clients can enjoy the full Elicyon experience. Watch this space.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Kitchen and dining area in a Shanghai apartment; master bedroom in One Hyde Park apartment; reception room in New York apartment

‘Charu is personally involved in the creative visions of each project but the team works collaboratively so that clients benefit from the best of their collective knowledge’ COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 59

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DESIGN SERVICES

KIT KEMP

A celebrated interior and homeware designer, renowned for her colourful, handcrafted spaces

I Kit Kemp kitkemp.com shopkitkemp.com kitkempdesignthread

nternationally acclaimed interior designer Kit Kemp MBE is perhaps best known for her role as co-owner and creative director of Firmdale Hotels, but she is also a successful textiles, fragrance and homeware designer – and a champion of British art, craft and sculpture.

Sit down for cocktails at The Whitby Hotel in New York, for instance (it’s the second Firmdale hotel in the city, the first was Crosby Street Hotel) and there’s a collection of woven baskets, sourced in association with London’s Mayfair store, The New Craftsmen, hanging over the pewter bar, plus porcelain vessels by artist Martha Freud in the light-filled orangery. And at Ham Yard Hotel in London, afternoon tea is served on Sailor’s Farewell, a new collection of blue and gold bone china that Kit specially designed for Wedgwood, her second collection for them.

Since 1985 and the opening of the Dorset

Square Hotel (there are currently ten under the Firmdale umbrella), Kit, together with her husband Tim, has continually reshaped the industry with her innovative take on the hotel experience. Celebrated for her original approach to design, she transforms and arranges buildings with colourful and detailed storytelling. These unique narratives are the subject of her recentlypublished third book, Design Thread, which reveals the inspiration behind the creative process of her tailored spaces, ranging from a city pied-à-terre to a Manhattan penthouse and a Caribbean beach bar.

‘I’m always looking for pieces that tell a unique story: maybe of a person or a time in history, of a particular handcrafted technique, or even just something with a combination of colour or pattern, or a found object repurposed in an unusual way that takes you

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Kit Kemp; Junior Terrace Suite at The Whitby Hotel in New York; drawing room at Ham Yard Hotel; Sailor’s Farewell bone china collection by Kit Kemp for Wedgwood

unawares. These are the threads I like to weave throughout all the interiors I design,’ explains Kit. The same storytelling approach is applied to her collaborations with leading global design brands, which include the likes of Fine Cell Work, Chelsea Textiles, Anthropologie and Wilton Carpets.

More recently, Kit has created a collection of woven, Belgian-made fabrics for Christopher Farr Cloth and a modern range of wallpapers and fabrics for Andrew Martin. Produced in an array of painterly colourways, each of the latter embodies a lyrical, folklore spirit – the original design ideas stemmed from magical creatures depicted on 15th and 16th-century tapestries as well as Native American art and American folk art. Until midAugust 2019 she is also partnering with luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman in New York City, to reimagine the loft space on the seventh floor as three hotel suite-like vignettes: a bedroom, drawing room and dining room.

Among the furniture, fabrics, textiles and home accessories showcased, there will be her signature statement headboards with specially-embroidered motifs, her edit of collectable art and some one-off found items.

It’s not only in Bergdorf where customers can buy Kit Kemp design products: for the last two years an online shop has been a key part of the Firmdale website and, in addition, Kit has launched a new blog, where she shares insights into her current projects and dayto-day happenings. ‘Every living space should have elements to capture the imagination and enchant,’ says Kit. Which is exactly what her brilliant, creative and vibrant designs always achieve.

‘Celebrated for her original approach to design, Kit Kemp transforms and arranges buildings with colourful and detailed storytelling’ COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 61

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DESIGN SERVICES

MARTIN KEMP DESIGN

The finest design solutions for some extraordinary spaces in the super prime residential market

A Martin Kemp Design Greencoat House Francis Street London SW1P 1DH +44 (0)20 7183 3885 martinkempdesign.com martin_kemp_design

highly creative studio, renowned for its focus on the super prime residential market, Martin Kemp Design (MKD) also works across interiors, developments, architecture, yachts, private jets and furniture.

‘Something which isn’t often realised is that I embrace a variety of styles,’ says Martin Kemp, who founded MKD seven years ago.

‘The studio thrives on designing both ultra-modern properties and grand classical mansions. Our forte lies in being able to bring a client’s vision to life regardless of whether they seek a country or town, elegant or dynamic, floral or geometric look.’

This involves a close understanding of his clients and attentiveness to the smallest detail in order to create truly considered spaces. ‘We certainly look at the lifestyle of each individual

very carefully, noting how they walk, sleep, their personal taste, whether they are left or righthanded, their colour sensitivities and so forth, all of which lend an added dimension to our work,’ he continues. ‘Couple this with a level of detail seldom seen and I hope we exceed expectations.’ The studio regularly collaborates with key consultants, from architects to engineers, cabinet-makers to embroiderers, all of whom are regarded as the best in their field. ‘We challenge their comfort zone and push the boundaries, so the results we bring as a team are often unexpected and always special.’

A favourite with aspirational individuals and families who seek an extraordinary service and an extremely high level of sophistication and finish, MKD takes a versatile approach to design.

‘I can’t impress how much I find any design style stimulating, nothing should ever be considered

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Swimming pool at Clarges Mayfair; lounge area at Clarges Mayfair; dramatic private apartment in Monaco

bad, just different,’ says Martin, whose sensitivity, sincerity and humble Welsh origins shine through. He is always thinking about ‘where a chair needs to be placed in a room, how light falls against a rug, logical places for cups of tea and the practicalities of daily life, alongside beauty’.

Born into an artistic family (his late mother was a portrait artist and a huge influence), Martin’s parents always encouraged him to pursue a creative career. He cites one of his recent stand-out projects as Clarges Mayfair, a development overlooking Green Park consisting of luxury residences, a spa and cinema, which completed last year. Current homes he is working on include an Alpine chalet, a grand mansion on the Mall in London and a contemporary apartment in New York. ‘Additionally, my personal objective is to complete the production of a homeware lifestyle collection in memory of my late mother, from whom I continue to draw so much inspiration,’ he says.

Modern in their approach but classically versed, Martin and his team work as a family in the process of redefining spaces and furnishings – a relationship he is keen to echo with clients. An unconventional and original thinker, ultimately Martin wants to challenge perceptions of how things are seen.

‘I am currently conceiving an extraordinary organic house to be constructed outside the UK with no straight walls, fluid interiors and spaces which symbiotically pass from one to another. What could be more satisfying for an artist than that?’ he concludes.

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CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: New York penthouse entrance hall; Greystone showhouse; London townhouse sitting room

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DESIGN SERVICES

NINA CAMPBELL

The legendary doyenne of interior design

‘Recent residential projects include a chalet in Gstaad, a palazzo in Rome and a clapboard family house in Maine, complete with pool house, bowling alley and glamorous party pad with violet-lacquered walls’ Nina Campbell 9 Walton Street London SW3 2JD +44 (0)20 7225 1011 ninacampbell.com ninacampbellltd

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ina Campbell is one of the country’s most respected and influential interior designers, with a roll call of clients that includes the rich, the famous and the royal.

Beginning her design career at the age of 19, Nina worked as an assistant to John Fowler at Colefax and Fowler. She soon became known for her unmistakeably rich and elegant colour palette, which caught the eye of club owner Mark Birley, who asked her to redecorate his famous Annabel’s private members’ club. They joined forces once again in 1970, when they

opened Campbell & Birley, a shop in London specialising in ‘unashamed luxury’. It was here that Nina introduced her signature hearts design, a motif that is still available today on a range of bone china.

In 1972 Nina set up her own business, Nina Campbell Ltd, where one of her first commissions was to decorate the monumental Cullen House in Banffshire, Scotland. Twelve years later Nina opened a shop and design studio in London’s Knightsbridge, where she continued with fabric printing but expanded her business into a broader decorative arena, designing everything from matchboxes to bespoke furniture. In 1990 Nina launched the first of what was to become her annual fabric, wallpaper and trimming collections, internationally distributed by Osborne & Little. All her collections are made in Britain as far as possible, from furniture to fabrics and wallpaper.

The interior design side of Nina’s business continued to flourish alongside these new ventures, with notable high-profile projects including the Hotel Parc Victor Hugo in Paris, the Groucho Club in London and the Campbell Apartment Bar at New York’s Grand Central Station, alongside private residences all over the world (some of which can be seen in Giles Kime’s monograph, Nina Campbell Interior Decoration: Elegance and Ease, published last year).

Recent residential projects include a chalet in Gstaad, a palazzo in Rome and a clapboard family house in Maine, complete with separate pool house, bowling alley and glamorous party pad with violet-lacquered walls and a silver ceiling. Whether traditional or contemporary, Nina’s practical approach to projects starts with asking clients key questions about their lifestyle, such as how they will use the space and how many people they entertain. This ensures that rooms not only look comfortable and welcoming but function properly too.

This spring Nina is launching a collection of indoor-outdoor fabrics with Summit Furniture. The high performance endurance textiles include patterns inspired by nature and colourways evocative of organic elements such as minerals and gemstones. She is also celebrating the tenth anniversary of American painted furniture makers Oomph, with a new collection of upholstery. Both can be seen at her second destination London showroom in Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, which has recently been rearranged into room sets. ‘The idea is that visitors can sit on a sofa in the living room or climb onto a bed to really feel what a room might be like,’ she concludes.

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DESIGN SERVICES

PDP LONDON

An exciting architectural and interior design studio, delivering high-profile projects around the world

F PDP London 5-6 Eccleston Yards London SW1W 9AZ +44 (0)20 7730 1178 pdplondon.com pdparchitects

or 25 years architectural practice PDP London has been pivotal in shaping the London landscape. From delivering hotels such as 45 Park Lane, in collaboration with Thierry Despont, to grand-scale developments like Chelsea Barracks and Lillie Square, this is a studio working with some of the most high-profile properties and impeccable addresses in the capital. Known for its progressive and innovative architecture, PDP London’s values are firmly rooted in quality and excellence, as seen at the quintessentially British Ivy Chelsea Garden restaurant on King’s Road – and the beautifully appointed apartments above it – and the company’s defining work for Capco’s prime residential portfolio in Covent Garden, including the Southampton, the Beecham, 4 Henrietta Street and 14-15 King Street.

The story began in a converted school in Belgravia, when Paul Davis & Partners was formed by a small group of architects wanting to push the boundaries and bring a fresh approach to architecture – encouraging clients to think of the process as ‘place-making’, rather than simply building. Refusing to work to an imposed house style, their architectural philosophy was, ‘and always will be’, founded on a rigorous design

process that aims to produce beautiful, bespoke solutions for clients – an ethos they’ve carried over into their new work with interiors.

In 2010 the company opened an office in Hong Kong and, five years later, to mark the success and evolution of the company, it was rebranded as PDP London. More recently, after securing its first project in Cuba, the company opened an office in Madrid, while in London the office has relocated to Eccleston Yards, a creative hub for independent businesses on the boundary of Victoria and Belgravia.

Their small but thriving team of interiors experts was seeded by delivering both residential and commercial concepts in collaboration with leading global interior designers – the likes of LINLEY, Helen Green, Martin Brudnizki and Nicky Haslam – earning invaluable knowledge for developing PDP London’s own interior design studio. With their solid background in technical precision as well as in producing detailed construction packages, the interior design studio quickly went from strength to strength as the company delivered both architecture and interiors for myriad projects. Their all-round understanding of the architectural, building and design processes streamlines the overall delivery for clients and sets the practice apart from others in the industry, both in London and further afield.

Currently working across a range of projects, including the reimagining of an exquisite Grade I-listed crescent overlooking Regent’s Park (with an elegant 1820 façade by John Nash), PDP London continues to collaborate with other leading designers across all disciplines.

Its delivery of contemporary structures, together with experience of the sensitive restoration of vernacular buildings, sets the company apart in prestigious, unique and historic projects across London and internationally. The result is timeless design of lasting quality, creatively tailored to each client’s needs. The future looks bright as PDP London continues to secure and deliver ever more challenging projects, expanding their portfolio in new and exciting directions.

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PDP has created restaurants, hotels and homes at high profile addresses across the capital

‘Their all-round understanding of the architectural, building and design processes streamlines overall delivery for the client and sets the practice apart, both in London and further afield’ COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 67

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DESIGN SERVICES

STEPHENSON WRIGHT A visionary interior design duo creating vivid, tailor-made spaces

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Stephenson Wright The Beech Box East Lane, West Horsley Surrey KT24 6LR +44 (0)1932 508440 stephensonwright.com stephenson_wright

hen Natalie Stephenson and Juliette Wright struck up a friendship while working at Helen Green Design 15 years ago (as creative director and executive design director, respectively), it was inevitable that they’d one day launch an interior design studio together. Both grew up with parents who had a love of art history and both went on to study interior design. While Juliette’s childhood was spent visiting endless stately homes – which sparked an interest in chandeliers and silk walling from an early age – Natalie was influenced by the career choices of her parents. ‘Design has been a part of my life since as long as I can remember; my mother is a garden designer and my father a director of photography in film so I have always had creativity at my core,’ she says.

In 2013 their vision became a reality and they hit the ground running with several high-end residential projects in London and the home counties. As a pair, their talents complement each other perfectly: Juliette has an eye for detail coupled with an intuitive vision for the overall style direction, while Natalie has strong business acumen and a natural flair for colour and pattern. Their design approach for every interior emerges from a place of vivid debate and involves weaving together layers of texture, colour, materials and specialist lighting, as well as handcrafted, authentic pieces by artisans, resulting in tailor-made interiors with an enduring appeal.

‘The key is to create a delicate balance by adding detail and originality whilst remembering that clients are ultimately going to be living in that space – so the underlying focus is to maintain comfort,’ says Juliette.

Current projects include the redesign of a Ladbroke Grove townhouse for an influential figure in the art world, an antiques-filled home in Eaton Square, which they are infusing with colour and pattern ‘to breathe new life into a well-loved space’, and one of the largest new build houses in the UK. A spacious 12-bedroom home in Surrey, it will feature a private spa area, swimming pool, wine cellar, cinema and industrial kitchen fit for a Michelin-starred chef.

On the commercial side, Natalie and Juliette have recently reinvented a restaurant in Mayfair and an art gallery on the King’s Road; they

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‘A dynamic duo, whose infectious passion is combined with an ability to listen to what a client really wants, it’s no wonder many come back to enlist the studio for their second homes’ CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Antique pieces were combined with contemporary artwork and vibrant colours in this country home; a bold colour scheme draws you into this comfortable seating area; a playful London drawing room designed by Stephenson Wright, with colourful paintings, handmade lamps, an ink blue velvet sofa and a bespoke silk rug

also regularly work as part of large project teams, leading the architectural style and spatial planning. In addition, they are in the midst of creating their own collection of furniture, lighting and textiles based around their unique take on the stripe, which will be on display in a lifestyle showroom they are designing in Surrey. Part of a collaboration with lighting designer Mark Kavanagh, from Future Light Design, it is set to be the first of its kind in the area.

As a dynamic duo, whose infectious passion is combined with an ability to listen carefully to what a client really wants, it’s no wonder many come back to enlist the studio for their second homes.

‘When revisiting past projects, it is truly rewarding to see clients who are still as in love with their space now as they were at the grand reveal,’ concludes Juliette.

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DESIGN SERVICES

ST JAMES INTERIORS

An exciting new joinery design service, including bespoke pieces of furniture

‘M St James Interiors Vithal House 35 Gorst Road London NW10 6LA +44 (0)20 8961 1342 stjamesinteriors.com stjamesinteriors

y grandfather used to have a workshop in Uganda and always had a passion for furniture and interiors,’ says Pritesh Lad, who founded bespoke joinery design service, St James Interiors, last year. ‘When I spent time with him as a child, he would always explain what makes great craftsmanship – the intricacy and the time it takes to make beautiful work.

Ever since then I have been hooked on the idea of creating a business like St James Interiors.’

With a workshop and showroom in northwest London, St James Interiors collaborates with clients, interior designers, architects and developers on all styles of projects. And while the company may be relatively new, it is already gaining a sterling reputation in its two key areas: manufacturing

and designing bespoke interiors (such as kitchens, built-in wardrobes and wine rooms) and devising original pieces of furniture, tailored to client’s requirements.

The signature Vithal Jesse desk was created to showcase the company’s abilities and inspire clients to push their boundaries in design.

Named after Pritesh’s grandfather, Vithal, and his wife Jesse, and often described as a work of art rather than a piece of furniture, it is made from solid walnut with a criss-cross pattern cut into curved sides. Another bespoke piece, the black gunmetal Dhan desk, with brass inlays and sculptural, double-ended walnut drawers, was designed for a private developer’s study.

The other side of the business involves creating built-in joinery for all types of projects.

A recent example is a £30m home in Windsor where St James Interiors worked closely with the

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Windsor wine cellar; Windsor kitchen; Vithal Jesse solid walnut desk

architect to design and manufacture all the joinery, from the wine room and wardrobes to the kitchen and vanity units.

In the last few months the company has also collaborated with Bentley – creating a new bespoke table for the car manufacturer’s Mayfair boardroom that incorporates the company’s signature Mulliner stitching pattern – and produced the Ocean coffee table for the Blue Marine Foundation (20 per cent of all sales goes to the charity).

St James Interiors’ guiding principle is to design projects that touch and enrich people’s lives. Everything is bespoke, from materials to size, while quality and detail are at the heart of every piece. Inspired not just by the buildings and objects that surround him, but also by people, colleagues and clients, Pritesh’s passion is for pushing design boundaries – which includes the sustainability of a product.

The company only uses FSC-sourced timber and the workshop is heated from energy created by burning its offcuts and dust in a wood burner. ‘We find that most clients are looking for something different and unique and that’s why they consider us.

They are also now likely to invest in a piece of furniture for the long term, rather than buy something cheaper and throwing it away after a few years,’ explains Pritesh.

With a top-to-bottom approach to interior design, St James Interiors is a business that reflects Pritesh’s love for design and construction and his desire to deliver the absolute best to each individual client.

‘We find most clients are looking for something different and unique and that’s why they consider us. They are likely to invest in a piece of furniture for the long term’ COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 71

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS Though highly functional, if well designed, they offer sanctuary

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Diesel Living luxurious industrial bathroom using furniture from Scavolini and Camp tiles from Iris, exclusively at C.P. Hart

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

THE ALBION BATH COMPANY

Manufacturers of innovative freestanding baths and bathroom furniture

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The Albion Bath Company The Factory High Birch Road Weeley, Essex CO16 9BU +44 (0)1255 831605 albionbathco.com thealbionbathco

ost baths on the market are either made from cast iron – which is overly heavy and has poor heat retention – or flimsy acrylic, which often lacks an adequate finish. The solution for the founders of the Albion Bath Company was to invent a new material entirely. Called Iso-Enamel, it’s a composite of resin and stone mineral powder that took two years to develop. Only a third of the weight of cast iron, it routinely keeps bath water hotter for longer and the coating is less prone to chipping than acrylic.

The company began its quest to create the best possible bathtub 23 years ago, when the founders were inspired by an original Victorian model they found in a salvage yard.

It was a little the worse for wear but ideal for using as a mould for their first bath, the Solus, which has traditional ball and claw feet. These days, the original has a stablemate – the new Solus Advance freestanding bathtub, which is on a plinth – and as with all Albion baths, it’s made from Iso-Enamel.

That original mould was also chopped in half, squashed and transformed into a range of other styles that fuse classic and contemporary elements, creating design pieces that feel at home in a modern bathroom.

Baths are split into two style groups: Roll Top, with a soft rolled edge and Bull Nose, characterised by a continuous form from inside to out. The range includes innovative baths such as the Tubby Tub Roll Top – a shorter, four foot-long bath created specifically for small spaces, but sumptuously deep and like a design statement rather than a compromise – and the Origine Double, a twin-ended freestanding tub that maximises its internal volume with a delicate rim design.

Customers are offered a range of options at the order stage, from style and finish to size and colour. (Further customisation choices are being added this year.) Roll-top baths, for instance, can be finished in any exterior colour from the Farrow & Ball or Dulux paint palettes; in one of three exclusive burnished metallic finishes (gold, iron or bronze); or a highly reflective, polished pewter. Over the years the company has refined its system

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‘The Tubby Tub Roll Top is a shorter, four footlong bath created specifically for small spaces, but sumptuously deep and like a design statement rather than a compromise’

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hamar vanity unit; Apollo roll-top bath; Apollo with Effusio over-bath shower system

of painting so that every bath has a flawlessly crisp finish. All this customisation inevitably means an increased lead time – each piece is handmade – but the distinctive and unique bath that results is worth the wait.

Of course, the Albion Bath Company doesn’t just make baths: brassware, sanitaryware, radiators and shower enclosures are all part of the product range too. Formerly outsourced manufacturing processes are now being undertaken at the Albion factory in Essex (from where baths are supplied directly to clients), where you can visit the showroom to experience the products firsthand. And with 50 models of freestanding baths to choose from, there is bound to be a tub that suits – whatever the size of your bathroom.

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Saracen bath in a painted finish with La Loire bath filler on standpipes with floorplate; the Manhattan double marble washstand in Nero Granito with polished brass bowls and brushed brass frame; La Cage in aged brass

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

CATCHPOLE & RYE Timeless luxury bathrooms made in England using age-old techniques

‘The design of the original Bain de Bateau bath dates back over 120 years and is reproduced by exactly the same methods. The result is akin to a work of art’

Catchpole & Rye 282-284 Fulham Road London SW10 9EW +44 (0)20 7351 0940 catchpoleandrye.com catchpoleandrye

‘T

o create something original, you must first fully understand your past’ is an appropriate maxim for a company that began nearly 30 years ago when founder Tony O’Donnell spotted a gap in the market for restoring baths.

Having purchased a house with an old cast iron roll top bath, he couldn’t find anyone to renovate it. So he started Catchpole &

Rye as a specialist cast iron bath enamelling service and soon began visiting France to buy antique sanitary and bathware.

Many of his best pieces, however, such as the impressive canopy baths, were salvaged from stately homes or castles in the UK. O’Donnell, recognising their cracked and peeling historic beauty, rescued them from disuse and restored their former glory.

Many of the new cast iron and bateau baths Catchpole & Rye make today are inspired by those original antiques, but their timeless aesthetic has been updated to 21st- century standards (and some products are made from recycled metals). The cast iron bath collection is mostly produced at a foundry in Kent using the same techniques that have been perfected over the past 100 years. The design of the original Bain de Bateau bath, for example, dates back over 120 years, and is reproduced by exactly the same methods. The result is akin to a work of art.

Attention to detail, quality materials and craftsmanship are what set Catchpole & Rye apart. The company invests time and effort in employing and training local artisans to produce the highest standards possible and many of the pieces are finished by hand.

Their head metal polisher has more than 30 years experience and the know-how to polish a tap or cistern to perfection.

Although Catchpole & Rye keeps an eye on trends, such as copper baths and specialist metal finishes on taps, their primary aim is to ensure the company’s products are designed to stand the test of time. The variety of marbles and stones on offer, together with different types of metal finishes, means their products complement most bathroom schemes, be they in historic or contemporary settings. The company also offers a bespoke and customisation service, which includes anything from small details – such as casting emblems, names and logos onto baths or cisterns – to original pieces, such as a recent commission to design and manufacture an Art Deco-inspired bath for a specific project.

This year Catchpole & Rye is building a large new warehouse to expand the workshop’s engineering space and manufacturing capability. It is also looking at ways of expanding its international market as demand grows from clients overseas. The company’s full design service includes site visits – to ensure their beautifully finished bathroom features a bath that’s worthy of taking the plunge.

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

C.P. HART

The leading luxury bathroom designer and retailer at the vanguard of the industry

C.P. Hart Railway Arch 213 Newnham Terrace Hercules Road London SE1 7DR +44 (0)7902 5250 cphart.co.uk cphartbathrooms

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nnovation and inspiration are at the heart of all that C.P. Hart does. As Britain’s leading premium bathroom designer and retailer, the company continually challenges the industry to take a fresh look at bathroom design. It has been in business since 1937 when Charles Percival Hart founded it by supplying sanitaryware and tiles out of a small shop in south-east London.

Since then, the business has established its reputation for being first to the UK market with what have become household names – brands like Duravit – while expanding its own stable of exclusive ranges and C.P. Hart branded collections.

John Hart’s innovative Waterloo shower valve, launched in 1992, went on to become the biggest selling valve of the decade.

It boasts robust, classical proportions, and dovetails with one of the company’s most popular classic collections, the London range. London is now available for the first time in on-trend blue and slate finishes, a timely response to the changing needs of today’s bathroom customer.

Thanks to continuing close collaborations with designers, most of the world’s leading manufacturers choose C.P. Hart to reveal their new designs in Britain – many of them exclusively. 2019 sees the company celebrate the 25th anniversary of the launch of AXOR’s Starck Classic single lever basin mixer designed by Philippe Starck. This groundbreaking tap was first unveiled in the UK by C.P. Hart and has become synonymous with world-class design.

2019’s product introductions include ranges by Italian manufacturer Cielo – a highlight is the Cielo Elle Ovale, an ultra-light, minimal oval washbasin with a ceramic splashback and mirror with LED lighting; a pioneering project by Scavolini and Diesel Living, which is a fresh take on the concept of industrial minimalism that combines warm hues, matt materials and large mirrored surfaces in its bathroom furnishings; and the Kut collection by Italian makers, Karol, featuring a vanity unit with an origami-like composition.

Housed within a series of railway arches underneath Waterloo station, C.P. Hart’s flagship showroom is the ultimate immersive bathroom design experience. Showcasing the latest product collections alongside a tile and samples library, it provides an airy and spacious meeting-place for designers, architects, trade professionals and their clients.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Cielo Kyros in pink; C.P. Hart exclusive London collection in blue; C.P. Hart flagship showroom; Scavolini has collaborated with Diesel Living to offer three distinct collections

‘The Waterloo flagship showroom offers the ultimate immersive bathroom design experience – its inspiring galleries run alongside a samples library and training academy’

C.P. Hart now has 15 showrooms, most of them in and around London, but plans are afoot for more showrooms around the country – led by the company’s extraordinary Manchester branch. This year the priority is an extensive programme of showroom upgrades, including the relaunch of Primrose Hill, Manchester, Windsor, Amersham and Chiswick.

The company’s success – over 70 per cent of its business comes from trade recommendations and word of mouth – lies in offering exclusive products by top bathroom designers backed by a comprehensive design, supply and installation service.

At all its showrooms customers are introduced to C.P. Hart’s professional design service. A dedicated, fully-qualified interior designer will make a home visit before producing tailor-made drawings, elevations and mood boards to help visualise the beautiful, completed bathroom, down to the smallest detail.

Several design packages are available, depending on the level of detail required at the planning stage, and a technical team is on hand to ensure the process is seamless every step of the way.

Customer deliveries are made in liveried vehicles from the company’s warehousing and logistics hub in Dartford; the complex also houses the company’s quality control and technical advisory teams.

As bathrooms have become more sophisticated, so installation requires more highly skilled and specialised practitioners. The finest bathrooms are distinguished by exceptional fit and finish.

To achieve that, the company provides introductions to approved installers, each vetted and accredited by manufacturers. C.P. Hart’s installer approval scheme is the most comprehensive in the industry.

In all aspects of bathroom innovation, design and supply, C.P. Hart’s mission is to remain at the forefront. That certainly seems to be the case in 2019.

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

MARTIN MOORE

Custom-designed, contemporary classic kitchens since 1975

‘Every Martin Moore commission is designed and built as a one-off and the company never creates the same kitchen twice, as evidenced by two vastly different recent projects’

Martin Moore 176 Westbourne Grove London W11 2RW +44 (0)1619 282643 martinmoore.com martinmooredesign

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hen design engineer Martin Moore and his wife Barbara returned to England in 1975 after travelling around the world, they bought a Victorian house in need of total renovation. Martin was passionate about designing and making much of the furniture himself and it was this that led the couple to set up one of England’s first handmade kitchen companies. They started off using reclaimed timbers but soon began to develop their own hallmark style of classic, timeless kitchens, inspired by the symmetry found in the work of English Renaissance architect, Inigo Jones. Refined and elegant, these kitchens are as well suited to Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian homes as they are to contemporary settings.

Forty-four years later, Martin Moore remains a family-run business, with Richard and Michael Moore working alongside their parents at the helm. Today, Martin Moore undertakes commissions, not just for kitchens, but for projects throughout the home, in both the UK and Europe. All furniture is custom-

designed and handmade to order at the company’s Yorkshire workshops.

Martin Moore combines its focus on craftsmanship with originality and integrity of design, an approach exemplifed by the just-launched New Deco kitchen, inspired by the architects and designers of the 1930s.

While acknowledging these historical roots, everything else about the New Deco concept is innovative, from the ‘floating’ freestanding pieces to the shadow lines in the cabinetry and the decorative use of luxurious materials, including marble, limestone, metallics and timber veneers.

Gradually being rolled out across Martin Moore’s eight UK locations, the New Deco kitchen has just been installed at the Esher showroom.

Every Martin Moore commission is designed and built as a one-off and the company never creates the same kitchen twice – as evidenced by two vastly different, recent projects. The first is an environmentally sensitive extension to a Grade II*-listed, 14thcentury cloth hall in Kent. The client wanted the kitchen to be ultra-modern, but also to honour the heritage of the site. This made natural oak a must for much of the cabinetry, paired with gleaming chrome door inlays and handles. Hand-painted cabinets and an industrial-style bank of stainless steel appliances act as visual counterweights to the timber, while decorative elements – such as the ‘wild quartz’ worktops, marble chandeliers and carbon fibre bar stools – take centre stage.

The second project is a one-bedroom apartment in a West London Victorian terrace. The challenge here was to create a chic but highly functional kitchen within a small footprint, taking into account soaring ceilings and fine period detailing.

In response, Martin Moore designed a multipurpose island and tall cupboards with glazed fronts (to prevent them overpowering the room), concealed appliances and integrated lighting.

In a world of mass production, Martin Moore is uniquely defined by individuality, outstanding craftsmanship and an extraordinary level of customer service.

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FROM LEFT: Sensitive modernity in a Grade II*-listed, medieval cloth hall; one-bedroom apartment in a west London Victorian terrace

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

NEPTUNE

A British interiors brand shaking up the high street with its home-from-home retail experience

Neptune neptune.com neptunehomeofficial

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alk into a Neptune store – there are now more than 30 of them across the UK and Europe – and it feels as if you’ve just arrived at someone’s home (someone with utterly impeccable taste). The British designer and maker of furniture, lighting and accessories for both house and garden is reinventing the retail experience, creating stores that look like anything but, where customers are simply invited to make themselves comfortable. It’s far more than the usual case of styling the proverbial shop floor to create a bedroom area or a soupçon of a kitchen here and a nod to a living room there. A Neptune ‘home’ has full-blown rooms with working kitchens, fully-stocked fridges and often a roaring fire (if you pop by on a cold day). ‘We want our stores to feel like a home from home,’ says John Sims-Hilditch, Neptune’s co-founder.

‘Yes, we design and craft pieces to fill your home, from cabinetry to candles and cushions.

But we edit and present our collections in such a way that decorating your home becomes much less overwhelming. Our stores are a way to get up close and personal with our products, to help you envisage them in a home context, but also to fill you with interior design ideas to take home with you too.’

Take one of the newest stores, Neptune Bath, which is based in the heart of the historic city in the charming quarter known for its independent boutiques. As soon as you walked towards its red-brick façade (it used to be Bath’s tramshed depot – Neptune loves to renovate and restore historic buildings for its stores), and spy the wide terrace peppered with Neptune’s elegant garden furniture, there’s a real sense of calm and space. It’s a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Inside, customers will find Neptune’s life-like flowers to the right, a dog bowl to the left, and a warm, welcoming hello from the Neptune team.

There’s an abundance of space to mooch at leisure. Though all four of its timber kitchens are there to be seen, they’re spread out so that guests can meander from room to room feeling as though each new kitchen is

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‘We edit and present our collections in such a way that decorating is much less overwhelming.

Our stores are the embodiment of that’

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Henley kitchen painted in Charcoal; Arundel dining table, Shoreditch dining chair in Harry Flax blue, Emily linen tablecloth in Mist, Hoxton red wine glasses, Delphinium stems; Broseley large pot, Eucalyptus spray green, Peony bunch in white and Corn Parsley

like stumbling into a completely different house. The rooms are connected and yet distinct from one another at the same time.

It’s very tempting to ask if you can move in. And you almost can at Neptune Bath.

Neptune has designed the interiors for some of Bath’s most coveted apartments – One Tram Yard – a number of which are still available to buy – in the same building. Not only that, Neptune Bath is where you can find The Provenist, Neptune’s first foray into wholesome, homecooked cafe culture, and a range of workshops, held in-store every month. Be it flower-arranging or cookery masterclasses, every Neptune store has its own local schedule of events. Places to get together, relax and gather inspiration for your own home, Neptune stores are about far, far more than shopping.

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

POGGENPOHL Pioneering kitchen design since 1892

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s the world’s oldest kitchen brand, Poggenpohl has put its stamp on generations of bespoke kitchens. Since being founded in 1892 by renowned German cabinetmaker Friedemir Poggenpohl, it has not only garnered a reputation for precisionengineered contemporary kitchens but also world firsts. Consistently at the forefront of innovation, the company produced the first solid wood kitchen – which single-handedly shaped the aesthetic of the modern fitted kitchen – as well as the first white lacquer furniture and the first island kitchen. Today it is represented in more than 70 countries.

The company’s legendary kitchens combine the modernist principles derived from its origins in the Bauhaus movement and the Ulm School of Design with a generosity of texture, colour and proportion. Recent ranges include the unstructured +Modo, which features glass-fronted drawers and open shelves that can be used to showcase china, glassware and saucepans; the minimalist +Segmento with handle-less cupboards and worktops so thin they appear to float above the units beneath, which recently saw the addition of a reinterpreted version +SegmentoY featuring anti-fingerprint technology and new methods for lighting; and

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: +Segmento Y in polar white and autumn grey; +Segmento kitchen; +Venovo island; +Segmento Y units in autumn grey

Poggenpohl 100 London Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 1NX +44 (0)1727 738100 poggenpohl.com poggenpohlkitchens

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‘Combining beautiful design with high performance and function, the company prides itself on creating workable spaces where users can cook and entertain with confidence’

the flexible +Venovo, which is ideal for open-plan living with its combination of wood, ceramic and metal materials.

No two kitchens are ever the same and all ranges are made to measure so that everything from worktops to handles and cabinet finishes to interior fixings can be personally selected to complement the architecture of the owner’s home. There are showrooms throughout the UK, including new studio concepts in Tunbridge Wells and Marlow and the re-imagined flagship studio on Wigmore Street in London. Here, the latest kitchens are on display and experienced designers are on hand to help customers (or their architects and interior designers) create a fully-tailored space that works best for each individual’s needs and lifestyle.

The high level of service continues through to installation (each customer is allocated a designated installation manager, who will organise associated tradesmen) and aftercare. Once the kitchen is completed, customers are visited at home by a member of the Poggenpohl team, who will arrange a professional kitchen cleaning service and demonstrate the basic functions of all appliances that have been purchased through the company.

Famed for being made from the highest-quality materials, Poggenpohl kitchens are are known for their durability and longevity. Combining beautiful design with an emphasis on high performance and function, the company also prides itself on creating workable spaces where users can cook and entertain with confidence – something that is particularly important in the current trend for open-plan living. Island units that double as a low-level divide between the living and kitchen areas have become increasingly popular, and the company’s kitchen designers can advise on how to make the most of every conceivable function, suggesting features such as a breakfast bar, ingenious storage and cooking devices.

Looking to the future, Poggenpohl continues to push the boundaries of design, introducing ever-new finishes and flexible kitchen solutions, just as they have done for the last 127 years.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Behind the cabinet’s tinted glass the back wall has a real wood veneer with a finely-crafted herringbone structure – a work of art when illuminated; SieMatic Classic kitchen; detail of the innovative recessed grip channel, part of SieMatic’s handleless kitchen design

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

SIEMATIC

An industry leader in kitchen design for 90 years

‘Its 90th anniversary motto, “timeless by tradition”, expresses what SieMatic has stood for since its foundation: longlasting design using quality materials’

SieMatic Holding GmbH Pure Building Brooks Drive Cheadle Royal Business Park Cheadle Royal Cheshire SK8 3TD +44 (0)1616 606895 siematic.co.uk SieMatic_UK

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family-run company in its third generation, SieMatic is a German manufacturer and industry leader that was established in 1929 and immediately revolutionised the concept of the kitchen. Since then, the company has gained an international reputation for exemplary and elegant kitchens with innovative, top quality design and a high level of functionality. There are now exclusive SieMatic showrooms and retail specialists in more than 70 countries, including 43 studios in the UK. Each showcases the company’s three style collections, appealing to all tastes: Urban, Classic and Pure.

Inspired by the idea of cities that are constantly

in motion, the on-trend Urban collection is a kitchen that fits harmoniously into an openplan scheme. The Classic style showcases handfinished materials such as gloss, ebony, walnut and polished nickel, while Pure gives new contours to minimalism.

For the last 90 years, SieMatic has been on the quest for perfection, continually developing concepts that re-interpret the world of kitchens.

Its 90th anniversary motto, ‘timeless by tradition’, expresses what the manufacturer has stood for since its foundation: long-lasting design using quality materials that are as beautiful as they are suitable for everyday use. Take, for instance, its unique, patented MultiMatic tracking system in the cabinet carcass and inside of the door, which allows for at-home customisation and maximises storage space by up to 30 per cent – a key consideration in kitchen design.

The company has invested heavily in training and their interior designers attend an extensive programme at its own academy in Germany, where they cover topics such as anthropometrics, ergonomics, technical planning and interior architecture, to ensure SieMatic is always one step ahead in the kitchen design world.

Although an anniversary is often seen as a chance to reflect, at SieMatic the focus is also firmly on the future. In the 1960s it invented the first handle-less kitchen, the SieMatic 60, which had a flexible cupboard configuration and several groundbreaking functions. In 1988 the company was once again celebrated as a vanguard of innovation and this year it continues to set standards with the new handleless SieMatic kitchen. The central design detail is the redeveloped recessed grip channel: decisive simplicity on the outside and a complex interplay of technical ingenuity, craftsmanship and superior materials on the inside. It has the perfect angle, the ideal feel and an individually controllable lighting system consisting of an LED light strip that is integrated into the shadow gap.

Service at the international SieMatic studios is second to none (the nearest studio can easily be found by searching on the company’s website), and a design professional guides clients through the planning process from start to finish, considering the interior architecture and design of the room as a whole, not just the kitchen furniture. With the continuing trend for more open plan homes, the ‘culinary living space’ incorporates design philosophies and materials more usually found in drawing rooms; a holistic approach is increasingly adopted, with herringbone veneer, glass and metal elements being used to soften the space. This forwardthinking manufacturer continues to carve its place at the forefront of kitchen design.

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

SMALLBONE OF DEVIZES The world’s most desirable kitchens

‘Building upon its British roots, Smallbone’s rapidly evolving and diverse portfolio has seen its stock rising as a directional, international luxury lifestyle brand’

Smallbone of Devizes 220 Brompton Road London SW3 2BB +44 (0)20 7589 5998 smallbone.co.uk smallbone

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ith its bespoke fitted cabinetry gracing the world’s most luxurious addresses, this global purveyor of handmade furniture continues to go from strength to strength. It has been yet another thrilling and industrious year from the Wiltshire-based brand, with a raft of projects in some of the most desirable international developments and exciting new product launches for the whole house.

Building upon its British roots, Smallbone of Devizes’ rapidly evolving and diverse portfolio of immaculately executed designs has seen its stock rising as a directional, international luxury lifestyle brand. Its significant growth in the UK market is matched by an impressive rise in overseas sales.

Major international projects featuring Smallbone interiors are taking centre stage.

Across the Atlantic, leading architects and developers have a keen appetite for Smallbone’s visionary and contemporary designs and for the decades of heritage and craftsmanship that have shaped the company. This, coupled with its distinct brand of Britishness, has cemented

Smallbone’s name as the most desirable in the US luxury market.

Smallbone’s US success includes residences in New York’s top-flight developments, from One57 and 1010 Park Avenue to the stunning architectural landmark 220 Central Park Tower.

Here, Smallbone’s covetable kitchens, elegant bedrooms, wine rooms, libraries and dressing rooms have added substantial value to these headline-hitting buildings, and contributed to the breaking of Manhattan residential real estate price records. In the Arabian Gulf, clients include the top-end developer Emaar, which has used Smallbone cabinetry in numerous rooms. The strong fusion of British hand-made products with design kudos ensures that Smallbone is the name of choice for renowned architects and designers, including the visionary Bill Sofield and Jean Nouvel, whose recently opened Abu Dhabi Louvre was met with critical acclaim.

Since its inception in 1978, Smallbone has been an innovator. It was instrumental in the kitchen’s evolution from a space solely for cooking to the inclusive entertainment hub of the home. Since celebrating its 40th birthday, Smallbone has been even busier rolling out an elegant new showroom network, which will be spear-headed by the opening of refreshed flagship spaces in London’s Knightsbridge and New York City’s Soho in 2019.

This launch will be complemented by an extension of its product line to include new, bespoke whole home solutions and collaborations with some of the most exciting names in fashion and design, including menswear designer Paul Helbers.

With each piece still produced in the same Wiltshire workshop and inscribed with the name of the joiner who created it, Smallbone’s exciting future is still informed by its past. The workshop is set within the honeyed hills of Devizes where, from the Bronze Age onwards, locals carved the outlines of horses into the chalky faces of the rolling downlands. Those mythical symbols are referenced in Smallbone’s beautiful logo, which traces the outline of a horse’s head. The message is clear: this British trailblazer may be leading the charge, but it isn’t about to forget its roots.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Naples collection – hand applied Mulberry-stained cabinetry with gold plinths and marble worktops; Mulberry kitchen with bespoke finish of unique ebonised stain on oak, cabinet doors detailed with Georgian wire glass and a Calacatta Oro worktop and splashback with polished gold details

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KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

WEST ONE BATHROOMS A leading supplier of luxury bathrooms

‘Clients who find it difficult to visualise the detail of their bathroom design can visit the Clerkenwell showroom, which has a 4D virtual reality theatre projecting the finished product’

West One Bathrooms 45-46 South Audley Street London W1K 2PY +44 (0)333 011 3333 westonebathrooms.com westonebathrooms

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ith more than 40 years’ experience providing luxury fittings, West One Bathrooms has long been regarded as Europe’s most illustrious supplier of bespoke bathrooms.

The company first started trading under its current name in the 1970s, selling baths and sanitaryware to the trade – even supplying bathrooms for the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. The official launch was in Mayfair in 1978, a time when luxury bathrooms were an untapped market in London and the Middle East, and such was the quality of the company’s products, its first range of fittings and accessories is still available now. Success led to the opening of nine more showrooms across London and the South East, and today it’s run by the third generation of the founding Waters family: brothers and joint managing directors, Duncan and Kevin Waters.

Every member of the team – many of whom have worked for West One Bathrooms for over 30 years – has a real passion for

design and, thanks to their extensive technical and product knowledge, each aims to offer the very best client experience.

The company prides itself on offering exclusive access to one of the largest product selections in the UK market, with the potential to source fittings from over 750 international suppliers. This means that, alongside award-winning service, it has the capability to cater for all tastes, project sizes and budgets. West One Bathrooms will go out of their way to make clients’ dreams a reality: those who are finding it difficult to visualise the detail of their bathroom design for instance, can visit the Clerkenwell showroom, which has a 4D virtual reality theatre projecting the finished product.

West One Bathrooms’ latest designs and products can be seen in the 2019 brochure, which illustrates the company’s continued search for new and exciting ranges, from Ann Sacks’ inspiring art deco Paire tiles – which marry the beauty of stone with brass decorative inlay – to the technologicallyadvanced Wet System by Wall & Deco, which aims to prevent the perennial problem of damp. There’s also an innovative collection by antoniolupi that comprises baths and basins in transparent resin.

Colour is making a comeback in the bathroom, introducing a pop of brightness into what has long been an all-white area – be it through wallpaper, a coloured basin, different brassware finishes or a splash of pattern on tiles. The company’s own Primo brand of sanitaryware has been launched in a capsule palette of four colour shades.

There’s also a new focus on wellness and spas, with each showroom introducing ways to incorporate wellbeing into your wet room – the Battersea store being the prime showcase for the new Spa at Home concept. After all, whichever style of bathroom you choose, it should always be a calming place of relaxation and sanctuary.

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FROM LEFT: Primo Lux bathroom in Camelia; Circe bath by Kallista

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS Whether used to create maximum impact or subtle tonality, if you want to play with pattern, print and texture, these materials are magic

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Tourangelle wallpaper panels and Balance daybed upholstered in Brera Moda Petal by Designers Guild

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS

COLE & SON

An esteemed wallpaper design house with a historic archive that informs its contemporary, hand-painted designs

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he Cole & Son design studio is a hub of creativity more akin to an artist’s atelier than a production space.

It’s here that the team of talented designers dream up the exquisite collections that make the company one of the most revered wallpaper manufacturers in the world. Ideas come predominantly from the illustrators’ own photographs, taken on immersive trips to inspirational locations, and each wallpaper design is the result of a collaborative creative process. Hundreds of images are pinned to the walls, forming the basis for original drawings and paintings that are then scanned into the computer for experiments with layout and sizing. The final designs are hand-painted to scale and, unlike many other manufacturers who are production-led, their print methods are dictated entirely by the design.

‘Our aim is to retain the integrity of the artwork, and in doing so create designs that are genuinely full of soul,’ says Carley Bean, design director.

This year Cole & Son is launching Senza Tempo, its fourth collection of wallcoverings in collaboration with iconic Italian design house Fornasetti, and the Contemporary collection, a curated selection of iconic patterns from the company’s vast design portfolio. This collection marks the 60th anniversary of the house’s iconic Woods pattern, along with other modern classics

Cole & Son Unit 10G Design Centre Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 7376 4628 cole-and-son.com cole_and_son_wallpapers

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Pompeian printed wallpaper with Rajapur printed velvet fabric from the Contemporary collection; Cocktails printed wallpaper from the new Fornasetti Senza Tempo collection; iconic Palm Jungle printed wallpaper with Cow Parsley printed velvet fabric and Palm Jungle printed linen union also from the Contemporary collection; an original block-printed design from the Cole & Son archive

‘The archive of 2,000 block print designs and 500 screen print designs includes wallpapers it has provided for national monuments such as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament’

such as the luscious Palm Jungle and elegant Hicks’ Hexagon designs, which epitomise Cole & Son’s design philosophy of combining colour and pattern in a signature style. There’s also the Botanical ~Botanica~ collection, which taps into the trend for large-scale, loose, contemporary florals. ‘Ideas for the Botanical ~Botanica~ collection came from the English countryside, with a colour palette drawn from the changing seasons,’ explains Carley.

‘As well as exploring the unkempt beauty of forests and meadows, we looked at the structured style of cultivated gardens. Hampton Court Flower Show was a huge inspiration.’

Another exciting development for 2019 is the global launch of Cole & Son’s capsule collection of fabrics. The Contemporary collection of fabrics complement the company’s iconic wallpapers, offering a range of statement fabrics grouped into 12 palettes that include silk, velvet, linen and crisp cotton for upholstery and soft furnishings.

These innovative new collections reflect the pioneering spirit shown throughout Cole & Son’s long and distinguished history. The company was founded in 1875 by John Perry, son of a Cambridgeshire merchant, who began producing high-quality block printing for the likes of Jeffrey & Co and Sanderson. It built machines that allowed the reintroduction of the process of pan coating and also revived that of flocking, which imitates cut velvet. In 1941 the company was bought by A P Cole, proprietor of the company Cole & Son (Wallpapers) Ltd – an amalgamation that meant that Cole & Son became the custodians of the most significant collection of wooden printing blocks in Britain. Today, the Cole & Son archive consists of approximately 2,000 block print designs, 500 screen print designs and a huge quantity of original drawings and wallpapers, representing all styles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. These include wallpapers the company has provided for national monuments such as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. This historic legacy continues to inform and inspire the company’s bold design philosophy and spirit of innovation.

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS

DESIGNERS GUILD Inspirational interior furnishings, from fabrics and wallpaper to paint

‘This spring the collections are inspired by the beauty of 16th-century Venice and the frescoes of Veronese’

Designers Guild 267-277 King’s Road London SW3 5EN +44 (0)20 7893 7400 designersguild.com designersguild

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hile working as an interior designer, Tricia Guild couldn’t find any textiles that she felt truly excited about – so she decided to create her own. Her first collection, a set of Indian block print fabrics, was the starting point for Designers Guild. ‘The concept of the business has always remained the same – to offer beautiful and contemporary products for the home that are of the utmost quality,’ explains Tricia of the now international company, which distributes its products to 80 markets worldwide. ‘Originality, creativity, innovation and a focus on colour and pattern have all been, and continue to be, constant elements in our design process.’

Today, Designers Guild offers fabrics, wallpaper and paint in a diverse colour palette, from its signature bright shades through to cool, calm neutrals. ‘For many, Designers Guild is most recognisable for our dextrous use of sweeping colour. However, over half of our collections are made up of neutral designs across fabric, wallpaper and paint. We are a go-to destination for plains, with over 5,000

fabrics in hundreds of textures,’ continues Tricia. The company also sells a covetable range of furniture, home accessories and a bed and bath collection.

As well as the founder, Tricia is also the creative director and heads up the studio, product development, photography and retail teams from the Designers Guild headquarters in West London. ‘Designers Guild is my passion: I live and breathe it. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to do what I love every day alongside my fantastic, like-minded team and so, really, I’m never not working,’ she says. ‘I believe that inspiration can be found in the world that surrounds us if we simply open our eyes. It is these visual images that become a kind of internal pattern book for me, which I draw upon when in the creative process of designing collections.’

This spring the collections are inspired by the beauty of 16thcentury Venice and the frescoes of Veronese, so designs reflect a new and contemporary language of flowers, texture, light and pattern across fabric, wallpaper and accessories. The collection is imbued with modernity and a quiet, compelling beauty – the perfect mix of contemporary and classical in layers of soft, neutral colour. Think new shades of spearmint, pistachio, vanilla, rose and olive, with tints of sky blue, silvery grey, chalk and peony.

Designers Guild is also launching Lisbon, an innovative recycled fabric collection, which comprises three small-scale, textured weaves with a mid-century feel, each woven in Italy with yarns recycled from the fashion industry.

‘I always find the development of new textiles extremely exciting. Each season we look to broaden and enhance our offering so that we can appeal to a larger audience,’ concludes Tricia. ‘Our customers are people who want their homes to reflect their personality and they want to create environments that feel unique to them. I hope that they come to Designers Guild for our wonderful breadth of fabrics, wallpapers and accessories.’

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Designers Guild SS19 collections include Veronese printed fabrics and Foscari Fresco wallpapers

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS

HAMILTON WESTON WALLPAPERS Specialists in historic, period and reproduction wallpapers

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nterior designer Georgina Hamilton and architectural historian Robert Weston founded Hamilton Weston Wallpapers in 1981 to focus on reproducing historic wallpapers in both their original and contemporary colourways. ‘We have always been particularly enthusiastic about historical designs, their origins and provenance and the motifs and colour combinations used,’ says Georgina. ‘We also love to create new wallpaper designs to commission – from artefacts brought to us by our clients as inspiration for new creations, such as maps, textiles and embroideries.’

The archive is a treasure trove of historic, unusual and period wallpaper fragments covering the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras – often discovered as a result of restoration work around the world – and it is these historic papers that form the basis of the company’s own Old Paradise wallpaper collection, recreated from original documents.

The earliest design in the collection, the quirky Lambeth Saracen, dates back to 1690; the most recent is the 1960 On The Edge, which was produced for The Edge of Reason, the sequel film to Bridget Jones’ Diary. In fact, Hamilton Weston Wallpapers can frequently be seen on the big screen: recent film releases in which

Hamilton Weston Wallpapers +44 (0)20 8940 4850 hamiltonweston.com hamiltonweston

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Carlyle Damask wallpaper c. 1828; Charlecote Strapwork wallpaper c. 1832; Astashovo Damask wallpaper c. 1890; Bird and Blossom wallpaper c. 1910; Frognal wallpaper c. 1760

they feature include Darkest Hour, Mary Poppins Returns and Red Joan, starring Judi Dench. (Its wallpapers will also adorn the set of The Good Liar, with Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen, a thriller due for release in November.)

The company has worked on many interesting projects for museums in the UK, Europe, USA and Australia in recent years, including recreating several 19th-century French wallpapers for the restoration of Uppark after a fire in 1989, two 18th-century hand block printed wallpapers for Bath’s historic No 1 Royal Crescent (completed in 2013) and reproducing Sandycombe Trellis for Sandycombe Lodge in Twickenham

(built by painter JMW Turner, it is now Turner’s House), from a tiny, discoloured fragment that fluttered down from the loft during building works.

Recent projects include two designs for the Jane Austen Museum in Chawton, Hampshire, created from fragments found in the Austen family cottage. Hamilton Weston Wallpapers is currently in the process of reproducing a third design for the museum: an early 19th- century leaf wallpaper and decorative border that was discovered in the dining parlour.

As a small company Hamilton Weston Wallpapers is particularly happy to provide a bespoke wallpaper service and enjoys close collaboration with interior design clients (it also specialises in original, site-specific wallpapers for special projects). All are printed in the UK using a variety of methods on high-grade papers to achieve the finest results (current printing technology has greatly increased the affordability of more complex designs, where numerous colours may be included within the pattern).

In a world of mass-produced wallpapers, Hamilton Weston stands out for the meticulous craft of its handprinted designs, transforming historic wallpaper designs into contemporary works of art.

‘We love to create new wallpaper designs to commission – from artefacts brought to us by our clients as inspiration for new creations, such as maps, textiles and embroideries’

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Fusion Black Porcelain and Fusion Black Matt Porcelain; Hendre Blanc Porcelain (interior and exterior); Carrara Honed Penny Mosaic with matching Pencil Rail

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS

MANDARIN STONE

The go-to supplier of natural stone, porcelain and ceramic tiles for walls and flooring

‘New collections will feature large format porcelains, design-led etched marbles and gorgeous glazed ceramics, reinvented in fresh coloured glazes using traditional tile moulds’

Mandarin Stone +44 (0)1600 715444 mandarinstone.com mandarinstoneofficial

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chance meeting in which Alma Small was asked to sell some recently imported Chinese slate floor tiles sparked the initial idea for Mandarin Stone, the tile and flooring company she founded in 1989 with her husband Stephen. As consumer interest in using natural stone wall tiles and flooring grew, so did the business, and the couple soon opened a small showroom in Monmouthshire.

Products were showcased at trade fairs and delivered to customers throughout the UK and Ireland. In 2011, in response to increasing customer demand, they introduced man-made porcelain and ceramic tiles, for when natural stone isn’t a practical option.

Today, the family-run business supplies a comprehensive collection of natural stone and man-made tiles for both homeowners and designers, to suit all styles and budgets. Natural stone tiles include limestone, marble, slate and basalt, while the porcelain and ceramic range features glazed and glass tiles, including textured effects such as concrete and wood.

Mandarin Stone’s marble collection is proving

more popular than ever and continues to expand: ranging from classic white marbles to the more vibrant coloured marbles, it is a stylish yet timeless option for both floors and walls.

Virtually the entire range is stocked in the UK, meaning Mandarin Stone can offer a fast sample service; lead times for delivery are also short (the company has a fleet of vehicles that offers a more specialised service for heavy products). The entire tile collection can be purchased online but the company has ten showrooms – essential for clients who prefer to see the products before they buy – where consultants with a wealth of knowledge and experience can advise on design as well as technical aspects of all projects.

Inspired by both the interiors and fashion industries, Mandarin Stone prides itself on introducing the very latest innovative tile designs to the UK market. Other influences include the ahead-of-the-curve Australian tile market and global stone and tile shows. They also work in collaboration with suppliers to create exclusive designs for the UK. New collections will be officially launched in May and feature large format porcelains in both interior and exterior options, designled ‘etched’ marble in hexagon and square tile formats (this is an ancient surface design where acid is used on marble to achieve the effect), and a gorgeous selection of new glazed ceramics reinvented in fresh coloured glazes using traditional tile moulds. While the company understands the importance of having a good range of more trend-led products (such as pink tiles, terrazzo effect and retro patterns) there is always a strong demand for more timeless and traditional surface options too, from antique limestone flooring to stone-effect porcelain and slate tiles.

With a new Mandarin Stone showroom due to open in North London in the next few months and a commitment to introducing new surface designs to the UK market, the company continues to go from strength to strength.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Calathea, Tulipomania, Jackfruit and King Protea curtain fabric and Hampton Weave, Jackfruit and Vibeke cushion fabric; Manila Embroidery blind, Sanderson Rhodera paint, Calathea table cloth and Manila and Fernery cushions; Terrariums curtains, Sanderson Grey Mist paint, Brianza Velvet footstool, Boutique Velvets chair with a Tree Fern back and Boho Velvets and Tree Fern cushions

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS

SANDERSON

One of England’s oldest soft furnishing brands, renowned for its botanical, hand-drawn patterns

‘Sanderson’s distinctive floral signature… begins as a piece of artwork sketched from real life by the talented studio design team, on their field trips to the countryside’

Sanderson Style Library Design Centre Chelsea Harbour First Floor, South Dome Lots Road London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 3457 5862 stylelibrary.com/sanderson sanderson1860

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ounded in 1860 by Arthur Sanderson, who imported luxury French wallpapers before producing his own, the company was granted its first royal warrant by King George V. From such a prestigious seal of approval, Sanderson grew quickly: now the company is internationally renowned for its quintessentially English, nature-inspired style. The product range – which is sold in over 70 countries – encompasses printed fabrics, weaves, embroideries, paint, home accessories and of course, wallpaper. It also continues

to supply fabrics, wallpapers and paint to HM Queen Elizabeth II and the British royal households today.

Sanderson’s distinctive floral signature stems from a genuine love of English hedgerows – all patterns begin as a piece of artwork sketched from real life by the talented studio design team, on their field trips to the countryside. Aside from nature, the extensive archive is a wonderful resource, containing precious collected pieces that date back to the Renaissance. It’s no wonder that time spent delving through the drawers can often spark creative ideas. Working to a definitive core colour palette (which is injected with new highlights each season) means that there is effortless coordination across the full range.

And the production process is managed by highly skilled in-house craftsmen from start to finish, from designers to colourists, and from engravers to printers.

Inspired by the science of botany, their new spring collection, The Glasshouse, encapsulates the wonder of flowers and foliage in art.

Accurately interpreting the exquisite detail of botanical drawing, it showcases the beauty of the natural world. ‘The wide array of plants featured in the collection pays homage to the intrepid explorers of yesteryear who journeyed to far off lands in search of new and exciting additions to the gardens of Victorian England,’ explains Rebecca Craig, head of design at Sanderson. ‘The Glasshouse is a celebration of these treasures, reinterpreted into fabrics, wallpapers and weaves.’ Prints such as birds of paradise, fan palms and fernery come in a complementary blend of tropical tones, plus classic blush and aqua hues.

With its catalogue of iconic patterns Sanderson also regularly partners with companies on a wide range of products, from bedlinen to rugs and tableware. In 2018 the company teamed up with Radley on a 20th -anniversary capsule collection of bags. Another milestone last year was the relaunch of the paint collection, first introduced by Arthur Sanderson in 1900 to sit alongside his wallpapers and fabrics. There are now 154 paint colours, available in a selection of finishes, and all tinted in-house, in the same facility where the wallpapers are manufactured.

Looking ahead to autumn, the next collection of wallpapers and fabrics will have an eclectic global flavour, with a nod to the idea of souvenirs brought home from far-flung travels. Whatever the theme, Sanderson’s recognisable style and sure colour sense will be endlessly enriched both by its long heritage and its love of imbuing nature into our modern living space.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Parada wallpaper in cream T2927, Sonoma headboard in Dhara Stripe printed fabric in beige and black F92939, Parada printed fabric in cream F92927, Mitford printed fabric in yellow F92947 – all from the Paramount collection.

Assorted wallcoverings from Modern Resource; Hayworth wallpaper in sea glass T416 from Modern Resource

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FABRICS, WALLS & FLOORS

THIBAUT

Designing colourful wallcoverings and fabrics since 1886

‘What unites each pattern is the distinctly vivid Thibaut signature that conjures up the feeling of a sunny, Californian, coastal lifestyle’

Thibaut 2nd Floor South Dome Chelsea Harbour Design Centre London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 7737 6555 thibautdesign.com thibaut_1886

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hibaut (pronounced Tee-boh) is one of the oldest continually operating design houses in the United States. Renowned in the industry as a trailblazer for colourful wallcoverings and exquisite fabrics, the company counts the likes of the Obamas (who chose Thibaut’s wallpaper for the White House) and international interior designers such as Henrietta Spencer Churchill, as fans.

Most recently Thibaut launched the Paramount collection of co-ordinating wallpaper, prints, woven and embroidered fabrics, all influenced by the strong visual and graphic arts and design movement

that occurred at the turn of the 20th century.

Patterns in the range include peacocks, flower motifs and S-curves, that are designed to be layered together in a look that doesn’t overpower.

Equally visually striking is the contemporary Modern Resource collection. Linear yet organic, the designs in this range include textural components and crisp graphics that radiate sophistication and style. The Hayworth wallpaper, for instance, comes in nine colourways and has graceful parallel lines that create large blocks in a screen-printed design.

The studio uses a variety of methods to create its fashion-forward designs, from state-of-the-art technology to simple hand-painted techniques.

Patterns may originate from an antique document, sketch or commissioned artwork but what unites them is that each has the distinctly vivid Thibaut signature that conjures up the feeling of a sunny Californian, coastal lifestyle. Alongside the florals, geometrics and damask patterns, Thibaut has a vast selection of eco-friendly grasscloth wallcoverings and embossed vinyl textures – both staples in the 1970s that are now making a serious comeback and are in demand by interior designers for the walls of the most sophisticated London apartments.

These handcrafted weaves include natural corks with printed metallic, woven jute, seagrass, raffia and extra-fine sisal.

Thibaut’s broad offering was extended by the 2007 acquisition of UK-based Anna French, a luxury brand of wallcoverings, fabrics, embroideries and Scottish lace. Anna continues as a source of inspiration to the design team at Thibaut, ensuring that her energy and style are infused into the new collections. The Palampore collection by Anna French has been a smashing success. Named after lustrous, Indian, painted fabric panels, Palampore combines exotic Indienneinspired and indigenous designs in two coordinating collections of fabrics and wallcoverings.

Over the last few years Thibaut has also expanded its performance fabrics. Created specifically for family-friendly living, they are woven to meet or exceed heavy-duty requirements for upholstery and provide clients with a solution that is durable, breathable and stain-resistant. The company is constantly experimenting with fresh new ideas: the design and marketing teams work closely together to respond to the leads of the upper end of the interiors market, combining their creative vision with the needs of today’s homeowner. And since it is not limited by the capability of its own manufacturing facility, Thibaut can draw on a myriad of printing and weaving techniques, using mills all over the world – meaning colour options are virtually endless.

Whether a client is looking for turquoise sea-like wallpaper or an oversize floral print, at Thibaut, there really is a colour and pattern to suit everyone. The future is looking bright.

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FURNITURE

Invest cleverly and these pieces will last a lifetime, ready to be handed down to the next generation

Wimbledon table and Hampton chairs by ijlbrown

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FURNITURE

ANDREW MARTIN

A global leader of inventive, fusion and fun interiors since 1978

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usion interiors – the idea that it is the world around us that inspires our living spaces – is central to the Andrew Martin philosophy. Which is why, when customers walk into the flagship showroom in South Kensington, they find themselves surrounded by a signature mix of African artefacts, tribal textiles and Asian antiques jostling against colourful pop art, digital LED light screens and futuristic space age influences. Founded in 1978 by product and interior designer Martin Waller (‘I started the business because I fell in love with the theatre of retail’), the brand is renowned for its multi-layered, theatrical approach to design and highly original collections.

Over the years the whole world has stumbled through the doors of Andrew Martin, from Kate to Kylie and Princess Leia to President Sarkozy. Designers from every continent have made it their go-to toolbox. Andrew Martin has organised the Interior Designer of the Year Award since 1996 (‘the Oscars of the Interior Design world’) and published 23 editions of the company’s Interior Design Review, underlining its credentials as a global design authority.

In terms of style, a leaning towards more collectible furniture and pieces with a masculine, modern feel such as charcoal leather sofas, metallic tables and dark parquet herringbone

Andrew Martin 190-196 Walton Street London SW3 2JL +44 (0)20 7225 5100 andrewmartin.co.uk andrewmartin_int

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finishes are all in evidence at Andrew Martin.

When it comes to fabric and wallpaper, recent collaborations include an exclusive licence to reproduce any of the paintings in the National Gallery’s 2,500-strong permanent collection as digitally-printed mural wallpapers as well as a range of fabrics and wallpapers co-designed with hotel design guru Kit Kemp, unleashing her brave use of colour on motifs inspired by the romance of folk tales.

What links all the Andrew Martin products, though, is a real sense of fun. Typical of that is the new Tutti Frutti collection of surrealist furniture and accessories, which features seating inspired by liquorice allsorts, giant jelly babies and zoom ice lollies, all reinterpreted as statement resin sculptures. Kit kat and dairy milk chocolate bars have been reborn as limited edition tables, each with a bronze plaque displaying its number out of 100. ‘Decoration is a building block of happiness,’ Waller once said – a statement that relates directly to these colourful candy pieces and exemplifies Andrew Martin’s design ethos: to bottle the flavour of nostalgia and use its effervescence to bring magic to your home.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Volcano sofa with Pick ’n’ Mix stools, Morton sofa with large neons; Fiorella sofa, Wilder and Eaves chairs and Chandler stools; Mythical Land wallpaper from the Kit Kemp collection; Lucifer headboard in Friendly Folk fabric with Wychwood wallpaper, chest in Over the Moon denim

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FURNITURE

AUGUSTUS BRANDT

A thriving antiques and modern design business with a bespoke furniture collection, lifestyle shop and gallery space

‘A client had set their heart on an 18th-century Gustavian dining table that wouldn’t fit through their front door. So we designed a bespoke version in our workshop’

Augustus Brandt Newlands House Pound Street Petworth GU28 0DX +44 (0)1798 344722 augustusbrandt.co.uk augustus.brandt

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he market town of Petworth has long been known as the antiques centre of the south. It was on a visit here in 2004 that Nicola Jones discovered Augustus Brandt and soon became a regular customer. Four years later, after purchasing a Georgian townhouse nearby, she was invited to buy into the business and, in 2014, took full control. ‘The internet age has brought enormous changes to the antiques business and when I took over I decided to diversify by introducing modern and contemporary furniture and expanding the bespoke range beyond the tables and chairs already crafted,’ explains Nicola. The company is now located in her restored 18th-century townhouse and an adjacent coach house. ‘The juxtaposition of Georgian gilt mirrors with 21st-century oak tables of outsize proportions has proved very popular and the business has grown tenfold since 2014, with sales online across the world.’

This growth includes a lifestyle shop in the town’s Market Square, selling luxury brands such as Linley, William Yeoward and Cire Trudon, plus an art gallery that showcases

contemporary photography by the likes of Bruce Rae, Peter Thuring, Andrew Holligan, Brian Griffin, Amanda Lockhart and Alison Jackson. Last autumn, Augustus Brandt held the largest ever exhibition of work by sculptor Philip Jackson (famous for his RAF Bomber Command Memorial in St James Park), who lives in West Sussex. ‘His splendid and monumental figures, inspired by Venice, were shown dramatically in our Georgian interior, surrounded

by Continental mirrors, furniture and chandeliers,’ says Nicola.

Forthcoming exhibitions in 2019 include solo shows for collage and photographic artist Kara Bieber, and a retrospective of Formula One photographer, Jon Nicholson.

The bespoke collection comprises 30 designs, from an oak Pugin range to two-tone Deco-inspired armchairs, which can be adapted on request. ‘Recently, a client had set their heart on an 18th-century Gustavian circular dining table for a narrow Chelsea townhouse but it wouldn’t fit through the front door,’ recalls Nicola. ‘We designed a bespoke version in our workshop, breaking it down into a number of elements so it would fit through the narrow entrance and tight staircase. We called it the Stockholm table and added it to our core bespoke range.’

The team has also worked on several interior design projects, including urban residential apartments, hotels and traditional country houses. An ongoing project at Arlington House in Mayfair led to the creation of a new line of bespoke tables and lamps, made of macassar with maple detailing.

Augustus Brandt also regularly stocks the work of artists, makers and designers, such as Rugs of Petworth, contemporary Brazilian furniture maker Casa Botelho and Frith & Mort, a collaboration between artist Michael Frith and designer Jenny Mort that saw Michael’s elegant horse paintings transposed onto Jenny’s clothing.

‘The common denominator in all that we sell is simply good quality and design,’ says Nicola.

‘Period pieces can be juxtaposed with modern works as long as the inherent design is honest and the finish immaculate.’

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Augustus Brandt interior styling featuring a French oak, bespoke Pugin table; bespoke 18th century-style upholstered French oak three-seater sofa

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FURNITURE

CHAMBER FURNITURE

Bespoke kitchens and furniture for 25 years

‘Over 90 per cent of the company’s business comes from previous customers and referrals – very often a project that begins as one room goes on to encompass other spaces’

Chamber Furniture The Old Timber Yard London Road Halstead Kent TN14 7DZ +44 (0)1959 532553 chamberfurniture.co.uk chamberfurniture

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hamber Furniture has been designing, making and installing handmade kitchens and bespoke furniture for the last 25 years. In that time, this small family-run business has grown into a mid-size player on a national scale with a reputation for combining time-honoured joinery techniques with the latest technology to produce custom-built furniture that is both millimetre-precise and strong enough to last a lifetime.

The company now employs more than 40 people at its purpose-built factory and showroom in Kent (just 35 minutes from central London) and it is these talented individuals who make Chamber Furniture so special. Designers are happy to take time to discuss any project or idea, no matter what stage a client is at in the planning process. The team believes that a professional overview can offer a different perspective on all kinds of issues, whether it’s taking down a wall, re-modelling an existing space or simply repositioning a door or relocating a boiler.

Over 90 per cent of the company’s business comes from previous customers,

recommendations and referrals – and very often a project that begins as one room goes on to encompass other spaces in the house, too.

Using the latest CAD software, the team creates realistic digital mock-ups so clients have a precise vision of the end product.

The approach is both collaborative and unpressured so clients can proceed at their own pace, ensuring the result is absolutely right for them. Careful consideration is given to every element of a project, from the correct proportions and best materials to handles, hinges, and closure mechanisms.

This level of attention to detail is the common thread that runs throughout a commission of any size, whether the client is a collaborating property developer, architect, or individual.

Each piece of furniture is made entirely in-house so the team can achieve the levels of workmanship, fit and finish that clients expect. There are no standard sizes or ranges as the company believes this can be restrictive. Whatever each individual chooses – whether traditional or modern, ornate or minimalist – Chamber Furniture selects only the highest-grade timbers to minimise subtle grain differences for a consistent yet harmonious look.

All timber is sustainably sourced, with any waste going to heat the factory rather than landfill.

From painting and staining to lacquers, French polishing and burnishing, all the finishing is also undertaken in-house. Finally, all kitchens and furniture are fitted by the company’s own installers (assisted where required by trusted subcontractors). This means they remain in complete control throughout, to ensure every element is fitted and finished to the highest standards.

The company’s simple philosophy is that having furniture custom built should be a joy from start to finish. Each client can be assured they are getting more than just beautiful, oneof-a-kind results: they are dealing with people who care as much about each project as they do themselves. That’s what makes this company and its furniture so unique.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: With every element designed to personal taste, bedrooms offer a sanctuary from the stresses of modern life; traditional dresser cabinets feature Provence mouldings with staff and bead mirror panels and Carrara marble worktops

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FURNITURE

THE CONRAN SHOP A destination lifestyle store with a global presence that combines iconic designs with future collectibles

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imple functionality, well-considered design and an eye for originality have been at the core of The Conran Shop ever since it was founded in 1974 by Sir Terence Conran. Offering an inimitable blend of design classics and innovative new work, its furniture and lighting, home accessories and gift selections have inspired generations of visitors, continually evolving to reflect our ever-changing way of life. A global leader in curated design with an expanding family of stores across the globe (including London, Paris and Tokyo), all offering an unbeatable shopping experience, it is hardly surprising that The Conran Shop has maintained its international near-cult status.

Mid-century classics and one-off vintage pieces, hand-selected from the world’s best design houses, are reinvigorated in the company of a kaleidoscopic range of future collectibles from established and emerging designers. In recent years The Conran Shop has developed numerous collaborations and exclusive collections, as well as orchestrating releases of some of design history’s celebrated archival pieces from revered manufacturers such as Knoll, Vitra and Carl Hansen & Søn.

In 2019, The Conran Shop presents Daniel Schofield’s Blur table collection, which features coffee and side tables, each with a clear-cut glass top resting on an intricately-crafted, fluted glass base. The collection joins the ranks of the limited-

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Conran Shop’s exclusive collection of Calacatta Cielo marble-topped Saarinen tables; the iconic Michelin House flagship store in Chelsea, London; exclusive limited edition CH07 Shell chair in Wenge wood by Hans J Wegner; D4E chair by Marcel Breuer, only available in the UK at The Conran Shop; Blur tables designed exclusively for the brand by Daniel Schofield

The Conran Shop conranshop.com theconranshopofficial

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edition Calacatta Cielo marble Tulip dining table, part of Eero Saarinen’s historic and revolutionary Pedestal collection, with a table top that has been specially cut from 15 slabs of ultra-rare marble.

An equally sought-after exclusive is Hans J Wegner’s elliptical CH07 Shell Chair, produced for the first time in Wenge wood and upholstered in a choice of three sumptuous leathers.

Still looking to expand its empire, The Conran Shop is developing stores in two exceptional new locations. The first, planned for Spring 2019, sees the brand join forces with retail behemoth Galeries Lafayette, cementing its presence in the

French marketplace. In late 2019, the brand’s global expansion increases momentum with the opening of its first outlet in Seoul, in partnership with Lotte, the country’s largest department store.

Commenting on the Seoul opening, Sir Terence Conran, who still plays an active role in the business as chairman, said: ‘I have always believed that good design and well-made products have a very simple power to improve the quality of life for people. These characteristics seem to be in the very DNA of the Korean design aesthetic. As Provost of the Royal College of Art, I saw first-hand the considerable efforts being put into training its design students. I look forward to seeing how the trademark Conran style evolves in a new market and influences our global brand.’

With a firm eye on the future, The Conran Shop pays homage to its design forbears by marking the Bauhaus centenary throughout 2019. Along with a dynamic takeover of window displays in its London stores, there will be a launch of UK exclusives, such as Marcel Breuer’s D4E Folding Chair by Tecta, and all-new collaborations with Matthew Hilton and Samuel Wilkinson. As a young designer Sir Terence Conran embraced the Bauhaus movement’s principles, recognising the importance of beautiful, functional and accessible products – a philosophy that has been integral to the success of The Conran Shop ever since.

‘I have always believed that good design and wellmade products have a very simple power to improve the quality of life for people’ – Sir Terence Conran

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FURNITURE

DAVIDSON

The purveyors of luxury free-standing furniture launch their Davidson Fitted range

F Davidson 101 South Dome Design Centre Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XE +44 (0)7751 5537 davidsonlondon.com davidsonlondon

or the past 30 years Davidson has built a reputation for crafting British-made bespoke free-standing furniture for many of the world’s leading interior designers and private clients, from Middle Eastern royalty to superyacht owners. Alongside the bespoke service, the company offers a collection of exquisite pieces, all of which can be customised to meet specific requirements. Now sister company Davidson Fitted is set to launch a new complementary range of fitted designs, including wardrobes, bookshelves, display cabinets, bar units and panelling – all reflecting the signature style – making Davidson one of the few to cater for all furniture needs at the very highest level.

Davidson channels the modernist philosopy of ‘less is more’ in its designs: in other words, simple designs made to the finest quality. Streamlined, elegant and unfussy, each piece takes in-house

craftsmen 10-14 weeks to complete. Everything is handmade and requires multiple layers of lacquer to achieve a perfect finish. The company also regularly collaborates with leading names in interiors: at the end of last year it teamed up with interior design practice Taylor Howes on a stunning oval dining table that celebrates British craftsmanship, aptly named the Howes Table. This spring also sees a new partnership with interior designer Anna Standish.

Using colourful timbers and beautiful materials, the collection combines Anna’s appreciation of 1970s American interiors with a contemporary feel that’s synonymous with Davidson.

As part of Davidson Fitted, the company is once again working with interior designer, jewellery designer and talented photographer Broosk Saib – this time on a range of fitted cocktail bars and cabinets that taps into the current trend for entertaining at home. The team is excited about

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‘Now sister company Davidson Fitted is set to launch a new complementary range of fitted designs – all reflecting the signature Davidson style’

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Richard and Alex Davidson; Rosebery dining table; Davidson Fitted home office in grey and onyx; drinks cabinet designed by Broosk Saib; Albany Console in satin sycamore black and distressed silvered leaf

introducing interesting materials such as quartz into the collection, along with fine timbers and bronze detailing. Later this year Davidson will introduce a line of traditional pieces that celebrates the company’s heritage and harks back to its early Regency-style collections. These were originally inspired by founder Richard Davidson’s experience as an antiques dealer working at top auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

Over the years the style of Davidson furniture has grown organically, moving from a period of strong art deco influence through to referencing the 1940s and 1970s, before evolving into the more contemporary look that is associated with the company today. It is still very much a family business – the couple’s eldest daughter Alexandra is now managing director and their youngest daughter Claudia is marketing director – retaining the values it has had from the outset.

‘We stand for beautiful furniture, superb quality and the utmost attention to detail. That and an unforgettable customer experience from start to finish,’ says Claudia. ‘We pride ourselves on perfectlyproportioned furniture, made using the finest materials.’

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FURNITURE

THE DINING CHAIR COMPANY

Bespoke upholstered furniture, from chairs to ottomans and sofas

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PHOTOS: JONATHAN BOND PHOTOGRAPHY AND BARLOW AND BARLOW

ver the years interior designer Amanda Huber regularly sourced furniture from The Dining Chair Company for her clients.

So when she heard the business was for sale in 2017 it seemed like an unmissable opportunity. ‘I thought it was a gem of a company with a potentially great brand presence,’ she says.

‘Chairs are always a staple, whether in a formal environment or in more relaxed living and dining spaces.’ First up, she refurbished the showroom in the Pimlico Road design district, and then she expanded the range of styles on offer, both to include more contemporary pieces and to reintroduce some popular favourites.

The company philosophy is to create beautiful, handcrafted, bespoke furniture that is made in England using traditional techniques yet at an accessible price point. Standard styles can also be fully customised. For instance, the William chair has evolved as a result of client need and is now available in three styles: the William, Prince William and what is affectionately known as the Van Gogh, because it has no side wings.

Chairs can be made up in any type of wood, with the stain and polish matched to existing furniture or to create a specific piece. Starting with measurements and an initial sketch, Amanda and her team ensure all designs evolve to meet the company’s exacting standards. With

The Dining Chair Company 4 St. Barnabas Street London SW1W 8PE +44 (0)20 7259 0422 diningchair.co.uk thediningchairco

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PHOTOS: JONATHAN BOND PHOTOGRAPHY AND BARLOW AND BARLOW

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Sophia chair and headboard in Christopher Farr fabric; Sydney side chairs and carvers designed by Barlow and Barlow; Chloe chair with handle detailing in Nicholas Haslam Nivelles Oyster fabric; Lucia chair with painted legs in Rubelli Mafalda; Gabrielle bar stalls covered in fabrics by Romo; Isabelle sofa, cushions and cubes and Jemima Carver chairs in Christopher Farr fabrics

a keen eye for imaginative reinterpretation of fabrics, trimmings and finishing details, The Dining Chair Company is a showcase for stunning upholstery effects, from frayed edges, leather piping and mixed textures to seams.

Clients include interior designers, retailers, hotels – The Dining Chair Company has supplied The Pig hotel and Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, among others – and private individuals. ‘We take personal pride in nurturing projects from initial enquiry through to delivery as well as in our commitment to quality and attention to detail,’ says Amanda, who cites art, architecture and vintage design as inspirations.

‘At the recent Decorative Antiques Fair we saw a pair of 1960s vintage Italian upholstered chairs with wonderfully curved wood carver arms, so now we are developing a design incorporating an essence of that.’

New designs this year, which will launch in time for The Chelsea Flower Show in May, are the Alice, a small neat chair that’s ideal for small spaces or bedrooms, and the Hamilton, a contemporary design with a curved back, separate seat cushion and rounded legs, that can be fully upholstered if required.

Despite its name, The Dining Chair Company makes much more than chairs – there is not only a range of upholstered furniture, from bar stools and ottomans to bedheads and sofas, but also a collection of dining tables in oak, ash, stone, marble and glass.

Keen to work closely with the latest fabrics from key fabric houses such as de Le Cuona, there is an exciting collaboration in the pipeline with Dutch designer Ottoline De Vries, for this year’s Belgravia in Bloom. ‘We love using new and beautiful fabrics,’ concludes Amanda. ‘There’s nothing nicer than when clients ring us and say they have had our chairs for 20 years and still love them but would like them recovered to fit in with a new interior.’

‘With a keen eye for imaginative fabrics, trimmings and finishing details, The Dining Chair Company is a showcase for stunning upholstery effects’

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FURNITURE

GAZE BURVILL

Beautifully crafted outdoor kitchens and furniture

F Gaze Burvill Lodge Farm East Tisted Hampshire GU34 3QH +44 (0)1420 588444 gazeburvill.com gazeburvill

rom a midweek breakfast on the terrace to Sunday lunch on the lawn with the family, spending time in the garden is one of life’s essential pleasures – which is why choosing the right furniture for an exterior space is just as important as for the home interior.

Cue Gaze Burvill, founded by Christian Gaze and Simon Burvill in 1993 with the aim of making the finest outdoor oak furniture you can buy. The company is renowned for its A La Carte kitchens and elegant furniture for all outdoor occasions, from bar stools and poolside sun loungers to luxuriant sofas. It can even provide under-table heating, so that gatherings can keep going until the early hours.

In the 26 years since Gaze Burvill has been in business it has built up such an expertise in designing and making exterior furniture that clients – both private individuals and garden designers – come back again and again to add to their collection. Thanks to the company’s international client base, they ship furniture all over the world, from the Hamptons to

Hong Kong, though today the company has moved just a mile across the fields from where it started to a new state-of-the-art workshop, design studio and showroom in East Tisted, Hampshire. Every Gaze Burvill piece is designed and made by skilled craftspeople from sustainably sourced oak and, latterly, chestnut. The collection includes sculptural spirals, ideal both for meditative moments in quiet garden nooks and as a way of creating a visual point of interest, plus seating that has been designed with comfort top of mind, as well as beauty.

New this year is the Wisley Woodland Seat, made from British chestnut. Without a single straight component, it showcases a masterful blend of state-of-the-art technology with traditional skills.

The twists that make the piece unique echo the natural torsion in the trunk of a mature sweet chestnut tree.

As an alternative to its bespoke kitchens, Gaze Burvill offers a number of stand-alone A la Carte units that can be easily mixed and matched, so you can add in a fridge, sink or teppanyaki grill, as required. A must-have addition to the A La Carte range this year is the Grill Station, a mini kitchen in its own right. This cooking unit not only provides a grill or ceramic oven, fridge, worktop for prep, and plenty of storage, it also has wheels that make it adaptable and manouevrable, even on the smallest terrace.

All that and exquisite cabinetry to boot.

The Levity dining collection has also been expanded, with a D-Table that fits either as an extension to existing tables or works on its own as a beautiful small table for a tight space.

All three new designs will be on show at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2019, as part of a display by garden designer Ross Allan.

Gaze Burvill also works on special commissions, both for kitchens and furniture – the Broadwalk collection, for instance, was inspired by a project for the RHS for a long seat for the Broadwalk Lawn at their show garden at Wisley. A go-to for exquisitely crafted outdoor furniture that elevates any alfresco space.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Splash Lounge seating – a collection of modular low oak sofa elements, arranged to suit the space; the striking Broadwalk Oval oak table and seating; Grill Station, with small fridge and BBQ grill. Other grills and ovens are available

‘A must-have addition to the A La Carte range this year is the Grill Station, a mini kitchen in its own right... with wheels that make it adaptable to the smallest terrace’

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FURNITURE

IJLBROWN

Specialist furniture makers with a global reputation

ijlbrown 634–636 King’s Road London SW6 2DU +44 (0)20 7736 4141 ijlbrown.com ijlbrown

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s a leading bespoke furniture maker with a strong focus on the high-end, residential interior design market, ijlbrown has come a long way since it began over 40 years ago. A family-run business with workshops in Herefordshire and a highly talented and knowledgeable team of craftsmen, the company’s showroom on the King’s Road in Chelsea is a hidden gem for many leading interior designers and their clients.

Their country workshops produce exclusively designed collections and individual one-off items for the design trade, as well as for residential clients looking for that ideal piece of furniture to fit their unique space (over 80 per cent of ijlbrown’s work is bespoke). Using modern materials combined with traditional methods, their craftsmen make each piece by hand, producing furniture of a distinctively high standard. The company also has production facilities in the Far East that are capable of making items for larger commercial projects, where price, volume and quality are crucial elements.

The move towards cleaner, more refined lines can be seen in the Hoxton Collection, where walnut furniture features detailed starburst veneers and highlights of polished metal inlays with faux shagreen drawer fronts. Exclusive ranges such as the Cambridge Collection – a constantly evolving range of occasional furniture in an ageless, classic style – and the modern accent Brompton Collection, (which references art deco and mid-century furniture in satin brass and antiqued mirror), are typical of the new products that ijlbrown is continually introducing to the market.

Alongside the furniture, their showrooms feature a dedicated gallery of pieces from lighting producer Visual Comfort, including top designer names such as Aerin, Kelly Wearstler and Barbara Barry. Their handpicked accessories from Europe add the finishing touches to any interior project and, in response to demand from residential clients, the King’s Road showroom offers a new interior consultation service, with an in-house design team that advises on furniture and placement within the home.

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‘The King’s Road showroom offers a new interior consultation service, with an in-house design team that advises on furniture and placement within the home’

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A perfect country kitchen with Drawleaf table and Interlace chairs; Lowry sofa and Reynolds footstool in a Hampshire home; selection of legs from ‘the library’

Key projects include: Gleneagles, Hide Restaurant, The Langham, Burgh Island, and The Marylebone and Kensington hotels. Flexibility is integral (product finishes can be adapted to suit either a traditional or contemporary scheme) as is the level of service: ijlbrown pledges always to go the extra mile to deliver its absolute best. This commitment starts from the initial meeting to discuss a commission through to final delivery by the in-house team of installers. What really sets the company apart, though, is its ability to excel with both tables and chairs – surprisingly rare for a furniture maker – whether in off-the-shelf collections or bespoke designs. This is a business with heritage and tradition at its core, yet looking to push the boundaries of furniture making for the future.

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FURNITURE

JOHN TANOUS Handcrafted, bespoke furniture for life

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INTERIOR PHOTO: RACHEL WINHAM INTERIOR DESIGN

nce a pre-eminent fine art framemaker in Fulham working for all the major museums, art galleries and renowned early 20th-century artists, now John Tanous is famed for producing handcrafted, bespoke furniture in Sussex. The change of direction took place in 1994 when Carl Wenstrom took on the company and moved furniture manufacture to the forefront – a decision that has proved to be a resounding success. Clients range from top interior designers to architectural practices who, through their global reach, have led John Tanous furniture to be featured everywhere from public spaces in hotels and palaces to dining rooms in traditional members’ clubs and private residences.

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of prestigious one-off pieces being commissioned. Today John Tanous manufactures less volume but finer pieces, of greater value, that often form the central focus of a design project. Woodworking lies at the heart of the business: the team of experienced and talented craftsmen looks after all cabinetry in-house, employing a combination of oldschool, hands-on skills and modern technology to facilitate highly accurate and cost-effective

John Tanous Limited Unit 2 Valley Farm Estate Reeds Lane Sayers Common West Sussex BN6 9JQ +44 (0)20 7384 9000 johntanous.co.uk johntanous

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INTERIOR PHOTO: RACHEL WINHAM INTERIOR DESIGN

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: John Tanous bespoke bedroom furniture; high gloss Copthorne desk with inset brass and leather top detail; nickel feet on the Slinfold console contrast with the warmth of the walnut wood; side table with white Carrara marble top and solid oak detailed edge; suspended bedside table with satin brass frame

production. Using equipment such as digital saws and speed sanders allows the craftsmen to dedicate more time to the intricate elements of cabinetmaking; laser cutters ensure that all veneer work, from simple cross-banded panels to marquetry, is executed to the tightest tolerances.

When creating a particularly unusual piece, John Tanous will often incorporate materials such as brass, stainless steel, nickel plating, bronze patinas, powder coatings and cold spray metal bonded finishes. Perspex has been used in custom block forms to great effect on upholstery legs; the team has also developed techniques to integrate desktop vinyls into tabletop surfaces as well as inset leather tops with metal banding. All upholstery – which can be tailored in size, fabric and

finish – is handcrafted in solid beech wood frames in Sussex.

As a bespoke manufacturer, the development of new products at the company is driven by the needs of top interior designers who require exceptional solutions to complex and unusual problems. ‘When we went to John Tanous we had a number of issues that needed to be addressed,’ recalls Kate Earle of Todhunter Earle Interiors. ‘We found Carl was able to comprehend what was required and make it happen. He not only came up with some excellent design solutions but then maintained a close involvement with the project right the way through to completion.’

The company’s problem-solving approach can also lead to the development of new trends. For instance, an increase in demand for specialist and high gloss finishes has led to the introduction of self-clamping techniques so that, post-finish, the company can assemble the furniture without risk of damage to the lacquered finish. This is an exciting breakthrough and over the next 12 months the company is aiming to develop more complicated shapes and angled pieces.

With their strong design expertise, using only the highest-quality materials, this is a company that can creatively adapt to meet virtually any furniture manufacturing challenge.

‘The development of new products is driven by top interior designers who require exceptional solutions to complex and unusual problems’

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FURNITURE

JULIAN CHICHESTER

An eclectic collection of furniture, beautifully handcrafted with specialist finishes

‘I have never felt as if I had to have a certain look or repeatedly use the same materials.

Our pieces are always completely fresh, made to different styles, with a variety of finishes’

Julian Chichester 1-4 Queens Elm Parade London SW3 6EJ +44 (0)20 7622 2928 julianchichester.com julianchich

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n 1987 Julian Chichester left his job as a market trader in the City and went travelling through Thailand with the idea of buying furniture. ‘In the early days it was very low-key and relaxed: I had a motorbike with a sidecar to put pieces in,’ recalls the designer, who began selling his eclectic selection of furniture and decorative homeware (four poster beds, teak sculptures, ikat silks) from a shop on Portobello Road.

Later he started designing teak garden furniture himself, followed, in 1995, by his first interior collection of five pieces, all in black with gilt detail, which launched to great acclaim at Decorex in Chicago.

Julian’s eponymous business grew organically; today his furniture is showcased in hotels around the world, including London’s Berkeley hotel, the Twelve Apostles in Cape Town and the Astoria in St Petersburg. He has a handful of showrooms in London and New York and has just opened another in Atlanta. ‘The very nice thing about what I do is that I have never felt as if I had to have a certain look

or repeatedly use the same materials,’ he says, discussing the breadth of his furniture collection. ‘Our pieces are always completely fresh, made to different styles and with a variety of finishes all going into the mix.’

Inspired by classic English furniture making and mostly 20th-century shapes, that he alters in innovative ways to make his own, Julian Chichester is renowned for quality craftsmanship and original design.

He adds around 30 to 40 new pieces each year, which are manufactured in factories in the UK and Vietnam.

‘I’ve worked with highly skilled craftsmen in Vietnam for around 25 years and I consider myself lucky to do so,’ he continues. This spring, new pieces include an 18th-century style oak bedside table with a blackened brass drawer; a 1950s Italian wing armchair (he’s recently been incorporating more upholstery) and a sculptural dining table with a prismic, bronze-coated base and brass-wrap finish, which is moulded and beaten by hand.

It is specialist finishes such as these – others include faux-shagreen in cobalt blue, honed white granite, zinc on linen and fine-stitched leather – plus handcrafted decoration and intricate detailing, that really set the company apart. ‘We have anything from pieces coated with brass and bronze to gesso and our beloved goatskin, which we often return to. We’ve also been using lots of bleached, pared-back oak lately. It’s an incredibly difficult finish to get right but after a couple of years of trying, finally we’ve cracked it,’ says Julian, who is constantly conjuring up new ideas. Designs can be customised to suit individual needs, from adapting the finish and size to making larger, more distinctive alterations. Whether a client is looking for a traditional chest of drawers, a mid-century leather dining chair or a contemporary floor light, the joy of Julian Chichester is that it’s very likely to be part of his brilliantly diverse offering.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Felix ebonised oak chest; Fig chair of distressed walnut; Parrot sofa with low, brass-clad feet

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FURNITURE

LINLEY

Renowned for first-class cabinetmaking and magnificent marquetry

‘We apply exactly the same principles of tailoring and engineering in interior design as we do to creating individual items of furniture’

LINLEY 60 Pimlico Road London SW1W 8LP +44 (0)20 7730 7300 davidlinley.com LINLEYLondon

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ver the last 34 years, acclaimed furniture maker LINLEY has gained a reputation as the leader of modern marquetry and bespoke cabinetmaking.

The company was founded by David Linley, son of HRH Princess Margaret and celebrated photographer Lord Snowdon, who developed an interest in woodwork at a young age. He honed his skills at Parnham House School for Craftsmen in Wood, before setting up his first workshop above a chippy in Dorking.

‘I was fortunate enough to be taught by the great furniture maker, John Makepeace.

At Parnham he encouraged us beyond our comfort zones into the realms of excellence.

Those principles are still with me,’ says David of his eponymous brand, which now has its showroom on London’s Pimlico Road.

Since the beginning, the LINLEY mission has remained the same: to create a centre of excellence, bringing together the best designers, craftspeople and materials to ensure that each piece has the quintessentially British characteristics of inventiveness, meticulous

attention to detail, ingenuity and sophisticated creative spirit. Examples of this are the unique World Map table, handcrafted from over 40 veneers, walnut Zodiac boxes, each featuring one of the twelve star signs in marquetry (different colourways represent earth, air, fire and water), and the Aquilo chronometer, a multi-faceted timekeeper made in partnership with specialist Thomas Mercer, fusing marine chronometry and cabinetmaking to create a unique horological piece.

In 2007, after repeated requests from clients, LINLEY branched into interior design (‘we apply exactly the same principles of tailoring and engineering in interior design as we do to creating individual items of furniture,’ says David) and, in a further exciting move, it acquired interior design and architectural studio Keech Green last year. Two striking iconic design projects are the Residence apartments for the Four Seasons hotel in London’s Ten Trinity Square, and Claridge’s Map Room. For the first, LINLEY Interior Design created a feeling of luxury through an eclectic combination of international and local art together with classic furniture and accessories; the latter draws on the nostalgia of the 1920s golden age of travel, featuring a bespoke marquetry map in Macassar ebony and walnut on the back wall, which took 400 man-hours to complete.

The interior design team is working on several deco style rooms and suites at Claridge’s; they are also transforming a large country house in Yorkshire, where the exuberant baroque splendour of neighbouring Castle Howard is a constant source of stimulation.

Whether clients commission LINLEY for a bespoke cabinet or an entire home, they can expect unique design, elegant eclecticism and the highest quality and service (the company is reputedly able to create anything from a simple sketch). As Sir Roy Strong, former director of the V&A Museum once observed: David Linley’s furniture will become the antiques of the future. High praise indeed.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The design of London’s Ten Trinity Square was inspired by the location’s historic past as the London Port Authority; this Grade II-listed apartment in St James’ London was given the modern touch by LINLEY

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FURNITURE

POLIFORM

The contemporary Italian furniture brand opens a new London flagship showroom

Poliform 276-278 King’s Road London SW3 5AW +44 (0)20 7368 7600 poliformuk.com poliform_offiicial

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major player on the international furniture scene, Poliform is famous for its elegant Italian contemporary design. Offering a collection of furniture for the whole house – including wardrobes, library systems, sofas, armchairs and beds – the company is renowned for luxury and excellent quality, continually adapting its designs to anticipate and interpret trends in contemporary living. In 1996, kitchens were added to the range through the acquisition of the Varenna brand (now officially known as Poliform) and its new flagship showroom is set to open this spring on London’s Wigmore Street.

Set to be as inspirational in its architecture as in the design models displayed inside, the new showroom will occupy a Victorian building whose beautiful façade, marble pillars, crumbling finials and ancient warren of rooms are being sympathetically restored to create a magnificent new showcase for the company. It will feature four models from the Poliform Kitchens Collection, including its groundbreaking collaborations with designers and architects. An integral part of Poliform’s DNA and a testament to its design integrity and passion, these include partnerships with acclaimed names such as Jean-Marie Massaud, Marcel Wanders, Emmanuel Gallina, Carlo Colombo and Paolo Piva Colombo’s collaboration with Poliform produced two cutting-edge kitchen models: Trail (2015) is distinguished by its integrated, chamfered handles, minimum-thickness worktops and open, back-lit cabinets; Twelve (2009) combines absence of handles with a huge variety of textures and finishes, plus a 12mm door (hence the name). Alea (2003) was designed by Paolo Piva to show that kitchens can channel pure design and essential form while still being highly functional (his idea was that each element, from worktop to island, becomes a perfect geometrical ‘solid’ that enhances the materials used). Other popular kitchen models include Phoenix (2014), inspired by concepts of pure aesthetic rigour and line, with integrated handles facilitating the brand’s characteristic crisp detailing.

The company’s industrial ethos has been its trademark since it was launched in 1970, a time when this was still a revolutionary concept for domestic interiors. Poliform was quick to see, and

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‘Furniture for bedrooms and drawing rooms can have comparable finishes to the kitchen so that a subtle unifying thread links every area’

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Shape kitchen – design R&D Poliform; Senzafine Plus wardrobe – design R&D Poliform, central leaf doors Ego – design Giuseppe Bavuso, BB armchair – design Blumer and Borghi and New York pouf – design Jean-Marie Massaud; Jane Large armchair – design Emmanuel Gallina, Dama coffee table– design R&D Poliform and Soori coffee table – design Soo Chan

exploit, the potential of automated production line methods and continues to monitor every new technical development in an increasingly global market. It’s a strategy that has more than paid off: Poliform is distributed in more than 80 countries and has 750 shops and showrooms around the world, 80 of which are monobrand.

The company provides a complete design to installation package, starting with drawings for each unique room composition. Furniture for bedrooms and drawing rooms can have comparable finishes to the kitchen so that a subtle unifying thread links every area. The exceptional design of each piece makes it timeless: colour palettes and textures may change, but the clean lines and craftsmanship synonymous with Poliform can be passed down the generations.

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FURNITURE

SAVOIR

Handcrafted sleep for more than 100 years

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hen theatre impresario and hotelier Richard D’Oyly Carte unveiled the Savoy Hotel in 1889 guests were wowed by a new level of luxury: the ensuite bathrooms with hot and cold running water, the electric lighting and the lifts. To ensure that the beds themselves were of the same high standard, in 1905 he commissioned James Edwards Limited to create one especially for the hotel. After continued requests, he allowed select guests to commission their own bed, and the Savoy bed was born – still made by the company today as the Savoir No 2.

Since the beginning Savoir has championed ‘slow craftsmanship’ with the aim of providing every customer (from prime ministers and actors to singers and socialites) with the most comfortable and stylish bed imaginable – which is why only a thousand are made each year, using traditional techniques and natural materials. The four signature beds share the same fundamental principles for achieving the best sleep. Each is made to order to suit the individual and everything is taken into consideration, from the shape of the body to the interior of the home.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Stella 01 bed; Savoir No 1 State bed; Pier side-slipping a Savoir No 2 mattress; Savoir Sateen Giza linen

Savoir 7 Wigmore Street London W1U 1AD +44 (0)20 7493 4444 savoirbeds.com savoirbeds

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’Anything that can be dreamt of can be made, whether it’s a bed for a superyacht or a headboard inspired by architecture or a famous painting’

Dimensions, materials and fabrics can all be personalised.

Optimised support comes from the placement and tension of the pocket springs and there is a virtually unlimited choice of contemporary fabrics. In fact anything that can be dreamt of can be made, whether it’s a bed for a superyacht or a headboard inspired by architecture or a famous painting. From start to finish, each bespoke bed is made by a single skilled craftsman in the workshops in West London or Wales. (It takes a year to teach an apprentice to make a base, two years to perfect the techniques for mattresses and headboards.)

In 2018 the company joined forces with the National Gallery, a partnership that entitles Savoir customers to choose any of its paintings to adorn their bespoke beds. Other design collaborators include Steve Leung, the award-winning Hong Kong-based designer, Fromental, creators of the world’s most beautiful wallcoverings, and Nicole Fuller, the New York- and Los Angeles-based designer who is behind Savoir’s STELLA bed.

This spring Savoir will partner with the world’s leading manufacturer of bespoke turntable technology to launch a new, circular, rotating version of the Savoir No 1 bed, with 360 degrees movement. The craft time dedicated to making this design exceeds 300 hours. From the master bed makers to the highly skilled Savoir carpenters, the new bed celebrates an extraordinary level of British craft and design. This season also sees the launch of a made-to-order bedlinen collection produced by artisans in England using natural materials woven in Italian mills. As if that weren’t all, this year two new showrooms will open in Berlin and Singapore, adding to the 12 stores already located around the world.

It’s no secret that there is a direct correlation between sleep quality and overall happiness and that the foundation of good slumber is a comfortable, exceptionally well-crafted bed – which is precisely what Savoir has been specialising in for more than a century.

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HOME ACCESSORIES Pull together a project like a pro with these fabulous finishing touches

Plumes rug, by Deirdre Dyson

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HOME ACCESSORIES

AMY KENT BESPOKE RUGS A beautiful collection of unique rugs

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PHOTOS: KNOX INTERIORS; NICK SMITH; NATALIE PHILLIPS INTERIORS; MAURICIO FUERTES

ustomised, beautifullymade rugs that don’t cost the earth: that was the idea behind Amy Kent’s decision to set up her own rug company in 2005. Her first collection was inspired by nature, from photographs taken at the Chelsea Flower Show and in her own garden (one of the most popular designs today is based on an image of a copper beech tree that grows next to her house). Since then she has taken inspiration from all kinds of everyday shapes: cobbles on a street in Berlin, window panes in Kathmandu and the geometric pattern on the floor of her local church.

Design concept in place, Amy booked a flight to India and travelled around Varanasi meeting carpet-making companies until she found a husband and wife team that she’s been working with ever since. From the dyeing and washing of the wool and silk yarns to the knotting, trimming and finishing of the rugs, the entire making process is done by hand using celebrated, age-old techniques.

Each made-to-order rug is a work of art,

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Zebra by Jane Bristowe for Art on Rugs; Stars flat weave made from handwoven wool and art silk by Amy Kent; Beach Grass hand-knotted rug in wool and art silk by Amy Kent; Pivot by Marcus Hodge for Art on Rugs

Amy Kent Bespoke Rugs +44 (0)7979 594651 amykent.co.uk amykentrugs

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PHOTOS: KNOX INTERIORS; NICK SMITH; NATALIE PHILLIPS INTERIORS; MAURICIO FUERTES

‘Two of the biggest regrets people have are not going big enough and not being brave enough in terms of colour or design’

quite literally in some cases, as Amy is interested in exploring the crossover between the art world and interiors industry.

In the past few years Amy has developed an Art on Rugs collection, collaborating with various artists, including her sister, Lucy Kent. Last year at Decorex she exhibited a collection of four rugs based on abstract paintings by artist Marcus Hodge’s Gateway to India series, and since then has also worked with Jane Bristowe on a range of rugs based on her animal linocuts. This September she is returning to Decorex to launch an exciting series of intricate and vivid new designs with photographer and designer Eddie Wrey, taken from his graphic fabric prints. She also continues to develop her own rug designs, including several patterns derived from drawings she did while in Sri Lanka in 2018.

Much of Amy’s time is spent visiting interior designers and private clients at home around London and the Home Counties, helping them choose not only the rug design that suits their surroundings by seeing the collection in situ, but also the colours and size (two of the biggest regrets people have, says Amy, are not going big enough and not being brave enough in terms of colour or design). All the designs can be adapted, whether a client is after a square rug, round rug or runner. Following the site visit, Amy sends a computer mock-up of the design in the colours chosen and a CGI of how the bespoke rug would look in the actual space.

‘We have worked with Amy for over ten years now and are continually impressed by her impeccable service and attention to detail,’ says Romanos Brihi of Studio Vero, one of the many interior design companies that sources Amy’s rugs for clients. By personally working on each project she ensures that clients end up with a completely unique piece that perfectly complements the rest of their home interior.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Regency wall lantern; hanging Charlotte lantern in nickel and black bronze; small studded antique brass Tole shade in Farrow & Ball Cooking Apple Green with small round Buchanan ceiling canopy

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HOME ACCESSORIES

CHARLES EDWARDS

A respected antiques dealer reinventing 19th and 20th-century lighting with a modern aesthetic

‘Charles spends his time scouring books, auctions and antique shops worldwide, for references that are then transformed into beautiful new designs’

Charles Edwards 582 King’s Road London SW6 2DY +44 (0)20 7736 8490 charlesedwards.com charlesedwardsltd

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ntique lighting, especially lanterns, has always been a passion for Charles Edwards, who set up his original shop in Kensington in the 1960s, soon after leaving university.

Over the next two decades he sold antiques and decorative items, first in Notting Hill and then on the King’s Road, which, at the time, was the go-to destination for many leading American and London-based interior designers looking to source key pieces for their projects. And it was a conversation with one such renowned designer, David Easton, that led to Charles developing an entirely new strand of the business: designing and manufacturing his own collection of lights.

Today, inspired by English, French and American lighting from the 19th and 20th centuries, Charles spends his time scouring books, auctions and antique shops worldwide for relevant references. These are taken back to the design team at the Wimbledon workshop and transformed into beautiful new designs, with a suitably modern aesthetic, that meet international electrical regulations.

(All products are compatible with LED bulbs, dimmers and lighting controls.) His constantly growing collection (which at the current count stands at around 400) includes three new ceiling lights – the Hanging Charlotte Lantern, Hanging Hereford Lantern and Suspended Pall Mall Light – all based on Victorian or French Neoclassical styles. The company has also opened two new London showrooms in addition to the King’s Road shop.

Whether it’s a single crystal pendant or a wall lantern, all lights are handmade to order in brass and finished according to clients’ high-level specifications. The company’s bespoke service also allows customers total creative freedom to adapt and custom size any light from the collection or to develop their own exclusive pieces, finished in any preferred colour or metal texture.

‘Lighting is always my first thought when I am creating unique designs and furniture – how the light will refract around the room and from what lighting source,’ commented interior designer Tim Gosling last year. ‘Working with Charles Edwards always provides me with a wonderful palette of lighting.’

As well as being a major supporter of the conservation of historic British houses, the company has worked over the years on specially commissioned projects, such as the restoration of Charles Darwin’s house in Kent and Kensington Palace’s Diamond Jubilee Loggia, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. And it’s not just on home soil where Charles Edwards is highly regarded: in the past year the company has delivered projects to Kuwait, Qatar and Russia, with more in the pipeline for clients in Japan and South Korea. ‘We are proud of our history of rescuing lights and lanterns from obscurity and redeveloping them into modern styles’, says Charles. ‘We are pleased to promote the heritage of British products worldwide and pride ourselves on our ability to turn expectations into reality.’

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COZE

Family-run merchants of the finest linens and textiles CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: The ultimate luxury throw sourced from the best Mongolian cashmere and made in Italy; crisp white 100 per cent cotton linen and cashmere throws in a range of designs; cashmere and wool throw blankets in a range of colours and textures; Coze premium quality pillows in a choice of duck feather and down fillings

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f you’ve ever spent a night at The Ritz or the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and wondered where the exceptionally soft robes are from, the answer is Coze.

A family-run fine linen brand that can trace its roots back four generations, to one of the first textile businesses in the East End of London, today it is renowned for continuously supplying the highestquality products (including duvets and towels) to many of the UK’s most famous five-star establishments.

The latest twist in the company tale came two years ago when directors Ben and Dan Roston (whose father, Richard, set up Gailarde, the umbrella company to Coze) spotted a gap in the market for customers wanting to purchase hotel quality linens for themselves. ‘We often receive enquiries from guests who were introduced to our bedding by some of the UK’s finest hotels, seeking to bring the same comfort and luxury to their own homes,’ says Ben. ‘Our linens, which include high quality cotton sheets and plush feather and down pillows, are not only inviting in style but entirely

Coze Unit 2 Elstree Distribution Park Elstree Way Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 1RU +44 (0)20 3866 3939 cozelinen.com coze_linen

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‘Coze prides itself on its traceable “seed to sheet process” and can follow the raw materials from the farmers planting the cotton seeds to the final product the customer buys’

natural and breathable, which allows your body temperature to self-regulate for the best night’s sleep.’

Placing the customer first and concentrating on service, product and pricing has seen the company quickly grow to 50 members of staff with an annual turnover of approximately £15m. However, the core values and artisanal excellence that built the original business still exist today and are an important part of the Coze DNA. Duvets and pillows are filled with Pyrenean natural duck down – the best in the world, and the reason Coze is committed to its longstanding partners in the foothills of those mountains. Towelling is made in the Aegean region of Turkey, where the high quality cotton equates to a softer, more absorbent material. And the company’s wool blankets are made in a Yorkshire mill dating back to 1783. Skilfully woven to capture pockets of insulation, they are light in weight but comfortingly indulgent.

Then there’s the linen, which is woven in the Bay of Bengal, a stone’s throw from the cotton fields, in a relationship that has survived many generations. (India has invested heavily in cotton production over the last few decades and is developing the best varieties with the longest staple fibres.)

Coze prides itself on its traceable ‘seed to sheet process’ and can follow the raw materials from the farmers planting the cotton seeds to the final product that the customer buys – rare in these days of mass consumerism.

Coze also offers a monogramming service, in a range of colours and fonts, on all towels, robes and bed linen. ‘Coze is a genuine labour of love for me,’ says Ben, ‘and I believe this is reflected in the customer experience and product.’ So when he and Dan hear that their pillows have helped customers conquer chronic back pain or have given someone the best night’s sleep in years, the family feels its mission of service, quality and artisanship has been accomplished.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Deirdre Dyson’s Quills rug in a palette of French grey, bronze and plum; the richly-coloured Golden Pheasant design; Plumes rug

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DEIRDRE DYSON Bespoke, painterly carpets inspired by nature and crafted in Nepal

‘Deirdre Dyson carpets are designed to be contemporary collectibles that stand alone as artworks for the floor and, increasingly, on walls too’

Deirdre Dyson 554 King’s Road London SW6 2DZ +44 (0)20 7384 4464 deirdredyson.com deirdredysonllp

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eirdre Dyson has long been known for her nature-inspired carpet designs, and this year’s themed Plumage Collection is no different.

Unveiled at Maison et Objet in January, the nine designs take inspiration from the forms, colours and feathers of a variety of birds. Harlequin, for instance, combines the bright ultramarine blue and cherry red of a pretty sea duck, while Eagle depicts this majestic bird’s wingspan on a 3.4m-wide carpet – the large scale allows for intricate feathered detail and directional colour grading, creating a 3D effect.

‘In this collection, I have delved deep into the feathers of pheasants and abstracted designs of ducks,’ explains Deirdre. ‘Together, the carpets make a collection of colourful drama and soft luxury and in creating them our brilliant craftspeople have succeeded with the most difficult technical challenges I have ever set them.’ The collection includes Plumes, an intricate design of interlocking feather barbs on a navy background and Golden Pheasant, with a rich palette that reflects the tones of this colourful game bird.

Alongside the annual collection, Deirdre produces bespoke designs and receives commissions from around the world from individuals, designers and architects. Her original concepts, drawings and paintings are accurately reproduced digitally, which allows both Deirdre and her clients to visualise the designs before they are produced and ensure that the carpets – either hand-knotted by artisan craftsmen in Nepal, or gun-tufted here in the UK – are as close as possible to the original artwork.

The attention to detail in the design process (Deirdre personally selects colours from over 5,000 different hues of pure Tibetan wool and Chinese silk) is mirrored in the production, with each rug made to an exacting quality. The weavers first create an intricately-detailed, coloured map of the designs, which is printed full size and hung over the top of the loom for each worker to follow. It is painstaking work: 100 hand stitches make up the size of a postage stamp. Deirdre has a close working relationship with the artisans who create her carpets, which enables her to meet with them regularly to talk through new ideas and technical possibilities.

Deirdre Dyson carpets are designed to be contemporary collectibles that stand alone as artworks for the floor and, increasingly, on walls too. With the resurgence of interest in textile art and clients often choosing to hang her carpets (the pile height can be lowered to reduce weight), Deirdre has begun creating limited edition carpet artworks. Her first, Unbound, which is available in a limited edition of three, was exhibited earlier this year as part of Curation of the Finest, a collection of rare and one-off objects showcased by The Luxury Cave at the London Design Museum.

The age-old craft of hand knotting that transforms Deirdre’s inspired sketches and vibrant colour selections into artworks is slow design at its finest, and a comprehensive collection of her designs can be seen at her gallery on the King’s Road. Whether displayed on the floor or the wall, these are heirloom quality pieces designed to last a lifetime.

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DRAPER LONDON The Chanel Nº5 of bedlinen

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or many people the first cup of coffee in the morning has to be perfect: the best organicallysourced beans paired with a specific type of milk and the correct amount of froth. That reassuring feeling of the familiar first sip is exactly what Draper London is aiming to recreate with its stylishly modern bedlinen. Launched three years ago by Stephanie Betts (founder of luxury bedding company Josephine Home) after she realised the brand’s social media followers were a surprising 50:50 split of men and women, the gender neutral online company offers similar quality at a more affordable price. Which means a choice of tailored ‘ingredients’ so each individual can make their bed just as they like it, layer by welcoming layer – and, as a result, achieve the ultimate night’s sleep.

Tapping into the shift towards clean-lined ‘bedscapes’ – beds that look inviting and are easy to pull together – Draper London’s mindful consumerism values are aligned with a new generation of shoppers who invest time in researching products with integrity before they buy. Bedlinen is used every day and owned for years so for Draper London

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Luxury bedlinen and accessories from Josephine Home; navy trim bedlinen from Draper London; the brand aims for timeless bedscapes and perfect sleep; its products appeal to Hollywood royalty and homeowners worldwide

Draper London +44 (0)1635 200080 draperlondon.com draperldn

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‘What makes the company both sought-after and emulated is its next-level approach to luxury as an emotional experience: the fluffiest towels that feel like an embrace’

it needs not just to be able to stand the test of time but also to give those using it a sense of joy. Inspiration for the designs comes from 1960s Savile Row tailoring and this is evident in the brand’s balance of a soft and silky 300-thread-count Egyptian cotton percale fabric and trademark understated grosgrain trim. It’s no wonder design columnist Lucia van der Post once called it ‘the Chanel Nº5 of bedlinen’.

Craftsmanship is at the core of the company and there’s a focus on the smallest of details: neat stitching, a French tail on the duvet covers that tucks under the mattress (meaning no fiddly buttons), and generosity of size, including a deeper than average fit for fitted sheets. Everything has been designed in-house in England and is therefore unique to Draper London. Years were spent on development and testing by laundry experts who assessed for technical performance and, as the products are made in Europe, Draper London has complete control of quality and finish.

Provenance aside, what makes the company both soughtafter and emulated is its next-level approach to luxury as an emotional experience: the fluffiest towels that feel like an embrace and bedlinen that creates a sleep sanctuary of sweet dreams. This unique Draper London DNA appeals to its in-the-know international clients, who demand the absolute best of the best. From Hollywood royalty to pop stars and power couples, from five-star hotels – such as the Mandarin Oriental in London and Hong Kong – to private individuals with homes in Malibu and the Hamptons, what unites them all is the desire for homeware that is the real McCoy. Nothing is more rewarding for Stephanie and the team than when they hear happy stories about how children have fallen asleep more easily when the brand’s bedlinen is on the bed; or about adults who feel more rested in the morning and resolve henceforth ‘to buy only Draper London’. With its considered aesthetic Draper London stands out for delivering an authentic 360-degree experience with the highest level of comfort.

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LONDON CRAFT WEEK A unique festival that celebrates luxury craftsmanship

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hen London Craft Week returns to the capital for its fifth edition this May, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and creativity, it will feature over 240 events with established and emerging makers, designers, heritage and contemporary brands and galleries from around the globe. This unique, one-of-a-kind festival started when Guy Salter OBE MVO, former deputy chairman at Walpole and business investor with an interest in luxury craftsmanship, noticed customers were displaying a new discernment in the quality of their purchases. He thought: there is London Fashion Week and London Design Festival so why not start up a similar celebration of craftsmanship and creativity?

Since the beginning, London Craft Week has offered countless opportunities for visitors to understand the full context in which beautiful objects are made – to meet the creators and witness their talent and skills up close and in person. It puts the spotlight on elite craftsmanship, whether it’s the engine of a Rolls Royce Phantom, the studio of a Viennese glassmaker or the carved medieval stones of St Paul’s Cathedral. It seeks to underline London’s status as a vibrant hub of international craft, encompassing makers of all sizes and scales, from the ateliers of well-known masters to the hidden workshops of little-known producers.

Spanning fragrance and furniture, couture and calligraphy, jewellery and ceramics, this is a

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ministry of Culture Taiwan and Native & Co; Design Nation at London Craft Week; Vanguard Court ceramics; Jonathan Baldock’s open studio at Camden Arts Centre; Ane Christensen’s balancing Ghost Bowl

London Craft Week londoncraftweek.com londoncraftweek

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‘Spanning fragrance and furniture, couture and calligraphy, jewellery and ceramics, London Craft Week is a platform for international artists and makers in every sector’

platform for international artists and makers in every sector. ‘London Craft Week is a magical combination of the imagination, individuality, passion and skill found in the best-made things,’ says Guy. There will be a packed calendar of events including demonstrations, hands-on craft workshops, talks, interviews and discussions, featuring some of the most fascinating individuals working in craft today.

This year London Craft Week is focused on quality and substance in every sense. Independent makers taking part include artist and furniture maker Yinka Ilori, who has a solo exhibition in StudioRCA inspired by his 16 different concepts of happiness; rush weaver Felicity Irons, who collaborates with kitchen company British Standard; and ceramicist Christine Roland brings her latest collection of hand-built porcelain and stoneware to Roksanda’s flagship store. The festival also has a strong global outlook (there are plans in the pipeline to launch internationally this year) and will once again look towards Asia, with a broad range of makers and organisations represented throughout the festival from Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Korea. For instance, Japan House, which opened last summer, focuses on fashion, textiles, art and cuisine, while Heal’s department store will display work by makers from Japan’s Gifu area, which is being shown in the UK for the first time.

As in previous years, galleries, retailers and studios from all over the city will come together to explore specific craft themes. Pimlico Road retailers such as Daylesford, SCP and Cox London present events on Crafting Interiors, while St James’s Fortnum & Mason, D. R. Harris & Co and Floris give interpretations on the theme of A Sensory Journey. Other interiors-focused partners include Petersham Nurseries, Front Rugs and The Room Service, an online shop selling covetable items spied in hotels, restaurants and design-led spaces.

This is a vibrant five-day event that invites the public to venture behind the scenes and explore the people, processes and materials involved in creating the most beautifully-crafted design today.

London Craft Week is held from 8–12 May. For more information on the programme and to book tickets, visit londoncraftweek.com. @Londoncraftweek COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/INTERIORSGUIDE | 147

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LOOMAH

Exceptional bespoke carpets and rugs, delivered with a personalised design service

‘Whether for a large commercial project, yacht or residential interior, Loomah can supply fitted carpets or looselaid rugs in any size, shape or colour’

Loomah Bespoke Carpets & Rugs 592 King’s Road London SW6 2DX +44 (0)20 7371 9955 loomah.com loomahltd

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ounded in 2001 by husband and wife Andrew and Natalie Cotgrove, Loomah is at the forefront of the design and supply of traditional and contemporary luxury bespoke carpets and rugs. With over 30 years’ experience working with the best artisans and factories in the industry, the couple decided to set up Loomah from their London home, with the vision of creating a brand focused on delivering a unique personal design service. Now, with a showroom in the heart of the King’s Road, Loomah is renowned for its bespoke design service, exceptional quality and a team that goes the extra mile to ensure the end product is the ultimate in elegance and indulgence.

Today the company’s client base is as diverse as its design scope, with a portfolio that includes Madonna’s London residence, a villa for the Emir of Qatar in Cannes and luxury hotels The Berkeley and The Connaught. Whether for a large commercial project, yacht or residential interior, Loomah can supply fitted carpets or loose-laid rugs in any size, shape and colour.

All the carpets are made to fit exact room sizes

and shapes, in one piece, avoiding unsightly joins. From a bespoke luxury silk carpet in a plain custom-dyed colour to an intricate border design that follows the contours of an elaborate staircase, every project is designed to suit the specific requirements of each individual interior.

It is this approach that sets Loomah apart from its competitors. ‘While we have a large portfolio of designs available for customisation, it is our bespoke design service that allows our customers to create something truly individual to their space,’ says designer Antonina Depczynski. Whether it is a simple sketch, a photograph, or an image in the buyer’s head, the in-house designers can transform an idea into a one-off design and advise on colour selection (from a choice of more than 600 hues, plus a bespoke colour service).

The company recently worked with architect Michael Blair of Blair Associates to create custom-made rugs for the Mews House at The Connaught. ‘Michael had a clear vision for the design of the rugs, presenting his ideas in the form of hand-drawn sketches, which I translated into rug designs,’ continues Antonina. ‘The finished rug featured a deconstructed horseshoe motif inspired by the Mews’ previous equestrian usage and re-imagined to work within the contemporary setting.’

Only the finest and most luxurious yarns are used in the manufacturing of their handmade carpets, including the purest wools, silk and bamboo. (The latter is one of the world’s most sustainable resources and an increasingly popular choice for customers wanting an affordable alternative to silk.) All their carpets and rugs are tufted by hand, to exacting standards, by highlyskilled craftsmen in the Far East. Loomah also offers custom machine-made carpets and these too can be dyed to any colour and supplied to exact room measurements, in one piece, without seams.

The company continues to push the boundaries of carpet design, experimenting with new products and techniques. This year they are working on a collection that celebrates the heritage of carpet design, utilising the hand-drawn and handpainted skills used in Loomah’s infancy.

PHOTOS: DAVID CLEVELAND, STYLED BY LUCY GOUGH

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PHOTOS: DAVID CLEVELAND, STYLED BY LUCY GOUGH

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Master bedroom in Hampstead; Jade geometric rug

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RIVIERE

Exquisite custom rugs, handcrafted in India and Nepal

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or the last 14 years Camilla and Leo Riviere have been designing custom rugs which are handcrafted in their own workshop in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal and also in Rajasthan.

Inspired by extensive travels in Europe and Asia, and with backgrounds in art and design, the couple founded Riviere in 2005. Since the beginning, their idea has been to combine craftsmanship and creativity to produce original rugs that will last for generations.

In an increasingly mass-produced world, Riviere has positioned itself within the highlyskilled artisan tradition. Using only finest-grade, hand carded and handspun Tibetan wool with pure Chinese silk, the rugs are handwoven with a minimum of 100 knots per square inch.

(The wide range of other knot counts and yarns available includes mohair, nettle, linen and botanic silk.) From the hand dyeing of the natural yarns to the highly labour-intensive weaving process, every stage is carried out by craftsmen using techniques that have been passed down through families for generations.

Today, Riviere has a collection of more than 90 designs and each one can be customised with a choice of colour, size, shape and materials. In addition, the company provides a colour matching

PHOTOS: ZOFFANY AND JAMES HARE

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Caumont Bronze from the Abstract collection; Bellagio Bronze from the Geometric collection; Samarkand from the Modern Classic collection; close-up of Trevi Bronze from the Abstract collection

Riviere 46 Lots Road London SW10 0QF +44 (0)20 3601 4600 riviererugs.com riviererugs

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PHOTOS: ZOFFANY AND JAMES HARE

‘Camilla and Leo’s work is influenced not just by their appreciation of art, architecture and interiors but also of craft forms like fabric prints, wood carvings and fretwork’ service and an extensive library of more than 2000 colour tufts at their showroom on Lots Road in the heart of London’s Chelsea Design Quarter. Working closely with some of the leading interior designers in the UK and worldwide, Riviere also offers a fully bespoke design service that gives the industry scope to create one-off pieces for their clients: rugs from Riviere’s Modern Classic, signature Geometric and understated Elemental and Abstract collections have been commissioned for mansions and superyachts around the world.

Camilla and Leo’s work is influenced not only by their appreciation of art, architecture and interiors, but also by a reverence for craft forms such as fabric prints, wood carvings and fretwork. Several of their designs take inspiration from artists they admire – the Moma, Rothko and Raku rugs pay homage to Mark Rothko – while the pattern on their Nam Khong rug was influenced by wood carving at the Buddhist monks’ quarters at Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang, Laos. The couple continually works on developing new techniques that will translate their design concepts into rug form.

Although they avoid following trends, Camilla and Leo have noted the revival in Modernist and Art Deco styling, in which soft furnishings such as rugs are experiencing a moment in the spotlight. There is also a greater emphasis in the industry on traditional patterns such as those found in ikat motifs or damask weaves, which Riviere often references to create an antique look. Their latest collection focuses on texture, and abrash (the colour variations in hand knotted and Oriental rugs), pushing the boundaries of custom dyeing and complex weaving to the limit. Like the rest of their collections, these are unique pieces of floor art, designed to become modern classics and perfect for use in both contemporary and traditional schemes.

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I N D E X

A The Albion Bath Company Amy Kent Bespoke Rugs Andrew Martin Augustus Brandt

K 74 136 108 110

C Catchpole & Rye Chamber Furniture Charles Edwards Cole & Son The Conran Shop Coze C.P. Hart

76 112 138 94 114 140 78

D Davidson Deirdre Dyson Designers Guild The Dining Chair Company Draper London

116 142 96 118 144

E Elicyon

58

120

H Hamilton Weston Wallpapers

98

I ijlbrown

122

J John Tanous Julian Chichester

LINLEY London Craft Week Loomah

126

128 146 148

M Mandarin Stone Martin Kemp Design Martin Moore

100 62 80

N Neptune Nina Campbell

82 64

P PDP London Poggenpohl Poliform

66 84 130

R 150

S Savoir Sanderson SieMatic Smallbone of Devizes St James Interiors Stephenson Wright

132 102 86 88 70 68

T Thibaut

124

60

L

Riviere

G Gaze Burvill

Kit Kemp

104

W West One Bathrooms

90

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© Agnès Léopold

www.baobabcollection.com

Modernista Raffia Limited edition

by Baobab Collection

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